The Curious Case of Eulimnogammarus cyaneus (Dybowsky, 1874): Reproductive Biology of a Widespread Endemic Littoral Amphipod From Lake Baikal.

Comparative studies of reproductive biology and formation of reproductive isolation need appropriate model systems, such as groups of related species. The amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of ancient Lake Baikal are an attractive group for such works, as they consist of several hundred species that radiated within the lake and have very different levels of intraspecific genetic diversity and reproduction timing. We have previously shown that one of the most widely distributed and best studied littoral species, Eulimnogammarus verrucosus (Gersfeldt, 1858), comprises cryptic species exhibiting a post-zygotic reproductive barrier.

Lake Baikal amphipods and their genomes, great and small.

Endemic amphipods (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Lake Baikal represent an outstanding example of large species flocks occupying a wide range of ecological niches and originating from a handful of ancestor species. Their development took place at a restricted territory and is thus open for comprehensive research. Such examples provide unique opportunities for studying behavioral, anatomic, or physiological adaptations in multiple combinations of environmental conditions and thus attract considerable attention.

Leeches feed on hemolymph but have a low effect on the cellular immune response of amphipod from Lake Baikal.

Lake Baikal is one of the largest and oldest freshwater reservoirs on the planet with a huge endemic diversity of amphipods (Amphipoda, Crustacea). These crustaceans have various symbiotic relationships, including the rarely described phenomenon of leech parasitism on amphipods. It is known that leeches feeding on hemolymph of crustacean hosts can influence their physiology, especially under stressful conditions.

Thermal tolerance of a freshwater amphipod Gammarus lacustris can be enhanced by acclimation to higher mineralization.

Temperature and mineralization are among the most important environmental factors affecting all processes of aquatic ecosystems, including geographical distribution of water animals. Previously we showed that a brackish water population of Gammarus lacustris, a widespread amphipod, demonstrates substantially higher thermotolerance than a freshwater population. A possible reason for this difference is the fact that brackish water conditions are closer to internal media mineralization.

Transcriptional response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to lactic acid enantiomers.

The model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a popular object for both fundamental and applied research, including the development of biosensors and industrial production of pharmaceutical compounds. However, despite multiple studies exploring S. cerevisiae transcriptional response to various substances, this response is unknown for some substances produced in yeast, such as D-lactic acid (DLA).