Life Sciences Commons^™

Climate-Related Geographical Variation In Performance Traits Across The Invasion Front Of A Widespread Non-Native Insect, Lily M. Thompson, Sean D. Powers, Ashley Appolon, Petra Hafker, Leila Milner, Dylan Parry, Salvatore J. Agosta, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Faculty Publications

Aim

Invasive species are ideal systems for testing geographical differences in performance traits and measuring evolutionary responses as a species spreads across divergent climates and habitats. The European gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), is a generalist forest defoliator introduced to Medford, Massachusetts, USA in 1869. The invasion front extends from Minnesota to North Carolina and the ability of this species to adapt to local climate may contribute to its continuing spread. We evaluated the performance of populations along the climatic gradient of the invasion front to test for a relationship between climate and ecologically important performance traits. …

Increasing Our Ability To Predict Contemporary Evolution, Patrik Nosil, Samuel M. Flaxman, Jeffrey L. Feder, Zachariah Gompert

Biology Faculty Publications

Classic debates concerning the extent to which scientists can predict evolution have gained new urgency as environmental changes force species to adapt or risk extinction. We highlight how our ability to predict evolution can be constrained by data limitations that cause poor understanding of deterministic natural selection. We then emphasize how such data limits can be reduced with feasible empirical effort involving a combination of approaches.

Contributions To The Knowledge Of Water Bugs In Mindoro Island, Philippines, With A Species Checklist Of Nepomorpha And Gerromorpha (Insecta, Hemiptera, Heteroptera), Arthien Lovell Pelingen, Herbert Zettel, Clister V. Pangantihon, Kyra Mari Dominique Aldaba, Earl Kevin Fatallo, Jemillie Madonna De Leon, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

This survey aims to provide an updated species checklist of aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs in the intra-Philippine biogeographic Region of Mindoro. An assessment survey of water bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) was conducted mostly by manual collection in selected areas of Oriental Mindoro from 2017 to 2018, in which some of the collecting activities were undertaken by graduate students of Ateneo de Manila University. Twenty-nine aquatic and semi-aquatic heteropteran species were documented and some are known island-endemic species or subspecies, including Enithares martini mindoroensis Nieser & Zettel, 1999, Hydrotrephes stereoides mindoroensis Zettel, 2003, Aphelocheirus freitagi Zettel & Pangantihon, 2010, Rhagovelia mindoroensis Zettel, …

Shoot Extracts From Two Low Nodulation Mutants Significantly Reduce Nodule Number In Pea, Christian A. Huynh, Frédérique Guinel

Biology Faculty Publications

E107 and E132 are pea mutants that nodulate poorly. Because they have a shoot-controlled nodulation phenotype, we asked if their mutated genes were implicated in the autoregulation of nodulation (AON), a mechanism which consists of two systemic circuits, the positive CEP/CRA2 and the negative CLE/SUNN, coordinated via NIN and miR2111. We further characterized the mutants’ phenotype by studying nodule distribution and nodulation efficiency. E107 was similar to wild-type (WT) in its nodule distribution, but E132 had an extended nodulation zone with nodules forming distally on its lateral roots. Moreover, we tested whether their shoots produced a compound inhibitory to nodulation. …

Development Of A New Habitat Mimicking Tool For Assessing Larval Salamanders In Temperate Forest Streams, Margaret E. Maloney, Eric B. Borth, Chris Skalski, Ryan W. Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

Small streams are a high priority for conservation and an important target for biomonitoring. Stream salamanders are a useful indicator for biotic integrity of headwater streams; however, assessing stream salamanders is a challenging endeavor and existing methods can cause habitat disturbance or require expensive equipment. Our goal was to develop an artificial habitat that mimics the natural habitat that salamanders prefer, leading to rapid colonization and that also (1) represents a standardized area and (2) is easy to handle for rapid assessment. After developing a new artificial habitat (the Maloney Salamander Hotel), we tested the device in a variety of …

Denisovan Dna In Late Pleistocene Sediments From Baishiya Karst Cave On The Tibetan Plateau, Dongju Zhang, Huan Xia, Fahu Chen, Bo Li, Viviane Slon, Ting Cheng, Ruowei Yang, Melinda A. Yang

