Decoding the genome of bloodsucking midge Forcipomyia taiwana (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae): Insights into odorant receptor expansion.

Biting midges, notably those within the Ceratopogonidae family, have long been recognized for their epidemiological significance, both as nuisances and vectors for disease transmission in vertebrates. Despite their impact, genomic insights into these insects, particularly beyond the Culicoides genus, remain limited. In this study, we assembled the Forcipomyia taiwana (Shiraki) genome, comprising 113 scaffolds covering 130.

Hybrids of two destructive subterranean termites established in the field, revealing a potential for gene flow between species.

Hybridization between invasive pest species may lead to significant genetic and economic impacts that require close monitoring. The two most invasive and destructive termite species worldwide, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann), have the potential for hybridization in the field. A three-year field survey conducted during the dispersal flight season of Coptotermes in Taiwan identified alates with atypical morphology, which were confirmed as hybrids of the two Coptotermes species using microsatellite and mitochondrial analyses.

Cell Cycle Regulation by NF-YC in Eye Imaginal Disc: Implications for Synchronization in the Non-Proliferative Region.

Cell cycle progression during development is meticulously coordinated with differentiation. This is particularly evident in the 3rd instar eye imaginal disc, where the cell cycle is synchronized and arrests at the G1 phase in the non-proliferative region (NPR), setting the stage for photoreceptor cell differentiation. Here, we identify the transcription factor Nuclear Factor-YC (NF-YC) as a crucial player in this finely tuned progression, elucidating its specific role in the synchronized movement of the morphogenetic furrow.

Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver Is Critical for Photoreceptor Cell Polarity and Survival during Retinal Development.

Establishing apicobasal polarity, involving intricate interactions among polarity regulators, is key for epithelial cell function. Though phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL) proteins are implicated in diverse biological processes, including cancer, their developmental role remains unclear. In this study, we explore the role of PRL (dPRL) in photoreceptor cell development.

Zebrafish models for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is the most common form of secondary osteoporosis due to excessive or long-term glucocorticoid administration, disturbing the homeostasis between bone formation and bone resorption. The bone biology of zebrafish shares a high degree of similarities with mammals. In terms of molecular level, genes and signaling pathways related to skeletogenesis are also highly correlated between zebrafish and humans.

Germline specification and axis determination in viviparous and oviparous pea aphids: conserved and divergent features.

Aphids are hemimetabolous insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis without pupation. The annual life cycle of most aphids includes both an asexual (viviparous) and a sexual (oviparous) phase. Sexual reproduction only occurs once per year and is followed by many generations of asexual reproduction, during which aphids propagate exponentially with telescopic development.

Multimodal bioimaging using nanodiamond and gold hybrid nanoparticles.

Hybrid core-shell nanodiamond-gold nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized as a novel multifunctional material with tunable and tailored properties for multifunctional biomedical applications. The combination of nanostructured gold and nanodiamond properties afford new options for optical labeling, imaging, sensing, and drug delivery, as well as targeted treatment. ND@Au core-shell nanoparticles composed of nanodiamond (ND) core doped with Si vacancies (SiV) and Au shell were synthesized and characterized in terms of their biomedical applications.

The molecular etiology and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is the most common form of secondary osteoporosis, accounting for 20% of osteoporosis diagnoses. Using glucocorticoids for >6 months leads to osteoporosis in 50% of patients, resulting in an increased risk of fracture and death. Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts work together to maintain bone homeostasis.

Opportunistic gill infection is associated with TiO2 nanoparticle-induced mortality in zebrafish.

The large amounts of engineered titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) that have been manufactured have inevitably been released into the ecosystem. Reports have suggested that TiO2 is a relatively inert material that has low toxicity to animals. However, as various types of NPs increasingly accumulate in the ocean, their effects on aquatic life-forms remain unclear.

Phage φAB6-Borne Depolymerase Combats Biofilm Formation and Infection.

Biofilm formation is one of the main causes of increased antibiotic resistance in infections. Bacteriophages and their derivatives, such as tail proteins with depolymerase activity, have shown considerable potential as antibacterial or antivirulence agents against bacterial infections. Here, we gained insights into the activity of a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) depolymerase, derived from the tailspike protein (TSP) of φAB6 phage, to degrade biofilm in vitro.

Meta-Transcriptomic Analysis of RNAseq Data Reveals Pacu and Loach Fish with Unusually High Levels of Myoglobin Expression in Skeletal Muscles.

Oxygen-binding proteins, such as myoglobin, hemoglobin, neuroglobin, and cytoglobin, play a role in oxygen binding and delivery to tissues. In icefish, the loss of myoglobin and hemoglobin genes has been reported to be an adaptive evolution event. This interesting finding prompted us to exam oxygen-binding protein expression in diverse fish species.

Mutation of the Carboxy-Terminal Processing Protease in Affects Motility, Leads to Loss of Membrane Integrity, and Reduces Virulence.

