Abstract Malaria parasites are a major cause of human mortality in tropical countries and potential threat for wildlife, as witnessed by the malaria-induced extinction naive Hawaiian avifauna. Identifying resistance mechanisms is therefore crucial both health wildlife conservation. Patterns malaria known to be highly polygenic humans mice, with marked contributions attributed histocompatibility (Mhc) genes. Here we show that specific Mhc variants linked increased susceptibility infection...

The extreme polymorphism of the vertebrate major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) is famous for protecting hosts against constantly evolving pathogens. Mate choice often evoked as a means maintaining Mhc variability through avoidance partners with similar alleles or preference heterozygotes. Evidence these two hypotheses mostly comes from studies on humans and laboratory mice. Here, we tested in wild outbred population house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Females were not more less closely...

The role of EGF in the evolution renal lesions after injury is still controversial. To determine whether expression beneficial or detrimental, we generated transgenic mice expressing a COOH-terminal–truncated EGF-R under control kidney-specific type 1 γ-glutamyl transpeptidase promoter. As expected, transgene was expressed exclusively at basolateral membrane proximal tubular cells. Under basal conditions, showed normal morphology and function. Infusion to animals revealed that mutant...

Genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (Mhc) play a fundamental role during immune response because MHC molecules expressed on cell surface allow recognition and presentation antigenic peptides to T-lymphocytes. Although Mhc alleles have been found correlate with pathogen resistance in several host-parasite systems, studies also reported associations between an accrued infection risk or accelerated disease progression. The existence these susceptibility is puzzling, as cost generated...

Modulation of vascular tone by chemical and mechanical stimuli is a crucial adaptive phenomenon which involves cytoskeleton elements. Disruption, homologous recombination, the gene encoding vimentin, class III intermediate filament protein mainly expressed in cells, was reported to result apparently normal phenotype under physiological conditions. In this study, we evaluated whether lack vimentin affects adaptation pathological situations, such as reduction renal mass, condition usually...

The optimal number of mate partners for females rarely coincides with that males, leading to a potential sexual conflict over multiple‐partner mating. This suggests the population sex ratio may affect mating and thus multiple paternity. We investigate relationship between paternity in polygynandrous common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). In six populations adult was biased toward another females, latter corresponding average encountered natural populations. males frequency degree polygyny were...

1. Within a host, parasites form community and interact with each another. They can directly through competition for space or indirectly resources, even via the host′s immune response. These interactions influence infection patterns within host. In particular, helminths are capable of facilitating other their immunosuppressive effects hindering it by activating responses that reduce ability species to infest 2. this study, we aimed test existence parasite in wild pigeon host ( Columba livia...

1. In urban environments, organisms are exposed to high levels of pollutants, including trace metals, whose concentrations can be increased by anthropogenic activities. Numerous studies have shown the toxic effects pollutants on organisms. However, due their life within host, parasites also affected exposure these pollutants. Overall, previous correlative findings reveal that parasite through host vary, from positive negative, highlighting complexity host-parasite-environment interactions in...

Environmental changes such as urbanisation and habitat fragmentation profoundly impact ecological communities. We investigated the response of ant communities to in Paris region, comparing urban parks vs rural forests outside city. found a clear difference species composition between environments, with higher prevalence monogynous thermophilic Forest are homogeneous across three levels we studied, i.e. seem little impacted by fragmentation, while park differ noticeably depending on size,...

It has been reported that vimentin, a cytoskeleton filament is expressed only in mesenchymal cells after birth, re-expressed epithelial vivo under pathological conditions and vitro primary culture. Whether vimentin re-expression marker of cellular dedifferentiation or instrumental the maintenance cell structure and/or function matter debate. To address this issue, we used renal proximal tubular culture from vimentin-null mice (Vim-/-) wild-type littermates (Vim+/+). The absence did not...

How organisms allocate limited resources to reproduction is critical their fitness. The size and number of offspring produced have been the focus many studies. Offspring affects survival growth determines in species where there a trade-off between number. Many social insects reproduce by colony fission, whereby young queens accompanying workers split off from form new colonies. (number workers) set at time split, this may allow fine tuning local conditions. Despite prevalence fission...

The AP-1 transcription factor, composed of Jun and Fos proteins, plays a crucial role in the fine tuning cell proliferation. We showed previously that complexes are activated during proliferative response parallels development renal lesions after nephron reduction, but little is known about specific individual Jun/Fos components deterioration process. Here we used JunD knockout (JunD–/–) mice an experimental model chronic injury (75% reduction) to explore JunD. Nephron reduction resulted...

The AP-1 transcription factor, composed of Jun and Fos proteins, plays a crucial role in the fine tuning cell proliferation. We showed previously that complexes are activated during proliferative response parallels development renal lesions after nephron reduction, but little is known about specific individual Jun/Fos components deterioration process. Here we used JunD knockout (JunD-/-) mice an experimental model chronic injury (75% reduction) to explore JunD. Nephron reduction resulted...

Both population density and sex ratio shape competition for mates, resources mating costs. Thus they may critically affect the intensity of sexual selection in populations. Susceptibility to inter- intrasexual competition, which changes with age a large number species, additionally influence response these demographic factors. In this study, we monitored 16 seminatural populations common lizards (Lacerta vivipara) determine whether reproductive output varied male female densities as function...

Species in which males do not contribute to reproduction beyond the provision of sperm offer good opportunities study potential genetic benefits that females can obtain from polyandry. Here, we report results a examining relationships between polyandry and components female fitness common lizard ( Lacerta vivipara ). We found polyandrous produce larger clutches than monandrous females. Polyandrous also lose fewer offspring during later stages gestation at birth, but did find any relationship...

Abstract In genetically diverse insect societies (polygynous or polyandrous queens), the production of new queens can set ground for competition among lineages. This be very intense when workers reproduce using thelytoky as worker lineages that manage to produce gain a huge benefit. Selection at individual level might then lead evolution cheating genotypes, i.e. genotypes more than their fair share. We studied variation in reproductive success patrilines thelytokous and highly ant...

Abstract The evolutionary paradox of sex remains one the major debates in biology. study species capable both sexual and asexual reproduction can elucidate factors important evolution sex. One such is ant C ataglyphis cursor , where queen maximizes transmission her genes by producing new queens (gynes) asexually while simultaneously maintaining a genetically diverse workforce via production workers. We show that also produce gynes sexually may do so to offset costs reproduction. genotyped...

Social insect societies are outstanding examples of cooperation and conflict. Individuals work together, yet seek to increase their inclusive fitness at each others' expense. One such conflict is over colony inheritance, when a queen inherits the following death previous queen. Colony inheritance common in social wasp Polistes dominulus, it can have dramatic consequences. The subordinate inheriting often unrelated initial foundress (alpha) workers, who therefore get zero fitness. Workers...

Vimentin, an intermediate filament protein mainly expressed in mesenchyma-derived cells, is reexpressed renal tubular epithelial cells under many pathological conditions, characterized by intense cell proliferation. Whether vimentin reexpression only a marker of dedifferentiation or instrumental the maintenance structure and/or function still unknown. Here, we used knockout mice (Vim(-/-)) and experimental model acute injury (30-min bilateral ischemia) to explore role vimentin. Bilateral...