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Ziv, O.

Publications and source records attributed to Ziv, O..

2 recordsLinked to original sources
bioRxiv2020

Antibiotics increase aggression behavior and aggression-related pheromones and receptors in Drosophila melanogaster

Aggression is a behavior common in most species; it is controlled by internal and external drivers, including hormones, environmental cues, and social interactions, and underlying pathways are understood in a broad range of species. To date, though, effects of gut microbiota on aggression in the context of gut-brain communication and social behavior have not been elucidated. We examine how manipulation of Drosophila melanogaster microbiota affect aggression as well as the pathways that underly the behavior in this species. Flies treated with antibiotics exhibited significantly more aggressive behaviors. Furthermore, they had higher levels of vCA and (Z)-9 Tricosene, pheromones associated with aggression in flies, as well as higher expression of the relevant pheromone receptors and transporters OR67d, OR83b, GR32a, and LUSH. These findings suggest that aggressive behavior is, at least in part, mediated by bacterial species in flies.

microbiology↗
bioRxiv2020

The short and long-range RNA-RNA Interactome of SARS-CoV-2

The Coronaviridae is a family of positive-strand RNA viruses that includes SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bearing the largest single-stranded RNA genomes in nature, coronaviruses are critically dependent on long-distance RNA-RNA interactions to regulate the viral transcription and replication pathways. Here we experimentally mapped the in vivo RNA-RNA interactome of the full-length SARS-CoV-2 genome and subgenomic mRNAs. We uncovered a network of RNA-RNA interactions spanning tens of thousands of nucleotides. These interactions reveal that the viral genome and subgenomes adopt alternative topologies inside cells, and engage in different interactions with host RNAs. Notably, we discovered a long-range RNA-RNA interaction - the FSE-arch - that encircles the programmed ribosomal frameshifting element. The FSE-arch is conserved in the related MERS-CoV and is under purifying selection. Our findings illuminate RNA structure based mechanisms governing replication, discontinuous transcription, and translation of coronaviruses, and will aid future efforts to develop antiviral strategies.

molecular biology↗