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1. Rapid macrosatellite evolution promotes X-Linked hybrid male sterility in a feline interspecies cross

   https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab274  

   Bredemeyer, Kevin R; Seabury, Christopher M; Stickney, Mark J; McCarrey, John R; vonHoldt, Bridgett M; Murphy, William J (September 2021, Molecular Biology and Evolution)

   Gojobori, Jun (Ed.)

   Abstract The sterility or inviability of hybrid offspring produced from an interspecific mating results from incompatibilities between parental genotypes that are thought to result from divergence of loci involved in epistatic interactions. However, attributes contributing to the rapid evolution of these regions also complicates their assembly, thus discovery of candidate hybrid sterility loci is difficult and has been restricted to a small number of model systems. Here we reported rapid interspecific divergence at the DXZ4 macrosatellite locus in an interspecific cross between two closely related mammalian species: the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) and the Jungle cat (Felis chaus). DXZ4 is an interesting candidate due to its structural complexity, copy number variability, and described role in the critical yet complex biological process of X-chromosome inactivation. However, the full structure of DXZ4 was absent or incomplete in nearly every available mammalian genome assembly given its repetitive complexity. We compared highly continuous genomes for three cat species, each containing a complete DXZ4 locus, and discovered that the felid DXZ4 locus differs substantially from the human ortholog, and that it varies in copy number between cat species. Additionally, we reported expression, methylation, and structural conformation profiles of DXZ4 and the X chromosome during stages of spermatogenesis that have been previously associated with hybrid male sterility. Collectively, these findings suggest a new role for DXZ4 in male meiosis and a proposed mechanism of feline interspecific incompatibility through rapid satellite divergence. 

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2. Human cat borne rabies as the new epidemiology of the disease in the Andes mountains

   https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.13141  

   Meriño‐Olivella, Samir; del_Pilar Sánchez‐Bonilla, María; Escobar, Luis E; Correa‐Valencia, Nathalia M (August 2024, Zoonoses and Public Health)

   Abstract BackgroundRabies virus (RABV) is the etiologic agent of rabies, a fatal brain disease in mammals. Rabies circulation has historically involved the dog has the main source of human rabies worldwide. Nevertheless, in Colombia, cats (Felis catus) have become a relevant species in the epidemiology of rabies. AimsTo characterize rabies cases in humans in Colombia in the last three decades in the context of the epidemiology of the aggressor animal. Materials and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective longitudinal epidemiological study of human rabies caused by cats’ aggression, collecting primary and secondary information. Variables considered included the demography of the patient, symptoms, information about the aggressor animal as the source of infection and the viral variant identified. ResultsWe found that the distribution of rabies incidence over the years has been constant in Colombia. Nevertheless, between 2003 and 2012 a peak of cases occurred in rural Colombia where cats were the most frequent aggressor animal reported. Most cats involved in aggression were unvaccinated against rabies. Cat's clinical signs at the time of the report of the human cases included hypersalivation and changes in behaviour. Human patients were mostly children and female and the exposure primarily corresponded to bite and puncture lacerations in hands. The RABV lineage detected in most cases corresponded to variant 3, linked to the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). The geographical presentation of cat borne RABV in humans occurred along the Andes mountains, epidemiologically known as the rabies red Andean corridor. DiscussionBy finding cats as the primary source of rabies spillover transmission in Colombia, this report highlights the importance of revising national rabies control and prevention protocol in countries in the Andes region. ConclusionOur results demonstrate that rabies vaccination for outdoor cats needs to prioritize to reduce the number of rabies‐related human deaths. 

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3. The genome of the black-footed cat: Revealing a rich natural history and urgent conservation priorities for small felids

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2310763120  

   Yuan, Jiaqing; Kitchener, Andrew C.; Lackey, Laurie Bingaman; Sun, Ting; Jiangzuo, Qigao; Tuohetahong, Yilamujiang; Zhao, Le; Yang, Peng; Wang, Guiqiang; Huang, Chen; et al (January 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   Habitat degradation and loss of genetic diversity are common threats faced by almost all of today’s wild cats. Big cats, such as tigers and lions, are of great concern and have received considerable conservation attention through policies and international actions. However, knowledge of and conservation actions for small wild cats are lagging considerably behind. The black-footed cat,Felis nigripes, one of the smallest felid species, is experiencing increasing threats with a rapid reduction in population size. However, there is a lack of genetic information to assist in developing effective conservation actions. A de novo assembly of a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of the black-footed cat was made, and comparative genomics and population genomics analyses were carried out. These analyses revealed that the most significant genetic changes in the evolution of the black-footed cat are the rapid evolution of sensory and metabolic-related genes, reflecting genetic adaptations to its characteristic nocturnal hunting and a high metabolic rate. Genomes of the black-footed cat exhibit a high level of inbreeding, especially for signals of recent inbreeding events, which suggest that they may have experienced severe genetic isolation caused by habitat fragmentation. More importantly, inbreeding associated with two deleterious mutated genes may exacerbate the risk of amyloidosis, the dominant disease that causes mortality of about 70% of captive individuals. Our research provides comprehensive documentation of the evolutionary history of the black-footed cat and suggests that there is an urgent need to investigate genomic variations of small felids worldwide to support effective conservation actions. 

