Description: Highlights: • Wound activated prostaglandin production was quantified in Gracilaria vermiculophylla. • Specimens from non-native populations contained higher prostaglandin concentrations. • Prostaglandins and related compounds deter animal consumers. • Activated defense through Prostaglandins was selected during Gracilaria's invasion history. • As a consequence specimens from invasive populations are not safe for human consumption. Abstract: The capacity of the East Asian seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla (“Ogonori”) for production of prostaglandin E2 from arachidonic acid occasionally causes food poisoning after ingestion. During the last two decades the alga has been introduced to Europe and North America. Non-native populations have been shown to be generally less palatable to marine herbivores than native populations. We hypothesized that the difference in palatability among populations could be due to differences in the algal content of prostaglandins. We therefore compared the capacity for wound-activated production of prostaglandins and other eicosatetraenoid oxylipins among five native populations in East Asia and seven non-native populations in Europe and NW Mexico, using a targeted metabolomics approach. In two independent experiments non-native populations exhibited a significant tendency to produce more eicosatetraenoids than native populations after acclimation to identical conditions and subsequent artificial wounding. Fourteen out of 15 eicosatetraenoids that were detected in experiment I and all 19 eicosatetraenoids that were detected in experiment II reached higher mean concentrations in non-native than in native specimens. Wounding of non-native specimens resulted on average in 390% more 15-keto-PGE2, in 90% more PGE2, in 37% more PGA2 and in 96% more 7,8-di-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid than wounding of native specimens. Not only PGE2, but also PGA2 and dihydroxylated eicosatetraenoic acid are known to deter various biological enemies of G. vermiculophylla that cause tissue or cell wounding, and in the present study the latter two compounds also repelled the mesograzer Littorina brevicula. Non-native populations of G. vermiculophylla are thus more defended against herbivory than native populations. This increased capacity for activated chemical defense may have contributed to their invasion success and at the same time it poses an elevated risk for human food safety.

Description: Highlights: - Microbiota manipulation has been used to improve the health and performance of several eukaryotes (e.g., humans, agricultural plants, and aquaculture animals), yet until recently remained unexplored for seaweeds. - Seaweed cultivation is the largest aquaculture industry by volume and is rapidly expanding. Technological innovations are needed to improve productivity and meet future global demands. - Bacteria are known to promote growth, assist reproduction, and improve disease resistance in seaweeds. - Knowledge of seaweed–bacterial symbioses has recently been applied to manipulate host microbiota with demonstrated benefits to seaweeds at the laboratory scale. This provides a realistic and practical opportunity to use these at the scale required for seaweed aquaculture and environmental restoration. Eukaryotic hosts are associated with microbial communities that are critical to their function. Microbiota manipulation using beneficial microorganisms, for example, in the form of animal probiotics or plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs), can enhance host performance and health. Recently, seaweed beneficial microorganisms (SBMs) have been identified that promote the growth and development and/or improve disease resistance of seaweeds. This knowledge coincides with global initiatives seeking to expand and intensify seaweed aquaculture. Here, we provide a pathway with the potential to improve commercial cultivation of seaweeds through microbiota manipulation, highlighting that seaweed restoration practices can also benefit from further understanding SBMs and their modes of action. The challenges and opportunities of different approaches to identify and apply SBMs to seaweed aquaculture are discussed.

Description: Publication date: Available online 17 November 2015 Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Cell Research Author(s): Kaja Breckwoldt, Florian Weinberger, Thomas Eschenhagen Regenerating an injured heart holds great promise for millions of patients suffering from heart diseases. Since the human heart has very limited regenerative capacity, this is a challenging task. Numerous strategies aiming to improve heart function have been developed. In this review we focus on approaches intending to replace damaged heart muscle by new cardiomyocytes. Different strategies for the production of cardiomyocytes from human embryonic stem cells or human induced pluripotent stem cells, by direct reprogramming and induction of cardiomyocyte proliferation are discussed regarding their therapeutic potential and respective advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, different methods for the transplantation of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are described and their clinical perspectives are discussed.

Description: Publication date: Available online 24 November 2014 Source: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Author(s): Florian Weinberger , Dennis Mehrkens , Jutta Starbatty , Philipp Nicol , Thomas Eschenhagen Rationale: Islet-1 positive (Islet-1 + ) cardiac progenitor cells give rise to the right ventricle, atria and outflow tract during murine cardiac development. In the adult heart Islet-1 expression is limited to parasympathetic neurons, few cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, within the proximal aorta and pulmonary artery and sinoatrial node cells. Its role in these cells is unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis that Islet-1 + cells retain proliferative activity and may therefore play a role in regenerating specialized regions in the heart. Methods and results: DNA synthesis was analyzed by the incorporation of tritiated thymidine ( 3 H-thymidine) in Isl-1-nLacZ mice, a transgenic model with an insertion of a nuclear beta-galactosidase in the Islet-1 locus. Mice received daily injections of 3 H-thymidine for 5 days. DNA synthesis was visualized throughout the heart by dipping autoradiography of cryosections. Colocalization of an nLacZ-signal and silver grains would indicate DNA synthesis in Islet-1 + cells. Whereas Islet − non-myocyte nuclei were regularly marked by accumulation of silver grains, colocalization with nLacZ-signals was not detected in >25,000 cells analyzed. Conclusions: Islet-1 + cells are quiescent in the adult heart, suggesting that, under normal conditions, even pacemaking cells do not proliferate at higher rates than normal cardiac myocytes.

Description: Publication date: 20 February 2017 Source: Electrochimica Acta, Volume 228 Author(s): Ilena Grimmer, Paul Zorn, Stephan Weinberger, Christoph Grimmer, Birgit Pichler, Bernd Cermenek, Florian Gebetsroither, Alexander Schenk, Franz-Andreas Mautner, Brigitte Bitschnau, Viktor Hacker La 0.7 Sr 0.3 (Fe 0.2 Co 0.8 )O 3 and La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 −based cathode catalysts are synthesized by the sol-gel method. These perovskite cathode catalysts are tested in half cell configuration and compared to MnO 2 as reference material in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs). The best performing cathode is tested in single cell setup using a standard carbon supported Pt 0.4 Ru 0.2 based anode. A backside Luggin capillary is used in order to register the anode potential during all measurements. Characteristic processes of the electrodes are investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Physical characterizations of the perovskite based cathode catalysts are performed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and by X-ray diffraction showing phase pure materials. In half cell setup, La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 shows the highest tolerance toward ethanol with a performance of 614 mA cm −2 at 0.65 V vs. RHE in 6 M KOH and 1 M EtOH at RT. This catalyst outperforms the state-of-the-art precious metal-free MnO 2 catalyst in presence of ethanol. In fuel cell setup, the peak power density is 27.6 mW cm −2 at a cell voltage of 0.345 V and a cathode potential of 0.873 V vs. RHE. Graphical abstract