eLife assessment

This study addresses an important, understudied question using approaches that link molecular, circuit, and behavioral changes. The novel findings that Netrin-1 and UNC5c can guide dopaminergic innervation from the nucleus accumbens to the cortex during adolescence are solid. The data showing that the onset of Unc5 expression is sexually dimorphic in mice, and that in Siberian hamsters environmental effects on development are also sexually dimorphic are also solid. Reviewers identified some gaps in evidence for specificity of Netrin-1 expression, which, if filled, would strengthen the evidence for some of the claims. Future work would also benefit from Unc5C knockdown to corroborate the results and investigation of the cause-effect relationship. This paper will be of interest to those interested in neural development, sex differences, and/or dopamine function.

eLife assessment

The authors present a valuable computational platform, which aims to automate the workflow for coarse-grained simulations of biomolecules in the framework of the popular MARTINI model. The capability of the platform has been convincingly demonstrated by the application to a large number of proteins as well as macrocycles and polymers. On the other hand, because the developments have largely been based on the MARTINI model, some might argue that the general impact on the multi-scale simulation community is limited, leaving the support for the claimed significance incomplete.

eLife assessment

This important study of artificial selection in microbial communities shows that the possibility of selecting a desired fraction of slow and fast-growing types is impacted by their initial fractions. The evidence, which relies on mathematical analysis and simulations of a stochastic model, is convincing. It highlights the tension between selection at the strain and the community level. This study should be of interest to researchers interested in ecology, both theoretical and experimental.

eLife assessment

This important study implicates Sempharon 4a in both mice and humans as a key suppressor of psoriatic inflammation. The data are in parts incomplete in defining the precise functionally relevant cellular source and mechanism. Nonetheless, this study brings new insight into psoriasis pathogenesis and a potential new therapeutic target.

eLife assessment

This study presents a valuable finding on the cell composition in mouse spleen depleted for the CD47 receptor and its signaling ligand Thrombospondin in hematopoietic differentiation. The supporting evidence is convincing with analytical improvements on the individual contributions of the signaling components and with functional studies. This work has implications for the role of CD47/Thsp in extramedullary erythropoiesis in mouse spleen and will be of interest to medical biologists working on cell signaling, transfusion medicine, and cell therapy.

eLife assessment

This valuable study describes a new type of NAD+ and Zn2+-independent protein lysine deacetylase in prokaryotes. These results extend the understanding of regulatory mechanisms related to bacterial lysine acetylation modifications however, the experimental evidence is incomplete and does not fully support the conclusions made. The work will be of interest to microbiologists studying metabolism and post-translational modifications.

eLife assessment

This paper reports a large drug repurposing screen based on an in vitro culture platform to identify compounds that can kill Plasmodium hypnozoites. This valuable work adds to the current repertoire of anti-hypnozoites agents and uncovers targetable epigenetic pathways to enhance our understanding of this mysterious stage of the Plasmodium life cycle. The data presented here are based on solid methodology and represent a starting point for further investigation of epigenetic inhibitors to treat P. vivax infection. This paper will be of interest to Plasmodium researchers and more broadly to readers in the fields of host-pathogen interactions and drug development.

eLife assessment

The manuscript by Yang and coworkers presents valuable evidence that an in vitro brain blood barrier composed of endothelial cells, astrocytes, and neuroblastoma cells of human origin, would resemble better the in vivo condition. The presented results constitute solid evidence that GDNF induces the expression of VE-Cadherin and Claudin-5. Further, silencing of GDNF in the brain of mice altered brain blood barrier properties. This provides a new perspective on the interaction between neurons and endothelial cells and this model can be used to screen the permeability of the brain blood barrier to different drugs.

eLife assessment

This valuable paper first demonstrated that RGS10 was identified as a biomarker to evaluate the prognosis of breast cancer. To prevent the loss of RGS10 theoretically provide a new strategy for the treatment of breast cancer. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid, although inclusion of a larger number of patient samples and an animal model would have strengthened the study. The work will be of interest to clinicians working on breast cancer.

eLife assessment

This study investigates the role of the Cadherin Flamingo (Fmi) in cell competition in developing tissues in Drosophila melanogaster. The findings are valuable in that they show that Fmi is required in winning cells in several competitive contexts. The evidence supporting the conclusions is solid, as the authors identify Fmi as a potential new regulator of cell competition, however, they don't delve into a mechanistic understanding of how this occurs.

eLife assessment

This manuscript reports a valuable new mechanism of regulation of the glutamine synthetase in the archaeon Methanosarcina mazei and clarifies the direct activation of glutamine synthetase activity by 2-oxoglutarate, thus introducing a novel understanding of how 2-oxoglutarate serves as a central indicator of carbon and nitrogen sensing. The authors provide solid evidence using mass photometry, specific activity measurements, and single particle cryo-EM data. This study is of interest to biologists working on the regulation of metabolism.

eLife assessment

This landmark work by Lewis and Hegde represents the most significant breakthrough in membrane and secretory biogenesis in recent years. Their work reveals with outstanding clarity how nascent transmembrane segments can pass through the gate of Sec61 into the ER membrane through the coordinated motions of a conformationally and compositionally dynamic machine. Among many other insights, the authors discovered how a new factor, RAMP4, contributes to the formation and function of the lateral gate for certain substrates. The technical quality of the work is exceptional, setting the bar appropriately high.

eLife assessment

The manuscript describes a valuable method to boost WNT signaling in a tissue-specific manner. The work extends previous data from the authors based on fusing an RSPO2 mutant protein to an antibody that binds ASGR1/2. In the current manuscript, two new antibodies with similar effects are described, that expand this solid approach and provide alternatives for potential future clinical applications. This manuscript will be of interest to all scientists studying protein engineering and cellular targeting.

eLife assessment

This important research article provides a novel approach to measure imaginal disc growth and uses this approach to explore the roles of Fat and Dachsous, two conserved protocadherins, in late larval development. The authors have addressed all referee concerns and the evidence supporting the authors' findings overall are compelling.

