Potential for curdlan recovery from aerobic granular sludge wastewater treatment systems - A review.

The aerobic granular sludge (AGS) biotechnology has been explored for wastewater treatment for over two decades. AGS is gaining increased interest due to its enhanced treatment performance ability and the potential for resource recovery from AGS-based wastewater treatment systems. Resource recovery from AGS is a promising approach to sustainable wastewater treatment and attaining a circular economy in the wastewater management industry. Currently, research is at an advanced stage on recovering value-added resources such as phosphorus, polyhydroxyalkanoates, alginate-like exopolysaccharides, and tryptophan from waste aerobic granules. Recently, other value-added resources, including curdlan, have been identified in the aerobic granule matrix, and this may increase the sustainability of biotechnology in the wastewater industry. This paper provides an overview of current AGS biosolids management practices and resource recovery potential. In particular, the potential for enhanced curdlan biosynthesis in the granule matrix and its recovery from AGS wastewater treatment systems is outlined.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Potomida acarnanica (Kobelt, 1879).

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) play essential roles in the well-functioning of ecosystems, even providing essential services to humans. However, these bivalves face numerous threats (e.g. habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change) which have already led to the extinction of many populations. This underscores the need to fully characterize the biology of these species, particularly those, such as Potomida acarnanica, that are still poorly studied. This study presents the first mitogenome of P. acarnanica (Kobelt, 1879), an endemic species of Greece with a distribution limited to only two river basins. The mitochondrial genome of a P. acarnanica specimen, collected at Pamisos River (Peloponnese, Greece), was sequenced by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. This mitogenome (16,101 bp) is characterized by 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. The size of this mitogenome is within the range of another Potomida mitogenome already published for the species Potomida littoralis. In the phylogenetic inference, P. acarnanica was recovered as monophyletic with P. littoralis mitogenome in the Lamprotulini tribe, as expected. This genomic resource will assist in genetically characterizing the species, potentially benefiting future evolutionary studies and conservation efforts.

Determination of antimicrobial and modulatory activity of bacterial resistance by nettle (Cnidoscolus urens) extracts in multiresistant bacteria isolated from bovine mastitis.

The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial and modulating activity of the ethanol extract obtained from the leaves, stems, and roots of Cnidoscolus urens in multiresistant bacteria. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values obtained for the extracts of leaves, stems, and roots were greater than 1024 µg/mL for all isolates. In the antimicrobial resistance modulation test, the extract of the leaves of C. urens showed a better modulating effect than that of the stems and roots for gentamicin, highlighting the reduction of MIC for Escherichia coli, Lactococcus garvieae and Staphylococcus sciuri. For erythromycin, a reduction of MIC was observed in L. garvieae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus agalactiae. The extract from the leaves of C. urens has an important modulating effect on resistance in multiresistant bacteria, especially with gentamicin and erythromycin.

Feline Leishmaniasis: Evidence-based Treatments and Challenges to be Solved.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoa parasites from the Leishmania genus. Vertebrate hosts acquire the infection through the bite of a female sandfly, initiating a complex parasite development cycle. Contrary to previous beliefs regarding cats' resistance, these animals have recently been identified as potential reservoirs for leishmaniasis. Clinical symptoms in cats can manifest in diverse forms, including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral manifestations. The diagnosis of feline leishmaniasis is complicated by nonspecific symptoms and the relatively lower specificity of serological tests. The recommended treatment for feline leishmaniasis involves the administration of medications; however, success varies in each cat. This review aims to present cases of feline leishmaniasis, highlighting clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, therapy schedules, and outcomes. Among the 24 cases documented in the available literature, 12 achieved successful treatment without relapses, resulting in a reduced parasite load and improved symptoms. Three cases responded well but presented persistent sequelae. Two feline leishmaniasis cases initially had treatment success but later experienced recurrences. Finally, no response was observed in seven cases, leading to the euthanasia of cats due to ineffectiveness or irregularities along the therapy. Conventional treatments, despite potential hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, exhibit a high efficacy in reducing parasitic load, thereby improving clinical symptoms and increasing the life expectancy of affected cats. Nevertheless, consistent adherence is crucial, as interruptions may render the therapy ineffective and contribute to parasite resistance. Therefore, addressing the challenges associated with feline leishmaniasis treatment necessitates the development of new strategies to ensure a more effective and sustained approach.

