1
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Azzouz D, Palaniyar N. Mitochondrial ROS and base excision repair steps leading to DNA nick formation drive ultraviolet induced-NETosis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1198716. [PMID: 37350954 PMCID: PMC10282603 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1198716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential for neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis), and generated either by NADPH oxidases (e.g., during infections) or mitochondria (e.g., sterile injury) in neutrophils. We recently showed that ultraviolet (UV) radiation, a sterile injury-inducing agent, dose-dependently induced mitochondrial ROS generation, and increasing levels of ROS shifted the neutrophil death from apoptosis to NETosis. Nevertheless, how ROS executes UV-induced NETosis is unknown. In this study, we first confirmed that UV doses used in our experiments generated mitochondrial ROS, and the inhibition of mitochondrial ROS suppressed NETosis (Mitosox, SYTOX, immunocytochemistry, imaging). Next, we showed that UV irradiation extensively oxidized DNA, by confocal imaging of 8-oxyguanine (8-oxoG) in NETs. Immunofluorescence microscopy further showed that a DNA repair protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, was widely distributed throughout the DNA, indicating that the DNA repair machinery was active throughout the genome during UV-induced NETosis. Inhibition of specific steps of base excision repair (BER) pathway showed that steps leading up to DNA nick formation, but not the later steps, suppressed UV-induced NETosis. In summary, this study shows that (i) high levels of mitochondrial ROS produced following UV irradiation induces extensive oxidative DNA damage, and (ii) early steps of the BER pathway leading to DNA nicking results in chromatin decondensation and NETosis. Collectively, these findings reveal how ROS induces NOX-independent NETosis, and also a novel biological mechanism for UV irradiation- and -mitochondrial ROS-mediated NETosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhia Azzouz
- Translational Medicine, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nades Palaniyar
- Translational Medicine, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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2
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Liaqat W, Altaf MT, Barutçular C, Nawaz H, Ullah I, Basit A, Mohamed HI. Ultraviolet-B radiation in relation to agriculture in the context of climate change: a review. CEREAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023:1-24. [PMID: 37361481 PMCID: PMC10099031 DOI: 10.1007/s42976-023-00375-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the amount of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) reaching the earth's surface has been altered due to climate change and stratospheric ozone dynamics. This narrow but highly biologically active spectrum of light (280-320 nm) can affect plant growth and development. Depletion of ozone and climate change are interlinked in a very complicated manner, i.e., significantly contributing to each other. The interaction of climate change, ozone depletion, and changes in UV-B radiation negatively affects the growth, development, and yield of plants. Furthermore, this interaction will become more complex in the coming years. The ozone layer reduction is paving a path for UV-B radiation to impact the surface of the earth and interfere with the plant's normal life by negatively affecting the plant's morphology and physiology. The nature and degree of the future response of the agricultural ecosystem to the decreasing or increasing UV-B radiation in the background of climate change and ozone dynamics are still unclear. In this regard, this review aims to elucidate the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation reaching the earth's surface due to the depletion of the ozone layer on plants' physiology and the performance of major cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqas Liaqat
- Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Çukurova University, 01330 Adana, Turkey
| | - Muhammad Tanveer Altaf
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Department of Plant Protection, Sivas University of Science and Technology, 58140 Sivas, Turkey
| | - Celaleddin Barutçular
- Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Çukurova University, 01330 Adana, Turkey
| | - Hira Nawaz
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Çukurova University, 01330 Adana, Turkey
| | - Izhar Ullah
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Abdul Basit
- Department of Horticultural Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566 South Korea
| | - Heba I. Mohamed
- Department of Biological and Geological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11341 Egypt
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3
