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Advances in Clinical and Experimental... Sep 2022There are numerous surprising discoveries in current comprehensive biopolymer research, including the description of new types of biopolymers and the extension of their...
There are numerous surprising discoveries in current comprehensive biopolymer research, including the description of new types of biopolymers and the extension of their applications. The discovery of a new rotifer-specific biopolymer family (Rotimers) and the exceptional ability of these micrometazoans to inactivate and catabolize human-type neurotoxic aggregates (e.g., beta-amyloids, alpha-synucleins, prions) by their exudates can be mentioned as the original work of our research group. Rotimers are exogenous and protein complex molecules with a calcium-dependent production mechanism in both bdelloid and monogonant rotifers. However, their experimental and application possibilities are still unknown; only part of the class has been explored and described. Current Rotimer-related studies present promising biodiversity and bioactivity of these biomaterials (e.g., antiand disaggregation effects or high degrees of adhesion to other molecules). The primary objective of current research is to explore and develop their application in translational biomedicine. A key area is the design of drug candidates against neurodegeneration-related aggregates based on the molecular information provided by the composition, structure and function of Rotimers. These novel biomaterials have the potential to open new perspectives in the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare.
Topics: Animals; Biocompatible Materials; Biopolymers; Calcium; Humans; Prions; Rotifera; Synucleins
PubMed: 36000877
DOI: 10.17219/acem/152430 -
Genome Biology and Evolution Mar 2019Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and the dynamic character of their interaction with host genomes brings about numerous... (Review)
Review
Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and the dynamic character of their interaction with host genomes brings about numerous evolutionary innovations and shapes genome structure and function in a multitude of ways. In traditional classification systems, TEs are often being depicted in simplistic ways, based primarily on the key enzymes required for transposition, such as transposases/recombinases and reverse transcriptases. Recent progress in whole-genome sequencing and long-read assembly, combined with expansion of the familiar range of model organisms, resulted in identification of unprecedentedly long transposable units spanning dozens or even hundreds of kilobases, initially in prokaryotic and more recently in eukaryotic systems. Here, we focus on such oversized eukaryotic TEs, including retrotransposons and DNA transposons, outline their complex and often combinatorial nature and closely intertwined relationship with viruses, and discuss their potential for participating in transfer of long stretches of DNA in eukaryotes.
Topics: Animals; DNA Transposable Elements; Eukaryota; Planarians; Retroelements; Rotifera; Telomere
PubMed: 30796812
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz041 -
Marine Drugs Jan 2020Organisms have different adaptations to avoid damage from ultraviolet radiation and one such adaptation is the accumulation of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). These... (Review)
Review
Organisms have different adaptations to avoid damage from ultraviolet radiation and one such adaptation is the accumulation of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). These compounds are common in aquatic taxa but a comprehensive review is lacking on their distribution and function in zooplankton. This paper shows that zooplankton MAA concentrations range from non-detectable to ~13 µg mgDW. Copepods, rotifers, and krill display a large range of concentrations, whereas cladocerans generally do not contain MAAs. The proposed mechanisms to gain MAAs are via ingestion of MAA-rich food or via symbiotic bacteria providing zooplankton with MAAs. Exposure to UV-radiation increases the concentrations in zooplankton both via increasing MAA concentrations in the phytoplankton food and due to active accumulation. Concentrations are generally low during winter and higher in summer and females seem to deposit MAAs in their eggs. The concentrations of MAAs in zooplankton tend to increase with altitude but only up to a certain altitude suggesting some limitation for the uptake. Shallow and UV-transparent systems tend to have copepods with higher concentrations of MAAs but this has only been shown in a few species. A high MAA concentration has also been shown to lead to lower UV-induced mortality and an overall increased fitness. While there is a lot of information on MAAs in zooplankton we still lack understanding of the potential costs and constraints for accumulation. There is also scarce information in some taxa such as rotifers as well as from systems in tropical, sub(polar) areas as well as in marine systems in general.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Amino Acids; Animals; Copepoda; Microbiota; Rotifera; Species Specificity; Symbiosis; Ultraviolet Rays; Zooplankton
PubMed: 31979234
DOI: 10.3390/md18020072 -
Movement Ecology 2019Given their dormancy capability (long-term resistant stages) and their ability to colonise and reproduce, microscopic aquatic animals have been suggested having... (Review)
Review
Given their dormancy capability (long-term resistant stages) and their ability to colonise and reproduce, microscopic aquatic animals have been suggested having cosmopolitan distribution. Their dormant stages may be continuously moved by mobile elements through the entire planet to any suitable habitat, preventing the formation of biogeographical patterns. In this review, I will go through the evidence we have on the most common microscopic aquatic animals, namely nematodes, rotifers, and tardigrades, for each of the assumptions allowing long-distance dispersal (dormancy, viability, and reproduction) and all the evidence we have for transportation, directly from surveys of dispersing stages, and indirectly from the outcome of successful dispersal in biogeographical and phylogeographical studies. The current knowledge reveals biogeographical patterns also for microscopic organisms, with species-specific differences in ecological features that make some taxa indeed cosmopolitan with the potential for long-distance dispersal, but others with restricted geographic distributions.
