Publications by authors named "Jose R Pardos-Blas"
Background: The advancement of sequencing technologies results in the rapid release of hundreds of new genome assemblies a year providing unprecedented resources for the study of genome evolution. Within this context, the significance of in-depth analyses of repetitive elements, transposable elements (TEs) in particular, is increasingly recognized in understanding genome evolution. Despite the plethora of available bioinformatic tools for identifying and annotating TEs, the phylogenetic distance of the target species from a curated and classified database of repetitive element sequences constrains any automated annotation effort.
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- Researchers assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome for Kalloconus canariensis, a cone snail from the Canary Islands, using advanced sequencing techniques, resulting in a genome size of 2.87 Gb with 34,287 annotated gene models.
- The genome analysis revealed that over half of it consists of repetitive regions, with class I transposable elements being the most prevalent, and showed similarities in size and organization to other cone snail genomes.
- This study provides a valuable reference for understanding the evolution of conotoxin genes and the evolutionary processes that have shaped the diversity of cone snails' venoms, which comprise over 900 species.
Article Synopsis
- The study compared the venom duct transcriptomes and proteomes of two cryptic cone snail species, identifying shared and unique conotoxin precursor superfamilies.
- It discovered three new putative conotoxin precursor superfamilies and noted significant differences in expression, suggesting adaptation to different diets between the species.
- Machine learning was used to predict 3D structures of selected venom proteins, including those that were differentially expressed, highlighting their potential roles in the snails' venom composition.
Background: Venoms are deadly weapons to subdue prey or deter predators that have evolved independently in many animal lineages. The genomes of venomous animals are essential to understand the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the origin and diversification of venoms.
Results: Here, we report the chromosome-level genome of the venomous Mediterranean cone snail, Lautoconus ventricosus (Caenogastropoda: Conidae).
The transcriptomes of the venom glands of two individuals of the magician's cone, , from Okinawa (Japan) were sequenced, assembled, and annotated. In addition, RNA-seq raw reads available at the SRA database from one additional specimen of from the Philippines were also assembled and annotated. The total numbers of identified conotoxin precursors and hormones per specimen were 118, 112, and 93.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCorrection to: Historical biogeography reveals new independent evolutionary lineages in the Pantosteus plebeius-nebuliferus speciesgroup (Actinopterygii: Catostomidae).
BMC Evol Biol
December 2018
Following publication of the original article.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Pantosteus plebeius-nebuliferus species-group is a group of freshwater fishes distributed in endo- and exorheic drainage basins in the Mexican Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range system and central North Mexico. The geological history of this region is considered an important factor in explaining the evolutionary history of low vagility animals like freshwaters fishes. The aim of this study was to examine the phylogenetic relationships and describe the evolutionary history of the species-group.
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