Biology subjects

Bertile, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Bertile, F..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Molecular response to multiple trace-element contamination of the European sardine

In marine ecosystems, the presence of trace elements resulting from anthropogenic activities has raised concerns regarding their potential effects on marine organisms. This study delves into the intricate relationship between trace element contamination and the physiological responses of a key marine species in the Mediterranean Sea: the European sardine. Since 2008, this species has been experiencing a significant crisis in the region, prompting numerous studies to investigate the potential factors behind the dramatic decline in sardines size, age, and body condition. However, thorough information on chemical contamination by trace elements and its physiological impact on this species was lacking. We found evidence for the accumulation of multiple elements in sardines, with a light East-West contamination gradient within the Gulf of Lions. While macro-physiological parameters (i.e. body condition) were not affected by contamination, pathways involved in cellular organization and response to stress were clearly upregulated, particularly in the liver, but also in muscle. In addition, a global upregulation in processes linked to the immune system, lipid homeostasis and oxidative stress was recorded in the liver. The associated energetic cost may add a substantial burden to sardines that already face multi-factorial constraints. This study also allows to pinpoint biomarkers of exposure and effects that may be important for monitoring Mediterranean sardines health. The results of this study and particularly the complex changes in protein expression demonstrate the need for future studies to test the concomitant effects of multiple stressors acting simultaneously, including large scale contamination.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Social environment and chronological age shape eusocial insect species: the case of the ant workers.

Position within the social group has consequences on individual lifespans in diverse taxa. This is especially obvious in eusocial insects, where workers differ in both the tasks they perform and their aging rates. However, in eusocial wasps, bees and ants, the performed task usually depends strongly on age. As such, untangling the effects of social role and age on worker physiology is a key step towards understanding the coevolution of sociality and aging. We performed an experimental protocol that allowed a separate analysis of these two factors using four groups of black garden ant (Lasius niger) workers: young foragers, old foragers, young nest workers, and old nest workers. We highlighted age-related differences in the proteome and metabolome of workers that were primarily related to worker subcaste and only secondarily to age. The relative abundance of proteins and metabolites suggests an improved xenobiotic detoxification, and a fuel metabolism based more on lipid use than carbohydrate use in young ants, regardless of their social role. Regardless of age, proteins related to the digestive function were more abundant in nest workers than in foragers. Old foragers were mostly characterized by weak abundances of molecules with an antibiotic activity or involved in chemical communication. Finally, our results suggest that even in tiny species, extended lifespan may require to mitigate cancer risks. This is consistent with results found in eusocial rodents and thus opens up the discussion of shared mechanisms among distant taxa and the influence of sociality on life history traits such as longevity.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Molecular liver fingerprint reflects the seasonal physiology of the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) during winter

Grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) are a primate species exhibiting strong physiological seasonality in response to environmental energetic constraint. They notably store large amounts of lipids during early winter (EW), which are thereafter mobilized during late winter (LW), when food availability is low. In addition, they develop glucose intolerance in LW only. To decipher how the hepatic mechanisms may support such metabolic flexibility, we analyzed the liver proteome of adult captive male mouse lemurs, which seasonal regulations of metabolism and reproduction are comparable to their wild counterparts, during the phases of either constitution or use of fat reserves. We highlight profound changes that reflect fat accretion in EW at the whole-body level, however, without triggering an ectopic storage of fat in the liver. Moreover, molecular regulations would be in line with the lowering of liver glucose utilization in LW, and thus with reduced tolerance to glucose. However, no major regulation was seen in insulin signaling/resistance pathways, which suggests that glucose intolerance does not reach a pathological stage. Finally, fat mobilization in LW appeared possibly linked to reactivation of the reproductive system and enhanced liver detoxification may reflect an anticipation to return to summer levels of food intake. Altogether, these results show that the physiology of mouse lemurs during winter relies on solid molecular foundations in liver processes to adapt fuel partitioning while avoiding reaching a pathological state despite large lipid fluxes. This work emphasizes how the mouse lemur is of primary interest for identifying molecular mechanisms relevant to biomedical field.

molecular biology↗