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Marine Pollution Bulletin May 2024A comparative assessment of heavy metal accumulation potential in four distinct marine benthic bioindicators: the bivalve Perna perna, the sponge Callyspongia fibrosa,...
A comparative assessment of heavy metal accumulation potential in four distinct marine benthic bioindicators: the bivalve Perna perna, the sponge Callyspongia fibrosa, the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla, and the gastropod Purpura bufo were conducted. These organisms were collected from the same location, and the concentration of ten heavy metals was analyzed in water, sediment and various body parts of the organisms. The bioaccumulation potential was evaluated using the bio-water accumulation factor and bio-sediment accumulation factor. There was significant variation in the bioaccumulation potential of each organism with respect to different metals. The sponge proved to be a reliable indicator of Cd with a highest concentration of 2.60 μg/g. Sea urchin accumulated high concentrations of Cr (16.98 μg/g) and Pb (4.80 μg/g), whereas Cu was predominant (21.05 μg/g) in gastropod, followed by bivalve (17.67 μg/g). The concentration of metals in hard parts was found to be lower than in the tissues.
Topics: Animals; Metals, Heavy; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Environmental Monitoring; Sea Urchins; Gastropoda; Bivalvia; Porifera; Geologic Sediments
PubMed: 38663344
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116374 -
Marine Pollution Bulletin May 2024Composition, and density of marine litter and associated macrofouling organisms was assessed in the continental shelf of the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea. A total of...
Composition, and density of marine litter and associated macrofouling organisms was assessed in the continental shelf of the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea. A total of 943 litter items weighing 388 kg were collected during 34 hauls. Plastic comprised 72 % of the total litter found on the seafloor. The mean number and weight of ML was 4241 ± 1333 items/km and 368 ± 87 kg/km. Depth and distance from the shore were not identified as a significant factor affecting both the number and weight of litter. A total of 20 fouling species and eggs belonging to Mollusca, Porifera, Cnidaria, Bryozoa, Annelida, Arthropoda, and Chordata were found on marine litter. An alien Mollusca species Pinctada imbricate was also found on plastic litter. Our results confirmed that marine litter is a vector transporting a variety of organisms including alien species and being a threat for the biodiversity and human health in the Mediterranean Sea.
Topics: Mediterranean Sea; Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Environmental Monitoring; Plastics; Biodiversity; Mollusca; Biofouling
PubMed: 38642477
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116328 -
Phytochemistry Jul 2024A chemical investigation of the dichloromethane extract from the Xisha sponge Diacarnus sp. revealed seven undescribed norterpene cyclic peroxides, named diacarperoxides...
A chemical investigation of the dichloromethane extract from the Xisha sponge Diacarnus sp. revealed seven undescribed norterpene cyclic peroxides, named diacarperoxides T-Z, and five unreported related norterpenes, named diacarnoids E-I, and eleven previously reported compounds. The structures of these isolated compounds, including their absolute configurations, were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, Snatzke's method, [Rh(OCOCF)]-induced ECD spectra, and modified Mosher's method. Bioassays were performed to assess the antibacterial activity against six pathogenic bacteria, cytotoxicities toward three cancer cell lines, and antimalarial activity against Plasmodium parasites. Most of the cyclic peroxides exhibited substantial antibacterial activity (MIC 1-8 μg/mL). Diacarperoxide W and nuapapuin A showed substantial antimalarial activity with IC values of 0.98 and 2.83 μM. Moreover, many compounds exhibited <50% cell survival rates, and IC values of 0.22-6.33 μM. The apoptosis assay showed that nuapapuin A induced cancer cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner.
Topics: Antimalarials; Porifera; Peroxides; Humans; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Molecular Structure; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Apoptosis; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Plasmodium falciparum; Structure-Activity Relationship; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Cell Line, Tumor; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Cell Survival; Cell Proliferation
PubMed: 38641142
DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114097 -
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of... Jul 2024Recently, the replication of biological microstructures has garnered significant attention due to their superior flexural strength and toughness, coupled with...
Recently, the replication of biological microstructures has garnered significant attention due to their superior flexural strength and toughness, coupled with lightweight structures. Among the most intriguing biological microstructures renowned for their flexural strength are those found in the Euplectella Aspergillum (EA) marine sponges. The remarkable strength of this sponge is attributed to its complex microstructure, which consists of concentric cylindrical layers known as spicules with organic interlayers. These features effectively impede large crack propagation, imparting extraordinary mechanical properties. However, there have been limited studies aimed at mimicking the spicule microstructure. In this study, structures inspired by spicules were designed and fabricated using the stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technique. The mechanical properties of concentric cylindrical structures (CCSs) inspired by the spicule microstructure were evaluated, considering factors such as the wall thickness of the cylinders, the number of layers, and core diameter, all of which significantly affect the mechanical response. These results were compared with those obtained from solid rods used as solid samples. The findings indicated that CCSs with five layers or fewer exhibited a flexural strength close to or higher than that of solid rods. Particularly, samples with 4 and 5 cylindrical layers displayed architecture similar to natural spicules. Moreover, in all CCSs, the absorbed energy was at least 3-4 times higher than solid rods. Conversely, CCSs with a cylinder wall thickness of 0.65 mm exhibited a more brittle behavior under the 3-point bending test than those with 0.35 mm and 0.5 mm wall thicknesses. CCSs demonstrated greater resistance to failure, displaying different crack propagation patterns and shear stress distributions under the bending test compared to solid rods. These results underscore that replicating the structure of spicules and producing structures with concentric cylindrical layers can transform a brittle structure into a more flexible one, particularly in load-bearing applications.
