Selenomethionine Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment, Decreases Hippocampal Oxidative Stress and Attenuates Dysbiosis in D-Galactose-Treated Mice

The prevalence of age-related cognitive impairment is increasing as the proportion of older individuals in the population grows. It is therefore necessary and urgent to find agents to prevent or ameliorate age-related cognitive impairment. Selenomethionine (SeMet) is a natural amino acid occurring in yeast and Brazil nuts. It mitigates cognitive impairment in an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model, however, whether it works on age-related cognitive impairment remains unknown. In this study, SeMet significantly improved the performance of D-galactose-treated mice in the novel object recognition test, passive avoidance task and Morris water maze test. SeMet reversed D-galactose-induced reduction of hippocampal acetylcholine levels, suppression of choline acetyltransferase activity and activation of acetyl cholinesterase. It decreased D-galactose-induced oxidative stress and increased the selenoprotein P levels in the hippocampus. Besides, it attenuated D-galactose-induced dysbiosis by increasing the α-diversity and modulating the taxonomic structure. Correlations between certain taxa and physiological parameters were observed. Our results provide evidence of the effectiveness of SeMet on ameliorating D-galactose-induced cognitive impairment and suggest SeMet has potential to be used in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of age-related cognitive impairment.

Taxonomic composition and biodiversity of the gut microbiome from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and asthma

To date, the association of an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota with various human diseases, including both diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and disorders of the immune system, has been shown. However, despite the huge amount of accumulated data, many key questions still remain unanswered. Given limited data on the composition of the gut microbiota in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) from different parts of Siberia, as well as the lack of data on the gut microbiota of patients with bronchial asthma (BA), the aim of the study was to assess the biodiversity of the gut microbiota of patients with IBS, UC and BA in comparison with those of healthy volunteers (HV). In this study, a comparative assessment of the biodiversity and taxonomic structure of gut microbiome was conducted based on the sequencing of 16S rRNA genes obtained from fecal samples of patients with IBS, UC, BA and volunteers. Sequences of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes types dominated in all samples studied. The third most common in all samples were sequences of the Proteobacteria type, which contains pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria. Sequences of the Actinobacteria type were, on average, the fourth most common. The results showed the presence of dysbiosis in the samples from patients compared to the sample from HVs. The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes was lower in the IBS and UC samples than in HV and higher the BA samples. In the samples from patients with intestinal diseases (IBS and UC), an increase in the proportion of sequences of the Bacteroidetes type and a decrease in the proportion of sequences of the Clostridia class, as well as the Ruminococcaceae, but not Erysipelotrichaceae family, were found. The IBS, UC, and BA samples had signif icantly more Proteobacteria sequences, including Methylobacterium, Sphingomonas, Parasutterella, Halomonas, Vibrio, as well as Escherichia spp. and Shigella spp. In the gut microbiota of adults with BA, a decrease in the proportion of Roseburia, Lachnospira, Veillonella sequences was detected, but the share of Faecalibacterium and Lactobacillus sequences was the same as in healthy individuals. A signif icant increase in the proportion of Halomonas and Vibrio sequences in the gut microbiota in patients with BA has been described for the f irst time.

Taxonomic structure of tissue endophytic bacterial microbiome in clonal apple rootstock grown on sod-podzolic soils with variant properties

The taxonomic structure of tissue endophytic bacterial microbiome was comparatively studied in microplants (undifferentiated explant callus tissues, passage 25) and 5-year clonal apple rootstocks 57-490 and 54-118 cultured from corresponding tissues (passage 1) on sod-podzolic soils with variant granulometry, chemical, physical and physicochemical properties. Proteobacteria (91.6 %) predominated in vitro tissues among other endophytic bacterial phyla in rootstock 57-490, while Proteobacteria (52.5 %) and Firmicutes (47.4 %) — in rootstock 54-118. The endophytic Firmicutes ratio vs. in vitro tissues decreases (0.7-2.0 %) in roots and more severely (0-0.2 %) in leaves. Endophytic Actinobacteriota are revealed in 11.7 % in roots of the study rootstock in heavy loam soil, whilst in medium loam their ratio drops to 2.74.1 % in roots and 0.1-0.2 % in leaves. The phylogenetic diversity indices estimation for main endophytic bacterial phyla in apple rootstock tissue recovers their essentially lower diversity and evenness in culture endosphere (Shannon index 0.42-1.00) vs. open soil roots (1.34-2.08). The leaves Shannon index is typically low (0.06-0.13) indicating poor diversity and evenness of the main endophytic bacterial phyla.

Phytoplankton as an indicator of the current ecological status of the Ob River

The species composition, taxonomic structure, and the dominant complex of algae, and the distribution of phytoplankton abundance in the studied watercourse were identified based on data obtained for phytoplankton from the Ob River (from Tomsk to Salekhard) in summer 2019. Green algae (division Chlorophyta) make up the basis of the phytoplankton abundance in the river. The dominant complex is represented mainly by centric diatoms (genera Aulaсoseira, Cyclotella, Stephanodiscus) and non-heterocyst forms of cyanoprokaryotes (genus Aphanocapsa). The numbers and biomass of phytoplankton gradually decrease downstream of the Ob River; below the confluence of the Irtysh River, the edge effect occurs: increase in the diversity and density of organisms at the boundaries of ecosystems. Compared to the previous studies, the proportion of green and euglena algae, and cyanoprokaryotes in the taxonomic spectrum of phytoplankton increased, the composition of the dominant complex enriched, including due to non-heterocyst forms of cyanoprokaryotes, and the trophic status of the river increased to the category of eutrophic waters.

