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Acuticulata is a globally distributed group in the actiniarian superfamily Metridioidea comprised of taxa with ecological, economic, and scientific significance. Prominent members such as Exaiptasia diaphana and Diadumene lineata serve as model organisms for studying coral symbiosis, bleaching phenomena, and ecological invasions. Despite their importance, unresolved phylogenetic relationships and outdated taxonomic frameworks hinder a full understanding of the diversity and evolution of the taxa in this clade. In this study, we employ a targeted sequence-capture approach to construct a robust phylogeny for Acuticulata, addressing long-standing questions about familial monophyly and comparing the results to results from a more conventional five-gene dataset. Specimens from previously underrepresented families and global regions, including the Falkland Islands, were included to elucidate evolutionary interrelationships and improve resolution. Our results support the monophyly of Aliciidae, Boloceroididae, Diadumenidae, Gonactiniidae, and Metridiidae. Our results reiterate the need for taxonomic revision within the family Sagartiidae, as the specimens we included from this family were recovered in four distinct clades. Based on our results, we transfer Paraiptasia from Aiptasiidae to Sagartiidae. These findings emphasize the utility of genome-scale data for resolving phylogenetic ambiguities for morphologically problematic taxa and suggest a framework for future integrative taxonomic and ecological studies within Acuticulata.

Acuticulata is a globally distributed group in the actiniarian superfamily Metridioidea comprised of taxa with ecological, economic, and scientific significance. Prominent members such as Exaiptasia diaphana and Diadumene lineata serve as model organisms for studying coral symbiosis, bleaching phenomena, and ecological invasions. Despite their importance, unresolved phylogenetic relationships and outdated taxonomic frameworks hinder a full understanding of the diversity and evolution of the taxa in this clade. In this study, we employ a targeted sequence-capture approach to construct a robust phylogeny for Acuticulata, addressing long-standing questions about familial monophyly and comparing the results to results from a more conventional five-gene dataset. Specimens from previously underrepresented families and global regions, including the Falkland Islands, were included to elucidate evolutionary interrelationships and improve resolution. Our results support the monophyly of Aliciidae, Boloceroididae, Diadumenidae, Gonactiniidae, and Metridiidae. Our results reiterate the need for taxonomic revision within the family Sagartiidae, as the specimens we included from this family were recovered in four distinct clades. Based on our results, we transfer Paraiptasia from Aiptasiidae to Sagartiidae. These findings emphasize the utility of genome-scale data for resolving phylogenetic ambiguities for morphologically problematic taxa and suggest a framework for future integrative taxonomic and ecological studies within Acuticulata.

The lecanicephalidean tapeworm genus Tetragonocephalum comprises 12 valid species and a species inquirendum. Species in this genus are easily identifiable among lecanicephalideans based on their possession of a unique combination of features: a non-retractable, muscular apical organ; a dumbbell-shaped, rather than saccate, uterus; and a large, rather than small, genital atrium. Valid species of Tetragonocephalum have been described from seven species of stingrays (Dasyatidae) representing the genera Brevitrygon, Himantura, Maculabatis, Pastinachus, and Urogymnus, all from the Indo-Pacific region. Extensive new material from Australia, the Solomon Islands, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, Egypt, Mozambique, and the island of Borneo has allowed for a more complete assessment of the diversity, host associations, and geographic distributions of Tetragonocephalum overall. Selected worms were prepared as whole mounts for examination with light and scanning electron microscopy and as histological sections. The new material suggests that species of Tetragonocephalum parasitize at least an additional 14 species of dasyatid stingrays. The new host records include, for the first time, species in the genera Hemitrygon, Neotrygon, and Taeniura. More detailed study of the fauna of three of the five species of Pateobatis indicated that Pateobatis fai, P. jenkinsii, and P. uarnacoides are parasitized by four, three, and two species, respectively. Four of the species found to parasitize members of the genus Pateobatis are formally described and included in a principal component analysis of morphological characters to determine morphological cohesion of specimens assigned to the new species. A phylogenetic analysis based on 18S, 28S, 5.8S/ITS rDNA sequence data including 25 specimens representing 23 species was conducted using Bayesian inference. Results of the phylogenetic analysis confirm all four described species as distinct from one another, as well as distinct from the three described and 16 undescribed species included in the analysis. The phylogenetic analysis also indicates the presence of two major clades. Morphological characters to support the two clades have yet to be identified. These data corroborated published data that suggest that congeners in the same host species are the rule, not the exception in the genus Tetragonocephalum. Including the previously described species and published reports of undescribed species, as well as the results of this study, the estimate for the number of species in the genus Tetragonocephalum is significantly expanded.

