Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
William Walton, Graham N. Stone, Konrad Lohse
Summary: While significant changes in effective population size were observed in Iberian refuge populations during the Quaternary, there is little evidence to suggest that these changes were shared across the seven species of chalcid parasitoid wasps associated with oak cynipid galls, indicating largely idiosyncratic demographic histories within this ecological guild.
Article
Entomology
Gao-Zhi Zhao, Teng-Ran Zhu, Yang Zeng, Dao-Hong Zhu
Summary: In central China, Wolbachia was found to infect both gall wasps and their parasitoids, indicating horizontal transmission between the two. Five new strains of Wolbachia belonging to supergroup A were identified through multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Furthermore, the strains of Wolbachia infecting gall wasps and their parasitoids were different, suggesting independent evolution within the parasitoids after transfer from the host gall wasps.
JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tristan Cumer, Ana Paula Machado, Guillaume Dumont, Vasileios Bontzorlos, Renato Ceccherelli, Motti Charter, Klaus Dichmann, Nicolaos Kassinis, Rui Lourenco, Francesca Manzia, Hans-Dieter Martens, Laure Prevost, Marko Rakovic, Ines Roque, Felipe Siverio, Alexandre Roulin, Jerome Goudet
Summary: The complex history of barn owl populations across the Western Palearctic region reveals the impact of climatic variations and landscape barriers on the splitting and evolution of populations. The study identifies two distinct lineages colonizing Europe and the Levant before the last glaciation, with a secondary contact zone in Anatolia. Additionally, it shows that barn owls recolonized Europe from two glacial refugia in Iberia and Italy, with communication between the glacial lineages now occurring via eastern Europe.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexander R. Kneubehl, Aparna Krishnavajhala, Sebastian Munoz Leal, Adam J. Replogle, Luke C. Kingry, Sergio E. Bermudez, Marcelo B. Labruna, Job E. Lopez
Summary: This study sequenced and assembled the genomes of sTBRF spirochetes from the Western Hemisphere, revealing high chromosomal synteny but diverse plasmid composition. The findings highlight the importance of complete chromosome and plasmid sequences in understanding the biological differences between TBRF spirochete species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel Gerber, Bea Szeifert, Orsolya Szekely, Balazs Egyed, Balazs Gyuris, Julia Giblin, Aniko Horvath, Kitti Kohler, Gabriella Kulcsar, Agnes Kustar, Istvan Major, Mihaly Molnar, Laszlo Palcsu, Vajk Szeverenyi, Szilvia Fabian, Balazs Gusztav Mende, Maria Bondar, Eszter Ari, Viktoria Kiss, Anna Szecsenyi-Nagy
Summary: This study presents the ancient shotgun genomes of 21 individuals from Western Hungary, belonging to the understudied Late Copper Age Baden and Bronze Age Somogyvar-Vinkovci, Kisapostag, and Encrusted Pottery cultures. The results reveal the presence of high steppe ancestry in the Somogyvar-Vinkovci culture, which was later replaced by the Kisapostag group with a significant Mesolithic hunter-gatherer ancestry. This hunter-gatherer component in Kisapostag is derived from Funnelbeaker or Globular Amphora cultures and an unrecognized source in Eastern Europe. The study also highlights the genetic contributions of these cultures to Bronze Age Central Europe and Baltic populations.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marvin Choquet, Felix Lenner, Arianna Cocco, Gaelle Toullec, Erwan Corre, Jean-Yves Toullec, Andreas Wallberg
Summary: This study used comparative genomics to investigate the genetic variation and adaptation potential of 20 krill species collected from different oceans. The results showed that Antarctic krill species had lower levels of genetic variation and evolutionary rates, indicating a potentially lower adaptive potential to rapid climate change. Additionally, the study identified several candidate genes associated with adaptive evolution in Antarctic krill.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Flavia Rogerio, Riccardo Baroncelli, Francisco Borja Cuevas-Fernandez, Sioly Becerra, JoAnne Crouch, Wagner Bettiol, M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril, Martha Malapi-Wight, Veronique Ortega, Javier Betran, Albert Tenuta, Jose S. Dambolena, Paul D. Esker, Pedro Revilla, Tamra A. Jackson-Ziems, Juerg Hiltbrunner, Gary Munkvold, Ivica Buhinicek, Jose L. Vicente-Villardon, Serenella A. Sukno, Michael R. Thon
Summary: Understanding the genetic diversity and reproductive biology of plant pathogens is crucial for controlling diseases. We studied the genetic diversity and reproductive biology of the maize anthracnose pathogen, Colletotrichum graminicola, in 14 countries. Our results show that the pathogen populations are correlated with geographical origin and migration between countries is ongoing. We also found evidence of genetic recombination, which has important implications for disease management and breeding programs.
