bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Built to change: dominance strategy changes with life stage in a primitively eusocial bee
Authors: Orlova Margarita , Treanore Erin , Amsalem Etya 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAccess to reproduction is determined by an individual dominance’s rank in many species and is achieved through aggression and/or dominance signalling. In eusocial insects one or several dominant females (queens) monopolize reproduction but to what extent queens rely on aggression and signalling remains obscure. Aggression is costly and its efficiency depends on the group size, whereas signalling may reduce the risks and costs of aggression. Both strategies are used to regulate reproduction in social taxa, with aggression being more common in small social groups, compared to signalling in larger societies.Here, we examine the use of aggression and chemical signalling in a social species (Bombus impatiens) where the dominant queen interacts with increasing numbers of workers as she ages.We found that the queens’ strategy to monopolize reproduction changes with life stage, shifting from overt aggression to chemical signalling as the queen gets older. Particularly, old queens exhibited a higher ratio of short to long cuticular hydrocarbons compared to young queens, an endogenous shift that was attributed to age, as all egg-laying queens were fecund and kept with the same number of workers. Our findings contribute to the understanding of reproductive dominance in the context of an individual’s life history.
Isolating Compounds that Inhibit EV 71 Virus
Authors: Murali Giridhar , Kejriwal Rishabh , Olson David , Alexandrescu Lauren , White Simon 
Published: August 2020

AbstractEnterovirus 71, or EV 71, is responsible for causing Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease in humans. In particular, it is especially deadly when children and small infants are exposed. The objective of this research paper is to address the possibility of a novel antiviral drug that can be used once infection of EV 71 has occurred. The methods for this research include transformation ofE. coliwith the genetic information from Enterovirus 71, growth of theE. colicolonies in the lab setting, 2C protein purification, and ATPase assays with drug testing. Of the 364 drugs tested in the ATPase assay, a combination of two of them (Mitrofudil and N6-Benzyladenosine) indicated a stoppage in activity of ATPase, signaling no further activity of the enzyme and viral proliferation.
Fitness benefit plays a vital role in the retention of thePi-tasusceptible alleles
Authors: Liu Jia , Wang Yue , Zhang Suobing , Wu Fan , Wang Long , Xue Jiayu , Zhang Yanmei , Xie Pengfei , Hang Yueyu , Sun Xiaoqin 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn plants, large numbers ofRgenes, which segregate as loci with alternative alleles conferring different resistance to pathogens, have been maintained over a long evolutionary time. In theory, there seem to be no reason for hosts to harbor these susceptible alleles in view of their null contribution to resistance. As such, why should populations support disease-susceptible individuals along with disease-resistant individuals? In rice, a single copyRgenePi-tasegregates for two expressed clades of alleles, one resistant and the other susceptible. We discovered that knockout of thePi-tasusceptible alleles induced drastic fitness decline in the absence of pathogens. Gene expression profiling and endogenous hormones quantification showed that the susceptible alleles might serve as an off-switch to the downstream immune signaling, thus contributing to fine-tuning of plant defense response. The fitness benefit of carrying a susceptiblePi-taallele provides a plausible explanation for their retention in the genome.
Memory drives the formation of animal home ranges: evidence from a reintroduction
Authors: Ranc Nathan , Cagnacci Francesca , Moorcroft Paul R. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMost animals live in a characteristic home range, a space-use pattern thought to emerge from the benefits of memory-based movements; however, a general model for characterizing and predicting their formation in the absence of territoriality has been lacking. Here, we use a mechanistic movement model to quantify the role of memory in the movements of a large mammal reintroduced into a novel environment, and to predict observed patterns of home range emergence. We show that an interplay between memory and resource preferences is the primary process influencing the movements of reintroduced roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Our memory-based model fitted with empirical data successfully predicts the formation of home ranges, as well as emerging properties of movement and revisits observed in the reintroduced animals. These results provide a quantitative framework for combining memory-based movements, resource preference and the emergence of home ranges in nature.
Notch-Directed Germ Cell Proliferation Is Mediated by Proteoglycan-Dependent Transcription
Authors: Gopal Sandeep , Amran Aqilah , Elton Andre , Ng Leelee , Pocock Roger 
Published: August 2020

SUMMARYNotch receptors are essential membrane-bound regulators of cell proliferation and differentiation in metazoa. In the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans, correct expression of GLP-1 (germline proliferation-1), a germline-expressed Notch receptor, is important for germ cell maintenance. However, mechanisms that regulate GLP-1 expression are undefined. Here, we demonstrate that an AP-2 transcription factor (APTF-2) regulates GLP-1 expression through calcium-dependent binding to a conserved motif in theglp-1promoter. Our data reveals that SDN-1 (syndecan-1), a transmembrane proteoglycan, regulates a TRP calcium channel in the soma to modulate the interaction between APTF-2 andglp-1promoter - thus providing a potential communication nexus between the germline and its somatic environment to control germ cell fate decisions.
