Current Biology最新文献

{"title":"Early Permian synapsid impressions illuminate the origin of epidermal scales and aggregation behavior.","authors":"Lorenzo Marchetti, Antoine Logghe, Michael Buchwitz, Jörg Fröbisch","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fossil evidence of skin structure¹^,² and group behavior³^,⁴ in the stem group of mammals, the early synapsids, is sparse and restricted to a few occurrences. We describe here exceptional resting trace fossils, Bromackerichnus requiescens n. igen. n. isp., from the early Permian Tambach Formation at the Bromacker locality, Thuringia, Germany.⁵ They are the only definite early synapsid-and, more specifically, sphenacodontid-full-body impressions. They include skin impressions of the limbs, trunk, and tail that show epidermal scales and are associated with Dimetropus leisnerianus footprints. Through a morphological comparison with modern taxa,⁶ we demonstrate for the first time the unequivocal occurrence of epidermal scales in early synapsids. A review of the early amniote and stem amniote trace and body fossil skin record highlights that this constitutes the oldest occurrence of epidermal scales in synapsids, long before the acquisition of hair.⁷ Moreover, we find the first fossil occurrence of epidermal scales in eight different tetrapod groups during the early Permian. This implies an earlier common origin of epidermal scales. The higher chance of preservation and spreading in the early Permian was probably due to a structural reinforcement of the scales as an adaptation to global warming and aridization⁸ at the end of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Moreover, sphenacodontid resting, swimming, and locomotion traces of multiple individuals of different sizes co-occur on the same bedding planes, in a relatively small area. This is interpreted as the earliest documented aggregation behavior in sphenacodontid synapsids that gathered in and around small ponds.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144141625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic point-light cloths generate rich percepts beyond biology.","authors":"Merve Erdogan, Wenyan Bi, Ilker Yildirim, Brian J Scholl","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Visual processing seems specialized for perceiving other agents,¹^,² as in biological motion perception: displays of surprisingly few moving dots (\"point-light walkers\"; PLWs) give rise to rich percepts of locomoting agents.³ Despite hundreds of experiments over decades of research,⁴^,⁵^,⁶ a foundational question remains unanswered: how specific are such phenomena to biological motion? Addressing this question has been historically challenging, largely due to the absence of non-biological comparison stimuli-since the translation or rotation of rigid objects (as in \"structure-from-motion\" displays⁷^,⁸) lacks the rich relative motion of the points that is characteristic of PLWs. Here, to fill this gap, we introduce the perception of rich behavior from dynamic point-light cloths (PLCs)-as when a ribbon (or a sheet on a clothesline) is waving in the wind. Across 13 preregistered experiments, while focusing on several of the most foundational properties of biological motion, we found broad similarities between PLWs and PLCs-in terms of both experimental results and phenomenological demonstrations: percepts from PLCs (1) arise spontaneously and robustly, even in dynamic noise; (2) depend on cohesive relative motion, since they disappear both in static displays and in dynamic displays with spatially scrambled points; (3) do not require consistent local motion, since they persist in \"limited-lifetime\" displays; and (4) extend to rich secondary properties such as a fabric's stiffness. These results collectively demonstrate that, even beyond agents and biology, the visual system extracts rich structure from surprisingly limited input.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144119188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Activation of an antifungal pathway in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis by chitin-receptor-mediated fungal recognition.","authors":"Yuqi Liu, Yuxin Zuo, Changfu Li, Peishuai Fu, Xinquan He, Zhuo Wang, Yongdong Li, Chuanxing Wan, Yang Wang, Yao Wang, Lingfang Zhu, Xihui Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.072","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the ubiquitous nature of bacterial-fungal interactions (BFIs), it is not fully understood how bacteria detect the presence of a potential fungal competitor to initiate appropriate defense responses. In this study, we show that the enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Yptb) utilizes the two-component system (TCS) histidine kinase RstB to sense chitin as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) for detecting fungi, resulting in the phosphorylation of the downstream response regulator RstA and subsequent activation of the classical type II secretion system (T2SS) and the tight adherence secretion system (TadSS), a major subtype of T2SS. The activation of T2SS and TadSS facilitates the secretion of chitinase T2SS/TadSS-related chitinase effector (TscE), which eliminates fungi and enhances bacterial colonization of the murine gut. These findings not only elucidate the role of T2SS and TscE in antagonizing fungal competitors but also offer insights into the interkingdom recognition mechanisms between bacteria and fungi.