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Abstract: Oxidative stress is a major cellular and metabolic burden that can really alter cell life and become the base for disease onset and development. Many widespread pathologies can develop from an unresolved oxidative stress situation; thus, addressing this state is paramount for human health. Our antioxidant enzymes sometimes are not just enough. Fortifying our defense and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory system can make a difference in our health: if this is attainable with our dietary habits, it could be a dream come true. Polyphenols are a fantastic tool indeed in the fight against oxidative stress: they are easy to obtain, with little cost, no side effects, and have a multitude of metabolic actions. This perspective review would shed light on polyphenol’s metabolic and molecular action regarding oxidative stress to help preserve our health.

BACKGROUND: Rosalind Franklin was a British scientist in the 1950s, that in her short career covered a lot of important scientific topics, ranging from coal structure porosity, to biological molecules cristallography, and finally to viruses structure definition. AIM: This article aimed to underline the important role that she had for the elucidation of the DNA structure, and to reiterate the difficulties, she had to face – prominently as a woman – to be fully accepted in the world of scientific research. METHODS: An historical research was conducted and summarized, regarding the life of Rosalind Franklin. RESULTS: This myth overshadowed her intellectual strength and independence both as a scientist and as an individual. CONCLUSION: As one of the twentieth century’s pre-eminent scientists, Franklin’s work has benefited all of humanity. The 100th anniversary of her birth in 2020 was prompting much reflection on her career and research contributions, not least Franklin’s catalytic role in unraveling the structure of DNA Franklin’s premature death, combined with misogynist treatment by the male scientific establishment, cast her as a feminist icon.

The authors thank all the people involved in collecting/providing material or organising sampling campaigns: Peter Schuchert (MHNG, Switzerland), Tullia Isotta Terraneo (KAUST, Saudi Arabia), Malek Amr Gusti (KAUST, Saudi Arabia), Timothy Ravasi (OIST, Japan), the captain and crew of the MV Dream-Master (Saudi Arabia), the KAUST Coastal and Marine Resources Core Lab, Inga Dehnert (UNIMIB, Italy), Nicholas WL Yap (NUS, Singapore), Sudhanshi S Jain (NUS, Singapore), Stephen Keable (Australian Museum), Penny Berents (Australian Museum), Anne Hoggett (Australian Museum), Lyle Vail (Australian Museum). Additionally, we wish to thank Leen P. van Ofwegen (Naturalis, The Netherlands) for his valuable help in identifying the octocoral Paralemnalia sp., Peter Schuchert for his comments on an earlier version of the manuscript, and two anonymous referees for their thorough revision of this work. Permissions relevant to undertake the research have been obtained from the applicable governmental agencies. Fieldwork at St. Eustatius was funded through a Martin Fellowship from Naturalis Biodiversity Center to SM, while logistic support was supplied by St. Eustatius Marine Parks (STENAPA), the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI) and Scubaqua Dive Centre. Samples from Eilat (Israel) were collected during the HyDRa Project funded by the EU FP7 Research Infrastructure Initiative ‘ASSEMBLE’ (Grant #227799) to DP. Financial support to DP for collecting samples at Lizard Island (Australia) was provided by the 2018 John and Laurine Proud Fellowship and the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station. Fieldwork in Mozambique was conducted during the Green Bubbles financed by EU’s H2020 research and innovation programme to DP, under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no 643712 (Permit n° 09/2018 ANAC). Fieldwork in Singapore was partially funded by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Marine Science R&D Programme (MSRDP-P03) to DH.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a heterogeneous group of neoplasms whose histological derivation comes from the mucous membranes lining the epithelium: the oral cavity, the larynx, the hypopharynx, the nasopharynx, and the oropharynx. The etiopathogenetic mechanisms involving tumor genesis including the alteration of cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and death may involve alterations in the expression of microRNA (miR). To date there have been no systematic reviews with meta-analysis conducted specifically on the role of miR-195 in HNSCC; therefore, our hypothesis was to evaluate if the aberrant expression of miR-195 in HNSCC tissues may represent a prognostic biomarker of survival through the hazard ratio (HR) and relative risk (RR) analysis. The systematic review was designed according to the PRISMA indications; in total, three electronic databases were consulted (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Trial) including Google Scholar and the gray literature, and a combination of keywords was used such as miR-195 AND HNSCC, microRNA AND HNSCC and miR-195. The meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis were performed using RevMan 5.41 software and TSA software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark). This search identified 1592 articles and, at the end of the selection process, three articles were included. The results of the meta-analysis reported an aggregated risk ratio for overall survival (OS) between the expression of miR-195 at the highest and lowest of 0.36 and 6, respectively, 95% CI: [0.25, 0.51]. Heterogeneity was evaluated through Chi2 = 0.05 df = 2 (p = 0.98) and the Higgins index I2 = 0%. The test for the overall effect was Z = 5.77 (p < 0.00001). The forest plot was in favor of higher OS in patients with high miR-195 expression.

