Search

When cultured in axenic medium, Caenorhabditis elegans shows the largest life-span extension compared with other dietary restriction regimens. However, the underlying molecular mechanism still remains elusive. The gene cbp-1, encoding the worm ortholog of p300/CBP (CREB-binding protein), is one of the very few key genes known to be essential for life span doubling under axenic dietary restriction (ADR). By using tissue-specific RNAi, we found that cbp-1 expression in the germline is essential for fertility, whereas this gene functions specifically in the GABAergic neurons to support the full life span-doubling effect of ADR. Surprisingly, GABA itself is not required for ADR-induced longevity, suggesting a role of neuropeptide signaling. In addition, chemotaxis assays illustrate that neuronal inactivation of CBP-1 affects the animals' food sensing behavior. Together, our results show that the strong life-span extension in axenic medium is under strict control of GABAergic neurons and may be linked to food sensing. ispartof: JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES vol:74 issue:8 pages:1198-1205 ispartof: location:United States status: published

In Caenorhabditis elegans, a broad range of dietary restriction regimens extend life span to different degrees by separate or partially overlapping molecular pathways. One of these regimens, axenic dietary restriction, doubles the worm’s life span but currently, almost nothing is known about the underlying molecular mechanism. Previous studies suggest that mitochondrial stress responses such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) or mitohormesis may play a vital role in axenic dietary restriction–induced longevity. Here, we provide solid evidence that axenic dietary restriction treatment specifically induces an UPRmt response in C elegans but this induction is not required for axenic dietary restriction–mediated longevity. We also show that reactive oxygen species–mediated mitohormesis is not involved in this phenotype. Hence, changes in mitochondrial physiology and induction of a mitochondrial stress response are not necessarily causal to large increases in life span.

The genus Pseudochlorodesmis (Bryopsidales) is composed of diminutive siphons of extreme morphological simplicity. The discovery of Pseudochlorodesmis-like juveniles in more complex Bryopsidales (e.g., the Halimeda microthallus stage) jeopardized the recognition of this genus. Confronted with this uncertainty, taxonomists transferred many simple siphons into a new genus, Siphonogramen. In this study, we used a multimarker approach to clarify the phylogenetic and taxonomic affinities of the Pseudochlorodesmis-Siphonogramen (PS) complex within the more morphologically complex bryopsidalean taxa. Our analyses reveal a new layer of diversity largely distinct from the lineages containing the structurally complex genera. The PS complex shows profound cryptic diversity exceeding the family level. We discuss a potential link between thallus complexity and the prevalence and profundity of cryptic diversity. For taxonomic simplicity and as a first step toward clarifying the taxonomy of these simple siphons, we propose to maintain Pseudochlorodesmis as a form genus and subsume Siphonogramen and Botryodesmis therein.

Reactive oxygen species have long been considered a major cause of aging. However, previous work showed that loss of superoxide dismutase (SOD) only weakly affects lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we examined the impact of sod gene deletion and overexpression on the mRNA levels of the remaining sod genes and other detoxification genes. We detected no compensatory upregulation of other sod genes in any of the sod deletion mutants in both wild-type and daf-2(m577) genetic backgrounds when L4 larvae were shifted from 17 to 24 degrees C, and harvested as young adults. Elimination of MnSOD increased transcription of SKN-1 regulated genes and reduced transcription of multiple DAF-16 targets. Loss of the major Cu/ZnSOD isoform SOD-1 caused enhanced expression of subsets of both SKN-1 and DAF-16 targets when the animals were grown continuously at 24 degrees C, and strong overexpression of sod-1 induced a compensatory decrease in all tested SKN-1 regulated gst genes. When combined, these results suggest that low cytosolic SOD may activate SKN-1 signaling, whereas high levels may be repressive. Overall, our results suggest that sod gene manipulation causes complex, combinatorial regulation of expression of individual targets of stress sensitive transcription factors.

Aim Because of their broad distribution in geographical and ecological dimensions, seaweeds (marine macroalgae) offer great potential as models for marine biogeographical inquiry and exploration of the interface between macroecology and macroevolution. This study aims to characterize evolutionary niche dynamics in the common green seaweed genus Halimeda, use the observed insights to gain understanding of the biogeographical history of the genus and predict habitats that can be targeted for the discovery of species of special biogeographical interest. Location Tropical and subtropical coastal waters. Methods The evolutionary history of the genus is characterized using molecular phylogenetics and relaxed molecular clock analysis. Niche modelling is carried out with maximum entropy techniques and uses macroecological data derived from global satellite imagery. Evolutionary niche dynamics are inferred through application of ancestral character state estimation. Results A nearly comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the genus was inferred from a six-locus dataset. Macroecological niche models showed that species distribution ranges are considerably smaller than their potential ranges. We show strong phylogenetic signal in various macroecological niche features. Main conclusions The evolution of Halimeda is characterized by conservatism for tropical, nutrient-depleted habitats, yet one section of the genus managed to invade colder habitats multiple times independently. Niche models indicate that the restricted geographical ranges of Halimeda species are not due to habitat unsuitability, strengthening the case for dispersal limitation. Niche models identified hotspots of habitat suitability of Caribbean species in the eastern Pacific Ocean. We propose that these hotspots be targeted for discovery of new species separated from their Caribbean siblings since the Pliocene rise of the Central American Isthmus.