eLife assessment

This is a valuable study that develops a new model of the way muscle responds to perturbations, synthesizing models of how it responds to small and large perturbations, both of which are used to predict how muscles function for stability but also how they can be injured, and which tend to be predicted poorly by classic Hill-type models. The evidence presented to support the model is solid, since it outperforms Hill-type models in a variety of conditions. Although the combination of phenomenological and mechanistic aspects of the model may sometimes make it challenging to interpret the output, the work will be of interest to those developing realistic models of the stability and control of movement in humans or other animals.

eLife assessment

This study provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the limited capacity to process rapid sequences of visual stimuli by reporting convincing evidence that the attentional blink affects neurally separable processes of visual detection and discrimination. The motivation for some of the analyses and the connection to previous empirical and theoretical work can be improved. The study will be of interest to neuroscientists and psychologists investigating perception and attention.

eLife assessment

This study employs a modified protocol for single-nuclei RNA sequencing of adipose tissue that preserves RNA quality and nuclei integrity. Using this protocol, the study provides valuable insights into the cellular heterogeneity and molecular landscape of murine adipose tissue from lean mice and mice with diet-induced obesity. The study is solid in its approach and analysis, providing a comprehensive description of a dysfunctional hypertrophic adipocyte subpopulation that emerges in association with obesity.

eLife assessment

This valuable study shows how an intersecting network of regulators acting on genes with differences in their RNA metabolism explains why the loss of some regulators of RNAi in C. elegans can selectively impair the silencing of some target genes. The evidence presented is convincing, as the authors use a combination of computational modeling and RNAi assays to support their conclusions.

eLife assessment

This work investigated the mechanisms by which sperm DNA is excluded from the meiotic spindle after fertilization. The finding that kinesin-13, katanin and Ataxin-2 proteins are involved in this process is useful in uncovering the mechanisms underlying healthy embryo formation. The overall conclusions of the work are supported by solid evidence obtained by microscopy and RNAi experiments, though more robust data analyses and rescue experiments would have strengthened the study.

eLife assessment

This important study identifies biallelic variants of DNAH3 in four unrelated infertile men. In addition, it reports that DNAH3 knockout (KO) mice are infertile, and that compromised DNAH3 activity decreases the expression of IDA-associated proteins in the spermatozoa of human patients and the KO mice. Of note, the infertility of both can be rescued by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In aggregate, the work provides solid evidence to demonstrate that DNAH3 is a novel pathogenic gene for asthenoteratozoospermia and male infertility . It will be of substantial interest to clinicians, reproductive counselors, embryologists, and basic researchers working on infertility and assisted reproductive technology.

eLife assessment

This work presents valuable information on the structure of the spirosome's native extended conformation as the active form of the enzyme aldehyde-alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhE). However, the data supporting this claim are incomplete.

eLife assessment

This manuscript presents important observations on the early changes in calcium signaling, TMEM16a activation, and mitochondrial dysfunction in salivary gland cells in an inflammation murine model of autoimmune Sjögren's disease. Convincing changes are shown in saliva release, calcium signaling, TMEM16a activation, mitochondrial function, and sub-cellular morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum following DMXAA treatment. The work will be of strong interest to physiologists working on secretion, calcium signaling, and mitochondria.

eLife assessment

Gain-of-function mutations and amplifications of PPM1D are found across several human cancers and are associated with advanced tumor stage and worse prognosis. Thus far, the clinical translation has not been possible due to the lack of PPM1D inhibitors with favorable pharmacokinetic properties. This useful study leverages CRISPR/Cas9 screening to determine that loss of SOD1 and is synthetic lethal with PPM1D mutation in leukemia. The mechanistic analyses are still incomplete.

eLife assessment

This important study expands our understanding of the role of two axon guidance factors in a specific axon guidance decision. The strength of the study is the compelling axonal labeling and quantification, which allows the authors to establish precise consequences of the loss of each guidance factor or receptor.

eLife assessment

This study presents an important finding on the structural role of glycosylation at position N343 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein's receptor-binding domain in maintaining its stability, with implications across different variants of concern. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is convincing, since appropriate and validated methodology in line with current state-of-the-art has been approached. The work will be of interest to evolutionary virologists.

eLife assessment

This study presents potentially valuable insights into the role of climbing fibers in cerebellar learning. The main claim is that climbing fiber activity is necessary for optokinetic reflex adaptation, but is dispensable for its long-term consolidation. There is evidence to support the first part of this claim, though it requires a clearer demonstration of the penetrance and selectivity of the manipulation. However, support for the latter part of the claim is incomplete owing to methodological concerns, including unclear efficacy of longer-duration climbing fiber activity suppression.

eLife assessment:

This important study combines experiments that rely on the use of target-agnostic memory B cell sorting and screening approaches and thorough characterization of antibodies with specificities to the sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum. The authors present solid findings that one antibody, B1E11K, is cross-reactive with multiple proteins containing glutamate-rich repeats. B1E11k binds to the repeats through homotypic interactions, similar to what has been observed for Plasmodium circumsporozoite protein repeat-directed antibodies. Despite the importance of the findings beyond the field of malaria, the writing, in several places, lacks clarity.

eLife assessment

This study presents an important study of the relationship between morphogen signaling and cell fate choices in the forming zebrafish neural tube, addressing a topical question in developmental biology. The authors provide a solid characterization of the precision limit for gene regulatory networks interpreting Shh, with single-cell resolution and state-of-the-art in vivo approaches. However, the analyses are at times incomplete and would benefit from a higher number of cell traces. With the analyses strengthened, this work will be of interest to developmental biologists interested in cellular decision-making.

eLife assessment

The authors address key assumptions underlying current models of the formation of value-based decisions. They provide solid evidence that the subjective values human participants assign to choice options change across sequences of multiple decisions and establish valuable methods to detect these changes in frequently used behavioral task designs. That said, the description of the fMRI results requires further elaboration in order to support the claim that the authors' algorithm reveals neural valuation processes better than the current standard approach.

eLife assessment

This landmark paper introduces the generation and analysis of a connectome resource of the entire ventral nerve cord of a fruit fly which is one of the top model organisms to investigate how a nervous system forms and functions. The work introduces new and improved approaches - from tissue preparation to automated reconstruction - to generate a detailed connectome from a complex adult ventral nerve cord. This extensive new dataset provides cell type and lineage annotations, putative neurotransmitter expression information, and the potential to link to genetic driver lines, with compelling evidence to support the claims made.

