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| Open AccessGene-associated markers provide tools for tackling illegal fishing and false eco-certification
Catch certificates and eco-labels are used to control illegal fishing worldwide, however, independent control methods are needed. Here, gene-associated SNPs are used to assign individual marine fish back to their population of origin with high precision, with potential application for illegal fishing control.
- Einar E. Nielsen
- , Alessia Cariani
- & Gary R. Carvalho
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An atlas of DNA methylomes in porcine adipose and muscle tissues
Epigenetic and genetic factors have a role in obesity but the role of epigenetics in this disease is unclear. Here, Liet al. investigated global DNA methylation patterns in three breeds of pigs that have different fat contents, providing a resource for the further analysis of differentially methylated gene promoters in obesity.
- Mingzhou Li
- , Honglong Wu
- & Ruiqiang Li
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Article
| Open AccessEvolution of a tissue-specific silencer underlies divergence in the expression of pax2 and pax8 paralogues
Gene paralogues generated during whole-genome duplication events often display distinct tissue expression. In this study, the distinct expression of thepax2 and pax8 paralogues is shown to be governed by the addition of a silencer in the proximal promoter of pax8that limits its tissue expression.
- Haruki Ochi
- , Tomoko Tamai
- & Hajime Ogino
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Recombinant SINEs are formed at high frequency during induced retrotransposition in vivo
SINEs are retrotransposons that insert exact copies of themselves into genomes. Using a marked copy of a SINE, Yadavet al. show that the sequences of newly transposed SINEs are a combination of marked and existing SINEs, suggesting a mechanism for the formation of mosaic SINEs.
- Vijay Pal Yadav
- , Prabhat Kumar Mandal
- & Sudha Bhattacharya
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Article
| Open AccessSymbiont fidelity and the origin of species in fungus-growing ants
Fungus-growing ants cultivate fungi for food, but it is unclear whether single ant and fungal species are exclusive to one another. This study ofC. wheeleriants and their fungi shows that each ant species has been associated with a single fungal cultivar species for millions of years and that ant speciation coincides with shifts in fungal use.
- Natasha J. Mehdiabadi
- , Ulrich G. Mueller
- & Ted R. Schultz
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Molecular preservation of the pigment melanin in fossil melanosomes
Putative fossil melanosomes have been reported but, because their shape and size correspond well with those of bacteria, further evidence is required to confirm their identity. This study reports evidence of melanin in association with melanosome-like microbodies in an argentinoid fish eye from the early Eocene.
- Johan Lindgren
- , Per Uvdal
- & Volker Thiel
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TEMPRANILLO genes link photoperiod and gibberellin pathways to control flowering in Arabidopsis
InArabidopsis the photoperiod pathway promotes flowering in response to longer days, but during short days flowering depends on gibberellin accumulation. This study shows that TEMPRANILLO downregulation is required to induce flowering, as TEMPRANILLOgenes repress floral induction in the photoperiod and gibberellin pathways.
- Michela Osnato
- , Cristina Castillejo
- & Soraya Pelaz
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Adaptive mutations in NEP compensate for defective H5N1 RNA replication in cultured human cells
Adaptive mutations in the avian influenza virus permit replication in mammals but how these mutations enable this effect is unclear. In this study, mutations found in the nuclear export protein of human isolates of H5N1 are shown to enhance the replication of viral RNA in human cells in culture.
- Benjamin Mänz
- , Linda Brunotte
- & Martin Schwemmle
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VEGETATIVE1 is essential for development of the compound inflorescence in pea
An understanding of the genetic network that controls the flower-bearing structure—the inflorescence—in plants helps to explain the diversity seen in plant forms. This work identifies a new mechanism for the generation of inflorescence complexity in legumes, which is based on the function of theVEG1gene.
- Ana Berbel
- , Cristina Ferrándiz
- & Francisco Madueño
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Article
| Open AccessDecreased extra-renal urate excretion is a common cause of hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia, or gout, is thought to arise either from urate overproduction or from decreased renal excretion of urate. Ichidaet al. show that the extra-renal excretion of urate also has a role in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia, and propose a new classification for patients with this disease.
