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SPEAR index as a tool for determining pollution in selected aquatic ecosystems
No full textThe area of Belgrade is characterized by a rich system of canals that play a role in drainage and waste water removal. These canals are exposed to various anthropogenic influences. We used the SPEAR index based on the characteristics of aquatic macroinvertebrates sensitive to pesticides and organic pollutants to determine the potential impact on the studied sites. The ASTERICS software program (AQEM, 2002) was used to calculate the SPEAR index. We analyzed the aquatic macroinvertebrate community of eight canals around Belgrade: Galovica, Progarska Jarčina, Kalovita, Sibnica, Vizelj, Karaš, Agricultural Plant Belgrade (PKB) and Obrenovački canals. The material was collected in May 2024 with a benthological hand net using the multihabitat sampling method. The SPEAR % values (proportion of sensitive taxa) in Galovica (45%) and the Obrenovački channel (42.86%) had the highest proportion of pesticide-sensitive taxa and showed the best water quality in terms of pesticide contamination. Karaš (11.91%) and PKB (12.12%) had the lowest proportion of pesticide-sensitive taxa, indicating pesticide contamination or other stressors. The SPEARpesticides values (abundance of sensitive taxa) show that the Obrenovački chanel (21.40) has a very high abundance of sensitive taxa, which emphasizes its good quality. Kalovita showed no sensitive taxa, which could be a sign of stress or a naturally low abundance of sensitive taxa. SPEARorganic (sensitivity to organic pollution) Kalovita (-0.489) and Vizelj (-0.487) have communities that are more sensitive to organic pollution, indicating organic stress or a naturally sensitive assemblage. The lowest sensitivity were found in the Obrenovački canal (-0.265) and in Sibnica (-0.264)
The results of the SPEAR index suggest that monitoring and remediation should focus on low quality sites and that further investigation of pesticide and organic pollution should be considered at sites where unfavourable SPEAR results were found.Bosak S, Gračan R, Korać P, editors. Book of Abstracts: 15th Croatian Biological Congress: with international participation; 2025 Nov 20-23; Zagreb, Croatia. Zagreb: Croatian Biological Society; 2025. p. 262
Investigation of Bioactive Compounds Extracted from Verbena officinalis and Their Biological Effects in the Extraction by Four Butanol/Ethanol Solvent Combinations
No full textBackground/Objectives: Verbena officinalis L. (common vervain) is a medicinal plant traditionally used and investigated in phytotherapy for its neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aims to investigate the phytochemical diversity and biological activity of V. officinalis extracts prepared with different ratios of butanol and ethanol. Methods: Aerial parts of V. officinalis were extracted using four solvent systems: 100% butanol (B1), 75:25 (BE7.5), 50:50 (BE5), and 25:75 (BE2.5) butanol:ethanol mixtures. Metabolite profiling was conducted using liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). Antioxidant activities were evaluated through six assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), cupric ion-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), metal-chelating ability (MCA), and the phosphomolybdenum assay (PMA). Enzyme inhibition assays targeted acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), tyrosinase, and α-amylase. Antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was tested via microdilution, while dominant phytochemicals were evaluated for binding affinity through molecular docking. Results: Seventy-five compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, phenylethanoids, and xanthones, were identified. BE5 extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content and strongest antioxidant capacity, while BE2.5 demonstrated the greatest antibacterial and metal-chelating effects. All extracts showed comparable AChE inhibition, with BE5 achieving the strongest tyrosinase and α-amylase inhibition. Docking studies confirmed high binding affinities of luteolin glucuronides to human and bacterial target enzymes. Conclusions: Solvent composition markedly influenced the chemical and biological profiles of V. officinalis extracts. BE5 and BE2.5 emerged as promising systems for obtaining bioactive fractions with therapeutic potential
Underrepresentation of bats in Africa’s protected areas
