Susceptibility of BS90 Biomphalaria glabrata snails to infection by SmLE Schistosoma mansoni segregates as a dominant allele in a cluster of polymorphic genes for single-pass transmembrane proteins.

The trematodes that cause schistosomiasis in humans require aquatic snails as intermediate hosts. Identifying the genes in snails at which allelic variation controls resistance to infection by schistosomes could lead to novel ways to break the cycle of transmission. We therefore mapped genetic variation within the BS90 population of Biomphalaria glabrata snails that controls their resistance to infection by the SmLE population of Schistosoma mansoni.

Immune targets for schistosomiasis control identified by a genome-wide association study of East African snail vectors.

Schistosomiasis, afflicting >260 million people worldwide, could be controlled by preventing infection of freshwater snail vectors. Intestinal schistosomiasis, caused by , occurs predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa and is vectored by and related species. Despite their importance in transmission, very little genomic work has been initiated in African snails, thus hindering development of novel control strategies.

Population genomic evidence of a putative 'far-west' African cryptic taxon in the Anopheles gambiae complex.

The two main Afrotropical malaria vectors - Anopheles coluzzii and An. gambiae - are genetically distinct and reproductively isolated across West Africa. However, populations at the western extreme of their range are assigned as "intermediate" between the two species by whole genome sequence (WGS) data, and as hybrid forms by conventional molecular diagnostics.

Genomic Signatures of Microgeographic Adaptation in Along an Anthropogenic Gradient in Gabon.

Unlabelled: Species distributed across heterogeneous environments often evolve locally adapted populations, but understanding how these persist in the presence of homogenizing gene flow remains puzzling. In Gabon, a major African malaria mosquito is found along an ecological gradient, including a sylvatic population, away of any human presence. This study identifies into the genomic signatures of local adaptation in populations from distinct environments including the urban area of Libreville, and two proximate sites 10km apart in the La Lopé National Park (LLP), a village and its sylvatic neighborhood.

Comparative chemical genomics in species identifies the alkaline phosphatase PhoD as a determinant of antiparasitic resistance.

is an emerging zoonosis and widely distributed veterinary infection caused by 100+ species of parasites. The diversity of parasites and the lack of specific drugs necessitate the discovery of broadly effective antibabesials. Here, we describe a comparative chemogenomics (CCG) pipeline for the identification of conserved targets.

The genome and transcriptome of the snail : Immune gene diversification and highly polymorphic genomic regions in an important African vector of .

Background: Control and elimination of schistosomiasis is an arduous task, with current strategies proving inadequate to break transmission. Exploration of genetic approaches to interrupt transmission, the causative agent for human intestinal schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa and South America, has led to genomic research of the snail vector hosts of the genus Few complete genomic resources exist, with African species being particularly underrepresented despite this being where the majority of infections occur. Here we generate and annotate the first genome assembly of sensu lato, a species responsible for transmission in lake and marsh habitats of the African Rift Valley.

Molecular variability of the Ancylostoma secreted Protein-2 (Aca-asp-2) gene from Ancylostoma caninum contributes to expand information on population genetic studies of hookworms.

Hookworm infection is a major public health problem in many regions of the world. Given the high levels of host morbidity and even mortality of the host caused by these infections, it is crucial to understand the genetic structure of hookworm populations. This understanding can provide insights into the ecology, transmission patterns, mechanisms of drug resistance, and the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutic strategies.

Comparative chemical genomics in species identifies the alkaline phosphatase phoD as a novel determinant of resistance.

Unlabelled: is an emerging zoonosis and widely distributed veterinary infection caused by 100+ species of parasites. The diversity of parasites, coupled with the lack of potent inhibitors necessitates the discovery of novel conserved druggable targets for the generation of broadly effective antibabesials. Here, we describe a comparative chemogenomics (CCG) pipeline for the identification of novel and conserved targets.

region genotypes counteract population differences between M-line and BS90 in resistance to infection by .

Background: is a snail intermediate host for , a trematode responsible for human schistosomiasis. BS90 is one of the most well studied strains of owing to its high resistance to infection by most strains of . An F2 mapping study from 1999 identified two RAPD markers that associated with what appeared to be single-locus, dominant resistance by the BS90 population relative to the susceptible M-line population.

Integration of whole genome sequencing and transcriptomics reveals a complex picture of the reestablishment of insecticide resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii.

Insecticide resistance is a major threat to gains in malaria control, which have been stalling and potentially reversing since 2015. Studies into the causal mechanisms of insecticide resistance are painting an increasingly complicated picture, underlining the need to design and implement targeted studies on this phenotype. In this study, we compare three populations of the major malaria vector An.

A population genomic unveiling of a new cryptic mosquito taxon within the malaria-transmitting Anopheles gambiae complex.

