Pteridium Research Articles

Biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using bracken fern inhibits cell proliferation in HCT-15 cells through induction of apoptosis pathway and overexpression of heat shock proteins

BackgroundIn recent years, biosynthesized nanoparticles has shown a promise as alternative avenue for improving the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy. Despite, there is a significant gap in existing literature concerning the comprehensive study of biogenic silver nanoparticles derived from terrestrial fern species and their potential effects on cancer cells. This study is aiming to investigate effects of biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous extract of bracken fern Pteridium revolutum on inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in HCT-15 cells. MethodsBiogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous extract of Pteridum revolutum followed by their characterization (UV–Visible spectroscopy, TEM, XRD and FTIR). The impact on cell proliferation of HCT-15 cells was assessed by MTT assay while induction of apoptosis was demonstrated via DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 assay, cell cycle arrest, FITC V- Annexin assay and evaluation of expression of apoptotic genes using real time PCR and western blotting techniques. ResultsResults of UV–Vis spectrum of colloidal solution of CW-AgNPs showed surface plasmon resonance peak at 430 nm. TEM and XRD results confirmed synthesis of spherical shaped, 20–40 nm sized nanoparticles. The results elucidate cytotoxic effect of PR-AgNPs against HCT-15 cells in time and dose dependent manner with IC50 observed at 5.79 ± 0.58 µg /mL after 24 h of exposure. Furthermore, PR-AgNPs induce significant alterations in cellular morphology, elevate DNA DNA fragmentation and enhance expression of p53 and caspase-3 in HCT10 cells. ConclusionThe findings from this study address the noteworthy antiproliferative effects of PR-AgNPs in cancer cells primarily mediated through activation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway by inducing p53 and caspase-3 genes.

Geographical distribution of caudatoside and ptaquiloside in bracken ferns in Northern Europe

Bracken ferns (genus Pteridium) are among the most prevalent plants worldwide, with their distribution expanding due to their invasive nature. The environmental implications of their proliferation in areas affected by human activity, natural disasters, or land-use changes are concerning, primarily because of the carcinogenic illudane glycosides they produce. These compounds cause domestic and wildlife animal poisoning, as well as contamination of dairy products and drinking water. Several illudane glycosides are known, but usually only ptaquiloside (PTA) is monitored. This study investigates the spatial and temporal variations in illudane glycosides PTA, caudatoside (CAU) and ptesculentoside (PTE) across two phenotypes of Pteridium aquilinum (vars. aquilinum and latiusculum) over a broad geographic range spanning Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, encompassing 66 locations. We analysed different parts of the fern fronds (the tips and the lowest pinnae) using LC–MS and statistically explored the influence of phenotype, frond part, geographic location, sunlight exposure, and the surrounding ecosystem on glycoside content. Our findings reveal that PTA accounts for approximately two-thirds of the total illudane glycoside content, followed by CAU at nearly one-third, and a minor contribution from PTE. Glycoside levels were not influenced by phenotypic varieties or the studied environmental factors, but were significantly affected by geographic location. Specifically, CAU levels increased progressively towards the northeast, while PTA concentrations were highest in Denmark and markedly decreased in northeastern countries by over threefold, presumably due to climatic gradient. It has been further supported by temporal analysis in selected PTA-dominant regions indicating a reduction in PTA towards the end of the growing season, aligning its levels with those of CAU. Our study highlights that CAU concentrations in bracken ferns may equal or surpass PTA, contesting the prevailing view that PTA is the only notable illudane glycoside in Bracken. To provide unbiased assessment of the potential risks posed by P. aquilinum in the region, environmental and toxicological research should include measurements of not only PTA, but also CAU and, if possible, PTE.

Prolonged detection of BPV2 in urine and blood of papillomatosis-affected cattle not grazing bracken fern.

BPV-2 infection can cause bladder infections in cattle that, when associated with bracken fern consumption, can progress to cancerous bladder tumors and also present as bovine enzootic hematuria (BEH). This study aimed to evaluate the prolonged natural BPV-2 infection in the blood and urine of cattle, excluding bracken fern consumption. Thirteen Girolando papillomatosis-affected cattle with no bracken fern contact history were monitored for 20 months. Blood, urine, and wart samples were collected for BPV-2 detection and clinical laboratory analyses. All animals showed the presence of BPV-2 in papillomas and blood, and 92.85% showed BPV-2 in urine, suggesting viral dissemination in the urinary tract. Despite all animals being infected with BPV-2, none showed BEH signs during the study. Thus, it was observed that BPV-2 infection alone didn't induce BEH over 20 months, implying a complex interaction with environmental factors or genetic predisposition. This underlines bracken fern consumption's critical role in urinary bladder carcinogenesis. The study underscores BEH's pathogenesis complexity, advocating longitudinal studies to comprehend BPV-2's role fully.