Biology Faculty Publications

A late Middle Pleistocene mandible from Baishiya Karst Cave (BKC) on the Tibetan Plateau has been inferred to be from a Denisovan, an Asian hominin related to Neanderthals, on the basis of an amino acid substitution in its collagen. Here we describe the stratigraphy, chronology, and mitochondrial DNA extracted from the sediments in BKC. We recover Denisovan mitochondrial DNA from sediments deposited ~100 thousand and ~60 thousand years ago (ka) and possibly as recently as ~45 ka. The long-term occupation of BKC by Denisovans suggests that they may have adapted to life at high altitudes and may have contributed such …

Spiny Mice (Acomys) Exhibit Attenuated Hallmarks Of Aging And Rapid Cell Turnover After Uv Exposure In The Skin Epidermis, Wesley Wong, Austin Kim, James R. Monaghan, Ashley W. Seifert, Malcolm Maden, Justin D. Crane

Biology Faculty Publications

The study of long-lived and regenerative animal models has revealed diverse protective responses to stressors such as aging and tissue injury. Spiny mice (Acomys) are a unique mammalian model of skin wound regeneration, but their response to other types of physiological skin damage has not been investigated. In this study, we examine how spiny mouse skin responds to acute UVB damage or chronological aging compared to non-regenerative C57Bl/6 mice (M. musculus). We find that, compared to M. musculus, the skin epidermis in A. cahirinus experiences a similar UVB-induced increase in basal cell …

Comparable Human Reconstitution Following Cesium-137 Versus X-Ray Irradiation Preconditioning In Immunodeficient Nog Mice, Anna Halling Folkmar Andersen, Stine Sofie Frank Nielsen, Rikka Olesen, Jakob Le Fèvre Harslund, Ole S. Søgaard, Lars Østergaard, Paul Denton, Martin Tolstrup

Biology Faculty Publications

Humanized mouse models are used extensively in research involving human pathogens and diseases. However, most of these models require preconditioning. Radio-active sources have been used routinely for this purpose but safety issues have motivated researchers to transition to chemical or X-ray based preconditioning. In this study, we directly compare 350 kV X-ray and Cs-137 low-dose precondition of NOG mice before human stem cell transplantation. Based on flow cytometry data, we found that engraftment of human cells into the mouse bone marrow was similar between radiation sources. Likewise, human engraftment in the peripheral blood was comparable between Cs-137 and three different …

Tadpole Of The Amazonia Frog Edalorhina Perezi (Anura: Leptodactylidae) With Description Of Oral Internal And Chondrocranial Morphology, Filipe A.C Do Nascimento, Rafael O. De Sá, Paulo C. De A. Garcia

Biology Faculty Publications

The genus Edalorhina consists of two species of small forest-floor frogs inhabiting the Amazon basin. The tadpole of Edalorhina perezi, the most widely distributed species, was previously described based on a single and early stage (Gosner 25) individual. Herein, we provide a description of the tadpole in Gosner stages 35–36 including internal morphology data (i.e., buccopharyngeal cavity and larval skeleton) based on samples from two populations from Ecuador. Edalorhina shares a generalized morphology with most members of its closely related taxa; however, it is distinguished from the other species by having an almost terminal oral disc. The presence of …

Field Evaluation Of Recombinant Antigen Elisa In Detecting Zoonotic Schistosome Infection Among Water Buffaloes In Endemic Municipalities In The Philippines, Jose Ma. M. Angeles, Yasuyuki Goto, Masahi Kirinoki, Elena A. Villacorte, Kharleezelle J. Moendeg, Pilarita T. Rivera, Yuichi Chigusa, Shin-Ichiro Kawazu

Biology Faculty Publications

In this study, we investigated the use of recombinant antigens thioredoxin peroxidase-1 (rSjTPx-1) and tandem repeat rSj1TR in evaluating the antibody positivity rates of Schistosoma japonicum infection among water buffaloes from four endemic areas in the Philippines, two municipalities with high endemicity (Calatrava, Negros Occidental and Catarman, Northern Samar) and two municipalities nearing elimination with no cases of human schistosomiasis (Talibon and Trinidad, Bohol). These recombinant antigen ELISA assays were compared with other diagnostic tests including SEA-ELISA, FECT, and fecal-based PCR. Results showed that rSj1TR-ELISA has the highest agreement with PCR in all study areas. Furthermore, significant positivity rates among …

