scholarly journals Transcriptome landscape of a thermal-tolerant coral endosymbiont reveals molecular signatures of symbiosis and dysbiosis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Bellantuono ◽  
Katherine E. Dougan ◽  
Camila Granados-Cifuentes ◽  
Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty

AbstractWarming oceans disrupt the critical endosymbiosis between corals and their photosynthetic dinoflagellate endosymbionts of the family Symbiodiniaceae. Durusdinium trenchii is a heat-tolerant species of Symbiodiniaceae and enhances survival of its coral host, but the basis for tolerance is largely unknown. To identify the underpinnings of heat tolerance and symbiosis, we compared the in hospite and free-living transcriptomes of D. trenchii under stable temperature conditions and acute hyperthermal stress. We discovered that under stable conditions, in hospite cells exhibit lower transcriptional activity than free-living counterparts, suggesting the shutdown of genes uniquely required for a free-living lifestyle. However, under hyperthermal stress the transcriptional response was larger in hospite, indicating an exacerbated stress environment within the host cell. Significantly, we unraveled the molecular signatures of symbiont heat tolerance within the host, which is a critical step to enable the development of engineered endosymbionts as a tool for restoration of coral reefs.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Massé ◽  
A. Tribollet ◽  
T. Meziane ◽  
M.L. Bourguet-Kondracki ◽  
C. Yéprémian ◽  
...  

AbstractThe filamentous chlorophyte Ostreobium sp. dominates shallow marine carbonate microboring communities, and is one of the major agents of reef bioerosion. While its large genetic diversity has emerged, its physiology remains little known, with unexplored relationship between genotypes and phenotypes (endolithic versus free-living growth forms). Here, we isolated 9 strains affiliated to 2 lineages of Ostreobium (>8% sequence divergence of the plastid gene rbcL), one of which was assigned to the family Odoaceae, from the fast-growing coral host Pocillopora acuta Lamarck 1816. Free-living isolates maintained their bioerosive potential, colonizing pre-bleached coral carbonate skeletons. We compared phenotypes, highlighting shifts in pigment and fatty acid compositions, carbon to nitrogen ratios and stable isotope compositions (δ13C and δ15N). Our data show a pattern of higher chlorophyll b and lower arachidonic acid (20:4ω6) content in endolithic versus free-living Ostreobium. Photosynthetic carbon fixation and nitrate uptake, quantified via 8h pulse-labeling with 13C-bicarbonate and 15N-nitrate, showed lower isotopic enrichment in endolithic compared to free-living filaments. Our results highlight the functional plasticity of Ostreobium phenotypes. The isotope tracer approach opens the way to further study the biogeochemical cycling and trophic ecology of these cryptic algae at coral holobiont and reef scales.


2021 ◽  
pp. 269-278
Author(s):  
M. Lenguas Francavilla ◽  
L. Negrete ◽  
A. Martínez-Aquino ◽  
C. Damborenea ◽  
F. Brusa

Girardia Ball, 1974 is the most diverse and widely distributed genus of the family Dugesiidae (Platyhelminthes: Continenticola) in the Neotropical region. Seven out of the 52 species of the genus are known for Argentina. The Somuncurá Plateau is a region in northern Patagonia with several endemic flora and fauna, but little is known about the free-living Platyhelminthes. We describe two new species of Girardia partially inhabiting in sympatry in the Somuncurá Plateau: Girardia somuncura sp. nov. and Girardia tomasi sp. nov. The identification criteria that we followed was an integrative taxonomic approach based on morphological and molecular data. Thus, we used anatomical features focused on the reproductive system, together with a phylogenetic analysis, using a mitochondrial (COI barcode region) genetic marker. This study is the first phylogenetic analysis of the genus Girardia in which we include the southernmost representatives of America here described, thus making it possible to incorporate them in global phylogenies.


Zoosymposia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
LIANA JOHANN ◽  
GUILHERME LIBERATO DA SILVA

The family Tydeidae consists of small, free-living, soft-bodied mites with a diversity of feeding habits, including phytophages, pollen feeders and even predators, but the majority are scavengers or fungivores. Approximately 330 species in 30 genera have been described from throughout the world, but only a few species (<1% of all species) have been studied for their life history. This review provides a survey of their life history with a focus on their lifespan.