- Kimiyoshi Ichida
- , Hirotaka Matsuo
- & Hiroshi Suzuki
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Transient activation of specific neurons in mice by selective expression of the capsaicin receptor
The ability to spatially and temporally control excitation of neuronsin vivo is an invaluable tool. By expressing the TRPV1 receptor in specific neuronal populations, Güler et al. have developed a rapid and noninvasive method to stimulate neuronal activity by the simple administration of capsaicin.
- Ali D. Güler
- , Aundrea Rainwater
- & Richard D. Palmiter
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RUNX1-induced silencing of non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIB contributes to megakaryocyte polyploidization
Megakaryocytes undergo polyploidization prior to forming platelets but this process is poorly characterised. In this study, non-muscle myosin IIB heavy chain, that localizes to the contractile ring during mitosis, is shown to be silenced prior to polyploidization in a RUNX1-dependent manner.
- Larissa Lordier
- , Dominique Bluteau
- & Yunhua Chang
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Article
| Open AccessNew insights into the Tyrolean Iceman's origin and phenotype as inferred by whole-genome sequencing
The Tyrolean Iceman is 5,300 years old and his mitochondrial genome has been previously sequenced. This study reports the full genome sequence of the Iceman and reveals that he probably had brown eyes, was at risk for coronary disease and may have been infected with the pathogen Lyme borreliosis.
- Andreas Keller
- , Angela Graefen
- & Albert Zink
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miR-196b directly targets both HOXA9/MEIS1 oncogenes and FAS tumour suppressor in MLL-rearranged leukaemia
HOX9AandMEIS1are key oncogenes in MLL-rearranged leukaemia. miRNA-196b is shown here to directly suppress their expression and delay MLL-fusion-mediated leukaemia, but to also cause an aggressive leukaemia phenotype when expressed ectopically, suggesting that it targets tumour suppressors as well.
- Zejuan Li
- , Hao Huang
- & Jianjun Chen
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Humans and chimpanzees attend differently to goal-directed actions
Humans understand actions by making inferences about the person's intentions. Comparing humans with chimpanzees, this study shows that humans refer to the actors' faces more than chimpanzees do when observing goal-directed actions, indicating that humans view actions by integrating information from the actor.
- Masako Myowa-Yamakoshi
- , Céline Scola
- & Satoshi Hirata
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Article
| Open AccessPPARγ contributes to PKM2 and HK2 expression in fatty liver
Molecular factors, regulating the expression of specific glycolytic enzymes that favour biosynthetic processes, have remained unknown. Panasyuket al. identify PPARγ as a novel transcription factor turning on pyruvate kinase M2 and hexokinase 2, which are frequently upregulated in pathophysiological growth.
- Ganna Panasyuk
- , Catherine Espeillac
- & Mario Pende
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Article
| Open AccessDynamics of anterior–posterior axis formation in the developing mouse embryo
Detailed analysis of axis development in mouse embryo has been limited. Morriset al. developed an in vitroculture technique that enables the real-time observation of an anterior visceral endoderm formation and show that cell marker asymmetry within the AVE subdomain dictates the direction of the AVE migration.
- Samantha A. Morris
- , Seema Grewal
- & Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
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Parkin controls dopamine utilization in human midbrain dopaminergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells
Mutations in parkin, an ubiquitin ligase, cause an inherited form of Parkinson's disease. Here, Jianget al. generate induced pluripotent stem cells from two patients with parkin mutations and find that neurons derived from the stem cells have defects in dopamine release, dopamine uptake and oxidative metabolism.
- Houbo Jiang
- , Yong Ren
- & Jian Feng
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Mouse and human strategies identify PTPN14 as a modifier of angiogenesis and hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HTT) is caused by mutations in TGFβ/bone morphogenetic protein signalling genes. Here, Benzinouet al. show that variants of PTPN14, a gene within a mouse Tgfb1 modifier locus, associate with pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in HTT patients, shedding light on the molecular aetiology of this disease.
- Michael Benzinou
- , Frederic F. Clermont
- & Rosemary J. Akhurst
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Article
| Open AccessAdvantage of rare infanticide strategies in an invasion experiment of behavioural polymorphism
The origin and maintenance of non-parental infanticide is a puzzling phenomenon in wild animal populations. This study of infanticide in a population of bank voles confirms negative frequency-dependent selection in nature and shows potential benefits of this apparently harmful behaviour.