No full textBiodiversity is severely threatened globally, with habitat loss and other human pressures accelerating species extinctions. Protected areas (PAs) are a critical conservation tool; however, their effectiveness in safeguarding many taxa, such as bats, remains unclear. Using georeferenced occurrence records and species distribution models (SDMs) for 263 sub-Saharan African bat species, we evaluated the coverage of bats in 7875 terrestrial PAs. Eighty-nine percent of bat species were recorded in at least 1 PA, yet 28 species, including 5 threatened and 15 data deficient species, were absent from all PAs. Species with large extents of occurrence were represented in more PAs, and fruit bats occupied significantly more PAs than clutter, edge, or open-air insectivorous foragers. The SDMs revealed high species richness in some undersurveyed areas, particularly in West and Central Africa and the Albertine Rift, emphasizing the need for targeted surveys. Our findings underscore critical data deficiencies related to bat conservation and stress the urgency of integrating bats into broader conservation planning. More surveys, enhanced data-sharing, and tailored conservation strategies are needed to improve bat representation in PAs and safeguard their ecological roles in Africa's biodiverse landscapes
Nutrients, Phytochemicals, and In Vitro Biological Activities of Goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) Fruit and Calyx
No full textThis study provides a comprehensive characterization of Physalis peruviana L., covering the nutritional composition of the fruit and the phytochemical profiles and in vitro bioactive properties of berry and calyx extracts. The fresh fruit stood out as a source of dietary fiber (5.16 g/100 g) and is low in fat (0.49 g/100 g). A 100-g serving also contained notable amounts of ascorbic acid (32.0 mg), tocopherols (2.34 mg), potassium (253 mg), phosphorus (45 mg), and magnesium (20 mg). HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis tentatively identified five physalin derivatives and one withanolide in the fruit extract, which showed significant antiproliferative activity against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NCI-H460) cells. The calyx extracts contained three phenolic acids and four flavonoids, demonstrating high antioxidant activity through physiologically relevant cell-based assays, the ability to inhibit advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation and nitric oxide production, and also antiproliferative properties. These findings highlight goldenberry as a nutrient-dense fruit rich in vitamins and functional compounds with potential health benefits, supporting its recognition as a “superfruit”. Furthermore, the fruit calyx emerged as a valuable source of bioactive secondary metabolites with potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries and related sectors
Nutrients, Phytochemicals, and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam.) Fruit Pulp, Peel, and Seeds
No full textLulo or naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) is an Andean fruit with a sour and
refreshing flavor, widely used in the preparation of juices and sweets. Despite its potential
for international markets, it remains largely unknown outside its native regions, and most
existing studies have focused on the whole fruit or its juice. This study investigated the nu-
tritional and phenolic profiles of the peel, pulp, and seeds of S. quitoense using official food
analysis methods and chromatographic techniques. In addition, the in vitro antioxidant
activity and antimicrobial effects against foodborne fungi and bacteria were assessed. The
peel was rich in ascorbic acid (25.2 mg/100 g fw), α-tocopherol (7.9 mg/100 g fw), dietary
fiber (16.5 g/100 g fw), macrominerals (Na, Ca, K), and flavonoids (14.2 mg/g extract); the
pulp contained high levels of citric acid (4.22 g/100 g fw) and sucrose (2.7 g/100 g fw); and
the seeds stood out for their contents of trace elements (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe), oleic acid, and
spermidine-derived phenolamides (37.8 mg/g extract). Hydroethanolic extracts showed
antioxidant activity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and oxidative hemolysis, with the seed
extract exhibiting the strongest antifungal effect against Aspergillus versicolor, likely due
to its high spermidine derivative content. These findings shed light on the potential of S.
quitoense fruit for the development of functional foods, antioxidant-rich beverages, and
nutraceutical products
Therapeutic potential of hydrogen sulfide: preventing diabetic liver damage via ferroptosis inhibition
No full textWe have recently shown that ferroptosis contributes to diabetes-related liver damage and suggested that it could be used as a new target for the treatment of this diabetic complication. While recent studies suggest that H₂S and its related sulfur-reactive metabolites (RSS) protect cells from ferroptosis, their role in preventing diabetes-related liver injury is unknown. Here, we investigated whether targeting ferroptosis with donors of H₂S (GYY4137), polysulfides (Na2S4) and persulfides (cysteine-S3, Cys-S3) could have antidiabetic effects and alleviate diabetic liver damage.
