{"title":"Linear Dominance Hierarchies in Female Grass Shrimp <i>Palaemon pugio</i>.","authors":"Samuel D Rappaport, Joshua P Lord","doi":"10.1086/716227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/716227","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>AbstractThe grass shrimp <i>Palaemon pugio</i> is an abundant and ecologically important species in estuarine habitats in the northwest Atlantic and is commonly used as an indicator species for environmental contamination, but little is known about its behavior. We examined aggression and dominance in <i>P. pugio</i> by using experimental arenas and groups of five shrimp that were observed an hour at a time for three days in the laboratory. Female shrimp showed high levels of initial aggression that quickly decreased over time, suggesting the formation of a dominance hierarchy. The dominance hierarchy between groups of females appeared linear, with shrimp at five distinct ranks in most replicates and higher-ranked individuals dominating lower-ranked ones. Dominance was significantly correlated with cheliped size but not body size, suggesting that larger chelipeds in female <i>P. pugio</i> may have evolved as a tool to establish dominance, perhaps to gain access to shelter in salt marshes, seagrass beds, or oyster reefs. Grass shrimp are preyed upon by a wide range of estuarine fish, and females are especially vulnerable; so securing access to shelter may provide a major selective advantage, with the dominance hierarchy evolving to save energy through a long-term reduction in fighting over resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"208-216"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39562929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V Haktan Ozacmak, Aida Ricardo Arrieta, Glyne U Thorington, David A Hessinger
{"title":"<i>N</i>-Acetyl Neuraminic Acid (NANA) Activates L-Type Calcium Channels on Isolated Tentacle Supporting Cells of the Sea Anemone (<i>Aiptasia pallida</i>).","authors":"V Haktan Ozacmak, Aida Ricardo Arrieta, Glyne U Thorington, David A Hessinger","doi":"10.1086/715844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/715844","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>AbstractSensory receptors control nematocyst discharge on sea anemone tentacles. Micromolar <i>N</i>-acetylated sugars (<i>e.g.</i>, <i>N</i>-acetyl neuraminic acid [NANA]) bind chemoreceptors on ectodermal supporting cells and predispose adjacent nematocyst discharge in response to mechanical contact <i>via</i> a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent sensitization pathway, while higher NANA levels dose-dependently desensitize. Recent evidence implicates L-type calcium channels in desensitizing the pathway in aconitate sea anemones <i>Aiptasia pallida</i> (also known as <i>Exaiptasia diaphana</i>). We, therefore, hypothesize that NANA activates calcium influx <i>via</i> L-type calcium channels. We demonstrate a dose-dependent, NANA-activated <sup>45</sup>Ca influx into dissociated ectodermal cells isolated from <i>A. pallida</i> tentacles, with maximal influx occurring at desensitizing concentrations of NANA. The L-type calcium channel inhibitors nifedipine, diltiazem, methoxyverapamil, and cadmium blocked NANA-stimulated <sup>45</sup>Ca influx. Elevated extracellular KCl levels dose-dependently increased nifedipine-sensitive <sup>45</sup>Ca influx to implicate voltage-gated calcium channels. Forskolin, 8-bromo-cAMP, and the protein kinase A inhibitor H-8 affect NANA-stimulated calcium influx in a manner consistent with activated cAMP-dependent pathway involvement. Because NANA chemoreceptors localize to supporting cells of cnidocyte supporting cell complexes, NANA activation of <sup>45</sup>Ca influx into isolated tentacle ectodermal cells suggests that L-type calcium channels and NANA chemoreceptors co-localize to supporting cells. Indeed, a fluorescent marker of L-type calcium channels localizes to the apical ectoderm adjacent to nematocysts of live tentacles. We conclude that supporting cell chemoreceptors activate co-localized L-type calcium channels <i>via</i> a cAMP-dependent mechanism in order to initiate desensitization. We suggest that pathway desensitization may conserve nematocysts from excessive discharge during prey capture.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"196-207"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39563367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aline F Quadros, Véronique Helfer, Inga Nordhaus, Hauke Reuter, Martin Zimmer
{"title":"Functional Traits of Terrestrial Plants in the Intertidal: A Review on Mangrove Trees.","authors":"Aline F Quadros, Véronique Helfer, Inga Nordhaus, Hauke Reuter, Martin Zimmer","doi":"10.1086/716510","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/716510","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>AbstractTrue mangroves are vascular plants (Tracheophyta) that evolved into inhabiting the mid and upper intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical soft-sediment coasts around the world. While several dozens of species are known from the Indo-West Pacific region, the Atlantic-East Pacific region is home to only a mere dozen of true mangrove species, most of which are rare. Mangrove trees can form dense monospecific or multispecies stands that provide numerous ecosystem services. Despite their eminent socioecological and socioeconomic relevance and the plethora of studies on mangroves, many details of the ecology of mangrove ecosystems remain unknown; and our knowledge about general ecological principles in mangrove ecosystems is scarce. For instance, the functional trait concept has hardly been applied to mangroves. Here we provide an inventory of 28 quantitative and 8 qualitative functional traits of true mangrove species and stipulate some insight into how these traits may drive ecosystem structure and processes. The differentiation between true mangroves and mangrove associates, which can dwell inside as well as outside mangrove forests, is