Brought more than twice: the complex introduction history of the red swamp crayfish into Europe

One of the biggest challenges in understanding and managing biological invasions is the identification of the routes of introduction. This information is often incomplete because of unnoticed, unreported and, sometimes, illegal translocations. Reports on the introduction of the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) into Europe describe that it was introduced for the first time to southern Spain (1973 and 1974) from Louisiana; from there, it rapidly spread throughout several European countries. While other importation events and pathways of introduction have been suggested in the literature, there is no evidence that these led to wild populations in Europe. Our present study suggests two additional introduction routes into Europe from non-European areas where the red swamp crayfish had previously been reported. By using mtDNA, we found a shared haplotype between the Lake Naivasha in Kenya and Western Europe, as well as another between either western United States or Asia, and Malta. These findings support historical reports found in the literature for the former case and also point towards pet trade as driver of new introductions for the latter, thus highlighting the complex introduction history of the red swamp crayfish populations in Europe.Andalusian Government [RNM-936]PICS [PIC2015FR4, PICS07360

A multi-taxa assessment of aquatic non-indigenous species introduced into Iberian freshwater and transitional waters

leading to multi-faceted ecological, economic and health impacts worldwide. The Iberian Peninsula comprises an exceptionally biodiverse Mediterranean region with a high number of threatened and endemic aquatic species, most of them strongly impacted by biological invasions. Following a structured approach that combines a systematic review of available information and expert opinion, we provide a comprehensive and updated multi-taxa inventory of aquatic NIS (fungi, macroalgae, vascular plants, invertebrates and vertebrates) in Iberian inland waters. Moreover, we assess overall patterns in the establishment status, introduction pathways, native range and temporal introduction trends of listed NIS. In addition, we discuss the legal coverage provided by both national (Spanish and Portuguese) and European NIS regulations. We inventoried 326 aquatic NIS in Iberian inland waters, including 215 established, 96 with uncertain establishment status and 15 cryptogenic taxa. Invertebrates (54.6%) and vertebrates (24.5%) were the groups with the highest number of NIS, with Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Chordata being the most represented phyla. Recorded NIS originated from diverse geographic regions, with North and South America being the most frequent. Vertebrates and vascular plants were mostly introduced through intentional pathways (i.e. release and escape), whereas invertebrates and macroalgae arrived mostly through unintentional ways (i.e. contaminant or stowaway). Most of the recorded NIS were introduced in Iberian inland waters over the second half of the 20th century, with a high number of NIS introductions being reported in the 2000s. While only 8% of the recorded NIS appear in the European Union list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern, around 25% are listed in the Spanish and Portuguese NIS regulations. This study provides the most updated checklist of Iberian aquatic NIS, meeting the requirements set by the EU regulation and providing a baseline for the evaluation of its application. We point out the need for coordinated transnational strategies to properly tackle aquatic invasions across borders of the EU members.LIFE INVASAQUA (Especies exóticas invasoras acuáticas de sistemas de agua dulce y estuarios: sensibilización y prevención en la Península Ibérica) de la UE - LIFE17 GIE/ES/00051

Biological significance of monoallelic and biallelic BIRC3 loss in del(11q) chronic lymphocytic leukemia progression

Article number: 127[EN]BIRC3 is monoallelically deleted in up to 80% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cases harboring del(11q). In addition, truncating mutations in the remaining allele of this gene can lead to BIRC3 biallelic inactivation, which has been shown to be a marker for reduced survival in CLL. Nevertheless, the biological mechanisms by which these lesions could contribute to del(11q) CLL pathogenesis and progression are partially unexplored. We implemented the CRISPR/Cas9-editing system to generate isogenic CLL cell lines harboring del(11q) and/or BIRC3 mutations, modeling monoallelic and biallelic BIRC3 loss. Our results reveal that monoallelic BIRC3 deletion in del(11q) cells promotes non-canonical NF-κB signaling activation via RelB-p52 nuclear translocation, being these effects allelic dose-dependent and therefore further enhanced in del(11q) cells with biallelic BIRC3 loss. Moreover, we demonstrate ex vivo in primary cells that del(11q) cases including BIRC3 within their deleted region show evidence of non-canonical NF-κB activation which correlates with high BCL2 levels and enhanced sensitivity to venetoclax. Furthermore, our results show that BIRC3 mutations in del(11q) cells promote clonal advantage in vitro and accelerate leukemic progression in an in vivo xenograft model. Altogether, this work highlights the biological bases underlying disease progression of del(11q) CLL patients harboring BIRC3 deletion and mutation

Biological significance of monoallelic and biallelic BIRC3 loss in del(11q) chronic lymphocytic leukemia progression

