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The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment is a major concern for the conservation of biodiversity. Numerous studies show the detrimental effects of MPs on marine species, especially because of their small size and their capacity to absorb organic contaminants from their surroundings. The bivalve mollusk Cerastoderma glaucum (Bruguière, 1789), because of its wide geographic distribution and immobile feeding habits, can be used as a sentinel and bioindicator species. By examining the presence, localization, and co-localization of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), this study aims to evaluate the response of the internal defense system of C. glaucum to pristine MPs through the employment of confocal microscopy and bioinformatics techniques. The results show haemocytes immunoreactive to the antibodies tested; in particular, a higher number of TLR2-positive haemocytes can be observed in the group exposed to pristine MPs. These findings suggest that haemocytes can play a key biomarker role as sentinels to environmental pollutants. Furthermore, bioinformatics analyses on the antibodies tested confirmed an evolutionary conservation of these molecules. These data highlight the critical role of phagocytosis in identifying ecosystem damage and are helpful in developing biosensors with less negative effects on the environments in which they are applied.

Studies based on fish early life stages can provide information on spawning grounds and nursery areas, helping to determine the implications for stock biomass fluctuations of recruitment variability. This study describes the composition, abundance, spatial distribution and differences in day/night vertical distribution of ichthyoplankton in the southern Adriatic Sea. Samples were collected within the framework of the COCONET project (Towards COast to COast NETworks of marine protected areas) from 9 to 18 May 2013 by the R/V Urania, using the electronic multinet EZ-NET BIONESS (Bedford Institute of Oceanography Net Environmental Sampling System). A total of 20 species, belonging to 20 genera and 13 families, were identified. Of the collected larvae, 74.3% were meso- or bathypelagic species, 24.7% were epipelagic and 0.9% were demersal. The community was dominated by Gonostomatidae, followed by Engraulidae, Myctophidae and Photychthaidae. The most abundant species was Cyclothone braueri (45.6%), followed by Engraulis encrasicolus, Ceratoscopelus maderensis, Cyclothone pygmaea, Vinciguerria attenuata and Myctophum punctatum. An inshore/offshore increasing gradient in biodiversity and abundance was observed. Different weighted mean depths (WMDs) were observed for larvae and juveniles. No diel vertical migrations were observed. The high abundance of meso- or bathypelagic species in the upper 100 m confirms the epipelagic zone as an important environment for the development of the larval stages of these fish.

The current study compared the faecal microbiota composition of two pig breeds (autochthonous vs. commercial) to understand what happens after the integration of liquid whey in the diet and what the role of the host genetic is. The trial was conducted for 60 days, and the faecal microbiota composition was investigated at three time points, T0, T1 (after 30 days) and T2 (after 60 days) in 30 female pigs (20 commercial crossbred and 10 Nero Siciliano pigs). The animals were divided into four groups (two control and two treatment groups). Generally, in both breeds, Firmicutes (51%) and Bacteroidota (36%) were the most abundant phylum whereas Prevotella, Treponema and Lactobacillus were the most abundant genera. The two breeds have a different reaction to a liquid whey diet. In fact, as shown by PERMANOVA analysis, the liquid whey significantly (p < 0.001) affects the microbiota composition of crossbreeds while not having an effect on the microbiota of the Nero Siciliano. Despite this, in both breeds Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcus have been positively influenced by liquid whey and they promote intestinal health, improve immunity, increase performance, and feed efficiency. In conclusion, the integration of liquid whey had a different effect on the Nero Siciliano and crossbred pig breeds, emphasizing the importance of the host genetic profile in determining the faecal bacterial composition.

Sea ice is a major driver of biological activity in the Southern Ocean. Its cycle of growth and decay determines life history traits; food web interactions; and populations of many small, ice-associated organisms. The regional ocean modelling system (ROMS) for sea ice in the western Ross Sea has highlighted two modes of sea ice duration: fast-melting years when water temperature warms quickly in early spring and sea ice melts out in mid-November, and slow-melting years when water temperature remains below 0 °C and sea ice persists through most of December. Ice-associated and pelagic biota in Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, were studied intensively over a 3-week period in November 1997 as part of the PIPEX (Pack-Ice Plankton Experiment) campaign. The sea ice environment in November 1997 exhibited features of a slow-melting year, and the ice cover measured 0.65 m in late November. Phytoplankton abundance and diversity increased in the second half of November, concomitant with warming air and water temperatures, melting sea ice and progressive deepening of a still weak pycnocline. Water column phytoplankton was dominated by planktonic species, both in abundance and diversity, although there was also some input from benthic species. Pelagic zooplankton were typical of a nearshore Antarctic system, with the cyclopoid copepod Oithona similis representing at least 90% of total abundance. There was an increase in numbers coinciding with the period of ice thinning. Conversely, ice-associated species such as the calanoid copepods Stephos longipes and Paralabidocera antarctica decreased over time and were found in low numbers once the water temperatures increased. Stratified sampling under the sea ice, to 20 m, revealed that P. antarctica was mainly found in close association with the under-ice surface, while S. longipes, O. similis, and the calanoid copepod Metridia gerlachei were dispersed more evenly.

