DNA damage induces nuclear envelope rupture through ATR-mediated phosphorylation of lamin A/C.

The integrity of the nuclear envelope (NE) is essential for maintaining the structural stability of the nucleus. Rupture of the NE has been frequently observed in cancer cells, especially in the context of mechanical challenges, such as physical confinement and migration. However, spontaneous NE rupture events, without any obvious physical challenges to the cell, have also been described. The molecular mechanism(s) of these spontaneous NE rupture events remain to be explored. Here, we show that DNA damage and subsequent ATR activation leads to NE rupture. Upon DNA damage, lamin A/C is phosphorylated in an ATR-dependent manner, leading to changes in lamina assembly and, ultimately, NE rupture. In addition, we show that cancer cells with intrinsic DNA repair defects undergo frequent events of DNA-damage-induced NE rupture, which renders them extremely sensitive to further NE perturbations. Exploiting this NE vulnerability could provide a new angle to complement traditional, DNA-damage-based chemotherapy.

Lamin A/C phosphorylation at serine 22 is a conserved heat shock response to regulate nuclear adaptation during stress.

The heat shock (HS) response is crucial for cell survival in harmful environments. Nuclear lamin A/C, encoded by the LMNA gene, contributes towards altered gene expression during HS, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we show that upon HS, lamin A/C was reversibly phosphorylated at serine 22 in concert with HSF1 activation in human cells, mouse cells and Drosophila melanogaster in vivo. Consequently, the phosphorylation facilitated nucleoplasmic localization of lamin A/C and nuclear sphericity in response to HS. Interestingly, lamin A/C knock-out cells showed deformed nuclei after HS and were rescued by ectopic expression of wild-type lamin A, but not by a phosphomimetic (S22D) lamin A mutant. Furthermore, HS triggered concurrent downregulation of lamina-associated protein 2α (Lap2α, encoded by TMPO) in wild-type lamin A/C-expressing cells, but a similar response was perturbed in lamin A/C knock-out cells and in LMNA mutant patient fibroblasts, which showed impaired cell cycle arrest under HS and compromised survival at recovery. Taken together, our results suggest that the altered phosphorylation stoichiometry of lamin A/C provides an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to regulate lamina structure and serve nuclear adaptation and cell survival during HS.

Incorporation of 53BP1 into phase-separated bodies in cancer cells during aberrant mitosis.

53BP1 (also known as TP53BP1) is a key mediator of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DNA repair pathway, which is the primary repair pathway in interphase cells. However, the mitotic functions of 53BP1 are less well understood. Here, we describe 53BP1 mitotic stress bodies (MSBs) formed in cancer cell lines in response to delayed mitosis. These bodies displayed liquid-liquid phase separation characteristics, were close to centromeres, and included lamin A/C and the DNA repair protein RIF1. After release from mitotic arrest, 53BP1 MSBs decreased in number and moved away from the chromatin. Using GFP fusion constructs, we found that the 53BP1 oligomerization domain region was required for MSB formation, and that inclusion of the 53BP1 N terminus increased MSB size. Exogenous expression of 53BP1 did not increase MSB size or number but did increase levels of MSB-free 53BP1. This was associated with slower mitotic progression, elevated levels of DNA damage and increased apoptosis, which is consistent with MSBs suppressing a mitotic surveillance by 53BP1 through sequestration. The 53BP1 MSBs, which were also found spontaneously in a subset of normally dividing cancer cells but not in non-transformed cells (ARPE-19), might facilitate the survival of cancer cells following aberrant mitoses. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

C5a-C5aR1 axis controls mitochondrial fission to promote podocyte injury in lupus nephritis.

Podocytes are essential to maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier, but they are frequently affected in lupus nephritis (LN). Here, we show that the significant upregulation of Drp1S616 phosphorylation in podocytes promotes mitochondrial fission, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and podocyte injury in LN. Inhibition or knockdown of Drp1 promotes mitochondrial fusion and protects podocytes from injury induced by LN serum. In vivo, pharmacological inhibition of Drp1 reduces the phosphorylation of Drp1S616 in podocytes in lupus-prone mice. Podocyte injury is reversed when Drp1 is inhibited, resulting in the alleviation of proteinuria. Mechanistically, complement component C5a (C5a) upregulates the phosphorylation of Drp1S616 and promotes mitochondrial fission in podocytes. Moreover, the expression of C5a receptor 1 (C5aR1) is notably upregulated in podocytes in LN. C5a-C5aR1 axis-controlled phosphorylation of Drp1S616 and mitochondrial fission are substantially suppressed when C5aR1 is knocked down by siRNA. Moreover, lupus-prone mice treated with C5aR inhibitor show reduced phosphorylation of Drp1S616 in podocytes, resulting in significantly less podocyte damage. Together, this study uncovers a novel mechanism by which the C5a-C5aR1 axis promotes podocyte injury by enhancing Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission, which could have significant implications for the treatment of LN.

