A new weapon against the super tough C diff bacteria

Phase 1 trial shows new RX fights C diff and spares healthy microbiota

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

 

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KEVIN GAREY, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON ROBERT L. BOBLITT ENDOWED PROFESSOR OF DRUG DISCOVERY AT THE UH COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, ASSESSED THE PHARMACOKINETICS AND GUT MICROBIOME EFFECTS OF ORAL OMADACYCLINE IN COMPARISON TO VANCOMYCIN, ANOTHER POSSIBLE C DIFF DRUG.

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CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

In a phase-one human clinical trial, a University of Houston pharmacist researcher has demonstrated that a newer generation tetracycline antibiotic, called Omadacycline, may be a promising tool in combating the resilient bacteria Clostridioides difficile (C diff), which causes an infection often picked up in hospitals. C diff brings on diarrhea and colitis, an inflammation of the colon, and is responsible for nearly 500,000 infections annually in the United States.  

The fight against C diff takes its toll internally, including a significant disruption of gut microbiota, usually by broad-spectrum antibiotics, leading to loss of colonization resistance to C difficile. Omadacycline demonstrated a low likelihood of causing C diff in clinical trials, but no one understood why. 

Kevin Garey, Robert L. Boblitt Endowed Professor of Drug Discovery at the UH College of Pharmacy, assessed the pharmacokinetics and gut microbiome effects of oral Omadacycline in comparison to Vancomycin, another possible C diff drug. Vancomycin is used to treat C diff but is not good at eliminating it over the long-term. Garey’s team investigated whether Omadacycline, given orally, achieves high concentration in the gut and the effect on the gut microbiome, the healthy bacteria that lives in the colon.  

“Our research shows off the coolness of the microbiome. Omadacycline caused a distinctly different effect on the microbiome than Vancomycin. This could explain why Omadacycline is a safe drug to give to patients at high risk for C diff infection. This could become a new method in drug development to see if antibiotics are not only killing the bacteria causing infections (the bad bugs) but not causing harm to the beneficial microbes that live in our body (the good bugs),” said Garey, whose results were published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “I would hope that this becomes a normal part of the antibiotic drug development process.”   

In the study, 16 healthy volunteers tolerated Omadacycline with no safety differences compared to the other antibiotic. A rapid initial increase in fecal concentration of Omadacycline was observed compared to Vancomycin, with maximum concentrations achieved within 48 hours. Rapid increase is a good thing – it means the active drug is getting to the site of the infection faster. 

“Both the Omadacycline and Vancomycin groups showed significant changes in their microbiomes when we looked at how diverse they were internally (alpha diversity). However, when we compared the changes between the two groups (beta diversity), they were noticeably different from each other,” reported Garey. 

Garey’s team includes Jinhee Jo, assistant professor, University of Houston College of Pharmacy; and Blake M. Hanson and Hossaena Ayele, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. 

 

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JOURNAL

The Journal of Infectious Diseases

ARTICLE TITLE

Fecal Pharmacokinetics and Gut Microbiome Effects of Oral Omadacycline Versus Vancomycin in Healthy Volunteers

 

From lab to field: BTI research leads to development in revolutionary biofungicide, to be distributed by Nutrien

Business Announcement

BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE

Ithaca, NY: The Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), a leader in plant science research, is proud to announce that Ascribe Bioscience, a company founded on BTI technology, has partnered with Nutrien Ag Solutions to commercialize two crop protection products containing Ascribe’s flagship biofungicide Phytalix®.

Phytalix was developed from discoveries made at BTI and represents a significant advance in biological crop protection. The product is based on natural molecules from the soil microbiome that prime immune responses in plants, enabling them to effectively combat a broad range of pathogens. A joint development and supply agreement between Ascribe and Nutrien provides for the launch of Phytalix blends under Nutrien’s Loveland Products brand for use on US row crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans. 

“This discovery has profound implications for agriculture. Phytalix is one of the first biological crop protection products with the efficacy and ease of use demanded by large-scale growers. Unlike traditional chemical fungicides that directly target pathogens, Phytalix works by enhancing plants’ own defenses. This will enable growers to protect their crops and increase yields without harming beneficial soil organisms or the environment,” explains Ascribe CEO Jay Farmer. 

