Search

Mt. Erebus, Antarctica, is the southernmost active volcano in the world and harbors diverse geothermally unique ecosystems, including "Subglacial" and "Exposed" features, surrounded by a vast desert of ice and snow. Previous studies, while limited in scope, have highlighted the unique and potentially endemic biota of Mt. Erebus. Here, we provide an amplicon-based biodiversity study across all domains of life and all types of geothermal features, with physicochemical and biological data from 48 samples (39 Exposed and 9 Subglacial) collected through various field seasons. We found potentially high taxonomic novelty among prokaryotes and fungi, supporting past hypotheses of high endemism due to the distinctive and isolated environment; in particular, the large number of taxonomically divergent fungal sequences was surprising. We found that different site types had unique physicochemistry and biota; Exposed sites were warmer than Subglacial (median: 40°C versus 10°C for Exposed and Subglacial, respectively) and tended to have more photosynthetic organisms (Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta). Subglacial sites had more Actinobacteriota, correlated with greater concentrations of Ca and Mg present. Our results also suggest potential human impacts on these remote, highly significant sites, finding evidence for fungal taxa normally associated with wood decay. In this study, we provide a blueprint for future work aimed at better understanding the novel biota of Mt. Erebus., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS.)

The current highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 panzootic is having substantial impacts on wild birds and marine mammals. Following major and widespread outbreaks in South America, an incursion to Antarctica occurred late in the austral summer of 2023/2024 and was confined to the region of the Antarctic Peninsula. To infer potential underlying processes, we compiled H5N1 surveillance data from Antarctica and sub-Antarctic Islands prior to the first confirmed cases., (© 2024 The Author(s). Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) is a rare reproductive disorder caused by deficient secretion or action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and is a hormonally treatable form of male infertility. Both pulsatile GnRH treatment and combined gonadotropin therapy effectively induce spermatogenesis in 75%-80% of males with CHH, albeit the ejaculate does not usually approach normal semen parameters by WHO criteria. This is in some contrast to the cumulative fertility outcomes in females with CHH on gonadotropin treatment that are indistinguishable from those of reproductively normal females. Emerging data provide insights into early life determinants of male fertility (i.e., minipuberty), and research has identified key predictors of outcomes for fertility-inducing treatment in men with CHH. Such developments provide mounting evidence for tailoring approaches to maximize fertility potential in CHH, although there is no clear consensus to date on the optimal approach to fertility-inducing treatment. This review provides an up-to-date review on the current evidence underpinning therapeutic approaches for inducing spermatogenesis in males with CHH. In the absence of evidence-based clinical guidelines, this synthesis of current evidence provides guidance for clinicians working with males with CHH seeking fertility., (© 2024 The Author(s). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.)

The huhu beetle ( Prionoplus reticularis ) is the largest endemic beetle found throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, and is characterised by feeding on wood during its larval stage. It has been hypothesised that its gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in the degradation of wood. To explore this idea we examined the fungal and bacterial community composition of huhu grubs' frass, using amplicon sequencing. Grubs were reared on an exclusive diet of either a predominantly cellulose source (cotton) or lignocellulose source (pine) for 4 months; subsequently a diet switch was performed and the grubs were grown for another 4 months. The fungal community of cellulose-reared huhu grubs was abundant in potential cellulose degraders, contrasting with the community of lignocellulose-reared grubs, which showed abundant potential soft rot fungi, yeasts, and hemicellulose and cellulose degraders. Cellulose-reared grubs showed a less diverse fungal community, however, diet switch from cellulose to lignocellulose resulted in a change in community composition that showed grubs were still capable of utilising this substrate. Conversely, diet seemed to have a limited influence on huhu grub gut bacterial communities., Competing Interests: Ian R. McDonald is an Academic Editor for PeerJ., (© 2024 Viswam et al.)

