Preference for and resistance to a toxic sulfur volatile opens up a unique niche in Drosophila busckii.

The ability to tolerate otherwise toxic compounds can open up unique niches in nature. Among drosophilid flies, few examples of such adaptations are known and those which are known are typically from highly host-specific species. Here we show that the human commensal species Drosophila busckii uses dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) as a key mediator in its host selection.

Unraveling the shifts in the belowground microbiota and metabolome of Pinus pinaster trees affected by forest decline.

Pinus pinaster Aiton (maritime pine) stands are suffering a generalized deterioration due to different decline episodes throughout all its distribution area. It is well known that external disturbances can alter the plant associated microbiota and metabolome, which ultimately can entail the disruption of the normal growth of the hosts. Notwithstanding, very little is known about the shifts in the microbiota and the metabolome in pine trees affected by decline.

KSHV hijacks the antiviral kinase IKKε to initiate lytic replication.

IKKε is a traditional antiviral kinase known for positively regulating the production of type I interferon (IFN) and the expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) during various virus infections. However, through an inhibitor screen targeting cellular kinases, we found that IKKε plays a crucial role in the lytic replication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Mechanistically, during KSHV lytic replication, IKKε undergoes significant SUMOylation at both Lys321 and Lys549 by the viral SUMO E3 ligase ORF45.

Large-scale and long-term wildlife research and monitoring using camera traps: a continental synthesis.

Camera traps are widely used in wildlife research and monitoring, so it is imperative to understand their strengths, limitations, and potential for increasing impact. We investigated a decade of use of wildlife cameras (2012-2022) with a case study on Australian terrestrial vertebrates using a multifaceted approach. We (i) synthesised information from a literature review; (ii) conducted an online questionnaire of 132 professionals; (iii) hosted an in-person workshop of 28 leading experts representing academia, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government; and (iv) mapped camera trap usage based on all sources.

There Goes the Neighbourhood-A Multi-City Study Reveals Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens Commonly Occupy Urban Green Spaces.

Introduction: Humans acquire tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) from infected ticks contacted during outdoor activities. Outdoor activity is at its highest in urban green spaces, where the presence of tick populations has increasingly been observed. Consequently, more insight into factors influencing the presence of ticks therein is needed.

Punctuated versus gradual shifts in the multivariate evolutionary process: a test with paired radiations of scincid lizards.

As lineages become separated in time, they are expected to accumulate mutational (or developmental-genetic) differences that influence the macroevolutionary trajectories of those lineages even under similar environmental conditions. Here, we compare the dynamics of phenotypic evolution in radiations of scincid lizards from Australia and Madagascar that are separated by more than 100 million years of independent evolution and show rampant phenotypic parallelism. We collected linear measurements of the skull, limbs, and limb girdles from micro-CT scans of 94 Australian and 29 Malagasy species.

Gallibacterium faecale sp. nov., Isolated from Dairy Cow Feces.

A facultative anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain AGMB14963 was isolated from the feces of a dairy cow. A 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain AGMB14963 belongs to the genus Gallibacterium, with Gallibacterium salpingitidis F150 being the closest species (95.8% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity).

Consequences of insecticide overuse in Hungary: assessment of pyrethroid resistance in Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.

Background: Mosquitoes, as vectors of various pathogens, have been a public health risk for centuries. Human activities such as international travel and trade, along with climate change, have facilitated the spread of invasive mosquitoes and novel pathogens across Europe, increasing the risk of mosquito-borne disease introduction and their spread. Despite this threat, mosquito control in Hungary still relies predominantly on chemical treatments, which poses the risk of developing insecticide resistance in local populations.

Decoding the blueprint of receptor binding by filoviruses through large-scale binding assays and machine learning.

Evidence suggests that bats are important hosts of filoviruses, yet the specific species involved remain largely unidentified. Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is an essential entry receptor, with amino acid variations influencing viral susceptibility and species-specific tropism. Herein, we conducted combinatorial binding studies with seven filovirus glycoproteins (GPs) and NPC1 orthologs from 81 bat species.

Survival of viruses in water microcosms.

Human enteric viruses and emerging viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus and monkeypox virus, are frequently detected in wastewater. Human enteric viruses are highly persistent in water, but there is limited information available for non-enteric viruses. The present study evaluated the stability of hepatitis A virus (HAV), murine norovirus (MNV), influenza A virus H3N2 (IAV H3N2), human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E, and vaccinia virus (VACV) in reference water (RW), effluent wastewater (EW) and drinking water (DW) under refrigeration and room temperature conditions.

Ecological drivers of evolution of swine influenza in the United States: a review.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a major public health threat due to their wide host range and pandemic potential. Pigs have been proposed as "mixing vessels" for avian, swine, and human IAVs, significantly contributing to influenza ecology. In the United States, IAVs are enzootic in commercial swine farming operations, with numerous genetic and antigenic IAV variants having emerged in the past two decades.

Morphological change in an isolated population of red squirrels () in Britain.

The mechanical properties of dietary items are known to influence skull morphology, either through evolution or by phenotypic plasticity. Here, we investigated the impact of supplementary feeding of peanuts on the morphology of red squirrels () from five populations in Britain (North Scotland, Borders, Jersey and two temporally distinct populations from Formby (Merseyside)). Stable isotope analysis confirmed dietary ecology in 58 specimens.

Reproductive and persistence strategy of the liverwort Arnellia fennica after the last glaciation in the area of disjunction in Central Europe (Polish Tatra Mountains, carpathians).

