The Uptake of Sporopollenin Exine Capsules and Associated Bioavailability of Adsorbed Oestradiol in Selected Aquatic Invertebrates.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Chapman E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8556174 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Sporopollenin is a physically robust and chemically resilient biopolymer that comprises the outermost layer of pollen walls and is the first line of defense against harsh environmental conditions. The unique physicochemical properties of sporopollenin increasingly motivate the extraction of sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) from pollen walls as a renewable source of organic microcapsules for encapsulation applications. Despite the wide range of different pollen species with varying sizes and wall thicknesses, faithful extraction of pollen-mimetic SECs has been limited to thick-walled pollen capsules with rigid mechanical properties. There is an unmet need to develop methods for producing SECs from thin-walled pollen capsules which constitute a large fraction of all pollen species and have attractive materials properties such as greater aerosol dispersion. Herein, we report the first successful extraction of inflated SEC microcapsules from a thin-walled pollen species (Zea mays), thereby overcoming traditional challenges with mechanical stability and loss of microstructure. Morphological and compositional characterization of the SECs obtained by the newly developed extraction protocol confirms successful protein removal along with preservation of nanoscale architectural features. Looking forward, there is excellent potential to apply similar strategies across a wide range of unexplored thin-walled pollen species.
| S-EPMC4908411 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) are highly resistant to heat and various acids and bases. They are also cheap, highly porous, eco-friendly polymer biomaterials with stable microencapsulation capacity. Due to their strong and uniquely shaped exine layers, they can allow growth on metal oxide materials, as a biotemplate for use in different applications. In this study, first, a single SEC extraction method was applied to three different pollens from Pinus, Fraxinus excelsior, and Tilia. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) measurements both before and after the extraction process were performed to observe changes in surface area, morphology, porous structure, and degradation properties. The protein content and removal were analyzed by elemental and spectrophotometric analyses. Then, SECs were loaded by passive and centrifuge loading for drug delivery, and the loading capacities were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and spectrophotometry. The method was successful in opening the pores and maintaining the structural integrity of SECs. It was determined that the morphology and porosity affected the encapsulation efficiency. According to the loading capacities, Tilia SECs were the most efficient SECs for both loading methods. In addition, three different SECs were hydrothermally coated with cobalt and then heat-treated to obtain a metal oxide structure. A CO3O4 supercapacitor electrode constructed using CO3O4-F. excelsior SEC powder had the best surface area parameters. The electrode showed a maximum specific capacity of 473 F/g for over 3000 continuous cycles of galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD).
| S-EPMC8941510 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sporopollenin exine capsules (SECs) extracted from Lycopodium clavatum spores are an attractive biomaterial possessing a highly robust structure suitable for microencapsulation strategies. Despite several decades of research into SEC extraction methods, the protocols commonly used for L. clavatum still entail processing with both alkaline and acidolysis steps at temperatures up to 180 °C and lasting up to 7 days. Herein, we demonstrate a significantly streamlined processing regimen, which indicates that much lower temperatures and processing durations can be used without alkaline lysis. By employing CHN elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and dynamic image particle analysis (DIPA), the optimum conditions for L. clavatum SEC processing were determined to include 30 hours acidolysis at 70 °C without alkaline lysis. Extending these findings to proof-of-concept encapsulation studies, we further demonstrate that our SECs are able to achieve a loading of 0.170 ± 0.01 g BSA per 1 g SECs by vacuum-assisted loading. Taken together, our streamlined processing method and corresponding characterization of SECs provides important insights for the development of applications including drug delivery, cosmetics, personal care products, and foods.
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Project description:We present facile methods to obtain purified sporopollenin exine capsules, and provide mass balances for classical and novel purification procedures. An ionic liquid, tetrabutyl phosphonium hydroxide turned out to be the most effective in removing the intine wall. The sporopollenin capsules were investigated by fluorescent microscopy, AFM, solid-state NMR and infrared Raman spectroscopy. The latter two methods showed that sunflower and rape exines have different proportions of O-aliphatic and aromatic constituents. Purified exine capsules were coated with functionalized fluorophores. The procedures presented in this paper could contribute to further spread of the applications of this hollow, and chemically highly resistant material.
| S-EPMC8113464 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bioderived materials have emerged as sustainable catalyst supports for several heterogeneous reactions owing to their naturally occurring hierarchal pore size distribution, high surface area, and thermal and chemical stability. We utilize sporopollenin exine capsules (SpECs), a carbon-rich byproduct of pollen grains, composed primarily of polymerized and cross-linked lipids, to synthesize carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles via evaporative precipitation and pyrolytic treatments. The composition and morphology of the macroparticles were influenced by the precursor iron acetate concentration. Most significantly, the formation of crystalline phases (Fe3C, α-Fe, and graphite) detected via X-ray diffraction spectroscopy showed a critical dependence on iron loading. Significantly, the characteristic morphology and structure of the SpECs were largely preserved after high-temperature pyrolysis. Analysis of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, the D and G bands from Raman spectroscopy, and the relative ratio of the C=C to C-C bonding from high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggests that porosity, surface area, and degree of graphitization were easily tuned by varying the Fe loading. A mechanism for the formation of crystalline phases and meso-porosity during the pyrolysis process is also proposed. SpEC-Fe10% proved to be highly active and selective for the reverse water-gas shift reaction at high temperatures (>600 °C).
