Recommendations for accelerating open preprint peer review to improve the culture of science.

Peer review is an important part of the scientific process, but traditional peer review at journals is coming under increased scrutiny for its inefficiency and lack of transparency. As preprints become more widely used and accepted, they raise the possibility of rethinking the peer-review process. Preprints are enabling new forms of peer review that have the potential to be more thorough, inclusive, and collegial than traditional journal peer review, and to thus fundamentally shift the culture of peer review toward constructive collaboration. In this Consensus View, we make a call to action to stakeholders in the community to accelerate the growing momentum of preprint sharing and provide recommendations to empower researchers to provide open and constructive peer review for preprints.

Autophagy-mediated plasma membrane removal promotes the formation of epithelial syncytia.

Epithelial wound healing in Drosophila involves the formation of multinucleate cells surrounding the wound. We show that autophagy, a cellular degradation process often deployed in stress responses, is required for the formation of a multinucleated syncytium during wound healing, and that autophagosomes that appear near the wound edge acquire plasma membrane markers. In addition, uncontrolled autophagy in the unwounded epidermis leads to the degradation of endo-membranes and the lateral plasma membrane, while apical and basal membranes and epithelial barrier function remain intact. Proper functioning of TORC1 is needed to prevent destruction of the larval epidermis by autophagy, in a process that depends on phagophore initiation and expansion but does not require autophagosomes fusion with lysosomes. Autophagy induction can also affect other sub-cellular membranes, as shown by its suppression of experimentally induced laminopathy-like nuclear defects. Our findings reveal a function for TORC1-mediated regulation of autophagy in maintaining membrane integrity and homeostasis in the epidermis and during wound healing.

High-resolution line-scan Brillouin microscopy for live imaging of mechanical properties during embryo development.

Brillouin microscopy can assess mechanical properties of biological samples in a three-dimensional (3D), all-optical and hence non-contact fashion, but its weak signals often lead to long imaging times and require an illumination dosage harmful for living organisms. Here, we present a high-resolution line-scanning Brillouin microscope for multiplexed and hence fast 3D imaging of dynamic biological processes with low phototoxicity. The improved background suppression and resolution, in combination with fluorescence light-sheet imaging, enables the visualization of the mechanical properties of cells and tissues over space and time in living organism models such as fruit flies, ascidians and mouse embryos.

Molecular mechanisms of de novo lumen formation.

Many organs contain networks of epithelial tubes that transport gases or fluids. A lumen can be generated by tissue that enwraps a pre-existing extracellular space or it can arise de novo either between cells or within a single cell in a position where there was no space previously. Apparently distinct mechanisms of de novo lumen formation observed in vitro - in three-dimensional cultures of endothelial and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells - and in vivo - in zebrafish vasculature, Caenorhabditis elegans excretory cells and the Drosophila melanogaster trachea - in fact share many common features. In all systems, lumen formation involves the structured expansion of the apical plasma membrane through general mechanisms of vesicle transport and of microtubule and actin cytoskeleton regulation.

Transcytosis via the late endocytic pathway as a cell morphogenetic mechanism.

Plasma membranes fulfil many physiological functions. In polarized cells, different membrane compartments take on specialized roles, each being allocated correct amounts of membrane. The Drosophila tracheal system, an established tubulogenesis model, contains branched terminal cells with subcellular tubes formed by apical plasma membrane invagination. We show that apical endocytosis and late endosome-mediated trafficking are required for membrane allocation to the apical and basal membrane domains. Basal plasma membrane growth stops if endocytosis is blocked, whereas the apical membrane grows excessively. Plasma membrane is initially delivered apically and then continuously endocytosed, together with apical and basal cargo. We describe an organelle carrying markers of late endosomes and multivesicular bodies (MVBs) that is abolished by inhibiting endocytosis and which we suggest acts as transit station for membrane destined to be redistributed both apically and basally. This is based on the observation that disrupting MVB formation prevents growth of both compartments.