eLife assessment

Work described in this manuscript reveals the importance of the zinc transporter SLC30A1 in the antimicrobial function of macrophages, specifically against Salmonella. Cell-targeted deletion of the zinc transporter increased susceptibility of mice to systemic infection with Salmonella, leading to decreases in several cell functions such as nos2 expression. The authors argue that zinc homeostasis promotes macrophage cell function that is not conductive to the intracellular proliferation of Salmonella. This study provides novel and supportive evidence for a new pathway in nutritional immunity.

eLife assessment

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter and its synaptic concentration is controlled by re-uptake by the sodium-coupled serotonin transporter SERT. The manuscript by Chan et al reports results from a systematic deep mutagenesis approach to study the surface expression and APP+ (5HT analogue) transport mechanism of the human serotonin transporter. The authors complement this experimental evidence with large-scale molecular simulations of the transporter in the presence of APP+. The use of deep mutagenesis and large-scale adaptive sampling simulations is impressive, and could contribute to understanding the structural requirements for folding and how transporters evolve to recognize different substrates.

eLife assessment

The authors provide a high quality genome of the xenacoelomorph worm Xenoturbella bocki and discuss its structure and evolution. Understanding the genomic structure of this group provides important insights into bilaterian evolution. The authors make a solid case that the data they present can support the placement of Xenacoelomorpha within the deuterostomes rather than as a sister group to all other bilaterians, but do not unequivocally reject the competing scenario.

eLife assessment

The study presents a valuable finding on quantifying the orientation and organization of chondrocyte columns in the prenatal and postnatal growth plate cartilage using advanced 3D imaging and a sophisticated image analysis pipeline. The evidence supporting the authors' conclusions regarding the lack of columns in the fetal growth plate is considered inadequate due to technical caveats, inconsistencies in the data and corresponding model, and failure to correctly put the findings in context.

eLife assessment

This fundamental work advances our understanding of the central coding and control mechanisms regulating sympathetic nervous system efferent signals to bone. The evidence supporting the conclusion is mostly convincing, although the inclusion of higher resolution images for certain data and further discussions would strengthen the study. This paper holds potential interest for skeletal biologists and neuroscientists who study the brain-bone sympathetic neural circuits.

eLife assessment

This paper is valuable in that it provides a critical missing link between measures of structural connectivity and rhythmic tapping abilities, pointing to some interesting possibilities for how tapping synchronization is carried out. The methodology and findings are solid, and of interest to those studying the neural mechanisms of timing.

eLife assessment

This investigation marks an important advancement in our understanding of motor thalamus connectivity, illustrating a complex integration of inputs that reshapes previous models. The study utilizes compelling methodologies that expose a dynamic synaptic network, although the evidence of triple-input convergence on individual neurons and for multiple driver type inputs onto motor thalamic neurons remains incomplete. Despite this, the findings provide a persuasive rationale for revisiting our perceptions of the thalamic role in motor control, with a call for further studies to substantiate the breadth of these functional interactions.

eLife assessment

This paper presents a new method for separating organelles in an unbiased way. The method is applied to the separation of distinct subpopulations of insulin vesicles. There are concerns around whether the vesicles measured are in fact insulin vesicles and whether the observed changes in vesicle populations upon glucose stimulation are biologically meaningful, and thus it is difficult to assess at this stage how well the technique performs. This paper is likely to be of wide interest to cell biologists studying a variety of compartments, as well as to researchers in the beta cell field.

eLife assessment

Using continuum theory of elastic solids the authors present evidence that periodic muscle contraction leads to elongation of C. elegans embryos by storing elastic energy that is subsequently released by extending the embryo's long axis. This important finding could apply to other developmental processes and be exploited in soft robotics. The presented evidence is convincing on the phenomenological level adopted in the work. How bending energy is converted into elongation on a more microscopic level remains to be worked out.

eLife assessment

This is an important computational study that applies the machine learning method of bilinear modeling to the problem of relating gene expression to connectivity. Specifically, the author attempts to use transcriptomic data from mouse retinal neurons to predict their known connectivity with promising results. On revision, the approach was tested against a second data set from C. elegans. A limited number of genes studied in this second dataset may have resulted in performance that matched but did not exceed prior models. However, taken together, the results were felt to provide solid evidence for the value of the approach.

eLife assessment

In this important study, the authors report a novel measurement of the Escherichia coli chemotactic response and demonstrate that these bacteria display an attractant response to potassium, which is connected to intracellular pH level. The experimental evidence provided is convincing and the work will be of interest to microbiologists studying chemotaxis.

eLife assessment

This study presents a cellular automaton model to study the dynamics of virus-induced signalling and innate host defense against viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 in epithelial tissue. The simulations and data analysis are convincing and represent a valuable contribution that would be of interest to researchers studying the dynamics of viral propagation.

eLife assessment

This study uses numerical simulations to characterize and compare variants of two widely used mathematical models and then applies those models to inferring evolutionary parameters from breast cancer data. The copious numerical results will be of some interest to mathematical biologists working with similar models. The finding that many breast cancer mutations are mildly deleterious is valuable but the evidence supporting this claim is incomplete because the mathematical modelling and statistical methods are insufficiently justified and inadequately validated.

eLife assessment

This valuable study reports that actin-related proteins may be involved in transcriptional regulation during spermatogenesis. The supporting data remain incomplete, and more extensive disentanglement from the canonical role of these actin-related proteins and the experimental validation of in silico predictions are required. This work will be of interest to reproductive biologists and other researchers working on non-canonical roles of actin and actin-related proteins.

eLife assessment

The authors develop a novel genetic strategy for specific and comprehensive labeling of axo-axonic cells, also referred to as chandelier cells, in the mouse brain. The approach and analysis are rigorous such that the data convincingly support the key conclusions, including the expanded distribution of axo-axonic cells throughout the brain. This study provides important new information about the distribution of a significant neuronal cell type, as well as new tools for future studies. This work will be of broad interest to neuroscientists who work on the anatomical and functional organization of neural circuits.

eLife assessment

This useful study provides a novel method to detect sleep cycles based on variations in the slope of the power spectrum from electroencephalography signals. The method, dispensing with time-consuming and potentially subjective manual identification of sleep cycles, is supported by solid evidence and analyses but some aspects could be better illustrated and the source of the discrepancies between classical and fractal cycles should be identified. This study will be of interest to researchers and clinicians working on sleep and brain dynamics.