Background: Although some male patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) undergo spontaneous reversal following treatment, predictors of reversal remain elusive. We aimed to assemble the largest cohort of male patients with CHH reversal to date and identify distinct classes of reversal., Methods: This multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted in six international CHH referral centres in Brazil, Finland, France, Italy, the UK, and the USA. Adult men with CHH (ie, absent or incomplete spontaneous puberty by age 18 years, low serum testosterone concentrations, and no identifiable cause of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal [HPG] axis dysfunction) were eligible for inclusion. CHH reversal was defined as spontaneous recovery of HPG axis function off treatment. Centres provided common data elements on patient phenotype, clinical assessment, and genetics using a structured, harmonised data collection form developed by COST Action BM1105. Latent class mixture modelling (LCMM) was applied to establish whether at least two distinct classes of reversal could be identified and differentially predicted, and results were compared with a cohort of patients without CHH reversal to identify potential predictors of reversal. The primary outcome was the presence of at least two distinct classes of reversal., Findings: A total of 87 male patients with CHH reversal and 108 without CHH reversal were included in the analyses. LCMM identified two distinct reversal classes (75 [86%] in class 1 and 12 [14%] in class 2) on the basis of mean testicular volume, micropenis, and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration. Classification probabilities were robust (0·998 for class 1 and 0·838 for class 2) and modelling uncertainty was low (entropy 0·90). Compared with class 1, patients in class 2 had significantly larger testicular volume (p<0·0001), no micropenis, and higher serum FSH concentrations (p=0·041), consistent with the Pasqualini syndrome (fertile eunuch) subtype of CHH. Patients without CHH reversal were more likely to have anosmia (p=0·016), cryptorchidism (p=0·0012), complete absence of puberty (testicular volume <4 cm³; p=0·0016), and two or more rare genetic variants (ie, oligogenicity; p=0·0001). Among patients who underwent genetic testing, no patients (of 75) with CHH reversal had a rare pathogenic ANOS1 variant compared with ten (11%) of 95 patients without CHH reversal. Individuals with CHH reversal had a significantly higher rate of rare variants in GNRHR than did those without reversal (nine [12%] of 75 vs three [3%] of 95; p=0·025)., Interpretation: Applying LCMM to a large cohort of male patients with CHH reversal uncovered two distinct classes of reversal. Genetic investigation combined with careful clinical phenotyping could help surveillance of reversal after withdrawing treatment, representing the first tailored management approach for male patients with this rare endocrine disorder., Funding: National Institutes of Health National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy; Ministry of University, Rome, Italy; National Institutes of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; and the Josiah Macy Jr Foundation., Translation: For the Italian translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Allopatric speciation has been difficult to examine among microorganisms, with prior reports of endemism restricted to sub-genus level taxa. Previous microbial community analysis via 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 925 geothermal springs from the Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ), Aotearoa-New Zealand, revealed widespread distribution and abundance of a single bacterial genus across 686 of these ecosystems (pH 1.2-9.6 and 17.4-99.8 °C). Here, we present evidence to suggest that this genus, Venenivibrio (phylum Aquificota), is endemic to Aotearoa-New Zealand. A specific environmental niche that increases habitat isolation was identified, with maximal read abundance of Venenivibrio occurring at pH 4-6, 50-70 °C, and low oxidation-reduction potentials. This was further highlighted by genomic and culture-based analyses of the only characterised species for the genus, Venenivibrio stagnispumantis CP.B2 T , which confirmed a chemolithoautotrophic metabolism dependent on hydrogen oxidation. While similarity between Venenivibrio populations illustrated that dispersal is not limited across the TVZ, extensive amplicon, metagenomic, and phylogenomic analyses of global microbial communities from DNA sequence databases indicates Venenivibrio is geographically restricted to the Aotearoa-New Zealand archipelago. We conclude that geographic isolation, complemented by physicochemical constraints, has resulted in the establishment of an endemic bacterial genus., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Co-creating patient-facing educational materials (PEMs) can enhance person-centered care by responding to patient priorities and unmet needs. Little data exist on 'best practices' for co-creation. We followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework to conduct a systematic literature search of nine databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute, TRIP-April, 2022) to identify empirical studies published in English on PEM co-creation to distill 'best practices'. Following an independent dual review of articles, data were collated into tables, and thematic analysis was employed to synthesize 'best practices' that were validated by a patient experienced in co-creating PEMs. Bias was not assessed, given the study heterogeneity. Of 6998 retrieved articles, 44 were included for data extraction/synthesis. Studies utilized heterogeneous methods spanning a range of health conditions/populations. Only 5/45 (11%) studies defined co-creation, 14 (32%) used a guiding framework, and 18 (41%) used validated evaluation tools. Six 'best practices' were identified: (1) begin with a review of the literature, (2) utilize a framework to inform the process, (3) involve clinical and patient experts from the beginning, (4) engage diverse perspectives, (5) ensure patients have the final decision, and (6) employ validated evaluation tools. This scoping review highlights the need for clear definitions and validated evaluation measures to guide and assess the co-creation process. Identified 'best practices' are relevant for use with diverse patient populations and health issues to enhance person-centered care.