Changes in Astroglial Water Flow in the Pre-amyloid Phase of the STZ Model of AD Dementia.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease that is typically sporadic and has a high social and economic cost. We utilized the intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin (STZ), an established preclinical model for sporadic AD, to investigate hippocampal astroglial changes during the first 4 weeks post-STZ, a period during which amyloid deposition has yet to occur. Astroglial proteins aquaporin 4 (AQP-4) and connexin-43 (Cx-43) were evaluated, as well as claudins, which are tight junction (TJ) proteins in brain barriers, to try to identify changes in the glymphatic system and brain barrier during the pre-amyloid phase. Glial commitment, glucose hypometabolism and cognitive impairment were characterized during this phase. Astroglial involvement was confirmed by an increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); concurrent proteolysis was also observed, possibly mediated by calpain. Levels of AQP-4 and Cx-43 were elevated in the fourth week post-STZ, possibly accelerating the clearance of extracellular proteins, since these proteins actively participate in the glymphatic system. Moreover, although we did not see a functional disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at this time, claudin 5 (present in the TJ of the BBB) and claudin 2 (present in the TJ of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier) were reduced. Taken together, data support a role for astrocytes in STZ brain damage, and suggest that astroglial dysfunction accompanies or precedes neuronal damage in AD.

Aerobic granulation and resource production under continuous and intermittent saline stress.

Three sequential batch reactors (SBR) were operated to evaluate salt addition's impact on granulation, performance, and biopolymer production in aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. System R1 was fed without adding salt (control); system R2 operated with saline pulses, i.e., one cycle with salt (2.5 g NaCl/L) addition followed by another without salt; and R3 received continuous supplementation of 2.5 g NaCl/L. The results indicated that the reactors supplemented with salt presented higher concentrations of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) and better settleability than R1, showing that osmotic pressure contributed to biomass growth, accelerated granulation, and improved physical characteristics. The faster granulation occurred in R2, thus proving the beneficial effects of intermittent salt addition through alternating pulses. Salt addition did not impair the simultaneous removal of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. In fact, R2 showed better carbon removals. In conclusion, continuous or intermittent (pulsed) supplementation of 2.5 g NaCl/L did not lead to increased production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and alginate-like exopolymers (ALE). This outcome could be attributed to the low saline concentration employed, a higher food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio observed in R1, and possibly greater endogenous consumption of biopolymers in the famine period in R2 and R3 due to the greater solids retention time (SRT). Therefore, this study brings important results that contribute to a better understanding of the effect of salt in continuous dosing or in pulses as a selection pressure strategy to accelerate granulation, as well as the behavior of the AGS systems for saline effluents.

Genomic context sensitizes regulatory elements to genetic disruption.

Genomic context critically modulates regulatory function but is difficult to manipulate systematically. The murine insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2)/H19 locus is a paradigmatic model of enhancer selectivity, whereby CTCF occupancy at an imprinting control region directs downstream enhancers to activate either H19 or Igf2. We used synthetic regulatory genomics to repeatedly replace the native locus with 157-kb payloads, and we systematically dissected its architecture. Enhancer deletion and ectopic delivery revealed previously uncharacterized long-range regulatory dependencies at the native locus. Exchanging the H19 enhancer cluster with the Sox2 locus control region (LCR) showed that the H19 enhancers relied on their native surroundings while the Sox2 LCR functioned autonomously. Analysis of regulatory DNA actuation across cell types revealed that these enhancer clusters typify broader classes of context sensitivity genome wide. These results show that unexpected dependencies influence even well-studied loci, and our approach permits large-scale manipulation of complete loci to investigate the relationship between regulatory architecture and function.

Promising Effects of Casearins in Tumor-Bearing Mice and Antinociceptive Action against Oncologic Pain: Molecular Docking and In Vivo Findings.

