nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Mediation of pyrethroid insecticide toxicity to honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases.
Venue: Journal of Economic Entomology

Honey bees, Apis mellifera L., often thought to be extremely susceptible to insecticides in general, exhibit considerable variation in tolerance to pyrethroid insecticides. Although some pyrethroids, such as cyfluthrin and lambda-cyhalothrin, are highly toxic to honey bees, the toxicity of tau-fluvalinate is low enough to warrant its use to control parasitic mites inside honey bee colonies. Metabolic insecticide resistance in other insects is mediated by three major groups of detoxifying enzymes: the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), the carboxylesterases (COEs), and the glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). To test the role of metabolic detoxification in mediating the relatively low toxicity of tau-fluvalinate compared with more toxic pyrethroid insecticides, we examined the effects of piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate (DEF), and diethyl maleate (DEM) on the toxicity of these pyrethroids. The toxicity of the three pyrethroids to bees was greatly synergized by the P450 inhibitor PBO and synergized at low levels by the carboxylesterase inhibitor DEF. Little synergism was observed with DEM. These results suggest that metabolic detoxification, especially that mediated by P450s, contributes significantly to honey bee tolerance of pyrethroid insecticides. The potent synergism between tau-fluvalinate and PBO suggests that P450s are especially important in the detoxification of this pyrethroid and explains the ability of honey bees to tolerate its presence.
Templated biomimetic multifunctional coatings
Venue: Applied Physics Letters

We report a bioinspired templating technique for fabricating multifunctional optical coatings that mimic both unique functionalities of antireflective moth eyes and superhydrophobic cicada wings. Subwavelength-structured fluoropolymer nipple arrays are created by a soft-lithography-like process. The utilization of fluoropolymers simultaneously enhances the antireflective performance and the hydrophobicity of the replicated films. The specular reflectivity matches the optical simulation using a thin-film multilayer model. The dependence of the size and the crystalline ordering of the replicated nipples on the resulting antireflective properties have also been investigated by experiment and modeling. These biomimetic materials may find important technological application in self-cleaning antireflection coatings.
How super is supercontraction? Persistent versus cyclic responses to humidity in spider dragline silk
Venue: The Journal of Experimental Biology

Spider dragline silk has enormous potential for the development of biomimetic fibers that combine strength and elasticity in low density polymers. These applications necessitate understanding how silk reacts to different environmental conditions. For instance, spider dragline silk `supercontracts' in high humidity. During supercontraction, unrestrained dragline silk contracts up to 50% of its original length and restrained fibers generate substantial stress. Here we characterize the response of dragline silk to changes in humidity before, during and after supercontraction. Our findings demonstrate that dragline silk exhibits two qualitatively different responses to humidity. First, silk undergoes a previously unknown cyclic relaxation–contraction response to wetting and drying. The direction and magnitude of this cyclic response is identical both before and after supercontraction. By contrast, supercontraction is a `permanent' tensioning of restrained silk in response to high humidity. Here, water induces stress, rather than relaxation and the uptake of water molecules results in a permanent change in molecular composition of the silk, as demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Even after drying, silk mass increased by∼ 1% after supercontraction. By contrast, the cyclic response to humidity involves a reversible uptake of water. Dried, post-supercontraction silk also differs mechanically from virgin silk. Post-supercontraction silk exhibits reduced stiffness and stress at yield, as well as changes in dynamic energy storage and dissipation. In addition to advancing understanding supercontraction, our findings open up new applications for synthetic silk analogs. For example, dragline silk emerges as a model for a biomimetic muscle, the contraction of which is precisely controlled by humidity alone.
Volatile fatty acids and methane production in relation to anaerobic carbohydrate fermentation in Oryctes nasicornis larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).
Venue: Journal of Insect Physiology

Physico-chemical investigations into the conditions of cellulose digestion by Oryctes nasicornis larvae show that the intestinal contents constitute a reducing alkaline medium. The mesenteron presents facultative conditions and high pH values whereas in the proctodeum anaerobiosis is strict and the pH approaches neutrality. No cellulase activity is detected either in the gut walls or the contents. Among the products of polysaccharide fermentation, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and methane are identified. The VFAs are 3 or 4 times more concentrated in the mesenteron than in the proctodeal dilation and acetic acid predominates. The VFAs, which are also present in the haemolymph, must cross the intestinal barrier. Methane formation takes place exclusively in the proctodeal dilation from which it is released to the exterior.
Mycosporine-glutamicol-glucoside: a natural UV-absorbing secondary metabolite of rock-inhabiting microcolonial fungi.
Venue: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

