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The independent and repeated adaptation of populations to similar environments often results in the evolution of similar forms. This phenomenon creates a strong correlation between phenotype and environment and is referred to as parallel evolution. However, we are still largely unaware of the dynamics of parallel evolution, as well as the interplay between phenotype and genotype within natural systems. Here, we examined phenotypic and genotypic parallel evolution in multiple parapatric Dune-Headland coastal ecotypes of an Australian wildflower, Senecio lautus. We observed a clear trait-environment association in the system, with all replicate populations having evolved along the same phenotypic evolutionary trajectory. Similar phenotypes have arisen via mutational changes occurring in different genes, although many share the same biological functions. Our results shed light on how replicated adaptation manifests at the phenotypic and genotypic levels within populations, and highlight S. lautus as one of the most striking cases of phenotypic parallel evolution in nature. This work was supported by an Australian Research Council grant (DP190103039) to DO and JE, and a University of Queensland Graduate School International Travel Award to MEJ

Homologous to the E6AP carboxyl terminus (HECT) and regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1)-like domain-containing proteins (HERCs) belong to the superfamily of ubiquitin ligases. HERC proteins are divided into two subfamilies, Large and Small HERCs. Despite their similarities in terms of both structure and domains, these subfamilies are evolutionarily very distant and result from a convergence phenomenon rather than from a common origin. Large HERC genes, HERC1 and HERC2, are present in most metazoan taxa. They encode very large proteins (approximately 5,000 amino acid residues in a single polypeptide chain) that contain more than one RCC1-like domain as a structural characteristic. Accumulating evidences show that these unusually large proteins play key roles in a wide range of cellular functions which include neurodevelopment, DNA damage repair, and cell proliferation. To better understand the origin, evolution, and function of the Large HERC family, this minireview provides with an integrated overview of their structure and function and details their physiological implications. This study also highlights and discusses how dysregulation of these proteins is associated with severe human diseases such as neurological disorders and cancer.

The evolution of vertebrates from an ancestral chordate was accompanied by the acquisition of a predatory lifestyle closely associated to the origin of a novel anterior structure, the highly specialized head. While the vertebrate head mesoderm is unsegmented, the paraxial mesoderm of the earliest divergent chordate clade, the cephalochordates (amphioxus), is fully segmented in somites. We have previously shown that fibroblast growth factor signalling controls the formation of the most anterior somites in amphioxus; therefore, unravelling the fibroblast growth factor signalling downstream effectors is of crucial importance to shed light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head muscles. By using a comparative RNA sequencing approach and genetic functional analyses, we show that several transcription factors, such as Six1/2, Pax3/7 and Zic, act in combination to ensure the formation of three different somite populations. Interestingly, these proteins are orthologous to key regulators of trunk, and not head, muscle formation in vertebrates. Contrary to prevailing thinking, our results suggest that the vertebrate head mesoderm is of visceral and not paraxial origin and support a multistep evolutionary scenario for the appearance of the unsegmented mesoderm of the vertebrates new ‘head’., The laboratory of H.E. was supported by the Centre national de la recherche scientifique and Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) grant no. ANR-16-CE12-0008-01; S.B. was supported by the Institut Universitaire de France. D.A. holds a fellowship from Conicyt Becas Chile. J-L.G-S. was supported by the Spanish government (grant no. BFU2016-74961-P), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant no. 740041) and the institutional grant Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu (no. MDM-2016-0687). I.M. was funded by an EMBO short-term fellowship (ASTF 377-2014) and by the Spanish Government with a Juan de la Cierva postdoctoral contract (JCI-2012-13495). H.E. and S.M. were supported by the ECOS-CONICYT C15S02 grant.

