MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles' source. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:56:38 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5673967&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F17 Conclusions: The global disjunctions in the Ampelopsis clade are best explained by a diversification model of North American origin, two Laurasian migrations, one migration into South America, and two post-Gondwanan long-distance dispersals. These findings highlight the importance of both vicariance and long distance dispersal in shaping intercontinental disjunctions of flowering plants. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5673967 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5673967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5664288&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F16 Conclusions: In this study we show, that as in crested gibbons, the acoustic structure of surili loud-calls is a reliable tool to distinguish between species and to verify phylogenetic relatedness and migration backgrounds of respective taxa. Since vocal production in other nonhuman primates show similar constraints, it is likely that an acoustic analysis of call structure can help to clarify taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5664288 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5664288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5643858&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F15 Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence to support the suggestion that gene duplication and an accelerated evolutionary rate may be associated with higher protein synthesis in dicots as compared to monocots. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5643858 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5643858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5643859&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F14 Conclusions: At least in the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa, the lineages obtained have some geographic coherency, whilst the evolutionary history of the forms from Northeast Africa remains unclear, with a paraphyletic T. fascicularis with respect to T. deserti. The separation between the T. mauritanica complex and the clade formed by the T. fascicularis/deserti complex, T. neglecta and T. mindiae is coincident with the uplift of the Atlas Mountain chain, and the establishment of two distinct bioclimatic regions on each side of the barrier. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5643859 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5643859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5635460&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F12 Conclusions: Our study, tracing clonal lineages of Daphnia in time and space by the fine-resolution markers, contributes to the understanding of how clonal reproduction impacts community structure in cyclically parthenogenetic organisms. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5635460 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5635460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5635459&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F13 Conclusions: The evolution of functions that are associated with corresponding FFs along the timeline reveals that primordial metabolic domains evolved earlier than informational domains involved in translation and transcription, supporting the metabolism-first hypothesis rather than the RNA world scenario. In addition, phylogenomic trees of proteomes reconstructed from FFs appearing in each of the five phases of the protein world show that trees reconstructed from ancient domain structures were consistently rooted in archaeal lineages, supporting the proposal that the archaeal ancestor is more ancient than the ancestors of other superkingdoms. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5635459 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5635459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5635461&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F11 Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the use of replicate naive populations can be a useful tool to differentiate between host and parasite adaptation in complex and dynamic fitness landscapes. The absence of clear local adaptation patterns during coevolution with a sexual host showing a complex genetic architecture for resistance suggests that directional selection for generality may be more important attributes of host-parasite coevolution than commonly assumed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5635461 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5635461 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5635462&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F10 Conclusions: Our study provides an empirical insight into the etiology of autoimmune disease genes and other immunological diseases. The immediate utility of our study is to help in disease gene identification and may also help in medicinal improvement of immune related disease. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5635462 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5635462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5624809&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F9 Cave populations of Mexican blind cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, display lower genetic diversity than surface populations, despite migration from surface to cave, with phenotypic convergences occurring in spite of this gene flow, suggesting strong selection for the alleles responsible. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5624809 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5624809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5617044&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F8 Conclusions: Our results are in line with documented reduced nucleotide diversity, conservative genome evolution and low rates of diversification in conifers on the one hand and numerous examples of local adaptation in conifers on the other hand. We propose that reduced levels of nucleotide mutation in large and long-lived conifer trees, coupled with large effective population size, were the main factors leading to slow substitution rates but retention of beneficial mutations. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5617044 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5617044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5604035&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F7 Conclusions: Overall, our comparative genomic analyses revealed that differences in effective population size might contribute to the differences in the rate of protein evolution and in the levels of selective pressure between the C. impatiens and C. resedifolia lineages. The within-species analyses also revealed evolutionary patterns associated with habitat preference of two Cardamine species. We conclude that the selective pressures associated with the habitats typical of C. resedifolia may have caused the rapid evolution of genes involved in cold response. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5604035 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5604035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5604036&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F6 Conclusions: Our data show the conservation of universal domain architectures in all available plant genomes, indicating the presence of an evolutionarily conserved, core set of protein components. However, the occurrence of lineage-specific domain architectures indicates that domain architecture diversity has been maintained beyond these core components in plant genomes. Although several features of genome-wide domain architecture content are conserved in plants, the data clearly demonstrate lineage-wise, progressive changes and expansions of individual protein domain architectures, reinforcing the notion that plant genomes have undergone dynamic evolution. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5604036 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5604036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5593108&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F5 Conclusions: The pattern of molecular evolution we observe for Sex-lethal and its paralogue sister-or-Sex-lethal is not characteristic of a duplication followed by neo-functionalization. Rather, evidence suggests a sub-functionalization scenario achieved through the evolution of sophisticated splicing. As expected, we find that transformer evolves under relaxed purifying selection after the recruitment of Sex-lethal in Drosophila. Finally, the observation of doublesex adaptation in both Drosophila and Tephritidae suggests that these changes are due to ongoing adaptation of downstream sex-specific regulation, rather than being associated the recruitment of Sex-lethal and the resulting change in the topology of the sex determining cascade. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5593108 Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5593108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5593109&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F3 Conclusions: Although female preference for red males was not influenced by carotenoid intake, changes in mating responsiveness and discrimination linked to female carotenoid status may alter how this preference is translated into choice. The reddest males, with the most carotenoid rich plumage, tend to pair early in the breeding season. If carotenoid-related variations in female choice behaviour shift the timing of pairing, then they have the potential to promote assortative mating by carotenoid status and drive the evolution of carotenoid-based male plumage coloration. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5593109 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5593109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5568905&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F1 Conclusions: The findings demonstrate more relaxed pollinating fig wasp host specificity than previously appreciated. Evolutionarily conservative host associations have been tempered by horizontal transfer and lineage duplication among closely related Ficus species. Independent and asynchronistic diversification of pollinating fig wasps is best explained by a combination of both sympatric and allopatric models of speciation. Pollinator host preference constraints permit reproduction on closely related Ficus species, but uncertainty of the frequency and duration of these associations requires better resolution. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5568905 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5568905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5568904&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F12%2F2 Conclusions: The present study indicates that the diploid members of A. millefolium agg. share a large part of their molecular genetic variation. The findings of little lineage sorting and lack of isolation by distance is likely due to short intervals between speciation events and close proximity of ancestral populations. While previous AFLP data provide species trees congruent with earlier morphological classification and phylogeographic considerations, the present sequence data are not suited to recover the relationships of diploid species in A. millefolium agg. For the polyploid taxa many hybrid links and introgression from the diploids are suggested. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5568904 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5568904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5556788&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F373 Conclusions: USM appears to have evolved in a mammalian ancestor specifically as a component of the postovulatory coats. By analogy with the known properties of MSMB, it may have roles in regulating sperm motility/survival or in the immune system. However, its C-terminal domain is greatly truncated compared with MSMB, suggesting a divergent function. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5556788 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5556788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533454&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F372 Conclusions: An unknown process that restricts contemporary gene flow isolates the Manus Basin population of Ifremeria nautilei from widespread populations that occupy the North Fiji and Lau Basins. A robust understanding of the genetic structure of hydrothermal vent populations at multiple spatial scales defines natural conservation units and can help minimize loss of genetic diversity in situations where human activities are proposed and managed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533454 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533456&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F370 Conclusions: The prediction that sex-ratio distorting parasites are likely to retain a degree of horizontal transmission has important implications for the epidemiology and host-parasite interactions of these organisms. It may also explain the frequent co-occurrence of several sex-ratio distorting parasite species in nature. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533456 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533455&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F371 Conclusions: Diversification of the family occurred in the Late-Mid Miocene, with at least four independent trans-Artic lineage crossings coincident with two reproductive mode transitions. The genus Fucus arose in the Pliocene but radiated within a relatively short time frame about 2.5 million years ago. Current species distributions of Fucus suggest that climatic factors promoted differentiation between the two major clades, while the recent and rapid species radiation in the temperate clade during Pleistocene glacial cycles coincided with several potential speciation drivers. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533455 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533459&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F367 Conclusions: In view of the key roles that LRR-RLKs play throughout the entire lifetime of plants and plant-environment interactions, the emergence and expansion of this type of receptor in several phyla along the evolution of eukaryotes, and particularly in oomycete genomes, questions their intrinsic functions in mimicry and/or in the coevolution of receptors between hosts and pathogens. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533459 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533458&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F368 Conclusions: Our results are not in line with previous studies on primates and birds that identified more codons under positive selection in non-viral TLRs. This might be explained by the fact that both primates and birds are homogeneous groups probably being affected by only a restricted number of related viruses with equivalent motifs to be recognized. The analyses performed in this work encompassed a large number of species covering some of the most representative mammalian groups - Artiodactyla, Rodents, Carnivores, Lagomorphs and Primates - that are affected by different families of viruses. This might explain the role of adaptive evolution in shaping viral TLR genes. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533458 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5533457&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F369 Conclusions: Our investigation revealed that mitochondrial data of Ampharetidae and Alvinellidae exhibited strong compositional biases. However, these biases resulted in a misplacement of Trichobranchidae, rather than Alvinellidae and Ampharetidae. Herein, we document that Trichobranchidae was apparently caught in the symplesiomorphy trap suggesting that in certain situations even homologies can be misleading. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5533457 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5533457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5520411&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F363 Conclusions: The continuous model affords a more complete view of the evolution of interacting genes. The notion of a continuous output vector also incorporates the reality of gene networks and graded concentrations of gene products. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5520411 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5520411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5520410&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F364 Conclusion: Our findings support the occurrence of intron gain via transposon insertion, repair of double strand breaks, as well as intron loss via non-homologous end joining. Furthermore, our data suggest that intron gain may be enabled by or due to transcription, and we shed further light on the exact mechanism of mRNA-mediated intron loss. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5520410 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5520410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5520409&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F365 Conclusion: Significant overlap in acoustic features demonstrates that the sound-producing mechanism is highly conservative among species. Differences in the calls of some species are due to size dimorphism and the sound variation might be in this case a by-product. This morphological constraint does not permit a consideration of acoustic communication as the main driving force in the diversification of clownfishes. Moreover, calls are not produced to find mate and consequently are less subject to variations due to partner preference, which restricts the constraints of diversification. Calls are produced to reach and defend the competition to mate access. However, differences in the pulse period between cohabiting species show that, in some case, sounds can help to differentiate the specie... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5520409 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5520409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5520408&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F366 Conclusion: Our results suggest that R. arvalis has diverged in response to pH mediated selection along this acidification gradient. However, as latitude and pH were closely spatially correlated in this study, further studies are needed to disentangle the specific agents of natural selection along acidification gradients. Our study highlights the need to consider the multiple interacting selective forces that drive adaptive divergence of natural populations along environmental stress gradients. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5520408 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5520408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5501126&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F359 Conclusions: Our results confirm that caution is needed when inferring mating systems from sex ratio data, especially when a lack of biological detail means the use of overly simple forms of the model of interest. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5501126 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5501126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5501125&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F360 Conclusion: The observed differences in length at age during early larval development most likely have a genetic component, even though both directional and random processes are likely to have influenced evolutionary change in the demes under study. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5501125 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5501125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5501129&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F356 Conclusions: The products of HTGs detected in this study may take part in comprehensive physiological metabolism. These genes potentially contributed to functional innovation and adaptability of Lepidopteran hosts in their ancient lineages associated with the diversification of angiosperms. Importantly, our results imply that pathogens may be advantageous to the subsistence and prosperity of hosts through effective HGT events at a large evolutionary scale. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5501129 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5501129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5501128&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F357 Conclusions: Single (or very low) copy nuclear genes are of immense value in plant phylogenetics. Compared to other nuclear genes that are members of gene families of all sizes, lab effort, such as cloning, can be kept to a minimum. They also provide regions with different phylogenetic content deriving from coding and non-coding parts of different length. Thus, they can be applied to a wide range of taxonomic levels from family down to population level. As more plant genomes are sequenced, we will obtain increasingly precise information about which genes return to single copy most rapidly following gene duplication and may be most useful across a wide range of plant groups. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5501128 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5501128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5501127&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F358 Conclusions: We conclude that historical demographic processes are the most likely explanation for the high mitochondrial differentiation in H. e. chestertonii, perhaps due to gene flow between Cauca valley H. e. chestertonii and west Pacific slope populations of H. erato. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5501127 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5501127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5492643&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F355 Conclusion: Our results show that the phenotypic traits vary markedly along the north-south axis of populations of M. glareolus. This variation may be related to adaptation to local environments and coincides with the gradient of genome reticulation between M. glareolus and M. rutilus, which was assessed by mtDNA introgression. Introgression of mtDNA may have affected morpho-physiological traits but do not show strong effects on either body mass or basal metabolic rate alone. We discuss the causes and biological meaning of our results and the means to clarify these questions in future research. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5492643 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5492643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5492644&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F354 Conclusion: Identifying the phylogenetic origin of E(spl)-C genes and their associated regulatory DNA is essential to understanding the functional significance of this well-studied gene complex. Results from this study provide numerous insights into the evolutionary history of the complex and will help refine the focus of studies examining the adaptive consequences of this gene expansion. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5492644 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5492644 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5483135&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F353 Conclusions: This is consistent with the hypothesis that tail morphology influences predation rates by reducing the probability a predator strikes the head or body. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5483135 Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5483135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5483136&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F352 Conclusions: The molecular phylogeny presented here is strongly inconsistent with the traditional, morphology-based classification. The remarkably high degree of non-monophyly in the genus Cettia is likely to be one of the most extraordinary examples of misconceived relationships in an avian genus. The phylogeny suggests instances of parallel evolution, as well as highly unequal rates of morphological divergence in different lineages. This complex morphological evolution apparently misled earlier taxonomists. These results underscore the well-known but still often neglected problem of basing classifications on overall morphological similarity. Based on the molecular data, a revised taxonomy is proposed. Although the traditional and species tree methods inferred much the same tree in the pr... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5483136 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5483136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5473664&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F351 Naked mole rats exhibit extreme polymorphism in sperm structure with most spermatozoa classified as abnormal, which is linked to a lack of sperm competition as reproduction is typically restricted to a single male. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5473664 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5473664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5473665&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F350 Conclusions: The mechanistic predispositions of different MSV genomic regions to recombination can strongly influence the accessibility of high-fitness MSV recombinants. The frequency with which the fittest recombinant MSV genomes arise also correlates directly with the escalating selection pressures imposed by increasingly MSV-resistant maize hosts. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5473665 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5473665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5465212&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F349 Conclusions: Our results are consistent with the Norwegian origin hypothesis for the Chilean outbreak clade. In particular, ISAV HPR0 genotype is not the ancestor of all ISAV strains, although SK779/06 (HPR0) shares a common ancestor with the Chilean outbreak clade. Our analyses suggest that ISAV shows hallmarks typical of RNA viruses that can be exploited in epidemiological and surveillance settings. In addition, we hypothesized that genetic diversity of the HPR region is governed by recombination, probably due to template switching and that novel fusion gene proteolytic sites confer a selective advantage for the isolates that carry them. Additionally, protein modeling allowed us to relate the results of phylogenetic studies with the predicted structures. This study demonstrates that phyl... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5465212 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5465212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5465213&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F348 Conclusions: Our results suggest that the sexual-asexual L. fabarum group represents a young complex of lineages with incomplete isolation between reproductive modes. We propose three mechanisms of genetic exchange that may jointly explain the high genotypic diversity observed in asexual parasitoids: (i) the formation of new asexual lineages via 'contagious parthenogenesis', (ii) introgression from sexual lineages through matings between sexual males and thelytokous females, and (iii) 'cryptic sex' within asexuals, mediated by rare males that thelytokous lines are known to produce spontaneously. The partially strong differentiation among wasps collected from different aphids suggests that host specialization can evolve readily in these parasitoids. Finally, we conclude that in the light of... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5465213 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5465213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5465214&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F347 Conclusions: Our results provide evidence for divergence in allopatry and niche conservatism between the Western lineage and the ancestor of P. h. edwardsianus and P. h. hispanicus Central lineage, whereas they suggest that niche divergence is involved in the origin of the latter two lineages. Both processes were temporally separated and may be responsible for the here documented genetic and phenotypic diversity of P. hispanicus. The temporal pattern is in line with those proposed for other animal lineages. It suggests that geographic isolation and vicariance played an important role in the early diversification of the group, and that lineage diversification was further amplified through ecological divergence. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5465214 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5465214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5465215&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F346 Conclusions: Interspecific genetic isolation at diploid level combined with introgression at tetraploid level indicates that polyploidy may buffer against negative consequences of interspecific hybridisation. The role of introgression in polyploid systems may, however, differ between plant species, and even within the small genus Arabidopsis, we find very different evolutionary fates when it comes to introgression. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5465215 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5465215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5454086&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F345 Conclusions: Obligate monogamy can be maintained in the population in spite of the advantages of EPM. Blackmailing, which makes policing a non-altruistic act, is crucial for the maintenance of faithful monogamy. Although biparental care, EPM, mate guarding and punishment are shared by many species, gossiping and blackmailing make the human mating system unique. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5454086 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5454086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5454087&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F344 Conclusions: Our findings show that range size of a species is shaped by an interplay of geographic and ecological factors, with a phylogenetic component affecting both of them. The understanding of the factors that determine the size and geographical location of the distributional range of species is fundamental to the study of the origin and assemblage of the current biota. Our results show that for this purpose the most relevant data may be the phylogenetic history of the species and its geographical location. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5454087 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5454087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5447662&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F343 Conclusions: The similar genetic distances between terminal sister-lineages observed in these select taxa from the freshwater Chilean species assemblage were formed by different processes occurring over the last ~5.0 Ma. Dramatic changes in historic sea levels documented in the region appear to have independently shaped the evolutionary history of each group. Our study illustrates the important role that history plays in shaping a species assemblage and argues against assuming similar patterns equal a shared evolutionary history. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5447662 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5447662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5437289&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F339 The discovery of many new Caenorhabditis species reveals the independent evolution of hermaphroditism in several of these nematode species and allows their natural habitat, rotten fruits and flowers, to be defined for the first time. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5437289 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5437289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5437288&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F340 Conclusions: Functional differences among retained paralogs of key retina-specific transcriptionfactors between teleosts and tetrapods might provide important clues forunderstanding their potential impact on the generation of retinal neuronal diversity.Intriguingly, within teleosts, retention of zebrafish barhl1.2 and its medaka orthologbarhl1 appears to correlate with the acquisition of distinct signalling mechanisms bythe two genes within distinct retinal cell lineages. Our findings provide a startingpoint for the study of barhl gene evolution in relation to the generation of celldiversity in the vertebrate retina. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5437288 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5437288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5437287&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F341 Conclusions: This broad-scale phylogenetic analysis helps to reveal the successive waves of diversification that made up the diversity of land plants we see today. Both warm temperatures and wet climate may have been necessary for the rise of the diversity under a successive lineage replacement scenario. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5437287 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5437287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5437286&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F342 Conclusion: MEPE shows a high number of selection signatures, revealing the crucial role of positive selection in the evolution of this SIBLING member. The selection signatures were found mainly outside the functional motifs, reinforcing the idea that other regions outside the dentonin and the ASARM might be crucial for the function of the protein and future studies should be undertaken to understand its importance. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5437286 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5437286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5428087&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F337 Conclusions: TipE-like genes form a remarkably conserved genomic cluster across all examined insect genomes. This study reveals likely structural and functional constraints on the genomic evolution of insect TipE gene family members maintained in synteny over hundreds of millions of years of evolution. The likely common origin of these NaV channel regulators with BKCa auxiliary subunits highlights the evolutionary plasticity of ion channel regulatory mechanisms. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5428087 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5428087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417651&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F333 Conclusions: The relative genetic homogeneity observed across populations of this steppe raptor may be explained by a short isolation time, relatively recent population expansions and a relaxed philopatry. We highlight the importance of considering the consequence of isolation and colonization processes in order to better understand the evolutionary history of steppe species. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417651 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417650&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F334 Conclusions: Overall, this work uses an evolutionary biology approach, 3D-modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to arrive at new insights into functions of Leishmania META1. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417650 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417649&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F335 Conclusions: The evolved group foraging can be seen as cooperative in the sense that it leads to a mutually-beneficial synergy: together individuals can achieve more than on their own. This cooperation exists as a group-level process generated by the interaction between grouping and the environment. Thus we reveal how such a synergy can originate in evolution as a side-effect of grouping via multi-level selection. Here there is no cooperative dilemma as individuals cannot avoid producing information for their neighbors. This scenario may be a useful starting point for studying the evolution of further social and cooperative complexity. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417649 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417648&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F336 Conclusions: Our results indicate that filovirus-like elements have significance beyond genomic imprints of prior infection. That is, there appears to be, or have been, functionally maintained copies of such genes in mammals. "Living fossils" of filoviruses appear to be selectively maintained in a diverse mammalian genus (Myotis). (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417648 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417654&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F330 Conclusions: This analysis revealed that Kreisler and Krox20 dependent enhancers critical in segmental regulation of the hindbrain appear to be specific for the vertebrate lineage. In contrast, neural enhancers that function as Hox response elements through the action of Hox/Pbx binding motifs have been conserved during chordate evolution. The functional assays reveal that these Hox response cis-elements are recognized by the regulatory components of different and extant species. Together, our results indicate that during chordate evolution, cis-elements dependent upon Hox/Pbx regulatory complexes, are responsible for key aspects of segmental Hox expression in neural tissue and appeared with urochordates after cephalochordate divergence. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417654 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417653&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F331 Conclusions: This study provides strong support for Olpidium as the closest living flagellated relative of the terrestrial fungi. Appearing nested among hyphal fungi, Olpidium's unicellular thallus may have been derived from ancestral hyphae. Early in their evolution, terrestrial hyphal fungi may have reproduced with zoospores. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417653 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417652&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F332 Conclusion: Our model suggests that vertebrate gphalpha and gphbeta were generated by a specific local duplication of the ancestral forms of gpa2 and gpb5, followed by a translocation of gphbeta to a new environment whereas gphalpha was retained in the gpa2-gpb5 locus. The two rounds of whole genome duplication that occurred early in the evolution of vertebrates generated four paralogues of each gene but secondary gene losses or lineage specific duplications together with genomic rearrangements have resulted in the present organization of these genes, which differs between vertebrate lineages. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417652 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417656&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F328 Conclusions: Our study provides a window into the maternal origins of extant domestic horses and confirms that modern domestic breeds present a wide sample of the mtDNA diversity found in ancestral, now extinct, wild horse populations. The data obtained allow us to detect a population expansion event coinciding with the beginning of domestication and to estimate both the minimum number of female horses incorporated into the domestic gene pool and the time depth of the domestic horse mtDNA gene pool. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417656 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417656 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5417655&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F329 Male spiders, Pisaura mirabilis, experience similar mating success when offering females a genuine prey gift or an inedible one, however worthless gifts lead to faster termination of copulation and reduced sperm transfer counteracting the cheating. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5417655 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5417655 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5396824&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F327 Conclusions: To examine the generality of the idea that phenotypic selection gradients for certain traits (like size) are consistently upwardly biased by environmental covariance a meta analysis across study systems will be needed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5396824 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5396824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5396825&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F326 Conclusions: Phenotypic complexity evolved as a function of the demands of the selective pressures, rather than the physical properties of the network architecture, such as functional size. Our results show that complexity may be more predictable, and understandable, if analyzed from the perspective of the integrated task the organism performs, rather than the physical architecture used to accomplish such tasks. Thus, top down metrics emphasizing selection may be better for describing biological complexity than bottom up ones representing size and other physical attributes. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5396825 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5396825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5396826&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F325 Conclusions: CYC-like genes have undergone extensive duplication in Dipsacaceae, with radiate species having more copies than discoid species, suggesting a potential role for these genes in the evolution of disk and ray florets. The similarity in CYC-like gene diversification seen in Dipsacaceae and some members of the Asteraceae sets the stage to investigate whether the convergent evolution of capitulum inflorescences in both groups may have been underlain by convergent evolution in the same gene family. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5396826 Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5396826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5396827&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F324 Conclusion: Plausible conditions allow HEGs to sustain at high frequency through long evolutionary periods, with the endonuclease frequency being either at equilibrium or periodically oscillating. The predictions of our model may prove important not only for evolutionary theory but also for gene therapy and bio-engineering applications of HEases. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5396827 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5396827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375437&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F322 Conclusion: This study showed the reliable species tree of the higher and lower taxonomy in the lineage of the Fusarium genus. Our ML tree clearly indicated 7 major clades within the Fusarium genus. Furthermore, this study reported differences in the evolutionary histories among multiple genes within this genus for the first time. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375437 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375436&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F323 Conclusions: Our results reveal the impact of feedbacks between the evolution of within-fight behaviour and the evolution of higher-level conflict strategies, such as turn-taking. Similar feedbacks might be important for the evolution of other conflict strategies such as winner-loser effects or coalitions. However, we are not aware of any study that investigated such feedbacks. Furthermore, our model suggests that turn-taking could be used by animals to partition low value resources, but to our knowledge this has never been tested. The existence of turn-taking might have been overlooked because it leads to societies with similar characteristics that have been expected to emerge from scramble competition. Analyses of temporal interaction patterns could be used to test whether turn-taking oc... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375436 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375439&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F320 Conclusions: The discovery of population structure, combined with knowledge of associated phenotypes and environmental adaptations, enables a rational approach to identification of landraces that might be used as sources of germplasm for breeding programs. The population structure also enables hypotheses concerning the prehistoric spread and development of agriculture to be addressed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375439 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375438&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F321 Conclusions: We pinpoint key conserved residues that can be predicted to mediate functional differences from eukaryotic homologs in three identified kinase families. We discuss the structural, functional and evolutionary implications of these lineage-specific variations and propose specific hypotheses for experimental investigation. The apicomplexan-specific kinase features reported in this study can be used in the design of selective kinase inhibitors. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375438 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375440&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F319 Conclusions: Our theoretical results confirm the importance of empirical studies for measuring the environmental heterogeneity for genetic costs of resistance and virulence alleles. We suggest that such studies should be developed to investigate the generality of this mechanism for the long-term maintenance of genetic diversity at host and parasite genes. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375440 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375442&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F317 Conclusions: Our study provides the first unequivocal evidence of terrestrial endemic fauna of the major western Mediterranean islands, whose origin can be traced back to the Oligocene separation of these islands from the continent. Moreover, our study provides useful information on the divergence rate estimates of the most commonly used genes for phylogenetic inference in non-model arthropods. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375442 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375441&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F318 Conclusions: These results represent a rare demonstration of inbreeding depression using pedigree-based estimates in a wild mammal population and highlight the potential strength of effects on key components of fitness. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375441 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5375443&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F316 Conclusions: The early divergence and distinctive morphologies of the extant gardineriid and micrabaciid corals suggest a link with Ordovician "scleractiniamorph" fossils that were previously assumed to represent extinct anthozoan skeletonized lineages. Therefore, scleractinian corals most likely evolved from Paleozoic soft-bodied ancestors. Modern shallow-water Scleractinia, which are dependent on symbionts, appear to have had several independent origins from solitary, non-symbiotic precursors. The Scleractinia have survived periods of massive climate change in the past, suggesting that as a lineage they may be less vulnerable to future changes than often assumed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5375443 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5375443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5355400&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F314 Conclusion: Several novel SINEs were found to differentiate Delphinidae from the other two families (Monodontidae and Phocoenidae), whereas the sister grouping of the latter two families with exclusion of Delphinidae was further revealed using the SINE-flanking sequences. Interestingly, some anomalous PCR amplification patterns of SINE insertions were detected, which can be explained as the result of potential ancestral SINE polymorphisms and incomplete lineage sorting. Although a few loci were potentially anomalous, this study demonstrated that the SINE-based approach is a powerful tool in phylogenetic studies. Identifying additional SINE elements that resolve the relationships in the superfamily Delphinoidea and family Delphinidae will be important steps forward in completely resolving c... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5355400 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5355400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5355399&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F315 Conclusion: We show for the first time that mitogenomic data agrees with nuclear and morphological data for several of the most controversial insect evolutionary relationships, adding a new independent source of evidence to study relationships among insect orders. We propose that deeper divergences cannot be inferred with the current available methods due to sequence saturation and compositional bias inconsistencies. Our exploratory analysis indicates that the CAT model is the best dealing with LBA and it could be useful for other groups and datasets with similar phylogenetic difficulties. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5355399 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5355399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5355401&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F313 Conclusions: The phylogenetic distribution of SWS1 cone opsin types in Passeriformes reveals a much higher degree of complexity in avian colour vision evolution than what was previously indicated from the limited data available. Clades with variation in the colour vision system are nested among clades with a seemingly stable VS or UVS state, providing a rare opportunity to understand how an ecologically important trait under simple genetic control may co-evolve with, and be stabilised by, associated traits in a character complex. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5355401 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5355401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5343525&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F311 Conclusions: Our approach provides a flexible framework for the estimation of diversification parameters and hypothesis testing while simultaneously accounting for uncertainties in the divergence times and incomplete taxon sampling. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5343525 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5343525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5343526&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F310 Conclusions: The question of whether this case of ecological differentiation occurred in sympatry or allopatry remains open. Still, the observed pattern points towards ongoing divergence between the two ecotypes which is likely driven by a recent shift in host plant use. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5343526 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5343526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330672&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F308 Conclusions: We defined ultramicro inversions as the inverted regions equal to or smaller than 125 bp buried within local alignments. Our observations suggest that ultramicro inversions are abundant among the human and chimpanzee genomes, and that location of the inversions correlated with the genome structural instability. Some of the ultramicro inversions may contribute to gene evolution. Our inversion-identification method is also applicable in the fine-tuning of genome alignments by distinguishing ultramicro inversions from nucleotide substitutions and indels. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330672 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330671&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F309 Conclusions: Our results suggest that the relative chromosome-wide effect sizes are comparable between the long separated subspecies M. m. domesticus and M. m. musculus, hinting at a relative stability of genes involved in this complex trait. However, the absolute effect sizes and the effect directions may be allele-dependent, or are context dependent, i.e. epistatic interactions appear to play an important role in controlling shape. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330671 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330674&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F306 Conclusions: Although mandible shapes in natural populations can be influenced by environmental variables, these influences are insufficient to explain the average extent of shape differences between populations, such that evolutionary processes must be invoked to explain this level of diversity. We discuss that adaptive evolution may contribute to shape changes between populations, in particular in newly colonized areas. A comparison between inbred strains and wild mice suggests that the laboratory environment has no major systematic effect on the mandible shape and that such strains can be used as representatives of the natural shape differences between individuals. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330674 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330673&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F307 Conclusions: Taken together, our histological and expression data strongly suggest that teeth and dermal denticles develop from the same developmental module and under the control of the same set of Dlx genes. Teeth and dermal denticles should therefore be considered as serial homologs developing through the initiation of a common gene regulatory network (GRN) at several body locations. This mechanism of heterotopy supports the 'inside and out' model that has been recently proposed for odontode evolution. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330673 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330677&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F303 Genetic differences between populations of the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix and its algal endosymbionts across reef habitats of varying depth are due to divergent selection and adaptation to the different environmental conditions encountered at each depth. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330677 Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330676&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F304 Conclusions: These results suggest that the evolution of Pollicipes 5S rDNA is driven by birth-and-death processes with strong purifying selection. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330676 Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5330675&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F305 Conclusion: Our data suggest that R. etli is a species composed of separated lineages with low homologous recombination among the strains. Horizontal gene transfer, particularly via the symbiotic plasmid characteristic of this species, seems to play an important role in diversity but the lineages maintain their evolutionary cohesiveness. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5330675 Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5330675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5321529&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F302 Conclusions: We have identified three avian FOXE1 genes based on synteny and sequence similarity as well as characterized the expression pattern of the chicken FOXE1 gene during development. Our evolutionary analyses suggest that while a relaxed purifying selection is likely to be the dominant force driving accelerated evolution of avian FOXE1 genes, a few residues may have evolved adaptively. This study provides a basis for future genetic and comparative biochemical studies of FOXE1. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5321529 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5321529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5321530&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F301 Conclusions: Our data, obtained through a novel analysis methodology, strongly supports the hypothesis that the patchwork model better explains the more recent evolution of the S. cerevisiae metabolic network. Interestingly, the effects of a patchwork strategy acting before the Euascomycete-Hemiascomycete divergence are still detectable today. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5321530 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5321530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5321531&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F300 Conclusions: Overall, our results from 14 vertebrate clades show that combined-data analyses are not necessarily dominated by the more variable mtDNA data sets. However, given cases like Plethodon, there is also the need for routine checking of incongruence between mtDNA and nucDNA data and its impacts on combined-data analyses. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5321531 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5321531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5310776&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F298 Conclusions: RHOXF2 is a fast-evolving homeobox gene in primates. The rapid evolution and copy number changes of RHOXF2 had been driven by Darwinian positive selection acting on the male reproductive system and possibly also on the central nervous system, which sheds light on understanding the role of homeobox genes in adaptive evolution. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5310776 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5310776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5310775&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F299 Conclusions: The use of fossils from the host as absolute calibration and the assumption of a strict clock likely underestimate time when performing molecular dating analyses on malarial parasites. Indeed, by exploring different calibration points, we found that the time for the radiation of primate parasites may have taken place in the Eocene, a time consistent with the radiation of African anthropoids. The radiation of the four human parasite lineages was part of such events. The time frame estimated in this investigation, together with our phylogenetic analyses, made plausible a scenario where gorillas and humans acquired malaria from a Pan lineage. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5310775 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5310775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5310778&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F296 Conclusions: Ecology is almost always involved in speciation, however, it would seem to have had a little role in species generation within Isolona and Monodora at the scale analyzed here. This is consistent with the geographical speciation model for TRF diversification. These results contrast to other studies for non-TRF plant species where ecological speciation was found to be an important factor of diversification. The Pliocene period appears to be a vital time in the generation of African TRF diversity, whereas Pleistocene climatic fluctuations have had a smaller role on speciation than previously thought. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5310778 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5310778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5310777&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F297 Conclusions: Madagascar's southeastern transitional zone harbors two very different hybrid zones of mouse lemurs in different environmental settings. This sheds light on the multitude of opportunities for the formation of hybrid zones and indicates an important influence of environmental factors on secondary contact and hybridization. Our findings suggest that hybridization could enhance the adaptability of mouse lemurs without necessarily leading to a loss of distinctiveness. They point to a potential role of hybridization in Madagascar's diversification history that requires further investigation. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5310777 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5310777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5310779&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F295 Conclusions: Despite recent efforts for increasing the taxon sampling in euthyneuran (opisthobranchs and pulmonates) molecular phylogenies, several of the deeper nodes are still uncertain, because of low support values as well as some incongruence between analyses based on complete mitochondrial genomes and those based on individual genes (18S, 28S, 16S, CO1). Additional complete genomes are needed for pulmonates (especially for Williamia, Otina, and Smeagol), as well as basal heterobranchs closely related to euthyneurans. Increasing the number of markers for gastropod (and more broadly mollusk) phylogenetics also is necessary in order to resolve some of the deeper nodes -although clearly not an easy task. Step by step, however, new relationships are being unveiled, such as the close relat... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5310779 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5310779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5301842&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F294 Conclusions: By extending Lagomorpha TRIM5alpha studies to an additional genus known to bear RELIK, we verified that the divergent species-specific pattern observed between the Oryctolagus and Lepus PRYSPRY-domains is also present in Sylvilagus TRIM5alpha. This work is one of the first known studies that compare the evolution of the antiretroviral restriction factor TRIM5alpha in different mammalian groups, Lagomorpha and Primates. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5301842 Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5301842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292947&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F293 Conclusions: Our results suggest that Native American founders diverged from their Siberian-Asian progenitors sometime during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and expanded into America soon after the LGM peak (~20-16 kya). The phylogeography of haplogroup C1 suggest that this American founder haplogroup differentiated in Siberia-Asia. The situation is less clear for haplogroup B2, however haplogroups A2 and D1 may have differentiated soon after the Native American founders divergence. A moderate population bottle neck in American founder populations just before the expansion most plausibly resulted in few founder types in America. The similar estimates of the diversity indices and Bayesian skyline analysis in North America, Central America and South America suggest almost simultaneous (~ 2.0... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292947 Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292948&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F292 Conclusions: Progress in understanding the signaling cascade in the A. gambiae reproductive pathway will elucidate the interaction of this MAG-specific protein family with their female counterparts. This knowledge will allow a better evaluation of the relative importance of genes involved in the reproductive isolation and fertility of A. gambiae species and could help the interpretation of the observed evolutionary patterns. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292948 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292950&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F289 Conclusions: Given that phylogenetic analysis merged Cenchrus and newly investigated Pennisetum species into a single clade containing a terminal cluster of Cenchrus apomicts, the presumed monophyletic origin of Cenchrus is supported. The Apospory-Specific Genomic Region likely preceded speciation in Cenchrus and its lateral transfer through hybridization and subsequent chromosome repatterning may have contributed to further speciation in the two genera. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292950 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292949&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F290 Conclusions: The model described here takes a novel approach to understanding the spread of Wolbachia through a population with explicit dynamics. By combining a stochastic female adult lifestage and deterministic immature/adult male lifestages, the model predicts that even those Wolbachia infections that cause minor decreases in immature survival are unlikely to invade and spread within the host population. The results are discussed in relation to recent theoretical and empirical studies of natural population replacement events and proposed applied research, which would use Wolbachia as a tool to manipulate insect populations. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292949 Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292952&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F287 Conclusions: Baltic coast and coastal lake populations show little morphological and genetic variation within and between groups suggesting that these populations experience similar ecological conditions and that time since isolation of coastal lakes has been insufficient to demonstrate divergent morphology in coastal lake populations. Inland populations, on the other hand, showed much greater morphological and genetic variation characteristic of long periods of isolation. Inland populations from lakes without predators generally have larger body size, and smaller spine length relative to body size, suggesting systematic reduction in spine length. In contrast, inland populations with predators exhibit a wider range of spine lengths relative to body size suggesting that this trait is respon... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292952 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5292951&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F288 Conclusions: Evidence of genetic stratification ascribable to the Sumerian development was provided by the Y-chromosome data where the J1-Page08 branch reveals a local expansion, almost contemporary with the Sumerian City State period that characterized Southern Mesopotamia. On the other hand, a more ancient background shared with to Northern Mesopotamia is revealed by the less represented Y-chromosome lineage J1-M267*. Overall our results indicate that the introduction of water buffalo breeding and rice farming, most likely from the Indian sub-continent, only marginally affected the gene pool of autochthonous people of the region. Furthermore, a prevalent Middle Eastern ancestry of the modern population of the marshes of southern Iraq implies that if the Marsh Arabs are descendants of the... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5292951 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5292951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5281489&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F286 Conclusions: Our results present a contrast to previous research, which has reported significant positive associations between substitution rates and diversification for birds, angiosperms and reptiles. There are three possible reasons for the differences between the observed results in mammals versus other clades. First, there may be no link between substitution rates and diversification in mammals. Second, this link may exist, but may be much weaker in mammals than in other clades. Third, the link between substitution rates and diversification may exist in mammals, but may be confounded by other variables. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5281489 Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5281489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5281490&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F283 Conclusions: Our findings show that the highly polymorphic CYP1A2 gene in macaques has not been created by balancing selection but by the burst of CpG site degeneration after loss of functional constraint. Because the functional importance of CYP1A1/2 genes is different between humans and macaques, we have to be cautious in extrapolating a drug-testing data using substrates metabolized by CYP1A genes from macaques to humans, despite of their somewhat overlapping substrate specificity. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5281490 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5281490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5281491&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F282 Conclusions: The signature of sex was found in worldwide populations of PAC species and functionality of MAT genes is likely preserved by purifying selection. We hypothesize that cryptic sex regularely occurs in the PAC and that further field studies and in vitro crosses will lead to the discovery of the sexual state. Although structurally heterothallic species prevail, it cannot be excluded that homothallism represents the ancestral breeding system in the PAC. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5281491 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5281491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5268660&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F281 Conclusions: The phylogenetic hypothesis generated here provides a robust framework for a revised cladistic classification of Pteropodidae into subfamilies and tribes and will greatly contribute to the understanding of character evolution and biogeography of pteropodids. The inability of our data to resolve the deepest relationships of the major pteropodid lineages suggests an explosive diversification soon after origin of the crown pteropodids. Several characteristics of pteropodids are consistent with this conclusion, including high species diversity, great morphological diversity, and presence of key innovations in relation to their sister group. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5268660 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5268660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5268661&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F280 Conclusions: The framework for analyzing symmetry and asymmetry is suitable for studying structures with any type of symmetry in two or three dimensions. Studies of complex symmetries are promising for many contexts in evolutionary biology, such as fluctuating asymmetry, because these structures can potentially provide more information than structures with bilateral symmetry. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5268661 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5268661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5268662&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F279 Conclusions: Together, these results suggest that relaxation of selection for codon usage and gene expression contribute to rate asymmetry in the evolution of duplicated genes and that in SSD pairs, the relaxation of selection stems from the loss of ancestral regulatory information in the derived copy. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5268662 Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5268662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5268663&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F278 Conclusions: We conclude that genetic differentiation among A. uncatus populations changed markedly both temporally and spatially in response to the extreme climate event in 2003. Our results highlight the magnitude of temporal population genetic changes in response to extreme events. More specifically, our results show that extreme events can cause rapid genetic divergence in metapopulations. Further studies are needed to determine if recovery from this perturbation through gradual mixing of diverged populations by migration and gene flow leads to the pre-climate event state, or whether the observed changes represent a new genetic equilibrium. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5268663 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5268663 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257286&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F277 Conclusions: We infer that the cox1 intron was separately and recently acquired by at least three different lineages of Solanaceae. The striking identity of the intron and CCT from two of these lineages suggests that one of these three intron captures may have occurred by a within-family transfer event. This is consistent with previous evidence that horizontal transfer in plants is biased towards phylogenetically local events. The discovery of extended co-conversion suggests that other cox1 conversions may be longer than realized but obscured by the exceptional conservation of plant mitochondrial sequences. Our findings provide further support for the rampant-transfer model of cox1 intron evolution and recommend the Solanaceae as a model system for the experimental analysis of cox1 intron ... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257286 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:46:32 +0100 5257286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257293&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F270 Conclusions: Taken together, the IS elements in the A. asiaticus genome are currently in the process of degradation and largely represent reflections of the evolutionary past of A. asiaticus in which its genome was shaped by their activity. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257293 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257292&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F271 Conclusions: The strict clock can be superior for trees with shallow roots because of low levels of rate variation between branches. The LRT allows robust assessment of suitability of the clock model as does examination of posteriors on sigma squared. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257292 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257291&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F272 Conclusions: The phylogeny of the SRY-promoter shows an association between Rupicapra and Capra. The position of Ammotragus needs a reinvestigation. The study of ancestral and derived characters in the Y-chromosome suggests that, contrary to the presumed Asian origin, the paternal lineage of chamois originated in the Mediterranean, most probably in the Iberian Peninsula, and dispersed eastwards through serial funding events during the glacial-interglacial cycles of the Quaternary. The diversity of Y-chromosomes in chamois is very low. The differences in patterns of variation among Y-chromosome, mtDNA and biparental microsatellites reflect the evolutionary characteristics of the different markers as well as the effects of sex-biased dispersal and species phylogeography. (Source: BMC Evoluti... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257291 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257290&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F273 Conclusions: Our results suggest that the forerunner of UlaG was present as an RNA metabolizing enzyme in the last common ancestor, and that the modern descendants of that ancestral gene have a wide phylogenetic distribution and functional roles. We propose that the UlaGL family evolved new metabolic roles among bacterial and possibly archeal phyla in the setting of a close association with metazoans, such as in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract or in animal and plant pathogens, as well as in environmental settings. Accordingly, the major evolutionary forces shaping the UlaGL family include vertical inheritance and lineage-specific duplication and acquisition of novel metabolic functions, followed by HGT and numerous lineage-specific gene loss events. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology -... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257290 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257289&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F274 Conclusions: S. mediterranea is an old species that is sparsely distributed in a harsh habitat, which is probably the consequence of the migration of the Corsica-Sardinia block. This species probably adapted to temperate climates in the middle of a changing Mediterranean climate that eventually became dry and hot. These data also suggest that in the mainland localities of Europe and Africa, sexual individuals of S. mediterranea are being replaced by asexual individuals that are either conspecific or are from other species that are better adapted to the Mediterranean climate. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257289 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257288&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F275 Conclusion: A monophyletic assemblage strongly supported in all our phylogenetic analysis is herein defined as the Characidae and includes the characiform species lacking a supraorbital bone and with a derived position of the emergence of the hyoid artery from the anterior ceratohyal. To recognize this and several other monophyletic groups within characiforms we propose changes in the limits of several families to facilitate future studies in the Characiformes and particularly the Characidae. This work presents a new phylogenetic framework for a speciose and morphologically diverse group of freshwater fishes of significant ecological and evolutionary importance across the Neotropics and portions of Africa. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257288 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257287&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F276 Conclusions: Our discovery extends the host range of circular ssDNA viruses and sheds light on the origin and evolution of these viruses. It also suggests that ssDNA viruses act as an unforeseen source of genetic innovation in their hosts. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257287 Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257295&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F268 Conclusions: The coronin class distribution suggests that the last common eukaryotic ancestor possessed a single and a tandem-coronin, and most probably a class-4 coronin of which homologs have been identified in Excavata and Opisthokonts although most of these species subsequently lost the class-4 homolog. The most ancient short coronin already contained the trimerization motif in the coiled-coil domain. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257295 Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5257294&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F269 Conclusions: On the base of existing differences between Revolver variants, the molecular markers that can distinguish different rye chromosomes were developed. Eco-geographic diversification of wild emmer T. dicoccoides in Israel and high Revolver copy numbers are associated with higher rainfall and biotic stresses. The remarkable quantitative differences among copy numbers of Revolver in the same species from different ecosystems suggest strong amplification activity within the last 10,000 years. It is the interesting finding because the majority of Triticeae high-copy transposable elements seem to be inactive at the recent time except for BARE-1 element in Hordeum and the fact might be interesting to perceive the processes of plant adaptive evolution. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology -... BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5257294 Sun, 25 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5257294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246350&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F264 Conclusions: The cytonuclear discordance seems to reflect the occurrence of interspecific hybridization between these two closely related toad species. Overall, our results suggest a phenomenon of extensive mtDNA unidirectional introgression from the previously occurring R. schneideri into the invading R. marina. We hypothesize that climatic-induced range shifts during the Pleistocene/Holocene may have played an important role in the observed patterns of introgression. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246350 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246353&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F261 Derek Bickerton and Eors Szathmary discuss current thinking in the role of human confrontational scavenging in the emergence of language and the high degree of cooperation seen, and directions for future research in this area. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246353 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246353 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246352&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F262 Conclusions: Our case study revealed several discrepancies between ITS2 evolution in the Ulvales and generally accepted assumptions underlying ITS2 evolution as e.g. the CBC clade concept. Therefore, we developed a suite of methods providing a critical 'close-up' view into ITS2 evolution by directly tracing the evolutionary history of individual positions, and we caution against a non-critical use of the ITS2 CBC -clade concept for species delimitation. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246352 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246352 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246351&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F263 Conclusions: In this study, we identified several DGAT1 and DGAT2 homologs in eukaryote taxa. Overall, the data show that DGAT1 and DGAT2 are present in most eukaryotic organisms and belong to two different gene families. The phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses revealed that DGAT1 and DGAT2 evolved separately, with functional convergence, despite their wide molecular and structural divergence. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246351 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233496&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F260 Conclusion: Unbiased assessments of the viabilities of species may only be obtained by identifying and considering the most limiting processes (i.e., demography or genetics), or, preferentially, by integrating them. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233496 Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233497&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F259 John Stiller comments on the need for phylogenomic studies that test explicit a priori hypothesis-driven predictions of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), using rigorous statistical methods, with clearly defined experimental controls due to the large and complex nature of eukaryotic genome sequences. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233497 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5246354&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F255 Conclusions: Our study represents the first phylogenetic analyses based on LCNGs in Pyrus. Ancient and recent duplications lead to a complex structure of Adh outparalogs and inparalogs in Pyrus and Malus, resulting in neofunctionalization, nonfunctionalization and possible subfunctionalization. Among all investigated orthologs, LFY2int2-N is the best nuclear marker for phylogenetic reconstruction of Pyrus due to suitable sequence divergence and the absence of lineage sorting. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5246354 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5246354 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233503&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F252 Conclusions: Our analysis supports the notion that taxa, which appear to have diversified exponentially using fossil data, may in fact have diversified more logistically. This in turn suggests that one of the major apparent differences between the marine and terrestrial fossil record may simply be an artifact of incomplete sampling. Our results also support previous notions that adult colouration plays an important role in odonate radiation, and that Anisozygoptera should be grouped in a single inclusive taxon with Anisoptera, separate from Zygoptera. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233503 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233502&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F253 Conclusions: This is the first study to document male-biased slimfast expression. Our data suggest that the male-biased aphid slimfast paralogs diverged from their ancestral function to fill a functional role in males. Furthermore, our results provide evidence that members of the slimfast expansion are maintained in the aphid genome not only for the previously hypothesized role in mediating amino acid exchange between the symbiotic partners, but also for sex-specific roles. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233502 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233501&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F254 Conclusions: Our results are consistent with a diversity-dependent model of diversification in New Caledonia. In opposition to the museum model, our results provide additional evidence that original New Caledonian biodiversity was wiped out during the episode of submersion, providing an open and empty space facilitating evolutionary radiations. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233501 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233500&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F256 Conclusion: Our results provide suggestive evidence that the combination of NFDS and gene-by-environment interaction, i.e., multi-selection pressure on color morphs, can explain the geographic cline in morph frequency in the current system. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233500 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233499&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F257 Conclusion: Coding sequences of malaria parasites contain prospectively definable domains subject to neutral or nearly neutral evolution on a scale that appears unrivalled in biology. This distinct evolutionary landscape has potential to confound analytical methods developed for other genera. Against this tide of genetic drift, polymorphisms mediating functional change stand out to such an extent that evolutionary context provides a useful signal for identifying the molecular basis of drug resistance in malaria parasites, a finding that is of relevance to both genome-wide and candidate gene studies in this genus. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233499 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5233498&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F258 Conclusions: These results indicate that within the Drosophila genus, a historically reduced strength of selection relative to drift is unlikely to explain patterns of increased TE success across species. Other factors, such as ecological exposure, are likely to contribute to variation in TE abundances within species. Furthermore, constraints on the piRNA machinery may temper the evolutionary arms race that would drive increasing rates of evolution at the amino acid level. In the face of these constraints, selection may act primarily by improving the translational efficiency of the machinery of genome defense through efficient codon usage. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5233498 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5233498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5217696&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F250 Sandra Knapp and colleagues discuss what the changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature do and don?t mean for those wishing to publish new names and descriptions electronically. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5217696 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5217696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5217695&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F251 Forthcoming changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature will allow publication of new taxonomic names in online journals without the need for Latin descriptions or physical distribution of print copies - fully recognizing the importance of e-publication for scientific communication. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5217695 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5217695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5191221&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F248 Conclusions: Gulou carpenteri gen. et sp. nov. is considered the only genuine Plecoptera reported from the Pennsylvanian. Continuing efforts on the systematics of Pennsylvanian winged insects indicate a fauna more diverse than previously appreciated. It suggests that insects already had a long, yet undocumented, history by this time. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5191221 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5191221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5191220&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F249 Many asexual red yeast species retain the genomic machinery for sexual reproduction and this, alongside the existence of asexual strains within sexual species, indicates that loss of sexuality is recent and frequent but not uniformly distributed. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5191220 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5191220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5179236&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F247 Conclusion: The Rv0050 locus encodes the bifunctional penicillin-binding protein ponA1 and is essential to mycobacterial survival. Our investigations of this particularly dynamic genomic region provide insights into the overall mode of microsatellite evolution. Specifically, replication slippage was implicated in the mutational process of this microsatellite and a sequence-based genetic analysis was necessary to determine that point mutation events acted to maintain microsatellite size integrity while providing genomic diversity. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5179236 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5179236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5168895&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F246 Conclusions: The mitochondrial genome of S. erythranum shows many different features from other hexapod and arthropod mitochondrial genomes. It underwent highly divergent evolution. The "cox1-cox2" pattern probably represents the ancestral state for all proturan mitogenomes, and suggests a long evolutionary history for the Protura. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5168895 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5168895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5155673&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F245 Conclusions: Our results are consistent with a tension zone trapped at an ecotone, with gene combinations characteristic of klauberi showing up on the eschscholtzii side of the zone due to asymmetric hybridization. We suggest that the observed asymmetry is best explained by increased discriminatory power of eschscholtzii females, or asymmetric postzygotic isolation. The relatively high frequency of hybrids, particularly F1s, contrasts with other contacts between the terminal forms, and with other contacts between other divergent Ensatina lineages, highlighting the diverse outcomes of secondary contact within a single species complex. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5155673 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5155673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5155675&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F243 Conclusions: Likelihood and Bayesian methods provide a statistical approach to testing differential selection across populations or species. These tests appear robust to the levels of polymorphism found in diverse S-allele collections subject to strong balancing selection. As predicted, the intensity of selection at the S-locus was higher in the taxon with more recent S-locus diversification. This is the first confirmation by statistical test of differing selection intensities among self-incompatibility alleles from different populations or species. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5155675 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5155675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5155674&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F244 The marsupial orthologue of the mammalian PHLDA2 gene, expressed in the less-well developed placenta of the tammar wallaby, is not imprinted suggesting that acquisition of genomic imprinting in this gene occurred specifically in eutherians after marsupial divergence. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5155674 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5155674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5155676&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F242 Conclusions: Domain recombination has played a major part in the evolution of eukaryotes attributing to genome complexity. From a system point of view, as the results of selection and constant refinement, networks of domain linkage are structured in a hierarchical modular fashion. Domains with high degree of networking versatility appear to be evolutionary adaptive, potentially through functional innovations. Domain bigram networks are informative as a model of biological functions. The networking versatility indices extracted from such networks for individual domains reflect the strength of evolutionary selection that the domains have experienced. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5155676 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5155676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5137854&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F240 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5137854 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5137854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5137853&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F241 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5137853 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5137853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5129942&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F239 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5129942 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5129942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5124419&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F238 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5124419 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5124419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117124&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F237 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117124 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117125&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F236 Large male squid (Loligo bleekeri) deposit small sperm internally in the female whereas smaller males deposit larger sperm externally near the female sperm storage organ suggesting that alternative fertilization environments can drive adaptations in sperm size. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117125 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117129&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F232 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117129 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117128&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F233 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117128 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117127&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F234 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117127 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5117126&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F235 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5117126 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5117126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5106117&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F231 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5106117 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5106117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5094303&cid=s_34028_67_f&fid=34028&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biomedcentral.com%2F1471-2148%2F11%2F230 ${item.shortDescription} (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles) BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5094303 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5094303