Herb-Layer Dynamics In An Old-Growth Forest: Vegetation–Environment Relationships And Response To Invasion-Related Perturbations, Taylor M. Buskey, Margaret E. Maloney, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

Temperate forests of eastern North America are subject to multiple invasions from non-native species that have the potential to drive long-term dynamics in biodiversity. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara and Grande) is an invasive plant in many deciduous forests, and management efforts often focus on removing this species to initiate native species restoration. Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (emerald ash borer; Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a non-native insect pest that has caused substantial loss of ash trees (Fraxinus spp. L.) in North America. Our goal was to understand how the herbaceous layer in an old-growth forest responded to the removal of …

Mechanistic Insights Into Strigolactone Biosynthesis, Signaling And Regulation During Plant Growth And Development, Kaiser Iqbal Wani, Andleeb Zehra, Sadaf Choudhary, M Naeem, M. Masroor A. Khan, Christian Danve Castroverde, Tariq Aftab

Biology Faculty Publications

Strigolactones (SLs) constitute a group of carotenoid-derived phytohormones with butenolide moieties. These hormones are involved in various functions, including regulation of secondary growth, shoot branching and hypocotyl elongation, and stimulation of seed germination. SLs also control hyphal branching of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and mediate responses to both abiotic and biotic cues. Most of these functions stem from the interplay of SLs with other hormones, enabling plants to appropriately respond to changing environmental conditions. This dynamic interplay provides opportunities for phytohormones to modulate and augment one another. In this article, we review our current mechanistic understanding of SL biosynthesis, receptors …

A Tree Frog (Boana Pugnax) Dataset Of Skin Transcriptome For The Identification Of Biomolecules With Potential Antimicrobial Activities, Yamil Liscano Martinez, Claudia Marcela Arenas Gómez, Jeramiah J. Smith, Jean Paul Delgado

Biology Faculty Publications

Increases in the prevalence of multiply resistant microbes have necessitated the search for new molecules with antimicrobial properties. One noteworthy avenue in this search is inspired by the presence of native antimicrobial peptides in the skin of amphibians. Having the second highest diversity of frogs worldwide, Colombian anurans represent an extensive natural reservoir that could be tapped in this search. Among this diversity, species such as Boana pugnax (the Chirique-Flusse Treefrog) are particularly notable, in that they thrive in a diversity of marginal habitats, utilize both aquatic and arboreal habitats, and are members of one of few genera that are …

Comparison Of Thermal And Hydrotime Requirements For Seed Germination Of Seven Stipa Species From Cool And Warm Habitats, Rui Zhang, Kai Luo, Dali Chen, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, Yanrong Wang, Xiaowen Hu

Biology Faculty Publications

Temperature and water potential are two important environmental factors influencing germination and subsequent seedling establishment. Seed germination requirements vary with species and with the environment in which the seeds are produced. Stipa species dominate large areas of the Eurasian zonal vegetation, but comparisons of germination requirements between Stipa species from different habitats is limited. We investigated the effects of temperature and water potential on seed germination of S. grandis, S. purpurea, and S. penicillata from habitats with low temperatures and relatively abundant rainfall (cool habitats) and S. glareosa, S. breviflora, S. gobiea, and S. bungeana …

Does The Presence Of Multiple Β-Lactamases In Gram-Negative Bacilli Impact The Results Of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests And Extended-Spectrum Β-Lactamase And Carbapenemase Confirmation Methods?, Fred C. Tenover, Caitlin M. Dela Cruz, Scott Dewell, Victoria M. Le, Isabella A. Tickler

Biology Faculty Publications

Objectives: Many multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) harbour multiple β-lactamases. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of multiple β-lactamase carriage on the accuracy of susceptibility tests and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase confirmation methods.

Methods: A total of 50 MDR-GNB, of which 29 carried multiple β-lactamases, underwent broth microdilution (BMD) and disk diffusion (DD) testing as well as confirmation tests for ESBLs and carbapenemases. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used for β-lactamase gene identification.

