Publications by authors named "Manuel J Tenorio"
Article Synopsis
- 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 Mediterranean cone snail, Lautoconus ventricosus, has been thought to be a single species across the Mediterranean Sea and nearby Atlantic coasts, but a study involving 245 samples across 75 locations suggests otherwise.
- - Genetic analysis revealed six distinct clades that could represent separate species, although different methods produced varying results, pointing to complexities like incomplete lineage sorting and introgression between clades.
- - The study indicates the existence of at least three distinct species based on genetic data, with significant distribution patterns separating them, and emphasizes the need for combined approaches in studying species diversity, integrating genetic, morphological, and ecological data.
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.
Copper-Catalyzed Microwave-Expedited Oxyphosphorylation of Alkynes with Diethyl Phosphite and -Butyl Hydroperoxide Synthesis of Densely Functionalized Phosphonylated Indenones.
J Org Chem
December 2021
Treatment of alkynes with diethyl phosphite and -butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of [Cu(MeCN)]BF under microwave irradiation produced the oxyphosphorylation of the triple bond, giving rise to the corresponding β-ketophosphonates in moderate-to-good yields. When the triple bond was conjugated to a carbonyl group bearing an aromatic ring, it led to the cyclization of the resulting ketone intermediate, producing eventually different phosphonylated indenones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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 13 closely related species of vermivorous cones endemic to West Africa from genera and were sequenced and venom repertoires compared within a phylogenetic framework using one species as outgroup. The total number of conotoxin precursors per species varied between 108 and 221. Individuals of the same species shared about one-fourth of the total conotoxin precursors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 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 PDFThe transcriptome of the venom duct of the Atlantic piscivorous cone species Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778) was determined. The venom repertoire of this species includes at least 378 conotoxin precursors, which could be ascribed to 33 known and 22 new (unassigned) protein superfamilies, respectively. Most abundant superfamilies were T, W, O1, M, O2, and Z, accounting for 57% of all detected diversity.
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- Cone snails are notable for their ecological diversity and toxicity, but current species identification relies heavily on shell morphology, which can be misleading due to similar traits across different species.
- This study focuses on the phylogeny of cone snails from the Cabo Verde archipelago using mitochondrial genomes, revealing two main clades: one that includes Kalloconus and Trovaoconus, and another containing a paraphyletic Lautoconus.
- The findings suggest low genetic divergence between Kalloconus and island species of Trovaoconus, indicating the potential for synonymizing the two, while also highlighting that Lautoconus is not a single lineage but paraphyletic.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers sequenced mitochondrial genomes from 17 specimens, representing 11 endemic species, allowing for a better understanding of their genetic makeup and evolutionary history.
- The study revealed three major lineages linked to historical environmental changes, suggesting that certain physical traits may correlate with dietary specialization, which could impact taxonomic classification and conservation efforts.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examines the diversity of marine snails (Conus) in the Cape Verde and Canary Islands to test whether ancient archipelagos of similar age have comparable endemic species and life history strategies, as they share similar habitats.
- - Findings reveal that Cape Verde has over 50 endemic Conus species, while the Canary Islands have just one confirmed species, suggesting significant differences in species diversity between the two archipelagos.
- - The disparity in diversity is attributed to factors such as gene flow between the Canary Islands and West Africa, habitat loss from volcanic activity, and challenges in colonization, rather than differences in available habitat due to historical sea level changes.
Isolated oceanic islands are excellent natural laboratories to test the relative role of historical contingency and determinism in evolutionary diversification. Endemics of the marine venomous snail Conus in the Cape Verde archipelago were originated from at least two independent colonizations of 'small' and 'large' shelled species separated by 12 million years. In this study, we have reconstructed phylogenetic relationships within large-shelled Conus (C.
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