Marine Antimicrobial Peptides: Emerging Strategies Against Multidrug-Resistant and Biofilm-Forming Bacteria.

The global rise in antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to public health, with multidrug-resistant bacterial infections expected to surpass cancer in mortality by 2050. As traditional antibiotic pipelines stagnate, novel therapeutic alternatives are critically needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), particularly those derived from marine organisms, have emerged as promising antimicrobial candidates due to their broad-spectrum activity, structural diversity, and distinctive mechanisms of action.

Loss of state transitions in Bryopsidales macroalgae and kleptoplastic sea slugs (Gastropoda, Sacoglossa).

Green macroalgae within the order Bryopsidales lack the fundamental photoprotective mechanisms of green algae, the xanthophyll cycle and energy-dependent dissipation of excess light. Here, by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence at 77 K after specific light treatments, we show that Bryopsidales algae also lack state transitions, another ubiquitous photoprotection mechanism present in other green algae. Certain Sacoglossa sea slugs can feed on Ulvophyceae algae, including some Bryopsidales, and steal chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - that remain functional inside the animal cells for months without the support of the algal nucleus.

Habitat shapes the lipidome of the tropical photosynthetic sea slug .

Unlabelled: Sacoglossan sea slugs have attracted considerable scientific attention due to their capacity to retain functional macroalgal chloroplasts inside their cells. This endosymbiotic association is nutritionally relevant for these organisms and represents an interesting research issue for biotechnological applications. The Caribbean species can integrate chloroplasts from different macroalgal species.

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Mucus of the Tropical Sea Slug .

(Sacoglossa, Gastropoda) is a tropical sea slug known for its ability to incorporate functional chloroplasts from a variety of green macroalgae, a phenomenon termed kleptoplasty. This sea slug, amenable to laboratory cultivation, produces mucus, a viscous secretion that serves diverse purposes including protection, locomotion, and reproduction. In this study, we profiled the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the mucus of this sea slug.

Food shaped photosynthesis: Photophysiology of the sea slug fed with two alternative chloroplast donors.

Background: Some Sacoglossa sea slugs steal and integrate chloroplasts derived from the algae they feed on into their cells where they continue to function photosynthetically, a process termed kleptoplasty. The stolen chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - can maintain their functionality up to several months and support animal metabolism. However, chloroplast longevity can vary depending on sea slug species and algal donor.

Photoprotective mechanisms in Elysia species hosting Acetabularia chloroplasts shed light on host-donor compatibility in photosynthetic sea slugs.

Sacoglossa sea slugs have garnered attention due to their ability to retain intracellular functional chloroplasts from algae, while degrading other algal cell components. While protective mechanisms that limit oxidative damage under excessive light are well documented in plants and algae, the photoprotective strategies employed by these photosynthetic sea slugs remain unresolved. Species within the genus Elysia are known to retain chloroplasts from various algal sources, but the extent to which the metabolic processes from the donor algae can be sustained by the sea slugs is unclear.

Proteomic analysis of the mucus of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata.

Elysia crispata is a tropical sea slug that can retain intracellular functional chloroplasts from its algae prey, a mechanism termed kleptoplasty. This sea slug, like other gastropods, secretes mucus, a viscous secretion with multiple functions, including lubrication, protection, and locomotion. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the mucus proteome of the sea slug E.

Prey species and abundance affect growth and photosynthetic performance of the polyphagous sea slug .

Some sacoglossan sea slugs steal functional macroalgal chloroplasts (kleptoplasts). In this study, we investigated the effects of algal prey species and abundance on the growth and photosynthetic capacity of the tropical polyphagous sea slug . Recently hatched sea slugs fed and acquired chloroplasts from the macroalga but not from .

Revealing the polar lipidome, pigment profiles, and antioxidant activity of the giant unicellular green alga, Acetabularia acetabulum.

Marine algae are one of the most important sources of high-value compounds such as polar lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, photosynthetic pigments, or secondary metabolites with interesting features for different niche markets. Acetabularia acetabulum is a macroscopic green single-celled alga, with a single nucleus hosted in the rhizoid. This alga is one of the most studied dasycladalean species and represents an important model system in cell biology studies.

The Effectiveness of Anxiety Interventions for Young Children: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Anxiety symptoms and disorders are prevalent and impairing in young children and these symptoms often persist and worsen over time, indicating the need for efficacious interventions for this age group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions targeting anxiety in younger children and to assess the potential moderators of outcome. The effect sizes from 24 trials were assessed based on a random effect model.

Clinical Profiles and Patterns of Kidney Disease Progression in C3 Glomerulopathy.

Key Points: Kidney survival in C3 glomerulopathy is significantly higher in patients with a disease chronicity score <4 and proteinuria <3.5 g/d, regardless of baseline eGFR. A faster eGFR decline in C3 glomerulopathy is associated with higher probability of kidney failure.

Photosynthetic Pigment and Carbohydrate Profiling of from an Iberian Coastal Lagoon.

is a brown seaweed with applications in the food, pharmaceutic, and cosmetic industries. Among its most valuable bioactive compounds are the pigment fucoxanthin and polysaccharides (e.g.