Results: Categorical agreement of BMD and DD testing results ranged from 86.5 to 97.7% for 10 β-lactam agents. BMD and DD algorithms for ESBL …

Taxonomic Revision Of Agraphydrus Régimbart , 1903 V. Philippine Species And Their First Dna Barcodes (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Acidocerinae), Hendrik Freitag, Albrecht Komarek

Biology Faculty Publications

The genus Agraphydrus RÉGIMBART , 1903 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) of the Republic of the Philippines is taxonomically reviewed aided by COI mtDNA barcodes. Nine new species are described, all currently regarded as endemic to the Philippines: A. abrasus sp.n., A. ampullatus sp.n., A. batak sp.n., A. brevilobatus sp.n., A. occultus sp.n., A. palawanensis sp.n., A. pelingeni sp.n., A. tenuipalpis sp.n., and A. zetteli sp.n. Agraphydrus coomani (O RCHYMONT , 1927), widespread in the Oriental and Australasian regions, is recorded from the Philippines for the first time. COI sequences and thorough morphological examination suggest that this and further species represent a group …

Analyses Of The Expression, Immunohistochemical Properties And Serodiagnostic Potential Of Schistosoma Japonicum Peroxiredoxin-4, Minh-Anh Dang-Trinh, Jose Ma. M. Angeles, Kharleezelle J. Moendeg, Adrian Miki C. Macalanda, Thu-Thuy Nguyen, Luna Higuchi, Shotaro Nakagun, Masahi Kirinoki, Yuichi Chigusa, Yasuyuki Goto, Shin-Ichiro Kawazu

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

Schistosoma japonicum, which inhabits the mesenteric vein of the mammalian hosts for about 20 to 30 years, is subjected to the oxidative stresses from the host defense mechanism during their intra-mammalian stages. To counteract this host immune attack, the parasite utilizes their antioxidant system for survival inside the host. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs), thiol-specific antioxidant proteins, play an essential role for protecting the parasite against oxidative stress by reducing hydrogen peroxide to water. Only three types of 2-Cys Prxs have been previously characterized in S. japonicum whereas a fourth Prx has been identified for Schistosoma mansoni as Prx-4. A sequence …

Pathways To Social Evolution And Their Evolutionary Feedbacks, Yimen G. Araya-Ajoy, David F. Westneat, Jonathan Wright

Biology Faculty Publications

In the context of social evolution, the ecological drivers of selection are the phenotypes of other individuals. The social environment can thus evolve, potentially changing the adaptive value for different social strategies. Different branches of evolutionary biology have traditionally focused on different aspects of these feedbacks. Here, we synthesize behavioral ecology theory concerning evolutionarily stable strategies when fitness is frequency dependent with quantitative genetic models providing statistical descriptions of evolutionary responses to social selection. Using path analyses, we review how social interactions influence the strength of selection and how social responsiveness, social impact, and non-random social assortment affect responses to …

The Influence Of Riparian Invasion By The Terrestrial Shrub Lonicera Maackii On Aquatic Macroinvertebrates In Temperate Forest Headwater Streams, Michelle N. Little, Kevin W. Custer, Eric B. Borth, Julia I. Chapman, Mitchell J. Kukla, Corey Kuminecz, Margaret E. Maloney, Michaela J. Woods, Ryan Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

The ecology of headwater streams is tightly linked to the riparian zone through organic matter subsidies which are highly susceptible to alteration due to biological invasion. Lonicera maackii is a non-native shrub that is a highly successful invader of headwater stream riparian zones in the American Midwest. We assessed effects on benthic macroinvertebrates across a gradient of invasion intensity from references sites with minimal invasion to a site that had a very heavy invasion. Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled throughout the year and compositional differences were assessed using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination, and by comparing the prevalence of sensitive (Ephemeroptera, Plectoptera, …

Model And Data Concur And Explain The Coexistence Of Two Very Distinct Animal Behavioral Types, Jordi Moya-Laraño, Rubén Rabaneda-Bueno, Emily Morrison, Phillip H. Crowley

Biology Faculty Publications

Behaviors may enhance fitness in some situations while being detrimental in others. Linked behaviors (behavioral syndromes) may be central to understanding the maintenance of behavioral variability in natural populations. The spillover hypothesis of premating sexual cannibalism by females explains genetically determined female aggression towards both prey and males: growth to a larger size translates into higher fecundity, but at the risk of insufficient sperm acquisition. Here, we use an individual-based model to determine the ecological scenarios under which this spillover strategy is more likely to evolve over a strategy in which females attack approaching males only once the female has …

