Biology subjects

Cary, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Cary, C..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Gestational inhalation of nanoparticles disrupts placental zone structure and induces vascular placentation in rats

Airborne contaminants represent a significant environmental health concern for vulnerable populations, including pregnant individuals. In particular, maternal inhalation of particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy has been linked to adverse outcomes such as fetal growth restriction (FGR). Increasing evidence identifies placental dysfunction as a mechanism for this condition. Placental efficiency, defined as the ratio of fetal mass to placental mass, is frequently altered in FGR. Many aspects contribute to placental efficiency including surface area available for nutrient and waste exchange and placental vascularization. In this study, we hypothesized that maternal inhalation of ultrafine PM during pregnancy would reduce the size and/or number of placental structures that are necessary for nutrient transport. Engineered titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2) were used as a proxy for ultrafine PM and pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were exposed via whole-body inhalation to nano-TiO2 aerosols (9.23 {+/-} 0.39 mg/m3) from gestational day (GD) 5 to 19. On GD 20, placentas were collected and processed for histological evaluation. While gestational inhalation of nano-TiO2 did not affect placental weight or efficiency, it reduced decidua and labyrinth zone size. Exposed placentas exhibited compensatory adaptations characterized by increased blood space number and maternal blood space expansion. Together, these findings indicate that inhalation of nanoparticles disrupts placental structure while simultaneously eliciting adaptive vascular responses that may preserve nutrient exchange capacity. By characterizing the effects of PM exposure on placental morphology and structure, this study highlights the placenta as a vulnerable target of inhaled pollutants and provides mechanistic insight into pathways contributing to PM-induced FGR.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2025

Antarctic Soil Auxiliarome: unraveling the pan-auxiliary metabolic genes catalogue in a transect across different ice-free regions of Antarctica

The Transantarctic Mountains host a significant portion of Antarcticas ice-free soils and support diverse microbial communities, but the role of viruses in these extreme ecosystems remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted the first comprehensive analysis of both RNA and DNA soil viruses across ten locations along a regional-scale latitudinal transect. This study revealed high viral diversity, including the first description of 18 previously unreported viral families in Antarctic soils, alongside significant local viral endemicity. Elevation emerged as the primary driver of viral diversity, while distance to the coast explained the distribution of auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), and distance to the sea influenced the metabolic pathways associated with these AMGs. The concept of the "auxiliarome," a pan-AMG catalogue at the community level, underscores the critical role of AMGs in engineering host metabolism. These genes contribute to the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, and sulfur, as well as ecologically significant traits such as bacterial restriction-modification systems or antibiotic production and resistance. This study expands our understanding of Antarctic soil viruses and highlights their ecological importance in shaping microbial communities and biogeochemical processes in extreme environments.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

No evidence for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in the Antarctic region during the austral summer 2022/23

The current highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 panzootic has substantial impacts on wild birds and marine mammals. Although major outbreaks occurred in South America, incursion to Antarctica emerged late in the breeding season of 2023/2024 and was confined the wider region of the Antarctic Peninsula. To infer potential underlying processes, we compiled H5N1 surveillance from Antarctica and Sub-Antarctic Islands prior to the first confirmed cases.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Myco- and photobiont associations in crustose lichens in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica) reveal high differentiation along an elevational gradient

The climate conditions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (78{degrees} S) are characterized by low temperatures and low precipitation. The annual temperatures at the valley bottoms have a mean range from -30 {degrees}C to -15 {degrees}C and decrease with elevation. Precipitation occurs mostly in form of snow (3-50 mm a-1 water equivalent) and, liquid water is rare across much of the landscape for most of the year and represents the primary limitation to biological activity. Snow delivered off the polar plateau by drainage winds, dew and humidity provided by clouds and fog are important water sources for rock inhibiting crustose lichens. In addition, the combination of the extremely low humidity and drying caused by foehn winds, confined to lower areas of the valleys, with colder and moister air at higher altitudes creates a strongly improving water availability gradient with elevation.\n\nWe investigated the diversity and interaction specificity of myco-/photobiont associations of a total of 232 crustose lichen specimens, collected along an elevational gradient (171-959 m a.s.l.) within the McMurdo Dry Valleys with regard to the spatial distribution caused by climatological and geographical factors. For the identification of the mycobiont and photobiont species three markers each were amplified (nrITS, mtSSU, RPB1 and nrITS, psbJ-L, COX2, respectivley). Elevation, associated with a water availability gradient, turned out to be the key factor explaining most of the distribution patterns of the mycobionts. Pairwise comparisons showed Lecidea cancriformis and Rhizoplaca macleanii to be significantly more common at higher, and Carbonea vorticosa and Lecidea polypycnidophora at lower, elevations. Lichen photobionts were dominated by the globally distributed Trebouxia OTU, Tr_A02 which occurred at all habitats. Network specialization resulting from mycobiont-photobiont bipartite network structure varied with elevation and associated abiotic factors.\n\nAlong an elevational gradient, the spatial distribution, diversity and genetic variability of the lichen symbionts appear to be mainly influenced by improved water relations at higher altitudes.

ecology↗