microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-02-02eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001902
Harpreet Kaur, Matthew Bacchus, Lilly Horowitz, Caroline Larow, Vedant Rawat, Dafang Wang
{"title":"Assay of Ds2 Transposition Activity in the Maize W22.","authors":"Harpreet Kaur, Matthew Bacchus, Lilly Horowitz, Caroline Larow, Vedant Rawat, Dafang Wang","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001902","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.001902","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Ds</i> elements are non-autonomous DNA transposons requiring <i>Ac</i> transposase for mobility. From the 39 <i>Ds2</i> elements reported in B73, we identified 38 <i>Ds2</i> homologous elements in the W22, 30 of which retained intact terminal inverted repeats and target site duplications. PCR-based excision assays on 19 loci in embryos and leaves revealed the majority are immobile; only <i>Ds2-23</i> showed suggestive somatic transposition. Targeted bisulfite sequencing revealed that while <i>Ac</i> reduces methylation, absolute levels remain stable and do not correspond to the varied transposition activities. This suggests structural integrity or DNA methylation alone does not predict <i>Ds2</i> transposition variation in W22.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12910297/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146222376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-27eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001813
Maria Stefanie Dwiyanti
{"title":"Tocopherol Profile Variations of Soybean World Mini-Core Collection Accessions Grown in Hokkaido.","authors":"Maria Stefanie Dwiyanti","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001813","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001813","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tocopherols (vitamin E) are lipid-soluble antioxidants, with α-tocopherol having the highest vitamin E activity. Soybean seed is a major source of tocopherols. Therefore, improving seed tocopherol content is a key breeding objective. Thirty-eight accessions from the soybean world mini-core collection were evaluated in 2019 and 2022 growing seasons. Four accessions carried a high α-tocopherol associated allele at S09_44341929 but they did not reach the high α-tocopherol levels of cultivar KAS, likely due to cooler seed-filling conditions. <i>Moshido Gong 502</i> and <i>503</i> showed low total tocopherol content in both seasons, making them promising resources for investigating genetic regulation of tocopherol biosynthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12892100/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146183650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-27eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.002021
Katherine Davies, Meclina Silva, Karla Vargas, Dayton Pierce
{"title":"Loss of SYD-2 leads to decreased short-term memory in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>.","authors":"Katherine Davies, Meclina Silva, Karla Vargas, Dayton Pierce","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.002021","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.002021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Learning and memory require tight regulation of communication between pre- and postsynaptic responses. SYD-2, the <i>C. elegans</i> ortholog of vertebrate liprin-α, is known for its presynaptic role in active zone maintenance but its role in learning and memory has not been previously investigated. Here, we present findings from 30-minute short-term aversive olfactory memory assay with <i>C. elegans</i> lacking SYD-2 ( <i>ok217</i> mutants). Wild-type (N2) worms exhibited robust learning and short-term memory for aversion to diacetyl. Despite its role in presynaptic maintenance, we found that the loss of SYD-2 had no effect on aversive learning but decreased short-term associative memory.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12887595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-26eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001935
Bridget K Plude, Cynthia K Damer
{"title":"Discovery of Widespread Migrasome Formation During Amoeboid Migration in <i>Dictyostelium discoideum</i>.","authors":"Bridget K Plude, Cynthia K Damer","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001935","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001935","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Migrasomes are organelles that form along retraction fibers of migrating cells and mediate intercellular communication. We performed localization studies on the calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein, copine E (CpnE), in <i>Dictyostelium discoideum</i> . We observed GFP-CpnE labeled retraction fibers and migrasomes in multiple contexts: chemotaxis toward folate, random migration, and early development. Migrasome membranes were stained with WGA and some migrasomes were stained with SYTO RNASelect, indicating the presence of RNA. Our findings suggest that CpnE may have a role in migrasome formation and indicate that migrasomes may play important roles in <i>Dictyostelium</i> development, cell communication, and/or homeostasis in a variety of environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12887596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146168197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-22eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001863
Dana Ulanova, Takuma Mezaki, Satoshi Kubota
{"title":"Mycobacteria isolated from temperate stony corals.","authors":"Dana Ulanova, Takuma Mezaki, Satoshi Kubota","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001863","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001863","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In marine environment, actinobacteria are widely distributed in water and sediments, and form symbiotic relationships with higher organisms. In this study, we isolated 49 actinobacterial strains from three temperate stony corals <i>, Pocillopora damicornis</i> , <i>Acropora hyacinthus</i> and <i>Acropora muricata</i> . More than 60% of obtained actinobacterial isolates belonged to mycolic acid-containing genera, particularly members of the family <i>Mycobacteriaceae</i> . Our results combined with the previous studies demonstrated that these actinobacteria are frequently associated with coral hosts worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12877790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146145074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-22eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001927
Jim J Young, Caleb A Craven, Julianna A Koenig, Merve Addemir, Bin Z He, Olga L Miakotina, Daniel F Eberl
