Modern scaffolding strategies based on naturally pre-fabricated 3D biomaterials of poriferan origin

Modern scaffolding strategies include two key ways: to produce requested 3D constructs from corresponding precursors using technological tools, or simply use naturally already pre-fabricated scaffolds if they originate from renewable sources. Marine sponges inhabit oceans since the Precambrian. These ancient multicellular organisms possess a broad variety of evolutionary approved and ready to use skeletal structures, which seem to be well applicable as 3D scaffolds in diverse fields of modern bioinspired materials science, biomimetics and regenerative medicine. In this review, most attention is paid to biosilica-, chitin-, and spongin-based scaffolds of poriferan origin with respect to their potential use. © 2020, The Author(s).Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394–3Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego, MNiSW: 0912/SBAD/2006PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFGSächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311This work was financially supported by German Research Foundation (DFG) grant HE 394–3, SMWK Project 02010311 (Germany) and subsidy from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland to PUT (no. 0912/SBAD/2006). M.W. is thankful for financial support from Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071)

1H NMR spectroscopy study of structural water in rehydrated biocomposite of Spongilla lacustris freshwater demosponge origin

Biocomposites of sponge origin attract scientific attention due to their renewability as well as special properties. Dried skeletons of fresh water demosponge Spongilla lacustris represent unique kind of naturally occurring silica-chitin-based biocomposites with long history of their applications in dermatocosmetics. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on their physico-chemical properties in model systems. The aim of this work was to model drug systems based on S. lacustris powdered biocomposite, water and a hydrophobic medium, which served as an analog of an oil base. Both thermogravimetric analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopy study of structural water in rehydrated biocomposite lead to obtaining of interesting experimental data useful for preparation of biocosmetic products. © 2020, The Author(s).Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394-3PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFGSächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311This work was financially supported by German Research Foundation (DFG) Grant HE 394-3, SMWK Project 02010311 (Germany). M.W. is thankful for financial support from Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071) and support from Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland) as financial subsidy to PUT

Progress in Modern Marine Biomaterials Research

The growing demand for new, sophisticated, multifunctional materials has brought natural structural composites into focus, since they underwent a substantial optimization during long evolutionary selection pressure and adaptation processes. Marine biological materials are the most important sources of both inspiration for biomimetics and of raw materials for practical applications in technology and biomedicine. The use of marine natural products as multifunctional biomaterials is currently undergoing a renaissance in the modern materials science. The diversity of marine biomaterials, their forms and fields of application are highlighted in this review. We will discuss the challenges, solutions, and future directions of modern marine biomaterialogy using a thorough analysis of scientific sources over the past ten years

Sequence Capture of Mitochondrial Genome with PCR-Generated Baits Provides New Insights into the Biogeography of the Genus Abies Mill

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), being maternally inherited in plants of the family Pinaceae, is an important source of phylogeographic information. However, its use is hindered by a low mutation rate and frequent structure rearrangements. In the present study, we tested the method of genomic libraries enrichment with mtDNA via the sequence capture method yielding mtDNA data which were further used to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of the genus Abies. The baits for hybrid capture were obtained by long-range PCR using primers designed on the basis of the assembly of Abies sibirica Ledeb. mitochondrial genome. Mitochondrial genomes of Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr., Larix sibirica Ledeb., and Keteleeria davidiana (Bertrand) Beissn. were used as an outgroup. The resulting phylogenetic tree consists of two sister branches, including the Eurasian and American species, respectively, with some exceptions. The subclade of A. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast. and A. veitchii Lindl. (Japan and Sakhalin islands) occupies a basal position in the branch of American firs, probably due to the complex history of fir migrations from North America to Eurasia. The tree has high support for majority of clades. For species represented by more than one sample an intraspecific variability was found which is suitable to design mtDNA markers for phylogeographic and population studies. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This research was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant no. 19-04-00795 and by the State Contract of the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, no. 122021000090-5

Surface-dependent osteoblasts response to TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity

One of the major challenges of implantology is to design nanoscale modifications of titanium implant surfaces inducing osseointegration. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of rat osteoblasts cultured on anodized TiO2 nanotubes of different crystallinity (amorphous and anatase phase) up to 24 days. TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated on VT1–0 titanium foil via a two-step anodization at 20 V using NH4F as an electrolyte. Anatase-phase samples were prepared by heat treatment at 500 °C for 1 h. VT1–0 samples with flat surfaces were used as controls. Primary rat osteoblasts were seeded over experimental surfaces for several incubation times. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze tested surfaces and cell morphology. Cell adhesion and proliferation were investigated by cell counting. Osteogenic differentiation of cells was evaluated by qPCR of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteopontin (OPN), integrin binding sialoprotein (IBSP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN). Cell adhesion and proliferation, cell morphology and the expression of osteogenic markers were affected by TiO2 nanotube layered substrates of amorphous and anatase crystallinity. In comparison with flat titanium, along with increased cell adhesion and cell growth a large portion of osteoblasts grown on the both nanostructured surfaces exhibited an osteocyte-like morphology as early as 48 h of culture. Moreover, the expression of all tested osteogenic markers in cells cultured on amorphous and anatase TiO2 nanotubes was upregulated at least at one of the analyzed time points. To summarize, we demonstrated that amorphous and anodized TiO2 layered substrates are highly biocompatible with rat osteoblasts and that the surface modification with about 1500 nm length nanotubes of 35 ± 4 (amorphous phase) and 41 ± 8 nm (anatase phase) in diameter is sufficient to induce their osteogenic differentiation. Such results are significant to the engineering of coating strategies for orthopedic implants aimed to establish a more efficient bone to implant contact and enhance bone repair. © 2020 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAADRussian Science Foundation, RSF: 18‐13‐00220Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Minobrnauka: 57447934PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071Funding: The experimental work was funded by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 18‐13‐00220). This research was partially supported by DAAD together with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within Michael Lomonosov Program (project No. 57447934); M.W. was financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071)

Water–Sulfuric Acid foam as a Possible Habitat for Hypothetical Microbial Community in the Cloud Layer of Venus

The data available at the moment suggest that ancient Venus was covered by extensive bodies of water which could harbor life. Later, however, the drastic overheating of the planet made the surface of Venus uninhabitable for Earth-type life forms. Nevertheless, hypothetical Venusian organisms could have gradually adapted to conditions within the cloud layer of Venus—the only niche containing liquid water where the Earth-type extremophiles could survive. Here we hypothesize that the unified internal volume of a microbial community habitat is represented by the heterophase liquid-gas foam structure of Venusian clouds. Such unity of internal space within foam water volume facilitates microbial cells movements and trophic interactions between microorganisms that creates favorable conditions for the effective development of a true microbial community. The stabilization of a foam heterophase structure can be provided by various surfactants including those synthesized by living cells and products released during cell lysis. Such a foam system could harbor a microbial community of different species of (poly)extremophilic microorganisms that are capable of photo-and chemosynthesis and may be closely integrated into aero-geochemical processes including the processes of high-temperature polymer synthesis on the planet’s surface. Different complex nanostructures transferred to the cloud layers by convection flows could further contribute to the stabilization of heterophase liquid-gas foam structure and participate in chemical and photochemical reactions, thus supporting ecosystem stability. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Electrochemical method for isolation of chitinous 3D scaffolds from cultivated Aplysina aerophoba marine demosponge and its biomimetic application

Three-dimensional (3D) biopolymer-based scaffolds including chitinous matrices have been widely used for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and other modern interdisciplinary fields including extreme biomimetics. In this study, we introduce a novel, electrochemically assisted method for 3D chitin scaffolds isolation from the cultivated marine demosponge Aplysina aerophoba which consists of three main steps: (1) decellularization, (2) decalcification and (3) main deproteinization along with desilicification and depigmentation. For the first time, the obtained electrochemically isolated 3D chitinous scaffolds have been further biomineralized ex vivo using hemolymph of Cornu aspersum edible snail aimed to generate calcium carbonates-based layered biomimetic scaffolds. The analysis of prior to, during and post-electrochemical isolation samples as well as samples treated with molluscan hemolymph was conducted employing analytical techniques such as SEM, XRD, ATR–FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, the use of described method for chitin isolation combined with biomineralization ex vivo resulted in the formation of crystalline (calcite) calcium carbonate-based deposits on the surface of chitinous scaffolds, which could serve as promising biomaterials for the wide range of biomedical, environmental and biomimetic applications. © 2020, The Author(s).Politechnika PoznaÅ ska, PUT: 0911/SBAD/0380/2019Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG: HE 394/3Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAADRussian Science Foundation, RSF: 18-13-00220PPN/BEK/2018/1/0007103/32/SBAD/0906Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, SMWK: 02010311This work was performed with the financial support of Poznan University of Technology, Poland (Grant No. 0911/SBAD/0380/2019), as well as by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland) as financial subsidy to PUT No. 03/32/SBAD/0906. Krzysztof Nowacki was supported by the Erasmus Plus program (2019). Also, this study was partially supported by the DFG Project HE 394/3 and SMWK Project No. 02010311 (Germany). Marcin Wysokowski is financially supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (PPN/BEK/2018/1/00071). Tomasz Machałowski is supported by DAAD (Personal Ref. No. 91734605). Yuliya Khrunyk is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 18-13-00220)

