Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tomasz Sebastian Gaczorek, Mateusz Chechetkin, Katarzyna Dudek, Guilherme Caeiro-Dias, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Philippe Geniez, Catarina Pinho, Wieslaw Babik
Summary: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are crucial for the adaptive immune response of jawed vertebrates. This study found widespread MHC introgression in the Podarcis lizards inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting its adaptiveness. The study supports the emerging view of adaptive introgression as a key mechanism shaping MHC diversity and raises questions about the effect of elevated MHC variation and factors leading to the asymmetry of adaptive introgression.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
J. Kor Oldenbroek, Jack J. Windig
Summary: After the introduction of cryo-conserved semen, gene banks were established to safeguard farm animal genetic diversity. With the availability of DNA information from cryo-conserved sires and living populations, gene banks can now serve as a more complete archive of genetic diversity, provide insights into the history of genetic diversity, and contribute to the improvement of performance and genetic diversity of living populations.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Maravillas Ruiz Minano, Geoffrey M. While, Weizhao Yang, Christopher P. Burridge, Roberto Sacchi, Marco Zuffi, Stefano Scali, Daniele Salvi, Tobias Uller
Summary: The study found that climate has a significant impact on the color ornamentation of common wall lizards, with exaggeration of color ornamentation in hot and dry environments. The findings also suggest that climate influences the strength of sexual selection, which in turn affects the spread of this trait.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismaki, Craig Michell, Riikka Levanen, Steve Smith
Summary: The study revealed that the ancestral genetic diversity of Finnish brown hares is small, while gene flow from mountain hares provides an important source of functional genetic variability. Some genetic variations may offer adaptive advantage for brown hares, while immunity-related genes are reciprocally exchanged and maintained through balancing selection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haoxuan Liu, Jianzhi Zhang
Summary: The study reveals that the mutation rate substantially exceeds the drift barrier in various organisms, indicating that stabilizing selection plays a key role in maintaining the mutation rate above the drift barrier, and the formation of mutation spectrum is also selectively preserved. These findings suggest the possibility of alleviating mutagenesis in various organisms through genome editing.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Weizhao Yang, Nathalie Feiner, Daniele Salvi, Hanna Laakkonen, Daniel Jablonski, Catarina Pinho, Miguel A. Carretero, Roberto Sacchi, Marco A. L. Zuffi, Stefano Scali, Konstantinos Plavos, Panayiotis Pafilis, Nikos Poulakakis, Petros Lymberakis, David Jandzik, Ulrich Schulte, Fabien Aubret, Arnaud Badiane, Guillem Perez I de Lanuza, Javier Abalos, Geoffrey M. While, Tobias Uller
Summary: The study reveals the evolutionary history and genetic structure of common wall lizards using population genomic and phylogenomic analyses, identifying six major lineages and demonstrating the significant impact of Mediterranean geology and climate on the evolutionary history and population genetic structure of extant species.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Wei Huang, Kara L. Dicks, Jarrod D. Hadfield, Susan E. Johnston, Keith T. Ballingall, Josephine M. Pemberton
Summary: This study examines the role of MHC variation in fitness measurements of wild Soay sheep. The results show that MHC genes are associated with lifetime breeding success, juvenile survival, and adult fitness components. The study also suggests that the mode of selection on specific fitness components may differ from selection on total fitness.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vinay Sagar, Christopher B. Kaelin, Meghana Natesh, P. Anuradha Reddy, Rajesh K. Mohapatra, Himanshu Chhattani, Prachi Thatte, Srinivas Vaidyanathan, Suvankar Biswas, Supriya Bhatt, Shashi Paul, Yadavendradev Jhala, Mayank M. Verma, Bivash Pandav, Samrat Mondol, Gregory S. Barsh, Debabrata Swain, Uma Ramakrishnan
Summary: The study found that the Similipal Tiger Reserve in eastern India has a high frequency of pseudomelanistic tigers due to the Taqpep p.H454Y mutation, which is absent from other tiger populations. Population genetic analyses revealed low genetic diversity and high pairwise FST values in Similipal, indicating genetic isolation and a small tiger population. The results suggest that stochastic processes such as founding events and genetic drift may be driving the observed stark difference in allele frequency in these tigers.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Quentin Helleu, Camille Roux, Kenneth G. Ross, Laurent Keller