eLife assessment

This useful manuscript challenges the utility of current paradigms for estimating brain-age with magnetic resonance imaging measures. It presents solid evidence to support the suggestion that an alternative approach focused on predicting cognition may be more beneficial. This work will be of interest to researchers working on brain-age and related models.

eLife assessment

This work explores the role of one the most abundant circRNAs, circHIPK3, in bladder cancer cells, showing with convincing data that circHIPK3 depletion affects thousands of genes and that those downregulated (including STAT3) share an 11-mer motif with circHIPK3, corresponding to a binding site for IGF2BP2. The experiments demonstrate that circHIPK3 can compete with the downregulated mRNAs targets for IGF2BP2 binding and that IGF2BP2 depletion antagonizes the effect of circHIPK3 depletion by upregulating the genes containing the 11-mer. These important findings contribute to the growing recognition of the complexity of cancer signaling regulation and highlight the intricate interplay between circRNAs and protein-coding genes in tumorigenesis.

eLife assessment

The authors aim to develop a CRISPR system that can be activated upon sensing an RNA. As an initial step to this goal, they describe RNA-sensing guide RNAs for controlled activation of CRISPR modification. Many of the data look convincing and while several steps remain to achieve the stated goal in an in vivo setting and for robust activation by endogenous RNAs, the current work will be important for many in the field.

eLife assessment

This study presents valuable findings describing how two brain regions, the midbrain periaqueductal gray matter and basolateral amygdala, communicate when a predator threat is detected. Though the periaqueductal gray is usually viewed as a downstream effector, this work contributes to a growing body of literature from this lab showing that the periaqueductal gray produces effects by acting on the basolateral amygdala. The experimental design, data collection and analysis methods provide solid evidence for the main claims. Although anatomical and immediately early gene results suggest the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus may serve as a mediator of dorsolateral periaqueductal gray to basolateral amygdala neurotransmission, this finding would benefit from a functional assessment. This study will appeal to a broad audience, including basic scientists interested in neural circuits, basic and clinical researchers interested in fear, and behavioral ecologists interested in foraging.

eLife assessment

This valuable work describes a new protein factor that is required for filamentous phage assembly. Convincing evidence is provided for the binding of PSB15 to the packaging signal of the single-stranded DNA, Trx, and cardiolipin, and a mechanism for how the phage DNA is targeted to the assembly site in the bacterial inner membrane is presented. The work will be of interest to microbiologists.

eLife assessment

This study presents important data describing cell states of olfactory ensheathing cells, and how these cell states may relate to repair after spinal cord injury. While the overall framework used for characterizing these cells is solid, the quantification and contextualization of results are incomplete, given that measurements, significance statistics, and discussion of both previous work and experimental methods that would be necessary to support several claims are not provided. With more thorough quantification and discussion, this work will be of interest to stem cell biologists and spinal cord injury researchers.

eLife assessment

This study presents valuable research comparing three different species of extant cartilaginous fishes and describes new data on ratfish. The methods are convincing although the reviewers noted that standardized methods are essential when comparing numerical datasets. This study would be of interest to skeletal biologists working on the evolution of chondrichthyan skeletons.

eLife assessment

This useful study reports that epididymal proteins are required for embryogenesis after fertilization. The data presented are generally convincing, but the study is incomplete because it does not investigate in detail how those proteins cause DNA fragmentation and compromised embryonic development. This work will be of interest to reproductive biologists and andrologists.

eLife assessment

This important work advances our understanding of how brains flexibly gate actions in different contexts, a topic of great interest to the broader field of systems neuroscience. Recording neural activity from several sensory and motor cortical areas along a sensorimotor pathway, the authors found that preparatory activity in motor cortical areas of the mouse depends on the context in which an action will be carried out, consistent with previous theoretical and experimental work. Furthermore, the authors provide causal evidence that these changes support flexible gating of actions. The carefully carried out experiments were analyzed using state-of-the-art methodology and provide convincing conclusions.

eLife assessment

This fundamental study provides insights into the interplay of endogenous orienting and the planning of goal-directed gaze shifts (saccades). Using an elegant experimental protocol and detailed analyses of the time course of saccadic choices, the authors provide compelling evidence for independent mechanisms that guide early, reflexive eye movements and later, voluntary gaze shifts. This work will be of interest to neuroscientists and psychologists working on vision and motor control and to those researching decision-making across disciplines.

eLife assessment

This important study provides evidence for a combination of the latest generation of Oxford Nanopore Technology long reads with state-of-the art variant callers enabling bacterial variant discovery at accuracy that matches or exceeds the current "gold standard" with short reads. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is convincing, although the inclusion of a larger number of reference genomes would further strengthen the study. The work will be of interest to anyone performing sequencing for outbreak investigations, bacterial epidemiology, or similar studies.

eLife assessment

The study, from the group that pioneered migrasome, describes a novel vaccine platform derived from this newly discovered organelle. Using these cleverly engineered migrasomes – that behave like natural migrasomes – as a novel vaccine platform has the potential to overcome obstacles such as cold chain issues for vaccines like messenger RNA. Although the findings are important with practical implications for the vaccine technology, and the evidence, based on appropriate and validated methodology is convincing and is in line with current state-of-the-art, there are some critical issues that need to be addressed. These include a head-to-head comparison with proven vaccine platforms, for example, a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine or an adjuvanted recombinant spike protein.

eLife assessment

This important study reports the deep evolutionary conservation of a core genetic program regulating spermatogenesis in flies, mice, and humans. The data presented are supportive of the main conclusion and generally convincing. This work will be of interest to evolutionary and reproductive biologists.

eLife assessment

This important study reports the developmental dynamics and molecular markers of the rete ovarii during ovarian development. However, the data supporting the main conclusions remain incomplete. This study will be of interest to developmental and reproductive biologists.

eLife assessment

The authors combined human genetic analysis with zebrafish experiments to produce evidence that alleles that impair the function of EPHA4 cause idiopathic scoliosis (IS), a common spinal deformity. The significance of the findings is important because the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to IS remain poorly understood. The human genetic data are quite convincing whereas the zebrafish data, although supportive, are incomplete.

