Resultados de investigación

Transconjugants per donor ([T]/[D], y axis) measured at different Recipient densities ([R] ≈ [N], x axis) in E. coli BW27783 mating in liquid LB, 1 Donor to 100 Recipients and 1 h. conjugation. Every dot corresponds to the average of 3 technical replicates., Peer reviewed

Transconjugants per donor ([T]/[D], y axis) measured at different Recipient densities ([R] ≈ [N], x axis) in E. coli BW27783 mating on solid LB-agar surfaces, 1 Donor to 100 Recipients and 1 h. conjugation time for plasmids pOX38 (IncFI) and R64 (IncI1). As in Fig 1 in the main section, the black line represents the ideal DDT regime, where different kon produce different y-intercepts. The red line represents the FDT regime, where the conjugation efficiency is just 1/τ and the dotted curve corresponds to the fitting to Eq.3. Every black dot corresponds to the average of 3 technical replicates., Peer reviewed

Attractiveness is not solely determined by a single sexual trait but rather by a combination of traits. Because the response of the chooser is based on the combination of sexual traits in the courter, variation in the chooser’s responses that are attributable to the opposite-sex courter genotypes (i.e., the indirect genetic effects (IGEs) on chooser response) can reflect genetic variation in overall attractiveness. This genetic variation can be associated with the genetic basis of other traits in both the chooser and the courter. Investigating this complex genetic architecture, including IGEs, can enhance our understanding of the evolution of mate choice. In the present study on the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, we estimated (1) genetic variation in overall attractiveness and (2) genetic correlations between overall attractiveness and other pre- and post-copulatory traits (e.g., male latency to sing, female latency to mount, male guarding intensity, male and female body mass, male mandible size and testis size) within and between sexes. We revealed a genetic basis for attractiveness in both males and females. Furthermore, a genetic variance associated with female attractiveness was correlated with a genetic variance underlying larger male testes. Our findings imply that males that mate with attractive females can produce offspring that are successful in terms of pre-copulatory sexual selection (daughters who are attractive) and post-copulatory sexual selection (sons with an advantage in sperm competition), potentially leading to runaway sexual selection. Our study exemplifies how the incorporation of the IGE-framework provides novel insights into the evolution of mate choice., Peer reviewed

ANOVA testing comparing the four populations at 0 and 60 minutes after mating began gave p > 0.05 in all but R388 Recipients’ growth. B) Growth curves for donor and recipients in matings using plasmid R388 (black circles, upper graph) and pKM101 (red circles, lower graph) fitting showed that doubling times were >60 minutes for all strains analyzed., Peer reviewed

Plasmid conjugation is a major route for the dissemination of antibiotic resistances and adaptive genes among bacterial populations. Obtaining precise conjugation rates is thus key to understanding how antibiotic resistances spread. Plasmid conjugation is typically modeled as a density-dependent process, where the formation of new transconjugants depends on the rate of encounters between donor and receptor cells. By analyzing conjugation dynamics at different cell concentrations, here we show that this assumption only holds at very low bacterial densities. At higher cell concentrations, conjugation becomes limited by the engagement time, the interval required between two successful matings. Plasmid conjugation therefore follows a Holling´s Type II functional response, characterized by the encounter rate and the engagement time, which represent, respectively, the density and frequency-dependent limits of plasmid transmission. Our results demonstrate that these parameters are characteristic of the transfer machinery, rather than the entire plasmid genome, and that they are robust to environmental and transcriptional perturbation. Precise parameterization of plasmid conjugation will contribute to better understanding the propagation dynamics of antimicrobial resistances., Peer reviewed

