SEB_Spring 2019_Magazine_Flippable_AW1

STRESS TESTS SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY SPRING 2019

The SEB Magazine is published biannually — NEWS & VIEWS Spring and Autumn (hard copy and online) — by the Society for Experimental Biology 1 and is distributed to all SEB members. DON’T STRESS MEOWT!....................... 04 Advertising PRESIDENT’S LETTER........................ 05 Advertising in the SEB magazine is a great opportunity SEB NEWS....................................... 06 to reach a large community of biologists. MEMBER NEWS.................................. 08 For more details contact [email protected] Design and artwork: Studio Aelia Ltd [email protected] Printing and distribution: Sterling Solutions Sterling House Kettering Venture Park Kettering Northamptonshire NN15 6XU Tel: 0870 084 2100 sterlingsolutions.co.uk Contribute with an article! Interested in writing an article for the SEB magazine? Get in touch: [email protected] Deadline for copy: Issue: Autumn 2019 Deadline: 1 July 2019 SEB Executive Team: SEB Main Office Charles Darwin House 12 Roger Street London WC1N 2JU Tel: +44 (0)20 7685 2600 [email protected] Chief Executive Officer Pamela Mortimer ([email protected]) Events Manager Eniola Alalade ([email protected]) Head of Marketing, Communications and Member Engagement Sabina Baba ([email protected]) Office Administrator Julius Kelly ([email protected]) Communications Assistant Conor Geoghegan ([email protected]) SEB Honorary Officers: President Christine Raines ([email protected]) Vice President Craig Franklin ([email protected]) Treasurer Martin Watson ([email protected]) Publications Officer Martin Parry ([email protected]) Plant Section Chair Katherine Denby ([email protected]) Cell Section Chair John Love ([email protected]) Animal Section Chair Lynne Sneddon ([email protected]) Interim SEB+ Section Chair Sue Broom ([email protected]) SEB Journal Editors: Journal of Experimental Botany Christine Raines ([email protected]) The Plant Journal Lee Sweetlove ([email protected]) Plant Biotechnology Journal Henry Daniell ([email protected]) Conservation Physiology Steven Cooke ([email protected]) Plant Direct Ivan Baxter ([email protected]) In association with ASPB Disclaimer The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board or the Society for Experimental Biology. The Society for Experimental Biology is a registered charity No. 273795

FEATURES SPOTLIGHT SEB+ 234 VARIETY: THE ESSENTIAL JOURNALS...................................... 28 SQUIDTOONS – SPICE OF LIFE................................ 12 SPOTLIGHT ON DORINA PODAR.............. 30 MARINE SCIENCE COMICS.....................36 SPOTLIGHT ON LEENA THORAT.............. 32 SEEKING THE ROOT CAUSES ..................16 BREAKING BARRIERS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND ART .............................38 STRESS TESTS................................. 20 COMMUNICATING YOUR SCIENCE ............39 MODERN MITOCHONDRIA.......................24 SHARING YOUR RESEARCH WITH KIDS AND TEENS - FRONTIERS FOR YOUNG MINDS .............................41 PRELIGHTS: A COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR PREPRINT HIGHLIGHTS .................42 TRAVEL GRANTS TO GO!.......................44 NEWS & VIEWS 03

04 NEWS & VIEWS

NEWS & VIEWSDON’T STRESS MEOWT!....................... 04 PRESIDENT’S LETTER........................ 05 SEB NEWS....................................... 06 MEMBER NEWS.................................. 08 1 NEWS & VIEWS 05

DON’T STRESS MEOWT! BY SABINA BABA As you may have guessed FEATURES MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS from the cover of this issue, it’s all about stress - that As per our theme the feature articles tackle This issue’s Spotlight section features Dorina little word that has such a various aspects of stress. Podar who investigates the effects of heavy big impact on our lives. Stress plays a major role in the life and metal pollution in soils on plants, and Leena death of animals however not all individuals Thorat, a stress biologist. Read all about their W ith the many demands of every- react in the same way to stress. Our feature research and career journeys (pages 30-32). day life I am sure many of us feel “Variety: the Essential spice of life” (page 12) You can also read the latest news from our it all gets a bit too much at times! looks at these variations within species. members in the Member News section. We also explore the recent advances in For example, previous SEB surveys developing non-invasive methods of stress FINALLY... monitoring for both laboratory and field-based showed workload, work-life balance and a lack research on page 20. The winners of the SEB’s Company of Biologists In the plant kingdom, with the frequency travel grant scheme talk about their research of time as issues affecting our members. But of stressful events, such as droughts and and travel experiences either at conferences or floods, increasing with climate change, research trips. In this issue we feature Edward with stress potentially affecting our mental knowing how plants can adapt to these Snelling (University of Pretoria, South Africa), could help efforts to conserve biodiversity Austin Garner (University Of Akron, USA), and physical wellbeing, what steps can we and improve food security around the world. Stefan Kusch (RWTH Aachen University, The “Seeking the Root Causes” feature (page Germany) and Jessy Silva (University of Porto, take to reduce it for ourselves? 16) therefore looks at how roots can be shaped Portugal) (page 44). by the environment and how they help plants April was Stress Awareness Month1 and adapt to increasing pressures brought on by We hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine climate change. and hope to see you at our 2019 Annual Meeting each year it aims to raise awareness of the causes Our final feature looks at the integral role in Seville! of mitochondria in environmental adaptation and cures for stress. To take part in raising and disease. 1. http://www.stress.org.uk/national-stress-awareness- month-2019/ awareness here are a few things that the Stress SCIENCE COMMUNICATION Management Society1 suggest we do: Have you ever thought about communicating – “Talk about stress and its effects openly your science to the public and freely with friends, family and through comics? Garfield colleagues. Kwan does exactly that! Garfield and his team run – S hare your coping mechanisms – the marine science comics if something has worked for you why platform Squidtoons, which not share it? features beautiful comics and infographics on everything from – T reat others going through stress and the anatomy of a Coccolithophore anxiety with compassion and empathy to the effect of stress on squid development (see page 36). – L ook after yourself –take time out of your day to relax or do something that you enjoy. Don’t forget to exercise and eat well, even when you feel too stressed.”1 A number of resources are also available on the Stress Management Society’s website1. The SEB would also like to take part by asking our members to share their stories about sources of stress at work and coping mechanisms with the SEB community. Send us your stories and tips at info@sebiology. org and we will compile these into a series of articles that we can publish in our magazine and website so that they benefit other members as well. On the biology front though - here is a glimpse of the exciting reads you can find in this issue of the magazine. 06 NEWS & VIEWS

PRESIDENT’S LETTER CHRISTINE RAINES, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX, HONORARY PRESIDENT We have had another T his year we have said goodbye topic of cell growth and the Cell Biology lecture busy year in the SEB office to one of the SEB team –Oliver on the rice blast fungus will be presented by and for our Council, and Kingham, our events manager. Professor Nick Talbot (Sainsbury Laboratory, a number of changes to Oliver is now working for the Law UK). Our three President’s Medallists, Sonya report. Auer (Animal), Daniel Gibbs (Plant), and Iain Society, which offers him new challenges and Johnston (Cell), will be receiving their awards and presenting the work that earned them further career development. Many thanks to this accolade – don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our rising stars! In addition, there Oliver for the hard work and support that he will be opportunities for our early career researchers to give short talks and to enter has given to the Council and our members the Young Scientist Award Session (YSAS) as well as many opportunities for networking – we wish him well in his new endeavours. at the poster sessions and the diversity and conference dinners! Don’t forget you can also Eniola Alalade joined the Society in February, register for our Plant and Animal Satellite meetings in Seville on 30th June: ‘Algal Model replacing Oliver and carrying on the good work System on the Rise’ and ‘Is Global Warming Causing Animals to Shrink?’ of organising our Annual Meeting, symposia, Thank you for reading this letter; I hope 2019 is going well and I look forward to seeing and other events. you in Seville! We have also said farewell to Eamon Ray, I AM PLEASED THAT WE WILL BE HAVING THESE FORWARD who served as an independent trustee for LOOKING DISCUSSIONS 3 years; the work of the independent trustees TO SCOPE OUT HOW WE AS A SOCIETY CAN PLAY is very valuable and we thank Eamon for all A ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR his advice and support. I am very pleased DISCIPLINE. to welcome Heider Ridha, who has replaced Left Eamon. We look forward to working with him Christine Raines Photo credit: and gaining from his valuable experience in Gary Manhine the world of business. You can read more about Eniola and Heider in our SEB News section of this magazine. We have two new posts in the SEB office: Operations and Office Manager and an Outreach, Education and Diversity Manager. They will be providing much needed support to enable the delivery of our goals. Further changes for the SEB are also ahead as we will be moving from Charles Darwin House during 2019; we will keep you posted on our new location. As you know from my last letter, we had planned to have a Council strategy day in November to discuss our plans for the period 2018 – 2023. However, we have delayed this until April this year, given all the changes in staffing and other business that has taken priority. For me, these are my last few months as President and I am pleased that we will be having these forward-looking discussions to scope out how we as a Society can play a role in supporting the advancement of our discipline. Registration for our Annual Meeting is now open, so do sign up and join us in Seville for summer sunshine and excellent science! There is once again an excellent line-up of sessions and speakers, including our world-renowned scientists who will give our plenaries: the Bidder Lecture will be given by Professor Terrie Williams (University of California, Santa Cruz) who will talk about the survival of big fierce animals. Liam Dolan (University of Oxford, UK) will give the Woolhouse Lecture on the NEWS & VIEWS 07

SEB NEWS GOODBYE TO... HELLO TO... OLIVER (OLLIE) KINGHAM, ENIOLA ALALADE EVENTS MANAGER Oliver joined the SEB in July 2015 as Events We are very pleased to welcome Eniola Alalade Manager from a fast paced and interesting role onto the team as Events Manager. Eniola at the Association of Anaesthetists. He started joined the SEB at the beginning of February at the busiest time for the society, taking up from Imperial Business School. Eniola brings the reins of the 2016 Annual Meeting held in a wealth of experience to the SEB, having Brighton. During his time with the Society, worked in event and programme management Oliver successfully managed three Annual for over 16 years, and will undoubtedly be a Meetings and various symposia and, on a valuable team member. Most of you will have personal front, becoming a father for the been in touch with her by email already and first time in 2018. After over 3 years with you will have the opportunity to meet her this the Society, he moves on to new challenges summer at our Seville 2019 Annual Meeting. as Events Manager at The Law Society. We We wish her a warm welcome to the SEB team! enjoyed having him as part of the SEB team and his positive attitude, humour and enthusiasm will be sorely missed! SEB thanks him for all his valuable contributions over the years and wishes him the best of luck in his new role. AND... EAMON RAY, INDEPENDENT MEMBER, TRUSTEE The Society thanks Eamon, who currently works for the University Superannuation Scheme, for his valuable contribution to the Society as an Independent Member on the SEB Council for the past 4 years and as Chair of the SEB Audit Committee. BY JULIUS KELLY Above right & SABINA BABA Eniola Alalade Opposite page left 08 NEWS & VIEWS Heider Ridha Opposite page right Seville FIBES 2 congress centre

AND... HEIDER RIDHA The SEB is delighted to welcome Heider Ridha, SEB TEAM VISITS SEVILLE NEW SEB ANIMAL who joined the SEB Council this spring as an SECTION CONVENORS independent member, replacing Eamon Ray. The team recently visited the beautiful city of Heider is an Operating Partner at TDR Seville to check on the preparations for this The Animal Section Committee will also Capital, a private equity firm with over €8 year’s Annual Meeting. During the visit we see a few changes as we will be welcoming billion across sectors. TDR has a track record toured several hotels, the conference facility, new convenors for the Biomechanics and of driving superior returns by high impact and various potential venues for satellite Comparative Endocrinology Interest Groups. strategic and operational improvements. meetings and the conference dinner. Seville is a The successful candidates for these positions Before TDR, Heider worked for almost hub of beautiful, world-renowned architecture, will also be announced in due course. 10 years at Bain & Company and at the culture, and mouth-watering cuisine. The end World Bank. of the trip took in two of Seville’s cultural high ARE YOU STILL RECEIVING He advised corporate CEOs, investment points, a live Flamenco performance and a visit OUR EMAILS? executives and government leaders on their to the Royal Alcázar of Seville. We are very key strategic issues. His areas of focus excited to hold the Annual Meeting in such a With the new General Data Protection included private equity, energy, consumer stunning location. We hope to see you there! Regulations coming into effect in May 2018 goods, and industrialisation. you might remember that last year we asked Heider is passionate about social impact SEB 2019 TRUSTEE members to let us know their communication and believes each person can help to make ELECTIONS preferences. For those of you that have this world an even better place. responded to our call, your membership records He has extensive experience advising This year the SEB will welcome four new have been updated and you are now receiving organisations in the impact investment, trustees to Council, having advertised the all the communications you opted for. innovation, development, social positions in January. You may have seen our If, however, you noticed that you stopped entrepreneurship, and education spaces. recent calls for nomination for the following receiving our newsletters, events news, or He sits on the board of the innovation trustee positions: Vice-President, Treasurer, the magazine, it might mean that you have foundation NESTA (National Endowment Early Career Scientist Trustee, and Chair of the not yet let us know if you want us to stay in for Science, Technology and the Arts), the SEB+ Section. Elections have now closed and touch by email or what communications you British Venture Capital Association’s Impact the SEB would like to thank all members who would like to receive from us. But no need to Advisory Board, The Henry Smith Charity, submitted nominations. Successful candidates worry—you can easily do so by logging into the Social Mobility Foundation and 1 Million will be announced soon on the SEB’s website your SEB account. When you log in you will Mentors. During his time at Bain he led Bain and in our upcoming newsletters, so keep an receive a pop-up message letting you know that Cares, Bain’s social impact chapter in London, eye out for this! you are still due to complete your preferences, where he co-founded the Business Incubator. which you can do on the same screen. Heiderhasworkedinmorethan30countries Or it might mean that you forgot to sign up across five continents, speaks eight languages, for some of the communications we send and holds a Master’s in Chemical Engineering. to members; you can see and manage your The SEB team wishes him a very warm subscriptions by logging into your SEB account welcome and we are very excited to work with and clicking on the “Update Subscriptions” him in taking the Society forwards. link. NEWS & VIEWS 09