Microcolonial ascomycetes are known to inhabit bare rock surfaces in cold and hot deserts and thus are habitually exposed to high levels of solar radiation. Several of these stress-tolerant fungal isolates, cultivated in the laboratory under daylight illumination, were studied for the presence of effective UV-radiation protection substances. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analyses allowed for efficient separation and structure clarification of two mycosporines. It was demonstrated that both mycosporine-glutamicol-glucoside and mycosporine-glutaminol-glucoside are natural and constitutive secondary metabolites of microcolonial fungi. The function and relation of these substances in the fungal cell are discussed.
The geomicrobiology of gold
Venue: The ISME Journal

Microorganisms capable of actively solubilizing and precipitating gold appear to play a larger role in the biogeochemical cycling of gold than previously believed. Recent research suggests that bacteria and archaea are involved in every step of the biogeochemical cycle of gold, from the formation of primary mineralization in hydrothermal and deep subsurface systems to its solubilization, dispersion and re-concentration as secondary gold under surface conditions. Enzymatically catalysed precipitation of gold has been observed in thermophilic and hyperthermophilic bacteria and archaea (for example, Thermotoga maritime, Pyrobaculum islandicum), and their activity led to the formation of gold- and silver-bearing sinters in New Zealand's hot spring systems. Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), for example, Desulfovibrio sp., may be involved in the formation of gold-bearing sulphide minerals in deep subsurface environments; over geological timescales this may contribute to the formation of economic deposits. Iron- and sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (for example, Acidothiobacillus ferrooxidans, A. thiooxidans) are known to breakdown gold-hosting sulphide minerals in zones of primary mineralization, and release associated gold in the process. These and other bacteria (for example, actinobacteria) produce thiosulphate, which is known to oxidize gold and form stable, transportable complexes. Other microbial processes, for example, excretion of amino acids and cyanide, may control gold solubilization in auriferous top- and rhizosphere soils. A number of bacteria and archaea are capable of actively catalysing the precipitation of toxic gold(I/III) complexes. Reductive precipitation of these complexes may improve survival rates of bacterial populations that are capable of (1) detoxifying the immediate cell environment by detecting, excreting and reducing gold complexes, possibly using P-type ATPase efflux pumps as well as membrane vesicles (for example, Salmonella enterica, Cupriavidus (Ralstonia) metallidurans, Plectonema boryanum); (2) gaining metabolic energy by utilizing gold-complexing ligands (for example, thiosulphate by A. ferrooxidans) or (3) using gold as metal centre in enzymes (Micrococcus luteus). C. metallidurans containing biofilms were detected on gold grains from two Australian sites, indicating that gold bioaccumulation may lead to gold biomineralization by forming secondary ‘bacterioform’ gold. Formation of secondary octahedral gold crystals from gold(III) chloride solution, was promoted by a cyanobacterium (P. boryanum) via an amorphous gold(I) sulphide intermediate. ‘Bacterioform’ gold and secondary gold crystals are common in quartz pebble conglomerates (QPC), where they are often associated with bituminous organic matter possibly derived from cyanobacteria. This may suggest that cyanobacteria have played a role in the formation of the Witwatersrand QPC, the world's largest gold deposit.
Extreme anoxia tolerance in embryos of the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus: insights from a metabolomics analysis
Venue: The Journal of Experimental Biology

The annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus survives in ephemeral pond habitats by producing drought-tolerant diapausing embryos. These embryos probably experience oxygen deprivation as part of their normal developmental environment. We assessed the anoxia tolerance of A. limnaeus embryos across the duration of embryonic development. Embryos develop a substantial tolerance to anoxia during early development, which peaks during diapause II. This extreme tolerance of anoxia is retained during the first 4 days of post-diapause II development and is then lost. Metabolism during anoxia appears to be supported mainly by production of lactate, with alanine and succinate production contributing to a lesser degree. Anoxic embryos also accumulate large quantities of γ-aminobutyrate (GABA), a potential protector of neural function. It appears that the suite of characters associated with normal development and entry into diapause II in this species prepares the embryos for long-term survival in anoxia even while the embryos are exposed to aerobic conditions. This is the first report of such extreme anoxia tolerance in a vertebrate embryo, and introduces a new model for the study of anoxia tolerance in vertebrates.
Insects had it first: surfactants as a defence against predators
Venue: Proceedings of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Insects have evolved an astonishing array of defences to ward off enemies. Well known and widespread is the regurgitation of oral secretion (OS), fluid that repels attacking predators. In herbivores, the effectiveness of OS has been ascribed so far to the presence of deterrent secondary metabolites sequestered from the host plant. This notion implies, however, that generalists experience less protection on plants with low amounts of secondary metabolites or with compounds ineffective against potential enemies. Resolving the dilemma, we describe a novel defence mechanism that is independent of deterrents as it relies on the intrinsic detergent properties of the OS. The OS of Spodoptera exigua (and other species) was found to be highly amphiphilic and well capable of wetting the hydrophobic cuticle of predatory ants. As a result, affected ants stopped attacking and engaged in extensive cleansing. The presence of surfactants was sufficient to explain the defensive character of herbivore OS. We hypothesize that detergency is a common but unrecognized mode of defence, which provides a base level of protection that may or may not be further enhanced by plant-derived deterrents. Our study also proves that insects ‘invented’ the use of defensive surfactants long before modern agriculture had started applying them as insecticides.
Fog basking by the Namib Desert beetle, Onymacris unguicularis
Venue: Nature

