{"title":"Cell Death, Compensatory Proliferation, and Cell Competition.","authors":"Andreas Bergmann","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-012125-083359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-012125-083359","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cell death, compensatory proliferation, and cell competition are fundamental interconnected processes that shape how tissues develop, maintain homeostasis, and regenerate. In this review, I highlight how cell death (apoptosis) not only eliminates excess and damaged cells but can also initiate compensatory proliferation, an adaptive response that occurs following cell loss. I examine cell competition, a quality-control mechanism that removes less fit loser cells in favor of healthier winner neighbors. Cell competition is intricately linked to cell death and compensatory proliferation. I present the history of these processes, discuss the most important examples, and reveal the key molecular mechanisms that underlie them. I incorporate findings from <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>, vertebrates, and other models to underscore the conservation of the key molecular signaling events. I also discuss how misregulation of these processes can contribute to pathological conditions, including cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144658184","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":"Gene Editing Applications as Future Cardiovascular Therapies.","authors":"Tomonori Tadokoro, Eric N Olson, Ning Liu","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-011725-094039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-011725-094039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, despite advances in pharmacological and surgical interventions. The emergence of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology offers promising approaches for correcting genetic causes of hereditary cardiovascular disorders and modulating pathogenic signaling pathways implicated in various heart diseases. However, several challenges with respect to in vivo delivery of gene editing components, as well as important safety considerations, remain to be addressed in the path toward possible clinical application. We review current gene editing strategies, their potential therapeutic applications in the context of a variety of cardiovascular disorders, and their respective merits, limitations, and regulatory considerations. The rapid advances in this field combined with the many opportunities for deploying gene editing therapies for cardiovascular disorders augur well for the future of this transformative technology.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648386","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 Somatic Impact on Inheritance and the Germline Control of the Soma.","authors":"Shoma Ishikawa, Björn Schumacher","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-020325-040022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-020325-040022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The faithful transmission of genomic DNA over succeeding generations is an essential prerequisite for species maintenance. The germplasm theory by August Weismann has been foundational for the current understanding of heredity; it proposed that genetic inheritance is exclusively mediated by germ cells while they are protecting heritable germline genomes from the phylogenetic influences of an individual's life history. However, recent studies on the inheritance of epigenetic variation have challenged the traditional dogma of heredity and opened new perspectives on molecular mechanisms of inheritance. This review highlights the current knowledge about heritable memories of the ancestral lifestyle and discusses emerging frontiers in soma-germline circuits with a focus on the control of the integrity of heritable genomes as well as their implications for somatic and reproductive aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144648387","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}
Blair W Perry, Heiko T Jansen, Alexis N Enstrom, Joanna L Kelley
{"title":"Genomic Insights into Bear Hibernation.","authors":"Blair W Perry, Heiko T Jansen, Alexis N Enstrom, Joanna L Kelley","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-011725-092458","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-011725-092458","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hibernation is a fascinating adaptation to food-scarce winters, characterized by significant physiological and behavioral changes, including fasting, inactivity, and insulin resistance. While hibernation is critical for the survival of many species, hibernation-related traits are often considered pathological in humans. Hibernation has been studied from a genomic perspective, especially with respect to transcription across multiple tissues. These studies have identified the differential activity of signaling pathways related to metabolism, tissue protection, and other mechanisms likely underlying hibernation phenotypes. Bears, in particular, are an interesting model for physiological and genomic studies of hibernation due to their large size and unique mode of hibernation compared to other small mammalian hibernators. Investigating the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying bear hibernation may therefore provide insight into fundamental biological processes with potential translational implications for human health, particularly with respect to metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes. This review focuses on recent advances and outstanding questions related to the exploration of bear hibernation from a genomic perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558894","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":"Epigenetic Preparation of Future Gene Induction Kinetics.","authors":"Jun Xiong, Bing Zhu","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-012825-093148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-012825-093148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Epigenetic mechanisms are essential for gene expression regulation. Recent advances have revealed how cells not only stabilize transcriptional states but also actively prepare for future gene expression. This review explores four processes in epigenetic preparation for future gene induction: priming, reining, transcriptional memory, and transcriptional tolerance. Priming establishes chromatin configurations that facilitate future gene activation without immediate transcription. Conversely, reining balances responsiveness with transcriptional stability to prevent premature gene activation or overexpression. Transcriptional memory facilitates faster and stronger responses to recurrent stimuli by reflecting past activation events, whereas transcriptional tolerance imposes restraint on subsequent activation. We examine how these mechanisms, involving DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling, integrate with signaling pathways and transcription factors to orchestrate future gene induction. Leveraging recent insights from mammalian systems, this review highlights the emerging role of epigenetic preparation in adaptive cellular responses, with implications for development, disease, and cellular memory in mammals.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144309447","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}
Annual review of geneticsPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102042
Fumiaki Obata, Masayuki Miura
