Trilobites are among the most iconic of fossils and formed a prominent component of marine ecosystems during most of their 270-million-year-long history from the early Cambrian period to the end Permian period1. More than 20,000 species have been described to date, with presumed lifestyles ranging from infaunal burrowing to a planktonic life in the water column2. Inferred trophic roles range from detritivores to predators, but all are based on indirect evidence such as body and gut morphology, modes of preservation and attributed feeding traces; no trilobite specimen with internal gut contents has been described3,4. Here we present the complete and fully itemized gut contents of an Ordovician trilobite, Bohemolichas incola, preserved three-dimensionally in a siliceous nodule and visualized by synchrotron microtomography. The tightly packed, almost continuous gut fill comprises partly fragmented calcareous shells indicating high feeding intensity. The lack of dissolution of the shells implies a neutral or alkaline environment along the entire length of the intestine supporting digestive enzymes comparable to those in modern crustaceans or chelicerates. Scavengers burrowing into the trilobite carcase targeted soft tissues below the glabella but avoided the gut, suggesting noxious conditions and possibly ongoing enzymatic activity.

• MeSH
• biologická evoluce MeSH
• členovci * anatomie a histologie   enzymologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• korýši enzymologie   MeSH
• střeva * chemie   enzymologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• synchrotrony MeSH
• vodní organismy enzymologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• zkameněliny * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Globally, the occurrence of biofilm associated infection has become an alarming menace to the medical fraternity because the thick exopolysaccharide layer encasing the biofilms makes the biofilm producing pathogens inherently resistant to antibiotics. Candida albicans, the most common pathogen among Candida spp. is the causative agent for superficial and invasive candidiasis. The morphological phase switching from yeast to hyphal form is one of the virulent traits of C. albicans critical for its pathogenicity. Owing to the emergence of antifungal resistance among this opportunistic fungus, there is a dire need for improvised alternative antifungal agents. In the present study, we have evaluated a biosurfactant from a marine bacterium for its biofilm disruption ability against C. albicans. This biosurfactant had the potential to disrupt biofilms as well as to inhibit the morphological transition from yeast to hyphae. In addition, this biosurfactant showed enhance disruption of mixed species biofilms of C. albicans and Staphylococcus epidermidis when combined with DNase isolated from marine bacteria. From the results obtained, it is evident that the biosurfactant could act as a potential antibiofilm agent against drug resistant C. albicans strains.

• MeSH
• antifungální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Bacteria * enzymologie   MeSH
• biofilmy * účinky léků   MeSH
• Candida albicans * účinky léků   MeSH
• deoxyribonukleasy * metabolismus   MeSH
• hyfy MeSH
• kandidóza mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Staphylococcus epidermidis účinky léků   MeSH
• vodní organismy * enzymologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antifungální látky MeSH
• deoxyribonukleasy * MeSH