Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jeroen Dobbelaere, Tiffany Y. Su, Balazs Erdi, Alexander Schleiffer, Alexander Dammermann
Summary: Cilia are cellular projections that perform sensory and motile functions in eukaryotic cells. In this study, a set of 386 human genes associated with cilium assembly or motility were identified by analyzing the presence and absence pattern in the genomes of diverse eukaryotes. The novel genes were further characterized and found to be related to cilium defects in fruit flies and nematodes. This dataset defines the core set of genes required for cilium assembly and motility across eukaryotes and provides a valuable resource for future studies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Suhayl Mulla, Adele R. Ludlam, Aiman Elragig, Cathy Slack, Zita Balklava, Michael Stich, Alex Cheong
Summary: Ageing research aims to identify factors that affect lifespan and understand their effects. This study introduces a bilogistic model to describe the shape of lifespan curves in Caenorhabditis elegans. The model provides a better fit to experimental data than other models, and can identify and confirm biphasic lifespan data.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Fang Zhang, Liying Wang, Jiayu Jin, Yulu Pang, Hao Shi, Ziyi Fang, Han Wang, Yujie Du, Yufan Hu, Yingchun Zhang, Xiaoyue Ding, Zuobin Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the impact of Escherichia coli mutant strains on fruit fly lifespan and found that feeding E. coli purE strain resulted in the longest lifespan in fruit flies, which was also validated in Caenorhabditis elegans. RNA sequencing and analysis revealed that E. coli mutant strains affect lifespan by regulating protein synthesis rate and ATP levels. This research provides new insights into the genetic influences of gut microbiota on host lifespan and offers a foundation for developing anti-aging probiotics and drugs.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Xinlu Guo, Junjie Luo, Jingyi Qi, Xiya Zhao, Peng An, Yongting Luo, Guisheng Wang
Summary: The increasing elderly proportion of the population poses burdens on society, the economy, and the medical field. Polysaccharides have gained attention for their potential use in anti-aging therapies due to their natural and efficient biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune regulatory activities.
Review
Cell Biology
Anja Wagner, Markus Schosserer
Summary: RNA modifications play a regulatory role in gene expression, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and physiological consequences are still poorly understood. This review systematically examines different types of RNA modifications, analysis methods, challenges in the field, and associations with human diseases. Furthermore, evidence is compiled for the connection between RNA modification enzymes and lifespan in yeast, worms, and flies.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brecht Driesschaert, Lucas Mergan, Liesbet Temmerman
Summary: A mechanistic understanding of biology involves appreciating the spatiotemporal aspects of gene expression and its functional implications. Conditional gene expression allows reversible or irreversible switching of genes on or off, providing spatial and/or temporal control for a wider range of research questions across biological disciplines. The use of specific promoters, temperature regimens, compound addition, or illumination grants spatial and/or temporal control, particularly in invertebrate animal models, facilitating the study of biological processes on large scales in short time frames. Recent years have seen exciting expansion and optimization of genetic tool kits in these models, highlighting their mechanisms, applicability, benefits, drawbacks, and future developments.
JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose Miguel Simoes, Joshua I. Levy, Emanuela E. Zaharieva, Leah T. Vinson, Peixiong Zhao, Michael H. Alpert, William L. Kath, Alessia Para, Marco Gallio
Summary: The study demonstrates that the avoidance of heat in fruit flies is not as hard-wired as previously believed, and actually exhibits unexpected plasticity. Fruit flies use small temperature differences between their antennae to steer away from thermal danger, suggesting that their heat avoidance behavior involves decision-making, rapid learning, and is robust to new conditions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Carola Petersen, Alexandra Krahn, Matthias Leippe
Summary: Some small animals use other, more mobile animals to migrate from short-lived and resource-poor habitats. A study was conducted to determine if the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is attracted to invertebrates. It was found that C. elegans is attracted to the odor of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Monica Filaferro, Alessandro Codeluppi, Virginia Brighenti, Francesca Cimurri, Ana Maria Gonzalez-Paramas, Celestino Santos-Buelga, Davide Bertelli, Federica Pellati, Giovanni Vitale
Summary: In this study, an autochthonous variety of sweet cherry was processed to prepare polyphenol-rich extracts, which showed protective effects against Parkinson's disease and oxidative stress. The findings suggest that these extracts could be potential candidates for the formulation of nutraceutical products to prevent oxidative stress-induced disorders.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nariani Rocha Saraiva, Juliana Foletto Fredo Roncato, Monica Pascoli, Joao Marcos Fonseca Macedo e Sousa, Luiz Felipe Windberg, Fernanda Cristina Possamai Rossatto, Jefferson de Jesus Soares, Elton Luis Gasparotto Denardin, Robson Luiz Puntel, Karine Rigon Zimmer, Leonardo Fernandes Fraceto, Daiana Silva Avila
Summary: The biodegradable zein nanoparticles loaded with clove oil or eugenol displayed low toxicity to nematodes and significant insecticidal activity against fruit flies, showing promise for eco-friendly botanical insecticide production.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sreesankar Easwaran, Matthew Van Ligten, Mackenzie Kui, Denise J. Montell
Summary: This study reveals that Drosophila enter adult reproductive diapause under specific environmental conditions, which leads to ovarian arrest but preserves fertility. Germline stem cells (GSCs) in diapause incur DNA damage and division reduction, yet they are able to recover. Mimicking reduced juvenile hormone production during diapause enhances GSC longevity in non-diapausing flies.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Chad W. Sauvola, J. Troy Littleton
Summary: Membrane fusion in eukaryotic protein trafficking is mediated by the SNARE protein family, with diverse SRPs ensuring fusion occurs at the right time and place. Neurons have specialized SRPs for synaptic vesicle fusion, allowing precise SNARE dynamics and neurotransmitter release control. Calcium influx at release sites triggers SNARE zippering for membrane fusion and neurotransmitter release in neuronal communication.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Caglar Berkel, Ercan Cacan
Summary: The research focused on aging and lifespan-extending compounds across different model organisms such as yeast, worms, flies and mice. The study identified aspirin as the compound with the highest percent increase in average lifespan when data from all organisms studied were combined, followed by minocycline, N-acetyl cysteine, nordihydroguaiaretic acid and rapamycin. Additionally, it was found that minocycline led to the highest percent increase in average lifespan among other compounds in fruit flies and nematodes.
Article
Cell Biology
Isabel Beets, Sven Zels, Elke Vandewyer, Jonas Demeulemeester, Jelle Caers, Esra Baytemur, Amy Courtney, Luca Golinelli, Ilayda Hasakiogullari, William R. Schafer, Petra E. Vertes, Olivier Mirabeau, Liliane Schoofs
Summary: Neuropeptides and peptide hormones are widespread signaling molecules that play important roles in brain functions. In this study, the researchers created a peptide-GPCR interaction map in Caenorhabditis elegans, uncovering a broad signaling network with specific and complex interactions. These findings provide insights into the functions and evolution of peptides.
Review
Neurosciences
Elke Braems, Paraskevi Tziortzouda, Ludo Van Den Bosch
Summary: ALS is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of motor neurons. Alternative small animal models, such as nematodes, fruit flies, and zebrafish, have provided new insights into ALS pathomechanisms and therapeutic targets, complementing traditional rodent models in preclinical studies.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Aljoscha Schulze, Alex Gomez-Marin, Vani G. Rajendran, Gus Lott, Marco Musy, Parvez Ahammad, Ajinkya Deogade, James Sharpe, Julia Riedl, David Jarriault, Eric T. Trautman, Christopher Werner, Madhusudhan Venkadesan, Shaul Druckmann, Vivek Jayaraman, Matthieu Louis
Article
Clinical Neurology
Balazs Szigeti, Adam R. Winstock, David Erritzoe, Larissa J. Maier
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Balazs Szigeti, Padraig Gleeson, Michael Vella, Sergey Khayrulin, Andrey Palyanov, Jim Hokanson, Michael Currie, Matteo Cantarelli, Giovanni Idili, Stephen Larson
FRONTIERS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2014)
Article
Biology
Balazs Szigeti, Laura Kartner, Allan Blemings, Fernando Rosas, Amanda Feilding, David J. Nutt, Robin L. Carhart-Harris, David Erritzoe
Summary: The study found that while there were some small but significant differences in emotional state, drug intensity, mood, energy, and creativity between microdosing and placebo groups, these results may be due to participants breaking the blind. Therefore, the study results suggest that the anecdotal benefits of microdosing may be explained by the placebo effect.