Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Leonardo Velazco-Cruz, Joseph A. A. Ross
Summary: Identifying alleles that reduce hybrid fitness is essential in studying speciation genetics. The study of developmental delay in the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae provides insights into the genetic basis of hybrid incompatibility and the underlying mechanisms.
Article
Developmental Biology
Neda Masoudi, Eviatar Yemini, Ralf Schnabel, Oliver Hobert
Summary: Cells of the same type can be generated by distinct cellular lineages that originate in different parts of the developing embryo. The genes lin-32 and hlh-14 play key roles in the differential expression of neuronal lineages in Caenorhabditis elegans. Misregulation of terminal selector gene expression may result in neuron-to-neuron identity transformations in lin-32 mutants.
Article
Biology
Chad Steven Cockrum, Susan Strome
Summary: Maternal MES-4 and PRC2 in Caenorhabditis elegans cooperate to prevent synthesis of germline-toxic products encoded by genes on the X chromosome, thus protecting germline survival.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Timothy A. Crombie, Ryan Mckeown, Nicolas D. Moya, Kathryn S. Evans, Samuel J. Widmayer, Vincent LaGrassa, Natalie Roman, Orzu Tursunova, Gaotian Zhang, Sophia B. Gibson, Claire M. Buchanan, Nicole M. Roberto, Rodolfo Vieira, Robyn E. Tanny, Erik C. Andersen
Summary: Studies of model organisms have provided important insights into the impact of natural genetic differences on trait variation. This article introduces an updated platform, CaeNDR, for quantitative genetics and genomics studies on three Caenorhabditis species. CaeNDR hosts multiple databases and interactive tools for exploring natural variation and performing genome-wide association mapping.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hanhua Cheng, Dantong Shang, Rongjia Zhou
Summary: Germline cells are crucial for human reproduction and survival, and abnormal development can lead to infertility and cancer. Primordial germ cells play a key role in early embryonic development and gonad formation. In humans, primordial germ cell-like cells can be induced in vitro.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Lourds Michelle Fernando, Cristina Quesada-Candela, Makaelah Murray, Caroline Ugoaru, Judith L. Yanowitz, Anna K. Allen
Summary: This study characterizes the germline-specific functions of different 19S proteasome regulatory particle subunits in C. elegans, revealing their roles in the regulation of proliferation and maintenance of integrity of mitotic zone nuclei, polymerization of the synaptonemal complex onto meiotic chromosomes, timing of SC subunit redistribution, and turnover of XND-1 proteins. It also highlights tissue-specific expression and nuclear localization of certain 19S RP subunits in oocytes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sarah M. Cohen, Chester J. J. Wrobel, Sharan J. Prakash, Frank C. Schroeder, Paul W. Sternberg
Summary: This study investigates the biosynthetic pathways and functions of ascaroside signaling molecules in the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae. It shows that ascarosides in C. briggsae are synthesized in the same manner as C. elegans and induce the alternative developmental pathway that generates the stress-resistant dauer lifestage.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lise Frezal, Marie Saglio, Gaotian Zhang, Luke Noble, Aurelien Richaud, Marie-Anne Felix
Summary: This study investigates the genetic basis of the germline loss-of-function phenotype in Caenorhabditis elegans populations. The results suggest that this apparently deleterious genotype is maintained at an intermediate frequency in the species, potentially due to environmental rescue by naturally associated bacteria and microsporidia. Additionally, the study found that certain bacteria can also suppress the temperature-sensitive mortal germline phenotype of mutants. The findings highlight the importance of non-genetic memory in response to environmental variation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesco Nicola Carelli, Chiara Cerrato, Yan Dong, Alex Appert, Abby Dernburg, Julie Ahringer
Summary: The movement of selfish DNA elements can lead to widespread genomic alterations and rewiring of germline transcriptional regulation. This study found that transposon expansions in Caenorhabditis nematodes led to the acquisition of germline-specific promoters from miniature inverted repeat transposable elements (TEs). These promoters are regulated by a transcription factor related to a transposase. Comparative analyses revealed evolutionary conservation and species-specificity of the co-opted promoters.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xin Hua, Chang Cao, Le Zhang, Dayong Wang
Summary: Nanoplastics in the environment can pose ecological and health risks. This study focused on the transgenerational toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NP) and the role of germline fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signal in mediating this toxicity. The exposure to PS-NP induced an increase in expression of germline FGF ligand/EGL-17 and LRP-1, and RNAi interference of these genes resulted in resistance to transgenerational PS-NP toxicity. In addition, overexpression of EGL-17 increased the expression of FGF receptor/EGL-15 in the offspring, and RNAi interference of egl-15 inhibited transgenerational toxicity in animals overexpressing germline EGL-17. The results highlight the important role of germline FGF signal activation in mediating transgenerational toxicity induced by nanoplastics.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xin Hua, Yue Zhao, Yujie Yuan, Le Zhang, Qian Bian, Dayong Wang
Summary: Nanoplastic exposure may induce transgenerational toxicity, with germline microRNA mir-38 playing a role in regulating the toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Angeles-Albores, Erin Z. Aprison, Svetlana Dzitoyeva, Ilya Ruvinsky
