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Marine Drugs Oct 2019As people across the world live longer, chronic illness and diminished well-being are becoming major global public health challenges. Marine biotechnology may help... (Review)
Review
As people across the world live longer, chronic illness and diminished well-being are becoming major global public health challenges. Marine biotechnology may help overcome some of these challenges by developing new products and know-how derived from marine organisms. While some products from marine organisms such as microalgae, sponges, and fish have already found biotechnological applications, jellyfish have received little attention as a potential source of bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, recent studies have highlighted that scyphomedusae (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) synthesise at least three main categories of compounds that may find biotechnological applications: collagen, fatty acids and components of crude venom. We review what is known about these compounds in scyphomedusae and their current biotechnological applications, which falls mainly into four categories of products: nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, biomedicals, and biomaterials. By defining the state of the art of biotechnological applications in scyphomedusae, we intend to promote the use of these bioactive compounds to increase the health and well-being of future societies.
Topics: Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Biotechnology; Cnidaria; Cnidarian Venoms; Collagen; Cosmeceuticals; Fatty Acids; Humans; Mammals; Scyphozoa
PubMed: 31653064
DOI: 10.3390/md17110604 -
Marine Drugs Oct 2020Cnidarians have been known since ancient times for the painful stings they induce to humans. The effects of the stings range from skin irritation to cardiotoxicity and... (Review)
Review
Cnidarians have been known since ancient times for the painful stings they induce to humans. The effects of the stings range from skin irritation to cardiotoxicity and can result in death of human beings. The noxious effects of cnidarian venoms have stimulated the definition of their composition and their activity. Despite this interest, only a limited number of compounds extracted from cnidarian venoms have been identified and defined in detail. Venoms extracted from Anthozoa are likely the most studied, while venoms from Cubozoa attract research interests due to their lethal effects on humans. The investigation of cnidarian venoms has benefited in very recent times by the application of omics approaches. In this review, we propose an updated synopsis of the toxins identified in the venoms of the main classes of Cnidaria (Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Cubozoa, Staurozoa and Anthozoa). We have attempted to consider most of the available information, including a summary of the most recent results from omics and biotechnological studies, with the aim to define the state of the art in the field and provide a background for future research.
Topics: Animals; Cnidaria; Cnidarian Venoms; Genomics; Metabolomics
PubMed: 33036158
DOI: 10.3390/md18100507 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022
Topics: Animals; Cnidaria; Immunity, Innate; Porifera
PubMed: 35173730
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.816550 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... Sep 2020This review explores how microbial symbioses may have influenced and continue to influence the evolution of reef-building corals (Cnidaria; Scleractinia). The coral... (Review)
Review
This review explores how microbial symbioses may have influenced and continue to influence the evolution of reef-building corals (Cnidaria; Scleractinia). The coral holobiont comprises a diverse microbiome including dinoflagellate algae (Dinophyceae; Symbiodiniaceae), bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses, but here we focus on the Symbiodiniaceae as knowledge of the impact of other microbial symbionts on coral evolution is scant. Symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae has extended the coral's metabolic capacity through metabolic handoffs and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and has contributed to the ecological success of these iconic organisms. It necessitated the prior existence or the evolution of a series of adaptations of the host to attract and select the right symbionts, to provide them with a suitable environment and to remove disfunctional symbionts. Signatures of microbial symbiosis in the coral genome include HGT from Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria, gene family expansions, and a broad repertoire of oxidative stress response and innate immunity genes. Symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae has permitted corals to occupy oligotrophic waters as the algae provide most corals with the majority of their nutrition. However, the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis is sensitive to climate warming, which disrupts this intimate relationship, causing coral bleaching, mortality and a worldwide decline of coral reefs. This article is part of the theme issue 'The role of the microbiome in host evolution'.
