Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Yuri Phedorovich Kartavtsev
Summary: The main issues of the report focus on identifying hybrids and estimating genetic introgression, highlighting the importance of using nDNA and mtDNA markers for this purpose. The data on nDNA and mtDNA diversity suggest widespread introgression among taxa, although it may be restricted or asymmetric in some cases. While many zoological species are not biological species yet, modern molecular data indicate that they will eventually become biological species. Additionally, research on fish taxa divergence shows that interspecies reticulations are rare, with most gene trees being monophyletic.
Article
Zoology
Ionut Stefan Iorgu, Elena Iulia Iorgu, Thomas Stalling, Gellert Puskas, Dragan Chobanov, Gergely Szovenyi, Liviu Aurel Moscaliuc, Rozalia Motoc, Ioan Tausan, Lucian Fusu
Summary: Previously considered as a thelytokous parthenogenetic species, Myrmecophilus acervorum, a widespread ant cricket, was found to have a mixed reproductive system with the presence of both sexes. This study provides detailed descriptions of the previously unknown males. New data on species distribution in southeast Europe are presented, including first records of M. balcanicus in Bulgaria and M. nonveilleri in Bulgaria and Hungary. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses revealed haplotypes in Europe, with six forming a parthenogenetic clade in populations west of the Carpathians. Surprisingly, Wolbachia infection was only found in populations with both sexes, not in parthenogenetic populations. Phylogenetic analyses with related species yielded congruent trees with well-supported groups. Species delineation tests delimited between four to seven putative species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Emeline Charbonnel, Marie-Pierre Chapuis, Andrea Taddei, Mark K. Schutze, Melissa L. Starkie, Laure Benoit, Raphaelle Mouttet, David Ouvrard
Summary: This study investigates the taxonomic identification issues of the Oriental fruit fly and its cryptic species using morphological and DNA sequence analyses. The results show that combining mitochondrial and nuclear markers can accurately identify the species, and this method is recommended for population genetics studies and surveillance.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Alihan Katlav, Duong T. Nguyen, Asha Chhagan, Lisa Jamieson, Alexander R. Robertson, Jodie Cheesman, Stewart Learmonth, Piotr Trebicki, James M. Cook, Markus Riegler
Summary: The presence of maternally inherited endosymbionts in invasive pests can affect the phylogeographic patterns and invasion pathways. The study of mitochondrial diversity and endosymbiont prevalence in populations of Kelly's citrus thrips revealed that populations from Victoria in Australia were likely the source of invasive populations in both New Zealand and the Mediterranean region. Surprisingly, invasive populations lacked one of the endosymbionts, Wolbachia, despite its association with cytoplasmic incompatibility. The study also found a linkage pattern between Wolbachia and specific mitochondrial haplotypes in Australian populations. This study highlights the importance of considering endosymbionts in tracing pest invasions, but also warns about the potential confounding effects of endosymbiont-driven selective sweeps on phylogeographic patterns.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Emily Cropper, Michael D. Coble, Mark F. Kavlick
Summary: This study reveals that the accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of qPCR assays depend on the quality and reliability of the DNA standard, the qPCR chemistry, and the specific primers and probes used. It highlights the necessity of using a well-characterized DNA standard such as NIST SRM 2372a and adjusting the assays if necessary.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yao Xiao, Guohu Guo, Huaiming Wang, Bin Peng, Yinglin Lin, Gaowen Qu, Ben Li, Zhaojun Jiang, Fan Zhang, Jiaming Wu, Min Liang
Summary: The constructed Cur/L-OHP@HAP NPs nanoparticles hold promise for improving cancer immunotherapy by activating the cGAS-STING pathway to enhance natural immunity and increase immune cell infiltration into the tumor microenvironment.
