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Influence of 6-mercaptopurine on the prenatal development of the rat cortex.

The prenatal cortex development after the application of 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) was studied in the rat embryo. 24 h after application of a single dose of 6-MP on day 12, 13, 14 or 15 of gestation first cell lesions occured in the form of necroses. 48 h after injection of the drug these necroses were most pronounced. Their extent and distribution pattern was, however, dependent on the developmental stage. In the early developmental phase, on days 12 and 13, massive necroses could be observed in the intermediate zone. At later stages of development (drug application on day 14 or 15) damaged cells could occasionally also be found scattered over the whole ventricular wall. The late toxic response to 6-MP treatment suggests that, after incorporation of metabolites of the agent into DNA during the S-phase, at least one additional S-phase is completed before the disturbance created in a cell is sufficient to cause necrosis. The necrosis may be a result of an action of 6-MP directly on DNA or via an affect on transcription. The different extent of the lesion during the various developmental phases suggests different growth dynamics of the cortex.

Animals

Loss, persistence and reversal of phenotypic traits.

The irreversibility of complex trait loss has long been a tenet of evolutionary biology. However, this idea is increasingly at odds with the numerous documented exceptions across the Tree of Life. We synthesise this growing body of evidence across a diverse array of taxa and traits, exploring the evolutionary conditions that enable evolutionary reversal. By integrating macroevolutionary, genetic, and developmental information, we argue that trait reversal is commonly fostered by some form of persistence in the generative developmental pathway of the lost trait. We identify three overarching modes of trait reversal and support them with multiple case studies: by pleiotropy (the involvement of the same generative components in other traits and/or functions), by plasticity (environment-dependent expression of the trait) and by hemiplasy (persistence in another lineage, followed by reticulate evolution). We also examine important affinities between trait reversal and evolutionary novelties, undermining a neat distinction between what is old and what is new in evolution. This survey may provide a useful framework for future explorations of the developmental mechanisms underlying these still overlooked macroevolutionary dynamics.

Phenotype

Management of acute psychologic problems in pediatric oncology.

Several psychologic issues in pediatric oncology are addressed and case illustrations of psychologic intervention for selected problems are offered. Psychologic intervention must take into account the patient's perception of his illness, the patient's developmental level, the parents' coping mechanisms, the dynamics of the child's emotional and behavioral responses, the staff's perception of the problems, and the community's capacity for reintegration of the patient. Each of these issues is addressed by use of case examples to demonstrate important aspects of psychosocial intervention.

Acting Out

Shared candidate genes associated with variation in egg size in cold-adapted and artificially selected Drosophila melanogaster.

The development of most multicellular organisms begins with oogenesis, the production of the egg. In D. melanogaster, egg size is a highly polygenic trait closely related to fitness. Elements of shifts in egg size have been widely studied and modeled, but the genes underlying this variation are still poorly understood. This study aimed to identify candidate genes associated with processes underlying egg-size variation using D. melanogaster as a model. In selection experiments, we generated large-egg populations from a shared ancestral population using both cold-adaptation and artificial selection, and identified candidate genes for the large-egg phenotype. Using whole-genome DNA sequencing and strict computational filtering, we uncovered single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 10 genes. Characterization of these candidates revealed functions in cytoskeletal dynamics, DNA replication and repair, intracellular signaling, and stem cell maintenance and differentiation. RT-PCR and qPCR were used to validate gene expression differences between cold-adapted lines and the Oregon R control (OrR) in a subset of the candidates. In RT-PCR, stathmin demonstrated a modified expression pattern in all cold-adapted lines relative to OrR controls. In qPCR experiments, Pde1c had significantly higher expression (p&#x202f;<&#x202f;0.05) in the cold-adapted flies compared to OrR controls for all three fly cages tested. For Ino80, significantly higher expression was observed for one of three cages while one cage showed lower expression. We have assembled a candidate list we hope will be a useful resource for researchers across specialties, from germ cells to cytoskeletal dynamics, to further investigate the genetic and developmental aspects of variation in egg size in D. melanogaster.

Animals

The potential of considering photosynthesis parameters in crop yield breeding by genomic prediction.

