Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Beth Kelly, Gustavo E. Carrizo, Joy Edwards-Hicks, David E. Sanin, Michal A. Stanczak, Chantal Priesnitz, Lea J. Flachsmann, Jonathan D. Curtis, Gerhard Mittler, Yaarub Musa, Thomas Becker, Joerg M. Buescher, Erika L. Pearce
Summary: The behavior of Dictyostelium discoideum is dependent on nutrients, existing as unicellular organisms in the presence of sufficient food and aggregating into multicellular organisms upon starvation. The generation of reactive oxygen species due to nutrient limitation leads to the sequestration of cysteine in the antioxidant glutathione, limiting its sulfur atom usage and maintaining the organism in a nonproliferating state conducive to multicellular development. This mechanism of signaling through reactive oxygen species highlights the roles of oxygen and sulfur as simple signaling molecules in dictating cell fate in early eukaryotes, with implications for responses to nutrient fluctuations in multicellular eukaryotes.
Article
Ecology
Pimsupa Jasmin Albert, Daniel C. Reuman
Summary: This study extends modern coexistence theory by introducing the concept of asymmetric tail associations (ATAs) and analyzing their impact on species coexistence. Through a simple model and empirical examples, the study demonstrates that ATAs can be as influential as other coexistence mechanisms and can determine whether species can coexist or be competitively excluded.
Article
Forestry
Jiayi Feng, Juyu Lian, Qiming Mei, Honglin Cao, Wanhui Ye
Summary: This study analyzed the vertical stratification traits of seven common tree species and found the existence of vertical niche differentiation. Functional trait differences were observed among different height groups, among co-occurring species within the same height range, and among different parts of the same tree species at different tree heights. Furthermore, contrasting results between lower and higher height ranges in the relationship between functional trait differences and species abundance differences confirmed obvious vertical niche separation in the community.
Article
Plant Sciences
Millicent R. Smith, Barbara Elias Reis Hodecker, David Fuentes, Andrew Merchant
Summary: Low soil fertility limits the growth and yield production of common bean in tropical regions. This study investigated the impact of reduced nutrient supply on carbon assimilation and nutrient content, and found that the amino acid concentration in the pod tissue can be maintained.
Article
Ecology
Jake N. Barber, Aysha L. Sezmis, Laura C. Woods, Trenton D. Anderson, Jasmyn M. Voss, Michael J. McDonald
Summary: Microbial communities are made up of many species that coexist on small spatial scales, and the evolution of coexistence between competing species can occur after long periods of coevolution. Genetic sequencing and mutation analysis have identified genes that can modify interactions between species, allowing for stable coexistence to evolve from intense competition.
Article
Biology
Christopher M. Heggerud, King-Yeung Lam, Hao Wang
Summary: The paradox of the plankton refers to the contradiction between Gause's law of competitive exclusion and the observed diversity of phytoplankton. In this study, we examine the possibility of coexistence by considering light as a continuum of resources using a spatially explicit reaction-diffusion-advection model. Additionally, we provide insights into the conditions for coexistence based on niche differentiation within the light spectrum and overall turbidity of the water.
JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jun Zhao, Laibin Huang, Seemanti Chakrabarti, Jennifer Cooper, EunKyung Choi, Carolina Ganan, Bryn Tolchinsky, Eric W. Triplett, Samira H. Daroub, Willm Martens-Habbena
Summary: Soil is the largest reservoir of Archaea on Earth, with the dominant group being Nitrososphaeria. These bacteria have different gene inventory and expression profiles for nutrient utilization, but share a consistent set of genes for carbon fixation, respiration, and ATP synthesis. This suggests resource-based coexistence patterns and complementary ecological niches among different Nitrososphaeria lineages in soil.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Robert Micikas, Arusha Acharyya, Feng Gai, Amos B. Smith
Summary: A scalable synthesis of a Fmoc-protected blue fluorescent amino acid, L-4-cyanotryptophan (W-4CN), was reported in this study. The study leveraged the red-shifted emission of water-exposed W-4CN residues to investigate the solvation state of tryptophan residues within the influenza M2 proton channel. The correlation between the conformation of the channel and the fluorescence spectrum of a mutated W-4CN residue suggested that the channel's conformational state does not affect the hydration status of the Trp residues.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Benjamin Grain, Remi Desmet, Benoit Snella, Oleg Melnyk, Vangelis Agouridas
Summary: In this study, a latent and highly reactive oxalyl thioester precursor was efficiently introduced into a fully synthetic protein domain, serving as an on-demand reactive handle. This approach has potential applications in life or materials sciences.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Qi Yang, Ying Wang, Meng Yang, Xuanting Liu, Siwen Lyu, Boqun Liu, Jingbo Liu, Ting Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the effects of glycation on protein structure and digestive characteristics. The results show that glycation decreases the turbidity and hydrophobicity of protein and changes its structure. It also reduces the contents of essential amino acids and total amino acids after digestion.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jiudan Zhang, Yang Zheng, Lisa Martens, Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer
Summary: Glucagon has a broad role in metabolism, affecting glucose, amino acids, and lipid metabolism. Its secretion is regulated by nutrient intake, especially amino acids, and non-nutrient components. Recent research has shown the positive impact of glucagon agonists on lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. The interaction between glucagon and other hormones, as well as the dysregulation of glucagon secretion in diseases like type 2 diabetes, is examined.
