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Gill LT, Kennedy JR, Box ICH, Marshall KE. Ice in the intertidal: patterns and processes of freeze tolerance in intertidal invertebrates. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247043. [PMID: 39051142 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Many intertidal invertebrates are freeze tolerant, meaning that they can survive ice formation within their body cavity. Freeze tolerance is a fascinating trait, and understanding its mechanisms is important for predicting the survival of intertidal animals during extreme cold weather events. In this Review, we bring together current research on the ecology, biochemistry and physiology of this group of freeze-tolerant organisms. We first introduce the ecology of the intertidal zone, then highlight the strong geographic and taxonomic biases within the current body of literature on this topic. Next, we detail current knowledge on the mechanisms of freeze tolerance used by intertidal invertebrates. Although the mechanisms of freeze tolerance in terrestrial arthropods have been well-explored, marine invertebrate freeze tolerance is less well understood and does not appear to work similarly because of the osmotic differences that come with living in seawater. Freeze tolerance mechanisms thought to be utilized by intertidal invertebrates include: (1) low molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as compatible osmolytes and anaerobic by-products; (2) high molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as ice-binding proteins; as well as (3) other molecular mechanisms involving heat shock proteins and aquaporins. Lastly, we describe untested hypotheses, methods and approaches that researchers can use to fill current knowledge gaps. Understanding the mechanisms and consequences of freeze tolerance in the intertidal zone has many important ecological implications, but also provides an opportunity to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms of freeze tolerance more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Gill
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jessica R Kennedy
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Leigh Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Warkworth, 0985, New Zealand
| | - Isaiah C H Box
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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2
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Box ICH, van der Burg KRL, Marshall KE. Analysis of Ice-Binding Protein Evolution. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2730:219-229. [PMID: 37943462 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3503-2_16] [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] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Discovering novel ice-binding proteins (IBPs) is important for understanding the evolution of IBPs but it is difficult to determine where resources should be directed in the search for novel IBPs. For this reason, we developed a simple bioinformatic approach for aiding in the determination of where to direct efforts in the search for IBPs. First, BLAST is used to obtain a candidate list of putative IBPs. Next, phylogenetic trees are constructed to map the candidate list of putative IBPs to determine if any patterns are forming. These candidate putative IBPs and their patterns are then assessed through the production of ancestral sequences and reverse BLAST searches, in addition to the use of IBP calculators, to determine which sequences should be cut to produce the final putative IBP list. Finally, we explain an avenue to investigate these putative IBPs further for the development of hypotheses on their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah C H Box
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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3
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Dong Z, Li H, Wang Y, Lin S, Guo F, Zhao J, Yao R, Zhu L, Wang W, Buttino I, Qi P, Guo B. Transcriptome profiling reveals the strategy of thermal tolerance enhancement caused by heat-hardening in Mytilus coruscus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:165785. [PMID: 37499827 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The thick-shell mussel Mytilus coruscus serves as a common sessile intertidal species and holds economic significance as an aquatic organism. M. coruscus often endure higher temperatures than their ideal range during consecutive low tides in the spring. This exposure to elevated temperatures provides them with a thermal tolerance boost, enabling them to adapt to high-temperature events caused by extreme low tides and adverse weather conditions. This phenomenon is referred to as heat-hardening. Some related studies showed the phenomenon of heat-hardening in sessile intertidal species but not reported at the mechanism level based on transcriptome so far. In this study, physiological experiments, gene family identification and transcriptome sequencing were performed to confirm the thermotolerance enhancement based on heat-hardening and explore the mechanism in M. coruscus. A total of 2935 DEGs were identified and the results of the KEGG enrichment showed that seven heat-hardening relative pathways were enriched, including Toll-like receptor signal pathway, Arachidonic acid metabolism, and others. Then, 24 HSP70 members and 36 CYP2 members, were identified, and the up-regulated members are correlated with increasing thermotolerance. Finally, we concluded that the heat-hardening M. coruscus have a better thermotolerance because of the capability of maintaining the integrity and the phenomenon of vasodilation of the gill under thermal stress. Further, the physiological experiments yielded the same conclusions. Overall, this study confirms the thermotolerance enhancement caused by heat-hardening and reveals the survival strategy in M. coruscus. In addition, the conclusion provides a new reference for studying the intertidal species' heat resistance mechanisms to combat extreme heat events and the strategies for dealing with extreme weather in aquaculture under the global warming trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Dong
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Hongfei Li
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China; Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Youji Wang
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Shuangrui Lin
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Feng Guo
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Jiemei Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Ronghui Yao
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Li Zhu
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Weifeng Wang
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China
| | - Isabella Buttino
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research ISPRA, Via del Cedro n.38, 57122 Livorno, Italy
| | - Pengzhi Qi
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China; Donghai Laboratory, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Baoying Guo
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316004, China.
