Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fantin Mesny, Stephane Hacquard, Bart P. H. J. Thomma
Summary: Plants interact with a diverse array of microorganisms that affect their growth and resilience, leading them to be considered as plant holobionts rather than singular organisms. The assembly of above- and belowground microbiota in a plant holobiont is influenced by host, microbial, and environmental factors. Plants activate immune signaling upon perceiving microorganisms, which then modulate the composition of the plant microbiota through the secretion of factors. Metabolic interdependencies and antagonism between microbes are also important for shaping community assemblies. Overall, these complex interactions have evolved and play a crucial role in promoting the survival and fitness of plants and their associated microorganisms as holobionts. The co-evolution of these interactions within holobionts ultimately influences plant performance.
Article
Microbiology
Adrian Stencel, Dominika Wloch-Salamon
Summary: Developing precise definitions and fine categories is crucial for scientific progress. Research on symbiotic microorganisms has challenged commonly accepted concepts and introduced new ones, sparking debates on whether a holobiont can be considered an organism. This article explores how a shift from substance ontology to process ontology can reconcile opposing views and promote conceptual pluralism.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Giulia Puntin, Michael Sweet, Sebastian Fraune, Monica Medina, Koty Sharp, Virginia M. Weis, Maren Ziegler
Summary: Stony corals form the foundation of coral reefs, which are significant ecosystems in both ecological and economic aspects. However, climate change and other human-induced stressors pose threats to the existence of these ecosystems, leading to coral bleaching, disease, and ultimately coral mortality. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms and potential solutions to these destructive phenomena are still not fully understood.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Romain Savary, Daniel J. Barshis, Christian R. Voolstra, Anny Cardenas, Nicolas R. Evensen, Guilhem Banc-Prandi, Maoz Fine, Anders Meibom
Summary: The study found that Stylophora pistillata exhibits rapid and pervasive gene expression changes under high temperature stress, with basic recovery ability below 34.5 degrees Celsius. However, at 34.5 degrees Celsius, large gene expression differences and weak recovery capacity were observed, resulting in high mortality and a microbiome dominated by opportunistic bacteria.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maria Tartaglia, Rosaria Sciarrillo, Daniela Zuzolo, Alessia Postiglione, Antonello Prigioniero, Pierpaolo Scarano, Valentino Ruggieri, Carmine Guarino
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a biotechnological strategy using Festuca arundinacea and a pool of microorganisms for on-site remediation of pluricontaminated soils. The results showed that this approach could effectively reduce trace elements and organic pollutants in the soil. In addition, the rhizospheric metatranscriptomic analysis revealed the potential involvement of Actinobacteria and fungi in the success of the remediation.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ruben M. Costa, Anny Cardenas, Celine Loussert-Fonta, Gaelle Toullec, Anders Meibom, Christian R. Voolstra
Summary: Aiptasia is a promising model organism for studying cnidarian symbioses, showing similarities in surface architecture with stony corals. The study identified differences in bacterial carrying capacity between aposymbiotic and symbiotic Aiptasia anemones, and challenges in transplanting microbiomes between cnidarians. It also highlighted the potential for identifying broad-spectrum bacterial taxa for cross-species microbiome manipulation and the relevance of the work in coral microbial therapy and microbiome manipulation.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Michael Sweet, Helena Villela, Tina Keller-Costa, Rodrigo Costa, Stefano Romano, David G. Bourne, Anny Cardenas, Megan J. Huggett, Allison H. Kerwin, Felicity Kuek, Monica Medina, Julie L. Meyer, Moritz Muller, F. Joseph Pollock, Michael S. Rappe, Mathieu Sere, Koty H. Sharp, Christian R. Voolstra, Nathan Zaccardi, Maren Ziegler, Raquel Peixoto
Summary: Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the diversity and function of culturable bacteria isolated from corals across various habitats. Comparative genomic analysis uncovered potential signatures of beneficial bacterium-coral symbioses, with over 400 biosynthetic gene clusters identified. Novel genomic features potentially involved in host interactions were also discovered, suggesting new targets for coral probiotics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joeri Rogelj
Summary: Since the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the publication of the 2018 Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, net zero targets have become a central feature in climate policy. This Perspective provides an overview of the scientific foundations, current status, and future research directions in this area.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jinru He, Thomas C. G. Bosch
Summary: This article reviews key advances over the past decade in understanding the non-senescent lifestyle of Hydra, and concludes that the microbiome plays an important role in preventing pathogen invasion and maintaining stable tissue patterning mechanisms.
