Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kazuki Kodera, Hideaki Matsui
Summary: In recent years, small fishes such as zebrafish, medaka, and turquoise killifish have been recognized as excellent model animals for studying human neurological disorders. These fishes have high genetic and tissue structure homology with humans, as well as unique features that make them suitable for experiments and analysis. They have been extensively used in neurology research, particularly in uncovering the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Zebrafish and medaka, in particular, have played a significant role in understanding diseases like Parkinson's and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Turquoise killifish has emerged as a unique model animal for aging research and age-related neurological diseases. These small fishes have great potential in improving our understanding of neurological disorders in humans.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariateresa Mazzetto, Cinzia Caterino, Marco Groth, Elisa Ferrari, Martin Reichard, Mario Baumgart, Alessandro Cellerino
Summary: This study compared the aging patterns of wild and captive turquoise killifish. The majority of differentially expressed genes showed the same regulation direction in both populations, but there were also genes regulated in opposite directions. Additionally, the rate of age-dependent gene regulation was higher in wild animals, suggesting accelerated aging.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valentina S. Evsiukova, Elizabeth A. Kulikova, Alexander V. Kulikov
Summary: Short-lived turquoise killifish are commonly used in neuroscience research, showing age and sex-related variations in body mass, behavior, and mRNA levels of various 5-HT-related genes in the brain. Males generally exhibit higher body mass and expression levels of these genes compared to females. This indicates the suitability of N. furzeri as a model organism for studying age-related alterations in mRNA levels associated with the brain's 5-HT system.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qinqin Jin, Gang Shi
Summary: A random effect model overlapping MR method is proposed in this study, which simultaneously considers heterogeneity and overlapping data, showing high efficiency in SNP-environment interaction studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Masoumeh Farahani, Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani, Alireza Zali, Mona Zamanian-Azodi
Summary: This study explores the cognitive impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by analyzing cognitive phenotype proteins and their interactions. Results show the identification of important proteins and modules related to cognitive deficits in ASD. Additionally, the study investigates the impact of environmental exposures on cognitive impairment. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms behind cognitive impairment in ASD and suggest potential therapeutic approaches.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Zhezhe Cui, Jun Liu, Yue Chang, Dingwen Lin, Dan Luo, Jing Ou, Liwen Huang
Summary: The study found that Beijing family strains had a significantly higher proportion in hot spots compared to cold spots, and mutations in related genes showed significant differences between the two. Additionally, age, BMI, and polymorphisms in the Rv0210 gene were identified as significant factors in the transmission and development of M. tb.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Raul de la Mata, Rafael Zas, Gloria Bustingorri, Luis Sampedro, Marc Rust, Ana Hernandez-Serrano, Anna Sala
Summary: Research shows that the phenotypic plasticity of tree populations is related to environmental heterogeneity at the seed source. Populations exposed to high microhabitat heterogeneity have evolved higher plasticity, while a negative correlation exists between quantitative genetic variance within populations and their plasticity. Additionally, drought can act as a trigger for plasticity in tree populations.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Preethi Thunga, Lisa Truong, Yvonne Rericha, Jane La Du, Mackenzie Morshead, Robyn L. Tanguay, David M. Reif
Summary: Individuals within genetically diverse populations show varying susceptibilities to chemical exposures, and understanding gene-environment interactions is crucial. This study used zebrafish as a model organism to assess the variation in larval behavior and gene expression in different environments, revealing significant GxE effects.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jose C. Noguera
Summary: The presence of social cues of reproductive competition can promote plasticity in reproductive traits and strategies, which can also potentially be transmitted across generations through maternal effects. This study examined the effects of exposure to different densities of intermale competition cues during egg formation on the reproductive strategies of male crickets. The results showed that males whose mothers were exposed to a high density of males invested less in calling for mates but courted more intensively when they had access to a mate. However, sperm production was not affected by the maternal exposure, suggesting a weaker maternal influence on offspring traits under postcopulatory sexual selection.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paras Jain, Sugandha Bhatia, Erik W. Thompson, Mohit Kumar Jolly
