Publications by authors named "Jan-Martin Daniel"
Article Synopsis
- - Toxicity has developed independently in various species for purposes like hunting, defense, and deterring parasites, with toxins sourced from the organism itself, symbionts, or diet.
- - Researchers found that New Guinean toxic birds, which have evolved adaptations to tolerate the potent neurotoxin batrachotoxin (BTX), possess mutations in the SCN4A gene that enhance their resistance by reducing BTX's binding effect on crucial muscle channels.
- - The study highlights a new diversity of toxic bird species and illustrates convergent evolution, showing how both birds and poison dart frogs have adapted at the molecular level to handle the same neurotoxin through changes in their Nav1.4 channels.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers examined the genomic changes in basidiomycete fungi that live in association with termites, using ancient herbarium specimens to obtain relevant genomes.
- They found that these fungi experienced reduced genome size and gene content after forming symbiotic relationships with termites, leading to faster evolution in protein-coding genes but decreased abilities in stress management and lignin breakdown.
- The study suggests that termite-associated fungi have larger mitochondrial genomes due to factors like smaller populations and less competition, indicating a relaxed selection similar to that of specialized bacteria in insect symbiosis.
