Lynch M (2002) Science "Genomics. Gene duplication and evolution."

Lynch M

[Science, 2002]

Lynch M et al. (2000) Science "The evolutionary fate and consequences of duplicate genes."

Lynch M, Conery JS

[Science, 2000]

Gene duplication has generally been viewed as a necessary source of material for the origin of evolutionary novelties, but it is unclear how often gene duplicates arise and how frequently they evolve new functions. Observations from the genomic databases for several eukaryotic species suggest that duplicate genes arise at a very high rate, on average 0.01 per gene per million years. Most duplicated genes experience a brief period of relaxed selection early in their history, with a moderate fraction of them evolving in an effectively neutral manner during this period. However, the vast majority of gene duplicates are silenced within a few million years, with the few survivors subsequently experiencing strong purifying selection. Although duplicate genes may only rarely evolve new functions, the stochastic silencing of such genes may play a significant role in the passive origin of new species.

Wu MN et al. (2011) Curr Biol "Notch signaling: a role in sleep and stress."

Raizen DM, Wu MN

[Curr Biol, 2011]

The molecular pathways regulating sleep remain poorly understood. Studies in this issue demonstrate a role for Notch signaling in sleep regulation as well as stress response in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila.

Luo S et al. (2006) J Biol "Regulators of kinesin involved in polarized trafficking and axon outgrowth."

Nonet ML, Luo S

[J Biol, 2006]

ABSTRACT : Proteins such as UNC-76 that associate with kinesin motors are important in directing neurite extension. A small Caenorhabditis elegans coiled-coil protein, UNC-69, has now been shown to interact with UNC-76 and to be involved in axonal (but not dendritic) transport and outgrowth, as well as synapse formation.

Cypser J et al. (2001) Hum Exp Toxicol "Hormesis extends the correlation between stress resistance and life span in long-lived mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans."

Cypser J, Johnson TE

[Hum Exp Toxicol, 2001]

In general we agree with Dr. Rattan's thesis. Mutations that increase both life span and resistance to environmental stress have been documented in model systems as diverse as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Mus musculus. The correlation between life extension (Age) and increased stress resistance is well established in C. elegans carrying single-gene

Partridge L et al. (1992) Nature "Evolutionary biology. What the sperm count costs."

Partridge L, Harvey PH

[Nature, 1992]

Dissecting the sex life of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has already provided surprises for biologists interested in life-history theory. In a report on page 456 of this issue, Van Voorhies throws another spanner in the works by demonstrating that the costs of producing sperm are not as negligible as we might have thought.

Goutte C (2002) Dev Cell "Genetics leads the way to the accomplices of presenilins."

Goutte C

[Dev Cell, 2002]

Presenilins mediate they-secretase cleavage of Notch transmembrane receptors as well as the transmembrane P-amyloid precursor protein (PAPP), but they are not thought to accomplish this alone. Recent genetic screens in C. elegans, presented in this issue of Developmental Cell, identify two genes that are essential to gamma-secretase activity and may interact with presenilins.

Sumiyoshi E et al. (2012) Curr Biol "Cell polarity: centrosomes release signals for polarization."

Sumiyoshi E, Sugimoto A

[Curr Biol, 2012]

New findings reveal that, in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, the centrosome provides signals that induce cell polarization, independently of its function as the microtubule-organizing center.

O'Hagan R et al. (2015) Nat Cell Biol "A motor relay on ciliary tracks."

Barr MM, O'Hagan R

[Nat Cell Biol, 2015]

A powerful combination of two-colour imaging in vivo, Fourier-filtered kymography and simulations provides a high-resolution view of kinesin-2 transport dynamics in cilia. This study reveals heterotrimeric kinesin-II as an 'obstacle-course runner' and homodimeric OSM-3 (KIF17) as a 'long-distance runner', and elucidates the 'baton handoff' between these two kinesin-2 motors on the microtubule track.

Nonet ML (2002) Neuron "AEXpulsing a retrograde signal."

Nonet ML

[Neuron, 2002]

A variety of secreted components have been identified as retrograde signals mediating diverse aspects of synaptic development, maintenance, and plasticity; however, little is known about the mechanisms mediating the release of secreted retrograde signals. Doi and Iwasaki (this issue of Neuron) implicate AEX-1, a protein distantly related to the UNC-13/Munc13 family, as an attractive candidate regulator of the retrograde release machinery in muscle.