Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Louise Cheynel, Luke Lazarou, Eleanor M. M. Riley, Mark Viney
Summary: Wild animals face constant threats from various micro- and macroparasites in their environment. This study explores the impact of genetic polymorphisms in immune-related loci on immune responses and infection outcomes in naturally infected wild house mice. The researchers found significant associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), cytokine-coding loci, and immune measures as well as infection phenotypes. This comprehensive view sheds light on how genetic variation in immune-related loci influences immune and infection phenotypes in wild rodent populations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Jose Ruiz-Lopez, Laura Barahona, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Marta Pepio, Andrea Valsecchi, Victor Peracho, Jordi Figuerola, Tomas Montalvo
Summary: The rapid evolution of resistance to anticoagulants in rodent populations in Barcelona poses a challenge for controlling them. The study found that most mice carry gene mutations associated with resistance to commonly used anticoagulants, making the current chemical control methods ineffective and potentially harmful to the environment and human health.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Shannon Sked, Salehe Abbar, Richard Cooper, Robert Corrigan, Xiaodan Pan, Sabita Ranabhat, Changlu Wang
Summary: This study focused on the issue of house mice in multi-family residential buildings, finding that chocolate spread is a more effective method for detecting mouse activity. Following the implementation of mouse management programs, some buildings saw a significant decrease in mouse numbers, while others experienced an increase.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Shannon Sked, Chaofeng Liu, Salehe Abbar, Robert Corrigan, Richard Cooper, Changlu Wang
Summary: This study examined the spatial distribution of house mice in low-income high-rise multi-family dwellings and found a significant correlation between neighboring units in their infestation status. The results can be used to improve the efficiency of house mouse management programs in these dwellings.
Article
Microbiology
Basma Ouarti, Moussa Sall, El Hadji Ibrahima Ndiaye, Georges Diatta, Adama Zan Diarra, Jean Michel Berenger, Cheikh Sokhna, Laurent Granjon, Jean Le Fur, Philippe Parola
Summary: Using PCR, we detected Borrelia and other bacterial infections in ticks and house mice. Additionally, a potentially infectious novel species was found in ticks for the first time. The house mouse and ticks could be potential hosts for pathogenic bacteria in humans.
Article
Zoology
Miriam Linnenbrink
Summary: The study demonstrates that key behavioral characteristics between populations can quickly change during evolution, with behavioral changes potentially having a significant impact on population dynamics.
FRONTIERS IN ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Kennedy D. Agwamba, Michael W. Nachman
Summary: This study examines the colonization history of the Western European house mouse in North America. The results show genetic differences between North American and European populations, suggesting that the house mouse was introduced to North America by Europeans in the early 16th century. These findings highlight the impact of human migration and colonization on the spread of invasive species.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Elizabeth J. Beckman, Felipe Martins, Taichi A. Suzuki, Ke Bi, Sara Keeble, Jeffrey M. Good, Andreas S. Chavez, Mallory A. Ballinger, Kennedy Agwamba, Michael W. Nachman
Summary: Researchers sequenced the genomes of house mice in the Andes and found that mice in Ecuador and Bolivia independently adapted to high elevation. The response to selection at high elevation varied between transects, with only a few genes showing parallel selection. They also discovered hypoxia-associated genes that experienced a significant allele frequency change at the highest elevations.
Article
Ecology
Oxala Garcia-Rodriguez, Emilie A. Hardouin, Ellen Hambleton, Jonathan Monteith, Clare Randall, Martin B. Richards, Ceiridwen J. Edwards, John R. Stewart
Summary: The study found evidence of an early house mouse colonization in Britain during the Late Bronze Age to Middle Iron Age, potentially related to trade and human expansion. The presence of haplogroups D and E suggests that house mice were established in Britain by the Iron Age, possibly as early as the Late Bronze Age.
