Alison G. Cole

From promiscuity to specialization: The origin of cholinergic and monoaminergic signaling is pre-bilaterian

This study shows that cholinergic and monoaminergic signaling originated before Bilateria, using a combination of metabolomics, phylogenetics, and single-cell analysis.

Loss of Twist impairs tentacle development and induces epithelial neoplasia in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

This study shows that loss of Twist in Nematostella vectensis impairs tentacle development and causes epithelial neoplasia, highlighting its role in tissue patterning and homeostasis.

Functional analysis of ligand-gated chloride channels in a cnidarian sheds light on the evolution of inhibitory signalling

The paper functionally analyzes ligand-gated chloride channels in cnidarians, finding that some use glutamate instead of GABA for inhibitory signaling, suggesting early diversification of inhibitory receptors.

Molecular dynamics of the matrisome across sea anemone life history

The paper identifies conserved matrisomal networks in sea anemones that coordinate life history transitions through proteomic and transcriptomic analysis.

Comparative single cell analysis reveals complex patterns of cell type and cell signaling innovations at the fetal-maternal interface

This paper compares single-cell data across six mammalian species to uncover evolutionary patterns in cell types and signaling at the fetal-maternal interface, finding conserved gene signatures and stepwise evolution of decidual cells.

Hallmarks of uterine receptivity predate placental mammals

This paper compares single-cell transcriptomes of uterine and embryonic tissues across rodents and opossums to show that marsupial uteri activate an ancestral signaling axis similar to eutherian implantation, but with inhibitory signals preventing invasion.

Notch, beta-catenin and MAPK signaling segregate endoderm and mesoderm in the diploblast Nematostella vectensis

The paper investigates the specification of three germ layers in Nematostella vectensis, showing that MAPK, β-catenin, and Notch signaling segregate mesoderm and endoderm, suggesting triploblasty predates cnidarian-bilaterian divergence.

Nanos2+ cells give rise to germline and somatic lineages in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The paper identifies nanos2+ cells in Nematostella vectensis that give rise to both germline and somatic lineages, suggesting conserved roles for nanos and piwi genes in stem cells across cnidarians.

Large-scale deorphanization of Nematostella vectensis neuropeptide GPCRs supports the independent expansion of bilaterian and cnidarian peptidergic systems

The paper identifies 31 Nematostella vectensis GPCRs activated by 14 neuropeptides, showing cnidarian and bilaterian peptidergic systems expanded independently.

Gene regulatory patterning codes in early cell fate specification of the C. elegans embryo

The paper identifies 119 cell-states in C. elegans embryos during early development, revealing lineage-specific gene regulatory programs that encode cell position and fate.

Muscle cell type diversification driven by extensive gene duplications

The study identifies gene duplications and co-option of effector modules as mechanisms driving muscle cell type diversification in sea anemones.

Single cell transcriptomics identifies conserved regulators of neurosecretory lineages

The paper identifies SoxC as a conserved regulator of neurosecretory lineages in Nematostella vectensis using single-cell RNA-sequencing.