Meta-analyses reveal climate change impacts on an ecologically and economically significant oyster in Australia.

Global oceans are warming and acidifying because of increasing greenhouse gas emissions that are anticipated to have cascading impacts on marine ecosystems and organisms, especially those essential for biodiversity and food security. Despite this concern, there remains some skepticism about the reproducibility and reliability of research done to predict future climate change impacts on marine organisms. Here, we present meta-analyses of over two decades of research on the climate change impacts on an ecologically and economically valuable Sydney rock oyster, .

Low pH Means More Female Offspring: A Multigenerational Plasticity in the Sex Ratio of Marine Bivalves.

Global changes can profoundly affect the sex determination and reproductive output of marine organisms, disrupting the population structure and ecosystems. High COdriven low pH in the context of ocean acidification (OA) has been shown to severely affect various calcifiers, but less is known about the extent to which low pH influences sex determination and reproduction of marine organisms, particularly mollusks. This study is the first to report a biased sex ratio over multiple generations toward females, driven by exposure to high CO-induced low pH environments, using the ecologically and economically important Portuguese oyster () as a model.

Structure of the bacteriophage 80α neck shows the interactions between DNA, tail completion protein and tape measure protein.

Tailed bacteriophages with double-stranded DNA genomes (class ) play an important role in the evolution of bacterial pathogenicity, both as carriers of genes encoding virulence factors and as the main means of horizontal transfer of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in many bacteria, such as . The pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), including SaPI1, are a type of MGEs are that carry a variable complement of genes encoding virulence factors. SaPI1 is mobilized at high frequency by "helper" bacteriophages, such as 80α, leading to packaging of the SaPI1 genome into virions made from structural proteins supplied by the helper.

Recruitment of a threatened foundation oyster species varies with large and small spatial scales.

Understanding how habitat attributes (e.g., patch area and sizes, connectivity) control recruitment and how this is modified by processes operating at larger spatial scales is fundamental to understanding population sustainability and developing successful long-term restoration strategies for marine foundation species-including for globally threatened reef-forming oysters.

Structure of the Portal Complex from Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenicity Island 1 Transducing Particles In Situ and In Isolation.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen, and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. The evolution of pathogenicity and resistance in S. aureus often involves acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs).

Resilience against the impacts of climate change in an ecologically and economically significant native oyster.

Climate change is acidifying and warming our oceans, at an unprecedented rate posing a challenge for marine invertebrates vital across the globe for ecological services and food security. Here we show it is possible for resilience to climate change in an ecologically and economically significant oyster without detrimental effects to the energy budget. We exposed 24 pair-mated genetically distinct families of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata to ocean acidification and warming for 4w and measured their resilience.

Structure of the portal complex from pathogenicity island 1 transducing particles in situ and in solution.

is an important human pathogen, and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. The evolution of pathogenicity and resistance in often involves acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Bacteriophages play an especially important role, since transduction represents the main mechanism for horizontal gene transfer.

A novel role for Teneurin C-terminal Associated Peptide (TCAP) in the regulation of cardiac activity in the Sydney rock oyster, .

Teneurin C-terminal associated peptide (TCAP) is an ancient bioactive peptide that is highly conserved in metazoans. TCAP administration reduces cellular and behavioural stress in vertebrate and urochordate models, yet despite numerous studies in higher animals, there is limited knowledge of its role in invertebrates. In particular, there are no studies on TCAP's effects on the heart of any metazoan, which is a critical organ in the stress response.

Teneurin and TCAP Phylogeny and Physiology: Molecular Analysis, Immune Activity, and Transcriptomic Analysis of the Stress Response in the Sydney Rock Oyster () Hemocytes.

Teneurin C-terminal associated peptide (TCAP) is an ancient bioactive peptide that is highly conserved in metazoans. TCAP administration reduces cellular and behavioral stress in vertebrate and urochordate models. There is little information for invertebrates regarding the existence or function of a TCAP.

Microbiomes of the Sydney Rock Oyster are acquired through both vertical and horizontal transmission.

Background: The term holobiont is widely accepted to describe animal hosts and their associated microorganisms. The genomes of all that the holobiont encompasses, are termed the hologenome and it has been proposed as a unit of selection in evolution. To demonstrate that natural selection acts on the hologenome, a significant portion of the associated microbial genomes should be transferred between generations.

Climate change alters shellfish reef communities: A temperate mesocosm experiment.

Climate change is expected to cause significant changes to rocky shore diversity. This study used outdoor mesocosms to test the predictions that warming and ocean acidification will alter the responses of native Trichomya hirsuta and introduced Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels, and their associated communities of infauna. Experiments consisted of orthogonal combinations of temperature (ambient 22 °C or elevated 25 °C), pCO (ambient 400 μatm or elevated 1000 μatm), mussel species (T.

Microbiomes of an oyster are shaped by metabolism and environment.

Microbiomes can both influence and be influenced by metabolism, but this relationship remains unexplored for invertebrates. We examined the relationship between microbiome and metabolism in response to climate change using oysters as a model marine invertebrate. Oysters form economies and ecosystems across the globe, yet are vulnerable to climate change.