Article
Ecology
Yinghui Yang, Cang Hui
Summary: The study reveals that competitive intransitivity and niche differentiation are important mechanisms supporting species coexistence in a competitive environment, and high competition asymmetry can enhance the contribution of intransitive loops to species coexistence.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Rochelle McGrory, Danielle C. Morgan, Andrew G. Jamieson, Andrew Sutherland
Summary: This article describes the synthesis and photoluminescent properties of novel α-amino acids, in which the chromophores containing biaryl benzotriazinone exhibit dual emission fluorescence through locally excited (LE) and twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) states. The intensity of each emission band can be controlled by the electronics and position of the substituents, and this led to the design of a 2-methoxyphenyl analogue that, due to twisting, displays bright TICT fluorescence, solvatochromism, and pH sensitivity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mary N. Van Dyke, Jonathan M. Levine, Nathan J. B. Kraft
Summary: This study investigates the impact of changing precipitation on competitive dynamics between species in a California grassland community. The results demonstrate that reduced precipitation alters the outcome of species competition, particularly for functionally diverse communities. Thus, considering changes in species interactions is crucial when predicting species and community responses to global change.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Taka-aki Okamura, Mami Ishikawa, Kiyotaka Onitsuka
Summary: This study presents the synthesis and characterization of expanded polypeptides containing chiral platinum(II) complexes. The resulting polymers exhibit a fluctuating mixture of chiral helices, as confirmed by various analysis techniques. This research provides valuable insights into the construction of functional polymer materials with well-designed three-dimensional structures.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lydia-Ann J. Ghuneim, Marco A. Distaso, Tatyana N. Chernikova, Rafael Bargiela, Evgenii A. Lunev, Aleksei A. Korzhenkov, Stepan Toshchakov, David Rojo, Coral Barbas, Manuel Ferrer, Olga Golyshina, Peter N. Golyshin, David L. Jones
Summary: Filterable microorganisms play a minor role in processing low-molecular-weight dissolved organic carbon (LMW DOC) in lotic freshwater systems, with a much slower consumption rate compared to the whole microbial community. The addition of nanomolar concentrations of LMW DOC did not significantly affect microbial community composition or consumption rates in either the filtered or unfiltered fractions.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Hongguang Cheng, Jinyang Wang, Chenglong Tu, Shan Lin, Dan Xing, Paul Hill, Dave Chadwick, Davey L. Jones
Summary: The study found that biochar inhibits the decomposition of simazine, but this inhibition can be alleviated by the symbiosis between plants and AMF. The combination of biochar application and AMF inoculation has the potential to reduce simazine accumulation in topsoil and decrease its availability.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Ruimin Qi, Davey L. Jones, Qiuyun Liu, Qin Liu, Zhen Li, Changrong Yan
Summary: The use of plastic films in agriculture is important for food production, but concerns about plastic residues accumulating in soil and entering the food chain have led to the development of biodegradable films. Research shows that slight variations in the formulations of commercial biodegradable mulch films can lead to very different persistence rates in soil, ultimately resulting in their progressive accumulation if used repeatedly.
