eLife

Latest preprint reviews

1. Single-cell monitoring of dry mass and dry mass density reveals exocytosis of cellular dry contents in mitosis

   This article has 4 authors:

   1. Teemu P Miettinen
   2. Kevin S Ly
   3. Alice Lam
   4. Scott R Manalis

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     The authors measure dry mass and its density in growing and proliferating cells at high temporal resolution and with high precision. Using this method to study mitotic cells, the authors show that some cell types lose dry mass early in mitosis by a mechanism involving exocytosis. This work improves upon the authors' method to measure the mass of single cells and its thought-provoking conclusion is that dividing cells 'clean out' their contents to give the daughter cells a clean start.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #1 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

2. A single cell transcriptional roadmap of human pacemaker cell differentiation

   This article has 8 authors:

   1. Alexandra Wiesinger
   2. Jiuru Li
   3. Lianne Fokkert
   4. Priscilla Bakker
   5. Arie O Verkerk
   6. Vincent M Christoffels
   7. Gerard JJ Boink
   8. Harsha D Devalla

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     Overall, this study explores the differentiation of human pacemaker cells from human iPSCs, demonstrating different subtypes of pacemaker cells, and highlighting the role of Wnt and TGFbeta signaling in the formation of sinoatrial note cardiomyocyte subtypes.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

3. A phenotype-based forward genetic screen identifies Dnajb6 as a sick sinus syndrome gene

   This article has 22 authors:

   1. Yonghe Ding
   2. Di Lang
   3. Jianhua Yan
   4. Haisong Bu
   5. Hongsong Li
   6. Kunli Jiao
   7. Jingchun Yang
   8. Haibo Ni
   9. Stefano Morotti
   10. Tai Le
   11. Karl J Clark
   12. Jenna Port
   13. Stephen C Ekker
   14. Hung Cao
   15. Yuji Zhang
   16. Jun Wang
   17. Eleonora Grandi
   18. Zhiqiang Li
   19. Yongyong Shi
   20. Yigang Li
   21. Alexey V Glukhov
   22. Xiaolei Xu

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     This manuscript is of interest to cardiovascular and developmental biologists as it describes Dnajb6 as a novel gene linked with Sick Sinus Syndrome. The claims are mostly supported by observations using zebrafish dnajb6b trap line and Dnajb6 heterozygous mouse models. However, the paper would be strengthened be clarification of some experimental aspects and a discussion of the potential connection of DNAJB6 to the Sick Sinus Syndrome in humans.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #1 and Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

4. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening indicators in a Spanish population-based program: a cohort study

   This article has 7 authors:

   1. Guillermo Bosch
   2. Margarita Posso
   3. Javier Louro
   4. Marta Roman
   5. Miquel Porta
   6. Xavier Castells
   7. Francesc Macià

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     This paper will be of interest to public health specialists and cancer scientists working in cancer prevention. The work presents valuable data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted breast cancer screening indicators compared with previous years. Overall, the results support the assertion that while many key indicators have not been substantially impacted, the screening participation rate declined and fewer cancers were screen-detected in 2020-21.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife, ScreenIT

5. The interferon-inducible GTPase MxB promotes capsid disassembly and genome release of herpesviruses

   This article has 18 authors:

   1. Manutea C Serrero
   2. Virginie Girault
   3. Sebastian Weigang
   4. Todd M Greco
   5. Ana Ramos-Nascimento
   6. Fenja Anderson
   7. Antonio Piras
   8. Ana Hickford Martinez
   9. Jonny Hertzog
   10. Anne Binz
   11. Anja Pohlmann
   12. Ute Prank
   13. Jan Rehwinkel
   14. Rudolf Bauerfeind
   15. Ileana M Cristea
   16. Andreas Pichlmair
   17. Georg Kochs
   18. Beate Sodeik

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     This paper uses an innovative cell-free system to identify antiviral factors that interact with HSV-1 in cells. In addition to cataloging many capsid-interacting factors, the paper probes the antiviral mechanism of one of these, MxB. The data provide strong support for an intriguing model in which MxB "punches" holes in HSV-1 capsids, releasing viral DNA and potentially triggering host DNA sensors. However, the binding of a variety of factors to the capsid appears able to bind to and shield the capsids from MxB attack, suggesting a new perspective on how viruses might evade some host defenses.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

6. Phosphoregulation accommodates Type III secretion and assembly of a tether of ER-Chlamydia inclusion membrane contact sites

