Large differences in carbohydrate degradation and transport potential among lichen fungal symbionts.

Lichen symbioses are thought to be stabilized by the transfer of fixed carbon from a photosynthesizing symbiont to a fungus. In other fungal symbioses, carbohydrate subsidies correlate with reductions in plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, but whether this is true of lichen fungal symbionts (LFSs) is unknown. Here, we predict genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and sugar transporters in 46 genomes from the Lecanoromycetes, the largest extant clade of LFSs. All LFSs possess a robust CAZyme arsenal including enzymes acting on cellulose and hemicellulose, confirmed by experimental assays. However, the number of genes and predicted functions of CAZymes vary widely, with some fungal symbionts possessing arsenals on par with well-known saprotrophic fungi. These results suggest that stable fungal association with a phototroph does not in itself result in fungal CAZyme loss, and lends support to long-standing hypotheses that some lichens may augment fixed CO2 with carbon from external sources

Interlaboratory study on Sb2S3 interplay between structure, dielectric function, and morphous-to-crystalline phase change for photonics

Antimony sulfide, Sb2S3, is interesting as the phase-change material for applications requiring high transmission from the visible to telecom wavelengths, with its band gap tunable from 2.2 to 1.6 eV, depending on the amorphous and crystalline phase. Here we present results from an interlaboratory study on the interplay between the structural change and resulting optical contrast during the amorphous-to-crystalline transformation triggered both thermally and optically. By statistical analysis of Raman and ellipsometric spectroscopic data, we have identified two regimes of crystallization, namely 250_C % T < 300_C, resulting in Type-I spherulitic crystallization yielding an optical contrast Dn _ 0.4, and 300 % T < 350 _ C, yielding Type-II crystallization bended spherulitic structure with different dielectric function and optical contrast Dn _ 0.2 below 1.5 eV. Based on our findings, applications of on-chip reconfigurable nanophotonic phase modulators and of a reconfigurable high-refractive-index core/phase-change shell nanoantenna are designed and proposed.The authors acknowledge the support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (No 899598 - PHEMTRONICS)

Insetos em presépios e as "formigas vestidas" de Jules Martin (1832-1906): uma curiosa manufatura paulistana do final do século XIX

Encontrados no Brasil desde os primórdios da colonização portuguesa, os presépios logo tiveram de adaptar-se à realidade local, circunstância muito propícia ao aparecimento de concepções heterodoxas e ao emprego de elementos exóticos da fauna e flora de cada região. Como registros envolvendo insetos são muito pouco comuns, chama a atenção que fêmeas de saúva, Atta sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), tenham sido aproveitadas na composição de presépios no estado de São Paulo. Tendo subsistido pelo menos até a década 1960, os "presépios de formigas" existentes em cidades como Embu das Artes poderiam estar relacionados às "formigas vestidas" criadas por Jules Martin, curiosa manufatura paulistana do último quartel do século XIX.Present in Brazil since the beginning of Portuguese colonization, crèche nativity scenes were soon adapted to local reality, a propitious circumstance for the appearance of heterodox conceptions and the use of exotic elements of the fauna and flora peculiar to each region. As records about insects are very uncommon, it is noteworthy that females of leaf-cutting ants, Atta sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), were used to compose crèche nativity scenes in São Paulo State. Having subsisted at least up to the decade of 1960, the "ant crèches" of cities such as Embu das Artes could be related to the then famous "dressed ants" created by Jules Martin, a curious manufacture of the city of São Paulo in the last quarter of the 19th century

A leucine aminopeptidase is involved in kinetoplast DNA segregation in <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i>

The kinetoplast (k), the uniquely packaged mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomatid protists is formed by a catenated network of minicircles and maxicircles that divide and segregate once each cell cycle. Although many proteins involved in kDNA replication and segregation are now known, several key steps in the replication mechanism remain uncharacterized at the molecular level, one of which is the nabelschnur or umbilicus, a prominent structure which in the mammalian parasite Trypanosoma brucei connects the daughter kDNA networks prior to their segregation. Here we characterize an M17 family leucyl aminopeptidase metalloprotease, termed TbLAP1, which specifically localizes to the kDNA disk and the nabelschur and represents the first described protein found in this structure. We show that TbLAP1 is required for correct segregation of kDNA, with knockdown resulting in delayed cytokinesis and ectopic expression leading to kDNA loss and decreased cell proliferation. We propose that TbLAP1 is required for efficient kDNA division and specifically participates in the separation of daughter kDNA networks

The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics

A genomic database of all Earth’s eukaryotic species could contribute to many scientific discoveries; however, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. In 2018, scientists across the world united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), aiming to produce a database of high-quality reference genomes containing all ~1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) sought to implement a new decentralised, equitable and inclusive model for producing reference genomes. For this, ERGA launched a Pilot Project establishing the first distributed reference genome production infrastructure and testing it on 98 eukaryotic species from 33 European countries. Here we outline the infrastructure and explore its effectiveness for scaling high-quality reference genome production, whilst considering equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational, national genomic resource projects and the EBP.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics.

ABSTRACT: A global genome database of all of Earth’s species diversity could be a treasure trove of scientific discoveries. However, regardless of the major advances in genome sequencing technologies, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. To contribute to a more complete planetary genomic database, scientists and institutions across the world have united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), which plans to sequence and assemble high-quality reference genomes for all ∼1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species through a stepwise phased approach. As the initiative transitions into Phase II, where 150,000 species are to be sequenced in just four years, worldwide participation in the project will be fundamental to success. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) seeks to implement a new decentralised, accessible, equitable and inclusive model for producing high-quality reference genomes, which will inform EBP as it scales. To embark on this mission, ERGA launched a Pilot Project to establish a network across Europe to develop and test the first infrastructure of its kind for the coordinated and distributed reference genome production on 98 European eukaryotic species from sample providers across 33 European countries. Here we outline the process and challenges faced during the development of a pilot infrastructure for the production of reference genome resources, and explore the effectiveness of this approach in terms of high-quality reference genome production, considering also equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned during this pilot provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational and national genomic resource projects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

La internacionalización de la economía austríaca ante la ampliación de la UE

COLABORACIONES Aunque las economías nacionales abiertas y más pequeñas muestran tradicionalmente un grado de interdependencia internacional muy alto, las cuotas de inversión austríacas se sitúan por debajo de la media. Durante el ejercicio de 1999, las inversiones de empresas austríacas en el extranjero experimentaron sólo un crecimiento reducido, mientras que disminuyeron los flujos pasivos FDI (inversiones extranjeras directas) austríacos. Para el año 2000 se previeron reducciones tanto en las inversiones austríacas activas como en las pasivas. También en 2000 Europa oriental siguió siendo la región objetivo más importante para las inversiones austríacas, habiendo estado los bancos austríacos comprometidos activamente en la compra de entidades bancarias. Con una oferta casi agotada de privatizaciones en Hungría, a finales de los años 90, y muy al contrario de lo que ocurría a principios de la década, las FDI austríacas presentaron una amplia dispersión. Le sigue la UE como región más importante, siendo Alemania el país objetivo y de inversiones más importante para los flujos FDI austríacos tanto activos como pasivos. Viena se encuentra entre las ubicaciones más atractivas para las FDI en Europa debido a los bajos costes, una productividad de rápido aumento y el alto nivel de calidad de vida. Esta posición se ve reforzada por el programa económico del Gobierno federal austríaco. Viena se está convirtiendo en el emplazamiento más importante dentro de Europa, para las centrales de Europa oriental y como centro de competencia para los servicios financieros en Europa central y oriental. La mayor parte de las FDI, activas y pasivas, fluyen hacia el sector de servicios