This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Current bird populations in southern temperate latitudes often represent relicts of glacial refugia from which northern populations expanded as the climate became suitable following the last glacial maximum, 18 000 years before present. Alternatively, these southern populations could be the result of the fragmentation of large distributions and other processes not related to glaciations, like recent recolonization from northern populations and human impact in historical times. Here, we investigate the origin of a small, isolated population of rooks Corvus frugilegus in north‐western Iberia. We use genetic data from mitochondrial sequence markers and seven microsatellite loci to assess levels of genetic diversity, structure and gene flow among extant populations in Iberia and its broad distribution across western Europe. Microsatellite markers revealed the existence of two genetic clusters corresponding to Iberia and the remaining European populations, respectively. Haplotype networks based on mtDNA markers revealed a marked star‐like phylogenetic pattern and evidence of a recent population expansion in northern Europe, but not in the Iberian population. Our results suggest that contemporary gene flow between Iberia and western Europe is restricted, and that breeding recruitment over recent generations in the Iberian population is local. The results are consistent with a relatively recent post‐glacial colonization of Europe and western Siberia by rooks surviving the last glacial maximum in an Iberian refugium, and likely from refugia in other southern peninsulas. The unique ecological features and genetic differentiation of the Iberian rooks underscore the importance of ensuring the long‐term conservation of this declining population.
Pablo Salinas; Francisco Morinha; Ivan Literak; Javier García; Borja Milá; Guillermo Blanco. Genetic diversity, differentiation and historical origin of the isolated population of rooksCorvus frugilegusin Iberia. Journal of Avian Biology 2021, 52, 1 .
AMA StylePablo Salinas, Francisco Morinha, Ivan Literak, Javier García, Borja Milá, Guillermo Blanco. Genetic diversity, differentiation and historical origin of the isolated population of rooksCorvus frugilegusin Iberia. Journal of Avian Biology. 2021; 52 (3):1.
Chicago/Turabian StylePablo Salinas; Francisco Morinha; Ivan Literak; Javier García; Borja Milá; Guillermo Blanco. 2021. "Genetic diversity, differentiation and historical origin of the isolated population of rooksCorvus frugilegusin Iberia." Journal of Avian Biology 52, no. 3: 1.
Aim Oceanic islands have often been colonized by small groups of individuals dispersing from the nearest mainland, giving rise to insular populations characterized by locally adapted phenotypes and low genetic diversity. Alternatively, due to past geo‐climatic changes, the present‐day distribution of the species may not correspond to that found at the time of the original colonization so that the current mainland distribution may not include the original source area, leading to erroneous assumptions regarding colonization history. Here, we use patterns of genetic variation to evaluate alternative colonization scenarios of an insular passerine in the Canary Islands. Location La Palma (Canary Islands), Northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Taxon Red‐billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Methods We use phylogeographical and coalescent analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences and 10 microsatellite loci, together with Bayesian demographic modelling, to determine whether choughs on the island of La Palma originate from (a) present‐day populations in Iberia, (b) present‐day populations in the mountains of inland Morocco or (c) former populations in coastal Morocco, where suitable habitat existed in the past. Results Both the mitochondrial and nuclear datasets indicate that the chough population on La Palma is genetically well differentiated from those in Iberia and Morocco, and that La Palma choughs are more closely related to choughs in Iberia than to those in Morocco. Genetic diversity in La Palma is lower than that of mainland populations, but shows no evidence of past bottlenecks. The best supported demographic model to explain the origin of La Palma choughs that is congruent with both genetic datasets includes a ‘ghost’ population closely related to Iberia, from which the insular population diverged within the last 30,000 years. Main conclusions Our results are most consistent with the existence of a former connection between La Palma and Iberia along the North African coast, when suitable habitat was found there. Subsequent desertification of these coastal areas led to local extinctions that restricted gene flow between Iberia and the islands, promoting genetic differentiation. Our results provide a counterintuitive solution to a biogeographical enigma, and could help resolve the colonization history of other systems with similarly complex climatic pasts.
