http://hdl.handle.net/10498/6837 2026-11-04T18:01:07Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40093 Multi-omics characterization of toxin expression and producing organs in the predatory gastropods Monoplex corrugatus and Stramonita haemastoma Ringeval, Allan; Modica, Maria Vittoria; Kantor, Yuri; Jiménez Tenorio, Manuel; García Galindo, Juan Carlos; Puillandre, Nicolas; Farhat, Sarah Este estudio caracteriza los sistemas productores de toxinas de los gasterópodos marinos depredadores Monoplex corrugatus y Stramonita haemastoma mediante un enfoque multi-ómico basado en transcriptómica y proteómica. Se identificaron respectivamente 1.777 y 2.565 posibles toxinas siendo las glándulas salivales el principal órgano de producción de veneno. La anotación manual confirmó la presencia de numerosas proteínas bioactivas y reveló diferencias significativas entre especies y tejidos. Asimismo, el estudio reveló la existencia de proteínas conservadas implicadas en el procesamiento del veneno y de toxinas específicas de cada linaje, reflejo de adaptaciones evolutivas particulares. Los resultados amplían el conocimiento sobre la diversidad y evolución de los sistemas de veneno en gasterópodos marinos y ponen de manifiesto el potencial de los enfoques multi-ómicos para el descubrimiento y caracterización de nuevas toxinas.; Background: The exploration of toxin diversity is crucial for understanding the evolutionary adaptation of venomous taxa. Despite being active venomous predators, neogastropods are largely understudied beyond Conidae. This study targets two predatory gastropods, Monoplex corrugatus and Stramonita haemastoma, aiming to characterize their toxin-producing tissues, evaluate the diversity and function of their toxins, and compare gene expression profiles across tissues. Specimens of both species were dissected to isolate multiple replicates of secretory glands and other tissues. Transcriptomic data were complemented by shotgun proteomics for S. haemastoma and used to identify putative toxin genes using the DeTox pipeline. Differentially expressed genes were identified and putative toxins were manually annotated. Results: The study identified 2,565 and 1,777 putative toxins in S. haemastoma and M. corrugatus, respectively. Salivary glands were the major toxin-producing organ in both species, with additional toxin expression in midesophageal and accessory salivary glands. Manual annotation confidently identified 115 –S. haemastoma– and 143 –M. corrugatus– venom proteins, highlighting significant interspecies and inter-tissue differences. Functional categorization revealed the presence of enzymatic and peptide toxins, as well as venom-processing proteins, with M. corrugatus showing expression in non-secretory tissues. Despite their phylogenetic distance, shared orthologs were identified between the two species, namely for venom-processing proteins like calglandulin and disulfide isomerases, suggesting conserved functions. Toxins unique to each species analyzed, including echotoxins and plancitoxins in M. corrugatus, indicate lineage-specific venom adaptations. Proteomic validation supported transcriptomic predictions in S. haemastoma. Conclusions: These findings underscore the value of multi-omics approaches for toxin discovery and for investigating the complexity of gastropod venom evolution and expand our understanding of how venom systems evolve and diversify in marine snails, highlighting both shared and unique toxin strategies that may reflect different ecological adaptations. 2026-02-04T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/40089 Effectiveness of a nurse-led mHealth intervention in preventing obesity in adolescents: An intervention study Manzano Felipe, María de los Angeles; Cruz Cobo, Celia; Bernal Jiménez, María Ángeles; Santi Cano, Josefa Background: Obesity prevention in adolescents is a public health priority given its increasing prevalence and health impact of obesity. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention in overweight and obesity using a mHealth app in improving nutritional and sports knowledge, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, physical activity and anthropometric measurements in adolescents. Methods: A randomised controlled trial with parallel groups that included 305 adolescents. The app includes the use of effective behavioural strategies to achieve habit change. Primary outcome variables were nutritional and sports knowledge score (GeSNK), adherence to a Mediterranean diet (KidMed) and level of physical activity (PAQ-A). Results: The study included 154 participants in the mHealth group and 151 in the control group. The level of nutritional and sports knowledge was significantly higher in the mHealth group, 47 points versus 42 points. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet improved in both groups, 9 points in the mHealth group versus 8 points in the control group. Physical activity was statistically higher in the intervention group, 160 minutes/week versus 120 minutes/week. Conclusions: The mHealth intervention showed a significant improvement in the level of nutritional and sports knowledge, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and time spent on physical activity. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39971 Specialized compounds across ontogeny in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica Hernán, Gema; Ortega Agüera, María Jesús; Tomas, Fiona Differences in phenolic composition across different ontogenic stages can be crucial in determining the interaction outcomes between plants and their surrounding biotic environment. In seagrasses, specific phenolic compounds have rarely been analyzed and remain unexplored in ontogenic stages other than non-reproductive adults. Furthermore, it is generally accepted that plants would prioritize defense (e.g., through increased phenolic content) on tissues or stages that are critical for plant fitness but how this affects nutritional quality or plant resources has been scarcely explored. We analyzed how phenolic composition, N and C content and carbohydrate resources varied among different life stages (i.e. old and young leaves of reproductive and non-reproductive plants, and leaves of seedlings) in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. We identified five phenolic compounds, whose structures were established as hydroxycinnamate esters of tartaric acid. Also, our results show that in all examined ontogenic stages phenolic compounds have the same qualitative composition but inflorescences exhibit higher contents than vegetative tissues. We did not find a reduction in stored resources in reproductive plants, pointing to some kind of compensatory mechanism in the production or storage of resources. In contrast, seedlings seemed to have less phenolic compounds than reproductive plants, perhaps due to limited resources available to allocate to phenolic production. Our results demonstrate how different ontogenic stages change their investment in specialized phenolic compounds prioritizing different functions according to the needs and limitations of that stage. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39547 Metabolite Screening From Pinus pinea Needles Reveals (+)-Isocupressic Acid as a Key Phytotoxin for Weed Management Hlail, Hajer; García Zorrilla, Jesús; Salvatore, Maria Michela; Abassi, Mejda; Russo, Maria Teresa; Martínez González, Miriam Inmaculada; DellaGreca, Marina; Cimmino, Alessio; Macías Domínguez, Francisco Antonio; Andolfi, Anna; Varela Montoya, Rosa María; Masi, Marco Introduction: Weeds are a major threat to crop productivity, competing for essential resources and often developing resistance to herbicides, which underscores the need for novel, sustainable control strategies. The valorization of agricultural and forestry underutilized byproducts, such as plant needles, presents a promising opportunity for developing eco-friendly bioherbicides based on allelopathy. Objectives: This study investigates the phytotoxicity of Pinus pinea needle extracts and metabolites to evaluate their potential for controlling dicotyledonous weeds. Material and Methods: The chemical characterization of extracts and isolated compounds was performed via GC–MS, NMR, and optical methods while phytotoxicity bioassays were carried out using the herbicides Pacifica Plus (Bayer CropScience) and pendimethalin, the active ingredient in Stone Aqua (Tokyo Chemical Industry), as positive controls. Results: The dichloromethane extract exhibited the highest phytotoxicity, significantly inhibiting Portulaca oleracea and Plantago lanceolata weeds. GC–MS analysis revealed an array of aromatic compounds of interest for phytochemical research, and through bio-guided purification, five lignans and the diterpenic acid (+)-isocupressic acid were isolated. (+)-Isocupressic acid showed the strongest phytotoxicity on P. oleracea, particularly on root growth (−83% ± 4% at 1000 μM), which could be correlated with structural moieties in its structure (fused-ring scaffold with an exocyclic double bond, an exocyclic chain containing a double bond or hydroxyl group, and a carboxylic acid group), a number of H-bond donors ≤ 2, and higher lipophilicity (Clog p = 5.11). Some lignans displayed mild inhibitory or stimulatory effects on P. lanceolata. Conclusion: P. pinea needle extracts and metabolites have demonstrated potential as natural bioherbicides for weed management. Further research is prompted to explore large-scale applicability, environmental safety through ecotoxicological studies, and optimized formulations to enhance their practical use in sustainable agriculture. 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z