MEMBER NEWS I n each issue of the member image analysis software. This combination magazine, we like to highlight allows the capture of millions of images of a some of the fantastic achievements growing embryo and automated measurement and research from our members. of traits within this image time series. Oliver’s recent paper, ‘A high-throughput and Here are some of the people we would like to open-source platform for embryo phenomics’ congratulate this time around. published in PLoS Biology, showed how using EmbryoPhenomics enabled his research team OLIVER TILLS to assess responses to global change (elevated (PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY, temperature and salinity). They generated data for more than 600 embryos produced UK) from video comprising more than 30 million images. The technology was used to capture A new technological advance functional, temporal, and spatial change in developed by Oliver Tills and his morphological, physiological, and behavioural responses in the earliest, most dynamic life colleagues at Plymouth University stages and addresses a serious bottleneck in allows researchers to quantify experimental biology. the dynamic process of Read the paper: https://journals.plos.org/ biological development in plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal . hundreds of aquatic embryos. pbio.3000074 The technology, which was recently featured in the news section of Nature Read the article in Nature Medicine: Medicine, is called EmbryoPhenomics and https://www.nature.com/articles/d41591-019- combines two technologies: OpenVIM, 00006-9 custom imaging hardware, with EmbryoCV, a custom Python-based You can read the full paper online here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-018- 0212-z EDITED BY The EmbryoCV software uses image analysis to locate embryos (top CONOR GEOGHEGAN right) and track their size, shape, behaviour, and physiology from high- resolution video (top left). Pixel intensity fluctuations (bottom left) are 10 NEWS & VIEWS used to quantify physiological traits, including computer-proxy traits. EmbryoCV enables autonomous high-throughput data extraction from the time series of many terabytes of input video. Photo credit: Dr Oliver Tills

TESSA VAN WALSUM at behavioral aspects in recreational fisheries. SHARON ROBINSON (ROEHAMPTON UNIVERSITY, His recent paper ‘Spearfishing modulates (UNIVERSITY OF flight initiation distance of fishes: the effects WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA) UK) of protection, individual size, and bearing a speargun’,4 publishedintheICESJournalofMarine Recent research from Sharon Robinson and The SEB would like to congratulate Tessa Science, received a high level of media attention her team has been featured by a number of van Walsum on the publication of her first and was the journal’s highest ranking altmetric news agencies, including The Conversation paper! A PhD student at the University of score for 2018. Valerio and his team investigated and BBC News. The study published in Nature Roehampton, Tessa’s research, ‘Exploring the changes in the behavior of fish and wildlife Climate Change researched the changes in the relationship between flapping behaviour when faced with the threat of human predators vegetation in East Antarctica, which has yet to and accelerometer signal during ascending via spear fishing and were able to show increase be affected by significant warming. Professor flight, and a new approach to calibration’, was in flight initiation distance of coastal fish when Robinson’s team found that the vegetation in published in IBIS and looked at calibrating an observer was equipped with a spear gun. the Windmill Islands is rapidly changing due accelerometers with flight energy expenditure. Valerio was also able to show that these effects to a drying climate. The research conducted Tessa collected accelerometry data for were more evident outside marine protected over more than a decade is the first study to Harris’s hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) flying areas where spearfishing was allowed and was show that plants in Eastern Antarctica are to varying heights up to 4.1 m over a small commensurate to the historically spear fishing being affected by a changing climate. The horizontal distance. She then measured the pressure of each investigated taxon. Ultimately drying trend is evident across the region, mechanical energy expended to gain height by this research was able to show the ability of fish as demonstrated by changes in isotopic estimating from physical first principles. She to develop fine-tuned antipredator responses signatures measured along moss shoots, found positive evidence that accelerometry and to recognize the risks posed by spearfishers moss community composition and declining can be calibrated with body power using as human predators. health, as well as long-term observations of climbing flights, potentially providing a lake salinity and weather. Professor Robinson basis for estimating flapping flight metabolic 1. http://jeb.biologists.org/content/220/24/4624.abstract and her team hope that providing evidence of rate at least in situations of altitude gain. 2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal. the changes to vegetation in this area, as well You can read Tessa’s paper here: https:// as the tools to detect it, will allow researchers o n l i n e l i b ra r y.w i l e y.c o m /d o i /a b s /10 .1111/ pone.0141893 and environmental managers to better monitor ibi.12710 3. h ttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-015-2726-5 coastal climate change. 4. https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-abstract/75/5/1 Read the paper - https://www.nature. VALERIO SBRAGAGLIA com/articles/s41558-018-0280-0 (NATIONAL INSTITUTE 779/5032467?redirectedFrom=fulltext Read the BBC article - https://www.bbc.co.uk/ FOR ENVIRONMENTAL news/science-environment-45629395 AMANDA REYNOLDS KIRBY   Springer are giving Open access through PROTECTION AND (UNIVERSITY OF NORTH research gate at the moment: https://www. RESEARCH, ITALY) researchgate.net/publication/327846444_ TEXAS, USA) Rapid_change_in_East_Antarctic_ The SEB would like to congratulate Valerio Sbragaglia on receiving the Francesca Gherardi Congratulations to SEB student member te r r e s t r i a l _vege t at ion _ i n _ Memorial Prize for 2018, where he presented Amanda Reynolds Kirby, who has had her response_to_regional_drying his talk, ‘What time is it? Circadian clocks in first paper as a lead author published. Amanda, crustaceans’. The €5000 award is given by the who is a fourth-year PhD student in Dane Won an award or had your research Department of Biology, University of Florence, Crossley’s laboratory, had her paper, ‘Acute in the news? We want to hear about Italy, to a young researcher who demonstrates crude oil exposure alters mitochondrial function it! Contact us on [email protected]. outstanding ability in the fields of crustacean and ADP affinity in cardiac muscle fibers of young behaviour and/or invasion biology. Valerio adult Mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus),’ NEWS & VIEWS 11 was recognised for his contribution to the published in the special issue ‘Impacts of the understanding of biology and ecology of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill’ of the Journal of circadian rhythms in crustaceans. The three Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology main papers that contributed to Valerio winning Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology. In this the prize investigated the effect of dominance research, Amanda was able to show that hierarchies on burrow emergence rhythms of acute crude oil exposure selectively the lobster Nephrops norvegicus,1 assembled for impairs mitochondrial complexes of the first time the eyestalk transcriptome of N. the electron transport system and ATP norvegicus and investigated daily oscillation supply to the cell. This impairment of genes related to the circadian rhythms,2 and could present several challenges to a investigated the concurrent effect of light– predatory animal like the mahi, including darkness and tidal currents on the burrow a reliance on anaerobic metabolism emergence rhythms of N. norvegicus.3 and ultimately cell or tissue death More recently, Valerio’s research looked as metabolic substrates are rapidly depleted. You can read Amanda’s paper online here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/30658134

FEATURES VARIETY: THE ESSENTIAL SPICE OF LIFE................................ 12 SEEKING THE ROOT CAUSES ..................16 STRESS TESTS................................. 20 MODERN MITOCHONDRIA.......................24 12 FEATURES

2 FEATURES 13

VARIETY: THE ESSENTIAL SPICE OF LIFE BY ALEX EVANS Whether from environmental, social, or internal sources, stress plays a major role in the life and death of wild animals. However, not all individuals react in the same way to stress and there is often a great deal of variation within species that goes overlooked. During the “Intraspecific variation in responses to stress” session at the 2018 SEB Annual Meeting, researchers from around the world cast the spotlight on these important intra-individual differences. Opposite page Sandra Binning diving in the Great Barrier Reef Photo credit: Dominique Roche 14 FEATURES

STRESS TO IMPRESS ON THE CLOCK A CERTAIN DEGREE From cancer to the common cold, illness plays OF VARIABILITY IN a natural role in all animal life, but the way in An organism’s biological (or circadian) clock which organisms respond to their illnesses INDIVIDUALS OF can vary on a much more personal level. plays a vital role in keeping them ticking, at DIFFERENT PERSONALITY For some fish, social pressures also play a surprising role in how these responses manifest least in a figurative sense. These clocks take the TYPES AND CLOCK themselves, as marine ecophysiologist Sandra RHYTHMICITY WILL Binning (University of Montreal, Canada) form of complex interactions between many HAVE ADVANTAGES FOR has discovered. THE SURVIVAL OF THE Building on fellow postdoc Patricia biological systems that generally form 24-hour POPULATION AS A WHOLE Lopes’s work investigating the social aspects of sickness behaviours in zebra finches, Sandra repeats, allowing their hosts to physiologically on the molecular level by measuring gene wanted to examine how these social pressures expression with qPCR [quantitative polymerase affect responses in individuals representing anticipate regular changes in the environment chain reaction]. Secondly, on the endocrine a wide range of personality types, from level by investigating hormone production extremely bold to incredibly shy. Owing to resulting from the changes between night using ELISA [enzyme-linked immunosorbent the importance of social signalling in some assays]. Finally, on the behavioural level by wild fish communities, Sandra was primarily and day. Whilst these clocks sound like they studying locomotion activity by means of interested in how typical social behaviours an automated observation software.” After would be affected by illness. “Sickness- should be running regularly for all animals, analysing the results of all three tests, associated behaviours such as lethargy and Christian found that the amplitude and rhythm isolation may be good for an individual in the there can be a surprising amount of variation of the circadian clock correlated strongly absence of competitors, predators, or mates, but with the coping style of the zebrafish. “We can be problematic for territorial challenges between individuals that can have interesting discovered a strong rhythmicity in proactive and predation risk,” explains Sandra. “We fish and a total absence of rhythmicity in really wanted to learn to what extent these effects on the ways that they cope with stress. reactive fish,” Christian says. “These results animals can choose when and where to ‘feel are exciting because they not only show sick’ according to the potential stakes.” Christian Tudorache, an animal physiologist another fundamental aspect of variability “We wanted to answer two important linked to individual personality types,1, 2 but questions with this research,” says from Leiden University in the Netherlands, they also suggest that the circadian clock may Sandra. “Firstly, does sickness affect all play a part in the divergent survival strategies individuals in the same way? And how does presented his work exploring the intricate observed in nature.” an individual’s ‘normal’ behaviour affect Christian goes on to explain how these their expression of sickness behaviours in inner workings of biological clocks in zebrafish differences can have significant benefits to different social contexts?” To address these survival in a variety of stressful scenarios. “We questions, Sandra and her team visited and how differences in their rhythmicity can know that proactive individuals thrive under the Lizard Island Research Station on the constant conditions whilst reactive animals Great Barrier Reef in Australia to study the have interesting consequences on their stress generally prosper under conditions that are Ambon damselfish, a small coral reef fish. more unpredictable,” he says. “A certain response behaviours. “Like biological clocks, degree of variability in individuals of different personality types and clock rhythmicity animal coping styles are also determined will have advantages for the survival of the population as a whole.” Building on the by the interaction of various biological work presented during the session, Christian also hopes to deeper explore the underlying functions and incorporate the anticipation molecular mechanisms at play, as well as the more observable behavioural traits tied of environmental changes,” says Christian. to biological clocks. “It would be interesting to see if we can manipulate personality by “Based on these similarities and the results changing the rhythmicity of the clock, or, vice versa, alter the rhythmicity of an individual of an RNA-sequencing experiment that found by adjusting its personality.” strong differences in the expression of clock genes between ‘proactive’ and ‘reactive’ coping styles or personality types, we decided to look into the interactions between clock function and other levels of biological function.” Based on these explorative RNA- sequencing results, Christian had a number of hypotheses for the underlying relationship between clock and coping style, including differences in gene expression that were linked to shifts in the phase or amplitude of the biological clock. “We tested these hypotheses on three levels of biological function,” explains Christian. “Firstly, FEATURES 15

FROM HEAD TO TAIL “The hypothesis is that proactive fish will have an advantage in a stable and “Ambon damsels are a great species for The ‘personalities’ of animals are predictable environment since they are behaviour studies because they adjust often reflected in the ways that they aggressive and form behavioural routines,” well to captivity and display a large range handle new and potentially stressful he explains. “On the other hand, reactive fish of behavioural variation, both within situations. Whilst the behaviours associated will do better in variable and unpredictable and among individuals.” They divided with these personalities can be quite distinct, environments where there is an advantage the fish into two equal-sized groups. By the neurological processes at work are much to be plastic in behaviour.” It is not just wild injecting one group with a substance called less obvious. Svante Winberg, a researcher fish populations that have been investigated; lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the team were of behavioural neuroendocrinology at the human interactions with fish can also able to trigger an immune response in the University of Uppsala, Sweden, is working to strongly influence their personality types. fish that stimulated their physiological shed some light on how signals from the brain “Domestication, as occurs in aquaculture, response to illness without the use of real interact with social and environmental factors tends to result in a shift towards a more bacterial or viral infections. The other group to manifest into a variety of personality types. proactive phenotype as the bolder wild fish were treated with a saline control, and the “I have always been interested in are more likely to be caught,” says Svante. behaviours exhibited by both groups before intraspecific variance within behaviour “However, in aquaculture aggressive behaviour and after injection were compared in social and what makes individuals different,” says can be a serious problem and these studies on and non-social contexts. “We measured each Svante. “In my early work on fish dominance stress coping and personality traits are of fish’s exploration of a novel object, which hierarchies as a PhD student, I found that great importance to aquaculture and animal we considered to be our asocial context, and monoaminergic systems in the brain (e.g. welfare research.” their level of aggression towards a perceived serotonin and dopamine) were very important Whilst Svante’s earlier work focused intruder, which was our social context.” in determining social rank and behaviours.” on identifying links between brain After comparing the treated and control Previous research into behavioural stress monoaminergic systems and personality fish, Sandra and her team revealed that, responses has shown that individual mammals traits in rainbow trout,3 his more recent contrary to Patricia’s work with the zebra and fish generally tend towards two polar efforts have focused on a staple laboratory finches, the Ambon damsels treated with personality types: proactive, where behaviours study species, the zebrafish.4 “They are small, LPS were much less exploratory and less are often aggressive, and reactive, which easy to reproduce with a short generation aggressive than the control group. “We are often more timid in stressful situations. time, and have a well-annotated genome,” also found that bolder and more aggressive These personality types are associated with explains Svante. “We have been able to create fish showed a dramatic change in behaviour neurological signals, which is the area of lines of zebrafish with different personalities following the LPS injection, whilst there was research that most interests Svante. “Proactive through selective breeding and we are hoping no noticeable difference in the behaviour of individuals are characterised by responding to identify any genes of importance using the more shy and docile fish,” says Sandra. to stress with low cortisol but high plasma whole genome sequencing (GWAS) and any These results are important in furthering catecholamines, whereas the reactive ones effects of environmental factors.” As well as our understanding of how intra-individual show the opposite pattern.” Interestingly, advancing our understanding of addiction and responses to disease or parasitism may vary Svante points out that the learning styles of affective disorders in humans, these zebrafish in wild fish populations. each personality type differ too. “Proactive have the potential to serve as useful models in As echoed by many other speakers animals are fast learners and do not respond examining these disorders further. during this session, Sandra is keen to stress to environmental cues, hence their name, the significance of natural variation that whereas reactive animals show much more is often left unexplored. “Historically, plastic behaviours.” experimental biologists have tended to ignore natural variation among individuals I HAVE ALWAYS and focus on mean-level responses,” she BEEN INTERESTED IN explains. “Whilst this approach is valid, it’s INTRASPECIFIC VARIANCE also important to recognise the important WITHIN BEHAVIOUR AND insights we can gain from understanding WHAT MAKES INDIVIDUALS how and why individuals respond differently to the same treatments.” DIFFERENT. 16 FEATURES

