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2,960 results for “elements”
Data from: Mandible allometry in extant and fossil Balaenopteridae (Cetacea: Mammalia): the largest vertebrate skeletal element and its role in rorqual lunge-feeding
Rorqual whales (crown Balaenopteridae) are unique among aquatic vertebrates in their ability to lunge-feed. During a single lunge, rorquals rapidly engulf a large volume of prey-laden water at high speed, which they then filter to capture suspended prey. Engulfment biomechanics are mostly governed by the coordinated opening and closing of the mandibles at large gape angles, which differentially exposes the floor of the oral cavity to oncoming flow. Mouth area in rorquals is delimited by unfused bony mandibles that form kinetic linkages to each other and with the skull. The relative scale and morphology of these skeletal elements have profound consequences for the energetic efficiency of foraging in these gigantic predators. Here we performed a morphometric study of rorqual mandibles using a dataset derived from a survey of museum specimens. Across adult specimens of extant balaenopterids, mandibles range in size from ~1-6 m in length, and at their upper limit they represent the single largest osteological element of any vertebrate, living or extinct. Our analyses determined that rorqual mandibles exhibit positive allometry, whereby the relative size of these mandibles becomes greater with increasing body size. These robust scaling relationships allowed us to predict mandible length for fragmentary remains (e.g., incomplete and/or fossil specimens), as we demonstrated for two partial mandibles from the latest Miocene of California, U.S.A., and for mandibles from previously described fossil balaenopterids. Furthermore, we showed the allometry of mandible length to body size in extant mysticetes, which hints at fundamental developmental constraints in mysticetes despite their ecomorphologic differences in the feeding styles. Lastly, we outlined how our findings can be used to test hypotheses about the antiquity and evolution of lunge-feeding.
Data from: Ionome and elemental transport kinetics shaped by parallel evolution in threespine stickleback
Evidence that organisms evolve rapidly enough to alter ecological dynamics necessitates investigation of the reciprocal links between ecology and evolution. Data that link genotype to phenotype to ecology are needed to understand both the process and ecological consequences of rapid evolution. Here we quantified the suite of elements in individuals (i.e., ionome) and the fluxes of key nutrients across populations of threespine stickleback. We find that allelic variation associated with freshwater adaptation that controls bony plating is associated with changes in the ionome and nutrient recycling. More broadly, we find that adaptation of marine fish to freshwater conditions shifts the ionomes of natural populations and populations raised in common gardens. In both cases ionomic divergence between populations was primarily driven by differences in trace elements rather than elements typically associated with bone. These findings demonstrate the utility of ecological stoichiometry and the importance of ionome-wide data in understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Data from: Influences of sodium and glycosaminoglycans on skin edema and the potential for ulceration: a finite element approach
Venous ulcers are chronic transcutaneous wounds common in the lower legs. They are resistant to healing and have a 78% chance of recurrence within two years. It is commonly accepted that venous ulcers are caused by the insufficiency of the calf muscle pump, leading to blood pooling in the lower legs, resulting in inflammation, skin edema, tissue necrosis and eventually skin ulceration. However, the detailed physiological events by which inflammation contributes to wound formation are poorly understood. We therefore sought to develop a model that simulated the inflammation, using it to determine the internal stresses and pressure on the skin that contribute to venous ulcer formation. A three-layer Finite Element skin model (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) was developed to explore the roles in wound formation of two inflammation identifiers: Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and sodium. A series of parametric studies showed that increased GAGs and sodium content lead to edema and increased tissue stresses of 1.5 MPa, which was within the reported range of skin tissue Ultimate Tensile Stress (0.1-40 MPa). These results suggested that both the edema and increased fluid pressure could reach a threshold for tissue damage and eventual ulcer formation. The models presented here provide insights to the pathological events associated with venous insufficiency including inflammation, edema, and skin ulceration.