- Tapio Mappes
- , Jouni Aspi
- & Juha Tuomi
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Article
| Open AccessThe evolution of sensory divergence in the context of limited gene flow in the bumblebee bat
Populations of the same species living in different habitats can differ in sensory traits driving speciation, but it is not known if this variation limits gene flow. Here, a genetic and acoustic study of the bumblebee bat suggests that geographic distance, instead of echolocation divergence, limits gene flow.
- Sébastien J. Puechmaille
- , Meriadeg Ar Gouilh
- & Emma C. Teeling
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gp96 expression in neutrophils is critical for the onset of Escherichia coli K1 (RS218) meningitis
E. coliK1 can elude the innate immune system and cause neonatal meningitis. This study shows thatE. coli K1 enters polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) using gp96 to reduce the oxidative burst, and that PMN-depleted mice are resistant to E. coliK1 infection, suggesting that PMNs permit bacterial survival in the host.
- Rahul Mittal
- & Nemani V. Prasadarao
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Genetic dissection of axon regeneration via in vivo electroporation of adult mouse sensory neurons
Dorsal root ganglion neurons can regenerate after injury, but the mechanisms underlying axon regrowth are unclear. To address this, an electroporation transfection method is developed that can alter the gene expression of dorsal root ganglion cells in a living adult mouse, providing a tool to study axon regeneration.
- Saijilafu
- , Eun-Mi Hur
- & Feng-Quan Zhou
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MPP8 mediates the interactions between DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3a and H3K9 methyltransferase GLP/G9a
The methylation of DNA and histone H3 lysine 9 in chromatin are positively correlated. This study shows that the DNA methyl transferase Dnmt3a is methylated, and a crystal structure of Dnmt3a bound to the chromodomain protein MPP8 suggests a molecular mechanism.
- Yanqi Chang
- , Lidong Sun
- & Xiaodong Cheng
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miR-137 forms a regulatory loop with nuclear receptor TLX and LSD1 in neural stem cells
The microRNA miR-137 is enriched in the brain of mice and induces the differentiation of adult neural stem cells. Now, Sun and colleagues report that miR-137 negatively regulates proliferation of neurons in embryonic mice and that TLX and LSD1 cooperate to negatively regulate miR-137 expression, blocking premature differentiation.
- GuoQiang Sun
- , Peng Ye
- & Yanhong Shi
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Large-scale DNA editing of retrotransposons accelerates mammalian genome evolution
APOBEC3 is a DNA editing enzyme that is important for antiviral responses. In this study, Carmi and colleagues show that APOBEC3 editing of retrotransposon sequences in mammalian genomes is widespread, with implications for the evolution of retrotransposons.
- Shai Carmi
- , George M. Church
- & Erez Y. Levanon
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Article
| Open AccessSelective inhibition of microRNA accessibility by RBM38 is required for p53 activity
MicroRNAs bind to the 3′-untranslated region of genes to regulate expression. In this study, an RNA-binding protein, RMB38, is shown to selectively regulate the access of some microRNAs to their targets, and control the expression of some p53 target genes.
- Nicolas Léveillé
- , Ran Elkon
- & Reuven Agami
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Article
| Open AccessTravelling and splitting of a wave of hedgehog expression involved in spider-head segmentation
During development, waves of gene expression are required for segmentation of the body axis. In this study, repeated splitting of a wave of hedgehog gene expression is shown during segmentation of the spiderAchaearanea tepidariorum.
- Masaki Kanayama
- , Yasuko Akiyama-Oda
- & Hiroki Oda
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Article
| Open AccessGenome-wide association mapping reveals a rich genetic architecture of complex traits in Oryza sativa
Understanding the genetics and physiology of domesticated species is important for crop improvement. By studying natural variation and the phenotypic traits of 413 diverse accessions of rice, Zhao et al. identify many common genetic variants that influence quantitative traits such as seed size and flowering time.
- Keyan Zhao
- , Chih-Wei Tung
- & Susan R. McCouch
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Article
| Open AccessA segmental genomic duplication generates a functional intron
The appearance of a new intron that splits an exon without disrupting the corresponding peptide sequence is a rare event in vertebrate genomes. Hellstenet al.demonstrate that, under certain circumstances, a functional intron can be produced in a single step by segmental genomic duplication.