Summary: Sex pheromones can improve the reproductive success of recipients, but also have costs, such as reduced lifespan. A study on Caenorhabditis elegans revealed that exposure to the male pheromone, ascr#10, altered the expression of thousands of genes in hermaphrodites. The most significant effect was the upregulation of genes associated with oogenesis and the downregulation of genes related to male gametogenesis. This helps resolve the conflict between spermatogenesis and oogenesis in hermaphrodites and aligns reproductive function with potential mating partners. The study also found that exposure to ascr#10 increased the risk of intestinal infections and shortened lifespan in hermaphrodites.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Developmental Biology
Karolina Mizeracka, Julia M. Rogers, Jonathan D. Rumley, Shai Shaham, Martha L. Bulyk, John Murray, Maxwell G. Heiman
Summary: In convergent differentiation, the Forkhead transcription factor UNC-130 plays a role in promoting the production of the same cell type in different developmental lineages. UNC-130 acts as a repressor in a specific convergent lineage to ensure proper cell specification correlated with its DNA binding. This study suggests a distinct role of UNC-130 in early cell differentiation compared to terminal selectors.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xin Hua, Xiao Feng, Yingshun Hua, Dayong Wang
Summary: The reproductive toxicity of 20 nm polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NP) in Caenorhabditis elegans was investigated, and it was found that PS-NP exposure reduced reproductive capacity and induced DNA damage-induced germline apoptosis. Treatment with paeoniflorin had a protective effect on reproductive capacity and reduced germline apoptosis and DNA damage.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Erin Z. Aprison, Svetlana Dzitoyeva, Ilya Ruvinsky
Summary: Behaviour and physiology are altered in reproducing animals, but the neuronal circuits that regulate these changes remain largely unknown. In the study of Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers found that serotonin plays a key role in mediating effects of the male pheromone ascr#10 on germline development and egg laying behavior. The study also highlights the importance of a simple neuronal circuit in coordinating various reproductive processes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Janna L. Fierst, John H. Willis, Cristel G. Thomas, Wei Wang, Rose M. Reynolds, Timothy E. Ahearne, Asher D. Cutter, Patrick C. Phillips
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Da Yin, Erich M. Schwarz, Cristel G. Thomas, Rebecca L. Felde, Ian F. Korf, Asher D. Cutter, Caitlin M. Schartner, Edward J. Ralston, Barbara J. Meyer, Eric S. Haag
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sanchita Bhattacharya, Patrick Dunn, Cristel G. Thomas, Barry Smith, Henry Schaefer, Jieming Chen, Zicheng Hu, Kelly A. Zalocusky, Ravi D. Shankar, Shai S. Shen-Orr, Elizabeth Thomson, Jeffrey Wiser, Atul J. Butte
Article
Zoology
Natsumi Kanzaki, Gavin C. Woodruff, Ryusei Tanaka
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gavin C. Woodruff, Christine M. Knauss, Timothy K. Maugel, Eric S. Haag
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natsumi Kanzaki, Isheng J. Tsai, Ryusei Tanaka, Vicky L. Hunt, Dang Liu, Kenji Tsuyama, Yasunobu Maeda, Satoshi Namai, Ryohei Kumagai, Alan Tracey, Nancy Holroyd, Stephen R. Doyle, Gavin C. Woodruff, Kazunori Murase, Hiromi Kitazume, Cynthia Chai, Allison Akagi, Oishika Panda, Huei-Mien Ke, Frank C. Schroeder, John Wang, Matthew Berriman, Paul W. Sternberg, Asako Sugimoto, Taisei Kikuchi
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2018)
Article
Cell Biology
Zicheng Hu, Chethan Jujjavarapu, Jacob J. Hughey, Sandra Andorf, Hao-Chih Lee, Pier Federico Gherardini, Matthew H. Spitzer, Cristel G. Thomas, John Campbell, Patrick Dunn, Jeff Wiser, Brian A. Kidd, Joel T. Dudley, Garry P. Nolan, Sanchita Bhattacharya, Atul J. Butte
Article
Ecology
Gavin C. Woodruff, Patrick C. Phillips
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marina Sirota, Cristel G. Thomas, Rebecca Liu, Maya Zuhl, Payal Banerjee, Ronald J. Wong, Cecele C. Quaintance, Rite Leite, Jessica Chubiz, Rebecca Anderson, Joanne Chappell, Mara Kim, William Grobman, Ge Zhang, Antonis Rokas, Sarah K. England, Samuel Parry, Gary M. Shaw, Joe Leigh Simpson, Elizabeth Thomson, Atul J. Butte
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marina Sirota, Cristel G. Thomas, Rebecca Liu, Maya Zuhl, Payal Banerjee, Ronald J. Wong, Cecele C. Quaintance, Rita Leite, Jessica Chubiz, Rebecca Anderson, Joanne Chappell, Mara Kim, William Grobman, Ge Zhang, Antonis Rokas, Louis J. Muglia, Carol Ober, Sarah K. England, George Macones, Deborah Driscoll, Samuel Parry, Gary M. Shaw, David K. Stevenson, Joe Leigh Simpson, Elizabeth Thomson, Atul J. Butte
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Gavin C. Woodruff, Erik Johnson, Patrick C. Phillips
BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gavin C. Woodruff, Anastasia A. Teterina
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Santiago Sanchez-Ramirez, Jorg G. Weiss, Cristel G. Thomas, Asher D. Cutter
Summary: When gene regulatory networks diverge between species, dysfunctions in inter-species hybrids can lead to genetic incompatibilities that cause developmental defects and reproductive isolation. Despite evidence of widespread stabilizing selection, sex-biased gene misexpression is common in hybrids of both sexes, implicating greater fragility of male genetic networks. Spermatogenesis genes show high divergence, especially in hybrids, and X-linked genes exhibit compensatory regulatory divergence, contributing to male expression dysfunction. Extensive regulatory divergence in sex determination genes may lead to feminization of hybrids. Regulatory versus coding sequence divergence are expected to arise in an uncorrelated fashion, showing important sex differences in the manifestation of genetic incompatibilities during speciation.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Gavin C. Woodruff, John H. Willis, Patrick C. Phillips
Article
Zoology
Natsumi Kanzaki, Gavin C. Woodruff, Mitsuteru Akiba, Noritoshi Maehara
JOURNAL OF NEMATOLOGY
(2015)