THE Namib Desert along the south-western coast of Africa supports a sand dune fauna without counterpart elsewhere in the world1. The trophic base of the arthropod fauna is wind-blown detritus2. Aperiodic advective fog collection from vegetation3 or detritus4 is a possible source of water for diverse Namib animals. For the specialised fauna living in vegetation-less dunes, fog collection from detritus4, disturbed sand projections5, directly from humid air6, or from water precipitated on the body4,7, seem to be the only possible water uptake methods. Water uptake from saturated or subsaturated air, demonstrated for a few arthropod species6, is not a physiological capability of Namib tenebrionids already investigated4,6,7.
Under- and over-water halves of Gyrinidae beetle eyes harbor different corneal nanocoatings providing adaptation to the water and air environments
Venue: Scientific Reports

Whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae) inhabit water surfaces and possess unique eyes which are split into the overwater and underwater parts. In this study we analyze the micro- and nanostructure of the split eyes of two Gyrinidae beetles genera, Gyrinus and Orectochilus. We find that corneae of the overwater ommatidia are covered with maze-like nanostructures, while the corneal surface of the underwater eyes is smooth. We further show that the overwater nanostructures possess no anti-wetting, but the anti-reflective properties with the spectral preference in the range of 450–600 nm. These findings illustrate the adaptation of the corneal nanocoating of the two halves of an insect's eye to two different environments. The novel natural anti-reflective nanocoating we describe may find future technological applications.
Females floated first in bubble-rafting snails
Venue: Current Biology

Ever since Mivart asked Darwin to explain a bird's use for half a wing, biologists have been challenged to explain extraordinary evolutionary change mechanistically. Here, we investigate the enigmatic evolutionary origins of Janthinidae, a family of marine snails that raft passively in the neuston, a vast oceanic surface habitat, by constructing floats of mucus bubbles. We present the first molecular phylogeny including Janthinidae, which confirms that janthinids are derived from Epitoniidae (wentletraps) — benthic predators and parasites of sea anemones and corals. Our data support the hypothesis that floats and rafting evolved via modified epitoniid egg masses rather than by juvenile droguing. Our phylogeny also reveals sequential modifications of float formation and function among janthinid lineages. We interpret these changes as sequential adaptations to a neustonic existence, a conclusion supported by the positive association of derived janthinid traits with ecological prevalence.
Secondary metabolites of Bagassa guianensis Aubl. wood: a study of the chemotaxonomy of the Moraceae family.
Venue: Phytochemistry

In order to explain the durability of the Moraceae plant family, phytochemistry of Bagassa guianensis was performed. Ethyl acetate extract was obtained from the heartwood and 18 secondary metabolites were isolated, including 6 moracins [6-O-methyl-moracin M, 6-O-methyl-moracin N and moracin Z; previously identified: moracin M, moracin N and moracin P], 8 stilbenoids [presently identified: (-)-epialboctalol and arachidin 4; previously identified: alboctalol, trans-resveratrol, arachidin 2, trans-oxyresveratrol and artogomezianol], 3 previously identified flavonoids, steppogenin, katuranin and dihydromorin, beta-sitosterol and resorcinol. Previous studies suggest that stilbenoids are responsible for the natural durability of wood. Our study has determined that B. guianensis is closely related to Morus sp. in phylogeny and should be included in the Moreae sensu stricto tribe of the Moraceae family.
Insect communication: ‘No entry’ signal in ant foraging
Venue: Nature

Forager ants lay attractive trail pheromones to guide nestmates to food, but the effectiveness of foraging networks might be improved if pheromones could also be used to repel foragers from unrewarding routes. Here we present empirical evidence for such a negative trail pheromone, deployed by Pharaoh's ants (Monomorium pharaonis) as a ‘no entry’ signal to mark an unrewarding foraging path. This finding constitutes another example of the sophisticated control mechanisms used in self-organized ant colonies.
Crawling beneath the free surface: Water snail locomotion
Venue: Physics of Fluids

