1
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Trewick SA, Koot EM, Morgan-Richards M. Ngāokeoke Aotearoa: The Peripatoides Onychophora of New Zealand. INSECTS 2024; 15:248. [PMID: 38667378 PMCID: PMC11050097 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
(1) Background: Originally described as a single taxon, Peripatoides novaezealandiae (Hutton, 1876) are distributed across both main islands of New Zealand; the existence of multiple distinct lineages of live-bearing Onychophora across this spatial range has gradually emerged. Morphological conservatism obscured the true endemic diversity, and the inclusion of molecular tools has been instrumental in revealing these cryptic taxa. (2) Methods: Here, we review the diversity of the ovoviviparous Onychophora of New Zealand through a re-analysis of allozyme genotype data, mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences, geographic information and morphology. (3) Results: New analysis of the multilocus biallelic nuclear data using methods that do not require a priori assumptions of population assignment support at least six lineages of ovoviviparous Peripatoides in northern New Zealand, and mtDNA sequence variation is consistent with these divisions. Expansion of mitochondrial DNA sequence data, including representation of all existing taxa and additional populations extends our knowledge of the scale of sympatry among taxa and shows that three other lineages from southern South Island can be added to the Peripatoides list, and names are proposed here. In total, 10 species of Peripatoides can be recognised with current data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A. Trewick
- Wildlife & Ecology, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand;
| | - Emily M. Koot
- New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd., Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand;
| | - Mary Morgan-Richards
- Wildlife & Ecology, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand;
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2
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Hoch H, Pingel M, Voigt D, Wyss U, Gorb S. Adhesive properties of Aphrophoridae spittlebug foam. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230521. [PMID: 38196374 PMCID: PMC10777165 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Aphrophora alni spittlebug nymphs produce a wet foam from anal excrement fluid, covering and protecting themselves against numerous impacts. Foam fluid contact angles on normal (26°) and silanized glass (37°) suggest that the foam wets various substrates, including plant and arthropod surfaces. The pull-off force depends on the hydration state and is higher the more dry the fluid. Because the foam desiccates as fast as water, predators once captured struggle to free from drying foam, becoming stickier. The present study confirms that adhesion is one of the numerous foam characteristics resulting in multifunctional effects, which promote spittlebugs' survival and render the foam a smart, biocompatible material of biological, biomimetic and biomedical interest. The sustainable 'reuse' of large amounts of excrement for foam production and protection of the thin nymph integument suggests energetic and evolutionary advantages. Probably, that is why foam nests have evolved in different groups of organisms, such as spittlebugs, frogs and fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannelore Hoch
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Pingel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Voigt
- Botany, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Urs Wyss
- Entofilm, Dahlmannstraße 2a, 24103 Kiel, Germany
| | - Stanislav Gorb
- Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, 24098 Kiel, Germany
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3
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Poulhazan A, Baer A, Daliaho G, Mentink-Vigier F, Arnold AA, Browne DC, Hering L, Archer-Hartmann S, Pepi LE, Azadi P, Schmidt S, Mayer G, Marcotte I, Harrington MJ. Peculiar Phosphonate Modifications of Velvet Worm Slime Revealed by Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:20749-20754. [PMID: 37722679 PMCID: PMC10540779 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Nature is rich with examples of highly specialized biological materials produced by organisms for functions, including defense, hunting, and protection. Along these lines, velvet worms (Onychophora) expel a protein-based slime used for hunting and defense that upon shearing and dehydration forms fibers as stiff as thermoplastics. These fibers can dissolve back into their precursor proteins in water, after which they can be drawn into new fibers, providing biological inspiration to design recyclable materials. Elevated phosphorus content in velvet worm slime was previously observed and putatively ascribed to protein phosphorylation. Here, we show instead that phosphorus is primarily present as phosphonate moieties in the slime of distantly related velvet worm species. Using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), natural abundance dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), and mass spectrometry (MS), we demonstrate that 2-aminoethyl phosphonate (2-AEP) is associated with glycans linked to large slime proteins, while transcriptomic analyses confirm the expression of 2-AEP synthesizing enzymes in slime glands. The evolutionary conservation of this rare protein modification suggests an essential functional role of phosphonates in velvet worm slime and should stimulate further study of the function of this unusual chemical modification in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Poulhazan
- Department
of Chemistry, Université du Québec
à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 2J6, Canada
| | - Alexander Baer
- Department
of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University
of Kassel, Kassel D-34132, Germany
| | - Gagan Daliaho
- Department
of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | | | - Alexandre A. Arnold
