Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Cover: A swarm of female mosquitoes hover near an infected blood meal opportunity. Unprotected wild-type mosquitoes can become infected and transmit harmful pathogen (blue dots), whereas transgenic mosquitoes (illustrated with a protective DNA barrier) are prevented from supporting a pathogen. A gene drive can be used to spread the protective gene into susceptible wild mosquito populations. In their Review, Raban et al. (jeb208181) discuss different types of gene drives that can be used for population control and how they can be used to solve global health problems related to mosquito-borne diseases. Illustration: Stephanie Gamez.
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Special Issue: Genome Editing for Comparative Physiology
INSIDE JEB
EDITORIAL
REVIEWS
How to turn an organism into a model organism in 10 ‘easy’ steps
Summary: Drawing on our own experience over the past decade with the Aedes aegypti mosquito, we present a series of steps that scientists can take to make non-model species tractable for mechanistic genetic investigation.
How to study enhancers in non-traditional insect models
Summary: We review both experimental and computational approaches useful when studying enhancers in non-traditional model insects. We discuss pros and cons of each approach and key points when applying them to new species.
Evolution, developmental expression and function of odorant receptors in insects
Summary: A review of our understanding of the origins of the olfactory system in insects, the mechanisms of olfactory receptor fate determination, and the extraordinary diversity of behavioral responses to chemical cues.
Molecular evolution of gland cell types and chemical interactions in animals
Summary: Chemical adaptation of animals to new niches has been contingent on the widespread, convergent evolution of exocrine glands. We propose a molecular evolutionary framework for this crucible of metazoan cell type innovation.
Functional genetic analysis in a jawless vertebrate, the sea lamprey: insights into the developmental evolution of early vertebrates
Summary: This Review summarizes progress in the application of functional genomic tools in lamprey embryos to provide insight into the evolution of developmental mechanisms in vertebrates.
Studying convergent evolution to relate genotype to behavioral phenotype
Summary: Using functional genomics tools to study the convergent evolution of behavior allows a better understanding of genotype–phenotype relationships and how behavior evolves and diversifies.
Utilizing the blind cavefish Astyanax mexicanus to understand the genetic basis of behavioral evolution
Summary:Astyanax mexicanus is an excellent model system for examining the genetic basis of complex traits. This Review discusses how gene editing tools can be used to further understand how behaviors evolve.
Diversity in reproductive seasonality in the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus
Summary: Summary of interpopulation variation in seasonal reproduction of the three-spined stickleback and recent progress in our understanding of the physiological basis of seasonal reproduction in this species.
The turquoise killifish: a genetically tractable model for the study of aging
Summary: Turquoise killifish constitute a new powerful vertebrate model system in the biology of aging, with their short natural lifespan and a broad spectrum of aging phenotypes.
Gene manipulation to test links between genome, brain and behavior in developing songbirds: a test case
Summary: Songbirds such as the zebra finch are powerful models in which to investigate neural and genomic mechanisms of complex learned behavior. Genomic manipulation is a powerful tool to advance these inquiries.
Recent advances in functional genomics for parasitic nematodes of mammals
Summary: Parasitic nematodes cause devastating diseases affecting billions of people. We describe new technical advances that are providing long-overdue insights into the biology of these pathogens.
Progress towards engineering gene drives for population control
Summary: Gene drives are an important emerging technology. This review discusses the current state of gene drive technologies for vector-borne disease control and their performance and safety features.
Genome editing approaches to augment livestock breeding programs
Summary: Genome editing could complement traditional livestock genetic improvement programs by fixing favorable alleles, introducing useful genetic variation and accelerating the rate of genetic gain.
The coding loci of evolution and domestication: current knowledge and implications for bio-inspired genome editing
Summary: A review of >1200 identified coding mutations underlying domestication and natural evolution uncovers knowledge biases, shows that null mutations are prevalent and provides insights for successful genome editing.
Bringing immersive science to undergraduate laboratory courses using CRISPR gene knockouts in frogs and butterflies
Summary: Incorporating CRISPR genome editing of butterflies and frogs into undergraduate laboratory courses allows for inquiry-based learning and genuine scientific experiences.
2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize shortlist and winner
The JEB Editors are delighted to announce the shortlisted authors for the 2023 JEB Outstanding Paper Prize. Read the winning paper - Tiny spies: mosquito antennae are sensitive sensors for eavesdropping on frog calls - by Hoover Pantoja-Sanchez and Brian Leavell from Ximena Bernal's lab at Purdue University, USA.
JEB Science Communication Workshop for ECRs
If you’re an early-career researcher interested in science communication and are attending the SEB Annual Conference in Prague this summer, come a day early and join the JEB Editors at a sci comm workshop to learn the key writing skills needed to promote your research to a broad audience beyond your peers (1 July at 14.30-17.30). Places are limited to 24 attendees, and applicants should apply through the SEB registration page by 30 April 2024.
Bridging the gap between controlled conditions and natural habitats in understanding behaviour
Novel technologies enable behavioural experiments with non-model species, in naturalistic habitats and with underexplored behaviours. In their Commentary, Scholz and colleagues discuss how to obtain a deeper understanding of the natural ecology and lifestyle of study animals.
How a macrourid fish remains buoyant at depths it should be unable to reach
Fish with swimbladders should not be capable of descending below 7200m, but when Alan Jamieson and Todd Bond spotted a macrourid fish at 7259m, they knew they had seen something miraculous. Working with Imantes Priede, they reveal that the swimbladder of a 1 kg fish could hold 37.9 g of oxygen, sufficient to offset the weight of the fish's bones, and take 221-440 days to fill, which is plausible because it takes years for the fish to descend to such depths.
ECR Workshop on Positive Peer Review
Are you an ECR looking for tips on how to write concise, astute and useful manuscript reviews? If so, join the JEB Editors at a 2-hour JEB-sponsored Workshop on Positive Peer Review at the Canadian Society of Zoologists annual meeting in Moncton on 9 May 2024 at 13.00-15.00. There are 25 spaces for ECRs and selection is first come, first serve. To sign up, check the ECR Workshop box when you register for the CSZ meeting.