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Environmental Toxicology Mar 2024Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) have been commonly used in agriculture to inhibit weed growth and increase yields. However, due to the high solubility of these...
Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) have been commonly used in agriculture to inhibit weed growth and increase yields. However, due to the high solubility of these herbicides in water, they can reach aquatic environments, by infiltration, erosion, and/or lixiviation, affecting non target organisms. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the toxicity of GBH Roundup WG® (RWG®) during the embryonic and larval development of Danio rerio. Embryos (3 hours post fertilization, hpf-until hatching) and larvae (3 days post fertilization, dpf to 6 dpf) were exposed to concentrations of 0.065 and 6.5 mg L . They were evaluated for survival, hatching, spontaneous movements, heartbeat, morphology, and morphometry by in vivo photographs in microscope, cell proliferation and apoptosis by immunohistochemistry, and exploratory behavior and phototropism by video recording. Our results showed an increase in embryo and larvae mortality in those exposed to 0.065 mg L , as well as a reduction in spontaneous embryo movements. The larval heartbeats showed a decrease at 4 dpf in the group exposed to 0.065 mg L and an increase at 5 and 6 dpf in both exposed groups. Cell proliferation was reduced in both groups exposed in embryos and only in the 0.065 mg L group in larvae, while cell death increased in embryos exposed to 6.5 mg L . These results demonstrated the toxic effect of low concentrations of the herbicide RWG® during embryonic and larval development of non target organisms, as well as the importance of constantly reviewing acceptable limits for exposure in natural environments.
Topics: Animals; Glyphosate; Herbicides; Zebrafish; Glycine; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Larva; Perciformes; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Embryonic Development
PubMed: 38083805
DOI: 10.1002/tox.24024 -
Nature Communications Feb 2024Crack formation observed across diverse fields like geology, nanotechnology, arts, structural engineering or surface science, is a chaotic and undesirable phenomenon,...
Crack formation observed across diverse fields like geology, nanotechnology, arts, structural engineering or surface science, is a chaotic and undesirable phenomenon, resulting in random patterns of cracks generally leading to material failure. Limiting the formation of cracks or "programming" the path of cracks is a great technological challenge since it holds promise to enhance material durability or even to develop low cost patterning methods. Drawing inspiration from negative phototropism in plants, we demonstrate the capability to organize, guide, replicate, or arrest crack propagation in colloidal films through remote light manipulation. The key consists in using plasmonic photothermal absorbers to generate "virtual" defects enabling controlled deviation of cracks. We engineer a dip-coating process coupled with selective light irradiation enabling simultaneous deposition and light-directed crack patterning. This approach represents a rare example of a robust self-assembly process with long-range order that can be programmed in both space and time.
PubMed: 38326305
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45365-1 -
Plant Physiology Jun 2024The asymmetrical distribution of auxin supports high intensity blue light (HBL)-mediated phototropism. Flavonoids, secondary metabolites induced by blue light and...
The asymmetrical distribution of auxin supports high intensity blue light (HBL)-mediated phototropism. Flavonoids, secondary metabolites induced by blue light and TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1), alter auxin transport. However, the role of TTG1 in HBL-induced phototropism in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) remains unclear. We found that TTG1 regulates HBL-mediated phototropism. HBL-induced degradation of CRYPTOCHROME 1 (CRY1) was repressed in ttg1-1, and depletion of CRY1 rescued the phototropic defects of the ttg1-1 mutant. Moreover, overexpression of CRY1 in a cry1 mutant background led to phototropic defects in response to HBL. These results indicated that CRY1 is involved in the regulation of TTG1-mediated phototropism in response to HBL. Further investigation showed that TTG1 physically interacts with CRY1 via its N-terminus and that the added TTG1 promotes the dimerization of CRY1. The interaction between TTG1 and CRY1 may promote HBL-mediated degradation of CRY1. TTG1 also physically interacted with blue light inhibitor of cryptochrome 1 (BIC1) and Light-Response Bric-a-Brack/Tramtrack/Broad 2 (LRB2), and these interactions either inhibited or promoted their interaction with CRY1. Exogenous gibberellins (GA) and auxins, two key plant hormones that crosstalk with CRY1, may confer the recovery of phototropic defects in the ttg1-1 mutant and CRY1-overexpressing plants. Our results revealed that TTG1 participates in the regulation of HBL-induced phototropism by modulating CRY1 levels, which are coordinated with GA or IAA signaling.