Geothermal areas represent substantial point sources for greenhouse gas emissions such as methane. While it is known that methanotrophic microorganisms act as a biofilter, decreasing the efflux of methane in most soils to the atmosphere, the diversity and the extent to which methane is consumed by thermophilic microorganisms in geothermal ecosystems has not been widely explored. To determine the extent of biologically mediated methane oxidation at elevated temperatures, we set up 57 microcosms using soils from 14 Aotearoa-New Zealand geothermal fields and show that moderately thermophilic (>40°C) and thermophilic (>60°C) methane oxidation is common across the region. Methane oxidation was detected in 54% ( n  = 31) of the geothermal soil microcosms tested at temperatures up to 75°C (pH 1.5-8.1), with oxidation rates ranging from 0.5 to 17.4 μmol g -1 d -1 wet weight. The abundance of known aerobic methanotrophs (up to 60.7% Methylacidiphilum and 11.2% Methylothermus ) and putative anaerobic methanotrophs (up to 76.7% Bathyarchaeota) provides some explanation for the rapid rates of methane oxidation observed in microcosms. However, not all methane oxidation was attributable to known taxa; in some methane-consuming microcosms we detected methanotroph taxa in conditions outside of their known temperature range for growth, and in other examples, we observed methane oxidation in the absence of known methanotrophs through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Both of these observations suggest unidentified methane oxidizing microorganisms or undescribed methanotrophic syntrophic associations may also be present. Subsequent enrichment cultures from microcosms yielded communities not predicted by the original diversity studies and showed rates inconsistent with microcosms (≤24.5 μmol d -1 ), highlighting difficulties in culturing representative thermophilic methanotrophs. Finally, to determine the active methane oxidation processes, we attempted to elucidate metabolic pathways from two enrichment cultures actively oxidizing methane using metatranscriptomics. The most highly expressed genes in both enrichments (methane monooxygenases, methanol dehydrogenases and PqqA precursor peptides) were related to methanotrophs from Methylococcaceae, Methylocystaceae and Methylothermaceae. This is the first example of using metatranscriptomics to investigate methanotrophs from geothermal environments and gives insight into the metabolic pathways involved in thermophilic methanotrophy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Houghton, Carere, Stott and McDonald.)

Microbial biogeography studies, in particular for geothermal-associated habitats, have focused on spatial patterns and/or individual sites, which have limited ability to describe the dynamics of ecosystem behaviour. Here, we report the first comprehensive temporal study of bacterial and archaeal communities from an extensive range of geothermal features in Aotearoa-New Zealand. One hundred and fifteen water column samples from 31 geothermal ecosystems were taken over a 34-month period to ascertain microbial community stability (control sites), community response to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances in the local environment (disturbed sites) and temporal variation in spring diversity across different pH values (pH 3, 5, 7, 9) all at a similar temperature of 60-70°C (pH sites). Identical methodologies were employed to measure microbial diversity via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, along with 44 physicochemical parameters from each feature, to ensure confidence in comparing samples across timeframes. Our results indicated temperature and associated groundwater physicochemistry were the most likely parameters to vary stochastically in these geothermal features, with community abundances rather than composition more readily affected by a changing environment. However, variation in pH (pH ±1) had a more significant effect on community structure than temperature (±20°C), with alpha diversity failing to adequately measure temporal microbial disparity in geothermal features outside of circumneutral conditions. While a substantial physicochemical disturbance was required to shift community structures at the phylum level, geothermal ecosystems were resilient at this broad taxonomic rank and returned to a pre-disturbed state if environmental conditions re-established. These findings highlight the diverse controls between different microbial communities within the same habitat-type, expanding our understanding of temporal dynamics in extreme ecosystems., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Power, Lowe, Carere, McDonald, Cary and Stott.)

