A5077952724- Trace Elements in Health
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Retinoids in leukemia and cellular processes
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Aldose Reductase and Taurine
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Fibroblast Growth Factor Research
Universitat de Barcelona
2016-2025
Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat de la Universitat de Barcelona
2018
University of Oregon
2012
New York University
1994-2012
University Medical Center
1994-1998
Karolinska Institutet
1994
Cephalochordates, urochordates, and vertebrates evolved from a common ancestor over 520 million years ago. To improve our understanding of chordate evolution the origin vertebrates, we intensively searched for particular genes, gene families, conserved noncoding elements in sequenced genome cephalochordate Branchiostoma floridae, commonly called amphioxus or lancelets. Special attention was given to homeobox opsin genes involved neural crest development, nuclear receptor encoding components...
Vertebrates have greatly elaborated the basic chordate body plan and evolved highly distinctive genomes that been sculpted by two whole-genome duplications. Here we sequence genome of Mediterranean amphioxus (Branchiostoma lanceolatum) characterize DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility, histone modifications transcriptomes across multiple developmental stages adult tissues to investigate evolution regulation genome. Comparisons with vertebrates identify an intermediate stage in...
In human myxoid liposarcoma, a chromosomal rearrangement leads to fusion of the growth-arresting and DNA-damage-inducible transcription factor CHOP (GADD153) peptide fragment encoded by TLS gene. We have found that wild-type closely related sarcoma-associated protein, EWS, are both abundant nuclear proteins associate in vivo with products RNA polymerase II transcription. This association formation ternary complex other heterogeneous RNA-binding (hnRNPs), such as A1 C1/C2. An NIH-3T3-based...
Nitric oxide (NO) is essential to many physiological functions and operates in several signaling pathways. It not understood how when the different isoforms of nitric synthase (NOS), enzyme responsible for NO production, evolved metazoans. This study investigates number structure metazoan NOS enzymes by genome data mining direct cloning Nos genes from lamprey. In total, 181 proteins are analyzed 33 invertebrate 63 vertebrate species. Comparisons among protein gene structures, combined with...
Two types of alcohol dehydrogenase in separate protein families are the "medium-chain" zinc enzymes (including classical liver and yeast forms) "short-chain" insect form). Although medium-chain family has been characterized prokaryotes many eukaryotes (fungi, plants, cephalopods, vertebrates), insects have seemed to possess only short-chain enzyme. We now also a Drosophila. The enzyme is identical octanol dehydrogenase. It typical class III dehydrogenase, similar corresponding human form...
Abstract The cephalochordate amphioxus ( Branchiostoma sp.) is an important animal model for studying the evolution of chordate developmental mechanisms. Obtaining embryos a key step these studies. It has been shown that increase 3–4°C in water temperature triggers spawning European lanceolatum ) captivity, however, very little known about natural behavior this species field. In work, we have followed during two seasons (2004 and 2005), both field captivity. We show animals spawn...
What impact gene loss has on the evolution of developmental processes, and how function shuffling affected retained genes driving essential biological remain open questions in fields genome EvoDevo. To investigate these problems, we have analyzed Wnt ligand repertoire chordate phylum as a case study.We conduct an exhaustive survey genomic databases, identifying 156 13 non-vertebrate chordates. This represents most complete catalog subphyla allowed us to resolve previous ambiguities about...
Abstract Members of the subphylum Cephalochordata, which include genus Branchiostoma (i.e. amphioxus), represent closest living invertebrate relatives vertebrates. To date, developmental studies have been carried out on three amphioxus species (the European lanceolatum , East Asian B. belcheri and Floridian‐Caribbean floridae ). In most instances, adult animals collected from field during their ripe season allowed (or stimulated) to spawn in laboratory. any given year, dates laboratory...
SUMMARY Development of many chordate features depends on retinoic acid (RA). Because the action RA during development seems to be restricted chordates, it had been previously proposed that “invention” genetic machinery, including RA‐binding nuclear hormone receptors (Rars), and RA‐synthesizing RA‐degrading enzymes Aldh1a (Raldh) Cyp26, respectively, was an important step for origin developmental mechanisms leading body plan. We tested this hypothesis by conducting exhaustive survey machinery...
Summary The genome sequencing and the development of RNAi knockdown technologies in urochordate Oikopleura dioica are making this organism an attractive emergent model field EvoDevo. To succeed as a new animal model, however, needs to be easily affordably cultured laboratory. Nowadays, there only two facilities world capable indefinitely maintain , one SARS institute (Bergen, Norway) other Osaka University (Japan). Here, we describe setup facility Barcelona (Spain) which have modified...
Vitamin A–dependent intercellular signaling was originally regulated by a low-affinity sensor and acted in neural development.
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a heterogenous family of proteins involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification, playing crucial role the adaptation organisms to varying conditions bioavailability across ecosystems. Despite their significance, MT characterization animal groups remains uneven. While MTs have been extensively studied vertebrates gastropods, presence function many arthropods, particularly within Chelicerata subphylum, remain largely unexplored. Chelicerates, comprising thousands...
Although the physiological relevance of retinoids and steroids in vertebrates is very well established, origin evolution genetic machineries implicated their metabolic pathways still poorly understood. We investigated these networks by conducting an exhaustive survey components retinoid steroid genome invertebrate chordate amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae). Due to its phylogenetic position at base chordates, a useful model identify study versus vertebrate innovations, both on morphological...
The bloom of genomics is revealing gene loss as a pervasive evolutionary force generating genetic diversity that shapes the evolution species. Outside bacteria and yeast, however, understanding process remains elusive, especially in animal Here, using dismantling retinoic acid metabolic network (RA-MGN) chordate Oikopleura dioica case study, we combine approaches comparative genomics, phylogenetics, biochemistry, developmental biology to investigate mutational robustness associated biased...
Abstract Microplastics pose risks to marine organisms through ingestion, entanglement, and as carriers of toxic additives environmental pollutants. Plastic pre-production pellet leachates have been shown affect the development sea urchins and, some extent, mussels. The extent those developmental effects on other animal phyla remains unknown. Here, we test toxicity mixed nurdle samples new PVC pellets for embryonic or asexual reproduction by regeneration animals from all major superphyla...
Purified Drosophila lebanonensis alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) revealed one enzymically active zone in starch gel electrophoresis at pH 8.5. This was located on the cathode side of origin. Incubation D. Adh with NAD+ and acetone altered electrophoretic pattern to more anodal migrating zones. has an Mr 56,000, a subunit 28 000 is dimer two sites per enzyme molecule. agrees polypeptide chain 247 residues. Metal analysis by plasma emission spectroscopy indicated that this insect not...
Three alcohol dehydrogenases from Drosophila simulans, virillis and melanogaster adhS (which possesses an alloenzyme with slow electrophoretic mobility) were purified essentially to homogeneity. The purification procedure involves a new step of affinity chromatography, which efficiently lowers the amount contaminants in final preparation, producing very stable enzyme. developed consists salmine sulphate precipitation, two CM-Sepharose CL-6B colume-chromatography steps,...
The discovery in invertebrates of ciliary photoreceptor cells and (c)-opsins established that at least two the three elements characterize vertebrate system were already present before evolution. However, origin third element, a series biochemical reactions known as "retinoid cycle," remained uncertain. To understand evolution retinoid cycle, I have searched for genetic machinery cycle invertebrate genomes, with special emphasis on cephalochordate amphioxus. Amphioxus is closely related to...