Project description:Coleoid cephalopods (squids, cuttlefish, octopus) have the largest nervous system among invertebrates that together with many lineage-specific morphological traits enables complex behaviors. The genomic basis underlying these innovations remains unknown. Using comparative and functional genomics in the model squid Euprymna scolopes, we reveal the unique genomic, topological, and regulatory organization of cephalopod genomes. We show that cephalopod genomes have been extensively restructured compared to other animals leading to the emergence of hundreds of tightly linked and evolutionary unique gene clusters (microsyntenies). Such novel microsyntenies correspond to topological compartments with a distinct regulatory structure and contribute to complex expression patterns. In particular, we identified a set of microsyntenies associated with cephalopod innovations (MACIs) broadly enriched in cephalopod nervous system expression. We posit that the emergence of MACIs was instrumental to cephalopod nervous system evolution and propose that microsyntenic profiling will be central to understand cephalopod innovations.
Project description:Edible mealworms and crickets are high protein food sources, which have recently emerged on the European market. As the production of edible insects is more sustainable than conventional livestock proteins, they are a promising alternative protein source for human consumption. Protein compositions of mealworms and crickets that underwent different food processing and preparation steps were assessed by LC-MS analysis after tryptic in-gel digestion, and were compared to proteins from chicken breast.
