2016
Vectors as Epidemiological Sentinels: Patterns of Within-Tick Borrelia burgdorferi Diversity
Walter KS, Carpi G, Evans BR, Caccone A, Diuk-Wasser MA. Vectors as Epidemiological Sentinels: Patterns of Within-Tick Borrelia burgdorferi Diversity. PLOS Pathogens 2016, 12: e1005759. PMID: 27414806, PMCID: PMC4944968, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005759.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPathogen diversityPositive selectionVertebrate hostsHost pathogen diversityLyme disease bacteriaNatural transmission cycleNatural populationsPathogen evolutionGenomic variationHost diversityMajority of ticksHost processesDiverse inoculumUndocumented levelEvolutionary processesTick diversityDisease vectorsMixed strain infectionsImmune complementIndividual ticksDiversityEpidemiological sentinelsTick vectorTransmission cycleHostPotential arms race in the coevolution of primates and angiosperms: brazzein sweet proteins and gorilla taste receptors
Guevara EE, Veilleux CC, Saltonstall K, Caccone A, Mundy NI, Bradley BJ. Potential arms race in the coevolution of primates and angiosperms: brazzein sweet proteins and gorilla taste receptors. American Journal Of Biological Anthropology 2016, 161: 181-185. PMID: 27393125, DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23046.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSweet proteinNew sequence dataAmino acid sitesSeed dispersersProtein evolutionAccelerated evolutionBiochemical mimicryPrimate lineageGorilla lineagePositive selectionSequence dataGorilla dietCaloric gainArms raceWestern gorillasBrazzeinAfrican primatesProteinLineagesCoevolutionPentadiplandra brazzeanaLocal plantsSpeciesSweet signalsMutations
2010
Anopheles Immune Genes and Amino Acid Sites Evolving Under the Effect of Positive Selection
Parmakelis A, Moustaka M, Poulakakis N, Louis C, Slotman MA, Marshall JC, Awono-Ambene PH, Antonio-Nkondjio C, Simard F, Caccone A, Powell JR. Anopheles Immune Genes and Amino Acid Sites Evolving Under the Effect of Positive Selection. PLOS ONE 2010, 5: e8885. PMID: 20126662, PMCID: PMC2811201, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008885.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositive selectionImmune genesGambiae complexDN/dS ratiosLineage-specific evolutionPopulation genetics frameworkAmino acid sitesAnopheles gambiae complexSpecific amino acidsInnate immunity genesAncestral polymorphismComparative phylogeneticsGene diversityEvolutionary historyNatural populationsGenetic diversityGenetic frameworkNatural selectionImmunity genesVector biologyDS ratiosGenesAmino acidsDiversityGenetic knowledge
2009
Characterization and evolution of MHC class II B genes in Galápagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Glaberman S, Moreno M, Caccone A. Characterization and evolution of MHC class II B genes in Galápagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Developmental & Comparative Immunology 2009, 33: 939-947. PMID: 19454336, DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2009.03.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsClass II B genesGalápagos marine iguanasB geneMarine iguanasMHC class II B genesAvian MHC evolutionInterlocus gene conversionAncestral locusEvolutionary forcesMHC evolutionBird speciesGene conversionGene groupsPositive selectionCDNA sequenceClass II genesLocus groupsVertebratesGenesMammalsShort tractsBeta 2 domainAdaptive immune systemMajor groupsSquamates
2008
The molecular evolution of four anti-malarial immune genes in the Anopheles gambiae species complex
Parmakelis A, Slotman MA, Marshall JC, Awono-Ambene PH, Antonio-Nkondjio C, Simard F, Caccone A, Powell JR. The molecular evolution of four anti-malarial immune genes in the Anopheles gambiae species complex. BMC Ecology And Evolution 2008, 8: 79. PMID: 18325105, PMCID: PMC2288592, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-8-79.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInsect innate immune systemAnopheles gambiae speciesLevel of polymorphismAnopheles gambiae complexSpecific adaptive responsesAncestral polymorphismPhylogenetic frameworkMolecular evolutionSuch genesGambiae speciesPositive selectionImmunity genesSelection pressureCandidate genesImmune genesMosquito's abilityGambiae complexStudied genesGenesInnate immune systemAdaptive responseMalaria parasitesPlasmodium parasitesEase of manipulationSpecies
2007
Patterns of Selection in Anti-Malarial Immune Genes in Malaria Vectors: Evidence for Adaptive Evolution in LRIM1 in Anopheles arabiensis
Slotman MA, Parmakelis A, Marshall JC, Awono-Ambene PH, Antonio-Nkondjo C, Simard F, Caccone A, Powell JR. Patterns of Selection in Anti-Malarial Immune Genes in Malaria Vectors: Evidence for Adaptive Evolution in LRIM1 in Anopheles arabiensis. PLOS ONE 2007, 2: e793. PMID: 17726523, PMCID: PMC1945087, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000793.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdaptive evolutionPrimary malaria vectorMalaria vectorsPatterns of selectionNon-vector speciesAnopheles gambiae complexMcDonald-KreitmanReplacement substitutionsPositive selectionGenetic variationMalaria vector AnLRIM1Immune genesSelection showGambiae complexGenesAdjacent codonsProtein differentiationLevel of resistanceAdaptive responsePlasmodium speciesCEC1Vector AnMaximum likelihood testSpecies