Bat crazy iPSCs.

Accelerating the development of tools for non-model animal research, Dejosez et al. report the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from bats using a modified Yamanaka protocol. Their study also reveals that bat genomes harbor diverse and unusually abundant endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) that are reactivated during iPSC reprogramming.

Simple sequence repeats showing 'length preference' have regulatory functions in humans.

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), simple tandem repeats (STRs) or microsatellites are short tandem repeats of 1-6 nucleotide motifs. They are twice as abundant as the protein coding DNA in the human genome and yet little is known about their functional relevance. Analysis of genomes across various taxa show that despite the instability associated with longer stretches of repeats, few SSRs with specific longer repeat lengths are enriched in the genomes indicating a positive selection.

Potential gene regulatory role for cyclin D3 in muscle cells.

Cyclin D3 is important for muscle development and regeneration, and is involved in post-mitotic arrest of muscle cells. Cyclin D3 also has cell-cycle-independent functions such as regulation of specific genes in other tissues. Ectopic expression of cyclin D3 in myoblasts, where it is normally undetectable, promotes muscle gene expression and faster differentiation kinetics upon serum depletion.

Association of lamin A/C with muscle gene-specific promoters in myoblasts.

The A-type and B-type lamins form a filamentous meshwork underneath the inner nuclear membrane called the nuclear lamina, which is an important component of nuclear architecture in metazoan cells. The lamina interacts with large, mostly repressive chromatin domains at the nuclear periphery. In addition, genome-lamina interactions also involve dynamic association of lamin A/C with gene promoters in adipocytes.