Breast cancer tissue overexpresses fucosylated glycans, such as sialyl‐Lewis X/A (sLeX/A), and α‐1,3/4‐fucosyltransferases (FUTs) in relation to increased disease progression and metastasis. These glycans in tumor circulating cells mediate binding to vascular E‐selectin, initiating tumor extravasation. However, their role in breast carcinogenesis is still unknown. Here, we aimed to define the contribution of the fucosylated structures, including sLeX/A, to cell adhesion, cell signaling, and cell proliferation in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC), the most frequent type of breast cancer. We first analyzed expression of E‐selectin ligands in IDC tissue and established primary cell cultures from the tissue. We observed strong reactivity with E‐selectin and anti‐sLeX/A antibodies in both IDC tissue and cell lines, and expression of α‐1,3/4 FUTs FUT4, FUT5, FUT6, FUT10, and FUT11. To further assess the role of fucosylation in IDC biology, we immortalized a primary IDC cell line with human telomerase reverse transcriptase to create the ‘CF1_T cell line’. Treatment with 2‐fluorofucose (2‐FF), a fucosylation inhibitor, completely abrogated its sLeX/A expression and dramatically reduced adherence of CF1_T cells to E‐selectin under hemodynamic flow conditions. In addition, 2‐FF‐treated CF1_T cells showed a reduced migratory ability, as well as decreased cell proliferation rate. Notably, 2‐FF treatment lowered the growth factor expression of CF1_T cells, prominently for FGF2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta, and negatively affected activation of signal‐regulating protein kinases 1 and 2 and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways. These data indicate that fucosylation licenses several malignant features of IDC, such as cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and growth factor expression, contributing to tumor progression. Breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) overexpresses fucosylated glycans, such as sialyl‐Lewis X/A, which can be inhibited by 2‐fluorofucose (2‐FF). 2‐FF abrogates the capacity of IDC cells to bind to E‐selectin, reduces cell proliferation and cell migration, the expression of growth factor, and the activation of signal‐regulating protein kinases 1 and 2 ERK1/2 and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways. These data indicate that fucosylation inhibition prevents several malignant features of IDC.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling regulates normal cell development, however EGF receptor (EGFR) overexpression is reported in several carcinomas. Despite structural and biochemical evidence that EGF-EGFR ligation activates signaling through monomer-dimer transitions, live cell mechanistic details remain contentious. We report single-molecule multispectral TIRF of human epithelial carcinoma cells transfected with fluorescent EGFR, and of CHO-K1 cells containing fluorescent EGFR and HER2, enabling super-resolved localization to quantify receptor architectures and spatiotemporal dynamics upon EGF ligation. Using inhibitors that block binding to EGFR, and time-dependent kinetics modelling, we find that pre-activated EGFR consist predominantly of preformed clusters that contain a mixture of EGFR and HER2, whose stoichiometry increases following EGF activation. Although complicated by EGFR internalization and recycling, our observation of an EGFR:EGF stoichiometry >1 for plasma membrane colocalized EGFR/EGF foci soon after activation may indicate preferential binding of EGF ligand to EGFR monomers, negative cooperativity and preferential ligated-unligated dimerization of monomers. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.