The results showed that H₂S/RSS donors, especially GYY417 and Cys-S3, attenuated ferroptoticphenotype in the liver of diabetic rats, seen through: increased accumulation of pro-oxidative parameters (liable iron, lipofuscin and lipid peroxides); inactivation of Nrf2 and GSH-related antioxidative defense parameters (GPX4, GCLC, GSS); decreased expression of iron sequestering proteins (ferritin and ferroportin); increased expression of key factor for ferroptosis. Observed mitigation of ferroptotic events in diabetic liver by H2S/RSS donors culminated in strongly improved functional state of hepatocytes, as evidenced by improved biochemical parameters related to liver injury (ALT and AST), reduced hepatocyte size, binucleation and liver fibrosis, and were similar to the effects of the ferroptosis inhibitor liproxtatin-1. In addition, H₂S/RSS donors restored diabetes-altered expression of the predominant enzyme for H₂S synthesis in the liver, CSE, indicating involvement of H₂S biosynthetic pathways in the observed antiferroptotic/antidiabetic effects of the H₂S/RSS donors.
The present study clearly demonstrates the strong antiferroptotic potential of H₂S/RSS donors in diabetic liver complications and suggest a new approach for the prevention/treatment of this pathology.Abstract book: EMBO WORKSHOP: Thiol based thiol switches; From chemistry to physiology and pathology; 2025 Sep 13-18; Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain. Heidelberg: EMBO Press; 2025. p. P56
Thermal adaptation and stress resistance in Drosophila subobscura populations from different altitudes
No full textAktuelne klimatske promene, koje poslednjih nekoliko decenija dovode do porasta
prosečnih temperatura i sve učestalijih ekstremnih klimatskih događaja, značajno utiču
na brojnost, distribuciju i adaptivne sposobnosti živih organizama. Ovo istraživanje bavi
se uticajem porekla prirodnih populacija Drosophila subobscura na sposobnost adaptacije
na tople ali i hladne temperaturne uslove kao i njihovog odgovora u uslovima ekstremnog
temperaturnog stresa.
Istraživanje je obuhvatilo dve populacije poreklom sa različitih nadmorskih visina sa
Stare planine, pri čemu su kroz laboratorijsku evoluciju tokom više generacija praćene
promene u genetičkoj strukturi populacija (učestalost hromozomskih aranžmana),
komponentama životne istorije (otpornost na desikaciju, otpornost na toplotni šok,
otpornost na izgladnjivanje i vreme oporavka od kome izazvane smrzavanjem) i promene
u ekspresiji proteina toplotnog šoka Hsp70.
Rezultati ove studije pokazuju da lokalni ekološki uslovi i nadmorska visina značajno
utiču na obrasce učestalosti hromozomskih aranžmana, posebno na hromozomima A, J i
O. Faktor porekla populacija utiče i na obrazac promene genetičke strukture populacija u
različitim laboratorijskim uslovima kroz generacije, naročito na hromozomima J, E i O.
Populacija poreklom sa sa više nadmorske visine pokazale su veću genetičku
diferencijaciju i plastičnost u odgovoru na temperaturni stres, dok su populacije
poreklom sa niže nadmorske visine imale veću otpornost na desikaciju i izgladnjivanje.
Analizirane komponente životne istorije pokazuju i polno specifične odgovore, pri čemu
su ženke generalno tolerantnije na temperaturni stres. Uočen je i obrazac „trade off”-a
između adaptacije na visoke i niske temperature da jedinke koje su gajene na višoj
temperaturi pokazale bolju otpornost ekstremne visoke temperature, ali lošiju na niske
temperature.Na molekularnom nivou, istraživanje je pokazalo da je ekspresija Hsp70
značajno povećana pri toplotnom šoku, dok je izlaganje hladnom stresu dovelo do
neznatno manje ekspresije. Nakon dugotrajnog laboratorijskog gajenja, uočeno je
povećanje bazalnog nivoa Hsp70 sa porastom temperature gajenja, naročito kod ženki iz
populacije sa više nadmorske visine.
