Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Atsuo Iida, Jumpei Nomura, Junki Yoshida, Takayuki Suzuki, Hayato Yokoi, Eiichi Hondo
Summary: This study investigated the mechanism for nutrient absorption and degradation in trophotaeniae of the viviparous teleost species Xenotoca eiseni. Results showed that a lipid transfer protein, vitellogenin (Vtg), was absorbed into the epithelial layer cells of the trophotaeniae through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Gene expression analysis revealed the involvement of endocytosis-mediated lipolysis and lysosomal cholesterol transport in the trophotaeniae. This study demonstrated the unique developmental system of viviparous teleost species based on the hindgut-derived placenta.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY OF LIPIDS
(2022)
Review
Biology
Sandra Treffkorn, Georg Mayer, Ralf Janssen
Summary: The so-called extra-embryonic tissues play important roles in embryonic development, including nutrient uptake, waste removal, protection, immune response, and morphogenesis. In some arthropods, these tissues have been found to be more important than previously thought. This review evaluates the occurrence and functions of extra-embryonic tissues in onychophorans and tardigrades, and suggests shared functions in embryonic nutrition and morphogenesis.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Reproductive Biology
Jessica S. Dudley, Christopher R. Murphy, Michael B. Thompson, Bronwyn M. McAllan
Summary: This review discusses the morphological and molecular changes to the uterine epithelium preceding implantation among mammals, aiming to identify commonalities and constraints of these cellular changes for understanding the evolution of placentation in mammals and suggesting directions for future research. The complex modifications to the ultrastructure of uterine epithelial cells during the formation of placenta are compared and discussed, highlighting similarities in changes to the cytoskeleton and gross morphology of the cells in all eutherians and marsupials studied. Further research is needed to understand the evolution of placentation among viviparous mammals, particularly concerning the level of placental invasiveness, hormonal control, and genetic underpinnings of pregnancy in marsupial taxa.
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Ecology
David N. Reznick, Joseph Travis, Bart J. A. Pollux, Andrew I. Furness
Summary: Sexual conflict arises from differences in the ways males and females maximize fitness, which are influenced by investment in gametes, mate choice, and provision for offspring. Evolution of maternal provisioning in fish can lead to changes in when and how mates are chosen and is associated with the evolution of male traits linked to sexual selection. Contrary to predictions, the evolution of placentas and associated conflict does not accelerate speciation, with a more prominent role played by pre-copulatory reproductive isolation in driving speciation in this family.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Andres Hagmayer, Martin J. Lankheet, Judith Bijsterbosch, Johan L. van Leeuwen, Bart J. A. Pollux
Summary: This study examined the effects of maternal food restriction during pregnancy on the offspring of live-bearing fish. The results showed that a longer duration of food restriction led to smaller offspring with slower postnatal body fat gain. It also impacted the swimming performance of offspring at birth and during the first week after birth.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Erwin Vazquez-Garcia, Maricela Villagran-SantaCruz
Summary: The study aims to determine the placental morphology and ontogeny during gestation in the lizard Plestiodon brevirostris. Through dissection and histological techniques, the correlation between the developmental stage and placenta development was observed. The results showed that P. brevirostris is a lecithotrophic species, with a close maternal-fetal relationship established by tissue apposition. Different types of placenta were identified in the embryonic hemisphere and the omphaloplacenta was formed in the abembryonic hemisphere. The structure of the chorioallantoic placenta suggests a role in gas exchange, while the omphaloplacenta may play a role in the absorption of the eggshell and nutrient transport.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shi-Yang Weng, Song Huang, Le Yang, Li-Fang Peng, Cong Wei, Jian-Chuan Li
Summary: The complete mitochondrial genome of Asymblepharus himalayanus was determined for the first time by Sanger sequencing, showing that this species does not belong to the genus of Scincella.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
U. A. Nekliudova, T. F. Schwaha, O. N. Kotenko, D. Gruber, N. Cyran, A. N. Ostrovsky
Summary: The study focuses on the unique structure of placental analogues found in two cyclostome species, revealing the development process of embryos embedded in the nutritive tissue. It suggests that the evolution of a specialized placenta providing massive nourishment may have supported the evolution of polyembryony in cyclostomes, leading to the development of enlarged incubating polymorphic gonozooids hosting multiple progeny.