Comparative study of curvature sensing mediated by F-BAR domain and an intrinsically disordered region of FBP17
Authors: Su Maohan , Zhuang Yinyin , Miao Xinwen , Zeng Yongpeng , Gao Weibo , Zhao Wenting , Wu Min 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMembrane curvature has emerged as an intriguing physical organization principle underlying biological signaling and membrane trafficking. FBP17 of the CIP4/FBP17/Toca-1 F-BAR family is unique in the BAR family because its structurally folded F-BAR domain does not contain any hydrophobic motifs that insert into lipid bilayer. While it has been widely assumed so, whether the banana-shaped F-BAR domain alone can sense curvature has never been experimentally demonstrated. Using a nanopillar-supported lipid bilayer system, we found that the F-BAR domain of FBP17 displayed minimal curvature sensingin vitro. We further identified an alternatively spliced intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of FBP17 next to its F-BAR domain that is conserved in sequence across species. The IDR senses membrane curvature and its sensing ability greatly exceeds that of F-BAR domain alone. In living cells, presence of the IDR domain changed the dynamics of FBP17 recruitment in a curvature-coupled cortical wave system. Collectively, we propose that FBP17 does sense curvature but contrary to the common belief, its curvature sensing capability largely originates from its disordered region, not F-BAR domain itself.
The genome of low-chill Chinese plum ‘Sanyueli’ (Prunus salicinaLindl.) provides insights into the regulation of the chilling requirement of flower buds
Authors: Fang Zhi-Zhen , Lin-Wang Kui , Dai He , Zhou Dan-Rong , Jiang Cui-Cui , Espley Richard V. , Lin Yan-Juan , Pan Shao-Lin , Ye Xin-Fu 
Published: August 2020

AbstractChinese plum (Prunus salicinaLindl.) is a stone fruit that belongs to thePrunusgenus and plays an important role in the global production of plum. In this study, we report the genome sequence of the Chinese plum ‘Sanyueli’, which is known to have a low-chill requirement for flower bud break. The assembled genome size was 308.06 Mb, with a contig N50 of 815.7 kb. A total of 30,159 protein-coding genes were predicted from the genome and 56.4% (173.39 Mb) of the genome was annotated as repetitive sequence. Bud dormancy is influenced by chilling requirement in plum and partly controlled byDORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box(DAM) genes. Six tandemly arrayedPsDAMgenes were identified in the assembled genome. Sequence analysis ofPsDAM6in ‘Sanyueli’revealed the presence of large insertions in the intron and exon regions. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the expression ofPsDAM6in the dormant flower buds of ‘Sanyueli’ was significantly lower than that in the dormant flower buds of the high chill requiring ‘Furongli’ plum. In addition, the expression ofPsDAM6was repressed by chilling treatment. The genome sequence of ‘Sanyueli’ plum provides a valuable resource for elucidating the molecular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of chilling requirements, and is also useful for the identification of the genes involved in the control of other important agronomic traits and molecular breeding in plum.
High effectiveness of multimodal infection control interventions in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections in healthcare professionals: a prospective longitudinal seroconversion study
Authors: Brehm Thomas Theo , Schwinge Dorothee , Lampalzer Sibylle , Schlicker Veronika , Küchen Julia , Thompson Michelle , Ullrich Felix , Huber Samuel , Schmiedel Stefan , Addo Marylyn M , Lütgehetmann Marc , Knobloch Johannes K , zur Wiesch Julian Schulze , Lohse Ansgar W 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of multimodal infection control interventions in the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections in healthcare professionalsDesignSequential follow-up studySettingLargest tertiary care centre in northern GermanyParticipants1253 employees of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf were sequentially assessed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies at the beginning of the covid-19 epidemic (20 March – 9 April), one month (20 April – 8 May), and another two months later (22 June – 24 July). Of those, 1026 were healthcare workers (HCWs) of whom 292 were directly involved in the care of covid-19 patients. During the study period, infection control interventions were deployed, those included i) strict barrier nursing of all known covid-19 patients including FFP2 (N95) masks, goggles, gloves, hoods and protective gowns, ii) visitor restrictions with access control at all hospital entries, iii) mandatory wearing of disposable face masks in all clinical settings, and iv) universal RT-PCR admission screening of patients.Main Outcome MeasuresSARS-CoV-2 IgG seroconversion rateResultsAt the initial screening, ten participants displayed significant IgG antibody ratios. Another ten individuals showed seroconversion at the second time point one month later, only two further participants seroconverted during the subsequent two months. The overall SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in the study cohort at the last follow-up was 1.8%, the seroconversion rate dropped from 0.81% to 0.08% per month despite a longer observation period. Amongst HCWs seropositivity was increased in those directly involved in the care of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections (3.8%, n=11) compared to other HCWs (1.4%, n=10, P=0.025). However, after the adoption of all multimodal infection control interventions seroconversions were observed in only two more HCWs, neither of whom were involved in inpatient care.ConclusionMultimodal infection control and prevention interventions are highly effective in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 infections of healthcare professionals.
