Population genomics of an icefish reveals mechanisms of glacier-driven adaptive radiation in Antarctic notothenioids.

Background: Antarctica harbors the bulk of the species diversity of the dominant teleost fish suborder-Notothenioidei. However, the forces that shape their evolution are still under debate.

Results: We sequenced the genome of an icefish, Chionodraco hamatus, and used population genomics and demographic modelling of sequenced genomes of 52 C.

First evidence of dermo-protective activity of marine sulfur-containing histidine compounds.

Among natural products, ovothiol (ovo), produced by marine invertebrates, bacteria, and microalgae, is receiving increasing interest for its unique antioxidant properties. Recently, ovo has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in an in vitro model of endothelial dysfunction and in an in vivo model of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ovo and its precursor 5-thiohistidine (5-thio) in comparison with ergothioneine (erg), in human skin cells and tissues upon inflammation.

Role of the melanocortin system in zebrafish skin physiology.

The agouti-signaling protein (ASIP) acts as both a competitive antagonist and inverse agonist of melanocortin receptors which regulate dorsal-ventral pigmentation patterns in fish. However, the potential role of ASIP in the regulation of additional physiological pathways in the skin is unknown. The skin plays a crucial role in the immune function, acting as a physical limitation against infestation and also as a chemical barrier due to its ability to synthesize and secrete mucus and many immune effector proteins.

Plant-based diets fed to juvenile meagre Argyrosomus regius with low methionine and taurine supplementation led to an overall reduction in fish performance and to an increase in muscle fibre recruitment.

Methionine and taurine are amino acids (AA) that are usually deficient when fish meal is replaced by plant proteins. In this study, three diets were tested in juvenile meagre (initial weight: 13.4 g) for 8 weeks.

Zebrafish optineurin: genomic organization and transcription regulation.

Optineurin (OPTN) is involved in a variety of mechanisms, such as autophagy, vesicle trafficking, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling. Mutations in the gene have been associated with different pathologies, including glaucoma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Paget's disease of bone. Since the relationship between fish and mammalian OPTN is not well understood, the objective of the present work was to characterize the zebrafish gene and protein structure and to investigate its transcriptional regulation.

Unravelling the Structure of Peroxides with Antiparasitic Activity: The Relative Impact of a Trioxolane or a Tetraoxane Pharmacophore on the Overall Molecular Structure.

Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin-resistance boosted the quest for novel plasmodial "fast killers," uncovering antimalarial candidates OZ439 and E209, whose peroxide precursors are 1,2,4-trioxolane (1) and 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane (2), differing solely in the pharmacophore (trioxolane or tetraoxane). Combining X-ray crystallography and vibrational spectroscopy, along with Hirshfeld surface analysis and calculations (CE-B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)) of pairwise interaction energies of intermolecular contacts existing in the crystal structure, may deepen the understanding of relative reactivity and properties of these endoperoxides classes. In the crystal, the tetraoxane ring in 2 and the trioxolane-adamantyl fragment in 1 are disordered, with molecules 1 and 2 existing as two distinct, stable conformations.

Effects of foliar application of organic acids on strawberry plants.

The large economic costs and environmental impacts of iron-chelate treatments has led to the search for alternative methods and compounds to control iron (Fe) deficiency chlorosis. Strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa) were grown in Hoagland's nutrient solution in a greenhouse with two levels of Fe: 0 and 10 μM Fe(III)-EDDHA. After 20 days, plants growing without Fe showed typical symptoms of Fe deficiency chlorosis in young leaves.

Eight new species from marine and brackish-water ecosystems in Portugal and an updated phylogeny for the genus.

During an oomycete survey in December 2015, 10 previously unknown taxa were isolated from marine and brackish water of tidal ponds and channels in saltmarshes, lagoon ecosystems and river estuaries at seven sites along the Algarve coast in the South of Portugal. Phylogenetic analyses of LSU and ITS datasets, comprising all described species, the 10 new taxa and all relevant and distinctive sequences available from GenBank, provided an updated phylogeny of the genus s.str.

Regulation of Stanniocalcin Secretion by Calcium and PTHrP in Gilthead Seabream ().

Calcium balance is of paramount importance for vertebrates. In fish, the endocrine modulators of calcium homeostasis include the stanniocalcin (STC), and some members of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) family, such as the PTH-related protein (PTHrP), acting as antagonists. STC is ubiquitously expressed in higher vertebrates.

Fish Allergenicity Modulation Using Tailored Enriched Diets-Where Are We?

Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to specific proteins in a certain food. The chronicity, prevalence, and the potential fatality of food allergy, make it a serious socio-economic problem. Fish is considered the third most allergenic food in the world, affecting part of the world population with a higher incidence in children and adolescents.

Effects of pristine or contaminated polyethylene microplastics on zebrafish development.