Taxonomic structure of the southern chernozem under application of biological preparations and different farming systems

The study of the taxonomic structure of the southern chernozem under influence of microbial preparations and various farming systems in the conditions of the southern steppe zone has been carried out. Metagenomic analysis of the microbiome of southern chernozem showed the presence of 174 genera representatives of prokaryotes, among which 17 are dominant, representing more than 1%. Farming systems cause changes in the taxonomic structure of the microbiome in comparison with virgin soil in the steppe zone. The influence of microbial preparations of complex action on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microbiome of southern chernozem and increasing under no-till farming system has been established. The maximum content of water-soluble organic matter was found in virgin soil, which has higher amount of plant residues, up to 491 mg/kg of soil. Under the influence of farming systems its amount decreased in 4.2-8.5 times. The use of a complex of microbial preparations in the southern chernozem contributed to an increase in the amount of water-soluble fraction of humus depending on the farming system: 1.7 times with the conventional farming system and 3 times with no-till compared to the control without CMP.

Dental caries and its association with the oral microbiomes and HIV in young children—Nigeria (DOMHaIN): a cohort study

Background This study seeks to understand better the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of caries in HIV-infected school-aged Nigerian children by examining the relationship between the plaque microbiome and perinatal HIV infection and exposure. We also seek to investigate how perinatal HIV infection and exposure impact tooth-specific microbiomes' role on caries disease progression. Methods The participants in this study were children aged 4 to 11 years recruited from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria, between May to November 2019. Overall, 568 children were enrolled in three groups: 189 HIV-infected (HI), 189 HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and 190 HIV-unexposed and uninfected (HUU) as controls at visit 1 with a 2.99% and 4.90% attrition rate at visit 2 and visit 3 respectively. Data were obtained with standardized questionnaires. Blood samples were collected for HIV, HBV and HCV screening; CD4, CD8 and full blood count analysis; and plasma samples stored for future investigations; oral samples including saliva, buccal swabs, oropharyngeal swab, tongue swab, dental plaque were collected aseptically from participants at different study visits. Conclusions Results from the study will provide critical information on how HIV exposure, infection, and treatment, influence the oral microbiome and caries susceptibility in children. By determining the effect on community taxonomic structure and gene expression of dental microbiomes, we will elucidate mechanisms that potentially create a predisposition for developing dental caries. As future plans, the relationship between respiratory tract infections, immune and inflammatory markers with dental caries in perinatal HIV infection and exposure will be investigated.

Die Landschnecken des Ostmediterrans – ein hot spot der palaearktischen Malakofauna*

Die Erforschung der Malakofauna der Türkei wird kurz dargestellt. Als Resultat einer fast 40-jährigen Beschäftigung mit den kontinentalen Mollusken der Türkei werden einige Fakten zur Taxonomie und Biogeographie der Malakofauna des Landes vorgestellt. Wesentliche Faktoren, die die Verbreitung dieser Tiergruppe beeinflussen, werden diskutiert. Die Bedeutung des Landes als Brückenkopf für die Ausbreitung der Malakofauna des Vorderen Orients wird dargestellt. Die Bedeutung des Landes für die Radiation von Landschnecken im westpaläarktischen Rahmen wird ausgeführt. The land snails of the Eastern Mediterranean – a hot spot of the Palaearctic malacofauna Abstract: The malacological research of Turkey is briefly presented. As a result of almost 40 years of study of the continental molluscs of Turkey, some facts on the taxonomic structure of the country’s malacofauna are presented. Major factors influencing the distribution of this group of animals are discussed. The importance of the country as a bridgehead for the dispersal of the malacofauna of the Near East is presented. The importance of the country for the radiation of land snails in the Western Palaearctic framework is elaborated.

Deep phylogeographic splits but no taxonomic structure in the disjointly distributed Draba pacheri (Brassicaceae), a subendemic of the Eastern Alps

Draba (Brassicaeae), a model group for diversification and evolution in Arctic and mountain habitats, is taxonomically challenging and many of its species are insufficiently investigated. One such species is D. pacheri, an endemic of the eastern European Alps and the western Carpathians (here presumably extinct). Several hypotheses exist with respect to the phylogenetic position and the taxonomy of this species, but none of these has ever been tested using molecular data. In this article we examine (i) DNA sequence data to assess the phylogenetic position of D. pacheri within the genus and (ii) AFLP fingerprint data as well as morphometric data to address whether this species can be divided taxonomically into species or subspecies. DNA sequence data firmly place D. pacheri within the Core Draba Group III, whose internal relationships are, however, insufficiently resolved to precisely identify the closest relative of D. pacheri. AFLP data identify several genetically divergent lineages corresponding to geographically distinct regions. Although these lineages are congruent with hypotheses distinguishing either two species (D. pacheri s. str., D. norica) or one species with several subspecies, the lack of clear morphological separation, both with respect to the entire set of traits and single presumably diagnostic characters such as trichome morphology, renders recognition of a single species D. pacheri, as suggested previously, the best taxonomic solution. The deep and geographically strongly structured splits of D. pacheri likely are the result of isolation in several Pleistocene refugia and warrant that conservation efforts should involve populations from each of the main geographic subgroups.