Validating the demethylating effects of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in insects requires a whole-genome approach (A reply to Ellers et al.)

This work was initiated as part of Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/J024481/1.We previously demonstrated that treatment with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-azadC) alters the offspring sex ratios produced by females of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Cook et al. 2015). Females allocate offspring sex ratio in line with Local Mate Competition theory, producing more or less female-biased sex ratios as the number of other females laying eggs on a patch varies, thereby reducing competition amongst their sons for mates. Interestingly, treatment with 5-aza-dC did not ablate the facultative sex allocation response. Instead, sex ratios became less female-biased, a shift in the direction of the optimum sex ratio for paternally-inherited alleles according to genomic conflict theory. This was the first (albeit indirect) experimental evidence for genomic conflict over sex allocation. Ellers et al. (2019) have since assayed the effects of 5-aza-dC on DNA methylation in ten Nasonia genes, finding no evidence of demethylation in these 10 genes, from which they conclude that 5-aza-dC has no demethylating capability in Nasonia vitripennis. Quantifying the efficacy of 5-aza-dC in terms of demethylation is indeed crucial to in-depth interpretation of studies using 5-aza-dC to link phenotypes to epigenetic regulation. Here, we outline the mode of action of 5-aza-dC and demonstrate that determining the efficacy of 5-aza-dC in insect systems requires a whole-genome approach.PostprintPeer reviewe

Genomics of sex allocation in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis

This research was funded by the Netherlands Genomics Initiative (Zenith 93511041) and the by the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/J024481/1).Background Whilst adaptive facultative sex allocation has been widely studied at the phenotypic level across a broad range of organisms, we still know remarkably little about its genetic architecture. Here, we explore the genome-wide basis of sex ratio variation in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, perhaps the best studied organism in terms of sex allocation, and well known for its response to local mate competition. Results We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for single foundress sex ratios using iso-female lines derived from the recently developed outbred N. vitripennis laboratory strain HVRx. The iso-female lines capture a sample of the genetic variation in HVRx and we present them as the first iteration of the Nasonia vitripennis Genome Reference Panel (NVGRP 1.0). This panel provides an assessment of the standing genetic variation for sex ratio in the study population. Using the NVGRP, we discovered a cluster of 18 linked SNPs, encompassing 9 annotated loci associated with sex ratio variation. Furthermore, we found evidence that sex ratio has a shared genetic basis with clutch size on three different chromosomes. Conclusions Our approach provides a thorough description of the quantitative genetic basis of sex ratio variation in Nasonia at the genome level and reveals a number of inter-related candidate loci underlying sex allocation regulation.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

THE FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL IN THE ZAGREB PRESS

U članku se donose informacije o pripremama i radu Prvoga vatikanskog koncila kako ih je prenosio zagrebački tisak. Istražuje se pisanje triju zagrebačkih tiskovina: Narodnih novina, Agramer Zeitunga i Zagrebačkoga katoličkog lista. Na osnovi vijesti iz navedenih izvora izlaže se početak, djelovanje i rad Prvoga vatikanskog koncila sve od njegova sazivanja 29. lipnja 1869. pa do prekida 1. rujna 1870., nakon čega je uslijedila okupacija Rima, što je učinila Kraljevina Italija, i prekid postojanja Papinske Države. Posebna pozornost posvećuje se koncilskom zasjedanjima na kojima je najaktualnija bila tema o papinoj nepogrešivosti. Na kraju rada u zaključnim razmatranjima donosi se analiza pisanja zagrebačkog tiska, iščitava se njihov stav o radu Koncila i proglašenoj dogmi, uočava se važnost tiska i javnosti u odnosu na zasjedanje Koncila. Opća konstatacija je da zagrebačke tiskovine nisu blagonaklono gledale na proglašenje dogme o papinoj nepogrešivosti, već su slijedile politiku vlastite države i stavove većine domaćeg episkopata.This article reveals information about preparations and work of the First Vatican Council as it was reported in the contemporary Zagreb press. Authors investigate writings in three newspapers from Zagreb: Narodne novine [National newspapers], Agramer Zeintug [Zagreb Newspapers] and Zagrebački katolički list [Zagreb Catholic Newspapers]. On the basis of the articles and information published in these newspapers, authors reconstruct opening and work of the First Vatican Council from its convocation (29th June 1869) until its downtime on 1st September 1870, which was followed by Italian occupation of Rome and abolishment of the Papal state. Authors give special attention to the Council’s sessions in which the most important topic was thesis about the papal impeccability. In the conclusion authors deliver an analysis of the texts published in the Zagreb press concerning the Council, in which they reveal press’ attitude and opinions about the work of the Council and the decreed dogma. Finally, authors have deduced that the press was quite important in making of the public opinion about the Council. Namely, it is quite clear that Zagreb press did not welcome decree of dogma on the papal impeccability, and in this manner press followed state policy and views of the majority of the local episcopacy

