Cell Biology

Image Correlation Spectroscopy is a Robust Tool to Quantify Cellular DNA Damage Response

1. Angelica A Gopal
2. Bianca Fernandez
3. Paul W Wiseman
4. J Matthew Dubach

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable paper shows image correlation spectroscopy (ICS) as a new tool to analyze the clustering of proteins involved in DNA damage response (DDR). The solid evidence presented demonstrates that this method is more sensitive than traditional focus counting, although some of the claims require further contextualization. This new method provides an alternative tool to analyze immuno-stained focus for researchers in the fields of DDR and cell biology.

Reviewed by eLife

Genome concentration limits cell growth and modulates proteome composition in Escherichia coli

1. Jarno Mäkelä
2. Alexandros Papagiannakis
3. Wei-Hsiang Lin
4. Michael C Lanz
5. Skye Glenn
6. Matthew Swaffer
7. Georgi K Marinov
8. Jan M Skotheim
9. Christine Jacobs-Wagner

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This fundamental work by Mäkelä et al. presents compelling experimental evidence supported by a theoretical model that the amount of chromosomal DNA can become limiting for the total rate of mRNA transcription and consequently protein production in the model bacterium Escherichia coli. The work is based on a mutant that allows inhibition of DNA replication while following growth at the single-cell level due to cell filamentation. The work significantly advances our understanding of growth and of the central dogma, and will be of considerable interest within both systems biology and microbial physiology.

Reviewed by eLife

Single nuclei transcriptomics reveal the differentiation trajectories of periosteal skeletal/stem progenitor cells in bone regeneration

1. Simon Perrin
2. Maria Ethel
3. Vincent Bretegnier
4. Cassandre Goachet
5. Cécile-Aurore Wotawa
6. Marine Luka
7. Fanny Coulpier
8. Cécile Masson
9. Mickael Ménager
10. Céline Colnot

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This fundamental study generated a single cell atlas of mouse periosteal cells under both steady-state and fracture healing conditions to address the knowledge gap regarding cellular composition of the periosteum and their responses to injury. Based on convincing transcriptome analyses and experimental validation, the authors identified the injury induced fibrogenic cell (IIFC) as a characteristic cell type appearing in the bone regeneration process and proposed that the IIFC is a progenitor undergoing osteochondrogenic differentiation. This study will provide a significant publicly accessible dataset to reexamine the expression of the reported periosteal stem and progenitor cell markers.

Reviewed by eLife

Long range mutual activation establishes Rho and Rac polarity during cell migration

1. Henry De Belly
2. Andreu Fernandez Gallen
3. Evelyn Strickland
4. Dorothy C. Estrada
5. Patrick J. Zager
6. Janis K Burkhardt
7. Hervé Turlier
8. Orion D. Weiner

Reviewed by preLights

Nuclear Argonaute protein NRDE-3 switches small RNA binding partners during embryogenesis coincident with the formation of SIMR granules

1. Shihui Chen
2. Carolyn M Phillips

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The study by Chen and Phillips provides evidence for a dynamic switch in the small RNA repertoire of the Argonaute protein NRDE-3 during embryogenesis in C. elegans. The work is supported by solid experimental data, although some conclusions regarding the functional role of specific RNA granules remain uncertain. Nevertheless, this study offers valuable insights into RNA regulation and developmental biology, with broader implications for understanding small RNA pathways in other systems.

Reviewed by eLife

Membrane potential modulates ERK activity and cell proliferation

1. Mari Sasaki
2. Masanobu Nakahara
3. Takuya Hashiguchi
4. Fumihito Ono

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important paper employs multiple experimental approaches and presents evidence that changes in membrane voltage directly affect ERK signaling to regulate cell division. This result is relevant because it supports an ion channel-independent pathway by which changes in membrane voltage can affect cell growth. The reviewers point out that some experimental results and interpretations are compelling, but the strength of evidence is incomplete and additional experiments are needed to rule out other possible interpretations of the data.

Reviewed by eLife

Intracellular diffusion in the cytoplasm increases with cell size in fission yeast

1. Catherine Tan
2. Michael C. Lanz
3. Matthew Swaffer
4. Jan Skotheim
5. Fred Chang

Reviewed by preLights

PKA regulation of neuronal function requires the dissociation of catalytic subunits from regulatory subunits

1. Weihong Xiong
2. Maozhen Qin
3. Haining Zhong

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important paper demonstrates that different PKA subtypes exhibit distinct subcellular localization at rest in CA1 neurons. The authors provide compelling evidence that when all tested PKA subtypes are activated by norepinephrine, catalytic subunits translocate to dendritic spines but regulatory subunits remain unmoved. Furthermore, PKA-dependent regulation of synaptic plasticity and transmission can be supported only by wildtype, dissociable PKA, but not by inseparable PKA.

Reviewed by eLife

Spatiotemporal recruitment of the ubiquitin-specific protease USP8 directs endosome maturation

1. Yue Miao
2. Yongtao Du
3. Baolei Wang
4. Jingjing Liang
5. Yu Liang
6. Song Dang
7. Jiahao Liu
8. Dong Li
9. Kangmin He
10. Mei Ding

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The manuscript presents an important model for the field of endosome maturation, providing perspective on the role of the deubiquitinating enzyme UPS-50/USP8 in the process. The evidence presented in the paper is clear, incorporating well-designed experiments that suggest the dual actions of UPS-50 and USP8 in the conversion of early endosomes into late endosomes. Overall, the work is convincing and centers on an intriguing subject.

Reviewed by eLife

Secreted exosomes induce filopodia formation

1. Caitlin McAtee
2. Mikin Patel
3. Daisuke Hoshino
4. Bong Hwan Sung
5. Ariana von Lersner
6. Mingjian Shi
7. Nan Hyung Hong
8. Anna Young
9. Evan Krystofiak
10. Andries Zijlstra
11. Alissa M Weaver

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The authors identify a novel relationship between exosome secretion and filopodia formation that has implications for cancer cell metastasis and neuronal synapse formation. Further, they identify the exosomal cargo, THSD7A, as a regulator of this process. The data presented is convincing, and represents an important advancement in our understanding of how these two biological processes are linked and play roles in regulating cell migration and cell-cell communication.

Reviewed by eLife