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The relationship between protein stability and functional evolution is little explored in proteins purified from natural sources. Here, we investigated a novel family of egg proteins (Perivitellin-1, PV1) from Pomacea snails. Their remarkable stability and clade-related functions in most derived clades (Canaliculata and Bridgesii) make them excellent candidates for exploring this issue. To that aim, we studied PV1 (PpaPV1) from the most basal lineage, Flagellata. PpaPV1 displays unparalleled structural and kinetic stability, surpassing PV1s from derived clades, ranking among the most hyperstable proteins documented in nature. Its spectral features contribute to a pale egg coloration, exhibiting a milder glycan binding lectin activity with a narrower specificity than PV1s from the closely related Bridgesii clade. These findings provide evidence for substantial structural and functional changes throughout the genus' PV1 evolution. We observed that structural and kinetic stability decreased in a clade-related fashion and was associated with large variations in defensive traits. For instance, pale PpaPV1 lectin turns potent in the Bridgesii clade, adversely affecting gut morphology, while giving rise to brightly colored PV1s providing eggs with a conspicuous, probably warning signal in the Canaliculata clade. This work provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of PV1s from various apple snail species within a phylogenetic framework, offering insights into the interplay among their structural features, stability profiles and functional roles. More broadly, our work provides one of the first examples from natural evolution showing the crucial link among protein structure, stability and evolution of new functions.

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Understanding the ecological and evolutionary aspects of mutualistic interactions is essential for predicting species responses to environmental changes. This study aimed to investigate the phenological patterns and reproductive strategies in two closely related fig tree species, Ficus citrifolia and Ficus eximia. We monitored 99 F. citrifolia and 21 F. eximia trees weekly from January 2006 to April 2011 in an area close to the southern edge of the tropical region in Brazil. Our results revealed contrasting phenological patterns between the two species, with F. citrifolia displaying an annual flowering pattern (1.4 episodes per tree per year) and F. eximia a supra-annual pattern (0.5 episodes per tree per year). We also found significant differences in reproductive strategies, with F. eximia producing more pistillate flowers and, consequently, more seeds and pollinating wasps per fig than F. citrifolia, likely as an adaptation to overcome limitations of low population density by maximizing the gene flow. As the shorter-lived organism, the fig wasp was found to influence critical processes associated with the success and stability of mutualism, such as fig development and ripening. Our findings emphasize the importance of understanding the intricate interactions between mutualistic partners and their adaptive responses to environmental conditions in shaping fig tree populations' reproductive strategies and genetic structure.

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TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors (TFs) are plant-specific transcriptional regulators exerting multiple functions in plant growth and development. Ever since one of the founding members of the family was described, encoded by the CYCLOIDEA (CYC) gene from Antirrhinum majus and involved in the regulation of floral symmetry, the role of these TFs in reproductive development was established. Subsequent studies indicated that members of the CYC clade of TCP TFs were important for the evolutionary diversification of flower form in a multitude of species. In addition, more detailed studies of the function of TCPs from other clades revealed roles in different processes related to plant reproductive development, such as the regulation of flowering time, the growth of the inflorescence stem, and the correct growth and development of flower organs. In this review, we summarize the different roles of members of the TCP family during plant reproductive development as well as the molecular networks involved in their action.

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We studied the reproductive strategy, sexual system and growth of dientudo paraguayo Acestrorhynchus pantaneiro. After 2 years of monitoring in shallow areas of a floodplain lake from the lower Paraná basin (Argentina), it was evidenced that water temperature modulated gonadal maturation, but it was the river water level the synchronising stimulus that triggered spawning. This species exhibited a single annual breeding period from October to January, with most spawning activity in November. According to the von Bertalanffy growth curve, fish would reach autumn to winter months with LS of ~120 mm, already mature males. The first mature females were found at LS of 210 mm, becoming sexually mature between the second and third breeding seasons. This is the first integrative study that includes the body-length frequency distribution and sex differential size at first maturity and growth, and reports the presence of intersex gonads questioning its sexual pattern from gonochoristic to sequential hermaphrodite species. The sexual pattern, the multiple spawning behaviour and a medium to high absolute fecundity support the opportunistic and invasive behavior observed in previous contributions for this characiform species.

