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Zhang X, Chen H, Chen X, Liang A. Genomic and Transcriptomic Insights into the Genetic Basis of Foam Secretion in Rice Spittlebug Callitettix versicolor. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2012. [PMID: 38396690 PMCID: PMC10889267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Many animal species produce protective foams, the majority of which exhibit evolutionary adaptability. Although the function and composition of foams have been widely studied, the genetic basis of foam secretion remains unknown. Unlike most species that produce foam under specific situations, spittlebugs continuously secrete foams throughout all nymphal stages. Here, we capitalize on the rice spittlebug (Callitettix versicolor) to explore the genetic basis of foam secretion through genomic and transcriptomic approaches. Our comparative genomic analysis for C. versicolor and eight other insect species reveals 606 species-specific gene families and 66 expanded gene families, associated with carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. These functions are in accordance with the composition of foams secreted by spittlebugs. Transcriptomic analyses of malpighian tubules across developmental stages detected 3192 differentially expressed genes. Enrichment analysis of these genes highlights functions also revealed by our comparative genomic analysis and aligns with previous histochemical and morphological observations of foam secretion. This consistency suggests the important roles of these candidate genes in foam production. Our study not only provides novel insights into the genetic basis of foam secretion in rice spittlebugs but also contributes valuable knowledge for future evolutionary studies of spittlebugs and the development of pest control strategies for C. versicolor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Aiping Liang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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2
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Krause T, Keshavarzi B, Heitkam S, Ansorge-Schumacher MB. Foam fractionation Tags (F-Tags) enabling surfactant-free, activity-preserving recovery of enzymes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:140. [PMID: 38231394 PMCID: PMC10794386 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Enzymes have become important tools in many industries. However, the full exploitation of their potential is currently limited by a lack of efficient and cost-effective methods for enzyme purification from microbial production. One technology that could solve this problem is foam fractionation. In this study, we show that diverse natural foam-stabilizing proteins fused as F-Tags to β-lactamase, penicillin G acylase, and formate dehydrogenase, respectively, are able to mediate foaming and recovery of the enzymes by foam fractionation. The catalytic activity of all three candidates is largely preserved. Under appropriate fractionation conditions, especially when a wash buffer is used, some F-Tags also allow nearly complete separation of the target enzyme from a contaminating protein. We found that a larger distance between the F-Tag and the target enzyme has a positive effect on the maintenance of catalytic activity. However, we did not identify any particular sequence motifs or physical parameters that influenced performance as an F-tag. The best results were obtained with a short helical F-Tag, which was originally intended to serve only as a linker sequence. The findings of the study suggest that the development of molecular tags that enable the establishment of surfactant-free foam fractionation for enzyme workup is a promising method. KEY POINTS: • Foam-stabilizing proteins mediate activity-preserving foam fractionation of enzymes • Performance as an F-Tag is not restricted to particular structural motifs • Separation from untagged protein benefits from low foam stability and foam washings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Krause
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Behnam Keshavarzi
- Institute of Process Engineering and Environmental Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sascha Heitkam
- Institute of Process Engineering and Environmental Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
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3
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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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4
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Conlon JM, Guilhaudis L, Attoub S, Coquet L, Leprince J, Jouenne T, Mechkarska M. Purification, conformational analysis and cytotoxic activities of host-defense peptides from the Tungara frog Engystomops pustulosus (Leptodactylidae; Leiuperinae). Amino Acids 2023; 55:1349-1359. [PMID: 37548712 PMCID: PMC10689532 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-023-03312-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The amphibian family Leptodactylidae is divided into three sub-families: Leiuperinae, Leptodactylinae, and Paratelmatobiinae. Host-defense peptides (HDPs) present in the skins of frogs belonging to the Leptodactylinae have been studied extensively, but information is limited regarding peptides from Leiuperinae species. Peptidomic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from the Tungara frog Engystomops pustulosus (Leiuperinae) collected in Trinidad led to the isolation and structural characterization of previously undescribed pustulosin-1 (FWKADVKEIG KKLAAKLAEELAKKLGEQ), [Q28E] pustulosin-1 (pustulosin-2), and pustulosin-3 (DWKETAKELLKKIGAKVAQVISDKLNPAPQ). The primary structures of these peptides do not resemble those of previously described frog skin HDPs. In addition, the secretions contained tigerinin-1EP (GCKTYLIEPPVCT) with structural similarity to the tigerinins previously identified in skin secretions from frogs from the family Dicroglossidae. Pustulosin-1 and -3 adopted extended α-helical conformations in 25% trifluoroethanol-water and in the presence of cell membrane models (sodium dodecylsulfate and dodecylphosphocholine micelles). Pustulosin-1 and -3 displayed cytotoxic activity against a range of human tumor-derived cell lines (A549, MDA-MB-231, and HT29), but their therapeutic potential for development into anti-cancer agents is limited by their comparable cytotoxic activity against non-neoplastic human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The peptides also displayed weak antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (MIC = 125 µM) but were inactive against Staphylococcus aureus. Tigerinin-1EP was inactive against both the tumor-derived cells and bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Conlon
- Diabetes Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Laure Guilhaudis
- Laboratoire COBRA (UMR 6014 & FR 3038), INSA de Rouen, CNRS, Université Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Samir Attoub
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Laurent Coquet
- CNRS UAR2026, HeRacLeS-PISSARO PBS UMR 6270, Université Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- CNRS UAR2026, HeRacLeS-PISSARO PBS UMR 6270, Université Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
- INSERM, Normandie Université, NorDiC UMR 1239, HeRacLeS, US 51, PRIMACEN, Université Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Thierry Jouenne
- CNRS UAR2026, HeRacLeS-PISSARO PBS UMR 6270, Université Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Milena Mechkarska
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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Monteiro FAC, Bezerra SGDS, Castro LGZD, Oliveira FADS, Normando LRO, Melo VMM, Hissa DC. Neotropical Frog Foam Nest’s Microbiomes. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11040900. [PMID: 37110323 PMCID: PMC10146838 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphibian foam nests are unique microenvironments that play a crucial role in the development of tadpoles. They contain high levels of proteins and carbohydrates, yet little is known about the impact of their microbiomes on tadpole health. This study provides a first characterization of the microbiome of foam nests from three species of Leptodactylids (Adenomera hylaedactyla, Leptodactylus vastus, and Physalaemus cuvieri) by investigating the DNA extracted from foam nests, adult tissues, soil, and water samples, analyzed via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to gain insight into the factors driving its composition. The results showed that the dominant phyla were proteobacteria, bacteroidetes, and firmicutes, with the most abundant genera being Pseudomonas, Sphingobacterium, and Paenibacillus. The foam nest microbiomes of A. hylaedactyla and P. cuvieri were more similar to each other than to that of L. vastus, despite their phylogenetic distance. The foam nests demonstrated a distinct microbiome that clustered together and separated from the microbiomes of the environment and adult tissue samples. This suggests that the peculiar foam nest composition shapes its microbiome, rather than vertical or horizontal transference forces. We expanded this knowledge into amphibian foam nest microbiomes, highlighting the importance of preserving healthy foam nests for amphibian conservation.