Data from: Relationship between the sequencing and timing of vocal motor elements in birdsong
Accurate coordination of the sequencing and timing of motor gestures is important for the performance of complex and evolutionarily relevant behaviors. However, the degree to which motor sequencing and timing are related remains largely unknown. Birdsong is a communicative behavior that consists of discrete vocal motor elements ('syllables') that are sequenced and timed in a precise manner. To reveal the relationship between syllable sequencing and timing, we analyzed how variation in the probability of syllable transitions at branch points, nodes in song with variable sequencing across renditions, correlated with variation in the duration of silent gaps between syllable transitions ('gap durations') for adult Bengalese finch song. We observed a significant negative relationship between transition probability and gap duration: more prevalent transitions were produced with shorter gap durations. We then assessed the degree to which long-term age-dependent changes and acute context-dependent changes to syllable sequencing and timing followed this inverse relationship. Age- but not context-dependent changes to syllable sequencing and timing were inversely related. On average, gap durations at branch points decreased with age, and the magnitude of this decrease was greater for transitions that increased in prevalence than for transitions that decreased in prevalence. In contrast, there was no systematic relationship between acute context-dependent changes to syllable sequencing and timing. Gap durations at branch points decreased when birds produced female-directed courtship song compared to when they produced undirected song, and the magnitude of this decrease was not related to the direction and magnitude of changes to transition probabilities. These analyses suggest that neural mechanisms that regulate syllable sequencing could similarly control syllable timing but also highlight mechanisms that can independently regulate syllable sequencing and timing.
Data from: Regulation of transposable elements: interplay between TE-encoded regulatory sequences and host-specific trans-acting factors in Drosophila melanogaster
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can move around the genome, and their expression is one precondition for this mobility. Because the insertion of TEs in new genomic positions is largely deleterious, the molecular mechanisms for transcriptional suppression have been extensively studied. In contrast, very little is known about their primary transcriptional regulation. Here, we characterize the expression dynamics of TE families in Drosophila melanogaster across a broad temperature range (13–29°C). In 71% of the expressed TE families, the expression is modulated by temperature. We show that this temperature-dependent regulation is specific for TE families and strongly affected by the genetic background. We deduce that TEs carry family-specific regulatory sequences, which are targeted by host-specific trans-acting factors, such as transcription factors. Consistent with the widespread dominant inheritance of gene expression, we also find the prevailing dominance of TE family expression. We conclude that TE family expression across a range of temperatures is regulated by an interaction between TE family-specific regulatory elements and trans-acting factors of the host.
Data from: Altered leaf elemental composition with climate change is linked to reductions in photosynthesis, growth and survival in a semiarid shrubland
Climate change will increase heat and drought stress in many dryland areas, which could reduce soil nutrient availability for plants and aggravate nutrient limitation of primary productivity. Any negative impacts of climate change on foliar nutrient contents would be expected to negatively affect the photosynthetic capacity, water use efficiency and overall fitness of dryland vegetation. We conducted a four-year manipulative experiment using open top chambers and rainout shelters to assess the impacts of warming (~2ºC, W), rainfall reduction (~30%, RR) and their combination (W+RR) on the nutrient status and ecophysiological performance of six native shrub species of contrasting phylogeny in a semiarid ecosystem. Leaf nutrient status and gas exchange were assessed yearly, whereas biomass production and survival were measured at the end of the study. Warming (W and W+RR) advanced shoot growth phenology and reduced foliar macro- (N, P, K) and micronutrient (Cu, Fe, Zn) concentrations (by 8-18% and 14-56%, respectively), net photosynthetic rate (32%), aboveground biomass production (28-39%) and survival (23-46%). Decreased photosynthesis and growth in W and W+RR plants was primarily linked to enhanced nutritional constraints on carbon fixation. Poor leaf nutrient status in W and W+RR plants partly decoupled carbon assimilation from water flux and led to drastic reductions in water use efficiency (WUEi; ~41%) across species. The RR treatment moderately decreased foliar macro- and micronutrients (6-17%, except for Zn) and biomass production (22%). The interactive impacts of warming and rainfall reduction (W+RR treatment) on plant performance were generally smaller than expected from additive single‐factor effects. Synthesis: Large decreases in plant nutrient pool size and productivity combined with increased mortality during hotter droughts will reduce vegetation cover and nutrient retention capacity, thereby disrupting biogeochemical processes and accelerating dryland degradation with impending climate change. Increased macro- and micronutrient co-limitation of photosynthesis with forecasted climate change conditions may offset any gains in WUEi and productivity derived from anthropogenic CO2 elevation, thereby increasing dryland vegetation vulnerability to drought stress in a warmer and drier climate. The generalized reduction in leaf nutrient contents with warming compromises plant nutritional quality for herbivores, with potential cascading negative effects across trophic levels.
