A global comparison of surface and subsurface microbiomes reveals large-scale biodiversity gradients, and a marine-terrestrial divide.

Subsurface environments are among Earth's largest habitats for microbial life. Yet, until recently, we lacked adequate data to accurately differentiate between globally distributed marine and terrestrial surface and subsurface microbiomes. Here, we analyzed 478 archaeal and 964 bacterial metabarcoding datasets and 147 metagenomes from diverse and widely distributed environments.

The Role of Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Serotonergic Systems in Emotional Learning and Memory in Male BALB/c Mice.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line pharmacological treatment for a variety of anxiety-, trauma- and stressor-related disorders. Although they are efficacious, therapeutic improvements require several weeks of treatment and are often associated with an initial exacerbation of symptoms. The dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) has been proposed as an important target for the modulation of emotional responses and the therapeutic effects of SSRIs.

Diterpenes of Coffea seeds show antifungal and anti-insect activities and are transferred from the endosperm to the seedling after germination.

Species of the genus Coffea accumulate diterpenes of the ent-kaurane family in the endosperm of their seeds, of which cafestol and kahweol are the most abundant. The diterpenes are mainly stored in esterified form with fatty acids, mostly palmitate. In contrast to the numerous studies on their effects on human health and therapeutic applications, nothing was previously known about their biological and ecological role in planta.

Novel Antidepressant-Like Properties of the Iron Chelator Deferiprone in a Mouse Model of Depression.

Depressed individuals who carry the short allele for the serotonin-transporter-linked promotor region of the gene are more vulnerable to stress and have reduced response to first-line antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Since depression severity has been reported to correlate with brain iron levels, the present study aimed to characterise the potential antidepressant properties of the iron chelator deferiprone. Using the serotonin transporter knock-out (5-HTT KO) mouse model, we assessed the behavioural effects of acute deferiprone on the Porsolt swim test (PST) and novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT).

Acute treatment with 5-hydroxytryptophan increases social approach behaviour but does not activate serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus in juvenile male BALB/c mice: A model of human disorders with deficits of sociability.

Background: The BALB/c mouse has been proposed as a model of human psychiatric disorders characterised by elevated anxiety and altered sociability. Juvenile BALB/c mice show decreased social exploratory behaviour, increased anxiety, and reduced brain serotonin synthesis compared to other strains including C57BL/6J mice.

Aim: To determine whether supplementation of brain serotonin synthesis alters social behaviour and activation of serotonergic neurons across subregions of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) in BALB/c mice.