A Phylogenomic Backbone for Acoelomorpha Inferred from Transcriptomic Data.

Xenacoelomorpha are mostly microscopic, morphologically simple worms, lacking many structures typical of other bilaterians. Xenacoelomorphs -which include three main groups: Acoela, Nemertodermatida, and Xenoturbella- have been proposed to be an early diverging Bilateria, sister to protostomes and deuterostomes, but other phylogenomic analyses have recovered this clade nested within the deuterostomes, as sister to Ambulacraria. The position of Xenacoelomorpha within the metazoan tree has understandably attracted a lot of attention, overshadowing the study of phylogenetic relationships within this group.

The draft genome of the microscopic sheds light on the evolution of Acoelomorpha genomes.

Xenacoelomorpha is a marine clade of microscopic worms that is an important model system for understanding the evolution of key bilaterian novelties, such as the excretory system. Nevertheless, Xenacoelomorpha genomics has been restricted to a few species that either can be cultured in the lab or are centimetres long. Thus far, no genomes are available for Nemertodermatida, one of the group's main clades and whose origin has been dated more than 400 million years ago.

Mitogenomics and hidden-trait models reveal the role of phoresy and host shifts in the diversification of parasitoid blister beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae).

Changes in life history traits are often considered speciation triggers and can have dramatic effects on the evolutionary history of a lineage. Here, we examine the consequences of changes in two life history traits, host-type and phoresy, in the hypermetamorphic blister beetles, Meloidae. Subfamilies Nemognathinae and Meloinae exhibit a complex life cycle involving multiple metamorphoses and parasitoidism.

A Combined Transcriptomics and Proteomics Approach Reveals the Differences in the Predatory and Defensive Venoms of the Molluscivorous Cone Snail (Caenogastropoda: Conidae).

Venoms are complex mixtures of proteins that have evolved repeatedly in the animal kingdom. Cone snail venoms represent one of the best studied venom systems. In nature, this venom can be dynamically adjusted depending on its final purpose, whether to deter predators or hunt prey.

The genome of the venomous snail Lautoconus ventricosus sheds light on the origin of conotoxin diversity.

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).

Comparative transcriptomics of the venoms of continental and insular radiations of West African cones.

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.

Conotoxin Diversity in the Venom Gland Transcriptome of the Magician's Cone, .

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.

Conotoxin Diversity in Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778) and the Convergent Origin of Piscivory in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Cones.

The 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.