Latest preprint reviews

1. Tom1p ubiquitin ligase structure, interaction with Spt6p, and function in maintaining normal transcript levels and the stability of chromatin in promoters

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Jennifer Madrigal
   2. Heidi L. Schubert
   3. Matthew A. Sdano
   4. Laura McCullough
   5. Zaily Connell
   6. Tim Formosa
   7. Christopher P. Hill

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This useful manuscript presents findings on Tom1p's interaction with Spt6p and its role in chromatin dynamics, supported by structural analysis through CryoEM. The evidence for the conclusions is currently incomplete, lacking key experiments including continuation in vivo interaction and orthogonal binding assays (e.g., SPR, MST, ITC) to fully support the proposed mechanism. While the results are promising, further validation is needed to strengthen the evidence and improve the manuscript's overall cohesion.

   Reviewed by eLife

2. Ribosomal RNA methylation by GidB modulates discrimination of mischarged tRNA

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Zhuo Bi
   2. Yu-Xiang Chen
   3. Iris D. Young
   4. Hong-Wei Su
   5. Yuemeng Chen
   6. Jia-Yao Hong
   7. James S. Fraser
   8. Babak Javid

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This important study by Bi and colleagues employed a clever genetics screen to uncover the role of the GidB rRNA methylase in translation fidelity, under certain conditions, in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The findings are solid, supporting the conclusions, but the structural analyses lack the necessary rigor and depth to provide a clear mechanism. The work will be of interest to microbiologists.

   Reviewed by eLife

3. S100a4 ⁺ alveolar macrophages accelerate the progression of precancerous atypical adenomatous hyperplasia by promoting fatty acid metabolism

   This article has 12 authors:

   1. Hong Huang
   2. Ying Yang
   3. Qiuju Zhang
   4. Yongfeng Yang
   5. Zhenqi Xiong
   6. Shengqiang Mao
   7. Tingting Song
   8. Yilong Wang
   9. Zhiqiang Liu
   10. Hong Bu
   11. Li Zhang
   12. Le Zhang

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This is an important study demonstrating the importance of S100A4+ alveolar macrophages in the earlier stages of tumour development and suggesting a role in angiogenesis. As such this solid study is of interest to cancer biologists focused on early tumour development and those interested in the development of therapeutics that may specifically target early cancers.

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Distinct mechanisms of inhibition of Kv2 potassium channels by tetraethylammonium and RY785

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Shan Zhang
   2. Robyn Stix
   3. Esam A Orabi
   4. Nathan Bernhardt
   5. José D Faraldo-Gómez

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This study represents an important advance in our understanding of how certain inhibitors affect the behavior of voltage gated potassium channels. Robust molecular dynamics simulation and analysis methods lead to a new proposed inhibition mechanism with strength of support being mostly convincing, and incomplete in some aspects. This study has considerable significance for the fields of ion channel physiology and pharmacology and could aid in development of selective inhibitors for protein targets.

   Reviewed by eLife

5. Multi-species genome-wide CRISPR screens identify conserved suppressors of cold-induced cell death

   This article has 13 authors:

   1. Breanna Lam
   2. Kathrin M. Kajderowicz
   3. Heather R. Keys
   4. Julian M. Roessler
   5. Evgeni M. Frenkel
   6. Adina Kirkland
   7. Punam Bisht
   8. Mohamed A. El-Brolosy
   9. Rudolf Jaenisch
   10. George W. Bell
   11. Jonathan S. Weissman
   12. Eric C. Griffith
   13. Sinisa Hrvatin

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This study presents important findings on cold tolerance shared between hibernating and non-hibernating mammals, identifying a key molecule, GPX4, through multi-species genome-wide CRISPR screens. The evidence supporting these conclusions is compelling, combining multi-species CRISPR screening with rigorous pharmacological assays. This work will be of significant interest to biologists studying hibernation physiology and medical researchers interested in cold tolerance.