Four years of field trials have demonstrated that Phytalix can match or even surpass the efficacy of traditional synthetic fungicides. The product has shown effective control of major agricultural pathogens like Corn Leaf Blight, Asian Soybean Rust, and Fusarium Head Blight in wheat. The results are not just a boon for crop health but also for environmental sustainability, offering a path towards reduced reliance on synthetic chemicals in agriculture and providing a critically needed tool to combat the increasing resistance of pathogens to existing fungicides.

“BTI is thrilled to witness the transition of our scientific research into a practical solution that addresses some of the most pressing challenges in modern agriculture,” says BTI President Dr. Silvia Restrepo. “The potential of Phytalix to transform crop protection while maintaining environmental integrity aligns perfectly with BTI's mission to advance the understanding of plant biology for the benefit of humanity.”
 

About Boyce Thompson Institute
Founded in 1924, the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) is a premier plant biology and life sciences research institution in Ithaca, New York. BTI scientists conduct investigations into fundamental research to increase food security, improve environmental sustainability, and make basic discoveries to enhance human health. Throughout this work, BTI is committed to inspiring and educating students and providing advanced training for the next generation of scientists. BTI is an independent nonprofit research institute that is affiliated with Cornell University. For more information, please visit BTIscience.org.

About Ascribe
Ascribe Bioscience is an Ithaca, NY-based agriculture technology company founded in 2017, based on initial discoveries from the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University. The company develops natural crop protection and fertilizer products that help farmers reduce disease and increase yield without harming the environment or human health. For more information, please visit ascribebio.com.

 

Genetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, NEWS BUREAU

 

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A NASA IMAGE CONTAINING VISIBLE AND INFRARED DATA REVEALING THE PRESENCE OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER – INCLUDING POTENTIAL ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT PATHOGENS – IN THE WATERWAYS ALONG COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA AFTER HURRICANE FLORENCE.

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CREDIT: NASA

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers report in the journal Geohealth that local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 – not the previously suspected high number of pig farms in the region.

These findings have critical implications for controlling the spread of disease caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens after flooding events, particularly in the coastal regions of developing countries that are being highly impacted by the increase in tropical storms.

The study, led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign civil and environmental engineering professor Helen Nguyen and graduate student Yuqing Mao, tracks the presence and origin of S. enterica from environmental samples from coastal North Carolina using genetic tracing.

“Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens are responsible for approximately 2.8 million human illnesses and 36,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone,” Nguyen said. “These infections spread easily across the globe and are a major burden on burgeoning health care systems, but they are preventable through mitigation.”

The study reports that because human and animal fecal genetic markers are often found in flood waters, it is commonly assumed wastewater sources, septic systems and livestock farms are responsible for spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genetic material into the environment. However, no known studies have conclusively identified contaminant source points.

“Coastal North Carolina is a great case study area because there is a high concentration of swine farms and private septic systems, and coastal flooding caused by tropical storms is fairly common,” Nguyen said.

Three weeks after Hurricane Florence, Nguyen’s team collected 25 water samples from water bodies downstream of the swine farms in agricultural production areas in North Carolina, 23 of which contained the S. enterica bacteria.

“We analyzed free-floating genetic markers – chromosomes and plasmids – using high-fidelity whole-genome sequencing and found that S. enterica in the samples collected after Hurricane Florence were not from animals or manure,” Nguyen said.

The team genetically traced the bacteria’s origin to the many small local rivers and streams in the area – meaning that these pathogens have already established themselves in the natural environment.

“With climate change bringing warmer temperatures – in which bacteria thrive – and possibly larger and more frequent tropical storms, the importance of our findings needs to be realized by researchers and policymakers,” Nguyen said. “Agricultural and human wastewater should not be the only source considered when designing mitigation plans to prevent the spread of pathogenic bacteria after hurricanes.”

Nguyen’s team plans to extend this research beyond coastal regions and is collaborating with other campus researchers to study the spread of pathogens from Canada goose feces in Illinois.

Researchers from the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and the University of Florida also contributed to this study.

The IGB, The Grainger College of Engineering, the Allen Foundation and the EPA supported this study.