BMC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Yue Li, Kazumichi Fujiwara, Naoki Osada, Yosuke Kawai, Toyoyuki Takada, Alexey P. Kryukov, Kuniya Abe, Hiromichi Yonekawa, Toshihiko Shiroishi, Kazuo Moriwaki, Naruya Saitou, Hitoshi Suzuki
Summary: The study reveals the dispersal routes of the Eurasian house mouse over the past 2000-18,000 years and the three dispersal events of CAS, providing a solid framework for the spatiotemporal movement of human-associated organisms in Holocene Eastern Eurasia.
Article
Biology
A. N. Maltsev, E. Kotenkova
Summary: A study of 153 individuals of Mus musculus found that they carry 120 haplotypes of the mtDNA control region. Seven phylogroups were identified, with different lineages found in Europe, Asia, and Transcaucasia. The dispersal of M. musculus in Eastern Europe may have originated from Transcaucasia, a possible center of origin. The subspecies of M. musculus (M. m. wagneri, M. m. musculus, and M. m. gansuensis) show no differentiation. The populations of Eastern Europe were repeatedly mixed due to human activity, while Siberia and Japan were inhabited by a single lineage of M. musculus. Our data shows that the phylogenetic lineage of the house mouse from Transcaucasia is monophyletic.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mariya A. Kusliy, Nadezhda V. Vorobieva, Alexey A. Tishkin, Alexey I. Makunin, Anna S. Druzhkova, Vladimir A. Trifonov, Tumur-O. Iderkhangai, Alexander S. Graphodatsky
Summary: The study of ancient Mongolian horse samples revealed genetic continuity and close phylogenetic relationships with horses from regions such as the Middle East, China, and Italy. Despite 3000 years of Mongolian peoples' migrations, the mitochondrial haplogroup composition of Mongolian horse populations remains almost unchanged.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Xiaoying Ji, Wenjie Guo, Xiwen Gu, Shanshan Guo, Kaixiang Zhou, Liping Su, Qing Yuan, Yang Liu, Xu Guo, Qichao Huang, Jinliang Xing
Summary: The study reveals a significantly higher and more variable mutation rate in mtCTR across different tumor types, with a noticeable distributional bias of tumor somatic mutations between the hypervariable segment and non-hypervariable segment. The mutational pattern of mtCTR is associated with mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, and patient overall survival.
Article
Ecology
Leonardo Dapporto, Mattia Menchetti, Raluca Voda, Cecilia Corbella, Sylvain Cuvelier, Imed Djemadi, Martin Gascoigne-Pees, Joan C. Hinojosa, Nok Ting Lam, Maria Serracanta, Gerard Talavera, Vlad Dinca, Roger Vila
Summary: This article introduces four new resources for Western Palaearctic butterflies, including an updated species checklist, mitochondrial COI sequences, intraspecific genetic variation indexes, and species-level distribution maps. These resources will facilitate comparative studies, integrative taxonomy, and conservation strategies.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Pedro G. Nachtigall, Felipe G. Grazziotin, Inacio L. M. Junqueira-de-Azevedo
Summary: MITGARD is an automated pipeline that reliably recovers mitochondrial genomes from RNA-seq data of various sources. The tool can reconstruct mitogenomes across different species and sequencing schemes, demonstrating its effectiveness even in scenarios of low-sequencing depth. Additionally, MITGARD's use of phylogenetically related references allows for the recovery of entire mitogenomes or most mitochondrial genes, making it valuable for biodiversity projects and evolutionary studies.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Johanna Honka, Serena Baini, Jeremy B. Searle, Laura Kvist, Jouni Aspi
Summary: The population of taiga bean geese has halved in recent decades, mainly due to hunting throughout their range. Understanding the genetic population structure and diversity is crucial for management and conservation efforts. Different genetic subpopulations within the species need to be managed separately to prevent extinction, and inbreeding or lack of genetic diversity could pose risks to their adaptation and survival. The study found some genetic structuring in mitochondrial DNA but not in nuclear microsatellite markers, suggesting that the population can be managed as a single unit.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mumtaz Baig, Sameera Farah, Ashwin Atkulwar, Jeremy B. Searle
Summary: This study used a genomic approach to analyze R. rattus in the Indian peninsula and found distinct geographic differentiation within the species in India, as well as signals of admixture between two subpopulations.
