| 1. |
- Wade, C. M., et al.
(författare)
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Genome Sequence, Comparative Analysis, and Population Genetics of the Domestic Horse
- 2009
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 326:5954, s. 865-867
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report a high-quality draft sequence of the genome of the horse ( Equus caballus). The genome is relatively repetitive but has little segmental duplication. Chromosomes appear to have undergone few historical rearrangements: 53% of equine chromosomes show conserved synteny to a single human chromosome. Equine chromosome 11 is shown to have an evolutionary new centromere devoid of centromeric satellite DNA, suggesting that centromeric function may arise before satellite repeat accumulation. Linkage disequilibrium, showing the influences of early domestication of large herds of female horses, is intermediate in length between dog and human, and there is long-range haplotype sharing among breeds.
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| 2. |
- Barrio, Isabel C., et al.
(författare)
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Background invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex) increases with temperature and precipitation across the tundra biome
- 2017
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 40:11, s. 2265-2278
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic, low intensity herbivory by invertebrates, termed background herbivory, has been understudied in tundra, yet its impacts are likely to increase in a warmer Arctic. The magnitude of these changes is however hard to predict as we know little about the drivers of current levels of invertebrate herbivory in tundra. We assessed the intensity of invertebrate herbivory on a common tundra plant, the dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex), and investigated its relationship to latitude and climate across the tundra biome. Leaf damage by defoliating, mining and gall-forming invertebrates was measured in samples collected from 192 sites at 56 locations. Our results indicate that invertebrate herbivory is nearly ubiquitous across the tundra biome but occurs at low intensity. On average, invertebrates damaged 11.2% of the leaves and removed 1.4% of total leaf area. The damage was mainly caused by external leaf feeders, and most damaged leaves were only slightly affected (12% leaf area lost). Foliar damage was consistently positively correlated with mid-summer (July) temperature and, to a lesser extent, precipitation in the year of data collection, irrespective of latitude. Our models predict that, on average, foliar losses to invertebrates on dwarf birch are likely to increase by 6-7% over the current levels with a 1 degrees C increase in summer temperatures. Our results show that invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch is small in magnitude but given its prevalence and dependence on climatic variables, background invertebrate herbivory should be included in predictions of climate change impacts on tundra ecosystems.
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| 3. |
- Lundtoft, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Strong Association of Combined Genetic Deficiencies in the Classical Complement Pathway With Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Primary Sjogren's Syndrome
- 2022
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Ingår i: Arthritis & Rheumatology. - : Wiley. - 2326-5191 .- 2326-5205. ; 74:11, s. 1842-1850
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Complete genetic deficiency of the complement component C2 is a strong risk factor for monogenic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but whether heterozygous C2 deficiency adds to the risk of SLE or primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) has not been studied systematically. This study was undertaken to investigate potential associations of heterozygous C2 deficiency and C4 copy number variation with clinical manifestations in patients with SLE and patients with primary SS. Methods The presence of the common 28-bp C2 deletion rs9332736 and C4 copy number variation was examined in Scandinavian patients who had received a diagnosis of SLE (n = 958) or primary SS (n = 911) and in 2,262 healthy controls through the use of DNA sequencing. The concentration of complement proteins in plasma and classical complement function were analyzed in a subgroup of SLE patients. Results Heterozygous C2 deficiency-when present in combination with a low C4A copy number-substantially increased the risk of SLE (odds ratio [OR] 10.2 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.5-37.0]) and the risk of primary SS (OR 13.0 [95% CI 4.5-48.4]) when compared to individuals with 2 C4A copies and normal C2. For patients heterozygous for rs9332736 with 1 C4A copy, the median age at diagnosis was 7 years earlier in patients with SLE and 12 years earlier in patients with primary SS when compared to patients with normal C2. Reduced C2 levels in plasma (P = 2 x 10(-9)) and impaired function of the classical complement pathway (P = 0.03) were detected in SLE patients with heterozygous C2 deficiency. Finally, in a primary SS patient homozygous for C2 deficiency, we observed low levels of anti-Scl-70, which suggests a risk of developing systemic sclerosis or potential overlap between primary SS and other systemic autoimmune diseases. Conclusion We demonstrate that a genetic pattern involving partial deficiencies of C2 and C4A in the classical complement pathway is a strong risk factor for SLE and for primary SS. Our results emphasize the central role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of both SLE and primary SS.
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| 4. |
- Markljung, Ellen, et al.
