eLife: digests

Growing arteries

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 14:43:53 +0000

A study in transgenic zebrafish and mice identifies previously unknown genetic switches involved in the formation of new blood vessels.

Thrill of the chase

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:22:13 +0000

A study in mice reveals a new role for CGRP neurons in coordinating responses to threats of different severity.

Aging cells, rising risks

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:33:55 +0000

Age-related changes in breast luminal epithelial cells may drive some breast cancers and offer potential screening and prevention targets.

Polarized cells

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 16:35:05 +0000

Three Wnt signaling proteins help to organize cells in the gonads of a nematode worm.

How to undo an R-loop

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:55:22 +0000

A molecular machine called the Smc5/6 complex helps repair an intricate form of genetic damage.

One organoid, multiple regions

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:38:55 +0000

A single molecular signal enhances the complexity of human brain organoids, inducing the emergence of multiple distinct brain regions.

A lipid takes the wheel

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Microscopy reveals how a lipid in the cell membrane called PI(4,5)P₂ controls the activity of an important receptor that relays signals in to cells.

Waste removal

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A type of bacteria found in the gut helps regulate uric acid levels in the blood of geese and mice.

Untangling pancreatic cancer inflammation

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:20:11 +0000

A network of interactions between the cell’s internal scaffolding and immune system proteins reveals drug targets to fight a deadly pancreatic cancer.

A complex genome for a simple worm

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:59:43 +0000

DNA sequencing reveals that the Xenoturbella bocki genome is comparable to that of other animals, providing insights into this worm’s evolution.

A potential drug target for Parkinson’s disease

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:56:12 +0000

The CISD1 protein appears to play a role in causing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in some genetically inherited cases.

Remnants of ancient viruses

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 14:48:06 +0000

Studying how endogenous viral elements have evolved in monkeys may help us treat prostate cancer and other diseases in humans.

Expanding the knowledge of electrical synapses

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 14:42:17 +0000

A new approach known as expansion microscopy helps dissect the organization of a structure that allows neurons to exchange signals via direct cell-cell connections.

Understanding the adolescent brain

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 11:22:51 +0000

Experiments in male rats shed light on how parts of the brain involved in addiction differ during adolescence.

Terminating stem cells

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:30:08 +0000

Stem cells in the optic lobe of fruit flies are eliminated during development through a combination of mechanisms.

Running scared

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:53:39 +0000

Pavlovian fear conditioning triggers active fear responses as well as freezing.

Immobilizing pancreatic cancer

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:42:15 +0000

A protein known as CYRI-B is required for cancer cells to spread in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer.

Swabbing for safer births

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Measuring the levels of proteins related to antimicrobial immune responses in the vaginal fluids of pregnant individuals helps predict those at higher risk of giving birth early.

Gene family of thousands

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:44:13 +0000

Zebrafish have many more immune system genes than previously thought.

Evading the immune system

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A protein from human cytomegalovirus interacts with HLA-I molecules to prevent the immune system from detecting infected cells.

Walk this way

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 10:21:52 +0000

‘Digital insoles’ with embedded motion and pressure sensors are a promising new tool to better diagnose and monitor disorders of the bones, muscles, and joints.

Facing the right direction

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Mathematical modelling reveals why the neurons responsible for tracking the direction of the head during flight are connected in a certain way in insects.

Editing a vaccine

Tue, 28 May 2024 11:01:44 +0000

A modified version of the tuberculosis BCG vaccine is more effective at protecting mice against the infection than the original vaccine.

What does it take to hunt together?

Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Computer simulations based on artificial intelligence shed light on whether high-level cognitive processes are required for collaborative hunting.

Prostate cancer treatment and body composition

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A clinical trial shows a link between the levels of a circulating hormone and changes of body composition in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.

Investigating blood cancer relapses

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Acute myeloid leukemia cells can become resistant to cancer treatment without gaining new DNA mutations by changing which parts of the DNA are active.

One drug, many outcomes

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Responses to ketamine can vary greatly among individuals, which may explain why it is ineffective at treating some patients with depression.

Sniffing out O-GlcNAcylated proteins

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A tool for identifying which proteins in the fruit fly brain have undergone a chemical change known as O-GlcNAcylation reveals how this process may impact olfactory learning.

Understanding autism

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:40:59 +0000

Experiments using cells from people with different types of autism spectrum disorders reveal shared disruption of fundamental developmental processes and a key signaling pathway.

Cutting too soon

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:00:12 +0000

Inhibiting the activity of a self-cleaving ribozyme increases the levels of a protein important for learning and memory.

Reducing kidney harm from traditional medicine

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:34:17 +0000

A mouse study reveals that increasing the levels of a protein called PSTPIP2 can protect the kidney from a compound found in herbal remedies.

Anti-cancer drug

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:26:08 +0000

A new form of the drug triptolide kills pancreatic cancer cells in mice with fewer side effects than the original molecule.

Modelling motion with RatInABox

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Researchers have developed RatInABox, a computational toolkit to build models for the brain’s role in navigational behaviour.

