Gene duplication, population genomics, and species-level differentiation within a tropical mountain shrub.

Gene duplication leads to paralogy, which complicates the de novo assembly of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data. The issue of paralogous genes is exacerbated in plants, because they are particularly prone to gene duplication events. Paralogs are normally filtered from GBS data before undertaking population genomics or phylogenetic analyses. However, gene duplication plays an important role in the functional diversification of genes and it can also lead to the formation of postzygotic barriers. Using populations and closely related species of a tropical mountain shrub, we examine 1) the genomic differentiation produced by putative orthologs, and 2) the distribution of recent gene duplication among lineages and geography. We find high differentiation among populations from isolated mountain peaks and species-level differentiation within what is morphologically described as a single species. The inferred distribution of paralogs among populations is congruent with taxonomy and shows that GBS could be used to examine recent gene duplication as a source of genomic differentiation of nonmodel species

La actividad turistica en Misiones: El turismo rural una alternativa de desarrollo. 16H135

Este trabajo intenta definir un modelo de desarrollo turístico en el espacio rural que permita la reactivación socioeconómica del área de estudio (Departamentos Guaraní y San Pedro de la provincia de Misiones) y que se constituya en un marco de referencia para el desarrollo de otras áreas similares de la provincia. Para ello se propone una planificación - participativa, que partiendo de previsiones de demanda y oferta culmina en el diseño de líneas de acción

The census of interstellar complex organic molecules in the Class I hot corino of SVS13-A

We present the first census of the interstellar Complex Organic Molecules (iCOMs) in the low-mass Class I protostar SVS13-A, obtained by analysing data from the IRAM-30m Large Project ASAI (Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM). They consist of an high-sensitivity unbiased spectral survey at the 1mm, 2mm and 3mm IRAM bands. We detected five iCOMs: acetaldehyde (CH$_3$CHO), methyl formate (HCOOCH$_3$), dimethyl ether (CH$_3$OCH$_3$), ethanol (CH$_3$CH$_2$OH) and formamide (NH$_2$CHO). In addition we searched for other iCOMs and ketene (H$_2$CCO), formic acid (HCOOH) and methoxy (CH$_3$O), whose only ketene was detected. The numerous detected lines, from 5 to 37 depending on the species, cover a large upper level energy range, between 15 and 254 K. This allowed us to carry out a rotational diagram analysis and derive rotational temperatures between 35 and 110 K, and column densities between $3\times 10^{15}$ and $1\times 10^{17}$ cm$^{-2}$ on the 0."3 size previously determined by interferometric observations of glycolaldehyde. These new observations clearly demonstrate the presence of a rich chemistry in the hot corino towards SVS13-A. The measured iCOMs abundances were compared to other Class 0 and I hot corinos, as well as comets, previously published in the literature. We find evidence that (i) SVS13-A is as chemically rich as younger Class 0 protostars, and (ii) the iCOMs relative abundances do not substantially evolve during the protostellar phase.Comment: 24 pages, MNRAS in pres

Response to comment on 'Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity'

Lambert et al. question our retrospective and holistic epidemiological assessment of the role of chytridiomycosis in amphibian declines. Their alternative assessment is narrow and provides an incomplete evaluation of evidence. Adopting this approach limits understanding of infectious disease impacts and hampers conservation efforts. We reaffirm that our study provides unambiguous evidence that chytridiomycosis has affected at least 501 amphibian species

More than skin deep: Functional genomic basis for resistance to Amphibian Chytridiomycosis

The amphibian-killing chytrid fungus Batrachochytriumdendrobatidis (Bd) is one of themost generalist pathogens known, capable of infecting hundreds of species globally and causing widespread population declines and extinctions. However, some host species are seemingly unaffected by Bd, tolerating or clearing infections without clinical signs of disease. Variation in host immune responses is commonly evoked for these resistant or tolerant species, yet to date,we have nodirect comparisonof amphibian species responses to infection at the level of gene expression. In this study,we challenged four CentralAmerican frog species that vary in Bd susceptibility, with a sympatric virulent strain of the pathogen. We compared skin and spleen orthologous gene expression using differential expression tests and coexpression gene network analyses.Wefound that resistant species have reduced skin inflammatory responses andincreased expressionofgenes involved inskin integrity. Incontrast, onlyhighly susceptible species exhibited suppressionof splenic T-cell genes. We conclude that resistance to chytridiomycosis may be related to a species’ ability to escape the immunosuppressive activity of the fungus. Moreover, our results indicate that within-species differences in splenic proteolytic enzyme gene expression may contribute to intraspecific variation in survival. This first comparison of amphibian functional immunogenomic architecture in response to Bd provides insights into key genetic mechanisms underlying variation in disease outcomes among amphibian species

