Review
Plant Sciences
Christine A. Beveridge, Catherine Rameau, Akila Wijerathna-Yapa
Summary: The importance of multidisciplinary and multispecies approaches is demonstrated through the review of apical dominance and shoot branching research. Different research methods have revealed the physiological process of apical dominance and the discovery of novel plant hormones. Further exploration of the whole network is needed to address challenges like sustainable food supply and climate change.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jenna Finley, Lonnie W. Aarssen
Summary: This study investigated the effects of shoot apical meristem removal on growth and fecundity in 19 herbaceous angiosperm species. The results showed that different species had variable compensatory capacities, indicating the absence of a generalized cost of apical dominance.
JOURNAL OF PLANT ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Fayu Yang, Mao Xiong, Mingjiang Huang, Zhongcheng Li, Ziyi Wang, Honghui Zhu, Rui Chen, Lu Lu, Qinglan Cheng, Yan Wang, Jun Tang, Hui Zhuang, Yunfeng Li
Summary: The study identified a new rice mutant paa3 which exhibited severe spikelet abortion and decreased grain size, with the PAA3 gene encoding an H+-ATPase playing a key role in removing ROS and maintaining normal panicle development.
Article
Plant Sciences
G. N. Mohan Kumar, C. G. Kannangara, N. Richard Knowles
Summary: The defense response of potato tubers afflicted with zebra chip disease involves the upregulation of nucleases, which likely modulate cell death and restrict the bacterial pathogen to vasculature. This study provides insights into the potential role of nucleases in the response of tubers to CLso infection.
Article
Plant Sciences
Catriona H. Walker, Alexander Ware, Jan Simura, Karin Ljung, Zoe Wilson, Tom Bennett
Summary: To maximize reproductive success, flowering plants need to time their entry and exit from the reproductive phase correctly. This study reveals that the end-of-flowering in Arabidopsis is a complex developmental phenomenon involving the arrest of the inflorescence meristem and floral primordia. It also demonstrates that cytokinin plays a crucial role in regulating the end-of-flowering in Arabidopsis.
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria N. Muniz Garcia, Juan Cortelezzi, Daniela A. Capiati
Summary: Overexpression of StPP2Ac2b delays potato tuber sprouting, promotes sprout branching and growth, and alters the source-sink balance.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yan Guo, Shuhang Zhang, Ying Li, Xinfang Zhang, Huan Liu, Shiyuan Liu, Jing Liu, Guangpeng Wang
Summary: Previous studies have found that the senescence and death of replaceable buds in Chinese chestnut cultivars involves programmed cell death (PCD), but the molecular network regulating this PCD process is poorly understood. In this study, transcriptomic profiling was conducted on the replaceable buds of the Chinese chestnut cultivar Tima Zhenzhu at different stages of PCD. The analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and revealed their involvement in various cellular components, molecular functions, and biological processes. Furthermore, the study highlighted the role of plant hormone signal transduction, particularly ethylene signaling, in PCD.
OPEN LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Hua Wang, Xiaowen Zhou, Chenbei Li, Shuxiang Yan, Chengyao Feng, Jieyu He, Zhihong Li, Chao Tu
Summary: This article discusses the importance of pyroptosis in the treatment of pediatric cancers, introducing the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis and the challenges and opportunities in activating its pathways through various oncologic therapies.
JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY & ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gregoire Le Provost, Benjamin Brachi, Isabelle Lesur, Celine Lalanne, Karine Labadie, Jean-Marc Aury, Corinne Da Silva, Dragos Postolache, Thibault Leroy, Christophe Plomion
Summary: By combining RNA-seq and a genome scan of genetic divergence between two closely related oak species, researchers identified potentially adaptive genes related to drought and waterlogging responses, as well as intrinsic reproductive barriers in oak trees.