Francisco Morinha; Borja Milá; José A. Dávila; Juan A. Fargallo; Jaime Potti; Guillermo Blanco. The ghost of connections past: A role for mainland vicariance in the isolation of an insular population of the red‐billed chough (Aves: Corvidae). Journal of Biogeography 2020, 47, 2567 -2583.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Borja Milá, José A. Dávila, Juan A. Fargallo, Jaime Potti, Guillermo Blanco. The ghost of connections past: A role for mainland vicariance in the isolation of an insular population of the red‐billed chough (Aves: Corvidae). Journal of Biogeography. 2020; 47 (12):2567-2583.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Borja Milá; José A. Dávila; Juan A. Fargallo; Jaime Potti; Guillermo Blanco. 2020. "The ghost of connections past: A role for mainland vicariance in the isolation of an insular population of the red‐billed chough (Aves: Corvidae)." Journal of Biogeography 47, no. 12: 2567-2583.
The spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories about the novel coronavirus on social media has led to increased racist and xenophobic acts. The origin of the novel coronavirus is still unknown, but it has been widely discussed online. Viral genomics research will help us understand the origin, structure and evolution of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). We developed a simple one-minute Facebook survey to assess Portuguese residents' perceptions about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2. The results revealed high levels of misinformation, mainly among those groups with lower educational attainment. Social media will need to take on the hard task of improving the quality of science communication and changing mindsets. Society at large will be responsible for preventing a future pandemic through the coordination and improvement of civic, political, educational and scientific approaches.
Francisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães. Genomics, social media and the novel coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19. Journal of Global Health Reports 2020, 4, e2020032 .
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Paula Magalhães. Genomics, social media and the novel coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2020; 4 ():e2020032.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães. 2020. "Genomics, social media and the novel coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19." Journal of Global Health Reports 4, no. : e2020032.
The psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a globally widespread infectious bird disease that mainly affects species within the Order Psittaciformes (parrots and allies). The disease is caused by an avian circovirus (the beak and feather disease virus, BFDV), which is highly infectious and can lead to severe consequences in wild and captive populations during an outbreak. Both legal and illegal trading have spread the BFDV around the world, although little is known about its prevalence in invasive parrot populations. Here, we analyze the BFDV prevalence in sympatric invasive populations of rose-ringed (Psittacula krameri) and monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) in Southern Spain. We PCR-screened 110 blood samples (55 individuals from each species) for BFDV and characterized the genotypes of five positives from each species. About 33% of rose-ringed parakeets and 37% of monk parakeets sampled were positive for BFDV, while neither species showed disease symptoms. The circovirus identified is a novel BFDV genotype common to both species, similar to the BFDV genotypes detected in several parrot species kept in captivity in Saudi Arabia, South Africa and China. Our data evidences the importance of an accurate evaluation of avian diseases in wild populations, since invasive parrots may be bringing BFDV without showing any visually detectable clinical sign. Further research on the BFDV prevalence and transmission (individual–individual, captive–wild and wild–captive) in different bird orders and countries is crucial to understand the dynamics of the viral infection and minimize its impact in captive and wild populations.
Francisco Morinha; Martina Carrete; José L. Tella; Guillermo Blanco. High Prevalence of Novel Beak and Feather Disease Virus in Sympatric Invasive Parakeets Introduced to Spain From Asia and South America. Diversity 2020, 12, 192 .
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Martina Carrete, José L. Tella, Guillermo Blanco. High Prevalence of Novel Beak and Feather Disease Virus in Sympatric Invasive Parakeets Introduced to Spain From Asia and South America. Diversity. 2020; 12 (5):192.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Martina Carrete; José L. Tella; Guillermo Blanco. 2020. "High Prevalence of Novel Beak and Feather Disease Virus in Sympatric Invasive Parakeets Introduced to Spain From Asia and South America." Diversity 12, no. 5: 192.
Telomere length has been used as a proxy of fitness, aging and lifespan in vertebrates. In the last decade, dozens of articles reporting on telomere dynamics in the fields of ecology and evolution have been published for a wide range of taxa. With this growing interest, it is necessary to ensure the accuracy and reproducibility of telomere length measurement techniques. Real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is routinely applied to measure relative telomere length. However, this technique is highly sensitive to several methodological variables and the optimization of qPCR telomere assays remains highly variable between studies. Therefore, standardized guidelines are required to enable the optimization of robust protocols, and to help in judging the validity of the presented results. This review provides an overview of preanalytical and analytical factors that can lead to qPCR inconsistencies and biases, including (i) sample type, collection and storage; (ii) DNA extraction, storage and quality; (iii) qPCR primers, laboratory reagents, and assay conditions; and (iv) data analysis. We propose a minimum level of information for publication of qPCR telomere assays in evolutionary ecology considering the methodological pitfalls and sources of error. This review highlights the complexity of the optimization and validation of qPCR for telomere measurement per se, demonstrating the importance of transparency and clarity of reporting methodological details required for reliable, reproducible and comparable qPCR telomere assays. We encourage efforts to implement standardized protocols that ensure the rigour and quality of telomere dynamics studies.
Francisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães; Guillermo Blanco. Standard guidelines for the publication of telomere qPCR results in evolutionary ecology. Molecular Ecology Resources 2020, 20, 635 -648.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Paula Magalhães, Guillermo Blanco. Standard guidelines for the publication of telomere qPCR results in evolutionary ecology. Molecular Ecology Resources. 2020; 20 (3):635-648.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães; Guillermo Blanco. 2020. "Standard guidelines for the publication of telomere qPCR results in evolutionary ecology." Molecular Ecology Resources 20, no. 3: 635-648.
The analysis of telomere dynamics in birds is a growing research field providing important findings on ecological and environmental variations in individuals' aging, fitness and lifespan. Real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) has gained much interest for the evaluation of telomere length in birds. However, the assessment of several key preanalytical and analytical factors to optimize the method for achieving reproducible results, and the influence of these factors on the conclusions of each study, have been generally overlooked. In this study, we assessed the performance of eight commercially‐available qPCR master mixes in the amplification of telomere fragments in two bird species (zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, and red‐billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). We observed that qPCR master mixes influence the telomere primer binding to target sequences and the amplification specificity within and between bird species, although PCR amplification efficiencies were very close to 100% for all master mixes. These findings indicated that the suitability of the master mix and other analytical factors must be carefully evaluated before starting a telomere dynamics study, especially when the technique has not previously been used in the species. We also showed that optimal PCR amplification efficiencies do not translate to good qPCR telomere assays, and that inference about amplification specificity based only on melting curve data can lead to misleading conclusions. Overall, this work highlights the complexity of qPCR optimization for the study of telomere length in birds. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Francisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães; Guillermo Blanco. Different qPCR master mixes influence telomere primer binding within and between bird species. Journal of Avian Biology 2019, 51, 1 .
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Paula Magalhães, Guillermo Blanco. Different qPCR master mixes influence telomere primer binding within and between bird species. Journal of Avian Biology. 2019; 51 (2):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Paula Magalhães; Guillermo Blanco. 2019. "Different qPCR master mixes influence telomere primer binding within and between bird species." Journal of Avian Biology 51, no. 2: 1.
A simple methodology was developed to select new sex-specific primers for bird sexing from degraded and low-quantity DNA sources. The strategy was validated using highly degraded DNA extracted from Giemsa-stained blood smears of common cranes (Grus grus). The new primers allowed the accurate molecular sexing using (i) a classic approach of PCR followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and (ii) an advanced real-time PCR method. The simplicity, speed and low cost make this methodology a versatile molecular tool for selection of novel markers/primers for bird sex differentiation from complex DNA sources, which can be used as basis or complement in several fields of ornithological research.
Francisco Morinha; Luis M. Bautista; Marlene Monteiro; Juan C. Alonso. A simple strategy for improving bird sexing from highly degraded DNA samples. Conservation Genetics Resources 2018, 11, 393 -396.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Luis M. Bautista, Marlene Monteiro, Juan C. Alonso. A simple strategy for improving bird sexing from highly degraded DNA samples. Conservation Genetics Resources. 2018; 11 (4):393-396.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Luis M. Bautista; Marlene Monteiro; Juan C. Alonso. 2018. "A simple strategy for improving bird sexing from highly degraded DNA samples." Conservation Genetics Resources 11, no. 4: 393-396.