Safer analgesic drugs remain a hard challenge because of cardiovascular and/or gastrointestinal toxicity, mainly. So, this study evaluated in vivo the antiproliferative actions of a fraction with casearins (FC) from Casearia sylvestris leaves against human colorectal carcinomas and antihyperalgesic effects on inflammatory- or opiate-based pain relief and oncologic pain in Sarcoma 180 (S180)-bearing mice. Moreover, docking investigations evaluated the binding among Casearin X and NMDA(N-methyl-D-aspartate)-type glutamate receptors. HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma-xenografted mice were treated with FC for 15 days. Antinociceptive assays included chemically induced algesia and investigated mechanisms by pharmacological blockade. Intraplantar region S180-bearing animals received a single dose of FC and were examined for mechanical allodynia and behavior alterations. AutoDock Vina determined molecular interactions among Cas X and NMDA receptor subunits. FC reduced tumor growth at i.p. (5 and 10 mg/kg) and oral (25 mg/kg/day) doses (31.12-39.27%). FC reduced abdominal pain, as confirmed by formalin and glutamate protocols, whose antinociception activity was blocked by naloxone and L-NAME (neurogenic phase) and naloxone, atropine, and flumazenil (inflammatory phase). Meanwhile, glibenclamide potentiated the FC analgesic effects. FC increased the paw withdrawal threshold without producing changes in exploratory parameters or motor coordination. Cas X generated a more stable complex with active sites of the NMDA receptor GluN2B subunits. FC is a promising antitumor agent against colorectal carcinomas, has peripheral analgesic effects by desensitizing secondary afferent neurons, and inhibits glutamate release from presynaptic neurons and/or their action on cognate receptors. These findings emphasize the use of clerodane diterpenes against cancer-related pain conditions.

Packaging and containerization of computational methods.

Methods for analyzing the full complement of a biomolecule type, e.g., proteomics or metabolomics, generate large amounts of complex data. The software tools used to analyze omics data have reshaped the landscape of modern biology and become an essential component of biomedical research. These tools are themselves quite complex and often require the installation of other supporting software, libraries and/or databases. A researcher may also be using multiple different tools that require different versions of the same supporting materials. The increasing dependence of biomedical scientists on these powerful tools creates a need for easier installation and greater usability. Packaging and containerization are different approaches to satisfy this need by delivering omics tools already wrapped in additional software that makes the tools easier to install and use. In this systematic review, we describe and compare the features of prominent packaging and containerization platforms. We outline the challenges, advantages and limitations of each approach and some of the most widely used platforms from the perspectives of users, software developers and system administrators. We also propose principles to make the distribution of omics software more sustainable and robust to increase the reproducibility of biomedical and life science research.

Effect of metformin in hypothalamic astrocytes from an immunocompromised mice model.

Astrocytes are glial cells that play key roles in neuroinflammation, which is a common feature in diabetic encephalopathy and aging process. Metformin is an antidiabetic compound that shows neuroprotective properties, including in inflammatory models, but astroglial signaling pathways involved are still poorly known. Interferons α/ß are cytokines that participate in antiviral responses and the lack of their signaling increases susceptible to viral infections. Here, we investigated the effects of metformin on astrocytes from hypothalamus, a crucial brain region related to inflammatory processes. Astrocyte cultures were derived from interferon α/ß receptor knockout (IFNα/ßR-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice. Metformin did not change the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein but caused an anti-inflammatory effect by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß), as well as increasing gene expression of anti-inflammatory proteins interleukin-10 and Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid derived 2 like 2). However, nuclear factor κB p65 and cyclooxygenase 2 were downregulated in WT astrocytes and upregulated in IFNα/ßR-/- astrocytes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a molecular target of metformin, was upregulated only in WT astrocytes, while sirtuin 1 increased in both mice models. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was decreased in WT astrocytes and heme oxygenase 1 was increased in IFNα/ßR-/- astrocytes. Although loss of IFNα/ßR-mediated signaling affects some effects of metformin, our results support beneficial roles of this drug in hypothalamic astrocytes. Moreover, paradoxical response of metformin may involve AMPK. Thus, metformin can mediate glioprotection due its effects on age-related disorders in non-diabetic and diabetic encephalopathy individuals.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection diagnosis in healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of LTBI and TB in the pre-pandemic period (2017-2019) with the pandemic period (2020-2022), in a group of HCW. METHODS: Retrospective study. Data on TB diagnosis was retrieved from the hospital information system database. All HCWs who underwent tuberculin skin test (TST) from January 2017 to December 2022 were included in the study. RESULTS: In the pre-pandemic period (2017-2019), 163 HCW out of 710 were TST positive (22.9%), and in the pandemic period (2020-2022), 85 HCW out of 449 were TST positive (18.9%) (p = 0.11). There were 10 HCW diagnosed with TB in the pre-pandemic period (incidence: 41.7/100,000) and 2 in the pandemic period (incidence: 8.3/100,000) (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that TB incidence was reduced during the pandemic period in HCW. TST positivity was also reduced, although not statistically significant.