Role of lamin A/C on dendritic cell function in antiviral immunity.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in orchestrating immune responses, particularly in promoting IFNγ-producing-CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and IFNγ-producing-CD4 T helper 1 (Th1) cells, which are essential for defending against viral infections. Additionally, the nuclear envelope protein lamin A/C has been implicated in T cell immunity. Nevertheless, the intricate interplay between innate and adaptive immunity in response to viral infections, particularly the role of lamin A/C in DC functions within this context, remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that mice lacking lamin A/C in myeloid LysM promoter-expressing cells exhibit a reduced capacity to induce Th1 and CD8 CTL responses, leading to impaired clearance of acute primary Vaccinia virus (VACV) infection. Remarkably, in vitro-generated granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor bone marrow-derived DCs (GM-CSF BMDCs) show high levels of lamin A/C. Lamin A/C absence on GM-CSF BMDCs does not affect the expression of costimulatory molecules on the cell membrane but it reduces the cellular ability to form immunological synapses with naïve CD4 T cells. Lamin A/C deletion induces alterations in NFκB nuclear localization, thereby influencing NF-κB-dependent transcription. Furthermore, lamin A/C ablation modifies the gene accessibility of BMDCs, predisposing these cells to mount a less effective antiviral response upon TLR stimulation. This study highlights the critical role of DCs in interacting with CD4 T cells during antiviral responses and proposes some mechanisms through which lamin A/C may modulate DC function via gene accessibility and transcriptional regulation.

Identification of aceNKPs, a committed common progenitor population of the ILC1 and NK cell continuum.

The development of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) transcription factor reporter mice has shown a previously unexpected complexity in ILC hematopoiesis. Using novel polychromic mice to achieve higher phenotypic resolution, we have characterized bone marrow progenitors that are committed to the group 1 ILC lineage. These common ILC1/NK cell progenitors (ILC1/NKP), which we call "aceNKPs", are defined as lineage-Id2+IL-7Rα+CD25-α4ß7-NKG2A/C/E+Bcl11b-. In vitro, aceNKPs differentiate into group 1 ILCs, including NK-like cells that express Eomes without the requirement for IL-15, and produce IFN-γ and perforin upon IL-15 stimulation. Following reconstitution of Rag2-/-Il2rg-/- hosts, aceNKPs give rise to a spectrum of mature ILC1/NK cells (regardless of their tissue location) that cannot be clearly segregated into the traditional ILC1 and NK subsets, suggesting that group 1 ILCs constitute a dynamic continuum of ILCs that can develop from a common progenitor. In addition, aceNKP-derived ILC1/NK cells effectively ameliorate tumor burden in a model of lung metastasis, where they acquired a cytotoxic NK cell phenotype. Our results identify the primary ILC1/NK progenitor that lacks ILC2 or ILC3 potential and is strictly committed to ILC1/NK cell production irrespective of tissue homing.

Curbing Breast Cancer by Altering V-ATPase Action on F-Actin, Heterochromatin, ETV7 and mTORC2 Signaling.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Motivated by the vacuolar proton pump's importance in cancer, we investigate the effects of proton pump inhibition on breast cancer cell migration and proliferation, F-actin polymerization, lamin A/C, heterochromatin, and ETV7 expressions, nuclear size and shape, and AKT/mTOR signaling. METHODS: Lowly metastatic MCF7 and highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were treated with 120 nM of proton pump inhibitor Bafilomycin A1 for 24 hours. Cell migration was studied with wound- scratch assays, ATP levels with a chemiluminescent assay; cell proliferation was quantified by a cell area expansion assay. Nuclear size and shape were determined using DAPI nuclear stain and fluorescence microscopy. The levels of F-actin, lamin A/C, heterochromatin, and ETV7 were quantified using both immunocytochemistry and western blots; p-mTORC1, p-mTORC2, mTOR, p-AKT, and AKT were measured by western blots. RESULTS: We reveal that proton pump inhibition reduces F-actin polymerization, cell migration, proliferation, and increases heterochromatin in both lowly and highly metastatic cells. Surprisingly, Bafilomycin decreases lamin A/C in both cell lines. Inhibition has different effects on ETV7 expression in lowly and highly metastatic cells, as well as nuclear area, perimeter, and circularity. Bafilomycin also significantly decreases p-mTORC1, p-MTORC2, and MTOR expression in both cell lines, whereas it significantly decreases p-AKT in lowly metastatic cells and surprisingly significantly increases p-AKT in highly metastatic cells. Our proton pump inhibition protocol reduces V-ATPase levels (~25%) within three hours. V-ATPase levels vary in time for both control and inhibited cells, and inhibition reduces cellular ATP. CONCLUSION: Proton pumps promote F-actin polymerization and decrease heterochromatin, facilitating invasion. These pumps also upregulate both mTORC1 and mTORC2, thus highlighting the relevance of vacuolar proton pumps as metastatic cancer targets.

Cascading Energy Transfer for Highly Efficient Deep-Red OLED Emission with Cyclometalated [3+2+1] Iridium Complexes.

The promising cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes have been proved to possess great potential in vacuum-deposited organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) applications for full-color displays and white solid-state lighting sources. Herein, based on the unique bidentate ligand of dibenzo[a,c]phenazine (dbpz) group with strong conjugated effect of aromatic rings for red emission, four novel [3+2+1] coordinated iridium (III) emissive materials have been rationally designed and synthesized. The monodentate ligands of -CN and -OCN have been effectively employed to tune the deep-red emission of 628-675 nm with high photoluminescence quantum yields up to 98%. Moreover, all devices displayed deep-red color coordinates ranging from (0.675, 0.325) to (0.716, 0.284), which is close to the standard-red color coordinates of (0.708, 0.292), as recommended by International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication (ITU-R) BT.2020. The device based on nBuIr(dbpz)CN with an exciplex cohost has exhibited maximum external quantum efficiencies of 20.7% and good stability. With nBuIr(dbpz)CN as an effective sensitizer, the nBuIr(dbpz)OCN based phosphorescent OLED devices have successfully demonstrated cascading energy transfer processes, contributing to pure red emission with maximum luminance as high as 6471 cd m-2. Therefore, this work has been successfully demonstrated rational molecular design strategy of [3+2+1] iridium complexes to obtain highly efficient deep-red electrophosphorescent emission.

