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Parabens are preservatives widely used in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and foodstuffs. However, they are still unregulated chemical compounds. Given their extensive use and presence in different environmental compartments, parabens can adversely affect animal health. Thus, the current study aimed to summarize and critically analyze the bioaccumulation and ecotoxicity of parabens in aquatic species. Studies have been mostly conducted in laboratory conditions (75%), using mainly fish and crustaceans. Field studies were carried out across 128 sampling sites in six countries. Paraben bioaccumulation was predominantly detected in fish muscle, liver, brain, gills, ovary, and testes. Among the parent parabens, methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), and propylparaben (PrP) have been detected frequently and more abundantly in tissues of marine and freshwater specimens, as well as the metabolite 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HB). Parabens can induce lethal and sublethal effects on aquatic organisms, such as oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, behavioral changes, reproductive impairment, and developmental abnormalities. The toxicity of parabens varied according to species, taxonomic group, developmental stage, exposure time, and concentrations tested. This study highlights the potential bioaccumulation and ecotoxicological impacts of parabens and their metabolites on aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. Additionally, future research recommendations are provided to evaluate the environmental risks posed by paraben contamination more effectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Galectins are a member of the β-galactoside binding protein family, which play a pivotal role in the immune defense of vertebrates as a pattern recognition receptor and occupy an important position in the innate immune system of invertebrates. The study of galectins in aquatic organisms has only recently emerged. Galectins in aquatic animals exhibit agglutination activity toward bacteria, inhibit bacterial growth, and enhance phagocytosis of immune cells. Additionally, some galectins contribute to the antiviral immune defenses of aquatic animals. This review aims to review recent advancements in the antimicrobial mechanisms, molecular structures, and evolution of galectins from fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. The antimicrobial galectins, as crucial components in the innate immune defense, pave new avenues for developing innovative disease control strategies in aquaculture.

Evolutionary innovations in chemical secretion-such as the production of secondary metabolites, pheromones, and toxins-profoundly impact ecological interactions across a broad diversity of life. These secretory innovations may involve a "legacy-plus-innovation" mode of evolution, whereby new biochemical pathways are integrated with conserved secretory processes to create novel products. Among secretory innovations, bioluminescence is important because it evolved convergently many times to influence predator-prey interactions, while often producing courtship signals linked to increased rates of speciation. However, whether or not deeply conserved secretory genes are used in secretory bioluminescence remains unexplored. Here, we show that in the ostracod Vargula tsujii, the evolutionary novel c-luciferase gene is co-expressed with many conserved genes, including those related to toxin production and high-output protein secretion. Our results demonstrate that the legacy-plus-innovation mode of secretory evolution, previously applied to sensory modalities of olfaction, gustation, and nociception, also encompasses light-producing signals generated by bioluminescent secretions. This extension broadens the paradigm of secretory diversification to include not only chemical signals but also bioluminescent light as an important medium of ecological interaction and evolutionary innovation., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

Heavy metals pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health due to their persistence and bioaccumulation. In Thailand, rapid industrialization, extensive agriculture, and urban development have exacerbated heavy metal pollution in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, evaluates study designs and methodologies to assess heavy metal bioaccumulation in Thai fauna, with a focus on ecological and health impacts. The review reveals that fish, particularly from families like Cyprinidae and Cichlidae, account for 42.11 % of studies, with species such as swamp eel, Henicorhynchus siamensis, Arius maculatus, Osteogeneiosus militaris, Puntioplites proctozystron, and Channa striata showing significant bioaccumulation. Molluscs (31.58 %), including Tegillarca granosa and Filopaludina martensi, serve as critical bioindicators of aquatic pollution due to their filter-feeding habits. Amphibians and crustaceans, like Fejervarya limnocharis and Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, also demonstrate vulnerability to