THE
BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN
AUGUST 1999
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Cover
The ascoglossan sea slug, Elysia chlorotica
(Gould), shown on the cover (photograph by S. K.
Pierce), seeks out and specifically eats a chromo-
phytic alga, Vancheria litorea. Like certain other
species of sea slugs, E. chlorotica has developed the
ability to acquire the chloroplasts from its algal
foodstuff and to utilize them for nutrition. The
plastids are usually engulfed by particular epithelial
cells in the digestive gland where they photosyn-
thesize and, in some species, provide sufficient nu-
trients to sustain life and reproduction — even when
no other food is available.
In E. chlorotica, the function of the captured chlo-
roplasts is maintained for up to 8 months — a surpris-
ingly long period, surpassing similar chloroplast sym-
bioses by many months. Throughout this period,
furthermore, plastid proteins are continuously synthe-
sized, and some of the proteins appear to be encoded
by the slug genome. Another remarkable feature of
these slug populations is the abrupt end of the annual
life cycle — all of the animals dying synchronously,
whether in the laboratory or in the field.
In this issue. Skip Pierce and his colleagues (p. 1 )
report a widespread viral infection of the slug pop-
ulation; this phenomenon also occurs annually and
is coincident with the mass mortality. The viruses
(see inset) seem to be endogenous and have many
characteristics in common with retroviruses. The
report suggests that the viruses may not only be
involved in the regulation of the slug's life cycle,
but may be the means by which algal genes are
transferred to the slug genome.
CONTENTS
VOLUME 197, No I: AUGUST 1999
RESEARCH NOTES
Pierce, Sidney K., Timothy K. Maugel, Mary E.
Rumpho, Jeffrey J. Hanteii, and William L. Mondy
Annual viral expression in a sea slug population: life
cycle control and symbiotic chloroplast maintenance . 1
Thomas, Florence I.M., Kristen A. Edwards, Toby F.
Bolton, Mary A. Sewell, and Jill M. Zande
Mechanical resistance to shear stress: the role of
echinoderm egg extracellular layers 7
Rinkevich, B., S. Ben-Yakir, and R. Ben-Yakir
Regeneration of amputated avian bone by a coral
skeletal implant 11
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
Miner, Benjamin G., Eric Sanford, Richard R. Strath-
mann, Bruno Fernet, and Richard B. Emlet
Functional and evolutionary implications of opposed
bands, big mouths, and extensive oral ciliation in
larval opheliids and echiurids (Annelida) 14
Johnsen, Sonke, Elizabeth J. Balser, Erin C. Fisher, and
Edith A. Widder
Bioluminescence in the deep-sea cirrate octopod
Staurotnithis syitensis Verrill (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) . 26
NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Ganter, Geoffrey K., Ralf Heinrich, Richard P. Bunge,
and Edward A. Kravitz
Long-term culture of lobster central ganglia; expres-
sion of foreign genes in identified neurons 40
Hanlon, Roger T., Michael R. Maxwell, Nadav Shashar,
Ellis R. Loew, and Kim-Laura Boyle
An ethogram of body patterning behavior in the
biomedicallv and commercially valuable squid Loligo
/mild off Cape Cod, Massachusetts 49
Bushmann, Paul J.
Concurrent signals and behavioral plasticity in blue
crab (Callinectr* uipidiu Rathbun) courtship 63
PHYSIOLOGY
Engebretson, Hilary P., and Gisele Muller-Parker
Translocation of photosynthetic carbon from two
algal symbionts to the sea anemone Anthopleura
elegantissima 72
DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION
Grabowski, Gregory M., John G. Blackburn, and Eric R.
Lacy
Morphology and epithelial ion transport of the alka-
line gland in the Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina) ... 82
Krug, Patrick J., and Adriana E. Manzi
Waterborne and surface-associated carbohydrates as
settlement cues for larvae of the specialist marine
herbivore Ahitri/i moritsta 94
Chaparro, O.R., R.J. Thompson, and C.J. Emerson
The velar ciliature in the brooded larva of the Chil-
ean oyster Ostrea cltiltnsis (Philippi, 1845) 104
Annual Report of the Marine Biological Laboratory .... R 1
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 1-6. (August 1999)
Annual Viral Expression in a Sea Slug Population:
Life Cycle Control and Symbiotic Chloroplast
Maintenance
SIDNEY K. PIERCE1 *, TIMOTHY K. MAUGEL1. MARY E. RUMPHO2.
JEFFREY J. HANTEN1, AND WILLIAM L. MONDY1
Department of Biologv. University of Man-land, College Park, Maryland 20742: and 2 Department of
Horticultural Sciences, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843
In a few well-known cases, animal population dynamics
are regulated by cyclical infections of protists, bacteria, or
viruses. In most of these cases, the pathogen persists in the
environment, where it continues to infect some percentage
of successive generations of the host organism. This persis-
tent re-infection causes a long-lived decline, in either pop-
ulation size or cycle, to a level that depends upon pathogen
density and infection level (1-4). We have discovered, on
the basis of 9 years of observation, an annual viral expres-
sion in Elysia chlorotica, an ascoglossan sea slug, that
coincides with the yearly, synchronized death of all the
adults in the population. This coincidence of viral expres-
sion and mass death is ubiquitous, and it occurs in the
laboratory as well as in the field. Our evidence also sug-
gests that the viruses do not re-infect subsequent genera-
tions from an external pathogen pool, but are endogenous
to the slug. We are led, finally, to the hypothesis that the
viruses may be involved in the maintenance of symbiotic
chloroplasts within the molluscan cells.
Populations of the ascoglossan sea slug Elysia chlorotica
occur in salt marshes from the Chesapeake Bay to Nova
Scotia. The life cycle of the slug lasts about 10 months. The
hermaphroditic adults lay egg masses in the spring of each
year, and all of the adults die shortly afterward (5, 6). A
week or so after the egg deposition, veliger larvae hatch.
These larvae spend a few weeks in the plankton and, it
filaments of the chromophytic alga Vaucheria litorea are
present, each veliger homes in on one of them and attaches
to it. During the next 24 h, the larva metamorphoses into a
Received 1 June 1999; accepted 17 June 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: sp30@
umail.umd.edu
juvenile slug while still attached to the algal filament. If the
algal filaments are not present, metamorphosis rarely oc-
curs, at least not in laboratory cultures (5. 6). Vaucheria is
the only alga that E. chlorotica eats, and it is the source of
the symbiotic chloroplasts that are acquired during feeding.
The juvenile slug immediately begins eating the algal fila-
ments and taking on its first load of chloroplasts, which are
sequestered by specialized cells in the epithelium lining the
digestive diverticula (5, 6). During the next several months.
the slugs continue to eat Vaucheria and grow, until winter
temperatures cause them to become inactive. As the salt
marshes warm in the spring, the slugs become active again,
begin laying egg masses, and then die. By the time the egg
masses have hatched in May. all the adults are gone. This
mass mortality occurs synchronously in the laboratory as
well as in the field and regardless of the time of year that the
slugs were collected.
Symbioses in which chloroplasts — usually from a partic-
ular species of alga — are taken up and retained within the
cytoplasm of an animal cell occur in several phyla, but they
are most commonly encountered in molluscan sea slugs,
particularly in the order Ascoglossa ( = Sacoglossa) (Opis-
thobranchia). Certain of the molluscan cells can capture
chloroplasts from algal food (usually from a specific species
of either Rhodophyceae or Chlorophyceae), and these or-
ganelles retain some degree of photosynthetic function for a
time (e.g.. 7, 8, 9). Whether this intracellular association is
a symbiosis in the strict sense is debatable; some authors
prefer terms like chloroplast symbiosis, chloroplast reten-
tion, or kleptoplasty (7. 9, 11, 12, 13), which indicate that
the benefit of the association is entirely to the animal.
The duration of the association between the molluscan
cell and the algal plastid varies from species to species.
S. K. PIERCE ET AL
Some associations last less than a week [e.g., Hermaea
hifida and Elysia hedgpethi (see 14)]; and although the
plastids are initially functional, photosynthesis stops or is
greatly reduced after a week of starvation. In contrast,
plastid function continues for more than a week in starved
specimens of several species, most belonging to the asco-
glossan family Elysiidae (e.g., 7, 10, 15, 16). In the species
with the longer duration symbioses, the algal chloroplasts
within the molluscan cells fix I4CO:, and the I4C appears in
a variety of compounds in the animal tissues ( 15, 17. 18, 19,
20, 21). Thus, there is no doubt that the captured chloro-
plasts are photosynthetically active within the molluscan
cell cytoplasm, and that the products of the synthesis are
utilized by the host animal. Indeed, once the symbiosis is
established, the species with the longer-lived chloroplast
associations can be starved and, as long as light is provided,
will maintain or actually gain body weight until the chlo-
roplast function finally fails (7).
In plant cells, continued photosynthetic activity requires
continuous synthesis of chloroplast proteins because several
proteins, including those used in light harvesting, are rap-
idly turned-over during the process and must be replaced
(22, 23, 24). But, several of these photosynthetic proteins
(or their subunits) are encoded in the nucleus, so plastid
protein synthesis requires the integration of two distinct
genomes, that of the chloroplast and that of the plant cell
nucleus (reviewed in 25). Because normal plastid photosyn-
thetic function is dependent upon major nuclear and cyto-
plasmic support, the ultimate failure of photosynthesis by
the symbiotic chloroplasts within the molluscan cells is not
surprising. But the symbiotic plastids of E. chlorotica stay
photosynthetically functional for 8-9 months (5, 26) —
many months longer than those of any other species yet
described. This remarkable persistence of chloroplast func-
tion during starvation indicates that replacement of at least
the essential photosynthetic proteins must be occurring
within the plastid while it is housed in the molluscan cyto-
plasm; and indeed, synthesis of plastid proteins, primarily
those associated with photosynthesis, occurs in the E. chlo-
rotica plastids (26. 27. 28).
The plastid proteins synthesized within the cells of E.
chlorotica are of two pharmacologically distinguishable
sorts: those whose synthesis is blocked by chloramphenicol,
and those blocked by cycloheximide (26). Protein synthesis
on pltistul ribosomes is blocked by chloramphenicol,
whereas synthesis on cytoplasmic ribosomes, usually di-
rected by nuclear genes, is blocked by cycloheximide.
These results suggest strongly that some plastid proteins are
synthesized upon slug cell ribosomes (26). If this is the case,
the genetic information coding for these proteins must
somehow be present in the molluscan DNA or must be
acquired by all the slugs from the alga in every generation.
Our findings presented below suggest a vehicle for this
transfer of genetic information from the alga to the slug.
In 1990, as part of an ongoing ultrastructural study of
morphological changes in the fine structure of the dying
slugs from a population on Martha's Vineyard, Massachu-
setts, we discovered viruses in digestive cells and hemo-
cytes (29; also Fig. 1). Every year since then, every animal
examined near the end of the life cycle has had viruses
present, whether it was fixed within hours of collection from
the field or maintained for months in our aquarium. No
evidence of viruses has been found in any slug earlier in the
year, except occasionally within the confines of the plastid
(Fig. IE, see below).
Viruses in the spring slugs are present in the nucleus and
cytoplasm of several cell types. They appear to be assem-
bled in the nucleus, then move into the cytoplasm, and
finally bud out either into the extracellular space or into a
vacuole (Fig. 1A). The diameters of the icosahedral viral
capsids in the nuclei average 89 nm (±1.0); but in the
cytoplasm, after they have picked up an envelope, they are
109 nm (±1.6) (Fig. IB). The shapes and sizes of the
capsids and envelopes are very similar to those in the
Retroviridae, but other viral types have similar dimensions,
and known retroviruses are not assembled in the nucleus
(30, 31). In addition to these larger viruses, some chloro-
plasts within the cells of spring slugs contain structures
(diameter = 20 nm ± 0.4) that could either be smaller
viruses or viral cores. These particles occur loosely col-
lected in areas between the plastid membranes (Fig. 1C).
They also occur as particle clumps in the cytoplasm (Fig.
ID), sometimes near material that could be the remnants of
chloroplasts. In some instances, in a few fall animals, these
particles are present in crystalline arrays (Fig. IE). Ribu-
lose-l,5-bisphosphate-carboxylase oxygenase (RuBisCO)
occurs in crystalline form in some plant plastids fixed under
hyperosmotic conditions (32, 33). However, the particles in
such RuBisCO crystals are much smaller and usually lack a
visual substructure (32, 33), whereas the array particles in
the symbiotic plastids in Elysia clearly have a substructure
(Fig. IE). The particle arrays in the E. chlorotica plastids
are more reminiscent of mosaic viruses in plants (34),
although almost nothing is known about such crystals in the
viruses and plastids of algae. In summary, the morphology
suggests that either more than one viral type is present in the
slug cell and captured plastids, or we have found several
stages of a single viral type.
In addition to the morphology, we have some biochemi-
cal information about the identity of the viruses. Using
differential and sucrose-gradient centrifugation, we have
isolated a fraction from slug homogenates at a density of
1.18 g/ml that has reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. This
activity, which is considered diagnostic for retroviruses, is
two orders of magnitude higher in spring slugs than in slugs
tested in the fall (Fig. 2). In addition, the RT activity of fall
animals, but not spring animals, is inhibited by rifampicin
(Fig. 3). This inhibition indicates that the activity measured
SEA SLUGS, PLASTIDS. AND VIRUSES
Figure 1. Electron micrographs of viruses in Elysiu chlorulica. (A) Viral particles in various stages of
maturation are present in the nucleus (n) and cytoplasm of a hemocyte from a dying slug (magnification =
33,750 X, scale bar = 1 /urn). (B) Higher magnification ( 85.000 x, scale bar = 0.? /j.m) of viruses budding into
cytoplasmic vacuoles. Icosahedral shape and double envelopes of the mature virus are apparent. (C) Viral
aggregates (arrows) within the symbiotic chloroplast of a spring Elysiu (magnification = 16,880, scale bar = 1.0
fim). (D) Viral particles very similar in appearance to those in (C) located in the cytoplasm of a chloroplast
(cp)-containing digestive cell of a spring slug. The diffuse, gray areas in the cytoplasm are lipid produced by the
plastid (magnification = 27,000, scale bar = 1 .0 /j.m). (E) Viral crystal contained in a symbiotic chloroplast from
a fall slug (magnification = 54,000, scale bar = 0.5 jim).
3.
E
15(1(1(111-1
100000-
50000-
A-fall animals
S. K. PIERCE ET AL.
150000-
100000-
50000-
B-spring animals
i i i I i i i i i i i i i i
1.12 1 12 I 14 118 I 18 1 18 I 19 1 19 1.19 I 20 1.20 1.21 121 1 22
~1 I I I I I 1 I I I I I 1 I I
106 1.10 I 12 I 14 I 15 1 17 1 17 1 18 I 18 1 IS I 19 1.19 1.19 120 1.20
Gradient fractions (gm/ml)
Figure 2. Comparison of reverse transcriptase activity in sucrose-gradient fractions from a typical extract of
fall slugs (A) and spring slugs (B). The results are essentially the same whether the animals were freshly
collected in the spring or collected in the fall and overwintered in aquaria.
in the fall animals is due to DNA dependent-RNA polymer-
ase (which utilizes the same substrates in the RT assay)
rather than RT, and confirms the absence of viruses in the
fall animals. Taken together, the morphology, the buoyancy,
and the presence of RT all suggest that a retro-like virus is
present in the cells of the dying slugs.
150-1
100-
3
50-
O-1
Fall
Spring
Figure 3. Rilampicin inhibits reverse transcriptase activity. Enzyme
activity was assayed in pooled gradient fractions with densities from 1.16
to 1.18 g/ml prepared from fall and spring slugs. The effect of the inhibitor
is expressed as a percentage of control values.
The relationships between the nuclear, cytoplasmic, and
plastid viruses are not known at present. However, for the
last 9 years, the viruses have been found in every dying slug
examined. Since some of the slugs had been maintained in
the laboratory, in aquaria containing artificial seawater and
with no access to Vauclierui for 8 months before the viruses
appeared, the infection is unlikely to have been opportunis-
tic. Instead, the results suggest either that the demise of the
entire population is caused by an endogenous virus or that
the virus can be expressed only as the defense systems of
the aging animals begin to fail. Furthermore, if the effect on
the life cycle is due to a retrovirus, as our data suggest, then
the viral genome is probably transmitted to the next gener-
ation of slugs in the molluscan DNA. Infection of germ cells
by retroviruses produces endogenous proviruses that are
inherited as Mendelian genes (33). Alternatively, the viruses
might enter all of the slugs via the sequestered chloroplasts.
either as part of the plastid genome or as constituted viral
particles. In either case, viral expression is coincident with
increases in environmental temperature, at least in the field
slugs. Both the onset of egg laying and the death of the
population are associated with the rise of water tempera-
tures in the spring. We can delay the demise of the slugs by
maintaining them at very cold temperatures (2°-5°C), but
eventually — 6-8 weeks after the warmer-maintained slugs
have died — the cooled slugs also die with viruses in their
cells, indicating that temperature is not the only expression
stimulus.
It will take some time to sort out both the types of viruses
involved here and the molecular relationships between the
SEA SLUGS. PLASTIDS. AND VIRUSES
slugs, the algae, the plastids. and the viruses. Nevertheless,
the nine-year, annual occurrence of the association between
population demise and viral expression at the end of the E.
chlorotica life cycle strongly suggests that the virus has a
role in regulating this coincidence. Indeed, we speculate that
the viral infection may have caused the transfer, from the
alga to the slug, of algal genes that allow the molluscan cells
to assist in plastid maintenance. Although the transfer, in-
tegration, and expression of such a group of genes between
species should succeed only rarely, those successes that did
occur should have profound, immediate, heritable effects on
the phenotype of the infected species. Such heritable effects
must certainly be associated with the mechanism of the
widely accepted endosymbiotic origin of intracellular or-
ganelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts; a variety of
genes must have been transferred from the symbiont into the
host cell nucleus to consummate such a relationship. In
addition, a retrovirus as a gene transmission vehicle might
have merit as a hypothesis to explain genetic similarities
between distantly related or unrelated species (e.g., 35) and
is the basis of some genetic therapies (36). If a successful
interspecies gene transfer between an alga and a slug me-
diated by an endogenous virus could be demonstrated in the
case of E. chlorotica. then an exemplary mechanism for this
process would have been provided.
