Horizontal transfers of genetic material between organisms without reproduction were thought very uncommon. Now that they are sought after, they are more and more frequently found, especially in insects. In an article published in Current Opinion in Insect Science, C Gilbert et F Maumus present gene transfer from plants to insects and methodologiqal approaches to […]
Horizontal transfers: not so uncommon Read More »
Most often the repartition between the sexual chromosomes, X and Y, is even in the spermatozoides. However, in some drosophila populations there is a strong bias for X. The team of Catherine Montchamp-Moreau (IGGIPOP) at EGCE in collaboration with collegues of the Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive in Lyon and of the Institut de
A key gene involved in the transmission of the chromosome Y Read More »
The behaviour named social learning is generally considered to be displayed by evolved animals such as apes. Yet, Frédéric Méry’s team in collaboration with the team of the Hubert Curien Pluridisciplinary Institute in Strasbourg showed that drosophila are able to display such a behaviour when chosing the site to lay their eggs. This work was
Drosophiles and social learning Read More »
The work of Jean David (IGGIPOP), Amir Yassin and colleagues on the variability of females of Drosophila erecta was published in Nature Communications. The authors showed that one gene, the tan gene, was responsible for the existence of two types of females, one ressembling the males with a black abdomen and the other harboring a
A case where female drosophilas mimick males Read More »
Laure Kaiser‘s team (DEEIT) published a work in Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology showing that Sesamia nonagrioides expresses different transcriptomes in chemosensory organs depending on its diet. Scientists took either larvae feeding on maize in France or on Typha domingensis in Africa and found numerous candidates to an adaptation to the host plant. They especially determined
Different transcriptomes depending on host plant Read More »
Jean-Christophe Sandoz‘s team (Evolbee) is involved in a work published in PNAS showing that mushroom bodies are necessary for configural discriminations in bees. Mushroom bodies are especially prominent structures in the brain of social insects like honey bees. This species also shows unique higher order learning capabilities among insects. This work establishes links between these
How can bees perform higher order learning? Read More »
The work of the DEEIT researchers and their collaborators is the topic of a post on the web site of INEE. They reconstructed the scenario of the invasion of the yellow-legged hornet using genetics. To read the article, please click here.
The scenario of the invasion of the yellow-legged hornet Read More »
Nicolas Pollet (POLYGNOME) published a review on the links between mucosal immunity and microbiota in amphibians and in particular in xenopus. To read the article, please click here.
Microbiota and mucosal immunity in amphibians Read More »
