- by Watanabe, A., Kobayashi, T., Okamoto, A., Oka, D., Noguchi, T., Ozawa, R., Shirasuna, K., Matsuyama, M., Kuramoto, T.The genetic variant A2 beta-casein is associated with fewer digestive and absorption issues compared to A1 beta-casein, leading to increased global demand for A2 milk. However, contamination with the A1 variant during collection, transportation, or sterilization of A2 milk poses a risk, necessitating a verification test to ensure A2 milk does not contain A1 beta-casein. We developed an A1-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a general mAb that reacts with both A1 and A2 variants using the iliac lymph node method. […]
- by Navarrete-Carballo, J., Arisqueta-Chable, C., Bibiano-Marin, W., Palacio-Vargas, J., Lugo-Moguel, M., Torres-Castro, J., Huerta, H., Che-Mendoza, A., Correa-Morales, F., Vazquez-Prokopec, G., Ortega-Canto, J., Manrique-Saide, P.Aedes-borne arboviruses, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, remain persistent public health challenges across the Americas. While Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the principal vectors, the introduction of additional invasive species poses new threats to sustainable control. Aedes vittatus, widely distributed in Africa and Asia and implicated in arbovirus transmission, has recently expanded into Europe and the Caribbean. Here we report the first confirmed establishment of Ae. vittatus in mainland urban Americas, in Merida, Mexico. The recovery of larvae, pupae, […]
- by Tan, J., Luong, T., Paluzzi, J.-P. V.Neuropeptide Y-related signaling, consisting of various neuropeptides and their receptors including, for example, the mammalian neuropeptide Y (NPY), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and peptide YY (PYY) families, along with neuropeptide Y-like peptides in insects, is evolutionarily conserved across vertebrates and invertebrate organisms. Vertebrate NPY is known as an important regulator of energy homeostasis and feeding behaviour, while studies on one NPY-associated signaling system in arthropods, known as RYamide, have mainly focused on functions regulating feeding-related behaviours. The current study aimed to […]
- by Brandler, O. V., Tukhbatullin, A. R., Kapustina, S. Y., Tembotova, F. A., Puzachenko, A. Y.The greater blind mole rat S. microphthalmus is the only species that differs in the number of chromosomes (2n = 60) from the other species (2n = 62) of the genus Spalax. It also has the largest range among them. The intraspecific genetic and morphological variability of S. microphthalmus has been poorly studied so far. Previously, animals with 2n = 62 were found in the North Caucasus. This was interpreted as a manifestation of intraspecific polymorphism in greater blind mole […]
- by Moreno, E. A., Garcia, A. B., Salazar-Buenano, F., Menendez, P., Poveda, E., Barragan, A., Donoso, D. A.Bumble bee diversity and distribution in the Tropical Andes remain insufiently documented. Here, we provide the first comprehensive checklist of Bombus species for continental Ecuador, integrating data from regional museum collections, published literature, and online biodiversity databases. We further assessed Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode variation in six species. In total, we documented 15 Bombus species occurring across 22 provinces of continental Ecuador. Relative to previous reports, we extend the known elevational ranges of B. transversalis and B. […]
- by Mancini, G., Cimatti, M., Tzivanopoulos, M., Thuiller, W., Di Marco, M.Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are a cornerstone of global biodiversity conservation, influencing international strategic plans and helping protect thousands of species. KBAs are identified through quantitative criteria, among which the most recent is Criterion E. KBA Criterion E uses Spatial Conservation Prioritization techniques to identify highly irreplaceable sites, representing a promising tool for effective expansion of the KBA network. However, it has rarely been tested or applied at large scales. Here, we carried out a continental application of KBA Criterion […]
- Evaluating hot water immersion as a quarantine method: impact on Obama nungara egg capsule viabilityby Watz, J.Globalization has intensified the spread of invasive species through human-mediated transport, particularly via horticultural trade. The South American land planarian Obama nungara has become a widespread invasive soil-dwelling predator in Europe, preying mainly on earthworms and potentially disrupting soil processes. In Sweden, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends heat treatment as a preventive measure against this species. This study tested the hypothesis that a 15-minute 40 {degrees}C water bath is lethal to O. nungara egg capsules. Thirteen egg capsules were collected […]
