Phylogenomic insights into the polyphyletic nature of Altai falcons within eastern sakers (Falco cherrug) and the origins of gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus).

The Altai falcon from Central Asia always attracted the attention of humans. Long considered a totemic bird in its native area, modern falconers still much appreciated this large-bodied and mighty bird of prey due to its rarity and unique look. The peculiar body characteristics halfway between the saker falcon (Falco cherrug) and the gyrfalcon (F.

Mapping the Auditory Space of Female Mosquitoes in 3D.

The task of directional hearing faces most animals that possess ears. They approach this task in different ways, but a common trait is the use of binaural cues to find the direction to the source of sound. In insects, the task is further complicated by their small size and, hence, minute temporal and level differences between two ears.

Amino acids integrate behaviors in nerveless placozoans.

Placozoans are the simplest known free-living animals without recognized neurons and muscles but a complex behavioral repertoire. However, mechanisms and cellular bases of behavioral coordination are unknown. Here, using as a model, we described 0.

CRISPR/Cas9-generated mouse model with humanizing single-base substitution in the for safety studies of RNA therapeutics.

The development of personalized medicine for genetic diseases requires preclinical testing in the appropriate animal models. GNAO1 encephalopathy is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in the gene. c.

Frequency tuning of swarming male mosquitoes (Aedes communis, Culicidae) and its neural mechanisms.

The primary function of hearing in mosquitoes is believed to be intraspecific communication. This view dictated the principle of many behavioral studies, namely, the attraction of male mosquitoes to the sounds that mimicked a female tone. However, after the avoidance response to certain frequencies of sound was demonstrated, it became clear that attraction tests cannot fully account for all the capabilities of the mosquito auditory system.

Taphonomic experiments imply a possible link between the evolution of multicellularity and the fossilization potential of soft-bodied organisms.

The reliability of evolutionary reconstructions based on the fossil record critically depends on our knowledge of the factors affecting the fossilization of soft-bodied organisms. Despite considerable research effort, these factors are still poorly understood. In order to elucidate the main prerequisites for the preservation of soft-bodied organisms, we conducted long-term (1-5 years) taphonomic experiments with the model crustacean buried in five different sediments.

Transglutaminase 3: The Involvement in Epithelial Differentiation and Cancer.

Transglutaminases (TGMs) contribute to the formation of rigid, insoluble macromolecular complexes, which are essential for the epidermis and hair follicles to perform protective and barrier functions against the environment. During differentiation, epidermal keratinocytes undergo structural alterations being transformed into cornified cells, which constitute a highly tough outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum. Similar processes occur during the hardening of the hair follicle and the hair shaft, which is provided by the enzymatic cross-linking of the structural proteins and keratin intermediate filaments.

Tissue-engineered biological dressing accelerates skin wound healing in mice via formation of provisional connective tissue.

Despite recent advances in bioengineered therapies, wound healing remains a serious clinical problem. In acute full-thickness wounds, it is desirable to replace both the damaged dermis and epidermis in a single procedure. This approach requires appropriate properties of tissue-engineered dressings to support simultaneous regenerative processes in the dermis and epidermis while they are temporally separated in the natural wound healing process.

Extracellular Matrix as a Regulator of Epidermal Stem Cell Fate.

Epidermal stem cells reside within the specific anatomic location, called niche, which is a microenvironment that interacts with stem cells to regulate their fate. Regulation of many important processes, including maintenance of stem cell quiescence, self-renewal, and homeostasis, as well as the regulation of division and differentiation, are common functions of the stem cell niche. As it was shown in multiple studies, extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes a lot to stem cell niches in various tissues, including that of skin.

Frequency organization of the Johnston's organ in male mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae).

The Johnston's organs (JO) of mosquitoes are the most complex mechanosensitive organs yet found in insects. Previous findings on the behavior of mosquitoes suggest that, together with exceptional sensitivity, their auditory system can discriminate frequencies. Analysis of compound responses of the JO did not provide unambiguous evidence of such discrimination, nor did it help to find its mechanism.