Biology subjects

Laso-Jadart, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Laso-Jadart, R..

7 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Mosaic selection and gene flow at the onset of grain beetle domestication

Domestication is an evolutionary process that can begin before deliberate breeding, when association with humans reshapes gene flow and selection. The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, is undergoing this transition from a synanthropic pest of stored grain to farmed species. We asked whether gene flow between farmed populations contributes to adaptation to captivity and whether selection extends to production traits. We combined population genomics of 320 beetles from eight farmed and wild populations with genetic mapping of 15 production traits from 3,575 individuals. Farm stocks retained high diversity and weak differentiation, with Netherlands-related ancestry connecting populations across Europe and Canada. Farm-restricted sweep-like signatures were 2.06-fold enriched within regions of excess allele sharing, suggesting local selection on introgressed variation. Across 305 production-trait QTLs, overlaps with selection and introgression signals showed no significant enrichment or depletion, suggesting that adaptive gene flow may primarily contribute to adaptation to captivity rather than broadly shaping growth, development and fertility. Nevertheless, egg-hatching-rate and development-time QTLs overlapped regions of reduced nucleotide diversity and low Tajima's D. These findings support a model in which gene flow supplies variation for unintended selection under intensive rearing. Crowding and physiological stress may favour adaptation to captive environments before sustained breeding establishes a broad genomic response at production loci.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Hypoxia adaptation shapes genomic architecture and vertical niche transitions in copepods

Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) expansion is a major challenge to marine ecosystems and associated zooplankton. Calanoid copepods include lineages that tolerate hypoxia and exhibit functional traits such as diel vertical migrations towards, or dormancy within, hypoxic mesopelagic zones. However, the evolutionary origins and molecular drivers of these functional traits remain unclear. Herein, we integrate a time-calibrated phylotranscriptomic tree of 50 copepod species with ancestral trait reconstruction, gene family copy number variation, and palaeoceanographic data to infer the evolutionary timing and ecological drivers of hypoxia adaptation. Our results support the following scenario: 1. Post-embryonic dormancy probably originated in calanoid ancestors, accompanied by widespread gene expansions involving hypoxia-response pathways as well as lipid and amino acid metabolisms. 2. Mesopelagic colonisation by calanoid lineages likely occurred during the Ordovician deep-sea oxygenation event. 3. During the Carboniferous deep-sea deoxygenation, a secondary habitat shift would have occurred toward shallower waters and embryonic dormancy, and as well as a contraction of the size of gene families in the Diaptomoidae. We further analysed the transcriptomic response of Eucalanus hyalinus from the Benguela upwelling OMZ versus surface waters, and identified a coordinated response involving extracellular matrix remodelling, amino acid recycling for anaerobic energy and antioxidant production as well as triglycerides to wax ester conversion. Ka/Ks analysis of gene family expansions upstream (proteolysis, transport) and downstream (antioxidant biosynthesis) of core metabolic pathways suggested purifying selection on dosage-sensitive genes. Together, these results link palaeoclimate change to lineage-specific genome evolution patterns supporting copepod adaptation to oxygen limitation.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Combining population genomics with ancient DNA to understand island colonization history of the Madagascar turtle dove

The Mascarene archipelago (Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues), characterized by first human arrival being recent, offers a unique setting to study species colonization. Here we use a combination of modern and ancient DNA data as a case study to investigate the recent colonization history of a species of concern in relation to conservation programs - the Madagascar turtle dove (Nesoenas picturata) on Mauritius and Reunion. We generated a reference genome and re-sequenced genomes from contemporary N. picturata populations, as well as genome-wide data from relevant subfossils. A combination of model-free inferences, site frequency spectrum (SFS) based demographic modelling, and analyses of population structure including that of subfossils indicate that N. picturata colonized both islands independently and naturally from Madagascar, long before human arrival. Summary statistics and SFS-based modeling reveal large effective population sizes (Ne) and high genetic diversity in island populations, conflicting with historical accounts of human-induced demographic collapse. Based on goodness-of-fit, genetic structure and diversity indices do not discriminate between two solutions, one of which posits large recent Ne and negligible translocation rates, while the other supports recent severe bottlenecks followed by high post-human translocation from Madagascar. Nonetheless, linkage disequilibrium provides stronger evidence for the latter scenario, which may also explain high genetic diversity. Both modern and ancient DNA data sources independently support the classification of N. picturata as native to both islands. Our findings highlight the importance of validating demographic models with multiple summary statistics, and potential of using a combination of different data sources to resolve colonization history in recent time.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Male differentiation in the marine copepod Oithona nana reveals the development of a new nervous ganglion linked to Lin12-Notch-Repeat protein-associated proteolysis

