Integration of Sugar Metabolism and Proteoglycan Synthesis by UDP-glucose Dehydrogenase

Regulation of proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan synthesis is critical throughout development, and to maintain normal adult functions in wound healing and the immune system, among others. It has become increasingly clear that these processes are also under tight metabolic control and that availability of carbohydrate and amino acid metabolite precursors has a role in the control of proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan turnover. The enzyme uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) produces UDP-glucuronate, an essential precursor for new glycosaminoglycan synthesis that is tightly controlled at multiple levels. Here, we review the cellular mechanisms that regulate UGDH expression, discuss the structural features of the enzyme, and use the structures to provide a context for recent studies that link post-translational modifications and allosteric modulators of UGDH to its function in downstream pathways:     

American Black Duck Nesting Ecology in North Carolina

North Carolina, USA, is the southernmost extent of the American black duck's (Anas rubripes) breeding range; however, little is known about their nesting ecology in this region. We located and monitored 140 nesting black ducks over 2 years (2017–2018) to quantify preferred nesting habitat and assess nesting productivity within coastal North Carolina. We located nests in brackish marshes (75%) and man-made dredge spoil islands (25%) at a density of 1 nest/22 ha. Black ducks selected high marsh and nested an average of 21.81 m from open water at a mean elevation of 1.36 m. In preferred nesting habitat, visual obstruction readings were 0.50 m with a maximum mean vegetation height of 0.81 m and land cover consisted largely of grasses (84.6%). Apparent nest success rates varied from 31% (2017) to 63% (2018) across years. The majority (72.2%) of variability in nest success was best predicted by nest location (mainland marsh, natural island, or spoil island), vegetation density, maximum vegetation height, and year. Management for breeding black ducks in coastal North Carolina should focus on promoting selected nesting habitat and reducing nest predators. Prescribed burns, used to set back succession on spoil islands and in brackish marshes should be conducted in the winter or in the early growing season not to exceed the twenty-fifth quantile date of black duck nest initiation (2 Apr). © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

Expansion of GARP-Expressing CD4+CD25−FoxP3+ T Cells and SATB1 Association with Activation and Coagulation in Immune Compromised HIV-1-Infected Individuals in South Africa

Virologica Sinica - Although antiretroviral treatment lowers the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related disease, it does not always result in immunological recovery. This manifests as...     

Genomic and signalling pathway characterization of the NZM panel of melanoma cell lines: A valuable model for studying the impact of genetic diversity in melanoma

Melanoma is a disease associated with a very high mutation burden and thus the possibility of a diverse range of oncogenic mechanisms that allow it to evade therapeutic interventions and the immune system. Here, we describe the characterization of a panel of 102 cell lines from metastatic melanomas (the NZM lines), including using whole‐exome and RNA sequencing to analyse genetic variants and gene expression changes in a subset of this panel. Lines possessing all major melanoma genotypes were identified, and hierarchical clustering of gene expression profiles revealed four broad subgroups of cell lines. Immunogenotyping identified a range of HLA haplotypes as well as expression of neoantigens and cancer–testis antigens in the lines. Together, these characteristics make the NZM panel a valuable resource for cell‐based, immunological and xenograft studies to better understand the diversity of melanoma biology and the responses of melanoma to therapeutic interventions.     

Correction to: Non-native regal demoiselle,Neopomacentrus cyanomos,presence, abundance,and habitat factors in the North-Central Gulf of Mexico

Biological Invasions - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02499-3     

A View From Both Ends: Shifts in Herbivore Assemblages Impact Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processes on Coral Reefs

Ecosystems - A fundamental goal in ecology is to understand the role of consumers in top-down (TD) and bottom-up (BU) processes that affect the functioning of ecosystems. Consumers ingest organic...     

Facial shape provides a valid cue to sociosexuality in men but not women

Existing work suggests that observers' perceptions of sociosexuality from strangers' faces are positively associated with individuals' self-reported sociosexuality. However it is not clear what cues observers use to form these judgements. Over two studies we examined whether sociosexuality is reflected in faces, which cues contain information about sociosexuality, and whether observers' perceptions of sociosexuality from faces are positively associated with individuals' self-reported sociosexuality. In Study One, Geometric Morphometric Modelling (GMM) analysis of 103 Caucasian participants revealed that self-reported sociosexuality was predicted by facial morphology in male but not female faces. In Study Two, 65 Caucasian participants judged the sociosexuality of opposite sex faces (faces from Study One) at zero acquaintance. Perceived sociosexuality predicted self-reported sociosexuality for men, but not women. Participants were also presented with composites of faces of individuals with more unrestricted sociosexuality paired with composites of faces of individuals with more restricted sociosexuality and asked to indicate which was more unrestricted. Participants selected the more unrestricted sociosexuality male, but not female, facial composites at rates significantly above chance. GMM analyses also found that facial morphology statistically significantly predicted perceived sociosexuality in women's and, to a greater extent, in men's faces. Finally, facial shape mediated the relationship between perceived sociosexuality and self-reported sociosexuality in men's but not women's faces. Our results suggest that facial shape acts as a valid cue to sociosexuality in men's but not women's faces.