Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology最新文献

{"title":"Characterization and functional analysis of pl-miR-2188 in melanin synthesis in leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus)","authors":"Ruijuan Hao ,&nbsp;Liancheng Li ,&nbsp;Dongying Zhang ,&nbsp;Yali Tian ,&nbsp;Hongzhao Long ,&nbsp;Hang Li ,&nbsp;Xiaowen Zhu ,&nbsp;Yang Huang ,&nbsp;Guangli Li ,&nbsp;Chunhua Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate gene expression and play a role in body color formation in fish. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA involvement in the body color of leopard coral grouper (<em>Plectropomus leopardus</em>) remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of miR-2188 in red and black <em>P. leopardus</em> (pl-miR-2188) and found significantly higher expression levels in red fish samples compared to those in black fish samples. Silencing pl-miR-2188 in vivo using a pl-miR-2188 antagomir resulted in increased melanin concentration. Following pl-miR-2188 silencing, the expression levels of melanin-related genes, such as tyrosinase (<em>tyr</em>), TYR-related protein 1 (<em>tyrp1–1</em> and <em>tyrp1–2</em>) and TYR-related protein 2 (<em>tyrp2</em>), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (<em>mitf</em>), were elevated. RNAhybrid predictions and dual-luciferase reporter assays identified <em>sox5</em> as a target mRNA of pl-miR-2188. Following pl-miR-2188 antagomir injection, <em>sox5</em> expression was significantly upregulated in the injection group compared to that in control groups (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These results suggest that pl-miR-2188 may regulate melanin synthesis in <em>P. leopardus</em> by targeting <em>sox5</em>. This study provides new insights into the miRNA–mRNA interactions involved in melanin synthesis and body color formation in the leopard coral grouper.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142569965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of environmental factors on the oxidative status of Anemonia viridis in aquaculture systems","authors":"Alberto Coll ,&nbsp;Eva E. Rufino-Palomares ,&nbsp;Marta Ramos-Barbero ,&nbsp;A. Esther Ortiz-Maldonado ,&nbsp;Laura M. Pantoja-Echevarría ,&nbsp;Ismael González-Ordóñez ,&nbsp;Amalia Pérez-Jiménez ,&nbsp;Cristina E. Trenzado","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to its depletion in natural settings, the potential for aquaculture of the cnidarian <em>Anemonia viridis</em> is currently attracting research interest. Knowledge about the physiology of this species is necessary to ensure optimal development of, and well-being in, aquaculture. This study tested the effects of different abiotic (limited sunlight, brackish water) and biotic (integrated multitrophic aquaculture or IMTA) conditions on <em>A. viridis</em> in captivity. Growth and reproduction were measured, and antioxidant status was evaluated in tentacular and columnar tissues as antioxidant enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione S-transferase and DT-diaphorase), Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and tissue lipid peroxidation (MDA). Animals in the brackish water and IMTA treatments displayed significant changes in glutathione peroxidase, glucose 6-phospate dehydrogenase and TEAC compared to control anemones, with these effects noted primarily in columnar tissue. These results support the relevance of enzymatic pathways involving glutathione as antioxidant mechanisms under osmotic disturbances or ecological interactions. Limited light intensity was not found to be detrimental to the oxidative status of the anemones, despite <em>A. viridis</em> harbouring photosynthetic symbionts, and enhanced growth performance parameters suggested a higher individual weight increase than in control conditions. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly affected in any experimental condition. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) suggested that similar antioxidant status parameters can correlate positively (tentacular parameters) or negatively (columnar parameters) with MDA concentration. In conclusion, aquaculture of <em>Anemonia viridis</em> can be improved under suitable environmental conditions supported by the evaluation of welfare markers based on antioxidant status.