scholarly journals Microbial Diversity and Putative Diazotrophy in High- and Low-Microbial-Abundance Mediterranean Sponges

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (17) ◽  
pp. 5683-5693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Ribes ◽  
Claudia Dziallas ◽  
Rafel Coma ◽  
Lasse Riemann
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Ratio ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Sponge Tissue ◽  
Microbial Abundance ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
Nitrogenase Genes ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Benthic Pelagic Coupling ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTMicrobial communities associated with marine sponges carry out nutrient transformations essential for benthic-pelagic coupling; however, knowledge about their composition and function is still sparse. We evaluated the richness and diversity of prokaryotic assemblages associated with three high-microbial-abundance (HMA) and three low-microbial-abundance (LMA) sympatric Mediterranean sponges to address their stability and uniqueness. Moreover, to examine functionality and because an imbalance between nitrogen ingestion and excretion has been observed for some of these species, we sequenced nitrogenase genes (nifH) and measured N2fixation. The prokaryotic communities in the two sponge types did not differ in terms of richness, but the highest diversity was found in HMA sponges. Moreover, the discrete composition of the communities in the two sponge types relative to that in the surrounding seawater indicated that horizontal transmission and vertical transmission affect the microbiomes associated with the two sponge categories.nifHgenes were found in all LMA species and sporadically in one HMA species, and about half of thenifHgene sequences were common between the different sponge species and were also found in the surrounding water, suggesting horizontal transmission.15N2-enriched incubations showed that N2fixation was measurable in the water but was not associated with the sponges. Also, the analysis of the isotopic ratio of15N to14N in sponge tissue indicated that N2fixation is not an important source of nitrogen in these Mediterranean sponges. Overall, our results suggest that compositional and functional features differ between the prokaryotic communities associated with HMA and LMA sponges, which may affect sponge ecology.

scholarly journals Not That Close to Mommy: Horizontal Transmission Seeds the Microbiome Associated with the Marine Sponge Plakina cyanorosea

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1978
Author(s):  
Bruno F. R. Oliveira ◽  
Isabelle R. Lopes ◽  
Anna L. B. Canellas ◽  
Guilherme Muricy ◽  
Alan D. W. Dobson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Operational Taxonomic Unit ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Microbial Abundance ◽  
Dominant Member ◽  
Strict Core ◽  
Surrounding Seawater ◽  
Unique Otus

Marine sponges are excellent examples of invertebrate–microbe symbioses. In this holobiont, the partnership has elegantly evolved by either transmitting key microbial associates through the host germline and/or capturing microorganisms from the surrounding seawater. We report here on the prokaryotic microbiota during different developmental stages of Plakina cyanorosea and their surrounding environmental samples by a 16S rRNA metabarcoding approach. In comparison with their source adults, larvae housed slightly richer and more diverse microbial communities, which are structurally more related to the environmental microbiota. In addition to the thaumarchaeal Nitrosopumilus, parental sponges were broadly dominated by Alpha- and Gamma-proteobacteria, while the offspring were particularly enriched in the Vibrionales, Alteromonodales, Enterobacterales orders and the Clostridia and Bacteroidia classes. An enterobacterial operational taxonomic unit (OTU) was the dominant member of the strict core microbiota. The most abundant and unique OTUs were not significantly enriched amongst the microbiomes from host specimens included in the sponge microbiome project. In a wider context, Oscarella and Plakina are the sponge genera with higher divergence in their associated microbiota compared to their Homoscleromorpha counterparts. Our results indicate that P. cyanorosea is a low microbial abundance sponge (LMA), which appears to heavily depend on the horizontal transmission of its microbial partners that likely help the sponge host in the adaptation to its habitat.

scholarly journals Intrinsic disorder in protein domains contributes to both organism complexity and clade-specific functions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Gao ◽  
Chong Ma ◽  
Huqiang Wang ◽  
Haolin Zhong ◽  
Jiayin Zang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Significance ◽  
Protein Domains ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Complex Functions ◽  
Disorder Degree ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

