title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=1077 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Distribution, evolution and expression of GATA-TFs provide new insights into their functions in light response and fruiting body development of Tolypocladium guangdongense link: https://peerj.com/articles/9784 last-modified: 2020-08-28 description: BackgroundFungal GATA-type transcription factors (GATA-TFs) are a class of transcriptional regulators involved in various biological processes. However, their functions are rarely analyzed systematically, especially in edible or medicinal fungi, such as Tolypocladium guangdongense, which has various medicinal and food safety properties with a broad range of potential applications in healthcare products and the pharmaceutical industry.MethodsGATA-TFs in T. guangdongense (TgGATAs) were identified using InterProScan. The type, distribution, and gene structure of TgGATAs were analyzed by genome-wide analyses. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze their evolutionary relationships using the neighbor-joining (NJ) method. To explore the functions of GATA-TFs, conserved domains were analyzed using MEME, and cis-elements were predicted using the PlantCARE database. In addition, the expression patterns of TgGATAs under different light conditions and developmental stages were studied using qPCR.ResultsSeven TgGATAs were identified. They were randomly distributed on four chromosomes and contained one to four exons. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that GATA-TFs in each subgroup are highly conserved, especially for GATA1 to GATA5. Intron distribution analyses suggested that GATA1 and GATA3 possessed the most conserved gene structures. Light treatments induced the expression levels of TgGATA1 and TgGATA5-7, but the expression levels varied depending on the duration of illumination. The predicted protein structures indicate that TgGATA1 and TgGATA2 possess typical light-responsive domains and may function as photoreceptors to regulate downstream biological processes. TgGATA3 and TgGATA5 may be involved in nitrogen metabolism and siderophore biosynthesis, respectively. TgGATA6 and TgGATA7 possess unique Zn finger loop sequences, suggesting that they may have special functions. Furthermore, gene expression analysis indicated that TgGATA1 (WC1) was notably involved in mycelial color transformation, while other genes were involved in fruiting body development to some extent. These results provide valuable information to further explore the mechanisms through which TgGATAs are regulated during fruiting body development. creator: Chenghua Zhang creator: Gangzheng Wang creator: Wangqiu Deng creator: Taihui Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9784 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2020 Zhang et al. title: Physiological, biochemical and genetic responses of Caucasian tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) genotypes under cold and frost stress link: https://peerj.com/articles/9787 last-modified: 2020-08-28 description: BackgroundCold and frost are two serious factors limiting the yield of many crops worldwide, including the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze). The acclimatization of tea plant from tropical to temperate climate regions resulted in unique germplasm in the North–Western Caucasus with extremely frost-tolerant genotypes.MethodsThe aim of the current research was to evaluate the physiological, biochemical and genetic responses of tolerant and sensitive tea cultivars exposed to cold (0 to +2 °C for 7 days) and frost (−6 to −8 °C for 5 days). Relative water content, cell membranes integrity, pH of the cell sap, water soluble protein, cations, sugars, amino acids were measured under cold and frost. Comparative expression of the following genes ICE1, CBF1, WRKY2, DHN1, DHN2, DHN3, NAC17, NAC26, NAC30, SnRK1.1, SnRK1.2, SnRK1.3, bHLH7, bHLH43, P5CS, LOX1, LOX6, LOX7 were analyzed.ResultsWe found elevated protein (by 3–4 times) and cations (potassium, calcium and magnesium) contents in the leaves of both cultivars under cold and frost treatments. Meanwhile, Leu, Met, Val, Thr, Ser were increased under cold and frost, however tolerant cv. Gruzinskii7 showed earlier accumulation of these amino acids. Out of 18 studied genes, 11 were expressed at greater level in the frost- tolerant cultivar comparing with frost-sensitive one: ICE1, CBF1, WRKY2, DHN2, NAC17, NAC26, SnRK1.1, SnRK1.3, bHLH43, P5CS and LOX6. Positive correlations between certain amino acids namely, Met, Thr, Leu and Ser and studied genes were found. Taken together, the revealed cold responses in Caucasian tea cultivars help better understanding of tea tolerance to low temperature stress and role of revealed metabolites need to be further evaluated in different tea genotypes. creator: Lidiia S. Samarina creator: Lyudmila S. Malyukova creator: Alexander M. Efremov creator: Taisiya A. Simonyan creator: Alexandra O. Matskiv creator: Natalia G. Koninskaya creator: Ruslan S. Rakhmangulov creator: Maya V. Gvasaliya creator: Valentina I. Malyarovskaya creator: Alexey V. Ryndin creator: Yuriy L. Orlov creator: Wei Tong creator: Magda-Viola Hanke uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9787 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2020 Samarina et al. title: The effect of an image of watchful eyes on the evaluation of the appearance of food link: https://peerj.com/articles/9804 last-modified: 2020-08-28 description: It is known that an eye-like image promotes generosity. It is also known that the evaluation of the visual deliciousness of food is improved in the presence of an emotionally positive stimulus. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the presence of open eyes (OPEN) causes generous behavior altering the evaluation of the visual deliciousness of food, and how the images of open and closed eyes (CLOSED) affect human emotions. Seventeen women participated in the present study. A picture of food was presented on a computer screen, and the participants predicted and evaluated its visual deliciousness. An image of OPEN or that of CLOSED was presented simultaneously with a picture of food. There was a significant difference between the OPEN and CLOSED conditions, as demonstrated by the scores on a nine-point Likert scale for visual deliciousness; the ratings in the OPEN condition were significantly higher than those in the CLOSED condition (p = 0.004). There was no significant difference in the image of watchful eyes for the perceived relaxation state; the ratings in the OPEN condition were not significantly higher than those in the CLOSED condition (p = 0.716). The results of the present study revealed that the evaluation of the visual deliciousness of food based on its appearance was likely due to the presence of an image of open watchful eyes, increasing the perceived visual deliciousness of the food without any changes in the participants’ emotions. creator: Kenichi Shibuya creator: Mana Miyamoto creator: Risa Santa creator: Chihiro Homma creator: Sumire Hosono creator: Naoto Sato uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9804 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2020 Shibuya et al. title: Using bioinformatics and metabolomics to identify altered granulosa cells in patients with diminished ovarian reserve link: https://peerj.com/articles/9812 last-modified: 2020-08-28 description: BackgroundDuring fertility treatment, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is a challenge that can seriously affect a patient’s reproductive potential. However, the pathogenesis of DOR is still unclear and its treatment options are limited. This study aimed to explore DOR’s molecular mechanisms.MethodsWe used R software to analyze the mRNA microarray dataset E-MTAB-391 downloaded from ArrayExpress, screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and perform functional enrichment analyses. We also constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) and miRNA-mRNA networks. Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) from women with DOR and the control group were collected to perform untargeted metabolomics analyses. Additionally, small molecule drugs were identified using the Connectivity Map database.ResultsWe ultimately identified 138 DEGs. Our gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that DEGs were mainly enriched in cytokine and steroid biosynthetic processes. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the DEGs were mainly enriched in the AGE (advanced glycation end-product)-RAGE (receptor for AGE) signaling pathway in diabetic complications and steroid biosynthesis. In the PPI network, we determined that JUN, EGR1, HMGCR, ATF3, and SQLE were hub genes that may be involved in steroid biosynthesis and inflammation. miRNAs also played a role in DOR development by regulating target genes. We validated the differences in steroid metabolism across GCs using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We selected 31 small molecules with potentially positive or negative influences on DOR development.ConclusionWe found that steroidogenesis and inflammation played critical roles in DOR development, and our results provide promising insights for predicting and treating DOR. creator: Ruifen He creator: Zhongying Zhao creator: Yongxiu Yang creator: Xiaolei Liang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9812 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2020 He et al. title: A new genus Vittaliana belonging to the tribe Opsiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from India and its molecular phylogeny link: https://peerj.com/articles/9515 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: The new leafhopper genus Vittalianareticulata gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from India, and placed in the tribe Opsiini based on ocelli close to eyes, without carina on anterior margin of the face and bifurcate aedeagus with two gonopores. Phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood (ML) using IQtree v1.4.1 of combined data (Histone H3 and 28S rDNA) reveals that the new genus Vittaliana belongs to a clade consisting of Opsius versicolor (Distant, 1908), Opsiini gen. sp., Libengaia sp., Hishimonus phycitis (Distant, 1908) and Yinfomibus menglaensisDu, Liang & Dai (2019) with good branch support, and that the tribe Opsiini is paraphyletic. This resolves the placement of a new genus in the tribe Opsiini under Deltocephalinae. creator: Sunil creator: Naresh M. Meshram creator: Tahseen Raza Hashmi creator: Pathour R. Shashank uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9515 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2020 Sunil et al. title: Effects of supplementation levels of Allium fistulosum L. extract on in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane emission link: https://peerj.com/articles/9651 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: BackgroundRuminants release the majority of agricultural methane, an important greenhouse gas. Different feeds and additives are used to reduce emissions, but each has its drawbacks. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of Allium fistulosum L. (A. fistulosum) extract on in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics, and on methane emission.MethodsRumen fluid was taken from two cannulated rumen Hanwoo cow (with mean initial body weight 450 ± 30 kg, standard deviation = 30). Rumen fluid and McDougall’s buffer (1:2; 15 mL) were dispensed anaerobically into 50 mL serum bottles containing 300 mg (DM basis) of timothy substrate and A. fistulosum extracts (based on timothy substrate; 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, or 9%). This experiment followed a completely randomized design performed in triplicate, using 126 individual serum bottles (six treatments × seven incubation times × three replicates).ResultsDry matter degradability was not significantly affected (p-value > 0.05) by any A. fistulosum treatment other than 1% extract at 24 h incubation. Methane emission linearly decreased A. fistulosum extract concentration increased at 12 and 24 h incubation (p-value < 0.0001; p-value = 0.0003, respectively). Acetate concentration linearly decreased (p-value = 0.003) as A. fistulosum extract concentration increased at 12 h incubation. Methanogenic archaea abundance tendency decreased (p-value = 0.055) in the 1%, 7%, and 9% A. fistulosum extract groups compared to that in the 0% group, and quadratically decreased (p-value < 0.0001) as A. fistulosum extract concentration increased at 24 h incubation.ConclusionA. fistulosum extract had no apparent effect on ruminal fermentation characteristics or dry matter degradability. However, it reduced methane emission and methanogenic archaea abundance. creator: Jun Sik Eom creator: Shin Ja Lee creator: Yejun Lee creator: Hyun Sang Kim creator: You Young Choi creator: Hyeong Suk Kim creator: Do Hyung Kim creator: Sung Sill Lee uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9651 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2020 Eom et al. title: The oldest record of the Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus (Schreber, 1776) from the early Pleistocene of the North Pacific link: https://peerj.com/articles/9709 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: The extant genera of fur seals and sea lions of the family Otariidae (Carnivora: Pinnipedia) are thought to have emerged in the Pliocene or the early Pleistocene in the North Pacific. Among them, the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) is the largest and distributed both in the western and eastern North Pacific. In contrast to the limited distribution of the current population around the Japanese Islands that is now only along the coast of Hokkaido, their fossil records have been known from the middle and late Pleistocene of Honshu Island. One such important fossil specimen has been recorded from the upper lower Pleistocene Omma Formation (ca. 1.36–0.83 Ma) in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, which now bears the institutional number GKZ-N 00001. Because GKZ-N 00001 is the earliest fossil having been identified as a species of the sea lion genus Eumetopias, it is of importance to elucidate the evolutionary history of that genus. The morphometric comparisons were made among 51 mandibles of fur seals and sea lions with GKZ-N 00001. As results of bivariate analyses and PCA based on 39 measurements for external morphologies with internal structures by CT scan data, there is almost no difference between GKZ-N 00001 and extant male individuals of E. jubatus. In this regard, GKZ-N 00001 is identified specifically as the Steller sea lion E. jubatus. Consequently, it is recognized as the oldest Steller sea lion in the North Pacific. About 0.8 Ma, the distribution of the Steller sea lion had been already established at least in the Japan Sea side of the western North Pacific. creator: Nahoko Tsuzuku creator: Naoki Kohno uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9709 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2020 Tsuzuku and Kohno title: The influence of bait on remote underwater video observations in shallow-water coastal environments associated with the North-Eastern Atlantic link: https://peerj.com/articles/9744 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: The use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) for examining and monitoring marine biodiversity in temperate marine environments is rapidly growing, however many aspects of their effectiveness relies on assumptions based on studies from the Southern Hemisphere. The addition of bait to underwater camera systems acts as a stimulus for attracting individuals towards the camera field of view, however knowledge of the effectiveness of different bait types in northern temperate climbs is limited, particularly in dynamic coastal environments. Studies in the Southern Hemisphere indicate that oily baits are most effective whilst bait volume and weight do not impact BRUV effectiveness to any great degree. The present study assesses the influence of four bait types (mackerel, squid, crab and no bait (control)) on the relative abundance, taxonomic diversity and faunal assemblage composition at two independent locations within the North-Eastern Atlantic region; Swansea Bay, UK and Ria Formosa Lagoon, Portugal. Two different bait quantities (50 g and 350 g) were further trialled in Swansea Bay. Overall, patterns showed that baited deployments recorded statistically higher values of relative abundance and taxonomic diversity when compared to un-baited deployments in Swansea Bay but not in Ria Formosa Lagoon. No statistical evidence singled out one bait type as best performing for attracting higher abundances and taxonomic diversity in both locations. Faunal assemblage composition was however found to differ with bait type in Swansea Bay, with mackerel and squid attracting higher abundances of scavenging species compared