Noncanonical function of Capicua as a growth termination signal in oogenesis.

Capicua (Cic) proteins are conserved HMG-box transcriptional repressors that control receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling responses and are implicated in human neurological syndromes and cancer. While Cic is known to exist as short (Cic-S) and long (Cic-L) isoforms with identical HMG-box and associated core regions but distinct N termini, most previous studies have focused on Cic-S, leaving the function of Cic-L unexplored. Here we show that Cic-L acts in two capacities during oogenesis: 1) as a canonical sensor of RTK signaling in somatic follicle cells, and 2) as a regulator of postmitotic growth in germline nurse cells.

Interannual fluctuations in connectivity among crab populations (Liocarcinus depurator) along the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition.

An interesting evolutionary question that still remains open is the connectivity between marine populations. Marine currents can favour the dispersal of larvae or adults, but they can also produce eddies and gyres generating oceanographic fronts, thus limiting gene flow. To address this subject, we selected the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition, where several fronts are located: Gibraltar Strait (GS), Almeria-Oran Front (AOF) and Ibiza Channel (IC).

First detection of chromosomal inversions in a natural population of the invasive pest species .

is native to East and Southeast Asia and spread very fast around the world being considered an invasive pest species. Many demographic, population genetics and genomic studies have been recently developed, but so far no analysis has been carried out regarding the presence of chromosomal inversions in natural populations. In this research, we studied polytene chromosomes of flies collected from the Font Groga (Barcelona) population.