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A comparison of SERCA expression during the development of freshwater crayfish and marine lobster
Author(s) -
Gao Yongping,
Bibby Susan K.,
Wheatly Michele G.,
Chang Ernie
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.lb74
Subject(s) - serca , crayfish , biology , hatchling , atpase , fishery , ecology , biochemistry , hatching , enzyme
The availability of ambient calcium is vastly different in fresh water versus salt water. This leads to the evolution of different calcium conservation strategies in freshwater crustaceans versus those residing in salt water. In the cell, the Sarco/Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) is the most abundant and important calcium export proteins in regulating intracellular calcium concentration. In this study, SERCA mRNA and protein expression were compared between FW crayfish and SW lobster in fertilized egg, hatchling, juvenile and adult tail muscle. In FW crayfish, high SERCA expression was found in all developmental stages. In contrast, high SERCA expression was only found in the juvenile and adult in lobster; expression was not detectable in egg or hatchling. This result suggests that developmental expression of SERCA differs between FW crayfish and SW lobster. The absence of the SERCA protein in egg and larval of lobster may be explained by the exoskeletal composition of these stages. The lobster hatches and leaves the mother before it is fully developed and rises up to the planktonic layer of the ocean to feed. In order for the hatchling to float it must have very little calcium in its exoskeleton. At some point it acquires enough calcium carbonate in its exoskeleton enabling it to sink down to the ocean floor. By comparison there is no planktonic stage in FW crayfish; hatchlings immediately sink to the substrate. It would appear that the expression of SERCA is correlated with the degree of exoskeletal calcification during development. (Supported by NSF grant IBN 0076035 to MGW).