Article
Evolutionary Biology
Teruhito Ishihara, Danielle Hickford, Jane C. Fenelon, Oliver W. Griffith, Shunsuke Suzuki, Marilyn B. Renfree
Summary: Genomic imprinting is a common phenomenon in marsupial and eutherian mammals, but absent in monotremes. Differential DNA methylation is the primary mechanism for genomic imprinting in eutherians, while conserved imprinted genes in marsupials lack DNA methylation. This study investigates the presence of DNMT3A2, a DNA methyltransferase enzyme, in marsupials and monotremes, and identifies its presence in both lineages. Analysis of genomic sequences and transcriptome data suggests that DNMT3A2 evolved in the common ancestor of mammals. The study also reveals sexual dimorphism in DNMT3A/3A2 gene and protein expression during gametogenesis in a marsupial, indicating a conserved DNA methylation mechanism in therian mammals.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geology
Andrea Villa, Giorgio Carnevale, Marco Pavia, Lorenzo Rook, Marco Sami, Zbigniew Szyndlar, Massimo Delfino
Summary: The vertebrate fauna from Monticino Quarry in Italy indicates a warm and somewhat dry complex paleoenvironment, with diverse species including old snakes, birds, and lizards. Estuarine or lagoonal conditions were likely present near the site, and the animal assemblage shows considerable Afro-Asian affinities.
RIVISTA ITALIANA DI PALEONTOLOGIA E STRATIGRAFIA
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tadasu Urashima, Takane Katayama, Mikiyasu Sakanaka, Kenji Fukuda, Michael Messer
Summary: This review discusses the acquisition of lactose and milk oligosaccharides during the evolution of mammals, as well as the mechanisms by which these saccharides are digested and absorbed by suckling neonates. The evolution of c-type lysozyme to alpha-lactalbumin enabled the biosynthesis of lactose and milk oligosaccharides in most eutherian mammals. In contrast, neonatal monotremes and marsupials lack intestinal lactase and may digest milk oligosaccharides through pinocytosis or endocytosis.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENERAL SUBJECTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yadong Zhang, Zongkun Li, Wei Ge, Xudong Chen, Hongyin Xu, Hongyan Guan
Summary: The study highlights the significant impact of extreme floods on terrestrial animal biodiversity, proposing four influencing factors and a calculation method for assessment. It analyzes the biodiversity impact of different animals and land use types, concluding that the proposed method and indices are suitable for assessing biodiversity impact on any organism in any area.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas G. G. Bean, Elizabeth A. A. Chadwick, Marta Herrero-Villar, Rafael Mateo, Vinny Naidoo, Barnett A. A. Ratter
Summary: The majority of knowledge on the risk of pharmaceuticals to wildlife comes from the Asian vulture crisis, where the use of diclofenac led to a severe decline in vulture populations. NSAIDs like diclofenac have been found to be hazardous to vultures and other avian species. While research on pharmaceutical exposure in birds is extensive, there are still knowledge gaps for amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria E. Velizhanina, Alexey P. Galkin
Summary: This study found that the FXR1 protein in various vertebrates possesses amyloid properties, and these properties have existed for at least 365 million years. This discovery is of significant importance for understanding the regulatory role of FXR1 amyloid fibrils in the vertebrate brain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Tania Marisol Gonzalez, Juan David Gonzalez-Trujillo, Alberto Munoz, Dolors Armenteras
Summary: Fire plays a key role in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity maintenance, but its impact on animal communities varies depending on severity, history, and frequency. Research suggests that fire history is a significant modulator of animal richness and abundance, highlighting the need for long-term studies to inform fire management strategies.
ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Luigi Rosati, Sara Falvo, Gabriella Chieffi Baccari, Alessandra Santillo, Maria Maddalena Di Fiore
Summary: The aromatase-estrogen system plays a crucial role in gonadal sex differentiation and regulates testicular activity in vertebrates, with differences in expression among species. It acts as an on/off switch for spermatogenesis in seasonal breeding species, promoting or blocking spermatogenesis depending on estrogen levels. Excessive production of aromatase in birds reduces reproductive performance, while the use of aromatase inhibitors has proven effective in improving fertility.
