Publications

impacts of the mhc class i-like xnc10 and innate-like t cells on tumor tolerance and rejection in the amphibian xenopus.	the conditions that lead to antitumor or protumor functions of natural killer t (nkt) cells against mammalian tumors are only partially understood. therefore, insights into the evolutionary conservation of nkt and their analogs-innate-like t (it) cells-may reveal factors that contribute to tumor eradication. as such, we investigated the amphibian xenopus laevis it cells and interacting mhc class i-like (xnc or mhc1b.l) genes against ff-2 thymic lymphoid tumors. upon ff-2 intraperitoneal transpla ...	2019	31155639
the direct permeation of nanoparticles through the plasma membrane transiently modifies its properties.	the exposure to metal nanoparticles (nps) has increased with their widespread use in industry, research and medicine. it is well known that nps may enter cells and that this mechanism is crucial to exert both the therapeutic and toxicity effects. the main cellular entrance route is endocytosis-based, however, recent experimental studies, have reported that nps can also enter the cell crossing directly the plasma membrane, it is thus important to investigate this alternative internalization mecha ...	2019	31150635
the plus maze and scototaxis test are not valid behavioral assays for anxiety assessment in the south african clawed frog.	there are no behavioral models for testing anxiety in amphibians, a group of animals widely used for developmental, ecotoxicological, and genetic research. we aimed to validate two common rodent paradigms, the plus maze and the scototaxis test, for use in the aquatic african clawed frog (xenopus laevis). we predicted: (a) that frogs would prefer the dark, vs. light, portions of the testing arenas (face validity), (b) that this behavior could be altered with acute administration of anxio-selectiv ...	2019	31144017
acclimation temperature effects on locomotor traits in adult aquatic anurans (x. tropicalis and x. laevis) from different latitudes: possible implications for climate change.	climate change is in part responsible for the 70% decline in amphibian species numbers worldwide. although temperature is expected to impact whole-organism performance in ectotherms, reversible thermal acclimation has been suggested as a mechanism that may buffer responses to abrupt temperature changes. here, we test for an effect of acclimation on locomotor performance traits (jump force and stamina) in adults of two predominantly aquatic and closely related frog species from different climatic ...	2019	31139411
using the xenopus developmental eye regrowth system to distinguish the role of developmental versus regenerative mechanisms.	a longstanding challenge in regeneration biology is to understand the role of developmental mechanisms in restoring lost or damaged tissues and organs. as these body structures were built during embryogenesis, it is not surprising that a number of developmental mechanisms are also active during regeneration. however, it remains unclear whether developmental mechanisms act similarly or differently during regeneration as compared to development. since regeneration is studied in the context of matu ...	2019	31139088
preserving genome integrity during the early embryonic dna replication cycles.	during the very early stages of embryonic development chromosome replication occurs under rather challenging conditions, including a very short cell cycle, absence of transcription, a relaxed dna damage response and, in certain animal species, a highly contracted s-phase. this raises the puzzling question of how the genome can be faithfully replicated in such a peculiar metabolic context. recent studies have provided new insights into this issue, and unveiled that embryos are prone to accumulate ...	2019	31137726
growth at cold temperature increases the number of motor neurons to optimize locomotor function.	during vertebrate development, spinal neurons differentiate and connect to generate a system that performs sensorimotor functions critical for survival. spontaneous ca2+ activity regulates different aspects of spinal neuron differentiation. it is unclear whether environmental factors can modulate this ca2+ activity in developing spinal neurons to alter their specialization and ultimately adjust sensorimotor behavior to fit the environment. here, we show that growing xenopus laevis embryos at col ...	2019	31130453
genome wide decrease of dna replication eye density at the midblastula transition of xenopus laevis.	during the first rapid divisions of early development in many species, the dna:cytoplasm ratio increases until the midblastula transition (mbt) when transcription resumes and cell cycles lengthen. s phase is very rapid in early embryos, about 20-30 times faster than in differentiated cells. using a combination of dna fiber studies and a xenopus laevis embryonic in vitro replication system, we show that s phase slows down shortly after the mbt owing to a genome wide decrease of replication eye de ...	2019	31130065
involvement of myt1 kinase in the g2 phase of the first cell cycle in xenopus laevis.	during cleavage of xenopus laevis, the first mitotic cell cycle immediately following fertilization is approximately 90 min and consists of s, g2, and m phases. in contrast, the subsequent eleven cell cycles are approximately 30 min and consist mostly of s and m phases. the balance between cdc25 and wee1a/myt1 is thought to be crucial for xenopus first cell cycle progression; however, the role of myt1 in this period has not been fully investigated. in this study, we examined the roles of myt1, w ...	2019	31128913
methods for studying dna single-strand break repair and signaling in xenopus laevis egg extracts.	dna single-strand breaks (ssbs) are the most common type of dna lesions as they are generated approximately 10,000 times per mammalian cell each day. unrepaired ssbs compromise dna replication and transcription programs, leading to genome instability, and have been implicated in many diseases including cancer. in this chapter, we introduce methods to study the atr-chk1 dna damage response (ddr) pathway and dna repair pathway in response to a site-specific, defined ssb plasmid in xenopus laevis e ...	2019	31127575
ptk7 proteolytic fragment proteins function during early xenopus development.	protein tyrosine kinase 7 (ptk7) is as a critical regulator of canonical and non-canonical wnt-signaling during embryonic development and cancer cell formation. disrupting ptk7 activity perturbs vertebrate nervous system development, and also promotes human cancer formation. observations in different model systems suggest a complex cross-talk between ptk7 protein and wnt signaling. during xenopus laevis nervous system development, we previously showed that ptk7 protein positively regulates canon ...	2019	31125531
development of an in vitro diagnostic method to determine the genotypic sex of xenopus laevis.	a genotypic sex determination assay provides accurate gender information of individuals with well-developed phenotypic characters as well as those with poorly developed or absent of phenotypic characters. determination of genetic sex for xenopus laevis can be used to validate the outcomes of tier 2 amphibian assays, and is a requirement for conducting the larval amphibian growth and development assay (lagda), in the endocrine disruptor screening program (edsp), test guidelines. the assay we deve ...	2019	31106075
composition and endocrine effects of water collected in the kibale national park in uganda.	pesticides are used worldwide with potential harmful effects on both fauna and flora. the kibale national park in uganda, a site renowned for its biodiversity is surrounded by tea, banana and eucalyptus plantations as well as maize fields and small farms. we previously showed presence of pesticides with potential endocrine disruptive effects in the vicinity. to further investigate the water pollution linked to agricultural pressure in this protected area, we implemented a complementary monitorin ...	2019	31103006
identification of a regeneration-organizing cell in the xenopus tail.	unlike mammals, xenopus laevis tadpoles have a high regenerative potential. to characterize this regenerative response, we performed single-cell rna sequencing after tail amputation. by comparing naturally occurring regeneration-competent and -incompetent tadpoles, we identified a previously unrecognized cell type, which we term the regeneration-organizing cell (roc). rocs are present in the epidermis during normal tail development and specifically relocalize to the amputation plane of regenerat ...	2019	31097661
embryonic expression of gins members in the development of the mammalian nervous system.	the gins (go, ichi, nii, and san) complex contains four protein subunits (psf1, psf2, psf3, and sld5) and has been identified as a factor essential for the initiation and elongation stages of the dna replication process. a previous study indicated that psf2 participated in the developing central nervous system (cns) of xenopus laevis. however, the expression and function of gins members in the mammalian developing nervous system remains unclear. here, we examined the expression of gins members i ...	2019	31095979
spindle-f-actin interactions in mitotic spindles in an intact vertebrate epithelium.	mitotic spindles are well known to be assembled from and dependent on microtubules. in contrast, whether actin filaments (f-actin) are required for or are even present in mitotic spindles has long been controversial. here we have developed improved methods for simultaneously preserving f-actin and microtubules in fixed samples and exploited them to demonstrate that f-actin is indeed associated with mitotic spindles in intact xenopus laevis embryonic epithelia. we also find that there is an "f-ac ...	2019	31091161
neurotoxicity and mode of action of fluralaner on honeybee apis mellifera l.	fluralaner, a novel pesticide that targets the γ-aminobutyric acid (gaba) receptor (gabar) subunit of resistant to dieldrin (rdl), exhibits strong potential to be an insecticide to control agricultural insect pests. however, the risk and action of fluralaner to economic insects, e.g., honeybee apis mellifera linnaeus, remains unclear.	2019	31081291
xenopus resources: transgenic, inbred and mutant animals, training opportunities, and web-based support.	two species of the clawed frog family, xenopus laevis and x. tropicalis, are widely used as tools to investigate both normal and disease-state biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, and developmental biology. to support both frog specialist and non-specialist scientists needing access to these models for their research, a number of centralized resources exist around the world. these include centers that hold live and frozen stocks of transgenic, inbred and mutant animals and centers that hold mol ...	2019	31073289
pdgf-b: the missing piece in the mosaic of pdgf family role in craniofacial development.	the platelet-derived growth factor (pdgf) family consists of four ligands (pdgf-a, pdgf-b, pdgf-c, pdgf-d) and two tyrosine kinase receptors (pdgfr-α and pdgfr-β). in vertebrates, pdgf signaling influences cell proliferation, migration, and matrix deposition, and its up-regulation is implicated in cancer progression. despite this evidence, the role of each family member during embryogenesis is still incomplete and partially controversial. in particular, study of the role of pdgf signaling during ...	2019	31070827
the xenopus tropicalis model for studies of developmental and reproductive toxicity.	the reproductive cycle encompasses processes such as sex organ differentiation and development in the early life stages and maturation of the gametes in the adult organism. during the early life stages, critical developmental programming of the endocrine and reproductive systems occurs, and exposure to chemicals during these critical developmental windows can result in impaired reproductive function later in life. it is therefore important to evaluate long-term consequences of early life stage e ...	2019	31069675
disrupted plasma membrane protein homeostasis in a xenopus laevis model of retinitis pigmentosa.	rhodopsin mislocalization is frequently observed in retinitis pigmentosa (rp) patients. for example, class i mutant rhodopsin is deficient in the vxpx trafficking signal, mislocalizes to the plasma membrane (pm) of rod photoreceptor inner segments (iss), and causes autosomal dominant rp. mislocalized rhodopsin causes photoreceptor degeneration in a manner independent of light-activation. in this manuscript, we took advantage of xenopus laevis models of both sexes expressing wild-type human rhodo ...	2019	31061086
antinociceptive effects of new pyrazoles compounds mediated by the asic-1α channel, trpv-1 and μmor receptors.	pyrazoles are potent medicinal scaffolds and exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. in this paper we report on research we have performed with the aim of continuing the biological evaluation of the regio-isomeric pyrazole compounds, lqfm-020 (fluorine, para position), lqfm-021 (fluorine, meta position), and lqfm-039 (fluorine, ortho position) in models of pain induced by acidified saline, capsaicin, and formalin. we also investigat ...	2019	31055237
isolation of nanobodies against xenopus embryonic antigens using immune and non-immune phage display libraries.	the use of xenopus laevis as a model for vertebrate developmental biology is limited by a lack of antibodies specific for embryonic antigens. this study evaluated the use of immune and non-immune phage display libraries for the isolation of single domain antibodies, or nanobodies, with specificities for xenopus embryonic antigens. the immune nanobody library was derived from peripheral blood lymphocyte rna obtained from a llama immunized with xenopus gastrula homogenates. screening this library ...	2019	31048885
positively charged tags impede protein mobility in cells as quantified by 19f nmr.	proteins are often tagged for visualization or delivery in the "sea" of other macromolecules in cells but how tags affect protein mobility remains poorly understood. here, we employ in-cell 19f nmr to quantify the mobility of proteins with charged tags in escherichia coli cells and xenopus laevis oocytes. we find that the transient charge-charge interactions between the tag and cellular components affect protein mobility. more specifically, positively charged tags impede protein mobility.	2019	31042382
wolf-hirschhorn syndrome-associated genes are enriched in motile neural crest cells and affect craniofacial development in xenopus laevis.	wolf-hirschhorn syndrome (whs) is a human developmental disorder arising from a hemizygous perturbation, typically a microdeletion, on the short arm of chromosome four. in addition to pronounced intellectual disability, seizures, and delayed growth, whs presents with a characteristic facial dysmorphism and varying prevalence of microcephaly, micrognathia, cartilage malformation in the ear and nose, and facial asymmetries. these affected craniofacial tissues all derive from a shared embryonic pre ...	2019	31031646