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6
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Krause T, Keshavarzi B, Dressel J, Heitkam S, Ansorge-Schumacher MB. Rsn-2-mediated directed foam enrichment of β-lactamase. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2200271. [PMID: 35933602 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202200271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Today, the availability of methods for the activity-preserving and cost-efficient downstream processing of enzymes forms a major bottleneck to the use of these valuable tools in technical processes. A promising technology appears to be foam fractionation, which utilizes the adsorption of proteins at a gas-liquid interface. However, the employment of surfactants and the dependency of the applicability on individual properties of the target molecules are considerable drawbacks. Here, we demonstrate that a reversible fusion of the large, surface-active protein Ranaspumin-2 (Rsn-2) to a β-lactamase enabled both surfactant-free formation of a stable foam and directed enrichment of the enzyme by the foaming. At the same time, β-lactamase maintained 70% of its catalytic activity, which was in stark contrast to the enzyme without fusion to Rsn-2. Rsn-2 predominantly mediated adsorption. Comparable results were obtained after fusion to the structurally more complex penicillin G acylase as the target enzyme. The results indicate that using a surface-active protein as a fusion tag might be the clue to the establishment of foam fractionation as a general method for enzyme downstream processing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Krause
- Chair of Molecular Biotechnology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Behnam Keshavarzi
- Institute of Process Engineering and Environmental Technology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Institute of Fluid Dynamics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jannes Dressel
- Chair of Molecular Biotechnology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sascha Heitkam
- Institute of Process Engineering and Environmental Technology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Institute of Fluid Dynamics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
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7
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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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8
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McGrath-Blaser S, Steffen M, Grafe TU, Torres-Sánchez M, McLeod DS, Muletz-Wolz CR. Early life skin microbial trajectory as a function of vertical and environmental transmission in Bornean foam-nesting frogs. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:83. [PMID: 34930504 PMCID: PMC8686334 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00147-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amphibian skin microbiome is an important mediator of host health and serves as a potential source of undiscovered scientifically significant compounds. However, the underlying modalities of how amphibian hosts obtain their initial skin-associated microbiome remains unclear. Here, we explore microbial transmission patterns in foam-nest breeding tree frogs from Southeast Asia (Genus: Polypedates) whose specialized breeding strategy allows for better delineation between vertically and environmentally derived microbes. To facilitate this, we analyzed samples associated with adult frog pairs taken after mating-including adults of each sex, their foam nests, environments, and tadpoles before and after environmental interaction-for the bacterial communities using DNA metabarcoding data (16S rRNA). Samples were collected from frogs in-situ in Brunei, Borneo, a previously unsampled region for amphibian-related microbial diversity. RESULTS Adult frogs differed in skin bacterial communities among species, but tadpoles did not differ among species. Foam nests had varying bacterial community composition, most notably in the nests' moist interior. Nest interior bacterial communities were discrete for each nest and overall displayed a narrower diversity compared to the nest exteriors. Tadpoles sampled directly from the foam nest displayed a bacterial composition less like the nest interior and more similar to that of the adults and nest exterior. After one week of pond water interaction the tadpole skin microbiome shifted towards the tadpole skin and pond water microbial communities being more tightly coupled than between tadpoles and the internal nest environment, but not to the extent that the skin microbiome mirrored the pond bacterial community. CONCLUSIONS Both vertical influence and environmental interaction play a role in shaping the tadpole cutaneous microbiome. Interestingly, the interior of the foam nest had a distinct bacterial community from the tadpoles suggesting a limited environmental effect on tadpole cutaneous bacterial selection at initial stages of life. The shift in the tadpole microbiome after environmental interaction indicates an interplay between underlying host and ecological mechanisms that drive community formation. This survey serves as a baseline for further research into the ecology of microbial transmission in aquatic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah McGrath-Blaser
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 421 Carr Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
| | - Morgan Steffen
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Dr, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA
| | - T. Ulmar Grafe
- Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong, BE 1410 Brunei
| | - María Torres-Sánchez
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 421 Carr Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
| | - David S. McLeod
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Dr, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 USA
| | - Carly R. Muletz-Wolz
- Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Conservation Genomics, 3001 Connecticut Ave., Washington, DC 20008 USA
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Brozio S, O'Shaughnessy EM, Woods S, Hall-Barrientos I, Martin PE, Kennedy MW, Lamprou DA, Hoskisson PA. Frog nest foams exhibit pharmaceutical foam-like properties. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210048. [PMID: 34527266 PMCID: PMC8424294 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Foams have frequently been used as systems for the delivery of cosmetic and therapeutic molecules; however, there is high variability in the foamability and long-term stability of synthetic foams. The development of pharmaceutical foams that exhibit desirable foaming properties, delivering appropriate amounts of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and that have excellent biocompatibility is of great interest. The production of stable foams is rare in the natural world; however, certain species of frogs have adopted foam production as a means of providing a protective environment for their eggs and larvae from predators and parasites, to prevent desiccation, to control gaseous exchange, to buffer temperature extremes, and to reduce UV damage. These foams show great stability (up to 10 days in tropical environments) and are highly biocompatible due to the sensitive nature of amphibian skin. This work demonstrates for the first time that nests of the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) are stable ex situ with useful physiochemical and biocompatible properties and are capable of encapsulating a range of compounds, including antibiotics. These protein foam mixtures share some properties with pharmaceutical foams and may find utility in a range of pharmaceutical applications such as topical drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Brozio
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
| | - Erin M. O'Shaughnessy
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, G4 OBA, UK
| | - Stuart Woods
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
| | - Ivan Hall-Barrientos
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
| | - Patricia E. Martin
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, G4 OBA, UK
