Publications by authors named "Jawad Abdelkrim"
Article Synopsis
- The Neogastropoda includes over 15,000 marine predator species, but their evolutionary relationships and classification are largely unclear.
- Researchers created a new molecular phylogeny using mitochondrial genomes and transcriptomic data from various neogastropod families, leading to the analysis of 113 taxa with multiple evolutionary models to construct phylogenetic trees.
- Despite revealing new relationships and insights, the study notes that key taxa are missing and suggests that alternative methods, like reduced-genome strategies, might be necessary for a complete understanding of neogastropod phylogeny.
Article Synopsis
- Species delimitation in poorly known groups typically uses single gene (COI) methods, whereas well-studied groups often employ multi-gene (multilocus) approaches.
- In this study, researchers applied both methods to the Xenuroturris/Iotyrris complex, a group of venomous marine snails, analyzing sequences and constructing a phylogenetic tree.
- The combined results led to refined species hypotheses, revealing one new species, Iotyrris conotaxis n. sp., and demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating both monolocus and multilocus data for species delimitation.
Mol Biol Evol
October 2018
Article Synopsis
- The study utilized transcriptome-based exon capture methods to analyze phylogenetic relationships among diverse venomous marine snails (Conoidea), targeting 850 protein-coding genes from around 120 samples, leading to a more resolved evolutionary tree.
- Although the capture was mostly successful, some samples had lower efficiency due to issues with DNA quality and targeting divergent lineages, recovering an average of 75.4% of proteins.
- The findings provided insights into the evolution of Conoidea, illustrating that anatomy changes over time are linked to diversification rates influenced by radula types, while losses of the venom gland had no significant impact on these rates.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on Viola elatior, a threatened plant species in France, and aims to understand its genetic diversity and structure due to human impacts.
- Researchers developed eight microsatellite markers through next-generation sequencing and analyzed 138 individuals from 17 different populations, noting some variability in genetic markers.
- The findings indicate high levels of genetic diversity and suggest that the species has a tendency toward clonality, which can assist in conservation strategies.
Article Synopsis
- The Hermann's tortoise is an endangered species found in fragmented populations across Mediterranean Europe, and researchers studied its genetic diversity in about 300 individuals from 22 locations to assess natural and human impacts on its genetics.
- Findings revealed significant genetic differences between Eastern and Western subspecies, with the contact zone being located further west than previously thought, coinciding with a major Italian river delta.
- The research highlighted the need for careful consideration of genetic backgrounds in conservation efforts, especially since some populations, particularly in France, exhibit low genetic diversity and potential risks from historical hybridization due to human activities.
Article Synopsis
- Traditional observation of rare or nocturnal species' diets is challenging, but molecular methods using prey DNA in predator feces offer a solution that doesn't require extensive taxonomic knowledge.
- The study focused on the critically endangered landsnail Powelliphanta augusta in New Zealand, utilizing 454-pyrosequencing to analyze its diet, which was suspected to mainly consist of earthworms.
- Although direct earthworm tissue was not found in fecal samples, earthworm DNA was detected, indicating that P. augusta consumes a variety of earthworms, which is important for determining suitable translocation areas for conservation efforts.
Article Synopsis
- Large-flowered Sandwort populations in Fontainebleau forest faced a drastic decline over the last century, with only a few plants remaining by the late 1990s despite conservation efforts.
- To restore genetic diversity, non-local genetic material was introduced in 1999, but only two of three introduced populations survived, with differences in soil conditions possibly influencing their success.
- A sociological study revealed community divisions regarding the introduction plan, focusing on issues like changes to the plant's identity, the territory's identity, and ethical concerns related to conservation methods.
Article Synopsis
- * Genetic analysis found that crows from Toupéti and Maré have less diversity than those from Grande Terre, supporting the idea that they originated from the mainland after European colonization around 1900.
- * The study identified moderate genetic differentiation within Grande Terre and found that as geographic distance increases, so does the genetic differentiation between populations, indicating that most crows are more likely to mate and share genes with nearby rather than distant individuals.
Article Synopsis
- Microsatellites are important genetic markers for studying populations, but they typically need to be isolated from scratch when no prior genetic data is available.
- The authors used high-throughput genomic sequencing to generate millions of short sequence reads, applying bioinformatics tools to identify primers that amplify polymorphic microsatellite loci.
- They successfully isolated 13 polymorphic microsatellites for the blue duck, showcasing that this genomic approach is faster and cheaper than traditional methods, and marking it as the first instance of using genomic sequencing for microsatellite marker development in non-model organisms.
Article Synopsis
- Understanding the reasons for pest eradication failure helps improve future methods and protocols.
- The study analyzed genetic differences in ship rat populations on four islets in Martinique to determine whether rats persisted after an eradication attempt or were reinvaded.
- Findings revealed that one island had a surviving population with little genetic change, while another showed signs of reinvasion with increased genetic diversity, suggesting a need for improved eradication procedures and ongoing monitoring.