© The Author(s) 2021.BIRC3 is monoallelically deleted in up to 80% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cases harboring del(11q). In addition, truncating mutations in the remaining allele of this gene can lead to BIRC3 biallelic inactivation, which has been shown to be a marker for reduced survival in CLL. Nevertheless, the biological mechanisms by which these lesions could contribute to del(11q) CLL pathogenesis and progression are partially unexplored. We implemented the CRISPR/Cas9-editing system to generate isogenic CLL cell lines harboring del(11q) and/or BIRC3 mutations, modeling monoallelic and biallelic BIRC3 loss. Our results reveal that monoallelic BIRC3 deletion in del(11q) cells promotes non-canonical NF-κB signaling activation via RelB-p52 nuclear translocation, being these effects allelic dose-dependent and therefore further enhanced in del(11q) cells with biallelic BIRC3 loss. Moreover, we demonstrate ex vivo in primary cells that del(11q) cases including BIRC3 within their deleted region show evidence of non-canonical NF-κB activation which correlates with high BCL2 levels and enhanced sensitivity to venetoclax. Furthermore, our results show that BIRC3 mutations in del(11q) cells promote clonal advantage in vitro and accelerate leukemic progression in an in vivo xenograft model. Altogether, this work highlights the biological bases underlying disease progression of del(11q) CLL patients harboring BIRC3 deletion and mutation.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias PI15/01471, PI18/01500, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “Una manera de hacer Europa”, “Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León” (SA271P18), “Proyectos de Investigación del SACYL”, Spain GRS 2062/A/19, GRS 1847/A/18, GRS1653/A17,“Fundación Memoria Don Samuel Solórzano Barruso” (FS/23-2018), by grants (RD12/0036/0069) from Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Cáncer (RTICC), Universidad de Salamanca (Programa XIII), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC CB16/12/00233) and SYNtherapy “Synthetic Lethality for Personalized Therapy-based Stratification In Acute Leukemia” (ERAPERMED2018-275); ISCIII (AC18/00093), co-funded by ERDF/ESF, “Investing in your future”. M.Q.Á. and A.E.R.V. are supported with a research grant by FEHH (“Fundación Española de Hematología y Hemoterapia”); M.H.S. holds a Sara Borrell postdoctoral contract (CD19/00222) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). C.P.C. was supported by an “Ayuda predoctoral en Oncología” (AECC) and is a recipient of a PFIS grant (FI19/00191) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PFIS grant and Sara Borrell postdoctoral contrat are co-founded by Fondo Social Europeo (FSE) “El Fondo Social Europeo invierte en tu futuro”; J.L.O. and R.B.S. are supported by a grant from the University of Salamanca (“Contrato postdoctoral programa II”)

Adelante / Endavant

Séptimo desafío por la erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres del Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere "Purificación Escribano" de la Universitat Jaume

Avian communities in Spartina maritima restored and non-restored salt marshes

Capsule Salt marsh restoration with the native halophytes Spartina maritima and Zostera noltii can lead to significant improvement in habitat, increasing bird diversity over a 2-year period. Aims To assess the evolution of the avian communities in S. maritima restored salt marshes 2 years after planting, in comparison with adjacent non-restored marshes in the Odiel Marshes (southwest Iberian Peninsula). Methods Bird censuses were conducted from October 2008 to September 2009 in rectangular plots in three locations in both restored and non-restored marshes during high tides and low tides. Results A total of 44 bird species, including 20 shorebird species, were recorded. Most species belonged to Charadriidae, Scolopacidae, Laridae and Sterninae. Eight threatened bird species were recorded in restored marshes. Ecological diversity of the avian communities varied between 1.13 and 1.77. Restored marshes showed higher ecological diversity and evenness and lower Simpson dominance index than non-restored marshes. Conclusion Salt marsh restoration with the native halophytes S. maritima and Z. noltii can lead to significant short-term (over 2 years) improvements in bird diversity. © 2013 Copyright British Trust for Ornithology.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España CTM2008-0445

Cardiac protection induced by urocortin-2 enables the regulation of apoptosis and fibrosis after ischemia and reperfusion involving miR-29a modulation

Urocortin-2 (Ucn-2) has demonstrated cardioprotective ac tions against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injuries. Herein, we explored the protective role of Ucn-2 through microRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptional regulation of apoptotic and pro-fibrotic genes. We determined that the intravenous administration of Ucn-2 before heart reperfusion in a Wistar rat model of I/R recovered cardiac contractility and decreased fibrosis, lactate dehydrogenase release, and apoptosis. The infusion of Ucn-2 also inhibited the upregula tion of 6 miRNAs in revascularized heart. The in silico analysis indicated that miR-29a and miR-451_1* are predicted to target many apoptotic and fibrotic genes. Accordingly, the transfection of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes with mimics overexpressing miR-29a, but not miR-451_1*, prevented I/R induced expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes such as Apaf-1, Hmox-1, and Cycs, as well as pro-fibrotic genes Col-I and Col-III. We also confirmed that Hmox-1, target of miR 29a, is highly expressed at the mRNA and protein levels in adult rat heart under I/R, whereas, Ucn-2 abolished I/R induced mRNA and protein upregulation of HMOX-1. Inter estingly, a significant upregulation of Hmox-1 was observed in the ventricle of ischemic patients with heart failure, corre lating negatively with the left ventricle ejection fraction. Altogether, these data indicate that Ucn-2, through miR-29a regulation, provides long-lasting cardioprotection, involving the post-transcriptional regulation of apoptotic and fibrotic genes

