Zarkower D et al. (1994) Worm Breeder's Gazette "mab-3 YAC Rescue"

De Bono M, Zarkower D, Hodgkin JA

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1994]

mab-3 YAC rescue David Zarkower, Mario de Bono, and Jonathan Hodgkin MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England

Miwa J et al. (1977) Worm Breeder's Gazette "morphological development of ts embryonic-arrest mutants."

Schierenberg E, Miwa J, Von Ehrenstein G

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1977]

We have been analyzing the lineage and morphology of ts embryonic- arrest mutants. It is possible to classify the mutants into four major groups according to their lethal phenotype: 1. mutants arrested before the first division, 2. mutants arrested during the proliferation period (1-cell to around lima bean stage with ca. 540 cells ), 3. mutants arrested around the lima bean stage, the beginning of morphogenetic period, 4. mutants arrested during morphogenesis (lima bean stage to hatching ) . The majority of the mutants studied belong to the 3rd group. Interestingly, all the mutants of this group have visible morphological abnormalities much earlier (before about the 80-cell stage) than at their arrested stage. Parameters such as cell division axes, division rhythm of stem cell groups, and size of sister cells are essentially invariant in the wild-type embryo (1) . One or more of these parameters are affected in the mutants of the 3rd group.

Petry R et al. (2024) Beilstein J Nanotechnol "Interaction of graphene oxide with tannic acid: computational modeling and toxicity mitigation in C. elegans."

Petry R, Cô\;a F, de Almeida JM, Fazzio A, Martinez DST, Crasto de Lima F

[Beilstein J Nanotechnol, 2024]

Graphene oxide (GO) undergoes multiple transformations when introduced to biological and environmental media. GO surface favors the adsorption of biomolecules through different types of interaction mechanisms, modulating the biological effects of the material. In this study, we investigated the interaction of GO with tannic acid (TA) and its consequences for GO toxicity. We focused on understanding how TA interacts with GO, its impact on the material surface chemistry, colloidal stability, as well as, toxicity and biodistribution using the <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> model. Employing computational modeling, including reactive classical molecular dynamics and ab initio calculations, we reveal that TA preferentially binds to the most reactive sites on GO surfaces via the oxygen-containing groups or the carbon matrix; van der Waals interaction forces dominate the binding energy. TA exhibits a dose-dependent mitigating effect on the toxicity of GO, which can be attributed not only to the surface interactions between the molecule and the material but also to the inherent biological properties of TA in <i>C. elegans</i>. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of GO's environmental behavior and toxicity and highlight the potential of tannic acid for the synthesis and surface functionalization of graphene-based nanomaterials, offering insights into safer nanotechnology development.

Eberhardt AG et al. (2008) Vet Parasitol "The Strongyloides (Nematoda) of sheep and the predominant Strongyloides of cattle form at least two different, genetically isolated populations."

Streit A, Eberhardt AG, Bonfoh B, Mayer WE

[Vet Parasitol, 2008]

Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda) are very wide spread small intestinal parasites of vertebrates that can form a facultative free-living generation. Most authors considered all Strongyloides of farm ruminants to belong to the same species, namely Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856). Here we show that, at least in southern Germany, the predominant Strongyloides found in cattle and the Strongyloides found in sheep belong to separate, genetically isolated populations. While we did find mixed infections in cattle, one form clearly dominated. This variety, in turn, was never found in sheep, indicating that the two forms have different host preferences. We also present molecular tools for distinguishing the two varieties, and an analysis of their phylogenetic relationship with the human parasite Strongyloides stercoralis and the major laboratory model species Strongyloides ratti. Based on our findings we propose that Strongyloides from sheep and the predominant Strongyloides from cattle should be considered separate species as it had already been proposed by [Brumpt, E., 1921. Recherches sur le determinisme des sexes et de l''evolution des Anguillules parasites (Strongyloides). Comptes rendu hebdomadaires des seances et memoires de la Societe de Biologie et de ses filiales 85, 149-152], but was largely ignored by later authors. For nomenclature, we follow [Brumpt, E., 1921. Recherches sur le determinisme des sexes et de l''evolution des Anguillules parasites (Strongyloides). Comptes rendu hebdomadaires des seances et memoires de la Societe de Biologie et de ses filiales 85, 149-152] and use the name S. papillosus for the Strongyloides of sheep and the name Strongyloides vituli for the predominant Strongyloides of cattle.

De Stasio E et al. (1994) Worm Breeder's Gazette "Mutagenesis of C. elegans Using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea."

De Stasio E, Lephoto C, Stanislaus D

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1994]

Mutagenesis of C. elegans using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea Elizabeth De Stasio, Dinesh Stanislaus and Catherine Lephoto. Department of Biology, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wl 54911

Sokolowski MB (2002) Nature "Neurobiology: social eating for stress."

