1
|
Kalka M, Bielak K, Ptak M, Stolarski J, Dobryszycki P, Wojtas M. Calcium carbonate polymorph selection in fish otoliths: A key role of phosphorylation of Starmaker-like protein. Acta Biomater 2024; 174:437-446. [PMID: 38061675 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.11.039] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Fish otoliths are calcium carbonate biominerals found in the inner ear commonly used for tracking fish biochronologies and as a model system for biomineralization. The process of fish otolith formation is biologically controlled by numerous biomacromolecules which not only affect crystal size, shape, mechanical properties, but also selection of calcium carbonate polymorph (e.g., aragonite, vaterite). The proteinaceous control over calcium carbonate polymorph selection occurs in many other species (e.g., corals, mollusks, echinoderms) but the exact mechanism of protein interactions with calcium and carbonate ions - constituents of CaCO3 - are not fully elucidated. Herein, we focus on a native Starmaker-like protein isolated from vaterite asteriscus otoliths from Cyprinus carpio. The proteomic studies show the presence of the phosphorylated protein in vaterite otoliths. In a series of in vitro mineralization experiments with Starmaker-like, we show that native phosphorylation is a crucial determinant for the selection of a crystal's polymorphic form. This is the first report showing that the switch in calcium carbonate phase depends on the phosphorylation pattern of a single isolated protein. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Calcium carbonate has numerous applications in industry and medicine. However, we still do not understand the mechanism of biologically driven polymorph selection which results in specific biomineral properties. Previous work on calcium carbonate biominerals showed that either several macromolecular factors or high magnesium concentration (non-physiological) are required for proper polymorph selection (e.g., in mollusk shells, corals and otoliths). In this work, we showed for the first time that protein phosphorylation is a crucial factor for controlling the calcium carbonate crystal phase. This is important because a single protein from the otolith organic matrix could switch between polymorphs depending on the phosphorylation level. It seems that protein post-translational modifications (native, not artificial) are more important for biomolecular control of crystal growth than previously considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kalka
- Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Klaudia Bielak
- Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Maciej Ptak
- Division of Optical Spectroscopy, Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Piotr Dobryszycki
- Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Magdalena Wojtas
- Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Murase I, Kawamoto T, Akizawa N, Irie T. Rearing in strontium-enriched water induces vaterite otoliths in the Japanese rice fish, Oryzias latipes. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230410. [PMID: 37325597 PMCID: PMC10265005 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sagittal otoliths, typically composed of aragonite, are frequently laid down rather as vaterite during growth in hatchery-reared fish populations. Sagittal vateritization is believed to impair individual hearing/balancing abilities, but the causal mechanism remains unclear. Here we experimentally demonstrated that rearing in Sr-rich water induces sagittal vateritization in the HdrR-II1 inbred strain of the Japanese rice fish, Oryzias latipes. Both sagittae were partly vateritized in 70% of individuals subjected to the Sr2+ treatment (n = 10), whereas fish reared in normal tap water showed no sagittal vateritization (n = 8). Our result is consistent with the theoretical prediction that vaterite becomes thermodynamically more stable than aragonite as the Sr2+ concentration in solution increases. A vateritic layer develops surrounding the original aragonitic sagitta in vateritized otoliths, some of which take on a comma-like shape. Electron probe microanalysis demonstrates that the vateritized phase is characterized by lower Sr2+ and higher Mg2+ concentrations than the aragonitic phase. It is unlikely that increased environmental Sr2+ is responsible for the sagittal vateritization in farmed fish. However, our findings likely help to establish an in vivo assay using O. latipes to understand the physiological process underlying the sagittal vateritization in farmed fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iki Murase
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiko Kawamoto
- Department of Geoscience, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan
| | - Norikatsu Akizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Takahiro Irie
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Quantifying fish otolith mineralogy for trace-element chemistry studies. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2727. [PMID: 35177743 PMCID: PMC8854662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06721-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Otoliths are frequently used to infer environmental conditions or fish life history events based on trace-element concentrations. However, otoliths can be comprised of any one or combination of the three most common polymorphs of calcium carbonate—aragonite, calcite, and vaterite—which can affect the ecological interpretation of otolith trace-element results. Previous studies have reported heterogeneous calcium carbonate compositions between left and right otoliths but did not provide quantitative assessments of polymorph abundances. In this study, neutron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify and quantify mineralogical compositions of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha otolith pairs. We found mineralogical compositions frequently differed between otoliths in a pair and accurate calcium carbonate polymorph identification was rarely possible by visual inspection alone. The prevalence of multiple polymorphs in otoliths is not well-understood, and future research should focus on identifying otolith compositions and investigate how variations in mineralogy affect trace-element incorporation and potentially bias environmental interpretations.