| | - Malcolm W. Kennedy
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Dimitrios A. Lamprou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Paul A. Hoskisson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
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10
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Shigeri Y, Nakata M, Kubota HY, Tomari N, Yamamoto Y, Uegaki K, Haramoto Y, Bumb C, Tanaka Y, Kinumi T, Inagaki H. Identification of Novel Proteins in Foam Nests of the Japanese Forest Green Tree Frog, Rhacophorus arboreus. Zoolog Sci 2021; 38:8-19. [PMID: 33639713 DOI: 10.2108/zs200113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Foam nests of frogs are natural biosurfactants that contain potential compounds for biocompatible materials, Drug Delivery System (DDS), emulsifiers, and bioremediation. To elucidate the protein components in the foam nests of Rhacophorus arboreus, which is an endemic Japanese frog species commonly seen during the rainy season, we performed amino acid analysis, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry using intact foam nests. Many proteins were detected in these foam nests, ranging from a few to several hundred kDa, with both essential and non-essential amino acids. Next, we performed transcriptome analysis using a next-generation sequencer on total RNAs extracted from oviducts before egg-laying. The soluble foam nests were purified by LC-MS and analyzed using Edman degradation, and the identified N-terminal sequences were matched to the transcriptome data. Four proteins that shared significant sequence homologies with extracellular superoxide dismutase of Nanorana parkeri, vitelline membrane outer layer protein 1 homolog of Xenopus tropicalis, ranasmurfin of Polypedates leucomystax, and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin of Sorex araneus were identified. Prior to purification of the foam nests, they were treated with both a reducing reagent and an alkylating agent, and LC-MS/ MS analyses were performed. We identified 22 proteins in the foam nests that were homologous with proteinase inhibitors, ribonuclease, glycoproteins, antimicrobial protein and barrier, immunoglobulin-binding proteins, glycoprotein binding protein, colored protein, and keratin-associated protein. The presence of these proteins in foam nests, along with small molecules, such as carbohydrates and sugars, would protect them against microbial and parasitic attack, oxidative stress, and a shortage of moisture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Shigeri
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641-0011, Japan,
| | - Makoto Nakata
- Peptide Institute, Inc., Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Y Kubota
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Naohiro Tomari
- Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8813, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Yamamoto
- Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8813, Japan
| | - Koichi Uegaki
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Haramoto
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Chloe Bumb
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641-0011, Japan.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67401, Illkirch, Cedex, France
| | - Yoshie Tanaka
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641-0011, Japan
| | - Tomoya Kinumi
- Research Institute for Material and Chemical Measurement, National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba C-3, Ibaraki 305-8563, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Inagaki
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
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11
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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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12
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Sharma S, Mahajan S, Sunsunwal S, Khairnar A, Ramya TNC. Amino acid residues important for D-galactose recognition by the F-type lectin, Ranaspumin-4. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 532:54-59. [PMID: 32819714 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.08.033] [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: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
F-type lectins are typically L-fucose binding proteins with characteristic L-fucose-binding and calcium-binding sequence motifs, and an F-type lectin fold. An exception is Ranaspumin-4, an F-type lectin of the Tungra frog, Engystomops pustulosus. Ranaspumin-4 is D-galactose specific and does not bind to L-fucose although it has the conserved L-fucose binding sequence motif and shares overall sequence similarity with other F-type lectins. Here, we report the detailed glycan-binding profile of wild-type Ranaspumin-4 using hemagglutination inhibition assays, flow cytometry assays and enzyme-linked lectin assays, and identify residues important for D-galactose recognition using rational site-directed mutagenesis. We demonstrate that Ranaspumin-4 binds to terminal D-galactose in α or β linkage with preference for α1-3, α1-4, β1-3, and β1-4 linkages. Further, we find that a methionine residue (M31) in Ranaspumin-4 that occurs in place of a conserved Gln residue (in other F-type lectins), supports D-galactose recognition. Resides Q42 and F156 also likely aid in D-galactose recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailza Sharma
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India
| | - Sonal Mahajan
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India
| | - Sonali Sunsunwal
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India
| | - Aasawari Khairnar
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India
| | - T N C Ramya
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39-A, Chandigarh, 160036, India.
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13
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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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14
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Moreira LFB, Castilhos HZ, Castroviejo‐Fisher S. Something is not quite right: Effects of two land uses on anuran diversity in subtropical grasslands. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Felipe Bairos Moreira
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade Instituto de Biociências UFMT—Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Cuiabá Brazil
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15
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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 MONOGRAPHS 2020. [DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-19-00002.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Schulte
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Ringler
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, 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, 48823 USA
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16
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Campos-Cerda F, Bohannan BJM. The Nidobiome: A Framework for Understanding Microbiome Assembly in Neonates. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:573-582. [PMID: 32360079 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The importance of microbial associations to animals' development, physiology, and fitness is widely recognized. In most animals, these microbial associations must be developed anew with every generation, making microbiome assembly a critical ecological and evolutionary process. To fully understand neonate microbial colonization, we need to study the interacting effects of neonate, parents, nest, and external environment. We propose an integrative approach based on the concept of the 'nidobiome', a new unit of microbiome-host interactions, which brings together these key elements. We discuss the contribution of each element on microbial colonization at different stages of host development, and we provide a framework based on key developmental events to compare microbiome assembly across animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Campos-Cerda
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Biology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405, USA.
