Search

The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on Mif (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) gene expression in the pharynx (haemapoetic tissue) of Ciona robusta were investigated using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and in situ hybridisation (ISH). To verify the induction of an inflammatory response in the pharynx, a qRT-PCR analysis was performed to evaluate the change in the expression of proinflammatory marker genes such as Mbl, Ptx-like, Tnf-α and Nf-kb, which were shown to be upregulated 1 h post LPS challenge. The change in the expression of the two Mif paralogs in the pharynx was assessed before and after stimulation, and qRTPCR and ISH results showed that, although Mif2 and Mif2 were expressed in clusters of haemocytes in pharynx vessels, only Mif1 expression increased after LPS stimulation. This indicates that the Mif genes are differently regulated and respond to different ambient inputs that need further analysis.

Various key economic sectors of the National and Sicilian economy, in addition to contributing to the economic growth also cause a considerable production of waste which today are a problem both for companies then for the environment. For this reason, there is considerable interest in this waste and in the possibility of their reuse to extract bioactive molecules with added value, all in accordance with the objectives of the Blue Economy. In this regard, it has already been demonstrated that from the production waste of various economic sectors it is possible to obtain bioactive molecules with anticancer, antimicrobial, cosmetic, antioxidant and nutraceutical properties (Mauro et al., 2022). If we focus on farm animals and the feed used, it is known that the latter can be a source of antioxidants which help the body to prevent the harmful effects of free radicals and metabolic products. In this context, polyphenolic compounds (e.g. flavonoids) showed important antioxidant activities in vitro, although it seems that these are poorly absorbed in the intestine and their tissue concentrations are too low to contribute to the antioxidant defense (Surai, 2013). In light of all this, within the SMILING Project a study concerned the possibility of reusing wine production waste (pomace and grape seeds, the cause of the production of considerable quantities of waste) rich in fatty acids, triglycerides and polyphenols (Di Stefano et al., 2021; 2022) in the feeding of broiler chickens by evaluating the possi- ble effects of these diets on the animal’s health status also in terms of antioxidant capacity. Three experimental sets were carried out and concerned the administration of three different types of diets: Grape marc (0%, 3% and 6%), Grape seeds (0%, 3% and 6%) and a mix of grape marc and grape seed (0 and 3%). At the end of the experimental times, biomarkers typical of the evaluation of the state of health of the organisms were used for the preliminary analyzes of the blood and meat samples. Significant effects were observed in all diets depending on the concentration administered. Probably the phenolic content of the flours used contributes to the improvement of the health of the farmed animals.

Marine species are a rich source of bioactive molecules and among them, it is known that marine algae produce different secondary metabolites for which different biological activities such as: immunomodulatory (Raposo et al., 2016), antioxidant (Fisch et al., 2003) and antimicrobial (Pinteus et al., 2015) were demostrated. The aim of this study was chemical charac- terize the extracts of three macroalgae species: Carpodesmia crinite (Duby, Orellana & Sansón, 2019), Carpodesmia brachy- carpa (J. Agardh, Orellana & Sansón 2019, WoRMS, 2023), Ericaria brachycarpa (J. Agardh, Molinari & Guiry, 2020), Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845) to evaluate also their biological activities. The characterization of the secondary metabolites was performed by HPLC-MS and showed higher meroterpenoids levels. Then, the extracts were tested on the Arbacia lixula sea urchin and against the bacterial strains Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. In the first case results showed a modulation in total and differential cell count demonstrating their involvement in immunity responses. In the second case important antimicrobial activities were observed against both bacterial strains tested. The results obtained, although preliminary, are certainly encouraging to understand better the biological potentiality of these metabolites.