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142549041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new temporin with antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity from the skin secretion of Lithobates palmipes (Spix, 1824) (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Brazilian Atlantic Forest","authors":"Géssica Gomes Barbosa ,&nbsp;Carlos José Correia de Santana ,&nbsp;Tulíbia Laurindo Silva ,&nbsp;Brenda Conceição Guimarães Santana ,&nbsp;Patrícia Maria Guedes Paiva ,&nbsp;Gabriel Gonçalves de Freitas ,&nbsp;Guilherme Dotto Brand ,&nbsp;Osmindo Rodrigues Pires Júnior ,&nbsp;Mariana S. Castro ,&nbsp;Thiago Henrique Napoleão","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work investigated the peptide profile of skin secretion from <em>Lithobates palmipes</em> collected from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The secretion was submitted to reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and the fractions were screened for antibacterial activity. RP-HPLC resulted in the separation of several peaks, among which 10 showed antibacterial activity and contained peptides of the ranatuerin, brevinin and temporin families. Fraction 6 was resubmitted to RP-HPLC and a novel peptide from temporin family (temporin-PMb) had its primary structure determined. Temporin-PMb and non-amidated temporin-PMb were synthesized, purified, and evaluated for antibacterial activity, hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity to keratinocytes and cancer cells. Temporin-PMb was active against <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> as well as against methicilin-resistant <em>S. aureus</em> (MRSA) and <em>Acinetobacter baumannii</em>. It was cytotoxic to human cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) and human mammary adenocarcinoma cells (MCF7) with IC₅₀ of 32.4 and 24.1 μM, respectively. It was also toxic to human keratinocytes (HaCaT; IC₅₀ of 25.0 μM) and showed hemolytic activity. The non-amidated form showed low hemolytic activity and lower HaCaT toxicity, but was only effective against <em>E. coli</em>, <em>S. aureus</em> MRSA, and <em>A. baumanii</em>. In conclusion, Atlantic Forest <em>L. palmipes</em> skin secretion contained different bioactive peptides, including a novel temporin with antibacterial effect and cytotoxicity towards human cancer cells. The amide group was responsible for the activities of the wild-type temporin-PMb. Peptide engineering studies are encouraged aiming at minimizing unwanted effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of behavioral responses, respiratory metabolism-related enzyme activities, and metabolomics of the juvenile Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis with different tolerance to air exposure","authors":"Aoxi Zhao ,&nbsp;Chengyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuqing Chen ,&nbsp;Yunfei Sun ,&nbsp;Chuang Liu ,&nbsp;Yongxu Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Air exposure is a common stressor for Chinese mitten crab (<em>Eriocheir sinensis</em>) during rearing and transport, and air exposure tolerance can serve as a crucial indicator for assessing the quality of juvenile <em>E. sinensis</em>. In this study, juvenile <em>E. sinensis</em> were divided into two groups based on their behavioral responses: Group S, which exhibited strong tolerance to air exposure, and Group W, which exhibited weak tolerance. Immersed crabs, not exposed to air, served as a control group (Group C). Whole body morphological characteristics and enzyme activities related to respiratory metabolism in the hemolymph and anterior gills were compared among the three groups. Non-targeted LC-MS metabolomic analysis was conducted on anterior gills. The results showed that, independent of developmental stage, crabs that were larger and had higher condition factor were more tolerant to air exposure. Additionally, compared to Group W, air exposure had a relatively small effect on glycolysis and anaerobic respiratory metabolic processes in the hemolymph and anterior gills of Group S. In response to air exposure, <em>E. sinensis</em> experienced increased energy demand, and switched from aerobic to anaerobic respiration to increase energy supply. Simultaneously, air exposure induced oxidative stress in the hemolymph and anterior gills. This study enhances our understanding of the response mechanism of <em>E. sinensis</em> to air exposure and provides a theoretical reference for the identification of high-quality juvenile <em>E. sinensis</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphofunctional characterization of the three main adipose tissue depots