In: Developmental Biology, 2011, p. -
The task of the visual system is to translate light into neuronal encoded information. This translation of photons into neuronal signals is achieved by photoreceptor neurons (PRs), specialized sensory neurons, located in the eye. Upon perception of light the PRs will send a signal to target neurons, which represent a first station of visual processing. Increasing complexity of visual processing...
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In: Journal of Cell Science, 2011, vol. 124, p. 2424-2437
Cells store metabolic energy in the form of neutral lipids that are deposited within lipid droplets (LDs). In this study, we examine the biogenesis of LDs and the transport of integral membrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to newly formed LDs. In cells that lack LDs, otherwise LD-localized membrane proteins are homogenously distributed in the ER membrane. Under these conditions,...
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In: Developmental Biology, 2011, vol. 354, no. 2, p. 232-241
In Caenorhabditis elegans, germ cells develop as spermatids in the larva and as oocytes in the adult. Such fundamentally different gametes are produced through a fine-tuned balance between feminizing and masculinizing genes. For example, the switch to oogenesis requires repression of the fem-3 mRNA through the mog genes. Here we report on the cloning and characterization of the sex determination...
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In: PLoS ONE, 2011, vol. 6, no. 5, p. e19571
Plants are not passive victims of the myriad attackers that rely on them for nutrition. They have a suite of physical and chemical defences, and are even able to take advantage of the enemies of their enemies. These strategies are often only deployed upon attack, so may lead to indirect interactions between herbivores and phytopathogens. In this study we test for induced responses in wild...
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In: Plant Systematics and Evolution, 2011, vol. 293, p. 237-245
Although reticulation has indisputably played an important role in the evolutionary history of the genus Hieracium s. str. (Asteraceae), convincingly documented cases of recent interspecific hybridization are very rare. Here we report combined evidence on recent hybridization between two diploid species, Hieracium alpinum and H. transsilvanicum. The hybrid origin...
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In: PLoS Pathogens, 2011, vol. 7, no. 7, p. e1002148
This study provides an explanation for the strong resistance to B. cinerea observed in wounded plants or plants with cuticular defects. We have observed that a production of ROS and a permeable cuticle is common to all these situations. ROS, that include hydrogen peroxide, are known inducers of resistance and can also act directly against the invading fungus. Degradation of the cuticle by...
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In: Plant Cell, 2011, vol. 23, no. 5, p. 1958-1970
Although the multilayered structure of the plant cuticle was discovered many years ago, the molecular basis of its formation and the functional relevance of the layers are not understood. Here, we present the permeable cuticle1 (pec1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, which displays features associated with a highly permeable cuticle in several organs. In...
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In: Molecular Ecology, 2011, vol. 20, no. 15, p. 3185–3201
The roles of intra- and interspecific gene flow in speciation and species evolution are topics of great current interest in molecular ecology and evolutionary biology. Recent modelling studies call for new empirical data to test hypotheses arising from the recent shift from a ‘whole-genome reproductive isolation’ view to a ‘genic’ view of species and speciation. Particularly scarce (and...
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research, 2011, p. -
The biogenesis of ribosomes is a fundamental cellular process, which provides the molecular machines that synthesize all cellular proteins. The assembly of eukaryotic ribosomes is a highly complex multi-step process that requires more than 200 ribosome biogenesis factors, which mediate a broad spectrum of maturation reactions. The participation of many energy-consuming enzymes (e.g. AAA-type...
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In: Evolution, 2011, vol. 65, no. 7, p. 2026–2037
In social animals, inbreeding depression may manifest by compromising care or resources individuals receive from inbred group members. We studied the effects of worker inbreeding on colony productivity and investment in the ant Formica exsecta. The production of biomass decreased with increasing inbreeding, as did biomass produced per worker. Inbred colonies produced fewer gynes (unmated...
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