A novel terpene synthase controls differences in anti-aphrodisiac pheromone production between closely related Heliconius butterflies.

Plants and insects often use the same compounds for chemical communication, but not much is known about the genetics of convergent evolution of chemical signals. The terpene (E)-β-ocimene is a common component of floral scent and is also used by the butterfly Heliconius melpomene as an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. While the biosynthesis of terpenes has been described in plants and microorganisms, few terpene synthases (TPSs) have been identified in insects. Here, we study the recent divergence of 2 species, H. melpomene and Heliconius cydno, which differ in the presence of (E)-β-ocimene; combining linkage mapping, gene expression, and functional analyses, we identify 2 novel TPSs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one, HmelOS, is able to synthesise (E)-β-ocimene in vitro. We find no evidence for TPS activity in HcydOS (HmelOS ortholog of H. cydno), suggesting that the loss of (E)-β-ocimene in this species is the result of coding, not regulatory, differences. The TPS enzymes we discovered are unrelated to previously described plant and insect TPSs, demonstrating that chemical convergence has independent evolutionary origins

A novel terpene synthase controls differences in anti-aphrodisiac pheromone production between closely related Heliconius butterflies

Plants and insects often use the same compounds for chemical communication, but not much is known about the genetics of convergent evolution of chemical signals. The terpene (E)-beta-ocimene is a common component of floral scent and is also used by the butterfly Heliconius melpomene as an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. While the biosynthesis of terpenes has been described in plants and microorganisms, few terpene synthases (TPSs) have been identified in insects. Here, we study the recent divergence of 2 species, H. melpomene and Heliconius cydno, which differ in the presence of (E)-beta-ocimene; combining linkage mapping, gene expression, and functional analyses, we identify 2 novel TPSs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one, HmelOS, is able to synthesise (E)-beta-ocimene in vitro. We find no evidence for TPS activity in HcydOS (HmelOS ortholog of H. cydno), suggesting that the loss of (E)-beta-ocimene in this species is the result of coding, not regulatory, differences. The TPS enzymes we discovered are unrelated to previously described plant and insect TPSs, demonstrating that chemical convergence has independent evolutionary origins.Peer reviewe

A novel terpene synthase controls differences in anti-aphrodisiac pheromone production between closely related Heliconius butterflies

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Grant(s): Emmy Noether Fellowship GZ:ME4845/1-1Funder: Jane ja Aatos Erkon Säätiö; funder-id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004012Funder: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; funder-id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100009201Plants and insects often use the same compounds for chemical communication, but not much is known about the genetics of convergent evolution of chemical signals. The terpene (E)-β-ocimene is a common component of floral scent and is also used by the butterfly Heliconius melpomene as an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. While the biosynthesis of terpenes has been described in plants and microorganisms, few terpene synthases (TPSs) have been identified in insects. Here, we study the recent divergence of 2 species, H. melpomene and Heliconius cydno, which differ in the presence of (E)-β-ocimene; combining linkage mapping, gene expression, and functional analyses, we identify 2 novel TPSs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one, HmelOS, is able to synthesise (E)-β-ocimene in vitro. We find no evidence for TPS activity in HcydOS (HmelOS ortholog of H. cydno), suggesting that the loss of (E)-β-ocimene in this species is the result of coding, not regulatory, differences. The TPS enzymes we discovered are unrelated to previously described plant and insect TPSs, demonstrating that chemical convergence has independent evolutionary origins

Integracja danych oraz ich interpretacja w rozpoznaniu deformacji powierzchni terenu na przykładzie wysadu solnego w Inowrocławiu

Długookresowe obserwacje przemieszczeń powierzchni terenu pozwoliły na wyznaczenie lokalnego trendu zarówno w dźwiganiu, jak i osiadaniu terenu na skutek eksploatacji górniczej oraz geologicznych procesów związanych ze strukturą solną Inowrocławia. Pomiary geodezyjne objęły dużą liczbę punktów sieci geodezyjnej, co dostarczyło wprawdzie szczegółowych, lecz ograniczonych do niewielkiej powierzchni terenu informacji o przemieszczeniach pionowych. Zastosowanie satelitarnej interferometrii radarowej (InSAR) pozwoliło na poszerzenie zakresu przestrzennego badanych przemieszczeń (wyznaczonych również z zastosowaniem precyzyjnej niwelacji geometrycznej), co umożliwiło wyznaczenie deformacji w wymiarze regionalnym. Zaprezentowano połączenie wyników wyznaczonych przy zastosowaniu niwelacji oraz techniki PS InSAR, które umożliwiły zamodelowanie badanych przemieszczeń. Ze względu na możliwości obu narzędzi pomiarowych podejście to okazało się właściwe.Long-term geodetic observations of the terrain surface displacements show local trends in uplifts and subsidence as effects of mining and geological processes related to the salt structure of Inowrocław. Surveys have been carried out on a number of control points of the geodetic network, thus, observations provide detailed data, but limited to a small area. The application of the Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) data extending a spatial range of displacements depicted by levelling can provide a regional context of the process. The presented combination of the levelling and InSAR (Persistent Scatt erer Interferometry – PSI) data in modelling of displacements can be a good option on the condition that some of the peculiarities of the methods are considered

Effects of propofol and carbon dioxide on acid-base balance in Siberian sturgeon

The aim of this study was to compare physiological responses in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri) induced by propofol and CO2 anaesthesia. Two procedures were applied during the experiment. In procedure I, blood samples were collected immediately after exposure (1, 2, 5, 10 min) to the anaesthetic. In procedure II, fish were exposed to the anaesthetic for 10 minutes and then were moved to anaesthetic free water. Blood was sampled after 5, 10, 20 or 30 min of recovery time. Gasometrical and biochemical analyses were performed on collected blood. In CO2 anaesthetized fish strong hypercapnic acidosis was revealed. The drop of the HCO3-/CO2 ratio, from 28:1 in control fish up to 4:1 in CO2 anaesthetized ones, proved that the compensation mechanism is not capable of preventing acidosis during CO2 anaesthesia in Siberian sturgeon. In contrast, only moderate, respiratory acidosis occurred in sturgeons anaesthetised with propofol. Hypercapnic acidosis during CO2 anaesthesia was followed by a fourfold increase of ammonia level in the blood. Glucose level, increasing only during recovery time, indicates that a secondary stress response occurred when awareness of anaesthetized fish had been restored

Geodynamic research at the Department of Planetary Geodesy, SRC PAS

The Department of Planetary Geodesy of the Space Research Centre PAS has been conducting research on a broad spectrum of problems within a field of global dynamics of the Earth. In this report we describe the investigations on selected subjects concerning polar motion (modeling and geophysical interpretation of the Chandler wobble, hydrological excitation of seasonal signals, search for optimal prediction methods), tectonic activity in the region of the Książ Geodynamic Laboratory of the SRC, and finally the new joint Polish-Italian project GalAc analyzing feasibility and usefulness of equipping second-generation Galileo satellites with accelerometers