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Biochemical and structural insights into the auto-inhibited state of Mical1 and its activation by Rab8

   This article has 4 authors:

   1. Amrita Rai
   2. Petra Janning
   3. Ingrid R Vetter
   4. Roger S Goody

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This fundamental study addresses the regulation of the MICAL-family of actin regulators by Rab GTPases, which play a key role in directing membrane trafficking within cells. The compelling evidence explains how Rab8 family members bind at two sites to allosterically regulate MICAL1, and relieve an auto-inhibited state unable to bind actin. This study lays the basis for further progress in understanding membrane trafficking and cytoskeleton dynamics in eukaryotic cells.

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Exercise training at different intensities induces heat stress, disrupts barrier function and alters microbiota in the gut of mice

   This article has 16 authors:

   1. Puqiao Lian
   2. Artemiy Kovynev
   3. Lei Wang
   4. Amanda CM Pronk
   5. Aswin Verhoeven
   6. Martin Giera
   7. Suzan Thijssen
   8. Borja Martínez Téllez
   9. Sander Kooijman
   10. Patrick CN Rensen
   11. Harro Timmerman
   12. Harry J Wichers
   13. Paul AJ Henricks
   14. Gert Folkerts
   15. Milena Schönke
   16. Saskia Braber

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This valuable study examines how different exercise training intensities affect intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota composition over a 6-week period in mice. The evidence supporting the main claims about exercise-induced intestinal injury and microbiota changes is solid, featuring comprehensive histological analysis, molecular characterization, and metabolomic profiling, though key mechanistic insights and causal relationships remain to be established. The findings have practical implications for understanding exercise-induced gastrointestinal stress, particularly the observation that daily moderate exercise may be more damaging to intestinal integrity than vigorous exercise with rest days. Additional experimental validation would strengthen these conclusions.

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Synaptic connectome of a neurosecretory network in the Drosophila brain

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Theresa H McKim
   2. Jayati Gera
   3. Ariana J Gayban
   4. Nils Reinhard
   5. Giulia Manoli
   6. Selina Hilpert
   7. Charlotte Helfrich-Förster
   8. Meet Zandawala

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     This valuable study uses the analysis of connectomic and transcriptomic datasets to survey the anatomy and connectivity of neurosecretory cells in the Drosophila brain. While the connectivity analyses are convincing, the anatomical and functional data provided to verify cell type identity and paracrine signaling is incomplete. Once these aspects are improved, this study would be of interest to neuroscientists working on hormonal signaling in Drosophila and other animals.

   Reviewed by eLife

9. Temporal dynamics of viral fitness and the adaptive immune response in HCV infection

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Melanie R Walker
   2. Preston Leung
   3. Elizabeth Keoshkerian
   4. Mehdi R Pirozyan
   5. Andrew R Lloyd
   6. Fabio Luciani
   7. Rowena A Bull

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     eLife Assessment

     The authors examined the evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a cohort of 14 subjects with recent HCV infections. By using computational methods, they showed that viral fitness declines as the virus mutates to escape the immune response and can rebound later in infection as HCV accumulates additional mutations. The study contributes to an important aspect of viral evolution. The combination of approaches is highly compelling; however, some aspects of the manuscript are incomplete and would greatly benefit from additional revision, mainly to increase their clarity.

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Inhibition on neutrophil extracellular traps by oligomeric procyanidins alleviate chemotherapy-induced chronic kidney injury via gut-kidney axis

    This article has 11 authors:

    1. Yaqi Luan
    2. Weiwei He
    3. Kunmao Jiang
    4. Shenghui Qiu
    5. Lan Jin
    6. Xinrui Mao
    7. Ying Huang
    8. Wentao Liu
    9. Jingyuan Cao
    10. Lai Jin
    11. Rong Wang

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      eLife Assessment

      This important study provides evidence for the role of neutrophil extracellular traps in chronic kidney damage (CKD) induced by chemotherapy and suggests a therapeutic approach to mitigate the kidney pathology caused by the NETs. The study utilizes a sound murine in vivo model of CKD with low-dose administration cisplatin and a genetic model for impairment of NET formation by deletion of the enzyme Pad4. In its current form, the study was seen as incomplete as there is not yet formal demonstration of NET production by neutrophils in the model of CKD used. Additionally, the accuracy and clarity of data presentation could be improved.

    Reviewed by eLife