Methods
Viral isolation
The fractionation procedure was carried out using au-
toclaved equipment. All reagents were molecular biolog-
ical grade (DNAase-, RNAase-. and protease-free; from
Sigma Chemicals, unless otherwise noted) and filtered
(0.2 /xm pore). Approximately 3.0 g of E. chlorotica was
homogenized in an ice-cold buffer (450 mM NaCl, 1.0
mM EDTA, 5.0 mM 3-[/V-morpholino]propane-sulfonic
acid (MOPS), 2.3 yuM leupeptin. 1.0 mM dithiothreitol
(DTT), 500 /xM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF),
pH 7.5) containing the mucolytic agent H-acetyl cysteine
(500 mM), which is necessary to disperse the copious
mucus produced by the slug (26). The homogenate was
filtered through six layers of cheesecloth, then through
one layer of Miracloth (Calbiochem), and finally through
two layers of Miracloth. The filtrate was centrifuged for
5 min at 4300 x g (4°C), and the supernatant was
centrifuged at 20,000 X g for 30 min (4°C). The super-
natant from the second spin was layered over a 20%
sucrose cushion and centrifuged at 180,000 X g for 2 h
(4°C) in a swinging bucket rotor. The supernatant was
discarded, and the pellet was resuspended in ice-cold
homogenization buffer (without H-acetyl cysteine). This
suspension was layered on the top of a 15%-50% con-
tinuous sucrose gradient and centrifuged at 180,000 X g
for 43 h (4°C).
The gradients were then fractionated by piercing the
bottom of the centrifuge tube and raising the gradient out of
the tube with 65% sucrose. Twenty 600-/xl fractions were
collected, and the density of each was determined by weigh-
ing 50 /xl with an analytical balance. The sucrose in each
fraction was then diluted with homogenization buffer (with-
out /i-acetyl cysteine), and each fraction was centrifuged a
final time at 180,000 X g for 2 h. The supernatants from this
last spin were discarded, and RT assays (see below) and
protein assays (37) were run on the pellets.
Reverse transcriptase assav
The final pellets (above) were treated with a detergent
buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl, 5 mM KC1, 0.2 mM EDTA. and
0.02% Triton X-100, pH 8.2). Fifteen-microliter aliquots of
this digest were added last to 50 /xl of buffer (100 mM
Tris-HCl, 200 mM KC1. 10 mM MgCl2, pH 8.2), ft /xl 100
mM DTT, 9.75 LI! 100 mM thymidine triphosphate (TTP),
1.25 /xl RNA-guard (Pharmacia), 1.0 /xl poly(rA)-p(dT)
(Pharmacia), and 10 /xCi of 32P-TTP (ICN, 10 /xCi//xl). The
final volume was adjusted to 100 /xl with buffer, as neces-
sary, to compensate for 12P half life. This solution was
mixed and incubated at 37°C for 65 min on a shaker table.
The reaction was terminated by adding 30 /xl of 10 mM
EDTA in 5% TCA and placing the reaction mixture on ice
for 20 min. DN A was then precipitated by the addition of 9
/xl of 72% TCA, and the precipitate was pelleted by cen-
trifugation at 6610 X g for 10 min. The pellet was washed
three times in 5% TCA, the final pellet dissolved in 0.1 N
NaOH. and the radioactivity determined by scintillation
counting. The protein concentration of a separate aliquot
was determined, and RT activity was expressed as counts
per minute per microgram (cpm//xg) protein (38).
Electron microscopy
Small pieces of tissue were prepared for microscopy by
fixation in 2% glutaraldehyde in 0.15 M cacodylate-0.58 M
sucrose buffer (pH 7.3) at 900 mosm. The tissue pieces were
post-fixed in 1 .0% OsO4 in the same buffer followed by
2.0% aqueous uranyl acetate. The fixed tissue was dehy-
drated in an ethanol series, infiltrated with propylene oxide,
and embedded in Spurr's medium. Silver sections were cut
with an ultramicrotome (Reichert), mounted on 75 X 300
mesh copper grids, and stained with uranyl acetate and lead
citrate. The sections were viewed and photographed with a
transmission electron microscope (Zeiss EM 10).
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by an NSF grant to SKP and
MER. We thank Margaret Palmer, Ulrich Mueller, and
Jeffery DeStefano for critically reading early versions of
6
S. K. PIERCE ET AL
this paper. Contribution #91 from the Laboratory of Bio-
logical Infrastructure.
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Reference: Bio/. Bull. 197: 7-10. (August 1999)
Mechanical Resistance to Shear Stress: The Role of
Echinoderm Egg Extracellular Layers
FLORENCE I. M. THOMAS1'2'* f, KRISTEN A. EDWARDS1 2, TOBY F. BOLTON1'2'*,
MARY A. SEWELL\ AND JILL M. ZANDE1
1 The Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium, Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Dauphin Island. Alabama:
2 The Department of Marine Sciences. The University of South Alabama. Mobile. Alabama: and
3 The Department of Biology, University of Southern California. Los Angeles. California
Extracellular layers (jelly coats) on echinodenn eggs are
composed of a fibrous network imbedded in a gelatinous
material. This type of fibrous net\vork has the potential to
protect eggs from mechanical stress. To determine the ef-
fects of shear stress and the role of jelly coats in protecting
eggs from these stresses, eggs of the sea urchin Ly (echinus
variegatus, both with and without intact jelly coats, were
exposed to shear stresses ranging from 0.3 to 2 Pa in a cone
and plate viscometer. The percentage of eggs remaining
intact after exposure to the shear stress was assessed. The
results indicate that shear stress can damage eggs and that
jellv coats ma\ play a role in decreasing the effects of these
stresses. Eggs with jell\ coats remained intact and fertili'-
able at greater shear stresses than those with the coats
removed. This is the first evidence that extracellular layers
on invertebrate eggs can provide protection from mechan-
ical forces.
In free-spawning invertebrates, the eggs and sperm, hav-
ing passed through a gonoduct and gonopore, are released
directly into the water column. During the spawning pro-
cess, gametes are exposed to shear stresses (force per area)
in the gonoduct and in the external environment. If gametes
are harmed by shear stress before fertilization, irreversible
damage will effectively lower the probability of fertilization
by decreasing the number of viable gametes in a volume of
seawater. Moreover, if gametes are damaged by shear stress,
they may survive and be fertilized, but the resultant embryos
may not develop normally. Therefore, the number of larvae
Received 16 April 1998; accepted 2 June 1999.
* Present address: Department of Biology, University of South Florida.
Tampa. Florida 33620-5 1 50
+ To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: fthomas@
chuma 1 .cas.usf.edu
produced by a given number of eggs may be reduced by
exposure to shear stress.
Eggs are first exposed to shear stresses as they traverse
the gonoduct on their way to the gonopore. As fluid moves
down a tube such as the oviduct, a shear gradient develops
in the fluid and imposes a shear stress on the fluid and eggs
within the duct. Estimates of shear stresses in the oviduct of
one species of sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, ranged from
near zero at the center of the duct to over 41 Pa near the wall
of the duct ( 1 ). This magnitude of shear stress exceeds that
estimated to occur in the external environment (2), where
gametes meet their second challenge from shear stress after
they are released from the gonopore. After eggs are re-
leased, they encounter shear stress produced by the interac-
tion of eddies within the water column or within the mo-
mentum boundary layer at the surface of the spawning adult.
The effects of such shear stress on fertilization and devel-
opment have only recently been addressed in a hydrody-
namic study of fertilization in the purple sea urchin Strongy-
locentrotus purpuratits (2). High shear stress produced
experimentally in a Couette cell resulted in low fertilization
success and abnormal embryo development. Mead and
Denny (2) postulate that high shear stress, as produced in
turbulent environments, might reduce the encounter rates of
gametes during fertilization, decrease the ability of sperm to
remain attached to the egg after contact, and damage eggs
prior to fertilization and embryos after fertilization.
Given the two sources of shear stress that eggs experience
prior to fertilization, it is possible that there has been selec-
tion for egg properties that could reduce the damage caused
by these stresses. This idea is supported by the fact that at
least one property of echinoid eggs, their viscosity, is pos-
itively correlated to wave exposure in three species (3). One
F. I. M. THOMAS ET AL.
10C
1.0 1.5
Shear Stress (Pa)
Figure 1. Percentage of Lylechinus variegatus eggs remaining intact
after exposure to shear stresses. Sea urchins were collected from St.
Joseph's Bay. Florida, transported to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Ala-
bama, and maintained in laboratory aquaria. Additional animals were
obtained from the Carolina Biological Supply Company. Urchins were
maintained in seawater collected from St. Joseph Bay (salinity 29-30 ppt).
aerated continuously, and fed either spinach or lettuce. We obtained eggs
by injecting urchins with 0.5 M KC1. Eggs were used immediately after
spawning. Paired samples of eggs with and without jelly coats from each
of five females were prepared by removing the jelly coats from half of the
eggs collected from a female. The coats were removed using a technique
commonly employed in embryology (19). Eggs were poured through a
plankton screen (Nytex) with 202-;u.m-diameter pores. To determine
whether the jelly coats had been removed from these eggs, a 200- /xl aliquot
was pipetted onto a depression slide and Sunn ink was used to visualize the
edges of the jelly coats under a compound microscope at 100 x magnifi-
cation (20). To minimize the probability of damaging the eggs by subject-
ing them to unnecessary passes through the plankton screen, the eggs were
checked for the presence of jelly coats after every two pours.
To assess the effects of shear stress and the potential effect of jelly coats
on egg survival, eggs were exposed to a range of shear stresses in a cone
and plate viscometer (Brookfield Digital Viscometer, DV-II) attached to a
constant temperature bath (Neslab RTE-8). Shear stress was changed by
adjusting the shear rate and the viscosity of the fluid (/j.). The viscosity was
altered by adding hydroxyethyl cellulose (Proto-slo) to filtered seawater.
Eight viscous fluids were tested: KY jelly (chlorhexidine gluconate);
hydroxyethyl cellulose; polyvinylpyrrolidone; polyvinylpolypyrrohdonc;
Percoll; methylcellulose; Dextran; and egg homogentate. Two criteria were
used to select a fluid: (1) after exposure to the fluid, eggs both with and
without jelly coats remained viable; and (2) no cell leakage was detected
with visual inspection. Hydroxyethyl cellulose was the only fluid that met
both criteria, so it was chosen for use in the experiment. Experiments at
shear stresses up to 1 .5 Pa were also conducted in seawater only, and the
results indicated that use of the hydroxyethyl cellulose could not account
for all of the egg loss.
A known number of eggs in 0.5 ml filtered seawater were exposed to a
given shear stress for 2 min. The shear stress significantly affected the
survival of eggs with (open circles: arcsine % intact = 1.57-0.07* shear
stress, r = 0.48, P < 0.001; 95% confidence limits for the slope are 0.04
to 0.10) and without jelly coats (closed circles: arcsine % intact = 1.53-
0.28* shear stress, r = 0.91. P < l/.OOOl, 95% confidence limits for the
slope are 0.24 to 0.32). For those with icily coats, there was little effect of
shear stress: percent survival ranged from 100% to 96.7% over the entire
range of shear stresses. For those without jelly coats, the effect of shear
stress was more apparent: percent survival ranged from 100% to 82.0%.
property of eggs that has the potential to decrease the effects
of shear stress is the extracellular layer, or jelly coat, that
encapsulates the eggs of echinoderms (4). These coats are
composed of a fibrous network imbedded in globular gly-
coprotein (5) and can account for a significant portion of the
maternal energy invested in an egg (Bolton and Thomas,
unpubl. data). Jelly coats are described for both echinoids
and asteroids and consist of several concentric layers of
complex fibrous networks (5-10) that are reminiscent of
engineering materials designed to withstand shear stresses
(11, 12). Although the jelly coat in echinoderms is involved
in many parts of the fertilization process (13-18), it seems
unlikely that this complex network is required for any of
these functions. Thus it is possible that the structure of jelly
coats plays a role in protecting eggs from shear stresses
experienced in the external environment after spawning, in
the oviduct during spawning, or both. The purpose of the
research presented here is to explore whether jelly coats can
provide this protection in the sea urchin Lytecliinus varie-
gatus.
To examine the potential role of jelly coats in resisting
shear stress, we exposed eggs with and without jelly coats to
shear stresses in a cone and plate viscometer and determined
the percentage of those eggs that remained intact and fer-
tilizable. A greater percentage of eggs with jelly coats
remained intact after exposure to shear stress than did those
with jelly coats removed (Fig. 1. Table I). A test for homo-
geneity of slopes indicated that shear stress affected eggs
with jelly coats differently than eggs with coats removed.
Eggs with jelly coats suffered a maximum loss of less than
4% as shear stresses approached 2 Pa. No eggs were dam-
aged until shear stresses in excess of 1.7 Pa were reached.
For eggs without jelly coats, damage occurred at lower
shear stresses than for those with coats, and maximum loss
reached nearly 20% as shear stress approached 2 Pa.
The fertilization success of eggs exposed to shear de-
creased with increasing shear stress both for eggs with jelly
coats and for those without (Fig. 2). For both egg types,
fertilization success was near 85% with no shear (the de-
Table I
Effect of shear stress on percentage of eggs remaining intuci
Source F P
With/without coats (same intercepts) 1.99 0.165
Shear stress (slope = 0) 0.20 <0.001
Interaction (same slopes) 0.75 <0.001
Results from a test for homogeneity of slopes (1 degree of freedom I
performed on the arcsine-transfonned percentage of eggs intact after ex-
posure to shear stress versus the magnitude of shear stress for eggs with
and without jelly coats. There was a significant effect of shear stress on
eggs remaining intact (slope is significantly different from 0). Eggs with
and without jelly coats were affected by shear stress to a different degree
(significant interaction between shear stress and jelly coat presence).
STRESS RESISTANCE IN SEA URCHIN EGGS
sired initial fertilization success). As shear increased, fertil-
ization success dropped from 85% to 68% for eggs with
coats and from 85% to 59% for eggs without coats. A test
for homogeneity of slopes indicated that the shear stress
affected fertilization differently for eggs without intact coats
than for those with coats present (Fig. 2. Table II). The slope
of the regression of fertilization versus shear stress was
steeper for eggs with jelly coats removed than for those with
intact coats (Fig. 2). After fertilization, developing embryos
were assessed for developmental stage and normal devel-
opment up to the pleuteus stage. Development was assessed
throughout this period. All fertilized eggs, regardless of
80-1
75-
£ 70
•a
I 65
60-
55
Tank II
Effect oj shear stress on fertilization
50
0.0
0.5
1.0 1.5
Shear Stress (Pa)
2.0
— I
2.5
Figure 2. Percentage of eggs successfully fertilized after exposure to
shear stress. The fertilizability of eggs with and without intact jelly coats
was determined after eggs were exposed to a given shear for 2 nun
Gametes for all experiments were obtained by injecting urchins with 0.5 M
KCl. Females were allowed to spawn into filtered seawater; males spawned
into a dry petri dish. Sperm were stored undiluted in a scintillation vial over
ice until being used in the experiments. Eggs were used immediately after
spawning and sperm within I h after spawning. The concentration of sperm
yielding 80%-85% successful fertilization (I04 dilution of dry spawned
sperm in seawater) was determined from serial dilution experiments. We
used this sperm dilution in all fertilization experiments to ensure that any
fertilization decrease caused by egg damage would not be concealed by an
overabundance of sperm (2). After exposure to shear, the eggs were added
to 100 ml of seawater with the sperm solution. Un-sheared eggs were also
fertilized as a control. A sample of approximately 60-100 eggs was
examined for fertilization success. Fertilization was assessed at the four-
cell stage of development, and normal development was determined after
embryos reached the early pluteus stage.
There was a negative relationship between fertilization success and
exposure to shear stress, both for eggs with jelly coats (open circles: arcsine
% fertilized = 0.92-0.07* shear stress, r = 0.88, P < 0.001. 95%
confidence limits for the slope are -0.04 to -0.09) and for those without
(closed circles: arcsine % fertilized = 0.87-0.1 1* shear stress, r = 0.90.
P < 0.001. 95% confidence limits for the slope are -0.08 to -0.15). Only
eggs exposed to shear in the viscometer were used in these analyses.
Results of a test for homogeneity of slopes indicates that shear stress
affects fertilization success of eggs with jelly coats less than that of those
without jelly coats (Table II).
Source
F
P
With/without coats (same intercepts)
2.6
0.13
Shear stress (slope = 0)
0.001
<0.001
Interaction (same slopes)
5,90
0.032
Results from a test for homogeneity of slopes (1 degree of freedom)
performed on the arcsme-transformed percentage of eggs fertilized after
exposure to shear stress versus the magnitude of shear stress for eggs with
and without jelly coats. There was a significant effect of shear stress on
fertilization (slope is significantly different from 0). Eggs with and without
jelly coats were affected by shear stress to a different degree (significant
interaction between shear stress and jelly coat presence).
whether they had jelly coats or not. developed normally.
This result indicates that if eggs are damaged by shear stress
they are not fertilizable, but if they survive they apparently
have not sustained any damage that limits normal develop-
ment.
The results of these experiments indicate that eggs can be
damaged by shear stress and that the jelly coats on echino-
derm eggs can provide mechanical strength, reducing the
negative effects of shear stress on free-spawned eggs. If
jelly coats are absent, survivorship (Fig. 1) and fertilization
success (Fig. 2) are significantly less than when coats are
present.
The shear regime experienced in the viscometer most
closely approximates that seen in the gonoduct. The exper-
imental shear is unidirectional, constant, and well within the
range estimated to occur in the gonoduct during spawning
( 1 ). In contrast, the shear stresses imposed in the external
environment not only are lower (2) than those used in these
experiments, but are not constant and are unlikely to be
unidirectional for sustained periods of time. Thus, the data
presented here indicate strongly that eggs are susceptible to
shear stress and can be damaged at stress levels in the range
experienced during egg release. Therefore, the data show
that jelly coats on echinoderm eggs do protect eggs from
damage caused by shear stress. This result is significant
because it is the first evidence that extracellular layers on
invertebrate eggs can protect eggs from physical stress and
may provide mechanical strength to eggs.
Acknowledgments
Research support was provided by a National Science
Foundation (NSF) grant (IBN-9723770) and an NSF
PECASE award to F. I. M. Thomas (OCE-9701434). Kris-
ten Edwards initiated the research while participating in a
research experience for undergraduate program funded by a
NSF Grantto Judy Stout (REU. OCE-9619862). We also
thank three anonymous reviewers for helpful suggestions.
This is DISL contribution 309.
10
F. I. M. THOMAS ET AL
Literature Cited
1. Thomas, F. I. M., and T. F. Bolton. In Press. Shear stress expe-
rienced by echinoderm eggs in the oviduct during spawning: potential
role in the evolution of egg properties. / Exp. Biol.
2. Mead, K. S., and M. W. Dennv. 199S. The effects of hydrodynamic
shear stress on fertilization and early development of the purple sea
urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Biol. Bull 188: 46-56.
3. Thomas, F. I. M. 1994. Physical properties of gametes in three sea
urchin species. J. £.171. Biol. 194: 263-2X4.
4. Hoshi. M. 1985. Lysins. Pp. 431-462 in Biology of Fertilisation.
Vol. 2. C. B, Metz and A. Monroy. eds. Academic Press. Orlando. FL.
5. Bonnell. B. S., S. H. Keller, V. D. Vacquier, and D. E. Chandler.
1994. The sea urchin jelly coat consists of globular glycoproteins
hound to a fibrous fucan superstructure. Dev. Biol. 162: 313-324.
6. Kidd. P. 1978. The jelly and vitelline coats of the sea urchin egg:
new ultrastructural features. J. Ultrasln/ct. Res. 64: 204-215.