Habitat loss and degradation are frequently associated with negative effects on biodiversity in natural and semi-natural landscapes. Innovative spatio-temporal modelling tools may be valuable to support the design and optimization of conservation strategies for endangered species in a context of changes in land use and land cover (LULC). The Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) is a vulnerable corvid that exhibits high levels of population fragmentation and decline trends, due to its dependence on open habitats shaped by traditional agriculture and pastoralism. Here, we apply a spatially-explicit framework based on the stochastic dynamic methodology (StDM) principles to capture the trends of relevant population foraging ground attributes, assumed as proxies of the habitat suitability for two endangered Portuguese chough populations. StDM simulations were produced in order to capture the densities and distribution patterns of foraging flocking choughs in response to the complexity and dynamics of some realistic abandonment LULC scenarios expected to occur in the near future. Our modelling outputs reflect satisfactorily the seasonality of these patterns and suggest that the maintenance of traditional agriculture/pastoralism practices in at least 75% of the actual favourable areas is mandatory to ensure the foraging habitat suitability for choughs, evidencing the species high vulnerability in their last refuges in Portugal. This modelling approach represents a step forward in evaluating the consequences of LULC changes on endangered birds, which can be used in the future to guide effective conservation planning in the scope of habitat suitability management.Peer Reviewe
Francisco Morinha; Rita Bastos; Diogo Carvalho; Paulo Travassos; Mário Santos; Guillermo Blanco; Estela Bastos; João Cabral. A spatially-explicit dynamic modelling framework to assess habitat suitability for endangered species: The case of Red-billed Chough under land use change scenarios in Portugal. Biological Conservation 2017, 210, 96 -106.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Rita Bastos, Diogo Carvalho, Paulo Travassos, Mário Santos, Guillermo Blanco, Estela Bastos, João Cabral. A spatially-explicit dynamic modelling framework to assess habitat suitability for endangered species: The case of Red-billed Chough under land use change scenarios in Portugal. Biological Conservation. 2017; 210 ():96-106.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Rita Bastos; Diogo Carvalho; Paulo Travassos; Mário Santos; Guillermo Blanco; Estela Bastos; João Cabral. 2017. "A spatially-explicit dynamic modelling framework to assess habitat suitability for endangered species: The case of Red-billed Chough under land use change scenarios in Portugal." Biological Conservation 210, no. : 96-106.
Social barriers have been shown to reduce gene flow and contribute to genetic structure among populations in species with high cognitive capacity and complex societies, such as cetaceans, apes and humans. In birds, high dispersal capacity is thought to prevent population divergence unless major geographical or habitat barriers induce isolation patterns by dispersal, colonization or adaptation limitation. We report that Iberian populations of the red-billed chough, a social, gregarious corvid with high dispersal capacity, show a striking degree of genetic structure composed of at least 15 distinct genetic units. Monitoring of marked individuals over 30 years revealed that long-distance movements over hundreds of kilometres are common, yet recruitment into breeding populations is infrequent and highly philopatric. Genetic differentiation is weakly related to geographical distance, and habitat types used are overall qualitatively similar among regions and regularly shared by individuals of different populations, so that genetic structure is unlikely to be due solely to isolation by distance or isolation by adaptation. Moreover, most population nuclei showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity, suggesting a limited role for genetic drift in significantly differentiating populations. We propose that social mechanisms may underlie this unprecedented level of genetic structure in birds through a pattern of isolation by social barriers not yet described, which may have driven this remarkable population divergence in the absence of geographical and environmental barriers.
Francisco Morinha; José A. Dávila; Estela Bastos; João A. Cabral; Óscar Frías; José L. González; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Borja Milá; Guillermo Blanco. Extreme genetic structure in a social bird species despite high dispersal capacity. Molecular Ecology 2017, 26, 2812 -2825.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, José A. Dávila, Estela Bastos, João A. Cabral, Óscar Frías, José L. González, Paulo Travassos, Diogo Carvalho, Borja Milá, Guillermo Blanco. Extreme genetic structure in a social bird species despite high dispersal capacity. Molecular Ecology. 2017; 26 (10):2812-2825.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; José A. Dávila; Estela Bastos; João A. Cabral; Óscar Frías; José L. González; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Borja Milá; Guillermo Blanco. 2017. "Extreme genetic structure in a social bird species despite high dispersal capacity." Molecular Ecology 26, no. 10: 2812-2825.
Mário Santos; Rita Bastos; Daniel Ferreira; Andreia Santos; Paulo Barros; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Carla Gomes; Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves; Luís Braz; Francisco Morinha; Maria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso; Samantha Jane Hughes; João Alexandre Cabral. A spatial explicit agent based model approach to evaluate the performance of different monitoring options for mortality estimates in the scope of onshore windfarm impact assessments. Ecological Indicators 2017, 73, 254 -263.
