Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yayu Wang, Xiaoyue Zhu, Yang Gu, Zongyu Liu, Yingrui Mao, Xiaojun Liu, Zhiyi Bai, Guiling Wang, Jiale Li
Summary: The heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA and its unique mode of transmission, called doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI), have received attention in bivalves. The mitochondrial autophagy receptor gene Hcphb2 and its associated autophagy genes may play a role in the degradation of M-type mitochondria in the freshwater mussel. Furthermore, miR-184 negatively regulates Hcphb2 and is involved in this process.
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Raquel Mejia-Trujillo, Chase H. Smith
Summary: This study presents the complete male-type mitochondrial genome of the freshwater mussel, Potamilus streckersoni, revealing the presence of 14 protein-coding genes, including a male-specific open reading frame. The study found that male-type mtDNA was more abundant than female-type mtDNA in male gonadal tissue. Novel mitogenomes were also discovered within previously described sex-specific monophyletic clades across the subfamily Ambleminae.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Donald T. Stewart, Chloe M. Stephenson, Ljiljana M. Stanton, Emily E. Chase, Brent M. Robicheau, W. Randolph Hoeh, Sophie Breton
Summary: Many freshwater mussels have a system of doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA, where males possess both female-transmitted and male-transmitted mt genomes. When gonochoric species become hermaphroditic, they lose their male-transmitted mt genome and undergo dramatic gene evolution. Molecular signatures in mtDNA can be used to detect hermaphroditism in freshwater mussels.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Jose Saavedra, Conceicao Fernandes, Amilcar Teixeira, Xana Alvarez, Simone Varandas
Summary: Freshwater mussels are highly endangered due to the overuse of antibiotics, which has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These resistant bacteria increase the risk associated with the use of surface water and the spread of resistance genes. A study on two endangered freshwater mussel species revealed that coliform bacteria were present in both the water samples and the mussels, with the lowest concentration found at site T1. One of the mussel species, P. littoralis, faced the highest concentration of bacterial toxins, primarily from treated wastewater effluents and population centers. The bacteria isolates from this species showed resistance to multiple antibiotics, highlighting the importance of investigating management measures and water quality for freshwater bivalves.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andre Gomes-dos-Santos, Andre M. Machado, L. Filipe C. Castro, Vincent Prie, Amilcar Teixeira, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Elsa Froufe
Summary: Genomic tools are essential for designing effective conservation strategies for non-model organisms. In this study, the gill transcriptomes of five European freshwater mussels were analyzed, providing valuable resources for future research on their biology and conservation guidance.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
K. N. Petersen, J. P. Wares
Summary: The study reveals positive relationships between mussel density and species richness, as well as between within-species genomic diversity and density of that species in freshwater mussel communities. However, it does not robustly support the expectation of correlated genomic and species diversity. This research advances the important frontier of community-wide genomic assessment and highlights the variability in relationships among different levels of organization and interactions with the broader ecosystem.
Review
Biology
Fabrizio Ghiselli, Andre Gomes-dos-Santos, Coen M. Adema, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Joel Sharbrough, Jeffrey L. Boore
Summary: The mitochondrial genomes of mollusks exhibit significant variations in size, genome structure, gene duplications and losses. These features present a great potential for studying biological history, processes, and functions, providing valuable insights into evolution and the roles of mitochondria in organismal physiology.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arunas Radzvilavicius
Summary: Selfish gene theories offer valuable insights into genetic evolution, yet can sometimes be misleading. Modern population genetic models provide a more comprehensive explanation, highlighting the impact of genetic variance on selection processes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
E. A. M. Curley, M. Valyrakis, R. Thomas, C. E. Adams, A. Stephen
Summary: Quantification and assessment of dynamic hydrogeomorphological processes are important for defining suitable habitat for aquatic benthic species. This study introduced an instrumented freshwater mussel with MEMS sensors to evaluate nearbed flow conditions and predict entrainment events. The instrumented shells could potentially aid in conservation management and habitat suitability surveys for freshwater species. Further research into this tool may provide methods for accurately predicting complex flow metrics associated with hydraulic stress.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Joshua I. Brian, Sam A. Reynolds, David C. Aldridge
Summary: Parasites can indirectly affect ecosystem function by altering the clearance rates of their hosts, and different parasites have contrasting impacts on host clearance rates; the infection patterns and individual effects of parasites need to be considered; the presence of parasites can significantly alter ecosystem processes, thus the impact of parasitism should be taken into account in future studies on ecosystem function.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kiara C. Cushway, Nathan S. Ring, David K. Patton, Daelyn A. Woolnough
Summary: This study investigated the impacts of landscape variables on the distribution and density of native freshwater mussels and invasive Corbicula spp. The results showed that land use, geology, and longitudinal position in the watershed influence the densities of both unionids and corbiculids. Furthermore, the density of corbiculids was found to be important in determining the density and distribution of unionids. The study highlights the importance of considering landscape variables in understanding the relationships between organisms and their environments.
