bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Integrated organismal responses induced by ecologically-relevantpCO2and temperature exposures in developing lake sturgeon
Authors: Belding L. D. , Thorstensen M. J. , Quijada-Rodriguez A. R. , Bugg W. S. , Yoon G. R. , Loeppky A. R. , Allen G. J. P. , Schoen A. N. , Earhart M. L. , Brandt C. , Ali J. L. , Weihrauch D. , Jeffries K. M. , Anderson W. G. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAtmospheric CO2and temperature are rising concurrently, and may have profound impacts on the transcriptional, physiological, and behavioral responses of aquatic organisms. Further, spring snow melt may cause transient increases ofpCO2in freshwater systems. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) groups were raised in current and projected levels of warming andpCO2. Following an overwintering period, lake sturgeon were exposed to a transient increase inpCO2, simulating a spring melt. Diverging transcriptional patterns were found in each group and metabolic rate was lower in the combined stressor group compared to others. Behavioral assays revealed no effect of environment on alarm cue responses or boldness, but there was a decrease in total activity following an acute CO2exposure. These results demonstrate compensatory and compounding mechanisms ofpCO2and warming dependent on developmental conditions of a freshwater fish, and provide key information for responses to future climate change.
Iron-sulfur cluster loss in mitochondrial CISD1 mediates PINK1 loss-of-function phenotypes
Authors: Bitar Sara , Baumann Timo , Weber Christopher , Abusaada Majd , Rojas-Charry Liliana , Ziegler Patrick , Schettgen Thomas , Randerath Isabella Eva , Venkataramani Vivek , Michalke Bernhard , Hanschmann Eva-Maria , Arena Giuseppe , Krüger Rejko , Zhang Li , Methner Axel 
Published: September 2023

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. Familial cases of PD are often caused by mutations of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and the ubiquitin ligase Parkin, both pivotal in maintaining mitochondrial quality control. CISD1, a homodimeric mitochondrial iron-sulfur-binding protein, is a major target of Parkin-mediated ubiquitination. We here discovered a heightened propensity of CISD1 to form dimers in Pink1 mutant flies and in dopaminergic neurons from PINK1 mutation patients. The dimer consists of two monomers that are covalently linked by a disulfide bridge. In this conformation CISD1 cannot coordinate the iron-sulfur cofactor. Overexpressing Cisd, the Drosophila orthologue of CISD1, and a mutant Cisd incapable of binding the iron-sulfur cluster in Drosophila reduced climbing ability and lifespan. This was more pronounced with mutant Cisd and aggravated in Pink1 mutant flies. Complete loss of Cisd, in contrast, rescued all detrimental effects of Pink1 mutation on climbing ability, wing posture, dopamine levels, lifespan, and mitochondrial ultrastructure. Our results suggest that Cisd, probably iron-depleted Cisd, operates downstream of Pink1 shedding light on PD pathophysiology and implicating CISD1 as a potential therapeutic target.
A tipping point in West Antarctica in 2023’s circumpolar 5-sigma event? a glimpse from the emperor penguin’s perspective
Authors: Krüger Lucas , Vianna Juliana A. , Le Bohec Céline , Cárdenas César A. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractEmperor penguins are one of the seabird species most vulnerable to climate change in Antarctica, as they depend on stable sea ice for breeding and molting. Recent extremes of warming have taken to the lowest records of sea ice in West Antarctica in 2022 and 2023, raising concerns to the extent that emperor penguins have been affected. We evaluated historical satellite data (1985-2022) of sea ice around the 10 emperor penguin breeding colonies, identified so far along the coast of the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas, and compared them to recent sea ice cover (2022-2023) to identify where and when critical thresholds of sea ice cover have been crossed. We found that the sea ice retreated below the critical thresholds in 2022-2023 during the chick-rearing and in some cases failed to return at the start of the following breeding season, hence likely affecting 9 of the 10 emperor penguin colonies in the region. This is an unprecedented climatic phenomena affecting breeding habitat of emperor penguin colonies over a large area, potentially affecting numerically important colonies in West Antarctica.