To meet the growing demand for agricultural products, optimizing photosynthesis is a promising strategy to improve crop yields. Phenotypic variance in photosynthesis has been observed within or between species. To explore the potential of integrating photosynthetic parameters into crop breeding programs, we explored the genetic variation in photosynthesis by assessing photosynthesis-related parameters across plant development in 631 barley recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from eight HvDRR subpopulations under field conditions. The genetic complexity of these parameters was resolved by analyses of bi-parental and multi-parental quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Finally, we examined the merit of integrating photosynthesis-related parameters in genomic prediction of yield and its components. Significant genotypic variations of the photosynthesis-related parameters were found among the RILs, with their heritability ranging from 0.38 to 0.54. The multiple QTLs and dynamic QTLs for photosynthesis observed across different developmental stages underlined the complexity of the genetics of photosynthesis in barley. The considerably higher percentage of phenotypic variance explained for genomic prediction than multi-parental QTL analysis illustrates that the photosynthesis-related parameters are inherited in a more complex way than classical agronomic traits. Notably, the prediction ability for yield was increased by integrating the photosynthesis-related parameters of some developmental stages into genomic prediction models. Thus, our results suggest a novel perspective on increasing the efficiency of crop breeding programs by integrating photosynthesis-related parameters into prediction models.

Photosynthesis

Geometric mechanogenomics: engineering boundary conditions for deterministic cell fate control.

In tissue development and regeneration, cellular behavior has traditionally been interpreted through biochemical signaling frameworks. However, cells exist within physically defined environments, where geometric boundary conditions - including confinement, curvature, anisotropy, and multicellular architecture - define the mechanical state space in which mechanical forces are generated, transmitted, and interpreted. Here, we introduce geometric mechanogenomics, a conceptual framework that positions geometry as an upstream spatial regulator linking tissue-scale boundary conditions to nuclear mechanics, chromatin organization, and genome regulation. We propose a boundary-to-nucleus axis through which geometric information is decoded by adhesion-mediated mechanotransduction, cytoskeletal force transmission, and nuclear mechanoregulation to regulate chromatin accessibility, epigenetic remodeling, and transcriptional programs. Rather than introducing new mechanotransduction pathways, this framework emphasizes that geometry spatially organizes conserved mechanotransductive machinery to generate context-dependent mechanogenomic outcomes. We further discuss how engineered geometries reduce morphogenetic stochasticity, coordinate multicellular organization, and establish mechanical memory that influences long-term cell fate. Finally, we highlight current challenges in establishing predictive geometry-to-genome relationships and discuss emerging opportunities enabled by spatial omics, artificial intelligence-assisted inverse design, and dynamic biomaterials for programmable mechanobiology, regenerative medicine, developmental biology, and disease modeling.

genome organization

scMultiNODE: Integrative and Scalable Framework for Multi-Modal Temporal Single-Cell Data.

Measuring single-cell genomic profiles at different timepoints enables our understanding of cell development. This understanding is more comprehensive when we perform an integrative analysis of multiple measurements (or modalities) across various developmental stages. However, obtaining such measurements from the same set of single cells is resource-intensive, restricting our ability to study them jointly. We introduce scMultiNODE, an unsupervised integration model that combines gene expression and chromatin accessibility measurements in developing single cells, while preserving cell type variations and cellular dynamics. First, scMultiNODE uses a scalable, Quantized Gromov-Wasserstein optimal transport to align a large number of cells across different measurements. Next, it utilizes neural ordinary differential equations to explicitly model cell development with a regularization term to learn a dynamic latent space. Experiments on six real-world developmental single-cell datasets demonstrate that scMultiNODE can integrate temporally profiled multi-modal single-cell measurements more effectively than existing methods that focus on cell type variations and often overlook cellular dynamics. We also demonstrate that scMultiNODE's joint latent space facilitates several insightful downstream analyses of single-cell development, including the investigation of complex cell trajectories and the enabling of cross-modal label transfer. The data and code are publicly available at https://github.com/rsinghlab/scMultiNODE.

autoencoders

Cell wall-forming chitin synthases in a chytrid fungus.

Chitin is a critical structural component of fungal cell walls, yet our understanding of its synthesis across the kingdom Fungi remains limited. Here, we investigate chitin synthase diversity, transcription and localisation in the aquatic saprotrophic chytrid Rhizoclosmatium globosum, expanding insights into fungal cell wall biology beyond Dikaryan models. We identified 20 chitin synthase genes in the R. globosum genome, mostly canonical Division I and II types with conserved functional motifs. Transcriptomic analysis through zoospore, germling and immature thallus developmental stages revealed stage-specific expression patterns, with active gene diversity correlating with increasing morphological complexity. Using electroporation-based transformation and fluorescent fusion constructs, we indicate expression and localisation of two chitin synthases during cell development. Localisation patterns suggest dynamic redistribution from cytoplasmic dispersion in early encysted cells to concentrated signals at the sporangium wall. Expression in and around the apophysis indicates the importance of these structures in cell maintenance. Our findings highlight functional specialisation among chitin synthases and underscore the importance of cell wall integrity in chytrid development. This work establishes R. globosum as a genetically tractable model for studying chytrid cell biology and contributes to a broader understanding of fungal evolution and cell wall dynamics.

