Developmental Biology

Analysis of SMAD1/5 target genes in a sea anemone reveals ZSWIM4-6 as a novel BMP signaling modulator

1. Paul Knabl
2. Alexandra Schauer
3. Autumn P Pomreinke
4. Bob Zimmermann
5. Katherine W Rogers
6. Daniel Čapek
7. Patrick Müller
8. Grigory Genikhovich

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important work presents a systematic survey of downstream target genes of the BMP pathway during body-axis establishment of the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis. BMP is a well-known developmental regulator, and this work identifies a previously unknown array of downstream targets. Combining genomic approaches and genetic manipulations, the authors present convincing evidence that Zswim4-6 acts as a negative feedback regulator of BMP activity in Nematostella. The authors also test a zebrafish homologue in over-expression assays and show solid evidence that it too dampens BMP signaling activity, leading to the suggestion that zswim4-6 is a conserved regulator of BMP signaling. This work will be of interest to researchers in the fields of both developmental biology and evo-devo.

Reviewed by eLife

Homeodomain proteins hierarchically specify neuronal diversity and synaptic connectivity

1. Chundi Xu
2. Tyler B Ramos
3. Edward M Rogers
4. Michael B Reiser
5. Chris Q Doe

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This paper, offering insights into the mechanisms of neuronal cell type diversification, provides important findings that have theoretical or practical implications beyond a single subfield. The data are compelling and provide evidence that features methods, data and analyses that are more rigorous than the current state-of-the-art.

Reviewed by eLife

Notch signaling and Bsh homeodomain activity are integrated to diversify Drosophila lamina neuron types

1. Chundi Xu
2. Tyler B Ramos
3. Owen J Marshall
4. Chris Q Doe

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This paper explores how Notch activity acts together with homeodomain transcription Bsh factors to establish distinct cell fates (L4 vs L5) in the visual system of Drosophila. The findings are important and have theoretical or practical implications beyond a single subfield. The methods, data, and analyses are compelling and support the claims with only minor weaknesses.

Reviewed by eLife

Chromatin profiling data indicate regulatory mechanisms for differentiation during development in the acoel Hofstenia miamia

1. Paul Bump
2. Kaitlyn Loubet-Senear
3. Sarah Arnold
4. Mansi Srivastava

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

Differential susceptibility of male and female germ cells to glucocorticoid-mediated signaling

1. Steven A Cincotta
2. Nainoa Richardson
3. Mariko H Foecke
4. Diana J Laird

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This work reports a valuable finding on glucocorticoid signaling in male and female germ cells in mice, pointing out sexual dimorphism in transcriptomic responsiveness. The convincing evidence provided supports an inert GR signaling despite the presence of GR in the female germline and GR-mediated alternative splicing in response to dexamethasone treatment in the male germline. The work may interest basic researchers and physician-scientists working on reproduction and stress-related disease conditions.

Reviewed by eLife

Getting there in one piece: The Rac pathway prevents cell fragmentation in a nonprotrusively migrating leader cell during organogenesis

1. Noor Singh
2. Karen Jian Li
3. Kacy Lynn Gordon

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

MAFB drives differentiation by permitting WT1 binding to podocyte specific promoters

1. Filippo M. Massa
2. Fariba Jian-Motamedi
3. Marijus Šerys
4. Amelie Tison
5. Agnès Loubat
6. Sandra Lacas-Gervais
7. Luc Martin
8. Hassiba Belahbib
9. Sandrine Sarrazin
10. Michael H. Sieweke
11. Andreas Schedl

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study presents valuable insights into the epigenetic landscape in adult kidney podocytes. A series of solid experiments demonstrate that genes that are regulated by a key kidney transcription factor, Mafb, are essential for H3K4me3 methylation and recruitment of Wt1 to Nphs1 and Nphs2. This new information provides insights into the potential relationship and coordination of transcription factors in regulating target genes in podocytes in glomerular diseases, although the conclusion that MafB is generally required for Wt1 to bind to podocyte-specific promoters is incomplete and should be extended beyond two or three genes.

Reviewed by eLife

The reciprocal regulation between mitochondrial-associated membranes and Notch signaling in skeletal muscle atrophy

1. Yurika Ito
2. Mari Yamagata
3. Takuya Yamamoto
4. Katsuya Hirasaka
5. Takeshi Nikawa
6. Takahiko Sato

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This interesting and important manuscript combines in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the reciprocal regulation between mitochondria-associated membranes and Notch signaling in skeletal muscle atrophy, with implications beyond the single subfield of muscle atrophy. The methods, data, and analyses are solid and broadly support the claims.

Reviewed by eLife

Identification of key yeast species and microbe–microbe interactions impacting larval growth of Drosophila in the wild

1. Ayumi Mure
2. Yuki Sugiura
3. Rae Maeda
4. Kohei Honda
5. Nozomu Sakurai
6. Yuuki Takahashi
7. Masayoshi Watada
8. Toshihiko Katoh
9. Aina Gotoh
10. Yasuhiro Gotoh
11. Itsuki Taniguchi
12. Keiji Nakamura
13. Tetsuya Hayashi
14. Takane Katayama
15. Tadashi Uemura
16. Yukako Hattori

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This is an important study that addresses a significant question in microbiome research. The authors provide convincing evidence that certain bacterial groups within the fly microbiome have critical functions for host development. Additionally, dietary aspects such as microbial community progression in a natural food source are integrated into their host-microbe interaction analyses.

Reviewed by eLife

Core PCP mutations affect short time mechanical properties but not tissue morphogenesis in the Drosophila pupal wing

1. Romina Piscitello-Gómez
2. Franz S Gruber
3. Abhijeet Krishna
4. Charlie Duclut
5. Carl D Modes
6. Marko Popović
7. Frank Jülicher
8. Natalie A Dye
9. Suzanne Eaton

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This valuable study provides a combination of experiment and theory to investigate the role of a key signalling pathway as a patterning guide for local and global mechanical properties in a developing tissue. It poses solid evidence that local dynamical effects are not necessarily predictive of global tissue mechanics, although it does not offer an alternative mechanistic explanation. This multidisciplinary work will likely have an impact on the fields of tissue mechanics and developmental biology.

Reviewed by eLife