7. Holland, N. D. 1980. Electron microscopic study of the cortical
reaction in eggs of the starfish (Paririti minima). Cell Tissue Res. 205:
67-76.
8. Crawford, B., and M. Abed. 1986. Ultrastructural aspects of the
surface coatings of eggs and larvae of the starfish. Pisaster ochraceus,
revealed by Alcian Blue. J. Morpliol. 187: 29-37.
9. Sousa, M., R. Pinto, P. Moradas-Ferreira, and C. Azevedo. 1993.
Histochemical studies of jelly coat of Marthasterias glacialis (Echi-
nodermata, Asteroidea) oocytes. Biol. Bull. 185: 215-224.
10. Bonnell, B. S., C. Larahell, and D. E. Chandler. 1993. The sea
urchin egg jelly coat is a three-dimensional fibrous network as seen by
intermediate voltage electron microscopy and deep etching analysis.
Mol Reprod. Dev. 35(2): 181-188.
11. Sastry, A. M., S. L. Phoenix, and P. Schwartz. 1993. Analysis of
mterfacial failure in a composite microbundle pull-out experiment.
Composite Sciences and Technology. 48: 237-251.
12. Sastry, A. M., X. Cheng, and C. W. Wang. 1998. Mechanics of
stochastic fibrous networks. J. Thermoplastic Composite Materials.
Vol. II. 288-296.
13. Vaquier, V. D., and G. W. Moy. 1977. Isolation of bindin: the
protein responsible for adhesion of sperm to sea urchin eggs. Proc.
Null. Aciul. Sci. USA 74: 2456-2460.
14 Tilney, L. G., D. P. Kiehart, C. Sardet, and M. Tilney. 1978.
Polymerization of actin IV. Role of Ca2* and H+ in the assembly of
actin and in membrane fusion in the acrosomal reaction of echinoderm
sperm. / Cell Biol. 77: 536-550.
15 SeGall, G. K., and W.J. Lennarz. 1981. Jelly coat and induction of
the acrosome reaction in echinoid sperm. Dev. Biol. 86: 87-93.
16. Garbers, D. L., and G. S. Kopf. 1980. The regulation of spermata-
zoa by calcium and cyclic nucleotides. Adv. Cyclic Nucleotide Res. 13:
251-306.
17. Nomura, K., and S. Isaka. 1985. Synthetic study of the structure-
activity relationship of sperm-activating peptides from the jelly coat of
sea urchin eggs. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 126: 974-982.
18. Miller, R. L. 1985. Sperm chemo-orientation in the Metazoa. Pp.
276-337 in Biology of Fertilization. Vol. 2. C. B. Metz and A.
Monroy. eds. Academic Press, Orlando. FL.
19. Hinegardner, R. 1975. Care and handling of sea urchin eggs, em-
bryos, and adults (principally North American species). Pp. 10 — U in
The Sea Urchin Embryo — Biochemistry and Morphogenesis. G. Czi-
hak, ed. Springer- Verlag. New York.
20. Strathmann, M. F. 1987. Reproduction and Development of Marine
Invertebrates of the Northern Pacific Coast. University of Washington
Press, Seattle. 670 pp.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: I 1-13. (August 1999)
Regeneration of Amputated Avian Bone by a Coral
Skeletal Implant
B. RINKEVICH1, S. BEN-YAKIR2, AND R. BEN-YAKIR2
' National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, P.O.B. 8030, Haifa 31080, Israel: and
2 Hod-Hasharon Veterinan< Clinic, 17 Gordon Street, Hod Hasttaron, Israel
Bone fractures are common in both wild and captive
birds (I, 2). Avian bones are thin and brittle and tend to
break into fragments or shatter upon a variety of natural
events (midair collisions, fights with other animals; ref. 2)
or anthropogenic experiences (wounding by gunfire, colli-
sions with cars or fences, encounters with traps, attacks by
dogs or cats, etc.; ref. 1). The prospect of full recovery
following repair of avion bone fracture is often poor, and
the complication rate is high (3). For wild birds, anything
less than complete normal function cannot be regarded as
successful, and slight malunion or a change in a few de-
grees of rotation can produce a severe loss of flight function
(4). Furthermore, in nomadic species, time is critical be-
cause long periods of rehabilitation may prevent the birds
from reuniting with their flocks. In experiments with implan-
tation of fragments of skeleton from the coral Stylophora
pistillata, we found the implants to be avion osteo-conduc-
tive biomaterial, acting as a scaffold for a direct osteoblas-
tic deposition. In the case study presented here, the bird
regained complete flight activity within 2 weeks after sur-
gery, with full regeneration of the amputated ulna.
The general principles for treating fractures in birds are
similar to those established for mammals and include rigid
stabilization (primary bone healing does not occur if there is
a gap or motion at the fracture site; ref. 4). However,
treatment such as external coaptation (slings, bandages,
casts, splints, etc.), intramedullary pins or rods, bone plate
fixation, or modifications of any of the traditional means of
external skeleton fixation (3-5) not only fails for rehabili-
tating wild birds, but also involves prolonged hospitaliza-
tion of avian patients. Internal fixation is one of the best
procedures for fracture management, but the brittle nature of
Received 26 January 1999; accepted 23 April 1999.
E-mail: buki@ocean.org. il
avian bones (3-5) results in problems that are not encoun-
tered in mammals.
We recently investigated the use of coral skeleton as a
natural intramedullary fixation device for fractures of bird
bone and found that fractured avian bones can be rehabili-
tated following the internal implantation of coral skeletal
pins (unpubl. data). This investigation was based on studies
with mammals (including humans) documenting that coral
skeletons may be employed as osseous substitutes, as scaf-
folds for direct osteoblastic application, or as an artificial
bone filler for repairing bone defects (6, 7). The coral tested
here was of the branching species Stylophora pistillata, one
of the most abundant coral species in the Gulf of Eilat (8).
Mature domestic pigeons (Colmnba Hvia domestica)
were randomly assigned to a variety of treatment groups (in
preparation). For all radiographic and surgical procedures,
the birds were given Halothane as a general anesthetic. The
skin was prepared for aseptic surgery using a septal scrub
followed by a povidone-iodine wash. Whenever possible,
flight feathers were not removed or clipped; others were
plucked over the intended incision. Reflexes and cardiac and
respiratory activities were monitored. Birds were placed on
their backs and a limited ventral approach to the ulna was
performed. Two of the same bones from the wings of two
birds were used as experimental and control bones (ban-
daged in the traditional manner; ref. 5). Small processed
coral pins were obtained from SagivCoral, P.O. Box 3337,
Ramot Hashavim 45930, Israel. Postoperative radiographs
were taken to evaluate fracture repair and to document the
status of the coral implant. Pigeons were housed in the
flypen system and fed with a commercial pigeon food
supplemented with vitamin D and oyster shell as a calcium
source.
In one of the experiments, which is detailed in this
communication, the proximal half of the ulna (which pro-
11
B. RINKEVICH ET AL
Figure 1. Progressive repair of ulna fracture treated hy implantation of an intramedullary coral pin (a-e),
compared to control, an untreated amputated ulna (fl. Weeks after operation: a = 2. h = 4, c = 6, d = 8, e, f =
12.
vides primary support for the wing) was accidentally com-
minuted during surgery. Full rehabilitation of this amputa-
tion hone by the use of coral skeleton implant is described
here.
In the case of the accidentally comminuted ulna, all brittle
fragments were immediately removed and a small coral pin
(24 mm length. 4 mm diameter) was first passed distally and
then retrogradely until resistance was met at the proximal
side of the ulna. The coral pin was then firmly wedged in
place, forming an inert calcium carbonate milieu between
the two separated parts, replacing the amputated portion of
the ulna. This pigeon used the treated wing freely 14 days
after the operation, alleviating ankylosis resulting from joint
immobilization. In the control bird, the entire segment of
proximal ulnar bone (cortex and medulla) was removed
using Gilgi wire.
Two weeks after the operation, the coral pin was encap-
sulated firmly at both ends by overgrown calcium deposits
and callus formation along the pin shall, providing rota-
tional stability (Fig. la). After 4 weeks (Fig. Ib). the coral
implant was already overgrown by deposited material. By 6
weeks (Fig. Ic), deposited material surrounded the implant
in layers and the first sign of coral resorption was evident.
During resorption. which was significantly advanced at 8
and 12 weeks (Fig. Id, e), radiography showed that the area
between the two ends of the broken ulna was being filled
with accumulated new bone, replacing the degradable pin.
Sft'liiplwni pistillntti skeleton (although its mechanical and
biological properties were not yet evaluated) was thus found
to be avian osteo-conductive biomaterial, acting as a scaf-
fold for direct osteoblastic deposition. The bird regained full
flight activities 2 weeks after surgery, and the coral pin
activated skeletal regeneration (compare with the control;
Fig. If). This process ended in complete regeneration of the
amputated area.
This case of regeneration of an amputated bone and our
study (in prep.) demonstrate the value of coral skeletal
implants for avian bone repair. Coral material (calcium
carbonate) is well tolerated by bird tissue. The pin matrix is
porous enough to be colonized by the birds' bony cells, is
biodegradable, and is easily adjustable in size and shape to
the osseous site of grafting. Previous studies employing
coral implants for bone repair in mammals have shown that
coral resorption rates varied with porosity of the coral
CORAL IMPLANTS IN AVIAN FRACTURES
13
species used and with host reaction (9). We used natural
fragments of 5. pistillata skeletons, the first pocilloporid
coral used in vertebrate skeleton rehabilitation. Each year,
around the globe, veterinarians tend an ever-increasing
number of wild and domestic birds with broken bones;
unfortunately, at present the prognosis for many of these
birds is poor. The approach described here may provide a
fast and dependable method for rehabilitation of avian frac-
tures, increasing the survival rate of birds treated for bone
injuries.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Minerva Center for
Marine Invertebrate Immunology and Developmental Biol-
ogy. Animal surgeries and treatments were conducted in
conformance with the guidelines of the Canadian Council
on Animal Care.
Literature Cited
1. Fix, A. S., and S. Z. Barrows. 1990. Raptors rehabilitated in Iowa
during 1986 and 1987: a retrospective study. J. Wildl. Dis. 26: 18-21.
2. Houston, D. C. 1993. The incidence of healed fractures to wing bones
of White-backed and Ruppell's Griffon Vultures Gyps africaiius and G.
ntt'ppt'tln and other birds. Ibis 135: 468-475.
3. Mathews, K. G., L. J. Wallace, P. T. Redig, J. E. Bechtold, R. R.
Pool, and V. L. King. 1994. Avian fracture healing following stabi-
lization with mtramedullary polyglycolic acid rods and cyanoacrylate
adhesive vs. polypropylene rods and polymethylmethacrylate. Vel.
Comp. Orthop. Trauma 7: 15X-169.
4 Bennett, R. A., and A. B. Kuzma. 1992. Fracture management in
birds. J. Zoo. Wildl Meil. 23: 5-38.
5. MacCoy, D. M. 1992. Treatment of fractures in avian species. Vet.
dm. North Am. Small Aiiini. Pract. 22: 225-238.
6. Kehr, P. H., A. G. Graftiaux, F. Gosset, I. Bogorin, and K. Ben-
cheikh. 1993. Coral as a graft in cervical spine surgery. Ortlmp.
Traumarol. 3: 287-293.
7 Guillemin, G., J-L. Patat, and A. Meunier. 1995. Natural corals
used as bone graft substitutes. Bull. lust. Oceanogr. (Monaco) 14:
67-77.
8. Loya, V. 1976. The Red Sea coral Stylophora pistillata is an r
strategist. Nature (Land.) 259: 478-480.
9. Roudier, M., C. Bouchon. J. I.. Rouvillain, J. Amedee, R. Bareille,
F. Rouais, J. Ch. Fricain, B. Dupay, P. Kien, R. Jeandot, and B.
Basse-Cathalinat. 1995. The resorption of bone-implanted corals
varies with porosity but also with the host reaction. J. Biomed. Mater.
Res. 29: 909-915.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 14-25. (August 1999)
Functional and Evolutionary Implications of Opposed
Bands, Big Mouths, and Extensive Oral Ciliation in
Larval Opheliids and Echiurids (Annelida)
BENJAMIN G. MINER1, ERIC SANFORD2, RICHARD R. STRATHMANN3, BRUNO FERNET3,
AND RICHARD B. EMLET 4
1 Department of Zoology, University of Florida, 223 Bartram Hall, Gainesville. Florida 3261 1;
2Department of Zoology, Cordley Hall 3029, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331;
3 Friday Harbor Laboratories and Department of Zoology, University of Washington, 620 University
Road, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250; and ^Department of Biology and Oregon Institute of
Marine Biology, University of Oregon, P.O. Box 5389, Charleston. Oregon 97420
Abstract. Larvae of two annelids, the opheliid Armandia
brevis and the echiurid Urechis caupo, captured small par-
ticles between opposed prototrochal and metatrochal ciliary
bands and also captured large particles with wide ciliated
mouths. The body volume of larval A. brevis increased more
rapidly than the estimated maximum clearance rate as seg-
ments were added. Capture of larger particles by late-stage
larvae may compensate for this potentially unfavorable al-
lometry. The existence of larvae that use two feeding mech-
anisms at once, not previously known in annelids, suggests
possible evolutionary routes between larval forms that feed
only with opposed bands (e.g., serpulids and oweniids) and
those that use complex oral ciliature to feed primarily on
large particles (e.g.. polynoids and nephtyids). In particular,
the metatroch and food groove of opposed-band feeders
may have arisen as expansions of oral ciliation in ancestral
large-particle feeders; alternatively, extensive oral ciliation
in large-particle feeders may have originated as a modifi-
cation of metatroch and food-groove cilia in ancestral op-
posed-band feeders.
Introduction
The trochophore is a larval form of several phyla: Anne-
lida, Sipuncula, Mollusca. and Entoprocta (Nielsen, 1995).
It is largely denned by the presence of the prototroch, a
preoral ciliary band with a well-defined cell lineage. Despite
Received 16 December 1998; accepted 8 April 1999.
E-mail: miner@zoo.ufl.edu
this and other embryological similarities, trochophores are
structurally and functionally diverse. Much of this diversity
is found among the approximately 70 families of annelids in
which larvae occur. Annelid larvae vary in the number and
position of ciliary bands (though almost all possess a pro-
totroch). and in whether or not they feed. Among annelid
larvae that feed, mechanisms of capturing suspended parti-
cles have been described in only a few species (Strathmann.
1987).
One of these feeding mechanisms involves capturing and
transporting particles with the prototroch and several
postoral ciliary bands. The prototroch beats with an
anterior-to-posterior effective stroke. A postoral band, the
metatroch, parallels the prototroch and beats in opposition
to it, with effective strokes from posterior to anterior. Par-
ticles small enough to tit between the prototroch and
metatroch are captured between these two ciliary bands and
transported to the mouth by a band of shorter cilia, the food
groove. Particle capture by opposed bands has been de-
scribed in larvae of two annelid families, the serpulids and
the oweniids (Strathmann et al.. 1972; Emlet and Strath-
mann, 1994), and larvae of several other families possess
the ciliary bands necessary to feed in this way.
Another feeding mechanism known in annelid larvae
involves active responses to individual food particles. For
example, polynoid larvae lack an opposing metatroch and a
ciliated food groove. These larvae swim forward until they
encounter relatively large particles, then manipulate each
particle individually into the mouth with a tuft of long
compound cilia (Phillips and Pernet, 1996). Larvae belong-
14
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
15
ing to related families (e.g., phyllodocids and nephtyids:
Rouse and Fauchald, 1997) also lack a metatroch and a food
groove (Bhaud and Cazaux. 1987), and are able to capture
particles as large as bivalve larvae, but how they do this is
not known. Additional feeding mechanisms are known or
suspected from larvae of other annelid families (Strath-
mann, 1987; Nielsen, 1998).
The structural and functional variety of trochophores in
annelids and related phyla has raised questions about their
evolution (Strathmann, 1993; McHugh and Rouse, 1998).
There is no consensus as to whether feeding or nonfeeding
larvae are ancestral, or on which feeding mechanisms are
primitive (Strathmann and Eernisse, 1994). Given uncer-
tainties about such key issues as the distribution of traits
among clades, the functional requirements for capturing
particles, and the phylogeny of annelids, inferences about
ancestral character states are weak.
Our study describes ciliation and mechanisms of particle
capture in larvae of two families of annelids, the Opheliidae
and the Echiuridae. We use these observations to compare
the feeding capabilities of different annelid larvae and to
suggest possible evolutionary transitions among annelid lar-
val forms. These data also augment the number of informa-
tive characters available for phylogenetic inferences.
Hermans (1978) showed that larvae of the opheliid Ar-
iminJia brevis possess prototrochal and metatrochal ciliary
bands. Although the feeding mechanism was not described,
these observations suggest that opposed-band feeding may
occur. He also noted that late-stage A. brevis larvae are able
to ingest large particles. A larva with 15 segments had
ingested a tintinnid 80 /im in diameter and a diatom 35 ^m
in diameter and 260 /xm long (Hermans, 1964). This implies
that these larvae were using a different feeding mechanism,
since other work on annelid and mollusc larvae indicates
that opposed-band feeding is limited to particles that fit
between the prototroch and metatroch (typically spaced
<30 /urn apart: Strathmann et ai, 1972; Strathmann and
Leise, 1979).
Thus, limited observations suggested that A. brevis larvae
might use several feeding mechanisms to capture particles
of a broad range of sizes. Alternative mechanisms for the
capture of larger particles by later stage larvae might sup-
plement the opposed-band feeding mechanism. Such versa-
tility might be particularly advantageous to later stage lar-
vae if unfavorable allometric relationships reduce the
profitability of opposed-band feeding as development
progresses. An unfavorable allometry might occur if body
volume and metabolic demands increase more rapidly than
ciliary band area and maximum clearance rates as segments
are added during development. Therefore, in addition to
observing particle captures, we examined the relationship
between clearance rates and body volume.
Echiurids have sometimes been placed in the phylum
Annelida and sometimes in their own phylum, the Echiura,
which is distinguished from the annelids by an apparent lack
of segmentation (Nielsen, 1995). McHugh's (1997) molec-
ular evidence shows that they are derived annelids, and she
suggests that they should be placed in the annelid family
Echiuridae. Larvae of the echiurid Urechis caupo bear pro-
totrochal, metatrochal, and food-groove cilia (Newby, 1940;
Suer, 1982), but how they capture particles has been un-
known. We observed larval feeding in U. caupo to confirm
use of the opposed-band feeding mechanism in the Echi-
uridae; to our surprise, we also obtained evidence that larger
particles are captured at the mouth.
Our observations demonstrate that larvae in the annelid
families Opheliidae and Echiuridae are able to capture par-
ticles both with opposed bands and directly at the mouth.
This previously unrecognized combination of feeding
mechanisms suggests hypotheses for evolutionary transi-
tions among the diverse feeding larval forms of the Anne-
lida.
