Latest preprint reviews

1. Transcriptomic profiling of Schlemm’s canal cells reveals a lymphatic-biased identity and three major cell states

   This article has 15 authors:

   1. Revathi Balasubramanian
   2. Krishnakumar Kizhatil
   3. Taibo Li
   4. Nicholas Tolman
   5. Aakriti Bhandari
   6. Graham Clark
   7. Violet Bupp-Chickering
   8. Ruth A. Kelly
   9. Sally Zhou
   10. John Peregrin
   11. Marina Simón
   12. Christa Montgomery
   13. W Daniel Stamer
   14. Jiang Qian
   15. Simon W.M. John

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This is an important study characterizing the unique expression of mouse Schlemm's canal endothelial cells (SECs), which function in the aqueous humor outflow pathway of the eye. The work convincingly identifies novel biomarkers for SECs and molecular markers for inner wall and outer wall SECs, followed by targeted RNA and protein expression validation in mouse eyes. Gene networks and pathways were analyzed for their potential contribution to glaucoma pathogenesis.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Two long-axis dimensions of hippocampal cortical integration support memory function across the adult lifespan

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Kristin Nordin
   2. Robin Pedersen
   3. Farshad Falahati
   4. Jarkko Johansson
   5. Filip Grill
   6. Micael Andersson
   7. Saana M Korkki
   8. Lars Backman
   9. Andrew Zalesky
   10. Anna Rieckmann
   11. Lars Nyberg
   12. Alireza Salami

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This fundamental work demonstrates the importance of considering overlapping modes of functional organization (i.e. gradients) in the hippocampus, showing associations between with aging, dopaminergic receptor distribution and episodic memory. The evidence supporting the conclusions is solid, although some clarifications about testing procedures and a discussion of the limitations of the dopaminergic receptor mapping techniques employed should be provided along with analysis code. The work will be of broad interest to basic and clinical neuroscientists.

   Reviewed by eLife

3. Genetic Stability of Mycobacterium smegmatis under the Stress of First-Line Antitubercular Agents: Assessing Mutagenic Potential

   This article has 6 authors:

   1. Dániel Molnár
   2. Éva Viola Surányi
   3. Tamás Trombitás
   4. Dóra Füzesi
   5. Rita Hirmondó
   6. Judit Tóth

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This useful study reports on the impact of antibiotic pressure on the genomic stability of the mc2155 strain of Mycobacterium smegmatis, a model for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The study concludes that exposure to antibiotics did not lead to the emergence of new adaptive mutations in laboratory settings, contradicting the prevailing theory of antibiotic resistance development through drug-induced microevolution. While the genomic analysis provided detailed insights into the stability of M. smegmatis following exposure to standard TB treatment antibiotics, the evidence presented for antibiotic pressure not contributing to the occurrence of new adaptive mutations is still incomplete.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. High-density sampling reveals volume growth in human tumours

   This article has 6 authors:

   1. Arman Angaji
   2. Michel Owusu
   3. Christoph Velling
   4. Nicola Dick
   5. Donate Weghorn
   6. Johannes Berg

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     The paper uses published data and a proposed cell-based model to understand how growth and death mechanisms lead to the observed data. This work provides an important insight into the early stages of tumour development. From the work provided here, the results are solid, showing a thorough analysis. However, the work has not fully specified the model, which can lead to some questions around the model's suitability.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. Connecting Chromatin Structures to Gene Regulation Using Dynamic Polymer Simulations

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Yi Fu
   2. Finnegan Clark
   3. Sofia Nomikou
   4. Aristotelis Tsirigos
   5. Timothee Lionnet

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This paper presents a valuable optimization algorithm for determining the spatio-temporal organization of chromatin. The algorithm identifies the polymer model that best fits population averaged Hi-C data and makes predictions about the spatio-temoral organization of specific genomic loci such as the oncogenic Myc locus. While the algorithm will be of value to biologists and physicists working in the field of genome organization, the provided methodological details and evidence are incomplete to fully substantiate the conclusions. In particular, the following would be beneficial: analysis of single-cell data, the inclusion of loci beyond Myc, testing the dependence of results on the chosen parameters, providing more details on CTCF occupancy at loop anchors, and better substantiating the claim about predictions of single-cell heterogeneity.