Smaug membraneless organelles regulate mitochondrial function
Authors: Fernández-Alvarez Ana J. , Thomas María Gabriela , Pascual Malena L. , Habif Martín , Pimentel Jerónimo , Corbat Agustín A. , Pessoa João P. , La Spina Pablo E. , Boscaglia Lara , Plessis Anne , Carmo-Fonseca Maria , Grecco Hernán E. , Casado Marta , Boccaccio Graciela L. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSmaug is a conserved translational repressor that recognizes specific RNA motifs in a large number of mRNAs, including nuclear transcripts that encode mitochondrial enzymes. Smaug orthologs have been shown to form membraneless organelles (MLOs) in several organisms and cell types. Using single-molecule FISH we show here that SDHB and UQCRC1 mRNAs associate with Smaug1 MLOs in the human cell line U2OS. Simultaneous loss of function of Smaug1 and Smaug2 affects both mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial network morphology. Deletion of specific Smaug1 protein regions resulted in impaired MLO formation that correlates with mitochondrial defects. In addition, rotenone but not the respiratory chain uncoupling agent CCCP rapidly induces Smaug1 MLO dissolution. Finally, metformin elicits a similar effect on Smaug1 MLOs and provokes the release of bounded mRNAs. We propose that mitochondrial activity affects Smaug1 MLO dynamics, thus allowing for regulation of nuclear mRNAs that encode key mitochondrial proteins.
Disordered peptides impair neutrophil bacterial clearance and enhance tissue damage in septic patients
Authors: Timár Csaba I. , Kolonics Ferenc , Berzsenyi Viktor , Tamáska Eszter , Párkányi Anna , Merchant Michael L. , Wilkey Daniel W. , Iványi Zsolt , McLeish Kenneth R. , Ligeti Erzsébet 
Published: August 2020

AbstractNeutrophilic granulocytes are required for antimicrobial defense, but they can also be harmful to the host organism. The current study demonstrates that disordered peptides in the 3-12 kDa size range in the plasma of septic patients alter effector functions of neutrophils from healthy donors. Those peptides stimulated exocytosis, increased extracellular release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased ROS production in phagosomes, and impaired elimination of ROS-sensitive bacteria. Both the concentration of peptides in patients’ plasma and their effects on healthy cells were proportional to the clinical status of the patients. Proteomic analysis and in silico modeling indicate that multiple proteases generate the toxic peptides, with the greatest number of peptides cleaved by neutrophil elastase. We propose that neutrophils participate in an amplification loop in which proteolytic peptides stimulate extracellular release of proteases, resulting in production of more peptides. The enhanced extracellular ROS release contributes to tissue damage, while reduced intracellular ROS generation impairs elimination of certain bacteria. Breaking of this vicious cycle may offer a potential target for intervention.
Isolation, identification and functional characterization of cultivable bacteria from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal water samples reveals high diversity
Authors: Rajpathak Shriram N. , Patil Yugandhara M. , Banerjee Roumik , Khedkar Asmita M. , Mishra Pawan G. , Paingankar Mandar , Deobagkar Deepti D. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe oxygen minimum zone of the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BOB) is rich in organic matter and is an unusual niche. Bacteria present in the oceanic water play an important role in ecology since they are responsible for decomposing, mineralizing of organic matter and in elemental cycling like nitrogen, sulfur, phosphate. This study focuses on culturing bacteria from oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) and non-OMZ regions and their phylogenetic as well as the functional characterization. Genotypic characterization of the isolates using amplified rDNA based 16SrRNA sequencing grouped them into various phylogenetic groups such as alpha-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria and unaffiliated bacteria. The cultivable bacterial assemblages encountered belonged to the genusHalomonas,Marinobacter,Idiomarina,PshyctobacterandPseudoalteromonas.Among the enzymatic activities, carbohydrate utilization activity was most predominant (100%) and microorganisms possessed amylase, cellulase, xylanase and chitinase. A large proportion of these bacteria (60%) were observed to be hydrocarbon consuming and many were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and streptomycin. The high diversity and high percentage of extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activities along with hydrocarbon degradation activity of the culturable bacteria reflects their important ecological role in oceanic biogeochemical cycling. Further assessment confirmed the presence of nitrogen reduction capability in these cultivable bacteria which highlights their importance in oceanic geochemical cycling.
