Phaeoviral infections are present in macrocystis, ecklonia and undaria (laminariales) and are influenced by wave exposure in ectocarpales

Two sister orders of the brown macroalgae (class Phaeophyceae), the morphologically complex Laminariales (commonly referred to as kelp) and the morphologically simple Ectocarpales are natural hosts for the dsDNA phaeoviruses (family ) that persist as proviruses in the genomes of their hosts. We have previously shown that the major capsid protein (MCP) and DNA polymerase concatenated gene phylogeny splits phaeoviruses into two subgroups, A and B (both infecting Ectocarpales), while MCP-based phylogeny suggests that the kelp phaeoviruses form a distinct third subgroup C. Here we used MCP to better understand the host range of phaeoviruses by screening a further 96 and 909 samples representing 11 and 3 species of kelp and Ectocarpales, respectively. Sporophyte kelp samples were collected from their various natural coastal habitats spanning five continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America. Our phylogenetic analyses showed that while most of the kelp phaeoviruses, including one from , belonged to the previously designated subgroup C, new lineages of in 3 kelp species, , , , grouped instead with subgroup A. In addition, we observed a prevalence of 26% and 63% in kelp and Ectocarpales, respectively. Although not common, multiple phaeoviral infections per individual were observed, with the Ectocarpales having both intra- and inter-subgroup phaeoviral infections. Only intra-subgroup phaeoviral infections were observed in kelp. Furthermore, prevalence of phaeoviral infections within the Ectocarpales is also linked to their exposure to waves. We conclude that phaeoviral infection is a widely occurring phenomenon in both lineages, and that phaeoviruses have diversified with their hosts at least since the divergence of the Laminariales and Ectocarpales

Phaeovirus Infections in Kelp

Chapter 1 published as: McKeown, D.A., Stevens, K., Peters, A.F., Bond, P., Harper, G.M., Brownlee, C., Brown, M.T. and Schroeder, D.C. (2017). Phaeoviruses discovered in kelp (Laminariales). The ISME journal. Vol. 11(12), pp.2869. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2017.130 PEARL (OA): https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/9794 Chapter 2 published as: McKeown, D.A., Schroeder J.L., Peters. A.F., Saez, C.A., Park, J., Rothman, M.D., Bolton, J.J., Brown, M.T., and Schroeder, D.C. (2018). Phaeoviral infections are present in Macrocystis, Ecklonia and Undaria (Laminariales) and are influenced by wave exposure in Ectocarpales. Viruses. Vol. 10(8): pp.410. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v10080410 PEARL (OA): https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/12498 Introduction Chapter published as: McKeown, D.A., Schroeder, D.C. (2019). Virus replication in multicellular photosynthetic life forms. eLS, John Wiley & Sons (Ed.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470015902.a0026418The latent dsDNA viruses of the genus Phaeovirus (family Phycodnaviridae, clade Nucleo-cytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses; NCLDVs) employ genome integration in their brown algae hosts (class Phaeophyceae). The only phaeoviruses described in detail infected the order Ectocarpales, though Phaeovirus major capsid protein (MCP) occurs in 4 kelp (order Laminariales) species. Phaeoviruses are a major knowledge gap because brown algae are ecologically and economically important and have independently evolved complex multicellularity. This study aimed to investigate kelp Phaeovirus morphology, evolution, host range, distribution, host impacts, and genomics. Microscopy of Laminaria digitata gametophytes revealed particles and cell morphology typical of Phaeovirus infections. This putative Laminaria digitata virus 1 (LdV-1) infection, unlike the Ectocarpales phaeoviruses, often occurred in vegetative cells. L. digitata Phaeovirus symptoms were ~3 times more common in 18 versus 15 oC culture, but overall were uncommon and highly variable. No impact on gametophyte reproduction was observed. Broad-scale MCP PCRs and subsequent phylogeny identified 4 novel kelp phaeoviruses, placing the phaeoviruses of Ecklonia maxima, Ecklonia radiata, and Undaria pinnatifida in subgroup A, a Macrocystis pyrifera Phaeovirus in subgroup C, and a Saccharina japonica Phaeovirus in the novel subgroup D. Kelp phaeoviruses may follow the Ectocarpales Phaeovirus evolutionary trend of genome reduction (in subgroups B, C, and D versus A). Combined with all available data, 26 % of kelp were Phaeovirus MCP-positive. Genomic data from LdV-1 and 3 available kelp genomes contained Phaeovirus orthologs from the following putative, integrated phaeoviruses: LdV-1, Ecklonia radicosa virus (ErcV), Saccharina japonica virus (SjV), and Undaria pinnatifida virus (UpV). Subsequent phylogeny of 9 Phaeovirus core genes showed similar subgroups as before and non-core orthologs had implications for Phaeovirus evolution. For kelp phaeoviruses, this study has revealed a partial infection cycle, preliminary observations of viral symptoms, a broader distribution and host range, and evolutionary insights for both viruses and hosts

Mental health care and resistance to fascism

Mental health nurses have a critical stake in resisting the right-wing ideology of British fascism. Particularly concerning is the contemporary effort of the British National Party (BNP) to gain credibility and electoral support by the strategic re-packaging of a racist and divisive political manifesto. Evidence that some public sector workers are affiliated with the BNP has relevance for nursing at a series of levels, not least the incompatibility of party membership with a requirement of the Professional Code to avoid discrimination. Progressive advances, though, need to account for deep rooted institutionalized racism in the discourse and practice of healthcare services. The anomalous treatment of black people within mental health services, alongside racial abuse experienced by ethnic minority staff, is discussed in relation to the concept of race as a powerful social category and construction. The murder of the mentally ill and learning disabled in Nazi Germany, as an adjunct of racial genocide, is presented as an extreme example where professional ethics was undermined by dominant political ideology. Finally, the complicity of medical and nursing staff in the state sanctioned, bureaucratic, killing that characterized the Holocaust is revisited in the context of ethical repositioning for contemporary practice and praxis

Phaeoviruses discovered in kelp (Laminariales)

Phaeoviruses are latent double-stranded DNA viruses that insert their genomes into those of their brown algal (Phaeophyceae) hosts. So far these viruses are known only from members of the Ectocarpales, which are small and short-lived macroalgae. Here we report molecular and morphological evidence for a new Phaeovirus cluster, referred to as sub-group C, infecting kelps (Laminariales) of the genera Laminaria and Saccharina, which are ecologically and commercially important seaweeds. Epifluorescence and TEM observations indicate that the Laminaria digitata Virus (LdigV), the type species of sub-group C, targets the host nucleus for its genome replication, followed by gradual degradation of the chloroplast and assembly of virions in the cytoplasm of both vegetative and reproductive cells. This study is the first to describe phaeoviruses in kelp. In the field, these viruses infected two thirds of their host populations; however, their biological impact remains unknown

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

As computing becomes a mainstream discipline embedded in the school curriculum and acts as an enabler for an increasing range of academic disciplines in higher education, the literature on introductory programming is growing. Although there have been several reviews that focus on specific aspects of introductory programming, there has been no broad overview of the literature exploring recent trends across the breadth of introductory programming. This paper is the report of an ITiCSE working group that conducted a systematic review in order to gain an overview of the introductory programming literature. Partitioning the literature into papers addressing the student, teaching, the curriculum, and assessment, we explore trends, highlight advances in knowledge over the past 15 years, and indicate possible directions for future research