Materials and Methods
Larval cultures
Reproductive adults of the opheliid Armandia brevis
were collected in April and May 1998 in front of the Friday
Harbor Laboratories. San Juan Island. Washington. Some
animals were taken from beneath cobbles in the mid-inter-
tidal zone and others from the plankton swarming at night to
a light suspended from the laboratory dock. We isolated
adults in finger bowls containing bag-filtered seawater
(mesh size ^ 10 /xm) until gametes were released. Eggs
were fertilized by the addition of sperm and then rinsed with
filtered seawater. Fertilized eggs were placed in 450-ml
beakers that held filtered seawater and were partially sub-
merged in a seawater table at 1 1°-13°C. Larvae were fed a
mixture of the algae Isochrysis galhana and Chaetoceros
gracilis.
Adults of the echiurid Urechis caupo were dug in inter-
tidal mudflats in Bodega Harbor, California, in June of 1995
and held in aquaria at the Bodega Marine Laboratory for use
throughout the summer. Methods described by Gould
( 1967) were used for obtaining gametes and fertilizing eggs.
We reared larvae in 800-ml beakers cooled in aquaria at 10°
to 16°C (median 13.3°C), approximately the temperature of
the coastal seawater. The seawater was filtered through
meshes of 30 or 70 /urn and larvae were fed the alga
Rhodomonas sp. and occasionally Isochrysis galbana in
addition to whatever food entered with the filtered seawater.
Ciliarv bands
Light microscopy provided information about the cilia-
tion of both opheliid and echiurid larvae. Larvae were
viewed with differential interference contrast (DIG) optics
16
B. G. MINER ET AL
for an optical section through the prototroch, food groove,
and metatroch.
Scanning electron microscopy provided additional infor-
mation about the ciliation ofArmandia brevis. Larvae were
relaxed in a 1:1 mixture of 7.5% MgCl2 and seawater for 30
min and fixed in 1% OsO4 in seawater. After a rinse in
seawater, fixed larvae were dehydrated in ethanol. infiltrated
with hexamethyldisilazane for 30 min, and air-dried. They
were mounted on stubs with double-sided tape and sputter-
coated with gold-palladium before viewing.
Analysis of particle capture
To record larval feeding, we used video cameras mounted
on compound and dissecting microscopes. A time-date gen-
erator indicated intervals between video images to the near-
est 0.01 s. Larvae of Armandia brevis were presented with
small and large particles in separate trials, and feeding
activity was recorded at room temperature (22°C) onto VHS
tape. We observed capture of small particles by placing
several larvae on a slide with polystyrene-divinylbenzene
spheres (Duke Scientific) of 5 and 12 /xm diameter (one size
per slide), adding a raised coverslip, and viewing the larvae
with a 20 X objective and DIC optics. Larvae that had
tethered themselves with mucous strands and were actively
feeding (indicated by beating of both the prototroch and
metatroch) were videotaped for about 10 min. We observed
capture of large particles by placing larvae in a small petri
dish onto a dissecting microscope and adding Sephadex
beads ranging from 20 to 80 /u,m in diameter. Larvae were
videotaped as they swam and fed.
For Urechis caupo larvae, feeding was observed at 15° to
20°C and recorded onto 8-mm tape. Larvae were confined
within the spaces of a nylon mesh placed on a slide topped
with a coverslip; they were free to rotate and change orien-
tation but not to move forward continuously. We presented
the larvae with three types of particles: the dinoflagellate
Prorocentrum micans (length about 20 /xm), polystyrene-
divinylbenzene spheres (diameter 5 to 29 ju,m), and Seph-
adex beads (diameter 20 to 80 ju.ni).
The size of particles captured and ingested by U. caupo
was analyzed by inspecting the gut contents of particle-fed
larvae. Larvae and suspensions of particles of several sizes
were placed in vials that were rotated at 15 rpm. After 5
min, the larvae were fixed with formaldehyde for gut-
content examination.
Scaling of clearance rate and bod\ volume
The relationship of maximum clearance rate to body
volume was estimated for larvae ofArmandia brevix with 6
to 16 setigerous segments. We counted the number of seti-
Figure 1. Scanning electron micrographs of larvae of Armandia brevis. (A) Posterolateral view ol the
anterior end of an IX-setiger larva. The food groove (*) is the region between the long compound cilia of the
prototrochal (p) and melatrochal (m) ciliary bands. The inner surfaces of the mouth (mo) are heavily ciliated. (B)
Ventral view of the anterior end of an 18-seliger larva, showing the long compound cilia of the metatroch (m)
on the lower lip, the prototroch (p). and the .short neurotroch (n). Both photos are to the same scale.
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
17
gers and measured body length (for the entire larva), width
(at the middle segment), and prototroch diameter of live
larvae (n = 36) under a compound microscope with 4X
objective. A video camera and image analysis program
(NIH Image 1.61: available free at http://rsb.info.nih.gov/
nih-image) were used for these measurements. We esti-
mated larval volume as a cylinder by the equation:
larval volume = Tr(D/2)2(L)
where D is body width and L is body length.
Maximum clearance rates were estimated as the volume
of water passing through the prototroch per unit of time. To
calculate these rates, we measured particle velocities and
particle distances to the base of the prototroch from video-
taped sequences of three larvae in each of three size classes
(6-7, 11-12, and 15-16 setigers). We observed larvae and
5-;u,m particles on a compound microscope with DIC optics
and 20 X objective lens, as described above. The larvae
tethered themselves by mucous strands and were recorded
for several minutes. The distances traveled by particles per
unit of time and their distances to the base of the prototroch
were measured from videorecorded sequences. Particles
were measured as they passed within the direct influence of
the cilia where velocities are negligibly affected by the slide
or coverslip (Emlet, 1990).
We fitted binomial regressions from the origin through
the plot of particle velocity versus particle distance from the
cilium base. The rationale for fitting curvilinear lines to
these data was both theoretical (Sleigh, 1984) and empirical
(Strathmann and Leise, 1979). The studies in both areas
suggest that velocity should increase from zero near the
larval body surface to a maximum near the full length of the
cilia; it should then decrease beyond the tips of the cilia.
Since these curves included some particles that presumably
passed beyond the tips of the cilia, it was necessary to
estimate the lengths of the cilia for larvae of each of the
three size classes. We measured cilium lengths (15 cilia per
larva) with NIH Image from videotaped, live larvae with
0-17 setigers (n = 22 larvae). The binomial regression
equations relating particle velocity to particle distance from
the cilium base were then integrated from the origin (the
base of the prototroch) to the estimated cilium length for
that size class. The resulting areas represent estimates of the
area of water that, in one unit of time, passes through one
optical section of the prototroch in the plane of ciliary beat.
100|jrn
Figure 2. Light micrographs of larvae of Urecfus caupo. (A) Lateral view with plane of focus through the
prototroch (p), food groove (0. metatroch (m), and telotroch (t). dorsally. Ventrally, the plane of focus passes
through the prototroch (p). mouth (mo), and metatroch (m). The neurotroch is not visible. The dark spot near the
center is a particle in the gut. (B) The same larva when contracted. Both photos are to the same scale.
18
B. G. MINER ET AL
We then estimated maximum clearance rates for each size
class by multiplying that value by the circumference of the
prototroch halfway between the base of the cilium and its tip
(midpoint prototroch circumference). Finally, to determine
whether maximum clearance rate scaled proportionately to
body size during larval growth, we divided the maximum
clearance rate for a given size class by the average body
volume for that size class.
Results
Cilifin hands
Scanning electron micrographs clearly show the pro-
totrochal and metatrochal cilia of Armandia brevis. The
prototroch is made up of several rows of compound cilia
that completely encircle the larval body anterior to the
mouth (Fig. 1). The rnetatroch is a postoral band of
compound cilia that extends laterally from the lower lip
of the mouth around the larval body to a dorsal position
(Fig. 1A). The metatrochal cilia on the lower lip are
longer than the other metatrochal cilia (Fig. 1A. B). The
prototroch and rnetatroch define the boundaries of a cilia-
lined food groove. The width of the food groove lateral to
the mouth was estimated from a scanning electron mi-
crograph to be 10 jam (SEM not shown). Dorsally. the
food groove narrows. The mouth is large (about 50 ju,m
wide in the 18-setiger larva shown in Fig. IB) and both
its upper and lower surfaces are heavily ciliated (Fig. 1 A.
B). A band of neurotrochal cilia runs along the ventral
surface of the larva from just behind the mouth to the
third setigerous segment (Fig. IB).
Larvae of Urechis caupo also possess prototrochal and
metatrochal ciliary bands (Fig. 2). The prototrochal cilia are
longer than the metatrochal cilia. Again, these two ciliary
bands define the boundaries of a food groove lined with
simple cilia. Larvae also bear a midventral neurotroch.
posterior to the mouth, and a telotroch.
0.00
Figure 3. Videorecorded capture of a 5-/xm sphere by opposed hands, and particle rejection by a self-tethered
Armandia brevis larva. Time in seconds is in the upper left-hand comer. All images are at the same magnification. The
larva is oriented with its dorsal side toward the top of the page. The sequence shows a particle, indicated by the black
line, approach the dorsal part of the metatroch where it is captured and then transported along the food groove and
deposited in the mouth. The particle is then rejected. During rejection (he mclatroch on the lower hp ceases to beat.
At 0 s the larva is 120 p.m in diameter at the base of the prototrochal cilia.
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
19
Figure 4. Videorecorded capture of a 13-jum sphere by a Llrccliia cmipo larva. Time is in seconds in the
upper right-hand corner. The particle has entered a dorsolateral part of the food groove at 0 s, moves along the
food groove toward the mouth at 0.2 and 0.4 s, and enters the side of the mouth at 0.55 s. Rotation of the larva
moves the mouth from upper right at 0 s to center at 0.55 s. The anterior end of the larva is toward the upper
left. At 0 s the larva is 175-jum wide al the base of the prototrochal cilia.
Capture h\ opposed ciliary hands
In larvae of Arniandia hrevis and Urechis caitpo. the
movements of partieles and the directions of recovery
strokes of cilia indicated that the effective strokes of the
prototrochal cilia were from anterior to posterior, and those
of the metatrochal cilia were from posterior to anterior. For
larvae of each species, we observed captures of more than
50 particles of 5 and 12 /urn in diameter; particles that came
within reach of the prototroch were transported into the food
groove between the prototroch and metatroch and moved to
the mouth via the food groove, presumably by the food-
groove cilia (Figs. 3-5). Particles were captured between
prototroch and metatroch on the lateral and dorsal surfaces
of the larva. Particles in the food groove moved around to
the mouth from both the left and the right sides and both
with and against the direction of rotation of the larval body.
These particle paths indicate an opposed-band feeding
mechanism.
Capture of large panicles
Larvae of both species also captured particles at the
mouth, without transport in the food groove. A late-stage
larva of A nnandla brevis (with > 14 setigers) captured two
large particles (50 jum in diameter) while videorecorded
through a dissecting microscope (Fig. 6). When the swim-
ming larva contacted a large particle in the vicinity of the
mouth, the larva slowed and rotated so that the lower lip was
aligned with the particle. The larva opened its mouth and
ingested the particle, presumably using oral cilia or muscu-
lature.
Swimming Urechis caitpo larvae used the mouth for
direct capture of particles that passed over the episphere.
Such captures occurred simultaneously with opposed-band
particle captures (Fig. 5). Many of the particles caught
directly by the mouth were too large to fit between opposed
prototroch and metatroch, as illustrated by the gut contents
in Figure 7 and the particles being rejected in Figure 8. In
some cases the mouth gaped to admit a large particle. The
9-day-old larva in Figure 4 opened its mouth to a gape of
about 35 jum with a width of 95 ;j.m. The 17-day-old larva
in Figure 8 opened its mouth to 70 to 95 /urn, and the
mouth's width when closed was about 125 /u,m. Cilia on the
mouth's lower lip (anterior to the shorter cilia of the neu-
rotroch) appeared to aid the movement of large particles
into the mouth. These cilia seemed to be continuous with the
metatrochal band, which would account for the posterior-
0.00
•
0.13
Figure 5. Videorecorded capture ol l\u> 12-fxm spheres by a Urechis
fiiiil>t> larva. Time is in seconds in the lower right-hand corner. The particle
marked by an adjacent black bar has entered a dorsolateral part of the food
groove at 0 s. moves along the food groove toward the mouth al 0.04 and
0.13 s, and is near the side of the mouth at 0.30 s. The second particle
passes over the prototroch directly into Ihe mouth. It is near the protolro-
chal cilia at 0 s, passes over the anterior edge of the mouth at 0.04 and
0. 1 3 s. and has entered the mouth at 0.30 s. The mouth is at the lower left;
the anterior end toward the upper left. At 0 s the larva is 170-jLim wide at
the base of the prototrochal cilia.
20
B. G. MINER ET AL
0.00
Figure 6. Videorccoided capture of a 50-/nm sphere h\ a tree swimming Anuttndiu hrevis lar\'a under a
dissecting microscope. Time in seconds is in the upper left-hand comer. All images are at the same magnifi-
cation A black line indicates the particle. The larva approaches the particle and then orients its mouth towards
the particle, which is on the bottom of the dish. The particle is captured at the larva's mouth, presumably moved
by the large oral compound cilia, and swallowed. At 0 s the larva is 85-/am wide at the center of the body.
to-anterior current past these cilia. In sonic cases a panicle
was brought into the mouth over the lower lip (Fig. 7).
Larvae of U. cuiipo captured large particles from an early
stage. Small 4-day-old larvae ingested Sephadex spheres
almost as large as those ingested by 16-day-old larvae
(Table I). Even a 3-day-old larva ingested a 42-by-35-|u,m
mineral grain. Larger larvae did capture larger spheres,
however. When early and later stage larvae were fed the
sai suspension, as in the last two lines of Table I, the
median sizes and the largest si/.es of ingested spheres were
significantly greater for larger, older larvae (Mann-Whitney
U tests, H, 1 0. a 2 = 5, P < 0.05). Objects larger than the
spheres olio can he ingested. For example, a 49-day-old
larva, 375 /u,m id :, ingested an unidentified object 366 /xm
long by 40 |um wide
When larvae of U. cn of different ages and sizes were
offered smaller plastic sphctes, all 10 of the small, 3-day-
old larvae caught fewer spheres of 29-fj,m than of 1 2-jum,
and all 4 of the larger, 48-day-old larvae ingested more of
the 29-/j,m spheres than of the 12-/xm spheres (Table II).
Small, early-stage larvae did ingest 5- and 20- /xm spheres in
about the same ratio as ingested by larger larvae (Table II).
Estimates of the width of the food groove of a single
5-day-old larva ranged from 22 to 34 /xm, but the width of
the food groove varies with contraction of the larva. The
upper limit on the sizes of particles that could be transported
in the food groove was not determined.
Rejection of particles
Larvae could actively reject particles. Particle rejection
often occurred after a particle had been transported to the
mouth and entered the esophagus. When a larva of Ariiuin-
dia brevis expelled a particle, the metatrochal cilia around
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
21
0.15
Figure 7. Videorecorded capture of a 40-fxm sphere by a Urechis
caupo larva. Time is in seconds in the lower left-hand comer. The sphere
is near the metatrochal cilia at the posterior lip of the mouth at 0 s and
moves over this band of cilia toward the mouth at 0.1 and 0.15 s. It is just
entering the mouth at 0.25 s. The anterior end is toward the upper right. At
0 s the larva is 300-^im wide at the base of the prototrochal cilia.
the mouth stopped beating as the particle moved posteriorly
down the body (Fig. 3). Metatrochal cilia at the mouth of
larvae of Urechis caupo must also have altered beat during
particle rejection, because large particles moved posteriorly
over the lower lip and down the neurotroch during rejection
(Fig. 8). in contrast to their posterior-to-anterior path over
the lip during ingestion (Fig. 7).
For larvae ofArmandia h rev is. prototroch circumference
and prototrochal eilium length increased with number of
setigerous segments (Fig. 9A. B). Larval volume increased
exponentially with number of setigers (Fig. 9C).
Particle velocities increased slightly with number of se-
tigers for larvae of A. hrevis with 6-7. 11-12. and 15-16
setigers (H = 9) (Fig. 10). Increased particle velocities and
eilium lengths resulted in a 30% increase in the area of
water per prototrochal slice moved per second between
larvae with 6-7 and 11-12 setigers and a 22% increase
between larvae with 11-12 and 15-16 setigers (Table III).
Maximum particle velocities were within the distal third of
the eilium length (estimated for each size class from Fig.
9B). consistent with our expectations (Emlet and Strath-
mann. 1994). Although Strathmann et al. ( 1993) suggested
that eilium lengths might be underestimated from videore-
cordings, our results indicate that this was not the case. In
addition, our measurements agree with the eilium length of
approximately 35 /im reported by Hermans (1964) for a
larva with an unspecified number of setigers.
Although estimated maximum clearance rates increased
with number of setigers, they did not increase proportion-
ately to body volume (Table III). Late-stage larvae (15-16
setigers) had a maximum ratio of clearance to body volume
that was less than half of that achieved earlier in develop-
ment (6-7 setigers; Table III).
Prototrochal circumference and eilium length both in-
creased with larval growth to a greater extent for larvae of
U. caupo than for larvae of A. brevis. over the stages
measured (Tables I-III). The relative increase in body
length was much less for U. caupo. Early-stage larvae were
nearly spherical and elongated to the shape shown in Figure
2A at later stages. Data for particle velocities are lacking for
Figure 8. Videorecorded rejection of previously ingested spheres up to 50 jum in diameter by a Urcchix
ciiii/x) larva. Time is in seconds in the lower left-hand corner. At 0 and 0.3 s the mouth gapes at least l(IO-(nm
wide, and the clump of spheres moves over the posterior lip of the mouth and down the midventral neurotroch.
The larva in the last frame is 295-/nm wide at the base of the prototrochal cilia, and the mouth, now rotated
toward the viewer, is closed and approximately 1 20-ju.m wide.
B. G. MINER ET AL
Table I
Sizes of Sephadex spheres ingested by larvae «/ Urechis caupo differing in size and age
Particle
diameter (/Limit
Age
Prototrochal diameter
Cilium length
Number
(days)
(fan)*
(/Mm)
In suspension
Ingested
of larvae
4
159
45
45,26-73(50)
36, 14-53(51)
12
5
165
44
44. 30-74 (50)
36, 19-60(34)
10
16
318
65
44, 30-74 (50)
38,21-73(104)
5
* Diameter of the prototrochal band is diameter at the base of the prototrochal cilia.
t Values are median, range, and (in parentheses) number of particles.
U. caupo, but the increase in prototrochal area (cilium
length times prototrochal circumference) relative to body
volume was greater for this species than for A. brevis.
Discussion
Our observations add the Opheliidae and Echiuridae to
those annelid families known to possess larvae with op-
posed-band feeding. As in other opposed-band feeders, lar-
vae of both Armandia brevis and Urechis caupo possess a
ciliated food groove between two parallel ciliary bands, a
postoral metatroch and a prototroch. Direct observations
confirm that particles are captured in the food groove (Figs.
