The role of dissolved organic carbon concentration and composition on nickel toxicity to early life-stages of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis and purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Nickel (Ni) emissions resulting from production and transportation raise concerns about the impact of Ni exposure to marine ecosystems. Ni bioavailability models are established for FW systems, but the influence of chemical parameters (e.g. dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) on Ni toxicity within marine systems is less well understood. To examine the effects of DOC concentration and composition on Ni toxicity, acute toxicity tests were conducted on early life-stages of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and sea urchin embryos (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) in full strength sea water (32 ppt). Nine different field collected samples of water with varying concentration (up to 4.5 mg C/L) and composition of DOC were collected from the east coast of the United States. Organic matter compositional analysis included molecular fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopy. The different DOC sources had different protective effects against embryo toxicity. The control (no DOC) Ni 48 h-EC50 for Mytilus embryos was 133 µg/L (95% confidence interval (C.I.) of 123-144 µg/L), while Strongylocentrotus embryos displayed control 96-h EC50 values of 207 µg/L (167-247 µg/L). The most significantly protective sample had high humic acid concentrations (as determined from fluorescence spectroscopy), which yielded an EC50 of 195 µg/L (169-222 µg/L) for Mytilus, and an EC50 of 394 µg/L (369-419 µg/L) for S. purpuratus. Among all samples, protection was related to both DOC quantity and quality, with fluorescence-resolved humic and fulvic acid concentrations showing the strongest correlations with protection for both species. These data suggest that DOC is protective against Ni toxicity in M. edulis and S. purpuratus, and that accounting for a DOC quality factor will improve predictive toxicity models such as the biotic ligand model.

Conservation of sequence and function in fertilization of the cortical granule serine protease in echinoderms.

Conservation of the cortical granule serine protease during fertilization in echinoderms was tested both functionally in sea stars, and computationally throughout the echinoderm phylum. We find that the inhibitor of serine protease (soybean trypsin inhibitor) effectively blocks proper transition of the sea star fertilization envelope into a protective sperm repellent, whereas inhibitors of the other main types of proteases had no effect. Scanning the transcriptomes of 15 different echinoderm ovaries revealed sequences of high conservation to the originally identified sea urchin cortical serine protease, CGSP1. These conserved sequences contained the catalytic triad necessary for enzymatic activity, and the tandemly repeated LDLr-like repeats. We conclude that the protease involved in the slow block to polyspermy is an essential and conserved element of fertilization in echinoderms, and may provide an important reagent for identification and testing of the cell surface proteins in eggs necessary for sperm binding.

What is the core oscillator in the speract-activated pathway of the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm flagellum?

Sperm chemotaxis has an important role in fertilization. Most of our knowledge regarding this phenomenon comes from studies in organisms whose fertilization occurs externally, like sea urchins. Sea urchin spermatozoa respond to sperm-activating peptides, which diffuse from the egg jelly coat and interact with their receptor in the flagellum, triggering several physiological responses: changes in membrane potential, intracellular pH, cyclic nucleotide levels, and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]). In particular, flagellar [Ca2+] has been shown to oscillate. These [Ca2+] oscillations are correlated with changes in the flagellar shape and so with the regulation of the sperm swimming paths. In this study, we demonstrate, from a mathematical modeling perspective, that the reported speract-activated signaling pathway in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (speract being a sperm-activating peptide specific to this species) has the necessary elements to replicate the reported [Ca2+] oscillations. We further investigate which elements of this signaling pathway constitute the core oscillator.

Histamine is a modulator of metamorphic competence in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea).

