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DNA Day Quiz 2021

Joseph Hasan — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 09:00:18 +0000

In celebration of DNA Day, the editorial team at BMC has put together the following quiz for our readers to test their knowledge and maybe even learn something new! Be sure to share your scores on Twitter with #OADNADayQuiz2021.

DNA and its (journal) children

Vanessa Tse — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:53:03 +0000

A look at one of our most prominent genetics journals (Clinical Epigenetics) and its new companion publication (Epigenetics Communications), that both present the best in epigenetic research. Both titles are helmed by Professor Lucia Altucci and Professor Marianne Rots.

Tackling pork tapeworm through a One Health approach.

Matthew A. Dixon — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:00:28 +0000

Pork tapeworm: a parasite that afflicts poor, marginalised farming and rural communities within 56 countries across the globe. Matt Dixon looks at how a One Health strategy could drive down infections and prevent a major cause of epilepsy in low and middle income countries, neurocysticercosis.

Meet the SDG3 researchers: Nistara Randhawa

Dr. Nistara Randhawa — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:00:38 +0000

Dr. Nistara Randhawa is an epidemiologist at the Wildlife Health Center/One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA. Her work bridges the worlds of animal, human, and environmental health; R programming; disease modeling; and visual story telling.

Hedgehogs reveal the presence of a little-known parasite in Mallorca: the rat lungworm

Karina Mondragon-Shem — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:00:04 +0000

The distribution of a lesser-known parasite, the rat lungworm, appears to be increasing – its finding in Mallorcan hedgehogs has Dr. Paredes-Esquivel and her team investigating its transmission on the island.

Tapeworm loses its telomeres

Peter D. Olson — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 09:00:38 +0000

A fully resolved, chromosome-level genome assembly of a tapeworm provides the first complete picture of a representative of one of the three major branches of animal life, the Lophotrochozoa, providing a resource free from sampling error and revealing unexpected insights into chromosome evolution.

Of mice and mites (and more)

Christina Faust — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 09:00:51 +0000

Small mammals (including mice, voles, and shrews) are found globally and many species are happy to live next door or even within the same house as humans. They can play an important role in vector-borne diseases by hosting and supporting a diverse array of fleas, ticks and mites. A recent study in Germany examined the diversity and drivers of these parasite communities found on small mammals in different habitats that humans frequent.

Zoonotic pathogens in Bonobos and One Health implications

Anouk Gouvras — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:30:08 +0000

Researchers report on PCR screening for potentially zoonotic pathogens detected in the faecal samples of wild and semi-captive bonobos. This raised interesting questions for One Health and wildlife conservation.

It’s a tapeworm Jim, but not as we know it

Peter D. Olson — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:30:27 +0000

Tapeworms have two sister lineages, one of which is the Gyrocotylidea, named after their characteristic ‘rosette’ organ. Compared to ‘true’ tapeworms, they bear little outward resemblance. They are exclusively parasites of deep-sea chimaeras, or ratfishes, and are surprisingly common in this host group. The World Register of Marine Species chose the new species Gyrocotyle haffii among the top 10 new marine species in 2020.

Cestodes and sticklebacks: manipulating the mind

Daniel Parsons — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 09:00:41 +0000

Investigating gene expression in the brains of infected and uninfected sticklebacks can help shed light on the molecular mechanisms used by parasites to manipulate their host’s behaviour. Interestingly, parallels can be made between parasite-induced behavioural alterations and human neurological disorders.