 

 

Editor’s notes:

The paper “Local and environmental reservoirs of Salmonella enterica after Hurricane Florence flooding” is available online. DOI: 10.1029/2023GH000877

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JOURNAL

GeoHealth

DOI

10.1029/2023GH000877 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Case study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Local and environmental reservoirs of Salmonella enterica after Hurricane Florence flooding

 

Genetics of host plants determine what microorganisms they attract

CARL R. WOESE INSTITUTE FOR GENOMIC BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

 

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MISCANTHUS SPECIES ARE BIOENERGY CROPS BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE LOWER NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS TO ACHIEVE MORE GROWTH.

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CREDIT: L. BRIAN STAUFFER

Plants often develop communities with microorganisms in their roots, which influences plant health and development. Although the recruitment of these microbes is dictated by several factors, it is unclear whether the genetic variation in the host plants plays a role. In a new study, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explored this question and their work can help improve agriculture productivity.

“Previously, researchers have only looked at what kind of microbes are present in association with plants, but not what might be driving the formation of these communities and how we might be able to control these drivers through plant breeding,” said Angela Kent (CABBI), a professor of natural resources and environmental sciences.

Microbes form complex communities called microbiomes in and around the roots of plants. The host plants can dictate which microbes are invited into their roots—known as endophytes—using chemical signals. They can also alter the soil properties around the roots to influence which microbes can grow around the root surface, or rhizosphere. However, in order to breed plants based on what microbes they associate with, researchers first need to understand the extent to which plant genomes can influence the rhizosphere microbiome.

To answer this question, the researchers studied two native silver grass species—Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus floridulus. These plants are considered potential bioenergy crops because they require lower nutrient concentrations to achieve more growth compared to traditional crops.

The study was conducted in 16 sites across Taiwan and included a range of environmental conditions, such as hot springs, mountain peaks, and valleys, to represent all possible environmental extremes. The researchers collected 236 rhizosphere soil samples from randomly selected Miscanthus plants and also isolated the microbiome inside the roots.

“Although the scale of this study was unprecedented, we were mindful of the plant protection and quarantine regulations. We processed the samples in Taiwan to extract the endophytic microbial community and collect the rhizosphere microbiome,” Kent said.

The researchers used two types of DNA sequencing techniques in their study. The microbiomes in and around the roots were identified using the DNA sequence of bacterial and fungal rRNA genes, focusing on the part of the genome that is unique to each species. The variation in the plant genome was measured using microsatellites, which are small pieces of repeating DNA that can distinguish even closely related plant populations.

“The samples were collected 15 years ago, when the project was too large for the sequencing capabilities at the time. As the cost of sequencing came down, it allowed us to revisit the data and take a closer look at the microbiome. During sample processing, we also inadvertently extracted plant DNA and we were able to use that as a resource for genotyping our Miscanthus populations,” Kent said.

“We screened the host genome sequences for insights into how they can affect the microbiome,” said Niuniu Ji, a postdoctoral researcher in the Kent lab. “I discovered that the plants affect the core microbiome, which was exciting.”

Although plant microbiomes are very diverse, the core microbiome is a collection of microbes that are found in most samples of a particular set of plants. These microbes are considered to play an important role in organizing which other microbes are associated with the plant and helping with host growth.

The core microbiome that the researchers found in Miscanthus included nitrogen-fixing bacteria that have been found in rice and barley in other studies. All these microbes play a role in helping the plants acquire nitrogen, which is a vital nutrient for plant growth. Recruiting nitrogen-fixing microbes may help the plants adapt to different environments, but importantly, this capability contributes to the sustainability of this grass as a potential bioenergy crop.

On the other hand, the influence of the genetic variation among the plants had a lower effect on the rhizosphere microbiome, which was more strongly affected by the soil environment. Even so, the plants placed a greater emphasis on recruiting fungi compared to other microbes.

The researchers are interested in parsing out which genes play a role in influencing the microbiome. “The microsatellites do not have a biological function and are not representative of the whole genome. It would be nice if we could sequence the whole Miscanthus genome and figure out how the genes affect nitrogen fixation,” Ji said.

“Crop breeding is based on yield. However, we need to take a wider look and consider how microbes can contribute to crop sustainability,” Kent said. “The appeal of working with wild plants is that there is vast genetic variation to look at. We can identify which variants are good at recruiting nitrogen-fixing microbes because we can use fewer fertilizers on these crops. It’s an exciting possibility as we embark on adapting these plants for bioenergy purposes.”

The study “Host genetic variation drives the differentiation in the ecological role of the native Miscanthus root-associated microbiome" was published in Microbiome and can be found at https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01646-3. The work was supported by the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the DOE Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation.