Review
Cell Biology
Yasunobu Okada, Ravshan Z. Sabirov, Kaori Sato-Numata, Tomohiro Numata
Summary: Cell volume regulation is crucial for animal cell survival and functions, with normotonic shrinkage and swelling linked to apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Various ion channels, including VSOR/VRAC, play roles in cell death induction and protection. This review focuses on the molecular properties of VSOR/VRAC and its involvement in cell volume dysregulation and cell death pathways.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhiwei Luo, Bart J. Janssen, Kimberley C. Snowden
Summary: The architecture of flowering plants is influenced by the number and activity of axillary meristems and the growth characteristics of branches developed from axillary buds. The plasticity of shoot branching is a result of various intrinsic and genetic elements, as well as environmental signals. The initiation of axillary meristems and outgrowth of axillary buds are controlled by a complex regulatory network, with key genes and plant hormones playing important roles in coordinating the process.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Songlin Gong, Xiuqi Liang, Miaomiao Zhang, Lu Li, Tao He, Yuan Yuan, Xinchao Li, Furong Liu, Xi Yang, Meiling Shen, Qinjie Wu, Changyang Gong
Summary: Researchers have developed a hydrogel platform that activates the tumor microenvironment to enhance the immune response triggered by tumor vaccines. By controlling the release of drugs, the platform can induce tumor cell death, release tumor antigens, and reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Experimental results show that the platform effectively inhibits tumor growth.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
E. S. Alghamdi, M. Farooq, E. M. R. Metwali
Summary: Potato, a leading vegetable crop, is negatively affected by salt stress. This study found that the application of nanoparticle-sized zinc oxide can improve potato's tolerance to salt stress.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL AND PLANT SCIENCES-JAPS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Shin Murai, Kanako Takakura, Kenta Sumiyama, Kenta Moriwaki, Kenta Terai, Sachiko Komazawa-Sakon, Takao Seki, Yoshifumi Yamaguchi, Tetuo Mikami, Kimi Araki, Masaki Ohmuraya, Michiyuki Matsuda, Hiroyasu Nakano
Summary: Researchers successfully generated SMART Tg mice that express the SMART biosensor in various tissues. Their findings suggest that necroptosis leads to an increase in FRET ratio in primary cells. Moreover, cisplatin-treated mice show elevated FRET signals. These results indicate that SMART Tg mice could serve as a valuable tool for monitoring necroptosis in different types of cells.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Suvendu Mondal
Summary: The disease triangle explains the relationship among pathogen, host, and environment in disease prevalence. The role of environment in NLR-mediated resistance was recently discovered. A study showed that light controls late blight disease reaction in potatoes, with a specific gene behaving differently due to light-responsive alternate promoter selection of another gene.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mor Tsamir-Rimon, Shifra Ben-Dor, Ester Feldmesser, Yaara Oppenhimer-Shaanan, Rakefet David-Schwartz, Alon Samach, Tamir Klein
Summary: This study found that trees will degrade starch and produce mannitol to cope with drought conditions, as shown by measurements of nonstructural carbohydrates, tree physiology, and gene expression. Additionally, gene family members potentially relevant to long-term or stress-induced carbon storage were identified.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiyoon L. Kim, Shifra Ben-Dor, Eden Rosenfeld-Gur, Anthony H. Futerman
Summary: Ceramide, a lipid moiety synthesized by ceramide synthases, is involved in various cellular processes. This study identified a unique C-terminal motif in Ceramide synthases (CerSs), which plays a role in their enzymatic activity and interaction. Deletion of this motif affected the activity of CerS2 in the presence of CerS6, and disrupted the interaction between CerS2 and CerS6. Furthermore, deletion of the motif impacted cellular protein expression and levels of sphingolipid synthesis regulator, ORMDL1.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Hadas Gerbi, Indira Paudel, Annat Zisovich, Gal Sapir, Shifra Ben-Dor, Tamir Klein
