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Zhu K, Zhang Z, Li G, Sun J, Gu T, Ain NU, Zhang X, Li D. Extraction, structure, pharmacological activities and applications of polysaccharides and proteins isolated from snail mucus. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:128878. [PMID: 38141709 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Snail mucus had medical applications for wound healing as early as ancient Greece and the late Han Dynasty (China). A literature search found 165 modern research papers discussing the extraction methods, chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, and applications of snail mucus. Thus, this review summarized the research progress on the extraction, structure, pharmacological activities, and applications of polysaccharides and proteins isolated from snail mucus. The extraction methods of snail mucus include natural secretion and stimulation with blunt force, spray, electricity, un-shelling, ultrasonic-assisted, and ozone-assisted. As a natural product, snail mucus mainly comprises two polysaccharides (glycosaminoglycan, dextran), seven glycoproteins (mucin, lectin), various antibacterial peptides, allantoin, glycolic acid, etc. It has pharmacological activities that encourage cell migration and proliferation, and promote angiogenesis and have antibacterial, anti-oxidative and anticancer properties. The mechanism of snail mucus' chemicals performing antibacterial and wound-healing was proposed. Snail mucus is a promising bioactive product with multiple medical applications and has great potential in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Therefore, this review provides a valuable reference for researching and developing snail mucus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehan Zhu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Zhiyi Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Guanqiang Li
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China
| | - Jiangcen Sun
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Tianyi Gu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Noor Ul Ain
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
| | - Xicheng Zhang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China.
| | - Duxin Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China.
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2
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Milian D, Robert de Saint Vincent M, Patarin J, Bodiguel H. Gastropod Slime-Based Gel as an Adjustable Synthetic Model for Human Airway Mucus. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:400-412. [PMID: 38124283 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Airway mucus works as a protective barrier in the human body, as it entraps pathogens that will be later cleared from the airways by ciliary transport or by coughing, thus featuring the rheological properties of a highly stretchable gel. Nonetheless, the study of these physical barrier as well as transport properties remains limited due to the restricted and invasive access to lungs and bronchi to retrieve mucus and to the poor repeatability inherent to native mucus samples. To overcome these limits, we report on a biobased synthetic mucus prepared from snail slime and multibranched thiol cross-linker, which are able to establish disulfide bonds, in analogy with the disulfide bonding of mucins, and therefore build viscoelastoplastic hydrogels. The gel macroscopic properties are tuned by modifying the cross-linker and slime concentrations and can quantitatively match those of native sputum from donors with cystic fibrosis (CF) or non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) both in the small- and large-deformation regimes. Heterogeneous regimes were locally found in the mucus model by passive microrheology, in which both diffusive and non-diffusive motion are present, similar to what is observed in sputa. The biobased synthetic approach proposed in the present study thus allows to produce, with commercially available components, a promising model to native respiratory mucus regarding both mechanical and, to a lesser extent, physicochemical aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Milian
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LRP, 38000 Grenoble, France
- Rheonova, 1 Allée de Certèze, 38610 Gières, France
| | | | | | - Hugues Bodiguel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LRP, 38000 Grenoble, France
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Cerullo AR, McDermott MB, Pepi LE, Liu ZL, Barry D, Zhang S, Yang X, Chen X, Azadi P, Holford M, Braunschweig AB. Comparative mucomic analysis of three functionally distinct Cornu aspersum Secretions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5361. [PMID: 37660066 PMCID: PMC10475054 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41094-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Every animal secretes mucus, placing them among the most diverse biological materials. Mucus hydrogels are complex mixtures of water, ions, carbohydrates, and proteins. Uncertainty surrounding their composition and how interactions between components contribute to mucus function complicates efforts to exploit their properties. There is substantial interest in commercializing mucus from the garden snail, Cornu aspersum, for skincare, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and composite materials. C. aspersum secretes three mucus-one shielding the animal from environmental threats, one adhesive mucus from the pedal surface of the foot, and another pedal mucus that is lubricating. It remains a mystery how compositional differences account for their substantially different properties. Here, we characterize mucus proteins, glycosylation, ion content, and mechanical properties that could be used to provide insight into structure-function relationships through an integrative "mucomics" approach. We identify macromolecular components of these hydrogels, including a previously unreported protein class termed Conserved Anterior Mollusk Proteins (CAMPs). Revealing differences between C. aspersum mucus shows how considering structure at all levels can inform the design of mucus-inspired materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio R Cerullo
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Maxwell B McDermott
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Lauren E Pepi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Zhi-Lun Liu