Label-free visualization and quantification of the drug-type-dependent response of tumor spheroids by dynamic optical coherence tomography
Authors: El-Sadek Ibrahim Abd , Morishita Rion , Mori Tomoko , Makita Shuichi , Mukherjee Pradipta , Matsusaka Satoshi , Yasuno Yoshiaki 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTWe demonstrate label-free dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT)-based visualization and quantitative assessment of patterns of tumor spheroid response to three anti-cancer drugs. The study involved treating human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7 cell-line) with paclitaxel (PTX), tamoxifen citrate (TAM), and doxorubicin (DOX) at concentrations of 0 (control), 0.1, 1, and 10 μM for 1, 3, and 6 days. In addition, fluorescence microscopy imaging was performed for reference. The D-OCT imaging was performed using a custom-built OCT device. Two algorithms, namely logarithmic intensity variance (LIV) and late OCT correlation decay speed (OCDSl) were used to visualize the tissue dynamics. The spheroids treated with 0.1 and 1 μM TAM appeared similar to the control spheroid, whereas those treated with 10 μM TAM had significant structural corruption and decreasing LIV and OCDSlover treatment time. The spheroids treated with PTX had decreasing volumes and decrease of LIV and OCDSlsignals over time at most PTX concentrations. The spheroids treated with DOX had decreasing and increasing volumes over time at DOX concentrations of 1 and 10 μM, respectively. Meanwhile, the LIV and OCDSlsignals decreased over treatment time at all DOX concentrations. The D-OCT, particularly OCDSl, patterns were consistent with the fluorescence microscopic patterns. The diversity in the structural and D-OCT results among the drug types and among the concentrations are explained by the mechanisms of the drugs. The presented results suggest that D-OCT is useful for evaluating the difference in the tumor spheroid response to different drugs and it can be a useful tool for anti-cancer drug testing.
Socially plastic responses in females are robust to evolutionary manipulations of adult sex ratio and adult nutrition
Authors: McConnell N , Haerty W , Gage MJG , Chapman T 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBackgroundSocially plastic behaviours are widespread among animals and can have a significant impact on fitness. Here we investigated whether the socially plastic responses of femaleDrosophila melanogastercan evolve in predictable ways following long term manipulation of adult sex ratio and adult nutrient availability. Previous reports show that femaleD. melanogasterrespond plastically to their immediate same-sex social environment by altering their fecundity, laying fewer eggs after they mate if previously exposed to other females, Fecundity is also highly sensitive to a female’s immediate nutritional status, being significantly reduced when dietary protein in particular is scarce. On this basis, we predicted that an evolutionary history of exposure to variation in adult sex ratio and adult nutritional environment would select strongly upon a female’s plastic fecundity responses.ResultsWe used females that had been drawn from replicated lines that had experienced an evolutionary history of male biased, female biased or equal adult sex ratios and either standard or low-quality adult nutrition. We tested the specific predictions that a history of elevated competition among females (in female-biased regimes) would select for increasingly sensitive plastic fecundity responses to the presence of conspecifics, and that these would be magnified under poor nutritional resource regimes. In contrast to the expectations, we found that the plastic responses in females were strikingly robust to perturbations of both sexual competition and nutrient availability and did not differ significantly across any of the evolutionary regimes. The lack of response is not explained by an insufficient strength of selection. For example, among females held in isolation prior to mating, we did observe significant evolutionary responses in virgin egg according to nutritional regime and in virgin egg retention to sex ratio regime.ConclusionThe lack of variation in the existence and magnitude of predicted plasticity is consistent with the idea that the costs of maintaining fecundity plasticity in females are low, benefits high, and that plasticity itself can be hard wired.
Targeting lignocellulolytic gene clusters in novelTrichoderma atrovirideandTrichoderma harzianumstrains through Bac-guided analysis
Authors: Campiteli Paulo Henrique , Horta Maria Augusta , Rosolen Rafaela Rossi , Mendes Juliano Sales , da Silva Carla Cristina , Sforça Danilo , de Souza Anete Pereira 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLignocellulosic biomass is known as a challenging substrate for enzymatic hydrolysis, increasing the processing cost in biorefineries. In nature, filamentous fungi, including those of the genusTrichoderma, naturally degrade lignocellulose by using an arsenal of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes that act synergistically with biomass degradation. This work explored the genome organization of target genes ofTrichoderma atrovirideandTrichoderma harzianumthat are able to promote hydrolysis by identifying regions enriched in degradative enzyme-encoding genes, namely, hydrolytic clusters. We employed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) methodology to target specific genomic regions to explore their genetic organization, proximal gene context, and gene expression under degradative conditions. Using this tool, it was possible to inspect the linear structure and expression data of target hydrolytic-rich genomic regions. The results offered a genomic perspective of the organization of genome regions related to carbohydrate metabolism, revealing novel genome regions and genes that are positively regulated during cellulose degradation and contributing to elucidating differences in gene organization amongTrichodermaspecies.HighlightsHigh-quality genomic regions were selected using closely related species CAZyme targets.RNA-seq data were used to quantify BAC genes expression.Relevant regions were identified by combining functional and differential expression data.Novel targets for future characterization identified via differential expression.