Biotechnology

Recently Evolved, Stage-Specific Genes Are Enriched at Life-Stage Transitions in Flies.

Understanding how genomic information is selectively utilized across different life stages is essential for deciphering the developmental and evolutionary strategies of metazoans. In holometabolous insects, the dynamic expression of genes enables distinct functional adaptations at embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages, likely contributing to their evolutionary success. While Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) has been extensively studied, less is known about the evolutionary dynamics that could govern stage-specific gene expression. To address this question, we compared the distribution of stage-specific genes, that is, genes expressed in temporally restricted developmental stages, across the development of D. melanogaster and Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti). Using tau-scoring, a computational method to determine gene expression specificity, we found that, on average, a large proportion of genes (20%-30% of all protein-coding genes) in both species exhibit restricted expression to specific developmental stages. Phylostratigraphy analysis, a method to date the age of genes, further revealed that stage-specific genes fall into two major categories: highly conserved and recently evolved. Notably, many of the recently evolved and stage-specific genes identified in A. aegypti and D. melanogaster are restricted to Diptera order (20%-35% of all stage-specific genes), highlighting ongoing evolutionary processes that continue to shape life-stage transitions. Overall, our findings underscore the complex interplay between gene evolutionary age, expression specificity, and morphological transformations in development. These results suggest that the attraction of genes to critical life-stage transitions is an ongoing process that may not be constant across evolutionary time or uniform between different lineages, offering new insights into the adaptability and diversification of dipteran genomes.

Animals

Asymmetric development and function of paired sperm-storage organs in Drosophila melanogaster.

Paired structures often have similar forms and functions, but the processes underlying their formation can differ. They may originate from a common source or from parallel sources, or arise from distinct precursors that follow separate developmental pathways, ultimately converging on comparable structures and roles. When asymmetries emerge and persist through development, members of the pair can specialize in ways that might increase fitness. Here, we report that the Drosophila melanogaster female's pair of spermathecae, which appear similar and have the common role of sperm storage, derive from different developmental compartments defined by expression of lineage-tracing markers corresponding, respectively, to the key patterning genes engrailed and wingless. We further find that the two spermathecae show significant differences in size, secretory activity, and calcium levels and, perhaps as a consequence, sperm retention dynamics. These results open broad avenues for understanding how developmental, physiological, and behavioral asymmetries arise and impact reproductive success.

Animals

Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of the MADS-box gene family in Lavandula angustifolia.

BACKGROUND: MADS-box&#xa0;genes encode transcription factors critical for plant development, particularly floral organogenesis, flowering time regulation, and adaptation to environmental stresses. Among these, the MIKCC-type genes are pivotal regulators in floral developmental processes. Although the evolutionary diversification and functional dynamics of MADS-box genes have been extensively characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, their evolutionary relationships and functional profiles in Lavandula angustifolia, an economically significant aromatic plant, remain poorly understood. RESULTS: Genome-wide analysis identified 173 MADS-box genes in L. angustifolia, categorized into type I (M&#x3b1;: 26; M&#x3b2;: 0; M&#x3b3;: 10) and type II (MIKCC: 125; MIKC*: 12) based on phylogenetic comparisons with A. thaliana. The MIKCC subgroup was further subdivided into 12 subclasses, including genes central to the ABCDE model of floral organ specification. Structural analyses revealed distinct conserved motifs and exon-intron configurations specific to each subgroup, indicative of functional divergence. Synteny analysis demonstrated Whole Genome Duplication (WGD) and segmental duplications as major contributors to MIKCC gene family expansion, notably among genes linked to floral organ development. Expression profiling via RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) showed type II MADS-box genes exhibited higher expression levels with pronounced tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific expression patterns compared to type I genes. Many type II genes displayed significant associations with floral organogenesis, floral transition, and abiotic stress responses, underscoring their essential roles in reproductive development and environmental adaptability in L. angustifolia. CONCLUSIONS: The identification and comprehensive characterization of 173 MADS-box genes in L. angustifolia highlight the significant expansion of the MIKCC subgroup driven primarily by WGD and segmental duplications. The distinct structural features and specific expression patterns observed provide insights into the functional divergence and complexity of these genes, particularly regarding floral organogenesis and adaptation to environmental stress. This study establishes a robust molecular basis for further functional analysis and genetic improvement of aromatic plants.