- Department
of Chemistry, Université du Québec
à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 2J6, Canada
| | - Darren C. Browne
- Department
of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University
of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados BB11000, West Indies
| | - Lars Hering
- Department
of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University
of Kassel, Kassel D-34132, Germany
| | | | - Lauren E. Pepi
- Complex
Carbohydrate Research Center, University
of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex
Carbohydrate Research Center, University
of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Chemistry
Department, Heinrich-Heine-Universität
Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department
of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University
of Kassel, Kassel D-34132, Germany
| | - Isabelle Marcotte
- Department
of Chemistry, Université du Québec
à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2X 2J6, Canada
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4
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Martin C, Jahn H, Klein M, Hammel JU, Stevenson PA, Homberg U, Mayer G. The velvet worm brain unveils homologies and evolutionary novelties across panarthropods. BMC Biol 2022; 20:26. [PMID: 35073910 PMCID: PMC9136957 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01196-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The evolution of the brain and its major neuropils in Panarthropoda (comprising Arthropoda, Tardigrada and Onychophora) remains enigmatic. As one of the closest relatives of arthropods, onychophorans are regarded as indispensable for a broad understanding of the evolution of panarthropod organ systems, including the brain, whose anatomical and functional organisation is often used to gain insights into evolutionary relations. However, while numerous recent studies have clarified the organisation of many arthropod nervous systems, a detailed investigation of the onychophoran brain with current state-of-the-art approaches is lacking, and further inconsistencies in nomenclature and interpretation hamper its understanding. To clarify the origins and homology of cerebral structures across panarthropods, we analysed the brain architecture in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli by combining X-ray micro-computed tomography, histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstruction. Results Here, we use this detailed information to generate a consistent glossary for neuroanatomical studies of Onychophora. In addition, we report novel cerebral structures, provide novel details on previously known brain areas, and characterise further structures and neuropils in order to improve the reproducibility of neuroanatomical observations. Our findings support homology of mushroom bodies and central bodies in onychophorans and arthropods. Their antennal nerve cords and olfactory lobes most likely evolved independently. In contrast to previous reports, we found no evidence for second-order visual neuropils, or a frontal ganglion in the velvet worm brain. Conclusion We imaged the velvet worm nervous system at an unprecedented level of detail and compiled a comprehensive glossary of known and previously uncharacterised neuroanatomical structures to provide an in-depth characterisation of the onychophoran brain architecture. We expect that our data will improve the reproducibility and comparability of future neuroanatomical studies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01196-w.
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5
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Herringe CA, Middleton EJ, Boyd KC, Latty T, White TE. Benefits and costs of social foraging in velvet worms. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caragh A. Herringe
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
| | - Eliza J. Middleton
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
| | - Kelsey C. Boyd
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong Australia
| | - Tanya Latty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
| | - Thomas E. White
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney Australia
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6
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Budd GE. The origin and evolution of the euarthropod labrum. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2021; 62:101048. [PMID: 33862532 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2021.101048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
A widely (although not universally) accepted model of arthropod head evolution postulates that the labrum, a structure seen in almost all living euarthropods, evolved from an anterior pair of appendages homologous to the frontal appendages of onychophorans. However, the implications of this model for the interpretation of fossil arthropods have not been fully integrated into reconstructions of the euarthropod stem group, which remains in a state of some disorder. Here I review the evidence for the nature and evolution of the labrum from living taxa, and reconsider how fossils should be interpreted in the light of this. Identification of the segmental identity of head appendage in fossil arthropods remains problematic, and often rests ultimately on unproven assertions. New evidence from the Cambrian stem-group euarthropod Parapeytoia is presented to suggest that an originally protocerebral appendage persisted well up into the upper stem-group of the euarthropods, which prompts a re-evaluation of widely-accepted segmental homologies and the interpretation of fossil central nervous systems. Only a protocerebral brain was implicitly present in a large part of the euarthropod stem group, and the deutocerebrum must have been a relatively late addition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham E Budd
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology Programme, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, SE 752 36, Sweden.