Data from: Bony traits and genetics drive intraspecific variation in vertebrate elemental composition
Interspecific variation in elemental composition is well known and often leads to predictable differences in ecosystem interactions, but little is known about the extent, causes and importance of intraspecific variation in elemental composition. If intraspecific variation is substantial and has a genetic basis, it may underlie an important mechanism of evolutionary interplay with ecology as individuals compensate for evolutionary changes in elemental demand. To investigate the extent and causes of intraspecific elemental variation in vertebrates, we sampled evolutionary model species Gasterosteus aculeatus (Threespine Stickleback) from 12 locations in British Columbia, Canada. Fish were phenotyped, genotyped for Eda alleles underlying lateral plate variation and assayed for elemental content (C, N, P). We found stickleback vary widely in elemental composition (2.2 – 6.5%P; 3.0 – 9.4:1 N:P). Phenotypic models explained the majority of this variation using bony armour traits (pelvis length, lateral plate count), bone mineralization, body size and condition. Subsequent genetic models found allelic variation at Eda generates a 7-14% change in whole organism N:P. As Eda allele frequencies are commonly changed through strong natural selection in freshwater habitats, we infer that stickleback elemental composition can evolve rapidly. Further, as genetics are known to drive variation in many of the other influential traits, we conclude that genetic variation constitutes a major source of variation in the elemental composition of Gasterosteus aculeatus. As such, we find that elemental composition has a large evolutionary potential which may underlie important evo-eco interactions.
Data from: Phylogenomic systematics of Ostariophysan fishes: ultraconserved elements support the surprising non-monophyly of Characiformes
Ostariophysi is a superorder of bony fishes including more than 10,300 species in 1,100 genera and 70 families. This superorder is traditionally divided into five major groups (orders): Gonorynchiformes (milkfishes and sandfishes), Cypriniformes (carps and minnows), Characiformes (tetras and their allies), Siluriformes (catfishes), and Gymnotiformes (electric knifefishes). Unambiguous resolution of the relationships among these lineages remains elusive, with previous molecular and morphological analyses failing to produce a consensus phylogeny. In this study, we use over 350 ultraconserved element (UCEs) loci comprising five million base pairs collected across thirty-five representative ostariophysan species to compile one of the most data-rich phylogenies of fishes to date. We use these data to infer higher-level (interordinal) relationships among ostariophysan fishes, focusing on the monophyly of the Characiformes— one the most contentiously debated groups in fish systematics. As with most previous molecular studies, we recover a non-monophyletic Characiformes with the two monophyletic suborders, Citharinoidei and Characoidei, more closely related to other ostariophysan clades than to each other. We also explore incongruence between results from different UCE datasets, issues of orthology, and the use of morphological characters in combination with our molecular data.
Data from: Target capture and massively parallel sequencing of ultraconserved elements for comparative studies at shallow evolutionary time scales
Comparative genetic studies of non-model organisms are transforming rapidly due to major advances in sequencing technology. A limiting factor in these studies has been the identification and screening of orthologous loci across an evolutionarily distant set of taxa. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of genomic markers targeting ultraconserved DNA elements (UCEs) for analyses at shallow evolutionary timescales. Using sequence capture and massively parallel sequencing to generate UCE data for five co-distributed Neotropical rainforest bird species, we recovered 776–1516 UCE loci across the five species. Across species, 53–77% of the loci were polymorphic, containing between 2.0 and 3.2 variable sites per polymorphic locus, on average. We performed species tree construction, coalescent modeling, and species delimitation, and we found that the five co-distributed species exhibited discordant phylogeographic histories. We also found that species trees and divergence times estimated from UCEs were similar to the parameters obtained from mtDNA. The species that inhabit the understory had older divergence times across barriers, contained a higher number of cryptic species, and exhibited larger effective population sizes relative to the species inhabiting the canopy. Because orthologous UCEs can be obtained from a wide array of taxa, are polymorphic at shallow evolutionary timescales, and can be generated rapidly at low cost, they are an effective genetic marker for studies investigating evolutionary patterns and processes at shallow timescales.
Data from: The cost of copy number in a selfish genetic element: the 2µM plasmid of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Many autonomously replicating genetic elements exist as multiple copies within the cell. The copy number of these elements is often assumed to have important fitness consequences for both element and host, yet the forces shaping its evolution are not well understood. The 2µm is a multi-copy plasmid of Saccharomyces yeasts, encoding just four genes that are solely involved in plasmid replication. One simple model for the fitness relationship between yeasts and 2µm is that plasmid copy number evolves as a tradeoff between selection for increased vertical transmission, favoring high copy number, and selection for decreased virulence, favoring low copy number. To test this model, we experimentally manipulated the copy number of the plasmid and directly measured the fitness cost, in terms of growth rate reduction, associated with high plasmid copy number. We find that the fitness burden imposed by the 2µm increases with plasmid copy number, such that each copy imposes a fitness burden of 0.17% (±0.008%), greatly exceeding the cost expected for it to be stably maintained in yeast populations. Our results demonstrate the crucial importance of copy number in the evolution of yeast/2µm associations, and pave the way for future studies examining how selection can shape the cost of multi-copy elements.