2020 ◽  
pp. 183-215
Author(s):  
Benny K. K. Chan ◽  
Kingsley J. H. Wong ◽  
Yu-Rong Cheng

Most of the diverse groups of crustaceans associated with scleractinian and fire corals form symbiotic relationship with their coral hosts. Coral-associated barnacles include species from the orders Acrothoracica and Thoracica. Most of the coral-associated barnacles belong to the family Pyrgomatidae in Thoracica. Within Pyrgomatidae, the subfamily Ceratoconchinae contains mostly extant species and is present from Florida through the Caribbean to Brazilian waters. The subfamily Megatrematinae has lower species diversity and has a cosmopolitan distribution (except the Eastern Pacific). The Pyrgomatinae are the most species-rich subfamily and distributed only in Indo-West Pacific waters. Host usage of pyrgomatinid barnacles varies spatially, probably related to coral host diversity. Copepods are the most common and most abundant coral-associated crustaceans, often associated with scleractinian, gorgonian, and alcyonacean corals. More than 90% of coral-associated copepods are endemic to the Indo-West Pacific. In contrast, only a few species (<10%) have been discovered from the Atlantic due to several historical perturbations reducing the diversity of their coral hosts. The communities of coral-associated copepods thus show dramatic differences between geographic regions, notably between the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. Brachyurans of the family Cryptochiridae (gall crabs) are obligate associates or parasites, of scleractinian coral hosts in tropical and subtropical seas, being a monophyletic group of only 52 species, from the intertidal to the deep sea (to 512 m) habitats with most (46) recorded in the seas of the tropical Indo-West Pacific and none being cosmopolitan. Atlantic species of Cryptochiridae, apparently not phylogenetically related, display less strict host specificity than their Indo-West Pacific counterparts. Current phylogenetic understandings of the group remain preliminary, while one consistent Indo-West Pacific clade reflects rapid species diversification during the last ~15 million years.


2012 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Benzoni ◽  
Roberto Arrigoni ◽  
Fabrizio Stefani ◽  
Bastian T. Reijnen ◽  
Simone Montano ◽  
...  

The scleractinian species Psammocora explanulata and Coscinaraea wellsi were originally classified in the family Siderastreidae, but in a recent morpho-molecular study it appeared that they are more closely related to each other and to the Fungiidae than to any siderastreid taxon. A subsequent morpho-molecular study of the Fungiidae provided new insights regarding the phylogenetic relationships within that family. In the present study existing molecular data sets of both families were analyzed jointly with those of new specimens and sequences of P. explanulata and C. wellsi. The results indicate that both species actually belong to the Cycloseris clade within the family Fungiidae. A reappraisal of their morphologic characters based on museum specimens and recently collected material substantiate the molecular results. Consequently, they are renamed Cycloseris explanulata and C. wellsi. They are polystomatous and encrusting like C. mokai, another species recently added to the genus, whereas all Cycloseris species were initially thought to be monostomatous and free-living. In the light of the new findings, the taxonomy and distribution data of C. explanulata and C. wellsi have been updated and revised. Finally, the ecological implications of the evolutionary history of the three encrusting polystomatous Cycloseris species and their free-living monostomatous congeners are discussed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4527 (3) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
FABRICIO H. SANTOS ◽  
CRISTINA A. RHEIMS

Spiders of the family Philodromidae are free-living active predators, with laterigrade legs, eyes without tubercles, two tarsal claws and claw tufts. Although very common in zoological collections, their systematics is poorly known, especially in the Neotropics, and their specimens are usually identified only at family level. In this paper, the genus Gephyrellula Strand, 1932 is revised and the type species, G. violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1918) is redescribed and illustrated. Gephyrellula paulistana (Soares, 1943) is considered a junior synonym of G. violacea and thus, the genus becomes monotypic. In addition, the geographical distribution is extended and an updated distribution map is provided. 


Cosmetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Young Joo Kim ◽  
Hwa Jun Cha

Inonotus obliquus, which is parasitic on birch and other trees, is a fungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae. In this study, we investigated whether Inonotus obliquus extracts used in traditional medicine were decreased in the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) in the normal human dermal fibroblasts. As shown in our results, extracts of Inonotus obliquus decreased MMP1 expression in oxidative stress-exposed normal human dermal fibroblasts. Additionally, Inonotus obliquus extracts decreased AP-1 transcriptional activity and phospho-JNK in oxidative stress-exposed normal human dermal fibroblasts. Oxidative stress mediated the elevation of MMP1 mRNA expression and was well regulated by the JNK-AP-1 axis. Therefore, the results suggest that Inonotus obliquus extracts decreased MMP1 mRNA expression by regulating JNK-AP-1 axis. Additionally, Inonotus obliquus extracts have the potential to reduce collagen destruction and the formation of wrinkles and to be used as a cosmetic ingredient.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4250 (4) ◽  
pp. 347
Author(s):  
ANTONELA MARTELLI ◽  
VIRGINIA LO RUSSO ◽  
GABRIELA VILLARES ◽  
CATALINA T. PASTOR DE WARD

Two new free-living marine nematodes of the family Oxystominidae are described from San Antonio Bay (Río Negro) and San José Gulf (Chubut). Litinium australis sp. n., is characterized by having a rounded tail, by the first and second crown of cephalic setae with different lengths, gubernaculum with apophysis and by the presence of at least four precloacal papillae; Thalassoalaimus nestori sp. n., is characterized by having a conical tail, cephalic setae equal in length, gubernaculum with rounded and dorso-caudally directed apophysis and two precloacal papillae. An emended diagnosis of the genus Thalassoalaimus and a key to species are given. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 2369-2394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Rueda-Ramírez ◽  
Jandir C. Santos ◽  
Nazer Famah Sourassou ◽  
Peterson R. Demite ◽  
Andrés Puerta-gonzález ◽  
...  

Morphological details of specimens collected from several localities in Brazil and identified as Africoseius lativentris (Karg 1982) are provided. The taxonomic position of Africoseius Krantz, 1962 has been debated over the years, with repeated changes in its familial placement. A phylogenetic study based on 18S and 28S rDNA sequences of the Brazilian population of A. lativentris collected at Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, and similar data of 70 taxa representing 11 families of Gamasina indicated that Africoseius is a member of the well-supported Podocinidae (sensu Lindquist et al. 2009) clade. The main morphological similarities and differences between Africoseius and the group of species until now placed in Podocinidae sensu Lindquist et al. (2009) are listed. Apomorphic characteristics uniting those taxa include the hypotrichous condition of tibia I (eight and nine setae instead of ten or more in other free-living Gamasina) and the insertions of av2 and pv2, considerably more distal on tarsi II and III than in the majority of the free-living Gamasina. Within Podocinidae, a new subfamily, Africoseiinae, is proposed, based on uniquely apomorphic characteristics of the setae ad4 and pd4 (sensu  Evans 1969) of tarsi II–IV absent, and setae av4 and pv4 of same basitarsi long, incurved and close to each other and to a posterior longitudinal extension of the peripodomeric suture and on the attenuated form of the lateral (rather than the medial) hypostomatic setae. This subfamily is currently represented by Africoseius areolatus Krantz and Africoseius lativentris (Karg 1982), while all other presently known species of the family are now placed in the subfamily Podocininae.


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4763 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-370
Author(s):  
GABRIEL CIDREIRA ◽  
VIRÁG VENEKEY ◽  
ORANE F. DE SOUZA ALVES ◽  
FRANCISCO KELMO

A new free-living marine nematode of the family Xyalidae is described from Armação Beach, northeastern Brazil, and the genus Pseudosteineria is reviewed. Pseudosteineria longisetis sp. n. is characterized by having six groups of long subcephalic setae, amphids situated slightly anterior to the groups of subcephalic setae or at the level of the first subcephalic setae, long somatic setae located posteriorly to subcephalic setae and distributed along the body, one papiliform precloacal supplement, and gubernaculum with dorso-caudal apophysis. An emended diagnosis of the genus, an updated list of species and dichotomous identification key, and a pictorial key are given. A comparative table including the main characters of all Pseudosteineria species is also provided. 


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