Abstract: Trace metals can be divided into two subgroups considering their pathophysiological effects: the first consists of microelements essential for life (arsenic, cobalt, chromium, copper, fluorine, iron, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silicon, tin, vanadium and zinc), implicated in important metabolic processes; the second includes toxic microelements, such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) for living organisms, even at low concentrations. These metals contribute to serious consequences for human health, including male infertility. Studies performed in several in vitro and in vivo models revealed that environmental exposure to toxic pollutants, as heavy metals, negatively affects human male fertility. Stem cells, due to their ability to self-renew and differentiate in several cell types, have been proposed as a useful tool in assisted reproductive technology, permitting the spermatogenesis recovery in patients with irreversible infertility. Considering the effects of heavy metals on male fertility and, from a demographic point of view, the decreased fertility ratio, further strategies are required to maintain a sustainable turn-over of 2 children for woman. We discuss here the findings on the biological effects of heavy metal pollution in the male fertility and underline the related socioeconomic impact on population demography.

An integrated approach using morphological and genetic data is needed to disentangle taxonomic uncertainties affecting the hydrozoan families Sphaerocorynidae and Zancleopsidae. Here we used this approach to accurately characterise species in these families, identify the previously unknown polyp stages of the genera Euphysilla and Zancleopsis, which were originally described exclusively based on the medusa stages, describe a new sphaerocorynid genus and species, and assess the phylogenetic position of the two families within the Capitata. The monotypic genus Astrocoryne was found to be a synonym of Zancleopsis. Astrocoryne cabela was therefore transferred to the genus Zancleopsis as Zancleopsis cabela comb. nov. The new polyp-based genus and species Kudacoryne diaphana gen. nov. sp. nov. was erected within the Sphaerocorynidae. Both taxa are primarily based on genetic data, but the introduction of this new genus was made necessary by the fact that it clustered with the genera Heterocoryne and Euphysilla, despite showing Sphaerocoryne-like polyps. Interestingly, the species analysed in this work showed contrasting biogeographical patterns. Based on our data and literature records, some species appear to have a wide circumtropical range, whereas others are limited to few localities. Overall, these results lay the ground for future investigations aimed at resolving the taxonomy and systematics of these two enigmatic families.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains a significant issue for global health, the economy, and society. When SARS-CoV-2 began to spread, the most recent serious infectious disease of this century around the world, with its high morbidity and mortality rates, it is understandable why such infections have generally been spread in the past, mainly from international travel movements. This perspective review aimed to provide an update for clinicians on the recent developments related to the microbiological perspectives in pandemics, diagnostics, prevention (such as the spread of a virus), vaccination campaigns, treatment options, and health consequences for COVID-19 based on the current literature. In this way, the authors attempt to raise awareness on the transversal nature of these challenges by identifying the main risk/vulnerability factors that the scientific community must face including our current knowledge on the virus capacity of the mechanism of entry into the cells, the current classifications of viral variants, the knowledge of the mathematical model on the spread of viruses (the possible routes of transmission), and the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in a global context of pandemic, particularly from COVID-19, with a look at new or future vaccines.

Interspecific associations are common in coral reefs, but those involving hydrozoans and octocorals have not been widely investigated. The hydroid Pteroclava krempfi (Hydrozoa, Cladocorynidae) lives in association with different soft coral taxa (Alcyonacea), showing a widespread distribution. However, very little information is available on the ecology of these relationships. Here, we tested for differences in the taxon-specific prevalence and habitat preference of the symbiosis and determined ecological traits of the P. krempfi-host associations in central Red Sea reefs. P. krempfi was found associated with the alcyonacean genera Lobophytum, Rhytisma, Sarcophyton and Sinularia, updating its host range and geographic distribution. The symbiosis prevalence was high in the area and especially at inshore sites compared to midshore and offshore sites. Rhytisma was the most common host, while the association with Lobophytum showed the lowest taxon-specific prevalence. P. krempfi did not show a clear preference for a specific alcyonacean size, and an increase in host size automatically led to an increase in the surface occupied by hydrozoans, although they rarely colonized more than 50% of the upper surface of the host. The spatial distribution of the hydroids on the host surface appeared related to the host genus and size as well as to the coverage of the hydroids. Despite the nature of this symbiosis requiring further investigation, P. krempfi did not seem to play a role in affecting the bleaching susceptibilities of the host colonies. The study shows that the Red Sea coral reef symbioses are more widespread than previously known and therefore deserve more attention.

Mitochondrial genomes (mtgenome) represent an important source of information for addressing fundamental evolutionary, phylogeographic, systematic, and ecological questions in marine organisms. In the last two decades the advent of high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided an unprecedented possibility to access large amount of genomic data and, as such, there has been a rapid growth in mtgenome resources and studies. In particular, NGS strategies represent a great advantage for investigating nonmodel marine organisms for which no or limited genomic resources are available. Here, we describe a routinely used standardized protocol to obtain mtgenome of nonmodel marine organisms by NGS. The protocol is composed of five main steps, including DNA extraction, DNA fragmentation, library preparation, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatic analyses. Each of the first three steps is followed by size/quality and concentration validations. The advantages of the described protocol rely on the assumption that no a priori information on mtgenome of the studied organism is needed and on its versatility as researchers may choose several kits for DNA extraction and library preparation and adopt different methods for DNA fragmentation depending on their needs, experience, and suppliers.

