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Understanding which factors and processes are associated with genetic differentiation within and among species remains a major goal in evolutionary biology. To explore differences and similarities in genetic structure and its association with geographical and climatic factors in sympatric sister species, we conducted a large-scale (>32° latitude and >36° longitude) comparative phylogeographical study on three Argynnini butterfly species (Speyeria aglaja, Fabriciana adippe and F. niobe) that have similar life histories, but differ in ecological generalism and dispersal abilities. Analyses of nuclear (ddRAD-sequencing derived SNP markers) and mitochondrial (COI sequences) data revealed differences between species in genetic structure and how genetic differentiation was associated with climatic factors (temperature, solar radiation, precipitation, wind speed). Geographical proximity accounted for much of the variation in nuclear and mitochondrial structure and evolutionary relationships in F. adippe and F. niobe, but only explained the pattern observed in the nuclear data in S. aglaja, for which mitonuclear discordance was documented. In all species, Iberian and Balkan individuals formed genetic clusters, suggesting isolation in glacial refugia and limited postglacial expansion. Solar radiation and precipitation were associated with the genetic structure on a regional scale in all species, but the specific combinations of environmental and geographical factors linked to variation within species were unique, pointing to species-specific responses to common environments. Our findings show that the species share similar colonization histories, and that the same ecological factors, such as niche breadth and dispersal capacity, covary with genetic differentiation within these species to some extent, thereby highlighting the importance of comparative phylogeographical studies in sympatric sister species., Funding was provided by Linnaeus University (to A.F. and M.F.), The Carl Trygger Foundation (to M.F.), Erasmus+ mobility programme (to D.P. and Y.Y.), and project PID2019-107078GB-I00/MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (to R.V.).

12 pages, 4 figures, supporting information https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c0378, Neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) is formed by microbial methylation of inorganic divalent Hg (HgII) and constitutes severe environmental and human health risks. The methylation is enabled by hgcA and hgcB genes, but it is not known if the associated molecular-level processes are rate-limiting or enable accurate prediction of MeHg formation in nature. In this study, we investigated the relationships between hgc genes and MeHg across redox-stratified water columns in the brackish Baltic Sea. We showed, for the first time, that hgc transcript abundance and the concentration of dissolved HgII-sulfide species were strong predictors of both the HgII methylation rate and MeHg concentration, implying their roles as principal joint drivers of MeHg formation in these systems. Additionally, we characterized the metabolic capacities of hgc+ microorganisms by reconstructing their genomes from metagenomes (i.e., hgc+ MAGs), which highlighted the versatility of putative HgII methylators in the water column of the Baltic Sea. In establishing relationships between hgc transcripts and the HgII methylation rate, we advance the fundamental understanding of mechanistic principles governing MeHg formation in nature and enable refined predictions of MeHg levels in coastal seas in response to the accelerating spread of oxygen-deficient zones, This work was funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas (grant 2018-01031), the Carl Trygger Foundation for Scientific Research (grant CTS 18:41), Kempestiftelserna (grants SMK-1753 and SMK-1243), the EMFF-Blue Economy project MER-CLUB (grant 863584), the Severo Ochoa Excellence Program Postdoctoral Fellowship (CEX2019-000928-S), and the Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2016; project-749645)

For the layered transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS2, we establish through a unique experimental approach and density functional theory, how ultrafast charge transfer in 1T-TaS2 takes on isotropic three-dimensional character or anisotropic two-dimensional character, depending on the commensurability of the charge density wave phases of 1T-TaS2. The X-ray spectroscopic core-hole-clock method prepares selectively in- and out-of-plane polarized sulfur 3p orbital occupation with respect to the 1T-TaS2 planes and monitors sub-femtosecond wave packet delocalization. Despite being a prototypical two-dimensional material, isotropic three-dimensional charge transfer is found in the commensurate charge density wave phase (CCDW), indicating strong coupling between layers. In contrast, anisotropic two-dimensional charge transfer occurs for the nearly commensurate phase (NCDW). In direct comparison, theory shows that interlayer interaction in the CCDW phase - not layer stacking variations - causes isotropic three-dimensional charge transfer. This is presumably a general mechanism for phase transitions and tailored properties of dichalcogenides with charge density waves., AF acknowledges funding by the Helmholtz Virtual Institute VI 419 and the ERC Advanced Investigator Grant No. 669531 EDAX. NM acknowledges funding by the ERC Advanced Investigator Grant No. 321319 ESUX and support from the Carl Tryggers foundation for Scientifc Research CTS. DS-P and MM acknowledge funding from EU-FP7 project THINFACE (grant No. 607232), Spanish MINECO (grant No. MAT2016-78293-C6-4-R), and Basque Dep.de Educación and UPV/EHU (grant No. IT-756-13).

