Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Evolution and development of segmented body plan revealed by engrailed and wnt1 gene expression in the annelid Alitta virens

The paper examines gene expression patterns in Alitta virens to understand segmentation mechanisms, finding unique developmental patterns that suggest segmentation in bilaterians evolved through divergent pathways.

Live imaging and functional characterization of the avian hypoblast redefine the mechanisms of primitive streak induction

The paper uses live imaging to show that avian hypoblast movement and patterning are consequences of NODAL signaling, not drivers of primitive streak induction.

Notch and Wnt signalling interact for proper prosensory and non-sensory domain formation

This study identifies a non-canonical Notch-Wnt interaction that maintains prosensory domain identity by regulating Sox2 and Lmx1a through NICD-mediated suppression of Wnt activity.

HoxB-derived hoxba and hoxbb clusters are essential for the anterior-posterior positioning of zebrafish pectoral fins

This study shows that hoxba and hoxbb clusters are essential for positioning zebrafish pectoral fins by inducing tbx5a expression and maintaining retinoic acid responsiveness.

Trithorax balances ISC fate decisions via Ptx1-mediated repression of EE specification

This study identifies Trithorax as a key factor maintaining ISC lineage fidelity by repressing EE specification through Ptx1-mediated mechanisms in Drosophila midgut.

Endodermal cells use contact inhibition of locomotion to achieve uniform cell dispersal during zebrafish gastrulation

The paper shows endodermal cells use contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) mediated by EphA2 and RhoA to disperse uniformly during zebrafish gastrulation.

Distinct Programs Drive Organ Development and Regeneration

The paper identifies Pou2f3 as a master regulator of a novel intermediate cell state critical for regeneration but not organ physiology in mammary glands, challenging the idea that regeneration recapitulates development.

Static morphogen scaling enables proportional growth in tissue growth model inspired by axolotl limb regeneration

The paper investigates morphogen scaling mechanisms in axolotl limb regeneration, showing static scaling ensures proportional growth while dynamic scaling does not.

Comprehensive profiling of migratory primordial germ cells reveals niche-specific differences in non-canonical Wnt and Nodal-Lefty signaling in anterior vs posterior migrants

This study profiles mouse migratory primordial germ cells and their niches to show position-specific differences in non-canonical Wnt and Nodal-Lefty signaling during migration.

Eed controls craniofacial osteoblast differentiation and mesenchymal proliferation from the neural crest

This study shows that Eed is essential for craniofacial osteoblast differentiation and mesenchymal proliferation in neural crest cells, identified through mouse genetics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and epigenetic profiling.

Transcriptional feedback of Erk signaling waves in zebrafish scale regeneration

The paper shows Erk signaling waves in zebrafish scale regeneration induce inhibitor transcript waves and modulate osterix transcription, linking wave dynamics to tissue growth and maturation.

CRISPR-RfxCas13d screening uncovers Bckdk as a post-translational regulator of the maternal-to-zygotic transition in teleosts

The paper uses CRISPR-RfxCas13d screening in zebrafish to identify Bckdk as a post-translational regulator of the maternal-to-zygotic transition, showing its role in ZGA and miR-430 processing.

Supracellular Mechanics and Counter-Rotational Bilateral Flows Orchestrate Posterior Morphogenesis

The paper identifies a ventral extracellular matrix network critical for posterior tissue rotation during Xenopus tailbud development through live imaging and perturbation experiments.

TEAD4 regulates apical domain homeostasis and cell-positioning to maintain the trophectoderm lineage during preimplantation mouse embryo development.

This study shows TEAD4 maintains trophectoderm lineage integrity by regulating apical domain morphology and cell positioning in mouse preimplantation embryos.

Epidermal cell fusion promotes the transition from an embryonic to a larval transcriptome in C. elegans

The paper shows that cell fusion in C. elegans epidermis drives transcriptomic changes from embryonic to larval state, with eff-1 mutants showing delayed progression.

MLT-11 is necessary for C. elegans embryogenesis and conserved sequences play distinct roles in cuticle structure

This study identifies MLT-11 as essential for C. elegans embryogenesis and shows conserved sequences in MLT-11 are critical for cuticle structure.

Myc and Tor drive growth and cell competition in the regeneration blastema of Drosophila wing imaginal discs

The paper identifies Myc and Tor signaling as drivers of regenerative growth in Drosophila wing imaginal discs, revealing concentric growth zones and Myc-induced cell competition.

Self-Organization Through Local Cell-Cell Communication Drives Intestinal Epithelial Zonation

The paper shows intestinal epithelial zonation arises from self-organization via local cell-cell communication, not external cues or intrinsic programs.

LEM-3/ANKLE1 nuclease prevents the formation of syncytium between postmitotic sister cells and safeguards neuronal differentiation

Capturing changes to animal complexity from quantifiable patterns in genomic data

The paper analyzes genomic data from 32 animal species to explore how changes in regulatory genes and microRNAs relate to morphological complexity and disparity, finding no link between genome size and disparity but strong associations between gene loss and parasitism, and microRNA increases and complexity.

Cell type-independent timekeeping gene modules enable embryonic stage prediction in zebrafish

The paper identifies timekeeping gene modules in zebrafish embryos that predict developmental stages across different tissues and species.

Redefining Housekeeping Genes in the Context of Vertebrate Development

The paper redefines housekeeping genes to include those essential across developmental stages, not just adult tissues, using zebrafish data.

Stationary and germ layer-specific cellular flows shape the zebrafish gastrula

The paper reveals that stationary and germ-layer-specific tissue flows shape the zebrafish gastrula through in toto live imaging and analysis.

Modular engineering of embryonic-extraembryonic interactions generates advanced gastruloid morphotypes.

The paper describes a modular co-aggregation strategy to recreate embryonic-extraembryonic interactions in vitro, leading to more complex gastruloid morphotypes with improved lineage diversity and patterning.

Morphogen Patterning in Dynamic Tissues

This paper develops a mathematical framework to study morphogen patterning in dynamic tissues, showing how cell movements influence morphogen transport, signaling ranges, and patterning outcomes.

SDS-22 stabilizes the PP1 catalytic subunits GSP-1/-2 contributing to polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos

The paper shows SDS-22 stabilizes PP1 phosphatases GSP-1/-2 in C. elegans embryos, preventing their proteasomal degradation and contributing to cell polarity establishment.

Coupling mathematical modeling with a novel human intestinal stem cell system to understand feedback regulation during planar cell polarity

The paper develops a mathematical model of the PCP complex and validates its predictions using a human intestinal stem cell system to study feedback regulation during planar cell polarity.

Notch Signaling Drives Pro-Regenerative and Migratory Traits in Glandular Stem/Progenitor Cells

The paper identifies Notch signaling as essential for maintaining stem/progenitor cell self-renewal and migration post-irradiation in salivary and other gland organoids.

WntA expression and wing transcriptomics illuminate the evolution of stripe patterns in skipper butterflies

This study shows WntA expression and gene expression patterns in skipper butterflies are homologous to the Central Symmetry System in nymphalid butterflies, revealing shared developmental mechanisms for wing stripe patterns.

BMP-Smad1/9 signaling is required for PGC proliferation in zebrafish

This study shows BMP-Smad1/9 signaling is essential for zebrafish PGC proliferation and survival but not for their fate or migration.