3-5), probably through the combined action of long com-
pound cilia in the prototroch (which beat anterior to poste-
rior) and shorter compound cilia in the metatroch (which
beat posterior to anterior). Simple cilia of the food groove
may aid in retention of particles as well as in transport. This
system is very effective in capturing relatively small parti-
cles (5-12 /urn), regardless of which part of the prototrochal
circumference is contacted (ventral, lateral, or dorsal). How
common this feeding method is in larvae of other opheliids
or echiurids is not known, but larvae of at least one other
echiurid bear opposed bands of cilia (Salensky, 1876;
Hatschek, 1880).
Larvae of both A. brevis and U. caupo also ingested
particles larger than the space between prototrochal and
metatrochal bands. For A. brevis, it was later stage (14-17
setiger) larvae that ingested large (50-ju.m) particles. These
larvae approached large particles so that contact was di-
rectly at the mouth. This behavior was not observed in
larvae at earlier stages. In contrast, larvae of U. caupo
ingested particles greater than 50 /urn at early stages. Larvae
of U. caupo did not appear to change orientation as they
approached large particles; however, their movements were
constrained by mesh cages. Particles that were captured
directly at the mouth entered either over the episphere and
prototroch or over the extension of the metatroch on the
lower lip. In both species the mouths were large, could be
opened to a wide gape, and were heavily ciliated. The cilia
bordering the lower lip of the mouth appear to be a contin-
uation of the metatroch. The oral cilia of A. brevis may
include additional compound cilia (Fig. 1). For both A.
brevis and U. caupo, the large ciliated oral field and the
large mouth aid in the capture of large particles.
The combination of two ciliary feeding mechanisms in
individual larvae suggests hypotheses for evolutionary tran-
sitions among the feeding larvae of annelids. Some larvae,
such as those of serpulids, appear to be restricted to captur-
ing small particles between opposed bands; other larvae,
like those of polynoids, lack opposed bands and appear to
capture mostly large particles one by one, using complex
oral ciliature (Phillips and Fernet, 1996). Our results dem-
Tahle II
Sizes of plastic spheres iiixcMctl h\ lamie oj Urechis caupo differing in size and age
Particle diameter
Age
(days)
Prototrochal diameter
(fun)*
Cilium length
(fj.ni)
Ratio in suspension
(29:12 /Mm)
Ratio ingested
(29:12 jum)
Number
of larvae
3
151
46
1.43:1
39/146 = 0.27
10
4S
347
76
1.43:1
206/112 = 1.84
4
(20:5 /im)
(20:5 /urn)
4
161
45
11
146/30 = 4.9
8
15
310
67
1:1
99/37 = 2.7
8
Diameter of the prototrochal band is diameter at the base of the prolotrochal cilia.
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
23
500
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
40-i
U. 35-
OfJ
u
I
30-
25H
15
R2 = 0.84
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
U
T
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
# of Setigers
Figure 9. Binomial regression of various larval parameters vs. number
of setigers for Armandia brevis. For all equations. X = number of setigers.
The R2 value is reported in the lower right-hand corner of each plot. (A)
Inner prototroch perimeter (;i = 36 larvae); larval circumference =
178.36 + 23.24x - 0.44x2. (B) Cilium length (n = 22 larvae); cilium
length = 18.67 + 2.16x - 0.07x:. (C) Larval volume (n = 36 larvae);
larval volume = 105 48 + 008x.
onstrate that in at least two families of annelids, both types
of mechanisms can be employed simultaneously by the
same larva. In addition, it appears that the oral ciliature of A.
brevis and U. caupo, which is responsible for the capture of
large particles, is continuous with the lateral and dorsal
extensions of the metatroch and food groove. As an evolu-
tionary transition, expansion of oral filiation might result in
a food groove and metatroch paralleling the whole length of
the prototroch to produce an opposed-band system. Alter-
natively, enlargement of the mouth and elaboration of oral
ciliation (with loss of the lateral and dorsal parts of the
opposed-band system) could produce the variety of oral
4000-1
3000 -
2000 -
1000-
o
u
C/3
"e
^i
IT
'o
_0
U
>
—
o
4000-1
3000 -
2000 -
1000-
4000n
3000 -
2000 -
1000-
A
— i 1 1 1 1 —
o 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
C
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Distance To Cilium Base (urn)
Figure 10. Particle velocity vs. distance of particle from the base of the
prototroch for Armandia brevis larvae with (A) 6-7, (B) 11-12, and (C)
15-16 setigers. The vertical dotted line shows the estimated cilium length
taken from the binomial regression of Figure 9B.
24 B. G. MINER ET AL.
Table III
Estimated clearance rate and clearuin c rule per lamil volume fur three .w.-r ( /, <>/ lumie o) Armandia hrcvis
Cilium
Water area per
Midpoint
Larval
Clearance
#of
lencth
prototroch slice
prototrochal
Max. clearance rate
volume
rate/volume
Seligers
( nm I
per unit timet (junr/s)
circumference (jumi
IjunvVs)- 10"
(ju,m')±
(1/S)
6-7
29.9
32846
422
13.9
998309
13.9
11-12
34.8
42602
549
23.4
2526475
9.3
15-16
36.4
51449
642
33.4
5310250
6.3
* Calculated from the binomial regression in Fig. 10B.
t Calculated from the areas under the curves in Fig. 1 1. bound by the origin and the estimated cilium length lor that size class.
i Estimated from the binomial regression in Fig. IOC.
ciliature found in the diverse feeding larvae of annelids.
Continued modification of such cilia might result in such
unusual and functionally important structures as the group
of long compound cilia on the left side of the mouth of
polynoid larvae.
Estimated maximum clearance rates did not scale isomet-
rically with body volume among the three size classes of A.
brevis. Cilium length, prototroch circumference, and parti-
cle velocities through a prototrochal slice all increased as
body volume increased, but not enough for maximum clear-
ance rate to increase in proportion to body volume — thus
the volume of water swept by cilia decreases relative to
body volume as the larva adds segments. An analogous
situation has been described for the cyphonautes larva of
bryozoans. in which ciliated band length does not increase
proportionately to body volume during growth and devel-
opment (McEdward and Strathmann. 1987). This allometry
is potentially unfavorable to larger larvae. In asteroid, echi-
noid, and bivalve larvae similar in size to A. brevis larvae,
metabolic rates scale isometrically with body mass (Hoegh-
Guldberg and Manahan. 1995). Further, in the larvae of an
echinoid, metabolic demand scales isometrically with larval
volume (McEdward, 1984). If these results can be general-
ized to larvae of A. brevis, and if we make the reasonable
assumption that the masses of these larvae are proportional
to their volume, then the maximum clearance rates of A.
brevis larvae decline relative to metabolic demand as the
larvae increase in size. However, larger larvae of A. hrcvis
(>12 setigers) can supplement the amount of small particles
captured by opposed-band feeding by capturing larger par-
ticles at the mouth. The increased size range of food may
compensate, at least partly, for the decrease in clearance
rate. This decrease in maximum clearance rate per larval
volume may have selected for larvae that possess two types
of feeding mechanisms.
Do other annelid larvae share this potentially unfavor-
able allometry of maximum clearance rate and body
volume? Some annelid larvae resemble A. hrevis in ex-
treme elongation of a segmented body during the larval
stage (Bhaud and Cazaux, 1987). Some of these larvae
(<'.,!,'.. spionids) possess feeding mechanisms other than
the opposed prototrochal and metatrochal bands. Thus,
evolutionary changes in the size range of particles cap-
tured may have been favored in several groups of anne-
lids as a result of a small head circumference and long
larval body. Other possible solutions to this problem are
opposed bands elongated on ciliated lobes, as reported
for the rostraria larva of an annelid (Jagersten, 1972). or
the sinuous opposed bands of mitraria larvae of oweniid
annelids (Emlet and Strathmann, 1994).
The larvae of U. cinipo and some other annelids probably
do not face such an unfavorable allometry of maximum
clearance rate to body volume, however. The larvae of U.
cuit/w develop from nearly spherical trochophores (at 3 to 5
days) to forms with more elongate bodies (at several
weeks), but the elongation is not as extreme (cf. Fig. 2 to
Fig. 6). Also, these larvae capture relatively large particles
from an early stage. Nevertheless, the circumferential cili-
ary bands are shorter, relative to body size, than similar
bands that are extended on the velar lobes of many gastro-
pod larvae (Richter and Thorson. 1975). Feeding on an
extended size range of particles and extension of opposed,
ciliary bands on lobes may be alternative ways of increasing
ingestion rates.
Further analyses of larval feeding methods, as well as
robust phylogenies, are required to understand the evolution
and functional consequences of diverse larval feeding
mechanisms in the Annelida. For example, why are opposed
bands apparently used only in the capture of small particles?
What functional constraints place an upper limit on the
spacing of the prototroch and metatroch in opposed-band
feeders? Such analyses may also reveal why some larvae
(c.i>.. serpulids) use restricted opposed bands to feed on
small particles, and others («'.#., polynoids) use complex
oral ciliature to feed primarily on large particles instead of
employing both methods, as do the opheliid and echiurid
larvae described here.
ANNELID LARVAL FEEDING MECHANISMS
25
Acknowledgments
NSF grant OCE9633193. the Robert Fernald Fellowship
endowment, and the Friday Harbor Laboratories of the
University of Washington supported the research on Annan-
din hrevis. NSF grant OCE9301665 and the Bodega Marine
Laboratory of the University of California at Davis sup-
ported the research on Urechis caupo. K. Uhlinger advised
on collection of adults and culture of larvae of U. caupo. W.
Borgeson provided algal medium and Isochrysis galbana.
N. E. Phillips and C. Staude advised on analysis of video-
tapes of U. caupo. We thank J. Marcus for help in printing
photographs, and J. Hoffman and two anonymous reviewers
for useful comments on the manuscript.
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Reference: Biul. Bull. 197: 26-39. (August I9Q9|
Bioluminescence in the Deep-Sea Cirrate Octopod
Stauroteuthis syrtensis Verrill (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)
SONKE JOHNSEN1, ELIZABETH J. BALSER2, ERIN C. FISHER1, AND EDITH A. WIDDER1
' Marine Science Division, Harhor Branch Oceanographic Institution. Ft. Pierce. Florida: and
2 Department of Biology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois
Abstract. The emission of blue-green bioluminescence
(Am.ix = 470 nm) was observed from sucker-like structures
arranged along the length of the arms of the citrate octopod
Stauroteuthis syrtensis. Individual photophores either
glowed dimly and continuously or flashed on and off more
brightly with a period of 1-2 seconds. Examination of the
anatomy and ultrastructure of the photophores confirmed
that they are modified suckers. During handling, the photo-
phores were unable to attach to surfaces, suggesting that,
unlike typical octopod suckers, they have no adhesive func-
tion. The oral position of the photophores and the wave-
length of peak emission, coupled with the animals' primary
postures, suggests that bioluminescence in S. syrtensis may
function as a light lure to attract prey.
Introduction
Bioluminescence is a common and complex characteris-
tic in coleoid cephalopods. A large percentage of these
animals are bioluminescent, many possessing complicated
light organs utilizing lenses, reflectors, irises, interference
filters, pigment screens, and shutters (Harvey, 1952: Her-
ring, 1988). The diversity of the morphologies and anatom-
ical distributions of cephalopod photophores is unparalleled
among invertebrate phyla (Voss, 1967; Herring, 1988).
However, despite this extraordinary radiation, biolumines-
cence appears to be rare among octopods. Although 63 of
the 100 genera of squid and cuttlefish have bioluminescent
species, only 2 of the 43 genera of octopods have species
confirmed to be bioluminescent —the bolitaenids Japetella
and Eledonella (Robison and Youn«. 1981; Herring el /.,
Received 16 March 1999; accepted 27 May !')'»>
Address tor correspondence: Dr. Sonke Johnsen, MS #33, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1049. E-mail:
sjohnsen@whoi.edu
1987; Herring, 1988). In these genera, the light organs are
found only in breeding females (Robison and Young, 1981 )
and are restricted to tissues associated with the oral ring and
the base of the arms (Herring et ai. 1987). In the case of
citrate octopods, bioluminescence has been suggested but
never confirmed (Aldred et ai, 1982, 1984; Vecchione.
1987).
This study provides the first description of biolumines-
cence in the cirrate octopod Stauroteuthis syrtensis. We also
describe the anatomy and ultrastructure of the photophores
in comparison with the morphology reported for cephalopod
photophores (Herring et til.. 1987) and octopod suckers
(Kier and Smith. 1990; Budelmann et ai, 1997). In addi-
tion, we present a hypothesis to explain how the presence of
light organs relates to the feeding behavior postulated for
these animals. A preliminary account of this research has
been presented by Johnsen et al. ( 1999).
Materials and Methods
Source and maintenance of animals
Three specimens of Stauroteuthis s\rtensis were obtained
during a cruise of the R.V. Edwin Link to Oceanographer
Canyon (on the southern rim of Georges Bank, USA) in
August and September 1997. The animals were collected at
depth using the research submersible Johnson-Sea-Link out-
fitted with acrylic collection cylinders (11-liter volume)
with hydraulically activated, sliding lids. The three speci-
mens were caught during daylight at depths of 755 m (225
m from bottom), 734 m (246 m from bottom), and 919 m
(165 m from bottom) (dive numbers 2925 and 2927) and
maintained for up to 2 days at 8°C in water collected at
depth.
26
BIOLUMINESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOD
27
Video ami photography
Specimens were videotaped in two situations. First, the
behavior of two animals was recorded from the submersible.
Second, the captured animals were filmed aboard ship in the
dark by using an intensified video camera (Inte vac's Nile-
Mate 1305/1306 CCTV intensifier coupled to a Panasonic
Charge Coupled Device). During shipboard filming, the
animals were gently prodded to induce bioluminescence.
Representative video frames were digitized (ITSCE capture
board, Eyeview Software, Coreco Inc.). The animals were
also placed in a plankton kreisel (Hamner. 1990) and pho-
tographed with a Nikon SLR camera with Kodak Elite 100
color film. Data from a previously recorded i';i xitu video of
a specimen of S. svrtensis from the slope waters near Cape
Hatteras at 840 m (35 m from bottom; August 1996; R.V.
Edwin Link; dive 2777) are also reported in this paper.
Spectrophotometry
Bioluminescent spectra were measured using an intensi-
fied optical multichannel analyzer (OMA-detector model
1420. detector interface model 1461, EG&G Princeton Ap-
plied Research) coupled to a 2-mm-diameter fiber optic
cable. The detector was wavelength calibrated using a low-
pressure mercury spectrum lamp (Model 6047. Oriel Inc.)
and intensity calibrated using a NIST referenced low-inten-
sity source (Model 310. Optronics Laboratories) intended
for the calibration of detectors from 350 nm to 800 nm. For
further details on the theory of operation and calibration of
the OMA detector, see Widder et al. ( 1983). Three emission
spectra were recorded from one animal, and an average
spectrum was calculated.
Microscopy of photophores
The fixation, dehydration, and infiltration procedures
were performed at room temperature aboard the R. V.
Edwin Link. The animals were sacrificed by over-anesthesia
with MS222 (Sigma Chemicals Inc.). One specimen was
fixed in 10% formalin in seawater and dissected to confirm
species identification. One arm of a different specimen was
fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.2 M Millonig's buffer at
pH 7.4, adjusted to an osmolarity of 1000 mOs with NaCl.
After an initial 1-h fixation, several photophores were dis-
sected from the arm and placed in fresh fixative for an
additional 5.5 h. Postfixation of the dissected photophores in
\c/c osmium tetroxide in Millonig's buffer for 70 min was
followed by dehydration through a graded series of ethyl
alcohols. Over a period of 6 days, the specimens were
slowly infiltrated with propylene oxide and Polybed 812
(Polysciences) and then embedded in Polybed 812.
Semithin ( 1 /urn) and thin sections of embedded material
were cut with a diamond knife (Diatome) and a Sorvall
MT2 rotary ultramicrotome. Semithin sections were stained
with 2% toluidine blue in 1% sodium borate and photo-
graphed with a Zeiss Photomicroscope II using Kodak
Tmax 100 black-and-white film. Intact arms fixed in 10%
formalin in seawater were photographed with a Tessovar
photographic system. Thin sections for ultrastructural eval-
uation were stained with aqueous 3% uranyl acetate and
0.3% lead citrate. Stained sections were viewed and photo-
graphed with a Zeiss EM 9 transmission electron micro-
scope.
For scanning electron microscopy, an arm with suckers
was fixed in 2.5% gluteraldehyde (as described above).
dehydrated with ethyl alcohol, infiltrated with hexa-
methyldisali/ane (Pellco), and air-dried. Micrographs were
obtained with a JEOL JSM 5800LV scanning electron mi-
croscope using Kodak Polapan 400 film.
Results
General description of animal and distribution of
photophores
Figures 1A and IB show the largest of the three captured
specimens of S. syrtenxis. The appearance of the specimen
is typical for the species (Vecchione and Young, 1997). The
mantle length is about 9 cm (mantle lengths of other two
specimens ~ 6 cm), suggesting that all three animals were
immature (Collins, unpubl. data). The measurements are
highly approximate because the mantle in the living animal
is easily deformed. The primary webbing extends for about
three-quarters of the length of the arms. The arms are oral to
the primary web and attached to it by a secondary web. The
photophores are arranged in a single row along the oral
surface of each arm, situated between successive pairs of
cirri (Fig. IB). Each arm supports about 40 photophores.
The distance between photophores decreases from the base
to the tip of the arm, with the greatest distance being 4 mm
and the smallest less than O.I mm. The diameter and the
degree of development of the photophores located at the tip
are less than those located at the base of the arm. The fresh
tissue of the entire animal had a gelatinous consistency
typical of many deep-sea cephalopods (Voss, 1967). Al-
though orange-red under the photo-floodlights, the color of
the animal was closer to reddish-brown in daylight.
Bioluminescence
When mechanically stimulated, S. svrtensis emitted mod-
erately bright, blue-green light (Amax = 470 nm) from the
sucker-like photophores along the length of each arm (Fig.
2). With continuous stimulation, these photophores pro-
duced light for up to 5 min, though the intensity of biolu-
minescence decreased over time. Individual photophores
either glowed dimly and continuously or blinked on and off
brightly at 0.5 to I Hz. The blinking photophores cycled
asynchronously, producing a twinkling effect. All suckers
28
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
Outer epithelium
Figure 1. Photographs under artificial light of the deep-sea finned
octopod Stauroteuthis syrtenxis with the wehhed arms in swimming pos-
ture (A) and spread (B) displaying the photophores/suckers (arrowheads)
that appear as white spheres along the length of the inner surface of the
arms. The posture shown in (B) may he one of extreme withdrawal
intended to startle intruders with the sudden appearance of hioluminescent
suckers, ar, arm; ey, eye; fi, fin; wb, webbing between arms. Scale bars =
4 cm.
(except possibly the very small ones at the tips of the arms)
appeared capable of luminescence. No other portion of the
body was observed to emit light.
