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Hybridization and genetic introgression are significant evolutionary processes playing a keyrole in the adaptation and diversification of species. In desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis,some species have evolved a remarkable reproductive strategy, termed social hybridogenesis,that relies on a perpetual hybridization between two sympatric, yet genetically distinct lineages.The non-reproductive workers systematically result from mating between partners of differentlineages; in contrast, queens and males are both produced asexually by parthenogenesis.Consequently, workers are all interlineage hybrids, whereas reproductives are all pure-lineageindividuals. Although several studies have been carried out on the reproductive strategies ofCataglyphis desert ants, the origin and the mechanisms underlying social hybridogenesis in thegenus remain unclear.In this thesis, I first examined three aspects associated to the persistence of socialhybridogenesis using the ant Cataglyphis mauritanica as a model. (i) I showed that the tightcaste – genotype association stems from a strong genetic influence on female caste fate.However, some degree of phenotypic plasticity was retained in hybrid as well as pure-lineagegenomes, although not expressed in natural conditions. (ii) The genetic survey of a largehybridogenetic population of C. mauritanica reveals that the two lineages occur with equalfrequency. Furthermore, restricted dispersal and parthenogenetic production of queens result ina mosaic of clonal patches. In contrast, males disperse over patches, ensuring successfulinterlineage mating. (iii) To determine whether mating between partners from the same geneticlineage participate to queen production, I simulated genetic data under various rates of sexualvs. asexual queen production. I found that genetic diversity within each lineage fits with theoccurrence a few sex; however, the 100% clonality hypothesis could not be discarded.I then investigated the evolutionary origin of social hybridogenesis in Cataglyphis. Bycharacterizing the reproductive system of 11 Cataglyphis species, five new instances of socialhybridogenesis were discovered. Inferences from phylogenetic analyses, including thesespecies and all Cataglyphis species for which reproductive information was available, indicatedthat this reproductive system independently evolved multiple times in the genus Cataglyphis.Overall, the results of this thesis highlight the singularities of a hybridogenesic systemassociated to queen parthenogenesis, which may have facilitated the repeated evolution ofdependent-lineages in Cataglyphis ants., L’hybridation et l’introgression génétique jouent un rôle majeur dans l’adaptation et ladiversification des espèces. Chez les fourmis du désert du genre Cataglyphis, certaines espècesont évolué une stratégie de reproduction remarquable, appelée hybridogenèse sociale, reposantsur l’hybridation systématique entre deux lignées génétiquement distinctes. Les ouvrières nonreproductricessont issues de l’accouplement entre des partenaires de lignées distinctes ;enrevanche, les reines et les mâles sont produits de façon asexuée par parthénogenèse. Lesouvrières sont donc toutes des hybrides des deux lignées, alors que les individus reproducteurssont de pure-lignées. Bien que plusieurs études aient analysé les stratégies de reproduction desfourmis Cataglyphis, l’origine et le fonctionnement de l’hybridogenèse sociale au sein du genrerestent obscurs.Dans cette thèse, trois aspects associés au maintien de ce système ont premièrement étéétudiés en prenant la fourmi Cataglyphis mauritanica comme modèle. (i) La forte associationentre génotype et caste des femelles est lié à une forte influence génétique sur le déterminismede la caste. Néanmoins, une certaine plasticité phénotypique est maintenue dans les génomeshybrides et pure-lignée mais elle ne s’exprime pas en conditions naturelles. (ii) L’analysegénétique d’une population hybridogène de C. mauritanica montre que les deux lignées sontéquifréquentes. De plus, une dispersion limitée des reines ainsi que leur production parparthénogenèse mènent à la formation d’une mosaïque de patches clonaux. A l’inverse, lesmâles dispersent d’un patch à l’autre assurant les accouplements interlignées. (iii) Afin dedéterminer si les accouplements intralignées participent à la production des reines, des donnéesgénétiques ont été simulées sous différents taux de reproduction sexuée et asexuée. Les résultatsmontrent que la diversité génétique au sein de chaque lignée correspond à une faible fréquencede reproduction sexuée, bien que qu’un scénario avec 100% de clonalité ne puisse être écarté.Ensuite, l’origine évolutive de l’hybridogenèse sociale chez les Cataglyphis a étéanalysée. L’étude des systèmes reproducteurs de 11 espèces de Cataglyphis a permis ladécouverte de 5 nouveaux systèmes hybridogènes. Des analyses phylogénétiques, basées surces espèces et sur toutes les espèces de Cataglyphis pour lesquels le système reproducteur a étéprécédemment étudié, indiquent que ce système reproducteur aurait évolué plusieurs foisindépendamment au sein du genre Cataglyphis.En conclusion, les résultats de cette thèse soulignent les singularités d’un systèmehybridogène associé à la parthénogénèse des reines, qui a pu faciliter l’évolution répétée delignées dépendantes chez les fourmis Cataglyphis., Doctorat en Sciences, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Submitted by Camila Vaz de Souza (cah.biologia@gmail.com) on 2019-06-10T20:18:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Camila Vaz de Souza.pdf: 2976332 bytes, checksum: 4dd8a3b2b3bc859b950635620b3b55c6 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by ROSANGELA APARECIDA LOBO null (rosangelalobo@btu.unesp.br) on 2019-06-11T12:16:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_cv_dr_bot_par.pdf: 776418 bytes, checksum: e2a3f4ebcb080bd7c0a68ed9b89f48ac (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2019-06-11T12:16:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_cv_dr_bot_par.pdf: 776418 bytes, checksum: e2a3f4ebcb080bd7c0a68ed9b89f48ac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-02-25 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Nessa tese estudamos duas espécies melitófilas de Bignoniaceae, Jacaranda caroba e J. decurrens, que coocorrem em formações savânicas de cerrado e que se mostraram modelos interessantes para explorarmos aspectos ecológicos e evolutivos relacionados à sua reprodução sexual, tendo em vista que apresentam uma complexa rede de interações com mutualistas e antagonistas. A sobreposição geográfica dessas duas espécies nos permitiu avaliar padrões de coexistência relacionados à dinâmica de florescimento, bem como seu anúncio floral relacionado à atração de visitantes florais mutualistas e antagonistas. Além disso, essa interação com mutualistas e antagonistas possibilitou averiguar o impacto da atuação de antagonistas que roubam néctar sobre a polinização de ambas as espécies e como os danos realizados por abelhas roubadoras de néctar interferem na sinalização visual e química aos polinizadores. Também avaliamos a exploração de néctar por diferentes grupos funcionais de visitantes florais de J. caroba e J. decurrens. Por fim, considerando que o sucesso reprodutivo está diretamente relacionado com a eficiência da polinização investigamos o sistema reprodutivo dessas duas espécies e o efeito da qualidade do pólen transferido entre flores associado ao comportamento dos polinizadores durante o forrageamento, buscando compreender os fatores intrínsecos relacionados à seleção mecanismos de autoincompatibilidade nas populações naturais amostradas. In this dissertation we studied two mellithiphilous Bignoniaceae species, Jacaranda caroba and J. decurrens, that co-occur in savanic cerrado formations. This is an interesting model to explore ecological and evolutionary aspects related to their sexual reproduction taking into account that they present a complex network of interactions with mutualists and antagonists. These species‟ geographical overlap allowed us to evaluate patterns of coexistence related to the flowering dynamics, as well as its floral display related to the attraction of mutualists and antagonists‟ floral visitors. Besides, their interactions with mutualists and antagonists allowed us to evaluate the impact of nectar-robbing antagonists on both species and how damage by nectar-robber bees interferes with visual and chemical signaling to pollinators. We also evaluated the nectar exploitation by different functional groups of J. caroba and J. decurrens floral visitors. Finally, considering that these species‟ reproductive success and the effect of pollinator behavior during foraging on the quality of the pollen that is transferred among flowers. Considering that species‟ reproductive success is directly related to the pollination efficiency, we investigated the reproductive system of these two species and the effect of the quality of the pollen transferred between flowers associated to the pollinators‟ behavior during the foraging, trying to understand the intrinsic factors related to mechanisms of self-incompatibility in the sampled natural populations.

