Article
Microbiology
Roberto De Carolis, Agnese Cometto, Patricia Moya, Eva Barreno, Martin Grube, Mauro Tretiach, Steven D. Leavitt, Lucia Muggia
Summary: This study investigated the diversity of Trebouxia spp. associated with the lichen-forming fungi Rhizoplaca melanophthalma and Tephromela atra in montane habitats worldwide. The greatest diversity of Trebouxia species-level lineages was found in the altitudinal range of 1,000-2,500 m. A total of 10 distinct Trebouxia species-level lineages were identified, including one previously unrecognized lineage.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Wen-Sheng Shu, Li-Nan Huang
Summary: This article explores the diversity, functions, and evolution of bacteria and archaea inhabiting Earth's major extreme environments. Marker gene surveys and omics studies have played a crucial role in revealing the structure, function, and evolution of extremophile microbial communities, uncovering vast uncultured microbial diversity and the predominance of archaea in extreme conditions.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bryce Currey, Michael P. Oatham, E. N. Jack Brookshire
Summary: The study found that in the lowland tropical forests of Trinidad, high abundance of nitrogen-fixing trees is associated with shifts in functional traits of non-fixers, leading to lower competitive performance and biomass accumulation. Interactions between nitrogen-fixers and non-fixers were mostly negative, density-dependent, and strongest at smaller spatial scales.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Paz, Leyla Hernandez, Lilian S. O. Melo, Mariana Lyra, Celio F. B. Haddad, Ana C. Carnaval
Summary: This study investigates the role of environmental filtering and biotic interactions in shaping the communities of tree frogs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The researchers find that functional richness is high along the forest, potentially driven by niche partitioning, while environmental filtering becomes more important in extreme environments. Trait overdispersion is found in areas of vegetation contact or adjacent biomes. Considering multiple dimensions of biodiversity and environmental variation provides a more comprehensive understanding of amphibian community assembly.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Suhas Eswarappa Prameela, Tresa M. Pollock, Dierk Raabe, Marc Andre Meyers, Assel Aitkaliyeva, Kerri-Lee Chintersingh, Zachary C. Cordero, Lori Graham-Brady
Summary: This viewpoint article discusses the importance of materials for extreme environments, and presents insights from experts in different fields regarding the most exciting advances, opportunities, and bottlenecks.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dewei Li, Lei Zhou, Min Li, Jifeng Yang, Ziwei Yao, Li Zhang, Zhu Meng, Liming Yang, Hui Shi, Huan Tang, Xubiao Luo, Shenglian Luo, Penghui Shao
Summary: A bipyridine-based porous organic polymer (POP-BPy) was synthesized via free radical polymerization, demonstrating exceptional mechanical stability and environmental resistance. POP-BPy exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for Pd(II) in harsh environments, along with superior selectivity and rapid kinetics. The mechanism of POP-BPy's selectivity for Pd(II) was revealed through combined density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Judit Padisak, Luigi Naselli-Flores
Summary: The article explores the characteristics of species living in extreme environments and their impact on phytoplankton communities. In extreme environments, specific species adapted to the conditions are selected, leading to a dominance of one species in the phytoplankton community, while under less extreme conditions, a relatively stable equilibrium can be maintained.
Article
Microbiology
Kasturi Shirish Deore, Prashant K. Dhakephalkar, Sumit Singh Dagar
Summary: Mesophilic and thermophilic methanogens were isolated from Indian hot spring environments, belonging to hydrogenotrophic, methylotrophic, and acetotrophic groups. Phylogenetically and physiologically diverse, these methanogens represented different taxa across three physiological groups. This study documents the extensive range of cultivable methanogenic archaea inhabiting hot springs in India.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Inger Heine-Fuster, Camila Lopez-Allendes, Adriana Aranguiz-Acuna, David Veliz
Summary: The Andean Altiplano is characterized by its isolation, high altitude, and unique biodiversity, with two salt flats, Carcote and Ascotan, showing significant differences in ecological variables due to human intervention. Motile diatoms play a key role in maintaining the diatom community in these salt flats, being more sensitive to local conditions and showing greater diversity and richness in the less disturbed salt flat, Carcote. Beta diversity is mainly explained by turnover rather than nestedness, with a more heterogeneous community observed in the salt flat with historical brine mining activities, Ascotan.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Santhiti Vadthanarat, Olivier Raspe, Saisamorn Lumyong
Summary: This paper introduces a new bolete genus, Rubinosporus, from tropical forests in Thailand, which is characterized by its dark ruby spore deposits. Through a comparison of its characteristics with other genera of Boletaceae, it is differentiated and placed in the subfamily Xerocomoideae based on phylogenetic analysis.
