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Castro LGZ, Sousa MR, Pereira LÉC, Martins DV, Oliveira FAS, Bezerra SGS, Melo VMM, Hissa DC. Pioneer access of the foam nest bacterial community of Leptodactylidae frogs and its biotechnological potential. BRAZ J BIOL 2024; 84:e280884. [PMID: 38922194 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.280884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Many anuran amphibians deposit their eggs in foam nests, biostructures that help protect the eggs and tadpoles from predators. Currently, there are no other identification and description studies of the cultivable microbiota role in the nests of the Leptodactylid frogs such as Physalaemus cuvieri, Leptodactylus vastus and Adenomera hylaedactyla. This study aimed to isolate and identify the culturable bacteria from these three anuran species' nests, as well as to prospect enzymes produced by this microbiota. Foam nests samples and environmental samples were diluted and viable cell count was determined. Bacterial morphotypes from foam nest samples were isolated through spread plate technique. Isolates' DNAs were extracted followed by rRNA 16S gene amplification and Sanger sequencing. To evaluate their enzymatic potential, the isolates were cultured in ATGE medium supplemented with starch (0.1% w/v), gelatin (3% w/v) and skimmed milk (1% w/v), to verify amylase and protease activity. A total of 183 bacterial morphotypes were isolated, comprising 33 bacterial genera. Proteobacteria phylum was the most abundant in all the three nests (79%). The genera Pseudomonas and Aeromonas were the most abundant taxon in P. cuvieri and L. vastus. In A. Hylaedactyla, were Enterobacter and Bacillus. Regarding enzymatic activities, 130 isolates displayed protease activity and 45 isolates were positive for amylase activity. Our results provide unprecedented information concerning culturable bacterial microbiota of the foam nests of the Leptodactylid frogs, as well as their potential for biomolecules of biotechnological interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- L G Z Castro
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - M R Sousa
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - L É C Pereira
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - D V Martins
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - F A S Oliveira
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - S G S Bezerra
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - V M M Melo
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
| | - D C Hissa
- Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC, Departamento de Biologia, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil
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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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Maternal Provisioning of Alkaloid Defenses are Present in Obligate but not Facultative Egg Feeding Dendrobatids. J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:900-909. [PMID: 36564635 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01394-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Poison frogs sequester alkaloid defenses from a diet of largely mites and ants. As a result, frogs are defended against certain predators and microbial infections. Frogs in the genus Oophaga exhibit complex maternal care, wherein mothers transport recently hatched tadpoles to nursery pools and return regularly to supply developing tadpoles with unfertilized (nutritive) eggs. Developing tadpoles are obligate egg feeders. Further, female O. pumilio and O. sylvatica maternally provision their nutritive eggs with alkaloid defenses, providing protection to their developing tadpoles at a vulnerable life-stage. In another genus of poison frog, Ranitomeya, tadpoles only receive and consume eggs facultatively, and it is currently unknown if mothers also provision these eggs (and thus their tadpoles) with alkaloid defenses. Here, we provide evidence that mother frogs of another species in the genus Oophaga (Oophaga granulifera) also provision alkaloid defenses to their tadpoles. We also provide evidence that Ranitomeya imitator and R. variabilis eggs and tadpoles do not contain alkaloids, suggesting that mother frogs in this genus do not provision alkaloid defenses to their offspring. Our findings suggest that among dendrobatid poison frogs, maternal provisioning of alkaloids may be restricted to the obligate egg-feeding members of Oophaga.
