Real-time malaria detection in the Amazon rainforest via drone-collected eDNA and portable qPCR.

Zoonotic malaria risk at human-wildlife-environment interfaces requires surveillance that integrates signals from reservoirs, vectors and the environment. We coupled a drone-based environmental DNA (eDNA) canopy swabbing approach with portable quantitative PCR (qPCR) to detect DNA in situ during a 24-h field exercise in the Amazon rainforest. Drone-lowered sterile swabs into the canopy, which were then extracted and subjected to a multiplex pan- assay targeting five human-infecting species (limit of detection 0.

Identification of non-model mammal species using the MinION DNA sequencer from Oxford Nanopore.

Background: The Neotropics harbors the largest species richness of the planet; however, even in well-studied groups, there are potentially hundreds of species that lack a formal description, and likewise, many already described taxa are difficult to identify using morphology. Specifically in small mammals, complex morphological diagnoses have been facilitated by the use of molecular data, particularly from mitochondrial sequences, to obtain accurate species identifications. Obtaining mitochondrial markers implies the use of PCR and specific primers, which are largely absent for non-model organisms.

eProbe: Sampling of Environmental DNA within Tree Canopies with Drones.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a powerful tool for studying biodiversity in forests and tree canopies. However, collecting representative eDNA samples from these high and complex environments remains challenging. Traditional methods, such as surface swabbing or tree rolling, are labor-intensive and require significant effort to achieve adequate coverage.

Substitutions in Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in South America.

SARS-CoV-2 is a new member of the genus Betacoronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus crossed the species barrier and established in the human population taking advantage of the spike protein high affinity for the ACE receptor to infect the lower respiratory tract. The Nucleocapsid (N) and Spike (S) are highly immunogenic structural proteins and most commercial COVID-19 diagnostic assays target these proteins.

Molecular analysis of several in-house rRT-PCR protocols for SARS-CoV-2 detection in the context of genetic variability of the virus in Colombia.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a public health problem unprecedented in the recent history of humanity. Different in-house real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) methods for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and the appearance of genomes with mutations in primer regions have been reported. Hence, whole-genome data from locally-circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains contribute to the knowledge of its global variability and the development and fine tuning of diagnostic protocols.

Rapid mitochondrial genome sequencing based on Oxford Nanopore Sequencing and a proxy for vertebrate species identification.

Molecular information is crucial for species identification when facing challenging morphology-based specimen identifications. The use of DNA barcodes partially solves this problem, but in some cases when PCR is not an option (i.e.

Complete mitogenome of the biocontroller fungus sp. (Ascomycota, Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales).

The strain sp. UdeA0106 is an antagonist of nematodes, fungi, and garden symphylans from crops with high economic importance in Colombia (Salazar 2013; Salazar et al. 2014; Cardona et al.

Mitochondrial genome characterization of Tecia solanivora (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and its phylogenetic relationship with other lepidopteran insects.

The complete mitogenome of the potato tuber moth Tecia solanivora (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) was sequenced, annotated, characterized and compared with 140 species of the order Lepidoptera. The circular genome is 15,251 bp, containing 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and an A+T-rich region). The gene arrangement was identical to other lepidopteran mitogenomes but different from the ancestral arrangement found in most insects for the tRNA-Met gene (A+T-region, tRNA-I, tRNA-Q, tRNA-M).