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The burning glass effect of water droplets triggers a high light-induced calcium response in the chloroplast stroma.","authors":"Dominic Kuang, Shanna Romand, Anna S Zvereva, Bianca Maria Orlando Marchesano, Matteo Grenzi, Stefano Buratti, Qun Yang, Ke Zheng, Dimitra Valadorou, Evelien Mylle, Zuzana Benedikty, Martin Trtílek, Maria Tenje, Cornelia Spetea, Daniël Van Damme, Bernhard Wurzinger, Markus Schwarzländer, Markus Teige, Alex Costa, Simon Stael","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plants rely on water and light for photosynthesis, but water droplets on leaves can focus light into high-intensity spots, risking photodamage. Excessive light can impair growth or induce cell death, making it essential for plants to detect and respond to light fluctuations. While Ca²⁺ signaling has been linked to high light (HL) acclimation, the subcellular dynamics remain unclear. Here, we investigate Ca²⁺ responses to HL exposure in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using a glass bead to simulate light-focusing by water droplets, a biphasic increase of Ca²⁺ concentration was detected in the chloroplast stroma by the genetically encoded calcium indicator YC3.6 and confirmed using a newly established stroma-localized R-GECO1 (NTRC-R-GECO1). The stromal response was largely independent of light wavelength and unaffected in phot1 phot2 and cry1 cry2 mutants. Chemical inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport, microscopy-based Fv/Fm experiments, and measurement of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-redox balance with roGFP-based reporters and Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green (SOSG) chemical dye suggested that photodamage and singlet oxygen contribute to the stromal Ca²⁺ response. While blue and white light also triggered a Ca²⁺ response in the cytosol and nucleus, pharmacological inhibition with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and loss-of-function mutants of the Ca²⁺ transporters BIVALENT CATION TRANSPORTER 2 (BICAT2) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-type Ca²⁺-ATPase (ECA) suggested that the HL response depends on a Ca²⁺ exchange between the ER and chloroplast stroma. The response was primarily light dependent but accelerated by increasing external temperature. This study implicates a novel Ca²⁺-mediated acclimation mechanism to HL stress, a process of growing relevance in the context of climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144119192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An egg parasitoid assesses host egg quality from afar using oviposition-induced plant volatiles.","authors":"Zhiqiang Tian, Yuanyuan Wang, Tao Sun, Xiaoyun Hu, Wanting Hao, Te Zhao, Yanan Wang, Lei Zhang, Xingfu Jiang, Ted C J Turlings, Yunhe Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parasitoids of herbivores exploit inducible plant volatiles to find plants with potential hosts from a distance, whereas at close range they typically use host-derived cues to pinpoint and identify suitable hosts. Here, we show, however, that the egg parasitoid Trichogramma japonicum assesses host egg quality far more efficiently by remotely using oviposition-induced plant volatiles (OIPVs). In olfactometer assays, female T. japonicum wasps showed a strong preference for the odor of rice plants carrying 2-day-old eggs of the rice leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis over the odor of plants with younger or older eggs, a preference that correlated with higher parasitism rates. In accordance with the preference-performance hypothesis, the offspring of T. japonicum showed superior performance in 2-day-old eggs, including shorter development times and higher eclosion rates. Volatile analysis revealed significantly increased emission of D-limonene and α-pinene from plants with 2-day-old eggs, and we found that synthetic versions of these two monoterpenes were highly attractive to the wasp. Knockout rice plants deficient in D-limonene and α-pinene synthesis lost their appeal to the wasps, but attraction could be restored by dispensing synthetic versions of the attractants alongside the knockouts. These findings reveal a novel and highly efficient host-assessment strategy in egg parasitoids, whereby plant-provided cues inform the wasps about host quality from afar. This discovery is illustrative of the clever strategies that have evolved out of plant-insect interactions and offers fresh ideas to optimally exploit plant traits for biocontrol approaches against C. medinalis, a major rice pest.