BIOENGINEERING & TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shafi Mahmud, Suvro Biswas, Shamima Afrose, Mohasana Akter Mita, Md Robiul Hasan, Mst Sharmin Sultana Shimu, Gobindo Kumar Paul, Sanghyun Chung, Md Abu Saleh, Sultan Alshehri, Momammed M. Ghoneim, Maha Alruwaily, Bonglee Kim
Summary: Mitochondria play a major role in cellular energy production and mitochondrial disorders can cause various symptoms. Traditional diagnostic methods have limitations, while genetic sequencing offers a more accurate alternative.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Camilla Skoglund, Daniel Appelgren, Ingela Johansson, Rosaura Casas, Johnny Ludvigsson
Summary: NETs and mtDNA are involved in the development of type 1 diabetes, with increased levels found in serum from both adult and children patients. However, extracellular DNA shortly after diagnosis did not predict loss of endogenous insulin production.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Jennifer McElhoe, Therese Mandracchia, Todd Bille, Mitchell Holland
Summary: Recovering suitable amounts of undamaged DNA from ammunition cartridges for forensic analysis has been a challenge. This study found that the metal composition of cartridge cases and projectiles can degrade DNA, and that higher humidity levels contribute to greater DNA degradation. It is recommended to store recovered cartridge components in a low-humidity environment with a desiccant. The study also observed a layering effect and a relationship between time elapsed and DNA yield.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Huiying Chen, Haowei Dong, Hao Yuan, Wenqi Shan, Qiuming Zhou, Xiangyu Li, Heng Peng, Yajun Ma
Summary: The accurate identification of sandfly species is crucial due to their role in transmitting medically significant diseases. However, conventional identification methods are time consuming and require experienced staff. This study investigates the use of DNA barcodes to identify common sandfly species in China and finds that mitochondrial DNA markers are effective in distinguishing these species.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Ignazio Giuseppe Arena, Alessia Pugliese, Sara Volta, Antonio Toscano, Olimpia Musumeci
Summary: Mitochondrial disorders are common, inherited conditions characterized by defects in oxidative phosphorylation caused by mutations in nuclear or mitochondrial genes. Skeletal muscle is typically affected due to its high energy demand. Advances in next-generation sequencing techniques have improved diagnosis and identified new therapeutic targets. An increasing number of mutations have been found to be responsible for mitochondrial disorders.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuxiang Gong, Qin Huang, Yuping Deng, Liyan Zhou, Xiaoqing Yi, Jiajin Zhu, Wenhe Wu
Summary: This study developed an in vitro model using mouse microglial cells to study autophagy-associated cfDNA, isolating cfDNA using ultrafiltration and a commercial kit. It was found that ultrafiltration had higher recovery efficiency for shorter DNA fragments, while the commercial kit was superior for longer DNA fragments.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Maros Dzurinka, Martina Semelakova, Lubomir Panigaj
Summary: The lack of reliable characters and color variation make it difficult to distinguish between Colias species. mtDNA sequences are not always reliable in distinguishing between Colias species. However, genetic differences within some species suggest the possibility of cryptic speciation. Wolbachia is a common endosymbiotic bacteria that affects host reproduction. Research on Colias croceus and Colias erate showed a high infection rate of Wolbachia and its potential role in introgression of mtDNA.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Jose Antonio Cruz-Barraza, Jose Luis Carballo, Jose Maria Aguilar-Camacho
Summary: This study describes new species and faunistic records of Coelosphaeridae from the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Molecular analyses suggest that Coelosphaeridae, Lissodendoryx, and Celtodoryx are not monophyletic.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Benjamin R. R. Karin, Selene Arellano, Laura Wang, Kayla Walzer, Aaron Pomerantz, Juan Manuel Vasquez, Kamalakar Chatla, Peter H. H. Sudmant, Bryan H. H. Bach, Lydia L. L. Smith, Jimmy A. A. McGuire
Summary: A new method for sequencing hundreds to thousands of complete mitochondrial genomes in parallel using long-amplicon sequencing is reported. This method is more efficient than other mitochondrial genome sequencing methods. It can be used to quickly and effectively build more robust phylogenies and provides recommendations for future users.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jan T. Lifjeld, Jostein Gohli, Tomas Albrecht, Eduardo Garcia-del-Rey, Lars Erik Johannessen, Oddmund Kleven, Petter Z. Marki, Taiwo C. Omotoriogun, Melissah Rowe, Arild Johnsen
BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Silje L. Rekdal, Jarl Andreas Anmarkrud, Jan T. Lifjeld, Arild Johnsen
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Willow R. Lindsay, Staffan Andersson, Badreddine Bererhi, Jacob Hoglund, Arild Johnsen, Charlotta Kvarnemo, Erica H. Leder, Jan T. Lifjeld, Calum E. Ninnes, Mats Olsson, Geoff A. Parker, Tommaso Pizzari, Anna Qvarnstrom, Rebecca J. Safran, Ola Svensson, Scott Edwards
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kasun H. Bodawatta, Petr Synek, Nick Bos, Eduardo Garcia-del-Rey, Bonny Koane, Petter Z. Marki, Tomas Albrecht, Jan Lifjeld, Michael Poulsen, Pavel Munclinger, Katerina Sam, Knud A. Jonsson
Article
Ornithology
Silje L. Rekdal, Jarl Andreas Anmarkrud, Jan T. Lifjeld, Arild Johnsen
Summary: The study suggests that an intermediate number of MHC class II alleles may be correlated with an increased skin-swelling response to phytohaemagglutinin injections in bluethroat nestlings. Skin swelling was associated with MHCII allele count at the among-brood level, and with paternity, indicating a potential role of MHCII alleles in the PHA response and mate choice in this species.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Emily R. A. Cramer, Eduardo Garcia-del-Rey, Lars Erik Johannessen, Terje Laskemoen, Gunnhild Marthinsen, Arild Johnsen, Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: The swimming speed of sperm is negatively correlated with total sperm length and relative midpiece length, but does not correlate with relative flagellum length in Canary Islands chiffchaff populations. Mitochondrial DNA differentiation was confirmed between Gran Canaria and other islands. The study adds to the evidence that passerine birds do not support sperm morphology-swimming speed hypotheses and suggests that predictions from mammalian hydrodynamic models should not be applied to this taxon.