Topics: Animals; Anthozoa; Biological Evolution; Dinoflagellida; Global Warming; Microbiota; Symbiosis
PubMed: 32772672
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0591 -
Genes Jul 2021Sea anemones vary immensely in life history strategies, environmental niches and their ability to regenerate. While the sea anemone is the starlet of many key... (Review)
Review
Sea anemones vary immensely in life history strategies, environmental niches and their ability to regenerate. While the sea anemone is the starlet of many key regeneration studies, recent work is emerging on the diverse regeneration strategies employed by other sea anemones. This manuscript will explore current molecular mechanisms of regeneration employed by non-model sea anemones (an emerging model species for coral symbiosis studies) and (a less well-studied species) and examine how these species compare to the model sea anemone . We summarize the field of regeneration within sea anemones, within the greater context of phylum Cnidaria and in other invertebrate models of regeneration. We also address the current knowledge on two key systems that may be implemented in regeneration: the innate immune system and developmental pathways, including future aspects of work and current limitations.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Genomics; Immunity, Innate; Regeneration; Sea Anemones
PubMed: 34356088
DOI: 10.3390/genes12071072 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2020Cnidarians are early-branching animals in the eukaryotic tree of life. The phylum Cnidaria are divided into five classes: Scyphozoa (true jellyfish), Cubozoa (box... (Review)
Review
Cnidarians are early-branching animals in the eukaryotic tree of life. The phylum Cnidaria are divided into five classes: Scyphozoa (true jellyfish), Cubozoa (box jellyfish), Hydrozoa (species, and ), Anthozoa (sea anemone, corals, and sea pen), and Staurozoa (stalked jellyfish). Peptides play important roles as signaling molecules in development and differentiation in cnidaria. For example, cnidaria use peptides for cell-to cell communication. Recent discoveries show that neuropeptides control several biological processes including muscle contraction, neuron differentiation, and metamorphosis. Here, I describe the structure and functions of neuropeptides in and other cnidarian species. I also discuss that so-called primitive nervous system of is in more complex than generally believed. I also discuss how cnidaria use peptides for communication among cells rather than in higher animals.
Topics: Animals; Cnidaria; Metamorphosis, Biological; Muscle Contraction; Neurogenesis; Neuropeptides
PubMed: 32528418
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00339 -
BMC Biology Feb 2022Parasite evolution has been conceptualized as a process of genetic loss and simplification. Contrary to this model, there is evidence of expansion and conservation of...
BACKGROUND
Parasite evolution has been conceptualized as a process of genetic loss and simplification. Contrary to this model, there is evidence of expansion and conservation of gene families related to essential functions of parasitism in some parasite genomes, reminiscent of widespread mosaic evolution-where subregions of a genome have different rates of evolutionary change. We found evidence of mosaic genome evolution in the cnidarian Myxobolus honghuensis, a myxozoan parasite of fish, with extremely simple morphology.
RESULTS
We compared M. honghuensis with other myxozoans and free-living cnidarians, and determined that it has a relatively larger myxozoan genome (206 Mb), which is less reduced and less compact due to gene retention, large introns, transposon insertion, but not polyploidy. Relative to other metazoans, the M. honghuensis genome is depleted of neural genes and has only the simplest animal immune components. Conversely, it has relatively more genes involved in stress resistance, tissue invasion, energy metabolism, and cellular processes compared to other myxozoans and free-living cnidarians. We postulate that the expansion of these gene families is the result of evolutionary adaptations to endoparasitism. M. honghuensis retains genes found in free-living Cnidaria, including a reduced nervous system, myogenic components, ANTP class Homeobox genes, and components of the Wnt and Hedgehog pathways.
CONCLUSIONS
Our analyses suggest that the M. honghuensis genome evolved as a mosaic of conservative, divergent, depleted, and enhanced genes and pathways. These findings illustrate that myxozoans are not as genetically simple as previously regarded, and the evolution of some myxozoans is driven by both genomic streamlining and expansion.