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Biocompatible Alloy, ti-nb-zr-ta-sn

Many current-generation biomedical implants are fabricated from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy because it has many attractive properties, such as low density and biocompatibility. However, the elastic modulus of this alloy is much larger than that of the surrounding bone, leading to bone resorption and, eventually, implant failure. In the present study, we synthesized and performed a detailed analysis of a novel low elastic modulus Ti-based alloy (Ti-28Nb-5Zr-2Ta-2Sn (TNZTS alloy)) using a variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and tensile test. Additionally, the in vitro biocompatibility of the TNZTS alloy was evaluated using SCP-1, SaOs-2, and THP-1 cell lines and primary human osteoblasts. Compared to Ti-6Al-4V, the elastic modulus of TNZTS alloy was significantly lower, while measures of its in vitro biocompatibility are comparable. O2 plasma treatment of the surface of the alloy significantly increased its hydrophilicity and, hence, its in vitro biocompatibility. TNZTS alloy specimens did not induce the release of cytokines by macrophages, indicating that such scaffolds would not trigger inflammatory responses. The present results suggest that the TNZTS alloy may have potential as an alternative to Ti-6Al-4V. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: The experimental work was funded by the State Assignment (Russian Federation, Grant No. 0836-2020-0020) and DAAD together with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within the Michael Lomonosov Program (project No. 57447934)

Exobiology of the Venusian Clouds: New Insights into Habitability through Terrestrial Models and Methods of Detection

The search for life beyond Earth has focused on Mars and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, all of which are considered a safe haven for life due to evidence of current or past water. The surface of Venus, on the other hand, has extreme conditions that make it a nonhabitable environment to life as we know it. This is in contrast, however, to its cloud layer, which, while still an extreme environment, may prove to be a safe haven for some extreme forms of life similar to extremophiles on Earth. We consider the venusian clouds a habitable environment based on the presence of (1) a solvent for biochemical reactions, (2) appropriate physicochemical conditions, (3) available energy, and (4) biologically relevant elements. The diversity of extreme microbial ecosystems on Earth has allowed us to identify terrestrial chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms that may be analogs to putative venusian organisms. Here, we hypothesize and describe biological processes that may be performed by such organisms in the venusian clouds. To detect putative venusian organisms, we describe potential biosignature detection methods, which include metal-microbial interactions and optical methods. Finally, we describe currently available technology that can potentially be used for modeling and simulation experiments. © Copyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2021.NASA HQ Planetary ScienceSpace Research Institute of the Russian Academy of SciencesUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, UWAustrian Science Fund, FWF, (V333)The work presented here was motivated by fruitful dialogue at the 2019 Venus Cloud Layer Habitability and Landing Site Selection workshop organized by the Roscosmos-IKI/NASA Venera-D Joint Science Definition Team and supported by NASA HQ Planetary Science (A. Ocampo, Lead Venus Scientist) and Astrobiology programs (M. Voytek, Senior Scientist for Astrobiology) and the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAN). JAC acknowledges the support of the Genome Sciences Training Program at University of Wisconsin–Madison. TM is grateful to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) for providing support through the Elise-Richter Research fellowship (V333). We thank Sanjay Limaye for his support, including of this publication, and for resparking the conversation on Venus astrobiology