PubMed: 30962931
DOI: 10.1186/s40462-019-0155-7 -
Origins of Life and Evolution of the... Dec 2017To survive exposure to space conditions, organisms should have certain characteristics including a high tolerance for freezing, radiation and desiccation. The organisms... (Review)
Review
To survive exposure to space conditions, organisms should have certain characteristics including a high tolerance for freezing, radiation and desiccation. The organisms with the best chance for survival under such conditions are extremophiles, like some species of Bacteria and Archea, Rotifera, several species of Nematoda, some of the arthropods and Tardigrada (water bears). There is no denying that tardigrades are one of the toughest animals on our planet and are the most unique in the extremophiles group. Tardigrada are very small animals (50 to 2,100 μm in length), and they inhabit great number of Earth environments. Ever since it was proven that tardigrades have high resistance to the different kinds of stress factors associated with cosmic journeys, combined with their relatively complex structure and their relative ease of observation, they have become a perfect model organism for space research. This taxon is now the focus of astrobiologists from around the world. Therefore, this paper presents a short review of the space research performed on tardigrades as well as some considerations for further studies.
Topics: Animals; Exobiology; Life History Traits; Tardigrada
PubMed: 27766455
DOI: 10.1007/s11084-016-9522-1 -
BMC Genomics Aug 2021Seisonidea (also Seisonacea or Seisonidae) is a group of small animals living on marine crustaceans (Nebalia spec.) with only four species described so far. Its...
BACKGROUND
Seisonidea (also Seisonacea or Seisonidae) is a group of small animals living on marine crustaceans (Nebalia spec.) with only four species described so far. Its monophyletic origin with mostly free-living wheel animals (Monogononta, Bdelloidea) and endoparasitic thorny-headed worms (Acanthocephala) is widely accepted. However, the phylogenetic relationships inside the Rotifera-Acanthocephala clade (Rotifera sensu lato or Syndermata) are subject to ongoing debate, with consequences for our understanding of how genomes and lifestyles might have evolved. To gain new insights, we analyzed first drafts of the genome and transcriptome of the key taxon Seisonidea.
RESULTS
Analyses of gDNA-Seq and mRNA-Seq data uncovered two genetically distinct lineages in Seison nebaliae Grube, 1861 off the French Channel coast. Their mitochondrial haplotypes shared only 82% sequence identity despite identical gene order. In the nuclear genome, distinct linages were reflected in different gene compactness, GC content and codon usage. The haploid nuclear genome spans ca. 46 Mb, of which 96% were reconstructed. According to ~ 23,000 SuperTranscripts, gene number in S. nebaliae should be within the range published for other members of Rotifera-Acanthocephala. Consistent with this, numbers of metazoan core orthologues and ANTP-type transcriptional regulatory genes in the S. nebaliae genome assembly were between the corresponding numbers in the other assemblies analyzed. We additionally provide evidence that a basal branching of Seisonidea within Rotifera-Acanthocephala could reflect attraction to the outgroup. Accordingly, rooting via a reconstructed ancestral sequence led to monophyletic Pararotatoria (Seisonidea+Acanthocephala) within Hemirotifera (Bdelloidea+Pararotatoria).