methods for investigating trp channel gating.	a complete characterization of temperature -and voltage-activated trp channel gating requires a precise determination of the absolute probability of opening in a wide range of voltages, temperatures, and agonist concentrations. we have achieved this in the case of the trpm8 channel expressed in xenopus laevis oocytes. measurements covered an extensive range of probabilities and unprecedented applied voltages up to 500 mv. in this chapter, we describe animal care protocols of patch-clamp pipette ...	2019	31028680
the c-type atp-binding cassette transporter osabcc7 is involved in the root-to-shoot translocation of arsenic in rice.	rice is a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic (as), a nonthreshold carcinogen. reducing as accumulation in rice grain is of critical importance for food safety. in the present study, we investigated the role of a member of the rice c-type atp-binding cassette (abc) transporter (osabcc) family, osabcc7, in arsenite [as(iii)] accumulation in rice. quantitative real-time rt-pcr showed that osabcc7 was expressed intensively in the roots and the expression was strongly suppressed by as(iii) exp ...	2019	31028396
a ywhaz variant associated with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome activates the raf-erk pathway.	cardiofaciocutaneous (cfc) syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by distinctive facial features, congenital heart defects, and skin abnormalities. several germline gain-of-function mutations in the ras/raf/mek/erk pathway are associated with the disease, including kras, braf, mek1, and mek2. cfc syndrome thus belongs to a group of disorders known as rasopathies, which are all caused by pathogenic mutations in various genes encoding components of the ras pathway. we recently identified nov ...	2019	31024343
effects of nonylphenols on embryonic development and metamorphosis of xenopus laevis: fetax and amphibian metamorphosis toxicity test (oecd tg231).	nonylphenols (nps) are a group of endocrine-disrupting surfactants that mimic estrogen. to determine the developmental toxicity and thyroid-disrupting effect of nps, the effects of exposure to nonylphenol (np), 4-nonylphenol (4-np), and nonylphenol ethoxylate (np-12) were examined according to the frog embryo teratogenesis assay-xenopus (fetax) and organization for economic co-operation and development test guidelines 231 (tg231). in fetax, the lc50 values of np, 4-np, and np-12 were 59.14 mg/l, ...	2019	31022611
slpi inhibits atp-mediated maturation of il-1β in human monocytic leukocytes: a novel function of an old player.	interleukin-1β (il-1β) is a potent, pro-inflammatory cytokine of the innate immune system that plays an essential role in host defense against infection. however, elevated circulating levels of il-1β can cause life-threatening systemic inflammation. hence, mechanisms controlling il-1β maturation and release are of outstanding clinical interest. secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (slpi), in addition to its well-described anti-protease function, controls the expression of several pro-inflammat ...	2019	31019507
special considerations for making explants and transplants with xenopus tropicalis.	although xenopus laevis is an important model organism for embryological experimentation, the smaller, more genetically tractable, and faster developing xenopus tropicalis provides advantages for using genetic approaches to understand developmental mechanisms. explant cultures and transplants of x. tropicalis embryonic tissues present unique opportunities to examine embryonic tissue determination in a simplified setting. here we demonstrate preparation of explants and transplants of preplacodal ...	2019	31010887
altering the levels of nuclear import factors in early xenopus laevis embryos affects later development.	more than just a container for dna, the nuclear envelope carries out a wide variety of critical and highly regulated cellular functions. one of these functions is nuclear import, and in this study we investigate how altering the levels of nuclear transport factors impacts developmental progression and organismal size. during early xenopus laevis embryogenesis, the timing of a key developmental event, the midblastula transition (mbt), is sensitive to nuclear import factor levels. how might alteri ...	2019	31009515
urokinase-type plasminogen activator (upa) is not essential for epithelial sodium channel (enac)-mediated sodium retention in experimental nephrotic syndrome.	in nephrotic syndrome, aberrantly filtered plasminogen (plg) is converted to active plasmin by tubular urokinase-type plasminogen activator (upa) and thought to lead to sodium retention by proteolytic activation of the epithelial sodium channel (enac). this concept predicts that upa is an important factor for sodium retention and that inhibition of upa might be protective in nephrotic syndrome.	2019	31006168
fluorescence lifetime imaging reveals heterogeneous functional distribution of egfp expressed in xenopus oocytes.	the oocytes from xenopus laevis are well known for their polarity, presenting a distinct animal and vegetal pole. other heterogeneities are less known. to study the heterogeneity of the xenopus oocyte, we expressed egfp and analyzed the protein distribution with fluorescence lifetime microscopy. the vegetal pole exhibited higher levels of fluorescence, than the animal pole. however, the fluorescence lifetimes between the two areas were indistinguishable, suggesting similar environments. in contr ...	2019	31658452
nutrient restriction causes reversible g2 arrest in xenopus neural progenitors.	nutrient status affects brain development; however, the effects of nutrient availability on neural progenitor cell proliferation in vivo are poorly understood. without food, xenopus laevis tadpoles enter a period of stasis during which neural progenitor proliferation is drastically reduced, but resumes when food becomes available. here, we investigate how neural progenitors halt cell division in response to nutrient restriction and subsequently re-enter the cell cycle upon feeding. we demonstrat ...	2019	31649012
bioinformatics screening of genes specific for well-regenerating vertebrates reveals c-answer, a regulator of brain development and regeneration.	the molecular basis of higher regenerative capacity of cold-blooded animals comparing to warm-blooded ones is poorly understood. although this difference in regenerative capacities is commonly thought to be a result of restructuring of the same regulatory gene network, we hypothesized that it may be due to loss of some genes essential for regeneration. we describe here a bioinformatic method that allowed us to identify such genes. for investigation in depth we selected one of them encoding trans ...	2019	31644900
azi-medetomidine: synthesis and characterization of a novel α2 adrenergic photoaffinity ligand.	agonists at the α2 adrenergic receptor produce sedation, increase focus, provide analgesia, and induce centrally mediated hypotension and bradycardia, yet neither their dynamic interactions with adrenergic receptors nor their modulation of neuronal circuit activity is completely understood. photoaffinity ligands of α2 adrenergic agonists have the potential both to capture discrete moments of ligand-receptor interactions and to prolong naturalistic drug effects in discrete regions of tissue in vi ...	2019	31638765
nucleoplasmin is a limiting component in the scaling of nuclear size with cytoplasmic volume.	how nuclear size is regulated relative to cell size is a fundamental cell biological question. reductions in both cell and nuclear sizes during xenopus laevis embryogenesis provide a robust scaling system to study mechanisms of nuclear size regulation. to test if the volume of embryonic cytoplasm is limiting for nuclear growth, we encapsulated gastrula-stage embryonic cytoplasm and nuclei in droplets of defined volume using microfluidics. nuclei grew and reached new steady-state sizes as a funct ...	2019	31636119