Article
Biology
Hanne Griem-Krey, Carola Petersen, Inga K. Hamerich, Hinrich Schulenburg
Summary: The microbiota plays a crucial role in shaping host biology, including protection against pathogens. This study investigates the triangular interaction between a nematode, a protective symbiont, and a pathogen, and finds that immunity has a greater influence on the fitness of the host-microbe assemblage than microbial colonization. However, the presence of the protective microbe still improves fitness in most cases.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria Tartaglia, Daniela Zuzolo, Alessia Postiglione, Antonello Prigioniero, Pierpaolo Scarano, Rosaria Sciarrillo, Carmine Guarino
Summary: This study validates the potential of a microbial consortium combined with a plant for in-situ remediation of polluted soil. Through enzymatic activity analysis and chemical analyses, the study found that this method can significantly reduce the main pollutants in the soil. The metatranscriptomic approach used to analyze enzymatic activity in the rhizosphere revealed an increased abundance of enzymes involved in rhizospheric activities and pollutant removal. The findings of this study are important for the advancement of rhizosphere engineering.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tarun Kumar, Ravi Srinivasan, Monto Mani
Summary: This paper proposes an Emergy-based method to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating IoT-based sensing systems into smart buildings. The method employs three novel Emergy Neutrality Indices (ENIs) and is applied to a solar house retrofitted with an IoT-based sensing system. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the integration and highlights the significance of reporting these indices. Designers and stakeholders can use these ENIs as useful tools for evaluating the environmental effectiveness of integrating smart sensing systems into buildings.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Grace C. Wu, Ryan A. Jones, Emily Leslie, James H. Williams, Andrew Pascale, Erica Brand, Sophie S. Parker, Brian S. Cohen, Joseph E. Fargione, Julia Souder, Maya Batres, Mary G. Gleason, Michael H. Schindel, Charlotte K. Stanley
Summary: The scale and pace of energy infrastructure development required for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions are unprecedented. However, our understanding of how to minimize its impacts on land, ocean use, and natural resources is inadequate. Using modeling, researchers found that the High Electrification case, which utilizes electricity generation most efficiently, had the lowest total land and ocean area requirements. Stronger land and ocean use protections did not significantly alter the mix of energy generation technologies, but failure to avoid development in areas with high conservation value may lead to substantial habitat loss.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangyue Xu, Yunting Wang, Hafizur Rehman
Summary: The excessive use of fossil energy in industrialization has led to global warming and environmental pollution issues, which pose a serious threat to the sustainable development of South Korea and other countries. In response to international calls, South Korea has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This study used the GM(1,1) model to predict South Korea's carbon emission trajectory during the process of carbon neutrality, based on data from 2016 to 2021. The results indicate a downward trend in carbon emissions, with an average annual reduction rate of 2.34%. By 2050, South Korea's carbon emissions are projected to decrease by approximately 54.44% from their 2018 peak, but achieving carbon neutrality solely through forest carbon sinks is deemed difficult. This research is expected to provide valuable insights for South Korea's carbon neutrality strategy and inspire other countries, including China, in their policy design towards a greener and low-carbon global economy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kai Zhang, Min Chen, Yue Yang, Teng Zhong, Rui Zhu, Fan Zhang, Zhen Qian, Guonian Lue, Jinyue Yan
Summary: A spatiotemporal model is developed to estimate the annual solar PV potential on highways across China, addressing challenges such as collecting highway area and assessing shadow area. The results show significant PV potential, providing reference for highway PV construction planning and assessment.
Article
Ecology
Stefano Giaimo, Arne Traulsen
Summary: A common measure of generation time is the average distance between recruitment events along a genetic lineage. When the environment fluctuates, the calculation of generation time must take into account the elasticities of the stochastic growth rate to fecundities. Additionally, generation time in fluctuating environments may deviate from the average environment.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Simona Ceglia, Alyssa Berthelette, Kelsey Howley, Yun Li, Benedikt Mortzfeld, Shakti K. Bhattarai, Nicole K. H. Yiew, Ying Xu, Robert Brink, Jason G. Cyster, Lora V. Hooper, Gwendalyn J. Randolph, Vanni Bucci, Andrea Reboldi
Summary: Research shows that high-cholesterol diets can influence IgA secretion. Cholesterol-derived metabolites affect the positioning of IgA(+) plasma cells and suppress antibody responses to intestinal pathogens by acting on GPR183 receptors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Alejandra Ramirez, Matteo Smerlak, Arne Traulsen, Juergen Jost
Summary: Social dilemmas involve conflicts between collective welfare and individual gain. The Traveler's Dilemma, a well-studied example, highlights the conflict between human behavior and game theoretic reasoning. Players are motivated to undercut their opponent, leading to a mutual undercutting until the lowest possible payoff is reached. However, if players were satisfied with a high payoff, both individuals and the collective would benefit. Our analysis reveals that escaping local maximization and transitioning to a global game is necessary to achieve the cooperative equilibrium. Diversity, represented by suboptimal strategies, plays a crucial role in facilitating the transition towards cooperation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laura Baldassarre, Adam M. Reitzel, Sebastian Fraune
Summary: Most multicellular organisms have microbial colonizers that provide benefits to the hosts. This study examines the relative contribution of environment and host genotype to bacterial community composition in Nematostella vectensis, a marine organism. The results show that bacterial communities in N. vectensis respond to changes in ambient temperature and are influenced by host genotype. This study highlights the importance of understanding the plasticity of microbial communities in response to environmental changes.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marie Vallier, Abdulhadi Suwandi, Katrin Ehrhardt, Meriem Belheouane, David Berry, Aleksa Cepic, Alibek Galeev, Jill M. M. Johnsen, Guntram A. A. Grassl, John F. F. Baines
Summary: Infectious disease plays a major role in driving evolution, and balancing selection at blood group-related genes is thought to be a result of trade-offs in disease susceptibility. B4galnt2 gene is subject to long-term balancing selection in house mice, where two alternative allele classes lead to different expression patterns and prolonged bleeding times. In this study, we identified a previously unknown subspecies of Morganella morganii that is associated with resistance to the blood vessel allele of B4galnt2.
