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Distinctive Phenotype (distinctive + phenotype)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Parental care in the whitefly Aleyrodes singularis

ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Moshe Guershon
Summary 1. Patches of Aleyrodes singularis nymphs are characterised by a distinctive phenotype composed of the nymphs' exuviae, which are piled on the nymph, and by a covering layer of wax secreted by the adults; these characteristics have been found to confer defensive properties against natural enemies. 2. In contrast to the behaviour typical for ovipositing females of other aleyrodids, A. singularis females tend to remain near the patch of their progeny throughout their development. These mothers were therefore tested to show whether they exhibited active defensive behaviour towards natural enemies, beyond their contribution to passive defence achieved through the secretion of wax on the immatures. 3. The behaviour of whitefly adults differed significantly when performed in the presence of conspecific adults from their behaviour in the presence of natural enemies (either a parasitoid or a predator). The differences were expressed in the mean time devoted to some behavioural events, the frequency at which events were performed, and the number of transitions between pairs of events. 4. Most of the recorded behavioural differences were associated with departure of the natural enemies, facilitating immature survival. 5. This is the first report of active behavioural changes that convey defence of immature offspring for the family Aleyrodidae. Conditions characterising these findings and their relationship with those in which parental care is expected are discussed. [source]

Disease-associated casein kinase I , mutation may promote adenomatous polyps formation via a Wnt/,-catenin independent mechanism

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 5 2007
I-Chun Tsai
Abstract The Wnt signaling pathway is critical for embryonic development and is dysregulated in multiple cancers. Two closely related isoforms of casein kinase I (CKI, and ,) are positive regulators of this pathway. We speculated that mutations in the autoinhibitory domain of CKI,/, might upregulate CKI,/, activity and hence Wnt signaling and increase the risk of adenomatous polyps and colon cancer. Exons encoding the CKI, and CKI, regulatory domains were sequenced from DNA obtained from individuals with adenomatous polyps and a family history of colon cancer unaffected by familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). A CKI, missense mutation, changing a highly conserved residue, Arg324, to His (R324H), was found in an individual with large and multiple polyps diagnosed at a relatively young age. Two findings indicate that this mutation is biologically active. First, ectopic ventral expression of CKI,(R324H) in Xenopus embryos results in secondary axis formation with an additional distinctive phenotype (altered morphological movements) similar to that seen with unregulated CKI,. Second, CKI,(R324H) is more potent than wildtype CKI, in transformation of RKO colon cancer cells. Although the R324H mutation does not significantly change CKI, kinase activity in an in vitro kinase assay or Wnt/,-catenin signal transduction as assessed by a ,-catenin reporter assay, it alters morphogenetic movements via a ,-catenin-independent mechanism in early Xenopus development. This novel human CKI, mutation may alter the physiological role and enhance the transforming ability of CKI, through a Wnt/,-catenin independent mechanism and thereby influence colonic adenoma development. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Phenotypic evolution in high-elevation populations of western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 3 2010
ADAM D. LEACHÉ
Adaptive divergence in response to variable habitats, climates, and altitude is often accentuated along elevation gradients. We investigate phenotypic evolution in body size and coloration in the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis Baird & Girard, 1852) across elevation gradients in Yosemite National Park, California, situated in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Western North America. High-elevation populations occurring above 2100 m a.s.l. are recognized as a separate subspecies (Sceloporus occidentalis taylori Camp, 1916), with a distinctive phenotype characterized by a large body size and extensive blue ventral pigmentation. We sampled S. occidentalis from across elevation gradients in Yosemite National Park, California, and collected phenotypic data (body size and ventral coloration measurements; 410 specimens) and mitochondrial DNA sequence data (complete NADH1 gene; 969 bp, 181 specimens) to infer phylogenetic relationships, and examine the genetic and phenotypic diversity among populations. Populations of S. occidentalis in Yosemite National Park follow Bergmann's rule and exhibit larger body sizes in colder, high-elevation environments. The high-elevation subspecies S. o. taylori is not monophyletic, and the mitochondrial DNA genealogy supports a model of convergent phenotypic evolution among high-elevation populations belonging to different river drainages. The hypothesis that separate populations of S. occidentalis expanded up river drainages after the recession of glaciers is supported by population demographic analyses, and suggest that Bergmann's clines can evolve rapidly along elevation gradients. The distinctive high-elevation phenotype that is attributable to S. o. taylori has evolved independently several times, and includes adaptive phenotypic changes associated with increases in body size and ventral coloration. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 630,641. [source]

Selection for individual recognition and the evolution of polymorphic identity signals in Polistes paper wasps

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
M. J. SHEEHAN
Abstract Individual recognition (IR) requires individuals to uniquely identify their social partners based on phenotypic variation. Because IR is so specific, distinctive phenotypes that stand out from the crowd facilitate efficient recognition. Over time, the benefits of unique appearances are predicted to produce a correlation between IR and phenotypic variation. Here, we test whether there is an association between elevated phenotypic polymorphism and IR in paper wasps. Previous work has shown that Polistes fuscatus use variable colour patterns for IR. We test whether two less variable wasp species, Polistes dominulus and Polistes metricus, are capable of IR. As predicted, neither species is capable of IR, suggesting that highly variable colour patterns are confined to Polistes species with IR. This association suggests that elevated phenotypic variation in taxa with IR may be the result of selection for identity signals rather than neutral processes. Given that IR is widespread among social taxa, selection for identity signalling may be an underappreciated mechanism for the origin and maintenance of polymorphism. [source]