Most migratory bird populations are composed of individuals that migrate and individuals that remain resident. While the role of ecological factors in maintaining this behavioral dimorphism has received much attention, the importance of genetic constraints on the evolution of avian migration has not yet been considered. Drawing on the recorded migratory activities of 775 blackcaps (Sylvia atric...

Non-genetic phenotypic variations play a critical role in the adaption to environmental changes in microbial organisms. Candida albicans, a major human fungal pathogen, can switch between several morphological phenotypes. This ability is critical for its commensal lifestyle and for its ability to cause infections. Here, we report the discovery of a novel morphological form in C. albicans, refer...

The human fungal pathogen Candida albicans undergoes white-opaque phenotypic switching, which enhances its adaptation to host niches. Switching is controlled by a transcriptional regulatory network of interlocking feedback loops acting on the transcription of WOR1, the master regulator of white-opaque switching, but regulation of the network on the translational level is not yet explored. Here,...

The disease cryptococcosis, caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, is acquired directly from environmental exposure rather than transmitted person-to-person. One explanation for the pathogenicity of this species is that interactions with environmental predators select for virulence. However, co-incubation of C. neoformans with amoeba can cause a "switch" from the normal yeast morphology ...

BACKGROUND The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) alters expression level of pro-oncogenic or tumor suppressive mRNAs in breast cancer, and in the long run, causes multiple biological abnormalities. Identification of such interactions of miRNA-mRNA requires integrative analysis of miRNA-mRNA expression profile data. However, current approaches have limitations to consider the regulatory relati...

Objectives Detection of rarer carbapenemases is challenging, as it requires molecular assays with comprehensive coverage or the use of phenotypic methods for the detection of carbapenemase activity. We describe a new class A carbapenemase, FRI-2, in an Enterobacter cloacae complex isolate following implementation of an in-house multiplex PCR for the detection of 'rare' class A carbapenemases. ...

In order to provide data for lichenologists studying taxonomy, Chaenothecopsis xishuiensis is supported and proposed as a new species from China based on phenotypic, molecular, metabolite data. It characterised by leprose thallus, single, conical hemispherical apothecia, nonbranching stipe, cylindrical, eight-spored asci, nonseptate brown spores, this lichenised fungus contains atranorin zeorin...