There is a growing concern for male reproductive health as studies suggest that there is a sharp increase in prostate cancer and other fertility related problems. Apart from lifestyle, pollutants are also known to negatively affect the reproductive system. In addition to many other compounds that have been shown to alter androgen signaling, several environmental pollutants are known to disrupt androgen signaling via binding to androgen receptor (AR) or indirectly affecting the androgen synthesis. We analyzed here the molecular mechanism of the interaction between the human AR Ligand Binding Domain (hAR-LBD) and two environmental pollutants, linuron (a herbicide) and procymidone (a pesticide), and compared with the steroid agonist dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and well-known hAR antagonists bicalutamide and enzalutamide. Using molecular docking and dynamics simulations, we showed that the co-activator interaction site of the hAR-LBD is disrupted in different ways by different ligands. Binding free energies of the ligands were also ordered in increasing order as follows: linuron, procymidone, DHT, bicalutamide, and enzalutamide. These data were confirmed by in vitro assays. Reporter assay with MDA-kb2 cells showed that linuron, procymidone, bicalutamide and enzalutamide can inhibit androgen mediated activation of luciferase activity. Gene expression analysis further showed that these compounds can inhibit the expression of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and microseminoprotein beta (MSMB) in prostate cell line LNCaP. Comparative analysis showed that procymidone is more potent than linuron in inhibiting AR activity. Furthermore, procymidone at 10 mu M dose showed equivalent and higher activity to AR inhibitor enzalutamide and bicalutamide respectively.

Background The swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus is one of the most commonly farmed crustaceans in China. As one of the most widely known and high-value edible crabs, it crab supports large crab fishery and aquaculture in China. Only large and sexually mature crabs can provide the greatest economic benefits, suggesting the considerable effect of reproductive system development on fishery. Studies are rarely conducted on the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying the development of the reproductive system during the mating embrace stage in this species. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to sequence all transcriptomes of the P. trituberculatus reproductive system. Results Transcriptome sequencing of the reproductive system produced 81,688,878 raw reads (38,801,152 and 42,887,726 reads from female and male crabs, respectively). Low-quality (quality

Chapter 3 Summary - shrnutí English and Czech summaries (abstracts) of the thesis. 3.1 English abstract Genus Taraxacum (Asteraceae), having ∼60 sections and 2,800 species, is known for its complicated evolutionary relationships and taxonomy due to processes like frequent hy- bridization, polyploidization, asexual reproduction, clonality and low structural morpho- logical variability. Various taxonomical concepts and approaches are reviewed, evaluated and discussed from point of view of their ability to deal with such a complicated genera as is Taraxacum. Various processes responsible for the complicated situation within Taraxacum are discussed and reviewed. Section Dioszegia, comprising T. serotinum and its allies, are an exception because only sexuals are reported for all the members of this group. On the basis of the analysis of mi- crosatellite (SSRs) variation, distribution and morphology, we addressed problems related to their mode of reproduction, among-population relationships, taxonomy and within- population variation. As a rule, outcrossing was the dominant mode of reproduction, with one notable exception: T. serotinum subsp. tomentosum (≡ T. pyrrhopappum) was autogamous and not heterozygous. A taxonomic revision of sect. Dioszegia recognizes T. serotinum subsp. serotinum (including an aberrant...