A new insight on the genus Pteridium (Dennstaedtiaceae) in Europe based on a revision in the flora of Slovakia

BackgroundThe genus Pteridium Gled. ex Scop. was thought to be monotypic with the cosmopolitan species P. aquilinum (L.) Kuhn. for many years. However, morphological variations among these plants in different regions have been noted since the 1940’s, leading to the description of new taxa later. Molecular investigations, while not resolving all taxonomical questions within the genus, have highlighted its rich genetic diversity globally, confirming the status of several previously described species and subspecies. This wealth of data has prompted revisions of the Pteridium genus in regional floras, with Northern Eurasia serving as a central arena for such studies in the last 30 years. Recent data suggest that the European flora comprises a single species, P. aquilinum, with two subspecies, P. a. subsp. aquilinum and P. a. subsp. pinetorum (C.N. Page & R.R. Mill) J.A. Thomson. However, their distribution within the continent remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the representation and distribution of Pteridium taxa in Slovakia with an attempt to describe natural ranges of P. aquilinum subspecies based on herbarium materials and citizen science data within Europe for a whole.ResultsIt is confirmed that the genus Pteridium is represented by the single species with two mentioned subspecies in the flora of Europe, as well as in the flora of Slovakia. The distribution of these subspecies is mapped in the country. Additionally, we discuss the ranges of these subspecies for a whole, and we evidence the growth of P. aquilinum subsp. pinetorum within the Netherlands, Czechia, Austria, Hungary and Romania for the first time. Also, two new combinations of taxa from the Asian part of Russia are offered.ConclusionOur study is a significant contribution in the present knowledge about the distribution and taxonomy of P. aquilinum, however it also shows that many questions concerning this taxon and its infraspecific taxa remain open. Additional field investigations and herbarium processing should be carried out for detailed explorations of biological and ecological peculiarities of the mentioned subspecies, and for the clear understanding of their regional distribution. Such explorations also might become a basis for new syntaxonomic revisions.

Adaption of a traditional Māori fishing method for biomonitoring: using whakaweku for sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in streams

ABSTRACT Whakaweku are bundles of bracken fern (Pteridium esculentum) traditionally placed in lakes and rivers by Māori to harvest kōura (freshwater crayfish, Paranephrops spp.) in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Previous studies show they are effective for monitoring populations of kōura and toitoi (small eleotrid fish, Gobiomorphus spp.). We wanted to determine whether whakaweku are also effective for monitoring benthic macroinvertebrate communities in streams. We placed whakaweku in a hard-bottomed and a soft-bottomed reach of a rural stream in the Waikato, and took standard ‘kick-net’ samples from the same locations. We retrieved whakaweku after two and four weeks submerged. Whakaweku gave comparable results to kick-net sampling for common macroinvertebrate metrics (MCI, SQMCI, total richness and EPT* richness). Macroinvertebrate community composition was significantly different between the two methods, but most taxa were common to both. Macroinvertebrate metrics did not change significantly between two-week and four-week colonisation periods. A wider study would show whether whakaweku can distinguish between sites over a gradient of human impact. We recommend whakaweku in Māori cultural and community stream monitoring as it is inexpensive, simple to use, captures many macroinvertebrate taxa used in biomonitoring, works in different stream types and can be used to monitor kōura, toitoi and macroinvertebrates simultaneously.

Stability study of ptaquiloside biotoxin from P. esculentum var. Arachnoideum in bovine milk and artisanal dairy-food products

The potential health risk of consuming dairy products made from milk processed in an artisanal manner was investigated due to possible contamination with Ptaquiloside (PTA), a carcinogenic compound found in the food chain of the bracken fern. The study aimed to assess the occurrence and stability of PTA across various processing stages, including pasteurization, cheese production, and yogurt production. Results indicated that pasteurization effectively converted all PTA to Pterosin (PTB), with PTB levels decreasing during refrigerated storage for up to two weeks. The stability and occurrence of initial PTA contamination remained unchanged in yogurt production. Biotoxin concentrations in soft cheeses decreased over time, independent of ionic strength; cheeses with low salt concentrations showed lower retention of the biotoxin within the cheese protein network. These findings offer valuable insights into the stability and occurrence of PTA, facilitating the monitoring and identification of potential adverse health effects.