n-glycosylation of trek-1/hk2p2.1 two-pore-domain potassium (k2p) channels.	mechanosensitive htrek-1 two-pore-domain potassium (hk2p2.1) channels give rise to background currents that control cellular excitability. recently, trek-1 currents have been linked to the regulation of cardiac rhythm as well as to hypertrophy and fibrosis. even though the pharmacological and biophysical characteristics of htrek-1 channels have been widely studied, relatively little is known about their posttranslational modifications. this study aimed to evaluate whether htrek-1 channels are n- ...	2019	31635148
an optimized screen reduces the number of ga transporters and provides insights into nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family substrate determinants.	based on recent in vitro data, a relatively large number of the plant nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (npf) proteins have been suggested to function as gibberellic acid (ga) transporters. most ga transporting npf proteins also appear to transport other structurally unrelated phytohormones or metabolites. several of the gas used in previous in vitro assays are membrane permeable weak organic acids whose movement across membranes are influenced by the ph-sensitive ion-trap mechani ...	2019	31632416
kif2a scales meiotic spindle size in hymenochirus boettgeri.	size is a fundamental feature of biological systems that affects physiology at all levels. for example, the dynamic, microtubule-based spindle that mediates chromosome segregation scales to a wide range of cell sizes across different organisms and cell types. xenopus frog species possess a variety of egg and meiotic spindle sizes, and differences in activities or levels of microtubule-associated proteins in the egg cytoplasm between xenopus laevis and xenopus tropicalis have been shown to accoun ...	2019	31630945
spontaneous emergence of cell-like organization in xenopus egg extracts.	every daughter cell inherits two things from its mother: genetic information and a spatially organized complement of macromolecular complexes and organelles. the extent to which de novo self-organization, as opposed to inheritance of an already organized state, can suffice to yield functional cells is uncertain. we used xenopus laevis egg extracts to show that homogenized interphase egg cytoplasm self-organizes over the course of ~30 minutes into compartments 300 to 400 micrometers in length tha ...	2019	31672897
single-cell proteomics in complex tissues using microprobe capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry.	direct measurement of proteins produced by single cells promises to expand our understanding of molecular cell-to-cell differences (heterogeneity) and their contribution to normal and impaired development. high-resolution mass spectrometry (hrms) is the modern technology of choice for the label-free identification and quantification of proteins, albeit usually in large populations of cells. recent advances in microscale sample collection and processing, separation, and ionization have extended t ...	2019	31668233
identification and characterisation of two high-affinity glucose transporters from the spoilage yeast brettanomyces bruxellensis.	the yeast brettanomyces bruxellensis (syn. dekkera bruxellensis) is an emerging and undesirable contaminant in industrial low-sugar ethanol fermentations that employ the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. high-affinity glucose import in b. bruxellensis has been proposed to be the mechanism by which this yeast can outcompete s. cerevisiae. the present study describes the characterization of two b. bruxellensis genes (bht1 and bht3) believed to encode putative high-affinity glucose transporters. in v ...	2019	31665273
identification of crucial residues in α-conotoxin ei inhibiting muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.	α-conotoxins (α-ctxs) are small disulfide-rich peptides from venom of conus species that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nachrs). the muscle-type nachrs have been recognized as a potential target for several diseases, such as myogenic disorders, muscle dystrophies, and myasthenia gravis. ei, an α4/7-ctx, mainly blocks α1β1δε nachrs and has an extra n-terminal extension of three amino acids. in this study, the alanine scanning (ala-scan) mutagenesis was applied in order to identify key ...	2019	31623211
popdc3 gene variants associate with a new form of limb girdle muscular dystrophy.	the popeye domain containing 3 (popdc3) gene encodes a membrane protein involved in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (camp) signaling. besides gastric cancer, no disease association has been described. we describe a new muscular dystrophy associated with this gene.	2019	31610034
embryogenesis of marsupial frogs (hemiphractidae), and the changes that accompany terrestrial development in frogs.	the developmental adaptations of the marsupial frogs gastrotheca riobambae and flectonotus pygmaeus (hemiphractidae) are described and compared with frogs belonging to seven additional families. incubation of embryos by the mother in marsupial frogs is associated with changes in the anatomy and physiology of the female, modifications of oogenesis, and extraordinary changes in embryonic development. the comparison of early development reveals that gene expression is highly conserved. however, the ...	2019	31598865
identification of lysine histidine transporter 2 as an 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid transporter in arabidopsis thaliana by transgenic complementation approach.	1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (acc), a biosynthetic precursor of ethylene, has long been proposed to act as a mobile messenger in higher plants. however, little is known about the transport system of acc. recently, our genetic characterization of an acc-resistant mutant with normal ethylene sensitivity revealed that lysine histidine transporter 1 (lht1) functions as a transporter of acc. as amino acid transporters might have broad substrate specificity, we hypothesized that other amino a ...	2019	31572413
electrophysiological studies revealed cam1-mediated regulation of the arabidopsis calcium channel cngc12.	the arabidopsis cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (cngc) family consists of 20 members, which have been reported to participate in various physiological processes, such as pathogen defense, development, and thermotolerance. although cngc11 and cngc12 have been identified a decade ago and their role in programmed cell death is well studied, their precise channel regulation has not been studied electrophysiologically. here, we determined the channel activities of cngc11 and cngc12 utilizing the two- ...	2019	31572412
in vitro reconstruction of xenopus oocyte ovulation.	progesterone is widely used to induce maturation of isolated fully grown oocytes of the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis. however, the hormone fails to release oocytes from the layer of surrounding follicle cells. here, we report that maturation and follicle rupture can be recapitulated in vitro by treating isolated follicular oocytes with progesterone and low doses of the matrix metalloproteinase (mmp), collagenase, which are ineffective in the absence of the steroid. using this in vitro ovu ...	2019	31561408
bap1 regulates epigenetic switch from pluripotency to differentiation in developmental lineages giving rise to bap1-mutant cancers.	the bap1 tumor suppressor is mutated in many human cancers such as uveal melanoma, leading to poor patient outcome. it remains unclear how bap1 functions in normal biology or how its loss promotes cancer progression. here, we show that bap1 is critical for commitment to ectoderm, mesoderm, and neural crest lineages during xenopus laevis development. bap1 loss causes transcriptional silencing and failure of h3k27ac to accumulate at promoters of key genes regulating pluripotency-to-commitment tran ...	2019	31555735
