Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology

Histone demethylase Lsd1 is required for the differentiation of neural cells in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

This study shows that Lsd1 is essential for neural cell differentiation in Nematostella vectensis, suggesting ancient chromatin regulation in animal development.

The transcription factor Zic4 acts as a transdifferentiation switch

The paper shows Zic4 silencing induces transdifferentiation in Hydra and identifies a Wnt-controlled GRN that regulates cell fate and cell cycle re-entry.

Characterisation of Geometric Variance in the Epithelial Nerve Net of the Ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus

This study characterizes the geometric variance in the epithelial nerve net of Pleurobrachia pileus, revealing both conserved and variable structural features across body regions and sizes.

Life Strategies in Placozoa

This study investigates feeding, reproductive, and immune strategies in placozoans through long-term culturing, revealing multiple growth modes, asexual reproduction, and immune responses.

Profiling cellular diversity in sponges informs animal cell type and nervous system evolution

The paper identifies 18 cell types in sponges, including neuroid cells with synaptic gene expression, suggesting early neuro-immune system evolution.

Functional modules within a distributed neural network control feeding in a model medusa

The paper identifies local neural subnetworks in jellyfish that coordinate feeding behavior without centralized control.

Multiple neuronal networks coordinate Hydra mechanosensory behavior

This study identifies two distinct neuronal networks in Hydra vulgaris that coordinate mechanosensory responses, revealing how sensory information is processed in a radially symmetric nervous system.

Fast transcriptional activation of developmental signalling pathways during wound healing of the calcareous sponge Sycon ciliatum

This study investigates wound healing in the sponge Sycon ciliatum using microscopy and RNA-sequencing, revealing early activation of Wnt and TGFβ pathways and cell transdifferentiation.

A single neuron subset governs a single coactive neuron circuit in Hydra vulgaris , representing a prototypic feature of neural evolution

The paper identifies a single neuron subset in Hydra that forms a coactive motor circuit, suggesting a fundamental feature of early nervous systems.

Dynamics and variability of neuronal subtype responses during growth, degrowth, and regeneration

The paper tracks neuronal subtype responses in Nematostella during growth, degrowth, and regeneration, finding that neuronal numbers scale with body size and regenerates show subtype-specific changes.

Wnt3 expression as a readout of tissue stretching during Hydra regeneration

The paper shows Wnt3 expression reflects tissue stretching during Hydra regeneration and can drive regeneration without mechanical input.

Cell shape changes during larval body plan development in Clytia hemisphaerica

The paper characterizes cell shape changes during planula formation in Clytia hemisphaerica using microscopy and links these changes to gene expression patterns during gastrulation.

A Reference Genome from the symbiotic hydrozoan, Hydra viridissima

The paper presents a new genome assembly for Hydra viridissima, a symbiotic hydrozoan, with improved continuity and gene annotations compared to previous assemblies.

Pattern regulation in a regenerating jellyfish

This study shows that mechanical forces, cell migration, and Wnt signaling drive rapid regeneration of the manubrium in Clytia hemisphaerica fragments.

Feeding-dependent tentacle development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The paper studies feeding-dependent tentacle development in Nematostella vectensis, showing that TOR and FGFRb pathways coordinate post-embryonic patterning with food availability.

Wnt signaling determines body axis polarity in regenerating Hydra tissue

This study shows that Wnt signaling determines body axis polarity in regenerating Hydra tissue, overriding the influence of myoneme orientation.

Bacteria- and temperature-regulated peptides modulate beta-catenin signaling in Hydra

The paper identifies two peptides, Eco1 and Eco2, regulated by bacteria and temperature that modulate beta-catenin signaling and pattern formation in Hydra.

Gene knockdown via electroporation of short hairpin RNAs in embryos of the marine hydroid Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus

The paper develops an electroporation method to deliver shRNAs into Hydractinia embryos, enabling gene knockdown and phenotypic analysis.

MAPK signaling links the injury response to Wnt-regulated patterning in Hydra regeneration

This study identifies MAPK signaling as a critical pathway linking injury response to Wnt-regulated patterning in Hydra regeneration.

Oral Regeneration Is the Default Pathway Triggered by Injury in Hydra

The paper shows that injury in Hydra triggers an initial generalized response involving Wnt signaling, which later becomes restricted to oral regeneration, with TCF required for both oral and aboral regeneration.

Whole-body imaging of neural and muscle activity during behavior in Hydra: bidirectional effects of osmolarity on contraction bursts

This paper uses whole-body calcium imaging in Hydra to show osmolarity affects contraction bursts through specific neuronal and muscle circuits.

Stable behavioral and neural responses to thermal stimulation despite large changes in the Hydra vulgaris nervous system

This study shows Hydra vulgaris maintains stable thermal responses despite losing half its neurons through caloric restriction or surgery.

Evolution of colonial life history in styelids tunicates involves changes in complexity patterns

The paper investigates how the regulation of simultaneous asexual developmental processes in colonial Styelid tunicates, specifically Symplegma, involves an extra-corporeal blood vessel system.

Characterising the Behaviour of the Ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus in a Laboratory Aquaculture System

This study establishes a long-term laboratory husbandry system for Pleurobrachia pileus and characterizes its behavioral patterns over time in a controlled environment.

Hough transform implementation to evaluate the morphological variability of the moon jellyfish (Aurelia sp.)

The paper uses Hough transform to analyze morphological variability in moon jellyfish, finding two discriminant parameters related to gonad placement and shape.

NvPOU4/Brain3 functions as a terminal selector gene in the nervous system of the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

The paper identifies NvPOU4 as a terminal selector gene in Nematostella vectensis, showing it is required for terminal differentiation of neural cells but not their initial specification.

Regeneration in sponge Sycon ciliatum mimics postlarval development

This study shows that sponge regeneration mimics postlarval development by using transcriptomic analysis to compare regeneration with embryonic stages.

An improved whole life cycle culture protocol for the hydrozoan genetic model Clytia hemisphaerica.

This paper describes an improved culture protocol for Clytia hemisphaerica, enabling the maintenance of its entire life cycle in the lab through optimized feeding and metamorphosis induction.

Structure and function of the nervous system in nectophores of the siphonophore Nanomia bijuga

The paper describes the structure and function of the nervous system in the nectophores of Nanomia bijuga, highlighting roles in locomotion, sensory input, and chemical release.

Synergic coordination of stem cells is required to induce a regenerative response in anthozoan cnidarians

The paper identifies a regeneration-inducing structure in Nematostella vectensis that coordinates fast and slow-cycling stem cells to enable tissue repair after amputation.