Many eukaryote species including taxa such as fungi or algae have a lifecycle with substantial haploid and diploid phases. A recent theoretical model predicts that such haploid-diploid lifecycles are stable over long evolutionary time scales when segregating deleterious mutations have stronger effects in homozygous diploids than in haploids and when they are partially recessive in heterozygous diploids. The model predicts that effective dominance, a measure that accounts for these two effects, should be close to 0.5 in these species. It also predicts that diploids should have higher fitness than haploids on average. However, an appropriate statistical framework to conjointly investigate these predictions is currently lacking. In this study, we derive a new quantitative genetic model to test these predictions using fitness data of two haploid parents and their diploid offspring and genome-wide genetic distance between haploid parents. We apply this model to the root-rot basidiomycete fungusHeterobasidion parviporum, a species where the heterokaryotic (equivalent to the diploid) phase is longer than the homokaryotic (haploid) phase. We measured two fitness-related traits (mycelium growth rate and the ability to degrade wood) in both homokaryons and heterokaryons and we used whole-genome sequencing to estimate nuclear genetic distance between parents. Possibly due to a lack of power, we did not find that deleterious mutations were recessive or more deleterious when expressed during the heterokaryotic phase. Using this model to compare effective dominance among haploid-diploid species where the relative importance of the two phases varies should help better understand the evolution of haploid-diploid life cycles.Article summary for Issue HighlightsMany eukaryote species including taxa such as fungi or algae spend a large portion of their life cycle as haploids and as diploids. Clergeot, Rodeet al.derive a statistical model to test whether deleterious mutations have stronger effects in homozygous diploids than in haploids, whether they are partially recessive in heterozygous diploids and whether diploids have higher fitness than haploids on average. As an illustration, they use their model to study growth rate and the ability to degrade wood in the root-rot fungusHeterobasidion parviporum. Their model should help gaining further insights into the evolution of haploid-diploid life cycles.

International audience; In Arabidopsis thaliana, canonical auxin-dependent gene regulation is mediated by 23 transcription factors from the AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) family that interact with auxin/indole acetic acid repressors (Aux/IAAs), which themselves form co-receptor complexes with one of six TRANSPORT INHIBITOR1/AUXIN-SIGNALLING F-BOX (TIR1/AFB) proteins. Different combinations of co-receptors drive specific sensing outputs, allowing auxin to control a myriad of processes. ARF6 and ARF8 are positive regulators of adventitious root initiation upstream of jasmonate, but the exact auxin co-receptor complexes controlling the transcriptional activity of these proteins has remained unknown. Here, using loss-of-function mutants we show that three Aux/IAA genes, IAA6, IAA9, and IAA17, act additively in the control of adventitious root (AR) initiation. These three IAA proteins interact with ARF6 and/or ARF8 and likely repress their activity in AR development. We show that TIR1 and AFB2 are positive regulators of AR formation and TIR1 plays a dual role in the control of jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and conjugation, as several JA biosynthesis genes are up-regulated in the tir1-1 mutant. These results lead us to propose that in the presence of auxin, TIR1 and AFB2 form specific sensing complexes with IAA6, IAA9, and/or IAA17 to modulate JA homeostasis and control AR initiation.