structural determinants underlying permeant discrimination of the cx43 hemichannel.	connexin (cx) gap junction channels comprise two hemichannels in neighboring cells, and their permeability is well-described, but permeabilities of the single cx hemichannel remain largely unresolved. moreover, determination of isoform-specific cx hemichannel permeability is challenging because of concurrent expression of other channels with similar permeability profiles and inhibitor sensitivities. the mammalian cx hemichannels cx30 and cx43 are gated by extracellular divalent cations, removal ...	2019	31554662
emodepside has sex-dependent immobilizing effects on adult brugia malayi due to a differentially spliced binding pocket in the rck1 region of the slo-1 k channel.	filariae are parasitic nematodes that are transmitted to their definitive host as third-stage larvae by arthropod vectors like mosquitoes. filariae cause diseases including: lymphatic filariasis with distressing and disturbing symptoms like elephantiasis; and river blindness. filarial diseases affect millions of people in 73 countries throughout the topics and sub-tropics. the drugs available for mass drug administration, (ivermectin, albendazole and diethylcarbamazine), are ineffective against ...	2019	31553770
exposure to graphene oxide at environmental concentrations induces thyroid endocrine disruption and lipid metabolic disturbance in xenopus laevis.	graphene oxide (go) has become a topic of increasing concern for its environmental and health risks. however, the potential toxic effects of go on wildlife remain limited. the present study chose the xenopus laevis tadpole as a model to assess the thyroid endocrine disruption as well as the lipid metabolic disturbance of go. tadpoles at the 51 stage were exposed to go (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/l) for 21 days, when tadpoles were undergoing an extremely complicated phase of morphological changes and ...	2019	31549672
microinjection of dna into eyebuds in xenopus laevis embryos and imaging of gfp expressing optic axonal arbors in intact, living xenopus tadpoles.	the primary visual projection of tadpoles of the aquatic frog xenopus laevis serves as an excellent model system for studying mechanisms that regulate the development of neuronal connectivity. during establishment of the retino-tectal projection, optic axons extend from the eye and navigate through distinct regions of the brain to reach their target tissue, the optic tectum. once optic axons enter the tectum, they elaborate terminal arbors that function to increase the number of synaptic connect ...	2019	31545319
characteristics of in vivo model systems for ovarian cancer studies.	an understanding of the molecular pathogenesis and heterogeneity of ovarian cancer holds promise for the development of early detection strategies and novel, efficient therapies. in this review, we discuss the advantages and limitations of animal models available for basic and preclinical studies. the fruit fly model is suitable mainly for basic research on cellular migration, invasiveness, adhesion, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. higher-animal models allow to recapitulate the arc ...	2019	31540126
colony-stimulating factor-1- and interleukin-34-derived macrophages differ in their susceptibility to mycobacterium marinum.	mycobacterium tuberculosis (mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (tb), remains the leading global cause of death from an infectious agent. mycobacteria thrive within their host mϕs and presently, there is no animal model that permits combined in vitro and in vivo study of mycobacteria-host mϕ interactions. mycobacterium marinum (mm), which causes tb in aquatic vertebrates, has become a promising model for tb research, owing to its close genetic relatedness to mtb and the availability of alt ...	2019	31535730
structure-function elucidation of a new α-conotoxin, milia, from conus milneedwardsi.	the a-conotoxins are peptide toxins that are found in the venom of marine cone snails and they are potent antagonists of various subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nachrs). because nachrs have an important role in regulating transmitter release, cell excitability, and neuronal integration, nachr dysfunctions have been implicated in a variety of severe pathologies. we describe the isolation and characterization of α-conotoxin milia, the first conopeptide from the venom of conus milnee ...	2019	31527432
enrichment of aurora b kinase at the inner kinetochore controls outer kinetochore assembly.	outer kinetochore assembly enables chromosome attachment to microtubules and spindle assembly checkpoint (sac) signaling in mitosis. aurora b kinase controls kinetochore assembly by phosphorylating the mis12 complex (mis12c) subunit dsn1. current models propose dsn1 phosphorylation relieves autoinhibition, allowing mis12c binding to inner kinetochore component cenp-c. using xenopus laevis egg extracts and biochemical reconstitution, we found that autoinhibition of the mis12c by dsn1 impedes its ...	2019	31527147
identification of shaker k+ channel family members in rosaceae and a functional exploration of pbrkat1.	pbrkat1, which is inhibited by external na+ in xenopus laevis oocytes, is characterized as encoding a typical inward rectifying channel that is mainly expressed in guard cells. potassium (k+) is the most abundant cation in plant cells necessary for plant growth and development. the uptake and transport of k+ are mainly completed through transporters and channels, and the shaker family genes are the most studied k+ channels in plants. however, there is far less information about this family in ro ...	2019	31523779
spatiotemporal expression profile of embryonic and adult ankyrin repeat and ef-hand domain containing protein 1-encoding genes ankef1a and ankef1b in zebrafish.	recent human next-generation sequencing (ngs) studies indicate a correlation between ankef1 (ankyrin repeat and ef-hand domain containing protein 1) expression and cilia formation or function. additionally, a single study conducted in the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) showed ankef1 is down-regulated after pharmacological fibroblast growth factor (fgf) inhibition and plays a role in protocadherin-mediated cell protrusion and adhesion. that study also revealed a critical role for ankef1 in ...	2019	31520739
polyamine biosynthesis in xenopus laevis: the xlazin2/xlodc2 gene encodes a lysine/ornithine decarboxylase.	ornithine decarboxylase (odc) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines, organic cations that are implicated in many cellular processes. the enzyme is regulated at the post-translational level by an unusual system that includes antizymes (azs) and antizyme inhibitors (azins). most studies on this complex regulatory mechanism have been focused on human and rodent cells, showing that azins (azin1 and azin2) are homologues of odc but devoid of enzymatic activity. little is known about xenop ...	2019	31509528
bile acids inhibit human purinergic receptor p2x4 in a heterologous expression system.	we recently demonstrated that bile acids, especially tauro-deoxycholic acid (t-dca), modify the function of the acid-sensing ion channel asic1a and other members of the epithelial sodium channel (enac)/degenerin (deg) ion channel family. surprisingly, asic1 shares a high degree of structural similarity with the purinergic receptor p2x4, a nonselective cation channel transiently activated by atp. p2x4 is abundantly expressed in the apical membrane of bile duct epithelial cells and is therefore ex ...	2019	30988062