Background: Anticancer agents induce a variety of adverse effects when administered to cancer patients. Busulfan is a known antileukemia agent. When administered for treatment of leukemia in young patients, busulfan could cause damage to the male reproductive system as one of its adverse effects, resulting in sterility. Methods: We investigated the effects of Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) on busulfan-induced damage and/or dysfunction of the male reproductive system. Results: We found that administration of busulfan to mice: decreased testis weight; caused testicular histological damage; reduced the total number of sperm, sperm motility, serum testosterone concentration; and eventually, litter size. Preadministration of KRGE partially attenuated various busulfan-induced damages to the male reproductive system. These results indicate that KRGE has a protective effect against busulfan-induced damage to the male reproduction system. Conclusion: The present study shows a possibility that KRGE could be applied as a useful agent to prevent or protect the male reproductive system from the adverse side effects induced by administration of anticancer agents such as busulfan.

Submitted by Jadson Francisco de Jesus SILVA (jadson@uefs.br) on 2018-07-11T22:03:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIANA CHAVES - Dissertacao Mariana Chaves_ DEFINITIVA.pdf: 1571122 bytes, checksum: 655c891bef9d1aa8432a75b67d4a75e7 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-11T22:03:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIANA CHAVES - Dissertacao Mariana Chaves_ DEFINITIVA.pdf: 1571122 bytes, checksum: 655c891bef9d1aa8432a75b67d4a75e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-29 Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES Physalis angulata L. (Solanaceae) is a traditional medicinal species that can be found all over Brazil. The medicinal utility attributed derives from the production of complex substances of pharmacological interest as: vitaesteroids, fisalinas, flavonoids, steroids, fatty acids, carotenoids, ascorbic acid and alkaloids. For pharmaceutical production, the pharmaceutical industry requires a large amount of raw material, which would be very expensive and would generate significant impacts on the natural environment. In this way, it is necessary to develop breeding programs aimed at medicinal plants, in order to ensure the industrial production of special metabolites. In order to initiate the genetic improvement of a species it is necessary to obtain accurate information on several fundamental questions and one of them is the reproductive system. In this sense, the objective of this work was to carry out a study on the reproductive system of Physalis angulata, identifying the preferential crossing system through experiments of controlled pollinations, viability tests and pollen grain germination and floral visitors observations. All variables evaluated to estimate the preferential cross-breeding system of P. angulata indicated that this is a self-compatible species, and according to the egg pollen ratio it presents a facultative autogamous system. The dyes used to estimate pollen viability did not differ statistically. The pollen viability was high using the colorimetric method, however, there was no germination of the pollen tubes using the in vitro germination method, and further studies and adjustments of the culture medium were necessary. The hour factor influenced the viability of the pollen grains and reached 96% at 14 hours using the tetrazolium dye. The anthesis of the flowers of P. angulata lasted on average two days, they began the opening at 6 in the morning and the closure began at 14 o'clock in the field conditions; on the second day they reopen and close at the same time. In a greenhouse, the flowers opened at the same time, but the closure occurred around 5 pm and reopened the next day. The most frequent insects were of the order Hymenoptera (Apis mell?fera). Physalis angulata L. (Solanaceae) ? uma esp?cie medicinal tradicional podendo ser encontrada em todo o territ?rio brasileiro. A utilidade medicinal atribu?da decorre da produ??o de subst?ncias complexas de interesse farmacol?gico como: vitaester?ides, fisalinas, flavon?ides, ester?ides, ?cidos graxos, caroten?ides, ?cido asc?rbico e alcal?ides. Para a produ??o de f?rmacos, a ind?stria farmac?utica requer uma grande quantidade de mat?ria-prima, o que seria muito dispendioso e geraria impactos expressivos no ambiente natural. Desse modo, faz-se necess?rio o desenvolvimento de programas de melhoramento voltados para plantas medicinais, visando assegurar a produ??o industrial de metab?licos especiais. Para iniciar o melhoramento gen?tico de uma esp?cie ? necess?rio obter informa??es precisas sobre v?rias quest?es fundamentais e uma delas ? o sistema reprodutivo. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar um estudo sobre o sistema reprodutivo de Physalis angulata, identificando o sistema de cruzamento preferencial por meio de experimentos de poliniza??es controladas, testes de viabilidade e germinabilidade dos gr?os de p?len e observa??es dos visitantes florais. Todas as vari?veis avaliadas para estimar o sistema preferencial de cruzamento de P. angulata indicaram que se trata de uma esp?cie auto-compat?vel, e segundo a rela??o p?len ?vulo apresenta um sistema aut?gamo facultativo. Os corantes utilizados para estimar a viabilidade pol?nica n?o diferiram estatisticamente. A viabilidade pol?nica foi alta utilizando o m?todo colorim?trico, entretanto n?o houve germina??o dos tubos pol?nicos utilizando o m?todo de germina??o in vitro, sendo necess?rios mais estudos e ajustes dos meios de cultura. O fator hora influenciou a viabilidade dos gr?os de p?len e alcan?ou 96% ?s 14 horas utilizando o corante tetraz?lio. A antese das flores de P. angulata durou em m?dia dois dias, iniciaram a abertura ?s 6 da manh? e o encerramento iniciou ?s 14 horas em condi??es de campo; no segundo dia reabrem e fecham no mesmo hor?rio. Em casa de vegeta??o, as flores abriram no mesmo hor?rio, mas o fechamento ocorreu por volta das 17 horas e reabriram no dia seguinte. Os insetos visitantes mais frequentes foram da ordem Hymenoptera (Apis mell?fera).

