Venom duct origins of prey capture and defensive conotoxins in piscivorous Conus striatus

The venom duct origins of predatory and defensive venoms has not been studied for hook-and-line fish hunting cone snails despite the pharmacological importance of their venoms. To better understand the biochemistry and evolution of injected predatory and defensive venoms, we compared distal, central and proximal venom duct sections across three specimens of C. striatus (Pionoconus) using proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. A total of 370 conotoxin precursors were identified from the whole venom duct transcriptome. Milked defensive venom was enriched with a potent cocktail of proximally expressed inhibitory α-, ω- and μ-conotoxins compared to milked predatory venom. In contrast, excitatory κA-conotoxins dominated both the predatory and defensive venoms despite their distal expression, suggesting this class of conotoxin can be selectively expressed from the same duct segment in response to either a predatory or defensive stimuli. Given the high abundance of κA-conotoxins in the Pionoconus clade, we hypothesise that the κA-conotoxins have evolved through adaptive evolution following their repurposing from ancestral inhibitory A superfamily conotoxins to facilitate the dietary shift to fish hunting and species radiation in this clade.

Horizontally acquired antibacterial genes associated with adaptive radiation of ladybird beetles

Background Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been documented in many herbivorous insects, conferring the ability to digest plant material and promoting their remarkable ecological diversification. Previous reports suggest HGT of antibacterial enzymes may have contributed to the insect immune response and limit bacterial growth. Carnivorous insects also display many evolutionary successful lineages, but in contrast to the plant feeders, the potential role of HGTs has been less well-studied. Results Using genomic and transcriptomic data from 38 species of ladybird beetles, we identified a set of bacterial cell wall hydrolase (cwh) genes acquired by this group of beetles. Infection with Bacillus subtilis led to upregulated expression of these ladybird cwh genes, and their recombinantly produced proteins limited bacterial proliferation. Moreover, RNAi-mediated cwh knockdown led to downregulation of other antibacterial genes, indicating a role in antibacterial immune defense. cwh genes are rare in eukaryotes, but have been maintained in all tested Coccinellinae species, suggesting that this putative immune-related HGT event played a role in the evolution of this speciose subfamily of predominant predatory ladybirds. Conclusion Our work demonstrates that, in a manner analogous to HGT-facilitated plant feeding, enhanced immunity through HGT might have played a key role in the prey adaptation and niche expansion that promoted the diversification of carnivorous beetle lineages. We believe that this represents the first example of immune-related HGT in carnivorous insects with an association with a subsequent successful species radiation.

Framework Phylogeny, Evolution and Complex Diversification of Chinese Oaks

Oaks (Quercus L.) are ideal models to assess patterns of plant diversity. We integrated the sequence data of five chloroplast and two nuclear loci from 50 Chinese oaks to explore the phylogenetic framework, evolution and diversification patterns of the Chinese oak’s lineage. The framework phylogeny strongly supports two subgenera Quercus and Cerris comprising four infrageneric sections Quercus, Cerris, Ilex and Cyclobalanopsis for the Chinese oaks. An evolutionary analysis suggests that the two subgenera probably split during the mid-Eocene, followed by intergroup divergence within the subgenus Cerris around the late Eocene. The initial diversification of sections in the subgenus Cerris was dated between the mid-Oligocene and the Oligocene–Miocene boundary, while a rapid species radiation in section Quercus started in the late Miocene. Diversification simulations indicate a potential evolutionary shift on section Quercus, while several phenotypic shifts likely occur among all sections. We found significant negative correlations between rates of the lineage diversification and phenotypic turnover, suggesting a complex interaction between the species evolution and morphological divergence in Chinese oaks. Our infrageneric phylogeny of Chinese oaks accords with the recently proposed classification of the genus Quercus. The results point to tectonic activity and climatic change during the Tertiary as possible drivers of evolution and diversification in the Chinese oak’s lineage.