Article
Biology
Yuri Pinheiro, Fabio Faria da Mota, Raquel S. S. Peixoto, Jan Dirk van Elsas, Ulysses Lins, Jorge L. Mazza L. Rodrigues, Alexandre Soares Rosado
Summary: A thermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic, and aerobic microbial consortium called carbonitroflex, grown in a nutrient-poor medium, is studied to understand extreme biological systems. The consortium is dominated by Carbonactinospora thermoautotrophica, followed by Sphaerobacter thermophilus, Chelatococcus spp., and Geobacillus spp. Genetic analysis shows a mutual relationship among bacteria, with C. thermoautotrophica StC exhibiting carboxydotrophy and carbon-dioxide storage capacity. No pure cultures were obtained, suggesting a tightly regulated interactive metabolism is required for group survival and growth. The breadwinner hypothesis is proposed to explain the metabolic flux model and the vital role of C. thermoautotrophica StC in the survival of all consortium members.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuqian Zhang, Koen Fraussen, Suping Zhang
Summary: Two previously unknown gastropod species belonging to the genus Amiantofusus were discovered during scientific expeditions to the seamounts near the Mariana Trench in the tropical western Pacific. The new species were distinguished from each other and other congeners based on shell morphology and molecular analysis. The study also revealed a taxonomic issue with two other species having almost identical molecular sequences.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. E. Clark, R. F. Stallard, S. F. Murphy, M. A. Scholl, G. Gonzalez, A. F. Plante, W. H. McDowell
Summary: Extreme rainfall in Puerto Rico leads to high yields of particulate organic carbon. The previous yield relationships have underestimated the output of particulate organic carbon from these regions, requiring separate accounting to estimate their contributions to the geological carbon cycle.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mingfei Chen, Jessica L. Conroy, Robert A. Sanford, D. Allie Wyman-Feravich, Joanne C. Chee-Sanford, Lynn M. Connor
Summary: Salinity can affect microbial communities and functional groups in lake sediments, and this study investigated the temporal variability in salinity and its impact on microbial communities in lakes in Kiritimati, Republic of Kiribati. The results showed that salinity levels were significantly reduced in 2019 compared to 2014, leading to changes in the composition of halophilic microorganisms. Functional gene analysis also revealed that salinity influenced the abundance and diversity of key functional groups within the microbial communities. Overall, this study highlights the dynamic changes and adaptations of microbial communities to salinity fluctuations driven by the El Nino-Southern Oscillation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hannah B. Rappaport, Angela M. Oliverio
Summary: The article summarizes over 80 studies on protists in extreme environments and identifies some lineages of significant research value. Research in extreme environments has expanded our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life on Earth, but microbial eukaryotes (i.e., protists) have been largely overlooked. The article argues that extreme environments are important sampling targets to fill gaps in the eukaryotic tree of life and improve our understanding of eukaryotic ecology, metabolism, genome architecture, and evolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Larissa Langsdorff Pimenta, Gustavo Pereira Lima, Michel Biondi, Marcelo Gomes Marcal Vieira Vaz, Flavia de Freitas Coelho
Summary: In epiphytic associations, different filamentous cyanobacteria species were found on leaves of the aquatic fern Salvinia auriculata, producing adaptive structures such as heterocysts, akinetes, and hormogonia in response to light and nutrient availability. The study showed that heterocysts were produced in greater numbers under nutrient scarcity and full sunlight, akinetes were predominantly produced under shade and nutrient limitation, and hormogonia production was stimulated by nutrients and shade. The research concluded that the non-addition of nutrients stimulates heterocysts and akinetes production, while the shading produced by aquatic macrophytes and available nutrients stimulate hormogonia production.
Article
Plant Sciences
Valter Loureiro De Araujo, Marcio Ferreira Dos Santos, Alessandra Selbach Schnadelbach, Jose Marcos De Castro Nunes, Marli De Fatima Fiore, Taiara Aguiar Caires
Summary: Two Leptolyngbya-like cyanobacterial strains were isolated from marine benthic environments on the Brazilian coast. They were characterized based on their morphology, molecular, and ultrastructural data. The strains belonged to the Euryhalinema genus, with one strain closely related to the type species E. mangrovii and the other identified as a new species, E. epiphyticum.