Computational schizophrenia

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A model of neural circuits reveals how disrupting connections within these networks can affect wider patterns of brain activity.

Violent games, violent brains?

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 07:30:09 +0000

New evidence helps to better understand how violence in video games may affect empathy.

Who will be on the move?

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:31:08 +0000

A new machine learning algorithm can help identify whether oral cancer will spread.

Opportunistic microbes

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:35:55 +0000

Traits that help yeast and other microbes survive in their natural environment may also enable the microbes to cause opportunistic infections in animals.

Clearing the debris

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Single-cell RNA sequencing sheds new light on how immune cells remove dead cells from wounds in mice and humans.

Regulating LRRK2

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 10:31:53 +0000

A newly discovered Rab12-dependent mechanism helps to recruit and increase the activity of an enzyme involved in Parkinson’s disease at the membrane of lysosomes.

Investigating antifungal tolerance

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 16:42:46 +0000

A refined single-cell sequencing technique provides insight into how pathogenic fungi respond to drugs.

A non-winning combination

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:01:13 +0000

Malaria parasites can rapidly evolve resistance to treatment containing two different drugs that both inhibit the DHODH enzyme.

Old drugs, new tricks

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:13:35 +0000

A family of drugs used to treat patients with osteoporosis may be linked with a reduced risk of COVID-19, a preliminary study shows.

Obesity and grey matter

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:14:21 +0000

Analysing 30,000 MRI scans of the human brain provides new insights into the connections between obesity and parts of the brain involved in cognition.

The journey to adult sleep

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Comparing the brains of children, teenagers and adults provides insights into how two patterns of electrical activity that occur during sleep become coupled together.

Fighting pancreatic cancer

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Early pancreatic cancer symptoms may be nonspecific and occur in an unpredictable order, but a study suggests mining electronic health data may help clinicians find early warning signs.

Beyond breathing

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:20:14 +0000

Subgroups of neurons in the brain that controls breathing can be manipulated to control other processes, including heart rate and blood pressure.

A spoonful of (UDP)-sugar

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Combining computational and lab-based methods helps to identify how certain carbohydrates activate an important class of cell receptors involved in the immune response.

Bile-sensing bacteria

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:36:45 +0000

Unraveling how the bacterium that causes cholera senses and responds to bile acid in the human gut may help scientists develop new treatment and prevention strategies.

The eye of the beholder

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Retinas in awake mice respond more quickly and strongly than isolated tissue samples, highlighting the importance of studying them in live animals.

Secondary cancer connections

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Certain types of cancers may be linked with an increased risk of developing a second cancer in another tissue.

Mitochondrial management

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Why do some mutations that affect the mitochondria lead to nerve damage while others lead to heart muscle disease?

Tracing pathogen transmission

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:19:09 +0000

Monitoring the genetic changes of all pathogen populations present in an infected individual, not just the most dominant one, enables more sensitive tracking of disease transmission.

Killifish for hormone research

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A small, short-lived fish sheds new light on how pituitary gland hormones can be easily manipulated to control growth and reproduction in vertebrates.

A new way to approach waves

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 12:38:48 +0000

A new model allows a better analysis of phase coherence for small samples with fewer false positives.

Proteins in close proximity

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:46:27 +0000

A new method called PerTurboID identifies proteins that may help to protect the parasite that causes malaria from its host defences.

Knowing what to ignore

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In honeybees, the Amtyr1 gene fine tunes individual variations in a learning process known as latent inhibition.

Getting organized

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 14:31:32 +0000

Bacteria rely on phase separation to arrange key cellular components that allow them to convert carbon dioxide to sugars.

First-class deliveries in cells

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:58:11 +0000

Mesenchymal stem cells are used in a new approach to deliver therapeutic gas molecules without using a toxic artificial carrier.

Overcoming cancer resistance

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Combining an experimental drug with an existing cancer treatment could help to treat a subtype of breast cancer that has become resistant to standard therapies.

Who is calling?

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 06:30:08 +0000

A new system makes it easier for scientists to assign ultrasonic vocalizations to the correct animal within a pair or group.

Understanding infertility in men

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:37:09 +0000

Male mice that lack the PARL enzyme are infertile due to defects in cell units known as mitochondria.

Closing the ring

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Pigments called carotenoids regulate photosynthesis in a bacterium by altering the architecture of a ring structure in the machinery that harvests energy from the sun.

Spectral signatures

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 12:53:11 +0000

Information contained in the fMRI signals recorded when the brain is at rest helps to better interpret how changes in blood flow correlate with neural activity across various regions.

Seeing through the smokescreen

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:18:47 +0000

Data from identical twins point to cigarette smoke causing DNA modifications that control the activity of certain genes.

Diving into the evolution of marine reptiles

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:31:26 +0000

A newly discovered fossil from the Triassic period sheds light on how marine reptiles emerged following a major extinction event.

The rise of insect cyborgs

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Determining the relationship between electrical stimulations and the resulting torque in three leg muscles of stick insects facilitates the development of biohybrid robotics.