{"title":"Regulatory Mechanisms of Aging Through the Nutritional and Metabolic Control of Amino Acid Signaling in Model Organisms.","authors":"Fumiaki Obata, Masayuki Miura","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102042","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Life activities are supported by the intricate metabolic network that is fueled by nutrients. Nutritional and genetic studies in model organisms have determined that dietary restriction and certain mutations in the insulin signaling pathway lead to lifespan extension. Subsequently, the detailed mechanisms of aging as well as various nutrient signaling pathways and their relationships have been investigated in a wide range of organisms, from yeast to mammals. This review summarizes the roles of nutritional and metabolic signaling in aging and lifespan with a focus on amino acids, the building blocks of organisms. We discuss how lifespan is affected by the sensing, transduction, and metabolism of specific amino acids and consider the influences of life stage, sex, and genetic background on the nutritional control of aging. Our goal is to enhance our understanding of how nutrients affect aging and thus contribute to the biology of aging and lifespan.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":"19-41"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141299880","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}
Annual review of geneticsPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-101949
Tanya Foley, Melina Thetiot, Laure Bally-Cuif
{"title":"Neural Stem Cell Regulation in Zebrafish.","authors":"Tanya Foley, Melina Thetiot, Laure Bally-Cuif","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-101949","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-101949","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neural stem cells (NSCs) are progenitor cell populations generating glial cells and neurons and endowed with long-lasting self-renewal and differentiation potential. While some neural progenitors (NPs) in the embryonic nervous system are also long-lived and match this definition, the term NSC classically refers to such progenitor types in the adult. With the discovery of extensive NSC populations in the adult brain of <i>Danio rerio</i> (zebrafish) and of their high neurogenic activity, including for neuronal regeneration, this model organism has become a powerful tool to characterize and mechanistically dissect NSC properties. On these bases, this article will consider NSCs in the adult zebrafish brain, with a focus on its most extensively characterized domain, the telencephalon (notably its dorsal part, the pallium). Whenever necessary, we will also refer to other brain subdivisions, embryonic processes, and the mouse adult brain, whether for comparative purposes or because more information is available in these other systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":"249-272"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911499","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}
Annual review of geneticsPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102124
John P Morris, Timour Baslan, Douglas E Soltis, Pamela S Soltis, Donald T Fox
{"title":"Integrating the Study of Polyploidy Across Organisms, Tissues, and Disease.","authors":"John P Morris, Timour Baslan, Douglas E Soltis, Pamela S Soltis, Donald T Fox","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102124","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102124","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polyploidy is a cellular state containing more than two complete chromosome sets. It has largely been studied as a discrete phenomenon in either organismal, tissue, or disease contexts. Increasingly, however, investigation of polyploidy across disciplines is coalescing around common principles. For example, the recent Polyploidy Across the Tree of Life meeting considered the contribution of polyploidy both in organismal evolution over millions of years and in tumorigenesis across much shorter timescales. Here, we build on this newfound integration with a unified discussion of polyploidy in organisms, cells, and disease. We highlight how common polyploidy is at multiple biological scales, thus eliminating the outdated mindset of its specialization. Additionally, we discuss rules that are likely common to all instances of polyploidy. With increasing appreciation that polyploidy is pervasive in nature and displays fascinating commonalities across diverse contexts, inquiry related to this important topic is rapidly becoming unified.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":"297-318"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11590481/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142124631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Annual review of geneticsPub Date : 2024-11-01Epub Date: 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102327
Jorge J Casal, Germán Murcia, Luciana Bianchimano
{"title":"Plant Thermosensors.","authors":"Jorge J Casal, Germán Murcia, Luciana Bianchimano","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102327","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102327","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plants are exposed to temperature conditions that fluctuate over different time scales, including those inherent to global warming. In the face of these variations, plants sense temperature to adjust their functions and minimize the negative consequences. Transcriptome responses underlie changes in growth, development, and biochemistry (thermomorphogenesis and acclimation to extreme temperatures). We are only beginning to understand temperature sensation by plants. Multiple thermosensors convey complementary temperature information to a given signaling network to control gene expression. Temperature-induced changes in protein or transcript structure and/or in the dynamics of biomolecular condensates are the core sensing mechanisms of known thermosensors, but temperature impinges on their activities via additional indirect pathways. The diversity of plant responses to temperature anticipates that many new thermosensors and eventually novel sensing mechanisms will be uncovered soon.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":" ","pages":"135-158"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141578833","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":"Genetic Approaches for Identifying and Characterizing Effectors in Bacterial Pathogens.","authors":"Nicole A Ellis, Matthias P Machner","doi":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102030","DOIUrl":"10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbial pathogens have coevolved with their hosts, often for millions of years, and in the process have developed a variety of virulence mechanisms to ensure their survival, typically at the host's expense. At the center of this host-pathogen warfare are proteins called effectors that are delivered by bacteria into their host where they alter the intracellular environment to promote bacterial proliferation. Many effectors are believed to have been acquired by the bacteria from their host during evolution, explaining why researchers are keen to understand their function, as this information may provide insight into both microbial virulence strategies and biological processes that happen within our own cells. Help for accomplishing this goal has come from the recent development of increasingly powerful genetic approaches, which are the focus of this review.</p>","PeriodicalId":8035,"journal":{"name":"Annual review of genetics","volume":"58 1","pages":"233-247"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142715099","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}