Review
Plant Sciences
Xiu Hu, Xiangying Wei, Jie Ling, Jianjun Chen
Summary: Cobalt is proposed as a potentially essential micronutrient for plants, particularly important for leguminous plants and some lower plants, aiding in nitrogen fixation and plant metabolism. However, excessive cobalt can be toxic to plants, causing nutrient deficiencies and leaf discoloration. Further research on the role of cobalt in plant metabolism is needed.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Heather M. Guetterman, Samantha L. Huey, Rob Knight, Allison M. Fox, Saurabh Mehta, Julia L. Finkelstein
Summary: Evidence suggests that vitamin B-12 may be associated with changes in bacterial abundance. While results from in vitro studies suggest that vitamin B-12 may increase alpha-diversity and shift gut microbiome composition (beta-diversity), findings from animal studies and observational human studies were heterogeneous.
ADVANCES IN NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sergio Vargas, Laura Leiva, Michael Eitel, Franziska Curdt, Sven Rohde, Christopher Arnold, Michael Nickel, Peter Schupp, William D. Orsi, Maja Adamska, Gert Woerheide
Summary: Mounting evidence suggests that disturbances to the microbiome influence animal development. In this study, the loss of a key photosymbiont upon shading resulted in a body-plan reorganization in the cyanosponge Lendenfeldia chondrodes. The morphological changes observed in shaded sponges were coupled with broad transcriptomic changes, indicating a coupling between the sponge transcriptomic state and the state of its microbiome.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Courtney R. Benoit, Darren J. Walsh, Levan Mekerishvili, Nadia Houerbi, Abigail E. Stanton, David M. McGaughey, Lawrence C. Brody
Summary: The study found that offspring from tcn2(-/-) female zebrafish exhibit significant developmental and metabolic defects, indicating a maternal genetic effect that can be rescued with vitamin B-12 supplementation. Transcriptome analysis showed distinct expression profiles in offspring from a tcn2(-/-) female compared to offspring from a tcn2(+/+) female, with dysregulation of visual perception, fatty acid metabolism, and neurotransmitter signaling pathways.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sara G. Pereira, Catarina Teixeira-Guedes, Gabriela Souza-Matos, Elia Maricato, Claudia Nunes, Manuel A. Coimbra, Jose A. Teixeira, Ricardo N. Pereira, Cristina M. R. Rocha
Summary: Electric field-based technologies, specifically ohmic heating, were evaluated for efficient extraction of different biocompounds from Gracilaria vermiculophylla. Significant differences in extraction yields and composition of various compounds were observed between ohmic and conventional extractions, with accelerated extraction kinetics and improved performances under electric field effects. The use of ohmic heating was found to be a promising alternative for the food industry to recover functional ingredients from seaweeds with reduced energy consumption and maintained product quality.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Amin R. Mohamed, Michael A. Ochsenkuehn, Ahmed M. Kazlak, Ahmed Moustafa, Shady A. Amin
Summary: Understanding the complex interactions between corals and their associated microbiome is essential for coral resilience in a warming ocean. Recent research focuses on manipulating the coral microbiome to enhance their ability to withstand stress. The potential mechanisms through which microbiota communicate with and modify host responses, as well as the power of omics tools in studying corals, are highlighted.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yamini Mathur, Amrita B. Hazra
Summary: Vitamin B-12 is a vital biomolecule that plays a role in catalyzing methyl transfer and radical-based reactions in cellular metabolism. It has a unique structure characterized by a tetrapyrrolic corrin ring with a central cobalt ion coordinated with upper and lower ligands. This minireview focuses on the methyl groups that differentiate vitamin B-12 from other biomolecules and its own analogues, called cobamides, discussing their origins, incorporating enzymes, and biological significance.
CURRENT OPINION IN STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Charlotte Duval, Benjamin Marie, Pierre Foucault, Sebastien Duperron
Summary: This study provides the first insights into the establishment of bacterial microbiota during early developmental stages of laboratory-reared medaka using a 16S-rRNA-sequencing-based approach. Major shifts in community compositions are observed, from a Proteobacteria-dominated community in larvae and juveniles to a more phylum-diverse community towards adulthood.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jin-Xi Xiang, Mahasweta Saha, Kai-Le Zhong, Quan-Sheng Zhang, Di Zhang, Alexander Jueterbock, Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield, Gao-Ge Wang, Florian Weinberger, Zi-Min Hu
Summary: The red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla, which invaded North America and Europe, has adapted and spread through the regulation of gene expression, particularly the reallocation of metabolic pathways.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Moyang Li, Hua-Xia Sheng, Mengyao Dai, Shuh-Ji Kao
Summary: In this study, we synthesized the knowledge advances of different nitrogen processes in coral holobionts from the perspective of the nitrogen cycle. Our analysis revealed significant gaps in our understanding of nitrogen processes in coral holobionts, which hinder our comprehension of nitrogen balance in coral holobionts and, therefore, the coral reef systems. Future research should focus on the application of quantitative research methods to further unravel the nitrogen processes in coral holobionts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Luisa Duesedau, Yifei Ren, Minglei Hou, Martin Wahl, Zi-Min Hu, Gaoge Wang, Florian Weinberger
Summary: This study investigated the response of epibacterial communities associated with the invasive seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla to elevated temperatures. The results showed that elevated temperature affected the diversity of the epibacterial communities, and some potential seaweed pathogens were identified as indicator genera at the elevated temperature level. Thirteen core amplicon sequence variants were found to be consistent with populations distributed over a wide geographical range, indicating their important role in the invasive G. vermiculophylla.
