Eman ta Zabal Zazu Garapen Iraunkorrerako 14. Helburuaren alde: itsaspeko bizitza... eta bizia

2015ean, Nazio Batuen Erakundeak Garapen Iraunkorrerako 17 helburu ezarri zituen, planeta osorako, hots, etorkizun jasangarriago bat lortzeko bide-orria. Helburuak 2030. urtera arteko plan gauzagarri bat iradokitzeko asmoarekin jaio ziren, planeta eta espezie gisa gure aurrean ditugun erronka guztiei erantzuteko: 2030erako Agenda Unibertsala. Haien artean, 14. helburua, itsaspeko bizitzarena, zeharkakoenetako bat da, itsasoek gure planetako biziaren garapenerako espazioaren % 99 osatzen duten heinean. Bizia itsasoan sortu zen, eta bertan topatu zuen ostatua eta garatzeko zein eboluzionatzeko bidea. Eta, "hauts hartatikan uste gabean noizbait ginaden gu ernai" abestiaren hitzak nolabait gaiari ekarriz, itsasotik noizbait lehorreratuko ziren izaki bizidun batzuk. Gure giza fluidoetan eta odoleko gatz-kontzentrazioan gelditzen da kresal haren arrastoa. Ozeanoak dira planetaren ezaugarri nabarmenena: Lurraren ia hiru laurdenak estaltzen dituzte. Ozeanoak funtsezkoak dira Lurraren iraupenerako, hots, Lurraren arnas sistema dira. Itsas fitoplanktonak bizitzarako oxigenoaren % 50 sortzen du, eta karbono dioxidoaren % 30 xurgatzen. Ozeanoek klima eta tenperatura erregulatzen dituzte, eta planeta bizia jasotzeko gai bihurtzen dute era askotako bizimoduetarako. Hala ere, 14. helburuaren xedea lortzeko asmotan, Ozeanoen Osasun Indizeak eta Garapen Iraunkorrerako Txostenak iradoki dute ez goazela bide onetik. Horrela, Nazio Batuen erakundeak "Garapen Iraunko- rrerako Zientzia Ozeanikoen Hamarkada" izendatu du 2021-2030eko tartea. Horretan, garrantzitsuak izango dira itsas ikerketako azpiegituretan -besteak beste, Plentziako Itsas Estazioan (PiE-UPV/EHUn)- ikertzen diharduten zientzialari, teknikari eta ikasleak.; In 2015, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), launching a roadmap for a more sustainable future of our planet. The objectives were born aimed at suggesting a feasible plan until 2030, which would respond to all the challenges we face as a planet and species: the Universal Agenda for 2030. Among them, SDG 14, that of life bellow water, can be considered one of the most transversal, since the oceans represent 99% of the space where life thrives in this planet. Life was initiated at sea, where living organisms found accommodation and a place to develop and evolve. From there some living beings would disembark on land and “and once upon a time from such dust unwillingly, we were born”, bringing somehow the words of the song to our subject. Like us, the trace of this salt water remains in our fluids and in the solute concentration in our blood. The oceans are the main feature of the planet, as they cover almost three quarters of the Earth and are fundamental to its survival. The seas are the Earth's respiratory system: marine phytoplankton produces 50% of the oxygen for life and absorbs 30% of the world's carbon dioxide. The oceans regulate climate and temperature, making the planet habitable for very diverse forms of life. However, the analyses carried out on SDG 14, the Ocean Health Index and the Sustainable Development Report, suggest that we are not addressing its objectives very well in order to achieve the goal for 2030. More knowledge is needs and therefore the United Nations has declared that the decade 2021-2030 will be the “Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development”. The scientists, technicians and students that carry out research in marine research infrastructures such as the Plentzia Marine Station (PiE-UPV/EHU) will be relevant for the next decade