The liverwort Arnellia fennica has a circumarctic distribution with disjunct and scarce localities in the Alps, Carpathians, and Pyrenees. Within the Carpathians, it is only known from the Tatra Mountains (in Poland), where so far only four occurrences have been documented in the forest belt of the limestone part of the Western Tatras. The species is considered a tertiary relict, which owes its survival during the last glaciation period to low-lying locations in areas not covered by ice.

Ancient DNA reveals reproductive barrier despite shared Avar-period culture.

After a long-distance migration, Avars with Eastern Asian ancestry arrived in Eastern Central Europe in 567 to 568 CE and encountered groups with very different European ancestry. We used ancient genome-wide data of 722 individuals and fine-grained interdisciplinary analysis of large seventh- to eighth-century CE neighbouring cemeteries south of Vienna (Austria) to address the centuries-long impact of this encounter. We found that even 200 years after immigration, the ancestry at one site (Leobersdorf) remained dominantly East Asian-like, whereas the other site (Mödling) shows local, European-like ancestry.

Chromosome-scale telomere to telomere genome assembly of common crystalwort (Riccia sorocarpa Bisch.).

Riccia sorocarpa Bisch., commonly known as common crystalwort, is a plant belonging to the Marchantiales order with a cosmopolitan distribution among a wide range of habitats: fields, gardens, waste ground, on paths, cliff tops, and thin soil over rocks or by water bodies. However, research into the genetic aspects of this species is limited.

Recent advances in the synthesis and application of biomolecular condensates.

Biomolecular condensates (BMCs) represent a group of organized and programmed systems that participate in gene transcription, chromosome organization, cell division, tumorigenesis, and aging. However, the understanding of BMCs in terms of internal organizations and external regulations remains at an early stage. Recently, novel approaches such as synthetic biology have been used for de novo synthesis of BMCs.

Siderophore synthetase-receptor gene coevolution reveals habitat- and pathogen-specific bacterial iron interaction networks.

Bacterial social interactions play crucial roles in various ecological, medical, and biotechnological contexts. However, predicting these interactions from genome sequences is notoriously difficult. Here, we developed bioinformatic tools to predict whether secreted iron-scavenging siderophores stimulate or inhibit the growth of community members.

Cryptic coral diversity is associated with symbioses, physiology, and response to thermal challenge.

Coral persistence in the Anthropocene depends on interactions among holobiont partners (coral animals and microbial symbionts) and their environment. Cryptic coral lineages-genetically distinct yet morphologically similar groups-are critically important as they often exhibit functional diversity relevant to thermal tolerance. In addition, environmental parameters such as thermal variability may promote tolerance, but how variability interacts with holobiont partners to shape responses to thermal challenge remains unclear.

The edaphic factor and orchids: Gymnadenia conopsea from contrasting geologies in the Central Balkans.

Two different strategies for the distribution of macro- and trace elements can be observed in the terrestrial orchid Gymnadenia conopsea. Most trace elements are not translocated to the above-ground parts, whereas for macro-elements the trend was reversed, with the highest accumulation in the distal parts of the plants. Edaphic stress is one of the main factors affecting plant fitness, but it is still poorly understood, even in rare plants such as orchids.

Rapid Parallel Adaptation in Distinct Invasions of Ambrosia Artemisiifolia Is Driven by Large-Effect Structural Variants.

When introduced to multiple distinct ranges, invasive species provide a compelling natural experiment for understanding the repeatability of adaptation. Ambrosia artemisiifolia is an invasive, noxious weed, and chief cause of hay fever. Leveraging over 400 whole-genome sequences spanning the native-range in North America and 2 invasions in Europe and Australia, we inferred demographically distinct invasion histories on each continent.

The development of social attention in orangutans: Comparing peering behavior in wild and zoo-housed individuals.

Social learning plays an essential role in all cultural processes, but the factors underlying its evolution remain poorly understood. To understand how socio-ecological conditions affect social learning, we compared peering behavior (i.e.

Domestication During Restoration: Unintentional Selection During Eight Generations of Wild Seed Propagation Reduces Herkogamy, Dichogamy and Heterozygosity in Clarkia pulchella.

Seed production on native seed farms has increased to meet the rising demand for plant material for restoration. Although these propagation efforts are necessary for restoration, cultivating wild populations may also result in unintentional selection and elicit evolutionary changes that mimic crop domestication, essentially turning these efforts into artificial domestication experiments. Here, we investigated whether phenotypic and genomic changes associated with domestication occurred in the wildflower Clarkia pulchella Pursh (Onagraceae) by comparing the wild source populations to the farmed population after eight generations of cultivation.

Cell size has pervasive effects on the functional composition and morphology of leaves: a case study in Rhododendron (Ericaceae).

The leaf economics spectrum (LES) characterizes a tradeoff between building a leaf for durability versus for energy capture and gas exchange, with allocation to leaf dry mass per projected surface area (LMA) being a key trait underlying this tradeoff. However, regardless of the biomass supporting the leaf, high rates of gas exchange are typically accomplished by small, densely packed stomata on the leaf surface, which is enabled by smaller genome sizes. Here, we investigate how variation in genome size-cell size allometry interacts with variation in biomass allocation (i.

Toward a phylogenomic classification of magnoliids.

Premise: Magnoliids are a strongly supported clade of angiosperms. Previous phylogenetic studies based primarily on analyses of a limited number of mostly plastid markers have led to the current classification of magnoliids into four orders and 18 families. However, uncertainty remains regarding the placement of several families.