Variation in insect herbivory across an urbanization gradient: The role of abiotic factors and leaf secondary metabolites.

Urbanization impacts plant-herbivore interactions, which are crucial for ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. While some studies have reported reductions in insect herbivory in urban areas (relative to rural or natural forests), this trend is not consistent and the underlying causes for such variation remain unclear. We conducted a continental-scale study on insect herbivory along urbanization gradients for three European tree species: Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, and Fraxinus excelsior, and further investigated their biotic and abiotic correlates to get at mechanisms.

Mapping spatially resolved transcriptomes in human and mouse pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Efforts to identify effective treatments are thwarted by limited understanding of IPF pathogenesis and poor translatability of available preclinical models. Here we generated spatially resolved transcriptome maps of human IPF (n = 4) and bleomycin-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis (n = 6) to address these limitations.

Epigenetic modulators link mitochondrial redox homeostasis to cardiac function in a sex-dependent manner.

While excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a characteristic hallmark of numerous diseases, clinical approaches that ameliorate oxidative stress have been unsuccessful. Here, utilizing multi-omics, we demonstrate that in cardiomyocytes, mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH2) constitutes a major antioxidative defense mechanism. Paradoxically reduced expression of IDH2 associated with ventricular eccentric hypertrophy is counterbalanced by an increase in the enzyme activity.

Taphonomic experiments reveal authentic molecular signals for fossil melanins and verify preservation of phaeomelanin in fossils.

Melanin pigments play a critical role in physiological processes and shaping animal behaviour. Fossil melanin is a unique resource for understanding the functional evolution of melanin but the impact of fossilisation on molecular signatures for eumelanin and, especially, phaeomelanin is not fully understood. Here we present a model for the chemical taphonomy of fossil eumelanin and phaeomelanin based on thermal maturation experiments using feathers from extant birds.