Summary: Phenotypic heterogeneity is a hallmark of aggressive cancer behavior and a clinical challenge. This study suggests that fluctuations or noise in content duplication and partitioning of the SNAIL gene during cell division can explain spontaneous phenotypic switching and dynamic heterogeneity in PMC42-LA cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marta A. Santos, Marta A. Antunes, Afonso Grandela, Ana S. Quina, Mauro Santos, Margarida Matos, Pedro Simoes
Summary: Adaptation to warmer environments is crucial to prevent extinction, but the debate over the emergence of adaptive responses remains. This study examined the adaptive response of Drosophila subobscura populations with different biogeographical histories to two thermal regimes. The findings indicate that while there is some potential for evolutionary response to a warming environment, it is slow and population-specific, suggesting limitations to ectotherm adaptation to rapid temperature shifts.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Economics
Long Cheng, Kunbo Shi, Jonas De Vos, Mengqiu Cao, Frank Witlox
Summary: This study reveals spatial heterogeneity in the effects of the built environment on walking time among older adults in Nanjing, China. The impact of the built environment varies in significance level, parameter magnitude, or sign reversals depending on the location. Policy interventions would only be effective in certain areas for certain built environment attributes.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewelina A. Klupczynska, Tomasz A. Pawlowski
Summary: Environmental conditions play a crucial role in plant reproduction, as changes in climate can disrupt seed germination and dormancy, affecting plant diversity and suitable habitats. The adaptive mechanism of seed dormancy can help buffer against the negative impacts of environmental changes, highlighting the need to understand how temperature and humidity influence seed germination patterns. Integrating research techniques from different biology disciplines, such as transcriptomics and proteomics, can aid in understanding the processes controlling seed germination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marta Galvez-Fernandez, Francisco Sanchez-Saez, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Zulema Rodriguez-Hernandez, Sonia Tarazona, Vannina Gonzalez-Marrachelli, Maria Grau-Perez, Jose M. Morales-Tatay, Nuria Amigo, Tamara Garcia-Barrera, Jose L. Gomez-Ariza, F. Javier Chaves, Ana Barbara Garcia-Garcia, Rebeca Melero, Maria Tellez-Plaza, Juan C. Martin-Escudero, Josep Redon, Daniel Monleon
Summary: This study evaluated the joint influence of redox-related metals and genetic variation on metabolic pathways. The results showed that exposures to Co, Cu, Se, Zn, As, Cd and Sb were associated with several metabolic patterns involved in chronic disease. Carriers of redox-related variants may have differential susceptibility to metabolic alterations associated with excessive exposure to metals.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily M. Donham, Iris Flores, Alexis Hooper, Evan O'Brien, Kate Vylet, Yuichiro Takeshita, Jan Freiwald, Kristy J. Kroeker
Summary: Variation in environmental conditions across a species' range can affect their responses to environmental change through local adaptation and acclimation. However, ecosystems with tightly coupled environmental conditions may pose challenges for evolutionary responses, particularly when changes in environmental covariance occur. This study conducted a 3-month long mesocosm experiment and found evidence of local adaptation/acclimation in red sea urchin populations to multiple environmental drivers, but with different responses to projected changes. The results highlight the potential for local adaptation/acclimation to multivariate environmental regimes and the importance of identifying physiological thresholds in key environmental drivers for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Article
Ecology
Martin Reichard, Radim Blazek, Jakub Zak, Alessandro Cellerino, Matej Polacik
Summary: Intersexual differences in life span and aging are widespread among animals, but the factors that modulate these differences are poorly understood. This study shows that sex differences in life span and aging in killifish are primarily driven by social and environmental conditions, rather than differential functional aging.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Jakub Zak, Koushik Roy, Iva Dykova, Jan Mraz, Martin Reichard
Summary: The absence of a controlled diet in turquoise killifish affects its potential as a model organism for studying aging. In this study, the nutritional value of the wild fish's diet was estimated, and their amino acid profile was used as a proxy for their nutritional requirements. Compared to bloodworms, other feeds resulted in slower growth, lower fecundity, and abnormal liver size. However, the Aller feed performed well and could be a practical replacement for bloodworms in the turquoise killifish.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Reichard, Kety Giannetti, Tania Ferreira, Ahmed Maouche, Milan Vrtilek, Matej Polacik, Radim Blazek, Miguel Godinho Ferreira
Summary: The study reveals that in African killifish, males have shorter lifespans and shorter telomeres compared to females. Fish from different environments also have varying telomere lengths. Individual condition and environmentally-driven selection impact the relationship between telomere length and lifespan.