Cell-specific regulation of protein levels and activity is essential for the distribution of functions among multiple cell types in animals. The finding that many genes involved in these regulatory processes have a premetazoan origin raises the intriguing possibility that the mechanisms required for spatially regulated cell differentiation evolved prior to the appearance of animals. Here, we use high-throughput proteomics in Capsaspora owczarzaki, a close unicellular relative of animals, to characterize the dynamic proteome and phosphoproteome profiles of three temporally distinct cell types in this premetazoan species. We show that life-cycle transitions are linked to extensive proteome and phosphoproteome remodeling and that they affect key genes involved in animal multicellularity, such as transcription factors and tyrosine kinases. The observation of shared features between Capsaspora and metazoans indicates that elaborate and conserved phosphosignaling and proteome regulation supported temporal cell-type differentiation in the unicellular ancestor of animals., The CRG/UPF Proteomics Unit is part of the “Plataforma de Recursos Biomoleculares y Bioinformáticos (ProteoRed)” supported by grant PT13/0001 of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). A.S.-P. is supported by an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship (ALTF 841-2014). T.G. group research is funded in part by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BIO2012-37161), a grant from the Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP 5-298-3-086), a grant from the European Union FP7 FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN-606786, and a grant from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Program (FP/2007-2013)/ERC (grant agreement no. ERC-2012-StG-310325). I.R.-T. group research is supported by an Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats contract, a European Research Council Consolidator Grant (ERC-2012-Co-616960), and a grant (BFU-2011-23434) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). I.R.-T. also acknowledges financial support from Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Project 2014 SGR 619 and Project 2014 SGR 678). We thank Iain Patten, Alex de Mendoza, and Xavier Grau-Bové for comments on the manuscript, and Helena Parra-Acero for technical support.

The experiments analyzed in this paper focus their research on the use of Evolutionary Computation (EC) applied to a parametrized urban tissue. Through the application of EC, it is possible to develop a design under a single model that addresses multiple conflicting objectives. The experiments presented are based on Cerdà’s master plan in Barcelona, specifically on the iconic Eixample block which is grouped into a 4 × 4 urban Superblock. The proposal aims to reach the existing high density of the city while reclaiming the block relations proposed by Cerdà’s original plan. Generating and ranking multiple individuals in a population through several generations ensures a flexible solution rather than a single “optimal” one. Final results in the Pareto front show a successful and diverse set of solutions that approximate Cerdà’s and the existing Barcelona’s Eixample states. Further analysis proposes different methodologies and considerations to choose appropriate individuals within the front depending on design requirements.

A standard approach to model how selection shapes phenotypic traits is the analysis of capture–recapture data relating trait variation to survival. Divergent selection, however, has never been analyzed by the capture–recapture approach. Most reported examples of differences between urban and nonurban animals reflect behavioral plasticity rather than divergent selection. The aim of this paper was to use a capture–recapture approach to test the hypothesis that divergent selection can also drive local adaptation in urban habitats. We focused on the size of the black breast stripe (i.e., tie width) of the great tit (Parus major), a sexual ornament used in mate choice. Urban great tits display smaller tie sizes than forest birds. Because tie size is mostly genetically determined, it could potentially respond to selection. We analyzed capture/recapture data of male great tits in Barcelona city (N = 171) and in a nearby (7 km) forest (N = 324) from 1992 to 2008 using MARK. When modelling recapture rate, we found it to be strongly influenced by tie width, so that both for urban and forest habitats, birds with smaller ties were more trap-shy and more cautious than their larger tied counterparts. When modelling survival, we found that survival prospects in forest great tits increased the larger their tie width (i.e., directional positive selection), but the reverse was found for urban birds, with individuals displaying smaller ties showing higher survival (i.e., directional negative selection). As melanin-based tie size seems to be related to personality, and both are heritable, results may be explained by cautious personalities being favored in urban environments. More importantly, our results show that divergent selection can be an important mechanism in local adaptation to urban habitats and that capture–recapture is a powerful tool to test it.

La comprensión de las fuerzas de cambio evolutivo que actúan sobre las poblaciones, en conjunción con las técnicas más modernas de análisis genético, lleva aplicándose en los últimos veinte años al servicio de la conservación de la biodiversidad. Esta nueva aplicación de la genética ha recibido el nombre de genética de la conservación.