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7
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Rühs PA, Bergfreund J, Bertsch P, Gstöhl SJ, Fischer P. Complex fluids in animal survival strategies. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:3022-3036. [PMID: 33729256 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00142f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Animals have evolved distinctive survival strategies in response to constant selective pressure. In this review, we highlight how animals exploit flow phenomena by manipulating their habitat (exogenous) or by secreting (endogenous) complex fluids. Ubiquitous endogenous complex fluids such as mucus demonstrate rheological versatility and are therefore involved in many animal behavioral traits ranging from sexual reproduction to protection against predators. Exogenous complex fluids such as sand can be used either for movement or for predation. In all cases, time-dependent rheological properties of complex fluids are decisive for the fate of the biological behavior and vice versa. To exploit these rheological properties, it is essential that the animal is able to sense the rheology of their surrounding complex fluids in a timely fashion. As timing is key in nature, such rheological materials often have clearly defined action windows matching the time frame of their direct biological behavior. As many rheological properties of these biological materials remain poorly studied, we demonstrate with this review that rheology and material science might provide an interesting quantitative approach to study these biological materials in particular in context towards ethology and bio-mimicking material design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A Rühs
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, 218 Hearst Memorial Mining Building, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
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8
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Cerullo AR, Lai TY, Allam B, Baer A, Barnes WJP, Barrientos Z, Deheyn DD, Fudge DS, Gould J, Harrington MJ, Holford M, Hung CS, Jain G, Mayer G, Medina M, Monge-Nájera J, Napolitano T, Espinosa EP, Schmidt S, Thompson EM, Braunschweig AB. Comparative Animal Mucomics: Inspiration for Functional Materials from Ubiquitous and Understudied Biopolymers. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:5377-5398. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio R. Cerullo
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, New York 10031, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Tsoi Ying Lai
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Bassem Allam
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5000, United States
| | - Alexander Baer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Strasse 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - W. Jon P. Barnes
- Centre for Cell Engineering, Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K
| | - Zaidett Barrientos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Mercedes de Montes de Oca, San José 474-2050, Costa Rica
| | - Dimitri D. Deheyn
- Marine Biology Research Division-0202, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Douglas S. Fudge
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - John Gould
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Mandë Holford
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, The American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 10024, United States
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
- The PhD Program in Biology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Chia-Suei Hung
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Gaurav Jain
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Strasse 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Julian Monge-Nájera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Mercedes de Montes de Oca, San José 474-2050, Costa Rica
| | - Tanya Napolitano
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Emmanuelle Pales Espinosa
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5000, United States
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Institute of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eric M. Thompson
- Sars Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5020 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5006 Bergen, Norway
| | - Adam B. Braunschweig
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, New York 10031, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, United States
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9