Context: Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous., Objective: This work aimed to determine the correlation between genotypic severity with pubertal and neuroendocrine phenotypes in IHH men., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted (1980-2020) examining olfaction (Kallmann syndrome [KS] vs normosmic IHH [nHH]), baseline testicular volume (absent vs partial puberty), neuroendocrine profiling (pulsatile vs apulsatile luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion), and genetic variants in 62 IHH-associated genes through exome sequencing (ES)., Results: In total, 242 men (KS: n = 131 [54%], nHH: n = 111 [46%]) were included. Men with absent puberty had significantly lower gonadotropin levels (P < .001) and were more likely to have undetectable LH (P < .001). Logistic regression showed partial puberty as a statistically significant predictor of pulsatile LH secretion (R2 = 0.71, P < .001, OR: 10.8; 95% CI, 3.6-38.6). Serum LH of 2.10 IU/L had a 95% true positive rate for predicting LH pulsatility. Genetic analyses in 204 of 242 IHH men with ES data available revealed 36 of 204 (18%) men carried protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in 12 IHH genes. Men with absent puberty and apulsatile LH were enriched for oligogenic PTVs (P < .001), with variants in ANOS1 being the predominant PTV in this genotype-phenotype association. Men with absent puberty were enriched for ANOS1 PTVs compared to partial puberty counterparts (P = .002). PTVs in other IHH genes imparted more variable reproductive phenotypic severity., Conclusion: Partial puberty and LH greater than or equal to 2.10 IU/L are proxies for pulsatile LH secretion. ANOS1 PTVs confer severe reproductive phenotypes. Variable phenotypic severity in the face of severe genetic variants in other IHH genes point to significant neuroendocrine plasticity of the HPG axis in IHH men., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Venenivibrio stagnispumantis strain CP.B2 T is a thermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium from the family Hydrogenothermaceae (phylum Aquificota ), isolated from Champagne Pool in the Waiotapu geothermal field, Aotearoa-New Zealand. The genome consists of 1.73 Mbp in 451 contigs with a 30.8 mol% G+C content.

Methylobacterium species are abundant colonizers of the phyllosphere due to the availability of methanol, a waste product of pectin metabolism during plant cell division. The phyllosphere is an extreme environment, with a landscape that is heterogeneous and continuously changing as the plant grows and is exposed to high levels of ultraviolet irradiation. Geographically, New Zealand (NZ) has been isolated for over a million years, has a biologically diverse flora, and is considered a biodiversity hotspot, with most native plants being endemic. We therefore hypothesize that the phyllosphere of NZ native plants harbor diverse groups of Methylobacterium species. Leaf imprinting using methanol-supplemented agar medium was used to isolate bacteria, and diversity was determined using ARDRA and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Methylobacterium species were successfully isolated from the phyllosphere of 18 of the 20 native NZ plant species in this study, and six different species were identified: M. marchantiae, M. mesophilicum, M. adhaesivum, M. komagatae, M. extorquens, and M. phyllosphaerae. Other α, β, and γ-Proteobacteria, Actinomycetes, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were also isolated, highlighting the presence of other potentially novel methanol utilizers within this ecosystem. This study identified that Methylobacterium are abundant members of the NZ phyllosphere, with species diversity and composition dependent on plant species., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS.)

