@article{AndresHankeBaxaetal.2010, author = {Andres, Dorothee and Hanke, Christin and Baxa, Ulrich and Seul, Anait and Barbirz, Stefanie and Seckler, Robert}, title = {Tailspike interactions with lipopolysaccharide effect DNA ejection from phage P22 particles in vitro}, issn = {0021-9258}, doi = {10.1074/jbc.M110.169003}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Initial attachment of bacteriophage P22 to the Salmonella host cell is known to be mediated by interactions between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the phage tailspike proteins (TSP), but the events that subsequently lead to DNA injection into the bacterium are unknown. We used the binding of a fluorescent dye and DNA accessibility to DNase and restriction enzymes to analyze DNA ejection from phage particles in vitro. Ejection was specifically triggered by aggregates of purified Salmonella LPS but not by LPS with different O-antigen structure, by lipid A, phospholipids, or soluble O-antigen polysaccharide. This suggests that P22 does not use a secondary receptor at the bacterial outer membrane surface. Using phage particles reconstituted with purified mutant TSP in vitro, we found that the endorhamnosidase activity of TSP degrading the O-antigen polysaccharide was required prior to DNA ejection in vitro and DNA replication in vivo. If, however, LPS was pre-digested with soluble TSP, it was no longer able to trigger DNA ejection, even though it still contained five O-antigen oligosaccharide repeats. Together with known data on the structure of LPS and phage P22, our results suggest a molecular model. In this model, tail-spikes position the phage particles on the outer membrane surface for DNA ejection. They force gp26, the central needle and plug protein of the phage tail machine, through the core oligosaccharide layer and into the hydrophobic portion of the outer membrane, leading to refolding of the gp26 lazo-domain, release of the plug, and ejection of DNA and pilot proteins.}, language = {en} } @article{AndresGohlkeBroekeretal.2013, author = {Andres, Dorothee and Gohlke, Ulrich and Br{\"o}ker, Nina Kristin and Schulze, Stefan and Rabsch, Wolfgang and Heinemann, Udo and Barbirz, Stefanie and Seckler, Robert}, title = {An essential serotype recognition pocket on phage P22 tailspike protein forces Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A O-antigen fragments to bind as nonsolution conformers}, series = {Glycobiology}, volume = {23}, journal = {Glycobiology}, number = {4}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Cary}, issn = {0959-6658}, doi = {10.1093/glycob/cws224}, pages = {486 -- 494}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Bacteriophage P22 recognizes O-antigen polysaccharides of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (S.) with its tailspike protein (TSP). In the serovars S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Paratyphi A, the tetrasaccharide repeat units of the respective O-antigens consist of an identical main chain trisaccharide but different 3,6-dideoxyhexose substituents. Here, the epimers abequose, tyvelose and paratose determine the specific serotype. P22 TSP recognizes O-antigen octasaccharides in an extended binding site with a single 3,6-dideoxyhexose binding pocket. We have isolated S. Paratyphi A octasaccharides which were not available previously and determined the crystal structure of their complex with P22 TSP. We discuss our data together with crystal structures of complexes with S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis octasaccharides determined earlier. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that S. Paratyphi A octasaccharide binds P22 TSP less tightly, with a difference in binding free energy of similar to 7 kJ mol(-1) at 20 degrees C compared with S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis octasaccharides. Individual protein-carbohydrate contacts were probed by amino acid replacements showing that the dideoxyhexose pocket contributes to binding of all three serotypes. However, S. Paratyphi A octasaccharides bind in a conformation with an energetically unfavorable phi/epsilon glycosidic bond angle combination. In contrast, octasaccharides from the other serotypes bind as solution-like conformers. Two water molecules are conserved in all P22 TSP complexes with octasaccharides of different serotypes. They line the dideoxyhexose binding pocket and force the S. Paratyphi A octasaccharides to bind as nonsolution conformers. This emphasizes the role of solvent as part of carbohydrate binding sites.}, language = {en} } @article{AndresBaxaHankeetal.2010, author = {Andres, Dorothee and Baxa, Ulrich and Hanke, Christin and Seckler, Robert and Barbirz, Stefanie}, title = {Carbohydrate binding of Salmonella phage P22 tailspike protein and its role during host cell infection}, issn = {0300-5127}, doi = {10.1042/Bst0381386}, year = {2010}, abstract = {TSPs (tailspike proteins) are essential infection organelles of bacteriophage P22. Upon infection, P22TSP binds to and cleaves the O-antigen moiety of the LPS (lipopolysaccharide) of its Salmonella host To elucidate the role of TSP during infection, we have studied binding to oligosaccharides and polysaccharides of Salmonella enteric Typhimurium and Enteritidis in vitro. P22TSP is a trimeric beta-helical protein with a carbohydrate-binding site on each subunit. Octasaccharide O-antigen fragments bind to P22TSP with micromolar dissociation constants. Moreover, P22TSP is an endorhamnosidase and cleaves the host O-antigen. Catalytic residues lie at the periphery of the high-affinity binding site, which enables unproductive binding modes, resulting in slow hydrolysis. However, the role of this hydrolysis function during infection remains unclear. Binding of polysaccharide to P22TSP is of high avidity with slow dissociation rates when compared with oligosaccharides. In vivo, the infection of Salmonella with phage P22 can be completely inhibited by the addition of LPS, indicating that binding of phage to its host via TSP is an essential step for infection.