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RESUMEN La estrategia reproductiva de una especie debe ajustarse a las variaciones de las condiciones ambientales para garantizar el equilibrio poblacional. En los riachos amazónicos de tierra firme las fluctuaciones hidrológicas están controladas principalmente por las lluvias locales, predominando especies de peces de pequeño porte. Investigamos la estrategia reproductiva de Helogenes marmoratus y la influencia de variables ambientales (e.g., lluvia, conductividad, descriptores del hábitat) en su actividad reproductiva. Colectamos mensualmente entre marzo de 2019 y marzo de 2020 en una microcuenca del río Guamá, en la Amazonia oriental brasileña. Identificamos un período reproductivo prolongado entre julio de 2019 y marzo de 2020. Los machos comienzan a reproducirse con un menor tamaño ( = 27.41; = 31.36 mm). Confirmamos desove parcial, baja fecundidad (59.55 ± 22.76 ovócitos) y ovócitos grandes (1.24 ± 0.15 mm). La estrategia reproductiva de H. marmoratus ocupa un lugar intermedio entre el gradiente oportunista y de equilibrio. Regresiones múltiples destacan la importancia de la profundidad, la conductividad eléctrica, los bancos de hojas y la lluvia como reguladores de la actividad reproductiva de las hembras, explicando 32% de la variación del IGS. Nuestro estudio proporciona evidencia de una respuesta reproductiva diferenciada entre los sexos a las variables ambientales.

ABSTRACT The reproductive strategy of a species must be adjusted to variations in environmental conditions to guarantee population balance. Hydrological fluctuations in Amazonian streams of terra firme (non-flooded) are controlled primarily by local rainfall. Fish assemblages are composed predominantly of species of small size. We investigated the reproductive strategy of the cryptic catfish Helogenes marmoratus and assessed the influence of environmental variables (e.g., rainfall, conductivity, habitat descriptors) on its reproductive activity in a catchment of the Guamá River in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. Through monthly collections between March 2019 and March 2020, we identified an extended reproductive period between July 2019 and March 2020. Males mature at smaller sizes than females ( = 27.41 mm; = 31.36 mm). We confirmed batch spawning, low fecundity (59.55 ± 22.76 stage IV oocytes), and large oocytes (1.24 ± 0.15 mm). Our results indicated that H. marmoratus strategy occupies an intermediate place between opportunistic and equilibrium gradient. Multiple regressions showed that thalweg depth, electrical conductivity, leaf litter, and rainfall are important drivers of reproductive activity of females of H. marmoratus, explaining 32% of the variation of the GSI. Our study provides evidence of differentiated reproductive response between the sexes to environmental variables.

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Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is the main disease affecting vineyards in subtropical Brazil. Here, we collected 94 P. viticola isolates from four organic and conventional vineyards in the two main grape-growing states of Brazil to evaluate the sensitivity to the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) azoxystrobin by pheno- and genotyping assays. The impact of location, production system and sensitivity to QoI fungicides on the population genetics and structure of P. viticola was determined using 10 microsatellite markers. Cytochrome b sequencing revealed that 28 and 100% of the isolates from vineyards under organic and conventional management carried the G143A mutation, respectively. The G143A mutation was associated with high levels of azoxystrobin resistance. Three out of the 94 isolates analyzed carried the M125I alteration, not previously described in P. viticola, which was associated with a five-fold reduction in azoxystrobin sensitivity compared to wild-type isolates. Haplotype network analysis based on cytochrome b gene sequences suggested that the Brazilian populations are more closely related to the European than the North American population. A total of six haplotypes were identified, with two of them carrying the G143A mutation. Microsatellite analysis revealed high allelic and genotypic variation among the four populations. Population differentiation analyses indicated that state of origin directly influences the population biology of P. viticola, while production system and QoI sensitivity have little effect. Great genetic diversity, sexual reproduction and high levels of admixture were observed in Rio Grande do Sul State. In contrast, populations in São Paulo State were dominated by a few clonal genotypes, and no admixed genotype was detected between the two genetic pools identified in the state. This study raises the hypothesis that winter weather conditions influence the overwinter survival strategy with profound effects in the population biology of P. viticola.

