Valérie Bégay

The paper presents a telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of the naked mole-rat and compares it with a related species to identify gene losses and duplications associated with unique traits.

This study examines mechanosensitive currents in sensory neurons lacking PIEZO2, finding no significant reduction in current sensitivity but a moderate decrease in rapidly adapting currents.

This study identifies molecular changes in the naked mole-rat that enhance cold sensing through expanded TRPM8 expression and alternative cold detection mechanisms.

This study identifies TENM4 as an essential extracellular linker protein for mechanotransduction in mechanoreceptors, showing its role in touch sensitivity.

This study identifies mitochondrial adaptations in naked mole-rats that confer hypoxia resistance, linking social behavior to molecular evolution.

This study identifies Elkin1 as a novel mechanically-activated ion channel essential for touch and pain sensation, independent of Piezo2.

The paper shows that mutations at R2756 in PIEZO2 channels reduce voltage-block, increasing mechanosensitivity in nociceptors and causing hypersensitivity to mechanical pain.

This study investigates whether TMEM150c forms a mechanosensitive ion channel or is required for mechanosensitivity in sensory neurons, finding no evidence to support these claims.

This study shows that USH2A is essential for vibration sensing in mice and humans by being expressed in Meissner corpuscle end-organs, not in sensory neurons.