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Currie-Olsen D, Hesketh AV, Grimm J, Kennedy J, Marshall KE, Harley CDG. Lethal and sublethal implications of low temperature exposure for three intertidal predators. J Therm Biol 2023; 114:103549. [PMID: 37244058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Benthic invertebrate predators play a key role in top-down trophic regulation in intertidal ecosystems. While the physiological and ecological consequences of predator exposure to high temperatures during summer low tides are increasingly well-studied, the effects of cold exposure during winter low tides remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we measured the supercooling points, survival, and feeding rates of three intertidal predator species in British Columbia, Canada - the sea stars Pisaster ochraceus and Evasterias troschelii and the dogwhelk Nucella lamellosa - in response to exposure to sub-zero air temperatures. Overall, we found that all three predators exhibited evidence of internal freezing at relatively mild sub-zero temperatures, with sea stars exhibiting an average supercooling point of -2.50 °C, and the dogwhelk averaging approximately -3.99 °C. None of the tested species are strongly freeze tolerant, as evidenced by moderate-to-low survival rates after exposure to -8 °C air. All three predators exhibited significantly reduced feeding rates over a two-week period following a single 3-h sublethal (-0.5 °C) exposure event. We also quantified variation in predator body temperature among thermal microhabitats during winter low tides. Predators that were found at the base of large boulders, on the sediment, and within crevices had higher body temperatures during winter low tides, as compared to those situated in other microhabitats. However, we did not find evidence of behavioural thermoregulation via selective microhabitat use during cold weather. Since these intertidal predators are less freeze tolerant than their preferred prey, winter low temperature exposures can have important implications for organism survival and predator-prey dynamics across thermal gradients at both local (habitat-driven) and geographic (climate-driven) scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danja Currie-Olsen
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Amelia V Hesketh
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jaime Grimm
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jessica Kennedy
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Christopher D G Harley
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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5
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Wang J, Wang S. Variations of Supercooling Capacity in Intertidal Gastropods. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040724. [PMID: 36830511 PMCID: PMC9952152 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Winter low-temperature confines species distribution. Intertidal gastropods are distributed from tropical to polar zones, facing variable intensities and durations of low temperatures. They usually set their supercooling points (SCPs) at high subzero temperatures to stimulate freezing. However, the variations in SCP in intertidal gastropods at intraspecific and interspecific levels remain poorly understood. Here, we measured the body size, cooling rate, and SCP of nine intertidal gastropod species in China. These species were distributed in high or middle intertidal zone with different geographic distributions. The average SCPs (-4.27~-7.10 °C) and the coefficients of variation of SCP (22.6%~45.9%) were high in all species. At the intraspecific level, the supercooling capacity was positively correlated with the cooling rate. Interspecifically, the supercooling capacity was closely related to the cooling rate, and also to the species' geographical distribution. Northern high-shore species showed lower SCPs, while southern high-shore species had higher SCPs. There was no difference in SCP between widespread high- and mid-shore species. Our results indicated that the supercooling capability is potentially an adaptative response to the local winter temperatures, and the cooling rate is a factor in determining the difference in SCP at the intraspecific and interspecific levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
- Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266235, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Shuo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
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Microhabitat-specific diurnal metabolomic responses of the intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma to winter low temperature. iScience 2023; 26:106128. [PMID: 36852273 PMCID: PMC9958412 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput determination of circadian rhythms in metabolic response and their divergent patterns in various microhabitats are crucial for understanding how organisms respond to environmental stresses. A mid-intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma was collected at various time points across both daytime and nighttime in winter during low tide for investigating the diurnal metabolomic responses to cold stress and elucidating the divergent metabolic responses to temperature variations across microhabitats. Temperatures of emergent rock microhabitats were lower than the tidal pool and even aggravated at night. A series of metabolomic responses exhibited coordinated diurnal changes in winter. Metabolic responses which were associated with cellular stress responses and energy metabolism of emergent rock microhabitat individuals were highly induced compared to the tidal pool ones. This study shed light on the diurnal patterns of metabolomic responses of intertidal molluscs in the field and emphasized the variations in metabolic responses between microhabitats.