reflected by a number of leaf traits. Thus, true mangroves exhibit lower specific leaf area, lower leaf N content, and lower K∶Na ratio, and higher leaf succulence, higher Na and Cl content, and higher osmolality than mangrove associates. True mangrove species that form pure stands produce larger leaves and exhibit higher N content per leaf area, higher leaf K and Ca content, greater maximum plant height, longer propagules, and lower root porosity than more sporadic species. The species-specific expression of most traits does not reflect the species' position along intertidal gradients, suggesting that adaptation to tidal inundation does not explain these traits. Rather, many of the traits studied herein exhibit strong phylogenetic signals in true mangroves. Thus, wood density is high in most species of the Rhizophoraceae, irrespective of their habitat or maximum height. On the other hand, species of the genus <i>Sonneratia</i> exhibit low wood density and do not grow taller than 20 m. Some leaf traits of true mangroves are more like those of plants from drier environments, reflecting the perception that a saline environment creates physiological drought stress. Along the same line, most true mangrove species exhibit sclerophyllous leaf traits. The few major mangrove tree species of the Atlantic-East Pacific are as distinct from each other, with regard to some traits, as are the many mangrove species of the Indo-West Pacific. We hypothesize that this phenomenon explains the similarly high biomass of mangrove forests in both the species-rich Indo-West Pacific and the species-poor Atlantic-East Pacific.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"123-139"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39562932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fabio Cleisto Alda Dossi, Edney Pereira da Silva, Fernando Luis Cônsoli
{"title":"Shifting the Balance: Heat Stress Challenges the Symbiotic Interactions of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera, Liviidae).","authors":"Fabio Cleisto Alda Dossi, Edney Pereira da Silva, Fernando Luis Cônsoli","doi":"10.1086/699755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/699755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Global warming may impact biodiversity by disrupting biological interactions, including long-term insect-microbe mutualistic associations. Symbiont-mediated insect tolerance to high temperatures is an ecologically important trait that significantly influences an insect's life history. Disruption of microbial symbionts that are required by insects would substantially impact their pest status. Diaphorina citri, a worldwide citrus pest, is associated with the mutualistic symbionts Candidatus Carsonella ruddii and Candidatus Profftella armatura. Wolbachia is also associated with D. citri, but its contribution to the host is unknown. Symbiont density is dependent on a range of factors, including the thermosensitivity of the host and/or symbiont to heat stress. Here, we predicted that short-term heat stress of D. citri would disrupt the host-symbiont phenological synchrony and differentially affect the growth and density of symbionts. We investigated the effects of exposing D. citri eggs to different temperatures for different periods of time on the growth dynamics of symbionts during the nymphal development of D. citri (first instar to fifth instar) by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Symbiont densities were assessed as the number of gene copies, using specific molecular markers: 16S rRNA for Carsonella and Profftella and ftsZ for Wolbachia. Statistical modeling of the copy numbers of symbionts revealed differences in their growth patterns, particularly in the early instars of heat-shocked insects. Wolbachia was the only symbiont to benefit from heat-shock treatment. Although the symbionts responded differently to heat stress, the lack of differences in symbiont densities between treated and control late nymphs suggests the existence of an adaptive genetic process to restore phenological synchrony during the development of immatures in preparation for adult life. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the potential deleterious effects of high temperatures on host-symbiont interactions. Our data also suggest that the effects of host exposure to high temperatures in symbiont growth are highly variable and dependent on the interactions among members of the community of symbionts harbored by a host. Such dependence points to unpredictable consequences for agroecosystems worldwide due to climate change-related effects on the ecological traits of symbiont-dependent insect pests.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"195-203"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/699755","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36847624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J Reuben Shipway, Marvin A Altamia, Takuma Haga, Marcel Velásquez, Julie Albano, Rande Dechavez, Gisela P Concepcion, Margo G Haygood, Daniel L Distel
{"title":"Observations on the Life History and Geographic Range of the Giant Chemosymbiotic Shipworm Kuphus polythalamius (Bivalvia: Teredinidae).","authors":"J Reuben Shipway, Marvin A Altamia, Takuma Haga, Marcel Velásquez, Julie Albano, Rande Dechavez, Gisela P Concepcion, Margo G Haygood, Daniel L Distel","doi":"10.1086/700278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/700278","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kuphus polythalamius (Teredinidae) is one of the world's largest, most rarely observed, and least understood bivalves. Kuphus polythalamius is also among the few shallow-water marine species and the only teredinid species determined to harbor sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic (thioautotrophic) symbionts. Until the recent discovery of living specimens in the Philippines, this species was known only from calcareous hard parts, fossils, and the preserved soft tissues of a single large specimen. As a result, the anatomy, biology, life