Dobijeni rezultati naglašavaju složenost termalne adaptacije koja zavisi od genetičke
pozadine, pola i lokalnih uslova sredine. Generalni zaključak ove disertacije je da globalno
zagrevanje ima potencijalo veći nepovoljnni uticaj na vrste preadaptirane na hladnije
uslove životne sredine, smanjujući njihovu sposobnost da se adaptiraju na novo toplije
okruženje.Current climate changes, which in recent decades have led to an increase in average
temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events, significantly affect the
abundance, distribution, and adaptive abilities of living organisms. This research
analyzes the impact of the origin of natural populations of Drosophila subobscura on the
ability to adapt to warm as well as cold temperature conditions and their response to
extreme temperature stress.
The research included two populations originating from different altitudes of Stara
Planina Mountain, where changes in the genetic structure of populations (chromosome
arrangement frequencies), life-history components (desiccation resistance, heat shock
resistance, starvation resistance, and chill coma recovery time), and changes in the
expression of heat shock protein Hsp70 were monitored through laboratory evolution
over several generations.
The results of this study show that local ecological conditions and altitude
significantly influence the patterns of chromosome arrangement frequencies, especially
on chromosomes A, J, and O. The origin of populations factor affects the pattern of genetic
structure changes in different laboratory conditions across generations, especially on
chromosomes J, E, and O. Populations originating from higher altitudes showed greater
genetic differentiation and plasticity in response to temperature stress, while
populations from lower altitudes had higher resistance to desiccation and starvation. The
analyzed life-history components also show sex-specific responses, with females
generally more tolerant to temperature stress. A trade-off pattern between adaptation to
high and low temperatures was observed, as individuals reared at higher temperatures
showed better resistance to extreme high temperatures but poorer resistance to low
temperatures.
At the molecular level, the study showed that Hsp70 expression significantly
increased under heat shock, while exposure to cold stress resulted in slightly lower
expression. After long-term laboratory rearing, an increase in the basal level of Hsp70
with rising rearing temperature was observed, especially in females from populations at
higher altitudes.
The obtained results emphasize the complexity of thermal adaptation, which
depends on genetic background, sex, and local environmental conditions. The general
conclusion of this dissertation is that global warming has the potential for a greater
adverse impact on species preadapted to colder environmental conditions, reducing their
ability to adapt to the new warmer environment
Fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. from suppressive and conducive soils share genomic and functional traits relevant to Fusarium graminearum disease suppression
No full textBackground: Soils suppressive to fungal pathogens harbor microbiomes that can inhibit disease development despite the presence of virulent pathogens and susceptible hosts. Fluorescent Pseudomonas are often implicated in such suppressiveness, but their genomic determinants and distribution in suppressive vs. non-suppressive (i.e., conducive) soils remain unclear.
Results: We investigated the taxonomic and functional diversity of Pseudomonas populations from wheat rhizospheres in four agricultural soils with contrasting suppressiveness to Fusarium graminearum-induced seedling disease. rpoD-based metabarcoding and culture-dependent isolation revealed distinct Pseudomonas community structures linked to soil suppressiveness. However, major phylogenetic groups were shared across soils. From 406 isolates, 29 representative strains spanning seven subgroups of the P. fluorescens group were selected for whole-genome sequencing. Comparative genomics revealed 14 putative novel Pseudomonas genomospecies (dDDH < 70% with closest described type strains). Genomic screening revealed wide distribution of genes linked to biocontrol and plant-growth promotion, including siderophore biosynthesis, hormone modulation, phosphate solubilization, and production of antimicrobial compounds. Biosynthetic genes for phenazine and pyrrolnitrin were detected exclusively in P. chlororaphis strains isolated from suppressive soils, and rpoD alleles corresponding to these strains were not found in conducive soils within our metabarcoding dataset. Other traits such as hydrogen cyanide, ACC deaminase, and auxin biosynthesis were broadly distributed across isolates from all soils. Functional assays demonstrated variable expression of predicted traits, indicating regulatory or environmental influence. Several strains inhibited F. graminearum mycelial growth via volatile organic compounds, while two strains also reduced conidia germination, including isolates from both suppressive and conducive soils.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Pseudomonas genomic traits important for biocontrol are not restricted to suppressive soils, and that functional redundancy and context-dependent expression may shape the contribution of Pseudomonas to disease suppression. Our results highlight the need for integrative analyses combining community profiling, genome-based prediction, and phenotyping to better understand microbiome-mediated plant protection. The identification of novel genomospecies and lineage-specific biosynthetic traits advances our knowledge of Pseudomonas diversity in agricultural soils and supports future development of targeted microbial consortia
Where have all the flowers gone? What could we start learning about possible evolutionary patterns from multi-year study of population dynamic of sexual and vegetative reproduction in clonal Iris pumila natural population in Deliblato Sand
No full textTo forecast changes in natural populations we must consider multiple factors including environmental ones, and identify components of our predictive framework that are most in need of improvement. These issues can be approached through the empirical analysis of natural populations of existing model systems.
