Genetics

Genetic basis of Arabidopsis thaliana responses to infection by naïve and adapted isolates of turnip mosaic virus

1. Anamarija Butkovic
2. Thomas James Ellis
3. Ruben Gonzalez
4. Benjamin Jaegle
5. Magnus Nordborg
6. Santiago F Elena

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This manuscript presents important findings that inform the genetic underpinnings of the model plant Arabidopsis' resistance to turnip mosaic virus (TuMV). The strength of the evidence in the manuscript is exceptional, with very large sample sizes, careful controls, multiple follow-up experiments, and broadening to the evolutionary context. The evidence provides robust support for each of the manuscript's conclusions and could pave the way for functional studies.

Reviewed by eLife

Identification of 1600 replication origins in S. cerevisiae

1. Eric J Foss
2. Carmina Lichauco
3. Tonibelle Gatbonton-Schwager
4. Sara J Gonske
5. Brandon Lofts
6. Uyen Lao
7. Antonio Bedalov

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study represents a valuable addition to the understanding of the DNA replication origin selection process in the budding yeast. The authors provide convincing evidence that the number of possible origins of replication is much higher than previously appreciated, although many of the newly identified origins are likely to only direct replication initiation rarely. This work will be of interest to those studying DNA replication and investigating protein-DNA interactions across the genome.

Reviewed by eLife

Association of genetic variation in COL11A1 with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

1. Hao Yu
2. Anas M Khanshour
3. Aki Ushiki
4. Nao Otomo
5. Yoshinao Koike
6. Elisabet Einarsdottir
7. Yanhui Fan
8. Lilian Antunes
9. Yared H Kidane
10. Reuel Cornelia
11. Rory R Sheng
12. Yichi Zhang
13. Jimin Pei
14. Nick V Grishin
15. Bret M Evers
16. Jason Pui Yin Cheung
17. John A Herring
18. Chikashi Terao
19. You-qiang Song
20. Christina A Gurnett
21. Paul Gerdhem
22. Shiro Ikegawa
23. Jonathan J Rios
24. Nadav Ahituv
25. Carol A Wise

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This valuable study analyzes a large cohort of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) patients, identifying an association with a variant in COL11A1 (Pro1335Leu). Experimental testing of this potentially pathogenic variant in vitro suggests a connection between Pax1, Col11a1, Mmp3, and estrogen signaling, thus providing solid support for the proposed link between hormonal and matrix components in the development of AIS.

Reviewed by eLife

Telomerase and Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres coexist in the regenerating zebrafish caudal fins

1. Elena Martínez-Balsalobre
2. Monique Anchelin-Flageul
3. Francisca Alcaraz-Pérez
4. Jesús García-Castillo
5. David Hernández-Silva
6. Maria C Mione
7. Victoriano Mulero
8. María L. Cayuela

Reviewed by Review Commons

The seminal odorant binding protein Obp56g is required for mating plug formation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster

1. Nora C Brown
2. Benjamin Gordon
3. Caitlin E McDonough-Goldstein
4. Snigdha Misra
5. Geoffrey D Findlay
6. Andrew G Clark
7. Mariana Federica Wolfner

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study describes an atypical role of the odorant binding protein Obp56g in mating plug formation in Drosophila melanogaster suggesting that Obps may play roles in reproduction in addition to their originally described roles in olfaction. Mutant males lacking Obp56g fail to induce the formation of a mating plug in the female reproductive tract-leading to ejaculate loss and reduced sperm storage. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid and compelling. The work will be of interest to biologists studying Obps and seminal fluid protein function and their evolution.

Reviewed by eLife

Identification of CFAP52 as a novel diagnostic target of male infertility with defects of sperm head-tail connection and flagella development

1. Hui-Juan Jin
2. Tiechao Ruan
3. Siyu Dai
4. Xin-Yan Geng
5. Yihong Yang
6. Ying Shen
7. Su-Ren Chen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study provides useful information on the function of a ciliary and flagellar-associated protein, CFAP52, in the assembly of sperm head-tail connecting apparatus (HTCA) and tail formation in humans and mice. The significance is to identify CFAP52 as a genetic factor for asthenoteratozoospermia with a mixed acephalic spermatozoa syndrome (ASS) and multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) phenotype. The strength of the study is that the experimental evidence using CFAP52 loss-of-function in mice is solid to support that CFAP52 is essential for sperm motility and male fertility by contributing to HTCA and 9+2 axoneme, corroborating the sperm phenotypes of human patients with compound heterozygous mutations in CFAP52.

Reviewed by eLife

Separating phases of allopolyploid evolution with resynthesized and natural Capsella bursa-pastoris

1. Tianlin Duan
2. Adrien Sicard
3. Sylvain Glémin
4. Martin Lascoux

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study offers new insight into how floral and reproductive phenotypes and gene expression evolve in allopolyploids. The authors marshal compelling evidence, using well-constructed genetic lines, RNA sequencing, and phenotypic analyses to distinguish the roles of hybridization, whole genome duplication, and subsequent evolution in phenotypes associated with the selfing syndrome and in gene expression. The work will be of interest to researchers working in plant speciation and genomics, as well as those more broadly interested in the effects of genome copy number on phenotypic and expression evolution.

Reviewed by eLife

Mitochondrial unfolded protein response transcription factor ATFS-1 increases resistance to exogenous stressors through upregulation of multiple stress response pathways

1. Sonja K. Soo
2. Annika Traa
3. Meeta Mistry
4. Jeremy M. Van Raamsdonk

Reviewed by Review Commons

A systematic approach identifies p53-DREAM pathway target genes associated with blood or brain abnormalities

1. Jeanne Rakotopare
2. Vincent Lejour
3. Carla Duval
4. Eliana Eldawra
5. Hugues Escoffier
6. Franck Toledo

Reviewed by Review Commons

A randomized multiplex CRISPRi-Seq approach for the identification of critical combinations of genes

1. Nicole A Ellis
2. Kevin S Myers
3. Jessica Tung
4. Anne Davidson Ward
5. Kathryn Johnston
6. Katherine E Bonnington
7. Timothy J Donohue
8. Matthias P Machner

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study uses CRISPRi to silence multiple effectors in the pathogen, Legionella pneumophila. It provides a technique that will allow researchers to address functional redundancy amongst effectors, a problem that has persisted even after decades of study. The methodology used is convincing, and further improvement (such as using multiple guides per gene) can lead to the identification of novel virulence factors.

Reviewed by eLife