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The Science of the Total Environment Nov 2023The bright coniferous forest area in the cold temperate zone of China is a terrestrial ecosystem primarily dominated by low mountain Larix gmelinii trees. Limited...
The bright coniferous forest area in the cold temperate zone of China is a terrestrial ecosystem primarily dominated by low mountain Larix gmelinii trees. Limited information is available regarding the assembly mechanisms and interactions of microbial communities in the soil in this region. This study employed high-throughput techniques to obtain DNA from myxomycetes, bacteria, and fungi in the soil, evaluated their diversity in conjunction with environmental factors, associated them with the assembly process, and explored the potential interaction relationships between these microorganisms. The findings of our study showed that environmental factors had a more significant influence on the α and β diversity of bacteria compared to myxomycetes and fungi. Microbial communities were influenced by environmental selection and geographical diffusion, although environmental selection appeared to have a more significant impact than geographical diffusion. Our study suggested that different microorganisms exhibited unique evolutionary patterns and may have different assembly modes within phylogenetic groups. Myxomycetes and fungi exhibited a similar assembly process that was mainly influenced by stochastic dispersal limitation and drift. In contrast, bacteria's assembly process was primarily influenced by stochastic drift and deterministic homogeneous selection. The community of myxomycetes and fungi is greatly influenced by spatial distribution and random events, while bacteria have a relatively stable population composition in specific regions and may also be subject to environmental constraints. Finally, this study revealed that Humicolopsis cephalosporioides, a fungus that exclusively resided in cold environments, may play a critical role as a keystone species in maintaining molecular ecological networks and was considered a core member of the microbiome.
Topics: Soil; Ecosystem; Phylogeny; Tracheophyta; Soil Microbiology; Forests; Fungi
PubMed: 37437627
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165429 -
European Journal of Protistology Aug 2023More than 1272 myxomycetes species have been described, accounting for more than half of all Amoebozoa species. However, the genome size of only three myxomycetes...
More than 1272 myxomycetes species have been described, accounting for more than half of all Amoebozoa species. However, the genome size of only three myxomycetes species has been reported. Therefore, we used flow cytometry to present an extensive survey and a phylogeny-based analysis of genome size and GC content evolution in 144 myxomycetes species. The genome size of myxomycetes ranged from 18.7 Mb to 470.3 Mb, and the GC content ranged from 38.7% to 70.1%. Bright-spored clade showed larger genome sizes and more intra-order genome size variations than the dark-spored clade. GC content and genome size were positively correlated in both bright-spored and dark-spored clades, and spore size was positively correlated with genome size and GC content in the bright-spored clade. We provided the first genome size data set in Myxomycetes, and our results will provide helpful information for future Myxomycetes studies, such as genome sequencing.
Topics: Genome Size; Myxomycetes; Base Composition; Phylogeny; Amoebozoa
PubMed: 37331249
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.125991 -
Journal of Microbiological Methods Aug 2023
PubMed: 37301635
DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2023.106758 -
Mycologia 2023Based on a study of 255 collections from four continents and four floristic kingdoms, we describe 15 new species of the genus . The new species, all morphologically...
Based on a study of 255 collections from four continents and four floristic kingdoms, we describe 15 new species of the genus . The new species, all morphologically close to , and , differ from each other by the structure of the peridium and, in some cases, also by the color of the fresh spore mass and the ornamentation of the capillitium and spores. Species delimitation is confirmed by two independently inherited molecular markers, as well as previously performed tests of reproductive isolation and genetic distances. We studied authentic material of and and found fresh specimens of these species, which allowed us to obtain molecular barcodes and substantiate the separation of new species from these taxa. We propose to retain the name for the globally most abundant species, for which we provide a more precise description and a neotypification. Two formerly described species, and , we consider to be dubious. We do not recognize the species .
Topics: Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Myxomycetes; Spores, Protozoan; Species Specificity; DNA, Protozoan; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
PubMed: 37224183
DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2199109 -
Physical Biology May 2023The network-shaped body plan distinguishes the unicellular slime mouldin body architecture from other unicellular organisms. Yet, network-shaped body plans dominate...
The network-shaped body plan distinguishes the unicellular slime mouldin body architecture from other unicellular organisms. Yet, network-shaped body plans dominate branches of multi-cellular life such as in fungi. What survival advantage does a network structure provide when facing a dynamic environment with adverse conditions? Here, we probe how network topology impacts's avoidance response to an adverse blue light. We stimulate either an elongated, I-shaped amoeboid or a Y-shaped networked specimen and subsequently quantify the evacuation process of the light-exposed body part. The result shows that Y-shaped specimen complete the avoidance retraction in a comparable time frame, even slightly faster than I-shaped organisms, yet, at a lower almost negligible increase in migration velocity. Contraction amplitude driving mass motion is further only locally increased in Y-shaped specimen compared to I-shaped-providing further evidence that Y-shaped's avoidance reaction is energetically more efficient than in I-shaped amoeboid organisms. The difference in the retraction behaviour suggests that the complexity of network topology provides a key advantage when encountering adverse environments. Our findings could lead to a better understanding of the transition from unicellular to multicellularity.
Topics: Physarum polycephalum; Models, Biological
PubMed: 37190961
DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/accef2 -
Animal Cognition Nov 2023Sensing, communication, navigation, decision-making, memory and learning are key components in a standard cognitive tool-kit that enhance an animal's ability to... (Review)
Review
Sensing, communication, navigation, decision-making, memory and learning are key components in a standard cognitive tool-kit that enhance an animal's ability to successfully survive and reproduce. However, these tools are not only useful for, or accessible to, animals-they evolved long ago in simpler organisms using mechanisms which may be either unique or widely conserved across diverse taxa. In this article, I review the recent research that demonstrates these key cognitive abilities in the plasmodial slime mould Physarum polycephalum, which has emerged as a model for non-animal cognition. I discuss the benefits and limitations of comparisons drawn between neural and non-neural systems, and the implications of common mechanisms across wide taxonomic divisions. I conclude by discussing future avenues of research that will draw the most benefit from a closer integration of Physarum and animal cognition research.