Submitted by LUCAS REZENDE PENIDO PASCHOAL null (lucasrezende20@gmail.com) on 2017-10-23T23:05:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Paschoal (2017).pdf: 15727653 bytes, checksum: b1508a5f1145eecb9da6b31a42459122 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-10-26T17:18:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 paschoal_lrp_dr_rcla_par.pdf: 1414035 bytes, checksum: 448da7a74fc3291a6beb5c3de0270594 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-26T17:18:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 paschoal_lrp_dr_rcla_par.pdf: 1414035 bytes, checksum: 448da7a74fc3291a6beb5c3de0270594 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-04 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) O camarão amazônico Macrobrachium amazonicum apresenta populações com grande plasticidade fenotípica e alta variabilidade morfológica e reprodutiva. Três fenótipos são registrados para a espécie, por meio da avaliação de sua história de vida, características morfológicas e reprodutivas, sendo eles: (a) animais anfídromos de grande porte, e (b) hololimnéticos de grande e (c) pequeno porte. Tais características permitem que estes animais ocupem diversos ambientes aquáticos no Brasil. Nos últimos anos, registros de M. amazonicum em ambientes dulciaquícolas interiores em diversas regiões brasileiras aumentaram significativamente, principalmente em reservatórios da Bacia do Paraná. Porém, são escassas as informações sobre aspectos bioecológicos e reprodutivos em tais ambientes, assim como faltam estudos abordando a morfo-histologia dos sistemas reprodutores da espécie. Além disso, a plasticidade fenotípica de populações de M. amazonicum ainda não é totalmente compreendida. Na presente tese, os padrões anátomo-histológico dos sistemas reprodutores foram analisados nos três fenótipos da espécie, além biologia e a ecologia das populações com diferentes fenótipos provenientes de reservatórios do sudeste brasileiro. Adicionalmente, descreve-se o primeiro registro da intersexualidade e de infecção por microsporídeos em M. amazonicum. Independentemente da história de vida e estratégia sexual adotada, todas as populações de camarão amazônico analisadas apresentam padrões anatômicos, histológicos, histoquímicos e ultraestruturais similares para seus sistemas reprodutores. No entanto, fêmeas e machos das populações de pequeno porte tendem a investir mais energia em quesitos reprodutivos, quando comparados a animais de grande porte anfídromos e hololimnéticos. Fêmeas de pequeno porte deslocam mais energia para formação de ovócitos/ovos maiores e para a produção de reservas lipídicas para larvas, enquanto que machos desse fenótipo investem energia na produção e concentração espermática em detrimento da aquisição de armas sexuais. A intersexualidade na espécie é um fenômeno raro (0,06%), associado à disfunção hormonal e/ou mutação genética. Em reservatórios neotropicais as populações hololimnéticas de M. amazonicum apresentam dois fenótipos, definidos pela aquisição de armas sexuais: (a) animais de grande e (b) pequeno porte. Pode-se constatar que a espécie é resiliente e que suas populações não apresentam grandes diferenças em sua estrutura, durante eventos de estresse hídrico. Além disso, os aspectos reprodutivos de M. amazonicum (fecundidade, taxas de aborto e frequência de fêmeas ovígeras) não são significativamente alterados pelas flutuações dos níveis de água e da pluviosidade promovidas pelo fenômeno climático “El niño”. Em algumas populações da espécie, microsporídios do gênero Inodosporus, se desenvolvem dentro das fibras musculares e promovem a “doença do camarão colorido” modificando a natação e o mecanismo de escape dos animais infectados, tornando os camarões mais susceptíveis à predação. A avaliação dos aspectos histomorfológicos e populacionais analisados nos diferentes fenótipos permitiram a compreensão e comparação de processos bioecológicos e reprodutivos para a espécie. Além disso, as lacunas envolvendo a plasticidade fenotípica de populações de M. amazonicum foram preenchidas com o presente estudo. The Amazon river shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum exhibits populations with great phenotypic plasticity and high morphological and reproductive variability. Three phenotypes are recorded for the species, through the evaluation of their life history, morphological and reproductive characteristics, being: (a) large amphidromous, and (b) large and (c) small hololimnetic animals. These characteristics allow these animals to occupy diverse aquatic environments in Brazil. In recent years, M. amazonicum records have increased significantly in continental freshwater environments in Brazil, mainly in reservoirs inserted at the Paraná Basin. However, information on bioecological and reproductive aspects in such environments is scarce. Also, there were no studies evaluating the histomorphology of the reproductive systems in Amazon shrimp. In addition, the phenotypic plasticity of populations of M. amazonicum is not yet fully understood. In the present thesis the histoanatomic patterns of the reproductive systems were analyzed in three phenotypes of the species. As well, the biology and ecology of populations with different phenotypes were investigated in reservoirs of the southeastern Brazil. In addition, the first record of intersexuality and microsporidiosis in the species are presented here. Regardless of the life history and sexual strategy adopted, all populations of M. amazonicum analyzed present similar anatomical, histological, histochemical and ultrastructural patterns in their reproductive systems. However, females and males of the small populations tend to invest more energy in reproductive aspects when compared to large amphidromous and hololimnetic animals. Small females displace more energy to produce larger oocytes/eggs and lipid reserves for larvae, while males of this phenotype invest energy in sperm production and concentration in the detriment of the acquisition of sexual weapons. Intersexuality in the species is a rare phenomenon (0.06%) associated with hormonal disruption and/or genetic mutation. In neotropical reservoirs the hololimnetic populations of M. amazonicum presents two phenotypes, defined by the acquisition of sexual weapons: (a) large and (b) small animals. It can be verified that the species is resilient and that its populations do not present great differences in its structure during hydric stress events. Futhermore, the reproductive aspects of M. amazonicum (fecundity, abortion and frequency of ovigerous females) are not significantly altered by the fluctuations of water levels and rainfall promoted by the climatic phenomenon "El niño". In some populations of this species, spores of the Inodosporus genus (Microsporidia) develop within the muscle fibers and promote the "color shrimp disease" by modifying the swimming and escape mechanism of the infected animals, making these shrimps more susceptible to predation. The evaluation of the histomorphological and population aspects analyzed in the different phenotypes allowed the understanding and comparison of bioecological and reproductive processes for the species. In addition, the gaps involving the phenotypic plasticity of populations of M. amazonicum were filled with the present study.

