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Gudjon Oskarsson et al. report the association of a rare variant in the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor gene, EPOR, with serum EPO levels in the Icelandic population. The variant leads to a truncation of EPO-R without an effect on hemoglobin levels, indicating a possible feedback mechanism in the generation of red blood cells.
Jun Zhao, Evan S. Krystofiak, and colleagues identified a new cis interface (Cis-1) essential for the formation of normal tight junctions. This study suggests that Cis-1 contributes to maintaining structural flexibility of tight junction strands for proper ion balance and hearing.
Nicholas Perkons et al. investigate the mechanism by which electrolytic ablation induces cell death in the localized treatment of tumors. They find that electrolytic ablation alters the pH buffering capacity of the tumor microenvironment to induce cellular necrosis.
Rowan Whittle et al. present fossil evidence of new isocrinid (sea lily) species from Antarctica and Australia. They show that isocrinid migration from shallow to deep water occurred at different times across the globe, spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene to the Eocene/Oligocene.
Through a MicroED structure of NaK ion channel, Shian Liu and Tamir Gonen identify a process of dilation coupled with Na+ movement, providing mechanistic insights into ion conduction and gating. This study lays the ground work for future studies using MicroED in membrane protein biophysics.
Chad Smith et al. show that dietary polyphenols, compounds found in grapes, enable mice to remember fearful events more effectively and map this function to the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons. This study offers a way to identify the cellular subpopulations regulated by dietary polyphenols.
Sk. Kayum Alam et al. show that DARPP-32 isoforms, mediators of dopamine signaling, promote lung tumor growth through non-canonical NF-κB signaling. This study suggests a possibility of using DARPP-32 isoforms as a prognostic marker for lung cancer.
Elizabeth Egan and colleagues demonstrate that host ATP binding cassette transporter ABCB6, which encodes the Langereis blood group antigen, promotes erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This study suggests that asymptomatic Langereis null individuals may be better protected from malaria.
Annamaria Mocciaro et al. present LACIS, a method for identifying and selecting gene-edited clones using a microfluidic device. The authors apply LACIS to primary T cells after CRISPR-Cas9 editing of CXCR4 and show that selection of edited clones was possible within 10 days from initiation of gene editing.
Lisa Lindström et al. find that the gamma-tubulin cellular network is required to maintain mitochondrial function and organization in the cell. Knockdown of gamma-tubulin or loss of its GTPase domain disrupts the mitochondrial network and alters respiratory capacity and expression of mitochondrial genes.
Thibault Viennet and colleagues gain structural insight into amyloid fibril formation from their innovative use of lipid bilayer nanodiscs. This study connects α-Synuclein membrane binding modes to its aggregation properties, furthering our understanding of the cause of neurodegerative diseases.
Emma Clifton et al. report a genome-wide association study of risk taking propensity amongst UK Biobank participants. They identify 26 loci, 24 of which are novel, and use Mendelian randomisation analysis to explore the relationship between risk-taking propensity and BMI.
Kazuma Hase et al. use microphones mounted directly on bats flying in groups to understand how they avoid confusing the echolocation signals of multiple individuals. They find that bats manipulate the terminal frequencies of their signal pulses to decrease the similarity in pulses between individuals.
Ke Zheng and colleagues repurposed a nickase Cas9-cytidine deaminase fusion protein to effectively direct the conversion of cytosine to thymine on bacterial genome. This study suggests that CRISPR/Cas9-guided base-editing can be used to generate viable mutant bacterial strains.
Stuart Ainsworth and colleagues characterized the coagulopathic activity of snake venom and demonstrated that certain monospecific antivenoms can neutralize procoagulant venoms from more than one species. This study suggests a possibility of developing broad-spectrum, toxin-targeting antivenoms to treat snakebite victims.
Johannes Cairns et al. show that spatial structure and predation shape the ways in which a low concentration of antibiotics alters the composition and diversity of bacterial community. This study suggests that ecological factors influence how antibiotic resistance spreads.
Tomochika Fujisawa et al. report transcriptome sequencing and demographic history analysis of periodical cicadas from three species groups within the genus Magicicada. They find evidence of gene flow between 13- and 17-year species despite the long-term maintenance of divergent life cycles, which may be controlled by unidentified genomic factors.
Takumi Tashima and colleagues provide structural insights into how collagen fibrils are shaped by Osteomodulin. Osteomodulin keeps a fast-binding equilibrium with the collagen fibrils to slow down its growth, promoting the formation of uniform, intact collagen fibrils.
Xaver Koenig et al. demonstrate the physiological activation of store-operated calcium entry in muscle, pointing to a role for this mechanism. The resulting influx of calcium into the cytoplasm is shaped by action potential frequency and calcium pump activity.
Karol Cichewicz and Jay Hirsh developed a free, open-source, cloud-based application called ShinyR-DAM for analyzing Drosophila activity, sleep and circadian rhythms. ShinyR-DAM allows users to analyze their data quickly in customizable ways, improving the productivity of researchers.