Article
Zoology
Valeria Bauni, Claudio Bertonatti, Adrian Giacchino, Facundo Schivo, Ezequiel Mabragana, Ignacio Roesler, Juan Jose Rosso, Pablo Teta, Jorge D. Williams, Agustin M. Abba, Guillermo H. Cassini, Maria Berta Cousseau, David A. Flores, Damian M. Fortunato, Maria Emilia Giusti, Jorge Pablo Jayat, Jorge Liotta, Sergio Lucero, Tomas Martinez Aguirre, Javier A. Pereiraa, Jorge Crisci
Summary: This study presents the results of the first national inventory of vertebrate species in Argentina, revealing a total of 3,303 species, mainly native. The geographical distribution of species richness shows an increasing trend from north to south and from east to west.
Review
Biology
Alexandra Proshchina, Victoria Gulimova, Anastasia Kharlamova, Yuliya Krivova, Nadezhda Besova, Rustam Berdiev, Sergey Saveliev
Summary: Humans and animals can adapt to space flight conditions, but the adaptive changes of fully formed organisms differ significantly from those of vertebrate embryos, foetuses, and larvae. Development involves active cell proliferation and organ system formation, which can be unstable. Research on vertebrate reproduction and early development in space flights is crucial for understanding the impact of space flight on vertebrate development.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Evandro Santos, Milton Cordova, Clarissa Rosa, Domingos Rodrigues
Summary: The construction of new roads leads to changes in the landscape and causes the death of native wildlife due to vehicle collisions, which is the main cause of human-induced vertebrate death. This study investigated the distribution of roadkills on the BR-163 highway in Brazil and identified roadkill hotspots. Mammals were the most affected, followed by birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Endangered mammals were identified among the roadkill species. The location and number of hotspots varied among classes and were related to different environmental factors. Roadkills pose a major threat to vulnerable species and should be studied for conservation planning.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Mineyuki Mizuguchi, Yusuke Nakagawa, Kishin Inui, Wakana Katayama, Yurika Sawai, Ayaka Shimane, Ryota Kitakami, Takuya Okada, Yuko Nabeshima, Takeshi Yokoyama, Kayoko Kanamitsu, Shinsaku Nakagawa, Naoki Toyooka
Summary: A naringenin derivative with chlorine atoms was found to effectively prevent the aggregation of transthyretin in the eye, exhibiting amyloid inhibitory activity comparable to tafamidis. X-ray crystal structures showed the binding modes of the derivatives to transthyretin, and ex vivo assays demonstrated their potent binding in plasma relative to tafamidis. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies confirmed significant delivery of the dichlorinated derivative to the eye.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Felipe Eduardo Alves Coelho, Wilson Xavier Guillory, Marcelo Gehara
Summary: This study confirms the importance of the Sao Francisco River as a significant biogeographic barrier, driving diversification in the Caatinga region, through the use of multilocus and next-generation data from six vertebrate species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jerry F. Husak, Matthew J. Fuxjager, Michele A. Johnson, Maren N. Vitousek, Jeremy W. Donald, Clinton D. Francis, Wolfgang Goymann, Michaela Hau, Bonnie K. Kircher, Rosemary Knapp, Lynn B. Martin, Eliot T. Miller, Laura A. Schoenle, Tony D. Williams
Summary: This study investigates the influence of various social and environmental dynamics on testosterone levels across the entire vertebrate tree of life, revealing breeding season length, mating system, environmental temperature, and rainfall variability as key predictors. The findings suggest that principles from small-scale comparative studies on mating opportunity and competition may apply to the evolution of species differences in testosterone levels within the vertebrate lineage. Additionally, climatic factors associated with rainfall and ambient temperature seem to play a role in influencing variability in plasma testosterone within a given species.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yi-Chun Wang, Chien-Ping Chang, Yu-Chuan Lai, Chi-Ho Chan, Shan-Chia Ou, Sue-Hong Wang, Chuan Li
Summary: The FBL gene shows conservation and specificity in vertebrates, with the length of the GAR domain varying among different species but generally within a certain range. Reptiles have shorter lengths in their GAR domain, likely due to continuous deletions in exon 2 and insertions/duplications in exon 3.