Cost-Effectiveness of Technologies for the Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Systematic Review of Economic Studies.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to systematically collect data on cost-effectiveness analyses that assess technologies to treat type I and II spinal muscular atrophy and evaluate their recommendations. METHODS: A structured electronic search was conducted in 4 databases. Additionally, a complementary manual search was conducted. Complete economic studies that evaluated nusinersen, risdiplam, onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA), and the best support therapy (BST) from the health system's perspective were selected. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were compared with various thresholds for the analysis. The review was registered a priori in PROSPERO (CRD42022365391). RESULTS: Twenty studies were included in the analyses. They were all published between 2017 and 2022 and represent the recommendations in 8 countries. Most studies adopted 5, 6, or 10-state Markov models. Some authors took part in multiple studies. Four technologies were evaluated: BST (N = 14), nusinersen (N = 19), risdiplam (N = 5), and OA (N = 9). OA, risdiplam, and nusinersen were considered inefficient compared with the BST. Risdiplam and OA were generally regarded as cost-effective when compared with nusinersen. Because nusinersen is not a cost-effective drug, no recommendation can be derived from this result. Risdiplam and OA were compared in 2 studies that presented opposite results. CONCLUSIONS: Nusinersen, risdiplam, and OA are being adopted worldwide as a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy. Despite that, the pharmacoeconomic analyses show that the technologies are not cost-effective compared with the BST. The lack of controlled studies for risdiplam and OA hamper any conclusions about their face-to-face comparison.

Genomic analyses correspond with deep persistence of peoples of Blackfoot Confederacy from glacial times.

Mutually beneficial partnerships between genomics researchers and North American Indigenous Nations are rare yet becoming more common. Here, we present one such partnership that provides insight into the peopling of the Americas and furnishes another line of evidence that can be used to further treaty and Indigenous rights. We show that the genomics of sampled individuals from the Blackfoot Confederacy belong to a previously undescribed ancient lineage that diverged from other genomic lineages in the Americas in Late Pleistocene times. Using multiple complementary forms of knowledge, we provide a scenario for Blackfoot population history that fits with oral tradition and provides a plausible model for the evolutionary process of the peopling of the Americas.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dextroketamine alone or combined with midazolam in Caiman crocodilus.

Pharmacokinetics studies of anesthetic agents are important for understanding of the pharmacology and metabolism of anesthetic agents in reptilians. This study was designed to examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of intravenous dextroketamine alone or combined with midazolam in Caiman crocodilus. Eight caimans were anesthetized with dextroketamine (10 mg/kg; group D) or dextroketamine and midazolam (10 and 0.5 mg/kg respectively; group DM) into the occipital venous sinus. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by HPLC using a non-compartmental modeling. Serial blood samples were collected at baseline and within 15 and 30 min, and 11.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h of drug administration. Sedation status over time differed between groups. All animals in group D (8/8; 100%) showed signs of light sedation at t10. Half (4/8; 50%) of these caimans did not progress to deeper levels of sedation. In spite of light sedation at t10, animals in group DM were deeply sedated within 13.13 ± 7.04 min of anesthetic agent injection. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-48) and half-life of dextroketamine changed significantly after combination with midazolam. Even without significant changes in clearance, the almost two-fold increase in the half-life of dextroketamine suggests a slower rate of elimination.