BACKGROUND: A metamorphic life-history is present in the majority of animal phyla. This developmental mode is particularly prominent among marine invertebrates with a bentho-planktonic life cycle, where a pelagic larval form transforms into a benthic adult. Metamorphic competence (the stage at which a larva is capable to undergo the metamorphic transformation and settlement) is an important adaptation both ecologically and physiologically. The competence period maintains the larval state until suitable settlement sites are encountered, at which point the larvae settle in response to settlement cues. The mechanistic basis for metamorphosis (the morphogenetic transition from a larva to a juvenile including settlement), i.e. the molecular and cellular processes underlying metamorphosis in marine invertebrate species, is poorly understood. Histamine (HA), a neurotransmitter used for various physiological and developmental functions among animals, has a critical role in sea urchin fertilization and in the induction of metamorphosis. Here we test the premise that HA functions as a developmental modulator of metamorphic competence in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. RESULTS: Our results provide strong evidence that HA leads to the acquisition of metamorphic competence in S. purpuratus larvae. Pharmacological analysis of several HA receptor antagonists and an inhibitor of HA synthesis indicates a function of HA in metamorphic competence as well as programmed cell death (PCD) during arm retraction. Furthermore we identified an extensive network of histaminergic neurons in pre-metamorphic and metamorphically competent larvae. Analysis of this network throughout larval development indicates that the maturation of specific neuronal clusters correlates with the acquisition of metamorphic competence. Moreover, histamine receptor antagonist treatment leads to the induction of caspase mediated apoptosis in competent larvae. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that HA is a modulator of metamorphic competence in S. purpuratus development and hypothesize that HA may have played an important role in the evolution of settlement strategies in echinoids. Our findings provide novel insights into the evolution of HA signalling and its function in one of the most important and widespread life history transitions in the animal kingdom--metamorphosis.

The effect of marine dissolved organic carbon on nickel accumulation in early life-stages of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is known to ameliorate the toxicity of the trace metal nickel (Ni) to aquatic animals. In theory, this effect is mediated by the capacity of DOC to bind Ni, rendering it less bioavailable, with the resulting reduction in accumulation limiting toxicological effects. However, there is a lack of experimental data examining Ni accumulation in marine settings with natural sources of DOC. In the current study, radiolabelled Ni was used to examine the time- and concentration-dependence of Ni accumulation, using naturally sourced DOC, on developing larvae of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Contrary to prediction, the two tested natural DOC samples (collected from the eastern United States, DOC 2 (Seaview park, Rhode Island (SVP)) and DOC 7 (Aubudon Coastal Center, Connecticut)) which had previously been shown to protect against Ni toxicity, did not limit accumulation. The control (artificial seawater with no added DOC), and the DOC 2 sample could mostly be described as having saturable Ni uptake, whereas Ni uptake in the presence of DOC 7 was mostly linear. These data provide evidence that DOC modifies the bioavailability of Ni, through either indirect effects (e.g. membrane permeability) or by the absorption of DOC-Ni complexes. There was some evidence for regulation of Ni accumulation in later-stage embryos (96-h) where the bioconcentration factor for Ni declined with increasing Ni exposure concentration. These data have implications for predictive modelling approaches that rely on known relationships between Ni speciation, bioavailability and bioreactivity, by suggesting that these relationships may not hold for natural marine DOC samples in the developing sea urchin model system.