Toxin-Triggered Liposomes for the Controlled Release of Antibiotics to Treat Infections Associated with Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Li Ziang , Baidoun Rani , Brown Angela C. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAntibiotic resistance has become an urgent threat to health care in recent years. The use of drug delivery systems provides advantages over conventional administration of antibiotics and can slow the development of antibiotic resistance. In the current study, we developed a toxin- triggered liposomal antibiotic delivery system, in which the drug release is enabled by the leukotoxin (LtxA) produced by the Gram-negative pathogen,Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. LtxA has previously been shown to mediate membrane disruption by promoting a lipid phase change in nonlamellar lipids, such as 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphoethanolamine-N-methyl (N-methyl-DOPE). In addition, LtxA has been observed to bind strongly and nearly irreversibly to membranes containing large amounts of cholesterol. Here, we designed a liposomal delivery system composed of N-methyl-DOPE and cholesterol to take advantage of these interactions. Specifically, we hypothesized that liposomes composed of N- methyl-DOPE and cholesterol, encapsulating antibiotics, would be sensitive to LtxA, enabling controlled antibiotic release. We observed that liposomes composed of N-methyl-DOPE were sensitive to the presence of low concentrations of LtxA, and cholesterol increased the extent and kinetics of content release. The liposomes were stable under various storage conditions for at least 7 days. Finally, we showed that antibiotic release occurs selectively in the presence of an LtxA-producing strain ofA. actinomycetemcomitansbut not in the presence of a non-LtxA- expressing strain. Together, these results demonstrate that the designed liposomal vehicle enables toxin-triggered delivery of antibiotics to LtxA-producing strains ofA. actinomycetemcomitans.
The function of juvenile-adult transition axis in female sexual receptivity ofDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Li Jing , Ning Chao , Liu Yaohua , Deng Bowen , Wang Bingcai , Shi Kai , Wang Rencong , Fang Ruixin , Zhou Chuan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractFemale sexual receptivity is essential for reproduction of a species. Neuropeptides play the main role in regulating female receptivity. However, whether neuropeptides regulate female sexual receptivity during the neurodevelopment is unknown. Here we found the peptide hormone prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), which belongs to the insect PG axis, negatively regulated virgin female receptivity through ecdysone during neurodevelopment inDrosophila melanogaster. We identified PTTH neurons as doublesex-positive neurons, they regulated virgin female receptivity before the metamorphosis during the 3rd-instar larval stage. PTTH deletion resulted in the increased EcR-A expression in the whole newly formed prepupae. Furthermore, the ecdysone receptor EcR-A in pC1 neurons positively regulated virgin female receptivity during metamorphosis. The decreased EcR-A in pC1 neurons induced abnormal morphological development of pC1 neurons without changing neural activity. Among all subtypes of pC1 neurons, the function of EcR-A in pC1b neurons was necessary for virgin female copulation rate. These suggested that the changes of synaptic connections between pC1b and other neurons decreased female copulation rate. Moreover, female receptivity significantly decreased when the expression of PTTH receptor Torso was reduced in pC1 neurons. This suggested that PTTH not only regulates female receptivity through ecdysone but also through affecting female receptivity associated neurons directly. The PG axis has similar functional strategy as the HPG axis in mammals to trigger the juvenile–adult transition. Our work suggests a general mechanism underlying which the neurodevelopment during maturation regulates female sexual receptivity.
GENERATION OF FUNCTIONAL NEURONS FROM ADULT HUMAN MUCOSAL OLFACTORY ENSHEATHING GLIA BY DIRECT LINEAGE CONVERSION
Authors: Portela-Lomba María , Simón Diana , Callejo-Móstoles Marta , de la Fuente Gemma , Fernández de Sevilla David , García-Escudero Vega , Moreno-Flores M. Teresa , Sierra Javier 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTA recent approach to promote central nervous system (CNS) regeneration after injury or disease is direct conversion of somatic cells to neurons. This is achieved by transduction of viral vectors that express neurogenic transcription factors. In this work we propose adult human mucosal olfactory ensheathing glia (hmOEG) as a candidate for direct reprogramming to neurons due to its accessibility and to its well-characterized neuro-regenerative capacity. After induction of hmOEG with the single neurogenic transcription factor NEUROD1, the cells under study exhibited morphological and immunolabeling neuronal features, fired action potentials and expressed glutamatergic and GABAergic markers. In addition, after engraftment of transduced hmOEG cells in mouse hippocampus, these cells showed specific neuronal labeling. Thereby, if we add to the neuro-regenerative capacity of hmOEG cultures the conversion to neurons of a fraction of their population through reprogramming techniques, the engraftment of hmOEG and hmOEG induced neurons could be a procedure to enhance neural repair after central nervous system injury.