Land snails move via adhesive locomotion. Through muscular contraction and expansion of their foot, they transmit waves of shear stress through a thin layer of mucus onto a solid substrate. Since a free surface cannot support shear stress, adhesive locomotion is not a viable propulsion mechanism for water snails that travel inverted beneath the free surface. Nevertheless, the motion of the freshwater snail, Sorbeoconcha physidae, is reminiscent of that of its terrestrial counterparts, being generated by the undulation of the snail foot that is separated from the free surface by a thin layer of mucus. Here, a lubrication model is used to describe the mucus flow in the limit of small-amplitude interfacial deformations. By assuming the shape of the snail foot to be a traveling sine wave and the mucus to be Newtonian, an evolution equation for the interface shape is obtained and the resulting propulsive force on the snail is calculated. This propulsive force is found to be nonzero for moderate values of the c...
Barnacle cement: a polymerization model based on evolutionary concepts
Venue: The Journal of Experimental Biology

Enzymes and biochemical mechanisms essential to survival are under extreme selective pressure and are highly conserved through evolutionary time. We applied this evolutionary concept to barnacle cement polymerization, a process critical to barnacle fitness that involves aggregation and cross-linking of proteins. The biochemical mechanisms of cement polymerization remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that this process is biochemically similar to blood clotting, a critical physiological response that is also based on aggregation and cross-linking of proteins. Like key elements of vertebrate and invertebrate blood clotting, barnacle cement polymerization was shown to involve proteolytic activation of enzymes and structural precursors, transglutaminase cross-linking and assembly of fibrous proteins. Proteolytic activation of structural proteins maximizes the potential for bonding interactions with other proteins and with the surface. Transglutaminase cross-linking reinforces cement integrity. Remarkably, epitopes and sequences homologous to bovine trypsin and human transglutaminase were identified in barnacle cement with tandem mass spectrometry and/or western blotting. Akin to blood clotting, the peptides generated during proteolytic activation functioned as signal molecules, linking a molecular level event (protein aggregation) to a behavioral response (barnacle larval settlement). Our results draw attention to a highly conserved protein polymerization mechanism and shed light on a long-standing biochemical puzzle. We suggest that barnacle cement polymerization is a specialized form of wound healing. The polymerization mechanism common between barnacle cement and blood may be a theme for many marine animal glues.
Strength at the extracellular matrix–muscle interface
Venue: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports

Mechanical force is generated within skeletal muscle cells by contraction of specialized myofibrillar proteins. This paper explores how the contractile force generated at the sarcomeres within an individual muscle fiber is transferred through the connective tissue to move the bones. The initial key point for transfer of the contractile force is the muscle cell membrane (sarcolemma) where force is transferred laterally to the basement membrane (specialized extracellular matrix rich in laminins) to be integrated within the connective tissue (rich in collagens) before transmission to the tendons. Connections between (1) key molecules outside the myofiber in the basement membrane to (2) molecules within the sarcolemma of the myofiber and (3) the internal cytoplasmic structures of the cytoskeleton and sarcomeres are evaluated. Disturbances to many components of this complex interactive system adversely affect skeletal muscle strength and integrity, and can result in severe muscle diseases. The mechanical aspects of these crucial linkages are discussed, with particular reference to defects in laminin‐α2 and integrin‐α7. Novel interventions to potentially increase muscle strength and reduce myofiber damage are mentioned, and these are also highly relevant to muscle diseases and aging muscle.
Synergy of multiple partners, including freeloaders, increases host fitness in a multispecies mutualism
Venue: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Understanding cooperation is a central challenge in biology, because natural selection should favor “free-loaders” that reap benefits without reciprocating. For interspecific cooperation (mutualism), most approaches to this paradox focus on costs and benefits of individual partners and the strategies mutualists use to associate with beneficial partners. However, natural selection acts on lifetime fitness, and most mutualists, particularly longer-lived species interacting with shorter-lived partners (e.g., corals and zooxanthellae, tropical trees and mycorrhizae) interact with multiple partner species throughout ontogeny. Determining how multiple partnerships might interactively affect lifetime fitness is a crucial unexplored link in understanding the evolution and maintenance of cooperation. The tropical tree Acacia drepanolobium associates with four symbiotic ant species whose short-term individual effects range from mutualistic to parasitic. Using a long-term dataset, we show that tree fitness is enhanced by partnering sequentially with sets of different ant symbionts over the ontogeny of a tree. These sets include a “sterilization parasite” that prevents reproduction and another that reduces tree survivorship. Trees associating with partner sets that include these “parasites” enhance lifetime fitness by trading off survivorship and fecundity at different life stages. Our results demonstrate the importance of evaluating mutualism within a community context and suggest that lifespan inequalities among mutualists may help cooperation persist in the face of exploitation.