scholarly journals Evolutionarily recent dual obligatory symbiosis among adelgids indicates a transition between fungus- and insect-associated lifestyles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitta Szabó ◽  
Frederik Schulz ◽  
Alejandro Manzano-Marín ◽  
Elena Rebecca Toenshoff ◽  
Matthias Horn
Keyword(s):  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Amino Acid Production ◽  
Evolutionary Transition ◽  
Evolutionary Time ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
Host Infection ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses ◽  
Time Specific ◽  
High Level ◽  
Metagenomic Approach

AbstractAdelgids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Adelgidae) form a small group of insects but harbor a surprisingly diverse set of bacteriocyte-associated endosymbionts, which suggest multiple replacement and acquisition of symbionts over evolutionary time. Specific pairs of symbionts have been associated with adelgid lineages specialized on different secondary host conifers. Using a metagenomic approach, we investigated the symbiosis of the Adelges laricis/Adelgestardus species complex containing betaproteobacterial (“Candidatus Vallotia tarda”) and gammaproteobacterial (“Candidatus Profftia tarda”) symbionts. Genomic characteristics and metabolic pathway reconstructions revealed that Vallotia and Profftia are evolutionary young endosymbionts, which complement each other’s role in essential amino acid production. Phylogenomic analyses and a high level of genomic synteny indicate an origin of the betaproteobacterial symbiont from endosymbionts of Rhizopus fungi. This evolutionary transition was accompanied with substantial loss of functions related to transcription regulation, secondary metabolite production, bacterial defense mechanisms, host infection, and manipulation. The transition from fungus to insect endosymbionts extends our current framework about evolutionary trajectories of host-associated microbes.

scholarly journals Evolutionary recent dual obligatory symbiosis among adelgids indicates a transition between fungus and insect associated lifestyles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitta Szabó ◽  
Frederik Schulz ◽  
Alejandro Manzano-Marín ◽  
Elena Rebecca Toenshoff ◽  
Matthias Horn
Keyword(s):  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Amino Acid Production ◽  
Evolutionary Transition ◽  
Evolutionary Time ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
Host Infection ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses ◽  
Time Specific ◽  
High Level ◽  
Metagenomic Approach

ABSTRACTAdelgids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Adelgidae) form a small group of insects but harbor a surprisingly diverse set of bacteriocyte-associated endosymbionts, which suggest multiple replacement and acquisition of symbionts over evolutionary time. Specific pairs of symbionts have been associated with adelgid lineages specialized on different secondary host conifers. Using a metagenomic approach, we investigated the symbiosis of the Adelges laricis/tardus species complex containing betaproteobacterial (‘ Candidatus Vallotia tarda’) and gammaproteobacterial (‘Candidatus Profftia tarda’) symbionts. Genomic characteristics and metabolic pathway reconstructions revealed that Vallotia and Profftia are evolutionary young endosymbionts, which complement each other’s role in essential amino acid production. Phylogenomic analyses and a high level of genomic synteny indicate an origin of the betaproteobacterial symbiont from endosymbionts of Rhizopus fungi. This evolutionary transition was accompanied with substantial loss of functions related to transcription regulation, secondary metabolite production, bacterial defense mechanisms, host infection and manipulation. The transition from fungus to insect endosymbionts extends our current framework about evolutionary trajectories of host-associated microbes.

Different Chilling-Induced Symptoms and the Underlying Oxidative Stress and Antioxidative Defense in the Exocarp and Mesocarp of Immature Sponge Gourd (Luffa cylindrica) Fruit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pichaya Chuenchom ◽  
Sompoch Noichinda ◽  
Kitti Bodhipadma ◽  
Chalermchai Wongs-Aree ◽  
David W. M. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Considerable Increase ◽  
Chilling Injury ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Antioxidative Defense ◽  
Sponge Gourd ◽  
Lower Temperature ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship

Immature sponge gourd fruit is consumed as a vegetable with a limited shelf life. Although cold storage is a simple and powerful tool for maintaining postharvest fruit quality, storage at a low temperature may not be appropriate for vegetables as some chilling injury (CI) of the immature sponge gourd fruit may occur. Therefore, this research aimed to elucidate the relationship between CI, oxidative stress, and the antioxidative defense mechanisms in the exocarp and mesocarp of immature sponge gourd fruit. After storage at 5°C for 6 days, visual CI symptoms, including browning and surface pitting, were found in the peel (exocarp) but not in the mesocarp. There were, however, more dead cells (stained by Evans blue) in the mesocarp of the fruit stored at 5°C. There was a more considerable increase in the electrolyte leakage rate in both fruit tissues held at 5°C than 25°C. The CI was correlated with malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the tissues. The MDA of fruit exocarp at 5°C was 1.6 fold higher than that at 25°C on day 6, while the lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in mesocarp was 50% higher in fruit stored at a lower temperature. The action of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was high in the exocarp of the fruit stored at 5°C, but there appeared to be a continuous depletion of the co-substrate or ascorbic acid. In conclusion, the CI in the exocarp was mainly associated with a high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In contrast, the CI in the mesocarp appeared to be primarily associated with increased lipid peroxidation by the elevated LOX activity under cold stress compared to storage at 25°C.

scholarly journals Characterizing the Fungal Microbiome in Date (Phoenix dactylifera) Fruit Pulp and Peel from Early Development to Harvest

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoardo Piombo ◽  
Ahmed Abdelfattah ◽  
Yaara Danino ◽  
Shoshana Salim ◽  
Oleg Feygenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stage ◽  
Fruit Development ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Phoenix Dactylifera ◽  
Date Fruit ◽  
Yeast Community ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Fungal Microbiome ◽  
High Level ◽  
Metagenomic Approach

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is considered to be a highly important food crop in several African and Middle Eastern countries due to its nutritional value and health-promoting properties. Microbial contamination of dates has been of concern to consumers, but very few works have analyzed in detail the microbial load of the different parts of date fruit. In the present work, we characterized the fungal communities of date fruit using a metagenomic approach, analyzing the data for differences between microbial populations residing in the pulp and peel of “Medjool” dates at the different stages of fruit development. The results revealed that Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria were the most abundant genera in both parts of the fruit, however, the distribution of taxa among the time points and tissue types (peel vs. pulp) was very diverse. Penicillium was more abundant in the pulp at the green developmental stage (Kimri), while Aspergillus was more frequent in the peel at the brown developmental stage (Tamer). The highest abundance of Alternaria was detected at the earliest sampled stage of fruit development (Hababauk stage). Cladosporium had a high level of abundance in peel tissues at the Hababauk and yellow (Khalal) stages. Regarding the yeast community, the abundance of Candida remained stable up until the Khalal stage, but exhibited a dramatic increase in abundance at the Tamer stage in peel tissues, while the level of Metschnikowia, a genus containing several species with postharvest biocontrol activity, exhibited no significant differences between the two tissue types or stages of fruit development. This work constitutes a comprehensive metagenomic analysis of the fungal microbiome of date fruits, and has identified changes in the composition of the fungal microbiome in peel and pulp tissues at the different stages of fruit development. Notably, this study has also characterized the endophytic fungal microbiome present in pulp tissues of dates.

scholarly journals Environment Shapes the Accessible Daptomycin Resistance Mechanisms in Enterococcus faecium

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy G. Prater ◽  
Heer H. Mehta ◽  
Abigael J. Kosgei ◽  
William R. Miller ◽  
Truc T. Tran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enterococcus Faecium ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Clinical Strain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Component Cell ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories ◽  
High Level ◽  
Cell Envelopes