- by Bielby, J., Graylish, R., Power, E., Button, E.The ethical and sustainable trade of nature and natural products relies on the presence of and compliance with legislation. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has been the global standard for the past half century, but doubts exist about compliance with CITES because of the lucrative nature of illegal trade, and because of misunderstandings regarding the details of specific in-country regulations. For two commonly traded species requiring UK CITES Article 10 (A10) Certificates we collected data on […]
- Bhutan sequences complete the range-widemitochondrial phylogeography for red pandas, Ailurus fulgensby Dueck, L. A.Red pandas, endangered mammals inhabiting an elongated montane region in south-central Asia, are up for IUCN Red List reassessment in 2025. One issue determining their status is species taxonomy. A recent mtDNA analysis compiled from several previous studies found they were united as one species, with weak support for a western sublineage and four haplogroups correlated with specific geographic regions. However, the crucial section of their midrange, Bhutan, was absent from that analysis. Now, sequences from red pandas in Bhutan […]
- by Barrera Grijalba, C. C., Thetter-Duerr, S., Bibermair, J., Wollesen, T.BackgroundTo cope with strong and rapidly changing water currents, some marine invertebrates have evolved complex adhesive mechanisms that involve the interplay of different biomolecules, such as carbohydrates. Carbohydrates may, however, also be involved in other physiological processes such as reproduction, a research field poorly studied in protostomes. The benthic chaetognath Spadella cephaloptera is a protandric hermaphrodite capable of rapid attachment and detachment to substrates. Nevertheless, the putative underlying glycobiology during the adhesion process but also other physiological processes remain unknown […]
- by Helm, C., Worsaae, K., Kalke, P., Budaeva, N.Histriobdellidae, the so-called Charlie Chaplin worms, is an enigmatic group of microscopic commensal annelids associated with crustaceans. They crawl by alternately attaching their adhesive anterior appendages and left and right huge lateral feet, and bear a complex jaw apparatus in the ventral muscular pharynx. Although histriobdellids were always thought to be a part of the jaw-bearing clade Eunicida, their exact placement within the annelid tree is still debated due to their highly derived external morphology and long branch attraction artefacts […]
- by Lok, P. Y. A., Brookes, V. J., Webb, C. E.Exotic bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) are increasingly used in Australian urban green spaces for their hardiness and aesthetic appeal. However, the water-holding tanks and axils of these plants provide habitat for mosquitoes, raising public health concerns that must be balanced with ecological objectives of urban greening. This study investigated the abundance and species richness of immature and adult mosquitoes associated with bromeliad plantings in Sydney, Australia. Between October 2023 and April 2024, immature mosquitoes were sampled weekly from large bromeliads at 17 […]
- by Jegede, O. J., Oladipupo, S. O., Oladipo, O. E.The development of insecticide resistance, high cost, misuse, dearth of technical expertise, and restrictive legislation associated with synthetic insecticides have necessitated the development of alternatives. Lessons from plant-insect interactions demonstrate that plant terpenes are worthy probes for insecticidal exploration. Hence, this study screened n-hexane fractions of Zingiber officinale and Moringa oleifera oils as protectant against Callosobruchus chinensis and revealed their chemical profiles using Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). M. oleifera (LC50; 0.007{micro}l) was found to be more toxic than […]
- by RAYHAN, M. J., Jahan, S., Howlader, M. T. H., Ahmed, T., Twaha, S. M., Fahim, M., Chowdhury, S. H.Accurate species delineation is fundamental to understanding evolutionary relationships and guiding effective conservation measures. While the IUCN Red List serves as a critical conservation tool, its reliability hinges on precise systematic species identification and comprehensive distribution data. However, taxonomic inconsistencies remain a major challenge, particularly for poorly studied taxa in complex ecoregions like the Sundarbans mangrove forest. Here, we investigated the taxonomic identity of the Sundarbans Crow, Euploea crameri nicevillei (Moore, 1890), which is considered the only endemic and critically […]