(författare)
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ZBED6, a novel transcription factor derived from a domesticated DNA transposon regulates IGF2 expression and muscle growth
- 2009
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Ingår i: PLoS biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1544-9173 .- 1545-7885. ; 7:12, s. e1000256-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A single nucleotide substitution in intron 3 of IGF2 in pigs abrogates a binding site for a repressor and leads to a 3-fold up-regulation of IGF2 in skeletal muscle. The mutation has major effects on muscle growth, size of the heart, and fat deposition. Here, we have identified the repressor and find that the protein, named ZBED6, is previously unknown, specific for placental mammals, and derived from an exapted DNA transposon. Silencing of Zbed6 in mouse C2C12 myoblasts affected Igf2 expression, cell proliferation, wound healing, and myotube formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing using C2C12 cells identified about 2,500 ZBED6 binding sites in the genome, and the deduced consensus motif gave a perfect match with the established binding site in Igf2. Genes associated with ZBED6 binding sites showed a highly significant enrichment for certain Gene Ontology classifications, including development and transcriptional regulation. The phenotypic effects in mutant pigs and ZBED6-silenced C2C12 myoblasts, the extreme sequence conservation, its nucleolar localization, the broad tissue distribution, and the many target genes with essential biological functions suggest that ZBED6 is an important transcription factor in placental mammals, affecting development, cell proliferation, and growth.
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| 5. |
- Zamora, Juan Carlos, et al.
(författare)
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Considerations and consequences of allowing DNA sequence data as types of fungal taxa
- 2018
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Ingår i: IMA Fungus. - : INT MYCOLOGICAL ASSOC. - 2210-6340 .- 2210-6359. ; 9:1, s. 167-185
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nomenclatural type definitions are one of the most important concepts in biological nomenclature. Being physical objects that can be re-studied by other researchers, types permanently link taxonomy (an artificial agreement to classify biological diversity) with nomenclature (an artificial agreement to name biological diversity). Two proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), allowing DNA sequences alone (of any region and extent) to serve as types of taxon names for voucherless fungi (mainly putative taxa from environmental DNA sequences), have been submitted to be voted on at the 11th International Mycological Congress (Puerto Rico, July 2018). We consider various genetic processes affecting the distribution of alleles among taxa and find that alleles may not consistently and uniquely represent the species within which they are contained. Should the proposals be accepted, the meaning of nomenclatural types would change in a fundamental way from physical objects as sources of data to the data themselves. Such changes are conducive to irreproducible science, the potential typification on artefactual data, and massive creation of names with low information content, ultimately causing nomenclatural instability and unnecessary work for future researchers that would stall future explorations of fungal diversity. We conclude that the acceptance of DNA sequences alone as types of names of taxa, under the terms used in the current proposals, is unnecessary and would not solve the problem of naming putative taxa known only from DNA sequences in a scientifically defensible way. As an alternative, we highlight the use of formulas for naming putative taxa (candidate taxa) that do not require any modification of the ICN.
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| 6. |
- Allen-Perkins, Alfonso, et al.
(författare)
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CropPol : a dynamic, open and global database on crop pollination
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 103:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seventy five percent of the world's food crops benefit from insect pollination. Hence, there has been increased interest in how global change drivers impact this critical ecosystem service. Because standardized data on crop pollination are rarely available, we are limited in our capacity to understand the variation in pollination benefits to crop yield, as well as to anticipate changes in this service, develop predictions, and inform management actions. Here, we present CropPol, a dynamic, open and global database on crop pollination. It contains measurements recorded from 202 crop studies, covering 3,394 field observations, 2,552 yield measurements (i.e. berry weight, number of fruits and kg per hectare, among others), and 47,752 insect records from 48 commercial crops distributed around the globe. CropPol comprises 32 of the 87 leading global crops and commodities that are pollinator dependent. Malus domestica is the most represented crop (32 studies), followed by Brassica napus (22 studies), Vaccinium corymbosum (13 studies), and Citrullus lanatus (12 studies). The most abundant pollinator guilds recorded are honey bees (34.22% counts), bumblebees (19.19%), flies other than Syrphidae and Bombyliidae (13.18%), other wild bees (13.13%), beetles (10.97%), Syrphidae (4.87%), and Bombyliidae (0.05%). Locations comprise 34 countries distributed among Europe (76 studies), Northern America (60), Latin America and the Caribbean (29), Asia (20), Oceania (10), and Africa (7). Sampling spans three decades and is concentrated on 2001-05 (21 studies), 2006-10 (40), 2011-15 (88), and 2016-20 (50). This is the most comprehensive open global data set on measurements of crop flower visitors, crop pollinators and pollination to date, and we encourage researchers to add more datasets to this database in the future. This data set is released for non-commercial use only. Credits should be given to this paper (i.e., proper citation), and the products generated with this database should be shared under the same license terms (CC BY-NC-SA). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella, et al.