International audience; Aluminosilicate (AS) glasses incorporating rare-earth (RE) elements exhibit favorable mechanical and (magneto)optical properties that reflect their unusual structural Organization. Yet, experimental reports on the local RE3+ environments in AS glasses are very sparse. We examine the Y3+ and Sc3+ cations in Y2O3-Al2O3-SiO2 and Sc2O3-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses of variable RE/Al/Si contents by utilizing magic-angle spinning (MAS) Y-89 and Sc-45 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments coupled with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of Y-89/Sc-45 NMR chemical shifts. The DFT models reveal {Y-[p]} and {Sc-[p]} coordination numbers (p) spanning 5

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., (common ragweed), is an annual invasive and highly troublesome plant species originating from North America that has become widespread across Europe. New sets of genomic and expressed sequence tag (EST) based simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers were developed in this species using three approaches. After validation, 13 genomic SSRs and 13 EST-SSRs were retained and used to characterize the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Ambrosia artemisiifolia populations from the native (North America) and invasive (Europe) ranges of the species. Analysing the mating system based on maternal families did not reveal any departure from complete allogamy and excess homozygosity was mostly due the presence of null alleles. High genetic diversity and patterns of genetic structure in Europe suggest two main introduction events followed by secondary colonization events. Cross-species transferability of the newly developed markers to other invasive species of the Ambrosia genus was assessed. Sixty-five percent and 75% of markers, respectively, were transferable from A. artemisiifolia to Ambrosia psilostachya and Ambrosia tenuifolia. 40% were transferable to Ambrosia trifida, this latter species being seemingly more phylogenetically distantly related to A. artemisiifolia than the former two.

Factors regulating dynamics of chromatin structure have direct impact on expression of genetic information. Cohesin is a multi-subunit protein complex that is crucial for pairing sister chromatids during cell division, DNA repair and regulation of gene transcription and silencing. In non-plant species, cohesin is loaded on chromatin by the Scc2-Scc4 complex (also known as the NIBPL-MAU2 complex). Here, we identify the Arabidopsis homolog of Scc4, which we denote Arabidopsis thaliana (At)SCC4, and show that it forms a functional complex with AtSCC2, the homolog of Scc2. We demonstrate that AtSCC2 and AtSCC4 act in the same pathway, and that both proteins are indispensable for cell fate determination during early stages of embryo development. Mutant embryos lacking either of these proteins develop only up to the globular stage, and show the suspensor overproliferation phenotype preceded by ectopic auxin maxima distribution. We further establish a new assay to reveal the AtSCC4-dependent dynamics of cohesin loading on chromatin in vivo Our findings define the Scc2-Scc4 complex as an evolutionary conserved machinery controlling cohesin loading and chromatin structure maintenance, and provide new insight into the plant-specific role of this complex in controlling cell fate during embryogenesis., This work was supported by grants from Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council; to P.N.M. and P.V.B.), Pehrssons Fund (to P.V.B.), Stiftelsen för Strategisk Forskning (Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (to P.V.B.), Stiftelsen Olle Engkvist Byggmästare (Olle Engkvist Foundation; to P.V.B.), the Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse (Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; to P.V.B.) and the Carl Tryggers Stiftelse för Vetenskaplig Forskning (Carl Tryggers Foundation; to E.A.M. and P.N.M.).