Article
Microbiology
Jessica Aparecida Silva Moretto, Paloma Nathane Nunes de Freitas, Eryka Costa de Almeida, Lucas Miguel Altarugio, Simone Vieira da Silva, Marli de Fatima Fiore, Ernani Pinto
Summary: This study evaluated the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa. The results showed that light intensity and external application of certain compounds can affect the production of VOCs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stella T. Lima, Timothy R. Fallon, Jennifer L. Cordoza, Jonathan R. Chekan, Endrews Delbaje, Austin R. Hopiavuori, Danillo O. Alvarenga, Steffaney M. Wood, Hanna Luhavaya, Jackson T. Baumgartner, Felipe A. Dorr, Augusto Etchegaray, Ernani Pinto, Shaun M. K. McKinnie, Marli F. Fiore, Bradley S. Moore
Summary: This study reveals the biosynthesis gene cluster and metabolic pathway of the potent anticholinesterase neurotoxin, guanitoxin, and finds that the biosynthetic genes of guanitoxin are still present and expressed in water bodies that have experienced toxic events. The findings of this study are important for determining the global impact of guanitoxin.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simone R. Cotta, Thierry A. Pellegrinetti, Ana Paula D. Andreote, Juliana S. Costa, Hugo Sarmento, Marli F. Fiore
Summary: Microorganisms in harsh environments adapt by making tradeoffs between nutrient uptake and survival. In soda lakes, microorganisms invest energy in cellular maintenance during the dry season and nutrient uptake during the wet season. Cyanobacterial blooms have a significant impact on biomass and carbon flux.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Thierry A. Pellegrinetti, Simone R. Cotta, Hugo Sarmento, Juliana S. Costa, Endrews Delbaje, Celia R. Montes, Plinio B. Camargo, Laurent Barbiero, Ary T. Rezende-Filho, Marli F. Fiore
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different environmental conditions on bacterial communities and their functioning in six adjacent soda lakes in the Pantanal biome, Brazil. The results showed that the lakes could be classified into three types based on wet and dry season data, and the bacterial community composition and functioning were consistent with this classification. The study also found that microbial abundance and diversity increased during the dry period, indicating the importance of precipitation-evaporation balance in these systems. The microbiome dataset of this study can serve as a baseline for restoring impacted soda lakes. The study highlights the sensitivity of tropical soda lakes to climate change and the potential for drastic shifts in community diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Christodoulou, Jouni Jokela, Matti Wahlsten, Lyudmila Saari, Athena Economou-Amilli, Marli de Fatima Fiore, Kaarina Sivonen
Summary: This study investigated the taxonomy of three Nostoc-like cyanobacterial strains isolated from a shallow lake in Brazil and evaluated their bioactive potential. It identified a new species of cyanobacteria called Aliinostoc alkaliphilum, which exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities and contained a previously unreported bioactive metabolite, nocuolin A. The phylogenetic studies also revealed that many strains currently classified as Nostoc and known to produce bioactive metabolites actually belong to different evolutionary lineages. These findings emphasize the importance of using a polyphasic approach in cyanobacterial taxonomy and natural product discovery programs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rafael B. B. Dextro, Endrews Delbaje, Vanessa Geraldes, Ernani Pinto, Paul F. F. Long, Marli F. F. Fiore
Summary: Cyanobacteria produce mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) as a defense mechanism against solar UV radiation. In this study, the relationship between gene cluster architecture and constitutive production of MAAs was evaluated. It was found that MAAs were only produced in strains with a co-linear gene cluster and this production was enhanced by UV irradiation and different culture media. Other photoprotection strategies were observed in strains that did not produce MAAs. The conservation of gene order in MAA biosynthesis warrants further experimentation to understand its evolutionary and ecological significance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rafael B. Dextro, Marli F. Fiore, Paul F. Long
Summary: Multiple lines of evidence suggest that all MAAs are derived from mycosporine-glycine in cyanobacteria and algae, modified by an ATP-dependent ligase encoded by the mysD gene. Therefore, it is proposed to rename mysD as mycosporine-glycine-amine ligase (MG-amine ligase), considering relaxed specificity for various amino acid substrates. The evolutionary and ecological context of MG-amine ligase catalysis is important, especially in the biotechnology field for producing MAAs with enhanced optical or antioxidant properties.