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4
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Gould J, Clulow J, Clulow S. Cheek‐to‐cheek: Communal nesting in an ephemeral pool‐breeding frog. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John Gould
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
| | - John Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
| | - Simon Clulow
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales Australia
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5
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Méndez‐Narváez J, Warkentin KM. Reproductive colonization of land by frogs: Embryos and larvae excrete urea to avoid ammonia toxicity. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8570. [PMID: 35222954 PMCID: PMC8843769 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8570] [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: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate colonization of land has occurred multiple times, including over 50 origins of terrestrial eggs in frogs. Some environmental factors and phenotypic responses that facilitated these transitions are known, but responses to water constraints and risk of ammonia toxicity during early development are poorly understood. We tested if ammonia accumulation and dehydration risk induce a shift from ammonia to urea excretion during early stages of four anurans, from three origins of terrestrial development. We quantified ammonia and urea concentrations during early development on land, under well‐hydrated and dry conditions. Where we found urea excretion, we tested for a plastic increase under dry conditions and with ammonia accumulation in developmental environments. We assessed the potential adaptive role of urea excretion by comparing ammonia tolerance measured in 96h‐LC50 tests with ammonia levels in developmental environments. Ammonia accumulated in foam nests and perivitelline fluid, increasing over development and reaching higher concentrations under dry conditions. All four species showed high ammonia tolerance, compared to fishes and aquatic‐breeding frogs. Both nest‐dwelling larvae of Leptodactylus fragilis and late embryos of Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni excreted urea, showing a plastic increase under dry conditions. These two species can develop the longest on land and urea excretion appears adaptive, preventing their exposure to potentially lethal levels of ammonia. Neither late embryos of Agalychnis callidryas nor nest‐dwelling larvae of Engystomops pustulosus experienced toxic ammonia levels under dry conditions, and neither excreted urea. Our results suggest that an early onset of urea excretion, its increase under dry conditions, and elevated ammonia tolerance can all help prevent ammonia toxicity during terrestrial development. High ammonia represents a general risk for development which may be exacerbated as climate change increases dehydration risk for terrestrial‐breeding frogs. It may also be a cue that elicits adaptive physiological responses during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Méndez‐Narváez
- Department of Biology Boston University Boston Massachusetts USA
- Calima Fundación para la Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Conservación en el Trópico Cali Colombia
| | - Karen M. Warkentin
- Department of Biology Boston University Boston Massachusetts USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama Republic of Panama
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6
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Ferraro DP. Combined phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodema (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae). Cladistics 2022; 38:301-319. [PMID: 34985147 DOI: 10.1111/cla.12497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Pleurodema comprises 15 species distributed through the Neotropical region, from sea level up to 5000 m.a.s.l. A total-evidence analysis of Pleurodema is provided based on the parsimony criterion. The combined dataset included morphometric, phenotypic, and DNA evidence (34 taxa, 4441 characters). The parsimony analysis yielded one most-parsimonious tree. Pleurodema was recovered as a well-supported clade composed of two major subclades. One subclade has an identical topology to that of previous analyses, the P. brachyops Clade (P. alium, P. borellii, P. brachyops, P. cinereum, P. diplolister, and P. tucumanum). The other subclade includes the remaining nine species of the genus, exhibiting a topology different from that of previous studies. According to the present phylogeny, this second lineage is formed by the P. nebulosum Clade (P. guayapae + P. nebulosum), P. marmoratum, the re-defined P. thaul Clade (P. bufoninum, P. somuncurense, P. thaul) and the P. bibroni Clade (P. bibroni, P. cordobae, P. kriegi). The reproductive modes of Pleurodema represent a unique combination of features within Leiuperinae, including three egg-clutch structures, two types of amplexus, and lack of vocalization. Also, some species of Pleurodema have been considered fossorial, because they are capable of digging with their hind-limbs and remaining in self-made burrows during dry seasons. The evolution of characters associated with reproductive biology and fossoriality is discussed in light of the obtained results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiana Paola Ferraro
- División Herpetología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" -CONICET, Ángel Gallardo 470, Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
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7
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Safety Bubbles: A Review of the Proposed Functions of Froth Nesting among Anuran Amphibians. ECOLOGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ecologies2010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The adults of several anuran amphibian species deposit their eggs externally in mucus secretions that are purposely aerated to produce a froth nest. This type of clutch structure has evolved independently several times in this group and has been proposed to serve a variety and often simultaneous adaptive functions associated with protecting offspring from sub-optimal conditions during embryogenesis and later stages after hatching has occurred. These functions range from buffering offspring from sub-optimal temperatures and desiccation, to defending against predation and improving oxygenation. This versatility has likely helped facilitate the reduced reliance of egg development on water and thus the penetration of anurans into environments where permanent aquatic systems are not always available. In this paper, I review the hypothesised functions of the anuran froth nest as a mucus-based solution to the environmental challenges offspring face during development, with consideration of the functions of froth nest breakdown and communal froth nesting, as well.