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Lu QB. Observation of large and all-season ozone losses over the tropics. AIP ADVANCES 2022; 12. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0094629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper reveals a large and all-season ozone hole in the lower stratosphere over the tropics (30°N–30°S) existing since the 1980s, where an O3 hole is defined as an area of O3 loss larger than 25% compared with the undisturbed atmosphere. The depth of this tropical O3 hole is comparable to that of the well-known springtime Antarctic O3 hole, whereas its area is about seven times that of the latter. Similar to the Antarctic O3 hole, approximately 80% of the normal O3 value is depleted at the center of the tropical O3 hole. The results strongly indicate that both Antarctic and tropical O3 holes must arise from an identical physical mechanism, for which the cosmic-ray-driven electron reaction model shows good agreement with observations. The whole-year large tropical O3 hole could cause a great global concern as it can lead to increases in ground-level ultraviolet radiation and affect 50% of the Earth’s surface area, which is home to approximately 50% of the world’s population. Moreover, the presence of the tropical and polar O3 holes is equivalent to the formation of three “temperature holes” observed in the stratosphere. These findings will have significances in understanding planetary physics, ozone depletion, climate change, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Bin Lu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Departments of Biology and Chemistry, University of Waterloo , 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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4
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Jiao X, He C, Yu H, He J, Wang C. Photo-generated hydroxyl radicals contribute to the formation of halogen radicals leading to ozone depletion on and within polar stratospheric clouds surface. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 291:132816. [PMID: 34752833 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), of which the surface is a dynamic liquid water layer and might consist of aqueous HNO3 and H2O2, is a well-known key meteorological condition contributing to the ozone hole in the polar stratosphere. PSCs has been considered to provide abundant surface for the heterogeneous reactions causing the formation of the Cl2 and HOCl, which are further photolyzed into Cl and ClO radicals leading to the ozone destruction. Here we demonstrated that the sunlight drives the massive and stable production of OH radicals in aqueous HNO3 and its main photo-induced byproduct HNO2. We also found that the photo-generated OH radicals in aqueous HNO3, HNO2 and H2O2 have the remarkable capability to react with the dissolved HCl, Cl- and Br- to form halogen radicals. In addition, we observed that the H2O2 can react with dissolved HCl and Br- in darkness to form and release Cl2 and Br2 gases, which could further be photolyzed into reactive halogen radicals whenever sunlight is available. All these findings suggest that, except for the well-known heterogeneous reactions, photochemical reactions involving the aqueous HNO3 and H2O2 on and within PSCs surface might constitute another important halogen activation pathway for ozone destruction. This study may shed deeper insights into the mechanism of halogen radicals resulting in ozone depletion in polar stratosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Jiao
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Congcong He
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Huan Yu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Jun He
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, China
| | - Chengjun Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China.
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5
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Eich C, Pont SBEH, Brussaard CPD. Effects of UV Radiation on the Chlorophyte Micromonas polaris Host-Virus Interactions and MpoV-45T Virus Infectivity. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2429. [PMID: 34946033 PMCID: PMC8705608 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polar seas are under threat of enhanced UV-radiation as well as increasing shipping activities. Considering the ecological importance of marine viruses, it is timely to study the impact of UV-AB on Arctic phytoplankton host-virus interactions and also test the efficacy of ballast water (BW) UV-C treatment on virus infectivity. This study examined the effects of: (i) ecologically relevant doses of UV-AB radiation on Micromonas polaris RCC2258 and its virus MpoV-45T, and (ii) UV-C radiation (doses 25-800 mJ cm-2) on MpoV-45T and other temperate algal viruses. Total UV-AB exposure was 6, 12, 28 and 48 h (during the light periods, over 72 h total). Strongest reduction in algal growth and photosynthetic efficiency occurred for 28 and 48 h UV-AB treatments, and consequently the virus production rates and burst sizes were reduced by more than half (compared with PAR-only controls). For the shorter UV-AB exposed cultures, negative effects by UV (especially Fv/Fm) were overcome without impacting virus proliferation. To obtain the BW desired log-4 reduction in virus infectivity, a UV-C dose of at least 400 mJ cm-2 was needed for MpoV-45T and the temperate algal viruses. This is higher than the commonly used dose of 300 mJ cm-2 in BW treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Eich
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797 SZ t’Horntje, The Netherlands;
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven B. E. H. Pont
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797 SZ t’Horntje, The Netherlands;
| | - Corina P. D. Brussaard
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797 SZ t’Horntje, The Netherlands;
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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6
