PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals

Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals
2023-10-05
(Press-News.org) Acoels have been found to host a wide diversity of symbiotic, photosynthetic microalgae.

Animals and plants need energy. Some animals get energy by eating other animals, and many plants harvest the energy in sunlight through photosynthesis. However, in the ocean, there exists a remarkable group of small, worm-like animals called acoels that do both—some acoels form relationships (symbiosis) with single-celled, photosynthetic microalgae.

A study by Assistant Professor Kevin Wakeman and his undergraduate student, Siratee Riewluang, at Hokkaido University, Japan, has shed some light on the biodiversity underpinning symbiotic relationships between acoels and microalgae. Their findings were published in the journal PeerJ.

Acoels are superficially simple. However, this simplicity is misleading. Due to their regenerative ability and position as one of the first animal groups on the planet, acoels interest biologists in the fields of evolutionary biology, regenerative biology, and neurobiology. Some acoels also form symbiotic relationships with microalgae. This includes green algae and other types of microalgae that also associate with coral reefs called dinoflagellates.

“These acoels engulf microalgae seemingly as ‘food’, but they do not digest them. Instead, they store them below their outer surface. They create energy using sunlight—much like adding solar panels to your house,” explained Siratee.

“Photosynthetic acoels are mostly found in warmer waters. Therefore, we focused our sampling in Southern Japan. We also found acoels near Kochi, a region of Japan that receives warm water from the Kuroshio Current. Photosynthetic acoels can be difficult to spot—they are microscopic. But, under a microscope they are easily recognizable, by their brightly colored algae,” Siratee continued.

Throughout 2022, Wakeman and Siratee collected algae and sediment samples. The host acoel and their symbionts were identified by DNA sequencing. Symbiotic microalgae were removed from acoel hosts and put into culture. This study found that acoels contained various green algae (Tetraselmis); previously, only one species was known. Several dinoflagellate lineages were also found. Most belonged to the Symbiodiniaceae, a group famously associated with coral (and other invertebrates). Some of these Tetraselmis and dinoflagellates might be new to science.

Unexpectedly, Wakeman and Siratee came across what might turn out to be a whole new group of acoels harboring symbionts (only one group is currently known).

“We found that there was more diversity of acoels and their symbionts than we really expected,” said Wakeman. “Even in this present dataset, which focuses on Japan, it’s clear that there are fascinating interactions between acoels and microalgae. These results will lay the groundwork for future studies that can tease apart what are probably some interesting ecological mechanisms. I really am excited to see where this ends up.”

Wakeman and Siratee will continue work on photosynthetic acoels for Siratee’s Master’s. “It would be cool to figure out if they really are a new group of acoels with symbionts, but we need more genetic data and unambiguous morphological data to confidently assign a new name,” said Siratee. “Eventually, I would like to use advanced imaging and genetics to explore these acoels at a molecular level.”

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals 2 Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Bumblebees drop to shake off Asian hornets

Bumblebees drop to shake off Asian hornets
2023-10-05
Bumblebees have a remarkably successful method for fighting off Asian hornets, new research shows. When attacked, buff-tailed bumblebees drop to the ground – taking the hornets down with them. This either causes the hornet to lose its grip, or the bee raises its sting and tussles until the hornet gives up. University of Exeter scientists witnessed over 120 such attacks, and were stunned to find that bumblebees fought off the hornets every time. Despite this, they found bumblebee colonies had reduced growth rates in ...

AAAS launches STPF Rapid Response Cohort in AI to support policy development in Congress

2023-10-05
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has conceived of and launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) fellowship in just two months — record speed — to support leaders in Congress as they craft legislation, in particular policies related to emerging opportunities and challenges with AI. Capitol Hill’s surging interest in AI policy follows the public release of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. The STPF Rapid Response Cohort in AI operates under the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) program and is part of the 51st class of 276 scientists and engineers placed across ...