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Diariou Barry
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Sheng Zhang
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Xu Yang
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Xi Chen
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- The PhD Program in Physics, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Mande Holford
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- The PhD Program in Biology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, The American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Adam B Braunschweig
- The Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
- The PhD Program in Biochemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- The PhD Program in Chemistry, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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Fischer AJ, Dew WA. Behavioural responses of fathead minnows to carbohydrates found in aquatic environments. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 99:2040-2043. [PMID: 34431092 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Carbohydrates make up a significant portion of dissolved organic carbon in waterways. Apart from studies demonstrating that chondroitin causes avoidance behaviours in some fish species, no work has been done to determine how fish respond to carbohydrates commonly found in their environment. In this study fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were attracted to N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, avoided d-arabinose and had no response to either d-xylose or d-glucose using a behavioural assay. This study provides further evidence that carbohydrates may be important chemosensory cues for fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham J Fischer
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - William A Dew
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
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Wang LC, Di LQ, Li JS, Hu LH, Cheng JM, Wu H. Elaboration in type, primary structure, and bioactivity of polysaccharides derived from mollusks. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2017; 59:1091-1114. [DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1392289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chong Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Research and Development in Marine Bio-resource Pharmaceutics, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Liu Qing Di
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Jun Song Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Li Hong Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Functional Substance of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, P.R. China
| | - Jian Ming Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Research and Development in Marine Bio-resource Pharmaceutics, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Hao Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Research and Development in Marine Bio-resource Pharmaceutics, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing, P.R. China
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Landeira-Dabarca A, Álvarez M, Molist P. Food deprivation causes rapid changes in the abundance and glucidic composition of the cutaneous mucous cells of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2014; 37:899-909. [PMID: 24117614 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous mucus is the first physical and chemical barrier of fish. This slime layer is secreted by mucous cells located in the epidermis and is mainly composed of glycoproteins that have their origin in the diet. Therefore, food deprivation can potentially change the abundance and glucidic nature of skin mucous cells, thus changing the mucus properties. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment with Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Changes in the number and glucidic nature of epidermal mucus cells were analysed using standard techniques. The outcome of this study shows that food deprivation caused a rapid decrease in the density of epidermal mucous cells in Atlantic salmon. Lectin histochemistry revealed a change in the presence and stainability of some sugar residues in the mucous cells of unfed fish compared with fed fish. Given that the primary reason for mucus secretion in fish is for protection against infections, we speculate that the changes in the mucus properties caused by nutritional stress may affect their disease resistance. This fact is particularly important for fish that spend a period of time deprived of food, either as a part of their natural life cycle, or as part of farming practices.
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Bravo Portela I, Martinez-Zorzano VS, Molist-Perez I, Molist García P. Ultrastructure and glycoconjugate pattern of the foot epithelium of the abalone Haliotis tuberculata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda, Haliotidae). ScientificWorldJournal 2012; 2012:960159. [PMID: 22645482 PMCID: PMC3356765 DOI: 10.1100/2012/960159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2011] [Accepted: 12/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The foot epithelium of the gastropod Haliotis tuberculata is studied by light and electron microscopy in order to contribute to the understanding of the anatomy and functional morphology of the mollusks integument. Study of the external surface by scanning electron microscopy reveals that the side foot epithelium is characterized by a microvillus border with a very scant presence of small ciliary tufts, but the sole foot epithelium bears a dense field of long cilia. Ultrastructural examination by transmission electron microscopy of the side epithelial cells shows deeply pigmented cells with high electron-dense granular content which are not observed in the epithelial sole cells. Along the pedal epithelium, seven types of secretory cells are present; furthermore, two types of subepithelial glands are located just in the sole foot. The presence and composition of glycoconjugates in the secretory cells and subepithelial glands are analyzed by conventional and lectin histochemistry. Subepithelial glands contain mainly N-glycoproteins rich in fucose and mannose whereas secretory cells present mostly acidic sulphated glycoconjugates such as glycosaminoglycans and mucins, which are rich in galactose, N-acetyl-galactosamine, and N-acetyl-glucosamine. No sialic acid is present in the foot epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Bravo Portela