Article
Biology
Cyril Degletagne, Doris Abele, Gernot Gloeckner, Benjamin Alric, Heike Gruber, Christoph Held
Summary: In the bivalve species A. islandica, a unique genetic phenomenon involving the exclusive presence of male-type mitochondria in both male and female individuals in somatic tissues has been observed. This leads to a significant decrease in respiratory capacity at the cellular and potentially whole animal levels.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Vojtech Kaspar, Martin Hubalek, Martin Psenicka, Katsutoshi Arai, John B. Taggart, Roman Franek
Summary: Methods of induction of uniparental inheritance have been developed for model organisms as well as for species of commercial interest, with cold-shock androgenesis showing promise in successfully inducing haploid progeny in common carp. Compared to other techniques, cold-shock androgenesis was found to be effective in common carp, providing a new possibility for isogenic line production.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chase H. Smith, Raquel Mejia-Trujillo, Sophie Breton, Brendan J. Pinto, Mark Kirkpatrick, Justin C. Havird
Summary: Mitochondrial and nuclear genes play important roles in sex determination in DUI bivalves. The study found that M mtDNA releases sncRNA that targets a pathway related to female development and mitophagy, and is directly involved in gene silencing. Additionally, genome-wide patterns of genetic differentiation and heterozygosity do not support the presence of a nuclear sex-determining region.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ronaldo Sousa, Tadeusz Zajac, Dariusz Halabowski, Olga Aksenova, Yulia Bespalaya, Francisco Carvalho, Paulo Castro, Karel Douda, Janine P. da Silva, Noe Ferreira-Rodriguez, Juergen Geist, Clemens Gumpinger, Anna M. Labecka, Jasna Lajtner, Iga Lewin, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Alexandra Meira, Keiko Nakamura, Joana Garrido Nogueira, Paz Ondina, Malgorzata Ozgo, Joaquim Reis, Nicoletta Riccardi, Spase Shumka, Mikhail O. Son, Amilcar Teixeira, Frankie Thielen, Maria Urbanska, Simone Varandas, Niklas Wengstrom, Katarzyna Zajac, Alexandra Zieritz, David C. Aldridge
Summary: Europe's freshwater ecosystems have been under human pressure for a long time. With increasing pressure and emerging threats, there is an urgent need to conserve freshwater biodiversity and its ecosystem services. However, while some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received disproportionate attention and funding, other groups, like freshwater mussels, remain largely overlooked. This article points out six conceptual areas that require immediate and long-term attention to address this conservation bias, including knowledge, threats, socioeconomics, conservation, governance, and education. The proposed roadmap aims to prioritize research, policy, and education for the conservation of freshwater mussels in Europe.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
E. E. Chase, B. M. Robicheau, S. Veinot, S. Breton, D. T. Stewart
Article
Anesthesiology
Sophie Breton, Janet van Vlymen, Sean Xia, Ronald R. Holden, Rachel Phelan, Selena M. Sagan, Melanie Jaeger
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANESTHESIA-JOURNAL CANADIEN D ANESTHESIE
(2018)
Article
Zoology
Donald T. Stewart, Marion Sinclair-Waters, Alexandra Rice, Ryan A. Bunker, Brent M. Robicheau, Sophie Breton
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Annie Angers, Philip Ouimet, Assia Tsyvian-Dzyabko, Tanya Nock, Sophie Breton
M S-MEDECINE SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Biology
Stefano Bettinazzi, Enrique Rodriguez, Liliana Milani, Pierre U. Blier, Sophie Breton
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Zoology
Donald T. Stewart, Chloe M. Stephenson, Ljiljana M. Stanton, Emily E. Chase, Brent M. Robicheau, W. Randolph Hoeh, Sophie Breton
Summary: Many freshwater mussels have a system of doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA, where males possess both female-transmitted and male-transmitted mt genomes. When gonochoric species become hermaphroditic, they lose their male-transmitted mt genome and undergo dramatic gene evolution. Molecular signatures in mtDNA can be used to detect hermaphroditism in freshwater mussels.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Donald T. Stewart, Brent M. Robicheau, Noor Youssef, Manuel A. Garrido-Ramos, Emily E. Chase, Sophie Breton
Summary: Studies have found additional putative sperm transmission element (STE) signatures in the large unassigned regions of various marine clams and freshwater mussels with doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI), indicating potential implications for understanding the origin of DUI in ancestral bivalve mollusks and suggesting future in vitro and in silico studies to further refine our understanding of this unusual mtDNA inheritance system.
Article
Virology
Emily E. Chase, Sonia Monteil-Bouchard, Angelique Gobet, Felana H. Andrianjakarivony, Christelle Desnues, Guillaume Blanc
Summary: This study investigates the diversity of RNA viruses in a high-rate algal pond and demonstrates that the RNA viral diversity is dynamic across different culturing seasons. The presence of various potential microalgae infecting viruses highlights the importance of studying and managing microalgal viruses in industrial settings.
Article
Virology
Emily E. Chase, Christelle Desnues, Guillaume Blanc
Summary: This study explores horizontal gene transfer between viruses and Chlorodendraceae green algae and identifies the presence of viral homologues in algal genomes. These genes are found to be clustered in specific DNA regions or dispersed randomly. Additionally, the study discovers a diversity of PLV elements related to viruses in algal genomes.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Andre Gomes-dos-Santos, Elsa Froufe, Rafaela Amaro, Paz Ondina, Sophie Breton, Davide Guerra, David C. Aldridge, Ivan N. Bolotov, Ilya V. Vikhrev, Han Ming Gan, Duarte Goncalves, Arthur E. Bogan, Ronaldo Sousa, Donald Stewart, Amilcar Teixeira, Simone Varandas, David Zanatta, Manuel Lopes-Lima
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2019)
