1
|
Radovanović TB, Petrović TG, Gavrilović BR, Despotović SG, Gavrić JP, Kijanović A, Mirč M, Tomašević Kolarov N, Vukov T, Prokić MD. What coloration brings: Implications of background adaptation to oxidative stress in anurans. Front Zool 2023; 20:6. [PMID: 36717935 PMCID: PMC9887830 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00486-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urban development results in habitat destruction, affecting populations of amphibians, the most fragile group of vertebrates. With changes in the environment, these animals become more exposed to light and predators. To enhance their chances of survival, they display plasticity of body coloration. Aside from adaptive benefits, animals exhibiting background matching meet the energetic costs and restrictions of changing body tones. To study the physiological consequences of Hyla arborea tadpole adaptation to background color, we followed oxidative stress parameters after rearing larvae on a constant background (black/white) and after changing the background color. RESULTS Larvae cultivated for 20 days on constant substrate color exhibited differences in body coloration but without differences in lipid peroxidation (LPO) concentration between dark and pale individuals, suggesting that coloration investment during this period did not induce higher oxidative damage in darker tadpoles. Prolonged exposure of larvae (37 days) to a dark habitat increased antioxidative system defense and LPO concentrations, compared to animals reared permanently in the white surroundings. The positive correlation of oxidative damage with color intensity of individuals points to the physiological consequences of higher investment in the number of pigment cells necessary for dark pigmentation. In individuals faced with non-matching background and change in body coloration, defense system declined and LPO occurred relative to individuals cultivated in white habitat. CONCLUSION Here, we have pointed to consequences related to background matching and stress that amphibians experienced during chromatic adaptations. Background color change causes a complex physiological response affecting the antioxidative defense parameters. This investigation elucidates the accompanying cost of amphibians' adjustment to an altered environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tijana B. Radovanović
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Tamara G. Petrović
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Branka R. Gavrilović
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Svetlana G. Despotović
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Jelena P. Gavrić
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Ana Kijanović
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Marko Mirč
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Nataša Tomašević Kolarov
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Tanja Vukov
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| | - Marko D. Prokić
- grid.7149.b0000 0001 2166 9385Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, Belgrade, 11060 Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Burraco P, Orizaola G. Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs. Evol Appl 2022; 15:1469-1479. [PMID: 36187188 PMCID: PMC9488684 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human actions are altering ecosystems worldwide. Among human-released pollutants, ionizing radiation arises as a rare but potentially devastating threat to natural systems. The Chornobyl accident (1986) represents the largest release of radioactive material to the environment. Our aim was to examine how exposure to radiation from the Chornobyl accident influences dorsal skin coloration of Eastern tree frog (Hyla orientalis) males sampled across a wide gradient of radioactive contamination in northern Ukraine. We assessed the relationship between skin frog coloration (which can act as a protective mechanism against ionizing radiation), radiation conditions and oxidative stress levels. Skin coloration was darker in localities closest to areas with high radiation levels at the time of the accident, whereas current radiation levels seemed not to influence skin coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs. Tree frogs living within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone had a remarkably darker dorsal skin coloration than frogs from outside the Zone. The maintenance of dark skin coloration was not linked to physiological costs in terms of frog body condition or oxidative status, and we did not detect short-term changes in frog coloration. Dark coloration is known to protect against different sources of radiation by neutralizing free radicals and reducing DNA damage, and, particularly melanin pigmentation has been proposed as a buffering mechanism against ionizing radiation. Our results suggest that exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation, likely at the time of the accident, may have been selected for darker coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of the patterns found here.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Burraco
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology CentreUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC)SevilleSpain
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Germán Orizaola