| S-EPMC10630965 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Aquatic invertebrates DNA metabarcoding
| PRJNA1044285 | ENA
Project description:Buruli ulcer is a necrotizing skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans and associated with exposure to aquatic habitats. To assess possible transmission of M. ulcerans by aquatic biting insects, we conducted a field examination of biting water bugs (Hemiptera: Naucoridae, Belostomatidae, Nepidae) in 15 disease-endemic and 12 non-disease-endemic areas of Ghana, Africa. From collections of 22,832 invertebrates, we compared composition, abundance, and associated M. ulcerans positivity among sites. Biting hemipterans were rare and represented a small percentage (usually <2%) of invertebrate communities. No significant differences were found in hemipteran abundance or pathogen positivity between disease-endemic and non-disease-endemic sites, and between abundance of biting hemipterans and M. ulcerans positivity. Therefore, although infection through insect bites is possible, little field evidence supports the assumption that biting hemipterans are primary vectors of M. ulcerans.
| S-EPMC2600397 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundOne hundred years ago, marine organisms were the dominant systems for the study of developmental biology. The challenges in rearing these organisms outside of a marine setting ultimately contributed to a shift towards work on a smaller number of so-called model systems. Those animals are typically non-marine organisms with advantages afforded by short life cycles, high fecundity, and relative ease in laboratory culture. However, a full understanding of biodiversity, evolution, and anthropogenic effects on biological systems requires a broader survey of development in the animal kingdom. To this day, marine organisms remain relatively understudied, particularly the members of the Lophotrochozoa (Spiralia), which include well over one third of the metazoan phyla (such as the annelids, mollusks, flatworms) and exhibit a tremendous diversity of body plans and developmental modes. To facilitate studies of this group, we have previously described the development and culture of one lophotrochozoan representative, the slipper snail Crepidula atrasolea, which is easy to rear in recirculating marine aquaria. Lab-based culture and rearing of larger populations of animals remain a general challenge for many marine organisms, particularly for inland laboratories.ResultsHere, we describe the development of an automated marine aquatic rack system for the high-density culture of marine species, which is particularly well suited for rearing filter-feeding animals. Based on existing freshwater recirculating aquatic rack systems, our system is specific to the needs of marine organisms and incorporates robust filtration measures to eliminate wastes, reducing the need for regular water changes. In addition, this system incorporates sensors and associated equipment for automated assessment and adjustment of water quality. An automated feeding system permits precise delivery of liquid food (e.g., phytoplankton) throughout the day, mimicking real-life feeding conditions that contribute to increased growth rates and fecundity.ConclusionThis automated system makes laboratory culture of marine animals feasible for both large and small research groups, significantly reducing the time, labor, and overall costs needed to rear these organisms.
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Project description:Human-mediated dispersal has rarely been considered in wetland conservation strategies at regional scales, yet high concern exists about this aspect for (inter-)national management considering invasive species in other aquatic systems. In this context, we aim at understanding the role of human-mediated dispersal by footwear in protected wetlands with high conservation value. Zooplankton and zoobenthos were sampled in 13 shallow lakes in central Spain and, at the same time, mud attached to waders was collected and later cultured in deionized water under laboratory conditions for 4 weeks. Two-hundred and four individuals belonging to 19 invertebrate taxa were recovered after hatching; Ostracoda (84 %), Cladocera (53 %), Copepoda (30 %), Anostraca (30 %), and Notostraca (7 %) were the most frequent groups among the hatched crustaceans. NMDS and PERMANOVA analyses showed significant differences between the dispersed (via footwear) and the source active metacommunity, suggesting different dispersal abilities among the species found. Human vectors facilitate dispersal among protected lakes, which could eventuality lead to biotic homogenization and faster spread of non-indigenous species. Preservation strategies and education campaigns associated to target humans in close contact with water bodies should be imperative in conservation management of protected lakes.
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Project description:Thus far, the negative effects of Nodularia spumigena blooms on aquatic organisms have been mainly attributed to the production of the hepatotoxic nodularin (NOD). In the current work, the accumulation of other N. spumigena metabolites in blue mussels and crustaceans, and their effect on Thamnocephalus platyurus and Artemia franciscana, were examined. The liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses provided evidence that both blue mussels collected after a cyanobacterial bloom in the Baltic Sea and the crustaceans exposed under laboratory conditions to N. spumigena extract accumulated the cyclic anabaenopeptins (APs). In the crustaceans, the linear peptides, spumigins (SPUs) and aeruginosins (AERs), were additionally detected. Exposure of T. platyurus and A. franciscana to N. spumigena extract confirmed the negative effect of nodularin on the organisms. However, high numbers of dead crustaceans were also recorded in the nodularin-free fraction, which contained protease inhibitors classified to spumigins and aeruginosins. These findings indicate that cyanobacterial toxicity to aquatic organisms is a complex phenomenon and the induced effects can be attributed to diverse metabolites, not only to the known hepatotoxins.
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