La produccio antropogenica d'antibiotics ha provocat una malaltia dels ecosistemes microbians de dimensio planetaria, la repercussio mes immediata de la qual per a l'home es la intractabilitat de les infeccions. La comprensio del fenomen i les possibilitats d'intervencio requereixen nous metodes conceptuals, analitics i tecnologics.

El VIH o virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana tiene un gran impacto sanitario, social y económico; las terapias actuales permiten controlar la infección pero no se ha encontrado tratamiento curativo ni vacuna efectiva. Para conseguir estos objetivos, debe tenerse en cuenta la gran variabilidad genética y rápida evolución del VIH, asociadas, por ejemplo, a la aparición de variantes de resistencia a fármacos o de cambios antigénicos.

Desde el punto de vista de las intervenciones en salud pública no hay mejor arma que aquella que permite prevenir la transmisión o aparición de la enfermedad. Dentro del campo de las enfermedades infecciosas las vacunas se han convertido en esa arma y han permitido controlar muchas de ellas. Hoy en día hay un gran número de enfermedades infecciosas emergentes para las que no existen vacunas o enfermedades olvidadas que están reemergiendo. Nuevas vacunas se están desarrollando para atacar a los patógenos que están relacionados con ellas. Sin embargo, y a pesar de la importancia del diseño de una buena vacuna, la diversidad genética de los patógenos no se ha tenido siempre en cuenta. El estudio de dicha diversidad puede darnos indicaciones de cómo el patógeno se adapta a la presión del sistema inmune y qué parte de la respuesta inmune es beneficiosa para el hospedador y qué parte para el patógeno. Entender dicha relación permitirá predecir cuán eficaz y universal puede ser una vacuna y ayudará a diseñarlas mejor.

L’oncohematologia ha assistit en les últimes dècades a importants avenços en el tractament i supervivència. La toxicitat derivada de la quimioteràpia clàssica i la necessitat de millorar l’eficàcia i tolerància als tractaments han fet que es desencadene un allau d’activitat investigadora que constantment proporciona fruits. Gran part d’aquest esforç s’ha enfocat al desenvolupament de «teràpies diana» dirigides contra determinades alteracions funcionals, clau per a la supervivència de la cèl·lula tumoral. Així es pretén aconseguir major eficàcia en el tractament i que el pacient pague un menor cost en toxicitat. Avenços en altres disciplines de l’oncologia com l’epidemiologia, la cirurgia i la radioteràpia dirigida han contribuït així mateix a fer de l’oncologia una àrea en progrés constant. En definitiva, es comença a albirar un futur ple d’esperança per al pacient amb càncer, un futur, alhora, apassionant per al metge i l’investigador.

Darwin va reflexionar sobre la potencialitat de la selecció natural comparant-la amb els efectes que han aconseguit els éssers humans amb la selecció artifi cial. En aquest treball s’analitza com, encara que la similitud entre ambdós tipus de selecció és visible, hi ha també importants diferències. També es presenten dos exemples d’aplicacions de la teoria evolutiva: la possible importància de la selecció sexual en la introducció de peixos transgènics i la selecció de caràcters socials en el context d’una millora genètica respectuosa amb el benestar animal.