Scleractinian corals provide habitats for a broad variety of cryptofauna, which in turn may contribute to the overall functioning of coral symbiomes. Among these invertebrates, hydrozoans belonging to the genus Zanclea represent an increasingly known and ecologically important group of coral symbionts. In this study, we analysed 321 Zanclea colonies associated with 31 coral genera collected from 11 localities across the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean regions, and used a multi-disciplinary approach to shed light on the evolution and biogeography of the group. Overall, we found high genetic diversity of hydrozoans that spans nine clades corresponding to cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. All but two clades are associated with one or two coral genera belonging to the Complex clade, whereas the remaining ones are generalists associated with both Complex and Robust corals. Despite the observed specificity patterns, no congruence between Zanclea and coral phylogenies was observed, suggesting a lack of coevolutionary events. Most Zanclea clades have a wide distribution across the Indo-Pacific, including a generalist group extending also into the Caribbean, while two host-specific clades are possibly found exclusively in the Red Sea, confirming the importance of this peripheral region as an endemicity hotspot. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that the most recent common ancestor of all extant coral-associated Zanclea was a specialist species with a perisarc, occurring in what is now known as the Indo-Pacific. Ultimately, a mixture of geography- and host-related diversification processes is likely responsible for the observed enigmatic phylogenetic structure of coral-associated Zanclea.

Coral diseases are emerging as a major threat to coral reefs worldwide, and although many of them have been described, knowledge on their epizootiology is still limited. This is the case of the Halofolliculina ciliate infections, recognized as the skeletal eroding band (SEB) and Caribbean ciliate infection (CCI), two diseases caused by ciliates belonging to the genus Halofolliculina (Class Heterotrichea). Despite their similar macroscopic appearance, the two diseases are considered different and their pathogens have been hypothesized to belong to different Halofolliculina species. In this work, we analysed the morphology and genetic diversity of Halofolliculina ciliates collected in the Caribbean Sea, Red Sea and Indo-Pacific Ocean. Our analyses showed a strong macroscopic similarity of the lesions and similar settlement patterns of the halofolliculinids from the collection localities. In particular, the unique erosion patterns typical of the SEB were observed also in the Caribbean corals. Fine-scale morphological and morphometric examinations revealed a common phenotype in all analysed ciliates, unequivocally identified as Halofolliculina corallasia. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear and mitochondrial (COI) molecular markers consistently found all samples as monophyletic. However, although the nuclear marker displayed an extremely low intra-specific diversity, consistent with the morphological recognition of a single species, the analyses based on COI showed a certain level of divergence between samples from different localities. Genetic distances between localities fall within the intra-specific range found in other heterotrich ciliates, but they may also suggest the presence of a H. corallasia species complex. In conclusion, the presented morpho-molecular characterization of Halofolliculina reveals strong similarities between the pathogens causing SEB and CCI and call for further detailed studies about the distinction of these two coral diseases.

Coral bleaching represents the most serious threat to contemporary coral reefs. In response, focus is being laid on understanding the cellular processes involved in the response of corals to the environmental stresses and the molecular mechanisms that determine the bleaching patterns. In the present study, a component of the cellular stress response such as the expression of the heat shock proteins (Hsps) was analyzed following the coral bleaching event which occurred in the central Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) in 2015. During this event, corals of different species, growth forms and sites showed variable bleaching susceptibility. In particular, we investigated the expression of Hsp70, Hsp60 and Hsp32 in both healthy and bleached colonies belonging to four different coral species (Goniopora lobata, Porites lobata, Seriatopora hystrix and Stylophora pistillata), in order to explore the intra- and inter-specific modulation of these biomarkers as well as the existence of spatial patterns of Hsp expression. In healthy colonies, the level of all the biomarkers was significantly different among the different species, although within each species it remained similar regardless of the distance from the shore. All the coral species showed a significant modulation of the Hsp expression in response to bleaching, whose typology and amplitude were species-specific. In all the species, Hsp70 and Hsp60 showed a coordinated dual expression, which, in response to bleaching resulted in an up-regulation in G. lobata and P. lobata and in a down-regulation in S. hystrix and S. pistillata. Hsp32 was up-regulated in all four species following bleaching, indicative of elevated oxidative stress. Overall, the protein expression profiles of each species contribute to assess the role of Hsps in regulating the susceptibility to thermal stresses of the various coral taxa of the Red Sea.

