First evidence of molecular response of the shrimp Hippolyte inermis to biodegradable microplastics.

The increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics has propelled the interest in bioplastics. A few papers reported on the effects of plastics on crustaceans, but no indication about biodegradable polymers is available. Hippolyte inermis Leach, 1816 is a protandric shrimp commonly living on leaves of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, in the Mediterranean Sea.

Roadmap and Considerations for Genome Editing in a Non-Model Organism: Genetic Variations and Off-Target Profiling.

The CRISPR/Cas genome editing approach in non-model organisms poses challenges that remain to be resolved. Here, we demonstrated a generalized roadmap for a de novo genome annotation approach applied to the non-model organism . We also addressed the typical genome editing challenges arising from genetic variations, such as a high frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms, differences in sex chromosomes, and repetitive sequences that can lead to off-target events.

Molecular Approaches Detect Early Signals of Programmed Cell Death in Leach.

The protandric shrimp is the only known marine invertebrate whose sex determination is strongly influenced by the composition of its food. In , a sex reversal is triggered by the ingestion of diatoms of the genus associated with leaves of the seagrass . These diatoms contain compounds that promote programmed cell death (PCD) in and also in human cancer cells.

A transporter that allows phosphate ions to control the polymorph of exoskeletal calcium carbonate biomineralization.

The SLC20A2 transporter supplies phosphate ions (P) for diverse biological functions in vertebrates, yet has not been studied in crustaceans. Unlike vertebrates, whose skeletons are mineralized mainly by calcium phosphate, only minute amounts of P are found in the CaCO-mineralized exoskeletons of invertebrates. In this study, a crustacean SLC20A2 transporter was discovered and P transport to exoskeletal elements was studied with respect to the role of P in invertebrate exoskeleton biomineralization, revealing an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for P transport in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Caries prevalence and water fluoridation in Israel: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To assess the effect of Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) in the prevalence of dental caries and dental fluorosis in 12-year-old children living in Israel. Considering that CWF is important in the prevention of dental caries. Between 2002 and 2014, the water in communities of at least 5,000 individuals was fluoridated.