CONCLUSION
Matching genome/transcriptome metrics with the above phylogenetic hypothesis suggests that a haploid nuclear genome of about 50 Mb represents the plesiomorphic state for Rotifera-Acanthocephala. Smaller genome size in S. nebaliae probably results from subsequent reduction. In contrast, genome size should have increased independently in monogononts as well as bdelloid and acanthocephalan stem lines. The present data additionally indicate a decrease in gene repertoire from free-living to epizoic and endoparasitic lifestyles. Potentially, this reflects corresponding steps from the root of Rotifera-Acanthocephala via the last common ancestors of Hemirotifera and Pararotatoria to the one of Acanthocephala. Lastly, rooting via a reconstructed ancestral sequence may prove useful in phylogenetic analyses of other deep splits.
Topics: Acanthocephala; Animals; Genomics; Phylogeny; Rotifera; Transcriptome
PubMed: 34372786
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07857-y -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2021Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) results from sulfide oxidation, which incorporates hydrogen ions, sulfate, and metals/metalloids into the aquatic environment, allowing... (Review)
Review
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) results from sulfide oxidation, which incorporates hydrogen ions, sulfate, and metals/metalloids into the aquatic environment, allowing fixation, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of pollutants in the aquatic food chain. Acidic leachates from waste rock dams from pyritic and (to a lesser extent) coal mining are the main foci of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) production. When AMD is incorporated into rivers, notable changes in water hydro-geochemistry and biota are observed. There is a high interest in the biodiversity of this type of extreme environments for several reasons. Studies indicate that extreme acid environments may reflect early Earth conditions, and are thus, suitable for astrobiological experiments as acidophilic microorganisms survive on the sulfates and iron oxides in AMD-contaminated waters/sediments, an analogous environment to Mars; other reasons are related to the biotechnological potential of extremophiles. In addition, AMD is responsible for decreasing the diversity and abundance of different taxa, as well as for selecting the most well-adapted species to these toxic conditions. Acidophilic and acidotolerant eukaryotic microorganisms are mostly composed by algae (diatoms and unicellular and filamentous algae), protozoa, fungi and fungi-like protists, and unsegmented pseudocoelomata animals such as Rotifera and micro-macroinvertebrates. In this work, a literature review summarizing the most recent studies on eukaryotic organisms and micro-organisms in Acid Mine Drainage-affected environments is elaborated.
Topics: Acids; Coal Mining; Eukaryota; Rivers; Sulfates; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 35010636
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010376 -
General and Comparative Endocrinology Apr 2024Estrogen receptors (ERs) are thought to be the ancestor of all steroid receptors and are present in most lophotrochozoans studied to date, including molluscs, annelids,... (Review)
Review
Estrogen receptors (ERs) are thought to be the ancestor of all steroid receptors and are present in most lophotrochozoans studied to date, including molluscs, annelids, and rotifers. A number of studies have investigated the functional role of estrogen receptors in invertebrate species, although most are in molluscs, where the receptor is constitutively active. In vitro experiments provided evidence for ligand-activated estrogen receptors in annelids, raising important questions about the role of estrogen signalling in lophotrochozoan lineages. Here, we review the concordant and discordant evidence of estradiol receptor signalling in lophotrochozoans, with a focus on annelids and rotifers. We explore the de novo synthesis of estrogens, the evolution and expression of estrogen receptors, and physiological responses to activation of estrogen receptors in the lophotrochozoan phyla Annelida and Rotifera. Key data are missing to determine if de novo biosynthesis of estradiol in non-molluscan lophotrochozoans is likely. For example, an ortholog for the CYP11 gene is present, but confirmation of substrate conversion and measured tissue products is lacking. Orthologs CYP17 and CYP19 are lacking, yet intermediates or products (e.g. estradiol) in tissues have been measured. Estrogen receptors are present in multiple species, and for a limited number, in vitro data show agonist binding of estradiol and/or transcriptional activation. The expression patterns of the lophotrochozoan ERs suggest developmental, reproductive, and digestive roles but are highly species dependent. E exposures suggest that lophotrochozoan ERs may play a role in reproduction, but no strong dose-response relationship has been established. Therefore, we expect most lophotrochozoan species, outside of perhaps platyhelminths, to have an ER but their physiological role remains elusive. Mining genomes for orthologs gene families responsible for steroidogenesis, coupled with in vitro and in vivo studies of the steroid pathway are needed to better assess whether lophotrochozoans are capable of estradiol biosynthesis. One major challenge is that much of the data are divided across a diversity of species. We propose that the polychaetes Capitella teleta or Platyneris dumerilii, and rotifer Brachionus manjavacas may be strong species choices for studies of estrogen receptor signalling, because of available genomic data, established laboratory culture techniques, and gene knockout potential.