Complex Tissue Regeneration In Mammals Is Associated With Reduced Inflammatory Cytokines And An Influx Of T Cells, Thomas R. Gawriluk, Jennifer Simkin, Corin K. Hacker, John M. Kimani, Stephen G. Kiama, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, Ashley W. Seifert

Biology Faculty Publications

While mammals tend to repair injuries, other adult vertebrates like salamanders and fish regenerate damaged tissue. One prominent hypothesis offered to explain an inability to regenerate complex tissue in mammals is a bias during healing toward strong adaptive immunity and inflammatory responses. Here we directly test this hypothesis by characterizing part of the immune response during regeneration in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus and Acomys percivali) vs. fibrotic repair in Mus musculus. By directly quantifying cytokines during tissue healing, we found that fibrotic repair was associated with a greater release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-6, CCL2, and CXCL1) …

The Effect Of Bacterial Endotoxin Lps On Serotonergic Modulation Of Glutamatergic Synaptic Transmission, Jate Bernard, Abigail Greenhalgh, Oscar Istas, Nicole T. Marguerite, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

The release of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from gram-negative bacteria is key in the induction of the downstream cytokine release from cells targeting cells throughout the body. However, LPS itself has direct effects on cellular activity and can alter synaptic transmission. Animals experiencing septicemia are generally in a critical state and are often treated with various pharmacological agents. Since antidepressants related to the serotonergic system have been shown to have a positive outcome for septicemic conditions impacting the central nervous system, the actions of serotonin (5-HT) on neurons also exposed to LPS were investigated. At the model glutamatergic synapse of …

Heterotrophic Carbon Fixation In A Salamander-Alga Symbiosis, John A. Burns, Ryan Kerney, Solange Duhamel

Biology Faculty Publications

The unique symbiosis between a vertebrate salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, and unicellular green alga, Oophila amblystomatis, involves multiple modes of interaction. These include an ectosymbiotic interaction where the alga colonizes the egg capsule, and an intracellular interaction where the alga enters tissues and cells of the salamander. One common interaction in mutualist photosymbioses is the transfer of photosynthate from the algal symbiont to the host animal. In the A. maculatum–O. amblystomatis interaction, there is conflicting evidence regarding whether the algae in the egg capsule transfer chemical energy captured during photosynthesis to the developing salamander embryo. In experiments …

The Potential Impacts Of Soy Protein On Fish Gut Health, Vikas Kumar, Sakhawat Hossain, Janice A. Ragaza, Marina Rubio Benito

Biology Faculty Publications

Soy protein is the major source of protein as fishmeal replacement in fish feed because of its worldwide availability and low price. However, the presence of high carbohydrate content along with saponins, lectins, and phytates can have a negative impact on fish gut health. Based on the literature and our lab studies, dietary soybean meal can cause a dose-dependent type of distal intestine inflammation called enteritis in commercial fish species including salmonids. This leads to reduced absorptive capacity, increased mucus secretion, hyperpermeability, and leucocyte infiltration in the lamina propria and submucosa, also inducing the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes expression, including Il-1β, …

A Naïve Population Of European Oyster Ostrea Edulis With Reduced Susceptibility To The Pathogen Bonamia Ostreae: Are S-Strategy Life Traits Providing Protection?, Sian Egerton, Sharon A. Lynch, Maria Prado-Alvarez, Grace Flannery, Elaine Brennan, Tristan Hugh-Jones, David Hugh-Jones, Sarah C. Culloty

Biology Faculty Publications

European populations of the native flat oyster, Ostrea edulis, have been heavily depleted by two protozoan parasites, Marteila refringens and Bonamia ostreae, with mortalities of up to 90% reported in naïve populations. However, in studies carried out over a ten-year period, researching the parasite-host relationship of B. ostreae and O. edulis in several age cohorts within a naïve O. edulis population from Loch Ryan (LR), Scotland, 1,364 specimens were challenged and only 64 (5%), across multiple testing protocols, screened positive for B. ostreae. This article presents a case for the development of S-strategy life traits in the LR population that …