Striking genetic homogeneity in the widespread South American bracken.

Bracken (Pteridium, Dennstaedtiaceae) is a cosmopolitan genus of aggressive disturbance colonizers that are toxic to agricultural livestock. The taxonomy of Pteridium has been treated in multiple schemes, ranging from one to six species worldwide, with numerous subspecies and varieties. Recent work has focused on the worldwide distribution and systematics of the bracken fern, but South America has been poorly represented. We present the first continent-wide sampling and analysis of Pteridium esculentum, a Southern Hemisphere diploid species. Within South America, P. esculentum has several morphotypes, distinguished into subspecies by variation in indument and lamina architecture. We used double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADSeq) to assess the phylogenetic relationships of P. esculentum subspecies. We found a striking genetic homogeneity in the species, being able to support only two morphotypes from molecular data: P. e. arachnoideum and P. e. campestre. We had high confidence for shallow and deep phylogenetic relationships, but less support for relationships among crown groups. We describe an east-west geographic pattern that would explain the relationships between populations; and, in contrast to previous studies, we detected differences with P. esculentum from Australia. These results will lay the foundations for studying variations in this species' behavior as a weed, as well as its impact on the production of agricultural livestock in South America.

Bovine papillomavirus vertical transmission: BPV diversity and expression in maternal and fetal tissues.

Bovine Papillomaviruses (BPVs) constitute a diverse group within the Papillomaviridae family, playing a crucial role in bovine health and economic considerations. This study investigates the dynamics of vertical transmission of BPV in cattle, focusing on five cows and their reproductive tissues, as well as three gravid cows and their fetuses. DNA and RNA samples were extracted from the warts, fetal skin, placenta, uterus, ovary, and blood of cows, as well as the skin and blood of fetuses. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeted BPV types 1-6 and 8-14, was assessed in both cows and fetuses. Additionally, Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR) examined BPV-2 E5 oncogene expression in the skin and reproductive sites of mother cows and fetuses. Our findings unveil a rich diversity of BPV types, including BPV-2, 3, 9, 10, 12, and 14, present in both maternal and fetal tissues. Intriguingly, certain types, namely BPV-4, 6, 8, and 11, were exclusively identified in maternal tissues A higher diversity of BPVs was observed in cow warts, followed by cow blood, fetal blood, and fetal skin. Strikingly similar BPV types in gravid cow blood and fetuses suggest primary dissemination through the bloodstream and transmission via the placenta, though detected in lower numbers in cow uterus and ovary. Histopathological analysis revealed no abnormalities in the reproductive tissues despite the presence of BPV. However, in one bladder sample from a cow that did not consume bracken fern, urothelial neoplasia in situ was observed. The study extends beyond detection, exploring the expression of the BPV-2 E5 oncogene in fetal tissues, providing insights into potential cell implications. Comparative analyses with previous studies highlight the uniqueness of our investigation, encompassing a broader array of BPV types in the gravid cows and their fetuses. The findings not only establish a foundation for further investigations into the mechanisms of vertical transmission but also highlight the need for targeted interventions and surveillance strategies to mitigate potential health risks associated with specific BPV types.

The Genus Pteridium Gleditsch Ex Scopoli in the Indian Sub-Continent

In the Indian sub-continent the genus Pteridium is represented by two species viz. P. aquilinum (L.) Kuhn and P. esculentum (Forst.) Cockayne. The taxonomy of these species is discussed with regard to Indian materials.

Pteridium (Dennstaedtiaceae) from Miocene of Patagonia (Río Negro, Argentina): the southernmost evidence of bracken fern in South America

ABSTRACT With only four species, Pteridium is one of the most-known fern genera for its role as pioneer in ecological succession and for being an aggressive weed. Despite its current wide distribution that extends to almost the entire world, there is a relatively small number of fossil records of macrofossils and palynological assemblages related to or compared with this genus. The majority of these belong to Oligocene ─ Pliocene deposits from the United States, Europe, Asia and New Zealand and only one has been described for South America, in upper Pliocene? – Quaternary deposits from Brazil. In this contribution, we describe the oldest and southernmost record of Pteridium for South America, based on frond impressions from Miocene deposits of the Ñirihuau Formation, exposed in the North Patagonian Andes (Argentina) and interpreted as deposited in alluvial, lacustrine, deltaic, and fluvial environments. We illustrate the finding and compare it with previous records of Pteridium and Pteris and with the current Neotropical species Pteridium esculentum. Additionally, we characterise the palaeoenvironmental framework in which the palaeoflora developed and we discuss the association of the fossil with other taxa fossils found in the same deposits, and of Pteridium with other species in current floras.