in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)","authors":"E. Rosell-Moll,&nbsp;N.T.K. My,&nbsp;S. Balbuena-Pecino,&nbsp;M. Montblanch,&nbsp;I. Rodríguez,&nbsp;J. Gutiérrez,&nbsp;D. Garcia de la serrana,&nbsp;E. Capilla,&nbsp;I. Navarro","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is the primary fat reservoir and energy source in fish. Other relevant fat depots include subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), located under epithelial layers, and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), found between the myotomes. The present study investigates the morphological, gene expression and functional characteristics of these different depots in rainbow trout (<em>Oncorhynchus mykiss</em>). Commercial rainbow trout of two different average weights were sampled for histology, lipid quantification and fatty acids profile. Mature adipocytes were isolated for gene expression analyses of lipid metabolic markers. Both VAT and SAT showed large adipocytes, and high total lipid content, suggesting hypertrophic growth. Adipocytes in IMAT were consistently smaller regardless of fish size. While fatty acid composition was similar across depots, SAT had lower levels of palmitic acid and higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids that act as precursors of phospholipids and eicosanoids such as eicosapentaenoic acid, compared to VAT and IMAT. Gene expression analyses revealed higher levels of fatty acid transporters, lipolysis and β-oxidation markers in VAT and SAT compared to IMAT, suggesting a more active lipid metabolism. These data support the role of VAT as the main energy depot, while SAT may act as a secondary reservoir, and IMAT potentially serves as an occasional energy source for muscles. This study provides valuable insights into the distinct properties of the different fat depots in fish, which may help to optimize strategies to modulate adiposity for improved health, metabolism, and product quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kinetic properties of gill (Na+, K+)-ATPase in the Pacific whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei (Decapoda, Penaeidae)","authors":"Cintya M. Moraes ,&nbsp;Leonardo M. Fabri ,&nbsp;Daniela P. Garçon ,&nbsp;Alessandra Augusto ,&nbsp;Samuel C. Faria ,&nbsp;John C. McNamara ,&nbsp;Francisco A. Leone","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The whiteleg marine shrimp <em>Penaeus vannamei</em>, originally from the Eastern Pacific Ocean, now inhabits tropical waters across Asia and Central and Southern America. This benthic species exhibits rapid growth, wide salinity and temperature tolerance, and disease resistance. These physiological traits have led to extensive research on its osmoregulatory mechanisms, including next-generation sequencing, transcriptomic analyses, and lipidomic responses. In crustaceans, osmotic and ionic homeostasis is primarily maintained by the membrane-bound metalloenzyme (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase. However, little is known about how various ligands modulate this enzyme in <em>P. vannamei</em>. Here, we examined the kinetic characteristics of the gill (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase to get biochemical insights into its modulation. A prominent immunoreactive band of ~120 kDa, corresponding to the (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase alpha-subunit, was identified. The enzyme exhibited two ATP hydrolyzing sites with K_0.5 = 0.0003 ± 0.00002 and 0.05 ± 0.003 mmol L⁻¹ and was stimulated by low sodium ion concentrations. Potassium and ammonium ions also stimulated enzyme activity with similar K_0.5 values of 0.08 ± 0.004 and 0.06 ± 0.003 mmol L⁻¹, respectively. Ouabain inhibition profile suggested a single enzyme isoform with a K_I value of 2.10 ± 0.16 mmol L⁻¹. Our findings showed significant kinetic differences in the (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase in <em>Penaeus vannamei</em> compared to marine and freshwater crustaceans. We expect our results to enhance understanding of the modulation of gill (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase in <em>Penaeus vannamei</em> and to provide a valuable tool for studying the shrimp's biochemical acclimation to varying salinity conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synbiotic effects of Lactobacillus plantarum CMT1 and Morinda citrifolia on the growth performance and disease resistance of whiteleg shrimp","authors":"Thi Cam Tu Phan,&nbsp;Thi Kim Lien Nguyen,&nbsp;Thi Tuyet