Influence of environmentally relevant concentrations of Zn, Cd and Ni and their binary mixtures on metal uptake, bioaccumulation and development in larvae of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Metal accumulation, disturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis, and occurrence of abnormalities are well-established consequences of single metal exposure during early development stages of sea urchins. However, the effects caused by low concentrations of metals and metal mixtures need to be better understood in marine invertebrates. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of Zn (9 µg/L), Cd (30 µg/L) and Ni (5 µg/L) in single and binary exposures (Zn + Cd, Cd + Ni and Ni + Zn) to the early life stages of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Endpoints checked in all treatments after 48-h exposure were unidirectional metal influx rates, bioaccumulation, and Ca2+ influx rates. Additionally, the presence of abnormal larvae and developmental delay was evaluated at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h of exposure. Unidirectional influx rates of all three metals were significantly higher than control background rates in all single exposures and binary mixtures, and were generally not different between them. Net accumulation (body burden) of both Zn and Cd increased significantly as a result of their respective single exposures, while Ni accumulation decreased considerably. When Zn or Cd were presented in binary exposures with other metals, the net accumulations of Zn or Cd were reduced relative to single exposures to these metals, whereas this did not occur for Ni accumulation. Thus, bioaccumulation proved to be a better metric than influx rate measurements to analyze metal competition at a whole organism level at these low metal concentrations. Short-term Ca2+ influx also did not appear to be a sensitive metric, as the measured rates did not vary among all single and binary exposures, with the exception of a lower rate in Ni + Zn binary exposure. A critical aspect observed was the relationship between bioaccumulation versus influx measurements, which proved positive for Cd, but negative for Zn and Ni, demonstrating possible capacities for both Zn and Ni regulation by sea urchin larvae. Increases in larval abnormalities relative to controls occurred only after binary mixtures, starting at 48 h exposure and maintained until 72 h. However, delay of the sea urchin development by the presence of gastrula stage at 72 h exposure occurred in Zn and Ni single exposures and all metal mixtures, with very high abnormal development when Ni was present.

Serotonin and its metabolism in basal deuterostomes: insights from Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Xenoturbella bocki.

Serotonin (5-HT), an important molecule in metazoans, is involved in a range of biological processes including neurotransmission and neuromodulation. Both its creation and release are tightly regulated, as is its removal. Multiple neurochemical pathways are responsible for the catabolism of 5-HT and are phyla specific; therefore, by elucidating these catabolic pathways we glean greater understanding of the relationships and origins of various transmitter systems. Here, 5-HT catabolic pathways were studied in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Xenoturbella bocki, two organisms occupying distinct positions in deuterostomes. The 5-HT-related compounds detected in these organisms were compared with those reported in other phyla. In S. purpuratus, 5-HT-related metabolites include N-acetyl serotonin, gamma-glutamyl-serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid; the quantity and type were found to vary based on the specific tissues analyzed. In addition to these compounds, varying levels of tryptamine were also seen. Upon addition of a 5-HT precursor and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, 5-HT itself was detected. In similar experiments using X. bocki tissues, the 5-HT-related compounds found included 5-HT sulfate, gamma-glutamyl-serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, as well as 5-HT and tryptamine. The sea urchin metabolizes 5-HT in a manner similar to both gastropod mollusks, as evidenced by the detection of gamma-glutamyl-serotonin, and vertebrates, as indicated by the presence of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid and N-acetyl serotonin. In contrast, 5-HT metabolism in X. bocki appears more similar to common protostome 5-HT catabolic pathways.

Effects of three zinc-containing sunscreens on development of purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) embryos.

The growing popularity of physical sunscreens will lead to an increased release of ingredients from zinc oxide (ZnO) sunscreens into marine environments. Though zinc (Zn) is a necessary micronutrient in the ocean, greater than natural Zn concentrations may be released into marine environments by use of sunscreens. The extent of the consequences of this addition of Zn to the ocean are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of materials released by ZnO- sunscreens on the development of California purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Embryos incubated in various concentrations of Zn (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/L), the sources of which included zinc-containing compounds: ZnO and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4); and ZnO sunscreens: All Good, Badger, and Raw Elements brands. Based on EC50 values, ZnO-containing sunscreens were slightly, but not significantly, more toxic than ZnO and ZnSO4, suggesting that sunscreens may release additional unknown materials that are detrimental to sea urchin embryo development. All concentrations of Zn-exposure resulted in significant malformations (skeletal abnormality, stage arrest, axis determination disruption), which were identified using light and fluorescence confocal microscopy. The concentration of Zn2+ internalized by the developing embryos correlated positively with the concentration of Zn in seawater. Additionally, exposure to both ZnO sunscreens and ZnO and ZnSO4 at 1 mg/L Zn, significantly increased calcein-AM (CAM) accumulation, indicating decreased multidrug resistant (MDR) transporter activity. This is one of the first studies documenting ZnO-containing sunscreens release high concentrations of Zn that are internalized by and have detrimental effects on aquatic organisms.