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JOURNAL

Microbiome

DOI

10.1186/s40168-023-01646-3 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Host genetic variation drives the differentiation in the ecological role of the native Miscanthus root-associated microbiome.

 NEW AGE ALCHEMY

Chemistry and Crystals: Politecnico di Milano's hydrogel study on the cover of Chemistry

Research opens up new perspectives for therapy and cosmetics

Peer-Reviewed Publication

POLITECNICO DI MILANO

 

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THE SUPRAMOLECULAR INTERACTION BETWEEN THE AMINO ACID FMOC-PENTAFLUORO-PHENYLALANINE AND THE PARTNER MOLECULE LED TO THE FORMATION OF A CRYSTAL COMPLEX IN THE SOLID STATE. IN WATER, THE TWO MOLECULES GAVE HYDROGELS, WHOSE FIBRILLAR NETWORK IS HELD TOGETHER BY THE SAME SUPRAMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS OBSERVED IN CRYSTALS.

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CREDIT: POLITECNICO DI MILANO

Milan, 19 December 2023 -  Hydrogels, ubiquitous materials in our daily lives, are the focus of a scientific research published as a hot paper on the cover of the renowned international journal Chemistry - A European Journal. Conducted by the SupraBioNanoLab at the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering 'Giulio Natta’ at Politecnico di Milano, the work demonstrated how the combination of supramolecular chemistry and crystallography can be used to design hydrogels with specific characteristics.

The study focused on the use of an amino acid called Fmoc-pentafluoro-phenylalanine, which effectively turns into a gel in water. The researchers examined the behaviour of this molecule in the presence of other substances, including bioactive molecules such as vitamin B3, which establish strong attractive interactions with its reactive groups. Experimental results have shown that the interactions between the amino acid and partner molecules are identical both in the formation of a crystalline complex in the solid state and in the creation of a gel in an aqueous solvent.

‘The key to the research was the determination of the crystal structure of the complex through X-ray diffraction, which allowed us to predict the properties and consistency of the resulting gel.’ - explains Valentina Dichiarante of the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering 'Giulio Natta’ at Politecnico di Milano. ‘This also allowed us to modulate the release of the partner molecule from the gel itself'.

'This scientific breakthrough opens up new perspectives for the selective and targeted design of mixed hydrogels’, adds Pierangelo Metrangolo of the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering 'Giulio Natta' at Politecnico di Milano. 'The supramolecular interactions between the solid-phase components allow the strength and structure of the gel to be modulated, creating an ideal matrix for the controlled release of active substances, with possible therapeutic or cosmetic applications’.

The exceptional importance of these results led the journal Chemistry - A European Journal to dedicate the main cover of the edition containing the article to it, together with a detailed profile on the authors of the work and their research activity. This award underlines the significant contribution this research brings to the emerging field of hydrogels and biomedical applications.

 

Link to the study: https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202301743

‘Acid···Amide Supramolecular Synthon for Tuning Amino Acid-Based Hydrogels’ Properties’

Eleonora Veronese, Claudia Pigliacelli, Greta Bergamaschi, Giancarlo Terraneo, Valentina Dichiarante* and Pierangelo Metrangolo*

Chemistry - A European Journal 2023, e202301743

Images from two different electron microscopy analyses of Fmoc-pentafluoro-phenylalanine hydrogel alone (c-d) and with a partner molecule (e-f). Inset: photos of the two hydrogels

CREDIT

Politecnico di Milano

JOURNAL

Chemistry

DOI

10.1002/chem.202301743 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Acid⋅⋅⋅Amide Supramolecular Synthon for Tuning Amino Acid-Based Hydrogels’ Properties

 

Genetic diversity of wild north American grapes mapped

Research identifies traits that could advance grape breeding, sustainability

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - DAVIS

Wild North American grapes are now less of a mystery after an international team of researchers led by the University of California, Davis, decoded and catalogued the genetic diversity of nine species of this valuable wine crop.

The research, published in the journal Genome Biology, uncovers critical traits that could accelerate grape breeding efforts, particularly in tackling challenges like climate change, saline environments and drought.

“This research marks a significant step in understanding the genetics of grapevines,” said Dario Cantù, the senior author on the journal article and a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. “It lays the groundwork for future advancements in grape breeding by identifying key genes responsible for important traits.”