Topics: Printing, Three-Dimensional; Porifera; Animals; Stereolithography; Biomimetic Materials; Mechanical Phenomena; Materials Testing
PubMed: 38640693
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106555 -
Chemosphere Jun 2024Mediterranean marine biota suffers from various anthropogenic threats. Among them, pollutants such as mercury (Hg) represent important environmental issues that are...
Mediterranean marine biota suffers from various anthropogenic threats. Among them, pollutants such as mercury (Hg) represent important environmental issues that are exacerbated by bioaccumulation and bioamplification along food webs via its organic form, monomethylmercury (MMHg). To date, very little is known regarding the impact of mercury on Porifera and the few available studies have been exclusively focused on Demospongiae. This work studies the effect of MMHgCl at different biological levels of Oscarella lobularis (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha). Bioaccumulation assays show that MMHgCl significantly accumulated in sponge tissues after a 96-h exposure to 0.1 μg L. Toxicity assays (LC50) show a sensibility that depends on life-stage (adult vs bud). Additionally, we show that the exposure to 1 μg L MMHgCl negatively impacts the epithelial integrity and the regeneration process in buds, as shown by the loss of cell-cell contacts and the alteration of osculum morphogenesis. For the first time in a sponge, a whole set of genes classically involved in metal detoxification and in antioxidant response were identified. Significant changes in catalase, superoxide dismutase and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 expressions in exposed juveniles were measured. Such an integrative approach from the physiological to the molecular scales on a non-model organism expands our knowledge concerning sensitivity and toxicity mechanisms induced by MMHg in Porifera, raising new questions regarding the possible defences used by marine sponges.
Topics: Animals; Methylmercury Compounds; Porifera; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Bioaccumulation; Catalase; Superoxide Dismutase
PubMed: 38636911
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141839 -
Comparative Biochemistry and... 2024Boring sponge infection affects growth, development and reduces the soft tissue weight of oysters. In this study, we investigated the effects of boring sponge on the...
Boring sponge infection affects growth, development and reduces the soft tissue weight of oysters. In this study, we investigated the effects of boring sponge on the activity of three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GP)) in the mantle, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and potential genotoxicity in hemocytes of the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas. Our results showed a significant increase in ROS production and DNA damage in hemocytes. Notably, the activity of SOD, CAT, and GP in the mantle was not significantly affected by boring sponge infection. Collectively, these results suggest that sponge invasion may cause oxidative stress in Pacific oyster hemocytes through ROS overproduction.
Topics: Animals; Oxidative Stress; Ostreidae; Porifera; Reactive Oxygen Species; Superoxide Dismutase; Catalase; Hemocytes; Glutathione Peroxidase; DNA Damage
PubMed: 38636724
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.110980 -
Journal of Natural Products Apr 2024Psammaplins are sulfur containing bromotyrosine alkaloids that have shown antitumor activity through the inhibition of class I histone deacetylases (HDACs). The...
Psammaplins are sulfur containing bromotyrosine alkaloids that have shown antitumor activity through the inhibition of class I histone deacetylases (HDACs). The cytotoxic properties of psammaplin A (), the parent compound, are related to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation, but the mechanism of action of its analogs psammaplin K () and bisaprasin () has not been elucidated. In this study, the protective effects against oxidative stress of compounds -, isolated from the sponge , were evaluated in SH-SY5Y cells. The compounds improved cell survival, recovered glutathione (GSH) content, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) release at nanomolar concentrations. Psammaplins restored mitochondrial membrane potential by blocking mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening and reducing cyclophilin D expression. This effect was mediated by the capacity of - to activate PPARγ, enhancing gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and glutathione peroxidase. Finally, HDAC3 activity was reduced by - under oxidative stress conditions. This work is the first description of the neuroprotective activity of at low concentrations and the mechanism of action of and . Moreover, it links for the first time the previously described effects of in HDAC3 and PPARγ signaling, opening a new research field for the therapeutic potential of this compound family.
Topics: PPAR gamma; Oxidative Stress; Humans; Animals; Molecular Structure; Reactive Oxygen Species; Neurons; Histone Deacetylases; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Porifera; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Antioxidants; Glutathione; Alkaloids; Catalase; Glutathione Peroxidase; Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; Disulfides; Tyrosine
PubMed: 38632902
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00153 -
PloS One 2024The giant honeybee Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793) is an evolutionarily ancient species that builds its nests in the open. The nest consists of a single honeycomb covered...
