eLife

Latest preprint reviews

1. Influenza virus transcription and progeny production are poorly correlated in single cells

   This article has 6 authors:

   1. David J Bacsik
   2. Bernadeta Dadonaite
   3. Andrew Butler
   4. Allison J Greaney
   5. Nicholas S Heaton
   6. Jesse D Bloom

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This important paper reports a novel, compelling method, based on barcoding viral genes and next-generation sequencing, to quantify both viral transcription levels and progeny virus production in influenza virus-infected cells at the single-cell level. The authors show that viral transcription and progeny virus production are unexpectedly poorly correlated, and that cells in which viral RNAs are transcribed at high levels are not necessarily those producing the most progeny virions. Because of its novelty, the study will be of interest to the broader virology community.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Two RNA-binding proteins mediate the sorting of miR223 from mitochondria into exosomes

   This article has 3 authors:

   1. Liang Ma
   2. Jasleen Singh
   3. Randy Schekman

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This is an important study that reports the discovery of a new pathway of miRNA sorting to exosomes, involving a mitochondrially-localized protein. The evidence provided by some of the biochemical data is convincing. However, the major body of evidence is still incomplete.

   Reviewed by eLife

3. Treatment with tumor-treating fields (TTFields) suppresses intercellular tunneling nanotube formation in vitro and upregulates immuno-oncologic biomarkers in vivo in malignant mesothelioma

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Akshat Sarkari
   2. Sophie Korenfeld
   3. Karina Deniz
   4. Katherine Ladner
   5. Phillip Wong
   6. Sanyukta Padmanabhan
   7. Rachel I Vogel
   8. Laura A Sherer
   9. Naomi Courtemanche
   10. Clifford Steer
   11. Kerem Wainer-Katsir
   12. Emil Lou

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     Overall, this is an interesting topic of study, and the conclusions could be of relevance more broadly. However, mechanistic support, limited TTF frequencies/timing, and visual support of the quantitative data would be critical in order to provide convincing and rigorous support for this interesting concept.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Inhibition of DNMT1 methyltransferase activity via glucose-regulated O-GlcNAcylation alters the epigenome

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Heon Shin
   2. Amy Leung
   3. Kevin R Costello
   4. Parijat Senapati
   5. Hiroyuki Kato
   6. Roger E Moore
   7. Michael Lee
   8. Dimitri Lin
   9. Xiaofang Tang
   10. Patrick Pirrotte
   11. Zhen Bouman Chen
   12. Dustin E Schones

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This study explores the regulatory function of O-GlcNAcylation on DNA methyltransferase 1 and identifies serine 878 as the main target. This study is of interest to those in epigenetics and metabolism. The significance is important and the strength of the evidence is convincing.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. Examining the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening practices among clinicians practicing in Federally Qualified Health Centers: A mixed methods study

   This article has 11 authors:

   1. Lindsay Fuzzell
   2. Paige Lake
   3. Naomi C Brownstein
   4. Holly B Fontenot
   5. Ashley Whitmer
   6. Alexandra Michel
   7. McKenzie McIntyre
   8. Sarah L Rossi
   9. Sidika Kajtezovic
   10. Susan T Vadaparampil
   11. Rebecca Perkins

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This US study presents findings from an online survey and in-person interviews of healthcare providers in areas associated with cervical screening provision during the post-acute phase of the pandemic. The findings are valuable as they provide insights into a range of areas, from healthcare characteristics to screening barriers and HPV self-sampling. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid, although the inclusion of a nationally-representative sample of healthcare providers and a greater gender/ethnicity/racial mix of interviewees would have strengthened the study. The work will be of interest to public health scientists and a cancer prevention and control audience.

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Regulation of defective mitochondrial DNA accumulation and transmission in C. elegans by the programmed cell death and aging pathways

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Sagen Flowers
   2. Rushali Kothari
   3. Yamila N Torres Cleuren
   4. Melissa R Alcorn
   5. Chee Kiang Ewe
   6. Geneva Alok
   7. Samantha L Fiallo
   8. Pradeep M Joshi
   9. Joel H Rothman

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This manuscript suggests a novel mechanism of purifying selection by which programmed cell death contributes to the selective removal of mtDNA deletion mutations in C. elegans. The evidence for this mechanism of removal is strong although questions remain regarding the underlying mechanism and the role of canonical ageing pathways. Because of the likely central role of mtDNA deletions in ageing and age-dependent diseases, this work will be of interest to scientists in the field of mitochondrial biology as well as ageing.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Cerebral chemoarchitecture shares organizational traits with brain structure and function

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Benjamin Hänisch
   2. Justine Y Hansen
   3. Boris C Bernhardt
   4. Simon B Eickhoff
   5. Juergen Dukart
   6. Bratislav Misic
   7. Sofie Louise Valk

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This work provides a valuable structural and functional characterization of the neurotransmitter's spatial distribution heterogeneity in cortical and subcortical regions. The authors report a systematic description and annotation of a new "layer" of brain organization that has been relatively poorly integrated with the wider neuroimaging literature to date. In sum, this paper has the potential to be of great interest to a wide audience in neurosciences.

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Direct economic burden of mental health disorders associated with polycystic ovary syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Surabhi Yadav
   2. Olivia Delau
   3. Adam J Bonner
   4. Daniela Markovic
   5. William Patterson
   6. Sasha Ottey
   7. Richard P Buyalos
   8. Ricardo Azziz

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This important paper describes a valuable systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health problems in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that drive the excess economic burden associated with this common endocrine disorder. Interestingly, the cost of the diagnostic evaluation is only a relatively minor part of the total costs, but mental health disorders were identified as a significant component of the economic burden. These solid findings could not have been anticipated intuitively and are of considerable value for public health prioritization of PCOS.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. The Axin scaffold protects the kinase GSK3β from cross-pathway inhibition

   This article has 3 authors:

   1. Maire Gavagan
   2. Noel Jameson
   3. Jesse G Zalatan

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife assessment

     This study presents a valuable and elegant kinetic analysis of the GSKbeta activity as a function of phosphorylation and Axin binding - providing insights into critical steps of Wnt pathway signaling. The results will be of big use to the broader signaling community, however, the incomplete dissection of the mechanism by which Axin binding inhibits GSKbeta inhibitory phosphorylation remains a weakness of this study. The work will be of broad interest to cell biologists and biochemists.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Impact of inner ear malformation and cochlear nerve deficiency on the development of auditory-language network in children with profound sensorineural hearing loss

    This article has 16 authors:

    1. Yaoxuan Wang
    2. Mengda Jiang
    3. Yuting Zhu
    4. Lu Xue
    5. Wenying Shu
    6. Xiang Li
    7. Hongsai Chen
    8. Yun Li
    9. Ying Chen
    10. Yongchuan Chai
    11. Yu Zhang
    12. Yinghua Chu
    13. Yang Song
    14. Xiaofeng Tao
    15. Zhaoyan Wang
    16. Hao Wu

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      eLife assessment

      This important study used high-resolution brain imaging methods to visualize and index non-invasively auditory and language pathways of young children born with inner ear malformations or cochlear nerve dysfunction resulting in profound hearing loss. Nerve fiber impairments were compellingly demonstrated in subcortical auditory and cortical language pathways relative to typically-hearing controls. The results suggested novel approaches for clinical assessment of central auditory and language pathways that may influence different intervention strategies, pending further evidence linking these structural findings with functional outcomes.

    Reviewed by eLife