| | - Brendan J M Bohannan
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Biology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97405, USA
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17
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Byrne PG, Gaitan‐Espitia JD, Silla AJ. Genetic benefits of extreme sequential polyandry in a terrestrial‐breeding frog. Evolution 2019; 73:1972-1985. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Phillip G. Byrne
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia 2522
| | - Juan Diego Gaitan‐Espitia
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Rd Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Aimee J. Silla
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia 2522
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18
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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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19
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Molecular simulation of protein adsorption and conformation at gas-liquid, liquid–liquid and solid–liquid interfaces. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2018.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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20
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Ituarte S, Brola TR, Dreon MS, Sun J, Qiu JW, Heras H. Non-digestible proteins and protease inhibitors: implications for defense of the colored eggs of the freshwater apple snailPomacea canaliculata. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Apple snails (Pomacea Perry, 1810) are successful invaders that cause ecological perturbations, economic losses, and medical issues. A peculiar trait of this snail is a high biological potential, related to the absence of predators of their eggs. Eggs show protease inhibitor (PI) activity, originally ascribed to PcOvo perivitellin in the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822) but absent in PmPV1, the orthologoue of PcOvo, in eggs of the apple snail Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810. As egg fluid diminishes rat growth rate, an antidigestive effect, similar to plant defenses against herbivory, was hypothesized. However, PI activity has not been characterized in apple snail eggs. Here we identify and partially characterize P. canaliculata egg PI and improve our knowledge of the quaternary structure and evolution of PcOvo. Through N-terminal, transcriptomic or proteomic sequencing, and biochemical validation, we identified a Kunitz-type and a Kazal-type inhibitor that, though at low concentration in the egg, exhibit strong PI activity against trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, and subtilisin. Additionally, we report three new subunits for the non-digestible storage protein PcOvo. They are likely products of ancient gene duplication, as their sequences exhibit moderate similarity (30%). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Kazal-type inhibition among invertebrate eggs. Inhibiting varied proteases, PI seems an efficient adaptive trait that limits predator’s capacity to digest egg nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Ituarte
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata – CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Tabata Romina Brola
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata – CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Marcos Sebastián Dreon
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata – CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
- Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina
| | - Jin Sun
- Division of life science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Horacio Heras
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata – CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
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21
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Cotter SC, Pincheira-Donoso D, Thorogood R. Defences against brood parasites from a social immunity perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180207. [PMID: 30967090 PMCID: PMC6388036 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic interactions are so ubiquitous that all multicellular organisms have evolved a system of defences to reduce their costs, whether the parasites they encounter are the classic parasites which feed on the individual, or brood parasites which usurp parental care. Many parallels have been drawn between defences deployed against both types of parasite, but typically, while defences against classic parasites have been selected to protect survival, those against brood parasites have been selected to protect the parent's inclusive fitness, suggesting that the selection pressures they impose are fundamentally different. However, there is another class of defences against classic parasites that have specifically been selected to protect an individual's inclusive fitness, known as social immunity. Social immune responses include the anti-parasite defences typically provided for others in kin-structured groups, such as the antifungal secretions produced by termite workers to protect the brood. Defences against brood parasites, therefore, are more closely aligned with social immune responses. Much like social immunity, host defences against brood parasitism are employed by a donor (a parent) for the benefit of one or more recipients (typically kin), and as with social defences against classic parasites, defences have therefore evolved to protect the donor's inclusive fitness, not the survival or ultimately the fitness of individual recipients This can lead to severe conflicts between the different parties, whose interests are not always aligned. Here, we consider defences against brood parasitism in the light of social immunity, at different stages of parasite encounter, addressing where conflicts occur and how they might be resolved. We finish with considering how this approach could help us to address longstanding questions in our understanding of brood parasitism. This article is part of the theme issue 'The coevolutionary biology of brood parasitism: from mechanism to pattern'.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. C. Cotter
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UK
| | - D. Pincheira-Donoso
- Department of Biosciences, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG1 8NS, UK
| | - R. Thorogood
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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Mahajan S, Ramya TNC. F-type Lectin Domains: Provenance, Prevalence, Properties, Peculiarities, and Potential. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1112:345-363. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-3065-0_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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23
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Gould J. Build me up to break me down: frothed spawn in the sandpaper frog, Lechriodus fletcheri, is formed by female parents and later broken down by their offspring. AUST J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/zo20038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Several genera of anuran amphibians deposit their eggs within mucous secretions that have been aerated by the parents to produce a foam or bubble spawn body. This is a dynamic medium for embryo development given that it gradually breaks down over time, and one that has been hypothesised to serve a variety of purposes including protecting embryos from external stresses, such as suboptimal temperatures, desiccation and predation. In this study, I provide additional details of bubble spawn production in the sandpaper frog, Lechriodus fletcheri. Field and laboratory observations showed that females aerate spawn while in inguinal amplexus, using flanged fingers to transport air bubbles into the mucous. While the frothed spawn is initially resistant to breakdown, it gradually loses bubbles and flattens out into a film. This temporal shift in structure is likely to be adaptive, as the resultant increase in surface area allows embryos to come in direct contact with the open water, which may accommodate their increased oxygen demands or ease extrication from the mass. I provide evidence that this process is controlled by the residing embryos, given that spawn in the absence of embryos does not break down, highlighting the ability of offspring to modify their immediate environment even before hatching occurs to ensure conditions remain suitable for their changing needs.