Phylogenetic connections within the genus Consolida and between the genera Consolida and Aconitella have been revealed as a result of the comparison of anatomical, k.aryological and morphological data. This study has confinned the correctness or the intrageneric division of the genus Consolida proposed by E. Huth (1895), for three out or the five sections growing on the territory of the USSR. Taxonomical rank. has been specified fo r the youngest and most highly evolved group of species of the genus Aconitella, which is regarded by many botanists as beingwithin the limits of the genus Consolida. The taxonomical position of Aconitella barbata (Bunge) Sojak, whose morphological rentures are intermediate between the genera Aconitella and Consolida, has been stated exactly. The main trends in the evolution or the tribe Delphineae have been identified: beginning from the primarily perennial mesophytic genus Aconitum, which is the most primitive in its anatomical, karyological and morphological features. through a series of unknown forms to the genus Delphinium;and also from the representatives of' the annual section Delphinium of the subgenus Delphinium to the genera Consolida and Aconitella.[ca] Les relacions filogenètiques a l'interior del gènere Consolida i entre els gèneres Consolida i Aconitella han estat posades de manifest com a resultat de la comparació de dades anatòmiques, cariològiques i morfològiques. Aquesta investigació ha confirmat la correcció de Ja divisió intragenèrica del gènere Consolida, proposada per E. Huth (1895), per a tres de les cinc seccions que creixen al territori de la U.R.S.S. El rang taxonòmic ha estat especificat per al grup més mòdem i evolutivament avançat d'espècies del gènere Aconitella. que és considerat per molts autors a l'interior dels límits del gènere Consolida. La posició taxonòmica d'Aconitella barbata (Bunge) Sojék, les característiques morfològiques de la qual són intermèdies entre els gèneres Aconitella i Consolida, ha estat precisada exactament. Les tendències evolutives principals de la tribu Delphineae han estat identificades: a partir del gènere mesofitic completament perenne Aconitum, que és el més primitiu en els aspectes anatòmics, cariològics imorfològics, a través d'una sèrie de formes desconegudes, cap al gènere Delphinium; i també, a partir dels representants anuals de la secció Delphinium del subgènere Delphinium, cap als gèneres Consolida i Aconitella.

Yellow, red or orange carotenoid-based colorations in male birds are often a signal to prospecting females about body condition, health status and ability to find food. However, this general ‘ability to find food’ has never been defined. Here we show that more brightly ornamented individuals may also be more efficient when foraging in novel situations. The results highlight the fact that evolution may have provided females tools to evaluate cognitive abilities of the males. Yellow, red or orange carotenoid-based colorations in male birds are often a signal to prospecting females about body condition, health status and ability to find food. However, this general ‘ability to find food’ has never been defined. Here we show that more brightly ornamented individuals may also be more efficient when foraging in novel situations. The results highlight the fact that evolution may have provided females tools to evaluate cognitive abilities of the males. Yellow, red or orange carotenoid-based colorations in male birds are often a signal to prospecting females about body condition, health status and ability to find food. However, this general ‘ability to find food’ has never been defined. Here we show that more brightly ornamented individuals may also be more efficient when foraging in novel situations. The results highlight the fact that evolution may have provided females tools to evaluate cognitive abilities of the males.

Background: The use of reverse engineering methods to infer gene regulatory networks by fitting mathematical models to gene expression data is becoming increasingly popular and successful. However, increasing model complexity means that more powerful global optimisation techniques are required for model fitting. The parallel Lam Simulated Annealing (pLSA) algorithm has been used in such approaches, but recent research has shown that island Evolutionary Strategies can produce faster, more reliable results. However, no parallel island Evolutionary Strategy (piES) has yet been demonstrated to be effective for this task. Results: Here, we present synchronous and asynchronous versions of the piES algorithm, and apply them to a real reverse engineering problem: inferring parameters in the gap gene network. We find that the asynchronous piES exhibits very little communication overhead, and shows significant speed-up for up to 50 nodes: the piES running on 50 nodes is nearly 10 times faster than the best serial algorithm. We compare the asynchronous piES to pLSA on the same test problem, measuring the time required to reach particular levels of residual error, and show that it shows much faster convergence than pLSA across all optimisation conditions tested. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the piES is consistently faster and more reliable than the pLSA algorithm on this problem, and scales better with increasing numbers of nodes. In addition, the piES is especially well suited to further improvements and adaptations: Firstly, the algorithm's fast initial descent speed and high reliability make it a good candidate for being used as part of a global/local search hybrid algorithm. Secondly, it has the potential to be used as part of a hierarchical evolutionary algorithm, which takes advantage of modern multi-core computing architectures. his work was performed using the Darwin Supercomputer of the University of Cambridge High Performance Computing Service http://www.hpc.cam.ac.uk, provided by Dell Inc. using Strategic Research Infrastructure Funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.