Reproduction is among the most dynamic and rapidly evolving genetic systems across sexual taxa. However, the evolutionary mechanisms that drive reproductive traits during the early stages of species divergence are relatively unknown. Using a systems-level, comparative functional genomics approach, I investigate the role of selection, drift, and genomic architecture in promoting the rapid divergence of reproductive systems in Drosophila. I develop a new comparative genomics database, flyDIVaS (Divergence and Selection in Drosophila), an updateable database for identifying patterns and processes involved in species conservation and divergence. I show that tissue-specific genes play a disproportionate role in driving species level divergence and, in particular, that genes specific to male reproductive tissue are among the most rapidly evolving. Using two deeply sequenced populations of Drosophila melanogaster, I reveal that adaptation is widespread among male-specific genes and identify local signatures of selection that have evolved in less than 500 years on sperm motility. In Drosophila mercatorum, a fruit fly capable of facultative parthenogenesis, I find recent signatures of protein changes involved with centrosomal and meiotic functions, and identify early genomic signatures of male degeneration. Among laboratory strains of Drosophila melanogaster, I identify adaptive signatures on neurogenic genes that have recently been domesticated during the last century . Finally, I explore the role of genomic architecture in shaping such reproductive functional systems by developing a novel hypothesis that rapid changes in behavior, such as those found in diverse mating preferences, is a function of the size of the neurogenome. The results presented in this dissertation point toward the importance of selection, drift, and genomic architecture in driving rapid functional change which, together, promote the generation of species diversity via the formation of reproductive barriers in early species divergence.

Many hermaphroditic organisms, either plants or animals, are able to reproduce by self-fertilization, at least alternatively with cross fertilization. Theoretical models predict several important consequences linked to this mating system. The first prediction is that a selfing population is less sensitive to inbreeding depression than an outcrossing one, because part of the depression can be « purged » meaning that the recessive deleterious alleles are easier to eliminate by natural selection under selfing. This purge creates a positive feedback to favour self fertilization. In these circumstances, we also expect the evolution of traits facilitating self fertilization (for example closed flowers) and a reallocation of resources from the male to the female function, because sexual selection is reduced in the male function. Self-fertilization also affects standing variation, as the effective population size is divided by two, enhancing the effects of drift. In addition, recombination becomes inefficient, increasing the extent of selective interference among loci (background selection, selective sweep) and decreasing the probability to fix several advantageous mutations in the same genome. In other words, self-fertilization decreases the adaptive potential and the efficiency of natural selection. We then predict that autogamous species have a higher probability of extinction, this is called the “dead end hypothesis”. Some of these predictions have been tested mainly in plants or not at all. The aim of this thesis is to test them in animals, using freshwater snails as model systems. To this end, we followed an experimental evolution approach using laboratory populations of Physa acuta a preferentially outcrossing snail able to reproduce by self-fertilization. These populations were maintained for 20 to 30 generations either under pure outcrossing or under alternating generations of outcrossing and selfing. In a first experiment we show that inbreeding depression is largely purged after only ten generations of selfing, but also that the waiting time, (a trait positively correlated to the outcrossing rate) decreased largely. We did not observe however any reallocation in favour of the female function. In a second experiment we compared the response to artificial selection on a morphological trait under selfing and outcrossing. We observed that when an outbred population switches to self-fertilization the response to selection is initially enhanced as alleles are progressively made homozygous. However this advantage is quickly offset by selective interference and after no more than three generations selfing populations start to respond to selection more slowly than outcrossing onesThis work brings new elements for the understanding of the evolution of mating systems, and provides empirical support for the lower adaptability of selfing species., Une grande partie des organismes hermaphrodites, qu’il s’agisse de plantes ou d’animaux, est capable de se reproduire par autofécondation, comme alternative à la fécondation croisée. Or les modèles théoriques prédisent un ensemble de conséquences évolutives importantes liées à l’autofécondation. La première prédiction est qu'une population pratiquant l'autofécondation est moins sensible à la dépression de consanguinité qu'une population à reproduction croisée, car une partie de la dépression a été « purgée », c’est-à-dire que les allèles délétères récessifs sont éliminés par la sélection naturelle plus facilement en autofécondation. Cette purge entraine en retour une sélection positive sur l’autofécondation. On attend aussi chez ces populations l’évolution de traits facilitant l’autofécondation (par ex., des fleurs fermées), ainsi qu’une réallocation de ressources de la fonction mâle vers la fonction femelle, en raison d’une sélection sexuelle réduite sur la fonction mâle. Une reproduction par autofécondation va aussi considérablement affecter la variabilité disponible en raison d’une taille efficace de population divisée par deux, augmentant les effets de dérive. Par ailleurs, la moindre efficacité de la recombinaison va augmenter la sensibilité aux interférences sélectives (sélection d’arrière-plan, balayage sélectif) et diminuer la probabilité de fixer plusieurs mutations avantageuses dans le même génome. En d’autres termes, l’autofécondation conduit à un fardeau génétique plus lourd, et diminue les capacités d'adaptation et l’efficacité de la sélection naturelle. On prédit donc que les espèces autofécondantes ont une probabilité d’extinction plus grande que les espèces allofécondantes – elles constituent un cul-de-sac évolutif. Ces prédictions ont pour l’essentiel été évaluées chez des plantes, voire ne l’ont pas été du tout. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’apporter des éléments permettant de les tester chez des animaux, les escargots hermaphrodites d’eau douce. Pour ce faire, nous avons opté pour une approche d’évolution expérimentale permettant de contrôler régime de reproduction, conditions environnementales et pressions de sélection. Notre modèle d’étude est Physa acuta, une espèce allofécondante qui est capable de se reproduire par autofécondation et nous avons des lignées expérimentales se reproduisant soit en allofécondation stricte soit alternant avec une génération d’autofécondation depuis 20 à 30 générations au laboratoire. La première expérience montre que non seulement la dépression de consanguinité est largement purgée en une dizaine de génération d’autofécondation, mais aussi que le temps d’attente (un trait positivement corrélé au taux d’allofécondation) a fortement diminué. Nous n’observons en revanche aucune réallocation sur la fonction femelle. La deuxième expérience dans laquelle nous avons comparé la réponse à la sélection sur un trait morphologique en autofécondation et en allofécondation montre qu’une population en autofécondation répond d’abord mieux car les allèles sont progressivement placés à l’état homozygote mais cet avantage s’épuise rapidement probablement à cause des interférences sélectives car en trois générations elles commencent à répondre plus lentement que la même population en allofécondation (le trait considéré était la forme de la coquille). Ces travaux apportent des éléments nouveaux quant à notre compréhension de l’évolution de l’autofécondation, et proposent des éléments expérimentaux novateurs quant à la moindre adaptabilité des espèces autofécondantes.

This bachelor thesis is a literature review focused on plants of genus Arabidopsis. Despite numerous studies dealing with the model species A. thaliana there are only a small number of papers about its closest relatives, especially certain aspects are completely neglected in present literature. Species of the genus Arabidopsis can be found almost all over the world but their development center is most likely in Europe. This thesis summarizes general information on all representatives of this genus with a focus on European territory and concentrate mainly on their reproductive systems and hybridization. Species of the genus Arabidopsis frequently hybridize with each other and between different ploidy levels within these species. Due to such numerous hybridization and polyploidizations, including past and recent ones, the taxonomy of this genus is extremely complicated and has not been fully elucidated yet. This paper also includes main methods of experimental study of the reproductive systems. This bachelor thesis is a theoretical basis for the subsequent master thesis, in which I will conduct an experimental study addressing reproductive modes and the possibilities of hybridization between different taxonomic representatives and ploidy cytotypes of group A. arenosa.

Astigmatans are a large group of mites living in nearly every environment and exhibiting very diverse reproductive strategies. In spite of an uniform anatomical organization of their reproductive systems, gametogenesis in each sex is highly variable, leading to gamete formation showing many peculiar features and emphasizing the distinct position of Astigmata. This review summarizes the contemporary knowledge on the structure of ovaries and testes in astigmatic mites, the peculiarities of oogenesis and spermatogenesis, as well as provides new data on several species not studied previously. New questions are discussed and approaches for future studies are proposed.

International audience; Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is usually subdivided into six discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI to TcVI, among which TcI and TcV are most common in human infections in Bolivia. Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) was selected to further explore the structure of the natural populations belonging to these DTUs. The analysis showed that microsatellite clustering does not fully match the six DTUs, but it is relevant for the within DTUs analyses. Population genetics analysis was conducted on 11 relevant subsamples of stocks from Bolivia and Peru, belonging to TcI (6) and TcV (5), defined by four criterions: DTU, vector species, geographic origin, and date of isolation. Most TcV strains presented the same multilocus genotype over all subsamples with the puzzling characteristic that five loci were heterozygous and the other five homozygous. In TcI, four clusters were defined according to the vector species. Most of them appeared in agreement with clonal propagation (stocks isolated from Triatoma infestans and Triatoma sordida), while a few highly homozygous stocks (e.g. those isolated from Rhodnius stali) suggested that scarce sex events can occur. The poor role played by spatio-temporal factors in describing the observed genetic diversity suggested that ecology, in particular as regard to host played a significant role. These results highlight the extreme heterogeneity of T. cruzi and suggest that further population genetics surveys will need to target the most possible precise spatio-temporal and ecological scales.