Isuritako petrolioaren eragina itsas animalietan: metaketa, metabolismoa eta toxizitatea

zken urteotan gure gizartea oso kezkatuta dago itsasoan hondoratutako petrolio-ontziengatik. Egun dugun informazio-gizarte honek, belztutako itsaso eta hondartzen irudiak ekarri dizkigu maiz afalondora, eta kultura orokorreko osagai bihurtu zaizkigu Amocco Cadiz, Exxon Valdez, Sea Empress, New Haven edo Erika bezalako ahoskera arrotzeko izenak. Azken honetan okerragoa izan da, guri tokatu baitzaigu, eta Prestige zuen izena. Ez da egon Teleberriren Gaur Egun ikusi beharrik, gure hondartzetan ikusi baitugu marea beltzaren eragina. Edozeini galdetuta hondamendia zen hitzik aipatuena, eta flora eta faunaren gainean izan lezakeen eraginak kezka handia piztu zuen. Baina orokorrean jendeak ezer gutxi daki itsas ekosistemetan petrolioak izan dezakeen eraginaz. Petrolioak bai, hil egiten du, baina nola? Eta areago, hiltzen ez duenean, kalterik sortzen ote du populazioetan? Esate baterako, aldatzen ote ditu banakoen garapena, elikatzeko ahalmena, ugal-gaitasuna, hazkuntza edo jokamoldea

Isuritako petrolioaren eragina itsas animalietan: metaketa, metabolismoa eta toxizitatea

zken urteotan gure gizartea oso kezkatuta dago itsasoan hondoratutako petrolio-ontziengatik. Egun dugun informazio-gizarte honek, belztutako itsaso eta hondartzen irudiak ekarri dizkigu maiz afalondora, eta kultura orokorreko osagai bihurtu zaizkigu Amocco Cadiz, Exxon Valdez, Sea Empress, New Haven edo Erika bezalako ahoskera arrotzeko izenak. Azken honetan okerragoa izan da, guri tokatu baitzaigu, eta Prestige zuen izena. Ez da egon Teleberriren Gaur Egun ikusi beharrik, gure hondartzetan ikusi baitugu marea beltzaren eragina. Edozeini galdetuta hondamendia zen hitzik aipatuena, eta flora eta faunaren gainean izan lezakeen eraginak kezka handia piztu zuen. Baina orokorrean jendeak ezer gutxi daki itsas ekosistemetan petrolioak izan dezakeen eraginaz. Petrolioak bai, hil egiten du, baina nola? Eta areago, hiltzen ez duenean, kalterik sortzen ote du populazioetan? Esate baterako, aldatzen ote ditu banakoen garapena, elikatzeko ahalmena, ugal-gaitasuna, hazkuntza edo jokamoldea