Topics: Animals; Cnidaria; Genome; Hedgehog Proteins; Myxobolus; Parasites; Phylogeny
PubMed: 35177085
DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01249-8 -
Genes May 2021Medusozoans, the Cnidarian subphylum, have multiple life stages including sessile polyps and free-swimming medusae or jellyfish, which are typically bell-shaped... (Review)
Review
Medusozoans, the Cnidarian subphylum, have multiple life stages including sessile polyps and free-swimming medusae or jellyfish, which are typically bell-shaped gelatinous zooplanktons that exhibit diverse morphologies. Despite having a relatively complex body structure with well-developed muscles and nervous systems, the adult medusa stage maintains a high regenerative ability that enables organ regeneration as well as whole body reconstitution from the part of the body. This remarkable regeneration potential of jellyfish has long been acknowledged in different species; however, recent studies have begun dissecting the exact processes underpinning regeneration events. In this article, we introduce the current understanding of regeneration mechanisms in medusae, particularly focusing on cellular behaviors during regeneration such as wound healing, blastema formation by stem/progenitor cells or cell fate plasticity, and the organism-level patterning that restores radial symmetry. We also discuss putative molecular mechanisms involved in regeneration processes and introduce a variety of novel model jellyfish species in the effort to understand common principles and diverse mechanisms underlying the regeneration of complex organs and the entire body.
Topics: Animals; Body Patterning; Cell Differentiation; Cnidaria; Regeneration; Stem Cells
PubMed: 34067753
DOI: 10.3390/genes12050758 -
Developmental Biology Dec 2022Across eumetazoans, the ability to perceive and respond to visual stimuli is largely mediated by opsins, a family of proteins belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor... (Review)
Review
Across eumetazoans, the ability to perceive and respond to visual stimuli is largely mediated by opsins, a family of proteins belonging to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superclass. Lineage-specific gains and losses led to a striking diversity in the numbers, types, and spectral sensitivities conferred by visual opsin gene expression. Here, we review the diversity of visual opsins and differences in opsin gene expression from well-studied protostome, invertebrate deuterostome, and cnidarian groups. We discuss the functional significance of opsin expression differences and spectral tuning among lineages. In some cases, opsin evolution has been linked to the detection of relevant visual signals, including sexually selected color traits and host plant features. In other instances, variation in opsins has not been directly linked to functional or ecological differences. Overall, the array of opsin expression patterns and sensitivities across invertebrate lineages highlight the diversity of opsins in the eumetazoan ancestor and the labile nature of opsins over evolutionary time.
Topics: Animals; Opsins; Cnidaria; Evolution, Molecular; Phylogeny; Invertebrates; Rod Opsins
PubMed: 36272560
DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.10.011 -
Parasitology Dec 2022The myxozoan was described from hatchery rainbow trout over 70 years ago. The parasite continues to cause severe disease in salmon and trout, and is recognized as a... (Review)
Review
The myxozoan was described from hatchery rainbow trout over 70 years ago. The parasite continues to cause severe disease in salmon and trout, and is recognized as a barrier to salmon recovery in some rivers. This review incorporates changes in our knowledge of the parasite's life cycle, taxonomy and biology and examines how this information has expanded our understanding of the interactions between and its salmonid and annelid hosts, and how overarching environmental factors affect this host–parasite system. Development of molecular diagnostic techniques has allowed discrimination of differences in parasite genotypes, which have differing host affinities, and enabled the measurement of the spatio-temporal abundance of these different genotypes. Establishment of the life cycle in the laboratory has enabled studies on host–parasite interactions and the availability of transcriptomic data has informed our understanding of parasite virulence factors and host defences. Together, these advances have informed the development of models and management actions to mitigate disease.
Topics: Animals; Parasites; Cnidaria; Parasitic Diseases, Animal; Fish Diseases; Myxozoa; Oncorhynchus mykiss
PubMed: 36081219
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182022001275