Study Question: What is known about health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in women with idiopathic primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)?, Summary Answer: Women with POI have a range of unmet psychosocial needs relating to three interrelated themes: 'diagnostic odyssey', 'isolation and stigma' and impaired 'ego integrity'., What Is Known Already: Prior studies have reported increased depressive symptoms, diminished sexual function and altered body image/self-concept in women with POI., Study Design, Size, Duration: A systematic scoping review (11 databases) on HR-QoL in POI including published quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies as well as unpublished gray literature (i.e. unpublished dissertations) through June, 2021., Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: After removing duplicates, 1244 articles underwent title and abstract review by independent reviewers. The remaining 72 relevant articles underwent dual full text review to determine inclusion criteria yielding 24 articles (100% concordance) for data extraction. Findings were summarized in tables by methodology and recurrent HR-QoL themes/sub-themes were mapped to define key aspects of HR-QoL in POI. Promoters of active coping were charted at the individual, interpersonal and healthcare system levels. Targets for tailored interventions supporting active coping and improved HR-QoL were mapped to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)., Main Results and the Role of Chance: Three interrelated themes affecting HR-QoL in POI emerged from the data synthesis. First, the theme 'diagnostic odyssey' comprised sub-themes of uncertainty, lack of control, knowledge gaps, discontinuous care and negative clinical interactions. The second theme 'isolation and stigma' included sub-themes of guilt, shame, concealment, feeling labeled as infertile, lack of social support and unsympathetic clinicians. The third theme, impaired 'ego integrity' captured sub-themes of decreased sexual function, altered body image, psychological vulnerability and catastrophizing. Targets promoting active coping at the individual (n = 2), interpersonal (n = 1) and healthcare system (n = 1) levels were mapped to the TPB to inform development of tailored interventions supporting active coping and improved HR-QoL in POI (i.e. narrative intervention, co-creating patient-facing materials, peer-to-peer support and provider resources)., Limitations, Reasons for Caution: No studies using a POI-specific HR-QoL instrument were identified. No interventional studies aimed at improving HR-QoL in POI were identified. Only articles published in English were included in the study., Wider Implications of the Findings: Women with POI frequently have impaired HR-QoL related to the life-altering infertility diagnosis. The range of unmet psychosocial needs may be relevant for informing interventions for other populations with infertility., Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 'Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Center for Reproductive Medicine' (1 P50 HD104224-01 NICHD). The authors have no conflicts to declare., Registration Number: N/A., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is a heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by disrupted puberty and infertility. In most cases, HH is abiding yet 10-15% undergo reversal. Men with HH and absent and partial puberty (i.e., testicular volume <4mL and >4mL respectively) have been well-studied, but the rare fertile eunuch (FE) variant remains poorly characterized. This natural history study of 240 men with HH delineates the clinical presentation, neuroendocrine profile, rate of reversal and genetics of the FE variant. We compared three HH groups: FE (n=38), absent puberty (n=139), and partial puberty (n=63). The FE group had no history of micropenis and 2/38 (5%) had cryptorchidism ( p <0.0001 vs. other groups). The FE group exhibited higher rates of detectable gonadotropins, higher mean LH/FSH levels, and higher serum inhibin B levels (all p <0.0001). Neuroendocrine profiling showed pulsatile LH secretion in 30/38 (79%) of FE men ( p <0.0001) and 16/36 (44%) FE men underwent spontaneous reversal of HH ( p <0.001). The FE group was enriched for protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in GNRHR and FGFR1 and 4/30 (13%) exhibited oligogenic PTVs. Findings suggest men with the FE variant exhibit the mildest neuroendocrine defects of HH men and the FE sub-type represents the first identified phenotypic predictor for reversible HH., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Dwyer, Stamou, McDonald, Anghel, Cox, Salnikov, Plummer, Seminara and Balasubramanian.)

