Search results for "RNA."
showing 10 items of 44327 documents
Protein actors sustaining arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: underground artists break the silence
2013
'Summary' 26 I. 'Casting for a scenario' 26 II. 'Nominees for a preliminary role' 27 III. 'Nominees for a leading role' 32 IV. 'Future artists' 37 'Acknowledgements' 38 References 38 Summary The roots of most land plants can enter a relationship with soil-borne fungi belonging to the phylum Glomeromycota. This symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi belongs to the so-called biotrophic interactions, involving the intracellular accommodation of a microorganism by a living plant cell without causing the death of the host. Although profiling technologies have generated an increasing depository of plant and fungal proteins eligible for sustaining AM accommodation and functioning, a …
Energetic reserves, leptin and testosterone: a refinement of the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis.
2007
Electronic supplementary material is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2007.0020 or via http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk.
CRISPR-mediated strand displacement logic circuits with toehold-free DNA
2021
DNA nanotechnology, and DNA computing in particular, has grown extensively over the past decade to end with a variety of functional stable structures and dynamic circuits. However, the use as designer elements of regular DNA pieces, perfectly complementary double strands, has remained elusive. Here, we report the exploitation of CRISPR-Cas systems to engineer logic circuits based on isothermal strand displacement that perform with toehold-free double-stranded DNA. We designed and implemented molecular converters for signal detection and amplification, showing good interoperability between enzymatic and nonenzymatic processes. Overall, these results contribute to enlarge the repertoire of su…
Geographical trends in the yolk carotenoid composition of the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca).
2010
Carotenoids in the egg yolks of birds are considered to be important antioxidants and immune stimulants during the rapid growth of embryos. Yolk carotenoid composition is strongly affected by the carotenoid composition of the female’s diet at the time of egg formation. Spatial and temporal differences in carotenoid availability may thus be reflected in yolk concentrations. To assess whether yolk carotenoid concentrations or carotenoid profiles show any large-scale geographical trends or differences among habitats, we collected yolk samples from 16 European populations of the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca. We found that the concentrations and proportions of lutein and some other xantho…
Paternal age negatively affects sperm production of the progeny.
2021
International audience; Parental age has profound consequences for offspring’s phenotype. However, whether patrilineal age affects offspring sperm production remains unknown, despite the importance of sperm production for male reproductive success in species facing post-copulatory sexual selection. Using a longitudinal dataset on ejaculate attributes of the houbara bustard, we showed that offspring sired by old fathers had different age-dependent trajectories of sperm production compared to offspring sired by young fathers. Specifically, they produced less sperm (−48%) in their first year of life, and 14% less during their lifetime. Paternal age had the strongest effect, with weak evidence …
Evolution of yolk androgens in birds: development, coloniality and sexual dichromatism
2007
18 pages; International audience; Current theory recognizes the adaptive value of maternal effects in shaping offspring phenotypes in response to selective pressures and vindicates the value of these traits in fostering adaptation and speciation. Yolk androgens in birds are a relatively well-known maternal effect and have been linked to adaptations related to development, coloniality life, and sexual selection. We tested whether interspecific patterns of yolk androgen levels (androstenedione and testosterone) were related to interspecific variation in development, sexual selection, and coloniality. First, we found no relationship between androgen levels and duration of development as reflec…
A survey of wild plant species for food use in Sicily (Italy) - results of a 3-year study in four Regional Parks
2016
Abstract Background This paper illustrates the results of a study carried out in four Regional Parks of Sicily (Italy), concerning traditional knowledge on food use of wild plant species. The main aims of the paper were: (i) to verify which wild plant species are used for food purpose in the local culture based on information provided by elderly inhabitants (ii) to verify the presence of wild plant species which have not been cited for food use in previous studies in the Mediterranean area (iii) to determine how many of the most frequently cited wild plant species are cultivated by the local population in the four Sicilian Parks. Methods Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the lo…
Offspring reverse transcriptome responses to maternal deprivation when reared with pathogens in an insect with facultative family life
2020
Offspring of species with facultative family life are able to live with and without parents (i.e. to adjust to extreme changes in their social environment). While these adjustments are well understood on a phenotypic level, their genetic underpinnings remain surprisingly understudied. Investigating gene expression changes in response to parental absence may elucidate the genetic constraints driving evolutionary transitions between solitary and family life. Here, we manipulated maternal presence to observe gene expression changes in the fat body of juvenile European earwigs, an insect with facultative family life. Because parents typically protect offspring against pathogens, expression chan…
The preference and costs of sleeping under light at night in forest and urban great tits
2019
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasing phenomenon associated with worldwide urbanization. In birds, broad-spectrum white ALAN can have disruptive effects on activity patterns, metabolism, stress response and immune function. There has been growing research on whether the use of alternative light spectra can reduce these negative effects, but surprisingly, there has been no study to determine which light spectrum birds prefer. To test such a preference, we gave urban and forest great tits (Parus major) the choice where to roost using pairwise combinations of darkness, white light or green dim light at night (1.5 lux). Birds preferred to sleep under artificial light instead of dar…
Re-description of Orchestia stephenseni Cecchini, 1928: designation of neotype and senior synonym to Orchestia constricta A. Costa, 1853 (Crustacea: …
2016
The beach flea Orchestia stephenseni was originally described by Cecchini (1928), and successively by Karaman (1973). The description of this species will be herein revised by focusing on the variation of the g nathopod 2 in males, as detected during its growth period. An analysis of DNA Barcoding was performed to support the assignment of the taxonomic species to five morphotypes. As the type specimen has not yet been designated, a neotype is assigned. The name of the species is here presented as a valid name as it satisfies the requirements of a Reversal of the Principle of Priority: Orchestia stephenseni takes precedence over the objective synonym Orchestia constricta A. Costa, 1853, in …