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Oliveira IDS, Kumerics A, Jahn H, Müller M, Pfeiffer F, Mayer G. Functional morphology of a lobopod: case study of an onychophoran leg. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:191200. [PMID: 31824728 PMCID: PMC6837196 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Segmental, paired locomotory appendages are a characteristic feature of Panarthropoda-a diversified clade of moulting animals that includes onychophorans (velvet worms), tardigrades (water bears) and arthropods. While arthropods acquired a sclerotized exoskeleton and articulated limbs, onychophorans and tardigrades possess a soft body and unjointed limbs called lobopods, which they inherited from Cambrian lobopodians. To date, the origin and ancestral structure of the lobopods and their transformation into the jointed appendages are all poorly understood. We therefore combined high-resolution computed tomography with high-speed camera recordings to characterize the functional anatomy of a trunk lobopod from the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the complete set of muscles and muscle fibres as well as non-muscular structures revealed the spatial relationship and relative volumes of the muscular, excretory, circulatory and nervous systems within the leg. Locomotory movements of individual lobopods of E. rowelli proved far more diverse than previously thought and might be governed by a complex interplay of 15 muscles, including one promotor, one remotor, one levator, one retractor, two depressors, two rotators, one flexor and two constrictors as well as muscles for stabilization and haemolymph control. We discuss the implications of our findings for understanding the evolution of locomotion in panarthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo de Sena Oliveira
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Andreas Kumerics
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Henry Jahn
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Mark Müller
- Chair of Biomedical Physics, Department of Physics and Munich School of Bioengineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Franz Pfeiffer
- Chair of Biomedical Physics, Department of Physics and Munich School of Bioengineering, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
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10
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Baer A, Horbelt N, Nijemeisland M, Garcia SJ, Fratzl P, Schmidt S, Mayer G, Harrington MJ. Shear-Induced β-Crystallite Unfolding in Condensed Phase Nanodroplets Promotes Fiber Formation in a Biological Adhesive. ACS NANO 2019; 13:4992-5001. [PMID: 30933471 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Natural materials provide an increasingly important role model for the development and processing of next-generation polymers. The velvet worm Euperipatoides rowelli hunts using a projectile, mechanoresponsive adhesive slime that rapidly and reversibly transitions into stiff glassy polymer fibers following shearing and drying. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this mechanoresponsive behavior is still unclear. Previous work showed the slime to be an emulsion of nanoscale charge-stabilized condensed droplets comprised primarily of large phosphorylated proteins, which under mechanical shear coalesce and self-organize into nano- and microfibrils that can be drawn into macroscopic fibers. Here, we utilize wide-angle X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopy coupled with in situ shear deformation to explore the contribution of protein conformation and mechanical forces to the fiber formation process. Although previously believed to be unstructured, our findings indicate that the main phosphorylated protein component possesses a significant β-crystalline structure in the storage phase and that shear-induced partial unfolding of the protein is a key first step in the rapid self-organization of nanodroplets into fibers. The insights gained here have relevance for sustainable production of advanced polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Baer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology , University of Kassel , Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40 , D-34132 Kassel , Germany
| | - Nils Horbelt
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Research Campus Golm, D-14424 Potsdam , Germany
| | - Marlies Nijemeisland
- Novel Aerospace Materials group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering , Delft University of Technology , Kluyverweg 1 , 2629 HS Delft , The Netherlands
| | - Santiago J Garcia
- Novel Aerospace Materials group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering , Delft University of Technology , Kluyverweg 1 , 2629 HS Delft , The Netherlands
| | - Peter Fratzl
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Research Campus Golm, D-14424 Potsdam , Germany
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Preparative Polymer Chemistry , Heinrich-Heine-Universität , Universitätsstraße 1 , D-40225 Düsseldorf , Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology , University of Kassel , Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40 , D-34132 Kassel , Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Biomaterials , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Research Campus Golm, D-14424 Potsdam , Germany
- Department of Chemistry , McGill University , 801 Sherbrooke Street West , Montreal , Quebec H3A 0B8 , Canada
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11