Habitat differences in seed‐dispersing vertebrates indicate dispersal limitation in tropical bracken‐dominated deforested areas

AbstractShifting agriculture and anthropogenic fires are among the main causes of deforestation in the tropics. After fire and land abandonment, vast deforested areas are commonly dominated by the bracken fern Pteridium for long periods. Although forest regeneration in bracken‐dominated areas is mainly hindered by dispersal limitation, little is known about the role of seed‐disperser communities in slow forest succession. Our objective was to unravel the differences in the properties of the seed‐disperser communities between forests and bracken‐dominated areas to assess their role in dispersal limitation to foster ecological restoration. We compared species richness, diversity, abundance, and composition of seed‐dispersing birds, bats, and medium and large terrestrial mammals between both habitats in a montane forest of Bolivia. The species richness and diversity were similar for bats and higher for birds in bracken‐dominated areas than in the forest, but species composition was different between both habitats and groups. Although species composition was similar between both habitats for terrestrial mammals, the abundance was higher in the forest than in bracken‐dominated areas. Differences in species composition of seed‐dispersing birds and bats could be one of the main causes of dispersal limitation in forest regeneration in tropical bracken‐dominated areas. The few shared species between both habitats could explain the low seed rain of animal‐dispersed forest tree species in bracken‐dominated areas and the consequent hindered forest regeneration. Future studies relevant to natural forest regeneration should focus on analyzing the effects of animal‐attractants such as perches, artificial bat‐roosts, and seedling transplants on disperser communities, seed dispersal effectiveness, and forest regeneration.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Assessing Environmental Safety Risks associated with Ptaquiloside: A Rapidly Leaching Glucoside from Bracken Ferns

Ptaquiloside (PTA), a glucoside found in common tropical bracken ferns like Pteridium aquilinum, possesses genotoxic and DNA-damaging properties. Its water-solubility makes it susceptible to rapid leaching during rainfall, resulting in its presence in groundwater. PTA's DNA alkylation ability contributes significantly to tumorigenesis, substantiating its carcinogenic potential in animals including humans. Its presence has been confirmed not only in groundwater but also in meat and milk. The unique leaching behavior of PTA, along with evidence of multiple mechanisms leading to cellular mutations, warrants further attention. Research is needed to enhance the isolation and purification of PTA from samples. While the current understanding points to DNA alkylation as the primary mechanism of action, emerging studies suggest potential alternate mechanisms that remain elusive.

Fungal endophyte Cryptomycina pteridis (Rebent.) Syd. on the native fern Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn in Poland

Cryptomycina pteridis (Ascomycota, class Sordariomycetes) is a highly host-specific fungus, infecting only a native, fern Pteridium aquilinum. This endophyte is usually overlooked, although it is easy to recognise due to its characteristic symptoms on bracken fern fronds, especially advanced narrowing and shrivelling of pinnae and pinnules. Infested plants have pinnae and pinnules curling upwards, and dark stromata along the veins on the undersides of pinnules. The fungus is an obligate systemic endophyte, which disturbs fern growth. The paper presents some old and new records of C. pteridis in Poland.

Concentrações de haptoglobina em vacas com histórico de ingestão crônica de samambaia