Itsas estazio biologikoen historia eta kostaldeko bioaniztasunaren ikerketa

The sea is not the normal living place for us, humans. It is not our habitat and during a big part of our history it has been the pass way, or the void, in between lands. In that way, the organisms that inhabit the oceans and their characteristics have been mostly unknown during centuries. In our difficulty to approach the sea, we have faced the need of developing special skills and infrastructures. We need vessels and specific sampling methods, but also research infrastructures and shelter places permanently placed near the seashores. In general, most of the biodiversity in all the oceans can be found in the coastal areas, since the interface between land and sea allows the blossoming of life. The study of this biodiversity is in fact the mission of marine biological stations since their conception in the xixth century. These are institutions created to shelter travelling scientists; "rest stop sites" that offer research infrastructure, equipment, protection, trained help and background knowledge to visitors. In this 150 years long journey marine organisms have provided avenues for basic science at the forefront of research through the utilization of marine model organisms. In the same way, marine life has provided opportunities to exploit resources useful for the humankind (fisheries, marine aquaculture…), while the development of "Blue Biotechnology" holds the promise to contribute to the socioeconomic development of maritime regions.; Itsasoa ez da guretzat, gizakiontzat, ohiko bizi-eremua. Ez da gure habitata eta gure historiaren zati nagusian lur-eremuak banatzen zituen pasabidea edo amildegia baino ez da izan. Horretan, bertan bizi diren organismoak eta haien berezitasunak arrotzak izan zaizkigu mendeetan zehar. Itsasoarekiko hurbilketan dugun zailtasun horretan gizakiok trebezia eta azpiegitura bereziak garatzeko beharrean aurkitu gara. Itsasontziak eta laginketa-metodo aproposak behar ditugu, baina baita itsasotik hurbil egonkorki kokatuak dauden ikerketa-azpiegiturak eta "egoitzak" ere. Izan ere, eta oro har, kostaldeetan aurkitzen da itsaso guztietan bioaniztasun ugariena, lurraren eta itsasoaren arteko mugak biziaren loratzea ahalbidetzen baitu. Aniztasun horren ikerketa izan da itsas estazio biologikoen xedea xix. mendetik. Haien ikerketa-bidaian zientifikoei egoitza eskaintzeko sortutako ikerketa-azpiegiturak, tresneria, babesa, eta trebatutako laguntza zein oinarrizko ezagutza eskaintzen dituzten "itsas geltokiak". 150 urte luzeetako bidaia honetan, itsasoko organismoek lehen lerroko oinarrizko ikerketarako bideak eman dituzte (itsas eredu biologikoen erabileraz). Gainera, itsasoko izakiok gizakiontzat ezinbesteko baliabideak ustiatzeko aukerak eman dituzte (arrantzua, itsas akuikultura…), "bioteknologia urdina"ren garapenarekin itsas eskualdeen garapen sozioekonomikorako etorkizunezko promesa bilakatu diren bitartean

Identification of Sex and Female’s Reproductive Stage in Commercial Fish Species through the Quantification of Ribosomal Transcripts in Gonads

The estimation of maturity and sex of fish stocks in European waters is a requirement of the EU Data Collection Framework as part of the policy to improve fisheries management. On the other hand, research on fish biology is increasingly focused in molecular approaches, researchers needing correct identification of fish sex and reproductive stage without necessarily having in house the histological know-how necessary for the task. Taking advantage of the differential gene transcription occurring during fish sex differentiation and gametogenesis, the utility of 5S ribosomal RNA (5S rRNA) and General transcription factor IIIA (gtf3a) in the molecular identification of sex and gametogenic stage was tested in different economically-relevant fish species from the Bay of Biscay. Gonads of 9 fish species (, Atlantic, Atlantic-chub and horse mackerel, blue whiting, bogue, European anchovy, hake and pilchard and megrim), collected from local commercial fishing vessels were histologically sexed and 5S and 18S rRNA concentrations were quantified by capillary electrophoresis to calculate a 5S/18S rRNA index. Degenerate primers permitted cloning and sequencing of gtf3a fragments in 7 of the studied species. 5S rRNA and gtf3a transcript levels, together with 5S/18S rRNA index, distinguished clearly ovaries from testis in all of the studied species. The values were always higher in females than in males. 5S/18S rRNA index values in females were always highest when fish were captured in early phases of ovary development whilst, in later vitellogenic stages, the values decreased significantly. In megrim and European anchovy, where gonads in different oogenesis stages were obtained, the 5S/18S rRNA index identified clearly gametogenic stage. This approach, to the sexing and the quantitative non-subjective identification of the maturity stage of female fish, could have multiple applications in the study of fish stock dynamics, fish reproduction and fecundity and fish biology in general.This work was funded by the University of the Basque Country, Basque Government and the Spanish MINECO through projects: UFI 11/3, S-PE11UN007, S-PE12UN086, S-PE13UN101, IT810-13 and AGL2012-33477. IR is recipient of a grant for predoctoral studies of the Basque Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Duplication and subfunctionalisation of the general transcription factor IIIA (gtf3a) gene in teleost genomes, with ovarian specific transcription of gtf3ab