to the crab and control treatments. With the exception of squid, bait quantity had minimal influence on bait attractiveness. It is recommended for consistency that a minimum of 50 g of cheap, oily fish such as mackerel is used as bait for BRUV deployments in shallow dynamic coastal environments in the North-Eastern Atlantic Region. creator: Robyn E. Jones creator: Ross A. Griffin creator: Stephanie R. Januchowski-Hartley creator: Richard K.F. Unsworth uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9744 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2020 Jones et al. title: High moon brightness and low ambient temperatures affect sloth predation by harpy eagles link: https://peerj.com/articles/9756 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: BackgroundClimate plays a key role in the life histories of tropical vertebrates. However, tropical forests are only weakly seasonal compared with temperate and boreal regions. For species with limited ability to control core body temperature, even mild climatic variation can determine major behavioural outcomes, such as foraging and predator avoidance. In tropical forests, sloths are the arboreal vertebrate attaining the greatest biomass density, but their capacity to regulate body temperature is limited, relying on behavioural adaptations to thermoregulate. Sloths are largely or strictly nocturnal, and depend on crypsis to avoid predation. The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a sloth-specialist and exerts strong top-down control over its prey species. Yet the role of environmental variables on the regulation of predator–prey interactions between sloths and harpy eagles are unknown. The harpy eagle is considered Near Threatened. This motivated a comprehensive effort to reintroduce this species into parts of Mesoamerica. This effort incidentally enabled us to understand the prey profile of harpy eagles over multiple seasons.MethodsOur study was conducted between 2003 and 2009 at Soberanía National Park, Panamá. Telemetered harpy eagles were seen hunting and feeding on individual prey species. For each predation event, field assistants systematically recorded the species killed. We analysed the effects of climatic conditions and vegetation phenology on the prey species profile of harpy eagles using generalised linear mixed models.ResultsHere we show that sloth predation by harpy eagles was negatively affected by nocturnal ambient light (i.e. bright moonshine) and positively affected by seasonally cool temperatures. We suggest that the first ensured low detectability conditions for sloths foraging at night and the second posed a thermally unsuitable climate that forced sloths to forage under riskier daylight. We showed that even moderate seasonal variation in temperature can influence the relationship between a keystone tropical forest predator and a dominant prey item. Therefore, predator–prey ecology in the tropics can be modulated by subtle changes in environmental conditions. The seasonal effects shown here suggest important demographic consequences for sloths, which are under top-down regulation from harpy eagle predation, perhaps limiting their geographic distribution at higher latitudes. creator: Everton B.P. de Miranda creator: Caio F. Kenup creator: Edwin Campbell-Thompson creator: Felix H. Vargas creator: Angel Muela creator: Richard Watson creator: Carlos A. Peres creator: Colleen T. Downs uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9756 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2020 Miranda et al. title: Plastid transit peptides—where do they come from and where do they all belong? Multi-genome and pan-genomic assessment of chloroplast transit peptide evolution link: https://peerj.com/articles/9772 last-modified: 2020-08-27 description: Subcellular relocalization of proteins determines an organism’s metabolic repertoire and thereby its survival in unique evolutionary niches. In plants, the plastid and its various morphotypes import a large and varied number of nuclear-encoded proteins to orchestrate vital biochemical reactions in a spatiotemporal context. Recent comparative genomics analysis and high-throughput shotgun proteomics data indicate that there are a large number of plastid-targeted proteins that are either semi-conserved or non-conserved across different lineages. This implies that homologs are differentially targeted across different species, which is feasible only if proteins have gained or lost plastid targeting peptides during evolution. In this study, a broad, multi-genome analysis of 15 phylogenetically diverse genera and in-depth analyses of pangenomes from Arabidopsis and Brachypodium were performed to address the question of how proteins acquire or lose plastid targeting peptides. The analysis revealed that random insertions or deletions were the dominant mechanism by which novel transit peptides are gained by proteins. While gene duplication was not a strict requirement for the acquisition of novel subcellular targeting, 40% of novel plastid-targeted genes were found to be most closely related to a sequence within the same genome, and of these, 30.5% resulted from alternative transcription or translation initiation sites. Interestingly, analysis of the distribution of amino acids in the transit peptides of known and predicted chloroplast-targeted proteins revealed monocot and eudicot-specific preferences in residue distribution. creator: Ryan W. Christian creator: Seanna L. Hewitt creator: Grant Nelson creator: Eric H. Roalson creator: Amit Dhingra uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9772 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: © 2020 Christian et al.