- Uffe Hellsten
- , Julie L. Aspden
- & Daniel S. Rokhsar
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Article
| Open AccessBlimp1 regulates the transition of neonatal to adult intestinal epithelium
Many mammals are born with an immature intestinal epithelium, which adapts to a changing diet during the weaning period. Muncanet al. show that the transcriptional repressor Blimp1is expressed in the intestine of mice at birth, and that expression is lost at the transition to the weaning stage.
- Vanesa Muncan
- , Jarom Heijmans
- & Gijs R. van den Brink
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Article
| Open AccessA stem-group cnidarian described from the mid-Cambrian of China and its significance for cnidarian evolution
The origin of Cnidaria—coral and jellyfish—is still unsolved in the basal metazoan phylogeny. Here, a Cambrian fossil of a stem-group cnidarian,Cambroctoconus orientalisgen. et sp. nov., is found to bear octoradial symmetry, but no jelly-like mesenchyme, suggesting this evolved after octoradial symmetry.
- Tae-yoon Park
- , Jusun Woo
- & Duck K. Choi
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Discovery of lost diversity of paternal horse lineages using ancient DNA
Modern female horses are genetically diverse but male horses are relatively homogenous. Lippoldet al. sequence the Y chromosome of nine ancient horses and detect diversity in the ancestral paternal lineage, demonstrating ancient Y-chromosomal DNA sequencing can provide insights into evolution.
- Sebastian Lippold
- , Michael Knapp
- & Michael Hofreiter
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Article
| Open AccessMesozoic retroposons reveal parrots as the closest living relatives of passerine birds
Zebra finches are passerine birds, but their phylogenetic relationship with non-passerine birds remains controversial. By examining retroposon insertion loci in avian genomes, the authors reveal that parrots are the closest relatives of passerines, which may have implications for understanding the evolution of birdsong.
- Alexander Suh
- , Martin Paus
- & Jürgen Schmitz
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Critical roles for EphB and ephrin-B bidirectional signalling in retinocollicular mapping
How retinoganglion cell axons project correctly to the superior colliculus is poorly understood. Here, projections are shown to require EphB1, EphB2 and ephrin-B1 to terminate in the medial superior colliculus, while ephrin-B2 is essential for the mapping of both dorsal and ventral axons.
- Sonal Thakar
- , George Chenaux
- & Mark Henkemeyer
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Insights into bird wing evolution and digit specification from polarizing region fate maps
Bird wings resemble the digits on the hands of dinosaurs, but which digit positions gave rise to those seen in modern birds is still unclear. In this work, long-term fate maps of the chick wing polarizing region are presented, supporting fossil data that birds descended from theropods that had digits 1, 2 and 3.
- Matthew Towers
- , Jason Signolet
- & Cheryll Tickle
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Article
| Open AccessCytosine methylation regulates oviposition in the pathogenic blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni
The chronic disease schistosomiasis is caused by the blood flukeSchistosoma mansoni. By studying DNA modifications throughout the lifecycle of the pathogen, the authors identify DNA methylation as a factor in egg development and suggest that the epigenetic machinery responsible may be a therapeutic target.
- Kathrin K. Geyer
- , Carlos M. Rodríguez López
- & Karl F. Hoffmann
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Relative comparisons of call parameters enable auditory grouping in frogs
Male túngara frogs produce overlapping mating calls, which poses a challenge for the female frog to group and assign multiple auditory signals to the correct source. Farris and Ryan shows that, like humans, the female frogs compare and group signals using the smallest relative difference in call parameters.
- Hamilton E. Farris
- & Michael J. Ryan
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Article
| Open AccessFunctional and molecular interactions between ERK and CHK2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Chk2 is a kinase that is a potential chemotherapeutic target. Here, Chk2 and the kinase ERK are shown to functionally interact, and are elevated in expression in human diffuse B-cell lymphomas. Combinatorial inhibition of the kinases was also shown to block tumour growth in anin vivomouse model.
- Bojie Dai
- , X. Frank Zhao
- & Ronald B. Gartenhaus
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The Wnt3a/β-catenin target gene Mesogenin1 controls the segmentation clock by activating a Notch signalling program
During development, Wnt-mediated Notch signalling controls the generation of somites from the presomitic mesoderm, but the precise signalling mechanism is unknown. Here, the transcription factor Mesogenin 1 is shown to be a direct target of Wnt3a and regulates the transcription of a Notch signalling program.
