Genome of the parasitoid wasp Dinocampus coccinellae reveals extensive duplications, accelerated evolution, and independent origins of thelytokous parthenogeny and solitary behavior

Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a generalist parasitoid wasp that parasitizes >50 species of predatory lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with thelytokous parthenogeny as its primary mode of reproduction. Here we present the first high quality genome of D. coccinellae using a combination of short and long read sequencing technologies, followed by assembly and scaffolding of chromosomal segments using Chicago+HiC technologies. We also present a first-pass ab initio and a reference-based genome annotation, and resolve timings of divergence and evolution of (1) solitary behavior vs eusociality, (2) arrhenotokous vs thelytokous parthenogenesis, and (3) rates of gene loss and gain among Hymenopteran lineages. Our study finds (1) at least two independent origins of eusociality and solitary behavior among Hymenoptera, (2) two independent origins of thelytokous parthenogenesis from ancestral arrhenotoky, and (3) accelerated rates of gene duplications, loss, and gain along the lineages leading to D. coccinellae. Our work both affirms the ancient divergence of Braconid wasps from ancestral Hymenopterans and accelerated rates of evolution in response to adaptations to novel hosts, including polyDNA viral co-evolution.

The runaway evolution of SARS-CoV-2 leading to the highly evolved Delta strain

In new epidemics after the host shift, the pathogens may experience accelerated evolution driven by novel selective pressures. When the accelerated evolution enters a positive feedback loop with the expanding epidemics, the pathogen's runaway evolution may be triggered. To test this possibility in COVID-19, we analyze the extensive databases and identify 5 major waves of strains, one replacing the previous one in 2020-2021. The mutations differ entirely between waves and the number of mutations continues to increase, from 3-4 to 21-31. The latest wave is the Delta strain which accrues 31 new mutations to become highly prevalent. Interestingly, these new mutations in Delta strain emerge in multiple stages with each stage driven by 6-12 coding mutations that form a fitness group. In short, the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from the oldest to the youngest wave, and from the earlier to the later stages of the Delta wave, is a process of acceleration with more and more mutations. The global increase in the viral population size (M(t), at time t) and the mutation accumulation (R(t)) may have indeed triggered the runaway evolution in late 2020, leading to the highly evolved Alpha and then Delta strain. To suppress the pandemic, it is crucial to break the positive feedback loop between M(t) and R(t), neither of which has yet to be effectively dampened by late 2021. New waves beyond Delta, hence, should not be surprising.

QUANTIFIACAÇÃO DA SUPRESSÃO DE UMA ÁREA DE MANGUEZAL NO MUNICÍPIO DE VITÓRIA, ES, DEVIDO À EXPANSÃO URBANA DO BAIRRO MARIA ORTIZ

In view of the increase in population and the need for housing, natural and / or preservation areas are being replaced by large cities. It was analyzed about the suppression of natural environments, such as the loss of a parcel of mangrove that occurred to originate the Maria Ortiz neighborhood — Vitória / ES. In order to observe and quantify such losses, verify if such action continues to happen and the scenario of the time for the population to accomplish this feat. Therefore, it was necessary to survey historical data from the region under study and documentary research in georeferenced images from different decades for comparison purposes. Then, a case study was carried out based on the content of the materials obtained. In view of this, it appears that when comparing the images, a very significant loss of mangrove area over the decades and an accelerated evolution of the Maria Ortiz neighborhood regarding urban expansion, thus realizing that the neighborhood emerged from the extinction of a parcel area protected by law.

PERSPECTIVES OF THE TRANSITION TO THE DIGITAL ECONOMY IN EU

The Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 refers, in simple terms, to the way in which the technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality and the internet of things are merging with the physical life of the people all around the globe. This new “era” is expected to transform in a revolutionary way the economies, employment and even the society in which we live today. The digital economy is very different in comparison to the traditional one and it is the result of the accelerated evolution of telecommunications, internet and electronics, and their integration in our everyday life. This arising economy is favoring the development of a new type of business, i.e. e-business. The process of the transformation of the actual economy in a digital one needs a set of favorable factors and a period of time, named period of transition. In this context, it is necessary to understand and to assess how advanced the transition process is in each EU country so that to be able to create and implement the suitable strategies who will lead to the digital economy. At EU level it was create an index - Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) – with the aim to measure the progress of EU countries towards a digital economy and society. Our paper presents this index and make a comparative analysis of its evolution during the last 5 years. The results show an intense preoccupation of all EU countries for the improvement of the sectors considered in the calculation of DESI and the progress made by some states in this field.