heavy metal contamination. Key contamination hotspots include urban waterways in Bangkok, industrial discharges in Songkhla Lake, and mining sites in Loei Province, highlighting widespread environmental and health impacts. Despite extensive research, gaps remain, particularly concerning benthic scavengers and detritivores, which are vital for ecosystem functions. The review underscores the need for targeted monitoring and mitigation, including stricter regulations on industrial discharges, improved waste treatment, and better management of agricultural runoff. While metals like cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) are well-studied, further research on less-examined metals and species-specific bioaccumulation patterns is crucial to enhancing environmental management, supporting biodiversity conservation, and improving ecosystem resilience in Thailand., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pharmaceuticals (PhACs) are increasingly detected in aquatic ecosystems, yet their effects on biota remain largely unknown. The environmentally relevant concentrations of many PhACs may not result in individual-level responses, like mortality or growth inhibition, traditional toxicity endpoints. However, this doesn't imply the absence of negative effects on biota. Metabolomics offers a more sensitive approach, detecting responses at molecular and cellular levels and providing mechanistic understanding of adverse effects. We evaluated bioaccumulation and metabolic alterations in a benthic ostracod, Heterocypris incongruens, exposed to a mixture of five PhACs (carbamazepine, tiapride, tolperisone, propranolol and amlodipine) at environmentally relevant concentrations for 7 days using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The selection of PhACs was based, among other factors, on risk quotient values determined using toxicological data available in the literature and concentrations of PhACs quantified in our previous research in the sediments of the Odra River estuary. This represents a novel approach to PhACs selection for metabolomic studies that considers strictly quantitative data. Amlodipine and tolperisone exhibited the highest bioaccumulation. Significant impacts were observed in Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, Starch and sucrose metabolism, Arginine biosynthesis, Histidine metabolism, Tryptophan metabolism, Glycerophospholipid metabolism, and Glutathione metabolism pathways. Most of the below-individual-level responses were likely nonspecific and related to dysregulation in energy metabolism and oxidative stress response. Additionally, some pharmaceutical-specific responses were also observed. Therefore, untargeted metabolomics can be used to detect metabolic changes resulting from environmentally relevant concentrations of PhACs in aquatic ecosystems and to understand their underlying mechanism., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Joanna Giebultowicz reports financial support was provided by National Science Centre Poland. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Crustaceans played a major role in establishing that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) functioned as an inhibitory transmitter compound. In fact, it is now widely accepted that GABA is the major inhibitory transmitter compound in all animal species where it has been examined. The story of its acceptance as a neurotransmitter, however, is more interesting than that. GABA was first isolated from mammalian brains by three laboratories in 1950. Great excitement surrounded this discovery, and many laboratories began exploring its function. This excitement peaked at two large international congresses in the United States at the end of the first decade of study, where a consensus of major figures in the field was that GABA was not a transmitter compound. How could this have happened?, Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that the review was written and compiled in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The neuroendocrine system of crustaceans is complex and regulates many processes, such as development, growth, reproduction, osmoregulation, behavior, and metabolism. Once stimulated, crustaceans' neuroendocrine tissues modulate the release of monoamines, ecdysteroids, and neuropeptides that can act as hormones or neurotransmitters. Over a few decades, research has unraveled some mechanisms governing these processes, substantially contributing to understanding crustacean physiology. More aspects of crustacean neuroendocrinology are being comprehended with molecular biology, transcriptome, and genomics analyses. Hence, these studies will also significantly enhance the ability to cultivate decapods, such as crabs and shrimps, used as human food sources. In this review, current knowledge on crustacean endocrinology is updated with new findings about crustacean hormones, focusing mainly on the main neuroendocrine organs and their hormones and the effects of these molecules regulating metabolism, growth, reproduction, and color adaptation. New evidence about vertebrate-type hormones found in crustaceans is included and