scholarly journals Natural selection of FLT1 alleles and their association with malaria resistance in utero

2008 ◽  
Vol 105 (38) ◽  
pp. 14488-14491 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Muehlenbachs ◽  
M. Fried ◽  
J. Lachowitzer ◽  
T. K. Mutabingwa ◽  
P. E. Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
In Utero ◽  
Selection Of

The Natural Selection of Minds

1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Rychlak
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Selection Of

scholarly journals Genetic diversity and natural selection on the thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) gene of Plasmodium falciparum on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea and global comparative analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Yun Lin ◽  
Hui-Ying Huang ◽  
Xue-Yan Liang ◽  
Dong-De Xie ◽  
Jiang-Tao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Protein Structure ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Fixation Index ◽  
Bioko Island ◽  
Adhesive Protein ◽  
Trap Gene ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Background Thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) is a transmembrane protein that plays a crucial role during the invasion of Plasmodium falciparum into liver cells. As a potential malaria vaccine candidate, the genetic diversity and natural selection of PfTRAP was assessed and the global PfTRAP polymorphism pattern was described. Methods 153 blood spot samples from Bioko malaria patients were collected during 2016–2018 and the target TRAP gene was amplified. Together with the sequences from database, nucleotide diversity and natural selection analysis, and the structural prediction were preformed using bioinformatical tools. Results A total of 119 Bioko PfTRAP sequences were amplified successfully. On Bioko Island, PfTRAP shows its high degree of genetic diversity and heterogeneity, with π value for 0.01046 and Hd for 0.99. The value of dN–dS (6.2231, p < 0.05) hinted at natural selection of PfTRAP on Bioko Island. Globally, the African PfTRAPs showed more diverse than the Asian ones, and significant genetic differentiation was discovered by the fixation index between African and Asian countries (Fst > 0.15, p < 0.05). 667 Asian isolates clustered in 136 haplotypes and 739 African isolates clustered in 528 haplotypes by network analysis. The mutations I116T, L221I, Y128F, G228V and P299S were predicted as probably damaging by PolyPhen online service, while mutations L49V, R285G, R285S, P299S and K421N would lead to a significant increase of free energy difference (ΔΔG > 1) indicated a destabilization of protein structure. Conclusions Evidences in the present investigation supported that PfTRAP gene from Bioko Island and other malaria endemic countries is highly polymorphic (especially at T cell epitopes), which provided the genetic information background for developing an PfTRAP-based universal effective vaccine. Moreover, some mutations have been shown to be detrimental to the protein structure or function and deserve further study and continuous monitoring.

Evidence for divergent natural selection of a Lake Tanganyika cichlid inferred from repeated radiations in body size

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 3110-3119 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. TAKAHASHI ◽  
K. WATANABE ◽  
H. MUNEHARA ◽  
L. RÜBER ◽  
M. HORI
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Lake Tanganyika ◽  
Divergent Natural Selection ◽  
Selection Of

scholarly journals The quantum mitochondrion and optimal health

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 1101-1110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair V.W. Nunn ◽  
Geoffrey W. Guy ◽  
Jimmy D. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Emergent Behaviour ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Optimal Health ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Will Self ◽  
Selection Of

A sufficiently complex set of molecules, if subject to perturbation, will self-organize and show emergent behaviour. If such a system can take on information it will become subject to natural selection. This could explain how self-replicating molecules evolved into life and how intelligence arose. A pivotal step in this evolutionary process was of course the emergence of the eukaryote and the advent of the mitochondrion, which both enhanced energy production per cell and increased the ability to process, store and utilize information. Recent research suggest that from its inception life embraced quantum effects such as ‘tunnelling’ and ‘coherence’ while competition and stressful conditions provided a constant driver for natural selection. We believe that the biphasic adaptive response to stress described by hormesis–a process that captures information to enable adaptability, is central to this whole process. Critically, hormesis could improve mitochondrial quantum efficiency, improving the ATP/ROS ratio, whereas inflammation, which is tightly associated with the aging process, might do the opposite. This all suggests that to achieve optimal health and healthy aging, one has to sufficiently stress the system to ensure peak mitochondrial function, which itself could reflect selection of optimum efficiency at the quantum level.

scholarly journals Genetic Diversity and Natural Selection of Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein-II From China-Myanmar Border of Yunnan Province, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tian-Qi Shi ◽  
Hai-Mo Shen ◽  
Shen-Bo Chen ◽  
Kokouvi Kassegne ◽  
Yan-Bing Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Genetic Differentiation ◽  
Positive Selection ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Duffy Binding Protein ◽  
Synonymous Mutations ◽  
Selection Of

Malaria incidence has declined dramatically over the past decade and China was certified malaria-free in 2021. However, the presence of malaria in border areas and the importation of cases of malaria parasites are major challenges for the consolidation of the achievements made by China. Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) performs a significant role in erythrocyte invasion, and is considered a promising P. vivax vaccine. However, the highly polymorphic region of PvDBP (PvDBP-II) impedes the development of blood-stage vaccine against P. vivax. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and natural selection of PvDBP-II among 124 P. vivax isolates collected from the China-Myanmar border (CMB) in Yunnan Province, China, during 2009–2011. To compare genetic diversity, natural selection, and population structure with CMB isolates, 85 pvdbp-II sequences of eastern Myanmar isolates were obtained from GenBank. In addition, global sequences of pvdbp-II were retrieved from GenBank to establish genetic differentiation relationships and networks with the CMB isolates. In total, 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms reflected in 20 non-synonymous and two synonymous mutations were identified. The overall nucleotide diversity of PvDBP-II from the 124 CMB isolates was 0.0059 with 21 haplotypes identified (Hd = 0.91). The high ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous mutations suggests that PvDBP-II had evolved under positive selection. Population structure analysis of the CMB and eastern Myanmar isolates were optimally grouped into five sub-populations (K = 5). Polymorphisms of PvDBP-II display that CMB isolates were genetically diverse. Mutation, recombination, and positive selection promote polymorphism of PvDBP-II of P. vivax population. Although low-level genetic differentiation in eastern Myanmar was identified along with the more effective malaria control measures, the complexity of population structure in malaria parasites has maintained. In conclusion, findings from this study advance knowledge of the understanding of the dynamic of P. vivax population, which will contribute to guiding the rational design of a PvDBP-II based vaccine.

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