Article
Ecology
M. Polacik, M. Vrtilek
Summary: Annual killifish can enter an additional developmental stasis between diapause II and III, which has been overlooked for a long time. This stasis manifests as a complete halt in development or a significantly slowed down developmental rate. The embryos that enter the stasis under usual laboratory incubation conditions can still hatch normally after exiting dormancy and completing development.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Martin Reichard, Karel Douda, Radim Blazek, Anna Janovska
Summary: The acute stress response of the European bitterling, Rhodeus amarus, to parasitism by the invasive unionid mussel, Sinanodonta woodiana, was measured by analyzing cortisol plasma levels using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer. A new method was tested that only required 4 μL of plasma by increasing the volume using charcoal-treated plasma. Bitterling showed a significant increase in cortisol levels in response to glochidia infestation. Overall, this technique allows precise measurement of steroid hormone plasma concentrations in small fish.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kamila Souckova, Matej Jasik, Iva Sovadinova, Alexandr Sember, Eliska Sychrova, Anna Konieczna, Vojtech Bystry, Iva Dykova, Radim Blazek, Karolina Luksikova, Tomas Pavlica, Marek Jankasek, Marie Altmanova, Jakub Zak, Adriana Zboncakova, Martin Reichard, Ondrej Slaby
Summary: As an alternative to animal models, this paper reports the establishment and characterization of ten continuous cell lines from annual killifish embryos. These cell lines exhibit stable growth, similar characteristics, and undifferentiated state even after continuous subcultivation and extended storage. They have the potential for application in various fields including molecular mechanisms of aging and differences in lifespan.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Holger Zimmerman, Deryk Tolman, Martin Reichard
Summary: Offspring of brood parasites compete for resources, but rarely resort to cannibalism. Cannibalism is used to mitigate starvation, not eliminate competition.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jakub Zak, Abhishek Nair Anil, Iva Dykova
Summary: Providing optimal conditions for early-life gas bladder inflation of captive fish is one of the biggest challenges in fish culture. Turquoise killifish, a popular research model in biogerontology, frequently suffer from an inability to inflate their gas bladder in laboratory culture. In this study, the researchers investigated the effect of dissolved oxygen saturation and access to the water surface on gas bladder inflation and hatching success of turquoise killifish, and found that access to the water surface was not necessary for gas bladder inflation, and that larvae had the highest proportion of inflated gas bladders in the treatment with oversaturated water induced by an oxygen tablet.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Carl Smith, Rowena Spence, Richard Bailey, Martin Reichard
Summary: Using network analysis, this study investigates the intensity of sperm competition in male European bitterling. It is found that larger males in the guarding role experience lower sperm competition intensity, while larger males in the sneaker role experience greater intensity.
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Iva Dykova, Martin Reichard
Summary: The study presents detailed structural data on the ovipositor of four bitterling species. New findings on the structure of the ovipositor were collected using both light and transmission electron microscopy. The examination revealed that all examined fish shared the same basic structure and newly reported details, regardless of their species affiliation. Evaluations of structural modifications provide insights into the presumed role of the ovipositor in egg passage.
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Karolina Luksikova, Tomas Pavlica, Marie Altmanova, Jana Stundlova, Sarka Pelikanova, Sergey A. Simanovsky, Eugene Yu. Krysanov, Marek Jankasek, Matyas Hirman, Martin Reichard, Petr Rab, Alexandr Sember
Summary: Using African annual killifishes as study subjects, this research analyzed the chromosomal distribution of telomeric repeats and Nfu-SatC satellite DNA. The results showed that the presence of Nfu-SatC repeat was conserved among the studied taxa, but its organization and distribution on chromosomes varied. Only in Nothobranchius brieni, the Nfu-SatC repeat occupied a substantial portion of the neo-Y chromosome. The study also revealed a tendency of telomeric repeat loss during interchromosomal rearrangements, providing insights into genome structure and sex chromosome differentiation in Nothobranchius killifishes.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Reichard, Stephan Koblmuller, Radim Blazek, Holger Zimmermann, Cyprian Katongo, Anna Bryjova, Josef Bryja
Summary: Host-parasite dynamics involve coevolutionary arms races and may result in host specialization and diversification. Previous understanding of host specialization in brood parasites has been mostly focused on bird and insect lineages. This study examines the relationship between the cuckoo catfish and mouthbrooding cichlids in Lake Tanganyika and finds evidence for the existence of sympatric host-specific lineages in the cuckoo catfish. Genetic analysis shows no host-specific lineages, and parasitism is not associated with any individual characteristics of the host species, but it does come at a cost for the parasitized parents. These findings suggest that the cuckoo catfish is an intermediate generalist in terms of host specialization.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Volenikova, Karolina Luksikova, Pablo Mora, Tomas Pavlica, Marie Altmanova, Jana Stundlova, Sarka Pelikanova, Sergey A. Simanovsky, Marek Jankasek, Martin Reichard, Petr Nguyen, Alexandr Sember
Summary: Satellite DNA is a rapidly evolving class of tandem repeats, with some monomers being involved in centromere organization and function. Through studying satDNA in African annual killifishes of the genus Nothobranchius, we found that repeats associated with (peri)centromeric regions evolve rapidly and exhibit different evolutionary trends in two clades.
CHROMOSOME RESEARCH
(2023)