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Baer A, Schmidt S, Mayer G, Harrington MJ. Fibers on the Fly: Multiscale Mechanisms of Fiber Formation in the Capture Slime of Velvet Worms. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:1690-1699. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many organisms have evolved a capacity to form biopolymeric fibers outside their bodies for functions such as defense, prey capture, attachment, and protection. In particular, the adhesive capture slime of onychophorans (velvet worms) is remarkable for its ability to rapidly form stiff fibers through mechanical drawing. Notably, fibers that are formed ex vivo from extracted slime can be dissolved in water and new fibers can be drawn from the solution, indicating that fiber formation is encoded in the biomolecules that comprise the slime. This review highlights recent findings on the biochemical and physicochemical principles guiding this circular process in the Australian onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli. A multiscale cross-disciplinary approach utilizing techniques from biology, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and materials science has revealed that the slime is a concentrated emulsion of nanodroplets comprised primarily of proteins, stabilized via electrostatic interactions, possibly in a coacervate phase. Upon mechanical agitation, droplets coalesce, leading to spontaneous self-assembly and fibrillation of proteins—a completely reversible process. Recent investigations highlight the importance of subtle transitions in protein structure and charge balance. These findings have clear relevance for better understanding this adaptive prey capture behavior and providing inspiration toward sustainable polymer processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Baer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, Kassel, Germany
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Institute of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, Kassel, Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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12
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Baer A, Hänsch S, Mayer G, Harrington MJ, Schmidt S. Reversible Supramolecular Assembly of Velvet Worm Adhesive Fibers via Electrostatic Interactions of Charged Phosphoproteins. Biomacromolecules 2018; 19:4034-4043. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Baer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hänsch
- Center for Advanced Imaging (CAi), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany
| | - Matthew J. Harrington
- Department of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam 14424, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Institute of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Jahn H, Oliveira IDES, Gross V, Martin C, Hipp A, Mayer G, Hammel JU. Evaluation of contrasting techniques for X-ray imaging of velvet worms (Onychophora). J Microsc 2018; 270:343-358. [PMID: 29469207 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive imaging techniques like X-ray computed tomography have become very popular in zoology, as they allow for simultaneous imaging of the internal and external morphology of organisms. Nevertheless, the effect of different staining approaches required for this method on samples lacking mineralized tissues, such as soft-bodied invertebrates, remains understudied. Herein, we used synchrotron radiation-based X-ray micro-computed tomography to compare the effects of commonly used contrasting approaches on onychophorans - soft-bodied invertebrates important for studying animal evolution. Representatives of Euperipatoides rowelli were stained with osmium tetroxide (vapour or solution), ruthenium red, phosphotungstic acid, or iodine. Unstained specimens were imaged using both standard attenuation-based and differential phase-contrast setups to simulate analyses with museum material. Our comparative qualitative analyses of several tissue types demonstrate that osmium tetroxide provides the best overall tissue contrast in onychophorans, whereas the remaining staining agents rather favour the visualisation of specific tissues and/or structures. Quantitative analyses using signal-to-noise ratio measurements show that the level of image noise may vary according to the staining agent and scanning medium selected. Furthermore, box-and-whisker plots revealed substantial overlap in grey values among structures in all datasets, suggesting that a combination of semiautomatic and manual segmentation of structures is required for comprehensive 3D reconstructions of Onychophora, irrespective of the approach selected. Our results show that X-ray micro-computed tomography is a promising technique for studying onychophorans and, despite the benefits and disadvantages of different staining agents for specific tissues/structures, this method retrieves informative data that may eventually help address evolutionary questions long associated with Onychophora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Jahn
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Ivo DE Sena Oliveira
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany.,Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vladimir Gross
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Christine Martin
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Alexander Hipp
- Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Jörg U Hammel
- Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Geesthacht, Germany.,Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Jena, Germany