Migraine is a common brain-disorder that affects 15% of the population. Converging evidence shows that migraine is associated with gastrointestinal disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between the gut and brain in patients with migraine are not clear. In this study, we evaluated the role of the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as sodium propionate (SP) and sodium butyrate (SB) on microbiota profile and intestinal permeability in a mouse model of migraine induced by nitroglycerine (NTG). The mice were orally administered SB and SP at the dose of 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, 5 min after NTG intraperitoneal injections. Behavioral tests were used to evaluate migraine-like pain. Histological and molecular analyses were performed on the intestine. The composition of the intestinal microbiota was extracted from frozen fecal samples and sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq System. Our results demonstrated that the SP and SB treatments attenuated hyperalgesia and pain following NTG injection. Moreover, SP and SB reduced histological damage in the intestine and restored intestinal permeability and the intestinal microbiota profile. These results provide corroborating evidence that SB and SP exert a protective effect on central sensitization induced by NTG through a modulation of intestinal microbiota, suggesting the potential application of SCFAs as novel supportive therapies for intestinal disfunction associated with migraine.

Zooplankton is a fundamental group in aquatic ecosystems representing the base of the food chain. It forms a link between the lower trophic levels with secondary consumers and shows marked fluctuations in populations with environmental change, especially reacting to heating and water acidification. Marine copepods account for approx. 70% of the abundance of zooplankton and are a target of monitoring activities in key areas such as the Southern Ocean. In this study, we have used FAIR-inspired legacy data (dating back to the 1980s) collected in the Ross Sea by the Italian National Antarctic Program at GBIF.org. Together with other open-access GIS data sources and tools, it allows one to generate, for the first time, three-dimensional predictive distribution maps for twenty-six copepod species. These predictive maps were obtained by applying machine learning techniques to grey literature data, which were visualized in open-source GIS platforms. In a Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) framework, we used machine learning with three types of algorithms (TreeNet, RandomForest, and Ensemble) to analyze the presence and absence of copepods in different areas and depth classes as a function of environmental descriptors obtained from the Polar Macroscope Layers present in Quantartica. The models allow, for the first time, to map-predict the food chain per depth class in quantitative terms, showing the relative index of occurrence (RIO) in 3Dimensions and identifying the presence of each copepod species analyzed in the Ross Sea, a globally-relevant wilderness area of conservation concern. Our results show marked geographical preferences that vary with species and trophic strategy. This study demonstrates that machine learning is a successful method in accurately predicting the Antarctic copepod presence, also providing useful data to orient future sampling and the management of wildlife and conservation.

An investigation on microplankton composition and spatial distribution has been carried out around Italian seas. The analysis of 53 samples, collected in 2017 at two depths in 27 different stations, has led to a scenario of horizontal distribution of microplankton. Dinophyta and Ciliophora were chosen as representatives of the whole microplankton community. A total of 60 genera were identified. Cluster analysis of data regarding taxa presence and abundance led us to recognize that similarities between surface stations were more evident than those between deep ones. Furthermore, we conducted an inter-annual comparison with available data from the South Adriatic Sea (2013, 2015). The higher dissimilarity between deep sea samples was also confirmed in a relatively smaller geographic area. The dissimilarity of deep-sea samples does not correspond to a higher habitat diversification, in terms of abiotic parameters. It has been suggested that the negligible biological connectivity in the deep, for those micro-organisms not able to perform wide spatial migrations, could produce such a biological diversification.

Hortaea werneckii, an extreme halotolerant black yeast in the order of Capnodiales, was recently isolated from different stations and depths in the Mediterranean Sea, where it was shown to be the dominant fungal species. In order to explore the genome characteristics of these Mediterranean isolates, we carried out a de-novo sequencing of the genome of one strain isolated at a depth of 3400 m (MC873) and a re-sequencing of one strain taken from a depth of 2500 m (MC848), whose genome was previously sequenced but was highly fragmented. A comparative phylogenomic analysis with other published H. werneckii genomes was also carried out to investigate the evolution of the strains from the deep sea in this environment. A high level of genome completeness was obtained for both genomes, for which genome duplication and an extensive level of heterozygosity (~4.6%) were observed, supporting the recent hypothesis that a genome duplication caused by intraspecific hybridization occurred in most H. werneckii strains. Phylogenetic analyses showed environmental and/or geographical specificity, suggesting a possible evolutionary adaptation of marine H. werneckii strains to the deep sea environment. We release high-quality genome assemblies from marine H. werneckii strains, which provides additional data for further genomics analysis, including niche adaptation, fitness and evolution studies.