pacap-38 and pacap(6-38) degranulate rat meningeal mast cells via the orphan mrgb3-receptor.	infusion of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide-38 (pacap-38) provokes migraine attacks in migraineurs and headache in non-migraineurs. adverse events like long-lasting flushing and heat sensation can be terminated with oral antihistamine treatment, indicating the involvement of mast cell activation after pacap-infusion. degranulation of rat peritoneal mast cells was provoked by several isoforms of pacap via previously unknown receptor pharmacology. the effect might thus be mediated e ...	2019	30983973
molecular markers for corneal epithelial cells in larval vs. adult xenopus frogs.	corneal epithelial stem cells (cescs) and their proliferative progeny, the transit amplifying cells (tacs), are responsible for maintaining the integrity and transparency of the cornea. these stem cells (scs) are widely used in corneal transplants and ocular surface reconstruction. molecular markers are essential to identify, isolate and enrich for these cells, yet no definitive cesc marker has been established. an extensive literature survey shows variability in the expression of putative cesc ...	2019	30981716
molecular and functional characterization of a short-type peptidoglycan recognition protein, pgrp-s in the amphibian xenopus laevis.	peptidoglycan recognition proteins (pgrps) are a family of pattern recognition receptors (prrs) involved in host antibacterial responses, and their functions have been characterized in most invertebrate and vertebrate animals. however, little information is available regarding the function of frog pgrps. in this study, a short-type pgrp (termed xl-pgrp-s) gene was identified in the african clawed frog, xenopus laevis. the predicted protein of xl-pgrp-s contains several structural features known ...	2019	30980872
loss of function of kmt2d, a gene mutated in kabuki syndrome, affects heart development in xenopus laevis.	kabuki syndrome is a haploinsufficient congenital multi-organ malformation syndrome, which frequently includes severe heart defects. mutations in the histone h3k4 methyltransferase kmt2d have been identified as the main cause of kabuki syndrome, however, the role of kmt2d in heart development remains to be characterized.	2019	30980591
antimicrobial peptides of multicellular organisms: my perspective.	antimicrobial peptides of multicellular organisms were first characterized in the 1980s by investigators who felt that known systems of immunity could not explain what they observed: the resistance to bacterial infection of a cecropia moth pupa lacking antibodies or lymphocytes (cecropins (steiner 1981)), the potent microbicidal activity of neutrophils from a rabbit (defensins (selsted et al. 1985)), and the healing of a wound on the skin of the african clawed frog without infection in a non-ste ...	2019	30980349
mitotic replisome disassembly depends on traip ubiquitin ligase activity.	we have shown previously that the process of replication machinery (replisome) disassembly at the termination of dna replication forks in the s-phase is driven through polyubiquitylation of one of the replicative helicase subunits (mcm7) by cul2lrr1 ubiquitin ligase. interestingly, upon inhibition of this pathway in caenorhabditis elegans embryos, the replisomes retained on chromatin were unloaded in the subsequent mitosis. here, we show that this mitotic replisome disassembly pathway exists in ...	2019	30979826
evaluation of cyclic luciferin as a substrate for luminescence measurements in in vitro and in vivo applications.	bioluminescence imaging (bli) is a powerful tool for cell tracking, monitoring of gene delivery and expression in small laboratory animals. an alternative luciferase (luc) substrate cyclic luciferin (cycluc) was recently advanced for bli applications as providing a stronger, more stable signal at significantly lower doses than the classical substrate d-luciferin (d-luc) increasing sensitivity of luc detection 10 to 100 times. we evaluated benefits of using cycluc in in vivo studies in mice injec ...	2019	30979501
in vivo and in vitro quantitative analysis of neural crest cell migration.	the neural crest is an embryonic cell population induced at the border of the neural plate from where it delaminates and migrates long distances across the embryo. due to its extraordinary migratory capabilities, the neural crest has become a powerful system to study cellular and molecular aspects of collective and single cell migration both in vivo and in vitro. here we provide detailed protocols used to perform quantitative analysis of molecular and cellular aspects of xenopus laevis neural cr ...	2019	30977071
hybrid-type and two-tetrad antiparallel telomere dna g-quadruplex structures in living human cells.	although the telomeric sequence has been reported to form various g-quadruplex topologies in vitro and in xenopus laevis oocytes, in living human cells, the topology of telomeric dna g-quadruplex remains a challenge. to investigate the human telomeric dna g-quadruplex in a more realistic human cell environment, in the present study, we demonstrated that the telomeric dna sequence can form two hybrid-type and two-tetrad antiparallel g-quadruplex structures by in-cell 19f nmr in living human cells ...	2019	30976813
autophagy in xenopus laevis rod photoreceptors is independently regulated by phototransduction and misfolded rhop23h.	we previously reported autophagic structures in rod photoreceptors expressing a misfolding rho (rhodopsin) mutant (rhop23h), suggesting that autophagy may play a role in degrading the mutant rho and/or be involved in photoreceptor cell death. to further examine autophagy in normal and diseased rods, we generated transgenic xenopus laevis tadpoles expressing the dually fluorescent autophagy marker mrfp-egfp-lc3 in rods, which changes from green to yellow and finally red as autophagic structures d ...	2019	30975014
optoelectronic control of single cells using organic photocapacitors.	optical control of the electrophysiology of single cells can be a powerful tool for biomedical research and technology. here, we report organic electrolytic photocapacitors (oepcs), devices that function as extracellular capacitive electrodes for stimulating cells. oepcs consist of transparent conductor layers covered with a donor-acceptor bilayer of organic photoconductors. this device produces an open-circuit voltage in a physiological solution of 330 mv upon illumination using light in a tiss ...	2019	30972364
thermal reduction of graphene oxide mitigates its in vivo genotoxicity toward xenopus laevis tadpoles.	the worldwide increase of graphene family materials raises the question of the potential consequences resulting from their release in the environment and future consequences on ecosystem health, especially in the aquatic environment in which they are likely to accumulate. thus, there is a need to evaluate the biological and ecological risk but also to find innovative solutions leading to the production of safer materials. this work focuses on the evaluation of functional group-safety relationshi ...	2019	30970633
n-glycosylation-dependent regulation of hk2p17.1 currents.	two pore-domain potassium (k2p) channels mediate potassium background currents that stabilize the resting membrane potential and facilitate action potential repolarization. in the human heart, hk2p17.1 channels are predominantly expressed in the atria and purkinje cells. reduced atrial hk2p17.1 protein levels were described in patients with atrial fibrillation or heart failure. genetic alterations in hk2p17.1 were associated with cardiac conduction disorders. little is known about posttranslatio ...	2019	30969900