AbstractInterestingly, some protein domains are intrinsically disordered (abbreviated as IDD), and the disorder degree of same domains may differ in different contexts. However, the evolutionary causes and biological significance of these phenomena are unclear. Here, we address these issues by genome-wide analyses of the evolutionary and functional features of IDDs in 1,870 species across the three superkingdoms. As the result, there is a significant positive correlation between the proportion of IDDs and organism complexity with some interesting exceptions. These phenomena may be due to the high disorder of clade-specific domains and the different disorder degrees of the domains shared in different clades. The functions of IDDs are clade-specific and the higher proportion of post-translational modification sites may contribute to their complex functions. Compared with metazoans, fungi have more IDDs with a consecutive disorder region but a low disorder ratio, which reflects their different functional requirements. As for disorder variation, it’s greater for domains among different proteins than those within the same proteins. Some clade-specific ‘no-variation’ or ‘high-variation’ domains are involved in clade-specific functions. In sum, intrinsic domain disorder is related to both the organism complexity and clade-specific functions. These results deepen the understanding of the evolution and function of IDDs.

scholarly journals Longitudinal sampling of external mucosae in farmed European seabass reveals the impact of water temperature on bacterial dynamics

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Rosado ◽  
Raquel Xavier ◽  
Jo Cable ◽  
Ricardo Severino ◽  
Pedro Tarroso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Seasonal Effect ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
European Seabass ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

AbstractFish microbiota are intrinsically linked to health and fitness, but they are highly variable and influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Water temperature particularly limits bacterial adhesion and growth, impacting microbial diversity and bacterial infections on the skin and gills. Aquaculture is heavily affected by infectious diseases, especially in warmer months, and industry practices often promote stress and microbial dysbiosis, leading to an increased abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria. In this regard, fish mucosa health is extremely important because it provides a primary barrier against pathogens. We used 16 rRNA V4 metataxonomics to characterize the skin and gill microbiota of the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, and the surrounding water over 12 months, assessing the impact of water temperature on microbial diversity and function. We show that the microbiota of external mucosae are highly dynamic with consistent longitudinal trends in taxon diversity. Several potentially pathogenic genera (Aliivibrio, Photobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio) were highly abundant, showing complex interactions with other bacterial genera, some of which with recognized probiotic activity, and were also significantly impacted by changes in temperature. The surrounding water temperature influenced fish microbial composition, structure and function over time (days and months). Additionally, dysbiosis was more frequent in warmer months and during transitions between cold/warm months. We also detected a strong seasonal effect in the fish microbiota, which is likely to result from the compound action of several unmeasured environmental factors (e.g., pH, nutrient availability) beyond temperature. Our results highlight the importance of performing longitudinal studies to assess the impact of environmental factors on fish microbiotas.

scholarly journals hPSC-Derived Enteric Ganglioids Model Human ENS Development and Function

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Homa Majd ◽  
Ryan M Samuel ◽  
Jonathan T Ramirez ◽  
Ali Kalantari ◽  
Kevin Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Xenograft Model ◽  
Developmental Relationships ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays a central role in gut physiology and mediating the crosstalk between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other organs. The human ENS has remained elusive, highlighting the need for an in vitro modeling and mapping blueprint. Here we map out the developmental and functional features of the human ENS, by establishing robust and scalable 2D ENS cultures and 3D enteric ganglioids from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). These models recapitulate the remarkable neuronal and glial diversity found in primary tissue and enable comprehensive molecular analyses that uncover functional and developmental relationships within these lineages. As a salient example of the power of this system, we performed in-depth characterization of enteric nitrergic neurons (NO neurons) which are implicated in a wide range of GI motility disorders. We conducted an unbiased screen and identified drug candidates that modulate the activity of NO neurons and demonstrated their potential in promoting motility in mouse colonic tissue ex vivo. We established a high-throughput strategy to define the developmental programs involved in NO neuron specification and discovered that PDGFR inhibition boosts the induction of NO neurons in enteric ganglioids. Transplantation of these ganglioids in the colon of NO neuron-deficient mice results in extensive tissue engraftment, providing a xenograft model for the study of human ENS in vivo and the development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative GI disorders. These studies provide a framework for deciphering fundamental features of the human ENS and designing effective strategies to treat enteric neuropathies.  