Article
Ecology
Gregory Thom, Camila C. Ribas, Eduardo Shultz, Alexandre Aleixo, Cristina Y. Miyaki
Summary: This study explores the historical demographic changes of populations occurring on the floodplains of the Solimoes River in the Amazon Basin and finds that habitat specificity might be an important predictor of population connectivity.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Tyler J. Raszick, C. Michael Dickens, Lindsey C. Perkin, Ashley E. Tessnow, Charles P. -C. Suh, Raul Ruiz-Arce, Theodore N. Boratynski, Marcelo R. Falco, J. Spencer Johnston, Gregory A. Sword
Summary: This study used a high-throughput sequencing approach to investigate the population genomic structure of the boll weevil in the southern United States, northern Mexico, and Argentina, revealing two main lineages with sub-structuring. The geographic structure of the populations was consistent with the isolation by distance model, suggesting that geographic distance plays a key role in driving divergence in this species. The boll weevil populations from Argentina were found to be more closely related to the eastern lineage, indicating a recent colonization of South America by this lineage, but further sampling across Mexico, Central America, and South America is needed for clarification. Additionally, an instance of population turnover or replacement was uncovered, indicating temporal instability of the population structure.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Ornithology
Liviu G. Parau, Michael Wink
Summary: The phylogeography of Western Palearctic bird species has been extensively studied, with 198 studies compiled in this research. The literature review reveals insights into genetic differentiation and geographic distribution of bird species, shedding light on the evolutionary trajectories of species during glaciation cycles in the past few million years.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emily Humble, Jane Hosegood, Gary Carvalho, Mark de Bruyn, Simon Creer, Guy M. W. Stevens, Amelia Armstrong, Ramon Bonfil, Mark Deakos, Daniel Fernando, Niv Froman, Lauren R. Peel, Stephen Pollett, Alessandro Ponzo, Joshua D. Stewart, Sabine Wintner, Rob Ogden
Summary: Understanding population connectivity and genetic diversity is crucial for conservation, but it remains challenging for globally threatened marine megafauna. This study uses a comparative framework to investigate the genetic differentiation and diversity of manta rays, revealing higher connectivity and heterozygosity in oceanic manta rays. The findings also emphasize the potential impact of fisheries on population dynamics.
Article
Ecology
Howard W. I. Gray, Ing Chen, Andre E. Moura, Ada Natoli, Shin Nishida, Shinsuke Tanabe, Gianna Minton, Louisa S. Ponnampalam, Muhammad S. Kiani, Ross Culloch, Mauvis Gore, Anna Sarnblad, Omar Amir, Per Berggren, Tim Collins, Andrew J. Willson, Robert Baldwin, A. Rus Hoelzel
Summary: The study compared two closely related dolphin species with a shared distribution in the Indian Ocean, revealing population structure differences, particularly in the Arabian Sea region. The differentiation between populations in the northern and western Indian Ocean for both genera suggests distinct habitats and the influence of climate cycles on population dynamics.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Antoine Guiguet, John F. Tooker, Andrew R. Deans, Istvan Miko, Gang Ning, Szabina Schweger, Heather M. Hines
Summary: Research has found that herbivorous insects capable of inducing galls have greatly expanded secretory organs, while non-gall-inducing species have reduced secretory organs. Variations in the size of venom glands, accessory glands, and their contents suggest that gall formation employs a diversity of molecular strategies across different gall-inducing lineages.