Summary: The study found that wild almond trees have higher drought resistance compared to rootstock, while wild plum species do not. Additionally, the research results indicate a link between drought resistance in wild tree species and their native habitat conditions.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Moshe Goldsmith, Shiri Barad, Maor Knafo, Alon Savidor, Shifra Ben-Dor, Alexander Brandis, Tevie Mehlman, Yoav Peleg, Shira Albeck, Orly Dym, Efrat Ben-Zeev, Ranjit S. Barbole, Asaph Aharoni, Ziv Reich
Summary: Grass pea is a commonly grown grain legume with high nutritional value. However, it produces a neurotoxic compound that can cause severe neurological disorders. In this study, the enzyme responsible for the formation of this compound, beta-ODAP synthase (BOS), was identified and characterized. The expression of BOS in the presence of its substrates was found to be sufficient for beta-ODAP production. This discovery may help in the development of grass pea cultivars that are safe for consumption.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Chen Eitan, Aviad Siany, Elad Barkan, Tsviya Olender, Kristel R. van Eijk, Matthieu Moisse, Sali M. K. Farhan, Yehuda M. Danino, Eran Yanowski, Hagai Marmor-Kollet, Natalia Rivkin, Nancy Sarah Yacovzada, Shu-Ting Hung, Johnathan Cooper-Knock, Chien-Hsiung Yu, Cynthia Louis, Seth L. Masters, Kevin P. Kenna, Rick A. A. van der Spek, William Sproviero, Ahmad Al Khleifat, Alfredo Iacoangeli, Aleksey Shatunov, Ashley R. Jones, Yael Elbaz-Alon, Yahel Cohen, Elik Chapnik, Daphna Rothschild, Omer Weissbrod, Gilad Beck, Elena Ainbinder, Shifra Ben-Dor, Sebastian Werneburg, Dorothy P. Schafer, Robert H. Brown, Pamela J. Shaw, Philip Van Damme, Leonard H. van den Berg, Hemali Phatnani, Eran Segal, Justin K. Ichida, Ammar Al-Chalabi, Jan H. Veldink, Eran Hornstein
Summary: In this study, rare variant association analysis was performed on the untranslated regions of the genomes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and non-ALS controls. The study identified genetic variants in the IL18RAP gene's 3' UTR that were significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing ALS. These variants reduce mRNA stability and dampen neurotoxicity in motor neurons, highlighting the importance of studying noncoding genetic associations.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ori Hassin, Nishanth Belugali Nataraj, Michal Shreberk-Shaked, Yael Aylon, Rona Yaeger, Giulia Fontemaggi, Saptaparna Mukherjee, Martino Maddalena, Adi Avioz, Ortal Iancu, Giuseppe Mallel, Anat Gershoni, Inna Grosheva, Ester Feldmesser, Shifra Ben-Dor, Ofra Golani, Ayal Hendel, Giovanni Blandino, David Kelsen, Yosef Yarden, Moshe Oren
Summary: The TP53 gene is frequently mutated in colorectal cancer (CRC) and different mutations have different impacts on cancer progression. Specifically, CRC tumors harboring R273 mutations have a higher likelihood of developing metastatic disease and a worse prognosis compared to those with R175 mutations. Furthermore, these R273 mutations are associated with the activation of oncogenic signaling pathways. This study highlights the importance of understanding the specific TP53 mutations in CRC for precision-based medicine.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Amir Fromm, Daniella Schatz, Shifra Ben-Dor, Ester Feldmesser, Assaf Vardi
Summary: Here, we report the complete genome of Emiliania huxleyi virus strain M1 (EhVM1), isolated from an Emiliania huxleyi bloom in Raunefjorden, Bergen, Norway.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiyoon Kim, Yael Pewzner-Jung, Tammar Joseph, Shifra Ben-Dor, Anthony H. Futerman
Summary: In this study, we generated a CerS6 mouse model using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and found that replacing the DDRSDIE motif in CerS6 may affect an unknown mechanism of regulation of ceramide synthesis in vivo, resulting in significantly reduced ceramide levels. By crossing CerS6(ADAAAIA) mice with CerS5 null mice, we demonstrated that other ceramide species with different acyl chain lengths may compensate for the depletion of C16-ceramide levels.