Notch1 deficiency alters the migratory behavior of developing T cells and calcium signaling in the thymus of medaka.

The differentiation of T cells from lymphoid progenitors in the thymus follows sequential developmental stages that constantly require interaction with thymic epithelial cells. Several distinct aspects of early T cell development depend on the activation of Notch receptors on thymocytes, while the selection of thymocytes at later stages are believed to be Notch independent. Using reverse genetic approaches and whole-thymus live imaging in an in vivo teleost model, the medaka, we report that Notch1 signals is required for proliferation and specification of developing T cells as well as involved in their selection in the thymus. We reveal that Notch1 controls the migratory behavior of thymocytes through controlling the chemokine receptor Ccr9b and thereby influence the T cell receptor (TCR) activation. Hence, we propose that, in lower vertebrates, the function of Notch signaling extends to all stages of T cell development, except when thymocytes undergo TCRß rearrangement.

From morphogen to morphogenesis and back.

A long-term aim of the life sciences is to understand how organismal shape is encoded by the genome. An important challenge is to identify mechanistic links between the genes that control cell-fate decisions and the cellular machines that generate shape, therefore closing the gap between genotype and phenotype. The logic and mechanisms that integrate these different levels of shape control are beginning to be described, and recently discovered mechanisms of cross-talk and feedback are beginning to explain the remarkable robustness of organ assembly. The 'full-circle' understanding of morphogenesis that is emerging, besides solving a key puzzle in biology, provides a mechanistic framework for future approaches to tissue engineering.

A conserved role for Snail as a potentiator of active transcription.

The transcription factors of the Snail family are key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, cell morphogenesis, and tumor metastasis. Since its discovery in Drosophila ∼25 years ago, Snail has been extensively studied for its role as a transcriptional repressor. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Snail can positively modulate transcriptional activation. By combining information on in vivo occupancy with expression profiling of hand-selected, staged snail mutant embryos, we identified 106 genes that are potentially directly regulated by Snail during mesoderm development. In addition to the expected Snail-repressed genes, almost 50% of Snail targets showed an unanticipated activation. The majority of "Snail-activated" genes have enhancer elements cobound by Twist and are expressed in the mesoderm at the stages of Snail occupancy. Snail can potentiate Twist-mediated enhancer activation in vitro and is essential for enhancer activity in vivo. Using a machine learning approach, we show that differentially enriched motifs are sufficient to predict Snail's regulatory response. In silico mutagenesis revealed a likely causative motif, which we demonstrate is essential for enhancer activation. Taken together, these data indicate that Snail can potentiate enhancer activation by collaborating with different activators, providing a new mechanism by which Snail regulates development.

The Laboratory Domestication of Zebrafish: From Diverse Populations to Inbred Substrains.

We know from human genetic studies that practically all aspects of biology are strongly influenced by the genetic background, as reflected in the advent of "personalized medicine." Yet, with few exceptions, this is not taken into account when using laboratory populations as animal model systems for research in these fields. Laboratory strains of zebrafish (Danio rerio) are widely used for research in vertebrate developmental biology, behavior, and physiology, for modeling diseases, and for testing pharmaceutic compounds in vivo. However, all of these strains are derived from artificial bottleneck events and therefore are likely to represent only a fraction of the genetic diversity present within the species. Here, we use restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to genetically characterize wild populations of zebrafish from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and to compare them to previously published data on four common laboratory strains. We measured nucleotide diversity, heterozygosity, and allele frequency spectra, and find that wild zebrafish are much more diverse than laboratory strains. Further, in wild zebrafish, there is a clear signal of GC-biased gene conversion that is missing in laboratory strains. We also find that zebrafish populations in Nepal and Bangladesh are most distinct from all other strains studied, making them an attractive subject for future studies of zebrafish population genetics and molecular ecology. Finally, isolates of the same strains kept in different laboratories show a pattern of ongoing differentiation into genetically distinct substrains. Together, our findings broaden the basis for future genetic, physiological, pharmaceutic, and evolutionary studies in Danio rerio.