Article
Ecology
Michael Raatz, Arne Traulsen
Summary: When cancers or bacterial infections occur, a small group of cells need to escape regulation, evolve and adapt to their environment. The shape of the fitness landscape determines the adaptation trajectory of birth and death rates. Treatment strategies targeting both birth and death rates are most effective but increase evolvability. By mapping physiological adaptation pathways and molecular drug mechanisms to traits and treatments with clear eco-evolutionary consequences, we can better understand the dynamics of cancer and bacterial infections.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Henry Goehlich, Olivia Roth, Michael Sieber, Cynthia M. Chibani, Anja Poehlein, Jelena Rajkov, Heiko Liesegang, Carolin C. Wendling
Summary: Infections by filamentous phages can influence bacterial fitness, with the production of viral particles being energetically costly. Bacteria can evolve resistance if the costs outweigh the benefits, shortening phage epidemics. The impact of abiotic conditions on host resistance evolution is still unknown.
Article
Biology
Arne Traulsen, Nikoleta E. Glynatsi
Summary: Evolutionary game theory is an interdisciplinary subject that extends beyond biology, attracting mathematicians, social scientists, and computer scientists. The field has the potential for convergence or continued cross-fertilization between different disciplines, as insights are discovered and applied in various fields. The popularity of evolutionary game theory lies in its explanatory power and intuitive models.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arne Traulsen, Simon A. Levin, Chadi M. Saad-Roy
Summary: Individual and societal reactions to a pandemic can create social dilemmas. The extent of regulations to reduce transmission is small in most countries, resulting in interventions driven by individual decision-making. We propose a framework to quantify this situation based on protection, infection risk, and intervention costs, and discuss the tension between individual and societal benefits.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Tyler J. J. Carrier, Lara Schmittmann, Sabrina Jung, Lucia Pita, Ute Hentschel
Summary: The quantity of maternal microbes that is provided to each offspring through vertical transmission could be stochastic, consistent or provisioned. This study investigated the transmission of maternal microbes in the viviparous sponge Halichondria panicea and found that the obligate symbiont Candidatus Halichondribacter symbioticus is provisioned proportionally to reproductive output and allometrically by offspring size. The total bacterial community, however, did not show the same pattern. Experimental perturbation by antibiotics further confirmed the provisioning of Ca. H. symbioticus.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Yuanyuan Ma, Jinru He, Michael Sieber, Jakob von Frieling, Iris Bruchhaus, John F. F. Baines, Ulf Bickmeyer, Thomas Roeder
Summary: The close relationship between animals and their associated microbiota is beneficial for both partners. The flatworm Macrostomum lignano was used as a model to study the host-microbiota interaction in detail. The study found that different developmental stages of the flatworm have specific microbiota and that the microbiota plays a physiological role in the host's fitness, particularly under conditions of limited food supply. The microbiota of M. lignano exhibits a circadian rhythm and influences the behavior of specific bacterial taxa, while the presence of the worm affects the composition of bacterial communities in the environment. Overall, this study provides insights into host-microbe interactions in marine invertebrates using the Macrostomum-microbiota system.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Melissa Stante, Nancy Weiland-Braeuer, Urska Repnik, Almut Werner, Marc Bramkamp, Cynthia M. M. Chibani, Ruth A. A. Schmitz
Summary: This study isolated and characterized four phages targeting bacteria associated with Aurelia aurita jellyfish in the Baltic Sea water column, demonstrating their broad host range and high infectivity.
Article
Microbiology
Nadin Jensen, Nancy Weiland-Braeuer, Shindhuja Joel, Cynthia Maria Chibani, Ruth Anne Schmitz
Summary: The native microbiome of Cnidarian Aurelia aurita is crucial for asexual reproduction by strobilation. The absence of the native microbiome results in a compromised strobilation process, which can be restored by recolonization with the native microbiota.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Angela M. Marulanda-Gomez, Kristina Bayer, Lucia Pita, Ute Hentschel
Summary: This study developed a quantitative in-vivo phagocytosis assay in sponges and demonstrated that sponges can differentiate between different types of microorganisms through phagocytosis. The study also found a positive correlation between the phagocytic activity of sponge cells and particle concentration in the seawater.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sedigheh Yagoobi, Nikhil Sharma, Arne Traulsen
Summary: The structure of a population greatly impacts its evolutionary dynamics, with individuals interacting more often with those nearby. Evolutionary graph theory is commonly used to model population structure, where nodes represent reproducing individuals and links connect them to their neighbors. By replacing single individuals with subpopulations at nodes, a graph-structured metapopulation is formed. The dynamics between local subpopulations are determined by update mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)