eLife assessment

This useful manuscript describes the second earliest known winged ovule without a capule in the Famennian of Late Devonian. Using solid mathematical analysis, the authors demonstrate that three-winged seeds are more adapted to wind dispersal than one-, two- and four-winged seeds. The manuscript will help the scientific community to understand the origin and early evolutionary history of wind dispersal strategy of early land plants.

eLife assessment

This work is important because it attempts to elucidate how immune cells migrate across the blood brain barrier. The authors developed a convincing framework to visualize, recognize and track the movement of different immune cells across primary human and mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells without the need for fluorescence-based imaging using microfluidic devices. The data gathered are solid, and this work will be of interest to the cancer biology, immunology and medical therapeutics fields.

eLife assessment

This fundamental study provides a modeling regime that provides new insight into the energy-preservation parameters among schooling fish. The strength of the evidence supporting observations such as distilled dynamics between leading and lagging schooling fish which are derived from emergent properties is convincing. Overall, the study provides exciting insights into energetic coupling with respect to group swimming dynamics. Some potential improvements to strengthen the study include clarification regarding degrees of freedom and parameter ranges in the model.

eLife assessment

This is a valuable study that describes the effects of T. pallidum on neural development by applying single-cell RNA sequencing to an iPSC-derived brain organoid model. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid, although further evidence to understand the differences in infection rates would strengthen the conclusions of the study. In particular, the conclusions would be strengthened by validating infection efficiency as this can impact the interpretation of single-cell sequencing results, and how these metrics affect organoid size as well as comparison with additional infectious agents. Furthermore, additional functional validations of downstream effectors could be insightful.

eLife assessment

This fundamental study reports differential expression of key genes in full-term placenta between Tibetans and Han Chinese at high elevations, which are more pronounced in the placenta of male fetus than in female fetus. The gene expression data were collected and analyzed using solid and validated methodology, although there is limited support for hypoxia-specific responses due to a lack of low-altitude samples. Several of the placental genes found in this study have been previously reported to show signatures of positive selection in Tibetans, pointing to a potential mechanism of how human populations adapt to high elevation by mitigating the negative effects of low oxygen on fetal growth. The work will be of interest to evolutionary and population geneticists as well as researchers working on human hypoxic response.

eLife assessment

This study aggregates across five fMRI datasets and reports that a network of brain areas previously associated with response inhibition processes, including several in the basal ganglia, are more active on failed stop than successful stop trials. This study is valuable as a well-powered investigation of fMRI measures of stopping. However, evidence for the authors' conclusions regarding the role of subcortical nodes in stopping is incomplete, due to the limitations in the fMRI analysis.

eLife assessment

This important study provides a new perspective on why preparatory activity occurs before the onset of movement. The authors report that when there is a cost on the inputs, the optimal inputs should start before the desired network output for a wide variety of recurrent networks. The authors present convincing evidence by combining mathematically tractable analyses in linear networks and numerical simulation in nonlinear networks.

eLife assessment

The valuable findings by Dasgupta et al demonstrate the role of Sema7a in fine tuning the morphology of the microcircuit between afferent axons and sensory hair cells in the lateral line organ. The loss and gain of function evidence provides solid support for a role for Sema7a in this process. Additional work is needed to determine the role for different isoforms in Sema7a-mediated synapse formation and chemoattraction as well as cell type specificity.

eLife assessment

This important work provides convincing data on neuronal heterogeneity in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), focusing on their electrophysiological properties, morphology, and susceptibility to the neurodegeneration of noradrenaline and dopamine systems in the Parkinsonian state. These findings suggest a significant interplay between catecholaminergic systems in healthy and parkinsonian conditions, as well as neuronal structure and function. Such findings provide a strong foundation for basic scientists as well as pre-clinical researchers interested in the role of dorsal raphe neurons in Parkinson's disease.

eLife assessment

The authors use point light displays to measure biological motion (BM) perception in children (mean = 9 years) with and without ADHD, and relate it to IQ, social responsiveness scale (SRS) scores and age. They report that children with ADHD were worse at all three BM tasks, but that those tasks loading more heavily on local processing relate to social interaction skills and those loading on global processing relate to age. There are still some elements of the results that are unclear, but nevertheless, the important and solid findings extend our limited knowledge of BM perception in ADHD, as well as biological motion processing mechanisms in general.

eLife assessment

This fundamental study significantly advances our understanding of the role of water influx and swelling on neutrophil migration in response to chemoattractant. The evidence supporting the conclusions, based on a genome-wide CRISPR screen and high quality cellular observations, is compelling. This paper will be of interest to cell biologists and biophysicists working on cell migration.

eLife assessment

Despite the well-known facilitatory effect that integration across the senses has on behavioural measures, standard neuroimaging approaches have not yet produced reliable and precise neural correlates. In this paper, Buhman et al. harness the decoding of EEG responses, beyond univariate approaches, to capture these correlates in a robust, clear fashion. If confirmed, this approach could be important for estimating multisensory integration in humans across a wide range of different domains. However, the strength of evidence to support these claims is still incomplete because of the potentially confounding factor of eye movements, which the authors themselves identify in their data, and because of the discrepancies between the behavioural and EEG data.

eLife assessment

Following synaptic vesicle fusion events at release sites, vesicle remnants will need to be cleared in order to allow new rounds of vesicle docking and fusion. This fundamental study of Mahapatra and Takahashi examines the role of release site clearance in synaptic transmission during repetitive activity in two types of central synapses, the giant calyx of Held and hippocampal CA1 synapses. The study uses pharmacological approaches to interfere with release site clearance by blocking membrane retrieval (endocytosis). The results also show how pharmacological inhibition of scaffold proteins affects short-term plasticity. The data presented make a compelling case for fast endocytosis as necessary for rapid site clearance and vesicle recruitment to active zones. The data reveal an unexpected, fast role for local site clearance in counteracting synaptic depression.

eLife assessment

This paper provides valuable insights into the neural substrates of human working memory. Through clever experimental design and rigorous analyses, the paper provides compelling evidence that the working memory representation of stimulus orientation is a reformatted version of the presented stimulus, though more work is needed to establish more generally that visual working memories are abstractions of percepts. This work will be of broad interest to cognitive neuroscientists working on the neural bases of visual perception and memory.