Two independent forms of endocytosis maintain embryonic cell surface homeostasis during early development.

Eukaryotic cells have multiple forms of endocytosis which maintain cell surface homeostasis. One explanation for this apparent redundancy is to allow independent retrieval of surface membranes derived from different types of vesicles. Consistent with this hypothesis we find that sea urchin eggs have at least two types of compensatory endocytosis. One is associated with retrieving cortical vesicle membranes, and formed large endosomes by a mechanism that was inhibited by agatoxin, cadmium, staurosporine and FK506. The second type is thought to compensate for constitutive exocytosis, and formed small endosomes using a mechanism that was insensitive to the above mentioned reagents, but was inhibited by phenylarsine oxide (PAO), and by microinjection of mRNA encoding Src kinase. Both mechanisms could act concurrently, and account for all of the endocytosis occurring during early development. Inhibition of either form did not trigger compensation by the other form, and phorbol ester treatment rescued the endocytotic activity blocked by agatoxin, but not the retrieval blocked by PAO.

Effects of sublethal Cd, Zn, and mixture exposures on antioxidant defense and oxidative stress parameters in early life stages of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Oxidative stress parameters were evaluated during the first 72 h of embryonic development of purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus continuously exposed to control conditions, to cadmium alone (Cd, 30 µg/L), to zinc alone (Zn, 9 µg/L) or to a Cd (28 µg/L) plus Zn (9 µg/L) mixture. These sublethal concentrations represent ∼ 10% of the acute EC50. Bioaccumulation, antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP), total glutathione (GSH) level, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were analyzed at 24 h (blastula), 48 h (gastrula), and 72 h (pluteus) stages of development. Zinc (an essential metal) was well-regulated, whereas Cd (non-essential) bioaccumulated and whole-body [Cd] increased from blastula to pluteus stage in sea urchin larvae. In controls, ACAP progressively declined from 24 h to 72 h, while LPO reciprocally increased, but other parameters did not change. Cd alone was more potent than Zn alone as a pro-oxidant, with the major effects being decreases in SOD activity and parallel increases in LPO throughout development; GST activity also increased at 24 h. Zn alone caused only biphasic disturbances of ACAP. In all cases, the simultaneous presence of the other metal prevented the effects, and there was no instance where the oxidative stress response in the presence of the Cd/Zn mixture was greater than in the presence of either Cd or Zn alone. Therefore the sublethal effects of joint exposures were always less than additive or even protective, in agreement with classical toxicity data. Furthermore, our results indicate that SOD and Zn can play important roles in protecting sea urchin embryos against Cd-induced lipid peroxidation.

Critical tissue copper residues for marine bivalve (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and echinoderm (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) embryonic development: conceptual, regulatory and environmental implications.

Critical tissue copper (Cu) residues associated with adverse effects on embryo-larval development were determined for the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) following laboratory exposure to Cu-spiked seawater collected from San Diego Bay, California, USA. Whole body no-observed-effect-residues (NOER) were similar, with means of 21 and 23 microg g(-1) dw, for M. galloprovincialis and S. purpuratus, respectively. Mean whole body median effect residues (ER50) were 49 and 142 microg g(-1) dw for M. galloprovincialis and S. purpuratus, respectively. The difference in ER50s between species was reduced to a factor of <2 when expressed as soft tissue residues. Coefficients of variation among whole body-ER50s were 3-fold lower than median waterborne effect concentrations (EC50) for both species exposed to samples varying in water quality characteristics. This suggests that tissue concentrations were a better predictor of toxicity than water concentrations. The CBRs described herein do not differentiate between the internal Cu concentrations that are metabolically available and those that are accumulated and then detoxified. They do appear, however, to be well enough related to the level of accumulation at the site of action of toxicity that they serve as useful surrogates for the copper concentration that affects embryonic development of the species tested. Results presented have potentially important implications for a variety of monitoring and assessment strategies. These include regulatory approaches for deriving saltwater ambient water quality criteria for Cu, contributions towards the development of a saltwater biotic ligand model, the conceptual approach of using CBRs, and ecological risk assessment.