Polarity sorting drives remodeling of actin-myosin networks.

Cytoskeletal networks of actin filaments and myosin motors drive many dynamic cell processes. A key characteristic of these networks is their contractility. Despite intense experimental and theoretical efforts, it is not clear what mechanism favors network contraction over expansion. Recent work points to a dominant role for the nonlinear mechanical response of actin filaments, which can withstand stretching but buckle upon compression. Here, we present an alternative mechanism. We study how interactions between actin and myosin-2 at the single-filament level translate into contraction at the network scale by performing time-lapse imaging on reconstituted quasi-2D networks mimicking the cell cortex. We observe myosin end-dwelling after it runs processively along actin filaments. This leads to transport and clustering of actin filament ends and the formation of transiently stable bipolar structures. Further, we show that myosin-driven polarity sorting produces polar actin asters, which act as contractile nodes that drive contraction in crosslinked networks. Computer simulations comparing the roles of the end-dwelling mechanism and a buckling-dependent mechanism show that the relative contribution of end-dwelling contraction increases as the network mesh-size decreases.

A high-sensitivity bi-directional reporter to monitor NF-κB activity in cell culture and zebrafish in real time.

Nuclear factor (NF)-κB transcription factors play major roles in numerous biological processes including development and immunity. Here, we engineered a novel bi-directional NF-κB-responsive reporter, pSGNluc, in which a high-affinity NF-κB promoter fragment simultaneously drives expression of luciferase and GFP. Treatment with TNFα (also known as TNF) induced a strong, dose-dependent luciferase signal in cell culture. The degree of induction over background was comparable to that of other NF-κB-driven luciferase reporters, but the absolute level of expression was at least 20-fold higher. This extends the sensitivity range of otherwise difficult assays mediated exclusively by endogenously expressed receptors, as we show for Nod1 signaling in HEK293 cells. To measure NF-κB activity in the living organism, we established a transgenic zebrafish line carrying the pSGNluc construct. Live in toto imaging of transgenic embryos revealed the activation patterns of NF-κB signaling during embryonic development and as responses to inflammatory stimuli. Taken together, by integrating qualitative and quantitative NF-κB reporter activity, pSGNluc is a valuable tool for studying NF-κB signaling at high spatiotemporal resolution in cultured cells and living animals that goes beyond the possibilities provided by currently available reporters.

A theory that predicts behaviors of disordered cytoskeletal networks.

Morphogenesis in animal tissues is largely driven by actomyosin networks, through tensions generated by an active contractile process. Although the network components and their properties are known, and networks can be reconstituted in vitro, the requirements for contractility are still poorly understood. Here, we describe a theory that predicts whether an isotropic network will contract, expand, or conserve its dimensions. This analytical theory correctly predicts the behavior of simulated networks, consisting of filaments with varying combinations of connectors, and reveals conditions under which networks of rigid filaments are either contractile or expansile. Our results suggest that pulsatility is an intrinsic behavior of contractile networks if the filaments are not stable but turn over. The theory offers a unifying framework to think about mechanisms of contractions or expansion. It provides the foundation for studying a broad range of processes involving cytoskeletal networks and a basis for designing synthetic networks.

Noninvasive In Toto Imaging of the Thymus Reveals Heterogeneous Migratory Behavior of Developing T Cells.