Fish oogenesis is characterised by a massive growth of oocytes each reproductive season. This growth requires the stockpiling of certain molecules, such as ribosomal RNAs to assist the rapid ribosomal assembly and protein synthesis required to allow developmental processes in the newly formed embryo. Massive 5S rRNA expression in oocytes, facilitated by transcription factor 3A (Gtf3a), serves as marker of intersex condition in fish exposed to xenoestrogens. Our present work on Gtf3a gene evolution has been analysed in silico in teleost genomes and functionally in the case of the zebrafish Danio rerio. Synteny-analysis of fish genomes has allowed the identification of two gtf3a paralog genes, probably emerged from the teleost specific genome duplication event. Functional analyses demonstrated that gtf3ab has evolved as a gene specially transcribed in oocytes as observed in Danio rerio, and also in Oreochromis niloticus. Instead, gtf3aa was observed to be ubiquitously expressed. In addition, in zebrafish embryos gtf3aa transcription began with the activation of the zygotic genome (similar to 8 hpf), while gtf3ab transcription began only at the onset of oogenesis. Under exposure to 100 ng/L 17 beta-estradiol, fully feminised 61 dpf zebrafish showed transcription of ovarian gtf3ab, while masculinised (100 ng/L 17 alpha-methyltestosterone treated) zebrafish only transcribed gtf3aa. Sex related transcription of gtf3ab coincided with that of cyp19a1a being opposite to that of amh and dmrt1. Such sex dimorphic pattern of gtf3ab transcription was not observed earlier in larvae that had not yet shown any signs of gonad formation after 26 days of oestradiol exposure. Thus, gtf3ab transcription is a consequence of oocyte differentiation and not a direct result of estrogen exposure, and could constitute a useful marker of gonad feminisation and intersex condition.This work has been funded through research projects of MINECO (AGL2012-33477 and AGL2015-63936_R), Basque-Government (PhD fellowship to IRB, S-PE13UN101 & IT81013). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Myth-busting the provider-user relationship for digital sequence information.

[EN] BACKGROUND: The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) formally recognized the sovereign rights of nations over their biological diversity. Implicit within the treaty is the idea that mega-biodiverse countries will provide genetic resources and grant access to them and scientists in high-income countries will use these resources and share back benefits. However, little research has been conducted on how this framework is reflected in real-life scientific practice. RESULT: Currently, parties to the CBD are debating whether digital sequence information (DSI) should be regulated under a new benefit-sharing framework. At this critical time point in the upcoming international negotiations, we test the fundamental hypothesis of provision and use of DSI by looking at the global patterns of access and use in scientific publications. CONCLUSION: Our data reject the provider-user relationship and suggest a far more complex information flow for DSI. Therefore, any new policy decisions on DSI should be aware of the high level of use of DSI across low- and middle-income countries and seek to preserve open access to this crucial common good.This publication was made possible by the research project WiLDSI (Wissenschaftliche Lösungsansätze für Digitale Sequenzinformation) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under funding code 031B0862

High production of transfer RNAs identifies the presence of developing oocytes in ovaries and intersex testes of teleost fish

5S rRNA is highly transcribed in fish oocytes and this transcription levels can be used to identify the presence of oocytes in the intersex testes of fish exposed to xenoestrogens. Similar to 5S rRNA, tRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol-III) in eukaryotes, so this study focuses in the analysis of the levels of expression of tRNAs in the gonads (ovaries and testes) of eight teleost species as a possible new oocyte molecular marker. Total RNA extracted from gonads of six commercial teleost species in the Biscay Bay, from the pollution sentinel species thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) known present intersex testes in response to xenoestrogens in Gernika estuary and from the laboratory model species Danio rerio were analysed through capillary electrophoresis. Bioanalyzer electropherograms were used to quantify the concentrations of tRNAs, 5S and 5.8S rRNA. All studied ovaries expressed significantly higher levels of tRNAs and 5S rRNA than testes. A tRNA to 5.8S rRNA index was calculated which differentiates ovaries from testes, and identifies some intersex testes in between testes and ovaries in mullets. The tRNA/5.8S ratio was highest in ovaries in previtellogenic stage, decreasing towards maturity. Thus, strong oocyte expression of tRNAs is an additional proof of high activity levels of Pol-III during early stages of oocyte development in teleost ovaries. Incidentally, we observed that miRNA concentrations were always higher in testes than ovaries. The indexing approach developed in the present study could have multiple applications in teleost reproduction research and in the development of early molecular markers of intersex condition.This work has been supported by project Born2bEgg (Spanish MCIN & EU-FEDER/ERDF (PGC2018-101442-B-100) and by the grants to consolidated research projects of the Basque Government (IT1302-19 and IT1743-22). We are thankful to the Biscay Bay Environmental Biospecimen Bank (BBEBB; PiE-UPV/EHU) for providing mullet tissues