Ocean acidification increases copper toxicity differentially in two key marine invertebrates with distinct acid-base responses.

Ocean acidification (OA) is expected to indirectly impact biota living in contaminated coastal environments by altering the bioavailability and potentially toxicity of many pH-sensitive metals. Here, we show that OA (pH 7.71; pCO2 1480 µatm) significantly increases the toxicity responses to a global coastal contaminant (copper ~0.1 µM) in two keystone benthic species; mussels (Mytilus edulis) and purple sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus). Mussels showed an extracellular acidosis in response to OA and copper individually which was enhanced during combined exposure. In contrast, urchins maintained extracellular fluid pH under OA by accumulating bicarbonate but exhibited a slight alkalosis in response to copper either alone or with OA. Importantly, copper-induced damage to DNA and lipids was significantly greater under OA compared to control conditions (pH 8.14; pCO2 470 µatm) for both species. However, this increase in DNA-damage was four times lower in urchins than mussels, suggesting that internal acid-base regulation in urchins may substantially moderate the magnitude of this OA-induced copper toxicity effect. Thus, changes in metal toxicity under OA may not purely be driven by metal speciation in seawater and may be far more diverse than either single-stressor or single-species studies indicate. This has important implications for future environmental management strategies.

Manipulation of developing juvenile structures in purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) by morpholino injection into late stage larvae.

Sea urchins have been used as experimental organisms for developmental biology for over a century. Yet, as is the case for many other marine invertebrates, understanding the development of the juveniles and adults has lagged far behind that of their embryos and larvae. The reasons for this are, in large part, due to the difficulty of experimentally manipulating juvenile development. Here we develop and validate a technique for injecting compounds into juvenile rudiments of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We first document the distribution of rhodaminated dextran injected into different compartments of the juvenile rudiment of sea urchin larvae. Then, to test the potential of this technique to manipulate development, we injected Vivo-Morpholinos (vMOs) designed to knock down p58b and p16, two proteins involved in the elongation of S. purpuratus larval skeleton. Rudiments injected with these vMOs showed a delay in the growth of some juvenile skeletal elements relative to controls. These data provide the first evidence that vMOs, which are designed to cross cell membranes, can be used to transiently manipulate gene function in later developmental stages in sea urchins. We therefore propose that injection of vMOs into juvenile rudiments, as shown here, is a viable approach to testing hypotheses about gene function during development, including metamorphosis.

Sublethal mechanisms of Pb and Zn toxicity to the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) during early development.

In order to understand sublethal mechanisms of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) toxicity, developing sea urchins were exposed continuously from 3h post-fertilization (eggs) to 96 h (pluteus larvae) to 55 (±2.4) µgPb/L or 117 (±11)µgZn/L, representing ~ 70% of the EC50 for normal 72 h development. Growth, unidirectional Ca uptake rates, whole body ion concentrations (Na, K, Ca, Mg), Ca(2+) ATPase activity, and metal bioaccumulation were monitored every 12h over this period. Pb exhibited marked bioaccumulation whereas Zn was well-regulated, and both metals had little effect on growth, measured as larval dry weight, or on Na, K, or Mg concentrations. Unidirectional Ca uptake rates (measured by (45)Ca incorporation) were severely inhibited by both metals, resulting in lower levels of whole body Ca accumulation. The greatest disruption occurred at gastrulation. Ca(2+) ATPase activity was also significantly inhibited by Zn but not by Pb. Interestingly, embryos exposed to Pb showed some capacity for recovery, as Ca(2+)ATPase activities increased, Ca uptake rates returned to normal intermittently, and whole body Ca levels were restored to control values by 72-96 h of development. This did not occur with Zn exposure. Both Pb and Zn rendered their toxic effects through disruption of Ca homeostasis, though likely through different proximate mechanisms. We recommend studying the toxicity of these contaminants periodically throughout development as an effective way to detect sublethal effects, which may not be displayed at the traditional toxicity test endpoint of 72 h.