Data from: Analysis of a rapid evolutionary radiation using ultraconserved elements (UCEs): Evidence for a bias in some multi-species coalescent methods
Rapid evolutionary radiations are expected to require large amounts of sequence data to resolve. To resolve these types of relationships many systematists believe that it will be necessary to collect data by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and use multispecies coalescent ("species tree") methods. Ultraconserved element (UCE) sequence capture is becoming a popular method to leverage the high throughput of NGS to address problems in vertebrate phylogenetics. Here we examine the performance of UCE data for gallopheasants (true pheasants and allies), a clade that underwent a rapid radiation 10–15 Ma. Relationships among gallopheasant genera have been difficult to establish. We used this rapid radiation to assess the performance of species tree methods, using ∼600 kilobases of DNA sequence data from ∼1500 UCEs. We also integrated information from traditional markers (nuclear intron data from 15 loci and three mitochondrial gene regions). Species tree methods exhibited troubling behavior. Two methods [Maximum Pseudolikelihood for Estimating Species Trees (MP-EST) and Accurate Species TRee ALgorithm (ASTRAL)] appeared to perform optimally when the set of input gene trees was limited to the most variable UCEs, though ASTRAL appeared to be more robust than MP-EST to input trees generated using less variable UCEs. In contrast, the rooted triplet consensus method implemented in Triplec performed better when the largest set of input gene trees was used. We also found that all three species tree methods exhibited a surprising degree of dependence on the program used to estimate input gene trees, suggesting that the details of likelihood calculations (e.g., numerical optimization) are important for loci with limited phylogenetic information. As an alternative to summary species tree methods we explored the performance of SuperMatrix Rooted Triple - Maximum Likelihood (SMRT-ML), a concatenation method that is consistent even when gene trees exhibit topological differences due to the multispecies coalescent. We found that SMRT-ML performed well for UCE data. Our results suggest that UCE data have excellent prospects for the resolution of difficult evolutionary radiations, though specific attention may need to be given to the details of the methods used to estimate species trees.
Data from: A phylogenomic perspective on the radiation of ray-finned fishes based upon targeted sequencing of ultraconserved elements (UCEs)
Ray-finned fishes constitute the dominant radiation of vertebrates with over 32,000 species. Although molecular phylogenetics has begun to disentangle major evolutionary relationships within this vast section of the Tree of Life, there is no widely available approach for efficiently collecting phylogenomic data within fishes, leaving much of the enormous potential of massively parallel sequencing technologies for resolving major radiations in ray-finned fishes unrealized. Here, we provide a genomic perspective on longstanding questions regarding the diversification of major groups of ray-finned fishes through targeted enrichment of ultraconserved nuclear DNA elements (UCEs) and their flanking sequence. Our workflow efficiently and economically generates data sets that are orders of magnitude larger than those produced by traditional approaches and is well-suited to working with museum specimens. Analysis of the UCE data set recovers a well-supported phylogeny at both shallow and deep time-scales that supports a monophyletic relationship between Amia and Lepisosteus (Holostei) and reveals elopomorphs and then osteoglossomorphs to be the earliest diverging teleost lineages. Our approach additionally reveals that sequence capture of UCE regions and their flanking sequence offers enormous potential for resolving phylogenetic relationships within ray-finned fishes.
Data from: The role of bacteriocins as selfish genetic elements
Bacteria produce a wide arsenal of toxic compounds in order to kill competing species. Bacteriocins, protein-based toxins produced by nearly all bacteria, have generally been considered a ubiquitous anti-competitor strategy, used to kill competing bacterial strains. Some of these bacteriocins are encoded on plasmids, which also code for closely linked immunity compounds (thereby rendering toxin producing cells immune to their own toxin). However, the production of bacteriocins can also be interpreted as a means to promote plasmid stability by preferentially selecting for cells carrying the plasmid. If, for example, a cell were to lose the plasmid, it would no longer produce the immunity compound and would be killed by its bacteriocin-producing clone mates. In this respect, bacteriocins can be regarded as similar to previously described toxin–antitoxin systems that are able promote the stable transmission of plasmids to daughter cells. In order to test this prediction, we carried out an experimental evolution study using the bacterium Escherichia coli, finding that bacteriocins can indeed select for the stable maintenance of plasmids. This suggests that bacteriocins can act primarily as selfish genetic elements promoting their own transmission in the population, which may help explain their unique ecology and evolution.