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Lu QB. Fingerprints of the cosmic ray driven mechanism of the ozone hole. AIP ADVANCES 2021; 11. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0047661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
There is long research interest in electron-induced reactions of halogenated molecules. It has been two decades since the cosmic-ray (CR) driven electron-induced reaction (CRE) mechanism for the ozone hole formation was proposed. The derived CRE equation with the stratospheric equivalent chlorine level and CR intensity as the only two variables has well reproduced the observed data of stratospheric O3 and temperatures over the past 40 years. The CRE predictions of 11-year cyclic variations of the Antarctic O3 hole and associated stratospheric cooling have also been well confirmed. Measured altitude profiles of the ozone and temperatures in Antarctic ozone holes provide convincing fingerprints of the CRE mechanism. A quantitative estimate indicates that the CRE-produced Cl atoms could completely deplete or even overkill the ozone in the CR-peak polar stratospheric region, consistent with the observed altitude profiles of the severest Antarctic ozone holes. After removing the natural CR effect, the hidden recovery in the Antarctic O3 hole since ∼1995 is clearly discovered, while the recovery of O3 loss at mid-latitudes is being delayed by ≥10 years. These results have provided strong evidence of the CRE mechanism. If the CR intensity keeps the current rising trend, the Antarctic O3 hole will return to the 1980 level by ∼2060, while the returning of the O3 layer at mid-latitudes to the 1980 level will largely be delayed or will not even occur by the end of this century. The results strongly indicate that the CRE mechanism must be considered as a key factor in evaluating the O3 hole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Bin Lu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Departments of Biology and Chemistry, University of Waterloo , 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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7
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Mycosporine-like amino acids: Algal metabolites shaping the safety and sustainability profiles of commercial sunscreens. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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8
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Wang J, Li M, Feng J, Yan X, Chen H, Han R. Effects of TiO 2-NPs pretreatment on UV-B stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 281:130809. [PMID: 33992849 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As the ozone hole in the North and South poles continues to increase, the entire ecosystem will face an environmental crisis caused by enhanced UV-B radiation. Considering the function of TiO2 and the application of nanomaterials in agriculture, the effect of TiO2-NPs on UV-B stress tolerance in Arabidopsis was investigated. The phenotype of plants was determined, and the expression patterns of antioxidant systems and related genes were analyzed. Modification of the antioxidant system and changes in the flavonoid content of plants were observed by histochemical staining. The effects of TiO2-NPs and UV-B on mitosis were observed at the cellular level, and the degree of DNA damage was analyzed by the detection of CPDs content. The effects of TiO2-NPs and UV-B on SOD isozymes were detected by SOD isozyme Native-PAGE electrophoresis. A laser confocal microscope was used to explore the protective mechanism of TiO2-NPs against UV-B radiation. Results showed that pretreatment of TiO2-NPs significantly alleviated the stress of UV-B radiation on plants. TiO2-NPs activated the antioxidant system of plants, improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and promoted the synthesis of flavonoids. Moreover, TiO2-NPs could effectively shield UV-B radiation to prevent the depolymerization of microtubules in plant cells. 10 mg/L of TiO2-NPs is a safe and effective application dose, which has no biological toxicity to plants. Our research results reported for the first time that pretreatment of TiO2-NPs could effectively alleviate UV-B stress to plants, providing new ideas for the application of nanomaterials in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Wang
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Mingwei Li
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinlin Feng
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoyan Yan
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huize Chen
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Rong Han
- Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, 041004, People's Republic of China; Higher Education Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular and Environmental Stress Response (Shanxi Normal University) in Shanxi Province, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Pawłowski F, Ortiz JV. Ionization Energies and Dyson Orbitals of the Iso-electronic SO 2, O 3, and S 3 Molecules from Electron Propagator Calculations. J Phys Chem A 2021; 125:3664-3680. [PMID: 33886321 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c01759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Adiabatic and vertical ionization energies corresponding to the X̃ A12, à B22, and B̃ A22 final states of SO2+, O3+, and S3+ have been calculated with a variety of electron-propagator and coupled-cluster methods. The BD-T1 electron-propagator method for vertical ionization energies and coupled-cluster adiabatic and zero-point corrections yield agreement with experiment to within 0.1 eV in all cases but one. The remaining discrepancies for the à B22 state of SO2+ indicate a need for higher levels of theory in determining cationic minima and their accompanying vibrational frequencies. Predictions for the still unobserved à B22 and B̃ A22 final states of S3+ are included. To account for increased biradical character in O3 and S3, highly correlated reference states are required to produce the correct order of final states. Electron correlation plays a subtle role in determining the contours of the Dyson orbitals obtained with BD-T1 and NR2 electron-propagator calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Pawłowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5312, United States