Two new reef coral species, Porites farasani sp. nov. and Porites hadramauti sp. nov. (Scleractinia, Poritidae), are described from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Porites farasani sp. nov. only occurs in the Farasan Islands in the southern Red Sea, while P. hadramauti sp. nov. has been collected in the Yemen Hadramaut region in the Gulf of Aden. Both species presented striking in situ differences with respect to other Porites species, and were characterized by small encrusting colonies and unusual polyp colouration. In order to test the genetic distinctiveness of P. farasani sp. nov. and P. hadramauti sp. nov. between each other and with respect to other representatives in the genus Porites, we investigated their evolutionary relationships with eight other morphological species of Porites occurring in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden. Two DNA loci, the mitochondrial putative control region and the nuclear ribosomal ITS region, were sequenced, and three species delimitation approaches based on barcoding threshold (Automated Barcoding Gap Discovery) and coalescence theory (Poisson-Tree process, Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent) were applied. Phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses were overall concordant, resolving P. farasani sp. nov. and P. hadramauti sp. nov. as two divergent but closely related lineages. Of the other morphologically defined Porites species, three were genetically differentiated (P. rus, P. columnaris and P. fontanesii), but five were genetically indistinguishable. The discovery of two regional endemics confirms the importance of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as regions of high biodiversity and suggests the need for an integration of genome-wide molecular data with the re-evaluation of skeletal structures in the systematics of Porites.

Abstract: Cancer is a pathology that impacts in a profound manner all over the world. The election strategy against cancer often uses chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which, more often than not, can present many side effects and are not always considered reliable efficacy. By contrast, it is widely known that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables has a protective effect against cancer insurgence and development. Polyphenols are generally believed to be responsible for those beneficial actions, at least partially. In this review, we highlight the metabolic interaction between polyphenols and our metabolism and discuss their potential for anticancer prevention and therapy.

Modern systematics integrating molecular and morphological data has greatly improved our understanding of coral evolutionary relationships during the last two decades and led to a deeply revised taxonomy of the order Scleractinia. The family Merulinidae (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) was recently subjected to a series of revisions following this integrated approach but the phylogenetic affinities of several genera ascribed to it remain unknown. Here, we partially fill this gap through the study of 89 specimens belonging to all 10 valid species from four genera (Caulastraea, Erythrastrea, Oulophyllia and Dipsastraea) collected from 14 localities across the Indo‐Pacific realm. Four molecular loci (histone H3, COI, ITS and IGR) were sequenced, and a total of 44 skeletal morphological characters (macromorphology, micromorphology and microstructure) were analysed. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the phaceloid Caulastraea species are split into two distinct lineages. A species previously ascribed to the genus Dipsastraea, Dipsastraea maxima, is also recovered in one on these lineages. Furthermore, Erythrastrea is nested within Oulophyllia. The molecular reconstructions of evolutionary relationships are further corroborated by multiscale morphological evidence. To resolve the taxonomy of these genera, Astraeosmilia is resurrected to accommodate Astraeosmilia connata, Astraeosmilia curvata, Astraeosmilia tumida and Astraeosmilia maxima, with Caulastraea retaining Caulastraea furcata and Caulastraea echinulata. Based on the examination of type material, Erythrastrea flabellata is considered an objective synonym of Lobophyllia wellsi, which is transferred to Oulophyllia following the obtained morpho‐molecular results. This work further confirms that an integrated morpho‐molecular approach based on a rigorous phylogenetic framework is fundamental for an objective classification that reflects the evolutionary history of scleractinian corals.

The advent of high throughput sequencing technologies provides an opportunity to resolve phylogenetic relationships among closely related species. By incorporating hundreds to thousands of unlinked loci and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), phylogenomic analyses have a far greater potential to resolve species boundaries than approaches that rely on only a few markers. Scleractinian taxa have proved challenging to identify using traditional morphological approaches and many groups lack an adequate set of molecular markers to investigate their phylogenies. Here, we examine the potential of Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to investigate phylogenetic relationships and species limits within the scleractinian coral genus Porites. A total of 126 colonies were collected from 16 localities in the seas surrounding the Arabian Peninsula and ascribed to 12 nominal and two unknown species based on their morphology. Reference mapping was used to retrieve and compare nearly complete mitochondrial genomes, ribosomal DNA, and histone loci. De novo assembly and reference mapping to the P. lobata coral transcriptome were compared and used to obtain thousands of genome-wide loci and SNPs. A suite of species discovery methods (phylogenetic, ordination, and clustering analyses) and species delimitation approaches (coalescent-based, species tree, and Bayesian Factor delimitation) suggested the presence of eight molecular lineages, one of which included six morphospecies. Our phylogenomic approach provided a fully supported phylogeny of Porites from the Arabian Peninsula, suggesting the power of RADseq data to solve the species delineation problem in this speciose coral genus.

Background: Dysbiosis is related to changes in the composition and behaviour of intestinal microbiota, which may contribute to an age-related decline in metabolic and immune system functioning (immune-senescence). Objective: The microbiota-targeted dietary and probiotic interventions have been shown to favorably affect the host health by an enhancement of antioxidant activity, improving immune homeostasis, suppression of chronic inflammation, regulation of metabolism and prevention of insulin resistance. Results: In our study, the use of specific probiotics strains improved the serum concentration of glycemic markers, thereby promoting better overall health. Conclusion: Probiotics may help correct defects in the gut microbial environment improving metabolic parameters, such as blood sugar levels, glycosylated hemoglobin and a decrease in body weight.