PubMed: 38677339
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114519 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Ice caves constitute the newly investigated frozen and secluded model habitats for evaluating the resilience of ice-entrapped microbiomes in response to climate changes....
Ice caves constitute the newly investigated frozen and secluded model habitats for evaluating the resilience of ice-entrapped microbiomes in response to climate changes. This survey identified the total and active prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities from millennium-old ice accumulated in Scarisoara cave (Romania) using Illumina shotgun sequencing of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA)-based functional analysis of the metatranscriptome. Also, the response of active microbiome to heat shock treatment mimicking the environmental shift during ice melting was evaluated at both the taxonomic and metabolic levels. The putatively active microbial community was dominated by bacterial taxa belonging to Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which are highly resilient to thermal variations, while the scarcely present archaea belonging to Methanomicrobia was majorly affected by heat shock. Among eukaryotes, the fungal rRNA community was shared between the resilient Chytridiomycota and Blastocladiomycota, and the more sensitive Ascomycota and Basidiomycota taxa. A complex microeukaryotic community highly represented by Tardigrada and Rotifera (Metazoa), Ciliophora and Cercozoa (Protozoa), and Chlorophyta (Plantae) was evidenced for the first time in this habitat. This community showed a quick reaction to heat shock, followed by a partial recovery after prolonged incubation at 4°C due to possible predation processes on the prokaryotic cluster. Analysis of mRNA differential gene expression revealed the presence of an active microbiome in the perennial ice from the Scarisoara cave and associated molecular mechanisms for coping with temperature variations by the upregulation of genes involved in enzyme recovery, energy storage, carbon and nitrogen regulation, and cell motility. This first report on the active microbiome embedded in perennial ice from caves and its response to temperature stress provided a glimpse into the impact of glaciers melting and the resilience mechanisms in this habitat, contributing to the knowledge on the functional role of active microbes in frozen environments and their response to climatic changes.
PubMed: 35360653
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.809076 -
Nature Jan 2018It has been hypothesized that a condensed nervous system with a medial ventral nerve cord is an ancestral character of Bilateria. The presence of similar dorsoventral...
It has been hypothesized that a condensed nervous system with a medial ventral nerve cord is an ancestral character of Bilateria. The presence of similar dorsoventral molecular patterns along the nerve cords of vertebrates, flies, and an annelid has been interpreted as support for this scenario. Whether these similarities are generally found across the diversity of bilaterian neuroanatomies is unclear, and thus the evolutionary history of the nervous system is still contentious. Here we study representatives of Xenacoelomorpha, Rotifera, Nemertea, Brachiopoda, and Annelida to assess the conservation of the dorsoventral nerve cord patterning. None of the studied species show a conserved dorsoventral molecular regionalization of their nerve cords, not even the annelid Owenia fusiformis, whose trunk neuroanatomy parallels that of vertebrates and flies. Our findings restrict the use of molecular patterns to explain nervous system evolution, and suggest that the similarities in dorsoventral patterning and trunk neuroanatomies evolved independently in Bilateria.
Topics: Animals; Annelida; Biological Evolution; Body Patterning; Central Nervous System; Invertebrates; Nerve Net; Neural Plate; Phylogeny; Rotifera
PubMed: 29236686
DOI: 10.1038/nature25030