Biology subjects

Campa, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Campa, A..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Selection and adaptive introgression guided the complex evolutionary history of European common bean

Domesticated crops have been disseminated by humans over vast geographic areas. After 1492, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was introduced in Europe. Here, we combine whole-genome profiling, metabolic fingerprinting and phenotypic characterisation, and we show that the first common bean cultigens successfully introduced into Europe were of Andean origin, after Francisco Pizarros expedition to northern Peru in 1529. We show that hybridisation, selection and recombination have shaped the genomic diversity of the European common bean in parallel with political constraints. There is clear evidence of adaptive introgression into the Mesoamerican-derived European genotypes, with 44 Andean introgressed genomic segments shared by more than 90% of European accessions and distributed across all chromosomes except PvChr11. Genomic scans for signatures of selection highlight the role of genes relevant to flowering and environmental adaptation, suggesting that introgression has been crucial for the dissemination of this tropical crop to the temperate regions of Europe.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Pod indehiscence in common bean is associated to the fine regulation of PvMYB26 and a non-functional abscission layer

In legumes, pod shattering occurs when mature pods dehisce along the sutures, and detachment of the valves promotes seed dispersal. In Phaseolus vulgaris, the major locus qPD5.1-Pv for pod indehiscence was identified recently. We developed a BC4/F4 introgression line population and narrowed the major locus down to a 22.5-kb region. Here, gene expression and a parallel histological analysis of dehiscent and indehiscent pods identified an AtMYB26 orthologue as the best candidate for loss of pod shattering, on a genomic region ~11 kb downstream of the highest associated peak. Based on mapping and expression data, we propose early and fine up-regulation of PvMYB26 in dehiscent pods. Detailed histological analysis establishes that pod indehiscence is associated to the lack of a functional abscission layer in the ventral sheath, and that the key anatomical modifications associated with pod shattering in common bean occur early during pod development. We finally propose that loss of pod shattering in legumes resulted from histological convergent evolution and that this is the result of selection at orthologous loci. One-sentence summaryA non-functional abscission layer determines the loss of pod shattering; mapping data, and parallel gene expression and histological analysis support PvMYB26 as the candidate gene for pod indehiscence.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2019

Acute inflammation is a predisposing factor for weight gain and insulinresistance

AimIntense endotoxaemia and infection are able to reduce appetite and induce a catabolic state, therefore leading to weight loss. However, it is underexplored its late effects on energy homeostasis, regulation of body weight and glucose metabolism. Here we addressed whether serial intense endotoxaemia, characterized by an acute phase response and weight loss, could be an aggravating or predisposing factor to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and associated metabolic impairments.\n\nMethodsMale Swiss Webster mice were submitted to 8 consecutive doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS - 10 mg/kg), followed by 10 weeks in high-fat diet (HFD).\n\nResultsAfter the end of the acute endotoxaemia period, mice under chow diet recovered their weight rapidly, within one-week recovery period, which remained similar to its control counterparts. However, acute endotoxaemia caused a long-lasting adipose tissue expression of the inflammatory markers TLR-4, CD14 and serum amyloid A (SAA) and, when challenged by a HFD, LPS-treated mice gained more weight, showed increased fat depots, leptin and insulin levels, and also impaired insulin sensitivity.\n\nConclusionsLPS-treated mice showed a higher susceptibility to the harmful effects of a subsequent HFD. Conditions leading to intense and recurrent endotoxaemia, such as common childhood bacterial infections, may resound for a long time and aggravate the effects of a western diet. If confirmed in humans, infections should be considered an additional factor contributing to obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemics and additionally impose more rigorous dietary recommendations for patients in post-infection recovery.\n\nBullet pointsO_LIIntense endotoxemia causes a long-lasting increase in the expression of inflammatory markers in adipose tissue.\nC_LIO_LIIntense endotoxemia is a predisposing factor to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.\nC_LIO_LIInfections may contribute to weight gain when associated to a western diet.\nC_LI

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2019

1-Methyl-tryptophan enantiomers differently affect the cross- talking between mononuclear and tumor cells and interferon-γ production.

The inhibition of the enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), that catalyzes the oxidation of the amino acid tryptophan to kynurenine (KYN), is considered a good target for immunoadjuvants in antineoplastic therapy. 1-Methyl-tryptophan (1-MT) is the most studied molecule for this purpose. Although L-1-MT is better than D-1-MT in inhibiting IDO, for an unknown reason the D-enantiomer has higher clinical efficacy. Here we took advantage of co-cultures of tumor cells (SK-Mel 19 melanoma line; 1x105 cells/well) with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC; 5x106 cells/well) to verify the effect of 1-MT enantiomers on cytokine production and tumoricidal activity. At a concentration that did not affect KYN production, 1-MT (50 {micro}M) affected the production of TNF-, IL-10, and IFN-{gamma} measured in co-cultures supernatants. Stereospecificity was only observed for IFN-{gamma} production. D-1-MT inhibited more than 30% of IFN-{gamma} production, while L-1-MT had no effect. Stereospecific effect was also seen in PBMC tumoricidal activity, estimated by tumor cell viability (Trypan assay). The racemic mixture DL- and D-1-MT almost doubled the tumoricidal activity of PBMCs, while L-1-MT had no effect. These are previous unknown off-target effects of D-1-MT. Our data suggest the modulation of IFN-{gamma} and the activation of tumor recognition and killing processes by immune cells as important features for the in vivo effects of the D-1-MT. These findings should be considered in future studies of immunoadjuvants for cancer treatment.

pharmacology and toxicology↗