history, and geographic range of K. polythalamius remain obscure. Here we report the collection and description of the smallest living specimens of K. polythalamius yet discovered and confirm the species identity of these individuals by using sequences of three genetic markers. Unlike previously collected specimens, all of which have been reported to occur in marine sediments, these specimens were observed burrowing in wood, the same substrate utilized by all other members of the family. These observations suggest that K. polythalamius initially settles on wood and subsequently transitions into sediment, where this species may grow to enormous sizes. This discovery led us to search for and find previously unidentified and misidentified wood-boring specimens of this species within museum collections, and it allowed us to show that the recent geographic range (since 1933) of this species extends across a 3000-mile span from the Philippines to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"167-177"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/700278","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36836799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jason Hodin, Matthew C Ferner, Gabriel Ng, Brian Gaylord
{"title":"Sand Dollar Larvae Show Within-Population Variation in Their Settlement Induction by Turbulence.","authors":"Jason Hodin, Matthew C Ferner, Gabriel Ng, Brian Gaylord","doi":"10.1086/699827","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/699827","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Settlement-the generally irreversible transition from a planktonic phase to a benthic phase-is a critical stage in the life history of many shoreline organisms. It is reasonable to expect that larvae are under intense selection pressure to identify appropriate settlement habitat. Several decades of studies have focused mainly on local indicators that larvae use to identify suitable habitat, such as olfactory cues that indicate the presence of conspecifics or a favored food source. Our recent work has shown that the larvae of seashore-dwelling echinoids (sea urchins, sand dollars, and kin) can be primed to settle following a brief exposure to a broader-scale indicator of their approach to shore: an increase in fluid turbulence. Here we demonstrate that this priming shows within-population variation: the offspring of certain Pacific sand dollar (Dendraster excentricus) parents-both specific fathers and specific mothers, regardless of the other parent-are more responsive to turbulence than others. In particular, the observation of the effect correlating, in some cases, with specific fathers leads us to conclude that these behavioral differences are likely genetic and thus heritable. We also report that turbulence exposure causes larvae to temporarily sink to the bottom of a container of seawater and that larvae that respond in this way are also more likely to subsequently settle. We hypothesize a two-step scenario for the evolution of turbulence responsiveness at settlement and suggest that the evolutionary origin of these behaviors could be a driving force for population differentiation and speciation.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"152-166"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/699827","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36836797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elisa M Costa-Paiva, Carlos G Schrago, Christopher J Coates, Kenneth M Halanych
{"title":"Discovery of Novel Hemocyanin-Like Genes in Metazoans.","authors":"Elisa M Costa-Paiva, Carlos G Schrago, Christopher J Coates, Kenneth M Halanych","doi":"10.1086/700181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/700181","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Among animals, two major groups of oxygen-binding proteins are found: proteins that use iron to bind oxygen (hemoglobins and hemerythrins) and two non-homologous hemocyanins that use copper. Although arthropod and mollusc hemocyanins bind oxygen in the same manner, they are distinct in their molecular structures. In order to better understand the range of natural variation in hemocyanins, we searched for them in a diverse array of metazoan transcriptomes by using bioinformatics tools to examine hemocyanin evolutionary history and to consequently revive the discussion about whether all metazoan hemocyanins shared a common origin with frequent losses or whether they originated separately after the divergence of Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa. We confirm that the distribution of hemocyanin-like genes is more widespread than previously reported, including five putative novel mollusc hemocyanin genes in two annelid species from Chaetopteridae. For arthropod hemocyanins, 16 putative novel genes were retained, and the presence of arthropod hemocyanins in 11 annelid species represents a novel observation. Interestingly, Annelida is the lineage that presents the greatest repertoire of oxygen transport proteins reported to date, possessing all the main superfamily proteins, which could be explained partially by the immense variability of lifestyles and habitats. Work presented here contradicts the canonical view that hemocyanins are restricted to molluscs and arthropods, suggesting that the occurrence of copper-based blood pigments in metazoans has been underestimated. Our results also support the idea of the presence of oxygen carrier hemocyanins being widespread across metazoans with an evolutionary history characterized by frequent losses.