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SKEW. “The content of TES in lincRNA genes is substantially higher than that in protein-coding genes, especially in exons and promoter regions.” (lincRNA = Long intergenic non-coding RNA); (TE = transposable elements); (TE = transposable elements). https://lnkd.in/dwuaM5f View in LinkedIn

THREE-WAY. "Niphanda fusca butterflies lay eggs on plants where ants tend herds of aphids. The eggs hatch as caterpillars which feed on the aphids. The ants do not defend the aphids from the caterpillars (this is due to the caterpillar producing a pheromone the ants detect making them think the caterpillar is actually one of them), but carry the caterpillars to their nest. In the nest, the ants feed the caterpillars, who in return produce honeydew for the ants." https://lnkd.in/dTDsdH3 View in LinkedIn

THE SPLIT. “Higher frequencies of ancient TEs in promoters and exons compared to introns implies that many lincRNA genes emerged before the split of primates and rodents.” (TE = transposable elements). https://lnkd.in/dwuaM5f View in LinkedIn

DISTRIBUTION. “Introns of lincRNA genes contain the highest percentage of TE-derived sequences (TES), followed by exons and then promoter regions although the density of TEs is not significantly different between exons and promoters.” (TE = transposable elements); (lincRNA = Long intergenic non-coding RNA). https://lnkd.in/dwuaM5f View in LinkedIn

SPARED. “The promoters of lincRNA appear to similarly enjoy greater plasticity and flexibility compared to the promoters of protein-coding genes.” (lincRNA = Long intronic non-coding RNA). https://lnkd.in/dwuaM5f View in LinkedIn

FOSSIL VIRUSES AND EVOLUTION. “We demonstrate that TEs substantially contribute to the evolution of lincRNAs and their promoter regions.” (TE = transposable elements); (lincRNA = Long intergenic non-coding RNA). https://lnkd.in/dwuaM5f View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS this case study of the relationship between ants and aphids, and of the microbiota in aphids. Without the microbiota, the aphids would starve, and higher up the food chain, the ants would be forced to earn a living differently. Dutch dolls. A series of exquisitely nested relationships that have been honed by aeons. View in LinkedIn

APHID META-ORGANISM. "We present some evolutionary and ecologically-relevant aspects of these interactions, focusing on aphid defenses to parasitism, and considering aphids either as "extended organisms" comprising aphid and symbionts' genomes, or as "single-genome" organisms whose immune components are still poorly known." https://lnkd.in/dapi6EP View in LinkedIn

"RED CAROTENOIDS can be synthesized by some aphids, which were acquired by horizontal gene transfer from fungi millions of years ago. Carotenoids synthesis by animals is very rare. This carotenoids molecule can use natural light energy to make ATP. The abundance of the carotenoids system in aphids remains a mystery." https://lnkd.in/dcydbvA View in LinkedIn

MEDICAL SYMBIONTS. "Some aphids also bear bacterial ‘secondary symbionts’, e.g. Serratia symbiotica, Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola, which can, variously, promote resistance to parasitoids and entomopathogenic fungi, aphid usage of certain plants and thermal tolerance." http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/275/1634/565.short View in LinkedIn