scholarly journals Resurrection and typification of Elatine campylosperma (Elatinaceae), a long-forgotten waterwort species

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4913
Author(s):  
Attila Takács ◽  
Attila Molnár V. ◽  
Balázs A. Lukács ◽  
Timea Nagy ◽  
Ádám Lovas-Kiss ◽  
...  

The name Elatine campylosperma Seub. is generally treated as one of the synonyms of E. macropoda Guss. However, recent morphological, phylogenetic and karyological studies indicate that this judgement should be revised. In the present paper we typify the name E. campylosperma, review its taxonomic history and provide a thorough description, with compilation of previously published data and our new measurements from in vitro cultures. Based on our herbarium survey, we outline its Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution area (Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Algeria). Habitat preferences are summarized from our field observations, water quality measurements and the label information of the herbarium specimens examined. Intact E. campylosperma seeds were found in faecal samples of the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra L.) in southern Spain and two of them were germinated, suggesting that E. campylosperma has a capacity for long distance dispersal via endozoochory.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faye Manning ◽  
P. Jefferson Curtis ◽  
Ian Walker ◽  
Jason Pither

Waterfowl are potential long-distance dispersal vectors for aquatic microbes such as diatoms, but experimental evidence is scarce. We conducted an experiment designed to emulate diatom dispersal via adherence to waterfowl, and to evaluate the effects of humidity and transport duration on potential dispersal success. We dipped individual mallard breast feathers in a pure benthic diatom culture (Nitzschia pusilla Grunow), then subjected them to one of four relative humidity levels (RH; from ca. 8% to 88%) crossed with one of four transport durations (10, 60, 120, 240 minutes) within a chamber through which air was passed continuously, mimicking light wind. We then placed the feather on sterile growth medium. After two weeks we used spectrofluorometry to detect diatom growth and thus diatom viability. A logistic regression on viability revealed a significant interaction between transport duration and RH: the negative effect of duration was strongest under lower RH conditions, but under high RH (88%) the probability of being viable was moderate to high regardless of transport duration. Importantly, even after 4 hours, the probability of being viable was predicted to be 0.45 (95% confidence interval: 0.18 to 0.75). We then placed our findings in the geographic context of the central waterfowl migration flyway in North America, and specifically Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota, for which sufficient data were available to enable geospatial predictions of potential mallard-borne diatom dispersal. Combined with published data about (i) mallard flight speeds, (ii) the geographic distribution of surface waters and of N. pusilla, and (iii) daytime RH during the months of April through June, our model predicted high probabilities of potential dispersal among the region’s suitable water bodies.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Pointier ◽  
P. David ◽  
P. Jarne

AbstractA large number of planorbid snails are now commonly transported by man mainly through the aquatic plant trade. However, only a restricted number of species establish viable populations in a new habitat and a more restricted number spread. Only five planorbid species can be ranked in this last category and can be considered as pests because of their role in the transmission of parasites to humans or domestic animals:Biomphalaria glabrata,B. straminea,B. tenagophila,B. pfeifferiandIndoplanorbis exustus. The neotropicalB. glabrata,B. stramineaandB. tenagophilahave proven their capacity to invade another continent sometimes creating new transmission foci. The AfricanB. pfeifferiand the IndianI. exustushave also expanded their distribution area with long-distance dispersal. Other planorbid species, i.e.Helisoma duryi, Amerianna carinataandGyraulusspp. have been able to establish viable populations, but not to spread, presumably because they are limited to specific habitats or/and display poor competitive abilities.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 498
Author(s):  
Mariaevelina Alfieri ◽  
Antonietta Leone ◽  
Alfredo Ambrosone

Plants produce different types of nano and micro-sized vesicles. Observed for the first time in the 60s, plant nano and microvesicles (PDVs) and their biological role have been inexplicably under investigated for a long time. Proteomic and metabolomic approaches revealed that PDVs carry numerous proteins with antifungal and antimicrobial activity, as well as bioactive metabolites with high pharmaceutical interest. PDVs have also been shown to be also involved in the intercellular transfer of small non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs, suggesting fascinating mechanisms of long-distance gene regulation and horizontal transfer of regulatory RNAs and inter-kingdom communications. High loading capacity, intrinsic biological activities, biocompatibility, and easy permeabilization in cell compartments make plant-derived vesicles excellent natural or bioengineered nanotools for biomedical applications. Growing evidence indicates that PDVs may exert anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anticancer activities in different in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, clinical trials are currently in progress to test the effectiveness of plant EVs in reducing insulin resistance and in preventing side effects of chemotherapy treatments. In this review, we concisely introduce PDVs, discuss shortly their most important biological and physiological roles in plants and provide clues on the use and the bioengineering of plant nano and microvesicles to develop innovative therapeutic tools in nanomedicine, able to encompass the current drawbacks in the delivery systems in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical technology. Finally, we predict that the advent of intense research efforts on PDVs may disclose new frontiers in plant biotechnology applied to nanomedicine.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 130
Author(s):  
Nathan P. Wiederhold

Invasive infections caused by Candida that are resistant to clinically available antifungals are of increasing concern. Increasing rates of fluconazole resistance in non-albicans Candida species have been documented in multiple countries on several continents. This situation has been further exacerbated over the last several years by Candida auris, as isolates of this emerging pathogen that are often resistant to multiple antifungals. T-2307 is an aromatic diamidine currently in development for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. This agent has been shown to selectively cause the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential in yeasts when compared to mammalian cells. In vitro activity has been demonstrated against Candida species, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. auris strains, which are resistant to azole and echinocandin antifungals. Activity has also been reported against Cryptococcus species, and this has translated into in vivo efficacy in experimental models of invasive candidiasis and cryptococcosis. However, little is known regarding the clinical efficacy and safety of this agent, as published data from studies involving humans are not currently available.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Zoltán László ◽  
Péter Pankovics ◽  
Gábor Reuter ◽  
Attila Cságola ◽  
Ádám Bálint ◽  
...  

Most picornaviruses of the family Picornaviridae are relatively well known, but there are certain “neglected” genera like Bopivirus, containing a single uncharacterised sequence (bopivirus A1, KM589358) with very limited background information. In this study, three novel picornaviruses provisionally called ovipi-, gopi- and bopivirus/Hun (MW298057-MW298059) from enteric samples of asymptomatic ovine, caprine and bovine respectively, were determined using RT-PCR and dye-terminator sequencing techniques. These monophyletic viruses share the same type II-like IRES, NPGP-type 2A, similar genome layout (4-3-4) and cre-localisations. Culture attempts of the study viruses, using six different cell lines, yielded no evidence of viral growth in vitro. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses show that bopivirus/Hun of bovine belongs to the species Bopivirus A, while the closely related ovine-origin ovipi- and caprine-origin gopivirus could belong to a novel species “Bopivirus B” in the genus Bopivirus. Epidemiological investigation of N = 269 faecal samples of livestock (ovine, caprine, bovine, swine and rabbit) from different farms in Hungary showed that bopiviruses were most prevalent among <12-month-old ovine, caprine and bovine, but undetectable in swine and rabbit. VP1 capsid-based phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of multiple lineages/genotypes, including closely related ovine/caprine strains, suggesting the possibility of ovine–caprine interspecies transmission of certain bopiviruses.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document