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"134-151"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/700181","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36836800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Morphological Variability Among Broods of First-Stage Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Zoeae.","authors":"Joseph C Caracappa, Daphne M Munroe","doi":"10.1086/699922","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/699922","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>External morphology has been shown to influence predation and locomotion of decapod larvae and is, therefore, directly related to their ability to survive and disperse. The first goal of this study was to characterize first-stage blue crab zoeal morphology and its variability across larval broods to test whether inter-brood differences in morphology exist. The second was to identify possible correlations between maternal characteristics and zoeal morphology. The offspring of 21 individuals were hatched in the laboratory, photographed, and measured. Zoeae exhibited substantial variability, with all metrics showing significant inter-brood differences. The greatest variability was seen in the zoeal abdomen, rostrum, and dorsal spine length. A principal component analysis showed no distinct clustering of broods, with variation generally driven by larger zoeae. Using observed morphology, models of drag induced by swimming and sinking also showed significant inter-brood differences, with a maximum twofold difference across broods. In contrast to trends in other decapod taxa, maternal characteristics (female carapace width and mass and egg sponge volume and mass) are not significant predictors of zoeal morphology. These results suggest that brood effects are present across a wide range of morphological characteristics and that future experiments involving Callinectes sapidus morphology or its functionality should explicitly account for inter-brood variation. Additionally, inter-brood morphological differences may result in differential predation mortality and locomotory abilities among broods.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"123-133"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/699922","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36836798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Permanently Fused Setules Create Unusual Folding Fans Used for Swimming in Cyprid Larvae of Barnacles.","authors":"Eleanor I Lamont, Richard B Emlet","doi":"10.1086/700084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/700084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Many crustacean swimming appendages carry arrays of plumose setae-exoskeletal, feather-like structures of long bristles (setae) with short branches (setules) distributed along two sides. Although closely spaced, setae are not physically interconnected. Setal arrays function during swimming as drag-based leaky paddles that push the organism through water. Barnacle cyprids, the final, non-feeding larval stage, swim with six pairs of legs (thoracopods) that open and close setal arrays in alternating high-drag power strokes and low-drag recovery strokes. While studying cyprid swimming, we found that their thoracopods contained setae permanently cross-linked by fused setules. These cuticular connections would seem highly unlikely because setae are individually produced exoskeletal secretions, and the connections imply unknown processes for the production or modification of crustacean setae. We describe the morphology and function of plumose setae on cyprids of Balanus glandula and other species across the clade Cirripedia. Setules from adjacent plumose setae are seamlessly joined at their tips and occur in three distinct linkage patterns. Thoracopods lack muscles to open and close the array; interconnected setae are instead pulled apart, producing a paddle-like fan with high drag when appendages spread laterally during power strokes. Setules are spring-like, passively closing setae into tight bundles with low drag during recovery strokes. The linked setules occur in the three main clades of the Cirripedia. This cuticular arrangement is effective in swimming, may eliminate the need for muscles to close the setal array, and may represent a unique swimming structure within the Crustacea.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"185-194"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2018-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/700084","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36836796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bioinformatic survey of Haliotis midae microsatellites reveals a non-random distribution of repeat motifs.","authors":"Clint Rhode, Rouvay Roodt-Wilding","doi":"10.1086/BBLv221n2p147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1086/BBLv221n2p147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent studies have shown the non-random distribution of microsatellite motifs between genomic regions within a particular species. This study investigates such microsatellite distributions in the genome of the economically important abalone Haliotis midae, via a bioinformatic survey. In particular, the association of specific repeat motifs to coding regions and transposable elements is investigated. An understanding of microsatellite genomic distribution will facilitate more efficient use and development of this popular molecular marker. A bias toward di- and tetranucleotide repeats was found in the H. midae genome. CA microsatellite units were the most abundant repeat motif, but were notably underrepresented in genic regions where GAGT repeats predominate. Approximately 17.5% and 21% of the microsatellites showed gene and/or transposable element associations, respectively. This could explain the high genomic frequencies of particular motifs across the genome and may allude to a possible functional role. The data presented in this study are the first to demonstrate such non-random dispersal of microsatellites in abalone and support previous findings arguing in favor of non-random distribution of repeat motifs.</p>","PeriodicalId":153307,"journal":{"name":"The Biological bulletin","volume":" ","pages":"147-54"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2011-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1086/BBLv221n2p147","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40119846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}