Ngan Pham,&nbsp;Quoc Phu Truong,&nbsp;Truong Giang Huynh,&nbsp;Thi Thanh Hien Tran","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the effects of a prebiotic derived from <em>Morinda citrifolia</em> (noni fruit) extract and a probiotic of <em>Lactobacillus plantarum</em> CMT1 alone and in combination on the survival, growth performance, digestive enzymes, and disease resistance of whiteleg shrimp. A total of 1200 juvenile shrimp were randomly allocated to four treatments: control (not supplemented with noni fruit extract or <em>L. plantarum</em> CMT1), Treatment 1 (TRT1) (supplemented with 1 % noni fruit extract), Treatment 2 (TRT2) (supplemented with 10⁸ CFU/kg <em>L. plantarum</em> CMT1), and Treatment 3 (TRT3) (supplemented with 1 % noni fruit extract and 10⁸ CFU/kg <em>L. plantarum</em> CMT1). After 56 days of feeding, the growth indices of the TRT3 group were statistically larger than the other treatments (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Shrimp in the three treatment groups demonstrated significantly enhanced survival compared to those in the control group (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), but no significant differences were observed among these three groups (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). Shrimp fed the TRT3 diet had the lowest feed conversion rate, which was statistically significant compared to the other groups. Shrimp in the TRT3 group also had significantly higher amylase and protease levels than the control group. In addition, the use of fruit extract or <em>L.</em> <em>plantarum</em> CMT1 alone and in combination significantly increased shrimp survival after exposure to <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em>, with the TRT3 group recording the highest value. The results indicate that a synbiotic of <em>M. citrifolia</em> extract and <em>L.</em> <em>plantarum</em> CMT1 could be used in shrimp aquaculture to promote animal development and health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142376344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of α-sitosterol on growth, hematobiochemical profiles, immune-antioxidant resilience, histopathological features and expression of immune apoptotic genes of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, challenged with Candida albicans","authors":"Walaa El-Houseiny ,&nbsp;Rewan Abdelaziz ,&nbsp;Abdallah Tageldein Mansour ,&nbsp;Haifa A. Alqhtani ,&nbsp;May Nasser Bin-Jumah ,&nbsp;Yasmin Bayoumi ,&nbsp;Ahmed H. Arisha ,&nbsp;Adham A. Al-Sagheer ,&nbsp;Abd Elhakeem El-Murr","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the effect of the <em>Streptomyces misakiensis</em> metabolite (α- sitosterol, 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/kg) dietary supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant-immune stability and <em>Candida albicans</em> resistance of Nile tilapia was evaluated. The results revealed that the incorporation of α-sitosterol at doses of 60 and 80 mg/kg into the diet significantly improved the growth rate of Nile tilapia. The fish receiving 80 mg/kg showed an increased level of high-density lipoprotein, total protein, globulin, and albumin, and significantly reduced levels of indicators of hepato-renal damage, glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and total cholesterol. Dietary α-sitosterol induced a considerable increase in hepatopancreas glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and a significant drop in malondialdehyde levels. Supplementing the diet with 80 mg/kg of α-sitosterol increased nitric oxide, complement-3, nitro blue tetrazolium levels, lysozyme, and phagocytic activities. In particular, supplementing with α-sitosterol at 60–80 mg/kg of diet significantly enhanced the expression of pro/anti-inflammatory markers (<em>il1b, il10</em>, <em>tgfb</em>, <em>ifng, tnfa</em> and <em>il8</em>) after the <em>C. albicans</em> challenge. Also, there was a decrease in cumulative mortality percent, pro-apoptotic markers (<em>casp3</em>, <em>bax</em> and <em>hsp70</em>) and an increase in anti-apoptotic indicators (<em>bcl2</em>). Interestingly, following the <em>C. albicans</em> challenge, fish that received 0 and 20 mg α-sitosterol/kg exhibited significant inflammation in the hepatopancreas, spleen, and intestine. On the other hand, inflammation could be alleviated by feeding 60–80 mg α-sitosterol/kg. Due to these findings, α-sitosterol could be an innovative option to enhance growth, general physiological status, immune