Article
Plant Sciences
Daniele F. Parma, Kaik F. Souza, Marcelo G. M. V. Vaz, Sandy Bastos Martins, Wagner L. Araujo, Agustin Zsogon, Andreas P. M. Weber, M. Eric Schranz, Adriano Nunes-Nesi
Summary: The flowers of Cleomaceae family exhibit remarkable floral diversity and abundant nectar and pollen production. This study evaluated the flower functional characteristics and reproductive traits of different Cleomaceae species. The results showed different sexual systems and the most efficient type of crossing for seed production. These findings suggest that the Cleomaceae family can provide valuable information on mechanisms involved in reproductive traits in plants.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Allan Victor M. Almeida, Marcelo Gomes Marcal Vieira Vaz, Naira Valle de Castro, Diego Bonaldo Genuario, Jean Coutinho Oder, Pedro Augusto Marazzo de Souza, Sandy Bastos Martins, Mariana Machado, Adriano Nunes-Nesi, Wagner L. Araujo
Summary: In this study, the diversity within Desmonostoc was investigated using morphological, molecular, metabolic, and physiological characteristics. The results showed that Desmonostoc has high species diversity, with a large metabolic diversity and great biotechnological potential.
SYSTEMATIC AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Limnology
Rafael B. Dextro, Endrews Delbaje, Paloma N. N. Freitas, Vanessa Geraldes, Ernani Pinto, Paul F. Long, Marli F. Fiore
Summary: Antarctica presents challenges to life, but cyanobacteria have adapted to this harsh environment and become dominant primary producers. A study discovered a cyanobacterium strain, Halotia branconii CENA392, that has genes for low-temperature adaptation and production of photoprotective compounds. The study also found that the strain can produce these compounds without exposure to low temperatures or ultraviolet radiation stress. This research highlights the importance of studying microorganisms from extreme intertidal environments for ecological and taxonomic evaluations.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mauricio J. Machado, Rafael B. Dextro, Renata B. Cruz, Simone R. Cotta, Marli F. Fiore
Summary: This study evaluated the response of two cyanobacteria to non-biodegradable glitter particles. The results showed that high concentrations of glitter had a negative effect on one cyanobacteria strain and a positive effect on the other.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jordana Stein Rabelo, Edson Aparecido dos Santos, Edmar Isaias de Melo, Marcelo Gomes Marcal Vieira Vaz, Gilberto de Oliveira Mendes
Summary: Competition with weeds limits forest species development. Some herbicides have residual effects on the soil. This study evaluated the tolerance and degrading potential of fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium pinophilum, and Trichoderma sp.) and bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas sp., and Azospirillum brasilense) to herbicides. The tested herbicides had no significant effect on bacterial growth, and all fungi were tolerant to the herbicides. Trichoderma sp. showed increased growth in the presence of certain herbicides. The tested residual herbicides did not interfere with the growth of evaluated microorganisms.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jennifer L. L. Cordoza, Percival Yang-Ting Chen, Linnea R. R. Blaustein, Stella T. T. Lima, Marli F. F. Fiore, Jonathan R. R. Chekan, Bradley S. S. Moore, Shaun M. K. McKinnie
Summary: Researchers have discovered and characterized the biosynthetic pathway of guanitoxin, a neurotoxin containing a cyclic arginine derivative. By comparing the structures and activities, they have identified the amino acid residues that contribute to the catalytic mechanism. This study provides a better understanding of how nature produces cyclic arginine noncanonical amino acids and offers tools for their biocatalytic production and biological applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Osaland Fjelde, Einar Timdal, Reidar Haugan, Mika Bendiksby
Summary: This study investigated the taxonomy of the crustose lichen genus Calvitimela using molecular phylogenetics and morphological observations. The results revealed evolutionarily old and deeply divergent lineages within Calvitimela, with overlapping morphological characters between different subgenera. Chemical characters were informative at the level of subgenera but often homoplastic at the species level. A practical taxonomy of Calvitimela was proposed based on these findings.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bo-Yang Shi, Da Pan, Kang-Qin Zhang, Tian-Yu Gu, Darren C. J. Yeo, Peter K. L. Ng, Neil Cumberlidge, Hong-Ying Sun