INSECT SYSTEMATICS AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Daniel Jablonski, Neftali Sillero, Oleksandra Oskyrko, Adriana Bellati, Andris Ceirans, Marc Cheylan, Dan Cogalniceanu, Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Angelica Crottini, Igor Doronin, Georg Dzukic, Philippe Geniez, Cetin Ilgaz, Ruben Iosif, David Jandzik, Dusan Jelic, Spartak Litvinchuk, Katarina Ljubisavljevic, Petros Lymberakis, Peter Mikulicek, Edvard Mizsei, Jiri Moravec, Bartlomiej Najbar, Maciej Pabijan, Mihails Pupins, Patricia Sourrouille, Ilias Strachinis, Marton Szabolcs, Evanthia Thanou, Elias Tzoras, Vladislav Vergilov, Judit Voros, Vaclav Gvozdik
Summary: The slow-worm lizards comprise five species with relatively uniform morphology but deep genetic divergence. Four of the species live in parapatry, while only two species occur in partial sympatry in certain regions. Further research is needed to explore the eco-evolutionary interactions between these species, including their hybridization rates, to uncover more details about the slow-worm evolutionary and natural history.
Article
Ecology
Sofia Marques Silva, Camila C. Ribas, Alexandre Aleixo
Summary: The study revealed that the Glossy Antshrike is a single species with at least four populations, and divergences between populations occurred within the last 1.2 million years. The research also highlighted the complex population history of the species, influenced by a high dependence on southeastern clear water seasonally flooded habitats and their availability through time.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nick Wheelhouse, Jack Hearn, Morag Livingstone, Allen Flockhart, Mark Dagleish, David Longbottom
Summary: This study investigated asymptomatic carriage of Chlamydia-related organisms in healthy cattle and found evidence of Parachlamydiaceae DNA, indicating potential routes of environmental contamination.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Charles S. Wondji, Jack Hearn, Helen Irving, Murielle J. Wondji, Gareth Weedall
Summary: The study found that cytochrome P450 genes were the predominant over-expressed detoxification genes in the resistant strain, with high expression of CYP6P9a and CYP6P9b. Additionally, other P450 genes related to pyrethroid resistance were also over-expressed in the resistant strain. This research provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of resistance in Anopheles funestus and can help in developing strategies to manage resistance in Africa.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jack C. Schultz, Graham N. Stone
Summary: Plant galls are plant organs initiated and controlled by parasitic microbes, nematodes, insects, and mites, providing a safe environment for arthropods and exhibiting complex anatomical and tissue variations. Recent research has shown significant transcriptional and anatomical differences in gall tissues.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jack Hearn, Carlos S. Djoko Tagne, Sulaiman S. Ibrahim, Billy Tene-Fossog, Leon M. J. Mugenzi, Helen Irving, Jacob M. Riveron, Gareth D. Weedall, Charles S. Wondji
Summary: This study investigates the molecular basis of metabolic resistance to pyrethroids in Anopheles funestus, a major malaria vector. The researchers used a multi-omics approach and functional validation to identify a cytochrome P450, CYP9K1, as a major driver of resistance. The study also identified other genes and variants associated with resistance and suggests their potential use in designing field-applicable markers for tracking resistance in Africa-wide.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael O. Kusimo, Lucy Mackenzie-Impoinvil, Sulaiman S. Ibrahim, Abdullahi Muhammad, Helen Irving, Jack Hearn, Audrey E. Lenhart, Charles S. Wondji
Summary: This study characterizes the functional properties of CYP6P5 in the malaria vector Anopheles albimanus and identifies its significant role in pyrethroid resistance. The findings highlight the challenges associated with insecticide-based control tools in the Americas and demonstrate the potential of P450 inhibitors to restore susceptibility to pyrethroids.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
James A. Nicholls, George Melika, Scott C. Digweed, Graham N. Stone
Summary: This paper describes previously unknown generations for 12 Nearctic oak gallwasps. It provides descriptions and diagnoses for these taxa and summarizes what is known about their biology, including host associations. The relationships between alternate generations are supported by morphological and molecular data.