ABSTRACT Daptomycin binds to bacterial cell membranes and disrupts essential cell envelope processes, leading to cell death. Bacteria respond to daptomycin by altering their cell envelopes to either decrease antibiotic binding to the membrane or by diverting binding away from septal targets. In Enterococcus faecalis, daptomycin resistance is typically coordinated by the three-component cell envelope stress response system, LiaFSR. Here, studying a clinical strain of multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium containing alleles associated with activation of the LiaFSR signaling pathway, we found that specific environments selected for different evolutionary trajectories, leading to high-level daptomycin resistance. Planktonic environments favored pathways that increased cell surface charge via yvcRS upregulation of dltABCD and mprF, causing a reduction in daptomycin binding. Alternatively, environments favoring complex structured communities, including biofilms, evolved both diversion and repulsion strategies via divIVA and oatA mutations, respectively. Both environments subsequently converged on cardiolipin synthase (cls) mutations, suggesting the importance of membrane modification across strategies. Our findings indicate that E. faecium can evolve diverse evolutionary trajectories to daptomycin resistance that are shaped by the environment to produce a combination of resistance strategies. The accessibility of multiple and different biochemical pathways simultaneously suggests that the outcome of daptomycin exposure results in a polymorphic population of resistant phenotypes, making E. faecium a recalcitrant nosocomial pathogen.

INEQUALITY, FDI AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (05) ◽  
pp. 1039-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD TARIQ MAJEED
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Regional Effects ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Level Of Economic Development ◽  
Time Specific ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

This paper empirically investigates the impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on inequality using a panel data set of 65 developing counties. While the existing literature mainly examines the impact of FDI on growth, this study explores the importance of domestic conditions of the host countries in determining the distributional effects of FDI. The results show that the impact of FDI is not homogenous on host countries as FDI inflows exert inequality-narrowing effect only in countries that have stronger investment in human capital, better financial sector and a high level of economic development. While FDI accentuates not ameliorates inequality in countries with low level of economic development, findings of the study are robust to the use of different specifications, different estimation methods, inclusion of regional effects and time specific effects.

scholarly journals Multiple independent origins of apicomplexan-like parasites

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varsha Mathur ◽  
Martin Kolisko ◽  
Elisabeth Hehenberger ◽  
Nicholas AT Irwin ◽  
Brian S. Leander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Evolutionary Transition ◽  
Single Cell Genomics ◽  
Parasitic Lifestyle ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses

AbstractApicomplexans are a diverse group of globally important parasites, that include pathogens like Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. Despite their current obligate parasitic nature, apicomplexans evolved from photosynthetic algae and retain a remnant plastid (chloroplast). Such a complex evolutionary transition was unexpected, but here we show that it occurred at least three times independently. Using single-cell genomics and transcriptomics from diverse uncultivated parasites, we find that two genera previously classified within the Apicomplexa, Piridium and Platyproteum, form separately branching lineages in phylogenomic analyses. Both retain cryptic plastids with genomic and metabolic features convergent with apicomplexans. These findings suggest a predilection in this lineage for both the loss of photosynthesis and the transition to a morphologically similar parasitic lifestyle, resulting in multiple lineages of highly convergent animal parasites.

scholarly journals Pathocharacterological Profiles in Individuals With Personality Disorders With a Criminal History

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-207
Author(s):  
A.A. Dubinsky
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorders ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Criminal History ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Psychological Indicators ◽  
Discriminant Models ◽  
High Level ◽  
Organic Personality Disorder

In the article presents the results of the pathocharacterological profiles in individuals with personality disorders and organic personality disorder with a criminal history. It was revealed that the aggressiveness and preference of simple tasks in the structure of self-control corresponded to a high level of manifestation of pathocharacterological features in people with personality disorders. A group of individuals with an organic personality disorder with pronounced pathocharacteristic features characterized: inability to build a model of significant conditions for achieving the goal, severity of anger and hostility, low inhibition of behavior, low level of self-control, the predominance of defense mechanisms such as isolation, denial, displacement and such unproductive coping strategies like confrontation and avoidance. Identified psychological predictors that make a significant contribution to the assignment to groups of individuals with personality disorder and organic personality disorder, taking into account type of the offence. The resulting discriminant models for psychological indicators had a satisfactory and high predictive value.

scholarly journals Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms in Erythrocytes and in the Central Nervous System

Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Franco ◽  
Gemma Navarro ◽  
Eva Martínez-Pinilla
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Antioxidant Defense ◽  
Circulatory System ◽  
Reducing Power ◽  
Antioxidant Defense System ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
High Level

Differential antioxidant action is found upon comparison of organ/tissue systems in the human body. In erythrocytes (red blood cells), which transport oxygen and carbon dioxide through the circulatory system, the most important issue is to keep hemoglobin in a functional state that requires maintaining the haem group in ferrous (Fe2+) state. Conversion of oxidized Fe3+ back into Fe2+ in hemoglobin needs a special mechanism involving a tripeptide glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glucose and NADPH as suppliers of reducing power. Fava beans are probably a good resource to make the detox innate system more robust as the pro-oxidant molecules in this food likely induce the upregulation of members of such mechanisms. The central nervous system consumes more oxygen than the majority of human tissues, i.e., 20% of the body’s total oxygen consumption and, therefore, it is exposed to a high level of oxidative stress. This fact, together with the progressive age-related decline in the efficiency of the antioxidant defense system, leads to neuronal death and disease. The innate mechanism operating in the central nervous system is not well known and seems different to that of the erythrocytes. The strategies of antioxidant intervention in brain will be reviewed here.

scholarly journals PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE MECHANISMS OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK USERS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MEANINGFULNESS OF LIFE

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-415
Author(s):  
P.N. Ermakov ◽  
E.E. Belousova
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Spearman Correlation ◽  
Psychological Defense ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual ◽  
High Level ◽  
Psychological Defenses ◽  
Different Levels

During adolescence, at the stage of formation of personal structures, young people spend a significant part of their time on the Internet, especially in social networks. It is there that communication is realized, interest groups are formed, values are broadcast and undergo changes. Thus, the question of ways to protect against heterogeneous content on the web with the support of the individual on his own meanings becomes relevant. A study of psychological defense mechanisms was conducted in 85 boys and girls aged 18-24 years (30.6 % women, Me=22.5; 69.4 % men, Me=21.5) - users of social networks with different levels of meaningfulness of life. The Plutchik-Kellerman-Conte test questionnaire was used to diagnose the mechanisms of psychological defense, the test of life orientations by D.A. Leontiev was used as well. According to the results of the application of the Pearson χCriterion, it was found that with an increase in the level of meaningfulness of life, the arsenal of psychological defense mechanisms of the individual increases and their severity noticeably increases. Respondents with a high level of meaningfulness are dominated by Rationalization, Hypercompensation, Projection; with an average level of meaningfulness - Displacement, Regression, Compensation; with a low level of meaningfulness - Regression, Denial, Rationalization. Using the Spearman correlation analysis, it was revealed that with an increase in the meaningfulness of life, the actualization of psychological defenses "Substitution" (transfer of reaction from one object to another) and "Regression" (return to earlier behaviors) decreases, the overall intensity of defenses decreases.

scholarly journals Defense mechanisms and quality of life in military personnel with burnout syndrome

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Vojvodic ◽  
Gordana Dedic ◽  
Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Moderate Level ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Life Assessment ◽  
Burnout Syndrome ◽  
High Level

Background/Aim. Professional military personnel are exposed to a number of stressors during the war as well as in peacetime conditions that can cause some hidden or manifest disorders, especially anxiety and depression, but also the development of a burnout syndrome. The aim of our investigation was to determine the defense mechanisms and subjective assessment of quality of life and anxiety in professional military personnel of the Serbian Armed Forces with the burnout syndrome. Methods. The cross-sectional study included a total of 55 professional military personnel, from 25 to 55 years of age, without current mental problem. In the investigation, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40), World Health Organization Abbreviated Instrument for Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used. The statistical analysis included parametric and nonparametric descriptive statistics. Results. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were present in 10.9% of subjects and in 12.7% of subjects respectively, in moderate level, while personal accomplishment was present in 21.8% of subjects of high level. Humor was higher in the subjects with a moderate level of burnout on the personal accomplishment (PA) scale and altruism in the subjects with a low level of burnout on the depersonalization (DP) scale as well as acting-out and rationalization on the PA scale in the subjects with a moderate level of burnout. High level of anxiety was present in 14.5% of subjects. Conclusion. Professional military personnel with lower level of burnout were less anxious, use mature defense mechanisms and have a perception of better quality of life. When burnout is diagnosed, psychological interventions requires training through the adoption of mechanisms for overcoming everyday stress, which may affect the reduction of anxiety and the improvement of the quality of life. Professional assistance, including psychotherapy is required in severe cases.

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