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8
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Evolutionary kinematics of spinneret movements for rapid silk thread anchorage in spiders. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 207:141-152. [PMID: 33226486 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-020-01453-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Many organisms secrete structural materials from their bodies to enhance protection, foraging or signalling. The function of such secretion products can be further extended by their assembly into complex structures, so-called extended phenotypes, such as shells, nests and biofilms. Understanding the variation in the efficacy of such assembly processes could help to explain why extended phenotypes are common on some lineages and rare in others. Here, I comparatively studied the assembly of sticky silk fibres into thread anchorages by the innate 'printing' behaviour in 92 species of spiders from 45 families, representing the so-far largest comparative study of construction-related motion patterns. I found a global evolutionary trend towards a faster production of silk thread anchorages, in both web builders and hunting spiders. The slowest producers of silk anchors belong to a clade with an ancestral configuration of respiratory organs, suggesting that a major constraint to the evolution of spinning speed is the efficiency of oxygen uptake. Motion patterns were found to contain a high phylogenetic signal, but did not correlate with spinning speeds. These results help to explain the variation in diversity and ecological success among the spider fauna and showcase the value of comparative kinematics in biodiversity studies.
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9
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Cajade R, GarcÍa ML, Pietro DO, Basso NÉG. Behavioral and morphological contrasts on the reproduction of two prolonged breeders of the genus Physalaemus (Anura: Leptodactylidae). AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2020; 92:e20180773. [PMID: 33146272 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202020180773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproduction is one of the main events in the life of an organism, and anurans stand out among vertebrates because of the diversity of their reproductive strategies. We studied the reproduction of two syntopic species, Physalaemus aff. albonotatus and P. santafecinus, and comparatively described their reproductive activity pattern, advertisement calls, calling sites, daily calling activity, amplexus behavior, foam nests, and microhabitats in foam nests. In regards to the reproductive activity pattern, both species were defined as prolonged breeders. However, P. santafecinus exhibited a behavior like explosive breeders: it had a faster reproductive response against rains than P. aff. albonotatus. The calling activity was restricted exclusively to night hours in P. santafecinus, whereas P. aff. albonotatus called during both night and day. The advertisement calls of both species showed a rich harmonic structure, and were characterized by a bimodal harmonic dominance. The species differed significantly in microhabitat calling sites, foam nests, and microhabitats in foam nests. Namely, P. santafecinus frequently called and constructed its nests in sites more exposed than those of P. aff. albonotatus. The general differences in reproductive behaviors observed between the species principally agree with their different reproductive activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Cajade
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste y CONICET, Av. Libertad 5470, CP. 3400, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Mirta L GarcÍa
- Laboratorio de Ictiología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 60 y 122, CP. 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego O Pietro
- Sección Herpetología, División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Av. 122 y 60 s/n, CP. 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - NÉstor G Basso
- Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral - CONICET, Bvd. Brown, 2915, CP. 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
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10
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Schulte LM, Ringler E, Rojas B, Stynoski JL. Developments in Amphibian Parental Care Research: History, Present Advances, and Future Perspectives. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH 2020; 34:71-97. [PMID: 38989507 PMCID: PMC7616153 DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-19-00002.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite rising interest among scientists for over two centuries, parental care behavior has not been as thoroughly studied in amphibians as it has in other taxa. The first reports of amphibian parental care date from the early 18th century, when Maria Sibylla Merian went on a field expedition in Suriname and reported frog metamorphs emerging from their mother's dorsal skin. Reports of this and other parental behaviors in amphibians remained descriptive for decades, often as side notes during expeditions with another purpose. However, since the 1980s, experimental approaches have proliferated, providing detailed knowledge about the adaptive value of observed behaviors. Today, we recognize more than 30 types of parental care in amphibians, but most studies focus on just a few families and have favored anurans over urodeles and caecilians. Here, we provide a synthesis of the last three centuries of parental care research in the three orders comprising the amphibians. We draw attention to the progress from the very first descriptions to the most recent experimental studies, and highlight the importance of natural history observations as a source of new hypotheses and necessary context to interpret experimental findings. We encourage amphibian parental care researchers to diversify their study systems to allow for a more comprehensive perspective of the behaviors that amphibians exhibit. Finally, we uncover knowledge gaps and suggest new avenues of research using a variety of disciplines and approaches that will allow us to better understand the function and evolution of parental care behaviors in this diverse group of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Schulte