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4. Ultracontinuous Single Haplotype Genome Assemblies for the Domestic Cat ( Felis catus ) and Asian Leopard Cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis )

   https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esaa057  

   Bredemeyer, Kevin R; Harris, Andrew J; Li, Gang; Zhao, Le; Foley, Nicole M; Roelke-Parker, Melody; O’Brien, Stephen J; Lyons, Leslie A; Warren, Wesley C; Murphy, William J (December 2020, Journal of Heredity)

   Shapiro, Beth (Ed.)

   Abstract In addition to including one of the most popular companion animals, species from the cat family Felidae serve as a powerful system for genetic analysis of inherited and infectious disease, as well as for the study of phenotypic evolution and speciation. Previous diploid-based genome assemblies for the domestic cat have served as the primary reference for genomic studies within the cat family. However, these versions suffered from poor resolution of complex and highly repetitive regions, with substantial amounts of unplaced sequence that is polymorphic or copy number variable. We sequenced the genome of a female F1 Bengal hybrid cat, the offspring of a domestic cat (Felis catus) x Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) cross, with PacBio long sequence reads and used Illumina sequence reads from the parents to phase >99.9% of the reads into the 2 species’ haplotypes. De novo assembly of the phased reads produced highly continuous haploid genome assemblies for the domestic cat and Asian leopard cat, with contig N50 statistics exceeding 83 Mb for both genomes. Whole-genome alignments reveal the Felis and Prionailurus genomes are colinear, and the cytogenetic differences between the homologous F1 and E4 chromosomes represent a case of centromere repositioning in the absence of a chromosomal inversion. Both assemblies offer significant improvements over the previous domestic cat reference genome, with a 100% increase in contiguity and the capture of the vast majority of chromosome arms in 1 or 2 large contigs. We further demonstrated that comparably accurate F1 haplotype phasing can be achieved with members of the same species when one or both parents of the trio are not available. These novel genome resources will empower studies of feline precision medicine, adaptation, and speciation. 

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5. Structural and functional characterization of three Type B and C chloramphenicol acetyltransferases from Vibrio species

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.3793  

   Alcala, Ashley; Ramirez, Guadalupe; Solis, Allan; Kim, Youngchang; Tan, Kemin; Luna, Oscar; Nguyen, Karen; Vazquez, Daniel; Ward, Michael; Zhou, Min; et al (December 2019, Protein Science)

   Abstract Chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CATs) were among the first antibiotic resistance enzymes identified and have long been studied as model enzymes for examining plasmid‐mediated antibiotic resistance. These enzymes acetylate the antibiotic chloramphenicol, which renders it incapable of inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. CATs can be classified into different types: Type A CATs are known to be important for antibiotic resistance to chloramphenicol and fusidic acid. Type B CATs are often called xenobiotic acetyltransferases and adopt a similar structural fold to streptogramin acetyltransferases, which are known to be critical for streptogramin antibiotic resistance. Type C CATs have recently been identified and can also acetylate chloramphenicol, but their roles in antibiotic resistance are largely unknown. Here, we structurally and kinetically characterized threeVibrioCAT proteins from a nonpathogenic species (Aliivibrio fisheri) and two important human pathogens (Vibrio choleraeandVibrio vulnificus). We found all three proteins, including one in a superintegron (V. cholerae), acetylated chloramphenicol, but did not acetylate aminoglycosides or dalfopristin. We also determined the 3D crystal structures of these CATs alone and in complex with crystal violet and taurocholate. These compounds are known inhibitors of Type A CATs, but have not been explored in Type B and Type C CATs. Based on sequence, structure, and kinetic analysis, we concluded that theV. choleraeandV. vulnificusCATs belong to the Type B class and theA. fisheriCAT belongs to the Type C class. Ultimately, our results provide a framework for studying the evolution of antibiotic resistance gene acquisition and chloramphenicol acetylation inVibrioand other species. 

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