Astrocyte-neuron crosstalk through Hedgehog signaling mediates cortical circuit assembly

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Xie ◽  
Aaron T. Kuan ◽  
Wengang Wang ◽  
Zachary T. Herbert ◽  
Olivia Mosto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Shh Signaling ◽  
Shh Pathway ◽  
Cortical Astrocytes ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function ◽  
Circuit Assembly

SUMMARYNeuron-glia relationships play a critical role in the regulation of synapse formation and neuronal specification. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which neurons and astrocytes communicate and coordinate are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that the canonical Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is active in cortical astrocytes, where it acts to coordinate layer-specific synaptic connectivity and functional circuit development. We show that Ptch1 is a Shh receptor that is expressed by cortical astrocytes during development and that Shh signaling is necessary and sufficient to promote the expression of layer-specific astrocyte genes involved in regulating synapse formation and function. Loss of Shh in layer V neurons reduces astrocyte complexity and coverage by astrocytic processes in tripartite synapses, moreover, cell-autonomous activation of Shh signaling in astrocytes promotes cortical excitatory synapse formation. Together, these results suggest that Shh secreted from deep layer cortical neurons acts to specialize the molecular and functional features of astrocytes during development to shape circuit assembly and function.

Niche structure of marine sponges from temperate hard-bottom habitats within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 559-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Freeman ◽  
Cole G. Easson ◽  
David M. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Latitudinal Gradients ◽  
Isotopic Niche ◽  
Microbial Abundance ◽  
Ecological Benefit ◽  
Relative Placement ◽  
Metabolic Capability ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Isotopic Space

Many species of marine sponges on tropical reefs host abundant and diverse symbiont communities capable of varied metabolic pathways. While such communities may confer a nutritional benefit to some hosts (termed High Microbial Abundance (HMA) sponges), other sympatric species host only sparse symbiont communities (termed Low Microbial Abundance (LMA) sponges) and obtain a majority of their C and N from local sources. Sponge communities are widespread across large latitudinal gradients, however, and recent evidence suggests that these symbioses may also extend beyond the tropics. We investigated the role that symbionts play in the ecology of sponges from the temperate, hard-bottom reefs of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary by calculating the niche size (as standard ellipse area (SEAc)) and assessing the relative placement of five HMA and four LMA sponge species within bivariate (δ13C and δ15N) isotopic space. Although photosymbiont abundance was low across most of these species, sponges were widespread across isotopic niche space, implying that microbial metabolism confers an ecological benefit to temperate sponges by expanding host metabolic capability. To examine how these associations vary across a latitudinal gradient, we also compared the relative placement of temperate and tropical conspecifics within isotopic space. Surprisingly, shifts in sponge δ13C and δ15N values between these regions suggest a reduced reliance on symbiont-derived nutrients in temperate sponges compared with their tropical conspecifics. Despite this, symbiotic sponges in temperate systems likely have a competitive advantage, allowing them to grow and compete for space within these habitats.

scholarly journals Characterization of a Culturable Alphaproteobacterial Symbiont Common to Many Marine Sponges and Evidence for Vertical Transmission via Sponge Larvae

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 3724-3732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie J. Enticknap ◽  
Michelle Kelly ◽  
Olivier Peraud ◽  
Russell T. Hill
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
Axinella Corrugata ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Related Group

ABSTRACT A closely related group of alphaproteobacteria were found to be present in seven genera of marine sponges from several locations and were shown to be transferred between sponge generations through the larvae in one of these sponges. Isolates of the alphaproteobacterium were cultured from the sponges Axinella corrugata, Mycale laxissima, Monanchora unguifera, and Niphates digitalis from Key Largo, Florida; Didiscus oxeata and Monanchora unguifera from Discovery Bay, Jamaica; an Acanthostronglyophora sp. from Manado, Indonesia; and Microciona prolifera from the Cheasapeake Bay in Maryland. Isolates were very similar to each other on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence (>99% identity) and are closely related to Pseudovibrio denitrificans. The bacterium was never isolated from surrounding water samples and was cultured from larvae of M. laxissima, indicating that it is a vertically transmitted symbiont in this sponge. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis, and fluorescent in situ hybridization with probes specific to the alphaproteobacterium confirmed the presence of this bacterium in the M. laxissima larvae. The alphaproteobacterium was densely associated with the larvae rather than being evenly distributed throughout the mesohyl. This is the first report of the successful culture of a bacterial symbiont of a sponge that is transferred through the gametes.

