A5031956025- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Fern and Epiphyte Biology
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Malaria Research and Control
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Bryophyte Studies and Records
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
Centre for Genomic Regulation
2021-2024
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
2013-2023
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
2019-2022
Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology
2022
Vector (United States)
2019-2020
ORCID
2020
Institut de Biologia Evolutiva
2013-2019
Universitat de Barcelona
2014-2019
Stony corals are colonial cnidarians that sustain the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth: coral reefs. Despite their ecological importance, little is known about cell types and molecular pathways underpin biology of reef-building corals. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we define over 40 across life cycle Stylophora pistillata. We discover specialized immune cells, uncover developmental gene expression dynamics calcium-carbonate skeleton formation. By simultaneously measuring...
The assembly of the neuronal and other major cell type programs occurred early in animal evolution. We can reconstruct this process by studying non-bilaterians like placozoans. These small disc-shaped animals not only have nine morphologically described types no neurons but also show coordinated behaviors triggered peptide-secreting cells. investigated possible affinities these peptidergic cells using phylogenetics, chromatin profiling, comparative single-cell genomics four found conserved...
Which genomic innovations underpinned the origin of multicellular animals is still an open debate. Here, we investigate this question by reconstructing genome architecture and gene family diversity ancestral premetazoans, aiming to date emergence animal-like traits. Our comparative analysis involves genomes from their closest unicellular relatives (the Holozoa), including four new genomes: three Ichthyosporea Corallochytrium limacisporum. show that earliest were shaped dynamic changes in...
Myosins are key components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton, providing motility for a broad diversity cargoes. Therefore, understanding origin and evolutionary history myosin classes is crucial to address evolution eukaryote cell biology. Here, we revise classification myosins using an updated taxon sampling that includes newly or recently sequenced genomes transcriptomes from taxa. We performed survey phylogenetic analyses gene family, reconstructing toolkit at different nodes in tree life....
Abstract Lysyl oxidases (LOX) are copper-dependent enzymes that oxidize primary amine substrates to reactive aldehydes. The best-studied role of LOX is the remodeling extracellular matrix (ECM) in animals by cross-linking collagens and elastin, although intracellular functions have been reported as well. Five different identified mammals, LOX-like (LOXL) 1 4, showing a highly conserved catalytic carboxy terminal domain more divergence rest sequence. Here we surveyed wide selection genomes...
Abstract Aphelids are little-known phagotrophic parasites of algae whose life cycle and morphology resemble those the parasitic rozellids (Cryptomycota, Rozellomycota). In previous phylogenetic analyses RNA polymerase rRNA genes, aphelids, Microsporidia (parasites animals) formed a clade, named Opisthosporidia, which appeared as sister group to Fungi. However, statistical support for Opisthosporidia was always moderate. Here, we generated full life-cycle transcriptome data aphelid species...
Abstract The causes and consequences of genome reduction in animals are unclear because our understanding this process mostly relies on lineages with often exceptionally high rates evolution. Here, we decode the compact 73.8-megabase Dimorphilus gyrociliatus , a meiobenthic segmented worm. D. retains traits classically associated larger slower-evolving genomes, such as an ordered, intact Hox cluster, generally conserved developmental toolkit traces ancestral bilaterian linkage. Unlike some...
Abstract Studies of insecticide resistance provide insights into the capacity populations to show rapid evolutionary responses contemporary selection. Malaria control remains heavily dependent on pyrethroid insecticides, primarily in long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Resistance major malaria vectors has increased concert with expansion LLIN distributions. Identifying genetic mechanisms underlying high‐level is crucial for development and deployment resistance‐breaking tools. Using...
Abstract The Catalan Initiative for the Earth BioGenome Project (CBP) is an EBP-affiliated project network aimed at sequencing genome of >40 000 eukaryotic species estimated to live in Catalan-speaking territories (Catalan Linguistic Area, CLA). These represent a biodiversity hotspot. While covering less than 1% Europe, they are home about one fourth all known European species. include high proportion endemisms, many which threatened. This trend likely get worse as effects global...
Alternative splicing, particularly through intron retention and exon skipping, is a major layer of pre-translational regulation in eukaryotes. While believed to be the most prevalent mode across non-animal eukaryotes, animals have unusually high rates skipping. However, when how this prevalence skipping evolved unknown. Since can greatly expand proteomes, answering these questions sheds light on evolution higher organismal complexity metazoans. We used RNA-seq data quantify frequencies 65...
In animals, cellularization of a coenocyte is specialized form cytokinesis that results in the formation polarized epithelium during early embryonic development. It characterized by coordinated assembly an actomyosin network, which drives inward membrane invaginations. However, whether driven invagination exists outside animals not known. To end, we investigate ichthyosporean Sphaeroforma arctica, close unicellular relative animals. We show process involves plasma invaginations dependent on...