Defending the genome from the enemy within:mechanisms of retrotransposon suppression in the mouse germline

The viability of any species requires that the genome is kept stable as it is transmitted from generation to generation by the germ cells. One of the challenges to transgenerational genome stability is the potential mutagenic activity of transposable genetic elements, particularly retrotransposons. There are many different types of retrotransposon in mammalian genomes, and these target different points in germline development to amplify and integrate into new genomic locations. Germ cells, and their pluripotent developmental precursors, have evolved a variety of genome defence mechanisms that suppress retrotransposon activity and maintain genome stability across the generations. Here, we review recent advances in understanding how retrotransposon activity is suppressed in the mammalian germline, how genes involved in germline genome defence mechanisms are regulated, and the consequences of mutating these genome defence genes for the developing germline

Whole genome sequencing of Shigella sonnei through PulseNet Latin America and Caribbean: advancing global surveillance of foodborne illnesses.

OBJECTIVES: Shigella sonnei is a globally important diarrhoeal pathogen tracked through the surveillance network PulseNet Latin America and Caribbean (PNLA&C), which participates in PulseNet International. PNLA&C laboratories use common molecular techniques to track pathogens causing foodborne illness. We aimed to demonstrate the possibility and advantages of transitioning to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for surveillance within existing networks across a continent where S. sonnei is endemic. METHODS: We applied WGS to representative archive isolates of S. sonnei (n = 323) from laboratories in nine PNLA&C countries to generate a regional phylogenomic reference for S. sonnei and put this in the global context. We used this reference to contextualise 16 S. sonnei from three Argentinian outbreaks, using locally generated sequence data. Assembled genome sequences were used to predict antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes and identify AMR determinants. RESULTS: S. sonnei isolates clustered in five Latin American sublineages in the global phylogeny, with many (46%, 149 of 323) belonging to previously undescribed sublineages. Predicted multidrug resistance was common (77%, 249 of 323), and clinically relevant differences in AMR were found among sublineages. The regional overview showed that Argentinian outbreak isolates belonged to distinct sublineages and had different epidemiologic origins. CONCLUSIONS: Latin America contains novel genetic diversity of S. sonnei that is relevant on a global scale and commonly exhibits multidrug resistance. Retrospective passive surveillance with WGS has utility for informing treatment, identifying regionally epidemic sublineages and providing a framework for interpretation of prospective, locally sequenced outbreaks

Planetary Candidates Observed by Kepler VI: Planet Sample from Q1-Q16 (47 Months)

\We present the sixth catalog of Kepler candidate planets based on nearly 4 years of high precision photometry. This catalog builds on the legacy of previous catalogs released by the Kepler project and includes 1493 new Kepler Objects of Interest (KOIs) of which 554 are planet candidates, and 131 of these candidates have best fit radii <1.5 R_earth. This brings the total number of KOIs and planet candidates to 7305 and 4173 respectively. We suspect that many of these new candidates at the low signal-to-noise limit may be false alarms created by instrumental noise, and discuss our efforts to identify such objects. We re-evaluate all previously published KOIs with orbital periods of >50 days to provide a consistently vetted sample that can be used to improve planet occurrence rate calculations. We discuss the performance of our planet detection algorithms, and the consistency of our vetting products. The full catalog is publicly available at the NASA Exoplanet Archive.Comment: 18 pages, to be published in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie

CNx-modified Fe3O4 as Pt nanoparticle support for the oxygen reduction reaction

A novel electrocatalyst support material, nitrogendoped carbon (CNx)-modified Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-CNx), was synthesized through carbonizing a polypyrrole-Fe3O4 hybridized precursor. Subsequently, Fe3O4-CNx-supported Pt (Pt/Fe3O4-CNx) nanocomposites were prepared by reducing Pt precursor in ethylene glycol solution and evaluated for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The Pt/Fe3O4-CNx catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the as-prepared electrocatalysts toward ORR were studied by cyclic voltammetry and steady-state polarization measurements. The results showed that Pt/ Fe3O4-CNx catalysts exhibited superior catalytic performance for ORR to the conventional Pt/C and Pt/C-CNx catalysts.Web of Scienc