Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology

From surfacing to stranding: The origins and dispersal dynamics of a neustonic siphonophore

This study uses genomic data and a particle-tracking model to investigate the dispersal and stranding dynamics of Physalia physalis along the US East Coast.

Depletion of a neural cell adhesion molecule disrupts both epithelial and germ layer identity in sea anemone embryos

This study identifies NCAM2 as essential for epithelial and germ layer organization in sea anemone embryos through proteomics and knockdown experiments.

A transcriptomic approach to understand genetic networks of regeneration, cell plasticity, and longevity of the Immortal Jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa)

The paper profiles gene expression changes in Turritopsis dohrnii during life cycle reversal, identifying genetic networks related to regeneration and longevity.

Aiptasia oral regeneration is host-controlled but supported by symbiont-derived photosynthates

This study shows that Aiptasia oral regeneration is faster in symbiotic anemones, suggesting symbiont-derived photosynthates support regeneration.

Comparative analysis of convergent jellyfish eyes reveals extensive differences in expression of vision-related genes

The paper compares gene expression in convergent jellyfish eyes, finding mostly lineage-specific expression but shared conserved vision genes across species.

A subset of conserved phagocytic genes are likely used for the intracellular theft of cnidarian stinging organelles in nudibranch gastropods

The paper identifies genes involved in nematocyst sequestration in nudibranchs and shows some genes are uniquely expressed in sequestering tissues while others show reduced expression.

Non-invasive measurement of metabolic rates of free-swimming jellyfish using volumetric laser scanning

This paper measures free-swimming jellyfish metabolic rates using non-invasive volumetric laser scanning and finds they consume 2.5 times more energy than constrained animals.

Assembly of a functional neuronal circuit in embryos of an ancestral metazoan is influenced by environmental signals including the microbiome

The paper studies neural circuit self-assembly in Hydra embryos, showing environmental factors influence neural development and suggesting universal nervous system architecture.

Molecular characterisation of neurons across animals identifies conserved gene expression.

The paper identifies 39 gene families consistently expressed in neurons across eight animal species and finds one unique family linked to nervous systems.

Genome assembly of Bougainvillia cf. muscus (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa)

The paper presents a high-quality genome assembly of Bougainvillia cf. muscus, revealing synteny with other cnidarians and insights into vision-related gene evolution.

Aboral cell types of Clytia and coral larvae have shared features and link taurine to the regulation of settlement

Microinjection, gene knockdown, and CRISPR-mediated gene knock-in in the hard coral, Astrangia poculata

This study develops gene manipulation tools in the coral Astrangia poculata, enabling functional studies of development and regeneration.

An experimentally tractable framework for quantitative and integrative analysis of aggregation in the origin of animals

The paper uses transcriptomic and mathematical modeling to study aggregation in Capsaspora owczarzaki, revealing dynamic gene expression and a nonlinear adhesion response that explains aggregate formation and disassembly.

Jellyfish blooms Through the Microbial Lens: Temporal Changes, Cross-Species and Jellyfish-Water Comparisons

This study examines microbial dynamics in Rhopilema nomadica blooms, identifying tissue-specific taxa and cross-species patterns, while highlighting localized bacterial transmission.

Conserved and lineage-restricted gene regulatory programs modulate developmental cnidocyte specification in Nematostella vectensis.

The paper identifies conserved and lineage-specific gene regulatory programs involved in cnidocyte specification in Nematostella vectensis, revealing how novel transcription factors contribute to cnidocyte diversification.

A light-modulated clock mechanism in a hydrozoan jellyfish that synchronises evening gamete release.

The paper describes a light-modulated circadian mechanism in a jellyfish species that synchronises evening gamete release through opsin-controlled hormone signalling.

Single-cell analyses reveal scyphozoan conserved and specific genes contribution during tissue regeneration in two jellyfish

This study uses single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze tissue regeneration in two jellyfish species, identifying conserved and lineage-specific genes involved in regeneration processes.

Placozoan secretory cell types implicated in feeding, innate immunity and regulation of behavior

The paper identifies secretory cell types in placozoans involved in feeding, immunity, and behavior regulation using single-cell transcriptomics and imaging techniques.

Functional and phylogenetic analysis of placozoan GPCRs reveal the prebilaterian origin of monoaminergic signalling.

The paper identifies monoamine receptors in placozoans and shows they respond to monoamines, suggesting monoaminergic signalling originated before bilaterians.

Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling regulates inducible aging and regeneration loss in hydra

This study identifies the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway as regulating inducible aging and regeneration loss in Hydra oligactis following sexual reproduction.

The cellular and behavioral blueprints of chordate rheotaxis.

This study identifies the neuronal mechanisms underlying rheotaxis in the pre-vertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis using behavioral analysis and computational modeling.

A comparative analysis of toxin gene families across diverse sea anemone species

The paper sequenced transcriptomes of six sea anemone species to identify toxin gene complements and analyze their evolutionary distribution across 26 species.

The proteotranscriptomic characterization of venom in the white seafan Eunicella singularis elucidates the evolution of Octocorallia arsenal

This study characterizes the venom of Eunicella singularis using proteo-transcriptomic methods, revealing novel toxin folds and evolutionary insights into Octocorallia venoms.

Nutrition induced changes in the microbiota can cause dysbiosis and disease development

The paper shows that diet-induced changes in the microbiota can cause dysbiosis and disease in Hydra, supporting the overfeeding hypothesis.

Anemonefish use sialic acid metabolism as Trojan horse to avoid giant sea anemone stinging

This paper investigates how anemonefish avoid triggering sea anemone nematocysts by reducing sialic acid levels in their mucus, suggesting a Trojan horse mechanism for symbiosis.

Structural molecular and developmental evidence for cell-type diversity in cnidarian mechanosensory neurons

The paper identifies two distinct mechanosensory neuron types in Nematostella vectensis, showing structural, molecular, and developmental diversity in cnidarian mechanoreceptors.

Reproductive success of inbred strain MV31 of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in a self-sustaining inland laboratory culture system

This study establishes a self-sustaining lab culture system for Mnemiopsis leidyi, achieving reproductive success comparable to wild-caught individuals using a co-cultured diet of rotifers and copepods.

Notes on the diet and size of Cassiopea

The paper examines diet and size variation in Cassiopea medusae across multiple locations, finding crustaceans as primary prey and limited relationship between size and prey diversity.

A positive feedback loop between germ cells and gonads induces and maintains cnidarian sexual reproduction

This study identifies a positive feedback loop between germ cells and gonads in cnidarians that induces and maintains sexual reproduction through Gls signaling and Tfap2 activation.

Electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in the closest relative of animals

The paper studies electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, revealing ciliary arrest and colony-wide contraction linked to calcium transients.