Smoking cessation among tuberculosis patients during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

Smoking has been recognized as a significant risk factor for COVID-19 and mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended smoking cessation to reduce the impact of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the smoking cessation rate of patients starting tuberculosis (TB) treatment at six months using motivational interviewing based on the WHO "five steps to quit" model. In addition, we assessed the knowledge about smoking and the barriers to smoking cessation. We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Outpatients aged >18 years, smokers, and those who are starting TB treatment in two outpatient TB clinics were invited to participate. Patients received information about the importance of smoking cessation, especially in TB patients, and standardized advice based on guidelines. This information was repeated during phone calls during the second and fourth months of treatment. During the study period, 111 patients were included. The primary outcome was the smoking cessation rate at the end of the sixth month of treatment, which was 26.8% (19/71). The barriers to smoking cessation described by the patients were anxiety/depression (47.4%), seeing someone smoking (38.5%), drug use (19.2%), and alcohol abuse (2.6%). The assessment of knowledge about smoking showed that patients had some information gaps. In conclusion, TB smokers who tried to quit smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic faced many challenges. Despite this, we demonstrated a reasonable smoking cessation rate with a nurse-conducted motivational interview.

INSaFLU-TELEVIR: an open web-based bioinformatics suite for viral metagenomic detection and routine genomic surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of clinical metagenomics and pathogen genomic surveillance can be particularly challenging due to the lack of bioinformatics tools and/or expertise. In order to face this challenge, we have previously developed INSaFLU, a free web-based bioinformatics platform for virus next-generation sequencing data analysis. Here, we considerably expanded its genomic surveillance component and developed a new module (TELEVIR) for metagenomic virus identification. RESULTS: The routine genomic surveillance component was strengthened with new workflows and functionalities, including (i) a reference-based genome assembly pipeline for Oxford Nanopore technologies (ONT) data; (ii) automated SARS-CoV-2 lineage classification; (iii) Nextclade analysis; (iv) Nextstrain phylogeographic and temporal analysis (SARS-CoV-2, human and avian influenza, monkeypox, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV A/B), as well as a "generic" build for other viruses); and (v) algn2pheno for screening mutations of interest. Both INSaFLU pipelines for reference-based consensus generation (Illumina and ONT) were benchmarked against commonly used command line bioinformatics workflows for SARS-CoV-2, and an INSaFLU snakemake version was released. In parallel, a new module (TELEVIR) for virus detection was developed, after extensive benchmarking of state-of-the-art metagenomics software and following up-to-date recommendations and practices in the field. TELEVIR allows running complex workflows, covering several combinations of steps (e.g., with/without viral enrichment or host depletion), classification software (e.g., Kaiju, Kraken2, Centrifuge, FastViromeExplorer), and databases (RefSeq viral genome, Virosaurus, etc.), while culminating in user- and diagnosis-oriented reports. Finally, to potentiate real-time virus detection during ONT runs, we developed findONTime, a tool aimed at reducing costs and the time between sample reception and diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The accessibility, versatility, and functionality of INSaFLU-TELEVIR are expected to supply public and animal health laboratories and researchers with a user-oriented and pan-viral bioinformatics framework that promotes a strengthened and timely viral metagenomic detection and routine genomics surveillance. INSaFLU-TELEVIR is compatible with Illumina, Ion Torrent, and ONT data and is freely available at https://insaflu.insa.pt/ (online tool) and https://github.com/INSaFLU (code).

Extracellular Vesicles from Scedosporium apiospermum Mycelial Cells: Implication for Fungal-Host Interplays.