Sokolowski MB

[Nature, 2002]

Behavioral ecologists have shown that many animals form social groups in conditions. Neurobiological evidence for this behaviour has now been discovered in the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. On pages 899 and 925 of this issue, de Bono et al. and Coates and de Bono present striking results on the genetic, molecular and neural mechanisms underlying nematode social feeding. These discoveries provide tantalizing insights into the effects of stress in social groupings.

Kipreos ET et al. (2000) Genome Biol "The F-box protein family."

Kipreos ET, Pagano M

[Genome Biol, 2000]

SUMMARY: The F-box is a protein motif of approximately 50 amino acids that functions as a site of protein-protein interaction. F-box proteins were first characterized as components of SCF ubiquitin-ligase complexes (named after their main components, Skp I, Cullin, and an F-box protein), in which they bind substrates for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. The F-box motif links the F-box protein to other components of the SCF complex by binding the core SCF component Skp I. F-box proteins have more recently been discovered to function in non-SCF protein complexes in a variety of cellular functions. There are 11 F-box proteins in budding yeast, 326 predicted in Caenorhabditis elegans, 22 in Drosophila, and at least 38 in humans. F-box proteins often include additional carboxy-terminal motifs capable of protein-protein interaction; the most common secondary motifs in yeast and human F-box proteins are WD repeats and leucine-rich repeats, both of which have been found to bind phosphorylated substrates to the SCF complex. The majority of F-box proteins have other associated motifs, and the functions of most of these proteins have not yet been defined.

Platzer K et al. (2018) Am J Hum Genet "De Novo Variants in MAPK8IP3 Cause Intellectual Disability with Variable Brain Anomalies."

Stobe P, Stegmann APA, Cho MT, Angione KM, Lemke JR, Pinz H, Shinde DN, Hellenbroich Y, Demmer LA, Falik-Zaccai T, Platzer K, Panis B, Stumpel CTRM, Iascone M, Sticht H, Mahida S, Miller KG, Smith-Hicks C, Marquardt T, Allen W, Bonati MT, Jamra R, Gamble CN, Wilson C, Pepler A, Edwards SL, Mandel H, Brasington C, McWalter K, Kok F, Ramos L, Di Donato N

[Am J Hum Genet, 2018]

Using exome sequencing, we have identified de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 in 13 unrelated individuals presenting with an overlapping phenotype of mild to severe intellectual disability. The de novo variants comprise six missense variants, three of which are recurrent, and three truncating variants. Brain anomalies such as perisylvian polymicrogyria, cerebral or cerebellar atrophy, and hypoplasia of the corpus callosum were consistent among individuals harboring recurrent de novo missense variants. MAPK8IP3 has been shown to be involved in the retrograde axonal-transport machinery, but many of its specific functions are yet to be elucidated. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to target six conserved amino acid positions in Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that two of the six investigated human alterations led to a significantly elevated density of axonal lysosomes, and five variants were associated with adverse locomotion. Reverse-engineering normalized the observed adverse effects back to wild-type levels. Combining genetic, phenotypic, and functional findings, as well as the significant enrichment of de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 within our total cohort of 27,232 individuals who underwent exome sequencing, we implicate de novo variants in MAPK8IP3 as a cause of a neurodevelopmental disorder with intellectual disability and variable brain anomalies.

Chamberlin HM et al. (1995) Worm Breeder's Gazette "lin-49, An Essential Gene Required For Normal F and U Cells."

Chamberlin HM, Baillie DL, Sternberg PW

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1995]

lin-49, an essential gene required for normal F and U cells

Yuen KW et al. (2011) Curr Biol "Rapid de novo centromere formation occurs independently of heterochromatin protein 1 in C. elegans embryos."

Oegema K, Desai A, Nabeshima K, Yuen KW

[Curr Biol, 2011]

DNA injected into the Caenorhabditis elegans germline forms extrachromosomal arrays that segregate during cell division [1, 2]. The mechanisms underlying array formation and segregation are not known. Here, we show that extrachromosomal arrays form de novo centromeres at high frequency, providing unique access to a process that occurs with extremely low frequency in other systems [3-8]. De novo centromerized arrays recruit centromeric chromatin and kinetochore proteins and autonomously segregate on the spindle. Live imaging following DNA injection revealed that arrays form after oocyte fertilization via homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining. Individual arrays gradually transition from passive inheritance to active segregation during the early embryonic divisions. The heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family proteins HPL-1 and HPL-2 are dispensable for de novo centromerization even though arrays become strongly enriched for the heterochromatin-associated H3K9me3 modification over time. Partial inhibition of HP1 family proteins accelerates the acquisition of segregation competence. In addition to reporting the first direct visualization of new centromere formation in living cells, these findings reveal that naked DNA rapidly builds de novo centromeres in C. elegans embryos in an HP1-independent manner and suggest that, rather than being a prerequisite, HP1-dependent heterochromatin antagonizes de novo centromerization.