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Khairnar A, Sharma S, Bishnoi R, Ramya TNC. Effect of naturally occurring variations of the F-type lectin sequence motif on glycan binding: studies on F-type lectin domains with typical and atypical sequence motifs. IUBMB Life 2018; 71:385-397. [PMID: 30566276 DOI: 10.1002/iub.1994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The typical F-type lectin domain (FLD) has an L-fucose-binding motif [HX(26)RXDX(4)R/K] with conserved basic residues that mediate hydrogen bonding with alpha-L-fucose. About one-third of the nonredundant FLD sequences in the publicly available databases are "atypical"; they have motifs with substitutions of these critical residues and/or variations in motif length. We addressed the question if atypical FLDs with substitutions of the critical residues retain lectin activity by performing site-directed mutagenesis and assessing the glycan-binding functions of typical and atypical FLDs. Site directed mutagenesis of an L-fucose-binding FLD from Streptosporangium roseum indicated that the critical His residue could be replaced by Ser and the second Arg by Lys without complete loss of lectin activity. Mutagenesis of His to other naturally substituting residues and mutagenesis of the first Arg to the naturally substituting residues, Lys, Ile, Ser, or Cys, resulted in loss of lectin activity. Glycan binding analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of atypical FLDs from Actinomyces turicensis, and Saccharomonospora cyanea confirmed that Ser and Thr can assume the L-fucose-binding role of the critical His, and further suggested that the residue in this position is dispensable in certain FLDs. We identified, by sequence and structural analysis of atypical FLDs, a Glu residue in the complementarity determining region, CDR5 that compensates for a lack of the critical His or other appropriate polar residue in this position. We propose that FLDs lacking a typical FLD sequence motif might nevertheless retain lectin activity through the recruitment of other strategically positioned polar residues in the CDR loops. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 71(3):385-397, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shailza Sharma
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, 160036, India
| | - Ritika Bishnoi
- Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, 160036, India
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Giglio M, Garro C, Caviedes-Vidal E, Heras H. Egg perivitelline fluid of the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata affects mice gastrointestinal function and morphology. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5314. [PMID: 30397537 PMCID: PMC6211264 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Species beloging to the genus Pomacea (Ampullariidae), often referred as apple snails, are freshwater, amphibious snails native to South, Central and North America. Some species such as P. canaliculata have become a driver of ecosystem changes in wetlands and an important rice and taro pest after its introduction to Asia and other parts of the world. Females deposit colored egg clutches above the waterline, a reproductive strategy that exposes the eggs to harsh conditions and terrestrial predation. However, eggs have no reported predators in their native range, probably because of the acquisition of unparalleled biochemical defenses provided by a set of proteins (perivitellins) that nourish embryos and protect them from predators and abiotic factors. Notably, ingestion of egg perivitelline fluid (PVF) decreases rat growth rate and alters their gastrointestinal morphology. The aim of the study is to determine the effect of apple snail egg PVF on mice gut digestive activity, morphology and nutrient absorption. Methods Carbohydrate digestion by intestinal disaccharidases (sucrase-isomaltase and maltase-glucoamylase) was evaluated ex vivo in mice gavaged with 1 or 4 doses of PVF. Changes in gut morphological and absorptive surface were measured. In addition, alteration on nutrient absorption rates, transport pathways and intestinal permeability was evaluated by luminal perfusions of small intestine with radiolabeled L-proline (absorbed by paracellular and transcellular pathways) and L-arabinose (absorbed exclusively by paracellular pathway). Results Perivitelline fluid affected mice displayed significant morphological changes in the small intestine epithelium inducing the appearance of shorter and wider villi as well as fused villi. This resulted in a diminished absorptive surface, notably in the proximal portion. Likewise, the activity of disaccharidases diminished in the proximal portion of the intestine. Total absorption of L-proline increased in treated mice in a dose-dependent manner. There were no differences neither in the ratio of paracellular-to-transcellular absorption of L-proline nor in gut permeability as revealed by the clearance of L-arabinose. Discussion Oral administration of apple snail PVF to mice adversely alters gut morphophysiology by reducing the intestinal absorptive surface, affecting enzymes of sugar metabolism and increasing the absorption rate of nutrients without affecting the relative contribution of the absorption pathways or gut permeability. These results further support the role of PVF in passive anti-predator defenses in Pomacea snail eggs that target the digestive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Giglio
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas y Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Cintia Garro
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis (IMIBIO-SL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas y Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Enrique Caviedes-Vidal
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Biológicas de San Luis (IMIBIO-SL), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas y Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.,Departamento de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Horacio Heras
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas y Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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Jenab E, Omidghane M, Mussone P, Armada DH, Cartmell J, Montemagno C. Enzymatic conversion of lactose into galacto-oligosaccharides: The effect of process parameters, kinetics, foam architecture, and product characterization. J FOOD ENG 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2017.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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27
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Abstract
Insects have evolved multiple mechanisms to adapt to variations in environmental temperatures, including postural control of solar input, variations in diurnal activity, external morphological structures and selecting/generating microhabitats. Foam produced by Mahanarva fimbriolata nymphs (also known as root spittlebugs) was found to aid in creating a constant thermal microhabitat despite environmental temperature fluctuations. The temperature within the foam was found to be similar to that of soil during the day and remained constant despite fluctuating external temperatures. In chemically analysing the composition of the foam, palmitic and stearic acids, carbohydrates and proteins were detected. These substances have previously been shown to act as a surfactant to stabilize and modulate foams. Since the immature ancestor of the spittlebug developed below ground, it is speculated that the foam may function as an ‘extension’ of the soil and, thus, may have enabled the spittlebug to emerge from the soil and adopt an epigean lifestyle.
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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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29
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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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30
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Pasquevich MY, Dreon MS, Qiu JW, Mu H, Heras H. Convergent evolution of plant and animal embryo defences by hyperstable non-digestible storage proteins. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15848. [PMID: 29158565 PMCID: PMC5696525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16185-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants have evolved sophisticated embryo defences by kinetically-stable non-digestible storage proteins that lower the nutritional value of seeds, a strategy that have not been reported in animals. To further understand antinutritive defences in animals, we analysed PmPV1, massively accumulated in the eggs of the gastropod Pomacea maculata, focusing on how its structure and structural stability features affected its capacity to withstand passage through predator guts. The native protein withstands >50 min boiling and resists the denaturing detergent sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), indicating an unusually high structural stability (i.e., kinetic stability). PmPV1 is highly resistant to in vitro proteinase digestion and displays structural stability between pH 2.0-12.0 and 25-85 °C. Furthermore, PmPV1 withstands in vitro and mice digestion and is recovered unchanged in faeces, supporting an antinutritive defensive function. Subunit sequence similarities suggest a common origin and tolerance to mutations. This is the first known animal genus that, like plant seeds, lowers the nutritional value of eggs by kinetically-stable non-digestible storage proteins that survive the gut of predators unaffected. The selective pressure of the harsh gastrointestinal environment would have favoured their appearance, extending by convergent evolution the presence of plant-like hyperstable antinutritive proteins to unattended reproductive stages in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Yanina Pasquevich
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - CONICET CCT-La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, Argentina
| | - Marcos Sebastián Dreon
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - CONICET CCT-La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, Argentina
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Huawei Mu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Horacio Heras
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - CONICET CCT-La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. .,Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, Argentina.