The release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has been implicated as an alternative transport mechanism for the passage of macromolecules through the fungal cell wall, a phenomenon widely reported in yeasts but poorly explored in mycelial cells. In the present work, we have purified and characterized the EVs released by mycelia of the emerging, opportunistic, widespread and multidrug-resistant filamentous fungus Scedosporium apiospermum. Transmission electron microscopy images and light scattering measurements revealed the fungal EVs, which were observed individually or grouped with heterogeneous morphology, size and electron density. The mean diameter of the EVs, evaluated by the light scattering technique, was 179.7 nm. Overall, the structural stability of S. apiospermum EVs was preserved during incubation under various storage conditions. The lipid, carbohydrate and protein contents were quantified, and the EVs' protein profile was evidenced by SDS-PAGE, revealing proteins with molecular masses ranging from 20 to 118 kDa. Through immunoblotting, ELISA and immunocytochemistry assays, antigenic molecules were evidenced in EVs using a polyclonal serum (called anti-secreted molecules) from a rabbit inoculated with conditioned cell-free supernatant obtained from S. apiospermum mycelial cells. By Western blotting, several antigenic proteins were identified. The ELISA assay confirmed that the anti-secreted molecules exhibited a positive reaction up to a serum dilution of 1:3200. Despite transporting immunogenic molecules, S. apiospermum EVs slightly induced an in vitro cytotoxicity effect after 48 h of contact with either macrophages or lung epithelial cells. Interestingly, the pretreatment of both mammalian cells with purified EVs significantly increased the association index with S. apiospermum conidia. Furthermore, EVs were highly toxic to Galleria mellonella, leading to larval death in a typically dose- and time-dependent manner. Collectively, the results represent the first report of detecting EVs in the S. apiospermum filamentous form, highlighting a possible implication in fungal pathogenesis.

The transcriptome assembly of the European freshwater mussel Unio elongatulus C. Pfeiffer, 1825.

Freshwater mussels of the order Unionida are a global conservation concern. Species of this group are strictly freshwater, sessile, slow-growing animals and, extremely sensitive to environmental changes. Human-mediated changes in freshwater habitats are imposing enormous pressure on the survival of freshwater mussels. Although a few flagship species are protected in Europe, other highly imperilled species receive much less attention. Moreover, knowledge about biology, ecology, and evolution and proper conservation assessments of many European species are still sparse. This knowledge gap is further aggravated by the lack of genomic resources available, which are key tools for conservation. Here we present the transcriptome assembly of Unio elongatulus C. Pfeiffer, 1825, one of the least studied European freshwater mussels. Using the individual sequencing outputs from eight physiologically representative mussel tissues, we provide an annotated panel of tissue-specific Relative Gene Expression profiles. These resources are pivotal to studying the species' biological and ecological features, as well as helping to understand its vulnerability to current and future threats.

Machine Learning-Based Virtual Screening of Antibacterial Agents against Methicillin-Susceptible and Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The application of computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) approaches has enabled the discovery of new antimicrobial therapeutic agents in the past. The high prevalence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains promoted this pathogen to a high-priority pathogen for drug development. In this sense, modern CADD techniques can be valuable tools for the search for new antimicrobial agents. We employed a combination of a series of machine learning (ML) techniques to select and evaluate potential compounds with antibacterial activity against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA strains. In the present study, we describe the antibacterial activity of six compounds against MSSA and MRSA reference (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC)) strains as well as two clinical strains of MRSA. These compounds showed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) in the range from 12.5 to 200 µM against the different bacterial strains evaluated. Our results constitute relevant proven ML-workflow models to distinctively screen for novel MRSA antibiotics.

An historical "wreck": A transcriptome assembly of the naval shipworm, Teredo navalis Linnaeus, 1978.

Historically famous for their negative impact on human-built marine wood structures, mollusc shipworms play a central ecological role in marine ecosystems. Their association with bacterial symbionts, providing cellulolytic and nitrogen-fixing activities, underscores their exceptional wood-eating and wood-boring behaviours, improving energy transfer and the recycling of essential nutrients locked in the wood cellulose. Importantly, from a molecular standpoint, a minute of omic resources are available from this lineage of Bivalvia. Here, we produced and assembled a transcriptome from the globally distributed naval shipworm, Teredo navalis (family Teredinidae). The transcriptome was obtained by sequencing the total RNA from five equidistant segments of the whole body of a T. navalis specimen. The quality of the produced assembly was accessed with several statistics, revealing a highly contiguous (1194 N50) and complete (over 90% BUSCO scores for Eukaryote and Metazoan databases) transcriptome, with nearly 38,000 predicted ORF, more than half being functionally annotated. Our findings pave the way to investigate the unique evolutionary biology of these highly modified bivalves and lay the foundation for an adequate gene annotation of a full genome sequence of the species.