THERE IS SUCH DIVERSITY IN THE BEHAVIOUR OF FISHES, AND MANY SPECIES LIVE INCREDIBLY SOCIAL LIFESTYLES! ACE IN THE SHOAL is indeed a great candidate for investigating social group.” Whilst these results primarily the effects of stressful changes on social demonstrate the importance of social factors In wild animals, leadership qualities are often dynamics. “Individuals of this species live when looking into the specific relationships expressed through individual responses to their entire lives in groups and subordinates between physiology and behaviour, they also difficult situations. More specifically, these help raise the offspring of dominants—just emphasise the more general importance of qualities can influence the roles of dominance like in lions, meerkats, and many bird species,” taking species sociality into consideration and subordination within highly social animal says Brett. “However, they tend to receive when designing experiments. Taking this groups. As a researcher with interests in both far less attention than either their avian or work forwards, Brett hopes that it may help to animal physiology and behaviour, Brett mammalian counterparts.” shed some light on how social pressures have Culbert (University of Guelph, Canada) Brett’s first experiments in this area shaped the evolution of intraspecific variation finds that these social hierarchies offer an explored the role of physiological stress in in stress responses. “N. pulcher has many close interesting intersection of research between the ascension of subordinate male cichlids relatives that live in almost identical habitats; the two fields. “Within a social hierarchy, to dominance within their social groups.5 however, some are highly social whilst others individuals have quite different behavioural “We accomplished this in the laboratory by are not,” explains Brett. “Understanding how and physiological profiles depending on removing dominant males from their social these different species respond physiologically their position in the hierarchy,” explains group— allowing subordinate males to to social challenges may help us learn more Brett. He adds that whilst social hierarchies ascend to the dominant position,” he explains. about the evolution of these contrasting social exist throughout the natural world, he feels “We found that ascenders quickly became lifestyles.” that fish offer an interesting perspective behaviourally dominant but continued to on the topic: “There is such diversity in the display higher levels of the stress hormone 1. T udorache C, Schaaf M, Slabbekoorn H. 2013. Covariation behaviour of fishes, and many species live cortisol compared to the dominants that they between behaviour and physiology indicators of coping incredibly social lifestyles!” Brett’s study succeeded.” One potential reason for these style in zebrafish (Danio rerio). J Endocrinol, 219, 251–258. species for this line of work, a cooperatively lingering levels of cortisol is that it can take breeding cichlid (Neolamprologus pulcher), time for the hierarchy to become stabilised and 2. T udorache C, Slabbekoorn H, Robbers Y, et al. 2018. staying on high alert may be beneficial until Biological clock function is linked to proactive and reactive the new roles have become established. personality types. BMC Biol, 16, 148. Through a second series of experiments, Brett aimed to investigate how different social 3. Øverli Ø, Winberg S, Pottinger TG. 2005. Behavioral situations influenced the recovery of the cichlids and neuroendocrine correlates of selection for stress responsiveness in rainbow trout—a review. Integr Comp Biol, 45, 463–474. 4. T eles MC, Dahlbom SJ, Winberg S, Oliveira RF. 2013. Social modulation of brain monoamine levels in zebrafish. Behav Brain Res, 253, 17–24. 5. C ulbert BM, Gilmour KM, Balshine S. 2018. Stress axis regulation during social ascension in a group-living cichlid fish. Horm Behav, 103, 121–128. following a stressor. Above “We found that the cortisol Brett Culbert’s study species, levels of individuals that recovered Neolamprologus pulcher with their group members were lower than Photo credit: those of individuals that recovered in the Brett Culbert absence of their groupmates,” he explains. “We are currently performing follow-up experiments FEATURES 17 to tease apart what is driving this difference, but it seems that individuals feel safer and recover quicker when they are with their

SEEKING THE ROOT CAUSES BY JONATHAN SMITH Plant roots are anything but the W ith the frequency of stressful events, such as passive piping systems that they droughts and floods, increasing with climate might appear to be. A group of change, knowing how plants can adapt to researchers at the 2018 SEB Annual Meeting chatted about how roots these events could help efforts to conserve can be shaped by the environment, and how they help plants adapt to biodiversity and improve food security around the world. increasing pressures brought on by climate change. One hugely important tool that plants use to handle Opposite page stress is the roots. In addition to providing a physical anchor microCT imaging reveals the root architecture, and yellow probes reveal into the earth, roots make up a complex piping structure, the nutrient levels near to the roots Photo credit: drawing water and nutrients into the plant’s vascular Amanda Rasmussen system. This piping system has enormous potential, able to sustain even the tallest plants in the world, the Redwoods,1 which can reach over 100 m in height. The root system is far from a passive set of pipes, however. Roots are dynamic, and come in a variety of shapes and architectures. Their architecture is shaped by the plant’s environment and, yet, the plant doesn’t even have a brain or nervous system! The features and mechanisms of this amazing plasticity were discussed in the Shaping Root Architecture session in the SEB’s annual meeting in Florence last year. In this article, I chat with some of the researchers from this session, getting a peek at some of their latest research on plasticity in root architecture. 18 FEATURES

ROOTS AVOID SALT NITRATE: SHEEP FLOCKING THIS IS THE FIRST Being literally rooted to the spot, plants TIME THE TWO are under a lot of pressure to adapt to the THROUGH A GATE environment around them. This pressure TECHNIQUES (MICRO-CT has crafted incredibly complex plasticity Reducing the use of artificial fertilisers AND MICRODIALYSIS) mechanisms for detecting and responding to in agriculture could help cut costs, water HAD BEEN COMBINED new stimuli, without even needing a nervous pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.2 system. One way to help with this task is to improve Her group’s results were surprising. Dr K irsten Ten Tusscher (Utrecht how a plant’s roots suck up nutrients like Whilst the nutrient ammonium was depleted University, the Netherlands) told me that fertiliser from the soil. This kind of challenge just outside of the roots over time, the studying plant molecular plasticity systems requires extensive knowledge about the root concentrations of another nutrient, nitrate, could give us clues on how to improve crop architecture and physiology, and how they were actually high at the same location. security against stressful events, such as interact to produce a phenotype. Amanda likened the latter process to a flock flooding and fluctuations in salt levels in the “Architecture is just one aspect of roots of sheep attempting to pass through a small soil. Events like these are becoming more that we need to understand as the output of a gate into a field. frequent as climate change takes hold. series of physiology processes,” Dr Amanda “The sheep are like nitrate ions and the “In my opinion a lot is already known Rasmussen (University of Nottingham, UK) gate a nitrate transporter—as they get closer to about plant plasticity, but not much is yet told me. Her group, therefore, developed a the gate they bunch up, waiting to get through, fully understood to the extent that we can procedure that measures both root physiology which increases the concentration of sheep/ easily manipulate it, or know what the trade- and architecture. The group grew maize nitrate next to the gate.” offs are,” she said. in special columns and imaged the root Amanda’s group now hopes to use this Kirsten’s team of computational structure and location using micro-computed technique to see how the roots change their biologists are interested in many areas of tomography (micro-CT), just like an X-ray uptake in different soil and atmospheric plant plasticity, but one big area is how roots scanner images our bones. conditions. Furthermore, Amanda aims to work can grow to avoid high salt in soil. “The root’s The group then inserted probes into the with crop breeders to see how the most efficient cells are somehow able to communicate with soil near the roots and used a second technique, breeds perform in this assay, which could reveal one another and figure out at which side of microdialysis, to measure how the roots absorb key information about how to optimise the use the root the salt levels are highest and hence nutrients over time. They then reimaged the of artificial fertilisers in the field. where the root should bend away from,” she setup with micro-CT to check how far the “This means breeders, molecular told me. probes lay from the roots. biologists, and physiologists need each other The researchers came up with “This was the first time the two to unravel the exciting mysteries that plants computational models of this process. The techniques (micro-CT and microdialysis) had are hiding!” Rasmussen enthused. models are designed to explain the root’s been combined,” said Amanda. “Since we are behaviour by predicting the action of the interested in root physiology—not hormone auxin, which is a key molecule just architecture and not just soil in cell division and the growth of a plant’s nutrient content—we realised we shoots and roots.3 could gain a lot more information Auxin is involved in the directional by combining the two techniques growth of roots by moving from one side of and determine how the roots change the root to the other. The side with the most their own nutrient environment.” auxin, in this case, the side with the most salt, grows the most, steering the root away from the salt source. This redistribution of auxin happens thanks to transporter proteins (e.g. PIN1 and PIN2) moving the hormone in and out of cells. Kirsten’s models suggested that the key auxin transporters involved in the process were PIN2 and AUX1. However, these molecules weren’t changing their expression fast enough to steer the root away from the salt in time. The models instead identified rapid changes in PIN1 that helped to avoid the salt. Kirsten hopes to find out more about this process, such as how it interacts with gravity sensing in the roots, and how changes in transporter protein production are triggered by salt stimuli. FEATURES 19

IT’S EARLY, BUT THERE’S BIG PROGRESS IN ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT PLANTS ARE MORE COMPLEX THAN WE THOUGHT ROOTS HAVE TO KNOW suggests that it is not simply a read-out of the PLANT ROOTS THEIR LIMITS amount of nutrients present in the soil.” To help shed light on this question, Tom’s CALCULATE RISK Plants seem to ‘know’ how big their pot is. This group tested plants, including oilseed rape, is especially evident with bonsai trees, which barley, and wheat, and measured how the pot Imagine that you are playing tennis with stay tiny because they are kept in very tiny size impacted the plant’s shoot size. They also a particular strategy, and you’re winning. plant pots. But even so, why would they need added fertiliser to see if this would affect the Chances are that you would prefer your strategy this behaviour in the wild? crowded plants. However, it seemed that plants to stay the same, because changing it could risk “This is an important question, since— just became insensitive to nutrients when they losing you the game. However, if you’re losing, fairly obviously—plants don’t grow in pots reached their limit, be it the edge of the pot or you have less to lose by changing strategies, in their natural environment!” explained Dr the presence of a neighbouring plant. even though it’s still a risk. This illustrates a Tom Bennett (University of Leeds, UK). “We “Fundamentally, I think this reflects the concept called Risk Sensitivity Theory, that is, believe that many plants growing in natural amazing ability of plants to make complex, pro- that you are more likely to embrace risks when conditions exist in a restricted volume of soil, active decisions about their growth,” said Tom. you have fewer advantages. whether that is due to physical constraints, “Rather than waiting to run out of resources, Whilst this theory has been investigated in such as soil depth, or biological constraints, plants make early developmental choices that many fields, including economics, psychology, such as the presence of other plants.” allow them to avoid resource limitation later and animal behaviour, Hagai Shemesh (Tel-Hai In fact, understanding how plants know in their life.” College, Israel) studies this theory in plant roots. their spatial growth limit could have big Tom’s group also found that the plant’s “With animals, we are aware of the fact implications for agriculture. As a farmer, you growth decision could be mediated by that they have a brain and that we have a would prefer not to buy unneeded fertiliser alterations in the activity of a plant growth brain—we assume that we both use it when if you knew that your crops are restricted by hormone called cytokinin. we are solving problems,” Hagai explained to shallow soil, for example. Building on these results, Tom’s group is me. “I think the fact plants don’t have a brain, Despite the potential applications of this aiming to find out the exact mechanisms by and still solve complex problems, makes plant area, it’s still a mystery how plants do it. “It’s which the plant detects its limits, how the roots research more interesting and intriguing.” not clear, for instance, what the roots actually ‘tell’ the shoot how much it can grow, and how To help him see if plants show risk detect; whether it is a mechanical stimulus, much they can apply this to agriculture. “The sensitivity, Hagai’s group used the roots of the or whether it’s connected to the chemistry of soil at our own Leeds University farm is quite pea plant (Pisum sativum) as the model. This is the soil,” Tom remarked. “Our work at least shallow, so that gives us a good opportunity because the environment of the roots is more to test some of these ideas!” he commented. stable than the that of the shoots, and pea plant roots are thick and easy to work with. The group FUNDAMENTALLY, I THINK THIS REFLECTS THE AMAZING measured the mass of the roots to see which ABILITY OF PLANTS TO MAKE COMPLEX, PRO-ACTIVE would risk growing in which situations. DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR GROWTH. Each plant was then given choices.4 Some plants could ‘choose’ to grow their roots in pots with constant amounts of plentiful fertiliser, or into pots with fluctuating levels of fertiliser. The behaviour of these plants corresponded to the winning tennis player scenario, and they didn’t want to grow their roots into the pot with fluctuating levels. Other plants had the choice of a pot with a constant level of low fertiliser, or a pot with fluctuating levels. The behaviour of these 20 FEATURES