Aspergillus niger-treated dry olive cake (DryOC) can be used as a soil organic amendment and the aim of this work was to study the effectiveness of this amendment and a Cd-adapted arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus in improving Trifolium repens growth and nutrition in Cd-contaminated soil. In a compartmentalized growth system, consisting of a root compartment (RC) and two hyphal compartments (HCs), we investigated the influence of the amendment on intraradical and extraradical AM fungi development. In addition, we studied the viability and infectivity of the detached extraradical mycelium in plants, designated as receptor plants, grown in the HC after removal of the RC. Both the amendment and the AM fungus increased shoot and root biomass and nodulation in both the non-contaminated and Cd-contaminated soils. The positive interaction between the microbiologically treated DryOC and the AM fungus resulted in the highest plant yield, which can be explained by enhanced nutrient acquisition and arbuscular richness as well as by the immobilisation of Cd in amended soils. However, A. niger-treated DryOC had no effect on the extraradical mycorrhizal mycelium development. Although Cd decreased AM hyphal length density, symbiotic infectivity was similar in receptor plants grown in non-contaminated and contaminated soil, thus confirming the AM fungal inoculum potential. The combination of the AM fungus and A. niger-treated DryOC increased plant tolerance to Cd in terms of plant growth and nutrition and can be regarded as an important strategy for reclaiming Cd-contaminated soils., Financial support for this study was obtained from the Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT) PN REN 2000-1506 GLO. A. Medina is indebted to the Junta de Andalucia (Spain) and the Carl Trigger foundation (Sweden) for scholarship grants.

International audience; Clonostachys rosea is a mycoparasitic fungus that can control several important plant diseases. Here, we report on the genome sequencing of C. rosea and a comparative genome analysis, in order to resolve the phylogenetic placement of C. rosea and to study the evolution of mycoparasitism as a fungal lifestyle. The genome of C. rosea is estimated to 58.3 Mb, and contains 14,268 predicted genes. A phylogenomic analysis shows that C. rosea clusters as sister taxon to plant pathogenic Fusarium species, with mycoparasitic/ saprotrophic Trichoderma species in an ancestral position. A comparative analysis of gene family evolution reveals several distinct differences between the included mycoparasites. Clonostachys rosea contains significantly more ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters , polyketide synthases, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, pectin lyases, glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductases, and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases compared with other fungi in the Hypocreales. Interestingly, the increase of ABC transporter gene number in C. rosea is associated with phylogenetic subgroups B (multidrug resistance proteins) and G (pleiotropic drug resistance transporters), whereas an increase in subgroup C (multidrug resistance-associated proteins) is evident in Trichoderma virens. In contrast with mycoparasitic Trichoderma species, C. rosea contains very few chitinases. Expression of six group B and group G ABC transporter genes was induced in C. rosea during exposure to the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone, the fungicide Boscalid or metabolites from the biocontrol bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis. The data suggest that tolerance toward secondary metab-olites is a prominent feature in the biology of C. rosea.

International audience; Despite the numerous studies dedicated to phthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on surfaces, in monolayer or thin film, very few works have been focused on the characterization of vapors of these molecules. In this article we present the C 1s, N 1s and Fe 2p photoemission results as well as N K-edge X-ray absorption data of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) in gas phase. Presented comparison of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy spectra of FePc films show a great similarity with the gas phase results, confirming the molecular character of thick films. The Fe2p photoemission spectrum of the gas phase FePc, shown for the first time, can be considered as a fingerprint of the Fe(II) ionic state of the central metal of the iron phthalocyanine. The performed multiplet calculations for describing the Fe 2p XP spectrum indicate 3Eg (a1g2eg32g1) state as the most probable ground state for thick film of iron phthalocyanine. (C) 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

The development of new approaches to obtain optically pure β-hydroxy esters is an important area in synthetic organic chemistry since they are precursors of other high value compounds. Herein, the kinetic resolution of racemic β-hydroxy esters using a planar-chiral DMAP derivative catalyst is presented. Following this procedure, a range of aromatic β-hydroxy esters was obtained in excellent selectivities (up to s = 107) and high enantiomeric excess (up to 99% ee). Furthermore, the utility of the present method was demonstrated in the synthesis of (S)-3-hydroxy-N-methyl-3-phenylpropanamide, a key intermediate for bioactive molecules such as fluoxetine, tomoxetine or nisoxetine, in its enantiomerically pure form., This work was supported by Vetenskapsrådet and The Carl Trygger Foundation. We acknowledge support by the CSIC Open Access Publication Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI)

Vegetative propagation of economically important woody, horticultural and agricultural species rely on an efficient adventitious root (AR) formation. The formation of ARs is a complex genetic trait regulated by the interaction of environmental and endogenous factors among which the phytohormone auxin plays an essential role. This article summarizes the current knowledge related to the intricate network through which auxin controls adventitious rooting. How auxin and recently identified auxin-related compounds affect AR formation in different plant species is discussed. Particular attention is addressed to illustrate how auxin has a central role in the hormone cross-talk leading to AR development. In parallel, we describe the molecular players involved in the control of auxin homeostasis, transport and signaling, for a better understanding of the auxin action during adventitious rooting.