Summary: Supergenes are clusters of tightly linked genes that jointly produce complex phenotypes. This study reveals that a social supergene controlling queen maintenance emerged and spread through introgression in the fire ant species. The results highlight the ease with which supergenes can move across species boundaries, possibly due to fitness benefits and expression of selfish properties.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Piotr Minias, Patrycja Podlaszczuk, Piotr Indykiewicz, Mateusz Ledwon, Jacek Nowakowski, Amelia Chyb, Tomasz Janiszewski
Summary: This study investigated genetic variation in pathogen recognition genes in black-headed gulls from different regions in Poland. The major histocompatibility complex class I and II genes showed significant population differentiation, indicating local adaptations, while the toll-like receptor genes also showed some differentiation, suggesting a response to fine-scale spatial variation in pathogen pressure. These results highlight the complexity of immunogenetic responses to heterogeneous environments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joanna S. Griffiths, Yasmeen Kawji, Morgan W. Kelly
Summary: The study focuses on the potential of adaptive introgression to increase heat tolerance in copepods by hybridizing two populations with divergent heat tolerance limits. After subjecting hybrids to heat selection and whole-genome resequencing, it was found that heat tolerance improvement was polygenic and involved highly conserved genes between populations. The HER approach provides a unique solution to identify genetic variants contributing to polygenic traits that may be missed through other genomic approaches.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Henry K. Baker, Danielle C. Hankins, Jonathan B. Shurin
Summary: Introgressive hybridization may erode phenotypic divergence along environmental gradients, collapsing locally adapted populations into a hybrid swarm. Alternatively, introgression may promote phenotypic divergence by providing variation on which natural selection can act. In this study on the Owens Tui Chub, introgression has been found to have eroded phenotypic divergence along the lentic-lotic gradient, resulting in intermediate morphologies in hybrid populations.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ewan O. Flintham, Vincent Savolainen, Charles Mullon
Summary: The study shows that limited dispersal and kin competition within populations can affect the evolution of sexually antagonistic alleles, leading to a reduction in genetic variation and influencing the potential for sexual conflict. Inbreeding also plays a role in reducing the scope for sexually antagonistic polymorphism, especially on the X chromosome. Ultimately, spatial structure is an important factor in predicting the presence of sexually antagonistic alleles.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jorge Gutierrez-Rodriguez, Adrian Nieto-Montes de Oca, Joaquin Ortego, Alejandro Zaldivar-Riveron
Summary: This study provides insights into the geographical diversification of a complex of arboreal alligator lizards in neotropical montane cloud forests. The genomic data reveals a marked genetic structure within the complex, and the demographic reconstructions support the impact of Pleistocene geologic and climatic changes on the distribution of their habitats. The results suggest a model of divergence with introgression, indicating multiple opportunities for both allopatric isolation and secondary contact during Quaternary climatic oscillations.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Estevez, Juan Galindo, Emilio Rolan-Alvarez
Summary: The presence of shell bands is common in gastropods, with marine snails Littorina fabalis and Lttorina saxatilis being polymorphic for this trait. This polymorphism is maintained by balancing selection and both species exhibit patterns of negative frequency-dependent selection. Genetic drift contributes to changes in banding frequency in L. fabalis, while heterogeneous selection does not fit well to the data.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rachael Y. Dudaniec, Alexander R. Carey, Erik I. Svensson, Bengt Hansson, Chuan Ji Yong, Lesley T. Lancaster
Summary: Our study reveals that as the common bluetail damselfly population expands, male body size increases with latitude while female body size remains constant, resulting in reduced sexual dimorphism; there is a steep decline in male genetic similarity with increasing geographic distance, with a gradient in migration propensity and distance along latitudes; cooler mean temperatures are associated with increased resistance to gene flow, and sex ratios skew towards males at the expanding range front.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hanna Sigeman, Bella Sinclair, Bengt Hansson
Article
Ecology
Vojtech Brlik, Petr Prochazka, Bengt Hansson, Craig A. Stricker, Elizabeth Yohannes, Rebecca L. Powell, Michael B. Wunder
