Biology subjects

Eck, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Eck, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

A Family VIII Esterase with Dual Activities: Bioplastic Depolymerization and Beta-Lactam Antibiotics Hydrolysis

Microorganisms in the plastisphere are associated with plastic degradation, as well as with an unusually high occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), suggesting plastic debris as a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. In this study, we investigated microbial communities associated with the degradation of aliphatic long-chain polyester (LCAP) bioplastics in forest soil. Sequencing analysis revealed a family VIII esterase with structural similarity to type C {beta}-lactamases. Structural modeling and substrate docking analysis indicated catalytically favorable binding of both LCAP and {beta}-lactam antibiotics. Heterologous expression and in-vitro activity testing confirmed its dual functionality as plastic depolymerase and {beta}-lactam hydrolase. Sequence-based predictions identify the enzyme as a membrane-associated lipoprotein, with suggested further secretion via outer-membrane vesicles (OMVs), offering potential ecological benefits in competitive plastisphere environments. These findings highlight an enzyme with a rare substrate spectrum, bridging plastic and antibiotics degradation and suggesting an intriguing biochemical connection that warrants further investigation of microbial evolution in the plastisphere and its potential implications for the spread of antibiotic resistance.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Long term anthropic management and associated loss of plant diversity deeply impact virome richness and composition of Poaceae communities

Modern agriculture has influenced plant virus emergence through ecosystem simplification, introduction of new host species, and reduction in crop genetic diversity. Therefore, it is crucial to better understand virus distributions across cultivated and uncultivated communities in agro-ecological interfaces, as well as virus exchange among them. Here we advance fundamental understanding in this area by characterizing the virome of three co-occurring replicated Poaceae community types that represent a gradient of grass species richness and management intensity, from highly managed crop monocultures to little-managed, species-rich grasslands. We performed a large-scale study on 950 wild and cultivated Poaceae over two years combining untargeted virome analysis down to virus species level with targeted detection of three plant viruses. Deep sequencing revealed i) a diversified and largely unknown Poaceae virome (at least 51 virus species/taxa), with an abundance of so-called persistent viruses; ii) an increase of virome richness with grass species richness within the community; iii) a stable virome richness over time but a large viral intraspecific variability; and iv) contrasted patterns of virus prevalence, co-infections and geographical distribution among plant communities and species. Our findings highlight the complex structure of plant virus communities in nature and suggest the influence of anthropic management on viral distribution and prevalence.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2019

Circular inference in bistable perception

When facing fully ambiguous images, the brain cannot commit to a single percept and instead switches between mutually exclusive interpretations every few seconds, a phenomenon known as bistable perception. Despite years of research, there is still no consensus on whether bistability, and perception in general, is driven primarily by bottom-up or top-down mechanisms. Here, we adopted a Bayesian approach in an effort to reconcile these two theories. Fifty-five healthy participants were exposed to an adaptation of the Necker cube paradigm, in which we manipulated sensory evidence (by shadowing the cube) and prior knowledge (e.g., by varying instructions about what participants should expect to see). We found that manipulations of both sensory evidence and priors significantly affected the way participants perceived the Necker cube. However, we observed an interaction between the effect of the cue and the effect of the instructions, a finding incompatible with Bayes-optimal integration. In contrast, the data were well predicted by a circular inference model. In this model, ambiguous sensory evidence is systematically biased in the direction of current expectations, ultimately resulting in a bistable percept.

neuroscience↗