Resistance is futile: RNA-sequencing reveals differing responses to bat fungal pathogen in Nearctic Myotis lucifugus and Palearctic Myotis myotis

Resistance and tolerance allow organisms to cope with potentially life-threatening pathogens. Recently introduced pathogens initially induce resistance responses, but natural selection favors the development of tolerance, allowing for a commensal relationship to evolve. Mycosis by Pseudogymnoascus destructans, causing white-nose syndrome (WNS) in Nearctic hibernating bats, has resulted in population declines since 2006. The pathogen, which spread from Europe, has infected species of Palearctic Myotis for a longer period. We compared ecologically relevant responses to the fungal infection in the susceptible Nearctic M. lucifugus and less susceptible Palearctic M. myotis, to uncover factors contributing to survival differences in the two species. Samples were collected from euthermic bats during arousal from hibernation, a naturally occurring phenomenon, during which transcriptional responses are activated. We compared the whole-transcriptome responses in wild bats infected with P. destructans hibernating in their natural habitat. Our results show dramatically different local transcriptional responses to the pathogen between uninfected and infected samples from the two species. Whereas we found 1526 significantly upregulated or downregulated transcripts in infected M. lucifugus, only one transcript was downregulated in M. myotis. The upregulated response pathways in M. lucifugus include immune cell activation and migration, and inflammatory pathways, indicative of an unsuccessful attempt to resist the infection. In contrast, M. myotis appears to tolerate P. destructans infection by not activating a transcriptional response. These host-microbe interactions determine pathology, contributing to WNS susceptibility, or commensalism, promoting tolerance to fungal colonization during hibernation that favors survival.Peer reviewe

Association Mapping Based on a Common-Garden Migration Experiment Reveals Candidate Genes for Migration Tendency in Brown Trout

A better understanding of the environmental and genetic contribution to migratory behavior and the evolution of traits linked to migration is crucial for fish conservation and fisheries management. Up to date, a few genes with unequivocal influence on the adoption of alternative migration strategies have been identified in salmonids. Here, we used a common garden set-up to measure individual migration distances of generally highly polymorphic brown trout Salmo trutta from two populations. Fish from the assumedly resident population showed clearly shorter migration distances than the fish from the assumed migratory population at the ages of 2 and 3 years. By using two alternative analytical pipelines with 22186 and 18264 SNPs obtained through RAD-sequencing, we searched for associations between individual migration distance, and both called genotypes and genotype probabilities. None of the SNPs showed statistically significant individual effects on migration after correction for multiple testing. By choosing a less stringent threshold, defined as an overlap of the top 0.1% SNPs identified by the analytical pipelines, GAPIT and Angsd, we identified eight candidate genes that are potentially linked to individual migration distance. While our results demonstrate large individual and population level differences in migration distances, the detected genetic associations were weak suggesting that migration traits likely have multigenic control

Comparing RADseq and microsatellites for estimating genetic diversity and relatedness Implications for brown trout conservation

The conservation and management of endangered species requires information on their genetic diversity, relatedness and population structure. The main genetic markers applied for these questions are microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the latter of which remain the more resource demanding approach in most cases. Here, we compare the performance of two approaches, SNPs obtained by restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and 16 DNA microsatellite loci, for estimating genetic diversity, relatedness and genetic differentiation of three, small, geographically close wild brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations and a regionally used hatchery strain. The genetic differentiation, quantified as F-ST, was similar when measured using 16 microsatellites and 4,876 SNPs. Based on both marker types, each brown trout population represented a distinct gene pool with a low level of interbreeding. Analysis of SNPs identified half- and full-siblings with a higher probability than the analysis based on microsatellites, and SNPs outperformed microsatellites in estimating individual-level multilocus heterozygosity. Overall, the results indicated that moderately polymorphic microsatellites and SNPs from RADseq agreed on estimates of population genetic structure in moderately diverged, small populations, but RADseq outperformed microsatellites for applications that required individual-level genotype information, such as quantifying relatedness and individual-level heterozygosity. The results can be applied to other small populations with low or moderate levels of genetic diversity