service, and antifungal resistance of Nile tilapia against <em>C. albicans</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142309174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Commentary: Environmental RNA and the assessment of organismal function in the field","authors":"Chris N. Glover ,&nbsp;Heather D. Veilleux ,&nbsp;Melissa D. Misutka","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental RNA (eRNA) is an emerging technique with significant potential for the assessment of organismal function in field settings. It has the advantage of being non-invasive, facilitating insight into the physiological status of an organism without complications associated with processes such as capture, handling, and transportation from the field to the laboratory. It is hypothesised that eRNA approaches will be especially valuable for assessing sublethal stress of species living in environmental settings undergoing change and could therefore be integral for examining population health and for testing hypotheses regarding organismal physiology developed from laboratory studies. However, the successful application of eRNA approaches requires further data regarding the stability and persistence of eRNA in natural substrates; established and validated relationships between molecular biomarkers and the physiological processes they participate in; and an understanding of the contributions of different epithelia in direct contact with the environment (skin, gill, gut) to the eRNA transcriptome. The utility of microRNA as a component of the eRNA pool should be an area of specific future research focus. Ultimately, eRNA has the potential to provide fundamental physiological information regarding the responses of organisms in their natural settings and could increase the sensitivity and acuity of biomonitoring efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142309173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural insights and antimicrobial synergy of a proto-galectin from the marine sponge Aiolochroia crassa","authors":"Renato Cezar Farias Torres ,&nbsp;Israel Ferreira Barbosa Júnior ,&nbsp;Victoria Régia Pinto de Souza ,&nbsp;Jéssica de Assis Duarte ,&nbsp;Renata Pinheiro Chaves ,&nbsp;Manoel Ferreira da Costa Filho ,&nbsp;Elielton Nascimento ,&nbsp;Ellen Araujo Malveira ,&nbsp;Alexandre Lopes Andrade ,&nbsp;Ulisses Pinheiro ,&nbsp;Mayron Alves de Vasconcelos ,&nbsp;Bruno Lopes de Sousa ,&nbsp;Edson Holanda Teixeira ,&nbsp;Rômulo Farias Carneiro ,&nbsp;Celso Shiniti Nagano ,&nbsp;Alexandre Holanda Sampaio","doi":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study, we isolated a novel lectin from the marine sponge <em>Aiolochroia crassa</em>, named AcrL. The lectin showed a preference for glycans containing sialic acid terminal residues, as indicated by the strongest inhibition with fetuin and bovine submaxillary mucin. Primary structure determination by mass spectrometry revealed that AcrL is a galectin with conserved amino acid residues typically involved in carbohydrate binding. Structural modeling indicated that AcrL adopts a typical galectin β-sandwich motif, featuring two anti-parallel β-sheets with five strands each. Docking calculations revealed a carbohydrate-binding site composed of a main site, capable of hosting galactopyranosides, and an extended site, facilitating the binding of complex carbohydrates. AcrL inhibited significant biofilm formation against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>S. epidermidis</em>, and <em>Escherichia coli</em> with concentrations ranging from 500 to 15.6 μg.mL⁻¹ for <em>S. aureus</em>, 7.8 μg.mL⁻¹ for <em>S. epidermidis</em>, and 500 μg.mL⁻¹ for <em>E. coli</em>. Furthermore, when combined with different antibiotics, AcrL potentiated their effect against pathogenic bacteria. The antimicrobial mechanism of AcrL was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The analysis indicates that AcrL induces damage to the bacterial membrane. These findings underscore the discovery of a novel galectin in a basal organism and the comprehensive biochemical characterization conducted in this research, highlighting the potential of AcrL as a novel antibacterial agent and emphasizing its importance in combating bacterial infections.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55236,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B-Biochemistry & Molecular Biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142239567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}