Vrije Universiteit Brussel

About: Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a education organization based out in Brussels, Belgium. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 14295 authors who have published 38258 publications receiving 1203970 citations. The organization is also known as: VUB.

Who Supports Populism and What Attracts People to It

Abstract: In this paper, we engage with the emerging literature that studies the support for populism by means of attitudes among the public at large. More specifically, our paper has two objectives. First, ...

Camel heavy‐chain antibodies: diverse germline VHH and specific mechanisms enlarge the antigen‐binding repertoire

Abstract: The antigen‐binding site of the camel heavy‐chain antibodies devoid of light chain consists of a single variable domain (V H H) that obviously lacks the V H –V L combinatorial diversity. To evaluate the extent of the V H H antigen‐binding repertoire, a germline database was constructed from PCR‐amplified V H H/V H segments of a single specimen of Camelus dromedarius . A total of 33 V H H and 39 VH unique sequences were identified, encoded by 42 and 50 different genes, respectively. Sequence comparison indicates that the V H H s evolved within the V H subgroup III. Nevertheless, the V H H germline segments are highly diverse, leading to a broad structural repertoire of the antigen‐binding loops. Seven V H H subfamilies were recognized, of which five were confirmed to be expressed in vivo . Comparison of germline and cDNA sequences demonstrates that the rearranged V H H s are extensively diversified by somatic mutation processes, leading to an additional hypervariable region and a high incidence of nucleotide insertions or deletions. These diversification processes are driven by hypermutation and recombination hotspots embedded in the V H H germline genes at the regions affecting the structure of the antigen‐binding loops.

Local Endemism Within the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot

Abstract: The apparent biotic affinities between the mainland and the island in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot have been interpreted as the result of frequent migrations during recent periods of low sea level. We show, using molecular phylogenies of two invertebrate and four vertebrate groups, that biotic interchange between these areas has been much more limited than hitherto assumed. Despite several extended periods of land connection during the past 500,000 years, Sri Lanka has maintained a fauna that is largely distinct from that of the Indian mainland. Future conservation programs for the subcontinent should take into account such patterns of local endemism at the finest scale at which they may occur.