Submitted by Guilherme Lemeszenski (guilherme@nead.unesp.br) on 2013-08-22T18:45:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 S1984-29612010000300010.pdf: 306038 bytes, checksum: 8948e2bb3616b2b9da9e775bb1739996 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-22T18:45:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 S1984-29612010000300010.pdf: 306038 bytes, checksum: 8948e2bb3616b2b9da9e775bb1739996 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-01 Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T19:33:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1984-29612010000300010.pdf: 306038 bytes, checksum: 8948e2bb3616b2b9da9e775bb1739996 (MD5) S1984-29612010000300010.pdf.txt: 18634 bytes, checksum: 27c88f59c13a298239fa253a23c8ea27 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-01 Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-20T15:09:09Z No. of bitstreams: 2 S1984-29612010000300010.pdf: 306038 bytes, checksum: 8948e2bb3616b2b9da9e775bb1739996 (MD5) S1984-29612010000300010.pdf.txt: 18634 bytes, checksum: 27c88f59c13a298239fa253a23c8ea27 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-20T15:09:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1984-29612010000300010.pdf: 306038 bytes, checksum: 8948e2bb3616b2b9da9e775bb1739996 (MD5) S1984-29612010000300010.pdf.txt: 18634 bytes, checksum: 27c88f59c13a298239fa253a23c8ea27 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-01 Centro de Pesquisa em Sanidade Animal (CPPAR), Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias, UNESP-Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Caprinos machos, em idade reprodutiva, sorologicamente negativos para Toxoplasma gondii foram distribuídos em três grupos de animais: GI (n = 2) controle (placebo), GII (n = 2) - infectado com 1 × 10(6) taquizoítos (cepa RH) e GIII (n = 2) infectado com 2 × 10(5) oocistos (cepa P). Exames clínicos, hematológicos, parasitêmicos, sorológicos, pesquisa no sêmen e em tecidos do sistema reprodutor, por meio da bioprova, e da Reação em Cadeia pela Polimerase (PCR), foram conduzidas para avaliar a infecção toxoplásmica. Os títulos sorológicos alcançaram valores máximos de 4096 nos dois grupos de animais infectados. Pela técnica da bioprova, foi possível revelar precocemente a presença do coccídio nas amostras seminais dos animais inoculados com taquizoítos. Pela PCR, foi possível identificar, no sêmen, material genético de T. gondii, em cinco (5º, 7º, 28º, 49º e 70º) e em duas (ambos ao 56º) datas experimentais pós-inoculação dos animais pertencentes aos grupos GII e GIII, respectivamente.Por esta mesma técnica, foi possível ainda isolar material genético deste protozoário, também em amostras teciduais (pool de próstata, testículo, vesícula seminal e epidídimo) dos caprinos inoculados com taquizoítos e oocistos. A presente pesquisa sugere a possibilidade da ocorrência da transmissão sexual do T. gondii na espécie caprina. Male goats of mating age serologically negative for Toxoplasma gondii were divided into three groups: GI - controls (placebo) (n = 2); GII - infected with 1 × 10(6) tachyzoites (RH strains) (n = 2); and GIII - infected with 2 × 10(5) oocysts (P strains) (n = 2). Clinical, hematology, parasite and serology tests and studies of parasites in the semen through bioassay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and in reproductive organs (bioassay) were performed to assess toxoplasma infection. Serological titers peaked at 4096 in two animal groups infected with the protozoan. The bioassays allowed an early detection of protozoa in semen samples of tachyzoite-inoculated animals. T. gondii DNA was identified through PCR in the semen in five (Days 5, 7, 28, 49, and 70) and two (both at day 56) different days post-inoculation in GII and GIII animals, respectively. It was also possible to detect T. gondii DNA in reproductive organs (prostate pool, testicles, seminal vesicle and epididymis) of goats inoculated with either tachyzoites or oocysts. The present study suggests the possibility of venereal transmission of T. gondii among goats and it should be further assessed. Universidade Estadual Paulista Centro de Pesquisas em Sanidade Animal Departamento de Patologia Veterinária Universidade Estadual Paulista Centro de Pesquisas em Sanidade Animal Departamento de Patologia Veterinária FAPESP: 04/12296-2

Male goats of mating age serologically negative for Toxoplasma gondii were divided into three groups: GI - controls (placebo) (n = 2); GII - infected with 1 × 10(6) tachyzoites (RH strains) (n = 2); and GIII - infected with 2 × 10(5) oocysts (P strains) (n = 2). Clinical, hematology, parasite and serology tests and studies of parasites in the semen through bioassay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and in reproductive organs (bioassay) were performed to assess toxoplasma infection. Serological titers peaked at 4096 in two animal groups infected with the protozoan. The bioassays allowed an early detection of protozoa in semen samples of tachyzoite-inoculated animals. T. gondii DNA was identified through PCR in the semen in five (Days 5, 7, 28, 49, and 70) and two (both at day 56) different days post-inoculation in GII and GIII animals, respectively. It was also possible to detect T. gondii DNA in reproductive organs (prostate pool, testicles, seminal vesicle and epididymis) of goats inoculated with either tachyzoites or oocysts. The present study suggests the possibility of venereal transmission of T. gondii among goats and it should be further assessed. Caprinos machos, em idade reprodutiva, sorologicamente negativos para Toxoplasma gondii foram distribuídos em três grupos de animais: GI (n = 2) controle (placebo), GII (n = 2) - infectado com 1 × 10(6) taquizoítos (cepa RH) e GIII (n = 2) infectado com 2 × 10(5) oocistos (cepa P). Exames clínicos, hematológicos, parasitêmicos, sorológicos, pesquisa no sêmen e em tecidos do sistema reprodutor, por meio da bioprova, e da Reação em Cadeia pela Polimerase (PCR), foram conduzidas para avaliar a infecção toxoplásmica. Os títulos sorológicos alcançaram valores máximos de 4096 nos dois grupos de animais infectados. Pela técnica da bioprova, foi possível revelar precocemente a presença do coccídio nas amostras seminais dos animais inoculados com taquizoítos. Pela PCR, foi possível identificar, no sêmen, material genético de T. gondii, em cinco (5º, 7º, 28º, 49º e 70º) e em duas (ambos ao 56º) datas experimentais pós-inoculação dos animais pertencentes aos grupos GII e GIII, respectivamente.Por esta mesma técnica, foi possível ainda isolar material genético deste protozoário, também em amostras teciduais (pool de próstata, testículo, vesícula seminal e epidídimo) dos caprinos inoculados com taquizoítos e oocistos. A presente pesquisa sugere a possibilidade da ocorrência da transmissão sexual do T. gondii na espécie caprina.