Smart Fashion: A Review of AI Applications in Virtual Try-On & Fashion Synthesis

The rapid progress of computer vision, machine learning, and artificial intelligence combined with the current growing urge for online shopping systems opened an excellent opportunity for the fashion industry. As a result, many studies worldwide are dedicated to modern fashion-related applications such as virtual try-on and fashion synthesis. However, the accelerated evolution speed of the field makes it hard to track these many research branches in a structured framework. This paper presents an overview of the matter, categorizing 110 relevant articles into multiple sub-categories and varieties of these tasks. An easy-to-use yet informative tabular format is used for this purpose. Such hierarchical application-based multi-label classification of studies increases the visibility of current research, promotes the field, provides research directions, and facilitates access to related studies.

Erobots and the deterritorialization of eroticism

As a result of its accelerated evolution in the early 21st Century, technology has already extended far beyond mere instrumental status. In the not too distant future we can expect technology to move towards a new dimension in terms of fusing with human nature; most notably in the field of intimacy towards what are known as erobots (i.e., sexbots, augmented erotic characters, erotic chatbots, erotic avatars, etc.). Given that these erobots have every chance to become part of a future eroticism, this places erobots beyond the onto-metaphysical grounding of the Western tradition regarding objects. This is an aspect that attracts the dissolution of the anthropocentric legacy of Western metaphysics, within the parameters of OOO, by showing that, in this paradigm, so-called human uniqueness is suffering an ontological twist. To show this I am investigating, the scenario that involves the relationship between a sexbot and a human, alongside of that between two sexbots, within the limits of OOO. Consequently, I am addressing the issue of how a sexbot relates to both a human agent and to another sexbot. I am also analyzing the perspective in which a future presence of erobots in the intimate life of the individual will twist the traditional image of eroticism in Western culture. This perspective is opening a deconstructing process with regard to human exceptionalism – analyzed within the limits of the ‘deterritorialization’ of eroticism – from the traditional structures of Western metaphysical heritage. Such deterritorialization emphasizes the paradigm shift in which eroticism is leaving the familiar terrain of the metaphysics of presence and the fixed structures of societies’ ‘strata’. Thus, following the philosophical thinking of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, the ‘reterritorialization’ of eroticism – in the fluid, transversal and rhizomatic network of technology – is an ongoing, ever-changing process, taking place in the immanent sphere of techno-eroticism’s ‘plane of consistency’.

Reconstructing the Origins of a Neuropeptide Signaling System Using the Accelerated Evolution of Biodiverse Cone Snail Venoms

Somatostatin and its related peptides (SSRPs) form a family of hormones with diverse physiological roles. The ubiquitous presence of SSRPs in vertebrates and several invertebrate deuterostomes suggests an ancient origin of the SSRP signaling system. However, the existence of SSRP genes outside of deuterostomes has not been established and the evolutionary history of this signaling system remains poorly understood. Our recent discovery of SSRP-like toxins (consomatins) in venomous marine cone snails (Conus) suggested the presence of a homologous signaling system in mollusks and potentially other protostomes. Here we identify the molluscan SSRP-like signaling gene that gave rise to the consomatin family. Following recruitment into venom, consomatin genes experience strong positive selection and repeated gene duplications resulting in the formation of a hyper-diverse family of venom peptides. Intriguingly, the largest number of consomatins was found in worm-hunting species (> 400 sequences), indicating a homologous system in annelids, another large protostome phylum. Comprehensive sequence mining enabled the identification of orthologous SSRP-like sequences (and their corresponding orphan receptor) in annelids and several other protostome phyla. These results establish the existence of SSRP-like sequences in many major branches of bilaterians, including xenacoelomorphs, a phylum believed to have emerged before the divergence of protostomes and deuterostomes, ~ 600 My ago. Finally, having a large set of predator-prey SSRP sequences available, we show that while the cone snail's signaling SSRP-like genes are under purifying selection, in striking contrast, the consomatin genes experience rapid directional selection to target receptors in a changing mix of prey.

