Listed as "outstanding" achievement in 2011 by the Slovenian Scientific Council for natural sciences. Current theory predicts that a shift to a new habitat would increase the rate of diversification, while as lineages evolve into multiple species, intensified competition would decrease the rate of diversification. We used Holarctic amphipods of the genus Gammarus to test this hypothesis. We sequenced four genes (5,088 bp) for 289 samples representing 115 Gammarus species. A phylogenetic analysis showed that Gammarus originated from the Tethyan region with a saline ancestry in the Paleocene, and later colonized the freshwater habitat in the Middle Eocene. Ancestral range reconstruction and diversification mode analysis combined with paleogeological and paleoclimatic evidence suggested that the habitat shift from saline to freshwater led to an increased diversification rate. The saline lineage of Gammarus dispersed to both sides of the Atlantic at 55 million years ago (Ma), because of the few barriers between the Tethys and the Atlantic, and diversified throughout its evolutionary history with a constant diversification rate [0.04 species per million years (sp/My)]. The freshwater Gammarus, however, underwent a rapid diversification phase (0.11 sp/My) until the Middle Miocene, and lineages successively diversified across Eurasia via vicariance process likely driven by changes of the Tethys and landmass. In particular, the freshwater Gammarus lacustris and Gammarus balcanicus lineages had a relatively high diversification shift, corresponding to the regression of the Paratethys Sea and the continentalization of Eurasian lands during the Miocene period. Subsequently (14 Ma), the diversification rate of the freshwater Gammarus decreased to 0.05 and again to 0.01 sp/My. The genus Gammarus provides an excellent aquatic case supporting
COBISS.SI-ID: 2424399
Understanding the process of evolution is one of the great challenges in biology. Cave animals are one group with immense potential to address the mechanisms of evolutionary change. Amazingly, similar morphological alterations, such as enhancement of sensory systems and the loss of eyes and pigmentation, have evolved multiple times in a diverse assemblage of cave animals. Our goal is to develop an invertebrate model to study cave evolution so that, in combination with a previously established vertebrate cave system, we can address genetic questions concerning evolutionary parallelism and convergence. We chose the isopod crustacean, Asellus aquaticus, and generated a genome-wide linkage map for this species. Our map, composed of 117 markers, of which the majority are associated with genes known to be involved in pigmentation, eye, and appendage development, was used to identify loci of large effect responsible for several pigmentation traits and eye loss. Our study provides support for the prediction that significant morphological change can be mediated through one or a few genes. Surprisingly, we found that within population variability in eye size occurs through multiple mechanisms; eye loss has a different genetic basis than reduced eye size. Similarly, again within a population, the phenotype of albinism can be achieved by two different genetic pathways—either by a recessive genotype at one locus or doubly recessive genotypes at two other loci. Our work shows the potential of Asellus for studying the extremes of parallel and convergent evolution—spanning comparisons within populations to comparisons between vertebrate and arthropod systems.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2373199
Amoebae serve as hosts for various intracellular bacteria, including human pathogens. These microbes are able to overcome amoebal defense mechanisms and successfully establish a niche for replication, which is usually the cytoplasm. Here, we report on the discovery of a bacterial symbiont that is located inside the nucleus of its Hartmannella sp. host. This symbiont, tentatively named ‘Candidatus Nucleicultrix amoebiphila’, is only moderately related to known bacteria (B90% 16S and 23S rRNA sequence similarity) and member of a novel clade of protist symbionts affiliated with the Rickettsiales and Rhodospirillales. Screening of 16S rRNA amplicon data sets revealed a broad distribution of these bacteria in freshwater and soil habitats. ‘Candidatus Nucleicultrix amoebiphila’ traffics within 6 h post infection to the host nucleus. Maximum infection levels are reached after 96–120 h, at which time point the nucleus is pronouncedly enlarged and filled with bacteria. Transmission of the symbionts occurs vertically upon host cell division but may also occur horizontally through host cell lysis. Although we observed no impact on the fitness of the original Hartmannella sp. host, the bacteria are rather lytic for Acanthamoeba castellanii. Intranuclear symbiosis is an exceptional phenomenon, and amoebae represent an ideal model system to further investigate evolution and underlying molecular mechanisms of these unique microbial associations.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3043407
In this study, we used a test system with terrestrial isopods (Porcellio scaber) fed with food spiked with Cu NPs or soluble Cu salt for 14 days. Cu content was analyzed in the digestive glands, gut, and the 'rest' of the body. Similar patterns of (i) assimilated and depurated amounts of Cu, (ii) Cu body distribution, and (iii) effect on isopods feeding behavior were observed regardless of whether the animals were fed with Cu NPs or soluble Cu salt spiked food. Thus, Cu ions and not Cu NPs were assimilated by the digestive gland cells. The comparison of the in vitro data on solubilization of Cu NPs and in vivo data on Cu accumulation in the animal tissues showed that about 99% of accumulated copper ions was dissolved from ingested Cu NPs in the digestive system of isopods.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2658127
The aim of our study was to analyse if COFeO4 nanoparticles are dissolved in the contact with digestive juices and if digestive gland cells accumulate these metal ions. We have used a variety of imaging techniques and confirmed that only ions but not particles are internalised by digestive gland cells. In addition, we have also confirmed that only ions but not nanomaterials have adverse effects at elevated exposure concentrations. The suitability of a selected model organism, terrestrial isopod Porcellio scaber, to study cellular internalisation of ingested ions is discussed.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2768975