plants corresponded to the losing tennis player TRANSPARENT SOIL Excited by the potential of this new scenario, and they were much more keen on medium for more easily imaging roots, the group growing into the pot with the fluctuating levels. One vital way to understand how stressful is collaborating with partners in academia, “The most interesting thing about these stimuli affect roots is to image their visible industry, and even education. Ludovico told findings is that they tell us something about characteristics. However, this is not as simple me that his group is most excited about using animals and humans,” Hagai commented. “If as it seems. this material to study how plant roots can grow plants can solve this dilemma without a brain, As any muddied gardener will tell you, towards chemical and mechanical stimuli. maybe when we’re dealing with such problems, plant roots only grow in opaque soil, which we’re not necessarily using our brain, unlike makes it hard to image them in the laboratory. PLANTS DON’T NEED what we always assume.” In fact, the most common, and very laborious, BRAINS, BUT It is too early to tell exactly what way to study the root architecture of a plant SCIENTISTS DO molecular mechanisms plants use to solve is using ‘shovelomics’, that is, digging up the these more complex problems without a brain, plant, washing the roots, and imaging them The common theme of this session was that but this behaviour could have applications in afterwards.5 the roots make up a highly reactive part of the agriculture, or conservation in climate change. One way to get around the opacity of plant, dynamically changing their course and However, Hagai is hoping to build on this work the plant growth medium is to grow plants growth in response to the environment. They by teaming up with an economist to study some in transparent mineral solutions, known as can even make complex calculations on growth cognitive paradoxes in plants. hydroponics. Whilst this allows for easy root without the need for a brain. In the meantime, change is coming for the imaging, hydroponics don’t closely resemble The session also demonstrated the pace plant behaviour field as a whole. “It’s early, but the natural environment of most plant models, of change in the field, with new techniques there’s big progress in accepting the fact that potentially altering the physiological processes being developed that could change the way plants are more complex than we thought,” involved in root growth from those that occur in we study roots and their architecture. It Hagai enthused. plants grown in soil. may not be long, therefore, before we can Ludovico Cademartiri (Iowa State unravel more about how plants adapt to Opposite page University, USA) has a solution; he essentially stressful circumstances, and perhaps use this Tiny pots produce fewer shoots, grows plants in a transparent soil-like medium. knowledge to improve conservation and food whereas larger pots result in “For us, it was an interesting engineering security in the face of increasingly extreme more shoots challenge,” he said. Part of this challenge is that events in climate change. Photo credit: the material needs to have enough pores to let Tom Bennet the nutrients pass to the roots, but pores actually 1. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/ make materials more opaque because light gets tallest-tree-living/ Accessed 19 January 2019. refracted and diverted as it passes the pores. To solve the problem, Ludovico’s 2 S hcherbak I, Millar N, Robertson GP. 2014. Global team developed a porous soil-like medium metaanalysis of the nonlinear response of soil nitrous containing a special hydrogel along with air, oxide (N2O) emissions to fertilizer nitrogen. PNAS, 111, water, and nutrients. However, unlike soil, this 9199–9204. medium can become transparent by adding water. “By temporarily saturating the pores 3. Julkowska MM, Testerink C. 2015. Tuning plant signaling with nutrient solution, the medium becomes and growth to survive salt. Trends Plant Sci, 20(9), 586–594. transparent enough to characterise the root system by photography and microscopy,” 4. Dener E, Kacelnik A, Shemesh H. 2016. Pea plants show risk Ludovico told me. sensitivity. Curr Biol, 26(13), 1763–1767. Unlike hydroponics, the group’s new medium showed few detriments for root 5. https://news.engineering.iastate.edu/2017/02/24/ growth compared with normal soil. When transparent-soil-research-continues-in-the-l-cademartiri- analysed in the special medium, the roots of lab/ Accessed 20 January 2019. the soybean Glycine max resembled the roots of those in regular soil in the field. In addition, the transparent medium seems to encourage more ‘natural’ physiological processes than do hydroponics, given that genes associated with the stress from lack of oxygen showed normal expression in plants grown in this medium, whereas they had increased expression in plants grown in hydroponic solutions. Importantly for studies in stress-related root plasticity, this transparent medium can be tailored to contain specific toxins, nutrients, and sensing molecules, making it a flexible tool. “I think this is a new platform that will enable a reductionist approach to the study of root phenotypes and root development,” said Ludovico. FEATURES 21

STRESS TESTS BY ALEX EVANS In an ever-changing world, our ability to sample and GOOD NEWS FOR NEWTS analyse the physiological state of wildlife is becoming more and more important—but at what cost to the Amphibians are in the midst of a global decline animals themselves? One of the sessions taking place at and current research into the myriad of stressors the 2018 SEB Annual Meeting explored the fascinating currently faced by wild populations is crucial to recent advances being made in developing non-invasive conservation efforts. However, the processes methods of stress monitoring for both laboratory-bound involved in monitoring the manifestations and field-based research. of stress in these animals can themselves be stressful, creating an urgent need for more Opposite non-invasive techniques. Thankfully, a recent Dorothy’s blue tits thermal image collaboration between amphibian behaviour Photo credit: researcher Lottie Hosie and endocrinologist Dorothy McKeegan Tessa Smith (both University of Chester, UK) 22 FEATURES set out to find this stress-less solution. “We got talking after a conference a few years ago and wanted to explore the possibility of non- invasive corticosterone measurements for aquatic amphibians,” they explain. The key to their non-invasive methodology was the ability to sample the steroids in the water that the amphibians live in, taking an environmental sample of their body’s chemical output in response to stress. Similar approaches had recently been adopted for fish research, and the pair of researchers quickly recognised the potential that this technique held for amphibians of conservation concern. “There are many potential sources of stress in field-based conservation work which might have negative implications for successful establishment or maintenance of populations,” they said.

THERE ARE MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES OF STRESS IN FIELD-BASED CONSERVATION WORK “These issues are largely unexplored for FEELING THE HEAT “In hens, we have shown that in the comb amphibians so we hoped that this project would and wattle, stressor intensity predicts the be a first step in enabling further work in this The physiological stress experienced by extent of skin cooling and the occurrence important area.” animals manifests itself in many ways, some of delayed skin warming, providing two Starting with captive frogs (Xenopus laevis) of which are easier to measure than others. opportunities to quantify stress,” says Dorothy. in their laboratory, the team developed a novel Taking reliable measurements of stress is “Additionally, our findings from wild blue method of extracting corticosterone (a hormone crucially important for assessing animal health tits suggest that it may be possible to infer involved in stress responses) from tank water and welfare, but, unfortunately, many of these physiological state from just a snapshot of body and used this to measure the levels of stress methods require the trapping and handling of surface temperature.” Dorothy’s successful experienced by frogs during transportation and animals so that they can be fitted or implanted validation of the technique provides welfare housing changes. Building on the success of with biologgers or have blood samples taken. researchers with a powerful new tool for this project, the team turned their attention to “These methods limit research to species that investigating physiological responses to stress adapting the methods for use with amphibians can be caught, interrupt natural behaviour, and in a non-invasive and continuous manner. in the field. “Our goals were to validate these can alter subsequent physiology, behaviour, “Thermography data can be collected from any techniques in a field setting and to ascertain and performance,” explains Dorothy terrestrial species that can be photographed whether they measure biologically meaningful McKeegan, an animal welfare researcher from or filmed, so this is an exciting approach with changes in corticosterone.” the University of Glasgow, UK. This important a wide variety of applications,” concludes After analysing the data from their field issue spurred Dorothy to look for alternative Dorothy. “Furthermore, infrared technology trials, the Lottie and Tessa were pleased to find methods that rely less on instrumentation and is becoming increasingly cost-effective and that their novel method proved successful in more on observation. portable, improving its availability.” detecting these stress signals. One of their key Exposure to stressors is known to induce findings was a clear interspecific difference rapid changes in blood circulation that raise between levels of waterborne corticosterone, the core body temperature through stress- with great crested newts (GCNs) excreting induced hyperthermia. “Measurement of lower titres than palmate and smooth newts. this phenomenon is challenging and requires “This was an interesting result since GCNs invasive methods such as the implantation are perceived as being more sensitive in their of temperature loggers,” Dorothy says. “Our habitat requirements than the other newts,” idea was to measure surface cooling of their they explain. However, it wasn’t just species bodies in a non-contact and continuous way differences that affected the levels of steroid using thermal imaging instead.” Infrared detected. “Our data also suggested differences in thermography has previously been used corticosterone across the sexes and in response to investigate resting body temperatures to the trap they were caught in!” in birds, but Dorothy hoped to validate the Looking to develop and distribute use of this technique as an effective and these methods further, Lottie and Tessa are non-invasive assessment of welfare and currently working with conservation partners physiological state too. to assess their application for monitoring the Working with two study species in two stress of amphibians at risk. “We are delighted different research environments, namely that our work is helping to address this gap captive laying hens and wild blue tits, Dorothy in amphibian welfare, both for captive lab and her team assessed the surface temperature species and those of conservation interest,” of a range of spatial locations in association explain the pair. “Establishment of baselines with handling stress and the taking of of corticosterone levels and variation in the hormonal measurements. field is critical for reliable interpretation, so that will be our first step.” FEATURES 23

THAR SHE BLOWS! Stress hormone profiles can provide a detailed THERE IS AN URGENT Thanks to significant contributions of North peek into the physiological state of an animal NEED TO PIONEER NEW Atlantic right whale data from the Anderson but procuring samples, especially from oceanic TOOLS SUCH AS THIS THAT Cabot Centre (at the New England Aquarium, wildlife, can often be a difficult task. Whales CAN PROVIDE EVIDENCE USA), Elizabeth was also able to access valuable are one such problematic group of animals, OF THE EFFECTS AND information about the individual whales she had because the sampling of blood from free- IMPACTS THAT HUMAN sampled, such as sex, age, and calving history, in swimming mammals of that size is almost ACTIVITY IS HAVING order to link their endocrine profiles to relevant impossible. However, by taking advantage ON OUR OCEANS BEFORE life-history traits. Together, Elizabeth’s team of their regular need to surface and breathe, created an effective method of non-invasive researchers are able to acquire biological WE SEE SERIOUS physiological assessment, and not a moment samples without touching the whales. “We’ve CONSEQUENCES too soon. “There is an urgent need to pioneer known that hormones can be detected in whale new tools such as this that can provide evidence blow for over 10 years, but for physiological of the effects and impacts that human activity assessments, it is quantifiable concentrations is having on our oceans before we see serious that really matter,” explains Elizabeth Burgess consequences,” she explains. (New England Aquarium, USA). Improving our understanding of whale With her sights set on improving this health and behaviour through their physiology technique for assessing physiological stress is an increasingly important task thanks to the in North Atlantic right whales, Elizabeth rapidly changing environment they inhabit. and her team hoped to overcome some of “Whales are a key part of ocean ecosystem the major issues with accurately measuring health, since they travel the vast widths and the hormonal content of whale blow, such depths of the world’s oceans,” Elizabeth says. as dealing with unknown total volumes “This method has the potential to broaden and samples contaminated with seawater. our perspective of large whale health and “We wanted to produce a methodology for deliver insights into processes of conservation accurately quantifying the hormone content concern such as stress and reproduction.” of whale blow by identifying a compound to Looking forward to future applications of this help normalise hormone concentrations,” technique, Elizabeth hopes that other whale says Elizabeth. “These could then be used to biologists will continue to develop and adapt produce meaningful and comparable endocrine this methodology towards a range of possible profiles for individual whales.” However, the research streams beyond hormone analysis. hormone analysis was only one part of the “Our study delivers a great step forward for investigation—first, they had to collect the feasible research of this nature, but this is only samples. “Our sampling approach is actually the beginning! Analyses of respiratory vapour rather low-tech,” says Elizabeth. “We used could open up a wealth of diverse biomarkers a boat with a long pole and a large petri dish for understanding the physiological state and at the end, allowing for samples to be taken stress responses of whales!” without making contact with the animals.” Above Sampling whales Photo credit: Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium [Photo was taken under U.S. NOAA Permit #14233 and Canada DFO Permit under Species at Risk Act] 24 FEATURES

SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY IS GLOBAL WARMING CAUSING ANIMALS TO SHRINK? EVIDENCE, MECHANISMS AND MODELS 30 JUNE 2019 SEVILLE, SPAIN SEBIOLOGY.ORG #SEBSHRINK THAT SHRINKING FEELING ORGANISED BY INVITED SPEAKERS • SJANNIE LEFEVRE (UNIVERSITY OF OSLO, NORWAY) • D AVID ATKINSON (UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL, UK) • TIMOTHY CLARK (DEAKIN UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA) • S JANNIE LEFEVRE (UNIVERSITY OF OSLO, NORWAY) • FREDRIK JUTFELT (NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF • F ELISA SMITH (UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, USA) • J ANET GARDNER (THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NORWAY) • J ENNIFER SHERIDAN (CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, USA) • DAVID MCKENZIE (CNRS, FRANCE) • A STA AUDZIJONYTE (UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA) FEATURES 25

MODERN MITOCHONDRIA BY ALEX EVANS One of the ‘Science Across Boundaries’ DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR mtDNA sessions at the 2018 SEB Annual Meeting explored the integral role The mitochondria of eukaryotic organisms are crucially of mitochondria in environmental important, and interesting, organelles. Mitochondria adaptation and disease. Whilst some are especially unique organelles due to their possession avenues of research have focused of independent genomes, but given that they play such a on how mitochondrial adaptations prominent role in maintaining and regulating processes vital and plasticity contribute to tolerance for sustaining life, it’s no surprise that mutations within the to external stressors, others have mitochondria can have significant effects for the organism investigated how mitochondrial as a whole. In fact, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations dysfunctions can contribute to a broad are responsible for a number of severe mitochondrial range of human diseases. Here are just disorders in humans, making mtDNA research important a few examples from this wonderful for the development of future treatments. However, we interdisciplinary session. still have an incomplete picture of how these mtDNA mutations accumulate and affect functions at the level of both organelle and organism. To address this important gap in the knowledge, researcher France DuFresne (Université du Québec à Rimouski, Canada) decided to investigate and quantify the Left France DuFresne’s study organisms, Daphnia Photo credit: France DuFresne 26 FEATURES

