Article
Toxicology
Michael D. Collins, Elvis Han Cui, Seung Won Hyun, Weng Kee Wong
Summary: The primary aim of this paper is to propose a more quantitative approach to design dose-response experiments, specifically concentration-response experiments. By using a model-based optimal design, more accurate statistical inference can be obtained for the underlying parameters of interest. The study demonstrates the efficiency gains of using a carefully selected model-based optimal design compared to an ad-hoc empirical design.
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marilena Vita Di Natale, Sabrina Carola Carroccio, Sandro Dattilo, Mariacristina Cocca, Aldo Nicosia, Marco Torri, Carmelo Daniele Bennici, Marianna Musco, Tiziana Masullo, Stefania Russo, Antonio Mazzola, Angela Cuttitta
Summary: This study investigated the influence of artificial aging on the sorption of co-existing environmental contaminants onto microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment. The results showed that aging did not affect the sorption of BDE-47 and Cd on MPs, but had a certain influence on Cu sorption. The greatest influence of the aging process was mainly found for combined exposures which included BDE-47. Furthermore, the exposure to multiple contaminants generated transcriptional profiles poorly related to those activated by single contaminant.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luisa Albarano, Valerio Zupo, Marco Guida, Giovanni Libralato, Davide Caramiello, Nadia Ruocco, Maria Costantini
Summary: The study found that exposure to PAHs and PCBs in marine sediments had short-term sublethal effects on sea urchins, which were explained at the molecular level. Twenty-five new genes were identified, and it was discovered that they were functionally connected to genes previously defined as molecular targets of these pollutants. The expression of these genes was affected by PAHs and PCBs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura DeMiguel-Jimenez, Nestor Etxebarria, Helena C. Reinardy, Xabier Lekube, Ionan Marigomez, Urtzi Izagirre
Summary: The study utilized sea-urchin embryos as test-organisms and applied a multi-index approach to investigate the toxic effects of different oils in the environment. The findings suggest that under ice weathering resulted in lowered waterborne PAHs and genotoxicity but augmented embryo toxicity.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhuoheng Zhong, Xin Wang, Xiaojian Yin, Jingkui Tian, Setsuko Komatsu
Summary: The use of electromagnetic energy in agriculture has been extensive, involving crop cultivation, insect pest management, and agricultural product preservation. However, the impact of electromagnetic energy absorption on plants is not fully understood. Different frequencies and wavelengths of electromagnetic waves have varying effects on plants, with millimeter waves, ultraviolet, and gamma rays being some of the types that affect plants.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Florian Pontheaux, Sandrine Boulben, Heloise Chasse, Agnes Boutet, Fernando Roch, Julia Morales, Patrick Cormier
Summary: Cell division, or mitosis, relies on protein synthesis to regulate the timing and speed of the process. Sea urchin embryos are a useful model for studying this regulation. In this study, the researchers investigated the role of eIF4B mRNA translation in embryonic cell division. They found that inhibiting eIF4B synthesis delayed cell division, while increasing eIF4B production accelerated mitosis. This suggests that eIF4B mRNA translation is a new means of regulating the pace of embryonic cleavages, and it may also boost the production of other proteins essential for mitosis.
Review
Physiology
Cameron R. Moattari, Richard D. Granstein
Summary: Exposure to ultraviolet radiation leads to the release of neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and neuroendocrine hormones in human skin, modulating immune responses, mediating inflammation, and promoting various cell biological effects. This review focuses on the roles of specific molecules in mediating these effects in both animal and human studies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Natalia Abramenko, Marina Semenova, Alexander Khina, Pavel Zherebin, Yurii Krutyakov, Evgeny Krysanov, Leonid Kustov
Summary: Surface modification of nanoparticles with different stabilizers is commonly used to enhance their stability and applicability. Silver nanoparticle dispersions with biologically active stabilizers show potential as plant protection products, improving crop growth, yield, and protection. However, these stabilizers exhibit toxic effects on sea urchin embryos, with silver ions being more toxic than the nanoparticles themselves.
Article
Fisheries
Lili Xing, Lingyu Wang, Femke Roos, Michelle Lee, Gregory A. Wray
Summary: Sea urchins are important mariculture species and model organisms in developmental biology. Cis-regulatory elements control development and physiology by regulating gene expression. Mutations affecting these sequences contribute to phenotypic diversity. Cis-regulatory targets offer new breeding potential for the future.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Carola Murano, Vincenzo Donnarumma, Ilaria Corsi, Raffaella Casotti, Anna Palumbo
Summary: The colonization of micro-PS by bacteria influenced the uptake and toxicological responses of the Mediterranean sea urchin P. lividus, leading to higher levels of biodistribution and faster egestion rates.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Majed Layous, Lama Khalaily, Tsvia Gildor, Smadar Ben-Tabou de-Leon
Summary: The tolerance to hypoxic conditions changes between different developmental stages of sea urchin embryos, possibly due to the structure of gene regulatory networks. Hypoxia applied during early development strongly affects the activity of certain pathways, while pathways are largely unaffected by hypoxia applied after DV-axis formation.
Article
Cell Biology
Vanessa Barone, Deirdre C. Lyons
Summary: Echinoderm embryos, particularly sea urchin embryos, have been widely used as model systems in cell and developmental biology due to their optical clarity. Live imaging techniques, coupled with fluorescence microscopy, have played a pivotal role in uncovering mechanisms of embryonic development. This study argues for the adaptation of live imaging techniques to more echinoderm species in order to explore the evolutionary aspects of morphogenesis and understand the differences in dynamic cellular behaviors between species.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shunsuke Yaguchi, Yuri Taniguchi, Haruka Suzuki, Mai Kamata, Junko Yaguchi
Summary: To survive, organisms need to respond precisely to environmental factors, including light. Light-response systems have become highly developed in multicellular animals, consisting of photoreceptors, nervous system components, and effectors. While muscle responses to light are well understood, it is not clear whether ciliary responses exist in deuterostomes. This study shows that planktonic sea urchin larvae exhibit a ciliary response to light, mediated by Opsin2, which inhibits cholinergic signaling and leads to backward swimming.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura DeMiguel-Jimenez, Nestor Etxebarria, Xabier Lekube, Urtzi Izagirre, Ionan Marigomez
Summary: This study assessed the toxicity of crude and bunker oils in Arctic and Sub-Arctic seas, and found that heavy bunker oil was more toxic than light crude oil, with light bunker oil in between. The dispersant was toxic and also enhanced the toxicity of the oils.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cesar Arenas-Mena, Sofija Miljovska, Edward J. Rice, Justin Gurges, Tanvi Shashikant, Zihe Wang, Sevinc Ercan, Charles G. Danko
Summary: Chromatin accessibility and transcription have substantial power for predicting enhancer activity in sea urchin embryos, with the distribution of Pol II being the best predictor for enhancer activity, especially for promoter-overlapping cis-regulatory elements. Additionally, the predictive value of ATAC-seq and PRO-seq is stage-dependent in the promoter-overlapping subset.