AMA StyleMário Santos, Rita Bastos, Daniel Ferreira, Andreia Santos, Paulo Barros, Paulo Travassos, Diogo Carvalho, Carla Gomes, Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves, Luís Braz, Francisco Morinha, Maria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso, Samantha Jane Hughes, João Alexandre Cabral. A spatial explicit agent based model approach to evaluate the performance of different monitoring options for mortality estimates in the scope of onshore windfarm impact assessments. Ecological Indicators. 2017; 73 ():254-263.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMário Santos; Rita Bastos; Daniel Ferreira; Andreia Santos; Paulo Barros; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Carla Gomes; Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves; Luís Braz; Francisco Morinha; Maria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso; Samantha Jane Hughes; João Alexandre Cabral. 2017. "A spatial explicit agent based model approach to evaluate the performance of different monitoring options for mortality estimates in the scope of onshore windfarm impact assessments." Ecological Indicators 73, no. : 254-263.
Francisco Morinha; Pedro Silveira Ramos; Sónia Gomes; Robert William Mannan; Henrique Guedes-Pinto; Estela Bastos. Microsatellite markers suggest high genetic diversity in an urban population of Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii). Journal of Genetics 2016, 95, e19 -e24.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Pedro Silveira Ramos, Sónia Gomes, Robert William Mannan, Henrique Guedes-Pinto, Estela Bastos. Microsatellite markers suggest high genetic diversity in an urban population of Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii). Journal of Genetics. 2016; 95 (4):e19-e24.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Pedro Silveira Ramos; Sónia Gomes; Robert William Mannan; Henrique Guedes-Pinto; Estela Bastos. 2016. "Microsatellite markers suggest high genetic diversity in an urban population of Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii)." Journal of Genetics 95, no. 4: e19-e24.
Elevated levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been shown to amplify the inflammatory response against periodontopathogenic bacteria. In humans, polymorphisms in the IL1A and IL1B genes are the most well-studied genetic polymorphisms associated with periodontal disease (PD). In contrast to human, there is a lack of knowledge on the genetic basis of canine PD. A case–control study was conducted in which a molecular analysis of dog IL1A and IL1B genes was performed. Of the eight genetic variants identified, seven in IL1A gene and one in IL1B gene, IL1A/1_g.388A >C and IL1A/1_g.521T >A showed statistically significant differences between groups (adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.15 (0.03–0.76), P= 0.022; 5.76 (1.03–32.1), P= 0.046, respectively). It suggests that in the studied population the IL1A/1_g.388C allele is associated with a decreased PD risk, whereas the IL1A/1_g.521A allele can confer an increased risk. Additionally, the IL1A/2_g.515G >T variation resulted in a change of amino acid, i.e. glycine to valine. In silico analysis suggests that this change can alter protein structure and function, predicting it to be deleterious or damaging. This work suggests that IL1 genetic variants may be important in PD susceptibility in canines.
C. Albuquerque; F. Morinha; J. Magalhães; J. Requicha; Isabel Dias; H. Guedes-Pinto; E. Bastos; C. Viegas. Variants in the interleukin-1 alpha and beta genes, and the risk for periodontal disease in dogs. Journal of Genetics 2015, 94, 651 -659.
AMA StyleC. Albuquerque, F. Morinha, J. Magalhães, J. Requicha, Isabel Dias, H. Guedes-Pinto, E. Bastos, C. Viegas. Variants in the interleukin-1 alpha and beta genes, and the risk for periodontal disease in dogs. Journal of Genetics. 2015; 94 (4):651-659.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. Albuquerque; F. Morinha; J. Magalhães; J. Requicha; Isabel Dias; H. Guedes-Pinto; E. Bastos; C. Viegas. 2015. "Variants in the interleukin-1 alpha and beta genes, and the risk for periodontal disease in dogs." Journal of Genetics 94, no. 4: 651-659.