Assessing the resilience of polar biota to climate change is essential for predicting the effects of changing environmental conditions for ecosystems. Collembola are abundant in terrestrial polar ecosystems and are integral to food-webs and soil nutrient cycling. Using available literature, we consider resistance (genetic diversity; behavioural avoidance and physiological tolerances; biotic interactions) and recovery potential for polar Collembola. Polar Collembola have high levels of genetic diversity, considerable capacity for behavioural avoidance, wide thermal tolerance ranges, physiological plasticity, generalist-opportunistic feeding habits and broad ecological niches. The biggest threats to the ongoing resistance of polar Collembola are increasing levels of dispersal (gene flow), increased mean and extreme temperatures, drought, changing biotic interactions, and the arrival and spread of invasive species. If resistance capacities are insufficient, numerous studies have highlighted that while some species can recover from disturbances quickly, complete community-level recovery is exceedingly slow. Species dwelling deeper in the soil profile may be less able to resist climate change and may not recover in ecologically realistic timescales given the current rate of climate change. Ultimately, diverse communities are more likely to have species or populations that are able to resist or recover from disturbances. While much of the Arctic has comparatively high levels of diversity and phenotypic plasticity; areas of Antarctica have extremely low levels of diversity and are potentially much more vulnerable to climate change., Competing Interests: The authors declare no financial conflicts associated with this research. Brent J. Sinclair is Editor-in-Chief of Current Research in Insect Science. Given his role, he had no involvement in the evaluation or peer review of this manuscript, and has no access to information regarding its peer review., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Mt. Erebus, Antarctica, is the world's southernmost active volcano and is unique in its isolation from other major active volcanic systems and its distinctive geothermal systems. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and physicochemical analyses, we compared samples collected at two contrasting high-temperature (50°C-65°C) sites on Mt. Erebus: Tramway Ridge, a weather-protected high biomass site, and Western Crater, an extremely exposed low biomass site. Samples were collected along three thermal gradients, one from Western Crater and two within Tramway Ridge, which allowed an examination of the heterogeneity present at Tramway Ridge. We found distinct soil compositions between the two sites, and to a lesser extent within Tramway Ridge, correlated with disparate microbial communities. Notably, pH, not temperature, showed the strongest correlation with these differences. The abundance profiles of several microbial groups were different between the two sites; class Nitrososphaeria amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) dominated the community profiles at Tramway Ridge, whereas Acidobacteriotal ASVs were only found at Western Crater. A co-occurrence network, paired with physicochemical analyses, allowed for finer scale analysis of parameters correlated with differential abundance profiles, with various parameters (total carbon, total nitrogen, soil moisture, soil conductivity, sulfur, phosphorous, and iron) showing significant correlations. ASVs assigned to Chloroflexi classes Ktedonobacteria and Chloroflexia were detected at both sites. Based on the known metabolic capabilities of previously studied members of these groups, we predict that chemolithotrophy is a common strategy in this system. These analyses highlight the importance of conducting broader-scale metagenomics and cultivation efforts at Mt. Erebus to better understand this unique environment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Noell, Baptista, Smith, McDonald, Lee, Stott, Amend and Cary.)

The toheroa (Paphies ventricosa) is endemic to Aotearoa (New Zealand). Following decades of overfishing in the 1900 s, commercial and recreational fishing of toheroa is now prohibited. For unknown reasons, protective measures in place for over 40 years have not ensured the recovery of toheroa populations. For the first time, a systematic pathology survey was undertaken to provide a baseline of toheroa health in remaining major populations. Using histopathology, parasites and pathologies in a range of tissues are assessed and quantified spatio-temporally. Particular focus is placed on intracellular microcolonies of bacteria (IMCs). Bayesian ordinal logistic regression is used to model IMC infection and several facets of toheroa health. Model outputs show condition to be the most important predictor of IMC intensity in toheroa tissues. The precarious state of many toheroa populations around Aotearoa should warrant greater attention from scientists, conservationists, and regulators. It is hoped that this study will provide some insight into the current health status of a treasured and iconic constituent of several expansive surf beaches in Aotearoa., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)