Plasmid conjugation is a major route for the dissemination of antibiotic resistances and adaptive genes among bacterial populations. Obtaining precise conjugation rates is thus key to understanding how antibiotic resistances spread. Plasmid conjugation is typically modeled as a density-dependent process, where the formation of new transconjugants depends on the rate of encounters between donor and receptor cells. By analyzing conjugation dynamics at different cell concentrations, here we show that this assumption only holds at very low bacterial densities. At higher cell concentrations, conjugation becomes limited by the engagement time, the interval required between two successful matings. Plasmid conjugation therefore follows a Holling´s Type II functional response, characterized by the encounter rate and the engagement time, which represent, respectively, the density and frequency-dependent limits of plasmid transmission. Our results demonstrate that these parameters are characteristic of the transfer machinery, rather than the entire plasmid genome, and that they are robust to environmental and transcriptional perturbation. Precise parameterization of plasmid conjugation will contribute to better understanding the propagation dynamics of antimicrobial resistances., Peer reviewed

Expanded Dataset for Two-Echelon Electric Vehicle Routing Problems (2E-EVRP) (Original data) (Zenodo). 2E-EVRP-Instances (Original data) (Zenodo)., This paper introduces a dataset generated for research on Two-Echelon Electric Vehicle Routing Problems (2E-EVRPs) with additional constraints, including time windows, simultaneous pickup and delivery (SPD), and partial deliveries. The dataset is derived from established benchmark instances from the VRP and EVRP literature and further extended using methodologies from the literature. It features diverse scenarios designed to challenge and validate solution approaches proposed for two-echelon routing algorithms under various constraints. The dataset comprises a variety of instances, ranging from small (5-15 customers) to large (100 customers), and incorporates different geographical configurations, including clustered, random, and random-clustered distributions. Key modifications include integrating satellite locations, enhanced vehicle configurations concerning electric vehicle (EV) constraints, and adjusting time windows to accommodate the two-echelon structure. The dataset also supports multiple delivery scenarios, allowing for single delivery, simultaneous pickups and deliveries (SPD), and partial deliveries, enabling researchers to test the performance of their algorithms across a range of realistic constraints., The research presented in this paper was supported by grants TED2021-129319B-I00 and PID2022-136787NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033., Peer reviewed

R scripts to replicate the analyses from "Energyscapes pinpoint marine megafauna feeding hotspots in the Mediterranean"., European Commission EcoScope — Ecocentric management for sustainable fisheries and healthy marine ecosystems: 101000302, With funding form the Spanish government through the "Severa Ochoa Centre of Excellence" accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)., Peer reviewed

This dataset provides a raster layer (.img format) with the predicted distribution of the gorgonian Eunicella cavolini (Koch, 1887) on the continental shelf and submarine canyon off Cap de Creus (NW Mediterranean), an area included in a Site of Community Importance (SCI) of the Natura 2000 Network. The algorithm Random Forest (RF) was used to model areas suitable for the development of the species based on a combination of species density data extracted from 60 underwater video transects (80 to 400 m depth) and a set of environmental factors of a geomorphologic, oceanographic and human nature. The RF model predicted the presence of the species (densities of at least 1 col·m-2) in 1,061 ha along the whole modelled area, with 14 ha potentially hosting gorgonian densities above 5 col·m-2 and 4.9 ha with densities exceeding 10 col·m-2. The variability explained by the model was 70.1%, although a cross-validation assessment indicated that the variability explained could be lower, denoting some degree of spatial autocorrelation of the data within the underwater dives. Based on the percentage increase in mean squared error of the model used for predictions, the most important variables determining the likelihood of finding high-density patches of E. cavolini in the study area were average bottom current velocity, depth and rugosity of the seafloor (calculated as TRI, Terrain Ruggedness Index). This study provides relevant information about the spatial distribution of E. cavolini inside a recently declared marine protected area of NW Mediterranean, which could be used by policymakers when formulating specific management measures for the conservation of this species within the SCI. This dataset is related to the article “Environmental niche, spatial distribution and size structure of shelf-dwelling populations of the gorgonian Eunicella cavolini (Koch, 1887) in NW Mediterranean” submitted to Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science by Dominguez-Carrió et al., which contains further information on how the data were obtained and processed., The development of the Random Forest (RF) model was funded by the European project LIFE+ INDEMARES (LIFE07/NAT/E/000732). The biological data used to feed the RF model was obtained through several surveys funded by the European project LIFE+ INDEMARES (LIFE07/NAT/E/000732) and the Spanish project Acciones Complementarias nº CTM2007-28758-E/MAR. The bathymetric data for the continental shelf was provided by the Spanish Fisheries General Secretary, and acquired in the frame of the ESPACE, DeepCoral and LIFE+ INDEMARES projects. Multibeam data for the submarine canyon was acquired by the University of Barcelona, AOA Geophysics and the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC). The bottom current model used to run the RF model was performed using HPC resources from the CALMIP platform (French region Occitanie) under grant P09115, with the SYMPHONIE model distributed by the SIROCCO group (https://sirocco.obs-mip.fr). VMS data was provided by the General Directorate of Fisheries Management of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA). The authors would like to thank the crew of the research vessel García del Cid and all the scientists and technicians who assisted during the different oceanographic cruises, as well as Gavin Newman (ROV pilot) and the members of the JAGO Team Jürgen Schauer and Karen Hissmann (Geomar, Kiel) for the acquisition of the video footage. This work acknowledges the AEI ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S). CD-C acknowledges the financial support received by the EU funded projects Life+ Indemares (LIFE07/NAT/E/000732) and ENPI ECOSAFIMED (ENPI CBC MED 2007-2013) and by the FCT-IP Project UIDP/05634/2020., With funding form the Spanish government through the "Severa Ochoa Centre of Excellence" accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)., Peer reviewed