eLife assessment

This useful experiment seeks to better understand how memory interacts with incoming visual information to effectively guide human behavior. Using several methods, the authors report two distinct pathways relating visual processing to the default mode network: one that emphasizes "semantic" cognition, and the other, spatial cognition. Despite the impressive array of methods employed, the evidence supporting a clear distinction is currently incomplete.

eLife assessment

The study presents a useful investigation of the relation between pupil size and saccade decision in human observers. Based on the premise that pupil size is a reliable proxy of "effort", the authors conclude that less costly saccade targets are preferred. The data were collected and analyzed using solid and validated methodology, but the evidence supporting the claim that effort drives saccade target selection is incomplete and alternative explanations are not ruled out.

eLife assessment

This is a fundamental study that advances our understanding of the contribution of somatic variations in microglia that may contribute to the onset or progression of neurodegenerative disease. Specifically, during Alzheimer's disease, somatic mutations were identified in the MAPK pathway genes. The findings presented here are backed by compelling evidence drawn from a patient cohort, along with mechanistic proof-of-concept studies. Collectively, this research will be of interest to a wide audience, particularly those involved in the study of somatic mutations, neurodegeneration, immunology, and cell signalling.

eLife assessment

This study could pose an important step forward in understanding brain network embedding of beta oscillations, advancing our circuit-level understanding of the pathophysiology associated with frontal beta or dopaminergic alterations in psychiatric or neurological disorders. The study provides compelling evidence that beta oscillations across the neocortex and basal ganglia map onto shared functional and structural networks that show significant positive correlations with dopamine receptors.

eLife assessment

This study employed a comprehensive approach to examining how the MT+ region integrates into a complex cognition system in mediating human visuo-spatial intelligence. While the findings are useful, the experimental evidence is incomplete and the study design, hypothesis, analyses, writing, and presentation need to be improved. The work will be of interest to researchers in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience.

eLife assessment

This study offers a valuable description of the layer-and sublayer specific outputs of the somatosensory cortex based on convincing evidence obtained with modern tools for the analysis of brain connectivity, together with functional validation of the connectivity using optogenetic approaches in vivo. Beyond bridging together, in one dataset, the results of disparate studies, this effort brings new insights on layer specific outputs, and on differences between primary and secondary somatosensory areas. This study will be of interest to neuroanatomists and neurophysiologists.

eLife assessment

Abbasi and colleagues use Granger causality to explore the cortico-subcortical dynamics during speaking and listening. They find valuable evidence for bi-directional connectivity in distinct frequency bands as a function of behaviour, but currently offer incomplete support for the validity of their analyses and the predictive coding interpretation of their results.

eLife assessment

This a useful study that reports a genetic regulatory network that accounts for altered lipid metabolism in response to two different bacterial diets of C. elegans. The proposed mechanism, linking vitamin B12, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and neutral lipid levels, is solid but has been previously demonstrated by other studies using similar assays. The evidence to support a new layer of regulation, via the production of phospho-choline by ASM-3/acid sphingomyelinase, requires further substantiation.

Editors Assessment:

This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example presents the genome of the golden birdwing butterfly Troides aeacus (Lepidoptera, Papilionidae). A notable and popular species in Asia that faces habitat loss due to urbanization and human activities. The lack of genomic resources impedes conservation efforts based on genetic markers, as well as better understanding of its biology. Using PacBio HiFi long reads and Omni-C a 351Mb genome was assembled genome anchored to 30 pseudo-molecules. After reviewers requested more information on the genome quality it seems there was high sequence continuity with contig length N50 = 11.67 Mb and L50 = 14, and scaffold length N50 = 12.2 Mb and L50 = 13. Allowing a total of 24,946 protein-coding genes were predicted. This study presents the first chromosomal-level genome assembly of the golden birdwing T. aeacus, a potentially useful resource for further phylogenomic studies of birdwing butterfly species in terms of species diversification and conservation. This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

Editors Assessment:

This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example assembles the genome of the common chiton, Liolophura japonica (Lischke, 1873). Chitons are marine molluscs that can be found worldwide from cold waters to the tropics that play important ecological roles in the environment, but to date are lacking in genomes with only a few assemblies available. This data was produced using PacBio HiFi reads and Omni-C sequencing data, the resulting genome assembly being around 609 Mb in size. From this 28,010 protein-coding genes were predicted. After review improved the methodological details the quality metrics look near chromosome-level, having a scaffold N50 length of 37.34 Mb and 96.1% BUSCO score. This high-quality genome should hopefully be a valuable resource for gaining new insights into the environmental adaptations of L. japonica in residing the intertidal zones and for future investigations in the evolutionary biology in Polyplacophorans and other molluscs.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

Editors Assessment:

This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example assembles the genome of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778). Using PacBio HiFi long-reads and Omni-C data the assembled genome size was 886 Mb, consistent to the size of other sea urchin genomes. The assembly anchored to 22 pseudo-molecules/chromosomes, and a total of 27,478 genes including 23,030 protein-coding genes were annotated. Peer review added more to the conclusion and future perspectives. The data hopefully providing a valuable resource and foundation for a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of sea urchins.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

eLife assessment

This, in principle, useful study suggests that the G-protein subunit Gng13 is required for limiting injury and inflammation following H1N1 influenza infection via anti-inflammatory effects from ectopic tuft cells. While support for Gng13 helping to limit influenza injury in the transgenic mouse models used here is solid, evidence for these effects being mediated by normal tuft cells remains incomplete, giving conflicting data from mice that lack tuft cells entirely.

eLife assessment

This fundamental study elucidates the function of the cohesin subunit SCC3 in maintaining homologous chromosome pairing and synapsis during meiosis. The observation of sterility in the SCC3 weak mutant prompted an investigation of abnormal chromosome behavior during anaphase I, and the discovery that SCC3's loading onto meiotic chromosomes is REC8-dependent. The convincing evidence presented in this study contributes to our understanding of meiosis in rice and attracts cell biologists, reproductive biologists, and plant geneticists.

eLife assessment

This study represents a useful description of a third interaction site between melanophilin and myosin-5a which has a role in regulating the distribution of pigment granules in melanocytes. While much of the data forms a solid case for this interaction, the inclusion of controls for the cellular studies and measurement of interaction affinities would have been helpful.

