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ZooKeys 2024In this work, the diversity of the genus in the Nordic Seas and the North Atlantic waters south of Iceland is studied based on the analyses of molecular markers...
In this work, the diversity of the genus in the Nordic Seas and the North Atlantic waters south of Iceland is studied based on the analyses of molecular markers (mitochondrial COI, 16S rDNA and nuclear ITS2) and morphological characters. Our results showed the presence of at least five genetic lineages in the studied material which could also be morphologically identified by their segmental annulation patterns, the number and the shape of acicular spines, and the length and the shape of pygidial lobes. The species name is assigned to one of the lineages restricting its geographical and vertical distribution to the deep-sea areas north of Iceland and Jan Mayen, and three lineages are described as new species (i.e., Meca & Budaeva, , Meca & Budaeva, , and Meca & Budaeva, ) elevating the number of known species in the genus to 25. Three deep-sea species of in our study are reported only north of the Greenland-Iceland-Scotland Ridge, one deep-sea species found south of the ridge. A single shallow-water species is distributed along the ridge and on the Norwegian shelf.
PubMed: 38947165
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1205.120300 -
Scientific Data Jun 2024The morphology and architecture of structures formed by sediment-dwelling invertebrates, such as excavations or burrows, are often assumed to be characteristic of a...
The morphology and architecture of structures formed by sediment-dwelling invertebrates, such as excavations or burrows, are often assumed to be characteristic of a given species, consistent across a range of environmental conditions, and used to categorise species contributions to ecosystem functioning. However, very few investigations use non-invasive high-resolution techniques capable of determining fine scale variations in burrow form and complexity, or consider whether or not the form of the burrow is context dependent. Here, we provide replicate high-resolution micro-focus computed tomography data for the complete burrow systems of the Opheliid polychaete, Armandia cirrhosa, across a range of salinity and habitat conditions. These data provide reference models which can be used by ecologists investigating intraspecific variation in species traits and organism-sediment interactions and, more generally, by those tasked with pattern and shape recognition of objects that are morphologically highly variable and which adjust their architecture with changing circumstance or context.
Topics: Polychaeta; Animals; Ecosystem; Geologic Sediments; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; X-Ray Microtomography; Salinity
PubMed: 38926417
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03557-w -
PloS One 2024Hirudo nipponia is an important medicinal animal in China. Its salivary gland secretions contain a variety of protein bioactive substances. Investigations of its...
Hirudo nipponia is an important medicinal animal in China. Its salivary gland secretions contain a variety of protein bioactive substances. Investigations of its salivary glands are of great significance in the study of the medicinal value and mechanism of leech secretions. Illumina RNA-Seq technology was used to perform transcriptome sequencing of salivary gland tissue of H. nipponia under starvation (D30) and fed (D0) states. A total of 2,650 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. Using the label-free protein quantification technique and bioinformatics analysis, the expression of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the salivary gland tissue of H. nipponia was compared. A total of 2,021 proteins were identified, among which 181 proteins were differentially expressed between the starvation and fed states, with 72 significantly upregulated and 109 significantly downregulated. The salivary glands of H. nipponia synthesized protein-based active substances after 30 days of starvation and adapted to the starvation environment by weakening respiratory activity and reducing metabolic activity to reduce energy expenditure. Energy was produced by glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle for the synthesis of substances such as antibiotics. This study combined transcriptome and proteome sequencing data to provide a data reference for an in-depth study of the regulatory mechanism of salivary gland secretions of H. nipponia under starvation stress by analyzing DEGs and DEPs.
Topics: Animals; Salivary Glands; Transcriptome; Proteome; Starvation; Leeches; Gene Expression Profiling
PubMed: 38923974
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304453 -
Science Advances Jun 2024The microbiome plays a key role in the health of all metazoans. Whether and how the microbiome favors the adaptation processes of organisms to extreme conditions, such...
The microbiome plays a key role in the health of all metazoans. Whether and how the microbiome favors the adaptation processes of organisms to extreme conditions, such as those of Antarctica, which are incompatible with most metazoans, is still unknown. We investigated the microbiome of three endemic and widespread species of Antarctic polychaetes: , , and . We report here that these invertebrates contain a stable bacterial core dominated by and , equipped with a versatile genetic makeup and a unique portfolio of proteins useful for coping with extremely cold conditions as revealed by pangenomic and metaproteomic analyses. The close phylosymbiosis between and and these Antarctic polychaetes indicates a connection with their hosts that started in the past to support holobiont adaptation to the Antarctic Ocean. The wide suite of bacterial cryoprotective proteins found in Antarctic polychaetes may be useful for the development of nature-based biotechnological applications.
Topics: Polychaeta; Animals; Antarctic Regions; Microbiota; Freezing; Phylogeny; Bacterial Proteins
PubMed: 38905343
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk9117 -
PloS One 2024To explore cost-effective and efficient phytoremediation strategies, this study investigated the distinct roles of earthworm activity and mucus in enhancing Cd...
