Latest preprint reviews

1. Synaptic cell adhesion molecule Cdh6 identifies a class of sensory neurons with novel functions in colonic motility

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Julieta Gomez-Frittelli
   2. Gabrielle Devienne
   3. Lee Travis
   4. Melinda A. Kyloh
   5. Xin Duan
   6. Tim J. Hibberd
   7. Nick J. Spencer
   8. John R. Huguenard
   9. Julia A. Kaltschmidt

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This valuable study characterizes the molecular signatures and function of a type of enteric neuron (IPAN) in the mouse colon, identifying molecular markers (Cdh6 and Cdh8) for these cells. A battery of solid experimental findings suggest data from other species are likely translatable to mice, bridging the abundant literature from humans and other mammals into this experimentally tractable animal model, but the data establishing the role of Cdh6 in synapses among IPANs and in cell-cell contacts with non-neuronal cells is incomplete. This work will be of interest to scientists studying the motor control of the colon and more generally the enteric neuromuscular system.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Salmonella exploits host- and bacterial-derived β-alanine for replication inside host macrophages

   This article has 10 authors:

   1. Shuai Ma
   2. Bin Yang
   3. Yuyang Sun
   4. Xinyue Wang
   5. Houliang Guo
   6. Ruiying Liu
   7. Ting Ye
   8. Chenbo Kang
   9. Jingnan Chen
   10. Lingyan Jiang

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     The authors use a multidisciplinary approach to provide a useful link between Beta-alanine and S. Typhimurium (STM) infection and virulence. The work shows how Beta-alanine synthesis mediates zinc homeostasis regulation, possibly contributing to virulence. However, the work is incomplete and requires additional data to firmly establish the connection between Beta-alanine synthesis and zinc homeostasis. Measuring the source and zinc content of STM in vivo and examining mechanisms in human clinical strains and other serovars would be essential.

   Reviewed by eLife

3. PDZ-directed substrate recruitment is the primary determinant of specific 4E-BP1 dephosphorylation by PP1-Neurabin

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Roman O Fedoryshchak
   2. Karim El-Bouri
   3. Dhira Joshi
   4. Stephane Mouilleron
   5. Richard Treisman

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This important study reports on a basis for neurabin-mediated specification of substrate choice by protein phosphatase-1. The data from the comprehensive approach using structural, biochemical, and computational methods are compelling, but the role of the crucial tryptophan residue in the recognition motif can be further tested to strengthen the main argument. This paper is broadly relevant to those investigating various cellular signaling cascades that entail phosphorylation as the main mechanism.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Estimating bone marrow adiposity from head MRI and identifying its genetic architecture

   This article has 10 authors:

   1. Tobias Kaufmann
   2. Pål Marius Bjørnstad
   3. Martin Falck
   4. Stener Nerland
   5. Kevin O’Connell
   6. Oleksandr Frei
   7. Ole A Andreassen
   8. Lars T Westlye
   9. Srdjan Djurovic
   10. Timothy Hughes

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This solid paper reports on the use of artificial intelligence to assess bone marrow adipose tissue in the skull. The method employing MRI is novel and that approach allows for the identification of genetic loci that regulate this trait as well as others using data from the UK biobank. Overall this is an important contribution although the authors should consider several points: 1-validation of the T1-weighted MRI signal intensity; 2-further discussion of the sex differences; and 3-cross-trait linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) for osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, and cognitive function.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. A conserved code for anatomy: Neurons throughout the brain embed robust signatures of their anatomical location into spike trains

   This article has 4 authors:

   1. Gemechu B Tolossa
   2. Aidan M Schneider
   3. Eva L Dyer
   4. Keith B Hengen

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This article reports a useful set of findings on how electrophysiological response properties of neurons correlate with their position in the brain. The evidence currently remains incomplete, with reviewers making specific suggestions for how clustering needs to be redone. The manuscript would also benefit from a more focused presentation of results and the removal of incorrect claims about recording biases.