}, language = {en} } @article{AndreevRaschkeBiskabornetal.2021, author = {Andreev, Andrei and Raschke, Elena and Biskaborn, Boris and Vyse, Stuart Andrew and Courtin, J{\´e}r{\´e}my and B{\"o}hmer, Thomas and Stoof-Leichsenring, Kathleen R. and Kruse, Stefan and Pestryakova, Luidmila Agafyevna and Herzschuh, Ulrike}, title = {Late Pleistocene to Holocene vegetation and climate changes in northwestern Chukotka (Far East Russia) deduced from lakes Ilirney and Rauchuagytgyn pollen records}, series = {Boreas : an international journal of quaternary research}, volume = {50}, journal = {Boreas : an international journal of quaternary research}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Oxford [u.a.]}, issn = {0300-9483}, doi = {10.1111/bor.12521}, pages = {652 -- 670}, year = {2021}, abstract = {This paper presents two new pollen records and quantitative climate reconstructions from northern Chukotka documenting environmental changes over the last 27.9 ka. Open tundra- and steppe-like habitats dominated between 27.9 and 18.7 cal. ka BP. Betula and Alnus shrubs might have grown in sheltered microhabitats but disappeared after 18.7 cal. ka BP. Although the climate was rather harsh, local herb-dominated communities supported herbivores as is evident by the presence of coprophilous spores in the sediments. The increase in Salix and Cyperaceae similar to 16.1 cal. ka BP suggests climate amelioration. Shrub Betula appeared similar to 15.9 cal. ka BP, and became dominant after similar to 15.52 cal. ka BP, whilst typical steppe communities drastically reduced. Very high presence of Botryococcus in the Lateglacial sediments reflects widespread shallow habitats, probably due to lake level increase. Shrub Alnus became common after similar to 13 cal. ka BP reflecting further climate amelioration. Simultaneously, herb communities gradually decreased in the vegetation reaching a minimum similar to 11.8 cal. ka BP. A gradual decrease of algae remains suggests a reduction of shallow-water habitats. Shrubby and graminoid tundra was dominant similar to 11.8-11.1 cal. ka BP, later Salix stands significantly decreased. The forest-tundra ecotone established in the Early Holocene, shortly after 11.1 cal. ka BP. Low contents of green algae in the Early Holocene sediments likely reflect deeper aquatic conditions. The most favourable climate conditions were between similar to 10.6 and 7 cal. ka BP. Vegetation became similar to the modern after similar to 7 cal. ka BP but Pinus pumila came to the Ilirney area at about 1.2 cal. ka BP. It is important to emphasize that the study area provided refugia for Betula and Alnus during MIS 2. It is also notable that our records do not reflect evidence of Younger Dryas cooling, which is inconsistent with some regional environmental records but in good accordance with some others.}, language = {en} } @article{AndreevNazarovaLenzetal.2022, author = {Andreev, Andrei and Nazarova, Larisa B. and Lenz, Marlene M. and B{\"o}hmer, Thomas and Syrykh, Ludmila and Wagner, Bernd and Melles, Martin and Pestryakova, Luidmila A. and Herzschuh, Ulrike}, title = {Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental reconstructions from sediments of Lake Emanda (Verkhoyansk Mountains, East Siberia)}, series = {Journal of quaternary science : JQS}, volume = {37}, journal = {Journal of quaternary science : JQS}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {New York, NY [u.a.]}, issn = {0267-8179}, doi = {10.1002/jqs.3419}, pages = {884 -- 899}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Continuous pollen and chironomid records from Lake Emanda (65 degrees 17'N, 135 degrees 45'E) provide new insights into the Late Quaternary environmental history of the Yana Highlands (Yakutia). Larch forest with shrubs (alders, pines, birches) dominated during the deposition of the lowermost sediments suggesting its Early Weichselian [Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5] age. Pollen- and chironomid-based climate reconstructions suggest July temperatures (T-July) slightly lower than modern. Gradually increasing amounts of herb pollen and cold stenotherm chironomid head capsules reflect cooler and drier environments, probably during the termination of MIS 5. T-July dropped to 8 degrees C. Mostly treeless vegetation is reconstructed during MIS 3. Tundra and steppe communities dominated during MIS 2. Shrubs became common after similar to 14.5 ka BP but herb-dominated habitats remained until the onset of the Holocene. Larch forests with shrub alder and dwarf birch dominated after the Holocene onset, ca. 11.7 ka BP. Decreasing amounts of shrub pollen during the Lateglacial are assigned to the Older Dryas and Younger Dryas with T-July similar to 7.5 degrees C. T-July increased up to 13 degrees C. Shrub stone pine was present after similar to 7.5 ka BP. The vegetation has been similar to modern since ca. 5.8 ka BP. Chironomid diversity and concentration in the sediments increased towards the present day, indicating the development of richer hydrobiological communities in response to the Holocene thermal maximum.}, language = {en} } @article{AndradeLuCordeiroetal.2022, author = {Andrade, Luis and Lu, Yunlong and Cordeiro, Andre and Costa, Jo{\~a}o M. F. and Wigge, Philip Anthony and Saibo, Nelson J. M. and Jaeger, Katja E.