Summary Auxin is a major regulator of adventitious rooting and, to better understand its role, we identified suppressor mutants of superroot2-1. This provides new resources for the discovery of genetic players involved in auxin signalling or auxin crosstalk with other hormones., The plant hormone auxin plays a central role in adventitious rooting and is routinely used with many economically important, vegetatively propagated plant species to promote adventitious root initiation and development on cuttings. Nevertheless the molecular mechanisms through which it acts are only starting to emerge. The Arabidopsis superroot2-1 (sur2-1) mutant overproduces auxin and, as a consequence, develops excessive adventitious roots in the hypocotyl. In order to increase the knowledge of adventitious rooting and of auxin signalling pathways and crosstalk, this study performed a screen for suppressors of superroot2-1 phenotype. These suppressors provide a new resource for discovery of genetic players involved in auxin signalling pathways or at the crosstalk of auxin and other hormones or environmental signals. This study reports the identification and characterization of 26 sur2-1 suppressor mutants, several of which were identified as mutations in candidate genes involved in either auxin biosynthesis or signalling. In addition to confirming the role of auxin as a central regulator of adventitious rooting, superroot2 suppressors indicated possible crosstalk with ethylene signalling in this process.

In order to obtain insights into the regulatory pathways controlling phloem development, we characterized three genes encoding membrane proteins from the G sub-family of ABC transporters (ABCG9, ABCG11 and ABCG14), whose expression in the phloem has been confirmed. Mutations in the genes encoding these dimerizing 'half transporters' are semi-dominant and result in vascular patterning defects in cotyledons and the floral stem. Co-immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments demonstrated that these proteins dimerize, either by flexible pairing (ABCG11 and ABCG9) or by forming strict heterodimers (ABCG14). In addition, metabolome analyses and measurement of sterol ester contents in the mutants suggested that ABCG9, ABCG11 and ABCG14 are involved in lipid/sterol homeostasis regulation. Our results show that these three ABCG genes are required for proper vascular development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Vegetative shoot-based propagation of plants, including mass propagation of elite genotypes, is dependent on the development of shoot-borne roots, which are also called adventitious roots. Multiple endogenous and environmental factors control the complex process of adventitious rooting. In the past few years, we have shown that the auxin response factors ARF6 and ARF8, targets of the microRNA miR167, are positive regulators of adventitious rooting, whereas ARF17, a target of miR160, is a negative regulator. We showed that these genes have overlapping expression profiles during adventitious rooting and that they regulate each other's expression at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels by modulating the homeostasis of miR160 and miR167. We demonstrate here that this complex network of transcription factors regulates the expression of three auxin-inducible Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3) genes, GH3.3, GH3.5, and GH3.6, encoding acyl-acid-amido synthetases. We show that these three GH3 genes are required for fine-tuning adventitious root initiation in the Arabidopsis thaliana hypocotyl, and we demonstrate that they act by modulating jasmonic acid homeostasis. We propose a model in which adventitious rooting is an adaptive developmental response involving crosstalk between the auxin and jasmonate regulatory pathways.