modeling congenital kidney diseases in xenopus laevis.	congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (cakut) occur in ∼1/500 live births and are a leading cause of pediatric kidney failure. with an average wait time of 3-5 years for a kidney transplant, the need is high for the development of new strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of cakut and preserving renal function. next-generation sequencing has uncovered a significant number of putative causal genes, but a simple and efficient model system to examine the function of cakut genes ...	2019	30967415
critical role of an mhc class i-like/innate-like t cell immune surveillance system in host defense against ranavirus (frog virus 3) infection.	besides the central role of classical major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ia-restricted conventional cluster of differentiation 8 (cd8) t cells in antiviral host immune response, the amphibian xenopuslaevis critically rely on mhc class i-like (mhc1b10.1.l or xnc10)-restricted innate-like (i)t cells (ivα6 t cells) to control infection by the ranavirus frog virus 3 (fv3). to complement and extend our previous reverse genetic studies showing that ivα6 t cells are required for tadpole survi ...	2019	30959883
is normalized hindlimb length measurement in assessment of thyroid disruption in the amphibian metamorphosis assay relevant?	the amphibian metamorphosis assay represents an oecd level 3 and edsp tier 1 ecotoxicity test assessing thyroid activity of chemicals in african clawed frog (xenopus laevis). to evaluate the effectiveness of snout-vent length (svl) normalization of hindlimb length (hll), correlation between the hll and svl or body weight was evaluated in the control groups of 10 individual studies from three laboratories. two studies required separate analysis of the nieuwkoop-faber (nf) stage ≤60 and >60 animal ...	2019	30957914
nacl-induced csrci2e and csrci2f interact with aquaporin cspip2;1 to reduce water transport in camelina sativa l.	rare cold-inducible 2 (rci2) proteins are small hydrophobic proteins that are known to be localized in cellular membranes. the function of rci2 proteins has been reported to be associated with low-temperature, salt, and drought stress tolerances as a membrane potential regulator; however, the specific functions are still unknown. the pip2 (plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2) aquaporins are proteins that transport water and small solutes into the cell. the expression and activity of pip2 protein ...	2019	30954220
functional and structural analysis of rare slc2a2 variants associated with fanconi-bickel syndrome and metabolic traits.	deleterious variants in slc2a2 cause fanconi-bickel syndrome (fbs), a glycogen storage disorder, whereas less common variants in slc2a2 associate with numerous metabolic diseases. phenotypic heterogeneity in fbs has been observed, but its causes remain unknown. our goal was to functionally characterize rare slc2a2 variants found in fbs and metabolic disease-associated variants to understand the impact of these variants on glut2 activity and expression and establish genotype-phenotype correlation ...	2019	30950137
gpcr-independent activation of g proteins promotes apical cell constriction in vivo.	heterotrimeric g proteins are signaling switches that control organismal morphogenesis across metazoans. in invertebrates, specific gpcrs instruct g proteins to promote collective apical cell constriction in the context of epithelial tissue morphogenesis. in contrast, tissue-specific factors that instruct g proteins during analogous processes in vertebrates are largely unknown. here, we show that daple, a non-gpcr protein linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders, is expressed specifically in ...	2019	30948426
pyrophosphate stimulates the phosphate-sodium symporter of trypanosoma brucei acidocalcisomes and saccharomyces cerevisiae vacuoles.	inorganic pyrophosphate (ppi) is a by-product of biosynthetic reactions and has bioenergetic and regulatory roles in a variety of cells. here we show that ppi and other pyrophosphate-containing compounds, including polyphosphate (polyp), can stimulate sodium-dependent depolarization of the membrane potential and pi conductance in xenopus oocytes expressing a saccharomyces cerevisiae or trypanosoma brucei na+/pi symporter. ppi is not taken up by xenopus oocytes, and deletion of the tbpho91 spx do ...	2019	30944211
new roles for wnt and bmp signaling in neural anteroposterior patterning.	during amphibian development, neural patterning occurs via a two-step process. spemann's organizer secretes bmp antagonists that induce anterior neural tissue. a subsequent caudalizing step re-specifies anterior fated cells to posterior fates such as hindbrain and spinal cord. the neural patterning paradigm suggests that a canonical wnt-signaling gradient acts along the anteroposterior axis to pattern the nervous system. wnt activity is highest in the posterior, inducing spinal cord, at intermed ...	2019	30936121
desmoplakin is required for epidermal integrity and morphogenesis in the xenopus laevis embryo.	desmoplakin (dsp) is a unique and critical desmosomal protein, that is integral to epidermal development. however, it is unclear whether this protein is required specifically for epidermal morphogenesis. using morpholinos or crispr/cas9 mutagenesis we decreased the function of dsp in frog embryos to better understand its role during epidermal development. dsp morphant and mutant embryos had developmental defects such as epidermal fragility that mimicked what has been reported in mammals. most im ...	2019	30935896
identification and functional characterization of the chloride channel gene, gsclc-c2 from wild soybean.	the anionic toxicity of plants under salt stress is mainly caused by chloride (cl-). thus cl- influx, transport and their regulatory mechanisms should be one of the most important aspects of plant salt tolerance studies, but are often sidelined by the focus on sodium (na+) toxicity and its associated adaptations. plant chloride channels (clcs) are transport proteins for anions including cl- and nitrate (no3-), and are critical for nutrition uptake and transport, adjustment of cellular turgor, st ...	2019	30935372
induction of a spindle-assembly-competent m phase in xenopus egg extracts.	normal mitotic spindle assembly is a prerequisite for faithful chromosome segregation and unperturbed cell-cycle progression. precise functioning of the spindle machinery relies on conserved architectural features, such as focused poles, chromosome alignment at the metaphase plate, and proper spindle length. these morphological requirements can be achieved only within a compositionally distinct cytoplasm that results from cell-cycle-dependent regulation of specific protein levels and specific po ...	2019	30930041
trace, machine learning of signal images for trace-sensitive mass spectrometry: a case study from single-cell metabolomics.	recent developments in high-resolution mass spectrometry (hrms) technology enabled ultrasensitive detection of proteins, peptides, and metabolites in limited amounts of samples, even single cells. however, extraction of trace-abundance signals from complex data sets ( m/ z value, separation time, signal abundance) that result from ultrasensitive studies requires improved data processing algorithms. to bridge this gap, we here developed "trace", a software framework that incorporates machine lear ...	2019	30929422