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31
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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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32
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Mahajan S, Khairnar A, Bishnoi R, Ramya T. Microbial F-type lectin domains with affinity for blood group antigens. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 491:708-713. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.07.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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33
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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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34
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Morris RJ, Brandani GB, Desai V, Smith BO, Schor M, MacPhee CE. The Conformation of Interfacially Adsorbed Ranaspumin-2 Is an Arrested State on the Unfolding Pathway. Biophys J 2017; 111:732-742. [PMID: 27558717 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ranaspumin-2 (Rsn-2) is a surfactant protein found in the foam nests of the túngara frog. Previous experimental work has led to a proposed model of adsorption that involves an unusual clam-shell-like unhinging of the protein at an interface. Interestingly, there is no concomitant denaturation of the secondary structural elements of Rsn-2 with the large-scale transformation of its tertiary structure. In this work we use both experiment and simulation to better understand the driving forces underpinning this unusual process. We develop a modified Gō-model approach where we have included explicit representation of the side chains to realistically model the interaction between the secondary structure elements of the protein and the interface. Doing so allows for the study of the underlying energy landscape that governs the mechanism of Rsn-2 interfacial adsorption. Experimentally, we study targeted mutants of Rsn-2, using the Langmuir trough, pendant drop tensiometry, and circular dichroism, to demonstrate that the clam-shell model is correct. We find that Rsn-2 adsorption is in fact a two-step process: the hydrophobic N-terminal tail recruits the protein to the interface after which Rsn-2 undergoes an unfolding transition that maintains its secondary structure. Intriguingly, our simulations show that the conformation Rsn-2 adopts at an interface is an arrested state along the denaturation pathway. More generally, our computational model should prove a useful, and computationally efficient, tool in studying the dynamics and energetics of protein-interface interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Morris
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Vibhuti Desai
- School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Brian O Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marieke Schor
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cait E MacPhee
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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35
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36
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Sunde M, Pham CLL, Kwan AH. Molecular Characteristics and Biological Functions of Surface-Active and Surfactant Proteins. Annu Rev Biochem 2017; 86:585-608. [PMID: 28125290 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-061516-044847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Many critical biological processes take place at hydrophobic:hydrophilic interfaces, and a wide range of organisms produce surface-active proteins and peptides that reduce surface and interfacial tension and mediate growth and development at these boundaries. Microorganisms produce both small lipid-associated peptides and amphipathic proteins that allow growth across water:air boundaries, attachment to surfaces, predation, and improved bioavailability of hydrophobic substrates. Higher-order organisms produce surface-active proteins with a wide variety of functions, including the provision of protective foam environments for vulnerable reproductive stages, evaporative cooling, and gas exchange across airway membranes. In general, the biological functions supported by these diverse polypeptides require them to have an amphipathic nature, and this is achieved by a diverse range of molecular structures, with some proteins undergoing significant conformational change or intermolecular association to generate the structures that are surface active.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Sunde
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences and Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; ,
| | - Chi L L Pham
- Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences and Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; ,
| | - Ann H Kwan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
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37
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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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38
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Giglio M, Ituarte S, Pasquevich M, Heras H. The eggs of the apple snail Pomacea maculata are defended by indigestible polysaccharides and toxic proteins. CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The freshwater snails Pomacea Perry, 1810 lay conspicuous aerial egg clutches that are ignored by most predators. Egg biochemical defenses in the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822) are provided by multifunctional proteins. We analyzed the eggs of a sympatric species, Pomacea maculata Perry, 1810, studying the gross composition, toxicity, hemagglutinating activity, and its antinutritive and antidigestive properties. Eggs are mostly composed of polysaccharides (mainly galactogen) and proteins, followed by lipids and nonsoluble calcium. Two perivitellins account for ∼85% dry mass of the egg protein. The major lipids are phospholipids and sterols. A suite of potential defenses was determined, including strong lethal neurotoxicity on mice and moderate antidigestive and lectin activities. Remarkably, their polysaccharides were refractive to in vitro digestion by digestive glycosidases. This study characterized ∼99% of egg composition and identified multiple potential defenses, provided not only by proteins but also by polysaccharides. This is the first evidence to our knowledge that reserve sugars may be involved in defenses, giving further insight into the unusual reproductive strategy of these well-defended snail eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.L. Giglio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) – CONICET CCT – La Plata, Avenida 60 y 120, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, La Plata, Avenida 122 y 60, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
| | - S. Ituarte
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) – CONICET CCT – La Plata, Avenida 60 y 120, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
| | - M.Y. Pasquevich
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) – CONICET CCT – La Plata, Avenida 60 y 120, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
- Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNLP, Avenida 60 y 120, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
| | - H. Heras
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) – CONICET CCT – La Plata, Avenida 60 y 120, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
- Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, Avenida 122 y 60, C.P. 1900, La Plata, Argentina
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39
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Rodrigues M, Ostermann T, Kremeser L, Lindner H, Beisel C, Berezikov E, Hobmayer B, Ladurner P. Profiling of adhesive-related genes in the freshwater cnidarian Hydra magnipapillata by transcriptomics and proteomics. BIOFOULING 2016; 32:1115-1129. [PMID: 27661452 PMCID: PMC5080974 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2016.1233325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The differentiated ectodermal basal disc cells of the freshwater cnidarian Hydra secrete proteinaceous glue to temporarily attach themselves to underwater surfaces. Using transcriptome sequencing and a basal disc-specific RNA-seq combined with in situ hybridisation a highly specific set of candidate adhesive genes was identified. A de novo transcriptome assembly of 55,849 transcripts (>200 bp) was generated using paired-end and single reads from Illumina libraries constructed from different polyp conditions. Differential transcriptomics and spatial gene expression analysis by in situ hybridisation allowed the identification of 40 transcripts exclusively expressed in the ectodermal basal disc cells. Comparisons after mass spectrometry analysis of the adhesive secretion showed a total of 21 transcripts to be basal disc specific and eventually secreted through basal disc cells. This is the first study to survey adhesion-related genes in Hydra. The candidate list presented in this study provides a platform for unravelling the molecular mechanism of underwater adhesion of Hydra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Rodrigues
- Institute of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Ostermann
- Institute of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Leopold Kremeser
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Eugene Berezikov
- ERIBA, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bert Hobmayer
- Institute of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Ladurner
- Institute of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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40