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High metabolic versatility and phenotypic heterogeneity in a marine non-cyanobacterial diazotroph.","authors":"Pauline Crétin, Louise Mahoudeau, Aurélie Joublin-Delavat, Nicolas Paulhan, Elise Labrune, Julien Verdon, Isabelle Louvet, Jean-François Maguer, François Delavat","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs (NCDs) are widespread in the oceans, but the processes controlling nitrogen fixation in cell populations remain understudied. In this study, we combined high-throughput sequencing, genetic and physiological characterization, and single-cell quantification of nitrogenase expression to investigate the growth strategies of the marine NCD Vibrio diazotrophicus. We demonstrate that this marine NCD is highly versatile, capable of utilizing a broad range of organic and inorganic nitrogen sources. Quantitative fluorescence microscopy revealed intense posttranscriptional regulation of nitrogenase expression and that V. diazotrophicus regulates both the proportion of cells and their nitrogenase expression levels based on ammonium concentration in an NtrC-dependent manner. We also found that this phenotypic heterogeneity in nitrogenase expression is more widespread among marine NCDs, suggesting it is a conserved trait. These findings help explain their high abundance in the oceans and deepen our understanding of their ecological importance.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144132189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Haplotype-resolved genome assembly provides insights into the genetic basis of green peach aphid resistance in peach.","authors":"Haixiang Yu, Jian Guo, Xuelian Wu, Jiahui Liang, Shihao Fan, Hao Du, Shilong Zhao, Zhaoyang Li, Guangyuan Liu, Yuansong Xiao, Jingjing Luo, Yangyang Gao, Qiuju Chen, Huaifeng Gao, Futian Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Green peach aphid (GPA) is one of the most destructive pests of peach, threatening both growth and fruit quality. However, the mechanism underlying GPA resistance remains unclear. Here, we performed haplotype-resolved genome assembly of a GPA-resistant cultivar and identified an allele-specific expressed gene, PpNLR1, responsible for the GPA-resistant trait. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed a functional 20-bp insertion or deletion (indel) in the PpNLR1 promoter, which co-segregated with the GPA-resistant trait and directly influenced promoter activity. Furthermore, jasmonate (JA) signaling, activated during GPA infestation, induced the transcription of PpERF109. This transcription factor specifically bound to the \"CAAGT\" motif within the GWAS-identified 20-bp insertion of the PpNLR1 promoter, resulting in allele-specific expression (ASE). Functional validation of the two alleles (PpNLR1-Hap1 and PpNLR1-Hap2) in both peach and Arabidopsis demonstrated their role in aphid resistance. Additionally, two GPA salivary proteins were identified as effectors, triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating the peach immune system in conjunction with the PpNLR1 protein. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis indicated that an ∼53.6-kb genomic variation surrounding PpNLR1 underwent negative selection during peach evolution. In conclusion, the JA-mediated PpERF109-PpNLR1 module and GPA effector proteins significantly contribute to GPA resistance in peach. The novel haplotype-resolved genome assembly and identified key genes provide valuable resources for future genomic research and GPA resistance breeding in peach.