   This article has 5 authors:

   1. Rachel J Ende
   2. Rebecca L Murray
   3. Samantha K D'Spain
   4. Isabelle Coppens
   5. Isabelle Derré

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     This manuscript will be of interest to readers in the field of infection and cell biology. The authors follow up their previous study to further deepen our understanding of host-pathogen interactions that contribute to transkingdom contact sites. The authors show that the Chlamydia effector protein IncV tethers ER to the bacterial vacuole in a manner dependent on the phosphorylation of its C-terminus by the host kinase CK2. In addition, the authors show that IncV recruits the host kinase CK2 to the bacterial vacuole in manner required for its phosphorylation and ER tethering. Overall, the data justify most of the key claims put forward by the authors. Nonetheless, clarification is required concerning the chain of events and the phosphorylation events required for VAP binding.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

7. Key features of the genetic architecture and evolution of host-microbe interactions revealed by high-resolution genetic mapping of the mucosa-associated gut microbiome in hybrid mice

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Shauni Doms
   2. Hanna Fokt
   3. Malte Christoph Rühlemann
   4. Cecilia J Chung
   5. Axel Kuenstner
   6. Saleh M Ibrahim
   7. Andre Franke
   8. Leslie M Turner
   9. John F Baines

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     The paper uses hybrid mouse lines to estimate the heritability of the microbiome and map variants in the mouse genome that are associated with the composition of the microbiome. The findings are of broad interest to microbiome researchers and improve on knowledge in the field, as they focus on mucosa-associated (rather than fecal) microbiome profiles and report a novel correlation between heritability and cospeciation rates. The results are intriguing, but technical and biological confounders are incompletely addressed in the manuscript's present form, potentially leading to surprisingly high estimates of microbiome trait heritability relative to previous work.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

8. Sigma oscillations protect or reinstate motor memory depending on their temporal coordination with slow waves

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Judith Nicolas
   2. Bradley R King
   3. David Levesque
   4. Latifa Lazzouni
   5. Emily Coffey
   6. Stephan Swinnen
   7. Julien Doyon
   8. Julie Carrier
   9. Genevieve Albouy

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     The authors report a preregistered study which tests the effects of targeted memory reactivation (TMR), which is typically studied in the context of declarative memory, on motor memory consolidation during sleep. In a nap study, the authors use a standard TMR paradigm. Their results suggest a key role of oscillatory activity for motor memory consolidation, where distinct features of the slow oscillation spindle interaction mediate memory formation. Overall, this is a timely interesting. It is scientifically rigorous and transparently reported. The claims are well supported by the data.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #3 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

9. Crotamiton derivative JM03 extends lifespan and improves oxidative and hypertonic stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans via inhibiting OSM-9

   This article has 9 authors:

   1. Keting Bao
   2. Wenwen Liu
   3. Zhouzhi Song
   4. Jiali Feng
   5. Zhifan Mao
   6. Lingyuan Bao
   7. Tianyue Sun
   8. Zelan Hu
   9. Jian Li

   This article has been curated by 1 group:

   • Curated by eLife

     Evaluation Summary:

     Bao and colleagues present a chemical genetics study to identify novel compounds extending lifespan in C. elegans, and they proceed to investigate the mechanisms of action of their most potent compound. Based on the known target TRPV4 of the screening hit, the authors provide evidence for the involvement of a C. elegans homolog (osm-9) in the observed phenomenon, although this evidence is not completely conclusive. This study will be of interest to researchers working on drug discovery, repurposing and lead optimization in the context of ageing.

     (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. The reviewers remained anonymous to the authors.)

   Reviewed by eLife

10. Tumor elimination by clustered microRNAs miR-306 and miR-79 via noncanonical activation of JNK signaling

    This article has 4 authors:

    1. Zhaowei Wang
    2. Xiaoling Xia
    3. Jiaqi Li
    4. Tatsushi Igaki

    This article has been curated by 1 group:

    • Curated by eLife

      Evaluation Summary:

      This paper is of interest for cancer biologists studying the role microRNAs in tumor growth. The work provides links between over-expression of microRNAs, downregulation of a ubiquitin ligase, inhibition of JNK and reduced tumor growth. Some of the data are properly controlled and analyzed. However, the key claims of the manuscript are not entirely supported by the data, and additional controls are needed.

      (This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #1 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

    Reviewed by eLife