Publications

Tandem repeats are intrinsically highly variable sequences since repeat units are often lost or gained during replication or following unequal recombination events. Because of their low complexity and their instability, these repeats, which are also called satellite repeats, are often considered to be useless ‘junk’ DNA. However, recent findings show that tandem repeats are frequently found within promoters of stress-induced genes and within the ...

Worldwide most pollinators, e.g. bumblebees, are undergoing global declines. Loss of genetic diversity can play an essential role in these observed declines. In this paper, we investigated the level of genetic diversity of seven declining Bombus species and four more stable species with the use of microsatellite loci. Hereto we genotyped a unique collection of museum specimens. Specimens were collected between 1918 and 1926, in 6 provinces of ...

The acaricides cyflumetofen, cyenopyrafen, and pyflubumide act as inhibitors of the mitochondrial electron transport system at complex II (succinate dehydrogenase; SDH), a new mode of action in arthropods. The development and mechanisms of low-level resistance against cyenopyrafen and cyflumetofen have been previously reported in Tetranychus urticae. In the present study, we investigated high levels of resistance against three SDH inhibitors in ...

Background: There are multiple existing and emerging therapeutic avenues for metastatic prostate cancer, with a common denominator, which is the need for predictive biomarkers. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has the potential to cost-efficiently accelerate precision medicine trials to improve clinical efficacy and diminish costs and toxicity. However, comprehensive ctDNA profiling in metastatic prostate cancer to date has been limited. Methods: A ...

The worldwide decline of pollinators is an emerging threat and is a matter both for ecological and economic concerns. Population genetics can be used to correlate bumblebee decline with genetic parameters. In order to do so, historical data are needed. We used eight microsatellite loci to genotype pinned museum specimens of the declining bumblebee Bombus veteranus. Bumblebee samples were collected spanning a period of three decades (1895-1923). ...

In this population genetic study of Leishmania donovani parasites in the Indian subcontinent, 132 isolates obtained from patients in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka suffering from Kala-azar (100), post-Kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) (25) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) (2), and from 5 patients whose clinical patterns were not defined, were analysed by using 15 hyper-variable microsatellite loci. Multilocus microsatellite typing ...

Co-existence of both mating types A1 and A2 within the EU1 lineage of Phytophthora ramorum has only been observed in Belgium, which begs the question whether sexual reproduction is occurring. A collection of 411 Belgian P. ramorum isolates was established during a 7-year survey. Our main objectives were genetic characterization of this population to test for sexual reproduction, determination of population structure, evolution and spread, and ...

The genetic variation within and between wild apple samples (Malus sylvestris) and cultivated apple trees was investigated with amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) and microsatellite markers to develop a conservation genetics programme for the endangered wild apple in Belgium. In total, 76 putative wild apples (originating from Belgium and Germany), six presumed hybrids and 39 cultivars were typed at 12 simple sequence repeats (SSR) ...