ABSTRACT: Bracken ferns (Pteridium spp.) have been associated with intoxication in cattle and is the cause of bovine enzootic hematuria (BEH) characterized by intermittent hematuria, anemia, and poor body condition. Acute phase proteins have not previously been investigated in detail in BEH. Thus, this investigation determined serum concentrations of haptoglobin, selected hematological (complete blood count and fibrinogen), biochemical (total serum protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, and creatine kinase), and urinary analytes, in 50 Nelore cows from farms with history of natural bracken fern chronic ingestion in the southern region of Brazil. Twenty-nine cows had macrohematuria and 21 microhematuria. From the 29 cows with macrohematuria, 13 had a countless number of erythrocytes per high power macroscopic field and anemia. All cows had dipstick proteinuria. Median haptoglobin concentrations were elevated for 47 BEH cows with a 3.9-fold increase, suggesting a chronic inflammatory response while the number of total leukocytes and segmented neutrophils were above the reference intervals for 14 cows. Besides inflammation, there is a hypothesis that bracken fern could cause hemolysis in the circulation. Therefore, there could be a larger acute phase reaction but much of the haptoglobin was being removed as it was being produced. In our study, increases in haptoglobin, creatine kinase, hyperglobulinemia and anemia were found in cows with BEH, contributing to the understanding of the chronic inflammatory response which could be associated with neoplastic lesions in the urinary bladder caused by long-term and repeated ingestion of Pteridium species.

Health and Environmental Hazards of the Toxic Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Bracken Fern).

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn) is ubiquitous and acts as a cosmopolitan weed in pastures and similar environments. Despite its historical uses, it presents risks due to toxicity. This study, conducted in the second half of 2023, aimed to assess the environmental and health hazards of P. aquilinum, primarily focusing on its carcinogenic compound, ptaquiloside. The literature was comprehensively reviewed using diverse databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Information was synthesized from original research articles, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and relevant animal studies. Animals grazing on bracken fern face annual production losses due to toxin exposure. The substantial impact on biodiversity, animal health, and human well-being arises from the presence of ptaquiloside and related compounds in milk, meat, and water, along with the increasing global prevalence of P. aquilinum and its swift colonization in acidic soil and fire-damaged areas. The objectives were to identify major bioactive compounds and explore their effects at molecular, cellular, pathological, and population levels. Various cooking techniques were considered to mitigate toxin exposure, although complete elimination remains unattainable. Therefore, the findings emphasize the need for cautious consumption. In conclusion, continued research is necessary to better understand and manage its environmental and health implications.

Palynological study of archaeometallurgical artefacts from the Late Bronze Age copper smelting sites (Georgia): First results

This article focuses on the palynological (pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs) study of material found with artefacts from Late Bronze Age archaeometallurgical sites in the Lechkhumi area of the mountainous south-west Caucasus region of ancient Colchis. The analysis of organic residues recovered from voids in slag and crucible fragments have revealed an abundance of pollen and spores of diverse plant taxa. Many non-palynological palynomorphs were also found. In total, more than 50 palynomorphs were identified. It was observed that the chemical composition of the copper smelting slag fragments has contributed to the good preservation of the pollen grains, though detailed chemical analyses and experiments are needed. The spectrum from slag includes taxa that are more poorly preserved in sediments, including soil. This preservation undoubtedly makes palynological research of slag residues promising in the future. The range of fossilized plants and spores recovered proves that during the Late Bronze Age in Lechkhumi, forests dominated by chestnut (Castanea sativa) occupied a much larger area than today. Other thermophilic trees, such as zelkva (Zelkova carpinifolia), oak (Quercus), lime (Tilia), and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) were also present. Thermophilic ferns thrived in the undergrowth as well. In the 13th–9th centuries BC, the existence of warmer climatic conditions in Lechkhumi compared to that we have now is additionally confirmed by the presence of freshwater thermophilic algae Pseudoschizaea, Spirogyra and other Zygnemataceae found in the spectra. Spores of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) and fungus Ustulina most probably reflect felling and human exploitation of the woodland in the close neighbourhood of the site. Comparison of palynological and wood charcoal analyses has demonstrated that the metallurgists of that time used the nearby woods as a source of fuel. Thanks to favourable climatic conditions, beside copper smelting some small-scale agricultural activities were performed which was visible in the composition of herbaceous plant taxa.

Exogenous preculture with sucrose and abscisic acid improves post-cryopreservation survival of eastern bracken fern gametophytes

Cryopreservation is an important technique used in the conservation of various plant tissues. This study proposes a cryopreservation method for the long-term conservation of eastern bracken fern gametophytes (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum). Encapsulation–dehydration of the gametophytes was performed, and the exogenous sucrose and abscisic acid (ABA) preculture conditions were investigated. Gametophytes are sensitive to dehydration and drying, and the following treatment conditions were applied: encapsulation by alginate containing 0.75 M sucrose, 18-h loading treatment with 0.75 M sucrose, and 6-h drying treatment. The survival rate following cryopreservation was determined. The water content of < 27.5% in the alginate beads after dehydration and drying was found to be appropriate for ensuring survival. Additionally, performing an exogenous sucrose and ABA preculture was essential before encapsulation to achieve a survival of ≥ 90%. The high stress induced by cryopreservation and exogenous preculture regulated the expression of PaSuSy, PaLEA14, and PaABI1b and the endogenous ABA content. In eastern bracken gametophytes, ABI1 appears to be a negative regulator of ABA signaling. These results indicate that the encapsulation–dehydration method is effective for the long-term conservation of eastern bracken fern gametophytes, and exogenous preculture alleviates abiotic stress and increases the survival rate.

