scholarly journals Priming of Marine Macrophytes for Enhanced Restoration Success and Food Security in Future Oceans

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Jueterbock ◽  
Antoine J. P. Minne ◽  
J. Mark Cock ◽  
Melinda A. Coleman ◽  
Thomas Wernberg ◽  
...  

Marine macrophytes, including seagrasses and macroalgae, form the basis of diverse and productive coastal ecosystems that deliver important ecosystem services. Moreover, western countries increasingly recognize macroalgae, traditionally cultivated in Asia, as targets for a new bio-economy that can be both economically profitable and environmentally sustainable. However, seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests are threatened by a variety of anthropogenic stressors. Most notably, rising temperatures and marine heatwaves are already devastating these ecosystems around the globe, and are likely to compromise profitability and production security of macroalgal farming in the near future. Recent studies show that seagrass and macroalgae can become less susceptible to heat events once they have been primed with heat stress. Priming is a common technique in crop agriculture in which plants acquire a stress memory that enhances performance under a second stress exposure. Molecular mechanisms underlying thermal priming are likely to include epigenetic mechanisms that switch state and permanently trigger stress-preventive genes after the first stress exposure. Priming may have considerable potential for both ecosystem restoration and macroalgae farming to immediately improve performance and stress resistance and, thus, to enhance restoration success and production security under environmental challenges. However, priming methodology cannot be simply transferred from terrestrial crops to marine macrophytes. We present first insights into the formation of stress memories in both seagrasses and macroalgae, and research gaps that need to be filled before priming can be established as new bio-engineering technique in these ecologically and economically important marine primary producers.

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidiia Samarina ◽  
Valentina Malyarovskaya ◽  
Yulija Abilfazova ◽  
Natalia Platonova ◽  
Kristina Klemeshova ◽  
...  

Structural and physiological responses of chrysanthemum to repeated osmotic stress were studied. Plants were cultured for 2 weeks (for each stress1 and stress 2) on half MS supplemented with mannitol 100 mM (Treatment I) and 200 mM (Treatment II). First stress inhibited growth parameters stronger than second stress in treatment I. In treatment II both stress events strongly inhibited growth parameters of micro‐shoots. Proline content exceeded control 6 ‐ 8 times after 1st stress, and 2 ‐ 5 times after the 2nd stress in treatments I and II, respectively. Soluble protein was accumulated in leaves during both stress exposures, and 2 ‐ 2.5 times exceeded control after the 2nd stress. Relative water content in both treatments increased after the 2nd stress exposure. In treatment II chlorophyll а and carotenoids contents were 8.78 and 4.62 mg/g comparing to control (4.21 and 2.25 mg/g, respectively) after the 1st stress. But after the 2nd stress there was no difference with control.Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 27(2): 161-169, 2017 (December)


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1529-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Barrón ◽  
E. T. Apostolaki ◽  
C. M. Duarte