Summary: This study developed a isotopic map based on sulphur isotopes to trace the origins of migratory animals in sub-Saharan Africa and found large-scale segregation and differences in climatic variation in their nonbreeding grounds. The link between migratory patterns and large-scale climatic variability appears important to understand population trajectories in many declining migratory animals.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aglaia Antoniou, Tereza Manousaki, Francisco Ramirez, Alessia Cariani, Rita Cannas, Panagiotis Kasapidis, Antonios Magoulas, Marta Albo-Puigserver, Elena Lloret-Lloret, Jose Maria Bellido, Maria Grazia Pennino, Maria Cristina Follesa, Antonio Esteban, Claire Saraux, Mario Sbrana, Maria Teresa Spedicato, Marta Coll, Costas S. Tsigenopoulos
Summary: By evaluating genetic variation across the entire genome, the study found evidence of local adaptation and population structuring in Sardina pilchardus, which is a highly exploited species. The findings highlight the importance of physical and ecological factors in maintaining population structure, and suggest the need for continuous monitoring under a seascape genomic approach. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the species' responses to climate change and can aid in predicting future changes.
Article
Zoology
Apostolos Christopoulos, Charikleia-Foteini Pantagaki, Nikos Poulakakis, Panayiotis Pafilis
Summary: Urban habitats are experiencing an increase in species diversity as a result of human activities, particularly transportation. In Athens, Greece, a small population of the Pelasgian wall lizard (Anatololacerta pelasgiana), which is typically found in southwestern Anatolia and southeastern Aegean islands, was discovered in a suburb of the Athenian metropolitan area, marking its first record in the Greek mainland. The successful colonization of allochthonous species in cities poses new challenges to urban ecology.
Article
Zoology
Petr Papezik, Peter Mikulicek, Michal Benovics, Monika Balogova, Lukas Choleva, Marie Dolezalkova-Kastankova, Petros Lymberakis, Edvard Mizsei, Simona Papezikova, Nikos Poulakakis, Enerit Sacdanaku, Marton Szabolcs, Radek Sanda, Marcel Uhrin, Jasna Vukic, Daniel Jablonski
Summary: This study focused on the genetic variability and Quaternary history of endemic water frog species in the southwestern Balkans. The results revealed that these species survived the last glacial maximum in Balkan microrefugia and possibly expanded to the north during the postglacial period.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Konstantinos Kalaentzis, Christos Kazilas, Ilias Strachinis, Elias Tzoras, Petros Lymberakis
Summary: Citizen science is proving to be a powerful tool for detecting biological invasions early. The exotic pet trade is the main cause of reptile establishment, with turtles having the highest number of introductions. In Greece, only two species of alien turtles have been reported, but this study using citizen science, personal observations, and literature, provides an updated checklist and records five new species in the country. The pet turtle trade, like the myth of the Lernaean Hydra, continues to grow despite efforts to control it.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sissel Sjoberg, Arne Andersson, Johan Backman, Bengt Hansson, Gintaras Malmiga, Maja Tarka, Dennis Hasselquist, Ake Lindstrom, Thomas Alerstam
Summary: Great reed warblers and great snipes exhibit a diel cycle in flight altitudes, being higher during the day to avoid overheating by solar radiation. Analysis of temperature data confirms that flying birds are affected by solar radiation and supports the hypothesis that it is a key factor causing the observed diel cycles in flight altitude.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Hongkai Zhang, Max Lundberg, Maja Tarka, Dennis Hasselquist, Bengt Hansson
Summary: Germline mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation and the raw material for organismal evolution. This study examined the frequency and genomic locations of mutations, as well as the potential sex bias, in great reed warblers. The researchers identified 82 de novo mutations and observed a pronounced sex bias, with male warblers exhibiting three times more mutations than females. The mutation rate was determined to be 7.16 x 10-9 mutations per site per generation for autosomes and 5.10 x 10-9 mutations per site per generation for the Z chromosome.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Neza Pogorevc, Arsen Dotsev, Maulik Upadhyay, Edson Sandoval-Castellanos, Elisabeth Hannemann, Mojca Simcic, Aglaia Antoniou, Dimitris Papachristou, Panagiota Koutsouli, Siham Rahmatalla, Gudrun Brockmann, Johann Soelkner, Pamela Burger, Petros Lymberakis, Nikos Poulakakis, Iosif Bizelis, Natalia Zinovieva, Simon Horvat, Ivica Medugorac
Summary: The study reveals gene flow between domestic and wild goats, confirming the importance of wild goats in the domestication process. The researchers also identified gene flow among domestic goat lineages and between domestic and wild goats, providing insights into the historical relationships among goat populations.
