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Resolution of Structural Variation in Diverse Mouse Genomes Reveals Chromatin Remodeling due to Transposable Elements

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Diverse inbred mouse strains are important biomedical research models, yet genome characterization of many strains is fundamentally lacking in comparison with humans. Here, investigators used long-read whole genome sequencing to assemble the genomes of 20 diverse inbred laboratory strains of mice. From whole-genome comparisons, they generated a sequence-resolved callset of 413,758 structural variants.

Leukocyte Tyrosine Kinase (Ltk) Is the Mendelian Determinant of the Axolotl Melanoid Color Variant

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The diversity of color patterns among amphibians is largely explained by the differentiation of a few pigment cell types during development. Mexican axolotls have a variety of color phenotypes, from leucistic to highly melanistic. The melanoid axolotl is a Mendelian variant characterized by large numbers of melanophores, fewer xanthophores, and no iridophores.

Anti–Human Immunodeficiency Virus‑1 Activity of MoMo30 Protein Isolated from the Traditional African Medicinal Plant Momordica balsamina

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Momordica balsamina has been reported to produce a ribosome-inactivating protein with anti‑HIV-1 activity and is commonly used by traditional African healers for treatment of HIV. Investigators characterized the mechanism of action of the MoMo30 protein, as well as the sequence of the protein-coding gene. They reported that MoMo30 functions as a lectin or carbohydrate-binding agent (CBA) and inhibits HIV-1 at nanomolar levels, with minimal cellular toxicity at inhibitory levels. CBAs can block the binding of envelope glycoproteins with their target receptors on cells.

Chronic Immune Activation and Gut Barrier Dysfunction Is Associated with Neuroinflammation in ART-Suppressed SIV+ Rhesus Macaques

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About 40% of people with HIV develop neurocognitive disorders, potentially resulting from persistent infection in the brain and neuroinflammation. Investigators characterized the central nervous system reservoir and immune environment of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)–infected rhesus macaques of both sexes during acute, chronic, or antiretroviral therapy (ART)–suppressed infection. They reported that neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier dysfunction correlated with viremia and immune activation in the gut.

Production and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies to Xenopus Proteins

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Monoclonal antibodies are powerful and versatile tools that enable the study of proteins in diverse contexts. They are often utilized to assist with identification of subcellular localization and characterization of the function of target proteins of interest. However, because there can be considerable sequence diversity between orthologous proteins in Xenopus and mammals, antibodies produced against mouse or human proteins often do not recognize Xenopus counterparts.

Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Engrafted IL-15 Transgenic NSG Mice Support Robust NK Cell Responses and Sustained HIV-1 Infection

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A major obstacle to human natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution is the lack of human interleukin‑15 (IL-15) signaling, as murine IL-15 is a poor stimulator of the human IL-15 receptor. Researchers show that immunodeficient NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice expressing a transgene encoding human IL-15 (NSG-Tg(IL-15)) have physiological levels of human IL-15 and support long-term engraftment of human NK cells when transplanted with human umbilical cord blood–derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

Establishment of a Practical Sperm Cryopreservation Pathway for the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum): A Community-Level Approach to Germplasm Repository Development

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The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is an important biomedical research model for organ regeneration, but housing and maintaining live animals is expensive and risky as new transgenic lines are developed. The authors report an initial practical pathway for sperm cryopreservation to support germplasm repository development. They assembled a pathway through the investigation of axolotl sperm collection by stripping, refrigerated storage in various osmotic pressures, cryopreservation in various cryoprotectants, and in vitro fertilization using thawed sperm.

Conduction-Dominated Cryomesh for Organism Vitrification

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Vitrification-based cryopreservation via cryomesh is a promising approach for maintaining biodiversity, health care, and sustainable food production via long-term preservation of biological systems. Here, researchers conducted a series of experiments aimed at optimizing the cooling and rewarming rates of cryomesh to increase the viability of various cryopreserved biosystems. They found that vitrification was significantly improved by increasing thermal conductivity, reducing mesh wire diameter and pore size, and minimizing the nitrogen vapor barrier of the conduction-dominated cryomesh.

The Monarch Initiative in 2024: An Analytic Platform Integrating Phenotypes, Genes and Diseases Across Species

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The Monarch Initiative aims to bridge the gap between the genetic variations, environmental determinants, and phenotypic outcomes critical for translational research. The Monarch app provides researchers access to curated data sets with information on genes, phenotypes, and diseases across species and advanced analysis tools for such diverse applications as variant prioritization, deep phenotyping, and patient profile matching.

ORIP Diversity Supplement Awards Helped a Young Investigator Advance His Career in Biomedical Research and Will Allow Him to Give Back to His Community

Dr. Corbin Schuster’s interest in biomedical research began during his undergraduate training, when he completed a 10-week internship at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. According to Dr. Schuster, after that experience, “My interest in biomedical research—particularly in the study of microorganisms and infectious diseases—just grew.”

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