Abstract. Estimates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release by marine macrophyte communities (seagrass meadows and macroalgal beds) were obtained experimentally using in situ benthic chambers. The effect of light availability on DOC release by macrophyte communities was examined in two communities both by comparing net DOC release under light and dark, and by examining the response of net DOC release to longer-term (days) experimental shading of the communities. All most 85% of the seagrass communities and almost all of macroalgal communities examined acted as net sources of DOC. There was a weak tendency for higher DOC fluxes under light than under dark conditions in seagrass meadow. There is no relationship between net DOC fluxes and gross primary production (GPP) and net community production (NCP), however, this relationship is positive between net DOC fluxes and community respiration. Net DOC fluxes were not affected by shading of a T. testudinum community in Florida for 5 days, however, shading of a mixed seagrass meadow in the Philippines led to a significant reduction on the net DOC release when shading was maintained for 6 days compared to only 2 days of shading. Based on published and unpublished results we also estimate the global net DOC production by marine macrophytes. The estimated global net DOC flux, and hence export, from marine macrophyte is about 0.197 ± 0.015 Pg C yr−1 or 0.212 ± 0.016 Pg C yr−1 depending if net DOC flux by seagrass meadows was estimated by taking into account the low or high global seagrass area, respectively.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra P. Zoubovsky ◽  
Michael T. Williams ◽  
Sarah Hoseus ◽  
Shivani Tumukuntala ◽  
Amy Riesenberg ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTPrenatal stress (PS) is associated with increased vulnerability to affective disorders. Transplacental glucocorticoid passage and stress-induced maternal environment alterations are recognized as potential routes of transmission that can fundamentally alter neurodevelopment. However, molecular mechanisms underlying aberrant emotional outcomes or the individual contributions intrauterine stress versus maternal environment play in shaping these mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we report anxiogenic behaviors, anhedonia, and female hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity as a consequence of psychosocial PS in mice. Sex-specific placental responses to stress and evidence of fetal amygdala programming precede these abnormalities. In adult offspring, we observe amygdalar transcriptional changes demonstrating sex-specific dysfunction in synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter systems. We find these abnormalities are primarily driven by in-utero stress exposure. Importantly, maternal care changes postnatally reverse anxiety-related behaviors and partially rescue gene alterations associated with neurotransmission. Our data demonstrate the influence maternal environment exerts in shaping offspring emotional development despite deleterious effects of intrauterine stress.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 936 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wood ◽  
E. M. Marzinelli ◽  
M. A. Coleman ◽  
A. H. Campbell ◽  
N. S. Santini ◽  
...  

Anthropogenic activities have caused profound changes globally in biodiversity, species interactions and ecosystem functions and services. In terrestrial systems, restoration has emerged as a useful approach to mitigate these changes, and is increasingly recognised as a tool to fortify ecosystems against future disturbances. In marine systems, restoration is also gaining traction as a management tool, but it is still comparatively scant and underdeveloped relative to terrestrial environments. Key coastal habitats, such as seaweed forests and seagrass meadows are showing widespread patterns of decline around the world. As these important ecosystems increasingly become the target of emerging marine restoration campaigns, it is important not only to address current environmental degradation issues, but also to focus on the future. Given the rate at which marine and other environments are changing, and given predicted increases in the frequency and magnitude of multiple stressors, we argue for an urgent need for subtidal marine macrophyte restoration efforts that explicitly incorporate future-proofing in their goals. Here we highlight emerging scientific techniques that can help achieve this, and discuss changes to managerial, political and public frameworks that are needed to support scientific innovation and restoration applications at scale.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Román ◽  
Antonio Tovar-Sánchez ◽  
Irene Olivé ◽  
Gabriel Navarro

Marine macrophytes constitute one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, as well as one of the most threatened by anthropogenic activities and climate change. Their monitoring is therefore essential, which has experienced a fast methodological evolution in recent years, from traditional in situ sampling to the use of satellite remote sensing, and subsequently by sensors mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). This study aims to advance the monitoring of these ecosystems through the use of a UAV equipped with a 10-band multispectral camera, using different algorithms [i.e., maximum likelihood classifier (MLC), minimum distance classifier (MDC), and spectral angle classifier (SAC)], and using the Bay of Cádiz Natural Park (southern Spain) as a case of study. The results obtained with MLC confirm the suitability of this technique for detecting and differentiating seagrass meadows in a range of 0–2 m depth and the efficiency of this tool for studying and monitoring marine macrophytes in coastal areas. We inferred the existence of a cover of 25452 m2 of Cymodocea nodosa, and macroalgae species such as Caulerpa prolifera, covering 22172 m2 of Santibañez (inner Bay of Cádiz).