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Apdo 1552, 36200 Vigo, Spain
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Knight M, Miller A, Liu Y, Scaria P, Woodle M, Ittiprasert W. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) mediated siRNA gene silencing in the Schistosoma mansoni snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1212. [PMID: 21765961 PMCID: PMC3134429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
An in vivo, non-invasive technique for gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) in the snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, has been developed using cationic polymer polyethyleneimine (PEI) mediated delivery of long double-stranded (ds) and small interfering (si) RNA. Cellular delivery was evaluated and optimized by using a ‘mock’ fluorescent siRNA. Subsequently, we used the method to suppress expression of Cathepsin B (CathB) with either the corresponding siRNA or dsRNA of this transcript. In addition, the knockdown of peroxiredoxin (Prx) at both RNA and protein levels was achieved with the PEI-mediated soaking method. B. glabrata is an important snail host for the transmission of the parasitic digenean platyhelminth, Schistosoma mansoni that causes schistosomiasis in the neotropics. Progress is being made to realize the genome sequence of the snail and to uncover gene expression profiles and cellular pathways that enable the snail to either prevent or sustain an infection. Using PEI complexes, a convenient soaking method has been developed, enabling functional gene knockdown studies with either dsRNA or siRNA. The protocol developed offers a first whole organism method for host-parasite gene function studies needed to identify key mechanisms required for parasite development in the snail host, which ultimately are needed as points for disrupting this parasite mediated disease. Freshwater snails are important in the transmission of schistosomiasis. As part of an integral control effort to combat the spread of schistosomiasis new intervention tools are being sought. One method is to interrupt the transmission of the causative schistosome parasite during the intra-molluscan phase of its development. Gene-silencing technology involving the use of dsRNA have used an injection route to disrupt gene translation in the Schistosoma mansoni snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata in an effort to investigate how inhibition of various transcripts can affect the dynamics of the snail/parasite interaction. These studies have been helpful in showing us that a gene-silencing pathway that uses dsRNA indeed exists in snails but the injection method previously utilized is impractical, especially when working with juvenile snails. To make the use of gene silencing technology more widely applicable to functional gene studies in snails, we have developed a more convenient soaking method that uses a cationic carrier polyethylene amine (PEI) to deliver dsRNA or siRNA into juvenile snails. Using this method we show the successful knockdown at both RNA and protein levels of the B. glabrata peroxiredoxin (Prx) gene. The method was also evaluated for silencing the Cathepsin B (CathB) gene in the snail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matty Knight
- Biomedical Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
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Chemical properties of the extracellular matrix of the snail nervous system: a comprehensive study using a combination of histochemical techniques. Micron 2010; 41:461-71. [PMID: 20219380 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2010.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Revised: 02/08/2010] [Accepted: 02/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of various types of protein and carbohydrate polymers with red-ox and acid-base properties that have a crucial impact on tissue homeostasis. In the present study, a combination of both frequently applied and also specialized histochemical staining methods were used to reveal the chemical properties of the ECM of the snail central nervous system (CNS) which has a long been favored experimental model for comparative neurobiologists. Reactions such as silver ion reduction to label oxidative elements and different protein fibers, visible and fluorescent periodic-Schiff (PAS) reaction for the detection of unbranched chain of carbohydrates, and cationic dyes (acridine orange and alcian blue) for differentiating acidic carbohydrates were used. Illumination of sections stained with toluidine blue at pH 4.0 by a fluorescent light (lambda ex546/em580 nm), visualized components of the extraneural space (ECM molecules and glial cells) of the adult and also the developing CNS. Silver, toluidine blue and azure A were used to detect specific molecule bands in CNS extracts separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Some molecules showed both negative character and had carbohydrate side chains revealed by the Solanum tuberosum lectin probe. In a comparison of a freshwater aquatic (Lymnaea stagnalis) and a terrestrial (Helix pomatia) species, the ECM showed similarities in the composition of the periganglionic sheath and interperikaryonal space. The sheath was rich in alcian blue-positive sulfated proteoglycans infiltrated the space between collagen and reticular fibers, whereas in the interperikaryonal space PAS- and acridine orange-positive neutral and weakly acidic carbohydrates were detected. The ganglionic neuropil was mostly filled with PAS-positive material, but negatively charged sulfated and carboxylated molecules detected by acridine orange and alcian blue were present only in Helix. A low carbohydrate content was also found in the neuropil of both adult and developing Lymnaea, but most of the ECM components appeared only during the postembryonic juvenile stages. Comparing the SDS-PAGE of the periganglionic sheath and neural tissue extracts, toluidine blue (pH 4.0) and azure A (pH 2.0) revealed negatively charged molecules; some were found in both fractions. These results show, for the first time, the general chemical characteristics of the ECM of the snail CNS, indicating differences in the composition of the ganglion neuropil between aquatic and terrestrial species. Hence, a different strategy for retaining water by the neural tissue is suggested in species living in different environments.