BMC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zeeshan A. Mirza, Andrey M. Bragin, Harshal Bhosale, Gaurang G. Gowande, Harshil Patel, Nikolay A. Poyarkov
Summary: The Himalayas have significant biogeographic importance in the origin and diversification of various taxa. A recent study discovered a unique lineage of skinks in the eastern Himalayas, providing insights into the biogeographic significance of the region. The integrated taxonomic approach and molecular phylogeny presented in the study contribute to the understanding of this unique lineage.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Charles S. P. Foster, James U. Van Dyke, Michael B. Thompson, Nicholas M. A. Smith, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Christopher R. Murphy, Camilla M. Whittington
Summary: Different genes are recruited in the evolution of viviparity in distantly related vertebrates, rather than the same genes, to support morphological and physiological changes.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Oliver W. Griffith
Summary: The formation of new organs, such as the placenta, involves the interaction of distinct tissue types producing signaling dynamics. The cross-talk between maternal and fetal tissues plays a crucial role in the development and patterning of the placenta, leading to the establishment of new regulatory networks and functions.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Yuki Koizumi, Hidetoshi Ota, Tsutomu Hikida
Summary: In this study, a molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted on the ground skink populations of the genus Scincella from the East Asian Archipelago. The study identified a distinct species in the Yonagunijima population based on genetic distances and nuclear genetic variation. This finding supports the unique biogeographic status of Yonagunijima Island among the southern Ryukyus islands.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kang Du, Martin Pippel, Susanne Kneitz, Romain Feron, Irene da Cruz, Sylke Winkler, Brigitta Wilde, Edgar G. Avila Luna, Gene Myers, Yann Guiguen, Constantino Macias Garcia, Manfred Schartl
Summary: The genome sequencing of the darkedged splitfin, Girardinichthys multiradiatus, provides valuable insights into the evolution of maternal placenta in fish, revealing sex-specific differences and potential male sex determining genes. Comparative analysis suggests that the evolutionary novelty of maternal provisioning development repeatedly made use of genes with the same function in other tissues, repurposing preexisting modules for molecular changes required for this novel trait.
Article
Biology
Heather E. Grant, Andrew N. Ostrovsky, Helen L. Jenkins, Leandro M. Vieira, Dennis P. Gordon, Peter G. Foster, Olga N. Kotenko, Abigail M. Smith, Bjoern Berning, Joanne S. Porter, Javier Souto, Wayne K. Florence, Kevin J. Tilbrook, Andrea Waeschenbach
Summary: Parental care is crucial for the survival and evolutionary success of offspring in metazoan groups. This study investigated the evolution of incubation chambers in bryozoans and found that at least 10 different types of brood chambers evolved in the Cheilostomatida order. The modular nature of bryozoans likely contributed to the diverse array of incubation chambers observed.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leeban H. Yusuf, Yolitzi Saldivar Lemus, Peter Thorpe, Constantino Macias Garcia, Michael G. Ritchie
Summary: The transition from oviparity to viviparity has occurred independently multiple times across vertebrates, presenting a case of phenotypic convergence. Although there is striking similarity among the genes and molecular pathways involved in the evolution of viviparity across different vertebrate groups, the extent of molecular convergence in genomic divergence remains unclear. Our study on a group of ray-finned freshwater fish suggests that independent transitions to viviparity are not strongly associated with an excess of molecular convergence, but a few genes show evidence of convergent evolution.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jeffrey L. Weinell, William R. Branch, Timothy J. Colston, Todd R. Jackman, Arianna Kuhn, Werner Conradie, Aaron M. Bauer
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Biology
Maggie M. Hantak, Robert P. Guralnick, Alexander C. Cameron, Aaron H. Griffing, Sean M. Harrington, Jeffrey L. Weinell, Daniel J. Paluh
Summary: This study used community science images to investigate the variation in coloration of North American ratsnakes, and found that temperature is a key predictor of darker color, supporting the thermal melanism hypothesis. Elevation and precipitation also have predictive effects on color, but the direction and magnitude of these effects vary across species.