discussed. Finally, this review may assist in understanding how the emerging chemicals of environmental concern can potentially impair and disrupt crustacean's endocrine functions and their physiology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest As the corresponding author, I am sending the manuscript “A brief and updated introduction to the neuroendocrine system of crustaceans” in order to submit for publication on the Special Issue “Hormonal Regulation and Disruption in Invertebrates” in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. In the name of all authors, I certify that this manuscript is not under consideration by any other journal and that all the authors have read the manuscript and agreed to have their names listed as authors. I also certify that all the authors collaborated in the development of this research work. Finally, there is no potential conflict of interest including any financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations related to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Marine pollution caused by heavy metals has emerged as a significant environmental concern, garnering increased attention in recent years. The accumulation of heavy metals in the tissues of marine organisms poses substantial threats to both marine ecosystems and human populations that rely on seafood as a primary food source. Fish and crustaceans are effective biomonitors for assessing heavy metal contamination in aquatic environments. In this study, we determined the concentrations of several heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and tin (Sn), in four fish species (Mugil cephalus, Mugil capito, L. aurata, and Morone labrax) and five crustacean species (S. rivulatus, Cerastoderma glaucum, Paratapes undulatus, R. decussatus, Callinectes sapidus, and Metapenaeus Stebbingi) from Temsah Lake during both winter and summer seasons. To evaluate the potential ecological and health risks associated with consuming these fish and crustacean species, we calculated the metal pollution index (MPI), weekly intake (EWI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR) values. The results revealed a noticeable increase in metal levels during the summer compared to winter in the studied samples. Moreover, the concentration of heavy metals in the muscles of the species generally exceeded those in the liver and gills. The MPI values indicated that Morone labrax exhibited the highest values during winter, while L. aurata showed the highest values during summer. Mugil cephalus demonstrated the lowest MPI values in both seasons. The EWI values for the studied metals were found to be lower than the corresponding tolerable weekly intake (TWI) values. Additionally, under average exposure conditions, the THQ and HI data were generally below one for most study species in the area. The calculated CR values for investigated metals in the studied species indicated acceptable carcinogenic risk levels. Therefore, this suggests that consuming studied species within Temsah lake does not present any potential health hazards for consumers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Hydrocarbon pollution stemming from petrochemical activities is a significant global environmental concern. Bioremediation, employing microbial chitinase-based bioproducts to detoxify or remove contaminants, presents an intriguing solution for addressing hydrocarbon pollution. Chitooligosaccharides, a product of chitin degradation by chitinase enzymes, emerge as key components in this process. Utilizing chitinaceous wastes as a cost-effective substrate, microbial chitinase can be harnessed to produce Chitooligosaccharides. This investigation explores two strategies to enhance chitinase productivity, firstly, statistical optimization by the Plackett Burman design approach to  evaluating the influence of individual physical and chemical parameters on chitinase production, Followed by  response surface methodology (RSM) which delvs  into the interactions among these factors to optimize chitinase production. Second, to further boost chitinase production, we employed heterologous expression of the chitinase-encoding gene in E. coli BL21(DE3) using a suitable vector. Enhancing chitinase activity not only boosts productivity but also augments the production of Chitooligosaccharides, which are found to be used as emulsifiers., Results: In this study, we focused on optimizing the production of chitinase A from S. marcescens using the Plackett Burman design and response surface methods. This approach led to achieving a maximum activity of 78.65 U/mL. Subsequently, we cloned and expressed the gene responsible for chitinase A in E. coli BL21(DE3). The gene sequence, named SmChiA, spans 1692 base pairs, encoding 563 amino acids with a molecular weight of approximately 58 kDa. This sequence has been deposited in the NCBI GenBank under the accession number "OR643436". The purified recombinant chitinase exhibited a remarkable activity of 228.085 U/mL, with optimal conditions at a pH of 5.5 and a temperature of 65 °C. This activity was 2.9 times higher than that of the optimized enzyme. We then employed the