Article
Agronomy
Xiaodan Sun, Yuqian Ye, Qingxu Ma, Qingwei Guan, Davey L. Jones
Summary: Organic mulching significantly affects soil enzyme activity, promoting soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. The correlation between rhizosphere and bulk soil enzyme activity is significant, and organic mulching tends to have a greater impact on rhizosphere enzyme activity due to the influence of root element cycling.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alice F. Charteris, Paul Harris, Karina A. Marsden, Ian M. Harris, Ziwei Guo, Deborah A. Beaumont, Helena Taylor, Gianmarco Sanfratello, Davey L. Jones, Sarah C. M. Johnson, Mick J. Whelan, Nicholas Howden, Hadewij Sint, David R. Chadwick, Laura M. Cardenas
Summary: Greenhouse gas fluxes from livestock grazed pasture soils exhibit high variability, influenced by local conditions. Nitrogen, ammonia, soil moisture, etc. play significant roles in regulating fluxes on different pastures for various greenhouse gases.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
K. A. Marsden, L. Lush, J. A. Holmberg, I. M. Harris, M. J. Whelan, S. Webb, A. J. King, R. P. Wilson, D. L. Jones, A. F. Charteris, L. M. Cardenas, D. R. Chadwick
Summary: This study used non-invasive sensor technology to monitor sheep urination behavior while grazing, revealing differences in urination frequency, duration, and average urine volume under different pasture management conditions. The data obtained will be useful for estimating nitrogen losses from urine patches.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kata Farkas, Emma Green, Dan Rigby, Paul Cross, Sean Tyrrel, Shelagh K. Malham, David L. Jones
Summary: Pollutants in the water and air pose a growing threat to human health, with norovirus causing gastrointestinal diseases. A study measured people's awareness and fear of norovirus compared to other risks, finding low levels of control but high levels of fear associated with the virus. Seeking advice on norovirus symptoms appeared to increase participants' sense of control over the risks.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alice F. Charteris, Karina A. Marsden, Jess R. Evans, Harry A. Barrat, Nadine Loick, Davey L. Jones, David R. Chadwick, Laura M. Cardenas
Summary: Research showed that storing urine at -20 degrees Celsius can maintain the nitrogen-containing constituent profile, and partially lyophilising urine does not alter soil gaseous emissions from sheep urine.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Fiona M. Seaton, Sabine Reinsch, Tim Goodall, Nicola White, Davey L. Jones, Robert I. Griffiths, Simon Creer, Andy Smith, Bridget A. Emmett, David A. Robinson
Summary: The study found significant changes in soil microbial communities in response to long-term climate manipulation, likely influenced by soil pH and electrical conductivity. Changes in microbial communities were more pronounced after an extended period of climate treatment, especially in deeper soil layers. Shifts in plant cover played a key role in influencing the microbial communities, particularly through impacts on soil physicochemical properties like pH.
Editorial Material
Soil Science
Philip M. Haygarth, Guy J. D. Kirk, Davey L. Jones
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Jennifer M. Rhymes, Sophie Wynne-Jones, A. Prysor Williams, Ian M. Harris, Duncan Rose, David R. Chadwick, David L. Jones
Summary: The adoption of soil testing among beef and sheep farmers is influenced by their understanding of the link between soil conditions and farm outputs. Farmers are more likely to engage with soil testing when they perceive direct impacts on their profits, yields, and livestock health. Those who do engage with soil testing show greater levels of innovation and are more likely to seek advisory support, particularly on larger farms.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Matthew J. Wade, Anna Lo Jacomo, Elena Armenise, Mathew R. Brown, Joshua T. Bunce, Graeme J. Cameron, Zhou Fang, Kata Farkas, Deidre F. Gilpin, David W. Graham, Jasmine M. S. Grimsley, Alwyn Hart, Till Hoffmann, Katherine J. Jackson, David L. Jones, Chris J. Lilley, John W. McGrath, Jennifer M. McKinley, Cormac McSparron, Behnam F. Nejad, Mario Morvan, Marcos Quintela-Baluja, Adrian M. I. Roberts, Andrew C. Singer, Celia Souque, Vanessa L. Speight, Chris Sweetapple, David Walkers, Glenn Watts, Andrew Weightman, Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented pressure on global public health resources, prompting the development of National wastewater surveillance programmes in the UK to monitor the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This work highlights the unique importance of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for public health protection, with potential value beyond COVID-19 for monitoring a range of health markers.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Yan Ma, Alice F. Charteris, Nadine Loick, Laura M. Cardenas, Zhipeng Sha, Maria Lopez-Aizpun, Qing Chen, Davey L. Jones, David R. Chadwick
Summary: The study compared the effects of Brachiaria humidicola (Bh) and Brachiaria ruziziensis (Br) on soil nitrogen dynamics and gas emissions, and found that the mitigating effect of Bh on N2O emissions in a highly nitrifying soil is short-lived.
JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Liang Wei, Tida Ge, Zhenke Zhu, Rongzhong Ye, Josep Penuelas, Yuhong Li, Tin Mar Lynn, Davey L. Jones, Jinshui Wu, Yakov Kuzyakov
Summary: Research shows that microbial biomass content in paddy soils is higher than in upland soils due to factors such as higher root C input by rice plants, lower oxygen availability, higher microbial C assimilation efficiency, and additional C stabilization on iron (oxyhydr)oxides in paddy soils. Despite higher temperatures and better water availability, microbial turnover is slower in paddy soils due to oxygen limitation, leading to nearly double the microbial biomass content compared to upland soils.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kata Farkas, Luke S. Hillary, Jamie Thorpe, David I. Walker, James A. Lowther, James E. McDonald, Shelagh K. Malham, Davey L. Jones
Summary: Wastewater-based epidemiology is a vital tool for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, but the detection of viruses in sewage is challenging. A simple concentration method using PEG precipitation enables efficient detection of various viruses in wastewater, offering a comprehensive assessment of viral diseases in a community.
METHODS AND PROTOCOLS
(2021)