Marine Life Science & Technology最新文献

Biological invasions represent one of the main anthropogenic drivers of global change with a substantial impact on biodiversity. Traditional studies predict invasion risk based on the correlation between species' distribution and environmental factors, with little attention to the potential contribution of physiological factors. In this study, we incorporated temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and sex-ratio data into species distribution models (SDMs) to assess the current and future suitable habitats for the world's worst invasive reptile species, the pond slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). First, occurrence records of T. scripta from online databases and published scientific literature were identified. Then, climatic variables representing current (1976-2013) and future (2060-2080) climate scenarios were extracted and combined with sex-ratio records to create hybrid-SDMs with which to assess the current and future suitable habitats for T. scripta. It was found that T. scripta has potential suitable habitat in 136 countries at present. Under the four climate change scenarios (ssp126, ssp245, ssp370 and ssp585) that were modeled, the distribution of T. scripta is predicted to decrease in 78-93 countries but increase in the northern hemisphere. This confirms that there is a greater likelihood that this species will increase in more developed countries. Incorporating the thermal dependence of sex ratio into hybrid-SDMs can be an important addition to detect the invasion risk of TSD species and to develop region-specific invasion management strategies to prevent and/or control invasive species such as T. scripta.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00291-z.

An investigation of the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM27 led to the isolation of 19 new compounds, including three pairs of piperidinone enantiomers ( ±)-1, ( ±)-2, and ( ±)-3, two pairs of pyrrolidinone enantiomers ( ±)-4 and ( ±)-5, and nine pyrrolidine derivatives 6-14. The structures of 1-14 were elucidated through NMR and HRESIMS analysis, coupled with experimental and calculated ECD spectroscopy and the modified Mosher method. Quantitative real time PCR and Western bolt analyses revealed that 11 blocked EMT in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells and suppressed fibroblast activation in TGF-β1-stimulated NIH-3T3 cells. Molecular simulations demonstrated that compound 11 could dock ADAM17, showing a high negative binding affinity. Additionally, the overexpression of ADAM17 by lentiviral infection triggered renal tubular EMT, while compound 11 suppressed this process. Overall, our research suggests that pyrrolidine derivatives may be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of fibrotic kidney disease.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00282-0.

Analysis of the secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene cluster (BGC) from marine Streptomyces sp. SNJ102 revealed the presence of a noncanonical nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), predicted to produce a depsipeptide compound. The NRPS gene cluster was captured by transformation-associated recombination and heterologously expressed in Streptomyces albus. The production of the new compound was confirmed using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and its structure was elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The structure of the new depsipeptide was more similar to the monomeric structure of cyclic depsipeptides derived from fungi than to other Streptomyces-derived depsipeptides. In addition, the bacterial depsipeptide, which we named jejumide, showed promising anti-inflammatory activity. These results demonstrate that genome mining and successful heterologous expression of cryptic nonlinear NRPS BGCs from marine bacteria will facilitate the discovery of novel nonribosomal peptides and understanding of the complicated biosynthetic mechanism of nonlinear NRPS.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00296-8.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate the activity and functionality of RELA, but their role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis is unclear. This study was performed to understand the regulation mechanism of acetylation of RELA on liver inflammation and fibrosis in a model animal of innate glucose intolerance, largemouth bass, and to provide a potential target and biomarker for liver fibrosis therapy. We found that the acetylation of total proteins and RELA was significantly reduced in fibrotic livers of largemouth bass induced by a high-carbohydrate and high-fat diet (HCHFD) and CCL4 challenge. Furthermore, quantitative acetylome data showed that the K119 site of RELA was deacetylated in fibrotic livers compared to healthy controls. Subsequently, we reveal a new mechanism that SIRT7 deacetylates RELA at the K119 site in largemouth bass. RELA K119 deacetylation enhances RELA transcriptional activity by increasing its DNA-binding activity, and facilitates nuclear translocation of RELA, resulting in the overwhelming release of proinflammatory factors, and subsequently enhancing liver inflammation and fibrosis. Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT7 using a specific inhibitor restores the decreased acetylation of RELA in vivo and in vitro, and reduces the transcriptional activity, nuclear localization of RELA and the expression of its target genes, which ultimately attenuates liver inflammation and fibrosis. These findings uncover a novel mechanism underlying liver fibrosis involving SIRT7-mediated deacetylation of RELA to activate the proinflammatory gene program, and thus provide important insights and biomarkers into the effective strategies for limiting liver inflammation and fibrosis.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00287-9.