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Single-nucleus multiomics reveals the gene-regulatory networks underlying sex determination of murine primordial germ cells

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Adriana Karina Alexander
   2. Karina F Rodriguez
   3. Yu-Ying Chen
   4. Ciro Amato
   5. Martin A Estermann
   6. Xin Xu
   7. Humphrey Yao

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This valuable study reports single-nucleus multiomics-based profiling of transcriptome and chromatin accessibility of mouse XX and XY primordial germ cells (PGCs). Solid data generally support the main conclusions. However, data presentation and interpretation need improvement for clarity and accuracy. The study will be of interest to developmental and reproductive biologists, as well as andrologists.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Hosts Manipulate Lifestyle Switch and Pathogenicity Heterogeneity of Opportunistic Pathogens in the Single-cell Resolution

   This article has 13 authors:

   1. Ziguang Wang
   2. Shuai Li
   3. Sheng Zhang
   4. Tianyu Zhang
   5. Yujie Wu
   6. Anqi Liu
   7. Kui Wang
   8. Xiaowen Ji
   9. Haiqun Cao
   10. Eng-King Tan
   11. Yongcheng Wang
   12. Yirong Wang
   13. Wei Liu

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This valuable study examines the role of a host in conditions that shift pathogenicity of opportunistic microbes. The use of single-cell microbial transcriptomics and metabolomics to demonstrate the host's effects on pathogen dynamics is interesting and convincing. However, the connection to host antimicrobial peptides driving these effects is incomplete and would benefit from additional evidence and improved explanation in the text. This paper has the potential to be of broad interest to those working in host-microbe (microbiome and pathogen) interactions.

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Partial rejuvenation of the spermatogonial stem cell niche after gender-affirming hormone therapy in trans women

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Emily Delgouffe
   2. Samuel Madureira Silva
   3. Frédéric Chalmel
   4. Wilfried Cools
   5. Camille Raets
   6. Kelly Tilleman
   7. Guy T’Sjoen
   8. Yoni Baert
   9. Ellen Goossens

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This important study presents new knowledge of the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) niche in trans women after gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). While the evidence supporting the claims is convincing, weaknesses identified by both reviewers should be addressed. The work will be of interest to researchers and clinicians working in the field of sexual medicine and andrology.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. Spatially targeted inhibitory rhythms differentially affect neuronal integration

   This article has 4 authors:

   1. Drew B. Headley
   2. Benjamin Latimer
   3. Adin Aberbach
   4. Satish S. Nair

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This valuable study assesses through simulations how several known features of local cortical circuits - interneuron subtypes, their specific targeting of dendritic compartments, and certain brain rhythms - together affect the integration of synaptic inputs by a pyramidal cell into a spiking output signal. Employing several carefully considered simulation setups they convincingly demonstrate that beta rhythms are best suited to modulate and control dendritic Ca-spikes while gamma rhythms affect their coupling to somatic spiking, or how basal inputs are directly integrated into somatic spikes. However, the baseline setup may be idealized for the generation of the events in question and it would be beneficial if the similarity to the in-vivo activity regime was demonstrated further. The results will be relevant for neuroscientists studying local circuits or developing more abstract theories at the systems level.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Task dependent coarticulation of movement sequences

    This article has 2 authors:

    1. Hari Teja Kalidindi
    2. Frederic Crevecoeur

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      eLife assessment

      This valuable paper presents convincing evidence that changing the constraint of how long to stop at an intermediate target significantly influences the degree of coarticulation of two sequential reaching movements, as well as their response to mechanical perturbations. Using an optimal-control framework, the authors offer a normative explanation of how both co-articulated and separated sequential movement can be understood as an optimal solution to the task requirements.

    Reviewed by eLife