scholarly journals Desmosomes pattern cell mechanics to govern epidermal tissue form and function

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua A. Broussard ◽  
Jennifer L. Koetsier ◽  
Kathleen J. Green
Keyword(s):  
Cell Mechanics ◽  
Basal Layer ◽  
Filamentous Actin ◽  
Differentiation Markers ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Cell Layers ◽  
Multiple Cell ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
Mechanical Polarization ◽  
And Function

SummaryThe epidermis is a stratified epithelium in which structural and functional features are polarized across multiple cell layers. This type of polarity is essential for establishing the epidermal barrier, but how it is created and sustained is poorly understood. Previous work identified a role for the classical cadherin/filamentous-actin network in establishment of epidermal polarity. However, little is known about potential roles of the most prominent epidermal intercellular junction, the desmosome, in establishing epidermal polarity, in spite of the fact that desmosome constituents are patterned across the apical to basal cell layers. Here, we show that desmosomes and their associated intermediate filaments (IF) are key regulators of mechanical polarization in epidermis, whereby basal and suprabasal cells experience different forces that drive layer-specific functions. Uncoupling desmosomes and IF or specific targeting of apical desmosomes through depletion of the superficial desmosomal cadherin, desmoglein 1, impedes basal (stratification) and suprabasal (tight junction barrier) functions. Surprisingly, disengaging desmosomes from IF also uncouples stratification from differentiation, accelerating the expression of differentiation markers. Our data support a model in which the desmosome-IF network supports a reciprocally organized distribution of ErbB1/EGFR activity in the basal layer and mechanosensitive kinase ErbB2 activity in the suprabasal layer to ensure the proper spatiotemporal coordination of cell mechanics and the biochemical program of differentiation.

scholarly journals Dynamic pattern in the structural-functional parameters of the heart in children with myocardial pathology, taking into account morphological functional features of the right ventricle

2018 ◽  
pp. 32-36
Author(s):  
T. А. Holovko
Keyword(s):  
Left Ventricle ◽  
Right Ventricle ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Systolic Dysfunction ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Dynamic Pattern ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
The Right ◽  
And Function ◽  
Myocardial Pathology

The purpose of the study was to study the dynamics of changes in morphofunctional heart changes inchildren with non-inflammatory pathology of myocardium on the background of ongoing therapy. There were examined 115 patients (11–18 years old) with various heart diseases.The systolic dysfunction of the myocardium was diagnosedin 50 of them, and treatment was prescribed. In the dynamics, a year later, 40 patients were examined.  It has been established that in children and adolescents, along withpathogenetic and cardiometabolic therapy, in parallel with the improvement of the structure and function of the right ventricle of the heart, morphofunctional indicators ofthe left ventricle are improved.

scholarly journals CD8+ T Cells in GCA and GPA: Bystanders or Active Contributors?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanne D. Reitsema ◽  
Annemieke M. H. Boots ◽  
Kornelis S. M. van der Geest ◽  
Maria Sandovici ◽  
Peter Heeringa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Adaptive Immune Response ◽  
Cd8 T Cell ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

Vasculitis refers to inflammation of blood vessels and can cause a variety of serious complications depending on which vessels are affected. Two different forms of vasculitis are Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA). GCA is the most common form of vasculitis in adults affecting the large arteries and can lead to visual impairment and development of aneurysms. GPA affects small- and medium-sized blood vessels predominantly in the lungs and kidneys resulting in organ failure. Both diseases can potentially be fatal. Although the pathogenesis of GCA and GPA are incompletely understood, a prominent role for CD4+ T cells has been implicated in both diseases. More recently, the role of CD8+ T cells has gained renewed interest. CD8+ T cells are important players in the adaptive immune response against intracellular microorganisms. After a general introduction on the different forms of vasculitis and their association with infections and CD8+ T cells, we review the current knowledge on CD8+ T-cell involvement in the immunopathogenesis of GCA and GPA focusing on phenotypic and functional features of circulating and lesional CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, we discuss to which extent aging is associated with CD8+ T-cell phenotype and function in GCA and GPA.

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