MADS Domain Proteins

16S rRNA and Metagenomic Datasets of Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Fetal and 7-Day-Old Goat Kids.

The perinatal period (from late gestation to the neonatal stage) in ruminants is a critical phase for fetal organ maturation, where ecological succession of gastrointestinal microbial communities significantly impacts livestock production efficiency. However, research remains insufficient regarding the distribution patterns and functional annotation of microbial communities across different gastrointestinal compartments during this period. This study characterized early microbiota dynamics in Hutianshi Goats using 16S rRNA sequencing (4 fetal goats at 90&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;10 gestational days) and metagenomics (3 7-day-old goat&#xa0;kids). The fetal goat group generated 852,694 valid reads, yielding 688,277 high-quality reads after chimera removal for downstream analysis. The 7-day-old goat kids group produced 1,081,588,182 final valid reads, after data processing and assembly, 8,561,345 contigs were generated. Gene prediction identified 6,095,352 genes. Multi-database annotations (NR, KEGG, CAZy, etc.) revealed functional potential and antimicrobial resistance traits. The public release of this dataset facilitates academic understanding of microbial community dynamics and host-microbe interactions during this developmental stage, providing both theoretical foundations and data resources for ruminant developmental biology and precision breeding regulation.

Animals

[Dynamics of the otoneurologic symptoms after complete and partial removal of a tumor of the acoustic nerve at different stages of its development].

The peculiarities of the dynamics of the entire complex of otoneurologic symptoms were studied in 60 patients with a tumor of the acoustic nerve in stages II and III of the disease after total (in 38) and partial (in 22) resection of the neoplasm. The data obtained bore evidence that the dynamics of the otoneurologic symptoms depended on the developmental stage of the tumor, its relation to the brain stem, and the character of the operation (total or partial removal of the tumor). Total resection of the tumor in stage II proved most effective: in the residual period both stem vestibular disorders and statokinetic and coordination disturbances were minimum or absent. In total removal of the tumor in stage III of the disease the regression of the symptoms was delayed and much less apparent. In subtotal removal of the tumor during stage II the symptoms regressed slightly or not at all. Symptomatology remained gross, irreversible or even frequently became more severe after subtotal removal of the tumor in stage III of the disease.

Audiometry

A mouse organoid platform for modeling cerebral cortex development and cis-regulatory evolution in vitro.

Natural selection has shaped the gene regulatory networks that orchestrate cortical development, leading to structural and functional variation across mammals, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning these changes have only begun to be characterized. Here, we develop a reproducible protocol for cerebral cortex organoid generation from mouse epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs), which recapitulates the timing and cellular differentiation programs of the embryonic cortex. We generated cortical organoids from F1 hybrid EpiSCs derived from crosses between laboratory mice (C57BL/6J) and four wild-derived inbred strains spanning &#x223c;1 M years of evolutionary divergence to comprehensively map cis-acting transcriptional regulatory variation across developing cortical cell types, using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). We identify hundreds of genes that exhibit dynamic allelic imbalances, providing the first insight into the developmental mechanisms underpinning changes in cortical structure and function between subspecies. These experimental methods and cellular resources represent a powerful platform for investigating gene regulation in the developing cerebral cortex.

Organoids

Evolution of virulence of a plant RNA virus in developmental stage-structured host populations.

Natural host populations are age-structured, and developmental stages differ in susceptibility and within-host pathogen dynamics, potentially imposing distinct selective pressures on viruses. However, the evolutionary consequences of host age structure remain poorly understood. We experimentally evolved turnip mosaic potyvirus for 5 passages in Arabidopsis thaliana populations spanning 7 demographic regimes, from juvenile- to mature-dominated cohorts. We quantified disease progression, symptom severity, and viral load, cross-inoculated evolved lineages across host stages to construct infection matrices, and performed whole-population sequencing at passages 1 and 5. Disease traits changed markedly with passage, demography, and their interaction. Disease progression evolved faster in older populations, whereas symptom severity was independent of median age, indicating demographic reweighting of virulence components. Viral load increased across passages and positively correlated with severity, linking within-host fitness to symptoms. Cross-inoculation assays revealed a modular infection network: juvenile-evolved lineages specialized on juvenile hosts, whereas lineages from intermediate and older populations were more generalist. Genomically, we detected both parallel and demography-specific adaptations, including recurrent changes in the viral protein VPg (involved in translation, replication, and host interactions) as well as synonymous variants showing consistent or opposing selection across host population stage structures. Overall, host age structure emerges as a major ecological driver of virulence evolution, shaping tradeoffs between disease progression and severity and determining specialization versus generalism. These results integrate phenotypic and genomic responses and suggest that manipulating crop age structure could steer virus evolution toward less damaging outcomes.