Aggregation of sea urchin phagocytes is augmented in vitro by lipopolysaccharide.

Development of protocols and media for culturing immune cells from marine invertebrates has not kept pace with advancements in mammalian immune cell culture, the latter having been driven by the need to understand the causes of and develop therapies for human and animal diseases. However, expansion of the aquaculture industry and the diseases that threaten these systems creates the need to develop cell and tissue culture methods for marine invertebrates. Such methods will enable us to better understand the causes of disease outbreaks and to develop means to avoid and remedy epidemics. We report a method for the short-term culture of phagocytes from the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, by modifying an approach previously used to culture cells from another sea urchin species. The viability of cultured phagocytes from the purple sea urchin decreases from 91.6% to 57% over six days and phagocyte morphology changes from single cells to aggregates leading to the formation of syncytia-like structures. This process is accelerated in the presence of lipopolysaccharide suggesting that phagocytes are capable of detecting this molecular pattern in culture conditions. Sea urchin immune response proteins, called Sp185/333, are expressed on the surface of a subset of phagocytes and have been associated with syncytia-like structures. We evaluated their expression in cultured phagocytes to determine their possible role in cell aggregation and in the formation of syncytia-like structures. Between 0 and 3 hr, syncytia-like structures were observed in cultures when only ~10% of the cells were positive for Sp185/333 proteins. At 24 hr, ~90% of the nuclei were Sp185/333-positive when all of the phagocytes had aggregated into syncytia-like structures. Consequently, we conclude that the Sp185/333 proteins do not have a major role in initiating the aggregation of cultured phagocytes, however the Sp185/333 proteins are associated with the clustered nuclei within the syncytia-like structures.

Discrete dynamics model for the speract-activated Ca2+ signaling network relevant to sperm motility.

Understanding how spermatozoa approach the egg is a central biological issue. Recently a considerable amount of experimental evidence has accumulated on the relation between oscillations in intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the sea urchin sperm flagellum, triggered by peptides secreted from the egg, and sperm motility. Determination of the structure and dynamics of the signaling pathway leading to these oscillations is a fundamental problem. However, a biochemically based formulation for the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms operating in the axoneme as a response to external stimulus is still lacking. Based on experiments on the S. purpuratus sea urchin spermatozoa, we propose a signaling network model where nodes are discrete variables corresponding to the pathway elements and the signal transmission takes place at discrete time intervals according to logical rules. The validity of this model is corroborated by reproducing previous empirically determined signaling features. Prompted by the model predictions we performed experiments which identified novel characteristics of the signaling pathway. We uncovered the role of a high voltage-activated Ca2+ channel as a regulator of the delay in the onset of fluctuations after activation of the signaling cascade. This delay time has recently been shown to be an important regulatory factor for sea urchin sperm reorientation. Another finding is the participation of a voltage-dependent calcium-activated K+ channel in the determination of the period of the [Ca2+]i fluctuations. Furthermore, by analyzing the spread of network perturbations we find that it operates in a dynamically critical regime. Our work demonstrates that a coarse-grained approach to the dynamics of the signaling pathway is capable of revealing regulatory sperm navigation elements and provides insight, in terms of criticality, on the concurrence of the high robustness and adaptability that the reproduction processes are predicted to have developed throughout evolution.

Transcriptomic response of sea urchin larvae Strongylocentrotus purpuratus to CO2-driven seawater acidification.