Data from: Testing hypotheses of element loss and instability in the apparatus composition of complex conodonts: articulated skeletons of Hindeodus
Knowledge of the conodont skeleton, in terms of the morphology of the elements and the positions they occupy, provides the foundation for understanding of homology, taxonomy and evolutionary relationships in conodonts. This knowledge also underpins analyses of conodont functional morphology and feeding. Direct evidence of skeletal anatomy and apparatus architecture comes from natural assemblages: fossils that preserve together the articulated remains of the conodont apparatus, either collapsed onto a bedding plane or as clusters of elements in which juxtaposed and overlapping elements have been fused together by diagenetic minerals. Here we describe six clusters of the biostratigraphically important conodont Hindeodus parvus from the Lower Triassic Shangsi section, Sichuan Province, South China. Five of these clusters represent the partial remains of articulated skeletons, providing direct evidence of the number and arrangement of elements in the apparatus. Combined with data from previously published natural assemblages this provides a test of the hypothesis that Triassic conodonts had a reduced dentition. Hindeodus parvus possessed a complete raptorial array of two M and nine S elements (unpaired S0; symmetrically paired S1, S2, S3, S4); the paired P1 locations were occupied by carminiscaphate elements, but the apparatus lacked P2 elements. This is consistent with broader evidence for a particularly high degree of integration and constraint operating on the S–M array of morphologically complex conodonts, leading to conserved architecture of the array over a period of more than 250 million years. The loss of elements from the P domain implies a change in food processing ability and, given the predominance of data from P elements in conodont taxonomy and biostratigraphy, the hypothesis of element loss from the P domain has significant implications for the broader understanding of conodont diversity and evolutionary patterns.
Data from: Stress induced gene expression drives transient DNA methylation changes at adjacent repetitive elements
Cytosine DNA methylation (mC) is a genome modification that can regulate the expression of coding and non-coding genetic elements. However, little is known about the involvement of mC in response to environmental cues. Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of mC in rice grown under phosphate starvation and recovery conditions, we identified widespread phosphate starvation-induced changes in mC, preferentially localized in transposable elements (TEs) close to highly induced genes. These changes in mC occurred after changes in nearby gene transcription, were mostly DCL3a-independent, could partially be propagated through mitosis, however no evidence of meiotic transmission was observed. Similar analyses performed in Arabidopsis revealed a very limited effect of phosphate starvation on mC, suggesting a species-specific mechanism. Overall, this suggests that TEs in proximity to environmentally induced genes are silenced via hypermethylation, and establishes the temporal hierarchy of transcriptional and epigenomic changes in response to stress.
Data from: Whole genome duplication and transposable element proliferation drive genome expansion in Corydoradinae catfishes
Genome size varies significantly across eukaryotic taxa and the largest changes are typically driven by macro-mutations such as whole genome duplications (WGDs) and proliferation of repetitive elements. These two processes may affect the evolutionary potential of lineages by increasing genetic variation and changing gene expression. Here we elucidate the evolutionary history and mechanisms underpinning genome size variation in a species rich group of Neotropical catfishes (Corydoradinae) with extreme variation in genome size - 0.6pg to 4.4 pg per haploid cell. Firstly, genome size was quantified in 65 species and mapped onto a novel fossil-calibrated phylogeny. Two evolutionary shifts in genome size were identified across the tree - the first between 43-49 Mya (95% highest posterior density (HPD) 36.2-68.1 Mya) and the second at ~19 Mya (95% HPD 15.3-30.14 Mya). Secondly, RAD sequencing was used to identify potential WGD events and quantify transposable element abundance in different lineages. Evidence of two lineage scale WGDs were identified across the phylogeny, the first event occurring between 54-66 Mya (95% HPD 42.56-99.5 Mya) and the second at 20-30 Mya (95% HPD 15.3-45 Mya) based on haplotype numbers per contig and between 35-44 Mya (95% HPD 30.29-64.51 Mya) and 20-30 Mya (95% HPD 15.3-45 Mya) based on SNP read ratios. Transposable element abundance increased considerably in parallel with genome size, with a single TE-family (TC1-IS630-Pogo) showing several increases across the Corydoradinae, with the most recent at 20-30 Mya (95% HPD 15.3-45 Mya) and an older event at 35-44 Mya (95% HPD 30.29-64.51 Mya). We identified signals congruent with two WGD duplication events, as well as an increase in TE abundance across different lineages, making the Corydoradinae an excellent model system to study the effects of WGD and TEs on genome and organismal evolution.