The availability of a comprehensive set of resources including an entire annotated reference genome, sequenced alternative accessions, and a multitude of marker systems makes Arabidopsis thaliana an ideal platform for genetic mapping. PCR markers based on INsertions/DELetions (INDELs) are currently the most frequently used polymorphisms. For the most commonly used mapping combination, ColumbiaxLandsberg erecta (Col-0xLer-0), the Cereon polymorphism database is a valuable resource for the generation of polymorphic markers. However, because the number of markers available in public databases for accessions other than Col-0 and Ler-0 is extremely low, mapping using other accessions is far from straightforward. This issue arose while cloning mutations in the Wassilewskija (Ws-4) background. In this work, approaches are described for marker generation in Ws-4 x Col-0. Complementary strategies were employed to generate 229 INDEL markers. Firstly, existing Col-0/Ler-0 Cereon predicted polymorphisms were mined for transferability to Ws-4. Secondly, Ws-0 ecotype Illumina sequence data were analyzed to identify INDELs that could be used for the development of PCR-based markers for Col-0 and Ws-4. Finally, shotgun sequencing allowed the identification of INDELs directly between Col-0 and Ws-4. The polymorphism of the 229 markers was assessed in seven widely used Arabidopsis accessions, and PCR markers that allow a clear distinction between the diverged Ws-0 and Ws-4 accessions are detailed. The utility of the markers was demonstrated by mapping more than 35 mutations in a Col-0xWs-4 combination, an example of which is presented here. The potential contribution of next generation sequencing technologies to more traditional map-based cloning is discussed.

6 páginas, 5 figuras.-- et al., Selenoproteins, in particular thioredoxin reductase, have been implicated in countering oxidative damage occurring during aging but the molecular functions of these proteins have not been extensively investigated in different animal models. Here we demonstrate that TRXR-1 thioredoxin reductase, the sole selenoprotein in Caenorhabditis elegans, does not protect against acute oxidative stress but functions instead together with GSR-1 glutathione reductase to promote the removal of old cuticle during molting. We show that the oxidation state of disulfide groups in the cuticle is tightly regulated during the molting cycle, and that when trxr-1 and gsr-1 function is reduced, disulfide groups in the cuticle remain oxidized. A selenocysteine-to-cysteine TRXR-1 mutant fails to rescue molting defects. Furthermore, worms lacking SELB-1, the C. elegans homolog of Escherichia coli SelB or mammalian EFsec, a translation elongation factor known to be specific for selenocysteine in E. coli, fail to incorporate selenocysteine, and display the same phenotype as those lacking trxr-1. Thus, TRXR-1 function in the reduction of old cuticle is strictly selenocysteine dependent in the nematode. Exogenously supplied reduced glutathione reduces disulfide groups in the cuticle and induces apolysis, the separation of old and new cuticle, strongly suggesting that molting involves the regulated reduction of cuticle components driven by TRXR-1 and GSR-1. Using dauer larvae, we demonstrate that aged worms have a decreased capacity to molt, and decreased expression of GSR-1. Together, our results establish a function for the selenoprotein TRXR-1 and GSR-1 in the removal of old cuticle from the surface of epidermal cells., The work was supported by grants from Cancerfonden (09 0507) and Vetenskapsrådet (K2009-67X-20441-03-3) (to S.T.), grants from The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Vetenskapsrådet, and the NordForsk Nordic C. elegans Network (to P.S.), a grant from The Carl Trygger Foundation and Vetenskapsrådet (B650-19981122/2000) (to O.P.P.), grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Projects PI050065 and PI080557, cofinanced with the Fondo Social Europedeo) and Junta de Andalucía (Projects P07-CVI-02697 and P08-CVI-03629) (to A.M.-V.), and a predoctoral fellowship from CONACYT, Mexico (to B.C.-V.).

International audience; ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Comparative genomics is a formidable tool to identify functional elements throughout a genome. In the past ten years, studies in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a set of closely related species have been instrumental in showing the benefit of analyzing patterns of sequence conservation. Increasing the number of closely related genome sequences makes the comparative genomics approach more powerful and accurate. RESULTS: Here, we report the genome sequence and analysis of Saccharomyces arboricolus, a yeast species recently isolated in China, that is closely related to S. cerevisiae. We obtained high quality de novo sequence and assemblies using a combination of next generation sequencing technologies, established the phylogenetic position of this species and considered its phenotypic profile under multiple environmental conditions in the light of its gene content and phylogeny. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the genome of S. arboricolus will be useful in future comparative genomics analysis of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto yeasts.