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Ringler
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090Vienna, Austria
| | - Bibiana Rojas
- University of Jyvaskyla, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jennifer L. Stynoski
- Colorado State University, Department of Biology, 200 W. Lake Street, Fort Collins, CO, 48823USA
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Universidad de Costa Rica, Dulce Nombre de Coronado, San José, Costa Rica
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11
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Tonini JFR, Ferreira RB, Pyron RA. Specialized breeding in plants affects diversification trajectories in Neotropical frogs. Evolution 2020; 74:1815-1825. [PMID: 32510580 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many animals breed exclusively in plants that accumulate rainwater (phytotelma; e.g., bromeliad, bamboo, fruit husk, and tree hole), to which they are either physiologically or behaviorally specialized for this microhabitat. Of the numerous life-history modes observed in frogs, few are as striking or potentially consequential as the transition from pond- or stream-breeding to the deposition of eggs or larvae in phytotelmata. Such specialization can increase offspring survivorship due to reduced competition and predation, representing potential ecological opportunity for adaptive radiation, yet few lineages of phytotelma-breeding frogs appear to have diversified extensively after such a transition, at least in the New World. We use a phylogeny of Neotropical frogs and data on breeding microhabitat to understand the evolutionary transitions involved with specialized phytotelma-breeding. First, we find that phytotelma-breeding is present in at least 168 species in 10 families of frogs. Across the phylogeny, we estimate 14 origins of phytotelma-breeding and 115 reversals, showing that phytotelma-breeding is a highly labile character. Second, phytotelma-breeding lineages overall have higher net diversification than nonphytotelma-breeding ones. This specialization represents an ecological opportunity resulting in increased diversification in most families with phytotelma-breeding lineages, whereas phytotelma-breeding toads have restricted diversification histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Filipe Riva Tonini
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, 20052.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| | - Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira
- Projeto Bromeligenous, Instituto de Pesquisa, Ensino e Preservação Ambiental Marcos Daniel, Vitória, ES 29056-020, Brazil
| | - R Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, 20052
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12
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Zhang W, Huang L, Li J, Li Y, Wei S, Cai L, Wu H. Transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed genes in the oviduct of Rhacophorus omeimontis provides insights into foam nest construction. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:562. [PMID: 31286852 PMCID: PMC6615284 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5931-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The production of foam nests is one of the strategies that has evolved to allow some anuran species to protect their eggs and larvae. Despite considerable knowledge of the biochemical components of and construction behavior leading to anuran foam nests, little is known about the molecular basis of foam nest construction. Rhacophorus omeimontis presents an arboreal foam-nesting strategy during the breeding season. To better understand the molecular mechanism of foam nest production, transcriptome sequencing was performed using the oviduct of female R. omeimontis during the period when foam nest production began and the period when foam nest production was finished. RESULTS The transcriptomes of six oviduct samples of R. omeimontis were obtained using Illumina sequencing. A total of 84,917 unigenes were obtained, and 433 genes (270 upregulated and 163 downregulated) were differentially expressed between the two periods. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in extracellular space and extracellular region based on Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and in the pathways of two-component system, cell adhesion molecules, steroid hormone biosynthesis and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Specifically, genes encoding lectins, surfactant proteins and immunity components were highly expressed when the foam nest construction began, indicating that the constituents of foam nests in R. omeimontis were likely a mixture of surfactant, lectins and immune defense proteins. During the period when foam nest production was finished, genes related to lipid metabolism, steroid hormone and immune defense were highly expressed, indicating their important roles in regulating the process of foam nesting. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a rich list of potential genes involved in the production of foam nests in R. omeimontis. These results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of foam nest construction and will facilitate further studies of R. omeimontis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
- College of Life Science, Zhengzhou Normal University, Zhengzhou, 450044 China
| | - Li Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
- College of Life Science and Agronomy, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, 466000 China
| | - Jun Li
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
| | - Yinghua Li
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
| | - Shichao Wei
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
| | - Ling Cai
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
| | - Hua Wu
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, International Research Centre of Ecology and Environment, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 China
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13