}, title = {The evening complex integrates photoperiod signals to control flowering in rice}, series = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America : PNAS}, volume = {119}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America : PNAS}, number = {26}, publisher = {National Acad. of Sciences}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0027-8424}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.2122582119}, pages = {8}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Plants use photoperiodism to activate flowering in response to a particular daylength. In rice, flowering is accelerated in short-day conditions, and even a brief exposure to light during the dark period (night-break) is sufficient to delay flowering. Although many of the genes involved in controlling flowering in rice have been uncovered, how the long- and short-day flowering pathways are integrated, and the mechanism of photoperiod perception is not understood. While many of the signaling components controlling photoperiod-activated flowering are conserved between Arabidopsis and rice, flowering in these two systems is activated by opposite photoperiods. Here we establish that photoperiodism in rice is controlled by the evening complex (EC). We show that mutants in the EC genes LUX ARRYTHMO (LUX) and EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3) paralogs abolish rice flowering. We also show that the EC directly binds and suppresses the expression of flowering repressors, including PRR37 and Ghd7. We further demonstrate that light acts via phyB to cause a rapid and sustained posttranslational modification of ELF3-1. Our results suggest a mechanism by which the EC is able to control both long- and short-day flowering pathways.}, language = {en} } @article{AndorfMeyerSelbigetal.2012, author = {Andorf, Sandra and Meyer, Rhonda C. and Selbig, Joachim and Altmann, Thomas and Repsilber, Dirk}, title = {Integration of a systems biological network analysis and QTL results for biomass heterosis in arabidopsis thaliana}, series = {PLoS one}, volume = {7}, journal = {PLoS one}, number = {11}, publisher = {PLoS}, address = {San Fransisco}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0049951}, pages = {10}, year = {2012}, abstract = {To contribute to a further insight into heterosis we applied an integrative analysis to a systems biological network approach and a quantitative genetics analysis towards biomass heterosis in early Arabidopsis thaliana development. The study was performed on the parental accessions C24 and Col-0 and the reciprocal crosses. In an over-representation analysis it was tested if the overlap between the resulting gene lists of the two approaches is significantly larger than expected by chance. Top ranked genes in the results list of the systems biological analysis were significantly over-represented in the heterotic QTL candidate regions for either hybrid as well as regarding mid-parent and best-parent heterosis. This suggests that not only a few but rather several genes that influence biomass heterosis are located within each heterotic QTL region. Furthermore, the overlapping resulting genes of the two integrated approaches were particularly enriched in biomass related pathways. A chromosome-wise over-representation analysis gave rise to the hypothesis that chromosomes number 2 and 4 probably carry a majority of the genes involved in biomass heterosis in the early development of Arabidopsis thaliana.}, language = {en} } @article{AnderssonScharnweberEkloev2022, author = {Andersson, Matilda L. and Scharnweber, Inga Kristin and Ekl{\"o}v, Peter}, title = {The interaction between metabolic rate, habitat choice, and resource use in a polymorphic freshwater species}, series = {Ecology and evolution}, volume = {12}, journal = {Ecology and evolution}, number = {8}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.9129}, pages = {12}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Resource polymorphism is common across taxa and can result in alternate ecotypes with specific morphologies, feeding modes, and behaviors that increase performance in a specific habitat. This can result in high intraspecific variation in the expression of specific traits and the extent to which these traits are correlated within a single population. Although metabolic rate influences resource acquisition and the overall pace of life of individuals it is not clear how metabolic rate interacts with the larger suite of traits to ultimately determine individual fitness. We examined the relationship between metabolic rates and the major differences (habitat use, morphology, and resource use) between littoral and pelagic ecotypes of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) from a single lake in Central Sweden. Standard metabolic rate (SMR) was significantly higher in pelagic perch but did not correlate with resource use or morphology. Maximum metabolic rate (MMR) was not correlated with any of our explanatory variables or with SMR. Aerobic scope (AS) showed the same pattern as SMR, differing across habitats, but contrary to expectations, was lower in pelagic perch. This study helps to establish a framework for future experiments further exploring the drivers of intraspecific differences in metabolism. In addition, since metabolic rates scale with temperature and determine predator energy requirements, our observed differences in SMR across habitats will help determine ecotype-specific vulnerabilities to climate change and differences in top-down predation pressure across habitats.