Marinisomatota (formerly recognized as Marinimicrobia, Marine Group A, and SAR406) are ubiquitous and abundant in marine environments, traditionally characterized as heterotrophic microorganisms. However, certain members of Marinisomatota have demonstrated the capacity to harness light for carbon dioxide fixation and the synthesis of organic compounds, thriving in the translucent zone or transitioning between the translucent and aphotic layers. The metabolic strategies driving the shift in trophic behaviors, and the factors influencing these transitions, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigate the metabolic strategies, ecological distribution, and dietary patterns of Marinisomatota through the analysis of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data sourced from the global open oceans. A total of 1,588 Marinisomatota genomes were retrieved, representing one class, two orders, 14 families, 31 genera, and 67 species. These organisms are predominantly found in low-latitude marine regions, with relative abundances ranging from 0.18 to 36.21%. Among the 14 families, S15-B10, TCS55, UBA1611, UBA2128, and UBA8226 exhibit potential for light-dependent processes associated with Crassulacean acid metabolism (M00169). Three distinct metabolic strategies were identified within Marinisomatota: MS0 (photoautotrophic potential), MS1 (heterotrophic with a pronounced glycolytic pathway), and MS2 (heterotrophic without glycolysis). The emergence of these metabolic strategies may be a response to nutrient limitations within the ocean. This study reveals the potential for mixotrophic strategies in Marinisomatota, underscoring the critical interplay between life history traits and metabolic strategies in the evolution of novel nutritional groups.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00293-x.

Sacoglossan sea slugs have attracted considerable scientific attention due to their capacity to retain functional macroalgal chloroplasts inside their cells. This endosymbiotic association is nutritionally relevant for these organisms and represents an interesting research issue for biotechnological applications. The Caribbean species Elysia crispata can integrate chloroplasts from different macroalgal species. The lipidome of chloroplasts includes lipid classes unique to these photosynthetic organelles. Specialized lipids, such as the glycolipids MGDG, DGDG, and SQDG, are essential for maintaining the integrity of both the thylakoid membranes and the overall chloroplast membrane structure. Additionally, lipids are a diverse group of biomolecules playing essential roles at nutritional and physiological levels. A combined approach using LC-HR-MS and MS/MS was employed to determine the polar lipid profile of the photosynthetic sea slug E. crispata from two habitats in the north-western tropical Atlantic (Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano and Mahahual) and two different feeding conditions (fed and after 1 week of starvation). Significant differences were identified in the abundance of structural and signalling phospholipids (PC, PI, PG, PS, CL) suggesting different nutritional states between populations. The composition of glycolipids demonstrated a clear separation by habitat, but not by feeding conditions. The lower abundance of glycolipids in the Mahahual samples suggests a lower density of chloroplasts in their tissues compared to Veracruz individuals. These results corroborate that 1 week of starvation is insufficient to initiate the degradation of plastid membranes. This study confirms the advantages of using lipidomics as a tool to enhance our knowledge of the ecology of marine invertebrates.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00281-1.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 4 (TNFRSF4), also known as OX40, plays a crucial role in the regulation of T-cell immune responses under normal physiological conditions. Abnormal expression of OX40 and its cognate ligand OX40L (TNFSF4) have been associated with various autoimmune diseases, indicating that blocking the OX40/OX40L pathway could be a promising strategy for the treatment of a broad range of T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Here, we screened and characterized a fully human anti-OX40 antibody (JY007) from a naïve human scFv phage library. JY007 has an affinity constant of 7.71 nmol/L and effectively inhibited the OX40-OX40L interaction at both molecular and cellular levels, with IC₅₀ values of 1.088 and 10.12 nmol/L, respectively. Furthermore, JY007 demonstrated the ability to deplete activated T lymphocytes through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity, with an EC₅₀ of 5.592 pmol/L. The combination of ADCC and its antagonist activity against OX40 suggests potential efficacy in suppressing inflammatory responses mediated by the OX40/OX40L pathway. Additionally, we employed molecular docking, site-directed mutagenesis, and competitive ELISA to pinpoint the epitopes on OX40. The results revealed that JY007 binds to Pro³⁷, Ser³⁸, and Asp⁴⁰ of OX40. Interestingly, we also found that the most potent anti-OX40 antibody drug in the clinical stage, KHK4083, binds to different OX40 amino-acid residues, including Asp⁷⁴, Lys⁸², Asp¹¹⁷, Ser¹¹⁸, Tyr¹¹⁹, and Lys¹²⁰. This divergence suggests that the novel monoclonal antibody JY007 holds promise as a potential therapeutic option for patients with atopic dermatitis and may find broad applications in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00284-y.