The genus Pseudochlorodesmis (Bryopsidales) is composed of diminutive siphons of extreme morphological simplicity. The discovery of Pseudochlorodesmis-like juveniles in more complex Bryopsidales (e.g., the Halimeda microthallus stage) jeopardized the recognition of this genus. Confronted with this uncertainty, taxonomists transferred many simple siphons into a new genus, Siphonogramen. In this study, we used a multimarker approach to clarify the phylogenetic and taxonomic affinities of the Pseudochlorodesmis-Siphonogramen (PS) complex within the more morphologically complex bryopsidalean taxa. Our analyses reveal a new layer of diversity largely distinct from the lineages containing the structurally complex genera. The PS complex shows profound cryptic diversity exceeding the family level. We discuss a potential link between thallus complexity and the prevalence and profundity of cryptic diversity. For taxonomic simplicity and as a first step toward clarifying the taxonomy of these simple siphons, we propose to maintain Pseudochlorodesmis as a form genus and subsume Siphonogramen and Botryodesmis therein.

The siphonous green algae are an assemblage of seaweeds that consist of a single giant cell. They comprise two sister orders, the Bryopsidales and Dasycladales. We infer the phylogenetic relationships among the siphonous green algae based on a five-locus data matrix and analyze temporal aspects of their diversification using relaxed molecular clock methods calibrated with the fossil record. The multi-locus approach resolves much of the previous phylogenetic uncertainty, but the radiation of families belonging to the core Halimedineae remains unresolved. In the Bryopsidales, three main clades were inferred, two of which correspond to previously described suborders (Bryopsidineae and Halimedineae) and a third lineage that contains only the limestone-boring genus Ostreobium. Relaxed molecular clock models indicate a Neoproterozoic origin of the siphonous green algae and a Paleozoic diversification of the orders into their families. The inferred node ages are used to resolve conflicting hypotheses about species ages in the tropical marine alga Halimeda.

Moderate levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now recognized as redox signalling molecules. However, thus far, only mitochondria and NADPH oxidases have been identified as cellular sources of ROS in signalling. Here we identify a globin (GLB-12) that produces superoxide, a type of ROS, which serves as an essential signal for reproduction in C. elegans. We find that GLB-12 has an important role in the regulation of multiple aspects in germline development, including germ cell apoptosis. We further describe how GLB-12 displays specific molecular, biochemical and structural properties that allow this globin to act as a superoxide generator. In addition, both an intra- and extracellular superoxide dismutase act as key partners of GLB-12 to create a transmembrane redox signal. Our results show that a globin can function as a driving factor in redox signalling, and how this signal is regulated at the subcellular level by multiple control layers.

The distribution patterns and genetic structure of the Pellioditis marina species complex in Belgium and The Netherlands were compared between four consecutive seasons. Different types of habitats (coast, estuary, semi-estuary and lake) with different degrees of connectivity were sampled. In addition, each habitat type was characterised by either temporal or permanent algal deposits. We screened 426 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c (COI) gene with the single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method in 1615 individuals of Pellioditis marina. The 51 haplotypes were divided into four (sympatric) lineages, with divergences ranging from 0.25 to 10.6%. Our results show that the lineages have different temporal dynamics, which may be linked to abiotic factors. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) indicated a significant structuring in the PmI lineage, which correlated with habitat characteristics and which changed over time (Mantel, r = 0.51; p = 0.126). Intrapopulational diversity was similar in all locations, and temporal changes in haplotype frequencies were not higher in temporary than in permanent algal deposits. Instead, the results of the temporal survey indicated that (some) P. marina populations are characterised by a metapopulation structure. It is emphasized that a complete and correct interpretation of processes causing genetic structuring within species and of the genetic structure itself can only be done when analyses are performed at several time points.

F. LELIAERT, A.J.K. MILLAR, C. VLAEMINCK AND E. COPPEJANS. 2007. Systematics of the green macroalgal genus Chamaedoris Montagne (Siphonocladales), with an emended description of the genus Struvea Sonder. Phycologia 46: 709–725. DOI: 10.2216/07–51.1 Critical reinvestigation of the four presently recognised species of the green macroalgal genus Chamaedoris (C. auriculata, C. delphinii, C. peniculum and C. orientalis) based on morphological and molecular data reveals that at least one species, C. orientalis, is actually a member of the genus Struvea and is herein transferred to that genus as S. okamurae nom. nov. This has also necessitated a revised circumscription of the genus Struvea. Morphological features traditionally used to delimit the three other species of Chamaedoris (shape of capitulum and number of cells split off from the distal pole of the stipe) are not diagnostic, and the traditional species delineations need to be reassessed. Detailed morphological and morphometric analyses reveal that more subtle differences exist among the three species, including cell dimensions and crystalline cell inclusions. Observations and molecular phylogenetic analyses of new collections over the past 27 years allow us to update knowledge of their biogeographic distributions and determine their relationships with species of the closely related genera Apjohnia, Boodlea, Cladophoropsis, Phyllodictyon and Struvea.

Species identification in the phylum Nematoda is complicated due to the paucity of easily obtainable diagnostic morphological features. Furthermore, the cosmopolitan distribution of several species despite low dispersal abilities makes cryptic diversity potentially substantial within this phylum. We conducted a population genetic survey in the marine nematode Geomonhystera disjuncta in Belgium and The Netherlands in two seasons. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (COI) gene was screened with the single-strand conformation polymorphism method in 759 individuals. The 43 haplotypes were grouped into five lineages, with low divergences within ( 14%). Analysis of the nuclear ITS region yielded concordant tree topologies, indicating the presence of five cryptic taxa within G. disjuncta. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) illustrated a significant structuring in all lineages and temporal fluctuations in haplotype frequencies within and between locations. Metapopulation dynamics and/or priority effects best explained this structuring. Finally, our data indicate that the COI gene may be useful for DNA barcoding purposes.