}, language = {en} } @article{AmenNagelHedtetal.2020, author = {Amen, Rahma and Nagel, Rebecca and Hedt, Maximilian and Kirschbaum, Frank and Tiedemann, Ralph}, title = {Morphological differentiation in African weakly electric fish (genus Campylomormyrus) relates to substrate preferences}, series = {Evolutionary Ecology}, volume = {34}, journal = {Evolutionary Ecology}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer Science}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0269-7653}, doi = {10.1007/s10682-020-10043-3}, pages = {427 -- 437}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Under an ecological speciation scenario, the radiation of African weakly electric fish (genus Campylomormyrus) is caused by an adaptation to different food sources, associated with diversification of the electric organ discharge (EOD). This study experimentally investigates a phenotype-environment correlation to further support this scenario. Our behavioural experiments showed that three sympatric Campylomormyrus species with significantly divergent snout morphology differentially react to variation in substrate structure. While the short snout species (C. tamandua) exhibits preference to sandy substrate, the long snout species (C. rhynchophorus) significantly prefers a stone substrate for feeding. A third species with intermediate snout size (C. compressirostris) does not exhibit any substrate preference. This preference is matched with the observation that long-snouted specimens probe deeper into the stone substrate, presumably enabling them to reach prey more distant to the substrate surface. These findings suggest that the diverse feeding apparatus in the genus Campylomormyrus may have evolved in adaptation to specific microhabitats, i.e., substrate structures where these fish forage. Whether the parallel divergence in EOD is functionally related to this adaptation or solely serves as a prezygotic isolation mechanism remains to be elucidated.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Amen2023, author = {Amen, Rahma}, title = {Adaptive radiation in African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XIV, 155}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus includes 15 described species mostly native to the Congo River and its tributaries. They are considered sympatric species, because their distribution area overlaps. These species generate species-specific electric organ discharges (EODs) varying in waveform characteristics, including duration, polarity, and phase number. They exhibit also pronounced divergence in their snout, i.e. the length, thickness, and curvature. The diversifications in these two phenotypical traits (EOD and snout) have been proposed as key factors promoting adaptive radiation in Campylomormyrus. The role of EODs as a pre-zygotic isolation mechanism driving sympatric speciation by promoting assortative mating has been examined using behavioral, genetical, and histological approaches. However, the evolutionary effects of the snout morphology and its link to species divergence have not been closely examined. Hence, the main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of snout morphology diversification and its correlated EOD to better understand their sympatric speciation and evolutionary drivers. Moreover, I aim to utilize the intragenus and intergenus hybrids of Campylomormyrus to better understand trait divergence as well as underlying molecular/genetic mechanisms involved in the radiation scenario. To this end, I utilized three different approaches: feeding behavior analysis, diet assessment, and geometric morphometrics analysis. I performed feeding behavior experiments to evaluate the concept of the phenotype-environment correlation by testing whether Campylomormyrus species show substrate preferences. The behavioral experiments showed that the short snout species exhibits preference to sandy substrate, the long snout species prefers a stone substrate, and the species with intermediate snout size does not exhibit any substrate preference. The experiments suggest that the diverse feeding apparatus in the genus Campylomormyrus may have evolved in adaptation to their microhabitats. I also performed diet assessments of sympatric Campylomormyrus species and a sister genus species (Gnathonemus petersii) with markedly different snout morphologies and EOD using NGS-based DNA metabarcoding of their stomach contents. The diet of each species was documented showing that aquatic insects such as dipterans, coleopterans and trichopterans represent the major diet component. The results showed also that all species are able to exploit diverse food niches in their habitats. However, comparing the diet overlap indices showed that different snout morphologies and the associated divergence in the EOD translated into different prey spectra. These results further support the idea that the EOD could be a 'magic trait' triggering both adaptation and reproductive isolation. Geometric morphometrics method was also used to compare the phenotypical shape traits of the F1 intragenus (Campylomormyrus) and intergenus (Campylomormyrus species and Gnathonemus petersii) hybrids relative to their parents. The hybrids of these species were well separated based on the morphological traits, however the hybrid phenotypic traits were closer to the short-snouted species. In addition, the likelihood that the short snout expressed in the hybrids increases with increasing the genetic distance of the parental species. The results confirmed that additive effects produce intermediate phenotypes in F1-hybrids. It seems, therefore, that morphological shape traits in hybrids, unlike the physiological traits, were not expressed straightforward.}, language = {en} }