   Reviewed by eLife

6. The chromokinesin Kid (KIF22) forms a homodimer, moves processively along microtubules and transports double-strand DNA

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Shinsuke Niwa
   2. Natsuki Furusaki
   3. Tomoki Kita
   4. Yuki Suzuki
   5. Kyoko Chiba

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This valuable study clarifies the mechanism by which the kinesin-10 motor protein, chromosome-associated kinesin, Kid (KIF22), enables chromosome movement during mitosis, demonstrating that human and Xenopus Kid proteins function as processive, homodimeric kinesins capable of processive microtubule plus-end motility. The convincing work highlights that Kid can recruit and transport duplex DNA along microtubules via its conserved C-terminal DNA binding domain, revising our understanding of chromokinesins' role in chromosome motility during mitosis. Although the data are robust, the manuscript would benefit from some editing for clarity.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Early menarche and childbirth accelerate aging-related outcomes and age-related diseases: Evidence for antagonistic pleiotropy in humans

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Yifan Xiang
   2. Vineeta Tanwar
   3. Parminder Singh
   4. Lizellen La Follette
   5. Pankaj Kapahi

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This important study uses Mendelian Randomisation to show that early life phenotypes (i.e. onset of age at menarche and age at first birth) have an influence on a multitude of health outcomes later in life. The provided empirical evidence supporting the antagonistic pleiotropy theory is solid. However, some additional analyses and a more comprehensive discussion of the findings are needed to make the study stronger.

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Blocking Toxin Function and Modulating the Gut Microbiota: Caffeic Acid and its Derivatives as Potential Treatments for Clostridioides difficile Infection

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Yan Guo
   2. Yong Zhang
   3. Guizhen Wang
   4. Hongtao Liu
   5. Jianfeng Wang
   6. Xuming Deng
   7. Liuqing He
   8. Jiazhang Qiu

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     The manuscript by Guo and colleagues reports valuable findings about the inhibitory activity of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against TcdB, a key toxin produced by Clostridioides difficile. C. difficile infections are a major public health concern, and this manuscript provides interesting data on toxin inhibition by CAPE, a potentially promising therapeutic alternative for this disease. The strength of the evidence to support the conclusions is solid, with some concerns about the moderate effects on the mouse infection model and direct binding assays of CAPE to the toxin.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. Unravelling the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying counterconditioning in humans

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Lisa Wirz
   2. Maxime C Houtekamer
   3. Jette de Vos
   4. Joseph E Dunsmoor
   5. Judith R Homberg
   6. Marloes JAG Henckens
   7. Erno J Hermans

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This important work combines self-report, neural and physiology data to examine the efficacy and mechanisms of counter conditioning versus extinction in reducing re-emergence of conditioned threat responses and show that this appears to rely on the nucleus accumbens rather than the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings are supported by convincing evidence, though some areas could benefit from added clarity and a few targeted refinements and justifications of analytical choices. Results will be of interest to researchers across multiple subfields, including neuroscientists, cognitive theory researchers, and clinicians, particularly those with an interest in clinical applications in trauma therapies.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. A conformational fingerprint for amyloidogenic light chains

    This article has 14 authors:

    1. Cristina Paissoni
    2. Sarita Puri
    3. Luca Broggini
    4. Manoj K Sriramoju
    5. Martina Maritan
    6. Rosaria Russo
    7. Valentina Speranzini
    8. Federico Ballabio
    9. Mario Nuvolone
    10. Giampaolo Merlini
    11. Giovanni Palladini
    12. Shang-Te Danny Hsu
    13. Stefano Ricagno
    14. Carlo Camilloni

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      eLife Assessment

      This important study identifies the "H-state" as a potential conformational marker distinguishing amyloidogenic from non-amyloidogenic light chains, addressing a critical problem in protein misfolding and amyloidosis. By combining advanced techniques such as small-angle X-ray scattering, molecular dynamics simulations, and H-D exchange mass spectrometry, the authors provide convincing evidence for their novel findings. However, incomplete experimental descriptions, limitations in SAXS data interpretation, and the way HDX MS data is presented affect the strength and generalizability of the conclusions. Strengthening these aspects would enhance the impact of this work for researchers in amyloidosis and protein misfolding.

    Reviewed by eLife