| | - Joseph Vincent Ortiz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5312, United States
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10
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Gao G, Liu W, Zhao X, Gao K. Ultraviolet Radiation Stimulates Activity of CO 2 Concentrating Mechanisms in a Bloom-Forming Diatom Under Reduced CO 2 Availability. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:651567. [PMID: 33796095 PMCID: PMC8008072 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.651567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The diatom Skeletonema costatum is cosmopolitan and forms algal blooms in coastal waters, being exposed to varying levels of solar UV radiation (UVR) and reduced levels of carbon dioxide (CO2). While reduced CO2 availability is known to enhance CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) in this diatom and others, little is known on the effects of UV on microalgal CCMs, especially when CO2 levels fluctuate in coastal waters. Here, we show that S. costatum upregulated its CCMs in response to UVR (295–395 nm), especially to UVA (320–395 nm) in the presence and absence of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The intensity rise of UVA and/or UVR alone resulted in an increase of the activity of extracellular carbonic anhydrase (CAe); and the addition of UVA enhanced the activity of CCMs-related CAe by 23–27% when PAR levels were low. Such UV-stimulated CCMs activity was only significant at the reduced CO2 level (3.4 μmol L−1). In addition, UVA alone drove active HCO3− uptake although it was not as obvious as CAe activity, another evidence for its role in enhancing CCMs activity. In parallel, the addition of UVA enhanced photosynthetic carbon fixation only at the lower CO2 level compared to PAR alone. In the absence of PAR, carbon fixation increased linearly with increased intensities of UVA or UVR regardless of the CO2 levels. These findings imply that during S. costatum blooming period when CO2 and PAR availability becomes lower, solar UVR (mainly UVA) helps to upregulate its CCMs and thus carbon fixation, enabling its success of frequent algal blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Technology and Resource Management, Guangdong Jiangmen Chinese White Dolphin Provincial Nature Reserve Management Bureau, Jiangmen, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Kunshan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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11
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Sanchez-Lorenzo A, Vaquero-Martínez J, Calbó J, Wild M, Santurtún A, Lopez-Bustins JA, Vaquero JM, Folini D, Antón M. Did anomalous atmospheric circulation favor the spread of COVID-19 in Europe? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 194:110626. [PMID: 33345895 PMCID: PMC7746124 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is having negative health, social and economic consequences worldwide. In Europe, the pandemic started to develop strongly at the end of February and beginning of March 2020. Subsequently, it spread over the continent, with special virulence in northern Italy and inland Spain. In this study we show that an unusual persistent anticyclonic situation prevailing in southwestern Europe during February 2020 (i.e. anomalously strong positive phase of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillations) could have resulted in favorable conditions, e.g., in terms of air temperature and humidity among other factors, in Italy and Spain for a quicker spread of the virus compared with the rest of the European countries. It seems plausible that the strong atmospheric stability and associated dry conditions that dominated in these regions may have favored the virus propagation, both outdoors and especially indoors, by short-range droplet and aerosol (airborne) transmission, or/and by changing social contact patterns. Later recent atmospheric circulation conditions in Europe (July 2020) and the U.S. (October 2020) seem to support our hypothesis, although further research is needed in order to evaluate other confounding variables. Interestingly, the atmospheric conditions during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 seem to have resembled at some stage with the current COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J Calbó
- Department of Physics, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - M Wild
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Santurtún
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - J A Lopez-Bustins
- Climatology Group, Department of Geography, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J M Vaquero