Morphology of photophores
Each photophore is a raised papilla-like structure partially
embedded in the connective tissue of the arm. The photo-
phores are composed of three layers of cells: an outer
epithelium modified to form a collar, infundibulum, and
acetabulum: a capsule-like mass of muscle and neural tissue
beneath the epithelium; and a thin layer separating the
capsule from the dermis of the arm (Figs. 3, 4, 5). The collar
epithelium is continuous with the epidermis and is folded
inward, forming a rim around the central portion of the
photophore (Figs. 3B, C; 4A). In both formalin- and glut-
araldehyde-preserved specimens, the photophores appear to
be either everted above (Fig. 3B) or retracted below (Fig.
3C) the outer edge of the collar.
The outer and inner folds of the collar epithelium are
morphologically distinct and are different from the epider-
mis covering the arm (Figs. 5, 6). The epidermis of the arm
is squamous to cuboidal in character and consists of epithe-
lial cells possessing scattered apical microvilli (Fig. 6A).
The outer edge of the collar is composed of columnar cells
with apical microvilli, numerous electron-lucent and elec-
tron-dense vesicles, and large, apically placed, elongated
nuclei (Fig. 6B). Like the epidermis, this region of the collar
is not covered by a cuticle.
The inner edge of the collar is similar in cellular mor-
phology to the outer collar epithelium except that the mi-
crovilli are more densely arranged and are covered by a
cuticle (Figs. 6C, D). In this region, the cuticle is composed
of at least three layers: an outer lamina 0.3 yum thick with
irregular projections; a second electron-dense lamina, also
0.3 /am thick: and an inner layer approximately 1 /urn thick
consisting of amorphous material.
The epithelium and the overlying cuticle of the inner edge
of the collar continue as the epithelium of a flat recessed
region of the photophore corresponding to the infundibulum
of typical octopod suckers (Figs. 3B; 4 A: 5 A, B). The outer
edge of the infundibulum is ringed by hook-shaped den-
ticles (Fig. 4B-D), which are elaborations of the cuticle
(Fig. 6C, D). In addition to the presence of denticles, the
cuticle covering the infundibular epithelium differs from
that described for the inner part of the collar in that the outer
layer contains more irregular projections and the innermost
lamina is greatly expanded. The cuticle in this region is
apparently secreted by the infundibulum and, as supported
by Figure 6C and D, is periodically molted and replaced by
a new, pre-formed cuticle. Subcuticular spaces were ob-
served in association with what appear to be newly forming
denticles.
Three cell types — gland cells, columnar epithelial cells,
and multiciliated cells — were observed in the infundibular
epithelium. Gland cells with narrow apical necks and a
reduced number of apical microvilli are situated between
columnar epithelial cells, which are characterized by a brush
border of branched microvilli, rounded apical nuclei, apical
endocytic vesicles, and mitochondria (Fig. 7 A). Both co-
lumnar cells and gland cells have a tine granular cytoplasm
replete with Golgi bodies and electron-dense and electron-
lucent vesicles of varying sizes (Fig. 7B. C). Electron-dense
granules, not bounded by a membrane, were observed be-
tween microvilli. These presumably originate from the in-
fundibular cells and are incorporated into the cuticle (Fig.
7C). Multiciliated columnar cells were infrequently ob-
served as part of the infundibulum. Cilia were not found in
epidermal or collar cells. The cilia of the infundibular cells
have two nearly parallel striated rootlets and appear to have
reduced axonemes that do not project above the level of the
BIOLUM1NESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOD
29
Figure 2. Digitized frames from a video sequence of light emission (white spots) from photophores/suckers
taken from video of an animal filmed in the dark using an intensified video camera (Inlevac's NiteMatc
1305/1306 CCTV Intensifier coupled to a Panasonic CCD). Two amis are shown. For scale, their closest
approach is approximately 1 cm.
microvilli (Fig. 7C). All three cell types are interconnected
by apical adherens and subapical septate junctions (Fig.
7D).
At the center of the light organ, the infundibular epithe-
lium invaginates to form the acetabulum, which is seen
externally as an opening, or pore (Figs. 3B, 4A). This
central opening continues internally as a blind canal (Fig.
5C). The acetabular cells differ from those of the infundib-
ulum primarily in the basal position of the nuclei, the highly
interdigitated lateral membranes, and the diminution of the
outer two layers of the cuticle (Figs. 5C: 8A. B).
The infundibulum and the acetabulum rest on a basal
lamina beneath which is located an expanded layer of con-
nective tissue with a maximum thickness of 1.5 jam (Figs.
5C; 8C, D). Fibers, presumably collagen, although confir-
mation of this is not provided by the data, are arranged in
alternating directions in multiple layers, giving the tissue a
herringbone appearance. Occasional breaks, traversed by
nerve axons, were observed in this otherwise continuous
connective tissue sheath.
Muscle and neural tissue
Beneath the connective tissue underlying the epithelium
of the infundibulum and acetabulum is a mass of tissue
consisting of muscle and neural cells; this surrounds and
encapsulates the outer epithelium (Figs. 5; 8A, E; 9). The
myofilaments. which include thick filaments (25 and 50 nm
in diameter) and thin filaments consistent with the size of
myosin and actin, are oriented in three planes — circular.
radial, and longitudinal with respect to the axis of the
photophore. Although all sections were taken in the longi-
tudinal plane of the photophore. the precise plane of each
section for these transmission electron micrographs was not
known. Thus, the differentiation of the fibers seen in Figure
8C (shown in cross-section) and Figure 9A (horizontal
fibers shown in longitudinal section) as circular or radial
cannot be determined.
Intermingled with the muscle cells are nerve cells char-
acterized by electron-dense granules O.I jum in diameter.
Nerve axons are located throughout the capsule and espe-
cially in the basal region closest to the dermis (Fig 9B).
Although a direct connection was not documented, fluores-
cent images of the photophores indicate that axons originat-
ing from the large branchial nerve traverse the dermis and
connect to the photophore.
The innermost layer of the photophores is an epithelium
that separates the muscular capsule from the dermis of the
arm. The cells of this layer have interdigitated lateral mem-
branes and a cytoplasm that appears more granular than that
of the outer epithelium. This layer is associated with extrin-
sic (to the photophore) muscle cells (Fig. 9A) and a blood
vessel located in the dermis (Fig 9B).
In situ behavior
Animal I (from Cape Hatteras) was first seen in a bell
posture with its fins sculling (Fig. 10A). It then moved away
from the submersible, using a slow medusoid locomotion.
After one contraction/expansion cycle, the animal closed its
30
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
CO
ct
Figure 3. (A) Photograph of part of an arm of Slauroteiilhis syrtensis with the webbing removed.
Photophores (arrowheads) are arranged in a single row along the length of the arm and are unequally spaced with
decreasing distance between light organs at the proximal tip of the arm. The positions of the photophores
alternate with the positions of the cirri (cit. Scale bar = 0.5 cm. (B) Light micrograph of a fluorescent image of
a single formalin-fixed photophore in the extended position. Like octopus suckers, the photophore is elevated
above the epidermis (ep). is surrounded by a collar of epidermal cells (co), and consists of an infundihulum (in)
and central acetabular canal (ac). (C) Light micrograph of a retracted photophore that has been bisected
longitudinally. Internally, a capsule-like mass of tissue (ca) underlies the epithelium of the infundibulum and
acetabulum. ct, dermal connective tissue of the arm. Scale bar for B and C = 0. 1 mm.
web and assumed a highly distended balloon posture with
motionless fins (Fig. 10B). After several minutes in this
posture, the arms opened to a bell posture, and then closed
to a considerably smaller balloon posture (Fig. IOC) re-
ferred to as the "pumpkin posture" by Vecchione (pers.
comm.). After 2 min, the fins began sculling and the animal
made one more medusoid contraction and then again closed
its web to the pumpkin posture with fins sculling. After a
minute, the animal made about seven more medusoid con-
tractions and then closed to the pumpkin posture with fins
sculling and head down.
Animal 2 (from Oceanographer Canyon) was first seen
with its arms spread in the horizontal plane with the mouth
oriented upwards (Fig. 10D). It underwent one medusoid
contraction and then inflated to a highly distended balloon
posture with fins motionless and cirri extended and pressed
against the primary web. After several minutes, the fins
began sculling and the animal simultaneously twisted its
body and opened its arms (Fig. 10E).
Animal 3 (from Oceanographer Canyon) was first seen in
a bell posture. Then, using slow medusoid locomotion,
moved away from the submersible. During the escape, its
fin sculled continuously and sometimes vigorously. During
expansion of the primary web, the cirri could be seen and
were extended perpendicular to the arms and pressed
against the primary web.
Discussion
Morphology of photophores and homology with octopus
suckers
Although the anatomical position and morphology of the
light organs of S. svrtensis indicate their homology with
octopod suckers, other aspects of their structure are consis-
BIOLUMINESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOD
31
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrographs of photophores. (A) Externally, each photophore has three main
recognizable parts: outer wall or collar (co). infundibulum (in), and acetabulum (arrow indicates the opening to
the acetabiilar canal). Scale bar = 100 /Mm. (B) The junction between the infundibulum and the infolded collar
is ringed by a row of denticles (arrowheads). Scale bar = 10 ^im. (C-D) These hook-like denticles (de). which
are atypical of octopod suckers, appear to be elaborations of the cuticle covering the infundibulum and
acetabulum. Scale bars for C and D = 1 jum. A and B adapted from Johnsen el ill ( 1999). with permission from
Nature, copyright 1999 Macmillan Magazines Ltd.
tent with those reported for simple photophores in other
cephalopods (Young and Arnold, 1982; Herring et al., 1987,
1994). Definitive structural characteristics of octopod suck-
ers are given by Kier and Smith (1990) and Budelmann et
al. (1997). Like the suckers of other citrate octopods, the
photophores of S. syrtensis are arranged in a single row
along the oral surface of the arm with the largest, most
developed organs located at the base of the arm, nearest the
mouth. Suckers and these photophores both consist of three
layers of tissue: an outer epithelium, an intrinsic muscular
layer, and an extrinsic layer associated with muscle cells.
The outer epithelium is covered by a cuticle that, as in
suckers, appears to be periodically molted. Moreover, the
epidermis associated with the photophore is modified to
form the columnar epithelial cells of the recessed infundib-
ulum and the invaginated acetabulum. The arrangement of
myofilaments in the muscular capsule are consistent with
the three-dimensional array of contractile fibers typical of
suckers. Although this may be an artifact of fixation, the
morphology and the arrangement of myofilaments would
allow for the retraction and extension, as well as a change in
the diameter, of the photophore and may be important in
regulating the intensity of the emitted light.
Although denticles are not common in octopod suckers
(Nixon and Dilly, 1977; Budelmann et al., 1997), hooks and
denticles of various sizes are found in decapod cephalopods.
The functional significance, especially with the apparent
loss of an adhesive function for the suckers, of the denticles
on the photophores of S. syrtensis is unknown. They may,
however, be vestigial structures indicating an evolutionary
connection to the decapods.
Although definitive morphological characteristics are
32
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
-
**?•>
Figure 5. Light micrographs of a series of semithin sections from the
outer edge of the infundihulum (A), through the middle region of the
inl'undihulum (B), lo the center of the acetabular canal (C). Each photo-
phore consists of an outer epithelium that is recessed below the level of a
supporting epidermal collar (co). This epithelium forms the infundihulum
(inland the acetabulum (ac)and is covered by a cuticle (cu). A capsule-like
mass of tissue (ca) is located below the outer epithelium and is separated
from the connective tissue (ct) of the arm by a third layer of cells (tl).
Arrowheads, denticles; arrow, putative reflector. Scale bars = 0.2 mm
lacking for photocytes in general (Herring, 1988). the epi-
thelium of the acetabulum (and possibly of the infundihu-
lum) is presumed to be the bioluminescent region of the
photophores in S. syrtensis. Characteristics that identify
photocytes in the octopod Japetella diaphana ( Herring et ai
1987) and the squid Ahralia trigonura (Young and Arnold,
1982) and are also found in the photophores of S. syrtensis
include the presence of an amorphous, finely granular cy-
toplasmic ground substance containing numerous electron-
dense vesicles, large basal nuclei, highly interdigitated lat-
eral plasma membranes, ciliary rootlets, and abundant Golgi
bodies. To some degree, this cellular morphology is found
in the cells of both the infundihulum and the acetabulum.
Since these ultrastructural traits are also typical of secretory
epithelia. one hypothesis is that the infundibular epithelium
secretes the cuticle, and the acetabular epithelium is in-
volved in light production.
Reflectors in cephalopod photophores are typically com-
posed of collagen fibers arranged in layers beneath the
photocytes (Young and Arnold, 1982; Herring et /., 1994).
The layer of connective tissue separating the outer epithe-
lium and the underlying capsule of muscle and nerve tissue
in S. syrtensis conforms to this description. As in J. di-
aphana (Herring et ui, 1987), the fibrous layers appear
concentric with respect to the axes of the photophore and
alternate in orientation. In a longitudinal tangential section,
this arrangement would produce the herringbone effect seen
in the putative reflector of S. syrtensis.
The functional significance of bioluminescence
The replacement of adhesive suckers with photophores
might have occurred during colonization of the pelagic deep
sea from the shallow-water benthos. However, the signifi-
cance of this transition and the function of the light emis-
sions are, at present, unknown. One function of light emis-
sion common to almost all bioluminescent animals is
defense (reviewed in Widder, 1999). The vast majority of
bioluminescent animals emit light when disturbed, perhaps
to startle predators or to attract larger animals that may prey
upon the predator. Feeding experiments have shown that
feeding rates of predators are diminished in the presence of
bioluminescence (see Widder, 1999, for further details).
Since S. syrtensis emitted light in response to physical
disturbance, it is likely that defense is at least one function
of its light emission.
The functions of bioluminescence in deep-sea animals are
difficult to determine because these animals are seldom
observed in their own environment, and then only under
bright lights that both mask natural light emissions and
affect behavior. Therefore, the following discussion is based
on circumstantial rather than direct evidence and is neces-
sarily speculative. On the basis of the anatomical distribu-
tion of the photophores, the optical characteristics of the
emitted light, and the behavior of the animal, we propose
two more functions for bioluminescnce in S. syrtensis:
sexual signaling and light luring. Visual communication is
BIOLUM1NESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOO
33
Figure 6. Transmission electron micrographs of tangential longitudinal sections through the epidermis (A),
outer rim of the collar (B), and the inner rim of the collar and outer edge of the infundibulum (D and C). These,
as do all TEM images, represent sections taken in the longitudinal axis of the photophore. The epidermis is
composed of flat cells with scattered apical microvilli (niv). The inner rim of the collar (co) and the infundibulum
(in) are covered externally by a cuticle (cu). which at the edge of the infundibulum is modified to form denticles
(del. Like the cuticle of suckers, the photophore cuticle is apparently shed and replaced by a new pre-formed
cuticle (nd). ct. dermal connective tissue of the arm; ne. nucleolus; nu. nucleus. Scale bars for A, B. and C =
1 fum. Scale bar for C = 3 jum.
extremely common among cephalopods (Hanlon and Mes-
senger. 1996), and the suckers of certain shallow-water
octopods have been implicated in (non-biolurninescent) sex-
ual signaling (Packard. 1961). Indeed, sexual signaling is
the proposed function of bioluminescence in the other
bioluminescent genera of octopods (Robison and Young.
1981). In these animals, light organs are found only in
mature breeding females. Males, immature females, and
brooding females all lack this organ. In addition, Robison
and Young (1981) noted that the emitted light is distinctly
green (rather than the far more common blue-green) and
suggested that the bioluminescence may be a private line of
communication.
However, although the octoradial pattern of twinkling
bioluminescence in 5. syrtensis makes a highly species-
specific signal, several factors contradict its use as a sexual
signal. First, the photophores appear to be found in mem-
bers of the species that, based on mantle length, are imma-
ture (Collins, unpubl. data). None of the three collected
specimens were sexed by dissection. However. S. .syrtensis
can be externally sexed by a sexual dimorphism in suckers
9-22. In mature males, suckers 9-22 are considerably en-
larged; in immature males, the enlargement is less notice-
able (Collins, unpubl. data). By this method, two of the
thixv animals were sexed as female; the sex of the third
animal is unknown. All, including the animal observed from
the submersible at Cape Hatteras. had the same character-
istically reflective suckers. Second, the light organs' wave-
34
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
mv
mi
Figure 7. Transmission electron micrograph'- showing the details of the epithelial cells of the infundihulum.
This epithelium contains gland cells (gc) and columnar epithelial cells (A) and multiciliated columnar cells (C).
(A. B) Numerous electron-dense lev) vesicles, vesicles that are less opaque (ve), and Golgi bodies (arrowheads)
arc found in finely granular cytoplasm (cy) of all cell types. Scale bars = 1 /urn. (C) Both types of columnar
epithelial cells are characterized by having mitochondria (mi) and a brush-border of branched microvilli (mv).
A few multiciliated cells were identified by the presence ot ciliary rootlets (cr) and short apical axonemes. Scale
bar = 2/xm. (D) Infundibular cells are interconnected by apicolateral adherens (ad) and subapical septate (spi
junctions. Scale bar = ().? /urn. nu. nucleus.
length of peak emission closely approximates the wave-
length of maximum light transmission in the ocean (475
nm) and the usual peak wavelengths of bioluminescence
and visual sensitivity in deep-sea animals (Jerlov. 1976;
Herring, 1983; Widder ct ui, 1983; Frank and Case, 1988;
Partridge el /.. 1992; Kirk. 1983). Therefore, though the
bioluminescent signal would be visible at long distances to
other member-* of S. xyrtcnxix, it would also be visible at
long distances to potential predators. In addition, since the
octoradial pattern would be distorted by light scattering
after a short distance underwater (Mertens. 1970), it would
be difficult to distinguish from the many other biolumines-
cent signals of similar wavelength.
A more attractive hypothesis is that bioluminescence in S.
xyrtenxis functions to lure potential prey. Voss (1967) has
previously suggested that the photophores in some cepha-
lopods function as light lures, and this function in S. syr-
tensis is supported by the following line of evidence. The
ciirate genera Stauroteuthis, Cirrotctithis. and Cirrm/uiiinni
feed on small planktonic crustaceans, and other researchers
BIOLUMINESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOD
35
.
m v
f;
" •&". ••••.^:A.«i?VJ-&
; -
-.".. •• . •' •••>'
Figure 8. Transmission electron micrographs of the acetahular epithelium ( A-C). the putative reflectoi i l>i.
and distally positioned cells in the capsule of tissue beneath the outer epithelium (E). (A) A montage showing
the presumptive photocytic epithelium (ph), reflector (re), and the underlying capsule (ca) of muscle and nerve
cells. Scale bar = 3 /xm. (B) Like photocytes of other cephalopods, the cells of the acetabulum have highly
digitized lateral membranes (arrowheads) and a finely granular cytoplasm (cy). Scale bar = 0.5 fim. (C. D) A
layer of connective tissue separates the acetabular epithelium from the underlying muscle (mu) and nerve cells.