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Abstract
Winter provides many challenges for insects, including direct injury to tissues and energy drain due to low food availability. As a result, the geographic distribution of many species is tightly coupled to their ability to survive winter. In this review, we summarize molecular processes associated with winter survival, with a particular focus on coping with cold injury and energetic challenges. Anticipatory processes such as cold acclimation and diapause cause wholesale transcriptional reorganization that increases cold resistance and promotes cryoprotectant production and energy storage. Molecular responses to low temperature are also dynamic and include signaling events during and after a cold stressor to prevent and repair cold injury. In addition, we highlight mechanisms that are subject to selection as insects evolve to variable winter conditions. Based on current knowledge, despite common threads, molecular mechanisms of winter survival vary considerably across species, and taxonomic biases must be addressed to fully appreciate the mechanistic basis of winter survival across the insect phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Teets
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA;
| | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julie A Reynolds
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Béliveau C, Gagné P, Picq S, Vernygora O, Keeling CI, Pinkney K, Doucet D, Wen F, Spencer Johnston J, Maaroufi H, Boyle B, Laroche J, Dewar K, Juretic N, Blackburn G, Nisole A, Brunet B, Brandão M, Lumley L, Duan J, Quan G, Lucarotti CJ, Roe AD, Sperling FAH, Levesque RC, Cusson M. The Spruce Budworm Genome: Reconstructing the Evolutionary History of Antifreeze Proteins. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:evac087. [PMID: 35668612 PMCID: PMC9210311 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects have developed various adaptations to survive harsh winter conditions. Among freeze-intolerant species, some produce "antifreeze proteins" (AFPs) that bind to nascent ice crystals and inhibit further ice growth. Such is the case of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a destructive North American conifer pest that can withstand temperatures below -30°C. Despite the potential importance of AFPs in the adaptive diversification of Choristoneura, genomic tools to explore their origins have until now been limited. Here we present a chromosome-scale genome assembly for C. fumiferana, which we used to conduct comparative genomic analyses aimed at reconstructing the evolutionary history of tortricid AFPs. The budworm genome features 16 genes homologous to previously reported C. fumiferana AFPs (CfAFPs), 15 of which map to a single region on chromosome 18. Fourteen of these were also detected in five congeneric species, indicating Choristoneura AFP diversification occurred before the speciation event that led to C. fumiferana. Although budworm AFPs were previously considered unique to the genus Choristoneura, a search for homologs targeting recently sequenced tortricid genomes identified seven CfAFP-like genes in the distantly related Notocelia uddmanniana. High structural similarity between Notocelia and Choristoneura AFPs suggests a common origin, despite the absence of homologs in three related tortricids. Interestingly, one Notocelia AFP formed the C-terminus of a "zonadhesin-like" protein, possibly representing the ancestral condition from which tortricid AFPs evolved. Future work should clarify the evolutionary path of AFPs between Notocelia and Choristoneura and assess the role of the "zonadhesin-like" protein as precursor of tortricid AFPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Béliveau
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patrick Gagné
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sandrine Picq
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Oksana Vernygora
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Christopher I Keeling
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kristine Pinkney
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Doucet
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fayuan Wen
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
- Center for Sickle Cell Disease, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington DC, USA
| | - J Spencer Johnston
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Halim Maaroufi
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brian Boyle
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jérôme Laroche
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ken Dewar
- Quantitative Life Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nikoleta Juretic
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gwylim Blackburn
- Pacific Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Audrey Nisole
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bryan Brunet
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcelo Brandão
- Laboratório de Biologia Integrativa e Sistêmica - CBMEG/UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Lisa Lumley
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jun Duan
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guoxing Quan
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Amanda D Roe
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Felix A H Sperling
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Roger C Levesque
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michel Cusson
- Laurentian Forestry Centre, Natural Resources Canada, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
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