Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>)
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>All crustaceans periodically moult to renew their exoskeleton. In krill this involves partial digestion and resorption of the old exoskeleton and synthesis of new cuticle. Molecular events that underlie the moult cycle are poorly und...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2010-10-01
|
| Series: | BMC Genomics |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/582 |
| _version_ | 1811246740517421056 |
|---|---|
| author | Gaten Edward Goodall-Copestake William P Burns Gavin Tarling Geraint A Seear Paul J Özkaya Özge Rosato Ezio |
| author_facet | Gaten Edward Goodall-Copestake William P Burns Gavin Tarling Geraint A Seear Paul J Özkaya Özge Rosato Ezio |
| author_sort | Gaten Edward |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>All crustaceans periodically moult to renew their exoskeleton. In krill this involves partial digestion and resorption of the old exoskeleton and synthesis of new cuticle. Molecular events that underlie the moult cycle are poorly understood in calcifying crustaceans and even less so in non-calcifying organisms such as krill. To address this we constructed an Antarctic krill cDNA microarray in order to generate gene expression profiles across the moult cycle and identify possible activation pathways.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 26 different cuticle genes were identified that showed differential gene expression across the moult cycle. Almost all cuticle genes were up regulated during premoult and down regulated during late intermoult. There were a number of transcripts with significant sequence homology to genes potentially involved in the synthesis, breakdown and resorption of chitin. During early premoult glutamine synthetase, a gene involved in generating an amino acid used in the synthesis of glucosamine, a constituent of chitin, was up regulated more than twofold. Mannosyltransferase 1, a member of the glycosyltransferase family of enzymes that includes chitin synthase was also up regulated during early premoult. Transcripts homologous to a β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (β-NAGase) precursor were expressed at a higher level during late intermoult (prior to apolysis) than during premoult. This observation coincided with the up regulation during late intermoult, of a coatomer subunit epsilon involved in the production of vesicles that maybe used to transport the β-NAGase precursors into the exuvial cleft. Trypsin, known to activate the β-NAGase precursor, was up regulated more than fourfold during premoult. The up regulation of a predicted oligopeptide transporter during premoult may allow the transport of chitin breakdown products across the newly synthesised epi- and exocuticle layers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have identified many genes differentially expressed across the moult cycle of krill that correspond with known phenotypic structural changes. This study has provided a better understanding of the processes involved in krill moulting and how they may be controlled at the gene expression level.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:57:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-34e26d2e641f4056a13bee98aa839c6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2164 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:57:48Z |
| publishDate | 2010-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Genomics |
| spelling | doaj.art-34e26d2e641f4056a13bee98aa839c6e2022-12-22T03:28:10ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642010-10-0111158210.1186/1471-2164-11-582Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>)Gaten EdwardGoodall-Copestake William PBurns GavinTarling Geraint ASeear Paul JÖzkaya ÖzgeRosato Ezio<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>All crustaceans periodically moult to renew their exoskeleton. In krill this involves partial digestion and resorption of the old exoskeleton and synthesis of new cuticle. Molecular events that underlie the moult cycle are poorly understood in calcifying crustaceans and even less so in non-calcifying organisms such as krill. To address this we constructed an Antarctic krill cDNA microarray in order to generate gene expression profiles across the moult cycle and identify possible activation pathways.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 26 different cuticle genes were identified that showed differential gene expression across the moult cycle. Almost all cuticle genes were up regulated during premoult and down regulated during late intermoult. There were a number of transcripts with significant sequence homology to genes potentially involved in the synthesis, breakdown and resorption of chitin. During early premoult glutamine synthetase, a gene involved in generating an amino acid used in the synthesis of glucosamine, a constituent of chitin, was up regulated more than twofold. Mannosyltransferase 1, a member of the glycosyltransferase family of enzymes that includes chitin synthase was also up regulated during early premoult. Transcripts homologous to a β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (β-NAGase) precursor were expressed at a higher level during late intermoult (prior to apolysis) than during premoult. This observation coincided with the up regulation during late intermoult, of a coatomer subunit epsilon involved in the production of vesicles that maybe used to transport the β-NAGase precursors into the exuvial cleft. Trypsin, known to activate the β-NAGase precursor, was up regulated more than fourfold during premoult. The up regulation of a predicted oligopeptide transporter during premoult may allow the transport of chitin breakdown products across the newly synthesised epi- and exocuticle layers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have identified many genes differentially expressed across the moult cycle of krill that correspond with known phenotypic structural changes. This study has provided a better understanding of the processes involved in krill moulting and how they may be controlled at the gene expression level.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/582 |
| spellingShingle | Gaten Edward Goodall-Copestake William P Burns Gavin Tarling Geraint A Seear Paul J Özkaya Özge Rosato Ezio Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) BMC Genomics |
| title | Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) |
| title_full | Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) |
| title_fullStr | Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) |
| title_short | Differential gene expression during the moult cycle of Antarctic krill (<it>Euphausia superba</it>) |
| title_sort | differential gene expression during the moult cycle of antarctic krill it euphausia superba it |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/582 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gatenedward differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT goodallcopestakewilliamp differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT burnsgavin differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT tarlinggerainta differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT seearpaulj differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT ozkayaozge differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait AT rosatoezio differentialgeneexpressionduringthemoultcycleofantarctickrilliteuphausiasuperbait |