Author(s):  
Aybars Koç ◽  
Dimitrije Markovic ◽  
Velemir Ninkovic ◽  
German Martinez

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1106
Author(s):  
Matin Miryeganeh

Plants are sessile organisms that need to adapt to constantly changing environmental conditions. Unpredictable climate change places plants under a variety of abiotic stresses. Studying the regulation of stress-responsive genes can help to understand plants’ ability to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. Changes in epigenetic marks such as histone modifications and DNA methylation are known to regulate gene expression by their dynamic variation in response to stimuli. This can then affect their phenotypic plasticity, which helps with the adaptation of plants to adverse conditions. Epigenetic marks may also provide a mechanistic basis for stress memory, which enables plants to respond more effectively and efficiently to recurring stress and prepare offspring for potential future stresses. Studying epigenetic changes in addition to genetic factors is important to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant stress responses. This review summarizes the epigenetic mechanisms behind plant responses to some main abiotic stresses.


Author(s):  
David P. Bazett-Jones ◽  
Mark L. Brown

A multisubunit RNA polymerase enzyme is ultimately responsible for transcription initiation and elongation of RNA, but recognition of the proper start site by the enzyme is regulated by general, temporal and gene-specific trans-factors interacting at promoter and enhancer DNA sequences. To understand the molecular mechanisms which precisely regulate the transcription initiation event, it is crucial to elucidate the structure of the transcription factor/DNA complexes involved. Electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) provides the opportunity to visualize individual DNA molecules. Enhancement of DNA contrast with ESI is accomplished by imaging with electrons that have interacted with inner shell electrons of phosphorus in the DNA backbone. Phosphorus detection at this intermediately high level of resolution (≈lnm) permits selective imaging of the DNA, to determine whether the protein factors compact, bend or wrap the DNA. Simultaneously, mass analysis and phosphorus content can be measured quantitatively, using adjacent DNA or tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as mass and phosphorus standards. These two parameters provide stoichiometric information relating the ratios of protein:DNA content.


Author(s):  
G-A. Keller ◽  
S. J. Gould ◽  
S. Subramani ◽  
S. Krisans

Subcellular compartments within eukaryotic cells must each be supplied with unique sets of proteins that must be directed to, and translocated across one or more membranes of the target organelles. This transport is mediated by cis- acting targeting signals present within the imported proteins. The following is a chronological account of a series of experiments designed and carried out in an effort to understand how proteins are targeted to the peroxisomal compartment.-We demonstrated by immunocryoelectron microscopy that the enzyme luciferase is a peroxisomal enzyme in the firefly lantern. -We expressed the cDNA encoding firefly luciferase in mammalian cells and demonstrated by immunofluorescence that the enzyme was transported into the peroxisomes of the transfected cells. -Using deletions, linker insertions, and gene fusion to identify regions of luciferase involved in its transport to the peroxisomes, we demonstrated that luciferase contains a peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) within its COOH-terminal twelve amino acid.


Author(s):  
D. P. Bazett-Jones ◽  
M. J. Hendzel

Structural analysis of combinations of nucleosomes and transcription factors on promoter and enhancer elements is necessary in order to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of transcription initiation. Such complexes are often not amenable to study by high resolution crystallographic techniques. We have been applying electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) to specific problems in molecular biology related to transcription regulation. There are several advantages that this technique offers in studies of nucleoprotein complexes. First, an intermediate level of spatial resolution can be achieved because heavy atom contrast agents are not necessary. Second, mass and stoichiometric relationships of protein and nucleic acid can be estimated by phosphorus detection, an element in much higher proportions in nucleic acid than protein. Third, wrapping or bending of the DNA by the protein constituents can be observed by phosphorus mapping of the complexes. Even when ESI is used with high exposure of electrons to the specimen, important macromolecular information may be provided. For example, an image of the TATA binding protein (TBP) bound to DNA is shown in the Figure (top panel). It can be seen that the protein distorts the DNA away from itself and much of its mass sits off the DNA helix axis. Moreover, phosphorus and mass estimates demonstrate whether one or two TBP molecules interact with this particular promoter TATA sequence.


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