Article
Immunology
Ofer Regev, Marina Kizner, Francesco Roncato, Maya Dadiani, Massimo Saini, Francesc Castro-Giner, Olga Yajuk, Stav Kozlovski, Nehora Levi, Yoseph Addadi, Ofra Golani, Shifra Ben-Dor, Zvi Granot, Nicola Aceto, Ronen Alon
Summary: ICAM-1 expressed by breast cancer cells is involved in innate immunity and can inhibit intravascular breast cancer metastasis to lungs.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Noam Kadouri, Tal Givony, Shir Nevo, Joschka Hey, Shifra Ben Dor, Golda Damari, Bareket Dassa, Jan Dobes, Dieter Weichenhan, Marion Bahr, Michelle Paulsen, Rebecca Haffner-Krausz, Marcus A. Mall, Christoph Plass, Yael Goldfarb, Jakub Abramson
Summary: This study reveals the importance of FOXN1 in the development of thymic epithelial cells and hair follicle cells, and identifies key regulatory regions and transcription factors involved in its expression.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Zhana Haimon, Gal Ronit Frumer, Jung-Seok Kim, Sebastien Trzebanski, Rebecca Haffner-Krausz, Shifra Ben-Dor, Ziv Porat, Andreas Muschaweckh, Louise Chappell-Maor, Sigalit Boura-Halfon, Thomas Korn, Steffen Jung
Summary: Microglia, the brain macrophages, play a critical role in brain development and homeostasis. They interact with T cells through antigen presentation, costimulation, and coinhibition. In autoimmune neuroinflammation, microglia have significant non-redundant cognate and cytokine-mediated interactions with regulatory T cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarka Pokorna, Olga Khersonsky, Rosalie Lipsh-Sokolik, Adi Goldenzweig, Rebekka Nielsen, Yacov Ashani, Yoav Peleg, Tamar Unger, Shira Albeck, Orly Dym, Asa Tirosh, Rana Tarayra, Michael Hocquemiller, Ralph Laufer, Shifra Ben-Dor, Israel Silman, Joel L. L. Sussman, Sarel J. J. Fleishman, Anthony H. H. Futerman
Summary: In this study, GCase variants with enhanced stability were generated using the PROSS stability-design algorithm. These variants showed improved enzymatic activity and could be used as an alternative to the recombinant human enzymes for treating Gaucher disease. Additionally, a machine learning-based approach was developed to predict the enzymatic activity of GBA1 gene variants, which could be used to determine disease risk factors in patients carrying rare mutations.
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Moshe Goldsmith, Shiri Barad, Maor Knafo, Alon Savidor, Shifra Ben-Dor, Alexander Brandis, Tevie Mehlman, Yoav Peleg, Shira Albeck, Orly Dym, Efrat Ben-Zeev, Ranjit Barbole, Asaph Aharoni, Ziv Reich
Meeting Abstract
Biochemical Research Methods
Shifra Ben-Dor, Amit Binyamin, Afek Elnekave, Noga Frenkel, Golda Damari, Elina Maizenberg, Sima Perez, Rebecca Haffner-Krausz
TRANSGENIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Maytal Gefen, Shanny Layani, Emma Klahr, Mor Hindi, Nofar Rosenberg, Rinat Abramovitch, Nathalie Nachmansson, Adi Yehezkel, Amnon Peled, Jacob Rachmilewitz, Michal Abraham, Michael Berger, Daniel Goldenberg, Nicola Gagliani, Samuel Huber, Irm Hermans-Borgmeyer, Rebecca Haffner-Krausz, Shifra Ben-Dor, Yuval Nevo, Shrona Elgavish, Hadar Benyamini, Mathias Heikenwaelder, Stefan Rose-John, Dirk Schmist-Arras, Achim Krueger, Michael Stuerzl, Elisabeth Naschberger, Frank Tacke, Hilla Giladi, Eithan Galun
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)