The presence of microplastics in the aquatic ecosystem represents a major issue for the environment and human health. The capacity of organic pollutants to adsorb onto microplastic particles raises additional concerns, as it creates a new route for toxic compounds to enter the food web. Current knowledge on the impact of pristine and/or contaminated microplastics on aquatic organisms remains insufficient, and we provide here new insights by evaluating their biological effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Alternative Proteins for Fish Diets: Implications beyond Growth.

Aquaculture has been challenged to find alternative ingredients to develop innovative feed formulations that foster a sustainable future growth. Given the most recent trends in fish feed formulation on the use of alternative protein sources to decrease the dependency of fishmeal, it is fundamental to evaluate the implications of this new paradigm for fish health and welfare. This work intends to comprehensively review the impacts of alternative and novel dietary protein sources on fish gut microbiota and health, stress and immune responses, disease resistance, and antioxidant capacity.

Assessment of larval quality of two bivalve species, Crassostrea angulata and Chamelea gallina, exposed and cryopreserved with different cryoprotectant solutions.

Marine bivalves are valuable resources, however, some shellfish populations are endangered due to factors such as anthropogenic pressure, pathologies or lack of reproduction synchrony. Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata) and striped venus clam (Chamelea gallina) have high socio-economic value and their endangered natural populations require rehabilitation. Cryopreservation is a valuable method for the preservation and management of genetic resources for aquaculture and restocking.

Metabarcoding the Antarctic Peninsula biodiversity using a multi-gene approach.

Marine sediment communities are major contributors to biogeochemical cycling and benthic ecosystem functioning, but they are poorly described, particularly in remote regions such as Antarctica. We analysed patterns and drivers of diversity in metazoan and prokaryotic benthic communities of the Antarctic Peninsula with metabarcoding approaches. Our results show that the combined use of mitochondrial Cox1, and 16S and 18S rRNA gene regions recovered more phyla, from metazoan to non-metazoan groups, and allowed correlation of possible interactions between kingdoms.

Revisiting the HPLC-FLD Method to Quantify Paralytic Shellfish Toxins: C3,4 Quantification and the First Steps towards Validation.

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are a large group of biotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Their appearance in natural waters and their ingestion by aquatic species have a huge socio-economic impact, whereby their monitoring is of the upmost relevance to minimize the consequences. For earlier detection and faster response/action by stakeholders, validation of adjusted analytical methods, particularly for lower concentration levels, is important.

Ex vivo exposure to titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles mildly affect sperm of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) - A multiparameter spermiotoxicity approach.

Nanoparticles (NP) are potentially reprotoxic, which may compromise the success of populations. However, the reprotoxicity of NP is still scarcely addressed in marine fish. Therefore, we evaluated the impacts of environmentally relevant and supra environmental concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO: 10 to 10,000 μg·L) and silver NP (Ag: 0.

Gla-Rich Protein, Magnesium and Phosphate Associate with Mitral and Aortic Valves Calcification in Diabetic Patients with Moderate CKD.

Accelerated and premature cardiovascular calcification is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Valvular calcification (VC) is a critical indicator of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in this population, lacking validated biomarkers for early diagnosis. Gla-rich protein (GRP) is a cardiovascular calcification inhibitor recently associated with vascular calcification, pulse pressure, mineral metabolism markers and kidney function.

Quantitation Overcoming Matrix Effects of Lipophilic Toxins in by Liquid Chromatography-Full Scan High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Analysis (LC-HR-MS).

The analysis of marine lipophilic toxins in shellfish products still represents a challenging task due to the complexity and diversity of the sample matrix. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is the technique of choice for accurate quantitative measurements in complex samples. By combining unambiguous identification with the high selectivity of tandem MS, it provides the required high sensitivity and specificity.

Dysregulation of Intestinal Physiology by Aflatoxicosis in the Gilthead Seabream ().

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin often present in food. This study aimed to understand the physiological effects of AFB1 on the seabream () gastrointestinal system. In a first approach, we investigated ion transport using the short-circuit current (I) technique in Ussing chambers in the anterior intestine (AI).

DNA Methylation of PI3K/AKT Pathway-Related Genes Predicts Outcome in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Comprehensive Bioinformatics-Based Study.

Pancreatic cancer (PCA) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of 9%. Despite the advances in the field, the need for an earlier detection and effective therapies is paramount. PCA high heterogeneity suggests that epigenetic alterations play a key role in tumour development.

Exploring the Biotechnological Value of Marine Invertebrates: A Closer Look at the Biochemical and Antioxidant Properties of and .

and were profiled for proximate composition, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids (FA), carotenoids, radical scavenging activity on the 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and iron and copper chelating properties. had the highest level of moisture and crude protein, was enriched in crude fat and ash. Both species had similar levels of carbohydrates and energy.

Effect of Trehalose and Sucrose in Post-thaw Quality of Sperm.

Sperm cryopreservation can be a helpful tool in reproductive management and preservation of biodiversity. However, the freezing methodologies lead to some damage in structure and function of cells that may compromise post-thaw sperm activity. Cryoprotectant supplementation with sugars proved to be a successful strategy to reduce cryodamage in sperm of several species, once allowing to stabilize the plasma membrane constituents.