(författare)
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A Simple Repeat Polymorphism in the MITF-M Promoter Is a Key Regulator of White Spotting in Dogs
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:8, s. e104363-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The white spotting locus (S) in dogs is colocalized with the MITF (microphtalmia-associated transcription factor) gene. The phenotypic effects of the four S alleles range from solid colour (S) to extreme white spotting (s(w)). We have investigated four candidate mutations associated with the s(w) allele, a SINE insertion, a SNP at a conserved site and a simple repeat polymorphism all associated with the MITF-M promoter as well as a 12 base pair deletion in exon 1B. The variants associated with white spotting at all four loci were also found among wolves and we conclude that none of these could be a sole causal mutation, at least not for extreme white spotting. We propose that the three canine white spotting alleles are not caused by three independent mutations but represent haplotype effects due to different combinations of causal polymorphisms. The simple repeat polymorphism showed extensive diversity both in dogs and wolves, and allele-sharing was common between wolves and white spotted dogs but was non-existent between solid and spotted dogs as well as between wolves and solid dogs. This finding was unexpected as Solid is assumed to be the wild-type allele. The data indicate that the simple repeat polymorphism has been a target for selection during dog domestication and breed formation. We also evaluated the significance of the three MITF-M associated polymorphisms with a Luciferase assay, and found conclusive evidence that the simple repeat polymorphism affects promoter activity. Three alleles associated with white spotting gave consistently lower promoter activity compared with the allele associated with solid colour. We propose that the simple repeat polymorphism affects cooperativity between transcription factors binding on either flanking sides of the repeat. Thus, both genetic and functional evidence show that the simple repeat polymorphism is a key regulator of white spotting in dogs.
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| 9. |
- Beier, S., et al.
(författare)
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The environment drives microbial trait variability in aquatic habitats
- 2020
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Ingår i: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083 .- 1365-294X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A prerequisite to improve the predictability of microbial community dynamics is to understand the mechanisms of microbial assembly. To study factors that contribute to microbial community assembly, we examined the temporal dynamics of genes in five aquatic metagenome time-series, originating from marine offshore or coastal sites and one lake. With this trait-based approach we expected to find gene-specific patterns of temporal allele variability that depended on the seasonal metacommunity size of carrier-taxa and the variability of the milieu and the substrates to which the resulting proteins were exposed. In more detail, we hypothesized that a larger seasonal metacommunity size would result in increased temporal variability of functional units (i.e., gene alleles), as shown previously for taxonomic units. We further hypothesized that multicopy genes would feature higher temporal variability than single-copy genes, as gene multiplication can result from high variability in substrate quality and quantity. Finally, we hypothesized that direct exposure of proteins to the extracellular environment would result in increased temporal variability of the respective gene compared to intracellular proteins that are less exposed to environmental fluctuations. The first two hypotheses were confirmed in all data sets, while significant effects of the subcellular location of gene products was only seen in three of the five time-series. The gene with the highest allele variability throughout all data sets was an iron transporter, also representing a target for phage infection. Previous work has emphasized the role of phage–prokaryote interactions as a major driver of microbial diversity. Our finding therefore points to a potentially important role of iron transporter-mediated phage infections for the assembly and maintenance of diversity in aquatic prokaryotes.
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| 10. |
- Brondizio, Eduardo S., et al.
(författare)
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Making place-based sustainability initiatives visible in the Brazilian Amazon
- 2021
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Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-3435 .- 1877-3443. ; 49, s. 66-78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From state-based developmentalism to community-based initiatives to market-based conservation, the Brazilian Amazon has been a laboratory of development interventions for over 50 years. The region is now confronting a devastating COVID-19 pandemic amid renewed environmental pressures and increasing social inequities. While these forces are shaping the present and future of the region, the Amazon has also become an incubator of local innovations and efforts confronting these pressures. Often overlooked, place-based initiatives involving individual and collective-action have growing roles in promoting regional sustainability. We review the history of development interventions influencing the emergence of place-based initiatives and their potential to promoting changes in productive systems, value-aggregation and market-access, and governance arrangements improving living-standards and environmental sustainability. We provide examples of initiatives documented by the AGENTS project, contextualizing them within the literature. We reflect on challenges and opportunities affecting their trajectories at this critical juncture for the future of the region.
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