Microbiome response differs among selected lines of Sydney rock oysters to ocean warming and acidification.

Oyster microbiomes are integral to healthy function and can be altered by climate change conditions. Genetic variation among oysters is known to influence the response of oysters to climate change and may ameliorate any adverse effects on oyster microbiome; however, this remains unstudied. Nine full-sibling selected breeding lines of the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) were exposed to predicted warming (ambient = 24°C, elevated = 28°C) and ocean acidification (ambient pCO2 = 400, elevated pCO2 = 1000 µatm) for 4 weeks.

Promoting inclusive metrics of success and impact to dismantle a discriminatory reward system in science.

Success and impact metrics in science are based on a system that perpetuates sexist and racist "rewards" by prioritizing citations and impact factors. These metrics are flawed and biased against already marginalized groups and fail to accurately capture the breadth of individuals' meaningful scientific impacts. We advocate shifting this outdated value system to advance science through principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Energetic lipid responses of larval oysters to ocean acidification.

Climate change will increase energetic demands on marine invertebrate larvae and make planktonic food more unpredictable. This study determined the impact of ocean acidification on larval energetics of the oysters Saccostrea glomerata and Crassostrea gigas. Larvae of both oysters were reared until the 9-day-old, umbonate stage under orthogonal combinations of ambient and elevated p CO (340 and 856 μatm) and food was limited.

Transgenerational plasticity responses of oysters to ocean acidification differ with habitat.

Transgenerational plasticity (TGP) has been identified as a critical mechanism of acclimation that may buffer marine organisms against climate change, yet whether the TGP response of marine organisms is altered depending on their habitat is unknown. Many marine organisms are found in intertidal zones where they experience episodes of emersion (air exposure) daily as the tide rises and recedes. During episodes of emersion, the accumulation of metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) leads to hypercapnia for many species.

Heatwaves alter survival of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata.

Heatwaves are an increasing threat to organisms across the globe. Marine and atmospheric heatwaves are predicted to impact sessile intertidal marine organisms, especially when exposed at low tide and unable to seek refuge. The study aimed to determine whether a simulated atmospheric heatwave will alter the survival of selectively bred families of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata), and whether survival is dependent on morphological and physiological traits.

Copper and ocean acidification interact to lower maternal investment, but have little effect on adult physiology of the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata.

It remains unknown how molluscs will respond to oceans which are increasingly predicted to be warmer, more acidic, and heavily polluted. Ocean acidification and trace metals will likely interact to increase the energy demands of marine organisms, especially oysters. This study tested the interactive effect of exposure to elevated pCO and copper on the energetic demands of the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) during reproductive conditioning and determined whether there were any positive or negative effects on their offspring.

Ocean acidification but not warming alters sex determination in the Sydney rock oyster, .

Whether sex determination of marine organisms can be altered by ocean acidification and warming during this century remains a significant, unanswered question. Here, we show that exposure of the protandric hermaphrodite oyster, to ocean acidification, but not warming, alters sex determination resulting in changes in sex ratios. After just one reproductive cycle there were 16% more females than males.

Sensitivity to ocean acidification differs between populations of the Sydney rock oyster: Role of filtration and ion-regulatory capacities.

Understanding mechanisms of intraspecific variation in resilience to environmental drivers is key to predict species' adaptive potential. Recent studies show a higher CO resilience of Sydney rock oysters selectively bred for increased growth and disease resistance ('selected oysters') compared to the wild population. We tested whether the higher resilience of selected oysters correlates with an increased ability to compensate for CO-induced acid-base disturbances.

Competing scaffolding proteins determine capsid size during mobilization of pathogenicity islands.

pathogenicity islands (SaPIs), such as SaPI1, exploit specific helper bacteriophages, like 80α, for their high frequency mobilization, a process termed 'molecular piracy'. SaPI1 redirects the helper's assembly pathway to form small capsids that can only accommodate the smaller SaPI1 genome, but not a complete phage genome. SaPI1 encodes two proteins, CpmA and CpmB, that are responsible for this size redirection.

Transcriptomic profiling of adaptive responses to ocean acidification.

Some populations of marine organisms appear to have inherent tolerance or the capacity for acclimation to stressful environmental conditions, including those associated with climate change. Sydney rock oysters from the B2 breeding line exhibit resilience to ocean acidification (OA) at the physiological level. To understand the molecular basis of this physiological resilience, we analysed the gill transcriptome of B2 oysters that had been exposed to near-future projected ocean pH over two consecutive generations.

Ocean acidification narrows the acute thermal and salinity tolerance of the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata.

Coastal and estuarine environments are characterised by acute changes in temperature and salinity. Organisms living within these environments are adapted to withstand such changes, yet near-future ocean acidification (OA) may challenge their physiological capacity to respond. We tested the impact of CO-induced OA on the acute thermal and salinity tolerance, energy metabolism and acid-base regulation capacity of the oyster Saccostrea glomerata.