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Hissa DC, Bezerra WM, Freitas CDTD, Ramos MV, Lopes JLDS, Beltramini LM, Roberto IJ, Cascon P, Melo VMM. Frog Foam Nest Protein Diversity and Synthesis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 325:425-33. [PMID: 27460953 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Some amphibian species have developed a breeding strategy in which they deposit their eggs in stable foam nests to protect their eggs and larvae. The frog foam nests are rich in proteins (ranaspumin), especially surfactant proteins, involved in the production of the foam nest. Despite the ecological importance of the foam nests for evolution and species conservation, the biochemical composition, the long-term stability and even the origin of the components are still not completely understood. Recently we showed that Lv-RSN-1, a 23.5-kDa surfactant protein isolated from the nest of the frog Leptodacylus vastus, presents a structural conformation distinct from any protein structures yet reported. So, in the current study we aimed to reveal the protein composition of the foam nest of L. vastus and further characterize the Lv-RSN-1. Proteomic analysis showed the foam nest contains more than 100 of proteins, and that Lv-RSN-1 comprises 45% of the total proteins, suggesting a key role in the nest construction and stability. We demonstrated by Western blotting that Lv-RSN-1 is mainly produced only by the female in the pars convoluta dilata, which highlights the importance of the female preservation for conservation of species that depend on the production of foam nests in the early stages of development. Overall, our results showed the foam nest of L. vastus is composed of a great diversity of proteins and that besides Lv-RSN-1, the main protein in the foam, other proteins must have a coadjuvant role in building and stability of the nest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Cavalcante Hissa
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
| | - Walderly Melgaço Bezerra
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | | | - Márcio Viana Ramos
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará Av. Humberto Monte, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - José Luiz De Souza Lopes
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Cidade Universitária, Rua do Matão, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leila Maria Beltramini
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Igor Joventino Roberto
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Departamento de Biologia, Avenida General Rodrigo Octávio, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
| | - Paulo Cascon
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Vânia Maria Maciel Melo
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
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41
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Schor M, Reid JL, MacPhee CE, Stanley-Wall NR. The Diverse Structures and Functions of Surfactant Proteins. Trends Biochem Sci 2016; 41:610-620. [PMID: 27242193 PMCID: PMC4929970 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2016.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Surface tension at liquid–air interfaces is a major barrier that needs to be surmounted by a wide range of organisms; surfactant and interfacially active proteins have evolved for this purpose. Although these proteins are essential for a variety of biological processes, our understanding of how they elicit their function has been limited. However, with the recent determination of high-resolution 3D structures of several examples, we have gained insight into the distinct shapes and mechanisms that have evolved to confer interfacial activity. It is now a matter of harnessing this information, and these systems, for biotechnological purposes. Interfacially active proteins fulfill a wide range of biological functions in organisms ranging from bacteria and fungi to mammals. Their physicochemical properties make interfacially active proteins attractive for biotechnological applications; for example, as coatings on nanodevices or medical implants and as emulsifiers in food and personal-care products. High-resolution 3D structures show that the mechanisms by which interfacially active proteins achieve their function are highly diverse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke Schor
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jack L Reid
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Cait E MacPhee
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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42
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Aqueous solubilization of C60 fullerene by natural protein surfactants, latherin and ranaspumin-2. Biophys Chem 2016; 214-215:27-32. [PMID: 27214760 PMCID: PMC4906151 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2016.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
C60 fullerene is not soluble in water and dispersion usually requires organic solvents, sonication or vigorous mechanical mixing. However, we show here that mixing of pristine C60 in water with natural surfactant proteins latherin and ranaspumin-2 (Rsn-2) at low concentrations yields stable aqueous dispersions with spectroscopic properties similar to those previously obtained by more vigorous methods. Particle sizes are significantly smaller than those achieved by mechanical dispersion alone, and concentrations are compatible with clusters approximating 1:1 protein:C60 stoichiometry. These proteins can also be adsorbed onto more intractable carbon nanotubes. This promises to be a convenient way to interface a range of hydrophobic nanoparticles and related materials with biological macromolecules, with potential to exploit the versatility of recombinant protein engineering in the development of nano-bio interface devices. It also has potential consequences for toxicological aspects of these and similar nanoparticles.
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43
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Duarte A, Cotter SC, Reavey CE, Ward RJS, De Gasperin O, Kilner RM. Social immunity of the family: parental contributions to a public good modulated by brood size. Evol Ecol 2015; 30:123-135. [PMID: 26900202 PMCID: PMC4750363 DOI: 10.1007/s10682-015-9806-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Social immunity refers to any immune defence that benefits others, besides the individual that mounts the response. Since contributions to social immunity are known to be personally costly, they are contributions to a public good. However, individuals vary in their contributions to this public good and it is unclear why. Here we investigate whether they are responding to contributions made by others with experiments on burying beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides) families. In this species, females, males and larvae each contribute to social immunity through the application of antimicrobial exudates upon the carrion breeding resource. We show experimentally that mothers reduce their contributions to social immunity when raising large broods, and test two contrasting hypotheses to explain why. Either mothers are treating social immunity as a public good, investing less in social immunity when their offspring collectively contribute more, or mothers are trading off investment in social immunity with investment in parental care. Overall, our experiments yield no evidence to support the existence of a trade-off between social immunity and other parental care traits: we found no evidence of a trade-off in terms of time allocated to each activity, nor did the relationship between social immunity and brood size change with female condition. Instead, and consistent with predictions from models of public goods games, we found that higher quality mothers contributed more to social immunity. Therefore our results suggest that mothers are playing a public goods game with their offspring to determine their personal contribution to the defence of the carrion breeding resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Duarte
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Sheena C Cotter
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, BT9 7BL UK ; School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS UK
| | - Catherine E Reavey
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Rd, Belfast, BT9 7BL UK
| | - Richard J S Ward
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Ornela De Gasperin
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Rebecca M Kilner
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
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44
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Frey SL, Todd J, Wurtzler E, Strelez CR, Wendell D. A non-foaming proteosurfactant engineered from Ranaspumin-2. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2015; 133:239-45. [PMID: 26117804 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Advances in biological surfactant proteins have already yielded a diverse range of benefits from dramatically improved survival rates for premature births to artificial photosynthesis. Presented here is the design, development, and analysis of a novel biosurfactant protein we call Surfactant Resisting Foam formatioN (SRFN). Starting with the Tungara frog's foam forming protein Ranaspumin-2, we have engineered a new surfactant protein with a destabilized hinge region to alter the kinetics and equilibrium of the protein structural transition from aqueous globular form to an extended surfactant structure at the air/water interface. SRFN is capable of approximately the same total surface tension reduction, but with the unique property of forming quickly collapsible foams. The difference in foam formation is attributed to the destabilizing glycine substitutions engineered into the hinge region. Surfactants used specifically to increase wettability, such as those used in agricultural applications would benefit from this new proteosurfactant since foamed liquid has greater wind resistance and decreased dispersal. Indeed, given growing concern of organsilicone surfactant effects on declining bee populations, biological surfactant proteins have several unique advantages over more common amphiphiles in that they can be renewably sourced, are environmentally friendly, degrade readily into non-toxic byproducts, and reduce surface tension without deleterious effects on cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelli L Frey
- Department of Chemistry, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, United States
| | - Jacob Todd
- Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Research Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States
| | - Elizabeth Wurtzler
- Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Research Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States
| | - Carly R Strelez
- Department of Chemistry, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, United States
| | - David Wendell
- Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Research Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States.