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144092914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A deletion at the X-linked ARHGAP36 gene locus is associated with the orange coloration of tortoiseshell and calico cats.","authors":"Hidehiro Toh, Wan Kin Au Yeung, Motoko Unoki, Yuki Matsumoto, Yuka Miki, Yumiko Matsumura, Yoshihiro Baba, Takashi Sado, Yasukazu Nakamura, Miho Matsuda, Hiroyuki Sasaki","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The X-linked orange (O) locus in domestic cats controls an unknown molecular mechanism that causes the suppression of black-brownish pigmentation in favor of orange coloration. The alternating black-brownish and orange patches seen in tortoiseshell and calico cats are considered classic examples of the phenotypic expression of random X chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurring in female mammals. However, the O gene in the cat genome has not been identified, and the genetic variation responsible for the orange coloration remains unknown. We report here that a 5.1-kilobase (kb) deletion within an intron of the X-linked ARHGAP36 gene, encoding a Rho GTPase-activating protein, is closely and exclusively associated with orange coloration. The deleted region contains a highly conserved putative regulatory element, whose removal is presumed to alter ARHGAP36 expression. Notably, ARHGAP36 expression in cat skin tissues is linked to the suppression of many melanogenesis genes, potentially shifting pigment synthesis from eumelanin to pheomelanin. Furthermore, we find evidence that the gene undergoes XCI in female human and mouse cells and XCI-dependent CpG island methylation consistent with random XCI in female domestic cats. The 5.1-kb deletion seems widespread in domestic cats with orange coat coloration, suggesting a single origin of this coat color phenotype.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144085733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discovery of a novel flagellar filament system underpinning Leishmania adhesion to surfaces.","authors":"Barrack O Owino, Ryuji Yanase, Alan O Marron, Flavia Moreira-Leite, Sue Vaughan, Jack D Sunter","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adhesion to surfaces is a common strategy employed across biology, especially by pathogens. Within their sand fly vector, Leishmania parasites undergo multiple developmental stages, including the understudied haptomonad form, which adheres to the sand fly stomodeal valve via a highly modified flagellum. This adhesion, likely critical for efficient transmission, is mediated by a complex adhesion plaque from which filaments in the modified flagellum extend toward the cell body and likely connect to the flagellum attachment zone (FAZ), a cytoskeletal structure important for cell morphogenesis. However, the role of the FAZ in adhesion and its relationship with the kinetoplastid-insect adhesion proteins (KIAPs) and the filamentous structures of the plaque itself remain unclear. Here, to examine the role of the FAZ in adhesion, we generated FAZ2, FAZ5, and FAZ34 deletion mutants. Deletion of any of these FAZ proteins impaired parasite adhesion in vitro. Furthermore, we identified a novel and distinct set of extra-axonemal flagellar filaments important for adhesion and demonstrated that KIAP2 is an essential component of these filaments. Our findings underscore the importance of a robust connection from the cell body to the adhesion plaque for stable Leishmania adhesion via the highly modified flagellum.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144119180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and genetic characterization of sex-linked orange coat color in the domestic cat.","authors":"Christopher B Kaelin, Kelly A McGowan, Joshaya C Trotman, Donald C Koroma, Victor A David, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, Emily C Graff, Anne Schmidt-Küntzel, Elena Oancea, Gregory S Barsh","doi":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Sex-linked orange mutation in domestic cats causes variegated patches of reddish/yellow hair and is a defining signature of random X inactivation in female tortoiseshell and calico cats. Unlike the situation for most coat color genes, there is no apparent homolog for Sex-linked orange in other mammals. We show that Sex-linked orange is caused by a 5-kb deletion that leads to ectopic and melanocyte-specific expression of the Rho GTPase Activating Protein 36 (Arhgap36) gene. Single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies from fetal cat skin reveal that red/yellow hair color is caused by reduced expression of melanogenic genes that are normally activated by the melanocortin 1 receptor (Mc1r)-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway, but Mc1r and its ability to stimulate cAMP accumulation is intact. Instead, we show that expression of Arhgap36 in melanocytes leads to reduced levels of the PKA catalytic subunit (PKA_C); thus, Sex-linked orange is genetically and biochemically downstream of Mc1r. Our findings resolve a longstanding comparative genetic puzzle, provide in vivo evidence for the ability of Arhgap36 to inhibit PKA, and reveal a molecular explanation for a charismatic color pattern with a rich genetic history.</p>","PeriodicalId":11359,"journal":{"name":"Current Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144085761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}