Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology

Methods for cell isolation and analysis of the highly regenerative tunicate Polycarpa mytiligera

This paper develops a method to isolate live cells from the regenerative tunicate Polycarpa mytiligera, enabling functional analyses and gene expression studies.

The internal metabolic state controls behavior in Hydra through an interplay of enteric and central nervous system-like neuron populations

The paper shows that in Hydra, two neuronal populations control feeding-related behaviors, with N4 neurons resembling the enteric nervous system and N3 neurons resembling the central nervous system.

Size-Correlated Polymorphisms in Phyllotaxis-Like Periodic and Symmetric Tentacle Arrangements in Hydrozoan Polyps

The paper studies periodic tentacle arrangements in radially symmetrical hydrozoan polyps, finding size-correlated radial symmetry polymorphisms.

An ancient split of germline and somatic stem cell lineages in Hydra

The paper identifies two distinct stem cell lineages in Hydra, germline and somatic, and finds shared stemness genes with origins in unicellular eukaryotes.

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.

Senescence-induced cellular reprogramming drives cnidarian whole-body regeneration

This study shows that senescent cell signals reprogram somatic cells into stem cells, enabling whole-body regeneration in cnidarians.

A new look at the architecture and dynamics of the Hydra nerve net

This paper re-examines the structure of the Hydra nerve net using immunostaining and imaging, revealing two distinct nerve nets in ectoderm and endoderm with no contact between them.

Graded FGF activity patterns distinct cell types within the apical sensory organ of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The paper identifies two cell types in the sea anemone's apical sensory organ and shows FGF signaling regulates their development through a gene regulatory network.

Phototaxis is a state-dependent behavioral sequence in Hydra vulgaris

The paper shows that Hydra vulgaris exhibits phototaxis only when starved, with satiety affecting jump rate but not orientation or distance.

Sleep is required for neural network plasticity in the jellyfish Cassiopea

The paper investigates sleep in the brainless jellyfish Cassiopea, showing that sleep maintains neural network plasticity through changes in ganglia activity patterns.

Pluripotent, germ cell competent adult stem cells underlie cnidarian plant-like life history

This study shows that adult stem cells in the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus are pluripotent and can generate a fully functional, sexually competent individual.

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.

Relationship between neural activity and neuronal cell fate in regenerating Hydra revealed by cell-type specific imaging

This study uses cell-type specific imaging in Hydra to show that neurons differentiate terminally before re-establishing functional neural circuits during regeneration.

Evolutionary history of the Brachyury gene in Hydrozoa: duplications, divergence and neofunctionalization.

This study investigates the evolutionary history of Brachyury genes in Hydrozoa, identifying duplications and functional divergence in Dynamena pumila.

Distinct stem-like cell populations facilitate functional regeneration of the Cladonema medusa tentacle

The paper identifies distinct stem-like cell populations in the jellyfish Cladonema pacificum that contribute to tentacle regeneration through different roles in homeostasis and repair.

Genomic, Functional and Structural Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Evolutionary Innovation within the Sea Anemone 8 Toxin Family

The paper characterizes the genomic structure, expression, and functional properties of the SA8 toxin family in two sea anemone species, revealing evolutionary mechanisms and venom recruitment.

Developmental staging and future research directions of the model marine tubeworm Hydroides elegans

This paper develops a unified staging scheme for the marine tubeworm Hydroides elegans to standardize its life cycle description and connect molecular changes with morphology.

Apical-to-basal graded ROS metabolism in intact Hydra leads to distinct levels of injury-induced ROS signaling in apical and basal regenerating tips

The paper shows that asymmetrical ROS metabolism in Hydra leads to distinct injury-induced ROS signaling in apical and basal regenerating tips, driving different regenerative responses.

siRNA-mediated gene knockdown via electroporation in hydrozoan jellyfish embryos

The paper introduces an siRNA electroporation method for gene knockdown in jellyfish embryos, demonstrating its effectiveness in two species and revealing conserved developmental pathways.

Ethology of morphogenesis reveals the design principles of cnidarian size and shape development

The paper shows how muscular hydraulic behavior in Nematostella vectensis drives larva-polyp morphogenesis through antagonistic muscle pressures.

Is proteolytic cleavage essential for the activation of Hydra pore-forming toxin, HALT-4?

The study investigates whether proteolytic cleavage of HALT-4 enhances its cytolytic activity, finding that cleavage of KK1 and KK2 may facilitate sorting to the regulated secretory pathway rather than increasing cytotoxicity.

Symbiosis-driven development in an early branching metazoan

This study identifies symbiont-derived carotenoids and conserved genes as drivers of metamorphosis in Cassiopea xamachana, highlighting the role of microbial signals in developmental gene regulation.

New Hydra Genomes Reveal Conserved Principles of Hydrozoan Transcriptional Regulation

This study generates new Hydra genomes and transcriptomic resources to uncover conserved transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in cnidarians.

H4K20me1 plays a dual role in transcriptional regulation during regeneration and axispatterning of Hydra

This study identifies H4K20me1 as a dual regulatory histone mark in Hydra, both activating and repressing gene expression during regeneration and axis patterning.

A cellular and molecular analysis of SoxB-driven neurogenesis in a cnidarian

This study investigates SoxB-driven neurogenesis in the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, showing sequential SoxB gene action and defects upon knockdown.

Integrative analysis of Hydra head regeneration reveals actions of conserved signaling pathways and transposable elements

This study uses multi-omics data to identify signaling pathways and transposable elements involved in Hydra head regeneration.

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.

A novel regulatory gene promotes novel cell fate by suppressing ancestral fate in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The paper shows a regulatory gene promotes cnidocyte development by suppressing neural fate in sea anemones.

Insm1-expressing neurons and secretory cells develop from a common pool of progenitors in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The paper shows that neurons and secretory cells in Nematostella vectensis develop from a common progenitor pool marked by NvSoxB(2).

Pre-metazoan origin of neuropeptide signalling

The paper identifies two neuropeptide precursors with broad evolutionary conservation, suggesting neuropeptide signaling originated before neurons.