The migration of developing T cells (thymocytes) between distinct thymic microenvironments is crucial for their development. Ex vivo studies of thymus tissue explants suggest two distinct migratory behaviors of thymocytes in the thymus. In the cortex, thymocytes exhibit a stochastic migration, whereas medullary thymocytes show confined migratory behavior. Thus far, it has been difficult to follow all thymocytes in an entire thymus and relate their differentiation steps to their migratory dynamics. To understand the spatial organization of the migratory behavior and development of thymocytes in a fully functional thymus, we developed transgenic reporter lines for the chemokine receptors ccr9a and ccr9b, as well as for rag2, and used them for noninvasive live imaging of the entire thymus in medaka (Oryzias latipes). We found that the expression of these two chemokine receptors in the medaka juvenile thymus defined two spatially distinct subpopulations of thymocytes. Landmark events of T cell development including proliferation, somatic recombination, and thymic selection can be mapped to subregions of the thymus. The migratory behavior of thymocytes within each of the subpopulations is equally heterogeneous, and specific migratory behaviors are not associated with particular domains in the thymus. During the period when thymocytes express rag2 their migratory behavior was more homogeneous. Therefore, the migratory behavior of thymocytes is partly correlated with their developmental stage rather than being defined by their spatial localization.

Cadherin switching during the formation and differentiation of the Drosophila mesoderm - implications for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is typically accompanied by downregulation of epithelial (E-) cadherin, and is often additionally accompanied by upregulation of a mesenchymal or neuronal (N-) cadherin. Snail represses transcription of the E-cadherin gene both during normal development and during tumour spreading. The formation of the mesodermal germ layer in Drosophila, considered a paradigm of a developmental EMT, is associated with Snail-mediated repression of E-cadherin and the upregulation of N-cadherin. By using genetic manipulation to remove or overexpress the cadherins, we show here that the complementarity of cadherin expression is not necessary for the segregation or the dispersal of the mesodermal germ layer in Drosophila. However, we discover different effects of E- and N-cadherin on the differentiation of subsets of mesodermal derivatives, which depend on Wingless signalling from the ectoderm, indicating differing abilities of E- and N-cadherin to bind to and sequester the common junctional and signalling effector ß-catenin. These results suggest that the downregulation of E-cadherin in the mesoderm might be required to facilitate optimal levels of Wingless signalling.

Systemic response to ultraviolet radiation involves induction of leukocytic IL-1ß and inflammation in zebrafish.

Ultraviolet radiation is a pervasive stimulus with wide-ranging effects on all living forms. The effects of UV vary from physiological to pathological, depending on levels of exposure, but the immune response at the organismal level is not well understood. We use the zebrafish embryo and larva to study immune responses to UV stress in vivo. UV exposure causes inflammation characterized by systemic induction of proinflammatory cytokines. Leukocytes are an important component of this systemic response and upregulate IL-1ß expression proportional to the dose of UV exposure. Increased levels of this proinflammatory cytokine counteract the lethal effect of high doses of UV.

Microsomal triacylglycerol transfer protein (MTP) is required to expand tracheal lumen in Drosophila in a cell-autonomous manner.

The Drosophila tracheal system is a useful model for dissecting the molecular mechanisms controlling the assembly and expansion of tubular organs. We have identified microsomal triacylglycerol transfer protein (MTP) as a new player involved in the lumen expansion in unicellular tubes. MTP is an endoplasmic reticulum resident protein that can transfer triglycerides and phospholipids between membranes in vitro. MTP lipid transfer activity is crucial for the assembly and secretion of apoB family lipoproteins, which are carriers of lipids between different tissues. Here we describe an unexpected role of MTP in tracheal development, which we postulate to be independent of its known function in lipoprotein secretion. We propose that, in tracheal cells, MTP is involved in regulation of de novo apical membrane delivery to the existing lumen and thus promotes proper expansion of the larval tracheal system.

Fibroblast growth factor signalling controls successive cell behaviours during mesoderm layer formation in Drosophila.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transitions and cell migration contribute to the establishment of germ layers in vertebrates and other animals, but a comprehensive demonstration of the cellular activities that FGF controls to mediate these events has not been provided for any system. The establishment of the Drosophila mesoderm layer from an epithelial primordium involves a transition to a mesenchymal state and the dispersal of cells away from the site of internalisation in a FGF-dependent fashion. We show here that FGF plays multiple roles at successive stages of mesoderm morphogenesis in Drosophila. It is first required for the mesoderm primordium to lose its epithelial polarity. An intimate, FGF-dependent contact is established and maintained between the germ layers through mesoderm cell protrusions. These protrusions extend deep into the underlying ectoderm epithelium and are associated with high levels of E-cadherin at the germ layer interface. Finally, FGF directs distinct hitherto unrecognised and partially redundant protrusive behaviours during later mesoderm spreading. Cells first move radially towards the ectoderm, and then switch to a dorsally directed movement across its surface. We show that both movements are important for layer formation and present evidence suggesting that they are controlled by genetically distinct mechanisms.

