Evaluated articles

eLife assessment

This important study explores the potential influence of physiologically relevant mechanical forces on the extrusion of vesicles from C. elegans neurons. The authors provide compelling evidence to support the idea that uterine distension per se can induce vesicular extrusion from adjacent neurons. Overall, this work will be of interest to neuroscientists and investigators in the extracellular vesicle and proteostasis fields.

eLife assessment

The present study provides valuable evidence on the neurochemical mechanisms underlying working memory in obesity. The authors' approach considering specific working memory operations (maintenance, updating) and putative dopaminergic genes is solid, though the inclusion of a more direct measure of dopamine signaling would have strengthened the work.

eLife assessment

This study presents a useful comparison of the dynamic properties of two RNA-binding domains. The data collection and analysis are solid, making excellent use of a suite of NMR experiments and ITC data. Nonetheless, reported evidence was found to only partially support the proposed connection between the backbone dynamics of the tandem domains and their RNA binding activity. This work will be of interest to biophysicists working on RNA-binding proteins.

eLife assessment

This work describes a novel affinity interactomics approach that allows investigators to identify networks of protein-protein interactions in cells. The important findings presented here describe the application of this technique to the SH3 domain of the membrane remodeling Bridging Integrator 1 (BIN1), the truncation of which leads to centronuclear myopathy. The authors present solid evidence that BIN1 SH3 engages with an unexpectedly high number of cellular proteins, many of which are linked to skeletal muscle disease, and evidence is presented to suggest that BIN1 may play a role in mitosis creating the potential for new avenues in drug development efforts. Some of the findings, however, remain rather preliminary, lack sufficient replicates and may require additional experiments to definitively support the conclusions.

eLife assessment

This important study identifies the TNXB-AKT pathway as a potential mechanism underlying hemophilia-associated cartilage degeneration. The evidence supporting the conclusions is convincing, with murine and human patient evidence as well as genome-wide DNA methylation analysis. This paper would be of interest to cell biologists and biochemists working on the field of musculoskeletal disorders.

eLife assessment

This valuable study combines multidisciplinary approaches to examine the role of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) as a potential novel host dependency factor for Zika virus. The main claims are supported by the data but remain incomplete. The evidence would be strengthened by improving the western blot analyses and adjusting the toning of their claims in relation to the role of IGF2BP2 for viral replication. With the experimental evidence strengthened, this work will be of interest to virologists working on flaviviruses.

eLife assessment

The manuscript explores the ways in which the genetic code evolves, specifically how stop codons are reassigned to become sense codons. The authors present phylogenetic data showing that mutations at position 67 of the termination factor are present in organisms that nevertheless use the UGA codon as a stop codon, thereby questioning the importance of this position in the reassignment of stop codons. Alternative models on the role of eRF1 would reflect a more balanced view of the data. Overall, the data are solid and these findings will be valuable to the genomic/evolution fields.

eLife assessment

This valuable manuscript by Lane introduces an exciting way to measure SARS-CoV-2 aerosolized shedding using a disposable exhaled breath condensate collection device (EBCD). The paper draws the conclusion that the contagious shedding of the virus via the aerosol route persists at a high level until 8 days after symptoms. While the methodology is potentially of high importance and the paper is clearly written, the conclusions are incomplete and only partially supported by the data.

eLife assessment

How neural circuits represent sensory signals during and after stimulus presentation is a central question in neuroscience. Here, a model of the insect mushroom body, constructed from simple, known synaptic connectivity rules, is shown to convincingly explain stimulus discrimination and associative memory, even in the presence of variability in the input signals as experimentally measured from the antennal lobe of the honeybee. This important study makes testable predictions for the role of specific neurons in a neural circuit for associative memory, of relevance to any study of neural network design and operation.

eLife assessment

This study provides important evidence supporting the ability of a new type of neuroimaging, OPM-MEG system, to measure beta-band oscillation in sensorimotor tasks in 2-14 years old children and to demonstrate the corresponding development changes, since neuroimaging methods with high spatiotemporal resolution that could be used on small children are quite limited. The evidence supporting the conclusion is compelling. This work will be of interest to the neuroimaging and developmental science communities.

eLife assessment

This study provides important insights into the role of neurexins as regulators of synaptic strength and timing at the glycinergic synapse between neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and the lateral superior olive, key components of the auditory brainstem circuit involved in computing sound source location from differences in the intensity of sounds arriving at the two ears. Through an elegant combination of genetic manipulation, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, ex vivo slice electrophysiology, pharmacology and optogenetics, the authors provide compelling and rigorous evidence to support their claims. While further work is needed to reveal the mechanistic basis by which neurexins influence glycinergic neurotransmission, this work will be of interest to both auditory and synaptic neuroscientists.

eLife Assessment

This study presents a valuable observation of how deletion of a major repair protein in bacteria can facilitate the rise of mutations that confer resistance against a range of different antibiotics. The data presented are convincing, and the authors addressed the concerns raised by the reviewers in their resubmission, improving the strength of their findings.

eLife assessment

The findings of this study are valuable as they challenge the dogma regarding the link between lowered bacterial metabolism and tolerance to aminoglycosides. The authors propose that the well-known tolerance to AG of mutants such as those of complexes I and II is not due to a decrease in the proton motive force and thus antibiotic uptake. The results presented here are convincing.

eLife assessment

This study presents a rather valuable finding that vilazodone can restore the normal platelet level through regulating 5-HT1A receptor. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid, although inclusion of more cell lines and more detailed analysis of the results would have strengthened the study. The work will be of interest to scientists working in the field of thrombocytopenia.

eLife assessment

This manuscript is a valuable contribution to our understanding of foraging behaviors in marine bacteria. The authors present a conceptual model for how a marine bacterial species consumes an abundant polysaccharide. Using experiments in microfluidic devices and through measurements of motility and gene expression, the authors offer convincing evidence that the degradation products of polysaccharide digestion can stimulate motility.

eLife assessment

In this important study by Theriot et al., the authors utilize an impressive set of innovative approaches to conduct a CRISPRi pooled screen in human cells using large-scale microscopy screen data. They leverage an improved barcoding approach to identify genes targeted in specific cells and examine the effects on cell morphology using high-dimensional phenotypic analysis. The method and data presented are compelling.

eLife assessment

This study provides an important finding that the local abundance of metabolites impacts the biology of the tumor microenvironment by utilizing kidney tumors from patients and adjacent normal tissues. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is convincing. The work will of interest to the research community working on metabolism and kidney cancer especially.

eLife assessment

This important study shows that a high autism quotient in neurotypical adults is associated with suboptimal motor planning and visual updating after eye movements, suggesting a disrupted efference copy mechanism. The implication is that abnormal visuomotor updating may contribute to sensory overload - a key symptom in autism spectrum disorder. The evidence presented is convincing, with few limitations, and should be of broad interest to neuroscientists at large.