Breaks in the connective tissue layer are bridged by neurons (nv). Fibers (fi) in the connective tissue are arranged
in layers with alternating orientation, giving the tissue a herringbone appearance. Scale bars = 0.5 /^m. (E)
Presumptive neurons with electron-dense granules (gr) are found throughout the capsule. Scale bar = 0.5 fxm.
have suggested that these are trapped within a mucous web
produced by buccal secretory glands and handled by the
elongated cirri (Vecchione, 1987; Vecchione and Young,
1997). Since all three genera appear to have nonfunctional
suckers (Aldred ct «/.. 1983; Voss and Pearcy, 1990), this
method of feeding seems likely. In all three genera, the
36
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
A
Figure 9. (A, B) Transmission electron micrographs ot Ihc medial region of the capsule and ot the third
innermost cell layer of the photophore. The capsule, like the intrinsic musculature of suckers, consists, in part,
ot cells with myolilaments arranged in three planes (also see inset). Longitudinal dm) and horizontal fibers (nui)
alternate throughout the capsule. Inset shows thick and thin filaments consistent with the si/e and appearance of
myosin and actin. Neural axons (nv) are intermingled with muscle cells. The capsule is separated from the
connective tissue of the arm (ct)by a third layer of cells ( ' I. which is associated with extrinsic muscle cells (cm),
bv. lumen ot a blood vessel; nu. nucleus. Scale bars = 1 fj.ni.
shape of the primary web precludes any flow-through feed-
ing current. Therefore, the prey cannot be filtered from the
water column, but must somehow be attracted to the mucous
web. Since many deep-sea crustaceans have well-devel-
oped, sensitive eyes and are attracted to light sources (Morin
ft nl.. 1475). the photophores of S. syrteiisis may provide
the lure.
With the exception of the twisting behavior following
ballooning (observed only once), the in situ behaviors of the
three specimens of S. syrtensis reported here are similar to
BIOLUMINESCENCE IN A DEEP-SEA OCTOPOD
37
Figure 10. Digiti/ed frames of in situ video of Stauroteuthis syrtensis:
(A) bell posture; (B) distended balloon posture; (C) pumpkin posture
(distinguished from the balloon posture by the fact the web is not fully
inflated); (D) inverted umbrella posture; (E) animal twisting and opening
its arms after ballooning. The highlights on the mantle in A. C, and E are
reflections from the submersible lights.
those described from videos of two other specimens ob-
served by Vecchione and Young (1997). When first ap-
proached. S. syrtensis is generally found with its arms
spread in an umbrella or bell posture, with the mouth
oriented either upwards or downwards (Roper and Brund-
age, 1972; Vecchione and Young, 1997; Villeneuva et a!..
1997). Since the animal almost certainly detects the rela-
tively large and well-lit submersible well before itself being
captured on video, it is difficult to know whether this is the
natural posture or a defensive reaction. Given the assump-
tion that the animals are in an undisturbed, non-withdrawal
state when first filmed, their posture and the location of their
photophores are consistent with the use of bioluminescence
as a lure. As mentioned above, the wavelength of peak
emission approximates the wavelength of maximum light
transmission. This suggests that the emission spectrum of
the photophores has been selected for maximum visibility.
Finally, because the intensity of upwelling light is only a
small percentage of that of downwelling light (Demon,
1990), animals bioluminescing in the mouth-up posture
would be highly visible to potential prey in shallower
depths. Collectively, these observations give credence to the
idea that 5. syrtensis uses photophores to attract prey.
Existence and evolution of photophores in octopods
Aside from the present study, the only other conclusive
evidence of bioluminescence in octopods is restricted to the
breeding females of the family Bolitaenidae (Herring.
1988). However, the existence of light organs within suck-
ers (at the base of the peduncle) has been suggested in the
cirrate octopod C. nuimivi (Chun. 1910, 1913). As in the
photophores of 5. svrtensis, these organs have a bright white
appearance due to reflection from a connective tissue layer
and are found in suckers that have many reduced traits
compared to typical octopod suckers (Aldred et ui, 1983).
Unlike the photophores of S. syrtensis, the postulated light
organs of C. mtirmyi are not found within the sucker itself.
In addition, the connective tissue layer is situated such that
the produced light would be reflected into the tissue of the
arm. After a complex subsequent study (Aldred et ai, 1978,
1982, 1983), Aldred et nl. (1984) tentatively interpreted the
organs as unusual nerve ganglia (see also Vecchione, 1987).
Because photophores and photocytes have a bewildering
variety of morphologies (Buck, 1978; Herring, 1988), con-
clusive determination of the presence or absence of light
organs (which often emit only dim light) requires observa-
tion of a healthy specimen in near-total darkness by a
thoroughly dark-adapted observer (i.e., in near-total dark-
ness for a minimum of 10 min) (Widder et ai, 1983). Owing
to the bright lights of submersibles and remotely operated
vehicles, bioluminescence is seldom observed in situ. In
addition, since most bioluminescent animals produce light
when disturbed, deep-sea cephalopods collected in nets
generally have exhausted their light production by the time
they reach the surface. Finally, observations of spontaneous
luminescence are rare; most bioluminescent animals must
be physically stimulated (often for a considerable period of
time) before light is observed (Widder et «/., 1983).
The evolutionary history of photophores in any animal
group is extremely difficult to determine because biolumi-
nescence has no fossil record (Buck, 1978). The evolution
of bioluminescence in the coleoid cephalopods is particu-
larly intriguing because of the extraordinary diversity and
complexity of photophores in deep-sea decapods and
vampyromorphs and their apparent rarity and simplicity in
deep-sea octopods (Herring, 1988). However, biolumines-
cence in the deep-sea octopods may not be as rare as
previously assumed. For the reasons given in the previous
paragraph, bioluminescence may be under-reported in the
deep-sea octopods. Cirrothuuimi innrniyi and Cirroteitthis
38
S. JOHNSEN ET AL
are found at abyssal depths (except in polar regions, where
they can be found at the surface) (Voss, 1988), making
capture of healthy specimens extremely difficult. Opistoteu-
this is found at shallower depths and has been maintained in
aquaria (Pereyra, 1965). but it is not known whether it was
observed under the specialized conditions necessary to de-
tect bioluminescence. However, given that Opistoteuthis
feeds on a variety of benthic prey that it apparently captures
using functional suckers (Villaneuva and Guerra, 1991 ), if it
is bioluminescent, its photophores are probably in a differ-
ent site.
Octopod bioluminescence may exist only in S. syrtensis
and the bolitaenids. A cladistic analysis of the Octopoda
involving 66 morphological characters places the citrates
basal to the incirrates and the bolitaenids basal among the
incirrates (Voight, 1997). This analysis also supports the
monophyly of the bolitaenids and the two clades (Cirroteu-
thidae and Stauroteuthidae) composing the genera Stauro-
teitthis, Cirrothauma, and Cirroteuthis. The homology of
the photophores in S. syrtensis and the bolitaenids is un-
likely. The photophores of S. syrtensis appear to exhibit the
rare trait of muscle derivation. The only other example of
muscle-derived light organs has been found in the scopel-
archid fish Benlhalbella infans (Johnston and Herring,
1985). Although the luminous circumoral ring in the boli-
taenid Japetella diaphann is initially a muscular band, the
great increase in the size of the ring in adult females
apparently requires tie uoro synthesis of luminous tissue
(Herring et ai, 1987). In addition, the light organs differ in
almost all other anatomical and morphological characteris-
tics. Finally, only mature female bolitaenids have light
organs, which appear to have a sexual function, whereas the
light organs of S. syrtensis are found in immature animals
and may be involved in feeding. Multiple independent evo-
lutions of photophores are common in decapods, at least at
taxonomic ranks of subfamily or higher (Young and Ben-
nett, 1988; Herring et ai, 1992. 1994). Therefore, despite
the close evolutionary relationship between the cirrates and
the bolitaenids. photophores in these two groups seem to
have evolved independently. However, the monophyly of
Stauroteuthis, Cirroteuthis, and Cirrothauma and the fact
that they all have suckers with reduced traits suggest the
possibility of light production by modified suckers in the
latter two genera.
Acknowledgments
We thank the captain and crew of the R.V. Edwin Link
and the Johnson-Sea-Link pilots, Phil Santos and Scott
Olsen. for assistance with all aspects of animal collection.
We also thank Dr. Tamara Frank for a critical reading of the
manuscript. Dr. Michael Vecchione for aid with identifying
the specimens, Dr. Janet Voight for helpful discussions on
octopod evolution, and Dr. Martin Collins for use of un-
published data. The authors are grateful to the Smithsonian
Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida, for allowing the use
of the photomicroscopes. Our thanks are also extended to
Dr. William Jaeckle for his assistance with the scanning
electron microscopy and to Julie Piriano for help with the
transmission electron microscope. This work was funded by
a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration (subgrant UCAP-95-02b, University of Con-
necticut, Award No. NA76RU0060) to Drs. Tamara Frank
and EAW, a grant from the National Science Foundation
(OCE-93 13872) to Drs. Tamara Frank and EAW. and by a
Harbor Branch Institution Postdoctoral Fellowship to SJ.
This is Harbor Branch Contribution No. 1287 and Contri-
bution No. 479 of the Smithsonian Station at Fort Pierce,
Florida.
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Reference: Biol. Bull 197: 40-48. (August 1999)
Long-Term Culture of Lobster Central Ganglia:
Expression of Foreign Genes in Identified Neurons
GEOFFREY K. GANTER, RALF HEINRICH. RICHARD P. BUNGE1 *,
AND EDWARD A. KRAVITZt
DC/HI rtinent of Neurohiologv, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
021 15: and Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine,
Miami, Florida 33136
Abstract. The ventral nerve cords of lobsters (Homarus
americamts) can be cultured /';; vitro for at least 7 weeks.
Over this period, neurons maintain their normal electro-
physiological features and continue, among other measures
of neuronal health, to synthesize RNA and proteins. One
application of this culture system is demonstrated: the ma-
nipulation of gene expression in identified neurons. After
intracellular injection of complementary RNA (cRNA) en-
coding green fluorescent protein (GFP), the amount of pro-
tein product measured by fluorescent confocal microscopy
increases for 4 days and then decreases to background by
day 10. Thus, translation of the injected message must have
increased for 4 days before declining. Moreover, after in-
jection of cRNA encoding j3-galactosidase, the levels of
enzyme activity were measured using a fluorogenic sub-
strate, revealing a peak of /3-galactosidase activity at 6 to 9
days: this activity was still detectable for at least 10 days
after injection.
Therefore, either GFP or /3-galactosidase can be used as
an injectable marker, allowing HI vivo quantitation of ex-
Received 16 December 1998; accepted 21 April 1999.
* This paper is dedicated to the memory of a good colleague and friend.
Dr. Richard P. Bunge. Dick died on September 10. 1996, of esophageal
cancer at the age of sixty-four. He was in the midst of an important project,
that of rebuilding the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and in 1989 became
the scientific director of that project. One of us (EAK) had the good fortune
to work with Dick from 1968 to 1969 during his sabbatical visit to our
laboratory in Boston. The organ culture system was developed at that time,
and although these earlier experiments never were published, they are an
important part of our present and future research activities. It is typical of
Dick and his studies that they often were far ahead of their time. We are
honored to include him as an author on this paper.
t To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: edward_kravitz@
hms.harvard.edu
pression in individual cells over time. We measured long-
lasting expression of these proteins after a single injection,
suggesting that it may be possible to manipulate the levels
of expression of any gene of interest.
Introduction
The ventral nerve cord preparation has been a useful tool
for exploring the physiology and pharmacology of central
neurons in the lobster (see Otsuka et ai. 1967; Livingstone
ct /., 1980; Ma and Weiger, 1993). The entire nerve cord,
with the nerve roots sectioned, can be dissected from lob-
sters and maintained in oxygenated saline for up to 36
hours. After the ganglia have been desheathed, the large cell
bodies of central neurons can be identified both by their
positions and by their physiological properties as revealed
in electrophysiological recordings.
In this study, we report an extension of this technique that
allows experiments of at least 7 weeks duration to be carried
out. Longer term experiments that become possible under
these conditions include an exploration of the effects of
manipulation of levels of gene expression. Since activation
of a gene can take several days to affect cells, experiments
of this type were not practical with the short-term prepara-
tions that are commonly used.
Genes from practically any source can be injected into
Xenopits oocytes and the resulting heterologous expression
analyzed (for review, see Dawid and Sargent, 1988). Use of
this technique allows, for example, the effects of point
mutations or deletions in genes to be examined. Although
expression can be characterized in heterologous systems,
the function of cloned genes might be more informatively
explored if they could be expressed in cells of their native
organism. Our studies show that this important option is
40
ORGAN CULTURE AND INJECTION OF NEURONS
41
now available for investigations of the roles of neuronal
genes in the central neurons of the lobster. Moreover, we
can use this technique to express proteins or peptides in
neurons and investigate both the physiological responses of
the neuron and the effectiveness of the introduced sub-
stance.
Injection of DNA or RNA into identified neurons can be
a direct and effective means of altering gene expression in
identified cells. Several investigators have used microinjec-
tion techniques to express genes in invertebrate neural sys-
tems; in particular, the effects of various proteins on syn-
aptic transmission and electrical excitability of neurons
have been determined. For example, Kaang and coworkers
(1992) found that microinjection of DNA encoding an A-
type Shaker potassium channel into Aplysia neurons short-
ened action potentials and thereby had a profound effect on
transmitter release. Expression of a noninactivating potas-
sium channel in another type of Aplysia neuron abolished
spontaneous bursting activity (Zhao et til.. 1994). RNA
encoding the leech homeobox protein Loxl, when injected
into certain types of leech motoneurons, introduced active
spike propagation to proximal neurites (Aisemberg et al.,
1997). In another system. Dearborn and coworkers (1998)
injected rat synapsin 1A1 into crayfish neurons and found
an increase in transmitter release.
In this communication, we present an organ culture sys-
tem that extends the time frame of nerve cord experimen-
tation, allowing for such long-term experiments as the ex-
pression of foreign RNAs in lobster central neurons. We
have induced the expression of green fluorescent protein
(GFP) from the jellyfish Aequoria victoria (Prasher et al.,
1992; Chalfie et al., 1994) and the enzyme /3-galactosidase
from the bacterium Escherichia coli (MacGregor et al.,
1987). Levels of both proteins were measured repeatedly in
individual living cells over several days. Neither of these
proteins interfered with the viability of the cells. These
reagents can be injected either as continuous expression
monitors or as fusion proteins linked with other proteins of
interest (Lalumiere and Richardson, 1995; Gerdes and
Kaether. 1996). This study confirms the effectiveness of the
gene delivery system and our long-term organ culture sys-
tem, a combination that promotes connections between the
disciplines of molecular biology and physiology in the study
of the lobster nervous system.
Materials and Methods
Dissection and neuron identification
Nerve cords were removed from ice-anesthetized adult
lobsters and pinned out in lobster saline as previously de-
scribed (Otsuka et al., 1967; Harris-Warrick and Kravitz,
1984; Ma et al., 1992). After desheathing the abdominal
ganglia and removing the glial layers, we targeted two cell
types for injections. These were identified according to
criteria defined by Otsuka et al. (1967) and included large
glutamate-containing motoneurons (M6/M7). with their ax-
ons projecting through ipsilateral 3rd roots, and GABA-
containing neurons (12), displaying prominent excitatory
synaptic input and projecting through contralateral 3rd roots
to the periphery.
Lobster organ culture system
After experimental manipulation, preparations were
rinsed several times in sterile saline containing penicillin
(50 /u,g/ml). streptomycin (50 /ig/ml) and neomycin (100
fig/ml) (GIBCO/BRL). Nerve cords were rinsed twice in a
modified Leibovitz's L-15 medium, pinned out in ethanol-
and UV-sterilized Sylgard-coated (Dow Corning) petri
dishes (60 mm diameter), and then incubated in the modi-
fied medium. The culture medium contained Leibovitz's
L-15 medium with L-glutamine at 300 mg/1 (GIBCO/BRL)
and with the following additions made to bring the salt
concentration to levels suitable for incubation of lobster
tissues: NaCl was adjusted to 462 mM; KC1 to 16 mM;
CaCU to 26 mM; MgCl2 to 8 mM; and glucose to 1 1 mM;
HEPES buffer (pH 7.4) at 10 mM (all salts from Sigma);
fetal bovine serum (GIBCO/BRL) at a final concentration of
10%. Antibiotics and antifungal agents were added at the
same concentrations specified above. Nerve cords were
cultured at 16°C in an air incubator (Isotemp, Fisher) and
the culture medium was changed twice weekly.
Lobster ganglion labeling and autoradiography
Labeling and autoradiography were carried out according
to the method of Hendelman and Bunge (1969). Lobster
ganglia were incubated in medium containing 10 jaM H-
uridine (RNA labeling) or 10 /J.M 3H-leucine (protein label-
ing) at high specific activity (New England Nuclear). Tis-
sues were fixed in 2% osmium tetroxide buffered with
veronal acetate (pH 7.4) with added CaCl: (0.05%) (all
chemicals from Sigma). After several washes, ganglia were
dehydrated in a graded ethanol series and embedded in a
mixture of 10 parts Epon 812 (Structure Probe, Inc. (SPD);
10 parts Aralidite 6005 (SPD: 24 parts DOS A (dodecenyl
succinic anhydride. SPI): and 2% DMP-30 (2,4,6-tris(dim-
ethylaminomethyl (phenol, Sigma). Sections of 1-1.5 /am
were cut and autoradiographed at 4°C in Ilford L-4 emul-
sion (Ferranti-Dege). Slides were developed with D-19
(Kodak) and mounted in glycerin. Two experimental sets
were examined in detail using this method. In one, pairs of
ganglia were incubated in organ culture for 2 days or for 49
days, before incubation for 4 h in H-leucine or H-uridine,
followed by 20 h of washout in nonradioactive medium,
fixation and processing all as described above. In the second
experimental set, ganglia were cultured for 30 and 45 days
in vitro before labeling, fixation, and autoradiography.
42
G. K. GANTER ET AL
GABA measurements
GABA in single cells was measured by the original assay
method of Jakoby and Scott ( 1959). This method uses the
enzymes GABA-glutamic transaminase and succinic semi-
aldehyde dehydrogenase to generate spectrophotometrically
detectable triphosphopyridine nucleotide (reduced) in direct
proportion to the amount of GABA in a sample. Single-cell-
body isolation, extraction, and enzyme measurements were
carried out as described in Otsuka ct ul. ( 1967).
RNA reagents
Capped GFP cRNA was transcribed from Xhol -linear-
ized pSEM/GFP (generously provided by Richard Dear-
born, see Dearborn ct ul.. 1998) (enzyme from New En-
gland Biolabs) using the CapScribe SP6 kit (Boehringer
Mannheim) and following the manufacturer's instructions.