Evolutionary mode for the functional preservation of fast-evolving Drosophila telomere capping proteins

DNA end protection is fundamental for the long-term preservation of the genome. In vertebrates the Shelterin protein complex protects telomeric DNA ends, thereby contributing to the maintenance of genome integrity. In the Drosophila genus, this function is thought to be performed by the Terminin complex, an assembly of fast-evolving subunits. Considering that DNA end protection is fundamental for successful genome replication, the accelerated evolution of Terminin subunits is counterintuitive, as conservation is supposed to maintain the assembly and concerted function of the interacting partners. This problem extends over Drosophila telomere biology and provides insight into the evolution of protein assemblies. In order to learn more about the mechanistic details of this phenomenon we have investigated the intra- and interspecies assemblies of Verrocchio and Modigliani, two Terminin subunits using in vitro assays. Based on our results and on homology-based three-dimensional models for Ver and Moi, we conclude that both proteins contain Ob-fold and contribute to the ssDNA binding of the Terminin complex. We propose that the preservation of Ver function is achieved by conservation of specific amino acids responsible for folding or localized in interacting surfaces. We also provide here the first evidence on Moi DNA binding.

Molecular evolution of PCSK family: Analysis of natural selection rate and gene loss

Proprotein convertases subtilisin kexins are serine endoproteases, playing critical roles in the biological functions, including lipid, glucose, and bile acid metabolism, as well as cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Experimental studies have demonstrated the physiological functions of PCSKs and their association with diseases; however, studies on the evolutionary history and diversification of these proteins are missing. In the present research, a bioinformatics study was conducted on the molecular evolution of several PCSKs family members and gene loss events across placental mammalian. In order to detect evolutionary constraints and positive selection, the CodeML program of the PAML package was used. The results showed the positive selection to occur in PCSK1, PCSK3, PCSK5, and PCSK7. A decelerated rate of evolution was observed in PCSK7, PCSK3, and MBTPS1 in Carnivores compared to the rest of phylogeny, and an accelerated evolution of PCSK1, PCSK7, and MBTPS1 in Muridae family of rodents was found. Additionally, our results indicated pcsk9 gene loss in 12 species comprising Carnivores and bats (Chiroptera). Future studies are required to evaluate the functional relevance and selective evolutionary advantages associated with these modifications in PCSK proteins during evolution.

Large dataset of octocoral mitochondrial genomes provides new insights into mt-mutS evolution and function

All studied octocoral mitochondrial genomes contain a gene from the MutS family, whose members code for proteins involved in DNA mismatch repair, other types of DNA repair, meiotic recombination, and other functions. Although mutS homologues are found in all domains of life as well as viruses, octocoral mt-mutS is the only such gene encoded in an organellar genome. While the function of mtMutS is not known, its domain architecture, conserved sequence, and presence of some characteristic residues suggest its involvement in mitochondrial DNA repair. This inference is supported by exceptionally low rates of mt-sequence evolution observed in octocorals. Previous studies of mt-mutS have been limited by the small number of octocoral mt-genomes available. We utilized sequence-capture data from the recent Quattrini et al. study to assemble complete mitochondrial genomes for 97 species of octocorals. Combined with sequences publicly available in GenBank, this resulted in a dataset of 184 complete mitochondrial genomes, which we used to re-analyze the conservation and evolution of mt-mutS. We discovered the first case of mt-mutS loss among octocorals in one of the two Pseudoanthomastus sp. assembled from Quattrini et al. data. This species displayed accelerated rate and and changed patterns of nucleotide substitutions in mt-genome, which we argue provide additional evidence for the role of mtMutS in DNA repair. In addition, we found accelerated mt-sequence evolution in the presence of mt-mutS in several octocoral lineages. This accelerated evolution did not appear to be the result of relaxed selection pressure and did not entail changes in patterns of nucleotide substitutions. Overall, our results support previously reported patterns of conservation in mt-mutS and suggest that mtMutS is involved in DNA repair in octocoral mitochondria. They also indicate that the presence of mt-mutS contributes to, but does not fully explain, the low rates of sequence evolution in octocorals