PubMed: 38833579
DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae322 -
Bioresource Technology Feb 2024Rotifer reproduction control in open microalgae cultivation systems poses a significant challenge for large-scale industries. Conventional methods, such as electric,...
Rotifer reproduction control in open microalgae cultivation systems poses a significant challenge for large-scale industries. Conventional methods, such as electric, meshing, and chemical techniques, are often expensive, ineffective, and may have adverse environmental-health impacts. This study investigated a promising control technique through light-induced phototaxis to concentrate rotifers in a specific spot, where they were electroshocked by local-limited exposure dose. The results showed that the rotifers had the most pronounced positive and negative phototropism with phototaxis rates of 66.7 % and -78.8 %, respectively, at blue-light irradiation of 30 µmol∙m∙s and red-light irradiation of 22.5 µmol∙m∙s for 20 min. The most effective electroshock configuration employed 1200 V/cm for 15 min with a 1-second cycle time and a 10 % duty cycle, resulting in a 75.0 % rotifer removal rate without impacting microalgae growth. The combination of the two light beams could effectively lead rotifers to designated areas where they were electrocuted successfully.
Topics: Microalgae; Ponds; Phototaxis; Electroshock; Blue Light; Biomass
PubMed: 38142911
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130241 -
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach,... Apr 2024Soft robots have the potential to assist and complement human exploration of extreme and harsh environments (i.e., organic solvents). However, soft robots with stable...
Soft robots have the potential to assist and complement human exploration of extreme and harsh environments (i.e., organic solvents). However, soft robots with stable performance in diverse organic solvents are not developed yet. In the current research, a non-Euclidean-plate under-liquid soft robot inspired by jellyfish based on phototropic liquid crystal elastomers is fabricated via a 4D-programmable strategy. Specifically, the robot employs a 3D-printed non-Euclidean-plate, designed with Archimedean orientation, which undergoes autonomous deformation to release internal stress when immersed in organic solvents. With the assistance of near-infrared light illumination, the organic solvent inside the robot vaporizes and generates propulsion in the form of bubble streams. The developed NEP-Jelly-inspired soft robot can swim with a high degree of freedom in various organic solvents, for example, N, N-dimethylformamide, N, N-dimethylacetamide, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, and trichloromethane, which is not reported before. Besides bionic jellyfish, various aquatic invertebrate-inspired soft robots can potentially be prepared via a similar 4D-programmable strategy.
PubMed: 38211632
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313761 -
Planta Feb 2024After blue-light exposure, ubiquitination of PHOTOTROPIN1 lysine 526 enhances phototropic responses. Arabidopsis blue-light photoreceptor, PHOTOTROPIN1 (PHOT1) mediates...
After blue-light exposure, ubiquitination of PHOTOTROPIN1 lysine 526 enhances phototropic responses. Arabidopsis blue-light photoreceptor, PHOTOTROPIN1 (PHOT1) mediates a series of blue-light responses that function to optimize photosynthesis efficiency. Blue-light sensing through the N-terminal sensory domain activates the C-terminal kinase activity of PHOT1, resulting in autophosphorylation. In addition to phosphorylation, PHOT1 lysine residue 526 (Lys526), after blue-light exposure, was found to carry a double glycine attachment, indicative of a possible ubiquitination modification. The functionality of PHOT1 Lys526 was investigated by reverse genetic approaches. Arginine replacements of PHOT1 Lys526, together with Lys527, complemented phot1-5 phot2-1 double mutant with attenuated phototropic bending, while blue-light responses: leaf expansion and stomatal opening, were restored to wild type levels. Transgenic seedlings were not different in protein levels of phot1 Lys526 527Arg than the wild type control, suggesting the reduced phototropic responses was not caused by reduction in protein levels. Treating the transformants with proteosome inhibitor, MG132, did not restore phototropic sensitivity. Both transgenic protein and wild type PHOT1 also had similar dark recovery of kinase activity, suggesting that phot1 Lys526 527Arg replacement did not affect the protein stability to cause the phenotype. Together, our results indicate that blocking Lys526 ubiquitination by arginine substitution may have caused the reduced phototropic phenotype. Therefore, the putative ubiquitination on Lys526 functions to enhance PHOT1-mediated phototropism, rather than targeting PHOT1 for proteolysis.
