Article describing a novel S6 kinase isolated from human placenta which autoactivates through autophosphorylation in vitro. The data supports the hypothesis that this previously uncharacterized S6 kinase belongs to a unique family of protein kinases which utilize autophosphorylation as part of their in vivo activation mechanism.

This article measures the cardiac performance of Newfoundland Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The results: (1) show that maximum performance of the isolated cod heart is not compromised by exposure to cold temperatures; and (2) support data from other studies, which show that, in contrast to salmonids, cod cardiac performance/myocardial contractility is not dependent upon humoral adrenergic stimulation.

This article contains a study to determine if 30-d of oral spore-based probiotic supplementation could reduce dietary endotoxemia.

This column article discusses the impact of Robert Boutillier and Graham Shelton's 1986 Journal of Experimental Biology paper "Gas exchange, storage and transport in voluntarily diving Xenopus laevis."

This article shows that both Cys-EC and 4β-(S-cysteinyl)-catechin (Cys-C) are present in grapevine. The data from this study advance knowledge of PA building blocks and LAR function and provide targets for grapevine breeding to alter PA composition.

Article is a study exploring the possibility of using the tobacco retrotransposon Tnt1 to create a transposon-based insertion mutant population in B. distachyon.

Article presents a study where whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and differential expression analysis were used to identify early (1–3 hr) transcriptional changes induced by the exogenous treatment of NAE 18:2 and NAE 18:3 in cotyledons, roots, and seedlings.

Data management plan for the research grant "Generating pathogen- / pest-resistant non-GMO cotton through targeted genome editing of oxylipin signaling pathways."

Data management plan for the grant, "NSFDEB-NERC: Collaborative Research: Wildlife corridors: do they work and who benefits?" Research on the impact of wildlife corridors using genetics as the measure of effectiveness. The study will use 20 independent landscapes to quantify how corridor traits affect gene flow, and will use non-flying mammals as focal species because they are strongly affected by fragmentation. The research team hypothesizes (1) a strong non-linear decline in success (gene flow) with corridor length, reflecting the skewed distribution of dispersal distances within species; (2) success will drop steeply as corridor width falls below a threshold, with the threshold determined by species traits; and (3) species that are bigger, are habitat specialists, or have greater dispersal abilities (relative to brain size or reproductive rate) will benefit more from corridors. Testing these hypotheses will allow generalization to a wide range of mammal species not included in this project. It will use highly flexible Random Forest models to answer the overarching question: What landscape traits (e.g., corridor width, degree of human disturbance) and species traits (mobility, affinity to particular land cover types) are associated with effective corridors?

This article investigates the hypothesis that exposure to engine emissions increases systemic and local adipocyte RAS signaling, promoting the expression of factors involved in cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Data management plan for the grant, "Chemical-Guided Identification of Primary Metabolic Targets for Improvement of Hydroxy Fatty Acid Synthesis in Physaria fendleri." Research on the identification of primary metabolic targets using chemical-guided identification. The first objective of this research is to conduct metabolomics analysis on P. fendleri embryos cultured with two identified chemical regulators of fatty acid metabolism. The second objective of this research is to generate a metabolic flux map of embryos treated with these regulatory compounds in order to determine how metabolic rates and carbon flow can be manipulated to improve HFA production in this species and increase its commercial viability. With properties that could replace imported castor oil, research on the crop in discussion is situated directly in the scope of the USDA-AFRI Education and Workforce Development goals.

Data management plan for the grant, "Non-Genetic Inheritance of Hypoxia Tolerance in Fishes: Dynamics and Mechanisms." Research quantifying the inheritance of tolerance to low oxygen in a model fish and then determine the tolerance mechanisms, at organismal to molecular levels, that are passed on from parents to their offspring. The investigators will not only focus on conventional, well-studied genetic mechanisms for inheritance, but will explore so-called “epigenetic” forms of inheritance that may transfer parental characteristics for only a generation or two. Such “temporary inheritance” might actually require less energy and be more beneficial to a species than the more permanent form of genetic inheritance. This project will quantify non-genetic inheritance of hypoxia tolerance in zebrafish as a model organism and then identify underlying mechanisms, at organismal to molecular levels, in parents and in their progeny. Specifically, this project will quantify non-genetically inherited traits that allow hypoxia tolerance, determine “wash-in” and “wash-out” (i.e., the dynamics) of hypoxia-tolerant phenotypes across multiple generations, and establish epigenetic mechanism(s) of non-genetic inheritance in subsequent generations. The information provided by this project will allow biologists to better predict, and perhaps even mitigate, the negative consequences of future episodes of low oxygen in rivers and lakes.

Data management plan for the grant, "Development of advanced biocatalyst tools and resources to enable biogas-based biomanufacturing."

Data management plan for the grant "Elucidating Cyclic Fatty Acid Biosynthesis and Compartmentalization to Improve Cottonseed Value." Cotton is an important oilseed crop in the U.S. economy. Cotton seed and other vegetative tissues produce unusual chemicals called cyclic fatty acids that have wide-ranging potential uses from high-value industrial properties to nutrition-oriented uses. This project focuses on identifying genes that contribute to the production and storage of these high value bioproducts.

Authors of the article assert that isoflavonoids play important roles in plant defense and also exhibit a range of mammalian health-promoting activities. They emphasize that understanding the structural basis of isoflavone biosynthesis will facilitate the engineering of new bioactive isoflavonoids.

Data management plan for the grant, "Structural and mechanistic studies of oxalate catabolism." Biologically derived oxalic acid has been shown to have a negative impact on crop production and human health. Oxalate present in plant foods can decrease their nutritional value by binding to calcium and rendering that calcium unavailable for nutritional absorption. This project will study the structure and function of key enzymes in oxalate turnover to understand their biological functions and mechanisms, facilitating metabolic engineering of plants toward improving nutritional quality and production of plant derived foods.

Data management plan for the grant, "Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): Landscape genetics of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in Texas."

Data management plan for the grant, "Novel regulators of Slo2 potassium channels"