Abstract
BackgroundPhenotypic plasticity in defensive traits occurs in many species when facing heterogeneous predator regimes. The waterflea Daphnia is well-known for showing a variety of these so called inducible defences. However, molecular mechanisms underlying this plasticity are poorly understood so far. We performed proteomic analysis on Daphnia magna exposed to chemical cues of the predator Triops cancriformis. D. magna develops an array of morphological changes in the presence of Triops including changes of carapace morphology and cuticle hardening.ResultsUsing the 2D-DIGE technique, 1500 protein spots could be matched and quantified. We discovered 179 protein spots with altered intensity when comparing Triops exposed animals to a control group, and 69 spots were identified using nano-LC MS/MS. Kairomone exposure increased the intensity of spots containing muscle proteins, cuticle proteins and chitin-modifying enzymes as well as enzymes of carbohydrate and energy metabolism. The yolk precursor protein vitellogenin decreased in abundance in 41 of 43 spots.ConclusionIdentified proteins may be either directly involved in carapace stability or reflect changes in energy demand and allocation costs in animals exposed to predator kairomones. Our results present promising candidate proteins involved in the expression of inducible defences in Daphnia and enable further in depth analysis of this phenomenon.
Highlights
Phenotypic plasticity in defensive traits occurs in many species when facing heterogeneous predator regimes
We have studied differentially abundant proteins in D. magna exposed to kairomones of the predator T. cancriformis, which is known to induce phenotypic plastic defensive structures in this species [31], and a control group not exposed to predator kairomones
The sensitive period in Daphnia for perceiving chemical cues released by predators and for the formation of defensive traits is known to happen during embryonic development [38]
Summary
Phenotypic plasticity in defensive traits occurs in many species when facing heterogeneous predator regimes. Phenotypic plasticity in defensive traits, so called inducible defences, occur in many species throughout invertebrate, vertebrate and plant taxa [5]. They are especially common in aquatic environments, where prey species can Important key stone species of fresh water environments are waterfleas (Daphnia: Crustacea). The biology of these animals was studied over the past 250 years [7], resulting in a large amount of literature documenting their ecological diversity. With the published genome sequence of Daphnia pulex [8] and the available pre-release of the Daphnia magna genome sequence (https://wiki.cgb.indiana.edu/display/ DGC/Daphnia+magna+Genome), the American National Institutes of Health (NIH) has added Daphnia to their list of model organisms for biomedical research (http://www. nih.gov/science/models/daphnia/)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