Review
Plant Sciences
Soojin Oh, Gareth Cave, Chungui Lu
Summary: Developing a resilient food supply is crucial in delivering necessary nutrients to consumers and addressing micronutrient deficiencies that can lead to severe health issues. Therefore, focus should be on enhancing minerals and nutrients in food through various methods to improve the sustainability of the food system.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Clara Mendoza-Segura, Emilio Fernandez, Pedro Beca-Carretero
Summary: Global change has facilitated the introduction of new species in marine ecosystems. This study used species distribution models to investigate the factors affecting the distribution of G. vermiculophylla globally. The results highlighted temperature and salinity as the main variables determining the presence of this species. Furthermore, predictions based on different climate scenarios showed a potential expansion in the distribution range of G. vermiculophylla, with the high-emission scenario indicating a significant loss in its southern range and potential establishment in arctic latitudes.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Andrew J. J. Forgie, Deanna M. M. Pepin, Tingting Ju, Stephanie Tollenaar, Consolato M. M. Sergi, Samantha Gruenheid, Benjamin P. P. Willing
Summary: This study found that vitamin B12 supplementation can alter the activities of certain microbial populations in the gut, promoting the colonization of a specific pathogen (Citrobacter rodentium) in mice. These changes were associated with alterations in markers of gut inflammation. The results suggest that excessive B12 supplementation may have consequences on microbial competition/sharing in the gut.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephanie Faith Ravelo, Nino Posadas, Cecilia Conaco
Summary: In this study, the metatranscriptome of symbionts associated with a common scleractinian coral in the Philippines was sequenced to understand their genetic complement and stress response mechanisms. The analysis revealed conserved features of coral-algal symbiosis and provided insights into the potential genetic response to acute thermal stress.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danielle S. W. de Jonge, Veronique Merten, Till Bayer, Oscar Puebla, Thorsten B. H. Reusch, Henk-Jan T. Hoving
Summary: A novel universal primer pair, Ceph18S, was developed for metabarcoding cephalopods from environmental DNA, allowing for accurate amplification and identification of a large percentage of cephalopod species. The study estimates that a multi-marker approach using Ceph18S in conjunction with two previously published mitochondrial 16S rRNA primer sets can amplify and identify 89% of all cephalopod species, with 19% uniquely identifiable by Ceph18S. The new primer pair provides a promising method for studying cephalopod biodiversity.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
F. Visser, V. J. Merten, T. Bayer, M. G. Oudejans, D. S. W. de Jonge, O. Puebla, T. B. H. Reusch, J. Fuss, H. J. T. Hoving
Summary: Insights into predator-prey dynamics in the deep sea are hindered by a lack of comprehensive data on hunting behavior and prey spectra. Risso's dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale selectively target different cephalopod communities in deep-sea foraging habitats, with predator niche segregation not solely driven by prey community composition but potentially by intraspecific differences in prey spectra and habitat selection. The novel combination of eDNA metabarcoding and biologging shows promise in revealing elusive deep-sea predator-prey systems and aiding in their conservation efforts.
Article
Plant Sciences
Guido Bonthond, Anastasiia Barilo, Ro J. Allen, Michael Cunliffe, Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield
Summary: This study characterized the fungal communities associated with different species of macroalgae using simple culture methods and amplicon sequencing. The results showed that fungal communities varied by host and tissue type, and the diversity of fungi in Chondrus crispus differed among its life cycle stages.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jiasui Li, Florian Weinberger, Mahasweta Saha, Marwan E. Majzoub, Suhelen Egan
Summary: The development of marine probiotics has been limited, with a focus on farmed animals rather than seaweeds. This study demonstrates that non-endemic probiotics may be more effective in preventing diseases in certain seaweeds compared to endemic probiotics. The potential of utilizing probiotics that can function across different hosts to mitigate the impact of emerging marine diseases is highlighted.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jamie Parker, Arseny Dubin, Ralf Schneider, Kim Sara Wagner, Sissel Jentoft, Astrid Boehne, Till Bayer, Olivia Roth
Summary: Male pregnancy in syngnathid species, ranging from basic attachment to specialized internal gestation, offers a unique opportunity to study the evolution of pregnancy. By comparing gene expression in different stages of pregnancy, this study found that metabolic processes and immune dynamics defined pregnancy stages across species, especially in pouched species resembling female pregnancy. The regulation of immune response in pouched species supports the role of immune modulation in the evolutionary establishment of pregnancy.