Vector population control using insecticides is a key element of current strategies to prevent malaria transmission in Africa. The introduction effective insecticides, such as the organophosphate pirimiphos-methyl, essential overcome recurrent emergence resistance driven by highly diverse Anopheles genomes. Here, we use genomic approach investigate basis pirimiphos-methyl major vectors gambiae and A . coluzzii combination copy number variation single non-synonymous substitution...
The origin of the eukaryotic cell is one most important transitions in history life. However, emergence and early evolution eukaryotes remains poorly understood. Recent data have shown that last common ancestor (LECA) was much more complex than previously thought. LECA already had genetic machinery encoding endomembrane apparatus, spliceosome, nuclear pore, myosin kinesin cytoskeletal motors. It unclear, however, when functional regulation these cellular components evolved. Here, we address...
The modification of adenosine to inosine at position 34 tRNA anticodons has a profound impact upon codon-anticodon recognition. In bacteria, I34 is thought exist only in tRNAArg, while eukaryotes the present eight different tRNAs. eukaryotes, widespread use strongly influenced evolution genomes terms gene abundance and codon usage. humans, usage indicates that modified tRNAs are preferred for translation highly repetitive coding sequences, suggesting an important synthesis proteins skewed...
The modification of adenosine to inosine at the first position transfer RNA (tRNA) anticodons (I34) is widespread among bacteria and eukaryotes. In bacteria, found in tRNAArg catalyzed by tRNA deaminase A, a homodimeric enzyme. eukaryotes, I34 introduced up eight different tRNAs heterodimeric acting on tRNA. This substrate expansion significantly influenced evolution eukaryotic genomes terms codon usage gene composition. However, selective advantages driving this process remain unclear....
Abstract The evolution of insecticide resistance mechanisms in natural populations Anopheles malaria vectors is a major public health concern across Africa. Using genome sequence data, we study the mutations to dieldrin locus (Rdl), GABA receptor targeted by several insecticides, but most notably long-discontinued cyclodiene, dieldrin. two Rdl (296G and 296S) spread West Central African via independent hard selective sweeps that included likely compensatory nearby mutations, were followed...
Abstract Phylogenetic analyses over the last two decades have united a few small, and previously orphan clades, nematodermatids, acoels xenoturbelids, into phylum Xenacoelomorpha. Some phylogenetic support sister relationship between Xenacoelomorpha Ambulacraria (Xenambulacraria), while others suggest that may be to rest of Bilateria (Nephrozoa). An understanding cell type complements Xenacoelomorphs is essential assessing these alternatives as well our broader bilaterian evolution....
Examining early-branching animal phyla can help reconstructing the evolutionary origin of immune cells. Here we characterized related cell program in sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a model organism representing phylum Cnidaria that diverged ~600 million years ago from rest animals. By using transgenic reporter line expressing mCherry under RLRb antiviral promoter show cells fluorescent upon stimulation with viral mimic poly(I:C) are morphologically and transcriptomically distinct. These...
Understanding the origins of animal multicellularity is a fundamental biological question. Recent genome data have unravelled role that co-option pre-existing genes played in origin animals. However, there were also some important genetic novelties at onset Metazoa. To clear understanding specific innovations and how they appeared, we need broadest taxon sampling possible, especially among early-branching animals their unicellular relatives. Here, take advantage single-cell genomics to...
Eukaryotic microbes have three primary mechanisms for obtaining nutrients and energy: phagotrophy, photosynthesis osmotrophy. Traits associated with the latter two functions arose independently multiple times in eukaryotes. The Fungi successfully coupled osmotrophy filamentous growth, similar traits are also manifested Pseudofungi (oomycetes hyphochytriomycetes). Both encompass a diversity of plant animal parasites. Genome-sequencing efforts focused on host-associated (mutualistic symbionts...
The posttranslational modification of proteins by the ubiquitination pathway is an important regulatory mechanism in eukaryotes.To date, however, studies on evolutionary history involved this have been restricted to E1 and E2 enzymes, whereas E3 focused mainly metazoans plants.To a wider perspective, here we perform genomic survey HECT family ubiquitin-protein ligases, part pathway, genomes from representatives all major eukaryotic lineages.We classify HECTs reconstruct, phylogenetic...
The surface of insects is coated in cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs); variations the composition this layer affect a range traits including adaptation to arid environments and defence against pathogens toxins. In African malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae quantitative qualitative variance CHC have been associated with speciation, ecological habitat insecticide resistance. Understanding how these modifications arise will inform us mosquitoes are responding climate change vector control...
Abstract The emergence of new structures can often be linked to the evolution novel cell types that follows rewiring developmental gene regulatory subnetworks. Vertebrates are characterized by a complex body plan compared other chordate clades and question remains whether how vertebrate morphological innovations related appearance embryonic populations. We previously proposed, studying mesoderm development in cephalochordate amphioxus, scenario for head mesoderm. To further test this at...