Tapirira guianensis Aubl. is a tree species important for wood, phytoterapy and restoration of degraded areas. The objective of this work was to characterize the structure of flowers, fruits and seeds. This study was carried out in the Agronomy Department of the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. In the floral structure analysis, individuals were identified having male and female structures with characterization of androgynous type; plants with male and androgynous flowers, characterizing the andromonoecious type; and plants with male flowers. The fruits of pau-pombo are ellipsoid drupes, almost spherical and indehiscent, with ellipsoid seeds, no endosperm; with epigeous-phanerocotyl germination. Tapirira guianensis Aubl. é uma espécie arbórea importante para uso madeireiro, medicinal e para ser empregada na recuperação de áreas, cujos ecossistemas estejam degradados. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar a estrutura de flores, frutos e sementes. Este estudo foi desenvolvido no Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica (DEA-UFS) no Campus da Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), localizado no município de São Cristóvão, SE, Brasil. Na análise da estrutura floral, foram identificados indivíduos com flores contendo estruturas masculinas e femininas, caracterizando o tipo andrógino; plantas com flores masculinas e andróginas, caracterizando o tipo andromonóico; e plantas com flores masculinas. O fruto de pau-pombo é uma drupa elipsóide quase esférica e indeiscente; possui semente com forma elipsoidal, sem endosperma; com germinação epígea-fanerocotiledonar. Piracicaba, SP

Rosa blanda, R. canina, R. cinnamomea, R. multiflora,' and 'R. virginiana' were investigated in this study. To evaluate reproductive systems, standard methods involving six treatments were used: (1) agamospermy, (2) automatic autogamy, (3) facilitated autogamy, (4) geitonogamy, (5) xenogamy, and (6) open-pollination. Significant differences in hip set were found: 'Rosa blanda' was primarily out-crossing 'R. canina' was fully self-compatible, ' R. cinnamomea' did not produce hips in any treatments, 'R. multiflora' was self-incompatible, and 'R. virginiana' was both self-compatible and apomictic. Ten-minute hourly observations of seven groups of visitors found that small bees made significantly more visits, and beetles spent significantly more time foraging per visit, than the other six groups. Peak activity occurred mid- to late-morning in 2004 (no significant peak in 2005). Fourteen genera (ca. 71 species) of bees were identified. Although some rose species can self-pollinate, cross-pollination (particularly by bees) increases hip and seed set, size, and viability.

Son yıllarda endojen bir peptit olan timozin 1 alfanın farmakokinetiğinin anlaşılması bir kısmı henüz deneysel aşamada olmak üzere birçok kullanım alanının olacağının işaretlerini vermektedir. In recent years, the understanding of the pharmacokinetics of thymosin 1 alpha, an endogenous peptide, indicates that it will have many uses, some of which are still in the experimental stage.

International audience; A model of evolution of reproductive systems, when sex is determined by both nuclear and cytoplasmic genes, is presented. Such a control of sex is known to facilitate the occurrence of female individuals in hermaphroditic populations, thus leading to gynodioecy. A two-cytotypes two-nuclear loci (two alleles at each nuclear locus) model for gynodioecy has been developed previously. Such gynodioecious systems are usually considered as stable, i.e. not leading to dioecy. In order to find out if the presence of females can select for male individuals when sex determination is nuclear-cytoplasmic, we followed the evolution of alleles responsible for female sterility. These alleles can be at the preceding loci or at a third locus. We show that male individuals can be selected. Dioecy evolves in less restrictive conditions than under nuclear sex determination. The same also holds for trioecy (coexistence of females, hermaphrodites and males). Nuclear-cytoplasmic polymorphism can be maintained in these reproductive systems.

International audience; Distribution of genetic diversity in a landscape depends on both within and among population processes. Selective pressures within populations have traditionally been studied by population genetics, which usually assumes that populations are at equilibrium. However, when selection pressures within and among populations are different, landscape processes are required to define an equilibrium (landscape being defined as the habitat of a set of populations called a metapopulation, and populations will differ depending on their situation in the landscape, i.e. their age and the state of neighboring populations). We examine reproduction systems and life history traits, for which variation depends on landscape processes. Predictions of their states in a metapopulation are drawn from theoretical models, and confronted to observations collected in natural populations.

Alcantarea nahoumii occurs exclusively in the state of Bahia, Brazil, and is classified as vulnerable due to deforestation and frequent fires in the region. Knowledge of floral and reproductive biology is fundamental to understanding ecological interactions, as well as the reproductive success of plant species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the floral and reproductive biology of A. nahoumii in an Atlantic Forest fragment with regard to phenology, pollen viability, stigma receptivity, pollination ecology and reproductive systems, all of which are important parameters for of the development of conservation strategies for the species. Anthesis is diurnal and heterogeneous, starting at 6:30 a.m. and lasting until 8:00 a.m. Highest germination percentages and greatest pollen tube lengths were obtained in BK culture medium. Histochemical tests revealed high pollen viability (89.71 %). Stigma receptivity occurred during anthesis and lasted for up to 24 hours after floral opening. Alcantarea nahoumii exhibited preferential allogamy and self-compatibility, and required a pollinator to production of viable seeds. Sixteen species of pollinators were observed visiting A. nahoumii, among which were five hummingbird species. Even though its reproductive system is efficient, this bromeliad remains threatened mainly due to habitat fragmentation caused by deforestation, burning and predatory extractivism.