{"title":"Combat behaviors predictive of fight outcome in <i>Gromphadorhina portentosa</i>.","authors":"Jim J Young, Caleb A Craven, Julianna A Koenig, Merve Addemir, Bin Z He, Olga L Miakotina, Daniel F Eberl","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001927","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001927","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the winner effect, animals that have previously won an aggressive encounter gain an increased probability of winning subsequent aggressive interactions. This effect has been studied in males of various species, from crickets to humans. However, the effects are under-studied in Madagascar hissing cockroaches, <i>Gromphadorhina portentosa.</i> Here, we aimed to determine the influence of the winner effect in unfavorable conflicts. To test this, smaller winner-affected male <i>G. portentosa</i> were placed in combat trials against substantially larger males. We tested the limits of the winner effect, and identified behaviors that were predictive to winning a match regardless of treatment group.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12877791/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146145050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001974
Ryka Iyer, Simon Ferreria, Laahya Guvvala, Hugh Borden, Aariv Arora, Rebecca Shirsat, Ryan Doonan
{"title":"Epigenetic silencing is a barrier to editing the X chromosome using the SEC-based CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in protocol in <i>C. elegans</i>.","authors":"Ryka Iyer, Simon Ferreria, Laahya Guvvala, Hugh Borden, Aariv Arora, Rebecca Shirsat, Ryan Doonan","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001974","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001974","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Self-excising-cassette (SEC)-based CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in is widely used for generating endogenous fluorescent protein tags in <i>C. elegans</i> . Here, we report a lack of success targeting the X chromosome using this method. CRISPR/Cas9 works as intended, but subsequent floxing of the SEC is blocked. Given that the X chromosome is epigenetically silenced in primordial germ cells (PGCs), this is a logical result. To circumvent this barrier, we suppressed polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) with RNAi to transiently and reversibly reduce silencing in the PGCs, creating a brief window where the X chromosome is amenable to floxing without compromising germ line development. Overall, our results reveal a previously unrecognized limitation of SEC-based CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in and identify a reliable workaround for tagging proteins encoded on the X chromosome.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12873579/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146145004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001970
Tessa C Dallo, Laura Fontenas
{"title":"MEP glia share molecular features with oligodendrocytes while maintaining a distinct hybrid signature.","authors":"Tessa C Dallo, Laura Fontenas","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001970","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001970","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Motor Exit Point (MEP) glia are spinal cord-derived glial cells that myelinate peripheral motor axons, bridging the central and peripheral nervous systems. They have a hybrid profile, sharing features with oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of complex MEP glial lineage and identity. MEP glia express neural tube and canonical oligodendrocyte lineage markers <i>olig2</i> and <i>nkx2.2a</i> , as well as the neural crest marker <i>foxd3</i> . Here, we show that the oligodendrocyte markers <i>olig1</i> and <i>plp1b</i> are not expressed in MEP glia. These findings refine the molecular signature of MEP glia, enhancing their peripheral identity.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12873578/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146144976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-21eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001949
Melika Ghasemi Shiran, Nick P Bailey, Lauren McCann, Natalia Rivera-Rincón, Emma Saurette, Laurie S Stevison
{"title":"Efficient RFLP-based Protocol for Routine Authentication of Drosophila.","authors":"Melika Ghasemi Shiran, Nick P Bailey, Lauren McCann, Natalia Rivera-Rincón, Emma Saurette, Laurie S Stevison","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001949","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001949","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Authentication of strains is important for preventing genetic contamination before any experiment, which can compromise reproducibility and lead to misleading results. Here, we developed an approach that combines computational single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification with molecular validation using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). This workflow enables rapid and precise confirmation of strains in an inexpensive, reproducible, and easily adaptable way for long-term stock maintenance across laboratories. We apply this protocol to <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> from the Drosophila Genome Resource Panel (DGRP), which are commonly used in fruit fly research, providing a reliable context for ensuring the integrity of Drosophila genetic resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12873577/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146145046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
microPublication biologyPub Date : 2026-01-16eCollection Date: 2026-01-01DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001887
Chayanika Gogoi, Rachel Pitt, Kate Mazur, Ramyasri Naraharisetti, Kristen Johnson
{"title":"Knockdown of <i>armc3</i> Impairs Motile Cilia Function in <i>Schmidtea mediterranea</i>.","authors":"Chayanika Gogoi, Rachel Pitt, Kate Mazur, Ramyasri Naraharisetti, Kristen Johnson","doi":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001887","DOIUrl":"10.17912/micropub.biology.001887","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cilia are microtubule-based structures lining epithelial surfaces of many organs and play an essential role in diverse metabolic and developmental processes. Structural or functional disruptions of cilia can lead to ciliopathies affecting multiple organs. Knocking down <i>armc3</i> in <i>Schmidtea mediterranea</i> revealed reduction in cilia length of 48.9% compared to the control, accompanied by 63.7% reduction in gliding speed. Additionally, knockdown planaria displayed abnormal cilia distribution, particularly in the anterior region. These findings suggest that ARMC3 is essential for maintaining proper motile cilia structure and function and highlight its potential relevance for understanding ciliopathies in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":74192,"journal":{"name":"microPublication biology","volume":"2026 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12859697/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146108807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}