eLife

Latest preprint reviews

1. A systematic bi-genomic split-GFP assay illuminates the mitochondrial matrix proteome and protein targeting routes

   This article has 14 authors:

   1. Yury S Bykov
   2. Solene Zuttion
   3. Dunya Edilbi
   4. Marina Polozova
   5. Johanna Arnold
   6. Sergey Malitsky
   7. Maxim Itkin
   8. Bruno Senger
   9. Ofir Klein
   10. Yeynit Asraf
   11. Hadar Meyer
   12. Hubert D Becker
   13. Roza Kucharczyk
   14. Maya Schuldiner

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This study represents a valuable addition to the catalog of mitochondrial proteins. With the use of methodology based on the bi-genomic split-GFP technology, the authors generate convincing data, including dually localized proteins and topological information, under various growth conditions in yeast. The study represents a key basis for further functional and/or mechanistic studies on mitochondrial protein biogenesis.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Tryptanthrin Analogs Substoichiometrically Inhibit Seeded and Unseeded Tau4RD Aggregation

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Ellie I James
   2. David W Baggett
   3. Edcon Chang
   4. Joel Schachter
   5. Thomas Nixey
   6. Karoline Choi
   7. Miklos Guttman
   8. Abhinav Nath

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This study provides a valuable contribution to the development of small molecules that inhibit the aggregation of tau, a protein involved in several neurodegenerative diseases. The authors present convincing evidence that analogs of the plant alkaloid tryptanthrin can prevent the formation of larger aggregates by targeting the early stages of tau oligomerization. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms of action and to provide a detailed kinetic analysis. This work will be of interest to biochemists and biophysicists focused on designing small molecules to inhibit fibril formation.

   Reviewed by eLife

3. Endosomal-lysosomal organellar assembly (ELYSA) structures coordinate lysosomal degradation systems through mammalian oocyte-to-embryo transition

   This article has 6 authors:

   1. Yuhkoh Satouh
   2. Takaki Tatebe
   3. Isei Tanida
   4. Junji Yamaguchi
   5. Yasuo Uchiyama
   6. Ken Sato

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This paper reports important findings on giant organelle complexes containing endosomes and lysosomes (termed endosomal-lysosomal organelles form assembly structures [ELYSAs]) present in mouse oocytes and 1- to 2-cell embryos. The data showing the localization and dynamics of ELYSAs during oocyte/embryo maturation are convincing. This work will be of interest to general cell biologists and developmental biologists.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Characterization of binding kinetics and intracellular signaling of new psychoactive substances targeting cannabinoid receptor using transition-based reweighting method

   This article has 2 authors:

   1. Soumajit Dutta
   2. Diwakar Shukla

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     A combination of molecular dynamics simulation and state-of-the-art statistical post-processing techniques provided valuable insight into GPCR-ligand dynamics. This manuscript provides solid evidence for differences in the binding/unbinding of classical cannabinoid drugs from new psychoactive substances. The results could aid in mitigating the public health threat these drugs pose.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. Endocannabinoids and their receptors modulate endometriosis pathogenesis and immune response

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Chandrakant Tayade
   2. Harshavardhan Lingegowda
   3. Katherine Zutautas
   4. Yuhong Wei
   5. Priyanka Yolmo
   6. Danielle Sisnett
   7. Alison McCallion
   8. Madhuri Koti

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This study presents valuable findings on how the endocannabinoid system is involved in endometriosis progression using CNR1 and CNR2 knockout (KO) mouse models. The evidence supporting the authors' claims is incomplete; including bulk RNA-seq, flow cytometry, and imaging mass cytometry would have strengthened the study. This work might be of interest to medical scientists working on endometriosis.

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Chronic hyperactivation of midbrain dopamine neurons causes preferential dopamine neuron degeneration

   This article has 17 authors:

   1. Katerina Rademacher
   2. Zak Doric
   3. Dominik Haddad
   4. Aphroditi Mamaligas
   5. Szu-Chi Liao
   6. Rose Creed
   7. Kohei Kano
   8. Zac Chatterton
   9. Yuhong Fu
   10. Joseph H Garcia
   11. Victoria M Vance
   12. Yoshitaka J Sei
   13. Anatol Kreitzer
   14. Glenda Halliday
   15. Alexandra B Nelson
   16. Elyssa Margolis
   17. Ken Nakamura

