Single-cell eQTL mapping in yeast reveals a tradeoff between growth and reproduction.

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) provide a key bridge between noncoding DNA sequence variants and organismal traits. The effects of eQTLs can differ among tissues, cell types, and cellular states, but these differences are obscured by gene expression measurements in bulk populations. We developed a one-pot approach to map eQTLs in by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and applied it to over 100,000 single cells from three crosses.

A profile of prosodic speech differences in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and first-degree relatives.

Background: Impairments in prosody (e.g., intonation, stress) are among the most notable communication characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can significantly impact communicative interactions.

Verbal entrainment in autism spectrum disorder and first-degree relatives.

Entrainment, the unconscious process leading to coordination between communication partners, is an important dynamic human behavior that helps us connect with one another. Difficulty developing and sustaining social connections is a hallmark of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Subtle differences in social behaviors have also been noted in first-degree relatives of autistic individuals and may express underlying genetic liability to ASD.

Neural Processing of Speech Sounds in ASD and First-Degree Relatives.

Efficient neural encoding of sound plays a critical role in speech and language, and when impaired, may have reverberating effects on communication skills. This study investigated disruptions to neural processing of temporal and spectral properties of speech in individuals with ASD and their parents and found evidence of inefficient temporal encoding of speech sounds in both groups. The ASD group further demonstrated less robust neural representation of spectral properties of speech sounds.

An Acoustic Characterization of Prosodic Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder and First-Degree Relatives.

This study examined prosody through characterization of acoustic properties of the speech of individuals with ASD and their parents, during narration. A subset of utterances were low-pass filtered and rated for differences in intonation, speech rate, and rhythm. Listener ratings were minimally related to acoustic measures, underscoring the complexity of atypical prosody in ASD.

Mechanisms of voice control related to prosody in autism spectrum disorder and first-degree relatives.

Differences in prosody (e.g., intonation, rhythm) are among the most obvious language-related impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and significantly impact communication.