Alejandro Manzano-Marı́n

Coevolution and synchronized evolutionary rates in aphid dual endosymbiosis

This study examines the evolutionary dynamics of two symbiotic bacteria in aphids, showing they evolve together with similar rates and undergo functional specialization.

A multilayered network reveals the centrality of newly discovered Nucleocytoviricota in wastewater treatment plant communities

The paper identifies novel viruses in wastewater treatment plants and shows their central role in microbial community structure and evolution through a multilayered network analysis.

From Eggs to Guts: Symbiotic Association of Sodalis nezarae sp. nov. with the Southern Green Shield Bug Nezara viridula

This study identifies a new Sodalis symbiont in Nezara viridula shield bugs, showing its presence in multiple organs and suggesting paternal vertical transmission.

Novel high-quality amoeba genomes reveal widespread codon usage mismatch between giant viruses and their hosts

This study presents six high-quality amoeba genomes to analyze codon usage patterns and their relationship with giant virus host range, finding codon usage mismatch is common and poor predictor of infection.

Discordance between phylogenomic datasets in aphids: who is telling the truth?

This study analyzes discordant phylogenomic data from aphids to resolve their evolutionary history, finding monophyly of subfamilies but unresolved relationships between them.

A new guest to the blood feast: a novel symbiotic lineage associated with a haematophagous leech from the genus Haementeria

The paper identifies a novel bacterial endosymbiont in Haementeria leeches, showing genome reduction and B vitamin biosynthesis, and reports the first case of symbiont replacement in leeches without morphological changes.

Evolution of an alternative genetic code in the Providencia symbiont of the haematophagous leech Haementeria acuecueyetzin

The paper sequenced three Haementeria leech symbiont genomes, finding conserved B vitamin pathways and an alternative genetic code in one species.

Co-obligate symbioses have repeatedly evolved across aphids, but partner identity and nutritional contributions vary across lineages

The paper shows that dual symbioses have evolved at least six times in aphids, with secondary co-obligate symbionts typically evolving from facultative taxa and varying in nutrient contributions.

One to host them all: genomics of the diverse bacterial endosymbionts of the spider Oedothorax gibbosus

The paper analyzes bacterial endosymbionts in spiders, reconstructing their genomes and showing their evolutionary relationships and interactions with the host.

A novel widespread MITE element in the repeat-rich genome of the Cardinium endosymbiont of the spider Oedothorax gibbosus

The paper presents a manually curated genome annotation of a Cardinium endosymbiont, revealing the spread of insertion sequences and a novel MITE element.

No evidence for Wolbachia as a nutritional co-obligate endosymbiont in the aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa

The paper re-analyzes sequencing data to show that previous claims of a co-obligate Wolbachia-Buchnera symbiosis in Pentalonia nigronervosa are incorrect due to flawed methods and biased interpretation.

The protector within: Comparative genomics of APSE phages across aphids reveals rampant recombination and diverse toxin arsenals

The paper analyzes APSE phage genomes from Hamiltonella symbionts in aphids, revealing recombination events and variable toxin regions.

Serial horizontal transfer of vitamin-biosynthetic genes enables the establishment of new nutritional symbionts in aphids’ di-symbiotic systems

The paper investigates horizontal gene transfer in aphid symbionts, showing how B-vitamin biosynthesis genes are transferred between bacteria to establish new nutritional symbioses.

A Freeloader?: The Highly Eroded Yet Large Genome of the Serratia symbiotica symbiont of Cinara strobi

The paper identifies a third bacterial symbiont in Cinara strobi aphids and shows that S. symbiotica has a highly eroded genome, suggesting ongoing symbiont replacement.