Bacteria influence eukaryotic biology as parasitic, commensal or beneficial symbionts. Aside
from these organismal interactions, bacteria have also been important sources of new …

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against pathogens, which is initiated by
the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and endogenous …

The most diverse marine ecosystems, coral reefs, depend upon a functional symbiosis
between a cnidarian animal host (the coral) and intracellular photosynthetic dinoflagellate …

Triploids are rare in nature because of difficulties in meiotic and gametogenic processes,
especially in vertebrates. The Carassius complex of cyprinid teleosts contains sexual …

Neuropeptides are a diverse class of neuronal signalling molecules that regulate
physiological processes and behaviour in animals. However, determining the relationships …

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are a recently discovered class of enzymes
capable of oxidizing recalcitrant polysaccharides. They are attracting considerable attention …

Flexibility in the exchange of genetic material takes place between different organisms of the
same or different species. This phenomenon is known to play a key role in the genetic …

Background A fundamental concept in biology is that heritable material, DNA, is passed from
parent to offspring, a process called vertical gene transfer. An alternative mechanism of …

Background The duplication of genes can occur through various mechanisms and is thought
to make a major contribution to the evolutionary diversification of organisms. There is …

Genomic plasticity enables adaptation to changing environments, which is especially
relevant for pathogens that engage in “arms races” with their hosts. In many pathogens …