Our SOUL Evolution paper on the front cover

Our recent paper "Evolution of the SOUL Heme-Binding Protein Superfamily Across Eukarya" by Antonio Emidio Fortunato, Paolo Sordino and Nikos Andreakis has appeared on the front cover of the June 2016, Volume 82, Issue 6 of the Journal of Molecular Evolution. Well done!

Evolution of the SOUL Heme-Binding Protein Superfamily Across Eukarya



SOUL homologs constitute a heme-binding protein superfamily putatively involved in heme and tetrapyrrole metabolisms associated with a number of physiological processes. Despite their omnipresence across the tree of life and the biochemical characterization of many SOUL members, their functional role and the evolutionary events leading to such remarkable protein repertoire still remain cryptic. To explore SOUL evolution, we apply a computational phylogenetic approach, including a relevant number of SOUL homologs, to identify paralog forms and reconstruct their genealogy across the tree of life and within species. In animal lineages, multiple gene duplication or loss events and paralog functional specializations underlie SOUL evolution from the dawn of ancestral echinoderm and mollusc SOUL forms. In photosynthetic organisms, SOUL evolution is linked to the endosymbiosis events leading to plastid acquisition in eukaryotes. Derivative features, such as the F2L peptide and BH3 domain, evolved in vertebrates and provided innovative functionality to support immune response and apoptosis. The evolution of elements such as the N-terminal protein domain DUF2358, the His42 residue, or the tetrapyrrole heme-binding site is modern, and their functional implications still unresolved. This study represents the first indepth analysis of SOUL protein evolution and provides novel insights in the understanding of their obscure physiological role. Reed full paper here!

New book Chapter: Towards an Integrative Phylogeography of Invasive Marine Seaweeds, Based on Multiple Lines of Evidence.

In: Seaweed Phylogeography: Adaptation and Evolution of Seaweeds under Environmental Change.

Chapter 7
Towards an Integrative Phylogeography of Invasive Marine Seaweeds, Based on Multiple Lines of Evidence

Marianela Zanolla & Nikos Andreakis

Molecular phylogeography has for decades been a frequently used
approach to delineate novel evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) and to study the dynamics of invasive species. Next-generation sequencing technology (NGS) and the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) have the potential to revolutionize our way of understanding biodiversity and to establish rapid protocols for early-stage detection of invasive species. In seaweeds, however, several years of research on iconic invasive taxa of ambiguous taxonomic status (e.g. Caulerpa, Codium, Asparagopsis) have suggested that an integrative approach, namely the combination of multiple lines of evidence (e.g. phylogeographic, ecological, physiological and predictive modelling), is necessary to accurately resolve the taxonomy and their invasive potential. At present, integrative approaches in these fields are often weak because of incongruences among species delineation, newly discovered ESUs which remain undescribed taxonomically, and because databases containing vouchers of barcoded specimens are incomplete. As relocations of marine biota accelerate and climatic changes offer new potential niches for invasive seaweeds, new, transferable and internationally adopted protocols are necessary for exploring, monitoring and managing marine biodiversity. This is particularly urgent in areas of intense maritime traffic, such as the Mediterranean Sea and the Hawaiian archipelago, in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development without compromising the local marine resources.