Data from: Survey sequencing reveals elevated DNA transposon activity, novel elements, and variation in repetitive landscapes among vesper bats
The repetitive landscapes of mammalian genomes typically display high Class I (retrotransposon) transposable element (TE) content, usually around half of the genome. In contrast, the Class II (DNA transposon) contribution is typically small (<3% in model mammals). Most mammalian genomes also exhibit a precipitous decline in Class II activity beginning roughly 40 million years ago (Ma). The first signs of more recently active mammalian Class II TEs were obtained from the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus and are reflected by higher genome content (~5%). To aid in determining taxonomic limits and potential impacts of this elevated Class II activity, we performed 454 survey sequencing of a second Myotis species as well as four additional taxa within the family Vespertilionidae and an outgroup species from Phyllostomidae. Graph-based clustering methods were used to reconstruct the major repeat families present in each species and novel elements were identified in several taxa. Retrotransposons remained the dominant group with regard to overall genome mass. Elevated Class II TE composition (3-4%) was observed in all five vesper bats while less than 0.5% of the phyllostomid reads were identified as Class II derived. Differences in satellite DNA and Class I TE content are also described among vespertilionid taxa. These analyses present the first cohesive description of TE evolution across closely related mammals, revealing genome-scale differences in TE content within a single family.
Data from: Assembly and comparative analysis of transposable elements from low coverage genomic sequence data in Asparagales
The research field of comparative genomics is moving from a focus on genes to a more holistic view including the repetitive complement. This study aimed to characterize relative proportions of the repetitive fraction of large, complex genomes in a non-model system. The monocotyledonous plant order Asparagales (onion, asparagus, agave) comprises some of the largest angiosperm genomes and represents variation in both genome size and structure (karyotype). Anonymous, low coverage, single-end Illumina data from eleven exemplar Asparagales taxa were assembled using a de novo method. Resulting contigs were annotated using a reference library of available monocot repetitive sequences. Mapping reads to contigs provided rough estimates of relative proportions of each type of transposon in the nuclear genome. The results were parsed into general repeat types and synthesized with genome size estimates and a phylogenetic context to describe the pattern of transposable element evolution among these lineages. The major finding is that while some lineages in Asparagales exhibit conservation in repeat proportions, there is generally wide variation in types and frequency of repeats. This approach is an appropriate first step in characterizing repeats in evolutionary lineages with a paucity of genomic resources.
Data from: Plant odour and sex pheromone are integral elements of specific mate recognition in an insect herbivore
Specific mate recognition relies on the chemical senses in most animals, and especially in nocturnal insects. Two signal types mediate premating olfactory communication in terrestrial habitats: sex pheromones, which blend into an atmosphere of plant odorants. We show that host plant volatiles affect the perception of sex pheromone in males of the African cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis and that pheromone and plant volatiles are not perceived as independent messages. In clean air, S. littoralis males are attracted to single synthetic pheromone components or even the pheromone of a sibling species, Oriental cotton leafworm S. litura. Presence of host plant volatiles, however, reduces the male response to deficient or heterospecific pheromone signals. That plant cues enhance discrimination of sex pheromone quality confirms the idea that specific mate recognition in noctuid moths has evolved in concert with adaptation to host plants. Shifts in either female host preference or sex pheromone biosynthesis give rise to new communication channels that have the potential to initiate or contribute to reproductive isolation.
Data from: A general description of additive and non-additive elements of sperm competitiveness and their relation to male fertilization success
A complete understanding of male reproductive success, and thus sexual selection, often requires an insight into male success in sperm competition. Genuine conclusions on male sperm competitiveness can only be made in real competitive situations. However, statistical analyses of sperm competitiveness from fertilization success data have been shown to be problematic. Here, I first outline a comprehensive general description of the different additive and non-additive elements relevant for the outcome of sperm competition staged between two males. Based on this description, I will highlight two main problems that are frequently encountered in experiments aiming at estimating sperm competitiveness. First, I focus on potential problems when using standardized competitors vs. random mating trials, because trials with standardized competitors do not allow generalization if male-male interactions are important. Second, I illustrate the necessity to analyse data on the logit scale rather than on raw proportions, because only the logit scale allows a clean separation of additive and non-additive effects (i.e. male×male- and female×male interactions).
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
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The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
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OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.