The Molecular Biodiversity of Protein Targeting and Protein Transport Related to the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Looking at the variety of the thousands of different polypeptides that have been focused on in the research on the endoplasmic reticulum from the last five decades taught us one humble lesson: no one size fits all. Cells use an impressive array of components to enable the safe transport of protein cargo from the cytosolic ribosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Safety during the transit is warranted by the interplay of cytosolic chaperones, membrane receptors, and protein translocases that together form functional networks and serve as protein targeting and translocation routes. While two targeting routes to the endoplasmic reticulum, SRP (signal recognition particle) and GET (guided entry of tail-anchored proteins), prefer targeting determinants at the N- and C-terminus of the cargo polypeptide, respectively, the recently discovered SND (SRP-independent) route seems to preferentially cater for cargos with non-generic targeting signals that are less hydrophobic or more distant from the termini. With an emphasis on targeting routes and protein translocases, we will discuss those functional networks that drive efficient protein topogenesis and shed light on their redundant and dynamic nature in health and disease.

Managing human mediated range shifts: understanding spatial, temporal and genetic variation in marine non- native species

The use of molecular methods to manage natural resources is increasingly common. However, DNA-based methods are seldom used to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of species' range shifts. This is important when managing range-shifting species such as non-native species (NNS), which can have negative impacts on biotic communities. Here we investigated the range-shifting NNS Ciona robusta, Clavelina lepadiformis, Microcosmus squamiger and Styela plicata using a combined methodological approach. We first conducted non-molecular biodiversity surveys for these NSS along the South African coastline, and compared the results with historical surveys. We detected no consistent change in range size across species, with some displaying range stability and others showing range shifts. We then sequenced a section of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from tissue samples and found genetic differences along the coastline but no change over recent times. Finally, we found that environmental DNA metabarcoding data showed broad congruence with both the non-molecular biodiversity and the COI datasets, but failed to capture complete incidence of all NSS. Overall, we demonstrated how a combined methodological approach can effectively detect spatial and temporal variation in genetic composition and range size, which is key for managing biodiversity changes of both threatened and NSS.

Mainstreaming Molecular Biodiversity: A call for a unified and interoperable framework

Over the past 20 years, immense progress has been made in enhancing the effectiveness, affordability, and deployability of molecular methods for biodiversity assessment and monitoring. From the micro- to macroscopic scale, methods such as amplicon sequencing of phylogenetic marker genes, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics have greatly impacted biology and ecology, and are steadily being integrated into national and international biodiversity policy. Over the next decade, technologies such as miniaturised and autonomous DNA sequencing platforms will amplify this momentum, ushering in an unprecedented volume of deeply minable biodiversity information. While production-grade resources exist to standardise, archive, and exchange raw molecular data (e.g. the resources of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC) for DNA and RNA sequences), there are still no equivalent frameworks for biodiversity information derived from molecular methods. Research infrastructures in both the biodiversity and molecular biology domains must fill this gap with great urgency to channel molecular advances into efforts to understand and sustain Earth's imperilled biosphere. This session seeks to accelerate the implementation of global standards to link molecular biodiversity data to taxonomy-based systems. Only with these in place can we realise a robust, distributed, yet fully interoperating, network of infrastructures, projects, and researchers addressing molecular biodiversity. This introductory series of flash talks will present the rationale and goals of the session, alongside a joint vision from representatives of several convening stakeholders. A contribution from ELIXIR, an intergovernmental organisation of distributed infrastructures for biological data, will demonstrate the high readiness of biological data resources such as the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) to mobilise molecular data along new standards. An intervention from the SILVA rRNA database project - itself an ELIXIR Core Data Resource - will note the actionability of interfacing molecular-based phylogenies with Linnaean systems hosted by partners such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Two more contributions will emphasise the essential role (and thus critical need) of molecular biodiversity standards in bridging research and operations. The first will focus on the nation-scale Metagenomics-Based Ecosystem Biomonitoring (EcoBiomics) project in Canada, which is using 'omic approaches to better assess, monitor, and remediate microbial and invertebrate biodiversity in soil and aquatic ecosystems, thus sustaining ecosystem resilience and service provision upon which society and economies depend. The second will underscore the need for international and stable standards to advance the long-term mission of the Global Omics Observatory Network (GLOMICON), and its contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System's Essential Ocean Variables (GOOS EOVs) under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO). Collectively, these contributions will make the case for a concerted effort to expedite the principled creation of operational information standards in molecular biodiversity. We invite all stakeholders to join us in implementing these standards in the coming years.

Molecular biodiversity assessment of plant-parasitic nematodes in Dokdo Island, Korea

Summary Dokdo Island has a unique biodiversity that has been preserved as a natural monument. Although the biodiversity of Dokdo has been investigated, little information is available regarding the nematodes. The diversity of plant-parasitic nematodes was investigated using both ITS and D2-D3 sequences. Nematodes extracted from 59 rhizosphere soil samples were morphologically identified as belonging to eight genera: Geocenamus, Helicotylenchus, Rotylenchulus, Heterodera, Paratylenchus, Pratylenchus, Pratylenchoides and Xiphinema. Further, nucleotide sequences were determined from 85 individuals of different genera for species diagnosis. We identified 13 species, including three species of the genus Pratylenchus (P. crenatus, P. kumamotoensis and P. neglectus), Helicotylenchus sp. 1, Rotylenchulus sp. 1, Paratylenchus nanus, Heterodera trifolii, Heterodera spp., Pratylenchoides ritteri, Geocenamus sp. 1, Geocenamus sp. 2, Xiphinema brevicollum and Xiphinema sp. 1. The dominant plant-parasitic nematode on Dokdo was P. crenatus, which was found in 25.4% of the samples. Our study provides important information about the biodiversity of plant-parasitic nematodes on Dokdo Island.