- by Laurent, E., Matthews, J. L., Chagnat, L., de Jong, C., Peng, L., Cleves, P. A., Suggett, D. J., Oakley, C. A.Stable cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis provides the trophic foundation of coral reef ecosystems. Understanding nutrient exchange underpinning this symbiosis grows increasingly urgent as reefs face accelerating threats from climate change, and the need for time-critical interventions to improve coral health via aquaculture. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), widely used as delivery vehicles in biomedical science, are emerging as a promising tool to supplement coral nutrition. However, physiological impacts of LNPs on cnidarians, including uptake, nutritional value, and holobiont response, remain largely unexplored. Here, we […]
- by Xue, Z., Paijmans, J., Pozzi, A. V., Leedham, S., Leonardi, M., Padilla-Iglesias, C., Colluci, M., Hovhannisyan, A., Manica, A.Environmental change is often invoked as a key force shaping species evolution and demography, but quantifying its role is challenging. Leopards (Panthera pardus), a widely distributed generalist species, provide an ideal case for studying the role of the environment. The population dynamics of African and Asian leopards differ dramatically, with near panmixia in Africa versus a strong structure and eight subspecies in Asia. Fossil records show that a population in Europe disappeared after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), further pointing […]
- by Turner, T. L.This study presents the first comprehensive systematic revision of the sponge family Tetillidae in the temperate Northeast Pacific. The findings reveal a previously unrecognized clade of Tetilla species that informs the familys generic classification, including a common California species whose identity has long been uncertain. Remarkably, eight species were discovered from only 11 samples from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, suggesting these islands harbor considerable undiscovered sponge diversity. I also report the first likely case of species introduction in the […]
- by Li, D., Wang, Y., Yuan, T., Li, X., Quan, Y., Liu, W., Schachtschneider, K. M., Schook, L. B., Crooijmans, R. P. M. A., Groenen, M. A. M., Derks, M. F. L., Yu, T.The domestic pig is a key agricultural species and biomedical model, yet its reference genome has remained incomplete. Using PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore reads, and Hi-C sequencing, we assembled the first telomere-to-telomere (T2T), gap-free pig genome (T2T-Sscrofa). Importantly, this assembly derives from the same individual pig that provided the original reference genome, thereby completing the long-standing foundation of pig genomics. This assembly resolves 274.8 Mb of previously unassembled sequence, including centromeres, segmental duplications, and ribosomal DNA arrays, and identifies 255 […]
- by Ota, K. G., Abe, G., Wang, C.-Y., Li, I.-J., Sanchez, P. G. L.Body shape diversity in vertebrates reflects a complex interplay between functional demands, environmental constraints, and internal developmental mechanisms. Various environments have promoted diverse morphological adaptations not only under the natural but also domesticated conditions. One of the examples of the drastic morphological changes in body shape under the artificial condition (i.e. with significant human intervention) is the ornamental goldfish (Carassius auratus). Ornamental goldfish were originally derived from wild crucian carp. Over time, they diversified into numerous strains with strikingly different […]
- by Li, Y., Liao, C.-C., Zhang, L., Lv, J., Zheng, S., Ma, J., Wang, Y., Ni, B., Yang, T., He, G., Li, H., Pan, Y.-H.Mammalian torpor imposes unique metabolic constraints, yet the mechanisms of nitrogen metabolism during this state remain unclear. In this study, we show that the urea cycle is selectively regulated rather than broadly suppressed in torpid bats. A significantly increased abundance of carbamoyl-phosphate synthase 1 (CPS1) maintained its functional capacity during torpor and arousal in Myotis ricketti. Proteomic analyses and confocal microscopy identified a specific association and co-localization between CPS1 and agmatinase (AGMAT), an ATP-independent enzyme involved in nitrogen metabolism. Co-localization […]
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