Ocean acidification from the uptake of anthropogenic CO(2) is expected to have deleterious consequences for many calcifying marine animals. Forecasting the vulnerability of these marine organisms to climate change is linked to an understanding of whether species possess the physiological capacity to compensate for the potentially adverse effects of ocean acidification. We carried out a microarray-based transcriptomic analysis of the physiological response of larvae of a calcifying marine invertebrate, the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, to CO(2)-driven seawater acidification. In lab-based cultures, larvae were raised under conditions approximating current ocean pH conditions (pH 8.01) and at projected, more acidic pH conditions (pH 7.96 and 7.88) in seawater aerated with CO(2) gas. Targeting expression of approximately 1000 genes involved in several biological processes, this study captured changes in gene expression patterns that characterize the transcriptomic response to CO(2)-driven seawater acidification of developing sea urchin larvae. In response to both elevated CO(2) scenarios, larvae underwent broad scale decreases in gene expression in four major cellular processes: biomineralization, cellular stress response, metabolism and apoptosis. This study underscores that physiological processes beyond calcification are impacted greatly, suggesting that overall physiological capacity and not just a singular focus on biomineralization processes is essential for forecasting the impact of future CO(2) conditions on marine organisms. Conducted on targeted and vulnerable species, genomics-based studies, such as the one highlighted here, have the potential to identify potential ;weak links' in physiological function that may ultimately determine an organism's capacity to tolerate future ocean conditions.

Two ParaHox genes, SpLox and SpCdx, interact to partition the posterior endoderm in the formation of a functional gut.

We report the characterization of the ortholog of the Xenopus XlHbox8 ParaHox gene from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, SpLox. It is expressed during embryogenesis, first appearing at late gastrulation in the posterior-most region of the endodermal tube, becoming progressively restricted to the constriction between the mid- and hindgut. The physiological effects of the absence of the activity of this gene have been analyzed through knockdown experiments using gene-specific morpholino antisense oligonucleotides. We show that blocking the translation of the SpLox mRNA reduces the capacity of the digestive tract to process food, as well as eliminating the morphological constriction normally present between the mid- and hindgut. Genetic interactions of the SpLox gene are revealed by the analysis of the expression of a set of genes involved in endoderm specification. Two such interactions have been analyzed in more detail: one involving the midgut marker gene Endo16, and another involving the other endodermally expressed ParaHox gene, SpCdx. We find that SpLox is able to bind Endo16 cis-regulatory DNA, suggesting direct repression of Endo16 expression in presumptive hindgut territories. More significantly, we provide the first evidence of interaction between ParaHox genes in establishing hindgut identity, and present a model of gene regulation involving a negative-feedback loop.

Cyclin E/Cdk2 is required for sperm maturation, but not DNA replication, in early sea urchin embryos.

The cell cycle is driven by the activity of cyclin/cdk complexes. In somatic cells, cyclin E/cdk2 oscillates throughout the cell cycle and has been shown to promote S-phase entry and initiation of DNA replication. In contrast, cyclin E/cdk2 activity remains constant throughout the early embryonic development of the sea urchin and localizes to the sperm nucleus following fertilization. We now show that cyclin E localization to the sperm nucleus following fertilization is not unique to the sea urchin, but also occurs in the surf clam, and inhibition of cyclin E/cdk2 activity by roscovitine inhibits the morphological changes indicative of male pronuclear maturation in sea urchin zygotes. Finally, we show that inhibition of cyclin E/cdk2 activity does not block DNA replication in the early cleavage cycles of the sea urchin. We conclude that cyclin E/cdk2 activity is required for male pronuclear maturation, but not for initiation of DNA replication in early sea urchin development.

7,11-epi-thyrsiferol: completion of its synthesis, evaluation of its antimitotic properties, and the further development of an SAR model.

We (a) describe the completion of a total synthesis of 7,11-epi-thyrsiferol (4), (b) compare the antimitotic activities of thyrsiferol (2), Delta15,28-dehydrothyrsiferol (3), and 7,11-epi-thyrsiferol (4), (c) evaluate the synergistic behavior of the title compound and colchicine to inhibit cell proliferation, and (d) describe the results of conformational searches that provide additional insight concerning the SAR profile of the thyrsiferol family of natural products.