NO ONE HAD ACTUALLY The culmination of France’s efforts One morph is specialised for reproduction and MEASURED THE IMPACT revealed that the Daphnia lines that had possesses non-functional wings, whilst the OF THESE MUTATIONS accumulated mutations over 3 years had other morph is fully capable of flight and delays ON THE MITOCHONDRIAL suffered a mitochondrial respiration rate reproduction in order to disperse. Caroline reduction of 10% compared to controls. These explains that their collaborator, Tony Zera, has PHENOTYPE findings are important because they effectively shown that the dispersal morph upregulates demonstrate how mutations can negatively triglyceride synthesis to store fat for flight fuel, accumulation of mutations under environmental affect mitochondrial metabolic capacity. “Our whereas the reproductive morph uses nutrients stress, and to measure the resulting effects results show that the mitochondria could not to build proteins and phospholipids to make on mitochondrial respiration and organismal compensate for the mutations accumulated over eggs.1 “These metabolic differences between fitness. Because mitochondria can be found time and mitochondrial respiration decreased morphs makes them the perfect system to in all known eukaryotic life (save for one in all lineages as a result,” explains France, test the hypothesis that life history demands fascinating species of Monocercomonoides), a adding that this novel research highlights determine mitochondrial function.” number of model species have been adopted how stressors such as high temperature and In order to investigate these morphs, to examine their form and function in the environmental contamination can compound Caroline’s PhD student Lisa Treidel designed laboratory. One such species is Daphnia pulex, the accumulation of these mutations and have a series of laboratory experiments using high- a small crustacean that serves as an important harmful consequences for organismal fitness. resolution respirometry that monitored how model system in ecotoxicology due to its “We demonstrate that there is a clear need for a mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation sensitivity to environmental pollutants and better understanding of how mutations affect changed as the crickets grew to maturity. rapid reproductive turnover. “I used to examine these crucially important organelles.” They found that on the first day of adulthood, mtDNA mutations in order to tell different mitochondrial function was quite similar Daphnia species apart,” explains France, who WINGS OR FLINGS between the two morphs, but that the dispersal was keen to utilise their mtDNA for deeper morph would gradually develop a higher rate of investigations. “Earlier studies had quantified In a world with finite energy, the way that oxidative phosphorylation that resulted in an the rate at which mutations are deposited on organisms allocate and utilise metabolic increased capacity for rapid energy production. mtDNA but no one had actually measured the energy is critical to their survival. Given “Finally, we found that when the dispersal morph impact of these mutations on the mitochondrial that mitochondria are a core organelle for switches to reproductive investment at the end phenotype.” metabolic functions, it is understandable that of the first week of adulthood, mitochondrial Although France had a clear investigation energetic investments such as reproduction, function abruptly shifts and becomes very in mind, examining the effects of copper growth, or dispersal are linked to variations similar to the reproductive morph once again,” exposure, actually carrying it out was another in mitochondrial function. “For example, says Caroline. These results suggest that matter. “Since mutations are rare events, it is broiler chickens selected for rapid muscle mitochondrial function is intricately related to not easy to measure them,” says France. She growth exhibit mitochondria with higher the demands of the life history strategy. “When teamed up with Melania Cristescu (McGill rates of oxidative phosphorylation and lower the crickets need to produce large amounts of University, Canada), who had previously rates of proton leak than egg-laying chickens,” ATP to fuel flight, they have a high capacity for carried out her own mutation accumulation explains Caroline Williams, a researcher of oxidative phosphorylation,” explains Caroline. experiment. By propagating many lines metabolic physiology (University of California “When their life history demands switch toward from single individuals, they were able to Berkeley, USA). “This suggests that their reproduction, mitochondrial function shifts bottleneck the population and increase the mitochondria produce energy from food with correspondingly.” Interestingly, this would probability of mutation fixation. Even so, a higher efficiency and raises the question of suggest that mitochondria can specialise to suit these experiments still had to run for 3 years why selection on life history produces such particular life-history characteristics instead of to ensure enough mutations had been deposited shifts in mitochondrial function.” serving in a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ capacity. on the mtDNA in both the copper-exposed and However, it is certainly not just chickens The results of Caroline and Lisa’s work has control populations. Not content with just one that exhibit some level of metabolic variation. opened up many more intriguing questions environmental stress, France and her team Field crickets of the genus Gryllus can present about the plastic nature of mitochondria in also examined what the impact of a second as two distinct morphs within a population, polymorphic organisms, which they hope environmental factor, temperature, would be with each morph being physiologically tailored to explore: “Why is there no ‘Jack-of-all- on the accumulation of mtDNA mutations. to very different goals. trades’ type of mitochondria, and where “After 120 generations, we exposed the does the constraint lie? Do the mitochondria Daphnia to optimal and high temperatures and WHY IS THERE NO of the dispersal morph operate at a higher then measured parameters related to fitness, ‘JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES’ membrane potential?” Additionally, because such as rate of respiration, time to maturity, TYPE OF MITOCHONDRIA? mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in reproductive success, and lifespan.” diseases such as diabetes, this line of enquiry may help us to understand the role played by natural variation in mitochondrial function in these diseases and potentially provide new therapeutic interventions to alter mitochondrial performance. 1. Z era AJ, Zhao Z. 2003. Morph-dependent fatty acid oxidation in a wing-polymorphic cricket: implications for the trade-off between dispersal and reproduction. J Insect Physiol, 49(10), 933–943. FEATURES 27

JOURNALS...................................... 28 SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT ON DORINA PODAR.............. 30 SPOTLIGHT ON LEENA THORAT.............. 32 28 SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT 29

JOURNALS TA TA FOR NOW: THLASPI carried out whole genome sequencing of selected lines; they present over 16,000 pennycress ARVENSE (PENNYCRESS) AS genes with mutations as well as the closest Arabidopsis homologue for each. There are many AN EMERGING MODEL FOR applications for these mutant populations and the presented gene index, both for domestication GENETIC ANALYSES efforts and for basic research. Genes underlying differences in seed size, seed maturation, pod Chopra R, Johns EB, Daniels E, et al. 2018. shattering, and flowering time are known in Translational genomics using Arabidopsis Arabidopsis (and/or in Brassica), so it should be straightforward to combine the analogous as a model enables the characterization pennycress mutants. Furthermore, numerous of pennycress genes through forward and genes that are duplicated in Arabidopsis are present as single copies in pennycress, reverse genetics. The Plant Journal, 96, suggesting that studying their function in 1093–1105. pennycress will be easier. Pennycress is easy to grow, is larger than Arabidopsis and thus more https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.14147 amenable for biochemistry (more tissue), and can be used in field and environmental studies. Thlaspi arvense (common name pennycress) Now is the time for pennycress! is a weed in the family Brassicaceae. Its most remarkable feature is that it can survive very low Sheila McCormick, Research Highlights Editor temperatures (−25°C). Pennycress, therefore, has been proposed as a crop to potentially SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS fill the gap between the autumn harvest and TO PLANT ARCHITECTURE, spring planting dates for corn and soybean. OIL CONTENT, AND QUALITY But will farmers adopt it as an alternative crop? Pennycress is called a weed for a reason: WILL BE NEEDED TO the seeds don’t germinate uniformly and it is DOMESTICATE PENNYCRESS not ideal come harvesting because plants can lodge (fall down), pods sometimes shatter too early, and the seeds are small. Furthermore, the erucic acid content is too high for human consumption. Several modifications to plant architecture, oil content, and quality will be needed to domesticate pennycress. Chopra et al. present tools that will help in these domestication efforts. They aligned the draft pennycress genome to the Arabidopsis genome and showed that the synteny was substantial. They thus hypothesised that the Arabidopsis genome could be used as a guide to identify causal mutations in pennycress mutant populations. They next mutagenised seed, then screened the M2 populations for obvious phenotypes and 30 SPOTLIGHT

NEW ANTIFUNGAL PROTEINS SALT TOLERANCE IN CAGE DIVING IS COSTLY, IN PLANT BIOFACTORIES NOT FOR HUMANS, BUT FOR POLYPLOIDS Shi X, Cordero T, Garrigues S, et al. 2018. WHITE SHARKS Efficient production of antifungal proteins SensitivityofrootzonechannelstoH2O2 is in plants using a new transient expression central to salinity tolerance in polyploids Huveneers C, Watanabe YY, Payne NL, vector derived from tobacco mosaic virus. et al. 2018. Interacting with wildlife Plant Biotechnology Journal, DOI: 10.1111/ LiuY,YuY,SunJ,etal. 2019.Root-zone- specific sensitivity of K+ and Ca2+- tourism increases activity of white sharks. pbi.13038 Conservation Physiology, 6(1), coy019. permeablechannels to H2O2 determines https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coy019 . ion homeostasisin salinized diploid Wildlife tourism is expanding rapidly within https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/ and hexaploid Ipomoea trifida.Journalof the tourist industry, due in part to a growing full/10.1111/pbi.13038 Experimental Botany, 70, 1389 –1405. interest in connecting with nature, but also to new approaches that allow humans to come Disease-causing fungi that infect plants, https://bit.ly/2BVxrO1 into very near contact with wildlife. One such animals, and humans pose a serious threat activity is cage diving, which allows close to human and animal health, food security, ShabalaS.2019. Linking ploidylevelwith encounters with white sharks, popularly and ecosystem resilience. In this article, salinity tolerance: NADPH-dependent known for their large size and elusive nature. Shi et al. report the production of antifungal Cage diving requires the use of olfactory, proteins (AFPs) in plant biofactories to yields ‘ROS–Ca2+ hub’ in the spotlight. Journal of visual, and auditory attractants to bring of commercial relevance. The authors describe ExperimentalBotany, 70,1063–1067. sharks within close proximity. But how do a new tobacco mosaic virus-derived expression these activities affect the iconic great whites? system that is simpler than other reported viral https://bit.ly/2BQjEYU A recent study investigated just that, using vectors, that allows easy and fast cloning of high-frequency tree-axis acceleration loggers open reading frames of interest using the Why are polyploids generally more salt tolerant deployed on 10 white sharks interacting with Gibson assembly reaction, and that provides than their diploid progenitors? It is a particularly cage diving around Neptune Island, Australia. open access to the scientific community interesting question given the critical role of The results showed that the overall dynamic through the Addgene repository. By using this polyploidisation in plant evolution together body acceleration — considered a proxy for new system, the authors successfully target with the large number of polyploid crops, metabolic rate — was 61% higher during Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, a plant from including wheat, sweet potato, and oilseed interactions with cage-diving operators. This the tobacco family widely used in research, rape. Yang Liu et al examined this question suggests that interacting with cage -divers is and found that these leaves produce large in the wild sweet potato Ipomoea trifida, the costly for white sharks compared to normal quantities of AFPs. These small bioactive closest relative of the widely grown hexaploid behaviour, and calls for a better appreciation proteins, as well as other antimicrobial peptides, (6x) crop. I. trifida has a range of ploidy levels, of the effects of frequent shark-tourism are notoriously difficult to produce in different making it ideal for comparative studies. Here interactions to fully understand the impact platforms, including plants. The authors found patterns of ion flux were examined in the 6x of wildlife tourism on the fitness of this iconic that transient expression using the new viral and 2x forms subjected to salt and reactive species. system and extracellular targeting favours oxygen species (ROS). Using non-invasive high accumulation levels of AFPs. Additionally, micro-test technology, (NMT) it was shown Kim Birnie-Gauvi, National Institute the authors demonstrated the efficacy of the that the sensitivity of K+- and Ca2+-permeable of Aquatic Resources, Technical University plant-produced AFPs in the protection of tomato channels to H2O2 is central to improved K+/ of Denmark plants against Botrytis cinerea grey mould Na+ homeostasis. Differences in the root infection. These findings may advance the zone plasma membrane enabling improved SPOTLIGHT 31 exploitation of AFPs in multiple applications, tolerance included reduced sensitivity of K+- and have a significant impact on the agri-food channels and increased sensitivity of Ca2+- and pharmaceutical sectors. channels, conferring better K+ retention and Jim Ruddock, Managing Editor Na+ exclusion during salt stress. The authors also showed that K+ efflux was significantly Opposite page left reduced in the diploid line by diphenylene Pennycress mutants derived from iodonium, which inhibits NADPH oxidase mutagenized seeds were identified and and together with wider evidence suggests subjected to whole gene sequencing. an important role for this enzyme. Picking Sequences were analyzed using the up on this in a commentary, Shabala Arabidopsis database to identify argues that Ca2+-activated NADPH candidate causative mutations, and a oxidases and ROS-activated gene index for identification of additional Ca2+-permeable cation mutants was created. channels form a critical Image credit: ‘ROS–Ca2+ hub’. It is Ratan Chopra also hypothesised that polyploids might encode chimeric non-selective cation channels, explaining the desensitisation observed. Jonathan Ingram, Commissioning Editor

SPOTLIGHT ON... DORINA PODAR BY ANGIE BURNETT Angie Burnett catches up orina’s research involves content and, therefore, our health. This means with Dorina Podar, a long that the research I am doing has potential standing SEB member and D investigating the effects of heavy applications for improving human nutrition researcher at Babes-Bolyay metal pollution in soils on plants and for remediation of environments. Both University, Romania. Dorina and microorganisms, and their ion aspects affect human health, and in a world researches heavy metals and where illness is present daily, I feel I can make plants and Angie finds out transporters. Her research has a my work count.” how and why. particular focus on the heavy metals zinc and The application of Dorina’s research is very real to her. In Romania, there are many cadmium. “Zinc is not only a micronutrient for tailings (deposits of waste ore) from the mining industry. “During the year I started plants, but also for humans,” Dorina explains. my PhD, there was a severe accident at a tailing and that made me go there to start “Both its deficiency and excess can have my research,” she explains. Dorina can see tangible impacts of her work: her research detrimental effects on plants and humans.” findings were taken into consideration by the UK government during the creation of In contrast, cadmium is a toxic metal for plants guidelines for the contaminated land exposure assessment (CLEA) tool. On a local level, she and humans, even at very low concentrations. has been able to interact with the community, including educating children about plants and As is so often the case in biological the hazards associated with collecting plants from contaminated land. systems, these metals have interacting IN A WORLD WHERE effects on plants. Dorina and her colleagues ILLNESS IS PRESENT DAILY, I FEEL I CAN have found that the presence of zinc in soils MAKE MY WORK COUNT. can attenuate uptake of cadmium in plants.1 In addition to her work on heavy metals, Dorina has recently started pursuing a new They also discovered that heterogeneous research avenue, using anatomy to assess plant biodiversity, along with ecologists Drs distribution of zinc and cadmium in soils Mihai Pușcaș and Philippe Choler. Dorina and her colleagues are working to link genetic can allow plants (e.g. Brassica juncea, information with anatomical cross sections for different populations of grasses from known as Indian mustard) to grow better across Europe. than in soils with the same concentrations of homogeneously distributed metals. As well as examining the effects of zinc on plant growth, Dorina and her colleagues are interested in how zinc mineral deficiency in humans could be alleviated by manipulating zinc transport in crop plants. In their proof of principle study,2 using barley as a model system, they showed that specific tissue overexpression of the vacuolar membrane zinc transporter metal tolerance protein 1 (MTP1) led to a 30% increase in zinc concentration in the endosperm of barley grains. “This is important because grains constitute a significant part of humans’ diet,” explains Dorina, “especially the endosperm, from which flour is made.” “My former supervisor Professor Dale Sanders used to say, ‘We are what we eat,’” adds Dorina. “As plants are part of the human diet, their health and quality can directly influence ours. Metal accumulation in plants and its effects on human health are important aspects of our lives. The interactions between plants and metal ions in soil and between plants and the microorganisms within the rhizosphere can shape the plant metal 32 SPOTLIGHT

THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANTS AND METAL IONS IN SOIL AND BETWEEN PLANTS AND THE MICROORGANISMS WITHIN THE RHIZOSPHERE CAN SHAPE THE PLANT METAL CONTENT AND, THEREFORE, OUR HEALTH To complement Dorina’s research in her students develop is fulfilling, Dorina says, Opposite Page: home country, she has been fortunate to and seeing their curiosity motivates her to Dorina Podar work with great scientists in other countries. teach—just as her own curiosity motivates Above These include the late Professor Zoltán Tuba her research activities. Nardus stricta leaf cross-section, stained in Hungary, and Professors Michael Ramsey according to cell wall type and Michael Hutchings (Sussex University, If she could work on anything, Dorina Photo credit: UK) as part of the Marie Curie Training would like to tackle the structural biology side Dorina Podar and Zoltan R. Balazs programme3 during her PhD, which she of transporters. “Structure gives information describes as the most fulfilling year of her about how transporters work, and about key career. Upon completing her PhD in plant amino acid residues involved in transport,” science, Dorina became an assistant lecturer Dorina explains. “By understanding these at Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania. She also processes and molecules, we can manipulate spent a year as a fellow in Professor Nathalie transporters in order to make them more Verbruggen’s laboratory at Université Libre selective or increase their efficiencies. This de Bruxelles, Belgium, before working as a helps plants to get the good metals in, whilst postdoc with Professor Dale Sanders at the keeping the bad metals out.” University of York, UK. These positions all offered great opportunities for Dorina Dorina has been a SEB member for to flourish professionally. “During these over 10 years and is enjoying reaping the periods, I came across metal transporters and benefits of membership. “SEB has offered molecular techniques. I developed a lot. Not a an amazing platform for meeting people, for day passed without me learning something— finding out what other people are working even something small.” Dale’s mentorship has on,” says Dorina. “I like the journals, the been especially valuable to Dorina, and she meetings are great, and as a member you get remembers his advice every day. discounts for publishing and attending the meetings.” Finally, I ask how Dorina would Now at Babeş-Bolyai University, Dorina advise somebody starting out in her field. “Be balances many teaching duties with her determined, do not give up when experiments research. “There is no typical day,” she do not work, learn from people around you, says. “One day I may have teaching for 6 to 8 and be open minded. Join scientific societies hours, other days I teach 2 to 4 hours, others like SEB. SEB is great for young scientists none.” The practical lessons are varied: as for it gives them the opportunity and the part of Histology and Anatomy of Plants, means to travel to meetings and to visit other Dorina helps students learn to recognise and laboratories.” characterise different plant tissues, whilst for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of 1. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ Plants, her students extract nucleic acids, j.1469-8137.2004.01122.x amplify and clone genes, and use reporter genes for localisation studies. Watching 2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pbi.12749 3. https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/actions/ get-funding/innovative-training-networks_en SPOTLIGHT 33

SPOTLIGHT ON... LEENA THORAT BY ALEX EVANS Alex Evans caught up with identify myself as a ‘stress Chironomus culture tubs had gone totally dry. early career researcher and To my surprise, although these nests were dry, proud SEB member Dr Leena I biologist’,” says Leena, who is when I poured water on them to clean prior to Thorat to discuss her work currently working as a Department discarding them, I saw that the dry larvae on the stress tolerance of of Biotechnology ‘biotechnology inside the nests started to revive!” Since this insects, as well as how she revelation, Leena’s research has focused on tolerates the stressors of her career advancement and the phenomenon of desiccation tolerance and own active research career. anhydrobiosis (life without water) in two reorientation programme for women scientists’ different insect groups. “Unlike Drosophila, Chironomus is a lesser known biological (DBT-BioCARe) scientist at the Department model system in the Indian context,” Leena explains. “Through my doctoral research, I of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University established Chironomus as a potential model for desiccation stress response studies at (SPPU), India. Leena’s research journey started the backdrop of prevailing issues of global warming.” The novelty of Leena’s work lies after the completion of her MSc in Zoology in the identification of differential regulation of stress-alleviating metabolites specific to from SPPU in 2008 and developed quickly as Drosophila and Chironomus and their associated mechanisms. For instance, in Chironomus, she qualified with a CSIR-NET-JRF certificate Leena found the unique desiccation-triggered involvement of the trehalose–chitin metabolic (National Eligibility Test for Teaching and interface through recruitment of glucosamine, which was completely absent from Drosophila. Research in India) and soon enrolled in a PhD THROUGH MY programme with Professor Bimalendu Nath at DOCTORAL RESEARCH,I ESTABLISHED CHIRONOMUS the Department of Zoology, SPPU. “During the AS A POTENTIAL MODEL FOR DESICCATION STRESS tenure of my PhD, I was awarded the German RESPONSE STUDIES AT Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Fellowship THE BACKDROP OF PREVAILING ISSUES to carry out part of my doctoral research in the OF GLOBAL WARMING laboratory of Professor Alexander Brehm at the Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany,” adds Leena. “After receiving my PhD in 2015, I took up my first post-doctoral fellowship (University Grants Commission-DS Kothari Post-Doctoral Fellowship (UGC-DSK)) at the Department of Biotechnology, SPPU.” Thanks to a European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) Fellowship, Leena next took up a post as a research fellow at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, with Professors Hans-Joachim Pflüger and Stephan Sigrist, before finally moving on to her current position studying the biochemical and molecular nature of aquatic silk proteins produced by chironomid midges. “I am primarily interested in the physiological biochemistry and cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying desiccation stress tolerance using two ecologically distinct and evolutionarily distant insect models, Drosophila (fruit fly) and Chironomus (aquatic midge).” Although Leena is now very familiar with these research concepts, her first experience in the desiccation of invertebrates was unintentional, at the start of her PhD programme. “The selection of my final PhD topic is actually an interesting story,” she explains. “I had just come back to the lab from Easter leave and found that my 34 SPOTLIGHT

“Drosophila evolved around 150 million years silks spun by silkworms and spiders,” explains and to set yourself goals.” after Chironomus, so I engaged myself to Leena. “Although I only started this work a year “I feel very honoured to be a member of the unravel the unique adaptations evolved in ago, preliminary results have provided us with these two systems to combat environmental compelling evidence that the aquatic midge silk SEB,” says Leena. “This society caters to the desiccation bouts,” Leena says. has a few strikingly superior qualities compared professional needs of a wide range of biologists to its terrestrial counterparts!” from early career scientists to established Building on her current work with professors, and their travel grants make it desiccation, Leena would like to explore the Leena says that some of the greatest possible for the younger scientific community effects of specific environmental stressors highlights of her career so far include the to participate and communicate their work.” on invertebrate life even further. “At present, professional awards and honours that have Finally, when Leena isn’t working hard in desiccation is emerging as one of the most been not only professionally rewarding but also the field or laboratory, she enjoys painting environmentally relevant climatic stressors personally enriching. “For example, my DAAD and experimenting with new recipes in the and insects are enormously prone to episodic and EMBO fellowships have given me great kitchen. She finds that the best way to wind desiccation events in nature,” she explains. opportunities to gain hands-on training and down from the mental workout of her research “Therefore, I would like to explore the expertise in key research areas, as well helping is with a relaxing physical workout. “On a daily desiccation-responsive neuronal circuitry to project my research to a global audience basis, after my lab work, I spend one hour in the using Chironomus and Drosophila, especially and expose me to people from different parts evening doing some form of physical activity how the neuronal control of motor behaviour of the world,” she explains. Leena also enjoys such as Zumba, dance aerobics, or even just a in desiccated larvae ensures successful revival her roles as a science educator and writer. “My brisk walk,” says Leena. “This one hour gives upon rehydration and recovery.” Leena adds contributions to science pedagogy through me an outlet to calm myself down at the end of that her ultimate aim is to use this fundamental delivering lectures to school and undergraduate a gruelling day and gears me up ready for the information from Chironomus and Drosophila students and as an invited author in science next one!” as representative models of invertebrate brains periodicals has always doubled my joy as a for translational research in the mitigation of science professional,” she says. “Very recently, Above and opposite page future droughts. I was also appointed as an Invited Review Leena Thorat Editor in a reputable physiology journal, which Photo credit: Leena’s research interests extend is another welcome feather in my cap!” Leena Thomas Thorat beyond the desiccation tolerance of these acknowledges that the life of a research scientist two invertebrate taxa. “I am also interested isn’t always a stable or secure one, with grant and in investigating the biochemical, biophysical, manuscript rejections as an unavoidable fact of and molecular nature of aquatic silk protein life, but she believes that striving for positivity from the chironomid midge,” she explains. can be important for career development. “I “My routine lab observations of the inherent always remind myself of this apt quote by Oprah nest-building behaviour of Chironomus larvae Winfrey: ‘Turn your wounds into wisdom!’” got me fascinated in how they used proteins Leena explains. “Be bold, keep trying, and learn discharged from their salivary glands to bind the from your previous experiences.” For early career substratum particles together.” Whilst the silk- researchers, she offers the following advice: producing qualities of silkworms and spiders “Even if your progress seems stagnant, try not to are very well studied, it appears that little is compromise on your enthusiasm and zeal. Make known about the silk produced by chironomids. sure to take regular breaks from your work and “In particular, I am curious to understand the sit down with yourself once in a while to review biochemistry behind the silk-spinning ability of your failures, re-establish your work strategy, midges under water in contrast to the terrestrial SPOTLIGHT 35

SQUIDTOONS –SEB+ MARINE SCIENCE COMICS.....................36 BREAKING BARRIERS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND ART .............................38 COMMUNICATING YOUR SCIENCE ............39 SHARING YOUR RESEACH WITH KIDS AND TEENS - FRONTIERS FOR YOUNG MINDS .............................41 PRELIGHTS: A COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR PREPRINT HIGHLIGHTS .................42 TRAVEL GRANTS TO GO........................44 36 SEB+

4 SEB+ 37

SQUIDTOONS – Meanwhile, Garfield was becoming MARINE SCIENCE increasingly fascinated by the research he encountered as an undergraduate researcher COMICS at Scripps Institution of Oceanography—a passion that eventually led to his current PhD BY CAROLINE WOOD project there studying fish physiology and the mechanisms involved in otolith calcification. Looking for a way to G arfield’s journey into science Having decided to combine this interest communicate the results communication was originally with the need for a visually focused science of your latest research inspired by frustration. In communication genre, Garfield recruited several in a visually appealing friends and launched Squidtoons, a marine format that the public can 2013, whilst Garfield was an science-focused comics website. Squidtoons understand and that can aims to “illustrate science with farts, burps be shared and reposted undergraduate studying marine biology at and giggles” whilst being a reliable platform for instantly? Comics can be the the public to learn about ongoing research. The perfect answer, as Garfield University of California San Diego, USA, a site now boasts over 60 bold, beautiful comics Kwan, creative director and infographics covering everything from the of Squidtoons (www. certain shrimp physiology study was being anatomy of a Coccolithophore to the effect of squidtoons.com), explains. stress on squid embryo development. widely cited by the media as an example of Whilst the Squidtoons drawings have high aesthetic appeal, this doesn’t come at the cost “wasteful science funding”. Garfield felt that of accuracy nor result in oversimplification. As Garfield says, “When illustrators take too certain aspects, particularly an experiment much liberty, the results can be misleading. Proper scientific communication should not analysing the energy budget of shrimps using only be approachable but also retain the rigour and accuracy demanded from actual scientific underwater treadmills, had been taken out of research.” Each comic is grounded in published research articles then edited and checked by a context. “I wanted to address the situation in relevant researcher, similar to peer review for journal articles. Such is their credibility and a fruitful manner and realised few existing power as educational tools, that many of these cartoons have been incorporated into a college resources bridged the gap between the scientists textbook (Essentials of Oceanography, 12th edition, Pearson), a children’s book (Squidtoons: and the public. Some online resources were Exploring Ocean Science with Comics, Andrews McMeel Publishing), and an aquarium exhibit textually accurate but they weren’t reaching (Seymour Marine Discovery Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA). this generation’s visually minded audience,” he Despite this success, Squidtoons is run as a not-for-profit enterprise, with most comics says. Inspired by online comic platforms such as produced as ‘labours of love’ without external funding. All of the drawings are freely available The Oatmeal, Garfield realised that “comics are a for non-commercial purposes, including blogs, social media posts, and as teaching tools. great communication tool because they integrate Nevertheless, Garfield has benefited from his position as creative director by developing a suite minimal text with illustrative graphics, of skills that include drawing, web development, and leadership. Even though he ultimately aims making them easy for the general public to pursue the academic route, he intends to keep drawing comics. “I would hope to incorporate to digest.” this effective communication technique within the broader impact aspect of grant proposals as Above PROPER SCIENTIFIC well as undergraduate coursework and graduate Garfield Kwan with fellow Squidtoons COMMUNICATION SHOULD training,” he says. He acknowledges that not contributor Yuzo Yanagitsuru NOT ONLY BE APPROACHABLE every academic will be drawn to the comic Photo credit: genre. “Comics are time-consuming to create, Garfield Kwan BUT ALSO RETAIN THE edit, and publish, plus it takes practice to make RIGOUR AND ACCURACY perfect,” he says. “But if you are too busy, you DEMANDED FROM ACTUAL could always find or hire someone that can SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH do the illustrations. It doesn’t even need to be comics—use whatever suits you, such as videos, poetry … even crochet!” 38 SEB+

SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY IMPACT OF CHROMATIN DOMAINS ON PLANT PHENOTYPES CELL AND PLANT SECTION SYMPOSIUM 9-11 DECEMBER 2019 REAL CENTRO UNIVERSITARIO ESCORIAL-MARIA CRISTINA, EL ESCORIAL, MADRID, SPAIN SEBIOLOGY.ORG #ICDPP19 NUCLEUS IMPACT ORGANISED BY INVITED SPEAKERS CONT’D • MONICA PRADILLO (COMPLUTENSE UNIVERSITY OF MADRID, SPAIN) • J IM MURRAY (CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, UK) • GERAINT PARRY (GARNET, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, UK) • M OUSSA BENHAMED (INSTITUTE OF PLANT SCIENCES • ALINE PROBST (UNIVERSITÉ CLERMONT AUVERGNE, FRANCE) • CHRISTOPHE TATOUT (UNIVERSITÉ CLERMONT AUVERGNE, FRANCE) PARIS-SACLAY, FRANCE) • N ILS STEIN (IPK GATERSLEBEN, GERMANY) INVITED SPEAKERS • S ILIN ZHONG(CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, CHINA) • A LES PECINKA (INSTITUTE OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY OF THE CZECH • S TEVEN SPOEL (UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, UK) • W ENDY BICKMORE (UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, UK) ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, CZECH REPUBLIC) • X UEHUA ZHONG (UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, USA) • A RP SCHNITTGER (UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG, GERMANY) • C ÉLIA BAROUX (UNIVERSITY OF ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND) IN COLLABORATION WITH • C RISANTO GUTIERREZ (CBMSO, SPAIN) • D ARIUSZ PLEWCZYNSKI (UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW, POLAND) • E IRINI KAESERLI (UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW, UK) • I RIS MEIER (OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, USA) • I SABEL BÄURLE (UNIVERSITÄT POTSDAM, GERMANY) SEB+ 39

BREAKING BARRIERS BETWEEN SCIENCE AND ART BY CAROLINE WOOD “I’ll never forget going to H aving initially struggled as an and colleagues at Sheffield with refugees from some lectures at the London undergraduate at the University of the Syrian conflict, seeking to develop an Science Museum when I Sheffield, Duncan never forgot the artificial soil to grow food in refugee camps. was 11 and being absolutely importance of using wonder to draw This inspired a series of hydroponic sculptures, blown away to meet an growing crops and ornamentals in vessels actual real scientist!” says people to science. It was during shaped as the everyday items often most missed, Duncan Cameron, who at including footballs and teddy bears. Poignant the time would hardly have a lecture on parasitic plants that he became and moving, it captured the importance of dreamt that one day he soil health in areas whose food supplies would be not only a scientist, “completely obsessed” by this underground are disrupted by conflict. but a professor studying Although rewarding, Duncan symbioses between plants world of subterfuge and found his true calling. recognises that ambitious art–science and microorganisms. Or projects require time and persistence, that he himself would be Throughout his academic journey, he became but he still encourages academics the one inspiring others to step out of their comfort zone. with science—but using increasingly interested in communicating “I don’t have any formal arts means very different to the training and most of my partnerships traditional lecture! science through art, recognising the limitations came about through just talking to people and networking,” he Above of ‘default’ public engagement. “Traditional says. “As for funding, I always Duncan performing ‘Gaiamycota’ at the include public engagement as part 2016 Festival of the Mind in Sheffield. science communication assumes that because of the wider aspect of grant applications.” Photo credit: He adds that for those who dare to Anthony Bennett we know more than the general public it’s up to challenge themselves, the satisfaction can be immense: “It’s given me some of the best 40 SEB+ us to just tell them amazing facts,” he says. “I moments of my life and pushes me intellectually, which helps me appreciate my research even wanted to do something more equitable where more.” With ‘The Sound of Science’ selected for the 2019 Cheltenham Science Festival instead we create a space for dialogue, inviting and ‘Refugerminate’ invited to feature at the prestigious Brooklyn Usagi gallery, it seems people to think about something and then ask certain that Duncan has many more exciting moments to come. A fitting journey for the about the underlying science.” 11-year-old captivated by his first scientist in a museum, and one that has no doubt inspired His first foray into the arts came from his many others to a life in science since. research collaborator Mike Brockhurst. Together I ALWAYS INCLUDE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF they worked with French artist Laurence Payot THE WIDER ASPECT OF in 2014, using people as ‘living sculptures’ to GRANT APPLICATIONS represent biological symbioses. This formed part of Festival of the Mind, a local biannual festival of science and culture. When the festival returned in 2016, Duncan then worked with sculptor Anthony Bennet to create ‘Gaiamycota’, a digital installation, video, music composition, and performance artwork that imagined whether microbes could restore a world whose soils had been completely ravaged by humanity. “What really excited me about these projects was that we were using art in a highly conceptual way, rather than making a literal representation of science, which wouldn’t have been nearly as intellectually stimulating,” Duncan says. Last year proved just as eventful, culminating in two high-profile art–science collaborations for the 2018 festival. Entitled ‘The Sound of Science’, this extravaganza- style show combining electronic music with live demonstrations simultaneously enthralled audiences whilst delivering a powerful message about climate change and sustainability. “Using music is a great way to give people the information they need to make better decisions and allows the message to reach a wider audience than that in the room,” says Duncan. The exhibit ‘Refugerminate’, meanwhile, was born as part of a collaborative research project between Duncan

COMMUNICATING YOUR SCIENCE BY ALEX EVANS How would you describe R esearch doesn’t have to be fun to be the session was to get attendees to really think your research to a feisty interesting,” stated Zoe at the start about their audience and how to communicate festival crowd? Or to a of the workshop, explaining that their science in different ways,” she explained. panel of journalists? Or to By crafting a series of communication- your 6-year-old niece? An when communicated effectively, based tasks targeted towards varied audiences, interactive careers workshop such as school children, minority groups, and at the 2018 SEB Annual science can elicit a much wider range of journalists, Zoe hoped to get the attendees to Meeting organised by think about the different ways in which they Dr Zoe Self Davies aimed to emotions that help to convey the importance could tailor their research to engage people. One get attendees thinking about particularly intriguing task got the attendees effectively communicating and impacts of your research. In fact, if not thinking about their social media and how to their science to a diverse summarise their research for Twitter using a range of audiences. planned or communicated appropriately, your strictly limited character count, encouraging attendees to select their words carefully for Below efforts may even discourage audiences from maximum clarity and impact. An additional SEB Florence 2018 Careers workshop challenge had the attendees crafting a super- Photo credit: engaging further if they are left feeling confused simplified description of their research with Simon Callaghan only the 10,000 most commonly used words or disinterested. This, Zoe explains, is the heart in the English language using the UpGoerFive technique (REF)—a much harder task than you of the issue. “A lot of science communication might initially think. In conversation after the workshop, Zoe is based on what the scientists want to do, or expressed surprise at the number of people who hadn’t fully realised how exciting and what they think is interesting, but this is a communicable their research was to a range of audiences. “It can be difficult to take an outside backwards way of doing things.” Inspired by perspective on your work and see it the way other people might see it,” she said. Having talked to previous interactive SEB+ events, Zoe designed many of the workshop attendees throughout the session, Zoe was impressed by the interesting the workshop to be as communal as possible, variety of science communication stories and strategies being shared. “I seriously need to up where the attendees would be able to learn from my game after talking to someone who got me interested in slime moulds,” exclaimed Zoe. “It’s each other’s experiences, as well as from the been a few months since the workshop and this still stands out to me—now that’s a sign of great expert advice provided by Zoe. “The goal of science communication!” If you’re interested in improving your THE GOAL WAS TO communications, Zoe has a few words of advice: GET ATTENDEES TO “SEB+ is a great place to start by attending REALLY THINK ABOUT sessions and talking to people. Social media, THEIR AUDIENCE AND Twitter in particular, is a fantastic place to HOW TO COMMUNICATE get ideas and find like-minded people.” One of THEIR SCIENCE IN the workshop facilitators and winner of the DIFFERENT WAYS 2018 SEB+ President’s Medal, Esther Ngumbi, also had some great advice to share with those interested in developing their skills: “We live in a time where science communication is rapidly growing in popularity. There are now so many practical and helpful resources available online, as well as those being provided increasingly often by universities and academic societies that are worth checking out.” SEB+ 41

SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY ALGAL MODEL SYSTEMS ON THE RISE: UNDERSTANDING AND EXPLOITING THE ALGAE TO LAND PLANT TRANSITION 30 JUNE 2019 SEVILLE, SPAIN SEBIOLOGY.ORG #SEBALGAL FIRST LANDING ORGANISED BY INVITED SPEAKERS • HENRIK BUSCHMANN • P IERRE-MARC DELAUX (UNIVERSITÉ DE TOULOUSE,FRANCE) • D AVID DOMOZYCH (SKIDMORE COLLEGE, USA) (UNIVERSITY OF OSNABRÜCK, GERMANY) • C HARLES F. DELWICHE (UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, USA) • ANDREAS HOLZINGER • S TEFAN RENSING (UNIVERSITY OF MARBURG, GERMANY) • H IROYUKI SEKIMOTO (JAPAN WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY, JAPAN) (UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA) • B URKHARD BECKER (UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE, GERMANY) 42 SEB+

SHARING YOUR RESEARCH WITH KIDS AND TEENS – FRONTIERS FOR YOUNG MINDS BY EMMA CLAYTON, JOURNAL MANAGER Are you ready to face the rontiers for Young Minds is a free, We currently cover six specialty fields feedback of a team of — Neuroscience, Biodiversity, Earth and 8–15-year-olds acting as F open-access scientific journal with its Resources, Astronomy, Health, and your reviewers? Frontiers articles written by scientists with Mathematics — and we are looking for like- for Young Minds wants you an editorial twist — children and minded individuals interested in submitting to remember what it was like their work for review or joining our editorial when you first discovered teens aged between 8 and 15 years board. Articles are free to publish and free to and felt passionate about read. You can find examples of articles1 and your research— and act as the peer reviewers. Researchers can information about writing an article of your consider writing about your own2 on our website. current research for the next submit up-to-1500-word adaptation of their generation of scientists! HOW CAN YOU GET work and it is then up to the children and teens, INVOLVED? with the help of a science mentor, to review the If you are interested in sharing your work with young readers, please contact us at article and provide feedback for the authors. [email protected]. We would be more than happy to discuss any ideas that you Only once all concerns raised by the young might have about research that would be interesting or important to the next generation reviewers have been addressed will the article of young minds. Or you can simply submit3 an adaption of your work directly to the journal be validated for publication. As a result, Frontiers for consideration. for Young Minds provides a collection of freely 1. https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles available scientific articles by distinguished 2. https://kids.frontiersin.org/participate/authors scientists that have been shaped for younger 3. https://www.frontiersin.org/Submission/SubmissionInfo. aspx audiences by the input of their own young peers. Educators all around the world are also free to create activities with their children and teens based on the articles published. In every review our Young Minds are introduced to the world of a scientist, get to know the benefits of collaborative peer review, and are encouraged to act as the experts that they are, asking critical questions on the latest scientific discoveries. Few 8-15-year- olds have the opportunity to interact with scientists, and even fewer are ever asked to provide feedback on the work of a recognised expert. The Frontiers for Young Minds platform enables students to find out first-hand what it is to be a scientist, and how to work as part of a collaborative process towards a common goal. SEB+ 43

PRELIGHTS: ECRs IN THE A COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR SPOTLIGHT: SELECTING, PREPRINT HIGHLIGHTING, AND HIGHLIGHTS COMMENTING ON PREPRINTS BY MATE PALFY1 AND MICHAELA HANDEL2 FOR THE COMMUNITY A RECENT EXPLOSION OF hiring committees and funders now consider cited preprints and encourage applicants to Whilst preprints can open up discussion of PREPRINTS IN BIOLOGY include them. But, above all, preprints promote non-peer-reviewed research by the entire a culture of ‘openness’ in science, and the scientific community, there has been limited The posting of preprints (non-peer-reviewed majority of publishers now have journal policies public commenting on preprints so far. A further manuscripts) has rapidly taken off in the compatible with preprint posting; for example, challenge of preprint posting is volume: over biological sciences in the past 5 years. Since Journal of Experimental Biology fully supports time, it will become increasingly difficult to the launch of bioRxiv in 2013, both preprint preprint deposition and actively facilitates the navigate and keep up with the preprint literature. submissions and readership numbers have process through a bidirectional submission To address these challenges, The Company of grown exponentially: currently, bioRxiv portal with bioRxiv. Biologists launched preLights (https://prelights. registers over 2,000 uploaded preprints and biologists.com/)—a community platform for over a million downloads per month. Within POSTING PREPRINTS selecting, highlighting, and commenting on the research areas relevant to the SEB IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL preprints across the biological sciences—in community, there has always been a strong cell February 2018. science and plant biology presence on bioRxiv, FOR EARLY-CAREER At the heart of preLights is the team of but we are now seeing increasing contributions RESEARCHERS BECAUSE IT ECRs (called preLighters) who select which from the animal comparative physiology and CAN FACILITATE CAREER preprints to feature and then summarise the key biomechanics sectors. findings of the preprint, highlighting why they The recent adoption of the preprint PROGRESSION think the study is interesting or important. workflow by biologists can be explained by the Uniquely, the preLighters often directly question numerous benefits that preprints offer. They preprint authors about their work, and the are freely available, speed up the dissemination resulting discussions are published at the end of research, and accelerate the progress of of the article. science by allowing researchers to build on preLights not only raises awareness of new findings, often months before publication preprints and the associated research, but also in a journal. Authors can also benefit from aims to promote and support the ECRs who community feedback, which strengthens write the posts. Becoming a preLighter provides their manuscripts and generates additional a great opportunity to gain experience in science attention for their research. Whilst some communication, to keep up to date with the latest scientists still have concerns about preprinted research in the field, and to build a scientific work getting ‘scooped’, preprints can network through exciting interactions with and have been used as a way to establish fellow scientists. Each preLighter also has the priority, because they are date-stamped opportunity to create their own ‘Community’ and citable. Posting preprints is profile, and several have been featured in the particularly useful for early- ‘Meet the preLighters’ interview series on the site career researchers (ECRs) (e.g. see https://prelights.biologists.com/news/ because it can facilitate meet-prelighters-interview-heath-macmillan/ career progression; many for an interview with Heath MacMillan (Carleton University, Canada), who studies thermal tolerance in insects). In recognition of preLights’ first anniversary, we are keen to grow our team of ECRs (PhD students, postdocs, and early principal investigators) and increase the contribution from the experimental biology community, particularly in the fields of comparative physiology, biomechanics, neuroethology, and ecophysiology. Interested? For more information and details of how to apply, go to https://prelights.biologists. com/about-us/. 1. Community Manager, preLights; 2. Managing Editor, Journal of Experimental Biology 44 SEB+

