Impacts of an environmental ototoxic pollutant on fish fighting behaviors.

Numerous environmental pollutants exhibit ototoxicity and cause damage to the lateral line structures in fish, including the neuromast and its hair cells. The lateral line is used to detect hydrodynamic changes and is thought to play a significant role in aggressive interactions. Fighting behaviors in fish are crucial for establishing social hierarchy and obtaining limited resources.

Environmental acidification drives inter-organ energy mobilization to enhance reproductive performance in medaka (Oryzias latipes).

Anthropogenically environmental acidification impacts aquatic organisms, including teleosts, the largest group of vertebrates. Despite its significance, how teleosts allocate nutrient and energy among their organs to cope with acidic stress remains unclear. Our integrated analysis of physiological, metabolic, and gene expression data reveals that Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) mobilize energy resources among organs in response to acidic conditions.

First Report of Causing Root Rot on Hard Fescue () in the United States.

Turfgrasses are susceptible to a wide variety of ectotrophic root-infecting (ERI) fungi that cause root rot (Tredway et al., 2023). Among the root rot diseases, fairway patch, caused by Phialocephala bamuru P.

Conserved expression of the zebrafish gene in GABAergic neurons in the cerebellum of adult fishes revealed by mammalian SYT4 immunoreactive-like signals.

Synaptotagmin 4 () belongs to the synaptotagmin protein family, which has 17 and 28 family members in human and zebrafish, respectively. In zebrafish and rodents, is known to express abundantly in the entire central nervous system in the early developmental stages. In adult rodents, the gene expression shifts to be predominant in the cerebellum, mostly in Purkinje cells, a type of GABAergic neurons.

Alternation of social behaviors for zebrafish (Danio rerio) in response to acute cold stress.

Low temperature is one of the most common abiotic stresses for aquatic ectotherms. Ambient low temperatures reduce the metabolic rate of teleosts, therefore, teleosts have developed strategies to modulate their physiological status for energy saving in response to cold stress, including behaviors, circulatory system, respiratory function, and metabolic adjustments. Many teleosts are social animals and they can live in large schools to serve a variety of functions, including predator avoidance, foraging efficiency, and reproduction.

Fenpropathrin causes alterations in locomotion and social behaviors in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Fenpropathrin is one of the widely used pyrethroid pesticides in agriculture and is frequently detected in the environment, groundwater, and food. While fenpropathrin was found to have neurotoxic effects in mammals, it remains unclear whether it has similar effects on fish. Here, we used adult zebrafish to investigate the impacts of fenpropathrin on fish social behaviors and neural activity.

Terpenes modulate bacterial and fungal growth and sorghum rhizobiome communities.

Terpenes are among the oldest and largest class of plant-specialized bioproducts that are known to affect plant development, adaptation, and biological interactions. While their biosynthesis, evolution, and function in aboveground interactions with insects and individual microbial species are well studied, how different terpenes impact plant microbiomes belowground is much less understood. Here we designed an experiment to assess how belowground exogenous applications of monoterpenes (1,8-cineole and linalool) and a sesquiterpene (nerolidol) delivered through an artificial root system impacted its belowground bacterial and fungal microbiome.

Anti-fungal bioactive terpenoids in the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) may contribute to ecotype-specific microbiome composition.

Plant derived bioactive small molecules have attracted attention of scientists across fundamental and applied scientific disciplines. We seek to understand the influence of these phytochemicals on rhizosphere and root-associated fungi. We hypothesize that - consistent with accumulating evidence that switchgrass genotype impacts microbiome assembly - differential terpenoid accumulation contributes to switchgrass ecotype-specific microbiome composition.

Nicotine reduces social dominance and neutralizes experience-dependent effects during social conflicts in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Nicotine, a psychoactive pollutant, binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and disrupts the cholinergic modulation and reward systems of the brain, leading to attention deficit, memory loss, and addiction. However, whether nicotine affects social behaviors remains unknown. We assessed the effects of nicotine on the fighting behavior of zebrafish.

Molecular Physiological Evidence for the Role of Na-Cl Co-Transporter in Branchial Na Uptake in Freshwater Teleosts.

The gills are the major organ for Na uptake in teleosts. It was proposed that freshwater (FW) teleosts adopt Na/H exchanger 3 (Nhe3) as the primary transporter for Na uptake and Na-Cl co-transporter (Ncc) as the backup transporter. However, convincing molecular physiological evidence to support the role of Ncc in branchial Na uptake is still lacking due to the limitations of functional assays in the gills.

Mir125b-2 imprinted in human but not mouse brain regulates hippocampal function and circuit in mice.

Genomic imprinting predominantly occurs in the placenta and brain. Few imprinted microRNAs have been identified in the brain, and their functional roles in the brain are not clear. Here we show paternal, but not maternal, expression of MIR125B2 in human but not mouse brain.

Responses of medaka (Oryzias latipes) ammonia production and excretion to overcome acidified environments.