recombinant chitinase A to effectively hydrolyze shrimp waste, yielding chitooligosaccharides (COS) at a rate of 33% of the substrate. The structure of the COS was confirmed through NMR and mass spectrometry analyses. Moreover, the COS demonstrated its utility by forming stable emulsions with various hydrocarbons. Its emulsification index remained stable across a wide range of salinity, pH, and temperature conditions. We further observed that the COS facilitated the recovery of motor oil, burned motor oil, and aniline from polluted sand. Gravimetric assessment of residual hydrocarbons showed a correlation with FTIR analyses, indicating the efficacy of COS in remediation efforts., Conclusions: The recombinant chitinase holds significant promise for the biological conversion of chitinaceous wastes into chitooligosaccharides (COS), which proved its potential in bioremediation efforts targeting hydrocarbon-contaminated sand., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Genes from ancient families are sometimes involved in the convergent evolutionary origins of similar traits, even across vast phylogenetic distances. Sulfotransferases are an ancient family of enzymes that transfer sulfate from a donor to a wide variety of substrates, including probable roles in some bioluminescence systems. Here, we demonstrate multiple sulfotransferases, highly expressed in light organs of the bioluminescent ostracod Vargula tsujii , transfer sulfate in vitro to the luciferin substrate, vargulin. We find luciferin sulfotransferases (LSTs) of ostracods are not orthologous to known LSTs of fireflies or sea pansies; animals with distinct and convergently evolved bioluminescence systems compared to ostracods. Therefore, distantly related sulfotransferases were independently recruited at least three times, leading to parallel evolution of luciferin metabolism in three highly diverged organisms. Reuse of homologous genes is surprising in these bioluminescence systems because the other components, including luciferins and luciferases, are completely distinct. Whether convergently evolved traits incorporate ancient genes with similar functions or instead use distinct, often newer, genes may be constrained by how many genetic solutions exist for a particular function. When fewer solutions exist, as in genetic sulfation of small molecules, evolution may be more constrained to use the same genes time and again.

C-type lectins (CTLs) function as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) by recognizing invading microorganisms, thereby triggering downstream immune events against infected pathogens. In this study, a novel CTL containing a low-density lipoprotein receptor class A (LDLa) domain was obtained from Litopenaeus vannamei, designed as LvLDLalec. Stimulation by the bacterial pathogen Vibrio anguillarum (V. anguillarum) resulted in remarkable up-regulation of LvLDLalec, as well as release of LvLDLalec into hemolymph. The rLvLDLalec protein possessed broad-spectrum bacterial binding and agglutinating activities, as well as hemocyte attachment ability. Importantly, LvLDLalec facilitated the bacterial clearance in shrimp hemolymph and protected shrimp from bacterial infection. Further studies revealed that LvLDLalec promoted hemocytes phagocytosis against V. anguillarum and lysosomes were involved in the process. Meanwhile, LvLDLalec participated in humoral immunity through activating and inducing nuclear translocation of Dorsal to regulate phagocytosis-related genes and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) genes, thereby accelerated the removal of invading pathogens in vivo and improved the survival rate of L. vannamei. These results unveil that LvLDLalec serves as a PRR participate in cellular and humoral immunity exerting opsonin activity to play vital roles in the immune regulatory system of L. vannamei., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Green biorefinery process was conducted to extract α-chitin and high-value co-products from shrimp shell waste through microbial fermentation using mature coconut water (MCW) as a sole nutrient source. Symbiotic co-lactic acid fermentation (Co-LAF) by Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus thermophilus produced higher levels of lactic acid (LA) and protease activity than their mono-cultures, which led to greater demineralization (DM) and deproteinization (DP) of shrimp shell powder (SSP). After optimizing Co-LAF through Response Surface Methodology and successive fermentation by an acid-active proteolytic fungus Rhizopus oligosporus, the highest DM of 94.0 ± 0.91 % and DP of 86.7 ± 0.1 % were achieved. Based on FT-IR, XRD, and SEM analysis, the bio-extracted chitin had similar structural characteristics to commercial α-chitin but with better quality. These strategies not only contribute to environmentally-friendly and cost-effective extraction of α-chitin (303 ± 18 mg/g-SSP), but also co-produce LA (57.18 ± 0.89 g/L), acid protease (4.33 ± 0.5 U/mL), bio-calcium (277 ± 12 mg-CaSO 4 /g-SSP), protein hydrolysate (268 ± 5 mg/g-SSP), and pigments (28.78 ± 1.56 µg/g-SSP)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)