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The latest articles from Journal of Biology (ISSN 1475-4924) published by
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Observing bacteria through the lens of social evolutionExplaining the evolution of cooperative behavior is a long-standing problem for which much theory has been developed. A recent paper in BMC Biology tests central elements of this theory by manipulating a simple bacterial experimental system. This approach is useful for assessing the principles of social evolution, but we argue that more effort must be invested in the inverse problem: using social evolution theory to understand the lives of bacteria.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/7/27
Carey D Nadell, Bonnie L Bassler and Simon A LevinJournal of Biology 2008, 7:272008-09-30doi:10.1186/jbiol87Journal of Biology1475-49247272008-09-30Will he still look good with the lights on? Spectral tuning of visual pigments in fishVisual perception is a key element in evolution, as it is required for many life processes. Two recent studies in BMC Biology and BMC Evolutionary Biology shed light on the genetic determinants of color detection in strikingly colored fish.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/7/26
Julia C Jones, Helen M Gunter and Axel MeyerJournal of Biology 2008, 7:262008-09-25doi:10.1186/jbiol86Journal of Biology1475-49247262008-09-25Transplanted astrocytes derived from BMP- or CNTF-treated glial-restricted precursors have opposite effects on recovery and allodynia after spinal cord injuryBackground:
Two critical challenges in developing cell-transplantation therapies for injured or diseased tissues are to identify optimal cells and harmful side effects. This is of particular concern in the case of spinal cord injury, where recent studies have shown that transplanted neuroepithelial stem cells can generate pain syndromes.
Results:
We have previously shown that astrocytes derived from glial-restricted precursor cells (GRPs) treated with bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) can promote robust axon regeneration and functional recovery when transplanted into rat spinal cord injuries. In contrast, we now show that transplantation of GRP-derived astrocytes (GDAs) generated by exposure to the gp130 agonist ciliary neurotrophic factor (GDAsCNTF), the other major signaling pathway involved in astrogenesis, results in failure of axon regeneration and functional recovery. Moreover, transplantation of GDACNTF cells promoted the onset of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia at 2 weeks after injury, an effect that persisted through 5 weeks post-injury. Delayed onset of similar neuropathic pain was also caused by transplantation of undifferentiated GRPs. In contrast, rats transplanted with GDAsBMP did not exhibit pain syndromes.
Conclusion:
Our results show that not all astrocytes derived from embryonic precursors are equally beneficial for spinal cord repair and they provide the first identification of a differentiated neural cell type that can cause pain syndromes on transplantation into the damaged spinal cord, emphasizing the importance of evaluating the capacity of candidate cells to cause allodynia before initiating clinical trials. They also confirm the particular promise of GDAs treated with bone morphogenetic protein for spinal cord injury repair.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/7/24
Jeannette E Davies, Christoph Pröschel, Ningzhe Zhang, Mark Noble, Margot Mayer-Pröschel and Stephen JA DaviesJournal of Biology 2008, 7:242008-09-19doi:10.1186/jbiol85Journal of Biology1475-49247242008-09-19Appetite for reproduction: dietary restriction, aging and the mammalian gonadThe major physiologic theory of aging, the disposable soma theory, links dietary restriction (DR), also known as calorie or food restriction, to prolonged lifespan and makes specific predictions about the effects of aging and DR on reproduction. A recent study in BMC Biology profiling the effects of aging and DR on gonadal gene expression provides novel molecular evidence that has a significant impact on this theory of aging.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/7/23
Roopa L Nalam, Scott D Pletcher and Martin M MatzukJournal of Biology 2008, 7:232008-09-16doi:10.1186/jbiol84Journal of Biology1475-49247232008-09-16Evolution of virulence in malariaThe pathogenesis of severe malarial disease is not yet fully understood. It is clear that host immunopathology plays a central role, and a recent paper in BMC Evolutionary Biology suggests that the ability of the parasite to stimulate interleukin-10 production is a major factor and speculates on its impact on the coevolution of host and parasite.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/6/22
Bridget Penman and Sunetra GuptaJournal of Biology 2008, 7:222008-08-28doi:10.1186/jbiol83Journal of Biology1475-49247222008-08-28Music, memory and emotionBecause emotions enhance memory processes and music evokes strong emotions, music could be involved in forming memories, either about pieces of music or about episodes and information associated with particular music. A recent study in BMC Neuroscience has given new insights into the role of emotion in musical memory.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/6/21
Lutz JänckeJournal of Biology 2008, 7:212008-08-08doi:10.1186/jbiol82Journal of Biology1475-49247212008-08-08Drug-therapy networks and the prediction of novel drug targetsA recent study in BMC Pharmacology presents a network of drugs and the therapies in which they are used. Network approaches open new ways of predicting novel drug targets and overcoming the cellular robustness that can prevent drugs from working.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/6/20
Zoltan Spiro, Istvan A Kovacs and Peter CsermelyJournal of Biology 2008, 7:202008-07-31doi:10.1186/jbiol81Journal of Biology1475-49247202008-07-31Genomics technology for assessing soil pollutionTranscription and metabolite analysis is a powerful way to reveal physiological shifts in response to environmental pollution. Recent studies on earthworms, including one in BMC Biology, show that the type of pollution and its availability for uptake by organisms can differentially affect transcription and metabolism.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/6/19
Nico M van Straalen and Dick RoelofsJournal of Biology 2008, 7:192008-07-14doi:10.1186/jbiol80Journal of Biology1475-49247192008-07-14Stage debut for the elusive Drosophila insulin-like growth factor binding proteinInsulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins provide a layer of complexity to the insulin/IGF signaling system in mammals, but only now, in a recent study in Journal of Biology, has one such protein been functionally characterized in Drosophila.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/6/18
Nazif Alic and Linda PartridgeJournal of Biology 2008, 7:182008-07-07doi:10.1186/jbiol79Journal of Biology1475-49247182008-07-07Making the jump: new insights into the mechanism of trans-translationThe transfer-messenger ribonucleoprotein (tmRNP), which is composed of RNA and a small protein, small protein B (SmpB), recycles ribosomes that are stalled on broken mRNAs lacking stop codons and tags the partially translated proteins for degradation. Although it is not yet understood how the ribosome gets from the 3' end of the truncated message onto the messenger portion of the tmRNA to add the tag, a recent study in BMC Biology has shed some light on this astonishing feat.
http://jbiol.com/content/7/5/17
Jacek Wower, Iwona K Wower and Christian ZwiebJournal of Biology 2008, 7:172008-06-30doi:10.1186/jbiol78Journal of Biology1475-49247172008-06-30