Topics: Animals; Physarum polycephalum; Cognition; Learning
PubMed: 37166523
DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01782-1 -
Mycoscience 2022A new species of (), described herein as , was recovered in the field on ground litter from mountain subtropical forests (Phia Oắc - Phia Đén National Park) of...
: a new species of myxomycetes with reticulate spores from Phia Oắc - Phia Đén National Park (northern Vietnam) supported by molecular phylogeny and morphological analysis.
A new species of (), described herein as , was recovered in the field on ground litter from mountain subtropical forests (Phia Oắc - Phia Đén National Park) of northern Vietnam. Morphological details were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. The species is characterized by a distinct and unique combination of morphological features, including a bright blue, shiny and very thin membranous peridium, a small dome-shaped columella, rigid, straight, branched, brown capillitial threads which gradually become pale at the periphery and finally colorless at the tips and small-meshed, banded-reticulate spores with 9-12 meshes across the spore diameter and solid walls without perforations 0.3-0.5 µm high. The stability of the taxonomic characters of is supported by two well-developed collections found in 2018 and 2019. Partial sequences of three molecular markers (SSU, EF1α, COI) for both collections are identical. A two-gene phylogeny of the first two markers displays the two known accessions as a well-separated entity and indicates affinity of the new species with (the type taxon of the genus), , and several nivicolous species.
PubMed: 37090470
DOI: 10.47371/mycosci.2022.05.003 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2023Propofol belongs to a class of molecules that are known to block learning and memory in mammals, including rodents and humans. Interestingly, learning and memory are not...
Propofol belongs to a class of molecules that are known to block learning and memory in mammals, including rodents and humans. Interestingly, learning and memory are not tied to the presence of a nervous system. There are several lines of evidence indicating that single-celled organisms also have the capacity for learning and memory which may be considered as basal intelligence. Here, we introduce a new experimental model for testing the learning ability of , a model organism frequently used to study single-celled "intelligence". In this study, the impact of propofol on 's "intelligence" was tested. The model consists of a labyrinth of subsequent bifurcations in which food (oat flakes soaked with coconut oil-derived medium chain triglycerides [MCT] and soybean oil-derived long chain triglycerides [LCT]) or propofol in MCT/LCT) is placed in one of each Y-branch. In this setting, it was tested whether memorized the rewarding branch. We saw that was a quick learner when capturing the first bifurcations of the maze; thereafter, the effect decreased, perhaps due to reaching a state of satiety. In contrast, when oat flakes were soaked with propofol, 's preference for oat flakes declined significantly. Several possible actions, including the blocking of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor signaling, are suggested to account for this behavior, many of which can be tested in our new model.
Topics: Humans; Propofol; Anesthetics, Intravenous; Physarum polycephalum; Pain; Triglycerides
PubMed: 37047260
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076287 -
Genes Mar 2023The mtDNA of the myxomycete can contain as many as 81 genes. These genes can be grouped in three different categories. The first category includes 46 genes that are... (Review)
Review
The mtDNA of the myxomycete can contain as many as 81 genes. These genes can be grouped in three different categories. The first category includes 46 genes that are classically found on the mtDNA of many organisms. However, 43 of these genes are cryptogenes that require a unique type of RNA editing (MICOTREM). A second category of gene is putative protein-coding genes represented by 26 significant open reading frames. However, these genes do not appear to be transcribed during the growth of the plasmodium and are currently unassigned since they do not have any apparent similarity to other classical mitochondrial protein-coding genes. The third category of gene is found in the mtDNA of some strains of . These genes derive from a linear mitochondrial plasmid with nine significant, but unassigned, open reading frames which can integrate into the mitochondrial DNA by recombination. Here, we review the mechanism and evolution of the RNA editing necessary for cryptogene expression, discuss possible origins for the 26 unassigned open reading frames based on tentative identification of their protein product, and discuss the implications to mtDNA structure and replication of the integration of the linear mitochondrial plasmid.
Topics: Physarum polycephalum; DNA, Mitochondrial; Base Sequence; Mitochondria; Genetic Variation
PubMed: 36980901
DOI: 10.3390/genes14030628 -
Journal of Basic Microbiology Jun 2023Myxogastrea is a group of eukaryotic microorganisms included in Amoebozoa. Its life cycle includes two trophic stages: plasmodia and myxamoeflagellates. However, only...
Myxogastrea is a group of eukaryotic microorganisms included in Amoebozoa. Its life cycle includes two trophic stages: plasmodia and myxamoeflagellates. However, only about 102 species have their complete life cycle known in literature and only about 18 species have their plasmodial axenic culture accomplished in laboratory conditions. The research presented herein involved culturing of Physarum galbeum on the water agar medium. The events that transpired during its life cycle including spore germination, plasmodia formation, and sporocarp development were documented especially the subglobose or discoid sporotheca and the stalk formation. The spores germinated by the V-shape split method to release a single protoplasm. Yellow-green pigmented phaneroplasmodia developed into sporocarps by subhypothallic type. The present article gives details of the sporocarp development of P. galbeum and its plasmodial axenic culture on solid and liquid mediums.
Topics: Animals; Physarum; Axenic Culture; Culture Media; Life Cycle Stages
PubMed: 36976270
DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202200256