Fire corals of the hydrocoral genus Millepora provide an important ecological role as framework builders of coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific and the Atlantic. Recent works have demonstrated the incongruence between molecular data and the traditional taxonomy of Millepora spp. based on overall skeleton growth form and pores. In an attempt to establish a reliable and standardized approach for defining species boundaries in Millepora, we focused on those from the Red Sea. In this region, three species are currently recognized: the fan-shaped branching M. dichotoma, the blade-like M. platyphylla, and the massive/encrusting M. exaesa. A total of 412 colonies were collected from six localities. Two mitochondrial marker genes (COI and 16S rDNA) were sequenced to obtain phylogeny reconstructions and haplotype networks. Eight morphological traits of pores and the nematocysts of both polyp and eumedusoid stages were measured to determine whether significant morphological differences occur among the three species. Both markers clearly resolved M. dichotoma, M. platyphylla, and M. exaesa as distinct, monophyletic lineages in the Red Sea. Nevertheless, they also revealed deep genetic breaks with Southwestern Indian Ocean populations of the three species. In the Red Sea, the three species were further distinguished based on their pore and nematocyst features. A discriminant analysis revealed dactylopore density, number of dactylopores per gastropore, dactylopore distance, and gastropore diameter as the most informative discriminative characters. The heteronemes, the large and small stenoteles of polyps, and the distribution of mastigophores of eumedusoids also showed significant interspecific differences. An integrated morpho-molecular approach proved to be decisive in defining species boundaries of Millepora supported by a combination of pore and nematocyst characters, which may be phylogenetically informative.

The Zancleidae is a hydrozoan family that currently comprises three genera and 42 nominal species. The validity of numerous taxa in this family still needs to be assessed with integrative analyses and complete life cycle descriptions. The vast majority of its species live symbiotically with other organisms, among which cheilostomate bryozoans are the most common hosts. These bryozoan-associated zancleids are host-specific and encompass all species of the genera Halocoryne and Zanclella, as well as several species in the genus Zanclea. Zancleids show variable morphologies, including highly reduced polyps and medusae. Their phylogenetic history is uncertain due to the often intergrading morphologies and the shortage of molecular data. In the present study, two species of Zanclea from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea are analysed, using morphological and DNA-based approaches. Morphological analyses of the polyp and medusa stages show that, despite a general resemblance with each other and with Zanclella diabolica, the two species differ in some characters, and this is supported also by molecular investigations. The DNA analyses show that the two species are monophyletic and closely related, but divergent from other Zanclea lineages. This newly recovered clade may correspond with the genus Zanclella or with a cryptic genus. The lack of both morphological and molecular data for several zancleid species did not allow to address this issue. Additionally, the single-and multi-locus phylogeny reconstructions reveal that both the family Zancleidae and the genus Zanclea are polyphyletic taxa, since they are composed of at least three divergent lineages. Most zancleid species have polyps and medusae similar to other closely related taxa, and this conserved general morphology poses a challenge in the delimitation of species, genera and even families in this group. Consequently, further conjunct morphological and molecular efforts are strongly needed to clarify the diversity and evolution of the family Zancleida as a whole.

Scleractinian corals ascribed to the family Agariciidae represent an important component of Red Sea coral reef fauna, though little genetic data are currently available for this group, and existing information shows polyphyly in the examined mesophotic taxa from the Pacific Ocean. In this work, we provide a first genetic survey of Agariciidae from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, based on a collection of shallow-water material (< 30 m) from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Farasan Islands. Two molecular markers were sequenced to infer morphospecies monophyly and relationships, the intergenic region between COI and 16S rRNA from mitochondrial DNA and the ribosomal ITS1 region from nuclear DNA. A total of 20 morphospecies were identified based on classical macromorphological characters. Six, namely Gardineroseris planulata, Pavona maldivensis, Pavona clavus, Pavona decussata, Leptoseris fragilis, and Leptoseris yabei, were resolved with both DNA loci. The molecular boundaries among the remaining 14 species remain unclear. Our results further confirm that the morphology-based taxonomy of most agariciid species is in disagreement with genetics. In order to disentangle the systematics of these taxa, the inclusion of more sampling locations, additional variable loci, and a micromophological approach are likely needed. Our genetic data represent a first step towards the comparison of biodiversity and connectivity between the Red Sea and the rest of the Indo-Pacific.

The current treatment and prevention of oral disorders follow a very sectoral control and procedures considering mouth and its structures as system completely independent from the rest of the body. The main therapeutic approach is carried out on just to keep the levels of oral bacteria and hygiene in an acceptable range compatible with one-way vision of oral-mouth health completely separated from a systemic microbial homeostasis (eubiosis vs dysbiosis). This can negatively impact on the diagnosis of more complex systemic disease and its progression. Dysbiosis is consequence of oral and gut microbiota unbalance with consequences, as reported in current literature, in cardio vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease. Likewise, there is the need to highlight and develop a novel philosophical approach in the treatments for oral diseases that will necessarily involve non-conventional approaches.