The complete dataset named: “[Article dataset] Establishing a comprehensive host-parasite stable isotope database to unravel trophic relationships”18 (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28087397) is readily available on Figshare and on ISOBANK19 (https://isobank.tacc.utexas.edu/). Our data-gathering template is comprehensive and designed to encompass as much useful information about the parasite-host system as possible. There are 60 required metadata fields, all of which can also be found in the same Figshare repository, as “ParaSITE project_Legend key”. Collaborators were asked to fill in this template as accurately as possible. When some information was not known or was inaccessible, default or “n/a” parameters were selectable., Over the past decades, stable isotopes have been infrequently used to characterise host-parasite trophic relationships. This is because we have not yet identified consistent patterns in stable isotope values between parasites and their host tissues across species, which are crucial for understanding host-parasite dynamics. To address this, we initiated a worldwide collaboration to establish a unique database of stable isotope values of novel host-parasite pairs, effectively doubling the existing data in published literature. This database includes nitrogen, carbon, and sulphur stable isotope values. We present 3213 stable isotope data entries, representing 586 previously unpublished host-parasite pairs. Additionally, while existing literature was particularly limited in sulphur isotope values, we tripled information on this crucial element. By publishing unreported host-parasite pairs from previously unsampled areas of the world and using appropriate host tissues, our dataset stands unparalleled. We anticipate that end-users will utilise our database to uncover generalisable patterns, deepening our understanding of the complexities of parasite-host relationships and driving future research efforts in stable isotope parasitology., We would like to thank the IsoEcol 2021/2022 team for allowing us to run this project and for waiving our conference fees when we presented the preliminary results of this work. We are also very grateful to Isotrace, the IRMS Unit in Dunedin, New Zealand, for running part of these samples free of charge. This research was supported by the Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund (19-UOO-212) awarded to AJMS, which allowed her to study host-parasite interactions using stable isotopes for four years. JB was supported through a New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavor Grant (no CAWX2207). RGS was supported by a Juan de la Cierva-Formación post-doctoral research grant (FJC2019-040921-I) from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Spain) and EU NextGenerationEU/PRTR programmes. RGS is currently supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship 2023 (grant agreement No 101150001-PelCon). IGV was supported by a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación post-doctoral research grant (IJC2019-040554-I) from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Spain). TJW received support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4 – Call for tender No. 3138 of 16 December 2021, rectified by Decree No. 3175 of 18 December 2021 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU; Award Number: Project code CN_00000033, Concession Decree No. 1034 of 17 June 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP C63C22000520001, Project title ‘National Biodiversity Future Center – NBFC., Peer reviewed