Lamin A/C mediates microglial activation by modulating cell proliferation and immune response.

Lamin A/C is involved in macrophage activation and premature aging, also known as progeria. As the resident macrophage in brain, overactivation of microglia causes brain inflammation, promoting aging and brain disease. In this study, we investigated the role of Lamin A/C in microglial activation and its impact on progeria using Lmna-/- mice, primary microglia, Lmna knockout (Lmna-KO) and Lmna-knockdown (Lmna-KD) BV2 cell lines. We found that the microglial activation signatures, including cell proliferation, morphology changes, and proinflammatory cytokine secretion (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α), were significantly suppressed in all Lamin A/C-deficient models when stimulated with LPS. TMT-based quantitative proteomic and bioinformatic analysis were further applied to explore the mechanism of Lamin A/C-regulated microglia activation from the proteome level. The results revealed that immune response and phagocytosis were impaired in Lmna-/- microglia. Stat1 was identified as the hub protein in the mechanism by which Lamin A/C regulates microglial activation. Additionally, DNA replication, chromatin organization, and mRNA processing were also altered by Lamin A/C, with Ki67 fulfilling the main hub function. Lamin A/C is a mechanosensitive protein and, the immune- and proliferation-related biological processes are also regulated by mechanotransduction. We speculate that Lamin A/C-mediated mechanotransduction is required for microglial activation. Our study proposes a novel mechanism for microglial activation mediated by Lamin A/C.

Accurate photosynthetic parameter estimation at low stomatal conductance: effects of cuticular conductance and instrumental noise.

Accurate estimation of photosynthetic parameters is essential for understanding plant physiological limitations and responses to environmental factors from the leaf to the global scale. Gas exchange is a useful tool to measure responses of net CO2 assimilation (A) to internal CO2 concentration (Ci), a necessary step in estimating photosynthetic parameters including the maximum rate of carboxylation (Vcmax) and the electron transport rate (Jmax). However, species and environmental conditions of low stomatal conductance (gsw) reduce the signal-to-noise ratio of gas exchange, challenging estimations of Ci. Previous works showed that not considering cuticular conductance to water (gcw) can lead to significant errors in estimating Ci, because it has a different effect on total conductance to CO2 (gtc) than does gsw. Here we present a systematic assessment of the need for incorporating gcw into Ci estimates. In this study we modeled the effect of gcw and of instrumental noise and quantified these effects on photosynthetic parameters in the cases of four species with varying gsw and gcw, measured using steady-state and constant ramping techniques, like the rapid A/Ci response method. We show that not accounting for gcw quantitatively influences Ci and the resulting Vcmax and Jmax, particularly when gcw exceeds 7% of the total conductance to water. The influence of gcw was not limited to low gsw species, highlighting the importance of species-specific knowledge before assessing A/Ci curves. Furthermore, at low gsw instrumental noise can affect Ci estimation, but the effect of instrumental noise can be minimized using constant-ramping rather than steady-state techniques. By incorporating these considerations, more precise measurements and interpretations of photosynthetic parameters can be obtained in a broader range of species and environmental conditions.

Mice harboring a R133L heterozygous mutation in LMNA exhibited ectopic lipid accumulation, aging, and mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue.

The LMNA gene encodes for the nuclear envelope proteins lamin A and C (lamin A/C). A novel R133L heterozygous mutation in the LMNA gene causes atypical progeria syndrome (APS). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we used transgenic mice (LmnaR133L/+ mice) that expressed a heterozygous LMNA R133L mutation and 3T3-L1 cell lines with stable overexpression of LMNA R133L (by lentiviral transduction) as in vivo and in vitro models to investigate the mechanisms of LMNA R133L mutations that mediate the APS phenotype. We found that a heterozygous R133L mutation in LMNA induced most of the metabolic disturbances seen in patients with this mutation, including ectopic lipid accumulation, limited subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) expansion, and insulin resistance. Mitochondrial dysfunction and senescence promote ectopic lipid accumulation and insulin resistance. In addition, the FLAG-mediated pull-down capture followed by mass spectrometry assay showed that p160 Myb-binding protein (P160 MBP; Mybbp1 a $$ a $$ ), the critical transcriptional repressor of PGC-1α, was bound to lamin A/C. Increased Mybbp1 a $$ a $$ levels in tissues and greater Mybbp1 a $$ a $$ -lamin A/C binding in nuclear inhibit PGC-1α activity and promotes mitochondrial dysfunction. Our findings confirm that the novel R133L heterozygous mutation in the LMNA gene caused APS are associated with marked mitochondrial respiratory chain impairment, which were induced by decreased PGC-1α levels correlating with increased Mybbp1a levels in nuclear, and a senescence phenotype of the subcutaneous fat.

Caveolin-2 in association with nuclear lamina controls adipocyte hypertrophy.