Summary: This study investigates the evolutionary history and speciation mechanisms of montane potamids in the Hengduan Mountains Region. The results suggest that the vicariance events of these crabs are correlated with the emergence of sky islands due to the uplift of the mountains. The mountain ridges provided corridors for their dispersal and past climatic conditions played a crucial role in their evolutionary history. The mechanisms isolating sky islands are reinforced by the climatic features of dry-hot valleys and continue to affect local diversification.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Attila Nemeth, Edvard Mizsei, Levente Laczko, David Czaban, Zsolt Hegyeli, Szabolcs Lengyel, Gabor Csorba, Gabor Sramko
Summary: Species delimitation of European blind mole rats is challenging due to their small morphological differences and complex chromosomal evolution. This study provides a comprehensive framework to improve understanding of their evolutionary history and revise their taxonomy. The results reveal the presence of multiple superspecies and species, with distinct geographic patterns and rapid chromosomal evolution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ying Qi, Zhaoyan Zhong, Xu Liu, Xing He, Yadong Zhou, Lili Zhang, Chong Chen, Katrin Linse, Jian-Wen Qiu, Jin Sun
Summary: This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships among patellogastropod families using mitochondrial and phylogenomic data. The results show that the mitochondrial phylogeny recovers monophyly of most families, but the relationships among families are still contentious. However, a more robust family-level topology consistent with morphology is achieved by phylogenomics. Additionally, the mainly deep-water families are found to be monophyletic, suggesting a single colonization of the deep water during the Jurassic.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Jie Shi, Jin -Liang Huang, Jia-Xuan Mi, Jing Li, Fan-Yu Meng, Yu Zhong, Fang He, Fei -Fei Tian, Fan Zhang, Liang-Hua Chen, Han-Bo Yang, Hong-Lin Hu, Xue-Qin Wan
Summary: Despite numerous studies on hybrid speciation, our understanding of this process remains limited. In this study, we conducted an 18-year systematic investigation on Populus taxa on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and discovered three new taxa that originated from distant hybridization between two different sections. These hybrid taxa demonstrate greater ecological adaptability than their ancestral species due to heterosis. We propose a hybrid speciation process model that can explain important evolutionary concerns.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Cho, Denis Tikhonenkov, Gordon Lax, Kristina I. Prokina, Patrick J. Keeling
Summary: Unlike conspicuous ochrophytes, many small and overlooked flagellates belonging to basally branching stramenopiles remain poorly characterized at the cellular or genomic level. This study describes four new species, including two new genera, of sediment-dwelling MAST-6 and provides updated phylogenomic tree of stramenopiles. The characterization of these flagellates is important due to their phylogenetic diversity and abundance in various environments.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tian-Tian Xue, Steven B. Janssens, Bin-Bin Liu, Sheng-Xiang Yu
Summary: Phylogenomic conflicts are widespread among genomic data, with most previous studies primarily focusing on nuclear datasets instead of organellar genomes. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic conflicts within and between plastid and mitochondrial genomes using Potentilla as a case study. We found that both plastid and mitochondrial genomes divided Potentilla into eight highly supported clades, with two newly identified clades. Our results demonstrate that mitochondrial genes can fully resolve phylogenetic relationships among major clades of Potentilla and are not always linked with plastomes in evolutionary history.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra A. Grossi, Chunpo Tian, Mengjiao Ren, Fasheng Zou, Daniel R. Gustafsson
Summary: This study suggests that the coevolutionary relationships between chewing lice, endosymbiotic bacteria, and birds are not independent, but the patterns vary depending on the analysis method used. Additionally, louse host-switching does not seem to affect bacterial strains.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ingrid Olivares, Sergio Tusso, Maria Jose Sanin, Marylaure de La Harpe, Oriane Loiseau, Jonathan Rolland, Nicolas Salamin, Michael Kessler, Kentaro K. Shimizu, Margot Paris
Summary: Traditionally, differences between species have been associated with morphological variation. However, the discovery of cryptic diversity suggests that the evolution of distinct lineages can occur without morphological differences. Through genetic analysis, we found that a tropical montane plant lineage is composed of numerous unrecognized genetic groups that are not morphologically distinct. Geographic distance and topography play a crucial role in determining the genetic divergence of these groups.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