BackgroundCopepods are among the most numerous animals, and play an essential role in the marine trophic web and biogeochemical cycles. The genus Oithona is described as having the highest density of copepods, and as being the most cosmopolite copepods. The Oithona male paradox describes the activity states of males, which are obliged to alternate between immobile and mobile phases for ambush feeding and mate searching, respectively, while the female is typically less mobile and often feeding. To characterize the molecular basis of this sexual dimorphism, we combined immunofluorescence, genomics, transcriptomics, and protein-protein interaction approaches. ResultsImmunofluorescence of {beta}3- and -tubulin revealed two male-specific nervous ganglia in the lateral first segment of the Oithona nana males prosome. In parallel, transcriptomic analysis showed male-specific enrichment for nervous system development-related transcripts. Twenty-seven Lin12-Notch Repeat domain-containing protein coding genes (LDPGs) of the 75 LDPGs identified in the genome were specifically expressed only in males. Furthermore, most of the LDPGs (27%) coded for proteins having predicted proteolytic activity, and non-LDPG proteolysis-associated transcripts showed a male-specific enrichment. Using yeast double-hybrid assays, we constructed a protein-protein interaction network involving two LDPs with proteases, extracellular matrix proteins, and neurogenesis-related proteins. ConclusionsFor the first time, our study describes the lateral nervous ganglia of O. nana males, unique to copepods. We also demonstrated a role of LDPGs and their associated proteolysis in male-specific physiology, and we hypothesize a role of the LDPGs in the development of the lateral ganglia through directed lysis of the extracellular matrix for the growth of neurites and genesis of synapses.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2020

metaVaR: introducing metavariant species models for reference-free metagenomic-based population genomics

MotivationThe availability of large metagenomic data offers great opportunities for the population genomic analysis of uncultured organisms, especially for small eukaryotes that represent an important part of the unexplored biosphere while playing a key ecological role. However, the majority of these species lacks reference genome or transcriptome which constitutes a technical barrier for classical population genomic analyses. ResultsWe introduce the metavariant species (MVS) model, a representation of the species only by intra-species nucleotide polymorphism. We designed a method combining reference-free variant calling, multiple density-based clustering and maximum weighted independent set algorithms to cluster intra-species variant into MVS directly from multisample metagenomic raw reads without reference genome or reads assembly. The frequencies of the MVS variants are then used to compute population genomic statistics such as FST in order to estimate genomic differentiation between populations and to identify loci under natural selection. The MVSs construction was tested on simulated and real metagenomic data. MVs showed the required quality for robust population genomics and allowed an accurate estimation of genomic differentiation ({Delta}FST < 0.0001 and < 0.03 on simulated and real data respectively). Loci predicted under natural selection on real data were all found by MVSs. MVSs represent a new paradigm that may simplify and enhance holistic approaches for population genomics and evolution of microorganisms. AvailabilityThe method was implemented in a R package, metaVaR. https://github.com/madoui/MetaVaR Contactamadoui@genoscope.cns.fr

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2019

Proteolysis and neurogenesis modulated by LNR domain proteins explosion support male differentiation and sacrificial behaviour in the iteroparous crustacean Oithona nana.

Copepods are the most numerous animals and play an essential role in the marine trophic web and biogeochemical cycles. The genus Oithona is described as having the highest numerical density, as the most cosmopolite copepod and iteroparous. The Oithona male paradox obliges it to alternate feeding (immobile) and mating (mobile) phases. As the molecular basis of this trade-off is unknown, we investigated this sexual dimorphism at the molecular level by integrating genomic, transcriptomic and protein-protein interaction analyses.\n\nWhile a ZW sex-determination system was predicted in O. nana, a fifteen-year time-series in the Toulon Little Bay showed a biased sex ratio toward females (male / female ratio < 0.15{+/-}0.11) highlighting a higher mortality in male. Here, the transcriptomic analysis of the five different developmental stages showed enrichment of Lin12-Notch Repeat (LNR) domains-containing proteins coding genes (LDPGs) in male transcripts. The male also showed enrichment in transcripts involved in proteolysis, nervous system development, synapse assembly and functioning and also amino acid conversion to glutamate. Moreover, several male down-regulated genes were involved in the increase of food uptake and digestion. The formation of LDP complexes was detected by yeast two-hybrid, with interactions involving proteases, extracellular matrix proteins and neurogenesis related proteins.\n\nTogether, these results suggest that the O. nana male hypermotility is sustained by LDP-modulated proteolysis allowing the releases and conversions of amino acid into the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. This process could permit new axons and dendrites formation suggesting a sexual nervous system dimorphism. This could support the hypothesis of a sacrificial behaviour in males at the metabolic level.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Linking Allele-Specific Expression And Natural Selection In Wild Populations

Allele-specific expression (ASE) is a widely studied molecular mechanism at cell, tissue and organism levels. Here, we extrapolated the concept of ASE to the population-scale (psASE), aggregating ASEs detected at smaller scales. We developed a novel approach to detect psASE based on metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data of environmental samples containing communities of organisms. This approach which measures the deviation between the frequency and the relative expression of biallelic loci, was applied on samples collected during the Tara Oceans expedition (2009-2013), in combination to new Oithona similis transcriptomes, a widespread marine copepod. Among a total of 25,768 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of O. similis, 587 (2.3%) were targeted by psASE in at least one population. The distribution of SNVs targeted by psASE in different populations is significantly shaped by population genomic differentiation (p-value = 9.3x10-9), supporting a partial genetic control of psASE. To investigate the link between evolution and psASE, loci under selection were compared to loci under psASE. A significant amount of SNVs (0.6%) were targeted by both selection and psASE (p-values < 9.89x10-3), supporting the hypothesis that natural selection and ASE may lead to the same phenotype. Population-scale ASE offers new insights into the gene regulation control in populations and its link with natural selection.

genomics↗