Revision of the stygobiont gastropod genera Plagigeyeria Tomlin, 1930 and Travunijana Grego & Glöer, 2019 (Mollusca; Gastropoda; Moitessieriidae and Hydrobiidae) in Hercegovina and adjacent regions

The genus Plagigeyeria Tomlin, 1930 is one of the most typical elements representing the stygobiont fauna in the southern Dinaric Alps. In the current study I present the territory of Hercegovina (and its adjacent regions of Bjelašnica and the Dalmatian coast containing transboundary aquifers) as one of the two main biodiversity hotspots for distribution of the genus. It is comparable with the species radiation of Plagigeyeria in the Kotor Bay–Skadar Lake Basin area. My study of the karst springs and caves revealed, besides the presently known species, twelve new Plagigeyeria taxa detected in so-far uninvestigated karstic aquifers: Plagigeyeria erossi sp. nov., P. ljutaensis sp. nov., P. konjicensis sp. nov., P. pseudocostellina sp. nov., P. reischuetzorum sp. nov., P. olsavskyi sp. nov., P. listicaensis sp. nov., P. ozimeci sp. nov., P. jakabi sp. nov., P. angyaldorkae sp. nov., P. vriosticaensis sp. nov. and P. lewarnei sp. nov. Closer shell morphology investigation supported by the protoconch morphology revealed a presence of another genus within the former Plagigeyeria complex. The following taxa are transferred herein to Travunijana Glöer & Grego, 2019: Plagigeyeria robusta Schütt, 1959, P. robusta asculpta Schütt, 1972, P. ovalis Kuščer, 1933, P. edlaueri Schütt, 1961, P. klemmi Schütt, 1961, P. nitida Schütt, 1963, P. angelovi Schütt, 1972 and P. tribunicae Schütt, 1963, plus a new species, Travunijana gloeri sp. nov., is described for the genus. Distribution maps of both genera, Plagigeyeria and Travunijana, over the karst aquifers of Hercegovina and adjacent regions are presented with respect to the hydrogeological separation of the known spring karst conduits and aquifers.

Solar Space, Island Earth, and the Ends of Humanity

Solar colonization, occurring in four stages, faces daunting obstacles and is unlikely soon. A colony able to preserve humanity from Earth disasters is likely to be politically independent. Analogies with successful terrestrial expansions are significantly misleading. The applied propositions of geopolitics predict a solar anarchy primed for large-scale wars. The Solar Archipelago will be geopolitically malefic, combining the worst features of Archipelago and Planetary Earths. Because of the immense violence potentials of asteroidal bombardment, violence interdependence will remain intense despite large effective distances. Asteroid-island analogies hide asteroid movement, collisions, and movability. Establishing a common government will be necessary but nearly impossible. Space polities will become very different, making mutual restraints difficult. Biological species radiation will make interplanetary war xenocidal. Protecting militarily disadvantaged Island Earth will require hierarchical world government. Sustaining restraints on artificial superintelligence and bioengineering will be very difficult. Because solar space colonization probably will cause human extinction (astrocide), it should be avoided.

Genomics of a complete butterfly continent

Never before have we had the luxury of choosing a continent, picking a large phylogenetic group of animals, and obtaining genomic data for its every species. Here, we sequence all 845 species of butterflies recorded from North America north of Mexico. Our comprehensive approach reveals the pattern of diversification and adaptation occurring in this phylogenetic lineage as it has spread over the continent, which cannot be seen on a sample of selected species. We observe bursts of diversification that generated taxonomic ranks: subfamily, tribe, subtribe, genus, and species. The older burst around 70 Mya resulted in the butterfly subfamilies, with the major evolutionary inventions being unique phenotypic traits shaped by high positive selection and gene duplications. The recent burst around 5 Mya is caused by explosive radiation in diverse butterfly groups associated with diversification in transcription and mRNA regulation, morphogenesis, and mate selection. Rapid radiation correlates with more frequent introgression of speciation-promoting and beneficial genes among radiating species. Radiation and extinction patterns over the last 100 million years suggest the following general model of animal evolution. A population spreads over the land, adapts to various conditions through mutations, and diversifies into several species. Occasional hybridization between these species results in accumulation of beneficial alleles in one, which eventually survives, while others become extinct. Not only butterflies, but also the hominids may have followed this path.