Article
Zoology
Nikolaos Kargopoulos, Haris Nicolaou, George Mitsainas, Petros Lymberakis, Nikolaos Kiamos, Panagiotis Georgiakakis, Boris Krystufek
Summary: This article presents an identification key for the skulls of mammals found in Cyprus, including various orders such as Cetacea, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Lagomorpha, Rodentia, Eulipotyphla, and Chiroptera. The key, developed using materials from Cyprus and nearby regions, aims to encompass the unique characteristics of mammal species on the island. Illustrations of all genera included in the key are provided to assist with taxonomic identifications.
ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Homa Papoli Yazdi, Colin Olito, Takeshi Kawakami, Per Unneberg, Mads F. Schou, Schalk W. P. Cloete, Bengt Hansson, Charlie K. Cornwallis
Summary: Sex chromosomes have often evolved with extreme size differences due to degeneration, but in some lineages, ancient sex chromosomes have not degenerated. In ostriches, the W chromosome remains large despite being ancient. By analyzing the ostrich genome, researchers found that recombination rate in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) is higher than autosomes in females, which slows down degeneration. Genetic variation in the sex-linked region (SLR) is lower than in the PAR, while variation in the PAR is similar to autosomes, suggesting high recombination near the boundaries of the PAR prevents linkage with the SLR. The potential for sexually antagonistic alleles to drive degeneration is limited in ostriches.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Aikaterini Reppa, Ariadne Faidra Agori, Panayiota Santikou, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiotis Pafilis, Efstratios D. Valakos, Kostas Sagonas
Summary: Lizards as ectotherms rely on the thermal quality of the environment for temperature regulation. This study focuses on the thermal ecology of the Skyros wall lizard and examines the impact of habitat thermal quality on body temperature and preferred body temperatures. The findings suggest that the species effectively thermoregulate in various habitats and shows plasticity in response to environmental changes. Changes in habitat thermal quality significantly affect the biology of ectotherms, and lizards need to adjust their thermoregulatory behavior or shift their preferred body temperatures to adapt. Different populations of the Skyros wall lizard have shifted their thermal preferences to cope with the particular conditions in their habitats, indicating the lability of thermoregulation evolution.
Article
Ecology
Jerker Vinterstare, Christer Bronmark, P. Anders Nilsson, R. Brian Langerhans, Pallavi Chauhan, Bengt Hansson, Kaj Hulthen
Summary: Inducible defences allow prey to increase survival chances when predators are present. In crucian carp, sexual dimorphism and gene expression patterns are linked to morphological defence expression, suggesting that sex-specific responses play a role in inter-individual variation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hongkai Zhang, Bengt Hansson
Summary: Recombination plays a crucial role in independent evolution of genes and efficiency of selection, thus accurately locating recombination positions is of great significance.