Article
Cell Biology
Kristi M. Milley, Judith S. Nimmo, Barbara Bacci, Stewart D. Ryan, Samantha J. Richardson, Janine A. Danks
BIOPRESERVATION AND BIOBANKING
(2015)
Article
Pathology
A. A. Al-Khan, H. J. Gunn, M. J. Day, M. Tayebi, S. D. Ryan, C. A. Kuntz, E. S. Saad, S. J. Richardson, J. A. Danks
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Pathology
E. S. Saad, K. M. Milley, A. A. Al-Khan, J. S. Nimmo, B. Bacci, M. Tayebi, M. J. Day, S. J. Richardson, J. A. Danks
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Cell Biology
Thomas R. McLean, Michelle M. Rank, Peter M. Smooker, Samantha J. Richardson
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Samantha J. Richardson, Stijn Van Herck, Joke Delbaere, Bronwyn M. McAllan, Veerle M. Darras
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Oncology
Eman S. A. Saad, Jacqueline S. Y. Lam, Awf A. Al-Khan, Mourad Tayebi, Michael J. Day, Samantha J. Richardson, Janine A. Danks
JOURNAL OF MAMMARY GLAND BIOLOGY AND NEOPLASIA
(2019)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Sarah A. Rabah, Indra L. Gowan, Maurice Pagnin, Narin Osman, Samantha J. Richardson
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pieter Vancamp, Jean-David Gothie, Cristina Luongo, Anthony Sebillot, Karine Le Blay, Lucile Butruille, Maurice Pagnin, Samantha J. Richardson, Barbara A. Demeneix, Sylvie Remaud
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Awf A. Al-Khan, Judith S. Nimmo, Mourad Tayebi, Stewart D. Ryan, James O. Simcock, Raboola Tarzi, Charles A. Kuntz, Eman S. Saad, Michael J. Day, Samantha J. Richardson, Janine A. Danks
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bandar Alshehri, Maurice Pagnin, Jae Young Lee, Steven Petratos, Samantha J. Richardson
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Pathology
A. A. Al-Khan, J. S. Nimmo, M. J. Day, M. Tayebi, S. D. Ryan, C. A. Kuntz, J. O. Simcock, R. Tarzi, E. S. Saad, S. J. Richardson, J. A. Danks
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Maurice Pagnin, Delphi Kondos-Devcic, Ginevra Chincarini, Angela Cumberland, Samantha J. Richardson, Mary Tolcos
Summary: Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in vertebrate central nervous system development and function, particularly in the key neurodevelopmental process of myelination. Adequate levels of THs are essential for promoting proper neural function by supporting the maturation of myelin-producing cells.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Maurice Pagnin, Chaitali Dekiwadia, Steven Petratos, Samantha J. Richardson
Summary: Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in brain development and myelination, with the lack of TH distributor protein TTR leading to abnormal myelination patterns. TTR deficiency results in faster and thicker remyelination in the brain, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis.
NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Yanyi Huang, Margaret Anne Brennan, Stefan Kasapis, Samantha J. Richardson, Charles Stephen Brennan
Summary: Red pitaya, also known as dragon fruit, is a well-known species of pitaya fruit with different nutritional components in its seeds, peel, and pulp. As the fruit matures, the concentrations of beta-cyanins, phenolics, and flavonoids gradually increase, with pigmentation appearing in the pulp earlier than the peel.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vivian Cody, Jia Q. Truong, Bruce A. Holdsworth, Jessica K. Holien, Samantha J. Richardson, David K. Chalmers, David J. Craik
Summary: Human transthyretin (hTTR) amyloid deposits can disrupt cellular function, but the molecule VCP-6 can bind to and stabilize hTTR, reducing amyloid formation.
