Centromere pairing enables correct segregation of meiotic chromosomes
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 18:S0960-9822(24)00448-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.008. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTProper chromosome segregation in meiosis I relies on the formation of connections between homologous chromosomes. Crossovers between homologs provide a connection that allows them to attach correctly to the meiosis I spindle. Tension is transmitted across the crossover when the partners attach to microtubules from opposing poles of the spindle. Tension stabilizes microtubule attachments that will pull the partners toward opposite poles at anaphase. Paradoxically, in many organisms, non-crossover partners segregate co...
Source: Current Biology - April 26, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Jared M Evatt Asli D Sadli Bartosz K Rapacz Hoa H Chuong R égis E Meyer John B Ridenour Rafal Donczew Dean S Dawson Source Type: research
Fungal biomineralization of toxic metals accelerates organic pollutant removal
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 16:S0960-9822(24)00444-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.005. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFungal biomineralization plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of metals in the environment and has been extensively explored for bioremediation and element biorecovery. However, the cellular and metabolic responses of fungi in the presence of toxic metals during biomineralization and their impact on organic matter transformations are unclear. This is an important question because co-contamination by toxic metals and organic pollutants is a common phenomenon in the natural environment. In this researc...
Source: Current Biology - April 25, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Qianwei Li Miao Zhang Biao Wei Wei Lan Qinghong Wang Chunmao Chen Huazhang Zhao Daoqing Liu Geoffrey Michael Gadd Source Type: research
Threats to reptiles at global and regional scales
In this study, we calculate the probability of a reptile species in a specific location being affected by one of seven biodiversity threats-agriculture, climate change, hunting, invasive species, logging, pollution, and urbanization. We conducted the analysis at a global scale, using a 50 km × 50 km grid, and evaluated the impact of these threats by studying their relationship with the risk of extinction. We find that climate change, logging, pollution, and invasive species are most linked to extinction risk. However, we also show that there is considerable geographical variation in these results. Our study highlights the...
Source: Current Biology - April 24, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Harith Farooq Mike Harfoot Carsten Rahbek Jonas Geldmann Source Type: research
Mechanosensory and command contributions to the Drosophila grooming sequence
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 18:S0960-9822(24)00443-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFlies groom in response to competing mechanosensory cues in an anterior-to-posterior order using specific legs. From behavior screens, we identified a pair of cholinergic command-like neurons, Mago-no-Te (MGT), whose optogenetic activation elicits thoracic grooming by the back legs. Thoracic grooming is typically composed of body sweeps and leg rubs in alternation, but clonal analysis coupled with amputation experiments revealed that MGT activation only commands the body sweeps: initiation of leg rubbing requires con...
Source: Current Biology - April 24, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Shingo Yoshikawa Paul Tang Julie H Simpson Source Type: research
Threats to reptiles at global and regional scales
In this study, we calculate the probability of a reptile species in a specific location being affected by one of seven biodiversity threats-agriculture, climate change, hunting, invasive species, logging, pollution, and urbanization. We conducted the analysis at a global scale, using a 50 km × 50 km grid, and evaluated the impact of these threats by studying their relationship with the risk of extinction. We find that climate change, logging, pollution, and invasive species are most linked to extinction risk. However, we also show that there is considerable geographical variation in these results. Our study highlights the...
Source: Current Biology - April 24, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Harith Farooq Mike Harfoot Carsten Rahbek Jonas Geldmann Source Type: research
Mechanosensory and command contributions to the Drosophila grooming sequence
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 18:S0960-9822(24)00443-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFlies groom in response to competing mechanosensory cues in an anterior-to-posterior order using specific legs. From behavior screens, we identified a pair of cholinergic command-like neurons, Mago-no-Te (MGT), whose optogenetic activation elicits thoracic grooming by the back legs. Thoracic grooming is typically composed of body sweeps and leg rubs in alternation, but clonal analysis coupled with amputation experiments revealed that MGT activation only commands the body sweeps: initiation of leg rubbing requires con...
Source: Current Biology - April 24, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Shingo Yoshikawa Paul Tang Julie H Simpson Source Type: research
Mubarak Hussain Syed
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R303-R307. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.002.ABSTRACTInterview with Mubarak Hussain Syed, who studies the developmental mechanisms regulating neural diversity, circuit assembly, and behavior at the University of New Mexico.PMID:38653194 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.002 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Mubarak Hussain Syed Source Type: research
Nyctinasty
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R307-R308. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.047.ABSTRACTMuraoka and Ueda introduce nyctinasty, a process by which plants move their leaves according to circadian timing.PMID:38653195 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.047 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Yuki Muraoka Minoru Ueda Source Type: research
Flowering plant reproduction
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R308-R312. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.050.ABSTRACTFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms, emerged approximately 150 to 200 million years ago. Since then, they have undergone rapid and extensive expansion, now encompassing around 90% of all land plant species. The remarkable diversification of this group has been a subject of in-depth investigations, and several evolutionary innovations have been proposed to account for their success. In this primer, we will specifically focus on one such innovation: the advent of seeds containing endosperm.PMID:38653196 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.050 (Sou...
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Nicolas Butel Claudia K öhler Source Type: research
Neuroethology: Decoding the waggle dance
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R313-R315. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.067.ABSTRACTA new study combining high-speed video recordings and computational modeling has revealed an overlooked feature of the famous honeybee waggle dance, yielding the first biologically plausible neural circuit model of how the information transmitted via the waggle dance could be assimilated by the follower bees.PMID:38653197 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.067 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Stanley Heinze Source Type: research
Evolutionary neurogenomics: Lengthy resolutions for complex brains
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R315-R318. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.016.ABSTRACTGenomic blueprints underlying unique neuronal organization are enigmatic. A new study reveals the recruitment of ancient, larger genes for synaptic machinery, providing evolutionary constraints and flexibility, with increasing gene sizes being found in animal lineages that led to cephalopods and vertebrates.PMID:38653198 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.016 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Leonid L Moroz Source Type: research
Ant evolution: Amber revelations of extinction, survival and recovery
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R318-R320. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.008.ABSTRACTAnt fossils from the Cretaceous are rare but critical for understanding the early evolution of this incredibly successful group of animals. New amber fossils fill important gaps, revealing patterns of death, survival, and radiation around the end Cretaceous extinction.PMID:38653199 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.008 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Brendon E Boudinot Source Type: research
Social neuroscience: How we learn to avoid the bully
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R320-R322. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.012.ABSTRACTDuring social interactions, individuals evaluate relationships with their peers and switch from approach to avoidance, particularly in response to aggressive encounters. A new study in mice investigated the underlying brain mechanisms and identified oxytocin as a key regulator of social avoidance learning.PMID:38653200 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.012 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Eduard Maier Valery Grinevich Source Type: research
Symbiosis: Did bacteria bias the beetle big bang?
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R323-R325. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.009.ABSTRACTThe massive species richness of certain taxonomic groups has long enchanted evolutionary biologists, but even within such groups there are biases in cladogenesis. A study of Metazoa's greatest radiation - the beetles - points to metabolic symbioses with bacteria as a possible driver of enhanced diversification in herbivorous clades.PMID:38653201 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.009 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Joseph Parker Source Type: research
Plant development: Laying the foundation for high-performance photosynthesis
Curr Biol. 2024 Apr 22;34(8):R326-R328. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.022.ABSTRACTA new study shows that TOO MANY LATERALS/WIP6 acts as a key regulator of vein specification and development across C3 and C4 photosynthetic grasses.PMID:38653202 | DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.022 (Source: Current Biology)
Source: Current Biology - April 23, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Thomas L Slewinski Source Type: research