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Miyamae Y, Komuro M, Murata A, Aono K, Nishikata K, Kanazawa A, Fujito Y, Komatsu T, Ito D, Abe T, Nagayama M, Uchida T, Gohara K, Murakami J, Kawai R, Hatakeyama D, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Contrary effects of octopamine receptor ligands on behavioral and neuronal changes in locomotion of lymnaea. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2010; 218:6-14. [PMID: 20203249 DOI: 10.1086/bblv218n1p6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis moves along the sides and bottom of an aquarium, but it can also glide upside down on its back below the water's surface. We have termed these two forms of locomotion "standard locomotion" and "upside-down gliding," respectively. Previous studies showed that standard locomotion is produced by both cilia activity on the foot and peristaltic contraction of the foot muscles, whereas upside-down gliding is mainly caused by cilia activity. The pedal A neurons are thought to receive excitatory octopaminergic input, which ultimately results in increased cilia beating. However, the relationship between locomotory speed and the responses of these neurons to octopamine is not known. We thus examined the effects of both an agonist and an antagonist of octopamine receptors on locomotory speed and the firing rate of the pedal A neurons. We also examined, at the electron and light-microscopic levels, whether structural changes occur in cilia following the application of either an agonist or an antagonist of octopamine receptors to the central nervous system (CNS). We found that the application of an octopamine antagonist to the CNS increased the speed of both forms of locomotion, whereas application of octopamine increased only the firing rate of the pedal A neurons. Microscopic examination of the cilia proved that there were no changes in their morphology after application of octopamine ligands. These data suggest that there is an unidentified octopaminergic neuronal network in the CNS whose activation reduces cilia movement and thus locomotory speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurie Miyamae
- Hokkaido Sapporo Okadama High School, Higashi-ku, Japan
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11
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Aono K, Fusada A, Fusada Y, Ishii W, Kanaya Y, Komuro M, Matsui K, Meguro S, Miyamae A, Miyamae Y, Murata A, Narita S, Nozaka H, Saito W, Watanabe A, Nishikata K, Kanazawa A, Fujito Y, Yamagishi M, Abe T, Nagayama M, Uchida T, Gohara K, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Upside-down gliding of Lymnaea. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2008; 215:272-279. [PMID: 19098148 DOI: 10.2307/25470711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis can often be observed moving upside down on its back just below the surface of the water. We have termed this form of movement "upside-down gliding." To elucidate the mechanism of this locomotion, we performed a series of experiments involving behavioral analyses and microscopic observations. These experiments were designed (1) to measure the speed of this locomotion; (2) to determine whether the mucus secreted from the foot of Lymnaea repels water, thereby allowing the snail to exploit the surface tension of the water for upside-down gliding; and (3) to observe the beating of foot cilia in this behavior. The beating of these cilia is thought to be the primary driving force for upside-down gliding. Our results demonstrate that upside-down gliding is an efficient active process involving the secretion of mucus that floats up to the water surface to serve as a substrate upon which cilia beat to cause locomotion at the underside of the water surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Aono
- Biology Club, Hokkaido Sapporo Okadama High School, 2-chome, Kitaokadama 1-jo, Higashi-ku, Sapporo 007-0881, Japan
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Li D, Graham LD. Epidermal secretions of terrestrial flatworms and slugs: Lehmannia valentiana mucus contains matrilin-like proteins. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2007; 148:231-44. [PMID: 17644381 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2007.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2007] [Revised: 06/05/2007] [Accepted: 06/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We describe the epidermal mucus of two types of terrestrial invertebrates: free-living flatworms (Tricladida: Terricola), and the slug Lehmannia valentiana (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Both exhibited similar dry shear strengths (1.4-1.7 MPa). In denaturing gel electrophoresis, the protein fraction of flatworm mucus migrated mainly as a broad band (200-300 kDa). Slug mucus had a higher protein content than flatworm mucus but it contained more carbohydrate than protein, mainly as large heparan sulfate-like glycosaminoglycans. Proteins and glycosaminoglycans were both essential for the mechanical integrity of the slug hydrogel. The protein fraction of slug mucus contained approximately 12 larger proteins (30-300 kDa) and approximately 6 smaller ones (10-28 kDa). Complete cDNA clones were obtained for the slug mucus 40 kDa protein (Sm40; Genbank accession EF634345) and 85 kDa protein (Sm85; Genbank accession EF634346). Both proteins contain EGF-like repeats and von Willebrand A-domains, and therefore resemble vertebrate matrilins. Many of the larger slug mucus proteins appear to contain A-domains, and these may play a role in the unusual rheological properties of gastropod mucus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Li
- CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies, Sydney Laboratory, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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