Here, we identify that Caveolin-2 (Cav-2), an integral membrane protein, controls adipocyte hypertrophy in association with nuclear lamina. In the hypertrophy stage of adipogenesis, pY19-Cav-2 association with lamin A/C facilitated the disengagement of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) from lamin A/C and repressed Cav-2 promoter at the nuclear periphery for epigenetic activation of Cav-2, and thereby promoted C/EBPα and PPARγ-induced adipocyte hypertrophy. Stable expression of Cav-2 was required and retained by phosphorylation, deubiquitination, and association with lamin A/C for the adipocyte hypertrophy. However, obese adipocytes exhibited augmented Cav-2 stability resulting from the up-regulation of lamin A/C over lamin B1, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), and nuclear deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB), Uchl5. Our findings show a novel epigenetic regulatory mechanism of adipocyte hypertrophy by Cav-2 at the nuclear periphery.

The dissociation of (a+c) misfit dislocations at the InGaN/GaN interface.

In hexagonal materials, (a+c) dislocations are typically observed to dissociate into partial dislocations. Edge (a+c) dislocations are introduced into (0001) nitride semiconductor layers by the process of plastic relaxation. As there is an increasing interest in obtaining relaxed InGaN buffer layers for the deposition of high In content structures, the study of the dissociation mechanism of misfit (a+c) dislocations laying at the InGaN/GaN interface is then crucial for understanding their nucleation and glide mechanisms. In the case of the presented plastically relaxed InGaN layers deposited on GaN substrates, we observe a trigonal network of (a+c) dislocations extending at the interface with a rotation of 3° from <1 1 ¯ $\bar 1$ 00> directions. High-resolution microscopy studies show that these dislocations are dissociated into two Frank-Shockley 1/6<2 2 ¯ $\bar 2$ 03> partial dislocations with the I1 BSF spreading between them. Atomistic simulations of a dissociated edge (a+c) dislocation revealed a 3/5-atom ring structure for the cores of both partial dislocations. The observed separation between two partial dislocations must result from the climb of at least one of the dislocations during the dissociation process, possibly induced by the mismatch stress in the InGaN layer.

Impact on species' online attention when named after celebrities.

Celebrities can generate substantial attention and influence public interest in species. Using a large-scale examination of publicly available data, we assessed whether species across 6 taxonomic groups received more page views on Wikipedia when the species was named after a celebrity than when it was not. We conducted our analysis for 4 increasingly strict thresholds of how many average daily Wikipedia page views a celebrity had (1, 10, 100, or 1000 views). Overall, we found a high probability (0.96-0.98) that species named after celebrities had more page views than their closest relatives that were not named after celebrities, irrespective of the celebrity threshold. The multiplicative effect on species' page views was larger but more uncertain as celebrity page-view thresholds increased. The range for thresholds of 1 to 1000 was 1.08 (95% credible interval [CI] 1.00-1.18) to 1.76 (95% CI 0.96-2.80), respectively. The hierarchical estimates for the taxa tended to be positive. The strongest effects were for invertebrates, followed by amphibians, reptiles, fish, and mammals, whereas the weakest effect was for birds at lower page-view thresholds. Our results suggest that naming species after celebrities could be particularly significant for those belonging to taxonomic groups that are generally less popular than others (e.g., invertebrates). Celebrities may further influence the effectiveness of this marketing strategy, depending on their likability and connection to the species named after them. Eponyms may serve as a reminder of the disproportionate power dynamics between populations and some namesakes' untenable actions. However, they also provide an opportunity to recognize remarkable individuals and promote equity, inclusivity, and diversity in taxonomic practice. We encourage taxonomists to examine whether naming threatened species after celebrities could affect conservation support, especially for species that are otherwise typically overlooked by the public.

Impacto sobre la atención virtual de una especie si lleva el nombre de una celebridad Resumen Las celebridades pueden generar atención considerable e influir sobre el interés público por las especies. Usamos un análisis a gran escala de datos con disponibilidad pública para evaluar si las especies de seis grupos taxonómicos recibían más visitas en Wikipedia cuando el nombre de la especie provenía del de una celebridad que cuando no. Realizamos nuestro análisis en cuatro umbrales cada vez más estrictos de cuántas visitas diarias en promedio tenía la página de Wikipedia de una celebridad (1, 10, 100 or 1000 visitas). En general, descubrimos una probabilidad alta (0.96­0.98) de que las especies con nombres de celebridades tuvieran más visitas que sus parientes más cercanos que no tenían un nombre así, sin importar el umbral de la celebridad. El efecto multiplicativo sobre las visitas a la página de la especie fue mayor pero más incierto si incrementaba el umbral de visitas de la celebridad. El rango para los umbrales de 1 a 1000 fue de 1.08 (95% intervalo creíble [IC] 1.00­1.18) a 1.76 (95% IC 0.96­2.80) respectivamente. Los estimados jerárquicos para los taxones tuvieron una tendencia positiva. Los efectos más fuertes se presentaron en los invertebrados, seguidos de los anfibios, reptiles, peces y mamíferos, mientras que el efecto más débil fue para las aves en los umbrales de menor número de visitas. Nuestros resultados sugieren que nombrar a una especie con el nombre de una celebridad podría ser particularmente importante para aquellas que pertenecen a grupos taxonómicos que generalmente suelen ser menos populares que otros (invertebrados). Las celebridades podrían influir todavía más en la efectividad de esta estrategia de marketing, dependiendo de su popularidad y la conexión con la especie que lleva su nombre. Los epónimos pueden funcionar como recordatorios de las dinámicas disparejas de poder entre las poblaciones y las acciones indefendibles de algunos homónimos. Sin embargo, los epónimos también proporcionan la oportunidad para reconocer individuos destacados y promover la equidad, inclusividad y diversidad en la práctica taxonómica. Alentamos a que los taxónomos analicen si nombrar a una especie amenazada con el nombre de una celebridad podría afectar el apoyo a su conservación, especialmente para las especies que de otra manera suelen ser ignoradas por el público.

