Search results for " Analysis"

Biomechanical insights into the dentition of megatooth sharks (Lamniformes: Otodontidae)

2021

AbstractThe evolution of gigantism in extinct otodontid sharks was paralleled by a series of drastic modifications in their dentition including widening of the crowns, loss of lateral cusplets, and acquisition of serrated cutting edges. These traits have generally been interpreted as key functional features that enabled the transition from piscivory to more energetic diets based on marine mammals, ultimately leading to the evolution of titanic body sizes in the most recent forms (including the emblematic Otodus megalodon). To investigate this hypothesis, we evaluate the biomechanics of the anterior, lateral, and posterior teeth of five otodontid species under different loading conditions by…

Feeding biomechanics of Late Triassic metoposaurids (Amphibia: Temnospondyli): a 3D finite element analysis approach

2017

The Late Triassic freshwater ecosystems were occupied by different tetrapod groups including large-sized anamniotes, such as metoposaurids. Most members of this group of temnospondyls acquired gigantic sizes (up to 5 m long) with a nearly worldwide distribution. The paleoecology of metoposaurids is controversial; they have been historically considered passive, bottom-dwelling animals, waiting for prey on the bottom of rivers and lakes, or they have been suggested to be active mid-water feeders. The present study aims to expand upon the paleoecological interpretations of these animals using 3D finite element analyses (FEA). Skulls from two taxa, Metoposaurus krasiejowensis, a gigantic taxon …

2020

Effect of addition of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage on the biological leavening, physical, nutritional, antioxidant and sensory aspects of bread

2019

The addition of active compounds to enhance the functional properties of foods is a quite common practice. Recently, bread became one of the target foods to incorporate functional ingredients such as those deriving from Opuntia spp. So far, only Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes in powder has been tested. The addition of fresh O. ficus-indica mucilage (in substitution to water) did not influence the biological leavening of the doughs. The resulting breads showed a biological role of the cactus mucilage, because their antioxidant activity was higher than that of control wheat bread. The sensory analysis indicated a general appreciation of the breads enriched with O. ficus-indica mucilage by the …

Recombinant laccase from Pediococcus acidilactici CECT 5930 with ability to degrade tyramine

2017

Biogenic amines degradation by bacterial laccases is little known, so we have cloned and heterologously expressed, in E. coli, a new laccase from Pediococcus acidilactici CECT 5930 (Lpa5930), a lactic acid bacterium commonly found in foods able to degrade tyramine. The recombinant enzyme has been characterized by physical and biochemical assays. Here we report the optimization of expression and purification procedures of this laccase. DNA encoding sequence of laccase from P. acidilactici was amplified by PCR and cloned into the expression plasmid pET28a for induction by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoipyranoside. Protein expression was performed in E. coli BL21(DE3) harboring pGro7 plasmid expres…

Ocean acidification at a coastal CO2 vent induces expression of stress-related transcripts and transposable elements in the sea anemone Anemonia viri…

2019

Published version, available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210358 Ocean acidification threatens to disrupt interactions between organisms throughout marine ecosystems. The diversity of reef-building organisms decreases as seawater CO2 increases along natural gradients, yet soft-bodied animals, such as sea anemones, are often resilient. We sequenced the polyA-enriched transcriptome of adult sea anemone Anemonia viridis and its dinoflagellate symbiont sampled along a natural CO2 gradient in Italy to assess stress levels in these organisms. We found that about 1.4% of the anemone transcripts, but only ~0.5% of the Symbiodinium sp. transcripts were differentially expressed. Processe…

Survival and gene expression under different temperature and humidity regimes in ants

2017

Short term variation in environmental conditions requires individuals to adapt via changes in behavior and/or physiology. In particular variation in temperature and humidity are common, and the physiological adaptation to changes in temperature and humidity often involves alterations in gene expression, in particular that of heat-shock proteins. However, not only traits involved in the resistance to environmental stresses, but also other traits, such as immune defenses, may be influenced indirectly by changes in temperature and humidity. Here we investigated the response of the ant F. exsecta to two temperature regimes (20 degrees C & 25 degrees C), and two humidity regimes (50% & 75%), for…

A Metabarcoding Survey on the Fungal Microbiota Associated to the Olive Fruit Fly.

2017

The occurrence of interaction between insects and fungi is interesting from an ecological point of view, particularly when these interactions involve insect pests and plant pathogens within an agroecosystem. In this study, we aimed to perform an accurate analysis on the fungal microbiota associated to Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) through a metabarcoding approach based on 454 pyrosequencing. From this analysis, we retrieved 43,549 reads that clustered into 128 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), of which 29 resulted in the “core” associate fungi of B. oleae. This fungal community was mainly represented by sooty mould fungi, such as Cladosporium spp., Alternaria spp. and Aureobasidium spp., by pl…

Staying cool: preadaptation to temperate climates required for colonising tropical alpine-like environments.

2018

Plant species tend to retain their ancestral ecology, responding to temporal, geographic and climatic changes by tracking suitable habitats rather than adapting to novel conditions. Nevertheless, transitions into different environments or biomes still seem to be common. Especially intriguing are the tropical alpine-like areas found on only the highest mountainous regions surrounded by tropical environments. Tropical mountains are hotspots of biodiversity, often with striking degrees of endemism at higher elevations. On these mountains, steep environmental gradients and high habitat heterogeneity within small spaces coincide with astounding species diversity of great conservation value. The …

Specific binding of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ea toxin, and Cry1Ac and Cry1Fa competition analyses in Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis include…

2019

AbstractAnticarsia gemmatalis (velvetbean caterpillar) and Chrysodeixis includens (soybean looper) are two important defoliation pests of soybeans. In the present study, we have investigated the susceptibility and brush border membrane-binding properties of both species to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ea toxin. Bioassays performed in first-instar larvae demonstrated potent activity against both soybean pests in terms of mortality or practical mortality. Competition-binding studies carried out with 125Iodine-labelled Cry1Ea, demonstrated the presence of specific binding sites on the midgut brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of both insect species. Heterologous competition-binding experiment…