Article
Cell Biology
Melissah Rowe, Annabel Van Oort, Lyanne Brouwer, Jan T. Lifjeld, Michael S. Webster, Joseph F. Welklin, Daniel T. Baldassarre
Summary: This study found that sperm quantity (indicated by cloacal protuberance volume) was associated with reproductive success in male red-backed fairy-wrens, while sperm morphology was not. This suggests that males use a large number of sperm as a defensive strategy to protect within-pair paternity success in a system with high risk of sperm competition and female control of copulation.
Correction
Behavioral Sciences
Jan T. Lifjeld, Oddmund Kleven, Frode Fossoy, Frode Jacobsen, Terje Laskemoen, Geir Rudolfsen, Raleigh J. Robertson
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jan T. Lifjeld, Oddmund Kleven, Frode Fossoy, Frode Jacobsen, Terje Laskemoen, Geir Rudolfsen, Raleigh J. Robertson
Summary: In birds with extrapair mating, older males have higher fertilization success than younger males. This can be explained by the fact that females prefer older and more ornamented males, or that older males invest more in reproduction and fertility. In a study of barn swallows in Canada, it was found that male fertilization success increased with age, especially for extrapair offspring and second broods. This success was also associated with an early start of breeding in spring. Male fertility traits, including testis size, sperm motility, and sperm velocity, increased across age groups. The length of the outer tail feathers, a male ornament preferred by females, also increased with age but did not predict fertilization success. These findings suggest that older males have higher fertilization success due to their higher reproductive investment and early arrival on breeding grounds.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: The study investigated the effects of two sexual traits in male barn swallows on paternity change in two different populations. However, it found that the initial paternity score influenced the magnitude of the change, leading to biased conclusions.
Article
Zoology
Lars Erik Johannessen, Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: This article presents a list of all known bird type specimens in the collection of the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Norway. The specimens come from northern Australia, eastern Indonesia, or Tristan da Cunha, and have been either collected and described by personnel associated with the museum or sent from other museums in exchange for other specimens. The catalog is not intended for taxonomic revisions but refutes the type status of some specimens. The collection includes name-bearing types of 11 taxa, comprising one holotype and 26 syntypes; two paratypes from the same type series as the holotype; and one paralectotype of a twelfth taxon. The catalog also includes two specimens of one taxon here refuted as being type specimens.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Emily R. A. Cramer, Gaute Gronstol, Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: Compared with the extensive research on spermatozoa length, little research has been done on the width of spermatozoa, especially the width of the midpiece and flagellum. This study used scanning electron microscopy to examine the ultrastructure of spermatozoa from 55 passerine species in 26 taxonomic families. The results showed that longer flagella were wider at the neck and tapered along their length. The length of the midpiece was found to correlate well with the volume of the mitochondrial helix.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Gaute Gronstol, Marie Danielsen, Emily R. A. Cramer, Lars Erik Johannessen, Arild Johnsen, Emma Whittington, Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: Sperm cell size and structural integrity are not significantly affected by fixation and storage in formalin or ethanol, although there is a small reduction in sperm cell length over long storage periods. However, ethanol storage leads to a higher proportion of acrosome-damaged sperm cells compared to formalin storage. Overall, formalin better preserves the integrity of sperm cells.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Emily R. A. Cramer, Zelealem B. Yilma, Jan T. Lifjeld
Summary: Sperm cells are morphologically diverse across taxa, but can be uniform within species. Strong sexual selection may reduce intraspecific sperm variation, but high variation in female sperm storage organs could maintain intraspecific sperm size variation. The level of promiscuity and variation in female preference have a significant impact on selection for sperm size.
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Silje L. Rekdal, Jarl Andreas Anmarkrud, Jan T. Lifjeld, Arild Johnsen
Summary: This study shows that female bluethroats tend to choose a social mate that is MHCII-compatible in order to prevent other males from gaining paternity in their brood. However, this preference occurs only when the social male is young, as older males can override female preferences through higher sperm production. Additionally, offspring with MHC diversity close to the golden mean exhibit higher immune responsiveness.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)