Both Structural Variant and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Load Impact Lifetime Fitness in a Threatened Bird Species.

The field of conservation genomics is becoming increasingly interested in whether, and how, structural variant (SV) genotype information can be leveraged in the management of threatened species. The functional consequences of SVs are more complex than for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as SVs typically impact a larger proportion of the genome due to their size and thus may be more likely to contribute to load. While the impacts of SV-specific genetic load may be less consequential for large populations, the interplay between weakened selection and stochastic processes means that smaller populations, such as those of the threatened Aotearoa hihi/New Zealand stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta), may harbour a high SV load.

A high-density linkage map reveals broad- and fine-scale sex differences in recombination in the hihi (stitchbird; Notiomystis cincta).

Recombination, the process of DNA exchange between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, plays a major role in genomic diversity and evolutionary change. Variation in recombination rate is widespread despite recombination often being essential for progression of meiosis. One such variation is heterochiasmy, where recombination rates differ between sexes.

Genomic Tools in Biological Invasions: Current State and Future Frontiers.

Human activities are accelerating rates of biological invasions and climate-driven range expansions globally, yet we understand little of how genomic processes facilitate the invasion process. Although most of the literature has focused on underlying phenotypic correlates of invasiveness, advances in genomic technologies are showing a strong link between genomic variation and invasion success. Here, we consider the ability of genomic tools and technologies to (i) inform mechanistic understanding of biological invasions and (ii) solve real-world issues in predicting and managing biological invasions.

Two centuries of biodiversity discovery and loss in Singapore.

There is an urgent need for reliable data on the impacts of deforestation on tropical biodiversity. The city-state of Singapore has one of the most detailed biodiversity records in the tropics, dating back to the turn of the 19th century. In 1819, Singapore was almost entirely covered in primary forest, but this has since been largely cleared.

Dense residential areas promote gene flow in dengue vector mosquito .

is a successful disease vector due to its ability to survive in a wide range of habitats. Despite its ubiquity and impact on public health, little is known about its differential gene flow capabilities across different city habitats. We obtained a comprehensive dataset of >27,000 genome-wide DNA markers across 105 wild-caught individuals from Singapore, a dengue-endemic tropical city with heterogeneous landscapes from densely populated urban areas to forests.

Megafaunal extinctions, not climate change, may explain Holocene genetic diversity declines in shorebirds.

Understanding the relative contributions of historical and anthropogenic factors to declines in genetic diversity is important for informing conservation action. Using genome-wide DNA of fresh and historic specimens, including that of two species widely thought to be extinct, we investigated fluctuations in genetic diversity and present the first complete phylogenomic tree for all nine species of the threatened shorebird genus , known as whimbrels and curlews. Most species faced sharp declines in effective population size, a proxy for genetic diversity, soon after the Last Glacial Maximum (around 20,000 years ago).

Spatial and temporal resource partitioning in a mixed-species colony of avian echolocators.

Resource partitioning may facilitate the coexistence of sympatric species with similar ecological requirements. Here, we study a colony of unusual echolocating birds called swiftlets, which nest underground on an island off the coast of Singapore. The colony comprises two congeneric swiftlet species, black-nest swiftlets () and edible-nest swiftlets (), nesting at high densities and in close proximity.

Metagenomic insights into the influence of mobile genetic elements on ARGs along typical wastewater treatment system on pig farms in China.

The wastewater treatment processes (WTP) on pig farms are heavily contaminated by antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) play an important role in shaping ARG profiles. Here we first employed metagenomic sequencing to follow the diversities and shifts of ARG associated mobile genetic elements (AAMGEs) including insertion sequences (ISs) and plasmids along the WTP for three pig farms in southeast China. The IS average relative abundance rose from the initial pig feces source to the wastewater storage lagoon (WSL) but decreased in the influent and rose in the effluent of the anaerobic digestor (AD).

Extinction rate of discovered and undiscovered plants in Singapore.

Extinction is a key issue in the assessment of global biodiversity. However, many extinction rate measures do not account for species that went extinct before they could be discovered. The highly developed island city-state of Singapore has one of the best-documented tropical floras in the world.

Population genomics of two congeneric Palaearctic shorebirds reveals differential impacts of Quaternary climate oscillations across habitats types.

Intracontinental biotic divisions across the vast Palaearctic region are not well-characterized. Past research has revealed patterns ranging from a lack of population structure to deep divergences along varied lines of separation. Here we compared biogeographic patterns of two Palaearctic shorebirds with different habitat preferences, Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) and Eurasian curlew (N.

Asiatic acid ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM) via suppressing pro-fibrotic and inflammatory signaling pathways.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is known as a life-threatening disease with high mortality and limited therapeutic strategies. In addition, the molecular mechanism by which pulmonary fibrosis developed is not fully understood. Asiatic acid (AA) is a triterpenoid, isolated from Centella asiatica, exhibiting efficient anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities.

Arsenic trioxide and all-trans-retinoic acid selectively exert synergistic cytotoxicity against FLT3-ITD AML cells via co-inhibition of FLT3 signaling pathways.

FLT3-ITD mutations occur in approximately 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are associated with a poor outcome. Currently available FLT3 inhibitors have in vitro but limited clinical activity in FLT3-ITD AML. Reports have shown that an arsenic trioxide (ATO)/all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) combination improves prognosis in acute promyelocytic leukemia, especially with FLT3-ITD, and ATO or ATRA alone enhances apoptosis in FLT3-ITD AML cells treated with FLT3 inhibitors, providing a rationale to investigate the role of ATO/ATRA in FLT3-ITD AML.

[Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms in irritable bowel syndrome and their impact on tegaserod treatment].

Objective: To investigate the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) genetic polymorphisms in the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and the variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) in intron 2 among Chinese people, and their relationship to the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); and to investigate the impact of SERT genotypes on the efficacy of 5-HT(4) receptor agonist tegaserod in constipation predominant type (C-IBS) patients.

Methods: PCR was used to detect the genetic polymorphisms in 87 patients with IBS confirmed with Rome II criteria and 96 healthy subjects, then 41 C-IBS patients received tegaserod 6 mg twice daily for 4 weeks. Each patient recorded his or her symptoms in a diary.