- Ravindra B. Chalamalasetty
- , William C. Dunty Jr
- & Terry P. Yamaguchi
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TorsinA participates in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation
The torsinA protein localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and, when mutated, causes early onset torsion dystonia. The authors reveal a new role for torsinA in proteosome-mediated degradation of misfolded proteins, and relate this to endoplasmic reticulum stress, in aCaenorhabditis elegansmodel and patient fibroblasts.
- Flávia C. Nery
- , Ioanna A. Armata
- & Xandra O. Breakefield
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A photoconvertible fluorescent reporter to track chaperone-mediated autophagy
Soluble cytosolic proteins can be degraded in lysosomes by chaperone-mediated autophagy, however, the current method to measure this process requires isolation of lysosomes. Now, a fluorescent reporter is described that can measure this type of autophagy in intact cells.
- Hiroshi Koga
- , Marta Martinez-Vicente
- & Ana Maria Cuervo
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Identification of the PGRMC1 protein complex as the putative sigma-2 receptor binding site
The sigma-2 receptor is used as a biomarker for tumour cell proliferation but its identity is unknown. Using a novel radiolabelled probe, the authors identify progesterone receptor membrane component 1, which is overexpressed in several tumour types, as the putative sigma-2 receptor.
- Jinbin Xu
- , Chenbo Zeng
- & Robert H. Mach
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Pyrimidine pool imbalance induced by BLM helicase deficiency contributes to genetic instability in Bloom syndrome
Mutations in the DNA helicaseBLM cause Bloom syndrome, which is characterized by slow replication fork progression and genetic instability. Here, cells lacking BLMare shown to have a defect in cytidine deaminase, which alters the pyrimidine pool and results in replication fork progression with altered velocity.
- Pauline Chabosseau
- , Géraldine Buhagiar-Labarchède
- & Mounira Amor-Guéret
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TRPV3 regulates nitric oxide synthase-independent nitric oxide synthesis in the skin
Nitric oxide can be produced by nitric oxide synthase or by nitrite reduction, but whether the latter occurs inside cells is unknown. Here, the TRPV3 ion channel is shown to induce nitrite-dependent nitric oxide production in keratinocytes, where it has a role in thermosensory behaviour and wound healing.
- Takashi Miyamoto
- , Matt J. Petrus
- & Ardem Patapoutian
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Cyclin B-dependent kinase 1 regulates human TRF1 to modulate the resolution of sister telomeres
TRF1 is a telomere binding protein involved in sister telomere cohesion. In this study, the ability of TRF1 to bind to telomeres in mitosis is inhibited by cyclin-dependent kinase 1-mediated phosphorylation, which may facilitate sister telomere resolution during mitosis.
- Megan McKerlie
- & Xu-Dong Zhu
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Convergent evolution in locomotory patterns of flying and swimming animals
Undulating flight, an efficient mode of locomotion in flying birds, can theoretically also result in efficient locomotion in water. Here we demonstrate gait patterns resembling undulating flight in four marine vertebrate species comprising sharks and pinnipeds.
- Adrian C. Gleiss
- , Salvador J. Jorgensen
- & Rory P. Wilson
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Article
| Open AccessNeural coding in a single sensory neuron controlling opposite seeking behaviours in Caenorhabditis elegans
The neuronal mechanisms responsible for thermal seeking behaviour inCaenorhabditis. elegansare not fully understood. In this study, the sensory neuron AFD is shown to be involved in the responses to both cold and warm temperatures by transmitting inhibitory and excitatory signals to the interneuron AIY.
- Atsushi Kuhara
- , Noriyuki Ohnishi
- & Ikue Mori
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Contemporary and historical separation of transequatorial migration between genetically distinct seabird populations
Migratory segregation presents a hypothesized barrier to gene flow among seabirds, but its mechanisms are unclear. Rayneret al. find that migratory habitat specialization, associated with breeding asynchrony and philopatry, restricts gene flow between two seabird populations migrating across the Pacific Ocean.
- Matt J. Rayner
- , Mark E. Hauber
- & Scott A. Shaffer
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