- Department of Physics, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - D Folini
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Antón
- Department of Physics, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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12
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Sanchez-Lorenzo A, Vaquero-Martínez J, Calbó J, Wild M, Santurtún A, Lopez-Bustins JA, Vaquero JM, Folini D, Antón M. Did anomalous atmospheric circulation favor the spread of COVID-19 in Europe? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021. [PMID: 33345895 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.11062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is having negative health, social and economic consequences worldwide. In Europe, the pandemic started to develop strongly at the end of February and beginning of March 2020. Subsequently, it spread over the continent, with special virulence in northern Italy and inland Spain. In this study we show that an unusual persistent anticyclonic situation prevailing in southwestern Europe during February 2020 (i.e. anomalously strong positive phase of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillations) could have resulted in favorable conditions, e.g., in terms of air temperature and humidity among other factors, in Italy and Spain for a quicker spread of the virus compared with the rest of the European countries. It seems plausible that the strong atmospheric stability and associated dry conditions that dominated in these regions may have favored the virus propagation, both outdoors and especially indoors, by short-range droplet and aerosol (airborne) transmission, or/and by changing social contact patterns. Later recent atmospheric circulation conditions in Europe (July 2020) and the U.S. (October 2020) seem to support our hypothesis, although further research is needed in order to evaluate other confounding variables. Interestingly, the atmospheric conditions during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 seem to have resembled at some stage with the current COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J Calbó
- Department of Physics, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - M Wild
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Santurtún
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - J A Lopez-Bustins
- Climatology Group, Department of Geography, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J M Vaquero
- Department of Physics, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - D Folini
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Antón
- Department of Physics, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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13
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Fuentes-León F, Peres de Oliveira A, Quintero-Ruiz N, Munford V, Satoru Kajitani G, Coimbra Brum A, Schuch AP, Colepicolo P, Sánchez-Lamar A, Menck CFM. DNA Damage Induced by Late Spring Sunlight in Antarctica. Photochem Photobiol 2020; 96:1215-1220. [PMID: 32614978 DOI: 10.1111/php.13307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sunlight ultraviolet (UV) radiation constitutes an important environmental genotoxic agent that organisms are exposed to, as it can damage DNA directly, generating pyrimidine dimers, and indirectly, generating oxidized bases and single-strand breaks (SSBs). These lesions can lead to mutations, triggering skin and eye disorders, including carcinogenesis and photoaging. Stratospheric ozone layer depletion, particularly in the Antarctic continent, predicts an uncertain scenario of UV incidence on the Earth in the next decades. This research evaluates the DNA damage caused by environmental exposure to late spring sunlight in the Antarctic Peninsula, where the ozone layer hole is more pronounced. These experiments were performed at the Brazilian Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station, at King's George Island, South Shetlands Islands. For comparison, tropical regions were also analyzed. Samples of plasmid DNA were exposed to sunlight. Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), oxidized base damage and SSBs were detected using specific enzymes. In addition, an immunological approach was used to detect CPDs. The results reveal high levels of DNA damage induced by exposure under the Antarctic sunlight, inversely correlated with ozone layer thickness, confirming the high impact of ozone layer depletion on the DNA damaging action of sunlight in Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Fuentes-León
- Depto. de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba.,Depto. de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Depto. de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Quintero-Ruiz
- Depto. de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Veridiana Munford
- Depto. de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Satoru Kajitani
- Depto. de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - André Passaglia Schuch
- Depto. de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Pio Colepicolo
- Depto. de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Angel Sánchez-Lamar
- Depto. de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba
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Abstract
The stratospheric ozone plays an important role in the protection of the biosphere from the dangerous ultraviolet radiation of the sun [...]
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