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Bishnoi R, Khatri I, Subramanian S, Ramya TNC. Prevalence of the F-type lectin domain. Glycobiology 2015; 25:888-901. [DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwv029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
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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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Vance SJ, McDonald RE, Cooper A, Kennedy MW, Smith BO. Resonance assignments for latherin, a natural surfactant protein from horse sweat. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2014; 8:213-216. [PMID: 23708874 PMCID: PMC3955484 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-013-9485-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Latherin is an intrinsically surfactant protein of ~23 kDa found in the sweat and saliva of horses. Its function is probably to enhance the translocation of sweat water from the skin to the surface of the pelt for evaporative cooling. Its role in saliva may be to enhance the wetting, softening and maceration of the dry, fibrous food for which equines are adapted. Latherin is unusual in its relatively high content of aliphatic amino acids (~25% leucines) that might contribute to its surfactant properties. Latherin is related to the palate, lung, and nasal epithelium carcinoma-associated proteins (PLUNCs) of mammals, at least one of which is now known to exhibit similar surfactant activity to latherin. No structures of any PLUNC protein are currently available. (15)N,(13)C-labelled recombinant latherin was produced in Escherichia coli, and essentially all of the resonances were assigned despite the signal overlap due to the preponderance of leucines. The most notable exceptions include a number of residues located in an apparently dynamic loop region between residues 145 and 154. The assignments have been deposited with BMRB accession number 19067.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Vance
- School of Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
- Present Address: Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1GA UK
| | - Rhona E. McDonald
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
- Present Address: Life Sciences Lead, Strategic Trade, UK Trade and Investment, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET UK
| | - Alan Cooper
- School of Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
| | - Malcolm W. Kennedy
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
| | - Brian O. Smith
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
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Cavalcante Hissa D, Arruda Bezerra G, Birner-Gruenberger R, Paulino Silva L, Usón I, Gruber K, Maciel Melo VM. Unique crystal structure of a novel surfactant protein from the foam nest of the frog Leptodactylus vastus. Chembiochem 2014; 15:393-8. [PMID: 24442854 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201300726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Breeding by releasing eggs into stable biofoams ("foam nests") is a peculiar reproduction mode within anurans, fish, and tunicates; not much is known regarding the biochemistry or molecular mechanisms involved. Lv-ranaspumin (Lv-RSN-1) is the predominant protein from the foam nest of the frog Leptodactylus vastus. This protein shows natural surfactant activity, which is assumed to be crucial for stabilizing foam nests. We elucidated the amino acid sequence of Lv-RSN-1 by de novo sequencing with mass-spectrometry and determined the high-resolution X-ray structure of the protein. It has a unique fold mainly composed of a bundle of 11 α-helices and two small antiparallel β-strands. Lv-RSN-1 has a surface rich in hydrophilic residues and a lipophilic cavity in the region of the antiparallel β-sheet. It possesses intrinsic surface-active properties, reducing the surface tension of water from 73 to 61 mN m(-1) (15 μg mL(-1)). Lv-RSN-1 belongs to a new class of surfactants proteins for which little has been reported regarding structure or function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Cavalcante Hissa
- Lab. de Ecologia Microbiana e Biotecnologia-LEMBiotech, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte 2977, Campus do Pici, Bloco 909, Fortaleza, CE, 60455-000 (Brazil)
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Choi HJ, Montemagno CD. Recent Progress in Advanced Nanobiological Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications. MATERIALS 2013; 6:5821-5856. [PMID: 28788424 PMCID: PMC5452742 DOI: 10.3390/ma6125821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2013] [Revised: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we briefly introduce our efforts to reconstruct cellular life processes by mimicking natural systems and the applications of these systems to energy and environmental problems. Functional units of in vitro cellular life processes are based on the fabrication of artificial organelles using protein-incorporated polymersomes and the creation of bioreactors. This concept of an artificial organelle originates from the first synthesis of poly(siloxane)-poly(alkyloxazoline) block copolymers three decades ago and the first demonstration of protein activity in the polymer membrane a decade ago. The increased value of biomimetic polymers results from many research efforts to find new applications such as functionally active membranes and a biochemical-producing polymersome. At the same time, foam research has advanced to the point that biomolecules can be efficiently produced in the aqueous channels of foam. Ongoing research includes replication of complex biological processes, such as an artificial Calvin cycle for application in biofuel and specialty chemical production, and carbon dioxide sequestration. We believe that the development of optimally designed biomimetic polymers and stable/biocompatible bioreactors would contribute to the realization of the benefits of biomimetic systems. Thus, this paper seeks to review previous research efforts, examine current knowledge/key technical parameters, and identify technical challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Jick Choi
- National Institute for Nanotechnology and Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada.
| | - Carlo D Montemagno
- National Institute for Nanotechnology and Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada.
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