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Introducción: El caracol marino Hexaplex nigritus es un murícido fuertemente explotado en el Golfo de California para consumo y artesanías. Cuando se reproducen, los adultos se agregan en forma de arrecifes artificiales facilitando su identificación y extracción, lo cual, ha mermado su población en dicha zona. Objetivo: Investigar el desove y desarrollo intracapsular y larvario de esta especie como herramientas para su producción en cautiverio con fines de repoblamiento. Métodos: Se recolectaron 18 progenitores que fueron mantenidos en un sistema cerrado con parámetros y alimentación controladas durante abril 2017 hasta septiembre 2018. Se registró: crecimiento de progenitores, desove de masas ovígeras, cantidad de cápsulas y número de embriones y larvas dentro de las cápsulas. La temperatura de incubación fue de 28.2 ± 1.5 °C. Las principales estructuras morfológicas de embriones y larvas fueron documentadas conforme su desarrollo. Resultados: El desarrollo embrionario intracapsular y de la larva velígera hasta su asentamiento tuvieron una duración de 14-15 y 31-32 días, respectivamente. Cada hembra de 80-88 mm de longitud produjo alrededor de 4 masas ovígeras, 627 cápsulas y 663 993 larvas velígeras extracapsulares por año. Conclusiones: La fácil adaptación y el potencial reproductivo mostrado por H. nigritus en laboratorio se presentan como estrategias promisorias para su repoblación y conservación.

Introduction: The marine snail Hexaplex nigritus is a heavily exploited muricid in the Gulf of California for consumption and handcrafts. When they reproduce, adults aggregated in the form of artificial reefs facilitating their identification and extraction, situation that has reduced their population in that area. Objective: In order to investigate the spawning and intracapsular and larval development of this species as tools for its production in captivity for repopulation purposes. Methods: Eighteen brooders were collected and kept in a closed system with controlled parameters and feeding from April 2017 to September 2018. Growth of parents, spawning of ovigerous masses, number of capsules, and number of embryos and larvae within the capsules, were registered. The main morphological structures of embryos and larvae were documented according to their development. Results: Intracapsular embryonic development and veliger larva until its establishment lasted 14-15 and 31-32 days, respectively. Each 80-88 mm length female produced around 4 ovigerous masses, 627 capsules and 663 993 extracapsular veliger larvae per year. Conclusions: Easy adaptation and reproductive potential shown by H. nigritus in the laboratory are presented as promising strategies for its repopulation and conservation.

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Ariids such as Genidens genidens are particularly susceptible to overfishing because of their complex reproductive mechanisms, which result in slow replenishment of stocks. In this study, we obtained data about the reproductive ecology of the catfish G. genidens in the Guanabara Bay estuary, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, providing supporting information for management of its fishery. The sex ratio, mean size of each sex at first sexual maturation, and female fecundity were determined and the reproductive period was characterized. The males:females ratio was 1:2. The fecundity is low and increases proportionally to the females' growth in total length and weight. The breeding season occurs during the warmest months of the year, with spawning extending from October through March and incubation from December through April. Sexual maturation is late, with males maturing at a larger size than females. Skipping spawning was also identified in females. Based on the reproductive biology, it is suggested that the catch be restricted to individuals larger than 20 cm, considering the L75 of the males, and that fishing be prohibited from December through March, to include the main period of spawning season by females and oropharyngeal incubation by males.(AU)