Leakage of plastics and other debris from landfills to a highly protected lake by wintering gulls

General context Gulls ingest plastic and other litter while foraging in open landfills, because organic matter is mixed with other debris. Therefore, gulls are potential biovectors of plastic pollution into natural habitats, especially when they concentrate in wetlands for roosting. Novelty We quantified, for the first time, the flow of plastic and other anthropogenic debris from open landfills to a natural lake via the movement of gulls. We focused on Fuente de Piedra, an inland closed-basin lake in Spain that is internationally important for biodiversity. Methodology In 2022, we sampled gull pellets regurgitated in the lake by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus that feed on landfills, as well as their faeces, then characterized and quantified debris particles of ≥0.5 mm. By combining GPS and census data from 2010 to 2022, together with plastic quantification based on FTIR-ATR analysis, we estimated the average annual deposition of plastic and other debris by the wintering gull population into the lake. Main results 86 % of pellets contained plastics, and 94 % contained other debris such as glass and textiles. Polyethylene (54 %), polypropylene (11.5 %) and polystyrene (11.5 %) were the main plastic polymers. An estimated annual mean of 400 kg of plastics were moved by gulls into the lake. Only 1 % of plastic mass was imported in faeces. Discussion Incorporating the biovectoring role of birds can provide a more holistic view of the plastic cycle and waste management. Biovectoring is predictable in sites worldwide where gulls and other waterbirds feed in landfills and roost in wetlands. We discuss bird deterrence and other ways of mitigating debris leakage into aquatic ecosystems.Junta de Andalucía - PY20_00756 “GuanoPlastic”H2020 - AquaticPollutants Joint Transnational Call 2020/Agencia Estatal de Investigación - PCI2021-121938/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 “Pairwise

Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase 8 prevents the upregulation of Orai1 channel, which improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction

The upregulation of Orai1 and subsequent store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) has been associated with adverse cardiac remodeling and heart failure (HF). However, the mechanism underlying Orai1 upregulation and its role in myocardial infarction remains unclear. Our study investigated the role of Orai1 in activating adenylyl cyclase 8 (AC8) and cyclic AMP (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB), as well as its contribution to cardiac dysfunction induced by ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). We found that I/R evoked an increase in the expression of Orai1 and AC8 in rats’ hearts, resulting in a substantial rise in diastolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and reduced ventricular contractions. The expression of Orai1 and AC8 was also increased in ventricular biopsies of post-ischemic HF patients. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that I/R activation of Orai1 stimulated AC8, which produced cAMP and phosphorylated CREB. Subsequently, p-CREB activated the ORAI1 promoter, resulting in Orai1 upregulation and SOCE exacerbation. Intramyocardial administration of AAV9 carrying AC8 short hairpin RNA decreased the expression of AC8, Orai1 and CREB, which restored diastolic [Ca2+]i and improved cardiac contraction. Therefore, our data suggests that the axis composed by Orai1/AC8/CREB plays a critical role in I/R-induced cardiac dysfunction, representing a potential new therapeutic target to limit the progression of the disease toward HF.Peer reviewe

Biovectoring of plastic by white storks from a landfill to a complex of salt ponds and marshes

Research into plastic pollution has extensively focused on abiotic vectors, overlooking transport by animals. Opportunistic birds, such as white storks (Ciconia ciconia) often forage on landfills, where plastic abounds. We assess plastic loading by ingestion and regurgitation of landfill plastic in Cadiz Bay, a major stopover area for migratory white storks in south-west Spain. On average, we counted 599 storks per day moving between a landfill and a complex of salt ponds and marshes, where they regurgitated pellets that each contained a mean of 0.47 g of plastic debris, dominated by polyethylene. Modelling reliant on GPS tracking estimated that 99 kg and >2 million particles of plastic were biovectored into the wetland during 2022, with seasonal peaks that followed migration patterns. GPS data enabled the correction of field censuses and the identification of plastic deposition hotspots. This study highlights the important role that biovectoring plays in plastic transport into coastal wetlands.Junta de Andalucía PY20_00756Universidad de Cádiz OT2022/04