Anthropogenic acidification of water is an on-going environmental disaster for freshwater fishes. Fishes rely on ammonia excretion to eliminate the excess acid and mitigate the harmful effects; however, it remains largely unknown how ammoniagenesis occurs and is coordinated with ammonia excretion upon acidic stress. Medaka (Oryzias latipes) was used to examine the effects of acidic stress on ammonia production and excretion.

Retention of ion channel genes expression increases Japanese medaka survival during seawater reacclimation.

Euryhaline teleosts exhibit varying acclimability to survive in environments that alternate between being hypotonic and hypertonic. Such ability is conferred by ion channels expressed by ionocytes, the ion-regulating cells in the gills or skin. However, switching between environments is physiologically challenging, because most channels can only perform unidirectional ion transportation.

Sublethal ammonia induces alterations of emotions, cognition, and social behaviors in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Ammonia pollutants were usually found in aquatic environments is due to urban sewage, industrial wastewater discharge, and agricultural runoff and concentrations as high as 180 mg/L (NH) have been reported in rivers. High ammonia levels are known to impair multiple tissue and cell functions and cause fish death. Although ammonia is a potent neurotoxin, how sublethal concentrations of ammonia influence the central nervous system (CNS) and the complex behaviors of fish is still unclear.

Neuronal splicing regulator RBFOX3 mediates seizures via regulating expression preferentially in NPY-expressing GABAergic neurons.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder, which has been linked to mutations or deletions of RNA binding protein, fox-1 homolog () 3 ()/, a neuronal splicing regulator. However, the mechanism of seizure mediation by RBFOX3 remains unknown. Here, we show that mice with deletion of in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) ergic neurons exhibit spontaneous seizures and high premature mortality due to increased presynaptic release, postsynaptic potential, neuronal excitability, and synaptic transmission in hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs).

RTL1/PEG11 imprinted in human and mouse brain mediates anxiety-like and social behaviors and regulates neuronal excitability in the locus coeruleus.

RTL1/PEG11, which has been associated with anxiety disorders, is a retrotransposon-derived imprinted gene in the placenta. However, imprinting patterns and functions of RTL1 in the brain have not been well-investigated. We found Rtl1 was paternally, but not maternally, expressed in brain stem, thalamus, and hypothalamus of mice, and imprinting status of RTL1 was maintained in human brain.

Insecticide Resistance and Control Failure Likelihood Analysis in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Populations From Taiwan.

The status of insecticide resistance levels is important for applying suitable pest management approaches. The present study investigated the insecticide resistance of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) populations from five major cruciferous growing areas in Taiwan. The surveyed locations were distributed from central to southern Taiwan and included Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Kaohsiung.

In Vivo Functional Assay in Fish Gills: Exploring Branchial Acid-Excreting Mechanisms in Zebrafish.

Molecular and physiological analyses in ionoregulatory organs (e.g., adult gills and embryonic skin) are essential for studying fish ion regulation.

Soil Origin and Plant Genotype Modulate Switchgrass Aboveground Productivity and Root Microbiome Assembly.

Switchgrass () is a model perennial grass for bioenergy production that can be productive in agricultural lands that are not suitable for food production. There is growing interest in whether its associated microbiome may be adaptive in low- or no-input cultivation systems. However, the relative impact of plant genotype and soil factors on plant microbiome and biomass are a challenge to decouple.

Long-Term Motor Cortical Electrical Stimulation Ameliorates 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Motor Dysfunctions and Exerts Neuroprotective Effects in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: Cortical electrical stimulation (CES) can modulate cortical excitability through a plasticity-like mechanism and is considered to have therapeutic potentials in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the precise therapeutic value of such approach for PD remains unclear. Accordingly, we adopted a PD rat model to determine the therapeutic effects of CES.

Mouse hybrid genome mediates diverse brain phenotypes with the specificity of reciprocal crosses.

Hybrid species have more genetic diversity than their parents. However, the impact of the hybrid genome of reciprocal crosses on brain function remains largely unknown. We performed behavioral, molecular, and neuronal analyses on C57BL/6J mice (B6), CAST/EiJ mice (CAST), and hybrid mice resulting from reciprocal crosses of the two strains, B6/CAST F1i and B6/CAST F1r, respectively.

Rapid Detection of the Recently Identified Turfgrass Pathogen Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification.

is a recently identified root-infecting pathogen of fine fescue ( spp.) turfgrasses. Although it is phylogenetically similar to other root-infecting turfgrass pathogens such as , management of is distinct and highlights the need for fast and accurate identification.

Estrogen-related receptor γ2 controls NaCl uptake to maintain ionic homeostasis.

Estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are known to function in mammalian kidney as key regulators of ion transport-related genes; however, a comprehensive understanding of the physiological functions of ERRs in vertebrate body fluid ionic homeostasis is still elusive. Here, we used medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a euryhaline teleost, to investigate how ERRs are involved in ion regulation. After transferring medaka from hypertonic seawater to hypotonic freshwater (FW), the mRNA expression levels of errγ2 were highly upregulated, suggesting that Errγ2 may play a crucial role in ion uptake.