The molecular methods for sex identification in birds are important resources commonly used in population studies, management and conservation plans, breeding programs and commercial poultry/farms. Recently, advanced polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods based on melting curve analysis have been reported for Neognathae (non-ratite) birds. These genotyping strategies are simple, rapid, highly sensitive/specific and cost-effective, allowing high-throughput applicability. The evolutionary divergence and ancestral state of the sex chromosomes in the Palaeognathae (ratite) birds have hindered the utilisation of the sex-linked markers developed for non-ratite species. Therefore, the current PCR-based protocols for ratite species are restricted to agarose and polyacrylamide gels. The screening of new candidate sex-linked markers is mandatory to implement advanced PCR-based approaches in the routine molecular sexing of ratites. In this study, the nucleotide sequences of the Ostrich Z and W gametologous genes were used for the identification of new potential sex-linked markers, considering the optimisation of a molecular sexing protocol using the high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Four candidate markers ( NTRK2, RASEF, TMEM2 and DAPK1) were characterised for four ratite species (Ostrich, Greater Rhea, Emu and Southern Cassowary). The male and female genotypes identified were accurately differentiated based on specific melting curve profiles generated. The discussion of the polymorphic patterns obtained and their influence on the reliability of molecular sexing are complemented with an overview of the classical PCR-based methods for ratite birds. This study highlights the potential and usefulness of the recently available genomic data for ratite sex chromosomes to identify new candidate sex-linked markers with simple in silico approaches.
Francisco Morinha; João Cabral; Sónia Martins; Eduardo Cruz; Nuno Alvura; Pedro Nunes; João Direitinho; Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães; Estela Bastos. (R)evolution in the Molecular Sexing of Ratite Birds: Identification and Analysis of New Candidate Sex-Linked Markers. Avian Biology Research 2015, 8, 145 -159.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, João Cabral, Sónia Martins, Eduardo Cruz, Nuno Alvura, Pedro Nunes, João Direitinho, Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães, Estela Bastos. (R)evolution in the Molecular Sexing of Ratite Birds: Identification and Analysis of New Candidate Sex-Linked Markers. Avian Biology Research. 2015; 8 (3):145-159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; João Cabral; Sónia Martins; Eduardo Cruz; Nuno Alvura; Pedro Nunes; João Direitinho; Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães; Estela Bastos. 2015. "(R)evolution in the Molecular Sexing of Ratite Birds: Identification and Analysis of New Candidate Sex-Linked Markers." Avian Biology Research 8, no. 3: 145-159.
Rita Bastos; Ana Pinhanços; Mário Santos; Rui F. Fernandes; Joana Vicente; Francisco Morinha; João P. Honrado; Paulo Travassos; Paulo Barros; João A. Cabral. Evaluating the regional cumulative impact of wind farms on birds: how can spatially explicit dynamic modelling improve impact assessments and monitoring? Journal of Applied Ecology 2015, 53, 1330 -1340.
AMA StyleRita Bastos, Ana Pinhanços, Mário Santos, Rui F. Fernandes, Joana Vicente, Francisco Morinha, João P. Honrado, Paulo Travassos, Paulo Barros, João A. Cabral. Evaluating the regional cumulative impact of wind farms on birds: how can spatially explicit dynamic modelling improve impact assessments and monitoring? Journal of Applied Ecology. 2015; 53 (5):1330-1340.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRita Bastos; Ana Pinhanços; Mário Santos; Rui F. Fernandes; Joana Vicente; Francisco Morinha; João P. Honrado; Paulo Travassos; Paulo Barros; João A. Cabral. 2015. "Evaluating the regional cumulative impact of wind farms on birds: how can spatially explicit dynamic modelling improve impact assessments and monitoring?" Journal of Applied Ecology 53, no. 5: 1330-1340.
The complete mitochondrial genomes of Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Yellow-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) were sequenced using the Ion Torrent PGM platform. These mitogenomes contain 16,889 bp (Red-billed Chough) and 16,905 bp (Yellow-billed Chough), including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region (D-loop). The gene content, orientation, and structure are similar to a wide range of other vertebrate species and the nucleotide composition is very similar to other Passeriformes. All PCGs start with ATG, except for COX1 that starts with GTG, and four stop codons and one incomplete stop codon are used (TAA, TAG, AGG, AGA, and T-). The size of PCGs is the same in both mitogenomes, except for ND6 that has one codon less in the Yellow-billed Chough. All the tRNAs can fold into a typical cloverleaf secondary structure. These mitogenomic data can be of great value in complementing forthcoming approaches on molecular ecology, comparative and functional genomics.