The research team developed and used state-of-the-art technology to construct a comprehensive pangenome, which is a complete genetic blueprint, of wild grape species.

This so-called super-pangenome of nine species allowed the team to map genetic diversity, identify similarities or differences among them, and pinpoint specific traits that breeders may want to incorporate. First author Noé Cochetel, a postdoctoral researcher in Cantù’s lab, did the analyses and played a pivotal role in the project.

It is the first North American wild grape pangenome to be mapped and catalogued, Cantù said.

“This offers tremendous potential for advancing sustainable grape cultivation, especially in regions facing water scarcity challenges,” said Cantù, a plant biologist who also holds the Louis P. Martini Endowed chair. “This pangenome will enable further genetic exploration of other vital adaptive traits, essential for industry resilience, like drought tolerance, heat resistance and defense against Pierce’s disease.”

Caused by a strain of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, Pierce’s disease kills grapevines by clogging their water-conducting vessels.

Wild grape pros and cons

North American grapes are known for their resistance to disease and adaptability, but they are not favored for taste and wine quality. European grapevines like chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon are less resistant to diseases but are renowned for producing high-quality wines.

North American species have a wide geographic range. As a consequence, they have evolved to withstand diverse climatic, soil and pathogen conditions, encompassing a broad spectrum of genetic diversity.

That is why nearly all wine grapes produced worldwide are from European vines grafted onto North American rootstocks.

Ability to select traits

The detailed pangenome will empower breeders to selectively incorporate desired traits from wild grapes, such as salt tolerance, while avoiding less desirable characteristics.

“Salt tolerance is a crucial trait for rootstocks,” Cantù noted. “Identifying these traits at a genetic level is a major advancement for grape breeding.”

Andrea Minio, Jadran F. Garcia, Rosa Figueroa-Balderas and Mélanie Massonnet from UC Davis contributed to the research, as did experts from Cornell University, UC Irvine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and Human Technopole in Italy.

Funding from the National Science Foundation, the E&J Gallo Winery and Louis P. Martini Endowment in Viticulture supported the research. The UC Davis Genome Center, of which Cantù is a member, performed sequencing.

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JOURNAL

Genome Biology

DOI

10.1186/s13059-023-03133-2 

ARTICLE TITLE

A super-pangenome of the North American wild grape species

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

19-Dec-2023

 

Mysterious fruit shown to be the oldest known fossils of the Frankincense and Myrrh family

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

 

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PRIOR TO THE WIDESPREAD USE OF CT SCANNING IN PALEONTOLOGY, SMALL FOSSILS LIKE THESE, WHICH ARE LESS THAN 10 MM IN DIAMETER, WERE ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TO STUDY AND IDENTIFY.

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CREDIT: PHOTO BY STEVEN MANCHESTER

Early in the 1970s, a paleontologist working on the outskirts of an Indian village found small, bead-like fossils embedded in the gray chert dotting the surrounding fields. The site was notorious for turning up plant fossils that were difficult to identify, including the fruit of an extinct species resignedly given the name “Enigmocarpon.” The new fossils proved just as frustratingly intractable; more of them were discovered in India over the next several decades, but scientists had little luck deciding what type of plant they belonged to.

Now, researchers say they’ve solved the mystery. Using CT scanning technology, Steven Manchester, curator of paleobotany at the Florida Museum of Natural History, created 3D reconstructions of the original fossil specimens and others collected since. He showed these to a colleague, who noticed something odd about the five triangular seeds inside.

“When I showed him the 3D images, he said “those aren’t seeds. Those are pyrenes,” Manchester recalled of his conversation with courtesy curator of botany at the Florida Museum, Walter Judd.

Pyrenes are woody dispersal pods that give seeds an extra layer of protection. Examples include the hard stones at the cores of cherries, peaches, dates and pistachios, which prevent the seeds from being digested along with the rest of the fruit.

Distinguishing a seed from a pyrene, especially when they’re the size of snowflakes, requires close scrutiny. Traditional methods of paleobotany, which involve incrementally dissolving fossils in acid and observing each new layer under a microscope, had proven insufficient.

“If we had specimens that fractured at just the right plane, I would have been able to recognize them, but with the material we had on hand, I couldn’t tell,” Manchester said.