Article
Plant Sciences
Dmitry F. Afanasyev, Sophie Steinhagen, Shamil R. Abdullin, Florian Weinberger
Summary: Supralittoral and shallow water seaweed communities are vulnerable to climate change and human disturbance, making their classification, composition study, and structural monitoring particularly important. A survey in the South West Baltic Sea identified eight phytobenthos communities, dominated mainly by green algae and bladderwrack species, with a mixture of boreal Atlantic and cosmopolitan species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luna M. van der Loos, Sofie D'hondt, Aschwin H. Engelen, Henrik Pavia, Gunilla B. Toth, Anne Willems, Florian Weinberger, Olivier De Clerck, Sophie Steinhagen
Summary: This study investigated the stability and variability of seaweed-associated bacteria across the Atlantic-Baltic Sea salinity gradient. Results showed that bacterial composition was strongly influenced by salinity and host species, with distinct communities in low and high salinity regions. A small taxonomic core community was identified, contributing to 14% of reads per sample, and core taxa followed a gradient model, facilitating host adaptation across the environmental gradient.
Article
Ecology
Guido Bonthond, Anna-Katrin Neu, Till Bayer, Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield, Sven Kuenzel, Florian Weinberger
Summary: Seaweeds are colonized by a microbial community, and the host mechanisms to manipulate the microbiota may be compromised when the holobiont is exposed to suboptimal conditions. This leads to an increase in stochastic processes and potentially harmful microbial community succession. In a common garden experiment with Gracilaria vermiculophylla, host performance declined at elevated temperature and disease incidence, while beta diversity of microbial communities increased. The invasion process may have selected hosts better able to maintain stable microbiota during stress. Future studies are needed to identify the underlying host mechanisms.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Luisa Duesedau, Yifei Ren, Minglei Hou, Martin Wahl, Zi-Min Hu, Gaoge Wang, Florian Weinberger
Summary: This study investigated the response of epibacterial communities associated with the invasive seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla to elevated temperatures. The results showed that elevated temperature affected the diversity of the epibacterial communities, and some potential seaweed pathogens were identified as indicator genera at the elevated temperature level. Thirteen core amplicon sequence variants were found to be consistent with populations distributed over a wide geographical range, indicating their important role in the invasive G. vermiculophylla.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Agnieszka P. Lipinska, Stacy A. Krueger-Hadfield, Olivier Godfroy, Simon M. Dittami, Ligia Ayres-Ostrock, Guido Bonthond, Loraine Brillet-Gueguen, Susana Coelho, Erwan Corre, Guillaume Cossard, Christophe Destombe, Paul Epperlein, Sylvain Faugeron, Elizabeth Ficko-Blean, Jessica Beltran, Emma Lavaut, Arthur Le Bars, Fabiana Marchi, Stephane Mauger, Gurvan Michel, Philippe Potin, Delphine Scornet, Erik E. Sotka, Florian Weinberger, Mariana Cabral de Oliveira, Marie-Laure Guillemin, Estela M. Plastino, Myriam Valero
Summary: Macroalgal genomic resources, especially in the red algae, are limited. The genus Gracilaria, with its diverse species, has the potential to provide valuable insights into algal biology and eukaryotic evolution. The newly created web-based portal for red algal genomics aims to facilitate accessibility and comparative analysis of the genome data.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Guido Bonthond, Jan Beermann, Lars Gutow, Andreas Neumann, Francisco Rafael Barboza, Andrea Desiderato, Vera Fofonova, Stephanie B. Helber, Sahar Khodami, Casper Kraan, Hermann Neumann, Sven Rohde, Peter J. Schupp
Summary: The microbial composition and diversity in marine sediments are influenced by various environmental factors, biological processes, and human activities. This study used 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing to characterize the benthic microbial communities in the North Sea. Spatially explicit statistical models were employed to examine the effects of different predictors, including bottom trawling intensity, on the diversity, structure, and potential metabolism of the microbial communities. The results showed that sediment properties were the main determinants of microbial diversity, with diversity increasing with sediment permeability and mud content. Additionally, diversity and structure varied with total organic matter content, temperature, bottom shear stress, and bottom trawling. The study also revealed that increasing bottom trawling intensity led to shifts in predicted energy metabolism. This research provides valuable insights into the biogeography of benthic microbial communities on a large spatial scale and highlights the impact of anthropogenic activities, such as bottom trawling, on the distribution and abundances of microbes and their potential metabolism.
ISME COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gaoge Wang, Yifei Ren, Shasha Wang, Minglei Hou, Florian Weinberger
Summary: Seaweed bioinvasions are impacting coastal environments globally, with the ability of seaweed invaders to deter enemies potentially influencing their success. Studies suggest that seaweed invaders may adjust their defense intensities in response to biological pressures in newly invaded habitats. The evidence of shifting defenses is mainly observed in the Asia-endemic red alga Agarophyton vermiculophyllum, which shows variations in defensive capacities between native and non-native populations in common garden experiments.
MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Plant Sciences
Guido Bonthond, Till Bayer, Stacy Krueger-Hadfield, Florian Weinberger