Zanclea divergens is a tropical hydrozoan living in symbiotic association with bryozoans and currently reported from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Maldives. Here, we used an integrative approach to assess the morpho-molecular diversity of the species across the Indo-Pacific. Phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses based on seven mitochondrial and nuclear loci revealed four well-supported molecular lineages corresponding to cryptic species, and representing a Pacific clade, an Indian clade, and two Red Sea clades. Since the general polyp morphology was almost identical in all samples, the nematocyst capsules were measured and analysed to search for possible fine-scale differences, and their statistical treatment revealed a significant difference in terms of length and width among the clades investigated. All Zanclea divergens specimens were specifically associated with cheilostome bryozoans belonging to the genus Celleporaria. The Pacific and Indian clades were associated with Celleporaria sp. and C. vermiformis, respectively, whereas both Red Sea lineages were associated with C. pigmentaria. Nevertheless, the sequencing of host bryozoans revealed that one of the Red Sea hydrozoan clades is associated with two morphologically undistinguishable, but genetically divergent, bryozoan species. Overall, our results show that Z. divergens is a species complex composed of morphologically cryptic lineages showing partially disjunct distributions and host specificity. The presence of two sympatric lineages living on the same host species reveal complex dynamics of diversification, and future research aimed at understanding their diversification process will likely improve our knowledge on the mechanisms of speciation among currently sympatric cryptic species.

Accurate delimitation of species and their relationships is a fundamental issue in evolutionary biology and taxonomy and provides essential implications for conservation management. Scleractinian corals are difficult to identify because of their ecophenotypic and geographic variation and their morphological plasticity. Furthermore, phylogenies based on traditional loci are often unresolved at the species level because of uninformative loci. Here, we attempted to resolve these issues and proposed a consistent species definition method for corals by applying the genome-wide technique Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to investigate phylogenetic relationships and species delimitation within the genus Leptastrea. We collected 77 colonies from nine localities of the Indo-Pacific and subjected them to genomic analyses. Based on de novo clustering, we obtained 44,162 SNPs (3701 loci) from the holobiont dataset and 62,728 SNPs (9573 loci) from the reads that map to coral transcriptome to reconstruct a robust phylogenetic hypothesis of the genus. Moreover, nearly complete mitochondrial genomes and ribosomal DNA arrays were retrieved by reference mapping. We combined concatenation-based phylogenetic analyses with coalescent-based species tree and species delimitation methods. Phylogenies suggest the presence of six distinct species, three corresponding to known taxa, namely Leptastrea bottae, Leptastrea inaequalis, Leptastrea transversa, one characterized by a remarkable skeletal variability encompassing the typical morphologies of Leptastrea purpurea and Leptastrea pruinosa, and two distinct and currently undescribed species. Therefore, based on the combination of genomic, morphological, morphometric, and distributional data, we herein described Leptastrea gibbosa sp. n. from the Pacific Ocean and Leptastrea magaloni sp. n. from the southwestern Indian Ocean and formally considered L. pruinosa as a junior synonym of L. purpurea. Notably, mitogenomes and rDNA yielded a concordant yet less resolved phylogeny reconstruction compared to the ones based on SNPs. This aspect demonstrates the strength and utility of RADseq technology for disentangling species boundaries in closely related species and in a challenging group such as scleractinian corals.

WOS:000669987000010; Reef fishes are a treasured part of marine biodiversity, and also provide needed protein for many millions of people. Although most reef fishes might survive projected increases in ocean temperatures, corals are less tolerant. A few fish species strictly depend on corals for food and shelter, suggesting that coral extinctions could lead to some secondary fish extinctions. However, secondary extinctions could extend far beyond those few coral-dependent species. Furthermore, it is yet unknown how such fish declines might vary around the world. Current coral mass mortalities led us to ask how fish communities would respond to coral loss within and across oceans. We mapped 6964 coral-reef-fish species and 119 coral genera, and then regressed reef-fish species richness against coral generic richness at the 1 degrees scale (after controlling for biogeographic factors that drive species diversification). Consistent with small-scale studies, statistical extrapolations suggested that local fish richness across the globe would be around half its current value in a hypothetical world without coral, leading to more areas with low or intermediate fish species richness and fewer fish diversity hotspots.