To explore cost-effective and efficient phytoremediation strategies, this study investigated the distinct roles of earthworm activity and mucus in enhancing Cd phytoextraction from soils contaminated by Festuca arundinacea, focusing on the comparative advantages of selective leaf harvesting versus traditional whole-plant harvesting methods. Our study employed a horticultural trial to explore how earthworm activity and mucus affect Festuca arundinacea' s Cd phytoremediation in soils using control, earthworm, and mucus treatments to examine their respective effects on plant growth and Cd distribution. Earthworm activity increased the dry weight of leaves by 13.5% and significantly increased the dry weights of declining and senescent leaves, surpassing that of the control by more than 40%. Earthworm mucus had a similar, albeit less pronounced, effect on plant growth than earthworm activity. This study not only validated the significant role of earthworm activity in enhancing Cd phytoextraction by Festuca arundinacea, with earthworm activity leading to over 85% of Cd being allocated to senescent tissues that comprise only approximately 20% of the plant biomass, but also highlighted a sustainable and cost-effective approach to phytoremediation by emphasizing selective leaf harvesting supported by earthworm activity. By demonstrating that earthworm mucus alone can redistribute Cd with less efficiency compared to live earthworms, our findings offer practical insights into optimizing phytoremediation strategies and underscore the need for further research into the synergistic effects of biological agents in soil remediation processes.
Topics: Animals; Oligochaeta; Cadmium; Plant Leaves; Festuca; Biodegradation, Environmental; Soil Pollutants; Mucus; Biomass; Soil
PubMed: 38875285
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304689 -
ZooKeys 2024Four new species of are described from Terengganu state on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, using morphological and molecular (cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI)...
Four new species of are described from Terengganu state on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, using morphological and molecular (cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene) data. These species belong to different groups of : belongs to Group A (Mossambica), and belong to Group B (Sanguinea) and belongs to Group E (Gravelyi). is characterised by having only limbate chaetae, absence of subacicular hooks, three types of pectinate chaetae including wide, thick isodont with short and slender inner teeth, and pectinate branchiae with up to nine branchial filaments. is characterised by the presence of eyes, unidentate subacicular hooks, four types of pectinate chaetae including wide, thick anodont pectinate chaetae with five long and thick inner teeth, and pectinate branchiae with up to six branchial filaments. has mostly unidentate subacicular hooks (bidentate on several posterior chaetigers), four types of pectinate chaetae including wide, thick anodont pectinate chaetae with seven thick and long inner teeth, and pectinate branchiae with up to five branchial filaments. has bidentate subacicular hooks throughout, five types of pectinate chaetae, including a heterodont with 12 short and slender inner teeth, and pectinate branchiae with up to eight branchial filaments. The designation of these new species based on morphology is fully supported by molecular data. Habitat descriptions of each species are also included.
PubMed: 38873217
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1204.117261 -
Open Biology Jun 2024Elongation of very long-chain fatty acid (Elovl) proteins plays pivotal functions in the biosynthesis of the physiologically essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty...
Elongation of very long-chain fatty acid (Elovl) proteins plays pivotal functions in the biosynthesis of the physiologically essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Polychaetes have important roles in marine ecosystems, contributing not only to nutrient recycling but also exhibiting a distinctive capacity for biosynthesizing LC-PUFA. To expand our understanding of the LC-PUFA biosynthesis in polychaetes, this study conducted a thorough molecular and functional characterization of Elovl occurring in the model organism . We identify six Elovl in the genome of . The sequence and phylogenetic analyses established that four Elovl, identified as Elovl2/5, Elovl4 (two genes) and Elovl1/7, have putative functions in LC-PUFA biosynthesis. Functional characterization confirmed the roles of these elongases in LC-PUFA biosynthesis, demonstrating that possesses a varied and functionally diverse complement of Elovl that, along with the enzymatic specificities of previously characterized desaturases, enables to perform all the reactions required for the biosynthesis of the LC-PUFA. Importantly, we uncovered that one of the two Elovl4-encoding genes is remarkably long in comparison with any other animals' Elovl, which contains a C terminal KH domain unique among Elovl. The distinctive expression pattern of this protein in photoreceptors strongly suggests a central role in vision.
Topics: Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Animals; Phylogeny; Fatty Acid Elongases; Polychaeta; Acetyltransferases; Annelida
PubMed: 38864244
DOI: 10.1098/rsob.240069 -
Nature Communications Jun 2024Chloroxylenol is a worldwide commonly used disinfectant. The massive consumption and relatively high chemical stability of chloroxylenol have caused eco-toxicological...
Chloroxylenol is a worldwide commonly used disinfectant. The massive consumption and relatively high chemical stability of chloroxylenol have caused eco-toxicological threats in receiving waters. We noticed that chloroxylenol has a chemical structure similar to numerous halo-phenolic disinfection byproducts. Solar detoxification of some halo-phenolic disinfection byproducts intrigued us to select a rapidly degradable chloroxylenol alternative from them. In investigating antimicrobial activities of disinfection byproducts, we found that 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone was 9.0-22 times more efficient than chloroxylenol in inactivating the tested bacteria, fungi and viruses. Also, the developmental toxicity of 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone to marine polychaete embryos decreased rapidly due to its rapid degradation via hydrolysis in receiving seawater, even without sunlight. Our work shows that 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone is a promising disinfectant that well addresses human biosecurity and environmental sustainability. More importantly, our work may enlighten scientists to exploit the slightly alkaline nature of seawater and develop other industrial products that can degrade rapidly via hydrolysis in seawater.