MS/MS-based molecular networking is an effective strategy to rapidly dereplicate known compounds and to guide the discovery process for new and novel natural products. In the present study, the chemical diversity of indole diterpenoids from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. N4-3 was investigated using molecular networking techniques. Guided by this information, targeted isolation resulted in two new indole diterpenoids shearinines R and S (1, 2) and an oxidative artifact shearinine T (3), together with the verification of two known analogs (4, 5). Furthermore, five indole diterpenoids (6-10), including three putatively new ones, shearinines U-W (6, 9, 10), were predicted from the molecular ion cluster by the combination of GNPS molecular networking and manual analysis of MS/MS fragmentation clusters. Shearinines T (3) and W (10) are characterized by an oxidative cleavage of the C-2-C-18 double bond. Feature fragment ions of these shearinines revealed two type of dominant ions related to the indole moiety and the breaking of C-9 side chain or Ring I. Compound 1 showed antibacterial activities against a panel of pathogenic bacteria with IC₅₀ values ranging from 6.34 to 47.96 μg/mL and inhibited the growth of the human hepatic (HepG2) and gastric (SGC-7901) cancer cells lines with IC₅₀ values of 6.27 and 19.16 μg/mL, respectively.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00274-6.

Heterotrophic bacterial production and respiration, two important contributors to carbon cycling, play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. However, recent research suggests that these two processes may be decoupled, and the underlying changes in community structure and their interactions remain unclear. In this study, two research expeditions to the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) during the summer and winter of 2020-2021 revealed seasonal shifts in bacterial metabolism and community structure in response to environmental factors. The findings indicated notable seasonal fluctuations in bacterial abundance and production in the surface waters. Both peaked in winter compared to summer. Alterations in bacterial abundance that were further evident at the community level demonstrated significant seasonal differences in bacterial community structure and diversity and revealed, in particular, the intricacy of the networks and interactions among bacterial communities in winter. Bacterial respiration displayed no significant seasonal variations and was decoupled from bacterial abundance and production. The implication was that bacterial production did not directly dictate bacterial respiration. Specific taxa exerted a more substantial influence on bacterial respiration, potentially including groups with high respiration rates but relatively low abundance, thus challenging the notion that highly abundant taxa are invariably the most metabolically active. Moreover, the interplay between different bacterial taxa and their interactions may also impact the overall strength of bacterial community respiration. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the decoupling between bacterial production and respiration, which is crucial for unraveling the complex mechanisms underlying carbon cycling and energy flow in marine ecosystems.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00279-9.

Temperature is well known as the major environmental factor that influences survival and growth of fish, which are poikilothermic animals. However, it is still unclear about the mechanism that underscores thermal-controlled fish physiology, especially nutritional utilization and metabolism, which are vitally important in aquaculture. In the present study, juvenile turbot was force-fed with amino acid mixture and its postprandial absorption, nutrient sensing and metabolism under low (12, 15 ℃), optimal (18 ℃) to high (21, 24 ℃) temperatures were explored. Intestinal trypsin and lipase activity were highly sensitive to water temperature, and highest under optimal temperatures for turbot, whereas amylase remained constant. Selective groups of intestinal amino acid transporters were upregulated in cold temperatures, but the amino acid absorption capability was increased with rising temperature. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway was most active at optimal temperature. Postprandial muscle protein deposition achieved maximum level under optimal temperature. Amino acid catabolic enzymes branched-chain aminotransferase and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase activities were increased with rising temperatures. High temperature increased significantly energy metabolism and stimulated cellular stress in liver. These findings highlight the critical role of temperature in modulating amino acid dynamics, metabolic processes and stress responses in juvenile turbot, providing valuable insights for optimizing aquaculture practices.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-025-00280-2.