The giant honeybee Apis dorsata (Fabricius, 1793) is an evolutionarily ancient species that builds its nests in the open. The nest consists of a single honeycomb covered with the bee curtain which are several layers of worker bees that remain almost motionless with their heads up and abdomens down on the nest surface, except for the mouth area, the hub between inner- and outer-nest activities. A colony may change this semi-quiescence several times a day, depending on its reproductive state and ambient temperature, to enter the state of mass flight activity (MFA), in which nest organisation is restructured and defense ability is likely to be suppressed (predicted by the mass-flight-suspend-defensiveness hypothesis). For this study, three episode of MFA (mfa1-3) of a selected experimental nest were analysed in a case study with sequences of >60 000 images at 50 Hz, each comprise a short pre-MFA session, the MFA and the post-MFA phase of further 10 min. To test colony defensiveness under normative conditions, a dummy wasp was cyclically presented with a standardised motion programme (Pd) with intervening sessions without such a presentation (nPd). Motion activity at five selected surveillance zones (sz1-5) on the nest were analysed. In contrast to mfa1,2, in mfa3 the experimental regime started with the cyclic presentation of the dummy wasp only after the MFA had subsided. As a result, the MFA intensity in mfa3 was significantly lower than in mfa1-2, suggesting that a colony is able to perceive external threats during the MFA. Characteristic ripples appear in the motion profiles, which can be interpreted as a start signal for the transition to MFA. Because they are strongest in the mouth zone and shift to higher frequencies on their way to the nest periphery, it can be concluded that MFA starts earlier in the mouth zone than in the peripheral zones, also suggesting that the mouth zone is a control centre for the scheduling of MFA. In Pd phases of pre- and postMFA, the histogram-based motion spectra are biphasic, suggesting two cohorts in the process, one remaining at quiescence and the other involved in shimmering. Under MFA, nPd and Pd spectra were typically Gaussian, suggesting that the nest mates with a uniform workload shifted to higher motion activity. At the end of the MFA, the spectra shift back to the lower motion activities and the Pd spectra form a biphasic again. This happens a few minutes earlier in the peripheral zones than in the mouth zone. Using time profiles of the skewness of the Pd motion spectra, the mass-flight-suspend-defensiveness hypothesis is confirmed, whereby the inhibition of defense ability was found to increase progressively during the MFA. These sawtooth-like time profiles of skewness during MFA show that defense capability is recovered again quite quickly at the end of MFA. Finally, with the help of the Pd motion spectra, clear indications can be obtained that the giant honeybees engage in a decision in the sense of a tradeoff between MFA and collective defensiveness, especially in the regions in the periphery to the mouth zone.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Motion; Porifera; Wasps; Normal Distribution; Bedding and Linens
PubMed: 38630677
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298467 -
The Journal of Experimental Biology Apr 2024Filter-feeding demosponges are modular organisms that consist of modules each with one water-exit osculum. Once a mature module has been formed, the weight-specific...
Filter-feeding demosponges are modular organisms that consist of modules each with one water-exit osculum. Once a mature module has been formed, the weight-specific filtration and respiration rates do not change. Sponge modules only grow to a certain size and for a sponge to increase in size, new modules must be formed. However, the growth characteristics of a small single-osculum module sponge are fundamentally different from those of multi-modular sponges, and a theoretically derived volume-specific filtration rate scales as F/V=V-1/3, indicating a decrease with increasing total module volume (V, cm3). Here, we studied filtration rate (F, l h-1), respiration rate (R, ml O2 h-1), volume-specific (F/V) and weight-specific (F/W) filtration rates, and the ratios F/R and F/W along with growth rates of small single-osculum demosponge Halichondria panicea explants of various sizes exposed to various concentrations of algal cells. The following relationships were found: F/V=7.08V-0.24, F=a1W1.05, and R=a2W0.68 where W is the dry weight (mg). The F/R and F/W ratios were constant and essentially independent of W, and other data indicate exponential growth. It is concluded that the experimental data support the theoretical F/V∝V-1/3.
Topics: Animals; Water; Respiration; Filtration; Respiratory Rate; Porifera
PubMed: 38629316
DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247132 -
Journal of Natural Products Apr 2024Three new cyclic heptapeptides, talaromides A-C (-), were isolated from cultures produced by the fungus (Ascomycota), isolated from an unidentified sponge. The...
Three new cyclic heptapeptides, talaromides A-C (-), were isolated from cultures produced by the fungus (Ascomycota), isolated from an unidentified sponge. The structures, featuring an unusual proline-anthranilic moiety, were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical transformations, including the advanced Marfey's method and GITC derivatization. Talaromides A and B inhibited migration activity against PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells without significant cytotoxicity.
Topics: Talaromyces; Animals; Porifera; Humans; Molecular Structure; Peptides, Cyclic; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Marine Biology; Antineoplastic Agents
PubMed: 38626456
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c01227