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Xiang W, Preisig N, Laine C, Hjelt T, Tardy BL, Stubenrauch C, Rojas OJ. Surface Activity and Foaming Capacity of Aggregates Formed between an Anionic Surfactant and Non-Cellulosics Leached from Wood Fibers. Biomacromolecules 2019; 20:2286-2294. [PMID: 31021605 PMCID: PMC6560501 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study relates to the release of non-cellulosic components (cell wall heteropolysaccharides, lignin, and extractives) from swollen wood fibers in the presence of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) at submicellar concentrations. Highly surface-active aggregates form between SDS and the leached, non-cellulosic components, which otherwise do not occur in the presence of cationic or nonionic surfactants. The in situ and efficient generation of liquid foams in the presence of the leached species is demonstrated. The foaming capacity and foam stability, as well as the foam's structure, are determined as a function of the composition of the aqueous suspension. The results indicate that naturally occurring components bound to wood fibers are extractable solely with aqueous solutions of the anionic surfactant. Moreover, they can form surface-active aggregates that have a high foaming capacity. The results further our understanding of residual cell wall components and their role in the generation of foams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchao Xiang
- Bio-Based
Colloids and Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems,
School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, Aalto, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Natalie Preisig
- Institut
für Physikalische Chemie, Universität
Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christiane Laine
- VTT Technical
Research Centre of Finland Limited, P.O.
Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
| | - Tuomo Hjelt
- VTT Technical
Research Centre of Finland Limited, P.O.
Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
| | - Blaise L. Tardy
- Bio-Based
Colloids and Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems,
School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, Aalto, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Cosima Stubenrauch
- Institut
für Physikalische Chemie, Universität
Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Orlando J. Rojas
- Bio-Based
Colloids and Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems,
School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, Aalto, FI-00076 Espoo, Finland
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14
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Abstract
Biological foams contain a cocktail of unusual proteins with diverse properties. Natural foam proteins have surfactant properties equal to or better than conventional detergents. They reveal new physical principles based on conformational change at interfaces. They illustrate alternative surfactant mechanisms not available to conventional detergents. Can act synergistically to form and stabilize bio-compatible, hydrated foam structures.
Foams and surfactants are relatively rare in biology because of their potential to harm cell membranes and other delicate tissues. However, in recent work we have identified and characterized a number of natural surfactant proteins found in the foam nests of tropical frogs and other unusual sources. These proteins, and their associated foams, are relatively stable and bio-compatible, but with intriguing molecular structures that reveal a new class of surfactant activity. Here we review the structures and functional mechanisms of some of these proteins as revealed by experiments involving a range of biophysical and biochemical techniques, with additional mechanistic support coming from more recent site-directed mutagenesis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cooper
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Steven J Vance
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Brian O Smith
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Malcolm W Kennedy
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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15
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Oyamaguchi HM, Vo P, Grewal K, Do R, Erwin E, Jeong N, Tse K, Chen C, Miyake M, Lin A, Gridi-Papp M. Thermal sensitivity of a Neotropical amphibian (Engystomops pustulosus
) and its vulnerability to climate change. Biotropica 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hilton M. Oyamaguchi
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Pacific Vo
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Kiran Grewal
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Robert Do
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Eugene Erwin
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Narin Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Katherine Tse
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Chantelle Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Morgan Miyake
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Alice Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
| | - Marcos Gridi-Papp
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of the Pacific; 3601 Pacific Ave Stockton CA 95211 USA
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16
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Pereira EB, Pinto-Ledezma JN, de Freitas CG, Villalobos F, Collevatti RG, Maciel NM. Evolution of the anuran foam nest: trait conservatism and lineage diversification. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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17
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Hill C, Eastoe J. Foams: From nature to industry. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2017; 247:496-513. [PMID: 28535903 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This article discusses different natural and man-made foams, with particular emphasis on the different modes of formation and stability. Natural foams, such as those produced on the sea or by numerous creatures for nests, are generally stabilised by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) molecules or proteins. In addition to this, foam nests are stabilised by multifunctional mixtures of surfactants and proteins called ranaspumins, which act together to give the required physical and biochemical stability. With regards to industrial foams, the article focuses on how various features of foams are exploited for different industrial applications. Stability of foams will be discussed, with the main focus on how the chemical nature and structure of surfactants, proteins and particles act together to produce long-lived stable foams. Additionally, foam destabilisation is considered, from the perspective of elucidation of the mechanisms of instability determined spectroscopically or by scattering methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Hill