Assessing the risk of overexploitation to a tarantula species in the pet trade.

The global pet trade in invertebrates remains poorly understood and underrepresented in policy and research. Tarantulas are a highly traded invertebrate group. Many individuals in trade are wild caught, and trade regulation is often lacking, raising concerns about the effect of trade on local ecosystems and populations. We addressed local concerns surrounding the international trade of Tapinauchenius rasti (Caribbean diamond tarantula), which is endemic to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We assessed the extinction risks associated with this widely traded species by analyzing supply of and demand for the species with the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, behavior) model. This model breaks down decision-making into capability, opportunity, and motivation. We interviewed stakeholders throughout the supply chain and analyzed content of an online hobbyist forum and a time series of prices for this species and other tarantulas. In terms of motivation, there was limited preference for the Caribbean diamond tarantula due to its morphology and behavior. In terms of opportunity, the species was readily available, primarily through captive breeding. Collecting wild specimens is challenging due to enforcement measures and logistical difficulties, making it an unprofitable endeavor. In terms of capability, the species was relatively low in price, likely because it is easy to breed in captivity. As a result, the current wildlife trade does not pose a significant threat to the Caribbean diamond tarantula. Our methodology can serve as a valuable tool for assessing potential threats posed by trade to other spider species and possibly other invertebrates. Understanding these threats is crucial for promoting responsible and sustainable trade practices that minimize risks to wild populations while ensuring equitable benefits for communities coexisting with wildlife.

Evaluación del riesgo de sobreexplotación para una especie de tarántula en el mercado de mascotas Resumen El comercio mundial de invertebrados como mascotas todavía es poco conocido y poco representado en las políticas y la investigación. Las tarántulas son un grupo de invertebrados muy comercializado. Muchos ejemplares comercializados son capturados en su entorno natural y a menudo no existe la regulación del comercio, lo que suscita preocupación por el efecto del comercio en los ecosistemas y las poblaciones locales. Abordamos las preocupaciones locales en torno al comercio internacional de Tapinauchenius rasti (tarántula diamante del Caribe), endémica de San Vicente y las Granadinas. Analizamos la oferta y la demanda de la especie con el modelo de comportamiento COM­B para evaluar los riesgos de extinción asociados a esta especie tan comercializada. Este modelo desglosa la toma de decisiones en capacidad, oportunidad y motivación. Entrevistamos a los actores a lo largo de la cadena de suministro y analizamos el contenido de un foro de aficionados en línea y una serie cronológica de precios para esta especie y otras tarántulas. En términos de motivación, hubo una preferencia limitada por la tarántula diamante del Caribe debido a su morfología y comportamiento. En términos de oportunidad, la especie estaba fácilmente disponible, principalmente a través de la cría en cautiverio. La recolección de especímenes silvestres es un reto debido a las medidas judiciales y a las dificultades logísticas, por lo que no resulta rentable. En cuanto a la capacidad, el precio de la especie era relativamente bajo, probablemente porque es fácil de criar en cautiverio. Por lo tanto, el comercio actual de especies silvestres no supone una amenaza significativa para la tarántula diamante del Caribe. Nuestra metodología puede ser una herramienta valiosa para evaluar las amenazas potenciales que el comercio plantea a otras especies de arañas y posiblemente a otros invertebrados. Comprender estas amenazas es crucial para promover prácticas comerciales responsables y sostenibles que minimicen los riesgos para las poblaciones silvestres y garanticen al mismo tiempo beneficios equitativos para las comunidades que coexisten con la vida silvestre.

Quantitative support for the benefits of proactive management for wildlife disease control.

Finding effective pathogen mitigation strategies is one of the biggest challenges humans face today. In the context of wildlife, emerging infectious diseases have repeatedly caused widespread host morbidity and population declines of numerous taxa. In areas yet unaffected by a pathogen, a proactive management approach has the potential to minimize or prevent host mortality. However, typically critical information on disease dynamics in a novel host system is lacking, empirical evidence on efficacy of management interventions is limited, and there is a lack of validated predictive models. As such, quantitative support for identifying effective management interventions is largely absent, and the opportunity for proactive management is often missed. We considered the potential invasion of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), whose expected emergence in North America poses a severe threat to hundreds of salamander species in this global salamander biodiversity hotspot. We developed and parameterized a dynamic multistate occupancy model to forecast host and pathogen occurrence, following expected emergence of the pathogen, and evaluated the response of salamander populations to different management scenarios. Our model forecasted that taking no action is expected to be catastrophic to salamander populations. Proactive action was predicted to maximize host occupancy outcomes relative to wait-and-see reactive management, thus providing quantitative support for proactive management opportunities. The eradication of Bsal was unlikely under all the evaluated management options. Contrary to our expectations, even early pathogen detection had little effect on Bsal or host occupancy outcomes. Our results provide quantitative support that proactive management is the optimal strategy for promoting persistence of disease-threatened salamander populations. Our approach fills a critical gap by defining a framework for evaluating management options prior to pathogen invasion and can thus serve as a template for addressing novel disease threats that jeopardize wildlife and human health.

Apoyo cuantitativo para los beneficios de la gestión proactiva del control de enfermedades silvestres Resumen Uno de los mayores retos en la actualidad es encontrar estrategias eficaces de mitigación de patógenos. En el contexto de la fauna silvestre, las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes han causado en varias ocasiones una morbilidad generalizada de los hospedadores y el declive de las poblaciones de numerosos taxones. En zonas aún no afectadas por un patógeno, un enfoque de gestión proactivo tiene el potencial de minimizar o prevenir la mortalidad de los hospederos. Sin embargo, en general se carece de información crítica sobre la dinámica de la enfermedad en el nuevo sistema huésped, las pruebas empíricas sobre la eficacia de las intervenciones de gestión son limitadas y faltan modelos predictivos validados. Por lo tanto, no existe un apoyo cuantitativo para identificar intervenciones de gestión eficaces y a menudo se pierde la oportunidad de una gestión proactiva. Consideramos la posible invasión del hongo quitridio Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), cuya aparición prevista en América del Norte supone una grave amenaza para cientos de especies de salamandras en este punto caliente de la biodiversidad mundial de salamandras. Desarrollamos y parametrizamos un modelo dinámico de ocupación multiestado para predecir la presencia de hospederos y patógenos, tras la aparición esperada del patógeno, y evaluamos la respuesta de las poblaciones de salamandras a diferentes escenarios de gestión. Nuestro modelo predijo que no tomar ninguna medida sería catastrófico para las poblaciones de salamandras. También predijo que la acción proactiva maximizaría los resultados de ocupación de hospederos en relación con la gestión reactiva de esperar y ver, proporcionando así un apoyo cuantitativo a las oportunidades de gestión proactiva. La erradicación de Bsal fue improbable bajo todas las opciones de gestión evaluadas. Contrariamente a nuestras expectativas, incluso la detección temprana del patógeno tuvo poco efecto sobre los resultados de ocupación de Bsal o del hospedador. Nuestros resultados apoyan cuantitativamente a la gestión proactiva como la estrategia óptima para promover la persistencia de poblaciones de salamandras amenazadas por la enfermedad. Nuestro enfoque llena un vacío crítico al definir un marco para evaluar las opciones de gestión antes de la invasión de patógenos y, por lo tanto, puede servir como plantilla para hacer frente a nuevas amenazas de enfermedades que ponen en peligro la vida silvestre y la salud humana.

Scale of unregulated international trade in Australian reptiles and amphibians.

Reptiles and amphibians are popular in the exotic pet trade, where Australian species are valued for their rarity and uniqueness. Despite a near-complete ban on the export of Australian wildlife, smuggling and subsequent international trade frequently occur in an unregulated and unmonitored manner. In 2022, Australia listed over 100 squamates in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to better monitor this trade. We investigated current trade and assessed the value of this Australian CITES listing using web-scraping methods to monitor the online pet trade in Australian reptiles and amphibians, with additional data from published papers, trade databases, and seizure records. Despite the export ban, we identified 170 endemic herpetofauna (reptile and amphibian) species in international trade, 33 of which were not recorded previously in the international market, including 6 newly recorded genera. Ninety-two traded species were included in CITES appendices (59 added in 2022), but at least 78 other traded species remained unregulated. Among these, 5 of the 10 traded threatened species were unlisted, and we recommend they be considered for inclusion in CITES Appendix III. We also recommend the listing of all Diplodactylidae genera in Appendix III. Despite this family representing the greatest number of Australian species in trade, only one genus (of 7 traded) was included in the recent CITES amendments. Overall, a large number of Australian reptile and amphibian species are traded internationally and, although we acknowledge the value of Australia's recent CITES listing, we recommend the consideration of other taxa for similar inclusion in CITES.

Escala del mercado internacional no regulado de reptiles y anfibios australianos Resumen Los reptiles y anfibios son populares en el comercio de mascotas exóticas, en el que las especies australianas son valoradas por su rareza y singularidad. A pesar de la prohibición casi total de la exportación de fauna silvestre australiana, el contrabando y el comercio internacional posterior se producen con frecuencia de forma no regulada y no supervisada. En 2022, Australia incluyó más de 100 escamosos en el apéndice III de la Convención sobre el Comercio Internacional de Especies Amenazadas de Fauna y Flora Silvestres (CITES) para controlar mejor este comercio. Investigamos el comercio actual y evaluamos el valor de esta inclusión en CITES con métodos de raspado web para monitorear el comercio virtual de reptiles y anfibios australianos como mascotas, con datos adicionales de artículos publicados, bases de datos comerciales y registros de incautaciones. A pesar de la prohibición de las exportaciones, identificamos 170 especies endémicas de herpetofauna (reptiles y anfibios) en el comercio internacional, 33 de las cuales no se habían registrado previamente en el mercado internacional, incluidos 6 géneros registrados recientemente. Noventa y dos especies comercializadas se incluyeron en los apéndices de CITES (59 añadidas en 2022), pero al menos otras 78 especies comercializadas permanecieron sin regular. Entre ellas, cinco de las diez especies amenazadas comercializadas no estaban incluidas y recomendamos que se considere su inclusión en el apéndice III de CITES. También recomendamos la inclusión de todos los géneros de Diplodactylidae en el apéndice III. A pesar de que esta familia representa el mayor número de especies australianas en el comercio, sólo un género (de 7 comercializados) fue incluido en las recientes enmiendas de CITES. En general, un gran número de especies de reptiles y anfibios australianos son objeto de comercio internacional y, aunque reconocemos el valor de la reciente inclusión de Australia en CITES, recomendamos que se consideren otros taxones para su similar inclusión.

Establishing a protected area network in Xinlong with other effective area-based conservation measures.

Protected areas (PAs) are pivotal to biodiversity conservation, yet their efficacy is compromised by insufficient funding and management. So-called other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) present a paradigm shift and address PA limitations. Such measures can expand conservation areas, enhance connectivity, and improve the existing system. To assess the conservation status of biodiversity in Tibetan cultural areas in China, we investigated the spatial distribution of wildlife vulnerable to human disturbance (large- and medium-sized mammals and terrestrial birds) in Xinlong, a traditional Tibetan cultural area. In particular, we compared a PA (Xionglongxi Nature Reserve) and OECMs targeting species conservation. We also investigated the relationship of wildlife with human temporal and spatial activities. The OECMs complemented areas not covered by PA, especially in rich understory biodiversity regions. More species in OECMs tolerated human presence than species in the PA. Existing biodiversity reserves failed to cover areas of high conservation value in Tibet and offered limited protection capacity. Expanding PAs and identifying OECMs improved Xinlong's system by covering most biodiversity hotspots. Building on the tradition of wildlife conservation in Tibet, harnessing OECMs may be an effective means of augmenting biodiversity conservation capacity. We recommend further evaluation of OECMs effectiveness and coverage in Tibetan area as a way to enhance the current PA system.

自然保护地(protected areas, PAs)被认为是生物多样性保护的最重要且最有效的措施之一。然而, 由于资金不足和管理缺失等因素, 自然保护地体系的有效性被大幅度削弱。"其他有效的基于区域的保护措施(other effective area­based conservation measures, OECMs)"引起了基于区域的保护范式转变, 能够有效弥补PAs的不足。OECMs能够有效实现保护面积的扩大, 加强保护地之间的连通性, 完善现有保护地体系。基于此, 为进一步了解中国藏文化地区生物多样性的保护情况, 评估PAs和OECMs在物种保护上的差异。我们以中国新龙县为例, 调查了当地大中型哺乳动物和地栖鸟类这类容易受人为干扰的野生动物的空间分布和与人类互作的时空活动关系。结果表明, 在保护区无法覆盖的区域, OECMs能够提供有效的补充, 如林下区域的生物多样性保护。在OECMs范围内, 更多的物种能够在时空活动上容忍人类的存在, 尤其是猎物物种。在当前生物多样性优先保护区无法涵盖藏区高保护价值区域以及现有保护区保护能力有限的情况下, 藏区野生动物的保护需要采取更多针对性的措施。通过扩大保护区和确定OECMs区域, 能够覆盖新龙绝大部分生物多样性热点地区。鉴于藏区的野生动物保护传统, 借助OECMs的力量是完善和提高藏区生物多样性保护保护能力的有效手段。我们建议未来进一步评估藏区的OECMs的有效性及覆盖情况, 完善自然保护地体系。 基于其他有效的区域保护措施的中国新龙县保护地体系构建.

Patterns of recovery in extant and extirpated seabirds after the world's largest multipredator eradication.

Eradicating invasive predators from islands can result in substantial recovery of seabirds, but the mechanisms that drive population changes remain poorly understood. Meta-analyses have recently revealed that immigration is surprisingly important to the recovery of philopatric seabirds, but it is not known whether dispersal and philopatry interact predictably to determine rates of population growth and changes of distribution. We used whole-island surveys and long-term monitoring plots to study the abundance, distribution, and trends of 4 burrowing seabird species on Macquarie Island, Australia, to examine the legacy impacts of invasive species and ongoing responses to the world's largest eradication of multiple species of vertebrates. Wekas (Gallirallus australis) were eradicated in 1988; cats (Felis catus) in 2001; and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), black rats (Rattus rattus), and mice (Mus mus) in 2011-2014. We compared surveys from 1976-1979 and 2017-2018 and monitoring from the 1990s and 2000s onward. Antarctic prions (Pachyptila desolata) and white-headed petrels (Pterodroma lessonii) increased ∼1% per year. Blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) and gray petrels (Procellaria cinerea) recolonized following extirpation from the main island in the 1900s but remained spatially and numerically rare in 2018. However, they increased rapidly at 14% and 10% per year, respectively, since cat eradication in 2001. Blue and gray petrel recolonization occurred on steep, dry, west-facing slopes close to ridgelines at low elevation (i.e., high-quality petrel habitat). They overlapped <5% with the distribution of Antarctic prion and white-headed petrels which occurred in suboptimal shallow, wet, east-facing slopes at high elevation. We inferred that the speed of population growth of recolonizing species was related to their numerically smaller starting size compared with the established species and was driven by immigration and selection of ideal habitat.