Ariídeos, como Genidens genidens, são particularmente suscetíveis à sobrepesca devido a seus complexos mecanismos reprodutivos, que resultam em uma reposição lenta dos estoques. Neste estudo, obtivemos dados sobre a ecologia reprodutiva do bagre G. genidens no estuário da Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, fornecendo subsídios para seu manejo pesqueiro. A proporção sexual, o tamanho médio de primeira maturação sexual de cada sexo e a fecundidade das fêmeas foram determinados e o período reprodutivo caracterizado. A proporção machos:fêmeas foi de ١:2. A fecundidade é baixa e aumenta proporcionalmente ao crescimento das fêmeas em comprimento total e no peso. O período reprodutivo ocorre durante os meses mais quentes do ano, com a desova se estendendo de outubro a março e a incubação de dezembro a abril. A maturação sexual é tardia, com machos amadurecendo em tamanho maior que as fêmeas. Também foi identificado nas fêmeas adiamento da desova. Com base na biologia reprodutiva, sugere-se que a captura seja restrita a indivíduos maiores que 20 cm, considerando a C75 dos machos, e que a pesca seja proibida de dezembro a março, para incluir o período principal de época de desova das fêmeas e incubação orofaríngea dos machos.(AU)

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Ariids such as Genidens genidens are particularly susceptible to overfishing because of their complex reproductive mechanisms, which result in slow replenishment of stocks. In this study, we obtained data about the reproductive ecology of the catfish G. genidens in the Guanabara Bay estuary, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, providing supporting information for management of its fishery. The sex ratio, mean size of each sex at first sexual maturation, and female fecundity were determined and the reproductive period was characterized. The males:females ratio was 1:2. The fecundity is low and increases proportionally to the females' growth in total length and weight. The breeding season occurs during the warmest months of the year, with spawning extending from October through March and incubation from December through April. Sexual maturation is late, with males maturing at a larger size than females. Skipping spawning was also identified in females. Based on the reproductive biology, it is suggested that the catch be restricted to individuals larger than 20 cm, considering the L75 of the males, and that fishing be prohibited from December through March, to include the main period of spawning season by females and oropharyngeal incubation by males.(AU)

Ariídeos, como Genidens genidens, são particularmente suscetíveis à sobrepesca devido a seus complexos mecanismos reprodutivos, que resultam em uma reposição lenta dos estoques. Neste estudo, obtivemos dados sobre a ecologia reprodutiva do bagre G. genidens no estuário da Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, fornecendo subsídios para seu manejo pesqueiro. A proporção sexual, o tamanho médio de primeira maturação sexual de cada sexo e a fecundidade das fêmeas foram determinados e o período reprodutivo caracterizado. A proporção machos:fêmeas foi de ١:2. A fecundidade é baixa e aumenta proporcionalmente ao crescimento das fêmeas em comprimento total e no peso. O período reprodutivo ocorre durante os meses mais quentes do ano, com a desova se estendendo de outubro a março e a incubação de dezembro a abril. A maturação sexual é tardia, com machos amadurecendo em tamanho maior que as fêmeas. Também foi identificado nas fêmeas adiamento da desova. Com base na biologia reprodutiva, sugere-se que a captura seja restrita a indivíduos maiores que 20 cm, considerando a C75 dos machos, e que a pesca seja proibida de dezembro a março, para incluir o período principal de época de desova das fêmeas e incubação orofaríngea dos machos.(AU)

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Whether or not sexually selected traits consistently exhibit positive allometry (i.e. are disproportionately large in larger individuals) is an ongoing debate. Multiple models and exceptions to this rule suggest that the underlying drivers of sexual trait allometry are nuanced. Here, we compare allometries of sexual and non-sexual traits of a species (Anolis aquaticus) within a well-studied lizard genus to test the competing hypotheses that sexual traits are, or are not, defined by positive allometry. We further consider the relationships of trait functions, which are relatively well understood in the genus Anolis, and allometry to identify potential drivers of allometric patterns. In particular, we explore how trait allometries interact to influence total organism function and generate sexual dimorphism. We quantified size (of targeted traits) and color of a sexual signal (the dewlap) in Anolis aquaticus in the field. The dewlap conveyed information relevant to intra-sexual combat and exhibited positive allometry. Overall, our results suggest that using single-trait allometries as indicators of past selection provides only an incomplete understanding of trait evolution. Although the function of positive allometry in some individual sexual signals (e.g. those conveying "super-honest" information) may be straightforward, we illustrate how scaling relationships interact synergistically to influence the function of phenotypes and propose avenues for future research.

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