Dataset Information

Evaluating the potential for evolutionary mismatch in Batesian mimics: A case study in the endangered smooth snake (Coronella austriaca).

ABSTRACT: Many harmless organisms gain a survival advantage by mimicking venomous species. This is the case of the endangered smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), which mimics venomous vipers. Although this may protect the smooth snake against most of its natural predators, it may render them at greater risk of mortality from humans, who are more inclined to kill species, such as vipers, that they consider dangerous. This may cause an evolutionary mismatch, whereby humans may counteract the natural advantage of mimicry. We explore this possibility of evaluating the willingness of humans to kill smooth snakes versus the adder (Vipera berus), as well as their ability to discern them in the Åland Islands. Our results show that, even when respondents did not wish to kill the smooth snakes, these were often mistaken for adders, which they were willing to kill. Altogether, viper mimicry brought about a 2.3-fold increase in the likelihood of smooth snakes being killed upon human encounter. These results open up the possibility that naturally selected mimicry can pose a threat to endangered snakes in human-influenced habitats. We discuss the potential for this to be the case, and highlight the importance of protecting entire mimicry complexes, rather than single species, when the endangered species is a mimic.

SUBMITTER: Valkonen JK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6183469 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Evaluating the potential for evolutionary mismatch in Batesian mimics: A case study in the endangered smooth snake (<i>Coronella austriaca</i>).

Valkonen Janne K JK Mäkelä Anni A Mappes Johanna J López-Sepulcre Andrés A

Evolutionary applications 20180811 9

Many harmless organisms gain a survival advantage by mimicking venomous species. This is the case of the endangered smooth snake (<i>Coronella austriaca</i>), which mimics venomous vipers. Although this may protect the smooth snake against most of its natural predators, it may render them at greater risk of mortality from humans, who are more inclined to kill species, such as vipers, that they consider dangerous. This may cause an evolutionary mismatch, whereby humans may counteract the natural ...[more]

PMID: 30344623

Similar Datasets

Project description:Conversion and fragmentation of wildlife habitat often leads to smaller and isolated populations and can reduce a species' ability to disperse across the landscape. As a consequence, genetic drift can quickly lower genetic variation and increase vulnerability to extirpation. For species of conservation concern, quantification of population size and connectivity can clarify the influence of genetic drift in local populations and provides important information for conservation management and recovery strategies. Here, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data and capture-mark-recapture methods to evaluate the genetic diversity and demography within seven focal sites of the endangered San Francisco gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia), a species affected by alteration and isolation of wetland habitats throughout its distribution. The primary goals were to determine the population structure and degree of genetic isolation among T. s. tetrataenia populations and estimate effective size and population abundance within sites to better understand the present and future importance of genetic drift. We also used temporally sampled datasets to examine the magnitude of genetic change over time. We found moderate population genetic structure throughout the San Francisco Peninsula that partitions sites into northern and southern regional clusters. Point estimates of both effective size and population abundance were generally small (≤ 100) for a majority of the sites, and estimates were particularly low in the northern populations. Genetic analyses of temporal datasets indicated an increase in genetic differentiation, especially for the most geographically isolated sites, and decreased genetic diversity over time in at least one site (Pacifica). Our results suggest that drift-mediated processes as a function of small population size and reduced connectivity from neighboring populations may decrease diversity and increase differentiation. Improving genetic diversity and connectivity among T. s. tetrataenia populations could promote persistence of this endangered snake.