The contradictory politics of the right to travel: mobilities, borders & tourism

The freedom of movement and right to travel are intrinsic to the growth of international tourism. Notwithstanding the inchoate nature of the right to tourism, the entitlement to travel and to pursue tourism without hindrance is firmly established in advanced capitalist societies. Moreover, the right to tourism has been recently enshrined in the 2017 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics. Tourists’ ease of mobility contrasts starkly with the movements of less privileged forms of mobility that may be variously constrained by racism, xenophobia and restrictive border controls. This paper contends that rather than a mere reflection of accumulated political rights (citizenship), such unequal and differentiated mobilities are conditioned by a complex assemblage of discursive frameworks and structural forces that are played out in specific historical-geographic contexts. Accordingly, we argue that the rights associated with global tourism must be analysed in the context of the contradictory politics of global mobility, or indeed in terms of the ‘mobility crisis’. This ‘crisis’ is one that is rooted in and shaped by the cumulative legacy of past colonial orders, global capitalism and geopolitical realignments, in addition to multi-scalar systems of governance through which borders are constituted, managed and policed

Effect of biological sprays on the incidence of grey mould, fruit yield and fruit quality in organic strawberry production

Plant diseases, especially grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), may cause severe losses in organic strawberry production. In a two-year period, 20012002, the effects of different biological sprays on grey mould, the fruit yield and fruit quality of organically grown strawberry Jonsok were studied in field trials at MTT Agrifood Research Finland in Ruukki and Mikkeli. In Experiment 1 the biological sprays were seaweed, garlic and compost extracts, silicon and Trichoderma spp. on both trial sites. In Experiment 2, compost extract, Trichoderma spp. and Gliocladium catenulatum sprays were studied in Ruukki. The treatment time was chosen to control grey mould. The effect of different biological sprays on the incidence of grey mould and total and marketable yield was insignificant compared to the untreated control. In both years and in all trials the incidence of grey mould was low and rot occurred mainly in the latter part of the harvesting period, which may partly explain the small differences between treatments. Anyhow, despite of feasible biological control cultural control methods will be important to manage the fungus in organic strawberry production.;Kasvitaudit, erityisesti harmaahome (Botrytis cinerea),aiheuttavat luomumansikalle huomattavia satotappioita. Niinpä Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskuksessa (MTT) tutkittiin biologisten ruiskutteiden vaikutuksia harmaahomeen esiintymiseen sekä sadon määrään ja laatuun luomumansikan viljelyssä. Kokeet suoritettiin Ruukissa ja Mikkelissä vuosina 20012002. Mansikkakasvustot käsiteltiin merileväruiskutteella, valkosipuliuutteella, kompostiuutteella, piiruiskutteella tai Trichoderma spp. #NIMI? kompostiuutteella, Trichoderma spp. - tai Gliocladium catenulatum -ruiskutteilla. Ruiskutettuja ruutuja verrattiin ruiskuttamattomiin ruutuihin. Ruiskutusajankohdat valittiin harmaahomeen torjunnan mukaisesti, ja koelajikkeena oli Jonsok. Biologiset ruiskutteet eivät vaikuttaneet harmaahomeen esiintymiseen, sadon määrään ja pienten marjojen, nappipäisten marjojen sekä muutoin vioittuneiden marjojen osuuteen sadossa ruiskuttamattomaan käsittelyyn verrattuna. Joitakin eroja kuitenkin löytyi eri ruiskutuskäsittelyjen välillä. Kokeista saadut taimikohtaiset satomäärät olivat kuitenkin samaa suuruusluokkaa kuin tilakokeissa tavanomaisilta viljelyksiltä saadut Jonsok-lajikkeen sadot. Kokeiden perusteella voidaan päätellä, että varsinaisten torjuntatoimenpiteiden lisäksi lajikevalinta, sääolot ja viljelymenetelmät vaikuttavat harmaahomeen esiintymiseen mansikkakasvustossa

Miten tyrnisato kannattaa korjata?

vo