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Environmental factors shaping the diversity and distribution of Trichoptera assemblages across diverse freshwater habitats
No full textUnderstanding the distribution of Trichoptera (caddisfliy) larvae across waterbody types supports predictions of how environmental changes, such as habitat modification or climate impacts, might influence freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. To enhance understanding and evaluate environmental factors that influence the diversity and distribution of Trichoptera larvae, this study examined how these factors shape caddisfly assemblages across various freshwater habitats in the territory of Serbia. The diversity and distribution of Trichoptera across the studied region were analysed in relation to two predefined environmental categories: four groups of waterbody types and three altitude groups. For Trichoptera assemblages in different waterbody types and altitude groups, alpha and beta diversity were analysed. Cluster analysis based on Ward's method was done to analyse Trichoptera assemblages. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to identify a linear combination of features that grouping or separates Trichoptera assemblages. Principal coordinates analysis (PCO) on a resemblance matrix of Euclidean distances was used to identify relationships between Trichoptera assemblages and water parameters. BIO-ENV analysis was used to identify a subset of water parameters correlated with the similarity matrix of the biota. Indicator species analysis was used to identify taxa and taxa combinations that were significant indicators for different waterbody types and altitudes. All analyses were done for Trichoptera assemblages among different waterbody types and altitude groups.Statistics: Alpha and Beta diversity, Cluster analysis based on Ward's method, Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), Principal coordinates analysis (PCO), Indicator species analysis
Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) responses to heat stress: An integrated RNA-Seq meta-analysis, gene co-expression, and gene regulatory network study
No full textBrassica napus L. (rapeseed) represents one of the world’s most important oilseed crops, yet its yield is increasingly impacted by heat—a threat that is intensifying under climate change. Here, we employed an integrative framework combining RNA‑Seq meta‑analysis, weighted gene co‑expression network analysis (WGCNA), and gene regulatory network (GRN) inference to dissect the transcriptional programs activated during the response of rapeseed to heat stress. WGCNA partitioned the transcriptome into three principal modules—green, black, and brown—with genes in the black and brown modules exhibiting predominantly decreased expression under heat, whereas the green module was largely characterized by upregulation. The green module promoted energy conservation, transcriptome flexibility through alternative splicing, endoplasmic reticulum remodeling, proteostasis via chaperone activity, redox balance, and reduced ABA sensitivity to enhance transpirational cooling. In contrast, the black and brown modules, largely downregulated, restricted carbon fixation, cyclic electron flow, chlorophyll turnover, and PSII repair while sustaining stomatal opening, highlighting a trade-off between photosynthetic efficiency and thermotolerance. Within GRNs, upregulated hub TFs reinforced chaperone function, ROS detoxification, (post-)transcriptional reprogramming, and photosynthetic support whereas downregulated hub TFs suppressed photosynthesis, metabolism, growth, transport, and basal immunity thereby redirecting resources toward essential heat stress responses. Our results illuminate the key regulatory mechanisms and co‑expressed gene clusters that orchestrate adaptive response of rapeseed to heat, offering valuable molecular targets for the development of varieties with improved tolerance to heat stress conditions
Editorial: Combination therapies in cancer treatment: enhancing efficacy and reducing resistance
No full textAlteration of hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons underlies memory impairment in rat model of Parkinson’s disease
No full textCognitive decline is a major non-motor symptom in patients with Parkinson’s
disease (PD) that can be present as early as the prodromal stage. As a
multisystem neurodegenerative syndrome, PD is associated with disturbances
in various neurotransmitters, including dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin,
noradrenaline, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). While the
roles of dopaminergic and cholinergic deficiencies in cognitive impairment
in PD are well documented, the contribution of the GABAergic system
is less clear. We investigated spatial and recognition memory, along with
changes in hippocampal GABAergic parvalbumin-positive (PV+)neurons,in
distinct rat models of PD neuropathology. PD cholinopathy was induced by
bilateral pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPT) lesion, hemiparkinsonism
was induced by unilateral substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) lesion, and
hemiparkinsonism with PD cholinopathy was induced by unilateral SNpc
and bilateral PPT lesions. Behavioral tests were conducted 14 and 42 days
after lesions and included assessments of spatial memory (spatial habituation
test), recognition memory (novel object recognition test), and measurements
of motor activity (open field test). Motor function was preserved in all
PD models. We observed delayed impairments in spatial and recognition
memory in PD cholinopathy, and persistent impairment in spatial memory in
hemiparkinsonism, although hippocampal PV expression remained unchanged
over time. In hemiparkinsonismwith PD cholinopathy, persistent spatialmemory
impairment was followed by delayed recognition memory deficits, along with
hippocampal PV suppression, which was functionally linked to recognition
memory impairment. Our results show that diferent PD neuropathologies
underlie diferent memory impairments in rats. While dopaminergic denervation
plays an important role in impairing spatial memory from the prodromal stage of
PD, cholinergic denervation impairs recognition memory in a delayed manner.
