Understanding of nanoparticle impacts on critical bacteria functions allows us to gain a mechanistic understanding of toxicity and guides us towards design rules for creating safe nanomaterials. Herein and using analytical techniques, biofilm formation, a general bacteria function, and riboflavin secretion, a species-specific function, were monitored in Shewanella oneidensis, a metal reducing bacterium, following exposure to a variety of TiO2 nanoparticle types (synthesized, Aeroxide P25, and T-Eco). TEM images show that dosed nanoparticles are in close proximity to the bacteria but they are not internalized. Using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), it was revealed that S. oneidensis biofilm formation is slowed in the presence of nanoparticles. Though S. oneidensis grows more slowly in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles, riboflavin secretion, a function related to the S. oneidensis metal reducing capacity, was increased significantly in a nanoparticle dose-dependent manner. Both changes in biofilm formation and riboflavin secretion are supported by changes in gene expression in nanoparticle-exposed S. oneidensis. This broad study of bacterial nanotoxicity, including use of sensitive analytical tools for functional assessments of biofilm formation, riboflavin secretion, and gene expression has implications for total ecosystem health as the use of engineered nanoparticles grows.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been used extensively as a model system for developmental studies but, unlike most teleost fish, it grows in a determinate-like manner. A close relative, the giant danio (Devario cf. aequipinnatus), grows indeterminately, displaying both hyperplasia and hypertrophy of skeletal myofibers as an adult. To better understand adult muscle hyperplasia, a postlarval/postnatal process that closely resembles secondary myogenesis during development, we characterized the expression of Pax3/7, c-Met, syndecan-4, Myf5, MyoD1, myogenin, and myostatin during in vitro myogenesis, a technique that allows for the complete progression of myogenic precursor cells to myotubes. Pax7 appears to be expressed only in newly activated MPCs while Pax3 is expressed through most of the myogenic program, as are c-Met and syndecan-4. MyoD1 appears important in all stages of myogenesis, while Myf5 is likely expressed at low to background levels, and myogenin expression is enriched in myotubes. Myostatin, like MyoD1, appears to be ubiquitous at all stages. This is the first comprehensive report of key myogenic factor expression patterns in an indeterminate teleost, one that strongly suggests that Pax3 and/or Myf5 may be involved in the regulation of this paradigm. Further, it validates this species as a model organism for studying adult myogenesis in vitro, especially mechanisms underlying nascent myofiber recruitment.

Gene expression patterns indicate different impacts of charged nanoparticles across two model species.

Although the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been widely utilized as a model organism for several decades, there is little information available on physiological variation underlying genetic variation among the most commonly used inbred strains. This study evaluated growth performance using physiological and molecular markers of growth in response to fasting in six commonly used zebrafish strains [AB, TU, TL, SJA, WIK, and petstore (PET) zebrafish]. Fasting resulted in a standard decrease in whole blood glucose levels, typical vertebrate glucose metabolism pattern, in AB, PET, TL, and TU zebrafish strains. Alternatively, fasting did not affect glucose levels in SJA and WIK zebrafish strains. Similarly, fasting had no effect on myostatin mRNA levels in AB, PET, TU, and WIK zebrafish strains, but decreased myostatin-1 and -2 mRNA levels in SJA zebrafish. Consistent with previous work, fasting increased myostatin-2 mRNA levels in TL zebrafish. These data demonstrate that variation is present in growth performance between commonly used inbred strains of zebrafish. These data can help future research endeavors by highlighting the attributes of each strain with regard to growth performance so that the most fitting strain may be utilized.

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