Virulence

Microfluidics to Follow Spatiotemporal Dynamics at the Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Interface During Plant Root Growth.

Nuclear dynamics refers to global/local changes in the molecular and spatial organization of genomic DNA that can occur during development or in response to environmental stress signals and eventually impact genomic functions. In plants, nuclear dynamics relies notably on the connection of the nucleus with the cytoskeleton during development. It orchestrates genomic functions in response to developmental and environmental cues. This is particularly true in the plant root system, which is constantly exposed to a wide range of internal and external stimuli. Currently, studying nuclear dynamics in a growing root is challenging due to limitations regarding real-time imaging for quantitative analyses under controlled conditions. Microfluidic systems for plant cell studies are valuable analytical tools that provide precise control of culture conditions together with live-imaging capabilities at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Herein, we describe a microfluidic platform to unravel dynamically and noninvasively nuclear organization in the seedling root system exposed to various treatments. As exemplified here, our microfluidic platform can be conveniently used for real-time microscopy imaging and quantitative analysis of fine nuclear morphological changes upon modifying cytoskeleton dynamics. Importantly, our system can be applied to a wide variety of microscopic means including high-resolution microscopy to investigate diverse subcellular compartments or nuclear domains in Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

Plant Roots

CACNA1C Genetic Variants Differentially Affect Neuronal Networks Through Divergent Pathways.

BACKGROUND: CACNA1C encodes the pore-forming subunit of the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2. Common variants in CACNA1C are associated with psychiatric disorders, whereas rare single nucleotide variants cause CACNA1C-related disorder, a multisystem disorder with symptoms that include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, and seizures. However, the cellular mechanisms linking CACNA1C dysfunction to neurodevelopmental phenotypes remain poorly understood. METHODS: We generated isogenic CACNA1C loss-of-function induced pluripotent stem cell lines and reprogrammed a line from an individual carrying a novel predicted gain-of-function variant (p.Ala1521Pro) in CACNA1C. Neuronal activity was assessed using multielectrode arrays, pharmacological manipulation, and gene expression analysis. Early developmental phenotypes were examined using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Neurons carrying CACNA1C variants displayed opposing alterations in network dynamics, depending on variant type. Pharmacological and molecular assays indicated that these network differences were associated with dysregulated GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) signaling. Early developmental analysis revealed that loss of CACNA1C altered rosette morphology, CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) phosphorylation, and transcriptional programs related to axonogenesis and synaptic signaling, indicating effects on neuronal differentiation. The patient line exhibited opposing effects on rosette morphology and CREB signaling, reflecting variant-specific effects. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that Cav1.2 regulates excitatory-inhibitory balance, network organization, and aspects of neurodevelopment. Divergent effects of CACNA1C variants highlight how altered Cav1.2 signaling contributes to variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes, including ASD and epilepsy, and establish a framework for defining CACNA1C variant effects in human neurons.

CACNA1C

Functions and mechanisms of BRCA1 in early embryonic development.

Breast Cancer Gene 1 (BRCA1) is a critical regulator of genome integrity whose dysfunction greatly increases lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancers. While BRCA1 has been extensively studied in the contexts of adult biology and cancer, its diverse functions, including homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint activation, protein ubiquitination, and transcriptional regulation, have many underexplored implications. In early embryonic development, the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) and subsequent developmental processes place extraordinary demands on DNA replication fidelity, cell cycle regulation, transcriptional activation, and chromatin remodeling. These critical processes overlap strikingly with canonical functions of BRCA1, yet its function in early development is poorly characterized. In this review, we investigate BRCA1 conservation across species and connect its well-established functions to findings from developmental studies to assess its role in development. We highlight evidence of BRCA1 mitigating genome integrity loss from diverse sources, maintaining the proliferative activity needed for successful germ layer formation and early tissue morphogenesis, and regulating transcription and epigenetic modifications. Together, this synthesis supports a model where BRCA1 acts as a multi-functional and dynamic regulator of early embryogenesis. Building on this, we propose outstanding questions that could further illuminate these developmental roles. Characterization of BRCA1 in early development may not only provide important insight into the origin and progression of cancer susceptibility but may also elucidate fundamental mechanisms shaping early development.

BRCA1 Protein