Battling typhoid drug-resistance

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Genomic data on the global distribution of drug-resistant strains of the bacteria that cause typhoid fever may help public health officials to deploy vaccines and antimicrobials more effectively.

Unlocking molecular insights into obesity

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Reducing levels of an enzyme produced by fat tissue lowers weight gain in fruit flies on a high-fat diet.

I spy out the corner of my eye

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Peripheral objects are harder to distinguish when surrounded by items closer or further away from the viewer.

Tracing virus migration

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

High rates of population movement within Botswana likely contributed to the rapid spread of HIV across the country.

PCOS price tag

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:28:52 +0000

Mental health conditions associated with polycystic ovary syndrome cost the US $4.2 billion yearly, bringing the total healthcare-related economic burden of the condition to $15 billion annually in the United States.

A monkey's eye view

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 16:14:50 +0000

Rhesus monkeys have similar ‘gaze biases’ to humans, making them good candidates to study the brain bases of decision-making.

Natural protection

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Three natural tannins found in grapes and other plant-based foods and drinks inhibit SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells grown in a laboratory.

Have a heart

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A new comparative study sheds new light on the evolution and development of coronary arteries.

How a diabetes drug promotes healthy aging

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The most commonly used drug for type 2 diabetes, metformin, extends the lifespan of roundworms by activating genes that produce a class of fats in the cell membrane.

The sugar treaty

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Corals provide an acidic environment for certain marine algae to live in that triggers the algae to supply sugars to their host.

Socializing in the abstract

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 14:32:48 +0000

The brains of marmoset monkeys and humans respond to animations showing social interactions between abstract shapes in similar ways, indicating that marmosets may have a Theory of Mind.

What makes wasps sexy?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 14:29:34 +0000

Researchers find the patterns of chemicals responsible for making female parasitic wasps sexually attractive.

A new avenue for treating fatty liver disease

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Drugs that target the Adgrf1 protein may have the potential to alleviate the symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in humans.

Learning in your sleep

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:36:30 +0000

Brain activity linked to performing tasks re-occurs during the REM sleep stage in humans.

Social training changes the brain

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:16:05 +0000

Three months of training to increase compassion or understanding of others can alter the function and structure of various regions in the human brain.

Guiding connections in the brain

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:33:07 +0000

Proteins, called neurexins, help to regulate communication through dopamine neurons in the brain of mice.

Ripples in time

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Assessing changes in the effective population size of several species of shorebirds over the past 20,000 years reveals the unexpected fallouts of extinction events of big mammals.

Regenerating neurons

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

New evidence points towards the enzyme ALKBH5 regulating the repair of rodent nerve cells.

Ageing effectively

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:46:07 +0000

The protein HPK-1 in nerve cells of roundworms protects against ageing across the whole body.

A new way to make fly cell cultures

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:50:25 +0000

Researchers have developed a new method for making fruit fly cell cultures that originate from a single type of cell.

Making (new) moves

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A machine learning method applied to the recordings of leg movements in infants allows scientists to determine how and when babies explore different ways to move.

Colours of migration

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:38:36 +0000

Scientists are seeking the gene involved in lighter skin colour in the Native American and East Asian branch of humanity.

Placing a new memory

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:40:00 +0000

Place cells in the hippocampus of rats help to store memories of aversive experiences that occur in familiar locations.

Pandemic pause

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:24:35 +0000

The pandemic delayed cervical cancer screening and treatment appointments for many Canadian women, but many practices caught up quickly limiting most delays to 4 months or less.

Decoding chemical cues

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A new device containing multiple micro-sized channels will allow researchers to rapidly measure how swimming microbes respond to various chemicals.

Friends and foes

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:44:44 +0000

Individually profiling the cells surrounding pancreatic tumours reveals how proximity to cancer cells is linked to activation of certain genes and, potentially, patient outcomes

Fighting antibiotic resistance with a fish protein

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A protein made by scorpionfish may be able to kill drug-resistant bacteria that infect people with cystic fibrosis, potentially offering an alternative to antibiotics.

Sugar overload

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

An accumulation of the sugar mannose-6-phopshate in human cancer cells prevents them from repairing and doubling their DNA.

Not too much, not too little

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:28:54 +0000

In dividing stem cells, a protein dampens the activity of a genetic programme that will be switched off in future differentiating daughter cells by promoting low levels of chemical changes that normally inactivate genes.

Growing up quickly

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:46:55 +0000

Accelerated biological ageing has complex effects on children, including speeding or delaying development.

Modifying cell tracks

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 13:35:44 +0000

In fruit flies, the TTLL5 enzyme helps to regulate the transport of proteins and other cell components around cells by attaching small molecule tags to microtubules.

Whose nuts are those?

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:18:21 +0000

In a nature reserve in southern China lives an inhabitant with an uncommon food hoarding strategy.

The path to self-tolerance

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:17:48 +0000

Two receptors that alter the migration of developing T cells play complementary roles in preventing autoimmune diseases in mice.

Personalised placebo

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A new study shows that simply believing a sham medical treatment is personalised increases its effectiveness.