Biology subjects

Jones, Z.

Publications and source records attributed to Jones, Z..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Impacts of Anthropogenic, Environmental, and Genetic Factors on Peanut Seed Protein Content and Composition

Peanut contributes approximately $4 billion annually to the U.S. economy, with 13 peanut producing states generating over 3 mmt, 75 to 80% of which is consumed domestically. Peanut seeds contain 22 to 36% protein and 40 to 56% oil, enriched in unsaturated fatty acids, making them a highly nutritious food source. However, specific seed storage proteins can trigger allergic reactions ranging from mild symptoms to severe anaphylaxis, underscoring the need to better understand factors influencing seed protein composition. Anthropogenic processes such as domestication and modern breeding, environmental stresses including excessive heat during flowering and pod development, and genetic mechanisms such as homoeologous exchanges (HEs) collectively shape seed protein content and composition. Domestication improved harvestability, while breeding enhanced yield and nutritional quality. Current improvement programs increasingly emphasize heat resilience in response to a ~1.5 C rise in global temperatures, with further warming anticipated. Yet limited attention has been given to how these factors affect protein composition, allergenic potential, trait stability under future climates, and genotypic uniformity linked to HEs. Here, we review the impacts of domestication, breeding, environmental stress, and genomic restructuring on peanut seed protein content and composition, highlighting key research gaps to ensure nutritional quality, safety, and stability in a changing climate.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Microbial mechanistic requirements for eliciting a topical and intranasal immune response

The skin colonist Staphylococcus epidermidis elicits a potent antibody response that can be redirected against an antigen of interest, but this process relies on genetic engineering.1 Here, by adapting bioorthogonal chemistry methods to conjugate antigens to the cell surface, we make the process of generating a commensal vaccine rapid and efficient. A wide variety of bacteria displaying tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC) elicit an antibody response when applied to mice topically, indicating that the inductive process is not limited to colonists. Colonization occurs at two different sites, the skin and nostril; by colonizing each with S. epidermidis-TTFC, we show that skin colonization yields a moderate IgG response, while nostril colonization elicits a highly potent systemic IgG response and an exuberant IgA response in the nostrils, lungs, and intestine. Two lines of evidence are consistent with the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) as the inductive site for nostril colonization: imaging suggesting robust bacterial translocation, and the induction of commensal-specific B cells following colonization. On the skin, TTFC must be conjugated to live S. epidermidis to elicit an antibody response; in the nostrils, live S. epidermidis-TTFC and S. epidermidis mixed with TTFC are equally potent. Commensal vaccination yields a robust response in pet shop mice, and chemical conjugation facilitates antibody responses to a broad array of antigens, including a whole viral capsid and a rotavirus immunogen. Collectively, these findings provide compelling evidence of a translational path for commensal vaccines.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Fusion-oncogenes are associated with increased metastatic capacity and persistent disease in pediatric thyroid cancers

BackgroundIn 2014, data from a comprehensive multiplatform analysis of 496 adult papillary thyroid cancer samples reported by The Cancer Genome Atlas project suggested that reclassification of thyroid cancer into molecular subtypes, RAS-like and BRAF-like, better reflects clinical behavior than sole reliance on pathological classification. The aim of this study was to categorize the common oncogenic variants in pediatric differentiated thyroid cancer and investigate if mutation subtype classification correlated with the risk of metastasis and response to initial therapy in pediatric DTC. MethodsSomatic cancer gene panel analysis was completed on DTC from 131 pediatric patients. DTC were categorized into RAS-mutant (H-K-NRAS), BRAF-mutant (BRAF p.V600E) and RET/NTRK fusion (RET, NTRK1 and NTRK3 fusions) to determine differences between subtype classification in regard to pathological data (AJCC TNM) as well as response to therapy 1-year after initial treatment had been completed. ResultsMutation-based subtype categories were significant in most variables, including age at diagnosis, metastatic behavior, and the likelihood of remission at 1-year. Patients with RET/NTRK fusions were significantly more likely to have advanced lymph node and distant metastasis and less likely to achieve remission at one year than patients within RAS- or BRAF-mut subgroups. ConclusionsOur data supports that genetic subtyping of pediatric DTC more accurately reflects clinical behavior than sole reliance on pathological classification with patients with RET/NTRK fusions having worse outcomes than those with BRAF-mutant disease. Future trials should consider inclusion of molecular subtype into risk stratification.

genetics↗