Research articles

Takashi Hamaji et al. report genome assemblies for two volvocine green algae species spanning the transition from isogamy to anisogamy. Unexpectedly, they found that both species’ mating type loci (MT) are simple, suggesting their transition to anisogamy occurred without increased MT size and complexity.

Katie Davis et al. test the hypothesis that ecological traits are linked to diversification in caridean shrimps. They find that transitions from marine to freshwater habitats contributed to higher diversification rates, whereas symbiosis is associated with a slight decrease in diversification rates.

Deo Singh et al. use Fully Quantified Spectral Imaging-FRET to show that the EphA2 receptor forms dimers or higher order oligomers depending on the type of ligand, and that different ligands stabilize EphA2 dimers through distinct interfaces. These findings may explain how EphA2 activates diverse signaling pathways.

Aimee Deaton et al. identify a rare missense variant in the bile acid receptor gene NR1H4, which is associated with lower levels of total cholesterol in the Icelandic population. Hepatocytes expressing the missense variant showed altered expression of a small number of genes, with enrichment in lipid-related pathways.

Sishuo Wang and Youhua Chen present an analysis of concerted evolution in prokaryotes using a new computational pipeline, iSeeCE. They find evidence in 26 genes for recurrent concerted evolution, most of which last more than ~500 million years, and provide a database, LRCE-DB, for data exploration.

Pei-Shi Yen et al. report a strategy for engineering transgenic Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to express antiviral miRNAs that simultaneously target two distinct arboviruses, dengue and chikungunya. The strategy results in reduced viral transmission in the mosquito saliva following an infected bloodmeal.

Clare Lewis et al. report the first identification in nearly 60 years of a cultivated wheat plant infected with the fungal pathogen Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici (wheat stem rust) in the United Kingdom. They find that only 20% of UK wheat varieties are resistant to this strain and urge growers to resume resistance breeding programs.

Lorenzo Scipioni et al. present Local Raster Image Correlation Spectroscopy (L-RICS), a method for generating sub-micrometer diffusion maps. They apply L-RICS to GFP in live cells and find that diffusion coefficients differ between the nucleus and nucleolus and are highly heterogeneous within compartments.

Juan Pablo Tosar et al. analyze existing databases to investigate whether piRNAs reportedly expressed outside the mammalian gonad are true piRNAs or likely contaminants. They conclude that the majority are fragments of non-coding RNAs from other small RNA classes rather than true piRNAs.

Kathrin Weber et al. report that the necrosome components RIPK3 and MLKL constitutively shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm. They find that increasing ratios of nuclear:cytosolic RIPK3 and MLKL prevents necrotic cell death, suggesting a mechanism by which the cell regulates necrosome formation and death.

Bengi Turegun et al. report an interaction of the highly-conserved pHSA and P1 domains of Sth1, the catalytic subunit of the SWI/SNF-family chromatin remodeler RSC. This interaction is released when ATP-bound Rtt102-Arp7/9 binds to the HSA domain, modulating DNA and nucleosome binding by Sth.

Mathew Seymour et al. investigate the persistence of environmental DNA (eDNA) in river systems in environments of varying pH. Using four sets of upland stream mesocosms, they find that eDNA degrades to non-detectable levels within two days and this degradation is accelerated in acidic environments.

Georgios Pothoulakis and Tom Ellis report the construction of a synthetic gene regulation system for inducing pseudohyphal growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This multicellular yeast phenotype can now be switched on and off via external control in a variety of conditions.

Tali Ilovitsh et al. describe a new method, acoustical structured illumination, for generating super-resolution ultrasound images. The method applies principles from structured illumination microscopy and can be adapted to existing ultrasound systems without the need for additional components.

Saravanan Rajan et al. describe a high-throughput method for isolating unique human monoclonal antibodies using picoliter sized droplets containing primary B cells. They show this approach can rapidly drive selection towards novel antibodies against clinically-relevant influenza hemagglutinin subtypes.