Motility plays an essential role in the host-parasite relationship of pathogenic bacteria, and is often associated with virulence. While many pathogenic bacteria use flagella for locomotion, strains do not have flagella, but have other features that aid in their motility. To study the genes involved in motility, transposon mutagenesis was performed to construct mutant strains.

Oogenesis of Hematophagous Midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and Nuage Localization of Vasa in Germline Cells.

is an irritating hematophagous midge that preferentially attacks humans and affects leisure industries in Taiwan. Understanding the female reproductive biology of such pests would facilitate the development of pest control strategies. However, knowledge about oogenesis in the genus is unavailable.

Drosophila decapping protein 2 modulates the formation of cortical F-actin for germ plasm assembly.

In Drosophila, the deposition of the germ plasm at the posterior pole of the oocyte is essential for the abdomen and germ cell formation during embryogenesis. To assemble the germ plasm, oskar (osk) mRNA, produced by nurse cells, should be localized and anchored on the posterior cortex of the oocyte. Processing bodies (P-bodies) are cytoplasmic RNA granules responsible for the 5'-3' mRNA degradation.

Novel eye genes systematically discovered through an integrated analysis of mouse transcriptomes and phenome.

In the last few decades, reverse genetic and high throughput approaches have been frequently applied to the mouse () to understand how genes function in tissues/organs and during development in a mammalian system. Despite these efforts, the associated phenotypes for the majority of mouse genes remained to be fully characterized. Here, we performed an integrated transcriptome-phenome analysis by identifying coexpressed gene modules based on tissue transcriptomes profiled with each of various platforms and functionally interpreting these modules using the mouse phenotypic data.

In vivo pro-angiogenic effects of dracorhodin perchlorate in zebrafish embryos: A novel bioactivity evaluation platform for commercial dragon blood samples.

Dragon blood has been used in wound treatment for many years and can be obtained from several distinct plant species. Dracorhodin, the active substituent of dragon blood, is a characteristic compound of the palm tree, Daemonorops draco. At present, the only method to evaluate the quality of commercial dragon blood samples is a HPLC method which determines the amount of dracorhodin in a dragon blood sample.

Overexpression of () Causing Floral Defects While Promoting Flowering in , Whereas Only Affecting Floral Transition Time in .

The Formosa lily () is one of the most common horticultural species in Taiwan. To explore gene regulation involved in this species, we used transcriptome analysis to generate PH-FB (mixed floral buds) and PH-LF (mature leaves) datasets. Combination of the PH-FB and PH-LF constructed a de novo assembly of the ALL dataset, including 18,041 contigs and 23,807 unigenes by Nr, GO, COG, and KEGG databases.

Germ plasm localisation of the HELICc of Vasa in Drosophila: analysis of domain sufficiency and amino acids critical for localisation.

Formation of the germ plasm drives germline specification in Drosophila and some other insects such as aphids. Identification of the DEAD-box protein Vasa (Vas) as a conserved germline marker in flies and aphids suggests that they share common components for assembling the germ plasm. However, to which extent the assembly order is conserved and the correlation between functions and sequences of Vas remain unclear.

The Drosophila GOLPH3 homolog regulates the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans by modulating the retrograde trafficking of exostosins.

The exostosin (EXT) genes encode glycosyltransferases required for glycosaminoglycan chain polymerization in the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Mutations in the tumor suppressor genes EXT1 and EXT2 disturb HSPG biosynthesis and cause multiple osteochondroma (MO). How EXT1 and EXT2 traffic within the Golgi complex is not clear.

Expression of phosphatase of regenerating liver family genes during embryogenesis: an evolutionary developmental analysis among Drosophila, amphioxus, and zebrafish.

Background: Phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL) family is classified as class IVa of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP4A) that removes phosphate groups from phosphorylated tyrosine residues on proteins. PRL phosphatases have been implicated in a number of tumorigenesis and metastasis processes and are highly conserved. However, the understanding of PRL expression profiles during embryonic development is very limited.

Securin enhances the anti-cancer effects of 6-methoxy-3-(3',4',5'-trimethoxy-benzoyl)-1H-indole (BPR0L075) in human colorectal cancer cells.

BPR0L075 [6-methoxy-3-(3',4',5'-trimethoxy-benzoyl)-1H-indole] is a novel anti-microtubule drug with anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic activities in vitro and in vivo. Securin is required for genome stability, and is expressed abundantly in most cancer cells, promoting cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. In this study, we found that BPR0L075 efficiently induced cell death of HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells that have higher expression levels of securin.

Upregulated claudin-1 expression confers resistance to cell death of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

Accumulating evidence reveals that aberrant expression of claudins manifests in various tumors; however, their biological functions are poorly understood. Here, we report on the elevated expression of claudin-1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines under serum deprivation or fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment. Interestingly, an increase in expression of claudin-1 considerably reduced apoptosis rather than enhancing cell proliferation.