Two to Tango: Untangling Inter-organ Communication Using Drosophila Melanogaster and Danio Rerio

In an organism, different organ systems are highly specialised for performing dedicated functions. However, it is increasingly becoming clear that the organ systems do not function in isolation but are rather extensively dependent on each other. This phenomenon is known as inter-organ communication and is a novel paradigm of exocrine signaling. In this minireview, we discuss the theoretical implications of this kind of crosstalk and the resources available for practical demonstration of the same. We focus on the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, and the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Both the model organisms are amenable to genetic manipulation and have been largely used to address many pending questions in all the fields of biology using cutting-edge cellular, molecular, and imaging techniques and tools. Both the organisms also offer the advantages of having organ systems functionally equivalent to those of humans to dissect how the development and functions of organs are established in dialogue with others.

Does Altered Probability of Real Time Diffusional Collisions of Membrane Molecules Trigger or Delay Alzheimers Disease

Understanding stochastic events that control the molecular events leading to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is not well understood. Though the bulk of the attention is attributed to the increased burden of detrimental proteoforms generated by the processing of Amyloid Precursor Protein, there lacks a clear consensus on how the molecular events that control the localization and trafficking contribute to the onset. Here, we discuss emerging evidence that indicate the role of nanoscale compositionality of the membrane and random diffusion at the millisecond time scale that contribute to the onset of AD. We believe that intuitive knowledge of nanobiology controlling the local rates of product formation holds the clue for next-generation therapeutics that might delay or halt the onset of AD.

SARS-CoV-2 Virus is Evolving to Adapt : A Fast Check Note

Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a highly transmissible and pathogenic coronavirus, has spread at an alarming rate throughout the world since Dec. 2019, claiming 2.196 million deaths globally, as per 30th Jan. 2021, and the count is on. The reason behind this ongoing rapid transmission and global spread of SARS-CoV-2 is that the virus is evolving to become more transmissible as it spreads across the world due to its fast host migration. The virus is rapidly evolving to adapt to the different geo‑climate environments, diverse host immune systems, and other protective counter-measures (such as prolong host survival) by accumulating adaptive mutations, deletions, and recombination. This note focuses on those mutations and the prominent viral strains that are noteworthy for epidemiological and biological reasons.