Article
Ecology
Henry D. Kunerth, Steven M. Bogdanowicz, Jeremy B. Searle, Richard G. Harrison, Brad S. Coates, Genevieve M. Kozak, Erik B. Dopman
Summary: The joint effects of coincident barriers to gene flow lead to higher levels of genomic differentiation than individual barriers alone, with the coincidence of barriers causing an increase in gene flow restriction.
Article
Ecology
Jeremy B. Searle, Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena
Article
Ecology
Andrew P. Morgan, Jonathan J. Hughes, John P. Didion, Wesley J. Jolley, Karl J. Campbell, David W. Threadgill, Francois Bonhomme, Jeremy B. Searle, Fernando Pardo-Manuel De Villena
Summary: House mice, as animals with a commensal relationship with humans, have spread globally and are important model organisms in biomedical research. An analysis of ancestry, population structure, and inbreeding in wild mice revealed that major ancestry components in North America, Australia, etc. are of northern European origin, and inbreeding is prevalent in commensal populations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luisa Sa, Mafalda Almeida, Simon Azonbakin, Erica Matos, Ricardo Franco-Duarte, Alberto Gomez-Carballa, Antonio Salas, Anatole Laleye, Alexandra Rosa, Antonio Brehm, Martin B. Richards, Pedro Soares, Teresa Rito
Summary: This study introduces a founder analysis method, validates its effectiveness by evaluating the age of sub-Saharan mitogenome lineages sampled outside Africa, confirms that lineages in the Americas date to the time of the Atlantic slave trade, and reveals that dispersal signals in North Africa, Southwestern Asia and Europe mainly date to the early Holocene.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Bodner, Christina Amory, Anna Olivieri, Francesca Gandini, Irene Cardinali, Hovirag Lancioni, Gabriela Huber, Catarina Xavier, Maria Pala, Alessandro Fichera, Lisa Schnaller, Mario Gysi, Stefania Sarno, Davide Pettener, Donata Luiselli, Martin B. Richards, Ornella Semino, Alessandro Achilli, Antonio Torroni, Walther Parson
Summary: This study investigates the potential to solve the limitations in forensic applications caused by the high number of matching haplotypes of the most common mitochondrial (mt)DNA lineages. By massively parallel sequencing a large number of mitogenomes, the study found that complete mitogenome sequencing significantly improved discrimination power and did not reveal any phylogeographic trends within Italy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Trevor J. L. Sless, Jeremy B. Searle, Bryan N. Danforth
Summary: Brood parasites, such as Holcopasites calliopsidis, are an important but understudied group within the wider diversity of bees. This study presents the draft assembly of H. calliopsidis, the first brood parasitic species to undergo detailed genomic analysis. It was found that H. calliopsidis has the smallest genome among bees, with no apparent loss of genic content but significant contractions in individual gene families. The discovery of over 12,000 putative genes, with functional annotation for nearly 10,000 of them, provides valuable insights into the genomic basis of brood parasitism.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sadik Demirtas, Mahir Budak, Ertan M. Korkmaz, Jeremy B. Searle, David T. Bilton, Islam Gunduz
Summary: The complete mitogenome sequence of Talpa martinorum, a recently described Balkan endemic mole, was assembled from next generation sequence data. The mitogenome is similar to that of the three other Talpa species sequenced to date, and differs in the length of D-loop and stop codon usage. Phylogeny reconstructions revealed that T. martinorum nests within the western lineage of the genus, closely related to T. aquitania and T. occidentalis.
