A subterranean adaptive radiation of amphipods in Europe.

Adaptive radiations are bursts of evolutionary species diversification that have contributed to much of the species diversity on Earth. An exception is modern Europe, where descendants of ancient adaptive radiations went extinct, and extant adaptive radiations are small, recent and narrowly confined. However, not all legacy of old radiations has been lost.

A Primer on the Analysis of High-Throughput Sequencing Data for Detection of Plant Viruses.

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies have become indispensable tools assisting plant virus diagnostics and research thanks to their ability to detect any plant virus in a sample without prior knowledge. As HTS technologies are heavily relying on bioinformatics analysis of the huge amount of generated sequences, it is of utmost importance that researchers can rely on efficient and reliable bioinformatic tools and can understand the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of the tools used. Here, we present a critical overview of the steps involved in HTS as employed for plant virus detection and virome characterization.

Stressor-Dependant Changes in Immune Parameters in the Terrestrial Isopod Crustacean, : A Focus on Nanomaterials.

We compared the changes of selected immune parameters of to different stressors. The animals were either fed for two weeks with Au nanoparticles (NPs), CeO NPs, or Au ions or body-injected with Au NPs, CeO NPs, or lipopolysaccharide endotoxin. Contrary to expectations, the feeding experiment showed that both NPs caused a significant increase in the total haemocyte count (THC).

Muscle Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Molecular Pathways Related to Oxidative Phosphorylation, Antioxidant Defense, Fatness and Growth in Mangalitsa and Moravka Pigs.

This work was aimed at evaluating loin transcriptome and metabolic pathway differences between the two main Serbian local pig breeds with divergent characteristics regarding muscle growth and fatness, as well as exploring nutrigenomic effects of tannin supplementation in Mangalitsa (MA) pigs. The study comprised 24 Mangalitsa and 10 Moravka (MO) males, which were kept under identical management conditions. Mangalitsa animals were divided in two nutritional groups (n = 12) receiving a standard (control) or tannin-supplemented diet (1.

New Insights into Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties, Cytotoxicity and Aquatic Ecotoxicity of Flame Retardant PA6/DOPO-Derivative Nanocomposite Textile Fibers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity, cytotoxicity, leaching, and ecotoxicity of novel flame retardant polyamide 6 (PA6) textile fibers developed by our research group. The textile fibers were produced by the incorporation of flame-retardant bridged 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) derivative (PHED) in the PA6 matrix during the in situ polymerization process at concentrations equal to 10 and 15 wt% (PA6/10PHED and PA6/15PHED, respectively). Whilst the nanodispersed PHED provided highly efficient flame retardancy, its biological activity led to excellent antibacterial activity against and , as well as excellent antifungal activity against and .

AlphaPart-R implementation of the method for partitioning genetic trends.

Background: In this paper, we present the AlphaPart R package, an open-source implementation of a method for partitioning breeding values and genetic trends to identify the contribution of selection pathways to genetic gain. Breeding programmes improve populations for a set of traits, which can be measured with a genetic trend calculated from estimated breeding values averaged by year of birth. While sources of the overall genetic gain are generally known, their realised contributions are hard to quantify in complex breeding programmes.

The effect of immunocastration on adipose tissue deposition and composition in pigs.

Immunocastrated pigs (IC) exhibit intensive fat deposition after immunisation, but the underlying mechanisms of intensified fat metabolism and deposition are not yet fully understood. Moreover, there is also a lack of comparative studies performed on IC, entire males (EM) and surgical castrates (SC). The main objective of our research was, therefore, to characterise the adipose tissue from the quantitative, histo-morphological and biochemical perspectives in IC 5 weeks after their immunisation in comparison to EM and SC.

Genomic Selection for Any Dairy Breeding Program via Optimized Investment in Phenotyping and Genotyping.

This paper evaluates the potential of maximizing genetic gain in dairy cattle breeding by optimizing investment into phenotyping and genotyping. Conventional breeding focuses on phenotyping selection candidates or their close relatives to maximize selection accuracy for breeders and quality assurance for producers. Genomic selection decoupled phenotyping and selection and through this increased genetic gain per year compared to the conventional selection.

Comparative genomics highlights the importance of drug efflux transporters during evolution of mycoparasitism in subgenus (Fungi, Ascomycota, Hypocreales).

Various strains of the mycoparasitic fungal species are used commercially as biological control agents for the control of fungal plant diseases in agricultural crop production. Further improvements of the use and efficacy of in biocontrol require a mechanistic understanding of the factors that determines the outcome of the interaction between and plant pathogenic fungi. Here, we determined the genome sequences of 11 strains, representing five species in subgenus , and performed a comparative genomic analysis with the aim to identify gene families evolving under selection for gene gains or losses.

Adipose Tissue Gene Expression of Entire Male, Immunocastrated and Surgically Castrated Pigs.

Differences in adipose tissue deposition and properties between pig male sex categories, i.e., entire males (EM), immunocastrates (IC) and surgical castrates (SC) are relatively well-characterized, whereas the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not fully understood.

Influence of Immunocastration on Slaughter Traits and Boar Taint Compounds in Pigs Originating from Three Different Terminal Sire Lines.

The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of terminal sire line (TSL) and male category (MC) on carcass and meat quality of commercial fatteners. The study was performed on 180 pigs originating from three terminal sire lines: A (Pietrain × Large White), B (pure Pietrain), and C (Pietrain × Duroc × Large White), being assigned to three groups according to MC: immunocastrates (IC, = 60), surgical castrates (SC, = 60) and entire males (EM, = 60). TSL affected most of the carcass and meat quality traits, together with the androstenone concentration.