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This manuscript shows that chronic chemogenetic excitation of dopaminergic neurons in the mouse midbrain results in differential degeneration of axons and somas across distinct regions (SNc vs VTA). These findings are important for two reasons. This approach can be used as a mouse model for Parkinson's Disease without the need for the infusion of toxins (e.g. 6-OHDA or MPTP) — this mouse model also has the advantage of showing axon-first degeneration over a time course (2–4 weeks) that is suitable for experimental investigation. Also, the findings that direct excitation of dopaminergic neurons causes differential degeneration sheds light on the mechanisms of dopaminergic neuron selective vulnerability. The evidence that activation of dopaminergic neurons causes degeneration, alters motor behavior, and alters mRNA expression is convincing. This is an exciting paper that will have an impact on the Parkinson's Disease field.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses reveals the dynamic transcript profiles of myocardial lymphangiogenesis post-myocardial infarction

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Jiaqi He
   2. Dali Zhang
   3. Haixu Song
   4. Ziqi Liu
   5. Dan Liu
   6. Xiaolin Zhang
   7. Xiaojie Zhao
   8. Yan Zhang
   9. Jing Liu
   10. Jiaxin Xu
   11. Chenghui Yan
   12. Yaling Han

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This study presents useful albeit preliminary findings on transcriptome changes in cardiac lymphatic cells after myocardial infarction in mice. Despite revision, the conclusions of the authors remain uncertain as sample sizes in general are very low, and even sometimes too low to allow for valid statistical comparisons. Accordingly, there are concerns regarding statistical robustness, raised by both the editors and the reviewers. While the single-cell transcriptomic data were analyzed using solid advanced methodology, too few cells were included in the scRNA-seq data set and the spatial transcriptomics analyses. Thus, this study rather represents more a collection of preliminary transcriptomic data than a full scientific report that would definitively advance the field.

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Natural variation in salt-induced changes in root:shoot ratio reveals SR3G as a negative regulator of root suberization and salt resilience in Arabidopsis

   This article has 18 authors:

   1. Maryam Rahmati Ishka
   2. Hayley Sussman
   3. Yunfei Hu
   4. Mashael Daghash Alqahtani
   5. Eric Craft
   6. Ronell Sicat
   7. Minmin Wang
   8. Li'ang Yu
   9. Rachid Ait-Haddou
   10. Bo Li
   11. Georgia Drakakaki
   12. Andrew DL Nelson
   13. Miguel Pineros
   14. Arthur Korte
   15. Łukasz Jaremko
   16. Christa Testerink
   17. Mark Tester
   18. Magdalena M Julkowska

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     Through cellular, developmental, and physiological analysis, this valuable study identifies a gene that regulates the relative growth of roots and shoots under salt stress. The holistic approach taken provides convincing evidence that this member of a larger tandemly duplicated gene family together with an upstream regulator contributes to salt tolerance. The manuscript will be of interest to plant biologists studying mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance and gene family evolution.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. Real-time transcriptomic profiling in distinct experimental conditions

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Tamer Butto
   2. Stefan Pastore
   3. Max Müller
   4. Kaushik Viswanathan Iyer
   5. Marko Jörg
   6. Julia Brechtel
   7. Stefan Mündnich
   8. Anna Wierczeiko
   9. Kristina Friedland
   10. Mark Helm
   11. Marie-Luise Winz
   12. Susanne Gerber

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This useful study presents a real-time transcriptomics analysis, with the aim of providing rapid access to sequenced data to reduce the costs associated with Oxford Nanopore long-read technology. The revised manuscript demonstrates the utilities with four sets of experiments with convincing evidence.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Direct lineage conversion of postnatal mouse cortical astrocytes to oligodendrocyte lineage cells

    This article has 12 authors:

    1. Justine Bajohr
    2. Erica Y Scott
    3. Arman Olfat
    4. Mehrshad Sadria
    5. Kevin Lee
    6. Maria Fahim
    7. Hiba T Taha
    8. Daniela Lozano Casasbuenas
    9. Ann Derham
    10. Scott A Yuzwa
    11. Gary D Bader
    12. Maryam Faiz

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      eLife Assessment

      This study provides a useful advance in generating mouse oligodendrocytes by direct lineage conversion from cortical astrocytes. The authors demonstrate that Sox10 converts astrocytes to MBP+ oligodendrocytes, whereas Olig2 expression converts astrocytes to PDFRalpha+ oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. The data supporting the conclusions are solid, but there are concerns regarding select figures and the absence of functional validation.

    Reviewed by eLife