Article
Ecology
Frederico Mestre, Soraia Barbosa, Jose A. Garrido-Garcia, Ricardo Pita, Antonio Mira, Paulo C. Alves, Joana Pauperio, Jeremy B. Searle, Pedro Beja
Summary: This study aims to reconstruct the glacial refugial history and demographic changes of the Cabrera vole by integrating complementary methods in ecology, genomics, and palaeobiology. The results suggest northern Iberian glacial refugia for the species, despite higher fossil abundance in southern and eastern Iberia and southern France. Integrative approaches are essential to accurately depict historical refugial areas and range dynamics.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Henry D. Kunerth, Joaquim T. Tapisso, Raul Valente, Maria da Luz Mathias, Paulo C. Alves, Jeremy B. Searle, Rodrigo Vega, Joana Pauperio
Summary: The phenomenon of mitochondrial introgression raises questions about biogeography, reproductive isolation, and natural selection in the Sorex araneus complex. Previous research has shown hybridization between Sorex granarius and the Carlit chromosomal race of S. araneus, leading to introgression of the S. araneus mitochondrial genome into S. granarius. The current study further examines this phenomenon and suggests recent hybridization and introgression between S. coronatus and S. granarius, as well as between S. araneus and S. coronatus.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Laura van Rosmalen, Robin Schepers, Wensi Hao, Anna S. Przybylska-Piech, Jeremy S. Herman, Joanna Stojak, Jan M. Wojcik, Louis van de Zande, Jeremy B. Searle, Roelof A. Hut
Summary: The vertebrate photoperiodic neuroendocrine system uses the photoperiod as a proxy to time the annual rhythms in reproduction. The thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) is a key protein in this pathway and its abundance and function can tune sensitivity to the photoperiod. Genetic variations in Tshr were found in Western European vole populations and were significantly correlated with a predicted critical photoperiod (pCPP) for the spring onset of local primary food production. However, this relationship was lacking in Eastern Europe. These findings suggest that Tshr has been targeted by natural selection in Western European voles to optimize the timing of seasonal reproduction.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Alexandra A. Raspopova, Vladimir S. Lebedev, Jeremy B. Searle, Anna A. Bannikova
Summary: In this study, the phylogenetic relationships within the chromosomally variable Sorex araneus species group were reconstructed using nuclear and mitochondrial genes. The results showed a complex evolutionary history with high incidence of reticulation and possible ancient hybridizations. The authentic mitochondrial lineage of the Iberian shrew S. granarius was found to be closely related to S. coronatus, indicating introgression from S. araneus. This study also revealed deeper reticulations for the first time, suggesting hybrid origins for the S. arcticus and S. coronatus lineages.
Article
Zoology
Pablo Colunga-Salas, Tania Marines-Macias, Giovani Hernandez-Canchola, Soraia Barbosa, Cassandra Ramirez, Jeremy B. Searle, Livia Leon-Paniagua
Summary: This study examined the genetic diversity and population structure of two endemic arboreal mice species in Mexican cloud forests. The results showed that both species had low genetic diversity compared to other similar species, and different population structure patterns were observed, potentially due to their different ecological associations. These findings highlight the importance of considering differential ecological associations for the conservation and management of species.
Article
Cell Biology
Mabel D. Gimenez, Jonathan J. Hughes, Moira Scascitelli, Sofia Gabriel, Daniel W. Forster, Thadsin Panithanarak, Heidi C. Hauffe, Jeremy B. Searle
Summary: The Western European house mouse exhibits high chromosomal diversity, with various karyotypes resulting from Robertsonian fusion and reciprocal translocations. This study investigated the evolutionary relationships of chromosomal races within the Northern Italy System using centromere-adjacent microsatellite markers. The results suggested that these chromosomal races share a common origin and have likely undergone Robertsonian fusion and reciprocal translocations.
CYTOGENETIC AND GENOME RESEARCH
(2022)