Biodiversity is my main research focus and that of my research group. We study a range of different aspects concerning biodiversity, such as the impact anthropic activities have on biodiversity and how to improve its preservation, its use as a valuable resource for the extraction of bioactive molecules, and the study of its distribution. The research group has over twenty years of experience in the study of zoology, and, more in particular, the immune and behavioural responses of aquatic invertebrates and fish. For many years, the group has observed the effects of various anthropogenic activities, such as the acoustic and chemical impacts on the physiological and behavioral responses of invertebrate organisms, such as Arbacia lixula and Mytilus galloprovincialis, and of fishes, such as Sparus aurata, evaluating not only adult stage but also embryonic stage [1,2]. From a sustainable development perspective, we have recently turned our attention to an evaluation of the nutritional potential of aquaculture species which are recent additions to farming in Sicily: Cherax quadricarinatus and Cherax destructor [3]. However, biodiversity, as well as needing our protection, is also a resource which we can seek to harness in an eco-sustainable way. In recent years, research in our group has focused on the extraction of bioactive molecules from invertebrates and vertebrate living organisms (including from waste from the processing industry), with evident antimicrobial, anticancer and food preservation potential [4]. Last but not least, the regenerative capacities of invertebrate organisms such as Holothuria tubulosa [5] were evaluated with the possibility of transferring this knowledge to the biomedical sector. In addition to carrying out the aforementioned research, we are currently working on a nationally funded PON research project to conduct a freshwater biodiversity census in Palermo, including environmental DNA evaluation.

Marine species represent a rich source of biologically active products that can be used in various fields. Among them, marine algae produce numerous secondary metabolites responsible for different biological activities such as: immunomodulatory [1], antioxidant [2], and antimicrobial [3]. The aim of this study was chemically characterizing the extracts of three macroalgae species: Carpodesmia crinite (Duby) Orellana & Sansón, 2019, Carpodesmia brachycarpa (J. Agardh) Orellana & Sansón 2019, Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845 and evaluate their biological activities. The characterization of the secondary metabolites was performed by HPLC-MS and the results obtained showed higher meroterpenoids levels. Moreover, the extracts tested against the Arbacia lixula sea urchin modulate the total and differential cellular count demonstrating their involvement in immunity responses. Furthermore, important antimicrobial activities were observed by testing these extracts against the bacterial strains Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. For the first time our study shows the effects of macroalgae extracts on the immunomodulatory activity in Arbacia lixula sea urchin and important antimicrobial activity. The results obtained, although preliminary, are certainly encouraging and our purpose is also improved this information performing biochemical and molecular assays of extracts obtained to understand better the potential that these metabolites have towards the sea urchin Arbacia lixula that graze on these macroalga.

Mixed-species flocks (MSFs) are an important form of social organisation in forest bird communities worldwide. MSFs provide participants with the benefits of reduced predation risk and/or enhanced foraging efficiency. Recent work has shown that participation in MSFs confers long-term survival benefits in the face of anthropogenic change. However, our understanding of MSFs mainly comes from studies that examine species-level networks, where each node is a unique species and the edges or connections between nodes are associations/interactions between species. While valuable, such approaches might not allow us to understand and investigate the mechanisms that drive MSF formation and structure because social interactions and their effects occur at the individual-level. Empirical studies on multi-species, individual-level MSF social networks have seldom been undertaken due to the various complexities and logistical challenges involved. In this study, we use mist-netting and colour-ringing followed by a standardised observation protocol to construct individual-level social networks in MSFs at 2000m ASL in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya, India. First, we found two separate flocktypes at our study site, comprised of two distinct sets of understorey species. The mechanisms contributing to individual-level co-occurences are likely to differ between these flocktypes, and with MSFs in the Neotropics. The Yellow-throated Fulvetta (a nuclear species of one flocktype) shows low modularity and large spatial overlap in its MSF networks, which is likely driven by non-individual-specific benefits such as predation risk dilution. Meanwhile, the Rusty-fronted Barwing (the nuclear species of the other flocktype) shows high modularity and spatially disjunct territories for each flock. Further, the addition of associating species to the social networks has opposite impacts on the two networks. Territorial Rufous-capped Babblers and Grey-cheeked Warblers increase the modularity of the fulvetta network, while the addition of Coral-billed Scimitar Babblers to the barwing networks greatly reduces the modularity because the associating individuals bridge two modules of barwings (both spatially and in the social network). Our study provides novel insights into flock formation mechanisms in the Eastern Himalaya, likely applicable to other multi-species flock systems in the Old World.