eLife assessment

This important study contributes insights into the regulatory mechanisms of a protein governing cell migration at the membrane. The integration of approaches revealing protein structure and dynamics provides convincing data for a model of regulation and suggests a new allosteric role for a solubilized phospholipid headgroup. The work will be interesting to researchers focusing on signaling mechanisms, cell motility, and cancer metathesis.

eLife assessment

This study provides valuable insight into the role of miR-199a/b-5p in cartilage formation. The evidence supporting the significance of the identified miRNA and its target mRNA transcripts is convincing. This paper will likely primarily benefit scientists focused on diseases related to this biological process, such as osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers interested in miRNAs as a broader subject may find the computational model development methodology helpful.

eLife assessment

This study demonstrates that neurons receiving inputs from auditory cortex in the inferior colliculus widely encode the outcome of a sound detection task independant of the presence of auditory cortex. This valuable study based on imaging of transynaptically labelled neurons provides convincing evidence that auditory cortex is necessary neither for sound detection, nor to channel information related to behavioral outcome to the subcortical auditory system. This study will be of wide interest for sensory neuroscientists.

eLife assessment

This study provides valuable evidence that differentiated cells of the zebrafish skin form membrane protrusions called cytonemes, that contact and potentially transmit Notch signals to cells of the intermediate layer below. Evidence that periderm cells send out cytoneme-like protrusions is solid, and perturbations that affect cytoneme number clearly affect periderm structure and gene expression. However, evidence that these effects are directly due to cytoneme mediated-Notch signaling is incomplete.

eLife assessment

In this important study, Li and others identified cell membrane receptors for juvenile hormone (JH), a terpenoid hormone in insects that regulates their development and reproduction. While intracellular receptors for JH have been well characterized, membrane receptors for JH have remained elusive. Although the authors provide convincing evidence to indicate that the receptor tyrosine kinases they identified bind to JH in vitro and induce responses in cultured cells, their loss-of-function phenotypes are not consistent with known JH functions, leaving obscure the physiological roles of these receptors in mediating in vivo JH function.

eLife assessment

This important study identifies the TNXB-AKT pathway as a potential mechanism underlying hemophilia-associated cartilage degeneration. The evidence supporting the conclusions is convincing, with murine and human patient evidence as well as genome-wide DNA methylation analysis. This paper would be of interest to cell biologists and biochemists working on the field of musculoskeletal disorders.

Editors Assessment:

This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example presenting the first whole genome assembly of Dacryopinax spathularia, an edible mushroom-forming fungus that is used in the food industry to produce natural preservatives. Using PacBio and Omni-C data a 29.2 Mb genome was assembled, with a scaffold N50 of 1.925 Mb and 92.0% BUSCO score demonstrating the quality (review pushing the authors to provide more detail and QC stats to help better convince on this). This data providing a useful resource for further phylogenomic studies in the family Dacrymycetaceae and investigations on the biosynthesis of glycolipids with potential applications in the food industry.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

Editors Assessment:

This work is part of a series of papers from the Hong Kong Biodiversity Genomics Consortium sequencing the rich biodiversity of species in Hong Kong. This example assembles the genome of the milky mangrove Excoecaria agallocha, also known as blind-your-eye mangrove due to its toxic properties of its milky latex that can cause blindness when it comes into contact with the eyes. Living in the brackish water of tropical mangrove forests from India to Australia, they are an extremely important habitat for a diverse variety of aquatic species, including the mangrove jewel bug of which this tree is the sole food source for the larvae. Using PacBio HiFi long-reads and Omni-C technology a 1,332.45 Mb genome was assembled, with 1,402 scaffolds and a scaffold N50 of 58.95 Mb. After feedback the annotations were improved, predicting a very high number (73,740) protein coding genes. The data presented here provides a valuable resource for further investigation in the biosynthesis of phytochemical compounds in its milky latex with the potential of many medicinal and pharmacological properties. As well as increasing the understanding of biology and evolution in genome architecture in the Euphorbiaceae family and mangrove species adapted to high levels of salinity.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

eLife assessment

Combining experimental and computation approaches, this manuscript provides solid evidence for a post-transcriptional mechanism that provides robust control over the protein expression level of RecB in E. coli. In addition to uncovering how DNA damage drives more efficient translation of RecB protein, this work also reveals important tenets for how broader mechanisms that suppress noise and underlie responsive tuning of protein levels can be achieved.

Editors Assessment:

The King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) is a great example of a Holacanthus angelfish that are some of the most iconic marine fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific. However, very limited genomic resources currently exist for the genus and these authors have assembled and annotated the nuclear genome of the species, and used it examine the demographic history of the fish. Using nanopore long reads to assemble a compact 583 Mb reference with a contig N50 of 5.7 Mb, and 97.5% BUSCOs score. Scruitinising the data, the BUSCO score was high compared to the initial N50’s, providing some useful lessons learned on how to get the most out of ONT data. The analysis suggests that the demographic history in H. passer was likely shaped by historical events associated with the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, rather than by the more recent last glacial maximum. This data provides a genomic resource to improve our understanding of the evolution of Holacanthus angelfishes, and facilitating research into local adaptation, speciation, and introgression of marine fishes. In addition, this genome can help improve the understanding of the evolutionary history and population dynamics of marine species in the Tropical Eastern Pacific.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

eLife assessment

This important bibliometric analysis shows that authors of scientific papers whose names suggest they are female or East Asian get quoted less often in news stories about their work. While caveats are inevitable in this type of study, the evidence for the authors' claims is convincing, with a rigorous, and importantly, reproducible analysis of over 20,000 articles from across 15 years. This paper will be of interest to science journalists and to researchers who study science communication.

eLife assessment

This study tackles a significant question: Does the brain apply spatial navigation systems to evaluate decision options in conceptual social spaces? The investigation is useful as it seeks to address this intriguing hypothesis. The findings offer partial support: a solid analysis revealed characteristic grid-like patterns associated with decision-making directions. However, it remains uncertain whether these effects are genuinely due to navigating a conceptual social space or potentially confounded by changes in visual stimuli. The experimental design may not be capable of definitively resolving this issue.