Topics: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins; Arginine; Light; Lysine; Phosphoproteins; Phototropism; Plants, Genetically Modified; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
PubMed: 38305934
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04332-2 -
Macromolecular Rapid Communications May 2024Molecular motor amphiphiles have already been widely attempted for dynamic nanosystems across multiple length-scale for developments of small functional materials,...
Molecular motor amphiphiles have already been widely attempted for dynamic nanosystems across multiple length-scale for developments of small functional materials, including controlling macroscopic foam properties, amplifying motion as artificial molecular muscles, and serving as extracellular matrix mimicking cell scaffolds. However, limiting examples of bola-type molecular motor amphiphiles are considered for constructing macroscopic biomaterials. Herein, this work presents the designed two second generation molecular motor amphiphiles, motor bola-amphiphiles (MBAs). Aside from the photoinduced motor rotation of MBAs achieved in both organic and aqueous media, the rate of recovering thermal helix inversion step can be controlled by the rotor part with different steric hindrances. Dynamic assembled structures of MBAs are observed under (cryo)-transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This dynamicity assists MBAs in further assembling as macroscopic soft scaffolds by applying a shear-flow method. Upon photoirradiation, the phototropic bending function of MBA scaffolds is observed, demonstrating the amplification of molecular motion into macroscopic phototropic bending functions at the macroscopic length-scale. Since MBAs are confirmed with low cytotoxicity, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) can grow on the surface of MBA scaffolds. These results clearly demonstrate the concept of designing MBAs for developing photoresponsive dynamic functional materials to create new-generation soft robotic systems and cell-material interfaces.
PubMed: 38805189
DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400261 -
Physiologia Plantarum 2024Phototropism movement is crucial for plants to adapt to various environmental changes. Plant P-type H-ATPase (HA) plays diverse roles in signal transduction during cell...
Phototropism movement is crucial for plants to adapt to various environmental changes. Plant P-type H-ATPase (HA) plays diverse roles in signal transduction during cell expansion, regulation of cellular osmotic potential and stomatal opening, and circadian movement. Despite numerous studies on the genome-wide analysis of Vitis vinifera, no research has been done on the P-type H-ATPase family genes, especially concerning pulvinus-driven leaf movement. In this study, 55 VvHAs were identified and classified into nine distinct subgroups (1 to 9). Gene members within the same subgroups exhibit similar features in motif, intron/exon, and protein tertiary structures. Furthermore, four pairs of genes were derived by segmental duplication in grapes. Cis-acting element analysis identified numerous light/circadian-related elements in the promoters of VvHAs. qRT-PCR analysis showed that several genes of subgroup 7 were highly expressed in leaves and pulvinus during leaf movement, especially VvHA14, VvHA15, VvHA16, VvHA19, VvHA51, VvHA52, and VvHA54. Additionally, we also found that the VvHAs genes were asymmetrically expressed on both sides of the extensor and flexor cell of the motor organ, the pulvinus. The expression of VvHAs family genes in extensor cells was significantly higher than that in flexor cells. Overall, this study serves as a foundation for further investigations into the functions of VvHAs and contributes to the complex mechanisms underlying grapevine pulvinus growth and development.
Topics: Vitis; Plant Leaves; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Proton-Translocating ATPases; Plant Proteins; Phototropism; Pulvinus; Cell Membrane; Phylogeny; Multigene Family
PubMed: 38894644
DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14380 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2024Photorespiration is an essential process of phototropic organisms caused by the limited ability of rubisco to distinguish between CO and O. To understand the metabolic...
Photorespiration is an essential process of phototropic organisms caused by the limited ability of rubisco to distinguish between CO and O. To understand the metabolic flux through the photorespiratory pathway, we combined a mass spectrometry-based approach with a shift experiment from elevated CO (3000 ppm) to ambient CO (390 ppm). Here, we describe a protocol for quantifying photorespiratory intermediates, starting from plant cultivation through extraction and evaluation.
Topics: Carbon Dioxide; Mass Spectrometry; Photosynthesis; Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase; Oxygen; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 38861088
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3802-6_15