Topics: Disinfectants; Disinfection; Seawater; Animals; Hydrolysis; Polychaeta; Fungi; Bacteria; Chlorophenols; Viruses; Humans; Xylenes
PubMed: 38849332
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48752-w -
Microbiology Spectrum Jul 2024Similarly to other strict blood feeders, leeches from the genus (Hirudinida: Glossiphoniidae) have established a symbiotic association with bacteria harbored...
UNLABELLED
Similarly to other strict blood feeders, leeches from the genus (Hirudinida: Glossiphoniidae) have established a symbiotic association with bacteria harbored intracellularly in esophageal bacteriomes. Previous genome sequence analyses of these endosymbionts revealed co-divergence with their hosts, a strong genome reduction, and a simplified metabolism largely dedicated to the production of B vitamins, which are nutrients lacking from a blood diet. ' Providencia siddallii' has been identified as the obligate nutritional endosymbiont of a monophyletic clade of Mexican and South American spp. However, the genus includes a sister clade of congeners from Central and South America, where the presence or absence of the aforementioned symbiont taxon remains unknown. In this work, we report on a novel bacterial endosymbiont found in a representative from this clade. We found that this symbiont lineage has evolved from within the genus, known mainly from clinical but also environmental strains. Similarly to . , the -associated symbiont displays clear signs of genome reduction, accompanied by an A+T-biased sequence composition. Genomic analysis of its metabolic potential revealed a retention of pathways related to B vitamin biosynthesis, supporting its role as a nutritional endosymbiont. Finally, comparative genomics of both symbiont lineages suggests that an ancient symbiont was likely replaced by the novel one, thus constituting the first reported case of nutritional symbiont replacement in a leech without morphological changes in the bacteriome.
IMPORTANCE
Obligate symbiotic associations with a nutritional base have likely evolved more than once in strict blood-feeding leeches. Unlike those symbioses found in hematophagous arthropods, the nature, identity, and evolutionary history of these remains poorly studied. In this work, we further explored obligate nutritional associations between leeches and their microbial symbionts, which led to the unexpected discovery of a novel symbiosis with a member of the genus. When compared to , an obligate nutritional symbiont of other leeches, this novel bacterial symbiont shows convergent retention of the metabolic pathways involved in B vitamin biosynthesis. Moreover, the genomic characteristics of this symbiont suggest a more recent association than that of and . We conclude that the once-thought stable associations between blood-feeding Glossiphoniidae and their symbionts (i.e., one bacteriome structure, one symbiont lineage) can break down, mirroring symbiont turnover observed in various arthropod lineages.
Topics: Animals; Symbiosis; Leeches; Phylogeny; Genome, Bacterial; Providencia
PubMed: 38842327
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04286-23 -
Plant Signaling & Behavior Dec 2024Earthworms' coelomic fluid (CF) has been discovered to possess properties that promote plant development. In particular, the earthworm's coelomic fluid-associated...
Earthworms' coelomic fluid (CF) has been discovered to possess properties that promote plant development. In particular, the earthworm's coelomic fluid-associated bacteria (CFB) are the primary factor influencing the plants' response. To investigate this, we used bacteria isolated from the CF and selected based on different plant growth-promoting traits, in a mesocosm ecosystem that includes plants. This experiment aimed to assess their impact on the metabolism of plants growing under abiotic stress environments (alkaline soil and nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and potassium (K) deficit) and compare the lipid profiles of plants under the various treatments. We used seven different bacterial species isolated from the CF of and as a plant model L. For the metabolomic analysis method, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry lipidomic. After observing the metabolomic profiles, we found that a few molecular pathways are involved in how plants react to bacterial biostimulants. The bacterial isolates belonging to , , , and have led to a significant increase in synthesizing several metabolites belonging to various chemical categories. Contrary to predictions, abiotic stress did not cause a drop in the composition and concentration of lipids in plants treated with the CFB, demonstrating the rigidity of the protective mechanisms. The statistical analysis based on the Pearson method revealed a positive significant correlation between plant growth parameters (length of the aerial part, surface of the leaves, and biomass) and some metabolites belonging to fatty acids, carboxylic acids, benzene derivatives, and alkanes. Moreover, the standard metabolic components of all treatments in much higher concentrations during bacterial treatments than the control treatment suggests that the bacteria have stimulated the overexpression of these metabolic components. According to these results, we could assume that plants treated with CFB exhibit an adaptability of abiotic stress defense mechanisms, which may be attributed to the upregulation of genes involved in lipid biosynthesis pathways.
Topics: Stress, Physiological; Bacteria; Animals; Zea mays; Oligochaeta
PubMed: 38832593
DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2363126