Francisco Morinha; Carla Clemente; João A. Cabral; Magdalena M. Lewicka; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; José A. Dávila; Mário Santos; Guillermo Blanco; Estela Bastos. Next-generation sequencing and comparative analysis of Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Pyrrhocorax graculus (Passeriformes: Corvidae) mitochondrial genomes. Mitochondrial DNA 2014, 27, 1 -4.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Carla Clemente, João A. Cabral, Magdalena M. Lewicka, Paulo Travassos, Diogo Carvalho, José A. Dávila, Mário Santos, Guillermo Blanco, Estela Bastos. Next-generation sequencing and comparative analysis of Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Pyrrhocorax graculus (Passeriformes: Corvidae) mitochondrial genomes. Mitochondrial DNA. 2014; 27 (3):1-4.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Carla Clemente; João A. Cabral; Magdalena M. Lewicka; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; José A. Dávila; Mário Santos; Guillermo Blanco; Estela Bastos. 2014. "Next-generation sequencing and comparative analysis of Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Pyrrhocorax graculus (Passeriformes: Corvidae) mitochondrial genomes." Mitochondrial DNA 27, no. 3: 1-4.
We obtained molecular markers useful for population level studies of the Red-billed chough by screening partial genomic DNA libraries enriched for microsatellite repeats. We developed 11 microsatellite loci and genotyped 33 individuals from the populations of La Palma, Canary Islands. The loci had between 5 and 11 alleles and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.333 to 0.878. All of these pairs of primers also successfully amplified DNA from the other congeneric species, the Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus). These microsatellite markers will be useful to assess the genetic diversity of the species.
José A. Dávila; Francisco Morinha; Guillermo Blanco. Eleven new polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Conservation Genetics Resources 2014, 7, 81 -83.
AMA StyleJosé A. Dávila, Francisco Morinha, Guillermo Blanco. Eleven new polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). Conservation Genetics Resources. 2014; 7 (1):81-83.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosé A. Dávila; Francisco Morinha; Guillermo Blanco. 2014. "Eleven new polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)." Conservation Genetics Resources 7, no. 1: 81-83.
The psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (formerly known as Geomyces destructans) is considered the etiological agent of white-nose disease (WND), an emerging disease which affects bats during their hibernation period. This disease is clinically characterized by the growth of a white fungus on muzzle, ears, and wings’ membranes of affected bats. This infection caused the death of several million bats in North America. Conversely, European bats show no evidence of significant mortality occurrences associated with P. destructans colonization. This fungus has been isolated from bats in at least 15 European countries since 2008, but was never before reported in the Iberian Peninsula. This study describes the first case report of P. destructans colonization in bats from Portugal. We isolated P. destructans from three hibernating Myotis blythii (lesser mouse-eared bat) with visual signs of P. destructans colonization, during a routine visit to a mine located in the Trás-os-Montes region, Northern Portugal. M. blythii is one of the rarest bat species in Europe, classified as critically endangered in Portugal. P. destructans was obtained from at least three different parts of the body of each specimen analyzed. The identification of the respective fungal isolates was based on the macroscopic and microscopic characterization of the cultures and confirmed by PCR-based analysis. All nucleotide sequences obtained showed 100 % identity with previous data reported for P. destructans. This new finding improves the current knowledge about the European distribution of P. destructans, which is of great interest for forthcoming studies on the fungus dispersion and impact among bat populations at regional and/or global level.
Maria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso; Francisco Morinha; Paulo Barros; Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves; Ana Cláudia Coelho; Lisete Sofia Gomes Fernandes; Paulo Travassos; Ana Sofia Faria; Estela Bastos; Mário Santos; João Alexandre Cabral. First isolation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in bats from Portugal. European Journal of Wildlife Research 2014, 60, 645 -649.
AMA StyleMaria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso, Francisco Morinha, Paulo Barros, Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves, Ana Cláudia Coelho, Lisete Sofia Gomes Fernandes, Paulo Travassos, Ana Sofia Faria, Estela Bastos, Mário Santos, João Alexandre Cabral. First isolation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in bats from Portugal. European Journal of Wildlife Research. 2014; 60 (4):645-649.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Das Neves Paiva-Cardoso; Francisco Morinha; Paulo Barros; Hélia Marisa Vale-Gonçalves; Ana Cláudia Coelho; Lisete Sofia Gomes Fernandes; Paulo Travassos; Ana Sofia Faria; Estela Bastos; Mário Santos; João Alexandre Cabral. 2014. "First isolation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in bats from Portugal." European Journal of Wildlife Research 60, no. 4: 645-649.
