Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology

This paper uses whole-body calcium imaging in Hydra to show osmolarity affects contraction bursts through specific neuronal and muscle circuits.

The paper identifies NvPOU4 as a terminal selector gene in Nematostella vectensis, showing it is required for terminal differentiation of neural cells but not their initial specification.

This study shows that sponge regeneration mimics postlarval development by using transcriptomic analysis to compare regeneration with embryonic stages.

This paper describes an improved culture protocol for Clytia hemisphaerica, enabling the maintenance of its entire life cycle in the lab through optimized feeding and metamorphosis induction.

The paper describes the structure and function of the nervous system in the nectophores of Nanomia bijuga, highlighting roles in locomotion, sensory input, and chemical release.

This paper develops a neuronal network model for the moon jelly Aurelia aurita to understand how neural activity controls its energy-efficient swimming behavior.

This study maps stem cell differentiation trajectories in Hydra using single-cell transcriptomics, revealing shared progenitor states for neurons and gland cells and creating a gene expression map of the nervous system.

The paper analyzes the genome and transcriptomes of jellyfish to identify genetic adaptations related to active predation and body plan development.

This paper presents the first genome assembly of the non-symbiotic octocoral Dendronephthya gigantea to aid in comparative genomic studies of cnidarians and explore genetic differences between soft and stony corals.

The paper identifies Sp5 as a novel inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in Hydra, revealing an evolutionary-conserved feedback loop that restricts head organizer activity.

The paper shows that a cadherin switch accompanies germ layer formation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, with cadherin1 and cadherin3 playing roles in tissue integrity and morphogenesis.

This study identifies diverse peptidergic signaling in placozoans, revealing cell-type-specific neuropeptide expression and behavioral responses that suggest peptidergic signaling predates synapses in nervous system evolution.

NvERTx provides a gene expression database comparing embryogenesis and regeneration in Nematostella vectensis using RNA-seq data.

This paper introduces microfluidic devices for simultaneous electrical, chemical, and optical analysis of Hydra's neural activity and behavior.

The paper identifies neuropeptides in jellyfish that directly induce oocyte maturation and shows they are involved in spawning coordination.

This paper presents a transcriptomic analysis of the demosponge Halisarca caerulea, identifying Wnt pathways and other genes involved in regeneration and providing a reference transcriptome for future studies.

The paper systematically characterizes NvLWamide-like neurons in Nematostella, revealing stereotypy in nerve net development and consistent neural subtype patterns.