Collapse
|
4
|
Delaval A, Solås MR, Skoglund H, Salvanes AGV. Does Vaterite Otolith Deformation Affect Post-Release Survival and Predation Susceptibility of Hatchery-Reared Juvenile Atlantic Salmon? Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:709850. [PMID: 34646876 PMCID: PMC8503516 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.709850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sagittal otoliths are calcareous structures in the inner ear of fishes involved in hearing and balance. They are usually composed of aragonite; however, aragonite can be replaced by vaterite, a deformity which is more common in hatchery-reared than in wild fish. Vaterite growth may impair hearing and balance and affect important fitness-related behaviours such as predator avoidance. Captive rearing techniques that prevent hearing loss may have the potential to improve fish welfare and the success of restocking programmes. The aim of this study was to test the effect of structural tank enrichment on vaterite development in the otoliths of hatchery-reared juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, and to assess the effects of vaterite on immediate predation mortality and long-term survival after release into the wild. Fry were reared in a structurally enriched or in a conventional rearing environment and given otolith marks using alizarin during the egg stage to distinguish between the treatment groups. Otoliths were scrutinised for the presence and coverage of vaterite at 6, 13, and 16 weeks after start feeding, and the growth traits were measured for enriched and control fry when housed in tanks. In a subsequent field experiment, juveniles were released in the Rasdalen river (western Norway), and otoliths of enriched reared and control reared fry were scrutinised from samples collected immediately prior to release, from predator (trout Salmo trutta) stomachs 48 h after release and from recaptures from the river 2–3 months after release. Vaterite otoliths occurred as early as 6 weeks after start feeding in hatchery-reared S. salar. Vaterite occurrence and coverage increased with fish length. Enriched rearing had no direct effect on vaterite formation, but enriched reared fry grew slower than control fry. After release into the wild, fewer salmon fry with vaterite otoliths had been eaten by predators, and a higher proportion of fry with vaterite otoliths than those lacking vaterite were recaptured in the river 2–3 months after release. Contrary to expectations, this suggests that vaterite does not increase predation mortality nor reduce survival rates in the wild during the early life stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Delaval
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | | | - Helge Skoglund
- Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen, Norway
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Loeppky AR, Belding LD, Quijada-Rodriguez AR, Morgan JD, Pracheil BM, Chakoumakos BC, Anderson WG. Influence of ontogenetic development, temperature, and pCO 2 on otolith calcium carbonate polymorph composition in sturgeons. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13878. [PMID: 34230512 PMCID: PMC8260795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93197-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes to calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biomineralization in aquatic organisms is among the many predicted effects of climate change. Because otolith (hearing/orientation structures in fish) CaCO3 precipitation and polymorph composition are controlled by genetic and environmental factors, climate change may be predicted to affect the phenotypic plasticity of otoliths. We examined precipitation of otolith polymorphs (aragonite, vaterite, calcite) during early life history in two species of sturgeon, Lake Sturgeon, (Acipenser fulvescens) and White Sturgeon (A. transmontanus), using quantitative X-ray microdiffraction. Both species showed similar fluctuations in otolith polymorphs with a significant shift in the proportions of vaterite and aragonite in sagittal otoliths coinciding with the transition to fully exogenous feeding. We also examined the effect of the environment on otolith morphology and polymorph composition during early life history in Lake Sturgeon larvae reared in varying temperature (16/22 °C) and pCO2 (1000/2500 µatm) environments for 5 months. Fish raised in elevated temperature had significantly increased otolith size and precipitation of large single calcite crystals. Interestingly, pCO2 had no statistically significant effect on size or polymorph composition of otoliths despite blood pH exhibiting a mild alkalosis, which is contrary to what has been observed in several studies on marine fishes. These results suggest climate change may influence otolith polymorph composition during early life history in Lake Sturgeon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison R Loeppky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Luke D Belding
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - John D Morgan
- Department of Resource Management and Protection, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
| | - Brenda M Pracheil
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, Canada
| | - Bryan C Chakoumakos
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, Canada
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chakoumakos BC, Pracheil BM, Wood RS, Loeppky A, Anderson G, Koenigs R, Bruch R. Texture Analysis of Polycrystalline Vaterite Spherulites from Lake Sturgeon Otoliths. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7151. [PMID: 31073207 PMCID: PMC6509271 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43434-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish otoliths, or ear bones, are comprised of the CaCO3 polymorphs (aragonite, calcite and vaterite), which can occur either alone or in combination. The polymorph phase abundance in an otolith depends on, as yet, unexplained genetic and environmental factors. Most fish otoliths are comprised of the densest CaCO3 polymorph, aragonite. Sturgeon otoliths, on the other hand, contain significant amounts of the rare and the structurally enigmatic polymorph, vaterite. Sturgeon otoliths are frequently comprised of agglomerations of small microcrystalline vaterite spherulites (<300 μm in diameter), that range in shape from nearly perfect spheres to oblate spheroids. These spherulites are similar to the synthetic vaterite microspheres employed in laser trapping applications. Vaterite spherulites from both hatchery-reared (juvenile) and wild (adult) Lake Sturgeon exhibit extreme crystallographic texture as evidenced by X-ray diffraction patterns and their reconstructed pole-figures determined here. The vaterite crystallites making up the spherulites have excellent registry in both the axial and equatorial directions. Whether synthesized or natural, the texture manifested in these spherulites suggests that vaterite nucleates and grows similarly in vivo otolith formation as well as from laboratory synthesis. The uniaxial optical character of the vaterite spherulites, confirmed by these diffraction experiments and combined with their large birefringence, makes them well suited for laser trapping applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryan C Chakoumakos
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - Brenda M Pracheil
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - R Seth Wood
- Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Alison Loeppky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Ryan Koenigs
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Oshkosh, WI, 54901, USA
| | - Ronald Bruch
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Oshkosh, WI, 54901, USA
| |
Collapse
|