However, only their synergistic dysfunction alters hippocampal GABAergic PV+
neuron-mediated inhibitory transmission during PD progression, which was
correlated with memory impairment
Enhanced initiation of somatic embryos in suspension cultures of Aesculus flava and metabolic profile of zygotic embryos and somatic embryos during their development
No full textZygotic embryos (ZEs) of Aesculus species contain a plethora of health-promoting phytochemicals that are used in the pharmaceutical industry and traditional medicine. However, the seed yield decreases due to various stresses, and seeds often contain elevated levels of heavy metals as they are mostly collected from urban environments. Somatic embryos (SEs) could serve as an alternative source of these phytochemicals. Therefore, this study aimed to develop protocols for efficient initiation, regeneration, proliferation, and cryopreservation of A. flava SEs, while also establishing a metabolic profile of ZEs and SEs at successive developmental stages. The frequency of initiation of SEs from the filament-derived friable callus was approximately eightfold higher for explants cultured in liquid medium than on solid medium. Embryogenic suspensions with sustained proliferation and high embryogenic capacity were established and maintained efficiently by size fractionation of embryogenic cell aggregates. The selected cell lines were successfully cryopreserved by encapsulation and slow cooling, with 75% recovery from liquid nitrogen. LC/MS characterization of the ethanolic extracts revealed 117 metabolites: benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids and saponins, including 58 new compounds. This analysis also provided valuable insights into dynamic alterations in specialized metabolites during embryo development. SEs in early developmental stages primarily contained flavonoids, while ZEs mainly contained saponins, whereas cotyledonary-stage SEs (CSEs) contained both flavonoids and saponins along with considerable amounts of flavan-3-ols and procyanidins. Thus, with 102/117 compounds detected, the CSEs obtained from suspension cultures may represent a promising source of metabolites for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Further optimization of the protocol is required to ensure its robust applicability across A. flava clones, together with validation of metabolite yield, purity, and bioactivity
Green Extraction and Liposomal Encapsulation of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) Extracts: Comparative Phytochemical and Antioxidant Analysis
No full textInonotus obliquus (Chaga) is a medicinal basidiomycete fungus with diverse bioactive compounds and pharmacological properties. This study systematically compared green extraction techniques: maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and combined supercritical CO2-pressurized liquid extraction (ScCO2-PLE), using solvents of varying polarity (water, 50%, and 70% ethanol). Chaga extracts were analyzed for phytochemical composition (HPLC-Orbitrap Exploris 120) and antioxidant activity toward DPPH and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals using EPR spectroscopy. The results revealed that both solvent polarity and extraction technique significantly influenced extraction efficiency and antioxidant potential. The UAE extraction method achieved the highest overall recovery of phenolic and triterpenoid compounds, with extracts obtained using 50% and 70% ethanol exhibiting the most pronounced and well-balanced radical scavenging activity (>98% toward DPPH, >91% toward •OH). Correlation and PCA analyses identified phenolic and triterpenoid compounds, including fungal-specific polyphenols such as hispidin and hispolon, as key contributors to antioxidant activity. Among the extracts obtained using different solvents, the extracts with the highest overall antioxidant potential were encapsulated into liposomes and evaluated for their DPPH and •OH radical scavenging. Encapsulation effectively preserved the antioxidant activity of ethanol-derived extracts, demonstrating that Chaga liposomes can maintain bioactivity while offering the advantages of controlled delivery. Combining optimized extraction with liposomal encapsulation thus represents a promising strategy to enhance the stability and practical applicability of Chaga antioxidants in nutraceutical or therapeutic contexts
Acute E-Cigarette Aerosol Condensate Exposure Disrupts the Transcriptome and Proteome Profiles of Human Bronchial Epithelial BEAS-2B Cells
No full textThe growing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) necessitates a better understanding of their biological effects. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of e-cigarette aerosol condensates generated from either e-cigarette carrier liquid alone or with e-cigarette liquid with nicotine and flavor on bronchial epithelial cells. BEAS-2B cells were exposed to e-cigarettes for 24 h, and transcriptional and proteomic profiling, including assessment of protein modifications, was performed. Additionally, cell-based assays were used to evaluate mitochondrial function, rate of protein synthesis, lysosomal signal, lipid droplet quantity and actin formation. Our findings reveal that short-term exposure to both types of aerosol condensates altered transcriptome and proteome profiles, disrupting cellular homeostasis in BEAS-2B cells through impaired proteostasis and mitochondrial function in response to both types of condensates. Changes in lipid and lysosome content, as well as a reduction in polymerized actin, were observed with nicotine- and flavor-containing condensate. E-cigarette exposure also induced irreversible protein modifications, including different chemical derivatives (25 out of 49 in nicotine/flavor condensate; 20 out of 48 in nicotine/flavor-free condensate; 4 out of 35 in control), suggesting their particularly harmful effect. Together, these findings point to early-onset cellular stress and impaired lung epithelial fitness caused by acute e-cigarette exposure
Somatic Embryogenesis of Selected Pinus Species: Developmental Stages of Pinus peuce and Pinus heldreichii
No full textSomatic embryogenesis (SE) represents the most efficient and scalable technology for the mass clonal propagation and genetic improvement of superior conifer genotypes, which is crucial for meeting global wood demand and supporting forest adaptation to climate change. Despite its immense potential, SE in the genus Pinus still faces major limitations, including low initiation frequencies, restricted explant availability, and pronounced geno-type dependence. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the factors influencing SE in Pinus species, with a specific focus on two ecologically vital Tertiary relicts endemic to the Balkan Peninsula: Pinus peuce (Macedonian pine) and Pinus heldreichii (Bosnian pine). For these species, traditional vegetative propagation methods are difficult or ineffective, making SE the priority approach for clonal propagation. Detailed studies on these species revealed that SE induction is highly dependent on the explant type and developmental stage. Successful embryogenic tissue formation was achieved only from whole megagame-tophytes containing immature zygotic embryos, within a narrow developmental window spanning 4–10 weeks post-fertilization. Furthermore, medium composition, particularly reduced ammonium concentration, proved critical for P. heldreichii success. These findings underscore the need for continued, species-specific optimization to overcome current bot-tlenecks and realize the full potential of SE for the conservation and sustainable clonal forestry of these high-value pines
Metabolic differentiation of Teucrium montanum L. (Lamiaceae) from serpentinite and calcareous habitats
No full textPlant secondary metabolites are ubiquitous in plants and play many physiological and ecological roles. Their species-specific qualitative and quantitative composition can vary within and among populations, and as influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Teucrium montanum L. is defined as a facultative serpentinophyte because, besides serpentinite (SER), it inhabits calcareous (CAL) habitats, where it experiences different physical-chemical soil characteristics (e.g. amount of trace elements, water, thermal regime). This research is conducted towards understanding the influence of the edaphic characteristics of SER and CAL habitats on the variability of methanol-soluble metabolites in T. montanum, aiming to identify high-resolution chemical markers to discriminate between ecotypes. Non-targeted metabolomics resulted in the identification of 95 compounds, mainly organic acids, phenolics, and terpenoids. Qualitative phytochemical composition is clearly differentiated in samples from CAL and SER habitats. The inter-population variability of twenty native populations from CAL and SER soils was investigated by metabolic profiling of aboveground parts targeting seventeen phenolic compounds. The quantitative composition of targeted metabolites varies among populations and is significantly influenced by edaphic factors. However, differences between SER and CAL habitats were statistically significant only for a few metabolites. CAL populations are characterized by higher chlorogenic and syringic acids content, while SER populations contain higher catechin, quercetin and isoquercitrin amounts. These compounds can be used as a fingerprint for a serpentinite/calcareous type of habitat and indicators of corresponding ecotypes of T. montanum