Resequencing of global Tartary buckwheat accessions reveals multiple domestication events and key loci associated with agronomic traits.

Background: Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is a nutritionally balanced and flavonoid-rich crop plant that has been in cultivation for 4000 years and is now grown globally. Despite its nutraceutical and agricultural value, the characterization of its genetics and its domestication history is limited.

Results: Here, we report a comprehensive database of Tartary buckwheat genomic variation based on whole-genome resequencing of 510 germplasms.

Non-Destructive Genotyping of Honeybee Queens to Support Selection and Breeding.

In traditional bee breeding, the honeybee queen is chosen for breeding based on the performance of the colony produced by its mother. However, we cannot be entirely certain that a specific queen will produce offspring with desirable traits until we observe the young queen's new colony. Collecting the queen's genetic material enables quick and reliable determination of the relevant information.

Identification and Characterization of 33 Isolates from Agricultural Fields from Eleven Widely Distributed Countries by Whole Genome Sequencing.

The phylogeny, identification, and characterization of 33 isolates originating from 17 agricultural soils from 11 countries were analyzed on the basis of whole genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses revealed all isolates are divided into six groups, which follows the generally accepted phylogenetic division of isolates. Four different identification methods resulted in a variation in the identity of the isolates, as none of the isolates were identified as the same species by all four methods-only the recent identification method proposed directly reflected the phylogeny of the isolates.

Erratum: Aluwé, M. et al. Exploratory Survey on European Consumer and Stakeholder Attitudes towards Alternatives for Surgical Castration of Piglets. 2020, , 1758.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...

Isolation and Identification of Indigenous Wine Yeasts and Their Use in Alcoholic Fermentation.

Research Background: In our study, spontaneous alcoholic fermentations were carried out to isolate non- and yeasts from grape must from different vine-growing regions in Slovenia. Additionally, the diversity of native strains was evaluated during the process.

Experimental Approach: During spontaneous alcoholic fermentations the yeast population of non- and yeasts was sampled.

Bioactivity of volatile organic compounds by Aureobasidium species against gray mold of tomato and table grape.

Aureobasidium strains isolated from diverse unconventional environments belonging to the species A. pullulans, A. melanogenum, and A.

Bioaugmentation of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Sustainable Larvae (Wireworms) Management in Maize.

Soil microorganisms influence biotic and abiotic stress tolerance of crops. Most interactions between plant symbiotic and non-symbiotic soil microorganisms and plants occur in the rhizosphere and are sustained through plant exudation/rhizodeposition. Bioaugmentation, , the introduction or amplification of certain plant beneficial microbes (, entomopathogenic fungi) into the rhizosphere, could contribute to controlling insect crop pests and replacing chemical, environmentally unfriendly insecticides.

Genes associated with somatic cell count index in Brown Swiss cattle.

Subclinical mastitis (SM) is one of the most common diseases of cows in milk production herds caused by contagious and/or environmental pathogens. Since there are no visible abnormalities in the milk or udder, the detection of SM requires special diagnostic tests. Somatic cell count (SCC) is the most common test used to detect changes in milk due to the inflammatory process.

Neurostatistical approach to toxicological testing in honeybees.

We present method that detects changes in mortality as a consequence of application of a chemical/pharmacological agent. Often is the evaluation of consequential mortality impaired by natural mortality, especially in organisms with high turn of generations, like honeybees. Investigators in the field of olfactory neurophysiology are faced with similar situation in which olfactory receptor neuron is spontaneously active.

Exploratory Survey on European Consumer and Stakeholder Attitudes towards Alternatives for Surgical Castration of Piglets.

Surgical castration of piglets without pain relief is still common practice in many countries. Possible alternatives for surgical castration are application of pain relief or anaesthesia or production of boars (entire males) and immunocastrates. Each of these alternatives faces advantages and disadvantages which may result in different citizen attitudes and consumers acceptability.

The Use of Pork from Entire Male and Immunocastrated Pigs for Meat Products-An Overview with Recommendations.

Due to the strong public initiative in Europe and increased regulator focus to mitigate pain, surgical castration of pigs is being gradually abandoned, while the importance of other sex categories like entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC) increases. Although beneficial for animal welfare and economics, their use also brings forward several quality problems. Besides the occurrence of boar taint in EM, these include excessive carcass leanness, softer fat, meat color and pH deviations, inferior water holding capacity and increased meat toughness.

Validating the Potential of Double-Stranded RNA Targeting Colorado Potato Beetle Gene in Laboratory and Field Trials.

Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is an agricultural pest of solanaceous crops, notorious for its rapid resistance development to chemical pesticides. Foliar spraying of dsRNA formulations is a promising innovative technology providing highly specific and environmentally acceptable option for CPB management. We designed dsRNA to silence CPB gene (dsMESH) and performed laboratory feeding trials to assess impacts on beetle survival and development.

Aegerolysins from the fungal genus Pleurotus - Bioinsecticidal proteins with multiple potential applications.

The aegerolysin proteins ostreolysin A6, pleurotolysin A2 and erylysin A are produced by mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus. These aegerolysins can interact specifically with sphingolipid-enriched membranes. In particular, they strongly bind insect cells and to artificial lipid membranes that contain physiologically relevant concentrations of the main invertebrate-specific sphingolipid, ceramide phosphoethanolamine.