Such a system that has been studied for the last 35 years is the dwarf bearded iris, Iris pumila L. (Iridaceae), a small monocot that occurs in the lowlands of central and eastern Europe. Being a perennial clonal plant that spreads vegetatively through underground rhizomes („phalanx“ strategy of spread), I. pumila also possesses hermaphroditic, entomophilous flowers, and is a strictly outcrossing species. One of the most astonishing features of I.pumila is its huge flower color polymorphism that exist in each population, and studies explaining this kind of phenomenon are scarce. Flower color polymorphism and species population dynamic are closely connected and, in perennial plants with both vegetative and sexual reproduction, all those components should be jointly considered in selection analyses, as well as their spatial and temporal variability patterns.
In I. pumila natural population situated in Deliblato Sand Natural Reserve (40 km northeast of Belgrade, Serbia) we placed twenty-five 12 x 12 m grids and ten 7 x 7 m grids, leading to total of 4090 square meters covered. During 2013-15 flowering seasons we recorded occurrence of all flowers in each of 4090 selected square meters by means of digital color photography. Since 2021, data collection was considerably enhanced by utilization of DJI Mavic Pro drone with Hasselblad L1D-20c aerial camera. This left enough time for simultaneous sample collection for reflectance UV enhanced spectroscopy (since 2021), as well as for HPLC and microsatellite analyses (since 2024), preliminary results of which would be separately presented at ESEB 2025.
Preliminary analysis of ten 7 x 7 m grids presented in this work revealed huge differences between flowering seasons in flowering phenology. While differences between flowering onsets and peaks in different flowering seasons can be traced down to different environmental conditions, reasons and mechanisms for observed constant decline in number of flowers (from several thousands to the only couple of hundred flowers in the subsample) is a component of our predictive framework that is in the need of further investigation. To begin with, preliminary analyses clearly indicated switches between reproductive modes since decline was mostly due to lesser percentage of individual ramets that produced flowers, compared to much smaller decline as a result of reduction in number of I.pumila individual plants.
Those analyses should be expanded to the whole sample and further combined with results of future flower color and genetic analyses, since interplay between sexual and vegetative reproduction in self-incompatible species crucially depends on spatial genetic composition. Those lines of research can then have impact on our understanding of possible evolutionary changes in natural populations of I.pumila.Abstract Book: Congress of the European Sociey for Evolutionary Biology; 2025 Aug 17-22; Barcelona, Spain. European Society for Evolutionary Biology; 2025. p. 726
Milestone 2 for IRIS project: Maintaining genetic diversity and population dynamics in natural populations of endangered plant species: Flower color polymorphism in Iris pumila L
No full textThis dataset presents the results of the IRIS project program Prizma entitled “Maintaining genetic diversity and population dynamics in natural populations of endangered plant species: Flower color polymorphism in Iris pumila L.” The project was implemented at the Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” (IBISS), Republic Institute of Serbia, University of Belgrade.
The dataset includes deliverables generated within the following work packages (WPs):
WP1 – Population study, focusing on population structure and dynamics;
WP2 – UV-enhanced reflective field spectroscopy, providing data on flower reflectance properties;
WP3 – HPLC flower pigment analysis, characterizing pigment composition related to flower color polymorphism;
WP4 – Microsatellite analysis, assessing genetic diversity and population genetic structure