Project description:Peptide mimics that display amino acid side-chains on semi-rigid scaffolds (not peptide polyamides) can be referred to as minimalist mimics. Accessible conformations of these scaffolds may overlay with secondary structures giving, for example, "minimalist helical mimics". It is difficult for researchers who want to apply minimalist mimics to decide which one to use because there is no widely accepted protocol for calibrating how closely these compounds mimic secondary structures. Moreover, it is also difficult for potential practitioners to evaluate which ideal minimalist helical mimics are preferred for a particular set of side-chains. For instance, what mimic presents i, i + 4, i + 7 side-chains in orientations that best resemble an ideal ?-helix, and is a different mimic required for a i, i + 3, i + 7 helical combination? This article describes a protocol for fitting each member of an array of accessible scaffold conformations on secondary structures. The protocol involves: (i) use quenched molecular dynamics (QMD) to generate an ensemble consisting of hundreds of accessible, low energy conformers of the mimics; (ii) representation of each of these as a set of C? and C? coordinates corresponding to three amino acid side-chains displayed by the scaffolds; (iii) similar representation of each combination of three side-chains in each ideal secondary structure as a set of C? and C? coordinates corresponding to three amino acid side-chains displayed by the scaffolds; and, (iv) overlay C? and C? coordinates of all the conformers on all the sets of side-chain "triads" in the ideal secondary structures and express the goodness of fit in terms of root mean squared deviation (RMSD, Å) for each overlay. We refer to this process as Exploring Key Orientations on Secondary structures (EKOS). Application of this procedure reveals the relative bias of a scaffold to overlay on different secondary structures, the "side-chain correspondences" (e.g. i, i + 4, i + 7 or i, i + 3, i + 4) of those overlays, and the energy of this state relative to the minimum located. This protocol was tested on some of the most widely cited minimalist ?-helical mimics (1-8 in the text). The data obtained indicates several of these compounds preferentially exist in conformations that resemble other secondary structures as well as ?-helices, and many of the ?-helical conformations have unexpected side-chain correspondences. These observations imply the featured minimalist mimics have more scope for disrupting PPI interfaces than previously anticipated. Finally, the same simulation method was used to match preferred conformations of minimalist mimics with actual protein/peptide structures at interfaces providing quantitative comparisons of predicted fits of the test mimics at protein-protein interaction sites.

Project description:Cryopreservation of sperm to preserve the genetic diversity of declining populations is a promising technique to aid in the recovery of endangered species such as the Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni). However, this technique has been performed on only a handful of snake species and with limited success. Here, we tested a cryoprotective agent (CPA) mixture containing Lake's buffer with 10% N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), 2% methanol, 5% clarified egg yolk, (v/v% final concentration) against 16 other CPA-treatment mixtures. These contained either Lake's buffer or TEST egg yolk buffer as the base diluent with a penetrating or non-penetrating CPA on the post-thaw recovery of sperm motility and viability. We also investigated the effect of post-thaw incubation treatment in TL HEPES supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (H10) alone or with caffeine on post-thaw motility parameters. Sperm from 16 Louisiana pinesnakes was cryopreserved, and the effectiveness of the CPA treatment mixtures and post-thaw treatments was determined based on measurements of sperm motility and viability. Sperm cryopreservation significantly reduced initial post-thaw sperm quality for all of the extender treatments. Viability of sperm was best maintained when cryopreserved in an CPA treatment mixture containing Lake's buffer with 10% DMF, 2% methanol, and 5% clarified egg yolk with the addition of 5 mg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA). For several extender mixtures a similar percent of post-thaw motility was observed, but no forward motility returned in any post-thaw samples prior to incubation in dilution treatments. Following incubation in both post-thaw treatments, the percent of forward motility and the index of forward progressive movement improved significantly. Post-thaw dilution with H10 containing caffeine improved motility parameters over H10 alone, suggesting further investigation of post-thaw treatment in caffeine could be beneficial. Although, cryopreservation of sperm from the Louisiana pinesnake continues to present a challenge, post-thaw dilution and the addition of BSA to CPA mixtures provides areas for improving cryopreservation methods for this endangered species.

Dataset Information

Evaluating the potential for evolutionary mismatch in Batesian mimics: A case study in the endangered smooth snake (Coronella austriaca).

Publications

Evaluating the potential for evolutionary mismatch in Batesian mimics: A case study in the endangered smooth snake (<i>Coronella austriaca</i>).

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets