Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística

Mirar l'improbable

2026-04-13T06:21:10Z

Mirar l'improbable Bueno i Torrens, David, 1965- Pot semblar que els esports d’equip i la física quàntica no tenen res en comú, però com succeeix amb les partícules subatòmiques, la connexió invisible entre els jugadors és la que crea una força extraordinària capaç de transformar el resultat més improbable en una victòria compartida. Per això aquest mes us apropo dos llibres que, malgrat que pugui semblar tot el contrari, tenen més punts en comú del que sembla: la potència formadora dels esports d’equip i la creadora de realitats de la física quàntica.

Navigating spatio-temporal microbiome dynamics: Environmental factors and trace elements shape the symbiont community of an invasive marine species

2026-04-13T07:18:09Z

Navigating spatio-temporal microbiome dynamics: Environmental factors and trace elements shape the symbiont community of an invasive marine species Galià Camps, Carles; Junkin, Liam; Borrallo, Xavier; Carreras Huergo, Carlos; Pascual Damieta, Marta; Turon Barrera, Xavier The proliferation of marine invasive species is a mounting concern. While the role of microbial communities in invasive ascidian species is recognized, the role of seasonal shifts in microbiome composition remains largely unexplored. We sampled five individuals of the invasive ascidian Styela plicata quarterly from January 2020 to October 2021 in two harbours, examining gills, tunics, and surrounding water. By analysing Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and seawater trace elements, we found that compartment (seawater, tunic, or gills) was the primary differentiating factor, followed by harbour. Clear seasonal patterns were evident in seawater bacteria, less so in gills, and absent in tunics. We identified compartment-specific bacteria, as well as seasonal indicator ASVs and ASVs correlated with trace element concentrations. Among these bacteria, we found that Endozoicomonas, Hepatoplasma and Rhodobacteraceae species had reported functions which might be necessary for overcoming seasonality and trace element shifts. This study contributes to understanding microbiome dynamics in invasive holobiont systems, and the patterns found indicate a potential role in adaptation and invasiveness.

Modulation of the gut microbiome-adipose tissue axis by maqui supplementation improved insulin resistance and lipid metabolism in mice under a high-fat diet.

2026-04-13T06:58:52Z

Modulation of the gut microbiome-adipose tissue axis by maqui supplementation improved insulin resistance and lipid metabolism in mice under a high-fat diet. Tume, Rafael; Cruz, Meryl; Sandoval, Viviana; Iglesias-Vejar, Lorena; Sanz Lamora, Héctor; Pérez-Martí, A.; Torres-Oteros, Daniel; Cubedo-Cullere, Marta; Carmona Pontaque, Francesc; Martínez Huélamo, Miriam; Marrero González, Pedro F.; Haro, D.; Canudas Puig, Sílvia; Andrés Lacueva, Ma. Cristina; Relat, Joana; Meroño, Tomás To assess the impact of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) supplementation on the gut microbiome-adipose tissue axis, and to associate it with gene expression changes in white adipose tissue (WAT) in mice fed a high-fat diet. Our hypothesis is that the gut microbiome-adipose tissue axis will be involved in Maqui's effect on WAT browning. Twenty-nine 4-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were randomly assigned to a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 15) or HFD + Maqui (n = 14) for 16 weeks. Plasma samples were analyzed using an UPLC-QTRAP exposome-based metabolomics method. Gut microbiome was studied by fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Gene expression in WAT was assessed by real-time PCR. Data were analyzed by multivariate methods and integrated through multiomics analyses. Maqui supplementation induced an increase in Lactobacillus, Lactococcus and Bifidobacterum and a reduction in Desulfovibrium, and Acetatifactor. Out of 19 metabolites altered by maqui supplementation, 9 were derived from gut bacterial fermentation of anthocyanins. Increases in L. gasseri and L. johnsonii in the gut were associated to increased production of phenyllactic acid, 4-O-methylgallic acid, and 3-(3′-hydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone. Integrative analysis revealed a concerted role of Lactobacillus spp. and its ability to ferment maqui polyphenols, along with increased expression of Chrebpb, Pgc1a and Ucp1 in WAT. Enrichment of Lactobacillus gasseri and johnsonii and exposure to 2-hydroxybenzoic acid derived from polyphenols fermentation are evidences of the involvment of the gut-microbiome-adipose tissue axis in WAT browning induced by maqui.

Ser vist o ser entès: el dilema evolutiu dels colors iridiscents

2026-04-10T10:38:14Z

Ser vist o ser entès: el dilema evolutiu dels colors iridiscents Bueno i Torrens, David, 1965- A la natura el color no és mai una qüestió estètica, sinó una adaptació biològica. Des de les ales irisades d’una papallona fins al verd discret d’una fulla, passant pels colors vius d’una flor o els tons marronosos d’un escurçó, les tonalitats compleixen funcions essencials vinculades a la supervivència individual i de l’espècie. A través del color, els organismes poden comunicar, advertir, seduir o camuflar-se, especialment en contextos relacionats amb la reproducció o la depredació. Tanmateix, si observem el món viu amb atenció, apareix una paradoxa curiosa. Malgrat l’enorme diversitat cromàtica present en moltes espècies, els colors iridescents, que són aquells que canvien de to segons l’angle de la llum i de la mirada, són relativament rars. No obstant això, han evolucionat en grups molt diferents d’organismes, des d’insectes fins a aus, pops, peixos tropicals, flors i, fins i tot, alguns fruits. Per què la natura recorre a aquests efectes visuals tan cridaners i brillants en algunes espècies, mentre sembla evitar-los en moltes altres? Un treball publicat a Science Advances pel sociobiòleg Casper J. van der Kooi i els seus col·laboradors de la Universitat de Würzburg, a Alemanya, ofereix una resposta elegant basada en un compromís visual entre la visibilitat que proporcionen i la fiabilitat del senyal que transmeten.