SEB+ 45

TRAVEL GRANTS TO GO! FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THE TRAVELS OF OUR COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS TRAVEL GRANT WINNERS! EDITED BY SABINA BABA EDWARD (NED) SNELLING, closely, we saw that the left ventricular mass more than doubles within the first few days of UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, postnatal life, which we think is a response to an increase in left ventricular wall stress at SOUTH AFRICA birth, brought about primarily by an increase in volume loading, and secondarily by an Ned travelled on a research trip to Dr Tilaye increase in pressure loading at birth. Wube’s lab at Addis Ababa University in The collaboration with Dr Wube – one of Ethiopia to carry out collaborative research only a few animal eco-physiologists in east entitled “Scaling of the morphology of the Africa – was a great highlight of the research developing heart”. trip. It provided an academic connection “The functional performance of the heart between South Africa and Ethiopia which will increases greatly across fetal and postnatal certainly continue through more collaborative development, both in terms of absolute output research projects between our laboratories. and generated pressure. The morphology of Of course, another major highlight was the the heart therefore must also change across Ethiopian cuisine, which included beef tibs, development, but it is difficult to tease apart injera and the famous St George beer!” changes in cardiac morphology that are The work will be published in the July related to body mass and changes that occur 2019 issue of the Journal of Anatomy. independently of body mass. Our approach was to use a scaling analysis (allometry) to Left describe the change in heart mass, left and Edward Snelling and Dr. Tilaye Wube right ventricular masses, and ventricular mass Photo credit: ratio, each as a function of body mass, across Anteneh Tesfaye fetal and postnatal development in sheep” Opposite page right explains Ned. Austin Garner “Previous work on the scaling of heart size Photo credit: across development in marsupial kangaroos Alexandra Pamfilie revealed a biphasic relationship between heart mass and body mass, with heart mass increasing faster than body mass (positive allometry) across in-pouch life, before a switch in the pace of cardiac growth at pouch exit, with heart mass increasing slower than body mass (negative allometry) across post-pouch life. We expected to find a similar biphasic scaling pattern of cardiac growth in our placental sheep. Instead, the breakpoint that we observed was due to a rapid and substantial increase in the mass of the heart at birth, which occurred independent of any increase in body mass. When we examined the data 46 SEB+

AUSTIN GARNER, UNIVERSITY OF AKRON, OHIO USA Austin travelled to Tampa Bay, Florida, USA approach the “big wigs” and introduce yourself “The collaboration with Dr to attend the Society for Integrative and and your research, but senior researchers are Wube – one of only a few animal Comparative Biology 2019 Annual Meeting almost always happy to have conversations eco-physiologists in east Africa and present his research entitled “The role with students! Each year, I not only find myself of surface lipids in the self-cleaning ability learning new techniques and knowledge that – was a great highlight of the of gecko subdigital adhesive pads”. aid in my research and studies, but also many research trip.” Talking about his research on the skills that will help build my future career” Edward Snelling effect of surface lipids in the self-cleaning says Austin. ability of gecko subdigital adhesive pads, “This year I learned about an interesting “Each year, I not only find Austin explained that the study highlights gel-based profilometry method for examining myself learning new techniques the multifunctional capacities of the gecko the topography of rough surfaces. Considering and knowledge that aid in my adhesive system, which are not only important my interest in the morphology, performance, research and studies, but also ecologically, but also important to the design and evolution of lizard adhesive toe pads and many skills that will help build and fabrication of multifunctional gecko- how surface roughness impacts adhesion, this inspired synthetic adhesives. technique may be of particular use in my future my future career” “Recently, phospholipids have been research. Austin Garner discovered on the setal surfaces of the gecko The plenary speaker, Dr. Peter Wainwright, adhesive system. These surface lipids have been gave the plenary lecture on the opening day SEB+ 47 hypothesized to affect a number of properties of the conference entitled, “Key innovation of gecko adhesive setae, including underwater and diversity in fish jaws: A SICB story”. Here, adhesion/superhydrophobicity, ease of release, Dr. Wainwright discussed the evolution and wear prevention, fibril condensation, and self- subsequent diversification events in fishes with cleaning. Presently, surface lipids do not affect pharyngognathy, an important modification the adhesion of gecko toe pads underwater or to the pharyngeal jaws in fish that allow for their anti-wetting properties. Interestingly, greater bite force. however, removal of surface lipids directly In addition to the fascinating talks I had results in increased adhesion on dry, hydrophilic the opportunity to meet or catch up with many surfaces, suggesting that removal of the surface interesting people such as Paul Maderson, lipids corresponds to subsequent increases in one of the first researchers to document the setal surface energy. morphology and histology of the adhesive A potential increase in setal surface structures found on the toe pads of gekkonid energy could have detrimental effects on lizards with who I discussed some of our recent many of the above-mentioned properties. work investigating the role of phospholipids on Indeed, the surface energy of setae is critical gecko self-cleaning. in the self-cleaning property of gecko toe This conference and symposium was a pads, as the adhesion energy between setae fantastic opportunity to not only discuss and dirt particles is generally lower than the my recent research, but also hear from other adhesion energy between dirt particles and the researchers in the field of biological adhesion.” substrate” says Austin. As his research is highly interdisciplinary and incorporates a variety of fields (e.g. biomechanics, functional morphology, materials science, physics), Austin was keen to present this to fellow researchers attending the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting due to it potentially having a significant impact on current research in these fields. “Over 2,000 participants attended the SICB Annual Meeting, held in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. About 1,800 presentations were distributed across 4 days of the conference with topics ranging from biomechanics to physiology to ecology/evolution. SICB Annual Meeting is an incredibly supportive conference for students and early researchers alike. It may seem intimidating to

STEFAN KUSCH, RWTH Stefan attended the conference to widen I discovered numerous studies involving his network with experts in fungal genomics genomics, population genomics, and AACHEN UNIVERSITY, and to exchange knowledge and learn about experimental evolution of diverse fungal highly relevant aspects regarding his work. lineages including plant beneficial and GERMANY “The research program of the Fungal pathogenic fungi. Due to the fact that genome Genetics Conference included a number of sequencing has become much more affordable in Stefan travelled to Pacific Grove, California, excellent plenary talks and concurrent sessions. recent years, many projects now involve a huge USA to attend the 30th Fungal Genetics Most notably I very much enjoyed the sequencing effort of wild fungal populations, Conference and present his research presentation of Yi Liu from the University addressing questions about their evolution and entitled “Rapid evolutionary adaptation of of Texas-Dallas. He introduced the recently diversity in an unprecedented scope. I talked phytopathogenic powdery mildew fungi to published work of his group showing that a to several poster presenters about methods for highly selective plant environments”. codon-optimised human gene, Kras, is not fungal genome comparison, experiences with Stefan’s research involves analysing the only more efficiently translated, but also more long read sequencing and genome assemblies, genomics and evolutionary trajectories of the efficiently transcribed than its codon non- and challenges when working with obligate powdery mildew pathogen Blumeria graminis optimal counterpart due to codon-dependent pathogenic fungi. Working with powdery f.sp. hordei (Bgh). Infecting barley, the fungus histone methylation marks. mildews, these topics are particularly relevant is of high agronomic importance in Europe. The plenary session by Gunther to me as they present a challenging system: “The obligate biotrophic ascomycete Doehlemann from Cologne University, Germany they can neither be cultivated in vitro nor are fungus Blumeria graminis causes the powdery was also very interesting. He presented the they amendable for genetic manipulation. mildew disease on grasses including wheat and most recent work of his group, characterizing In addition I learned about ways to analyse barley. Different formae speciales of Blumeria the effector Pit2 from the smut fungus of and visualize differences between genomes. graminis exhibit strict host specificity, e.g. the maize, Ustilago maydis. Pit2 is a substrate of As I am conducting comparative genomics barley powdery mildew (Blumeria. graminis f.sp. plant Papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs), analysis of several plant pathogens (including hordei, Bgh) can only complete its pathogenic which usually release the peptide Zip1 to trigger powdery mildew, but also Sclerotinia species) life cycle on barley, but not on other grasses. plant defense, but are inhibited by the release this was very relevant to me. I learned about the We hypothesize that the evolution of the of the inhibitory domain of Pit2 through PLCP feasibility of assembly techniques, most notably fungus is fast enough to detect changes in its activity. The inhibitory domain alone was Hi-C, which enables structural improvement virulence spectrum in real time. To identify sufficient to block PLCP activity. of genome assemblies by linkage of local the nature of genomic alterations underlying The conference also enabled me to learn genomic DNA and I am currently working on such putative rapid evolutionary adaptations, about several approaches and methods in fungal implementing this method for improving the we generated experimentally evolved Bgh genomics that I can directly implement into my assembly of a powdery mildew isolate that I isolates displaying virulence on otherwise fully own work and analysis, thus strengthening am sequencing at the moment. resistant barley mlo (Mildew locus O) mutant the impact of my findings. This will allow me Overall the atmosphere of this conference plants. We conducted functional genomics and to publish my works in prestigious journals in was very pleasant and offered numerous found a highly volatile genome characterized by the future. opportunities for networking and learning in copy number variation of effector genes and a a relaxed and inviting environment.” recent expansion of transposable elements. We discovered that a gene coding for a transcription factor known to affect virulence and hyphal development is part of a ~40 kb genomic deletion in the virulent Bgh isolate. Further, by RNA-Seq we identified 123 genes that are differentially expressed in this isolate at the time of host cell penetration”, explained Stefan. 48 SEB+

JESSY SILVA, UNIVERSITY OF PORTO, PORTUGAL “The conference also enabled Jessy travelled to Gifu, Japan to attend Moreover, Duarte Dionísio Figueiredo me to learn about several the International Association of Sexual presented results indicating that auxin Plant Reproduction Research (IASPRR) regulates endosperm cellularization in approaches and methods in conference and present her research entitled Arabidopsis. fungal genomics that I can “Unravelling the importance of FLA5 This conference allowed me to exchange directly implement into my own (Fasciclin-like Arabinogalactan Protein 5) knowledge, discuss my work with many in Arabidopsis reproduction”. scientists within my field of study and work and analysis” A postgraduate Master student in establish new contacts for my scientific Stefan Kusch Functional Biology and Biotechnology of future. Plants at the Faculty of Sciences, Jessy’s I had the opportunity to talk with “This conference allowed me to research interests are related to Sexual Plant Maria Teresa Portes from the University of exchange knowledge, discuss Reproduction because of its complexity as Maryland about her poster “Ion dynamics my work with many scientists a biological process and its importance in in morphogenesis: The role of H+ regulation within my field of study and improving agricultural productivity. in pollen tube guidance”. She investigated establish new contacts for my Jessy’s study is focused on fasciclin-like alterations in the spatial temporal regulation arabinogalactan protein 5 (FLA5). “FLA5 of ion dynamics in a mutant that fails to target scientific future” has 2 Pro-rich domains flanking a fasciclin the ovules in vivo and I thought her work was Jessie Silva domain and a glycosylphosphatidylinositol very impressive. (GPI) anchor. FLA5 is a target of the In the following days, Anja Geitmann Left transcription factor SEEDSTICK, which (Universite de Montreal) gave an excellent Stefan Kusch regulates the development of the ovule and talk where she showed evidence that pollen Photo credit: the seed (Mizzotti et al., 2014). Since seeds are tubes extrude enzymes like the pectate Lamprinos Frantzeskakis essential units for plant propagation and the lyases to the transmitting tract to allow Right first step in their development is the formation their passage. Another impressive talk was Jessie Silva of ovules, it is very important to study the from José Feijó (University of Maryland) who Photo credit: genes involved in the reproductive process. presented a mechanism in which CORNICHON Diana Moreira Therefore, to increase our knowledge about HOMOLOG (CNIH) proteins activate plant the role of FLA5, the objective of the present glutamate receptor-like (GLR) channels. work was to study a FLA5 RNA interference The congress included a Ukai tour and a knock-down line and access its localization by congress dinner. Ukai is a traditional fishing GFP/GUS promoter analysis” explains Jessy. method that uses trained cormorants to catch “The International Congress on Sexual river fish. The tour involved a sailing trip Plant Reproduction (ICSPR) is held once every along the Nagaragawa river, where we ate two years and it is hosted by the International Japanese snacks as we watched the amazing Association of Sexual Plant Reproduction cormorants fishing. To end this fantastic Research (IASPRR). congress, we had the opportunity to enjoy Being myself a researcher in plant sexual some Japanese culinary specialties and to reproduction, I decided to attend this congress applaud the winners of the awards for the best where I had the opportunity to learn many poster and oral presentations at the congress different aspects and perspectives about the dinner which took place at Gifu Miyako Hotel. huge diversity among the field of reproduction This congress gave me the opportunity to in plants. learn more about the current status of my field The programme covered 9 themes and of study in a professional environment and to there were a number of very interesting be inspired by other people’s perspectives.” talks. In particular, Blake Meyers from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center talked about “The evolution and functional roles of premeiotic reproductive phasiRNAs in plants”. I learned that there are two sets of reproductive phased secondary siRNAs: the 21-nt (pre-meiotic) and 24-nt (meiotic) siRNAs. Additionallly, Nathanael Prunet showed evidence that in the SUPERMAN mutant, the extra stamens results from cells in whorl 4 which change their fate from female to male. This phenotype appears to be mediated by phytohormones as SUPERMAN controls the balance between auxin and cytokinin. SEB+ 49

UNTIL NEXT ISSUE