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology CentreUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- IMIB‐Biodiversity Research Institute (Univ. Oviedo‐CSIC‐Princip. Asturias)University of OviedoMieresAsturiasSpain
- Zoology Unit, Department of Biology of Organisms and SystemsUniversity of OviedoOviedoAsturiasSpain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
From Water to Land: The Structural Construction and Molecular Switches in Lungs during Metamorphosis of Microhyla fissipes. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040528. [PMID: 35453728 PMCID: PMC9030589 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary The functionalization of lungs is a necessity for most anurans to breathe on land. Previous studies have focused on the morphological and physiological functions of amphibian lungs, while the microstructural changes and molecular mechanisms that underpin the functional maturation of lungs remain under-researched. We used integrated histology and transcriptomics to study the critical cytological and molecular events associated with lung maturation in Microhyla fissipes. The results illuminated the molecular processes and their coordination in lung development, providing an insight into the transition of amphibians from aquatic to terrestrial life stages. Abstract Most anurans must undergo metamorphosis to adapt to terrestrial life. This process enhances the air-breathing ability of the lungs to cope with the change in oxygen medium from water to air. Revealing the structural construction and molecular switches of lung organogenesis is essential to understanding the realization of the air-breathing function. In this study, histology and transcriptomics were conducted in combination to explore these issues in Microhyla fissipes’ lungs during metamorphosis. During the pro-metamorphic phase, histological structural improvement of the alveolar wall is accompanied by robust substrate metabolism and protein turnover. The lungs, at the metamorphic climax phase, are characterized by an increased number of cilia in the alveolar epithelial cells and collagenous fibers in the connective tissues, corresponding to the transcriptional upregulation of cilia and extracellular matrix-related genes. Post-metamorphic lungs strengthen their contracting function, as suggested by the thickened muscle layer and the upregulated expression of genes involved in muscle contraction. The blood–gas barrier is fully developed in adult lungs, the transcriptional features of which are tissue growth and regulation of differentiation and immunity. Importantly, significant transcriptional switches of pulmonary surfactant protein and hemoglobin facilitate air breathing. Our results illuminated four key steps of lung development for amphibians to transition from water to land.
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhao CL, Zhao T, Feng JY, Chang LM, Zheng PY, Fu SJ, Li XM, Yue BS, Jiang JP, Zhu W. Temperature and Diet Acclimation Modify the Acute Thermal Performance of the Largest Extant Amphibian. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040531. [PMID: 35203239 PMCID: PMC8868240 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus), one of the largest extant amphibian species, has dramatically declined in the wild. As an ectotherm, it may be further threatened by climate change. Therefore, understanding the thermal physiology of this species should be the priority to formulate related conservation strategies. In this study, the plasticity in metabolic rate and thermal tolerance limits of A. davidianus larvae were studied. Specifically, the larvae were acclimated to three temperature levels (7 °C, cold stress; 15 °C, optimum; and 25 °C, heat stress) and two diet items (red worm or fish fray) for 20 days. Our results indicated that cold-acclimated larvae showed increased metabolic capacity, while warm-acclimated larvae showed a decrease in metabolic capacity. These results suggested the existence of thermal compensation. Moreover, the thermal tolerance windows of cold-acclimated and warm-acclimated larvae shifted to cooler and hotter ranges, respectively. Metabolic capacity is not affected by diet but fish-fed larvae showed superiority in both cold and heat tolerance, potentially due to the input of greater nutrient loads. Overall, our results suggested a plastic thermal tolerance of A. davidianus in response to temperature and diet variations. These results are meaningful in guiding the conservation of this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Lin Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Tian Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Jian-Yi Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Li-Ming Chang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Pu-Yang Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Shi-Jian Fu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China; (S.-J.F.); (X.-M.L.)
| | - Xiu-Ming Li
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China; (S.-J.F.); (X.-M.L.)
| | - Bi-Song Yue
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
- Correspondence: (B.-S.Y.); (W.Z.); Tel.: +86-028-82890935 (B.-S.Y.)
| | - Jian-Ping Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
| | - Wei Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chengdu 610041, China; (T.Z.); (J.-Y.F.); (L.-M.C.); (P.-Y.Z.); (J.-P.J.)
- Correspondence: (B.-S.Y.); (W.Z.); Tel.: +86-028-82890935 (B.-S.Y.)
| |
Collapse
|