Modelling landscape vulnerability to the Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) invasion in a remnant urban Sandstone Sourveldt grassland ecosystem

The Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is one of the world's most pervasive alien invasive plants, exerting adverse effects on the sustainability and balance of remnant urban green ecosystems and thereby threatening the provision of valuable ecological goods and services in urban landscapes. To identify vulnerable landscapes and future distribution of the fern, this study aimed to model landscape vulnerability to the Bracken fern invasion using bio-physical, climatic, and remotely sensed data using Maxent species distribution model. Furthermore, the study sought to evaluate the value of variable selection on Maxent's modelling performance. Vulnerability to invasion was modelled based on four scenarios of different bio-climatic, physical and remotely sensed data inputs and model performance assessed using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). The results show that Model 1 (topographic variables) and Model 2 (topographic variables and Sentinel-2 spectral bands) predicted the western part of the eThekwini Municipal as highly suitable for the Bracken fern invasion, while Model 3 (topographic and bio-climatic variables) and Model 4 (topographic variables, Sentinel-2 spectral bands and bio-climatic variables), i.e., all variables predicted the central and western parts of the area as highly vulnerable to the Bracken fern invasion. Results also showed that elevation and rainfall wettest month (Bio13) were the most influential variables in determining the potential spread of the Bracken fern invasion and the model built using solely topographic and all the variables had the lowest (AUC of 0.895) and highest (AUC of 0.978) performance. The findings of this study are valuable to planning conservation initiatives in the often-vulnerable urban green ecology and managing invasive species in the remnant urban green spaces.

Cross-species oncogenomics offers insight into human muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

In humans, muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is highly aggressive and associated with a poor prognosis. With a high mutation load and large number of altered genes, strategies to delineate key driver events are necessary. Dogs and cats develop urothelial carcinoma (UC) with histological and clinical similarities to human MIBC. Cattle that graze on bracken fern also develop UC, associated with exposure to the carcinogen ptaquiloside. These species may represent relevant animal models of spontaneous and carcinogen-induced UC that can provide insight into human MIBC. Whole-exome sequencing of domestic canine (n = 87) and feline (n = 23) UC, and comparative analysis with human MIBC reveals a lower mutation rate in animal cases and the absence of APOBEC mutational signatures. A convergence of driver genes (ARID1A, KDM6A, TP53, FAT1, and NRAS) is discovered, along with common focally amplified and deleted genes involved in regulation of the cell cycle and chromatin remodelling. We identify mismatch repair deficiency in a subset of canine and feline UCs with biallelic inactivation of MSH2. Bovine UC (n = 8) is distinctly different; we identify novel mutational signatures which are recapitulated in vitro in human urinary bladder UC cells treated with bracken fern extracts or purified ptaquiloside. Canine and feline urinary bladder UC represent relevant models of MIBC in humans, and cross-species analysis can identify evolutionarily conserved driver genes. We characterize mutational signatures in bovine UC associated with bracken fern and ptaquiloside exposure, a human-linked cancer exposure. Our work demonstrates the relevance of cross-species comparative analysis in understanding both human and animal UC.

Biological reserves of bracken fern (Pteridium Aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.) in the coniferous forests of Altai Territory

The article contains information on the biological reserves of bracken ferns in coniferous forests in the Altai Territory. For the study, 2 zones were taken - the Priobsky pine forest zone and the Salair ridge zone. The predominant types of forests in this area are pine and fir forests. During the study period, the biological and operational reserves of bracken fern and the amount of annual collection in various forest conditions were determined. The studies carried out have shown an extremely uneven distribution of biological, operational and commercial reserves of bracken fern by forest types and individual regions. A possible annual harvest of bracken ferns in different types of forest is recommended, depending on the frequency of harvest in a particular area. Measures for the rational use of biological reserves of bracken fern in the Altai Territory are proposed.