Combined effect of marine heatwaves and light intensity on the cellular stress response and photophysiology of the leather coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum.

Marine heatwaves (MHW) are threatening tropical coral reef ecosystems, leading to mass bleaching events worldwide. The combination of heat stress with high irradiance is known to shape the health and redox status of corals, but research is biased toward scleractinian corals, while much less is known on tropical symbiotic soft corals. Here, we evaluated the cellular stress response and the photophysiological performance of the soft coral Sarcophyton cf.

Kleptoplasty: Getting away with stolen chloroplasts.

Kleptoplasty, the process by which a host organism sequesters and retains algal chloroplasts, is relatively common in protists. The origin of the plastid varies, as do the length of time it is retained in the host and the functionality of the association. In metazoa, the capacity for long-term (several weeks to months) maintenance of photosynthetically active chloroplasts is a unique characteristic of a handful of sacoglossan sea slugs.

Light modulates the lipidome of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia timida.

Long-term kleptoplasty, the capability to retain functional stolen chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) for several weeks to months, has been shown in a handful of Sacoglossa sea slugs. One of these sea slugs is Elysia timida, endemic to the Mediterranean, which retains functional chloroplasts of the macroalga Acetabularia acetabulum. To understand how light modulates the lipidome of E.

Sea Slug Mucus Production Is Supported by Photosynthesis of Stolen Chloroplasts.

A handful of sea slugs of the order Sacoglossa are able to steal chloroplasts-kleptoplasts-from their algal food sources and maintain them functionally for periods ranging from several weeks to a few months. In this study, we investigated the role of kleptoplast photosynthesis on mucus production by the tropical sea slug . Animals reared for 5 weeks in quasi dark (5 μmol photons m s) showed similar growth to those under regular light (60-90 μmol photons m s), showing that kleptoplast photosynthesis was not relevant for growth when sea slugs were fed ad libitum.

Aposymbiotic Specimen of the Photosynthetic Sea Slug .

is a sacoglossan sea slug that retains intracellular, functional chloroplasts stolen from their macroalgal food sources. juveniles start feeding on the algae following metamorphosis, engulfing chloroplasts and turning green. In laboratory-reared animals, we report one juvenile "albino" specimen unable to retain chloroplasts.

Coinoculation impact on plant growth promotion: a review and meta-analysis on coinoculation of rhizobia and plant growth-promoting bacilli in grain legumes.

Coinoculation of symbiotic N-fixing rhizobia and plant growth-promoting Bacillus on legume seeds can increase crop productivity. We collected highly resolved data on coinoculation of rhizobia and bacilli on 11 grain legume crops: chickpea, common bean, cowpea, faba bean, groundnut, lentil, mung bean, pea, pigeon pea, soybean, and urad bean to verify the magnitude of additive effects of coinoculation in relation to single inoculation of rhizobia on plant growth and yield of grain legumes. Coinoculation of rhizobia and bacilli on legume seeds and/or soil during sowing significantly increased nodulation, nitrogenase activity, plant N and P contents, and shoot and root biomass, as well as the grain yield of most grain legumes studied.

Updated Trends on the Biodiscovery of New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates.

From 1990-2019, a total of 15,442 New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates (NMNPIs) were reported. The 2010s saw the most prolific decade of biodiscovery, with 5630 NMNPIs recorded. The phyla that contributed most biomolecules were the Porifera (sponges) (47.

Pigment and Fatty Acid Heterogeneity in the Sea Slug Is Not Shaped by Habitat Depth.

Long-term retention of functional chloroplasts in animal cells occurs only in sacoglossan sea slugs. Analysis of molecules related to the maintenance of these organelles can provide valuable information on this trait (kleptoplasty). The goal of our research was to characterize the pigment and fatty acid (FA) composition of the sea slug and their associated chloroplasts that are kept functional for a long time, and to quantify total lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid contents, identifying differences between habitats: shallow (0-4 m) and deeper (8-12 m) waters.

Photosynthesis from stolen chloroplasts can support sea slug reproductive fitness.

Some sea slugs are able to steal functional chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) from their algal food sources, but the role and relevance of photosynthesis to the animal host remain controversial. While some researchers claim that kleptoplasts are slowly digestible 'snacks', others advocate that they enhance the overall fitness of sea slugs much more profoundly. Our analysis shows light-dependent incorporation of C and N in the albumen gland and gonadal follicles of the sea slug , representing translocation of photosynthates to kleptoplast-free reproductive organs.

Ecotoxicological test to assess effects of herbicides on spore germination of Rhizophagus clarus and Gigaspora albida.

Given the essential role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soil systems and agriculture, their use as biological indicators has risen in all fields of microbiology research. However, AMF sensitivity to chemical pesticides is poorly understood in field conditions, and not explored in ecotoxicology protocols. Hence, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of glyphosate (Roundup®) and diuron+paraquat (Gramocil®) on the germination of spores of Gigaspora albida and Rhizophagus clarus in a tropical artificial soil.