Extant biodiversity can easily be underestimated owing to the presence of cryptic taxa, even among commonly observed species. Scleractinian corals are challenging to identify because of their ecophenotypic variation and morphological plasticity. In addition, molecular analyses have revealed the occurrence of cryptic speciation. Here, we describe a new cryptic lobophylliid genus and species Paraechinophyllia variabilis gen. nov., sp. nov., which is morphologically similar to Echinophyllia aspera and E. orpheensis. The new taxon occurs in Mayotte Island, Madagascar, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Six molecular markers (COI, 12S, ATP6-NAD4, NAD3-NAD5, histone H3 and ITS) and 46 morphological characters at three different levels (macromorphology, micromorphology and microstructure) were examined. The resulting molecular phylogenetic reconstruction showed that Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. represents a distinct group within the Lobophylliidae that diverged from the lineage leading to Echinophyllia and Oxypora in the Early Miocene, approximately 21.5 Ma. The morphological phylogenetic reconstruction clustered Paraechinophyllia gen. nov., Echinophyllia and Oxypora together in a single clade. A sole morphological character, calice relief, discriminated Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. from the latter two genera, suggesting that limited morphological variation has occurred over a long period. These results highlight the importance of cryptic taxa in reef corals, with implications for population genetics, ecological studies and conservation.

The genome of S. cerevisiae encodes 35 members of the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) and that of A. thaliana 58 MCF members. Here two members of this family, Ymc2p from S. cerevisiae and BOU from Arabidopsis, have been characterized. These proteins were overproduced in bacteria and reconstituted into liposomes. Their transport properties and kinetic parameters demonstrate that Ymc2p and BOU transport glutamate. Transport catalyzed by both carriers was saturable, inhibited by mercuric chloride and dependent on the proton gradient across the proteoliposomal membrane. The growth phenotype of S. cerevisiae cells lacking the genes ymc2 and agc1, which encodes the only other S. cerevisiae carrier capable to transport also glutamate, was fully complemented by expressing Ymc2p, Agc1p or BOU. Furthermore, mitochondria isolated from wild-type, ymc2? and agc1? strains, but not from the double mutant ymc2?agc1? strain, swell in isosmotic ammonium glutamate showing that glutamate is transported together with H+. It is proposed that the primary function of these proteins is to import glutamate into the mitochondrial matrix for energy production, C1 metabolism and protein synthesis.

AimThe aim of the study was to assess the diversity of algal symbionts of the family Symbiodiniaceae associated with the coral genus Porites in the Red Sea, and to test for host‐specificity and environmental variables driving biogeographical patterns of algal symbiont distribution.LocationSaudi Arabian Red Sea.TaxonEndosymbiotic dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae in association with the reef‐building coral genus Porites.MethodsEighty Porites coral specimens were collected along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Species boundaries were assessed morphologically and genetically (putative Control Region – mtCR; ITS region – ITS). Community composition of symbiotic dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae was also assessed. Using the ITS2 marker with the SymPortal framework, Symbiodiniaceae data at the genus, majority ITS2 sequence and ITS2 type profile were used to assess symbiont diversity and distribution patterns. These were analysed in relation to coral host diversity, geographic location and environmental variables.ResultsAmong the 80 Porites samples, 10 morphologies were identified. These corals were clustered into five lineages (clades I–V) by each of the markers independently. Clades I, II and III each comprised of a single Porites morphology, while clades IV and V contained up to five distinct morphologies. The diversity of Symbiodiniaceae associated with Porites was high and latitudinal differentiation was observed. In particular, a shift from a Cladocopium‐dominated to a Durusdinium‐dominated community was found along the north–south gradient. Symbiont diversity showed the patterns of geographic‐specific association at Symbiodiniaceae genus, majority ITS2 sequence and ITS2 type profile level. Specific associations with host genotypes (but not morphological species) were also recovered when considering Symbiodiniaceae majority ITS2 sequence and ITS2 type profiles.Main conclusionsThis study provides the first large‐scale molecular characterization of Symbiodiniaceae communities associated with Porites corals from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. The use of intragenomic diversity data enabled the resolution of host‐symbiont specificity and biogeographical patterns of distribution, previously unachievable with the ITS2 marker alone. Finally, correlation among symbiont diversity and Red Sea environmental gradients was documented. published

The biodiversity of Red Sea corals captured the attention of some of the earliest European natural historians. Many of the first descriptions of tropical reef corals were based on Red Sea material. Modern approaches to resolve the notorious challenges of coral taxonomy have only recently been applied to Red Sea taxa. This chapter reviews current knowledge of the distributions of coral species in the Arabian region, including assessments of endemism. We also review new species described (or resurrected) since the last major assessment (in 2002). Where sufficient data is available, we highlight within-region distribution patterns. The Red Sea has the highest levels of endemism among all regions of the Indian Ocean. Analysis of the similarity of species composition among the Arabian subregions shows that the Red Sea and Socotra Island are the most speciose, but also have distinct community compositions. The regional diversity of Red Sea corals is likely influenced by the unique environmental gradients of the Arabian region. Despite evolving in testing conditions, Red Sea corals have been impacted by global climate change. Recent thermal bleaching events in the Red Sea highlight the pressures and challenges to future recovery.

