Mattoon, E. R. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2024

Analysis of justification for and gender bias in author order among those contributing equally

The practice of designating two or more authors as equal contributors (EC) on a scientific publication is increasingly common as a form of sharing credit. However, EC authors are often unclearly attributed on CVs or citation engines, and it is unclear how research teams determine author order within an EC listing. In response to studies showing that male authors were more likely to be placed first in an EC listing, the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) required that authors explain the reasons for author order beginning in 2020. In this study we analyze data from over 2500 ASM publications to see how this policy affected gender bias and how research teams are making decisions on author order. Data on publications from 2018-2021 show that gender bias was largely nonsignificant both before and after authors were asked by ASM to provide an EC statement. The most likely reasons for EC order included alphabetical order, seniority, and chance, although there were differences for publications from different geographic regions. However, many research teams used unique methods in order selection, highlighting the importance of EC statements to provide clarity for readers, funding agencies, and tenure committees.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2022

Melaninization Reduces Cryptococcus neoformans Susceptibility to Mechanical Stress

Melanin is a complex pigment found in various fungal species that is associated with a multitude of protective functions against environmental stresses. In Cryptococcus neoformans, melanin is synthesized from exogenous substrate and deposited in the cell wall. Although melanin is often cited as a protector against mechanical stress, there is a paucity of direct experimental data supporting this claim. To probe whether melanin enhances cellular strength, we used ultrasonic cavitation and French pressure cell press to stress cryptococcal cells and then measured changes in cellular morphology and survival for melanized and non-melanized C. neoformans. Melanized yeast exhibited lower rates of fragmentation and lower decreases in cell area when compared to non-melanized yeast after sonication and French press conditions. Our results indicate that melanization protects against some of the morphologic changes initiated by mechanical energy derived from either sonic cavitation or French press, thus supporting the notion that this pigment provides mechanical strength to fungal cell walls. ImportanceMelanin has been shown from prior experiments in microbiology to be associated with protection against environmental stressors and has often been cited as being associated with mechanical stress protection. However, there is a lack of direct experimentation to confirm this claim. By examining the response of melanized and non-melanized C. neoformans to sonication and French press, we report differences in outcomes dependent not only based on melanization status but also culture age. Such findings have important implications in the design and interpretation of laboratory experiments involving C. neoformans. In addition, uncovering some of melanins mechanical properties promotes further research into fungal melanins applications in healthcare and industry.

microbiology↗