recovery of the xenopus laevis heart from ros-induced stress utilizes conserved pathways of cardiac regeneration.	urodele amphibians and some fish are capable of regenerating up to a quarter of their heart tissue after cardiac injury. while many anuran amphibians like xenopus laevis are not capable of such feats, they are able to repair lesser levels of cardiac damage, such as that caused by oxidative stress, to a far greater degree than mammals. using an optogenetic stress induction model that utilizes the protein killerred, we have investigated the extent to which mechanisms of cardiac regeneration are co ...	2019	30924142
ursodeoxycholic acid inhibits uptake and vasoconstrictor effects of taurocholate in human placenta.	intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (icp) causes increased transfer of maternal bile acids to the fetus and an increased incidence of sudden fetal death. treatment includes ursodeoxycholic acid (udca), but it is not clear if udca protects the fetus. this study explores the placental transport of the bile acid taurocholate (tc) by the organic anion-transporting polypeptide, (oatp)4a1, its effects on the placental proteome and vascular function, and how these are modified by udca. various method ...	2019	30922127
latrophilin2 is involved in neural crest cell migration and placode patterning in xenopus laevis.	latrophilin2 (lphn2) is an adhesion-class of g protein-coupled receptor with an unknown function in development. here, we show that xenopus laevis lphn2 (xlphn2) is involved in the migration and differentiation of neural crest (nc) cells and placode patterning in xenopus laevis embryos. although xlphn2 mrna was detected throughout embryogenesis, it was expressed more abundantly in the placode region. morpholino antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of xlphn2 caused abnormal migration of n ...	2019	30919913
regulation of na+-k+-cl- cotransporter type 2 by the with no lysine kinase-dependent signaling pathway.	na+-k+-cl- cotransporter type 2 (nkcc2) is confined to the apical membrane of the thick ascending limb of henle, where it reabsorbs a substantial fraction of the ultrafiltered nacl load. it is expressed along this nephron segment as three main splice variants (called nkcc2a, nkcc2b, and nkcc2f) that differ in residue composition along their second transmembrane domain and first intracellular cytosolic connecting segment (cs2). nkcc2 is known to be activated by cell shrinkage and intracellular [c ...	2019	30917032
agr2-interacting prod1-like protein tfp4 from xenopus laevis is necessary for early forebrain and eye development as well as for the tadpole appendage regeneration.	the agr family genes, ag1, agr2, and agr3, encode for the thioredoxin domain containing secreted proteins and are specific only for vertebrates. these proteins are attracting increasing attention due to their involvement in many physiological and pathological processes, including exocrine secretion, cancer, regeneration of the body appendages, and the early brain development. at the same time, the mode by which agrs regulate intracellular processes are poorly understood. despite that the recepto ...	2019	30912273
xmap215 promotes microtubule-f-actin interactions to regulate growth cone microtubules during axon guidance in xenopuslaevis.	it has long been established that neuronal growth cone navigation depends on changes in microtubule (mt) and f-actin architecture downstream of guidance cues. however, the mechanisms by which mts and f-actin are dually coordinated remain a fundamentally unresolved question. here, we report that the well-characterized mt polymerase, xmap215 (also known as ckap5), plays an important role in mediating mt-f-actin interaction within the growth cone. we demonstrate that xmap215 regulates mt-f-actin al ...	2019	30890650
a microarray-based comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in thyroid glands in amphibian metamorphosis: differences in effects between chemical exposure and food restriction.	tadpoles during metamorphosis are sensitive to chemical exposure as shown in the amphibian metamorphosis assay, which is a method to detect effects of chemicals on the functions of hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. the present study reports existence of different modes of action between pyriproxyfen (pyr) and 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (ptu) under different feeding conditions based on gene expression profiles (transcriptomics) in the thyroid glands of tadpoles of the african clawed frog, xenopus l ...	2019	30883854
effect of nucleosome assembly on alkylation by a dynamic electrophile.	quinone methides are reactive electrophiles that are generated during metabolism of various drugs, natural products, and food additives. their chemical properties and cellular effects have been described previously, and now their response to packaging dna in a nucleosome core is described. a model bisquinone methide precursor (bisqmp) was selected based on its ability to form reversible adducts with guanine n7 that allow for their redistribution and transfer after quinone methide regeneration. a ...	2019	30882212
preventing ethanol-induced brain and eye morphology defects using optogenetics.	background: embryonic exposure to the teratogen ethanol leads to dysmorphias, including eye and brain morphology defects associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (fasd). exposure of xenopus laevis embryos to ethanol leads to similar developmental defects, including brain and eye dysmorphism, confirming our work and the work of others showing xenopus as a useful system for studies of the brain and eye birth defects associated with fasd. several targets of ethanol action have been hypothesi ...	2019	32685918
the role of ambient temperature and body mass on body temperature, standard metabolic rate and evaporative water loss in southern african anurans of different habitat specialisation.	temperature and water availability are two of the most important variables affecting all aspects of an anuran's key physiological processes such as body temperature (tb), evaporative water loss (ewl) and standard metabolic rate (smr). since anurans display pronounced sexual dimorphism, evidence suggests that these processes are further influenced by other factors such as vapour pressure deficit (vpd), sex and body mass (mb). however, a limited number of studies have tested the generality of thes ...	2019	31660269
environmental oxygen exposure allows for the evolution of interdigital cell death in limb patterning.	amphibians form fingers without webbing by differential growth between digital and interdigital regions. amniotes, however, employ interdigital cell death (icd), an additional mechanism that contributes to a greater variation of limb shapes. here, we investigate the role of environmental oxygen in the evolution of icd in tetrapods. while cell death is restricted to the limb margin in amphibians with aquatic tadpoles, eleutherodactylus coqui, a frog with terrestrial-direct-developing eggs, has ce ...	2019	31204171
transcriptome profiling reveals male- and female-specific gene expression pattern and novel gene candidates for the control of sex determination and gonad development in xenopus laevis.	xenopus laevis is an amphibian (frog) species widely used in developmental biology and genetics. to unravel the molecular machinery regulating sex differentiation of xenopus gonads, we analyzed for the first time the transcriptome of developing amphibian gonads covering sex determination period. we applied microarray at four developmental stages: (i) nf50 (undifferentiated gonad during sex determination), (ii) nf53 (the onset of sexual differentiation of the gonads), (iii) nf56 (sexual different ...	2019	30972573