Open urethroplasty versus endoscopic urethrotomy - clarifying the management of men with recurrent urethral stricture (the OPEN trial) : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

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Sperm blocking is not a male adaptation to sperm competition in a parasitoid wasp

This work was supported by a NERC Doctoral Training Grant studentship to RAB. Data archived in Dryad Digital Repository at doi:10.5061/dryad.t0877The extent to which sperm or ejaculate-derived products from different males interact during sperm competition—from kamikaze sperm to sperm incapacitation—remains controversial. Repeated matings in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis lead to a short-term reduction of efficient sperm use by females, which is crucial for a haplodiploid organism when needing to allocate sex adaptively (i.e. by fertilizing eggs to produce daughters). Repeated matings by females in this species, therefore, constrain sex allocation through this “sperm-blocking” effect, eliciting a cost to polyandry. Here, we explore the causes and consequences of sperm blocking and test the hypothesis that it is an ejaculate-related trait associated with sperm competition. First, we show that sperm blocking, which leads to an overproduction of sons, is not correlated with success in either offensive or defensive roles in sperm competition. Then, we show that the extent of sperm blocking is not affected by self–self or kin–kin ejaculate interactions when compared to self vs nonself or kin versus nonkin sperm competition. Our results suggest that sperm blocking is not a sperm competition adaptation, but is instead associated with the mechanics of processing sperm in this species, which are likely shaped by selection on female reproductive morphology for adaptive sex allocation.PostprintPeer reviewe

Yielding and irreversible deformation below the microscale: Surface effects and non-mean-field plastic avalanches

Nanoindentation techniques recently developed to measure the mechanical response of crystals under external loading conditions reveal new phenomena upon decreasing sample size below the microscale. At small length scales, material resistance to irreversible deformation depends on sample morphology. Here we study the mechanisms of yield and plastic flow in inherently small crystals under uniaxial compression. Discrete structural rearrangements emerge as series of abrupt discontinuities in stress-strain curves. We obtain the theoretical dependence of the yield stress on system size and geometry and elucidate the statistical properties of plastic deformation at such scales. Our results show that the absence of dislocation storage leads to crucial effects on the statistics of plastic events, ultimately affecting the universal scaling behavior observed at larger scales.Comment: Supporting Videos available at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.002041

ICON 2019: International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: Clinical Terminology

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Background Persistent tendon pain that impairs function has inconsistent medical terms that can influence choice of treatment.1 When a person is told they have tendinopathy by clinician A or tendinitis by clinician B, they might feel confused or be alarmed at receiving what they might perceive as two different diagnoses. This may lead to loss of confidence in their health professional and likely adds to uncertainty if they were to search for information about their condition. Clear and uniform terminology also assists inter-professional communication. Inconsistency in terminology for painful tendon disorders is a problem at numerous anatomical sites. Historically, the term ‘tendinitis’ was first used to describe tendon pain, thickening and impaired function (online supplementary figure S1). The term ‘tendinosis’ has also been used in a small number of publications, some of which were very influential.2 3 Subsequently, ‘tendinopathy’ emerged as the most common term for persistent tendon pain.4 5 To our knowledge, experts (clinicians and researchers) or patients have never engaged in a formal process to discuss the terminology we use. We believe that health professionals have not yet agreed on the appropriate terminology for painful tendon conditions.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Differential gene expression is not required for facultative sex allocation:a transcriptome analysis of brain tissue in the parasitoid wasp <i>Nasonia vitripennis</i>

Table S1: Mapping statistics for all sequenced librarie

A supramolecular assembly mediates lentiviral DNA integration

Retroviral integrase (IN) functions within the intasome nucleoprotein complex to catalyze insertion of viral DNA into cellular chromatin. Using cryo–electron microscopy, we now visualize the functional maedi-visna lentivirus intasome at 4.9 angstrom resolution. The intasome comprises a homo-hexadecamer of IN with a tetramer-of-tetramers architecture featuring eight structurally distinct types of IN protomers supporting two catalytically competent subunits. The conserved intasomal core, previously observed in simpler retroviral systems, is formed between two IN tetramers, with a pair of C-terminal domains from flanking tetramers completing the synaptic interface. Our results explain how HIV-1 IN, which self-associates into higher-order multimers, can form a functional intasome, reconcile the bulk of early HIV-1 IN biochemical and structural data, and provide a lentiviral platform for design of HIV-1 IN inhibitors