Growth And Immune Response Of Pond-Reared Giant Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium Osenbergii Post Larvae Fed Diets Containing Chlorella Vulgaris, Gian Carlo F. Maliwat, Stephanie F. Velasquez, Sheila Marie D. Buluran, Melchor Tayamen, Janice A. Ragaza

Biology Faculty Publications

A 70-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Chlorella vulgaris supplementation in diets of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) post larvae. Resistance of the prawns against Aeromonas hydrophila and several immune parameters (total hemocyte count and prophenoloxidase activity) were also assessed in the study. Iso-nitrogenous, iso-lipidic, and iso-caloric prawn feeds were prepared utilizing a fishmeal based positive control diet (F0) and four dietary treatments with C. vulgaris inclusion levels of 2 (F2), 4 (F4), 6 (F6), and 8 (F8) %. Post larvae of M. rosenbergii were stocked randomly (mean initial body weight of 0.39 ± …

Insights From Population Genomics To Enhance And Sustain Biological Control Of Insect Pests, Arun Sethuraman, Fredric J. Janzen, David W. Weisrock, John J. Obrycki

Biology Faculty Publications

Biological control—the use of organisms (e.g., nematodes, arthropods, bacteria, fungi, viruses) for the suppression of insect pest species—is a well-established, ecologically sound and economically profitable tactic for crop protection. This approach has served as a sustainable solution for many insect pest problems for over a century in North America. However, all pest management tactics have associated risks. Specifically, the ecological non-target effects of biological control have been examined in numerous systems. In contrast, the need to understand the short- and long-term evolutionary consequences of human-mediated manipulation of biological control organisms for importation, augmentation and conservation biological control has only recently …

Seed-Transmitted Wheat Mosaic Virus In Sweet Corn In Utah, Claudia Nischwitz

Biology Faculty Publications

Wheat mosaic virus (WMoV) (syn. High Plains virus) was first observed in corn in 1993 in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, and Texas (Seifers et al. 1997). The virus causes chlorotic streaks and mosaic on corn foliage, and it stunts ear development. When infected early in the season, plants frequently die. There are anecdotal reports of reduced seed germination rates in infected seed lots. The host range of the virus includes corn, small grains, and yellow and green foxtail. The virus is transmitted by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer 1969). Seed transmission of WMoV at extremely low rates was …

Her9/Hes4 Is Required For Retinal Photoreceptor Development, Maintenance, And Survival, Cagney E. Coomer, Stephen G. Wilson, Kayla F. Titialii-Torres, Jessica D. Bills, Laura A. Krueger, Rebecca A. Petersen, Evelyn M. Turnbaugh, Eden L. Janesch, Ann C. Morris

Biology Faculty Publications

The intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate vertebrate photoreceptor specification and differentiation are complex, and our understanding of all the players is far from complete. Her9, the zebrafish ortholog of human HES4, is a basic helix-loop-helix-orange transcriptional repressor that regulates neurogenesis in several developmental contexts. We have previously shown that her9 is upregulated during chronic rod photoreceptor degeneration and regeneration in adult zebrafish, but little is known about the role of her9 during retinal development. To better understand the function of Her9 in the retina, we generated zebrafish her9 CRISPR mutants. Her9 homozygous mutants displayed striking retinal phenotypes, including decreased …

Brain Micrornas Among Social And Solitary Bees, Karen M. Kapheim, Beryl M. Jones, Eirik Søvik, Eckart Stolle, Robert M. Waterhouse, Guy Bloch, Yehuda Ben-Shahar

Biology Faculty Publications

Evolutionary transitions to a social lifestyle in insects are associated with lineage-specific changes in gene expression, but the key nodes that drive these regulatory changes are unknown. We examined the relationship between social organization and lineage-specific microRNAs (miRNAs). Genome scans across 12 bee species showed that miRNA copy-number is mostly conserved and not associated with sociality. However, deep sequencing of small RNAs in six bee species revealed a substantial proportion (20–35%) of detected miRNAs had lineage-specific expression in the brain, 24–72% of which did not have homologues in other species. Lineage-specific miRNAs disproportionately target lineage-specific genes, and have lower expression …