New research into pangolin genomics may aid in conservation efforts

New research into pangolin genomics may aid in conservation efforts
2023-10-05
A new paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, for the first time provides a comprehensive set of genomic resources for pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, that researchers believe will be integral for protecting these threatened mammals. Pangolins, which are found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, are the only mammals covered in scales. They are trafficked at record numbers for their meat and supposed medicinal properties. The animals are also at risk due to widespread deforestation of their native habitats. Pangolins are made up of eight surviving species ...

Can masculine marketing convince more men to eat vegan?

2023-10-05
Eating more plant-based meals is better for our health and better for the planet. But cultural preferences are significant barriers to reducing meat consumption - especially for men, who are underrepresented among vegans and vegetarians. Studies have found that eating meat is associated with masculinity, and that gender stereotypes label plant-based diets as suitable for women but not men. So is it possible to change the perception of plant-based food with marketing, and convince men to eat more of it? “Men might be less inclined to consume vegan food due to the need to perform gender,” said Alma Scholz, lead author of a new study published in Frontiers in Communication. ...

Detecting microplastics(MPs) with light!!

Detecting microplastics(MPs) with light!!
2023-10-05
A research team led by Dr. Ho Sang Jung of the Department of Nano-Bio Convergence at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, in collaboration with the KOTITI Testing & Research Institute, has developed the world's first technology to rapidly and highly sensitively detect microplastics(MPs) in the field, which are well known to cause human and genetic toxicity through environmental pollution and the food chain. The on-site applicable MPs detection technology developed ...

Comfort with a smaller carbon footprint

Comfort with a smaller carbon footprint
2023-10-05
Osaka, Japan – As organizations work to reduce their energy consumption and associated carbon emissions, one area that remains to be optimized is indoor heating and cooling. In fact, HVAC – which stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning – represents, on average, about 40% of a building’s total energy use. Methods that conserve electricity while still providing a comfortable indoor environment for workers could make a significant difference in the fight against climate change. Now, researchers from Osaka University have demonstrated significant energy savings through the application of a new, AI-driven algorithm ...

Study shows enhanced pandemic-related infection prevention and control practices reduced incidence of healthcare-associated infections

2023-10-05
A new study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center suggests that enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) measures implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a significant decrease in many healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and a reduction in respiratory viral infections (RVIs). The findings, published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), provide some of the first evidence that strict pandemic-related IPC interventions reduced HAI rates among vulnerable patient populations. “Previous, large-scale ...

New study reveals Australian Long COVID response lagging

New study reveals Australian Long COVID response lagging
2023-10-05
New research by RMIT University and Northern Health has examined Australia’s Long COVID services, guidelines and public health information, compared with international standards. The researchers found Australia lacking in several categories, including early investigation, accessibility and availability of trustworthy public health information, and adequate multidisciplinary Long COVID services to meet demand. Dean of RMIT’s School of Health and Biomedical Sciences and co-author on the paper, Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, warned that this problem will only worsen over time. “Long ...

Vaccine via the nasal passage could be the new line of defence against Strep A

2023-10-05
As Streptococcus A cases continue to be prevalent in Queensland and internationally, a new nasal vaccine could provide long-term protection from the deadly bacteria. Associate Professor Manisha Pandey, Professor Michael Good, and their team from Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics, are leading the development of a Strep A vaccine which is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in Canada and quickly advancing to Phase 2 efficacy trials. The team’s new preclinical research, recently published in Nature Communications, shows an experimental liposome-based vaccine approach incorporating a conserved M-protein epitope from Strep A and an immunostimulatory glycolipid (3D(6-acyl) ...

Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio identifies possible markers for early metastatic lung cancer

2023-10-05
SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 5, 2023 – Researchers at Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) have identified protein markers that could signal for early development of metastatic lung cancer, providing possibilities for new treatment. The findings already have led to a five-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health that will pave the way for a clinical trial next year for patients with advanced lung cancer. The research is detailed in a new article in Cell Reports, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

Healthy nutrition and physical lifestyle choices lower cancer mortality risk for survivors, new ACS study finds

[Press-News.org] Shining a light on tiny, solar-powered animals