Simulating Interclonal Interactions in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Ganesh Siddarth , Roth Charles M. , Parekkadan Biju 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDiffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common types of cancers, accounting for 37% of B-cell tumors globally. DLBCL is known to be a heterogeneous disease, resulting in variable clinical presentations and the development of drug resistance. One underexplored aspect of drug resistance is the evolving dynamics between parental and drug-resistant clones with the same microenvironment. In this work, the effects of interclonal interactions between two cell populations - one sensitive to treatment and another resistant to treatment - on tumor growth behaviors were explored through a mathematical model.In vitrocultures of mixed DLBCL populations demonstrated cooperative interactions and revealed the need for modifying the model to account for complex interactions. Multiple best-fit models derived fromin vitrodata indicated a difference in steady-state behaviors based on therapy administrations in simulations. The model and methods may serve as a tool in understanding the behaviors of heterogeneous tumors and in identifying the optimal therapeutic regimen to eliminate cancer cell populations using computer-guided simulations.ImportanceThe cellular makeup of tumors can play a vital role in its growth and cancer development. In this work, two different types of cell populations of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were studied together to understand how they interact with each other in cultures. In mixed cultures, both types of cells cooperated with each other and increased their growth in complex manners. A mathematical model was created to simulate the growth behavior of mixed cultures. The model can potentially be used to predict future cell behavior and help in identifying more effective therapy regimens to maximize tumor cell reduction.
Comparative genomics of a novelErwiniaspecies associated with the Highland midge (Culicoides impunctatus)
Authors: Pilgrim Jack 
Published: September 2023

2.AbstractErwinia(Enterobacterales: Erwiniaceae) are a group of cosmopolitan bacteria best known as the causative agents of various plant diseases. However, other species in the group have been found to play important roles as insect endosymbionts supplementing the diet of their hosts. Here, I describeCandidatusErwinia impunctatus (Erwimp) associated with the Highland midgeCulicoides impunctatus(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), an abundant biting pest in the Scottish Highlands. The genome of this newErwiniaspecies was assembled using hybrid long and short read techniques, and a comparative analysis was undertaken with other members of the genus to understand its potential ecological niche and impact. Genome composition analysis revealed that Erwimp is similar to other endophytic and ectophytic species in the genus and is unlikely to be restricted to its insect host. Evidence for an additional plant host includes the presence of a carotenoid synthesis operon implicated as a virulence factor in plant-associated members in the sister genusPantoea. Unique features of Erwimp include several copies of intimin-like proteins which, along with signs of genome pseudogenization and a loss of certain metabolic pathways, suggests an element of host restriction seen elsewhere in the genus. Furthermore, a screening of individuals over two field seasons revealed the absence of the bacteria inC. impunctatusin the second year indicating this microbe-insect interaction is likely to be transient. These data suggest thatCulicoides impunctatusmay have an important role to play beyond a biting nuisance, as an insect vector transmitting Erwimp alongside any conferred impacts to surrounding biota.
Prenatal Arsenite Exposure Alters Maternal Cardiac Remodeling During Late Pregnancy
Authors: Taube Nicole , Kabir Raihan , Ebenebe Obialunanma V. , Garbus Haley , Din Sarah-Marie Alam El , Illingworth Emily , Fitch Michael , Wang Nadan , Kohr Mark J. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTExposure to inorganic arsenic through drinking water is widespread and has been linked to many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Arsenic exposure has been shown to alter hypertrophic signaling in the adult heart, as well as in-utero offspring development. However, the effect of arsenic on maternal cardiac remodeling during pregnancy has not been studied. As such, there is a need to understand how environmental exposure contributes to adverse pregnancy-related cardiovascular events. This study seeks to understand the impact of trivalent inorganic arsenic exposure during gestation on maternal cardiac remodeling in late pregnancy, as well as offspring outcomes. C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 0 (control), 100 or 1000 µg/L sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) beginning at embryonic day (E) 2.5 and continuing through E17.5. Maternal heart function and size were assessed via transthoracic echocardiography, gravimetric measurement, and histology. Transcript levels of hypertrophic markers were probed via qRT-PCR and confirmed by western blot. Offspring outcomes were assessed through echocardiography and gravimetric measurement. We found that exposure to 1000 µg/L iAs abrogated normal physiologic growth of the maternal heart during late pregnancy and reduced transcript levels of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (Pgrmc1) and progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (Pgrmc2). Both 100 and 1000 µg/L iAs also reduced transcription of protein kinase B (Akt) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Akt protein expression was also significantly reduced after 1000 µg/L iAs exposure in the maternal heart with no change in activating phosphorylation. This significant abrogation of maternal cardiac hypertrophy suggests that arsenic exposure during pregnancy can potentially contribute to cardiovascular disease. Taken together, our findings further underscore the importance of reducing arsenic exposure during pregnancy and indicate that more research is needed to assess the impact of arsenic and other environmental exposures on the maternal heart and adverse pregnancy events.