Article
Zoology
Victor Cuesta-Porta, George Melika, James A. Nicholls, Graham N. Stone, Juli Pujade-Villar
Summary: This study re-establishes the Nearctic cynipid oak gall wasp genus Druon Kinsey comb. rev., describing new species and previously classified species. Descriptions, diagnoses, DNA sequence data and analyses, as well as information on biology, phenology, and distribution are provided.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jack Hearn, Tom J. Little
Summary: Differences in piRNA cluster expression were observed between eggs from young and old mothers, with more upregulated clusters in eggs from older mothers. However, the differences in cluster expression decreased in adult generations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuanmeng M. Zhang, Sofia Sheikh, Anna K. G. Ward, Andrew A. Forbes, Kirsten M. Prior, Graham N. Stone, Michael W. Gates, Scott P. Egan, Linyi Zhang, Charles Davis, Kelly L. Weinersmith, George Melika, Andrea Lucky
Summary: Cryptic species diversity is a major challenge in parasitoids attacking oak gall wasps due to sexual dimorphism, morphological plasticity, small size, and poorly known biology. The study reveals that parasitoid wasps have adaptations allowing them to exploit specific host trait combinations and prefer larger galls. These findings have implications for evolutionary ecology and biocontrol, supporting the tritrophic niche concept in plant-herbivore-parasitoid communities.
Article
Ecology
Nora Villamil, Karina Boege, Graham N. Stone
Summary: Ant guards do not affect pollinator community composition, but decrease flower visit duration and reduce pollen deposition and exports, while significantly increasing outcross pollen transfer.
Article
Zoology
Majid Tavakoli, Graham N. Stone, Juli Pujade-Villar, George Melika
Summary: Five new gall wasp species have been discovered in Lorestan, Iran, including Aulacidea koeiana Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov., A. lorestanica Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov., A. piroziae Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov., Phanacis strigosa Melika, Stone & Tavakoli, sp. nov., P. tavakolii Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. Descriptions, diagnoses, and information on biology and host associations are provided for all new species, and the male of Isocolus beheni Melika & Karimpour, 2008 is described for the first time.
Article
Biology
Sulaiman S. Ibrahim, Abdullahi Muhammad, Jack Hearn, Gareth D. Weedall, Sanjay C. Nagi, Muhammad M. Mukhtar, Amen N. Fadel, Leon J. Mugenzi, Edward I. Patterson, Helen Irving, Charles S. Wondji
Summary: Transcriptional analysis of Anopheles coluzzii populations from the Sahel region revealed overexpression of genes associated with insecticide resistance, including CYP450s, glutathione S-transferases, carboxylesterases, and cuticular proteins. High frequencies of known markers of resistance were also observed. These findings have important implications for malaria control efforts and regional collaboration.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Leon M. J. Mugenzi, Theofelix A. Tekoh, Sulaiman S. Ibrahim, Abdullahi Muhammad, Mersimine Kouamo, Murielle J. Wondji, Helen Irving, Jack Hearn, Charles S. Wondji
Summary: Insecticide resistance in vector species populations is posing a threat to the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions against malaria. This study identified the overexpression of certain metabolic cytochrome P450 genes in resistant Anopheles funestus populations, which confers resistance to both pyrethroid and carbamate insecticides. Understanding the molecular basis of insecticide resistance is crucial for the development of suitable interventions.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jack Hearn, Erik Gobbo, Jose Luis Nieves-Aldrey, Antoine Branca, James A. Nicholls, Georgios Koutsovoulos, Nicolas Lartillot, Graham N. Stone, Fredrik Ronquist
Summary: This article analyzes the phylogenetic relationships of gall wasps using genome and transcriptome data. The results show that gall wasps are not monophyletic and can be divided into three families. The article also explores the evolution of gall wasp life histories, suggesting complex transitions.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)