Periodontal disease (PD) refers to a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the periodontium, the organ which surrounds and supports the teeth. PD is a highly prevalent disease with a multifactorial etiology and, in humans the individual susceptibility is known to be strongly determined by genetic factors. Several candidate genes have been studied, namely genes related with molecules involved in the inflammatory response. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with important anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory roles, and several studies indicate an association between IL10 polymorphisms and PD. In dogs, an important animal model in periodontology, PD is also a highly prevalent naturally occurring disease, and only now are emerging the first studies evaluating the genetic predisposition. In this case-control study, a population of 90 dogs (40 dogs with PD and 50 healthy dogs) was used to study the IL10 gene, and seven new genetic variations in this gene were identified. No statistically significant differences were detected in genotype and allele frequencies of these variations between the PD cases and control groups. Nevertheless, one of the variations (IL10/2_g.285G>A) leads to an amino acid change (glycine to arginine) in the putative signal peptide, being predicted a potential influence on IL-10 protein functionality. Further investigations are important to clarify the biological importance of these new findings. The knowledge of these genetic determinants can help to understand properly the complex causal pathways of PD, with important clinical implications.
Carlos Albuquerque; Francisco Morinha; João Requicha; Isabel Dias; Henrique Guedes-Pinto; Carlos Viegas; Estela Bastos. A case–control study between interleukin-10 gene variants and periodontal disease in dogs. Gene 2014, 539, 75 -81.
AMA StyleCarlos Albuquerque, Francisco Morinha, João Requicha, Isabel Dias, Henrique Guedes-Pinto, Carlos Viegas, Estela Bastos. A case–control study between interleukin-10 gene variants and periodontal disease in dogs. Gene. 2014; 539 (1):75-81.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarlos Albuquerque; Francisco Morinha; João Requicha; Isabel Dias; Henrique Guedes-Pinto; Carlos Viegas; Estela Bastos. 2014. "A case–control study between interleukin-10 gene variants and periodontal disease in dogs." Gene 539, no. 1: 75-81.
Francisco Morinha; Paulo Jorge Travassos; Fernanda Seixas; Ana Martins; Rita Bastos; Diogo Carvalho; Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães; Mário Santos; Estela Bastos; João Cabral. Differential mortality of birds killed at wind farms in Northern Portugal. Bird Study 2014, 61, 255 -259.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Paulo Jorge Travassos, Fernanda Seixas, Ana Martins, Rita Bastos, Diogo Carvalho, Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães, Mário Santos, Estela Bastos, João Cabral. Differential mortality of birds killed at wind farms in Northern Portugal. Bird Study. 2014; 61 (2):255-259.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Paulo Jorge Travassos; Fernanda Seixas; Ana Martins; Rita Bastos; Diogo Carvalho; Paula Cristina Leite Fernandes Da Silva Magalhães; Mário Santos; Estela Bastos; João Cabral. 2014. "Differential mortality of birds killed at wind farms in Northern Portugal." Bird Study 61, no. 2: 255-259.
Francisco Morinha; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Paula Magalhães; J. A. Cabral; Estela Bastos. DNA sampling from body swabs of terrestrial slugs (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): a simple and non-invasive method for molecular genetics approaches. Journal Of Molluscan Studies 2014, 80, 99 -101.
AMA StyleFrancisco Morinha, Paulo Travassos, Diogo Carvalho, Paula Magalhães, J. A. Cabral, Estela Bastos. DNA sampling from body swabs of terrestrial slugs (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): a simple and non-invasive method for molecular genetics approaches. Journal Of Molluscan Studies. 2014; 80 (1):99-101.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Morinha; Paulo Travassos; Diogo Carvalho; Paula Magalhães; J. A. Cabral; Estela Bastos. 2014. "DNA sampling from body swabs of terrestrial slugs (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): a simple and non-invasive method for molecular genetics approaches." Journal Of Molluscan Studies 80, no. 1: 99-101.