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Eastoe
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
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18
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Narváez AE, Ron SR. Spawning behaviour of Engystomops pustulatus (Anura: Leptodactylidae). J NAT HIST 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2016.1251983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea E. Narváez
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Santiago R. Ron
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
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19
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Abstract
Parental care, including feeding and protection of young, is essential for the survival as well as mental and physical well-being of the offspring. A large variety of parental behaviors has been described across species and sexes, raising fascinating questions about how animals identify the young and how brain circuits drive and modulate parental displays in males and females. Recent studies have begun to uncover a striking antagonistic interplay between brain systems underlying parental care and infant-directed aggression in both males and females, as well as a large range of intrinsic and environmentally driven neural modulation and plasticity. Improved understanding of the neural control of parental interactions in animals should provide novel insights into the complex issue of human parental care in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Dulac
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Lauren A O'Connell
- FAS Center for System Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Zheng Wu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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20
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Hansell MH, Ruxton GD, Ennos AR. Collected and self-secreted building materials and their contributions to compression and tension structures. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Hansell
- Institute of Biodiversity; Animal Health & Comparative Medicine; College of Medical; Veterinary & Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Graeme D. Ruxton
- School of Biology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews KY16 9TH UK
| | - A. Roland Ennos
- School of Biological; Biomedical and Environmental Sciences; The University of Hull; Hull HU6 7RX UK
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21
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Faivovich J, Ferraro DP, Basso NG, Haddad CF, Rodrigues MT, Wheeler WC, Lavilla EO. A phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodema (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, with comments on the evolution of anuran foam nests. Cladistics 2012; 28:460-482. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-0031.2012.00406.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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22
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Elinson RP, del Pino EM. Developmental diversity of amphibians. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2012; 1:345-69. [PMID: 22662314 PMCID: PMC3364608 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The current model amphibian, Xenopus laevis, develops rapidly in water to a tadpole which metamorphoses into a frog. Many amphibians deviate from the X. laevis developmental pattern. Among other adaptations, their embryos develop in foam nests on land or in pouches on their mother's back or on a leaf guarded by a parent. The diversity of developmental patterns includes multinucleated oogenesis, lack of RNA localization, huge non-pigmented eggs, and asynchronous, irregular early cleavages. Variations in patterns of gastrulation highlight the modularity of this critical developmental period. Many species have eliminated the larva or tadpole and directly develop to the adult. The wealth of developmental diversity among amphibians coupled with the wealth of mechanistic information from X. laevis permit comparisons that provide deeper insights into developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P Elinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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23
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Cooper A, Kennedy MW. Biofoams and natural protein surfactants. Biophys Chem 2010; 151:96-104. [PMID: 20615601 PMCID: PMC2954283 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2010.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2010] [Revised: 06/18/2010] [Accepted: 06/18/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Naturally occurring foam constituent and surfactant proteins with intriguing structures and functions are now being identified from a variety of biological sources. The ranaspumins from tropical frog foam nests comprise a range of proteins with a mixture of surfactant, carbohydrate binding and antimicrobial activities that together provide a stable, biocompatible, protective foam environment for developing eggs and embryos. Ranasmurfin, a blue protein from a different species of frog, displays a novel structure with a unique chromophoric crosslink. Latherin, primarily from horse sweat, but with similarities to salivary, oral and upper respiratory tract proteins, illustrates several potential roles for surfactant proteins in mammalian systems. These proteins, together with the previously discovered hydrophobins of fungi, throw new light on biomolecular processes at air-water and other interfaces. This review provides a perspective on these recent findings, focussing on structure and biophysical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cooper
- WestChem Department of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
| | - Malcolm W. Kennedy
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
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