Patrones de recuperación en aves marinas existentes y extirpadas después de la mayor erradicación mundial de multidepredadores Resumen La erradicación de depredadores invasores en las islas puede derivar en la recuperación sustancial de aves marinas, aunque entendemos muy poco los mecanismos que causan los cambios poblacionales. Los metaanálisis recientes han revelado que la inmigración es de gran importancia para la recuperación de aves marinas filopátricas, aunque no sabemos si la dispersión y la filopatría interactúan de forma predecible para poder determinar las tasas de crecimiento poblacional y los cambios en la distribución. Aplicamos censos de isla completa y parcelas de monitoreo a largo plazo para estudiar la abundancia, distribución y tendencias de cuatro especies de aves marinas cavadoras en la Isla Macquarie, Australia, para analizar los impactos heredados de las especies invasoras y la respuesta continua a la mayor erradicación mundial de varias especies de vertebrados. El rascón weka (Gallirallus australis) se erradicó en 1988; los gatos (Felis catus) en 2001; y los conejos (Oryctolagus cuniculus), ratas (Rattus rattus) y ratones (Mus mus) entre 2011 y 2014. Comparamos los censos de 1976­1979 y 2017­2018 y el monitoreo realizado en los 90s y del año 2000 en adelante. El pato petrel antártico (Pachyptila desolata) y el petrel cabeciblanco (Pterodroma lessonii) incrementaron ∼1% por año. El petrel azulado (Halobaena caerulea) y la pardela gris (Procellaria cinerea) recolonizaron la isla después de su extirpación en la década de 1900, pero todavía eran especies raras espacial y numéricamente en 2018. Sin embargo, esta especie incrementó rápidamente en un 14% y 10% por año respectivamente desde que se erradicaron los gatos en 2001. La recolonización ocurrió desde las laderas empinadas, secas y con orientación al oeste en los sistemas montañosos de baja elevación (es decir, hábitats de gran calidad para los petreles). La distribución del petrel azulado y la pardela gris ocurrió en laderas someras subóptimas y húmedas con orientación al este a altas elevaciones. Esta distribución se traslapó menos del 5% con la del pato petrel antártico y la del petrel cabeciblanco. Inferimos que la velocidad del crecimiento poblacional de las especies que recolonizaron estuvo relacionada con el menor tamaño inicial en comparación con las especies establecidas y fue causada por la inmigración y la selección del hábitat ideal.

Understanding variation in impacts from private protected areas across regions and protection mechanisms to inform organizational practices.

Private land protection is an important and growing tool to address biodiversity loss and climate change. Thus, better empirical evidence on the effectiveness of private land protection and organizational practices, such as targeting of lands for protection and choice of protection mechanism (i.e., fee simple land acquisition and conservation easements), is needed. We addressed this gap by estimating the impacts of The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) (a large nongovernmental organization with relatively decentralized management) conservation land acquisitions and easements from 1988 to 2016 in three regions of the United States (Mid-Atlantic, New England and New York, and California). We estimated impact in terms of avoided conversion by comparing natural land cover on 3179 protected parcels with matched unprotected parcels. Nineteen of 21 ecoregional plans used threats of agriculture and development to identify priorities for protection. When regions and protection mechanisms were pooled, on average there was no evidence of avoided conversion from 1988 to 2016. Accounting for mechanisms, TNC land acquisitions avoided conversion and easements did not. TNC's easements on parcels acquired by conservation partners did avoid conversion. Limitations of these results include focus on a single measure of impact, inability to capture future avoided conversion, and low land cover change accuracy in California. Our results suggest that private land protection managers who seek to avoid land conversion in the near to medium term should increase focus on areas with higher threats. Special attention should be paid to strengthening accountability and the role of partners, improving or clarifying how easements are used, and facilitating the flow of resources to work with the greatest potential impact.

Comprensión de la variación en el impacto de las áreas protegidas privadas sobre las regiones y los mecanismos de protección para guiar las prácticas organizativas Resumen La protección de terreno privado es una herramienta importante, aunque su naturaleza voluntaria puede sesgar la protección hacia parcelas menos amenazadas­lo que resulta en que la conversión no se evite o se evite muy poco. Además, muchos programas de protección privada tienen una supervisión limitada y pocos reportes de sus resultados. Por lo tanto, se necesitan mejores evidencias empíricas de la efectividad de la protección en suelo privado y las prácticas organizativas, como el enfoque en tierras para protección y la selección de los mecanismos de protección (adquisición de terrenos a título oneroso y servidumbres de conservación). Abordamos esta brecha con la estimación de impactos de las adquisiciones de suelo de The Nature Conservancy (TNC, una gran organización no gubernamental con un manejo relativamente descentralizado) y las servidumbres implementadas entre 1988 y 2016 en tres regiones de los Estados Unidos: Atlántico Medio, Nueva Inglaterra y Nueva York, y California. Estimamos el impacto en términos de la conversión que se evitó al comparar la cobertura de suelo en 3,179 parcelas protegidas con parcelas desprotegidas equivalentes. Diecinueve de los 21 planes eco­regionales usaron las amenazas a la agricultura y al desarrollo para identificar las prioridades de protección. Cuando agrupamos las regiones y los mecanismos de protección, en promedio no hubo impacto alguno. Si se consideran los mecanismos, las adquisiciones de suelo de la TNC tuvieron un impacto mientras que las servidumbres no. Las servidumbres de la TNC en las parcelas adquiridas por socios de conservación sí tuvieron un impacto, aunque esta manera de proteger sólo se presentó en las regiones del Atlántico Medio y de Nueva Inglaterra y Nueva York. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la protección privada, especialmente mediante servidumbres, puede estar sesgada hacia suelos no amenazados. Los gestores que buscan evitar la conversión del suelo a mediano o corto plazo deberían enfocarse más en las áreas con más amenazas. Se debería prestar especial atención al fortalecimiento del papel y las responsabilidades de los socios, a la mejora o aclaración de cómo se usan las servidumbres y la facilitación del flujo de recursos para trabajar con el mayor impacto potencial.