Lack of genetic structure in euryhaline Chelon labrosus from the estuaries under anthropic pressure in the Southern Bay of Biscay to the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea

Over the last decade, xenoestrogenic effects have been reported in populations of thicklip grey mullet Chelon labrosus from contaminated estuaries in the Bay of Biscay, resulting in intersex condition. To understand the level of gene flow in individuals of different Basque estuaries microsatellite markers were used to evaluate the population structure and connectivity of C. labrosus from estuaries of the Basque coast. 46 microsatellites were tested and 10 validated for the analysis of 204 individuals collected from 5 selected Basque estuaries and 2 outgroups in the Bay of Cadiz and Thermaic Gulf. The polymorphic microsatellites revealed 74 total alleles, 2–19 alleles per locus. The mean observed heterozygosity (0.49 ± 0.02) was lower than the expected one (0.53 ± 0.01). There was no evidence of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.0098, P = 0.0000) among individuals or sites. Bayesian clustering analysis revealed a single population in all sampled locations. The results of this study indicate widespread genetic homogeneity and panmixia of C. labrosus across the current sampling areas spanning the Atlantic and Mediterranean basins. The hypothesis of panmixia could therefore be well supported so individuals inhabiting estuaries with high prevalence of intersex condition should be considered as members of the same single genetic group as those inhabiting adjacent estuaries without incidence of xenoestrogenicity.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science. Innovation and Universities and EU-FEDER/ERDF (BORN2bEGG PGC2018-101442-B-I00) and the Basque Government (Grants to consolidated research groups IT1302-19 and IT1743-22). A.N. is a recipient of a pre-doctoral grant PIF17/172 from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Authors wish to thank the help of two anonymous reviewers for significantly helping in better focusing the aim of the present work

Mugilid Fish Are Sentinels of Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Coastal and Estuarine Environments

Effects on fish reproduction can result from a variety of toxicity mechanisms first operating at the molecular level. Notably, the presence in the environment of some compounds termed endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause adverse effects on reproduction by interfering with the endocrine system. In some cases, exposure to EDCs leads to the animal feminization and male fish may develop oocytes in testis (intersex condition). Mugilid fish are well suited sentinel organisms to study the effects of reproductive EDCs in the monitoring of estuarine/marine environments. Up-regulation of aromatases and vitellogenins in males and juveniles and the presence of intersex individuals have been described in a wide array of mullet species worldwide. There is a need to develop new molecular markers to identify early feminization responses and intersex condition in fish populations, studying mechanisms that regulate gonad differentiation under exposure to xenoestrogens. Interestingly, an electrophoresis of gonad RNA, shows a strong expression of 5S rRNA in oocytes, indicating the potential of 5S rRNA and its regulating proteins to become useful molecular makers of oocyte presence in testis. Therefore, the use of these oocyte markers to sex and identify intersex mullets could constitute powerful molecular biomarkers to assess xenoestrogenicity in field conditions.This work has been funded through research projects of the Spanish MINECO (SEXOVUM AGL2012-33477), Basque Government (SAIOTEK OVUM-II S-PE12UN086 and Consolidated research groups IT-810-13) and UPV/EHU (UFI 11/37). IRB is recipient of a predoctoral grant of the Basque Government while CB is recipient of a grant of UPV/EHU