Copy number variation and population-specific immune genes in the model vertebrate zebrafish.

Copy number variation in large gene families is well characterized for plant resistance genes, but similar studies are rare in animals. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has hundreds of NLR immune genes, making this species ideal for studying this phenomenon. By sequencing 93 zebrafish from multiple wild and laboratory populations, we identified a total of 1513 NLRs, many more than the previously known 400. Approximately half of those are present in all wild populations, but only 4% were found in 80% or more of the individual fish. Wild fish have up to two times as many NLRs per individual and up to four times as many NLRs per population than laboratory strains. In contrast to the massive variability of gene copies, nucleotide diversity in zebrafish NLR genes is very low: around half of the copies are monomorphic and the remaining ones have very few polymorphisms, likely a signature of purifying selection.

Humans and other animals have immune systems that protect them from bacteria, viruses and other potentially harmful microbes. Members of a family of genes known as the NLR family play various roles in helping to recognize and destroy these microbes. Different species have varying numbers of NLR genes, for example, humans have 22 NLRs, but fish can have hundreds. 400 have been found in the small tropical zebrafish, also known as zebra danios. Zebrafish are commonly used as model animals in research studies because they reproduce quickly and are easy to keep in fish tanks. Much of what we know about fish biology comes from studying strains of those laboratory zebrafish, including the 400 NLRs found in a specific laboratory strain. Many NLRs in zebrafish are extremely similar, suggesting that they have only evolved fairly recently through gene duplication. It remains unclear why laboratory zebrafish have so many almost identical NLRs, or if wild zebrafish also have lots of these genes. To find out more, Schäfer et al. sequenced the DNA of NLRs from almost 100 zebrafish from multiple wild and laboratory populations. The approach identified over 1,500 different NLR genes, most of which, were previously unknown. Computational modelling suggested that each wild population of zebrafish may harbour up to around 2,000 NLR genes, but laboratory strains had much fewer NLRs. The numbers of NLR genes in individual zebrafish varied greatly ­ only 4% of the genes were present in 80% or more of the fish. Many genes were only found in specific populations or single individuals. Together, these findings suggest that the NLR family has expanded in zebrafish as part of an ongoing evolutionary process that benefits the immune system of the fish. Similar trends have also been observed in the NLR genes of plants, indicating there may be an evolutionary strategy across all living things to continuously diversify large families of genes. Additionally, this work highlights the lack of diversity in the genes of laboratory animals compared with those of their wild relatives, which may impact how results from laboratory studies are used to inform conservation efforts or are interpreted in the context of human health.

Physical models of mesoderm invagination in Drosophila embryo.

The invagination of the mesoderm in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo is an intensely studied example of epithelial folding. Several theoretical studies have explored the conditions and mechanisms needed to reproduce the formation of the invagination in silico. Here we discuss the aspects of epithelial folding captured by these studies, and compare the questions addressed, the approaches used, and the answers provided.

A genetic in vivo system to detect asymmetrically distributed RNA.

Many RNAs show polarized or otherwise non-random subcellular distributions. To create a method for genome-wide genetic screens for RNAs with asymmetric subcellular distributions, we have combined methods for gene tagging and live imaging of messenger RNA (mRNA). A pilot screen in a highly polarized, differentiated cell in the Drosophila larva, the branched terminal cell of the tracheal system, demonstrates the feasibility of the method for identifying new asymmetrically localized mRNAs in vivo.