There are only a few plant groups that produce pyrenes, fewer still with fruits that contain five seeds arranged in a pentagram. Through a process of elimination, Manchester and Judd determined the fossils belonged to an extinct species in Burseraceae, the Frankincense family.

Fossilized wood, leaves, fruits and flowers from this family have been found elsewhere in India, often sandwiched between thick slabs of basalt created by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Earth’s history.

LEMURIA

At the time, India was an island off the southeast coast of Africa. India’s continental plate was slowly inching toward Europe and Asia, and as it rafted past Madagascar, it broke the seal on a thin layer of Earth’s crust. Rivers of liquid rock poured onto a landscape the size of California and Texas combined. The eruptions occurred intermittently for nearly a million years, and they repeatedly killed any vegetation that grew during the interludes.

“The fossils were preserved at times of quiet between the eruptions,” Manchester said. “Ponds and lakes formed on the relatively fresh lava flows, and vegetation, including wood and seeds, were washed into them and covered by sediment.”

The shield volcano responsible for the destruction was active just before and after the asteroid impact that drew the curtains on the Cretaceous, and both are thought to have contributed to the extinctions that followed.

Most fossils from the Frankincense family have, up until now, been recovered from rocks that postdate the asteroid impact. The original fruits discovered in the 1970s were fossilized before that event. This makes them the oldest Burseraceae fossils discovered to date, which has important implications for the family’s origin. Scientists have a good idea of when plants in the group initially evolved, but it’s still unclear where they came from.

Ancient species of Burseraceae are a common component of fossil beds in southern England, the Czech Republic and parts of North America. Beginning roughly 50 million years ago, however, Earth’s climate began a long cooling process that ultimately resulted in the most recent Ice Ages. As temperatures fell, species in the Frankincense family seemed to reverse their preference for hemispheres. Today, there are more than 700 Burseraceae species, and most of them grow south of the equator.

The ancestors of modern Burseraceae species are thought to have first appeared somewhere in the north. Alternatively, a few early species may have had a global distribution but became isolated as continents drifted apart.

The fossils from India suggest the southern hemisphere may have been the real birthplace of the family.

“It could be that we just don't have rocks of the right age in Europe to indicate that they were there, but this shows that we can't dismiss the southern hemisphere as a point of origin,” Manchester said.

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JOURNAL

International Journal of Plant Sciences

DOI

10.1086/729091 

ARTICLE TITLE

BURSERACEAE IN THE LATEST CRETACEOUS OF INDIA: SAHNIOCARPON CHITALEY & PATIL

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

11-Dec-2023

SOCIAL ECOLOGY

War and fire on the eastern Silk Road

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PNAS NEXUS

 

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TYPICAL SCENES OF FIRES TRIGGERED BY WARFARE ACTIVITY IN ANCIENT CHINA. (PROVIDED BY AUTHORS)

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CREDIT: ZHANG ET AL

Human activities such as intentional burning, agriculture, pastoralism, and metallurgy can affect the frequency of fire in an ecosystem. Guanghui Dong, Aifeng Zhou and colleagues investigated whether another typical human activity has influenced fire history in the areas along the Silk Road: war. Fire was a commonly used weapon in ancient Chinese warfare. In the 5th-century BCE, military strategist Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, advised the use of fire against enemy troops and supplies. The authors measured black carbon, soot, and char in sediments from a core of Tianchi Lake, which represent 6,000 years of sediment deposition. The authors calculated the spatial range of land that would have contributed fire-related particulate to the sediment using the potential source contribution function analysis, a method typically used to determine the source areas for contemporary pollution. Fire was infrequent in the middle Holocene, but became more frequent in the late Holocene, as the climate became drier and flammable herbaceous vegetation spread. Then, 2,000 years ago, the fire frequency became decoupled from climate or vegetation. On centennial timescales, fires during this period are synchronous with warfare, as recorded in the List of Wars in Historical China. From 2,000–400 years ago, warfare between different political powers may have been the dominant contributor to high-intensity fires in the area, according to the authors.

(A) Overview of the Silk Road area, (B) spatial distribution of war activities over the past 2000 years, and (C) human activities versus changes in climate and vegetation.

CREDIT

Zhang et al

JOURNAL

PNAS Nexus

ARTICLE TITLE

Warfare impact overtakes climate-controlled fires in the eastern Silk Roads since 2000 B.P.

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

19-Dec-2023