The importance of glutamate is well established in human as well as in plants and fungi where mitochondria play a key role in its metabolism[1,2]. Glutamate is transported inside and/or out from mitochondria by proteins localized in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The genome of S. cerevisiae encodes 35 members of the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) and that of A. thaliana 58 MCF members. Here two members of this family, Ymc2p from S. cerevisiae and BOU from Arabidopsis, have been characterized. These proteins were overproduced in bacteria and reconstituted into liposomes. Their transport properties and kinetic parameters demonstrate that Ymc2p and BOU transport glutamate. Transport catalyzed by both carriers was saturable, inhibited by mercuric chloride and dependent on the proton gradient across the proteoliposomal membrane. The growth phenotype of S. cerevisiae cells lacking the genes ymc2 and agc1, which encodes the only other S. cerevisiae carrier capable to transport also glutamate, was fully complemented by expressing Ymc2p, Agc1p or BOU. Furthermore, mitochondria isolated from wild-type, ymc2? and agc1? strains, but not from the double mutant ymc2?agc1? strain, swell in isosmotic ammonium glutamate showing that glutamate is transported together with a H+. It is proposed that the primary function of these proteins is to import glutamate into the mitochondrial matrix for energy production, C1 metabolism and protein synthesis.

The colonial stony coral genus Madracis is cosmopolitan, lives in shallow and deep water habitats, and includes zooxanthellate, azooxanthellate and facultative symbiotic species. One of its species, Madracis pharensis, has been recorded from the Mediterranean and East Atlantic, where it forms small knobby and facultative zooxanthellate colonies (also named M. pharensis f. pharensis), and from the tropical Caribbean, where it also occurs in a massive and zooxanthellate form (named M. pharensis f. luciphila by some). These two forms have been previously found to host different Symbiodinium species. In this study, species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships between these two Madracis pharensis forms (from the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean), M. senaria, and the Indo-west Pacific M. kirbyi were analyzed through an integrated systematics approach, including corallite dimensions, micromorphology and two molecular markers (ITS and ATP8). Significant genetic and morphological differences were found between all the examined Madracis species, and between M. pharensis from the Mediterranean Sea and M. pharensis f. luciphila from the Caribbean in particular. Based on these results, the latter does not represent a zooxanthellate ecomorph of the former but a different species. Its identity remains to be ascertained and its relationship with the Caribbean M. decactis, with which it bears morphologic resemblance, must be investigated in further studies. Overall, the presence of cryptic Madracis species in the Easter and Central Atlantic Ocean remains to be evaluated.

The genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes 35 members of the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) and 58 MCF members are coded by the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana, most of which have been functionally characterized. Here two members of this family, Ymc2p from S. cerevisiae and BOU from Arabidopsis, have been thoroughly characterized. These proteins were overproduced in bacteria and reconstituted into liposomes. Their transport properties and kinetic parameters demonstrate that Ymc2p and BOU transport glutamate, and to a much lesser extent L-homocysteinesulfinate, but not other amino acids and many other tested metabolites. Transport catalyzed by both carriers was saturable, inhibited by mercuric chloride and dependent on the proton gradient across the proteoliposomal membrane. The growth phenotype of S. cerevisiae cells lacking the genes ymc2 and agc1, which encodes the only other S. cerevisiae carrier capable to transport glutamate besides aspartate, was fully complemented by expressing Ymc2p, Agc1p or BOU. Mitochondrial extracts derived from ymc24 agc1 Delta cells, reconstituted into liposomes, exhibited no glutamate transport at variance with wild-type, ymc2 Delta and agc1 Delta. cells, showing that S. cerevisiae cells grown in the presence of acetate do not contain additional mitochondrial transporters for glutamate besides Ymc2p and Agclp. Furthermore, mitochondria isolated from wild-type, ymc2 Delta and agc1 Delta strains, but not from the double mutant ymc2 Delta agc1 Delta strain, swell in isosmotic ammonium glutamate showing that glutamate is transported by Ymc2p and Agclp together with a H+. It is proposed that the function of Ymc2p and BOU is to transport glutamate across the mitochondrial inner membrane and thereby play a role in intermediary metabolism, C1 metabolism and mitochondrial protein synthesis.

The genome of S. cerevisiae encodes 35 members of the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) and that of A. thaliana 58 MCF members. Here two members of this family, Ymc2p from S. cerevisiae and BOU from Arabidopsis, have been characterized. These proteins were overproduced in bacteria and reconstituted into liposomes. Their transport properties and kinetic parameters demonstrate that Ymc2p and BOU transport glutamate. Transport catalyzed by both carriers was saturable, inhibited by mercuric chloride and dependent on the proton gradient across the proteoliposomal membrane. The growth phenotype of S. cerevisiae cells lacking the genes ymc2 and agc1, which encodes the only other S. cerevisiae carrier capable to transport also glutamate, was fully complemented by expressing Ymc2p, Agc1p or BOU. Furthermore, mitochondria isolated from wild-type, ymc2? and agc1? strains, but not from the double mutant ymc2?agc1? strain, swell in isosmotic ammonium glutamate showing that glutamate is transported together with a H+. It is proposed that the primary function of these proteins is to import glutamate into the mitochondrial matrix for energy production, C1 metabolism and protein synthesis.