Vincent, L. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

Beyond the glass: testing visitor effects on the behavior of captive teleost fish in public aquaria

Zoos and public aquariums serve as essential hubs for wildlife conservation, public education, and scientific research; however, the success of these missions depends upon maintaining high animal welfare standards despite constant human presence. A primary concern is the 'visitor effect': the alteration of animal behavior due to human presence. While this phenomenon is well-documented in captive mammals and has been explored in chondrichthyes, it remains largely unexamined in teleost fish, despite evidence of their sensitivity to human stimuli in natural environments. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the behavioral responses of 13 teleost species to varying levels of crowd density, direct human solicitation, and ambient noise. Our multivariate analysis reveals that visitor density and visitor-induced disturbances are significant drivers of behavioral change, with species identity acting as the primary source of variance. We observed high inter-taxonomic variability: while several species (including Euxiphipops sextriatus, Dascyllus aruanus, and Zebrasoma flavescens) showed marked sensitivity through significant alterations in stress-coping, exploration, and aggression, others remained behaviorally stable. Furthermore, acoustic analysis indicates a complex soundscape where visitor density correlates with increased sound amplitude, particularly in the 100 Hz to 400 Hz range, a critical band for teleost hearing suggesting that visitor-induced noise is distinct from the aquarium's technical background noise. These findings underscore that the 'visitor effect' is not a uniform phenomenon but a complex interaction shaped by species-specific sensitivity and distinct anthropogenic stressors. Our results highlight the necessity of incorporating species-specific behavioral data and acoustic monitoring into welfare management protocols to better mitigate the impact of human presence on captive fish populations.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2019

Targeting the methyltransferase SETD8 impairs tumor cell survival and overcomes drug resistance independently of p53 status in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignancy of plasma cells that largely remains incurable. The search for new therapeutic targets is therefore essential. Here we show that a higher expression of the lysine methyltransferase SETD8, which is responsible for histone H4K20 mono-methylation, is an adverse prognosis factor associated with a poor outcome in two cohorts of newly diagnosed patients. Remarkably, primary malignant plasma cells are particularly addicted to SETD8 activity. Indeed, pharmacological inhibition of this enzyme by the chemical compound UNC0379 demonstrated a significantly higher toxicity in MM cells compared to normal cells from the bone marrow microenvironment. Moreover, RNA sequencing and functional studies revealed that SETD8 inhibition induces a mature non-proliferating plasma cell signature and an activation of the p53 canonical pathway, which together leads to an impairment of myeloma cell proliferation and survival. However, UNC0379 treatment triggers a deadly level of replicative stress in p53 deficient MM cells, indicating that the cytotoxicity associated with SETD8 inhibition is independent of the p53 status. Consistent with this, the combination of UNC0379 with the conventional cytotoxic agent melphalan strongly enhances DNA damage and overcomes drug resistance in myeloma cells. Thus, targeting SETD8 could be of therapeutic interest to improve MM treatment in high-risk patients independently of the p53 status.

cancer biology↗