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Baer A, Schmidt S, Haensch S, Eder M, Mayer G, Harrington MJ. Mechanoresponsive lipid-protein nanoglobules facilitate reversible fibre formation in velvet worm slime. Nat Commun 2017; 8:974. [PMID: 29042549 PMCID: PMC5645397 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01142-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Velvet worms eject a fluid capture slime that can be mechanically drawn into stiff biopolymeric fibres. Remarkably, these fibres can be dissolved by extended exposure to water, and new regenerated fibres can be drawn from the dissolved fibre solution-indicating a fully recyclable process. Here, we perform a multiscale structural and compositional investigation of this reversible fabrication process with the velvet worm Euperipatoides rowelli, revealing that biopolymeric fibre assembly is facilitated via mono-disperse lipid-protein nanoglobules. Shear forces cause nanoglobules to self-assemble into nano- and microfibrils, which can be drawn into macroscopic fibres with a protein-enriched core and lipid-rich coating. Fibre dissolution in water leads to re-formation of nanoglobules, suggesting that this dynamic supramolecular assembly of mechanoresponsive protein-building blocks is mediated by reversible non-covalent interactions. These findings offer important mechanistic insights into the role of mechanochemical processes in bio-fibre formation, providing potential avenues for sustainable material fabrication processes.Velvet worms expel a fluid slime that, under shear force, forms stiff fibres that can be dissolved and then regenerated. Here, the authors reveal that the recyclability of these biopolymers relies on mechanoresponsive lipid-protein nanoglobules in the slime that reversibly self-assemble into fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Baer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132, Kassel, Germany.
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Institute of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Haensch
- Center for Advanced Imaging (CAi), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michaela Eder
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Research Campus Golm, 14424, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Georg Mayer
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, University of Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132, Kassel, Germany
| | - Matthew J Harrington
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Research Campus Golm, 14424, Potsdam, Germany. .,Dept. of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0B8, Canada.
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Martin C, Gross V, Hering L, Tepper B, Jahn H, de Sena Oliveira I, Stevenson PA, Mayer G. The nervous and visual systems of onychophorans and tardigrades: learning about arthropod evolution from their closest relatives. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:565-590. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1186-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Ortega-Hernández J, Janssen R, Budd GE. Origin and evolution of the panarthropod head - A palaeobiological and developmental perspective. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2017; 46:354-379. [PMID: 27989966 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The panarthropod head represents a complex body region that has evolved through the integration and functional specialization of the anterior appendage-bearing segments. Advances in the developmental biology of diverse extant organisms have led to a substantial clarity regarding the relationships of segmental homology between Onychophora (velvet worms), Tardigrada (water bears), and Euarthropoda (e.g. arachnids, myriapods, crustaceans, hexapods). The improved understanding of the segmental organization in panarthropods offers a novel perspective for interpreting the ubiquitous Cambrian fossil record of these successful animals. A combined palaeobiological and developmental approach to the study of the panarthropod head through deep time leads us to propose a consensus hypothesis for the intricate evolutionary history of this important tagma. The contribution of exceptionally preserved brains in Cambrian fossils - together with the recognition of segmentally informative morphological characters - illuminate the polarity for major anatomical features. The euarthropod stem-lineage provides a detailed view of the step-wise acquisition of critical characters, including the origin of a multiappendicular head formed by the fusion of several segments, and the transformation of the ancestral protocerebral limb pair into the labrum, following the postero-ventral migration of the mouth opening. Stem-group onychophorans demonstrate an independent ventral migration of the mouth and development of a multisegmented head, as well as the differentiation of the deutocerebral limbs as expressed in extant representatives. The anterior organization of crown-group Tardigrada retains several ancestral features, such as an anterior-facing mouth and one-segmented head. The proposed model aims to clarify contentious issues on the evolution of the panarthropod head, and lays the foundation from which to further address this complex subject in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ralf Janssen
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala SE-752 36, Sweden
| | - Graham E Budd
- Department of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala SE-752 36, Sweden
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Oliveira I, Bai M, Jahn H, Gross V, Martin C, Hammel J, Zhang W, Mayer G. Earliest Onychophoran in Amber Reveals Gondwanan Migration Patterns. Curr Biol 2016; 26:2594-2601. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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