The Anopheles gambiae complex consists of multiple morphologically indistinguishable mosquito species including the most important vectors of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa. Nine cryptic species have been described so far within the complex. The ecological, immunological and reproductive differences among these species will critically impact population responses to disease control strategies and environmental changes.

Three Signatures of Adaptive Polymorphism Exemplified by Malaria-Associated Genes.

Malaria has been one of the strongest selective pressures on our species. Many of the best-characterized cases of adaptive evolution in humans are in genes tied to malaria resistance. However, the complex evolutionary patterns at these genes are poorly captured by standard scans for nonneutral evolution.

Clusters of polymorphic transmembrane genes control resistance to schistosomes in snail vectors.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating parasitic disease infecting hundreds of millions of people. Schistosomes use aquatic snails as intermediate hosts. A promising avenue for disease control involves leveraging innate host mechanisms to reduce snail vectorial capacity.

Allelic variation in a single genomic region alters the hemolymph proteome in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Freshwater snails are obligate intermediate hosts for numerous parasitic trematodes, most notably schistosomes. Schistosomiasis is a devastating human and veterinary illness, which is primarily controlled by limiting the transmission of these parasites from their intermediate snail hosts. Understanding how this transmission occurs, as well as the basic immunobiology of these snails may be important for controlling this disease in the future.

Repeated translocation of a gene cassette drives sex-chromosome turnover in strawberries.

Turnovers of sex-determining systems represent important diversifying forces across eukaryotes. Shifts in sex chromosomes-but conservation of the master sex-determining genes-characterize distantly related animal lineages. Yet in plants, in which separate sexes have evolved repeatedly and sex chromosomes are typically homomorphic, we do not know whether such translocations drive sex-chromosome turnovers within closely related taxonomic groups.

Gene buddies: linked balanced polymorphisms reinforce each other even in the absence of epistasis.

The fates of genetic polymorphisms maintained by balancing selection depend on evolutionary dynamics at linked sites. While coevolution across linked, epigenetically-interacting loci has been extensively explored, such supergenes may be relatively rare. However, genes harboring adaptive variation can occur in close physical proximity while generating independent effects on fitness.

Rapid genetic adaptation to a novel environment despite a genome-wide reduction in genetic diversity.

Introduced species often colonize regions that have vastly different ecological and environmental conditions than those found in their native range. As such, species introductions can provide a deeper understanding into the process of adaptive evolution. In the 1880s, steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from California were introduced into Lake Michigan (Laurentian Great Lakes, North America) where they established naturally reproducing populations.

Plastid genomes reveal recurrent formation of allopolyploid Fragaria.

Premise Of The Study: Recurrent formation of polyploid taxa is a common observation in many plant groups. Haploid, cytoplasmic genomes like the plastid genome can be used to overcome the problem of homeologous genes and recombination in polyploid taxa. Fragaria (Rosaceae) contains several octo- and decaploid species.

Allelic Variation in a Single Genomic Region Alters the Microbiome of the Snail Biomphalaria glabrata.

Freshwater snails are the intermediate hosts for numerous parasitic worms which can have negative consequences for human health and agriculture. Understanding the transmission of these diseases requires a more complete characterization of the immunobiology of snail hosts. This includes the characterization of its microbiome and genetic factors which may interact with this important commensal community.

Genetic Mapping and Phylogenetic Analysis Reveal Intraspecific Variation in Sex Chromosomes of the Virginian Strawberry.

With their extraordinary diversity in sexual systems, flowering plants offer unparalleled opportunities to understand sex determination and to reveal generalities in the evolution of sex chromosomes. Comparative genetic mapping of related taxa with good phylogenetic resolution can delineate the extent of sex chromosome diversity within plant groups, and lead the way to understanding the evolutionary drivers of such diversity. The North American octoploid wild strawberries provide such an opportunity.

Genotyping-by-sequencing enables linkage mapping in three octoploid cultivated strawberry families.

Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was used to survey genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in three biparental strawberry ( × ) populations with the goal of evaluating this technique in a species with a complex octoploid genome. GBS sequence data were aligned to the '' reference genome in order to call SNPs. Numbers of polymorphic SNPs per population ranged from 1,163 to 3,190.

Corrigendum: Whole genome analysis of a schistosomiasis-transmitting freshwater snail.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15451.

Present-day sympatry belies the evolutionary origin of a high-order polyploid.

Disentangling the evolutionary histories of polyploids, especially those with high ploidies, can reveal fundamental processes in speciation. Despite occurring frequently during evolution, the origins of many extant polyploid plant species remain largely unknown. By integrating linkage mapping, polyploid phylogeny and sex-determining region (SDR) in a unified framework, we statistically evaluated evolutionary hypotheses concerning the origin of a recently recognized decaploid strawberry (Fragaria cascadensis).