eLife assessment

This valuable study advances our understanding of why diabetes is a risk factor for more severe Covid-19 disease. The authors offer convincing evidence that cathepsin L is more active in diabetic individuals because of the presence of high glucose, where the main mechanism is increased cathepsin L maturation. This study should be of interest to researchers in diabetes, virology and immunology.

eLife assessment

This paper reports on the transcriptional changes upon chloramphenicol-induced surface mobility of Bacillus subtilis, a phenomenon that can occur during co-incubation with Streptomyces venezuelae, a chloramphenicol producer. The work presented includes valuable and thorough transcriptomics data, which convincingly indicate that sub-lethal chloramphenicol triggers substantial changes in B. subtilis gene expression. There are, however, significant limitations and concerns whether the documented changes are causal for the phenotypes observed or simply correlated with these phenotypes; additionally, the notion that chloramphenicol triggers a 'division of labor' was incomplete and should be backed up experimentally.

eLife assessment

This valuable study describes mice with a knock out of the IQ motif-containing H (IQCH) gene, to model a human loss-of-function mutation in IQCH associated with male sterility. The infertility is reproduced in the mouse, making it a compelling model, but some of the mechanistic experiments provide only indirect and thus incomplete evidence for interaction between IQCH and potential RNA binding proteins. With more rigorous approaches, the paper should be of interest to cell biologists and male reproductive biologists working on the sperm flagellar cytoskeleton and mitochondrial structure.

eLife assessment

This important study indicates a role for linker Histone H1 in protecting heterochromatic regions from certain types of repression. The experiments and data analysis that support the model for the role of linker Histone H1are solid, although additional experiments could provide a deeper mechanistic understanding. The study will be of broad interest to those interested in the role of chromatin in eukaryotic gene expression.

eLife assessment

This study presents a valuable new behavioral apparatus aimed at differentiating the strategies animals use to orient themselves in an environment. The evidence supporting the claims is solid, with statistical modeling of animal behavior. Overall, this study will attract the interest of researchers exploring spatial learning and memory.

eLife assessment

This study investigates a dietary intervention that employs a smartphone app to promote meal regularity, which may be useful. Despite no observed changes in caloric intake, the authors report significant weight loss. While the concept is very interesting and deserves to be studied due to its potential clinical relevance, the study's rigor needs to be improved, and is currently considered inadequate, notably for its reliance on self-reported food intake, a highly unreliable way to assess food intake. Additionally, the study theorizes that the intervention resets the circadian clock, but the study needs more reliable methods for assessing circadian rhythms, such as actigraphy.

eLife assessment

This study provides important insights into the role of neurexins as regulators of synaptic strength and timing at the glycinergic synapse between neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and the lateral superior olive, key components of the auditory brainstem circuit involved in computing sound source location from differences in the intensity of sounds arriving at the two ears. Through an elegant combination of genetic manipulation, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, ex vivo slice electrophysiology, pharmacology and optogenetics, the authors provide compelling and rigorous evidence to support their claims. While further work is needed to reveal the mechanistic basis by which neurexins influence glycinergic neurotransmission, this work will be of interest to both auditory and synaptic neuroscientists.

eLife assessment

This study provides important evidence supporting the ability of a new type of neuroimaging, OPM-MEG system, to measure beta-band oscillation in sensorimotor tasks in 2-14 years old children and to demonstrate the corresponding development changes, since neuroimaging methods with high spatiotemporal resolution that could be used on small children are quite limited. The evidence supporting the conclusion is compelling. This work will be of interest to the neuroimaging and developmental science communities.

eLife assessment

In this fundamental work, the authors demonstrated that maternal choline supplementation improved spatial memory, reduced hyperexcitability, and restored NeuN expression in a familial Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Interestingly, choline deficiency increased mortality, while paradoxically reduced hyperexcitability. Using behavior, electrophysiological, and histological measures, the authors present convincing evidence supporting the significant role of maternal choline supplementation in protecting hippocampal functions vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease.

eLife assessment

The gut microbiota influences many infectious diseases; however, its role Leptospirosis remains unclear. In this fundamental work, Xie et al. use a hamster model to show that Leptospira infection leads to gut pathology, an altered gut microbiota, and increased translocation. A combined use of antibiotics and LPS neutralization prolonged survival, providing a potential new therapeutic approach. This study utilizes compelling methods to provide new insights into this emerging disease, which could be dissected further in future studies aimed at gaining mechanistic insight and assessing the translational relevance of these discoveries.

eLife assessment

How the triplicate interaction between chemokines with both GAGs and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) works and how gradients are created and potentially maintained in vivo are poorly understood. The authors provide solid evidence to show phase separation can drive chemotactic gradient formation. The paper is a useful advance in the field of chemokine biology.

Editors Assessment: Marsupial species are invaluable for comparative studies due to their distinctive modes of reproduction and development, but there are a shortage of genomic resources to do these types of analyses. To help address that data gap multi-tissue transcriptomes and transcriptome assemblies have been sequenced and shared for the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), a mouse-like marsupial that due to is ease of breeding is emerging as a useful lab model. Using ONT nanopore and Pacbio long-reads and illumina short reads 2,093,982 transcripts were sequenced and assembled, and functional annotation of the assembled transcripts was also carried out. Some addition work was required to provide more details on the QC metrics and access to the data but this was resolved during review. This work ultimately producing dunnart genome assembly measuring 3.23 Gb in length and organized into 1,848 scaffolds, with a scaffold N50 value of 72.64 Mb. These openly available resources hopefully provide novel insights into the unique genomic architecture of this unusual species and provide valuable tools for future comparative mammalian studies.

This evaluation refers to version 1 of the preprint

eLife assessment

This study presents an important finding on the anatomical connectivity and functional roles of the previously uncharacterized neuronal populations in the nucleus incertus. The evidence supporting the conclusions is convincing, with imaging and manipulations of the genetically targeted populations of neurons. The work presents a significant milestone for future mechanistic studies of the nucleus incertus.

eLife assessment

This study uses carefully designed experiments to generate a useful behavioural and neuroimaging dataset on visual cognition. The results provide solid evidence for the involvement of higher-order visual cortex in processing visual oddballs and asymmetry. However, the evidence provided for the very strong claims of homogeneity as a novel concept in vision science, separable from existing concepts such as target saliency, is inadequate.