Elucidating the mechanism of cyclodextrins in the treatment of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C using crosslinked 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin
Authors: Carradori Dario , Chen Hsintsung , Werner Beat , Shah Aagam , Leonardi Chiara , Usuelli Mattia , Mezzenga Raffaele , Platt Frances , Leroux Jean-Christophe 
Published: August 2020

AbstractNiemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC) is a severe neurovisceral disorder that is pathophysiologically characterized by intracellular transport abnormalities leading to cytoplasmic accumulation of lipids such as cholesterol and multiple sphingolipids, including sphingosine. The compound 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) is a compound with high cholesterol complexation capacity and is currently under clinical investigation for the treatment of NPC. However, due to its short blood half-life, high doses are required to produce a therapeutic effect. It has been reported in mice that HPβCD’s circulation time and efficacy can be improved by increasing its sizeviapolymerization, but the biodegradable nature of these systems did not allow the contribution of the macromolecule to the activity to be determined. In this work, stable forms of polymerized HPβCD were generated (viaepichlorohydrin crosslinking) to investigate theirin vitromechanisms of action andin vivoeffects. Crosslinked CDs (8-312 kDa) displayed a 10-fold greater complexation capacity towards cholesterol than monomeric HPβCD but were taken up by cells to a lower extent (in a size-dependent fashion), resulting in an overall comparablein vitroeffect on intracellular cholesterol accumulation that was dependent on cholesterol complexation. When testedin vivo, the crosslinked 19.3 kDa HPβCD exhibited a longer terminal half-life than the monomeric HPβCD. However, it did not increase the life span ofNpc1mice, possibly due to reduced organ penetration and brain diffusion consequence of its large molecular weight. This could be circumvented by the application of magnetic resonance imaging-guided low intensity-pulsed focused ultrasound (MRIg-FUS), which increased the brain penetration of the CD. In conclusion, stable forms of polymerized HPβCD constitute valuable tools to elucidate CDs’ mechanism of action. Moreover, the use of MRIg-FUS to maximize CDs tissue penetration warrants further investigation, as it may be key to harnessing CDs full therapeutic potential in the treatment of NPC.Graphical abstractThe 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) is a well-established pharmaceutical excipient that can complex cholesterol and is currently under clinical investigation to treat Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC). However, high doses of the drug are needed to achieve a therapeutic effect. Using stable and long circulating crosslinked HPβCDs, this study attempts to further understand the mechanisms behind CDs’ activity.
SARS-CoV-2 suppresses mRNA expression of selenoproteins associated with ferroptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress and DNA synthesis
Authors: Wang Yijun , Huang Jinbao , Sun Yong , He Jun , Li Weiwei , Liu Zhirong , Taylor Ethan Will , Rayman Margaret P , Wan Xiaochun , Zhang Jinsong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA significant, positive association between selenium status and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been identified among COVID-19 patients in China. Moreover, a German study revealed a pronounced deficit of serum selenium and SELENOP concentrations in COVID-19 patients, and selenium deficiency was associated with mortality risk from COVID-19. The present study investigated the influence of SARS-CoV-2 on gene expression of host selenoproteins which mediate many beneficial actions of selenium. We found that SARS-CoV-2 suppressed mRNA expression of selenoproteins associated with ferroptosis (GPX4), endoplasmic reticulum stress (SELENOF, SELENOK, SELENOMandSELENOS) and DNA synthesis (TXNRD3), while SARS-CoV-2 increased gene expression of IL-6 (an inflammatory cytokine positively correlated with severity of COVID-19), in Vero cells. These results provide a deeper insight into the connection between selenium and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.
Intermitochondrial signaling regulates the uniform distribution of stationary mitochondria in axons
Authors: Matsumoto Nozomu , Hori Ikuma , Murase Tomoya , Tsuji Takahiro , Miyake Seiji , Inatani Masaru , Konishi Yoshiyuki 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACTIn the central nervous system, many neurons develop axonal arbors that are crucial for information processing. Previous studies have demonstrated that premature axons contain motile and stationary mitochondria, and their balance is important for axonal arborization. However, the mechanisms by which neurons determine the positions of stationary mitochondria as well as their turnover remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the regulation of spatiotemporal group dynamics of stationary mitochondria. We observed that the distribution of stationary mitochondrial spots along the unmyelinated and nonsynaptic axons is not random but rather relatively uniform both in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, whereas the positions of each mitochondrial spot changed over time, the overall distribution remained uniform. In addition, local inactivation of mitochondria inhibited the translocation of mitochondrial spots in adjacent axonal regions, suggesting that functional mitochondria enhance the motility of neighboring mitochondria. Furthermore, we showed that the ATP concentration was relatively high around mitochondria, and treating axons with phosphocreatine, which supplies ATP, reduced the immobile mitochondria induced by local mitochondrial inhibition. These observations indicate that intermitochondrial interactions, mediated by ATP signaling, control the uniform distribution of axonal mitochondria. The present study reveals a novel cellular system that collectively regulates stationary mitochondria in axons.