/3-galactosidase-encoding cRNA was transcribed from
pCMV-SPORT-0-gal (GIBCO/BRL. linearized with Xmnl.
New England Biolabs) by the same method. RNA quality
and quantity were monitored by gel electrophoresis and UV
spectrophotometry. The solutions used for injection con-
tained cRNA at 0.5 to 1 MJ?V alH' included 0.1 U/ju,l of
RNase inhibitor (RNasin. Promega).
RNA was introduced into the cytoplasm of lobster neu-
rons by pressure injection through an intracellular recording
electrode (pressure at compressor: 5-20 psi). Glass capil-
laries (Drummond Scientific Company) were baked over-
night at 300°C to facilitate filling and to remove possible
sources of RNase activity; microelectrodes were pulled (Na-
rishige PE-2) and the tips were broken to less than 4 /im by
tapping them against a fine glass rod under a compound
microscope at 200 x magnification. Electrodes were filled
by first dipping their tips into 2 jul of the electrode solution
(see below) on a small piece of Parafilm (American Na-
tional Can). The remaining solution was picked up using a
pipette tip and injected into the back of the electrode, where
it quickly ran to the tip by capillarity. Electrodes were
mounted in an electrode holder (MEH2RW, World Preci-
sion Instruments (WPI)) fitted with a silver wire long
enough to make electrical contact with the solution in the tip
of the electrode. The electrode wires were treated with
RNaseZap! solution (Ambion), with care taken in loading
the RNA solution to avoid RNase contamination. Potassium
acetate was added to the RNA samples to a final concen-
tration of 0.5 M, along with 0.05% phenol red (Sigma) for
visualization. Control injections revealed that phenol red
did not interfere with the fluorescence detection or the
viability of the cells, and appeared to diffuse out of injected
cells within a few hours. Cells were injected slowly with
RNA solution until the somata appeared slightly red.
DNA reagents
Plasmid DNA was injected in the same way as was the
RNA. Purified DNAs including the following constructs
were injected at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 5 /J.g//-tl:
(i) Drosophila melanogaster neuron-specific elur promoter
(Yao and White, 1994) driving a /3-galactosidase reporter
gene (gift from Dr. Thomas Schwarz): (ii) human CMV
immediate early enhancer/promoter (Thomsen et ai. 1984)
driving a fusion of the human j3-2 adrenergic receptor and
the At'i/itoriti victoria GFP (gift from Dr. Timothy Mc-
Clintock); and (iii) Drosophila melanogaster heat-shock
inducible promoter from hsp70 (Pelham, 1982) driving
GFP.
Physiological recordings
Intracellular recordings from neuronal somata were per-
formed with glass microelectrodes filled with 1.0 M potas-
sium acetate (12-25 MO resistance). For injections, this
solution was replaced by a mixture of 0.5 M potassium
acetate and the molecular constructs to be injected (3-5 Mil
resistance). Electrical signals were amplified with an Axo-
probe 1A amplifier (Axon Instruments). The cells were
physiologically identified by their synaptic input and anti-
dromic stimulation of their axons in the 3rd roots following
criteria defined by Otsuka and coworkers (1967). Nerve
roots were stimulated by placing their cut ends into closely
fitting suction electrodes. Electrical stimuli were generated
and delivered by a Master-8 stimulus generator (A. M.P.I.)
with built-in isolation units.
Detection of cRNA expression
Injected neurons were periodically monitored, using con-
focal fluorescence microscopy, for GFP expression or for
/3-galactosidase activity. Nerve cords were transferred from
culture vessels to sterile, medium-filled, deep-well micro-
scope slides that had a thin coat of Sylgard on their lower
surfaces. The cords were pinned out, coverslipped. and
observed with a scanning laser confocal microscope
equipped with FITC filters (MRC 600, Bio-Rad). For /3-ga-
lactosidase activity determinations, fluorescein di-(/3-D-ga-
lactopyranosideK Sigma) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide to
make a final concentration of 0.67 mg/ml was added to the
medium on ice after the preparation had been transferred to
the slide.
For GFP measurements. 6.5-/xm optical sections were
taken through the cell body region of the injected cell and
images recorded using the confocal microscope's photomul-
tiplier tubes at various times after injection. For /3-galacto-
sidase measurements, a single section was scanned as
quickly as possible after transferring the slide to the micro-
scope, and the increase in fluorescence with time was mea-
sured over the next 35-40 min in periodic scans. Fluores-
ORGAN CULTURE AND INJECTION OF NEURONS
43
cence was quantified by measuring average pixel intensity
for comparable single sections using NIH Image software
(Shareware by Wayne Rasband. National Institutes of
Health). Following each imaging session, preparations were
rinsed again in sterile saline and lobster L- 1 5 and repinned
m the culture dish; the culture was continued at 16°C.
Results
Sunivul of central neurons in lon^-terin orifun culture
The ventral nerve cord was removed from an adult lobster
and maintained in a modified Leibovitz L-15 culture me-
dium for at least 7 weeks. Over this period, identified
neurons maintained features typical of their condition in the
short-term preparation routinely used for physiological ex-
periments (usually from 12 to 36 h).
Phvsiology of neurons. The positions of the somata of
many neurons in the lobster ventral nerve cord have been
mapped (Otsuka el al. 1967: Beltz and Kravitz. 1983;
Schwarz el al., 1984; Schneider et al., 1993). Cell bodies
can be reliably and readily identified from preparation to
preparation by their relative sizes, their position in a gan-
glion, their endogenous and nerve-evoked synaptic input,
their spontaneous activity, and by backfiring their axons. To
illustrate, 12, a large GABA-containing inhibitory motor
neuron innervating the fast flexor muscles, was studied in a
preparation maintained for 49 days in culture (Fig. 1). As
shown in the schematic, an intracellular recording electrode
was placed in the putative 12 cell in this ganglion, and
stimulating electrodes were placed on the anterior connec-
tive (point 1) and contralateral 3rd root of the ganglion
(point 2). Stimulation of the contralateral 3rd root led to the
appearance in the cell body of small action potentials (ac-
tion potentials do not invade these somata) that retained a
constant amplitude with increasing intensities of stimula-
tion. No other large cell bodies showing this property were
seen in that location, hence the identification of the cell as
12 is highly likely and further supported by the demonstra-
tion that these neurons contain GABA. In contrast, with
increasing levels of stimulation of the anterior connective
(point 1, Fig. 1, left), excitatory postsynaptic potentials
measured in 12 increased in amplitude, finally generating
action potentials in these cells. This suggests that a progres-
sive recruitment of presynaptic inputs to 12 is occurring, and
that these inputs, too. have survived the long-term organ
culture. When the connective between electrode 1 and the
ganglion was crushed, excitation of 12 via this route was
abolished (Fig. 1, top right), thereby assuring that the re-
sponses seen were not due to current spread from the
stimulating electrode. Resting membrane potentials in 12
and other cells in this and in other experiments were within
normal ranges (—50 to —65 mV, data not shown). GABA
was detected in 12 cell somata dissected from organ-cul-
tured ganglia at concentrations normally found in 12 cell
crush ant. conn.
ins
mv
ms
Figure 1. Normal actmt\ in a lobster ganglion maintained in organ
culture for 49 days. While recording intracellularly from an abdominal
GABA-containing cell. \2. the preparation was stimulated from the anterior
connective (point 1 ). Increasing stimulation intensity (left panel, bottom to
top) elicited an increasing excitatory response in 12 (at point 1 1 that finally
triggered an action potential. After the anterior connective was crashed
between the stimulating electrode and the ganglion, the EPSPs in 12
disappeared (upper right). When the 3rd root was stimulated directly (point
2 at right), an antidromic action potential was triggered in 12 and recorded
in the cell body. As expected, the action potential showed no size change
with increasing stimulus intensity.
bodies from freshly dissected preparations [fresh prepara-
tions— 0.79 ± 1.75 X 10~'" moles/cell body (mean ± SD,
„ = 14) (Otsuka et al.. 1967); 6-week cultures — 1.1 ±
7.1 1 X 10"'° moles/cell body (mean ± SD, n = 4)].
Evidence of RNA synthesis by neurons. RNA synthesis
in cultured nerve cords was measured by radiolabeled pre-
cursor incorporation and autoradiography. In Figure 2, one
example is presented. Lobster ganglia maintained in organ
culture for 1 and 49 days were incubated in medium con-
taining 'H-uridine for 4 h. followed by a washout with
unlabeled medium for 20 h. Ganglia were fixed, embedded,
and sectioned, and autoradiography was performed. Silver
grains are readily seen over the nuclei of neurons and glial
cells (Fig. 2). These represent the location of newly synthe-
sized RNA and demonstrate that neurons in long-term cul-
ture still actively transcribe RNA. Qualitatively, we saw
44
G. K. CANTER ET AL
Figure 2. Autoradiography of newly synthesized RNA in lobster gan-
glia maintained for 2 and 49 days in vitro. Ganglia were treated with
3H-uridine lor 4 h. followed by a chase with unlabeled medium for 20 h.
Following fixation, samples were embedded and sectioned, and autora-
diography was performed. The resulting silver grains clustered primarily at
the nuclei of cells cultured for 2 and 49 days indicate the presence ol
nascent RNA.
little difference in grain density between the 2-day and
49-day organ cultures.
Similar labeling experiments were performed after other
times of incubation with both 3H-uridine and 3H-leucine. In
the latter experiments, a cytoplasmic rather than nuclear
distribution of silver grains was noted after autoradiogra-
phy. indicating the synthesis of protein in the cultured
ganglia (data not shown).
Cytology of ganglia. Some indication of overall health
can be seen in the cytology of cultured ganglia. Cells of
ganglia cultured for the longer time period appeared similar
to cells of recently dissected ganglia, although the former
usually had larger spaces between cells (not shown). Rarely,
opaque or darkly colored cells were observed in cultured
lobster ganglia, such as those shown in Figure 3 (bottom
panel). These cells typically had low or no resting potentials
and were likely to be dead or dying. Another feature of
unhealthy cells is their slight autofluorescence (Fig. 3, top).
The bright cell in Figure 3. top panel, is a GFP-expressing
cell. As seen in bright-field illumination (Fig. 3, bottom
panel), the GFP-expressing cell is transparent, whereas the
two weakly fluorescent cells are opaque. The death of these
two cells resulted from experimental DNA injection, de-
scribed below. The numbers of spontaneously unhealthy
cells was generally low throughout the culture period: most
cells and their processes appeared morphologically undis-
tinguishable from their counterparts in freshly dissected
ganglia.
Expression of introduced RNAs in organ-cultured neurons
A single injection of cRNA for either GFP or /3-galacto-
sidase into central neurons in cultured ganglia led to the
synthesis of these proteins. Their presence was detected
with fluorescence and confocal microscopy, either directly
in the case of GFP, or indirectly for (3-galactosidase, by
adding a fluorogenic substrate for the enzyme. Measure-
ments were made by periodically locating the same injected
cell in organ-cultured cords.
Induction of GFP expression. An identified cell, usually
12. M6, or M7, was pressure-injected with the cRNA for GFP
and maintained in organ culture for periods of up to 10 days.
At various time points the injected ganglia were imaged using
a confocal fluorescence microscope to detect and measure GFP
expression. GFP fluorescence in this cell was detected after
one day, increased until day 4. then decreased to background
Figure 3. Comparison of a GFP-expressing neuron with two cells
injected with high concentrations of plasmid DNA, The highly fluorescent
cell seen with epifluorescent illumination (top panel) was injected with
cRNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). After 3 days of incuba-
tion, this cell appeared clear under bright-field illumination (bottom) In
contrast, two cells injected with plasmid DNA fluoresced only \\euklv (lop)
and were opaque under bright-field illumination (bottom). These cells had
poor (or no) resting membrane potentials and resembled untreated cells that
occasionally died during prolonged organ culture.
ORGAN CULTURE AND INJECTION OF NEURONS
45
100-
r 75-
50-
25-
0
012 4 6 8 10
days post-injection
Figure 4. Time course of GFP expression after injection of cRNA. (Left) A single neuron injected with
GFP-encoding cRNA was photographed, using a confocal fluorescent microscope, at various time points (in
days) following injection. (Right) The intensity of fluorescence increased to a maximum at day 4, then declined
to background at day 10.
by day 10 (Fig. 4). Other cells injected with this cRNA showed
similar patterns of expression.
As the level of GFP fluorescence declined from its peak,
its distribution in injected cells became patchy. In a few
injections. GFP distribution was uniform in the cytoplasm
but later became punctate, and the protein product appeared
to be excluded from certain areas of the cytoplasm. In many
cases, GFP fluorescence was seen in the primary neurite
leaving the cell body (Fig. 5). However, we were unable to
detect a GFP signal in deeper layers of the neuropil. in
connectives, or in peripheral nerves.
Induction of f)-galactosidase expression. Injection ot the
cRNA for /3-galactosidase into cell somata resulted in enzyme
activity detectable in cultured neurons within 2 days. Expres-
sion of this enzyme was determined by using the fluorogenic
substrate fluorescein di-(/3-D-galactopyranoside) to measure
activity. Hence, we did not directly measure the amount of
protein synthesized. Since enzyme activity probably was di-
rectly related to the amount of protein present, levels of ex-
pression of /3-galactosidase apparently peaked between 6 and 9
days after injection. Strong /3-galactosidase activity was still
easily detectable in cultured ganglia 10 days after cRNA in-
jection (Fig. 6). The fluorescence intensity increased rapidly
and close to linearly in a /3-galactosidase-expressing cell fol-
low ing addition of the fluorogenic substrate. Since the fluores-
cent cleavage product leaves the cells within a few hours, the
same cells can be repeatedly tested for /3-galactosidase activity
on consecutive days.
Injection of DNA into lobster neurons
We attempted to induce reporter gene expression by the
cytoplasmic microinjection of plasmid DNA. Identified
cells were injected with DNA constructs containing three
different promoters: the human CMV immediate early en-
hancer/promoter; Drosophila melanogaster hsp70; and D.
melanogaster elav promoter driving either GFP or /3-galac-
tosidase. Injections of low concentrations of DNA (below 1
jug//u,l in the electrode) had no detectable toxic effect on
cells, whereas injections of DNA at concentrations above 1
jug/ju,l led to cell death. Most cells injected with higher
levels of DNA became opaque and autofluorescent within 1
to 2 days (see Fig. 3), and all such cells showed low or no
resting membrane potentials, indicating that they were dead
or in the process of dying. In no case (low or high concen-
trations of DNA). however, did we observe any protein
product expression.
Discussion
We have used an organ culture method to maintain the
isolated central nerve cord of the lobster for up to 7 weeks,
a significant extension beyond the 1 to 2 days previously
possible. During this time RNA and protein synthesis, as
well as physiological activity in identified neurons, ap-
peared normal. This technique makes possible a range of
long-term experiments, including study of the effects of
pharmacological and hormonal treatment on the central
nervous system, and the effects of manipulation of gene
expression in central neurons.
Long-term culture of lobster ventral nerve cord
Ventral nerve cord preparations of crustaceans are valuable
for exploring central circuitries because they allow absolute
identification of neurons (see Otsuka et ui, 1967; Kennedy et
46
G. K. CANTER ET AL
Figure 5. Lobster neuron injected with GFP cRNA. (Top) A
desheathed lobster central ganglion at low magnification. (Middle) High-
magnitication view of an injected cell (center) under bright Held illumina-
tion. (Bottom) The same view in dark field, showing fluorescent signal
from the expressed GFP protein. The signal fills the injected soma and can
be seen in the proximal section of the primary neurite as it descends into
the neuropil.
ill., 1969; Roberts ct al.. 1982; Beltz and Kravitz, 1987; Ma et
til.. 1992; Yehf/«/.. 1996; Homer et al., 1997). Once exposed
by removal of the connective tissue sheath, the somata of these
neurons are easily visible and accessible to microelectrodes.
Cells occur in predictable arrangements and can be unambigu-
ously identified by their position, size, and activity, and by
backfiring their axons from roots or connectives (Otsuka et al.,
1967). In our laboratory, preparations of this type have been
used to explore the roles of amines in the neural networks
involved in postural regulation ( Harris- Warrick and Kravitz,
1984; Beltz and Kravitz, 1987; Ma et al.. 1992; Weiger and
Ma, 1993). In crayfish, similar preparations have been used to
define changes in synaptic properties accompanying changes
in social status at particular synaptic sites (Yeh et nl.. 1996).
In the organ culture system described here, we showed
that neurons are suitable for electrophysiological experi-
mentation for at least 7 weeks. We used only one example
for illustration. In Figure 1 we showed that the large inhib-
itory motoneuron 12 could be activated by backfiring its
axon at a distance of several centimeters from the cell body,
and that interneurons upstream of 12 still could relay signals
via the release of transmitters. Moreover, in single 12 cells
dissected from long-term organ cultures of ganglia, the
intracellular levels of GAB A were comparable to those
found in cells dissected from fresh preparations.
The autoradiographic studies demonstrated that neurons
in ganglia cultured for 49 days still synthesized RNA (Fig.
2) and protein (data not shown). In addition, at a light
microscopic level, the cytology of cultured neurons ap-
peared normal, except for a somewhat more frequent vacu-
olar appearance of cell somata, and for larger spaces be-
tween cells and neuropil processes. These differences may
result from looser cell packing in the excised and
desheathed ganglia, from degeneration of sensory fibers
from the periphery (Barker et al., 1972), or both.
Cells that do not survive in organ culture appear dark with
light microscopy and their autofluorescence is weak, making
them easy to distinguish from surviving cells. Autofluores-
cence of unhealthy or dead cells has been reported elsewhere
(Linnik et al., 1993; Kosslak et al, 1997), and is a useful way
to prevent making comparisons between these cells and
healthy cells in the cultures (O'Brien et al., 1995). It is impor-
tant to identify such cells so that their fluorescence is not
confused with that of experimental markers like GFP.
GFP and LacZ are suitable expression markers
in lobster neurons
GFP and LacZ (the gene encoding jS-galactosidase) have
been used as reporter and marker genes in studies involving
a wide variety of organisms (see Chalfie. 1995). Lobsters
and crayfish (see Dearborn et al., 1998) now can be added
to the list of organisms capable of expressing these proteins.
The studies presented here, and those reported by Dearborn
et nl. ( 1998), suggest that it may be possible to use GFP and
j8-galactosidase as injection markers, as reporters for tran-
scriptional studies, and as tags that can be fused to proteins
under study in crustacean systems. To illustrate the latter, in
preliminary studies (G. Ganter. unpubl. obs.), we have
found that intracellular injections of cRNAs encoding a
human (3-2 adrenergic receptor/GPP fusion and a lobster
amine receptor/GFP fusion result in fluorescent signals.
Although different cRNAs might show differences in their
rates of translation, thus far all cRNAs that we have injected
have been expressed. Indeed, the different times we noted for
peak detection of jS-galactosidase and GFP could be due to
differences in the translation rates of these two transcripts.
ORGAN CULTURE AND INJECTION OF NEURONS
47
0 5 10 15 20 25
min. after addition of fluorescein
di-(B-D-galactopyranoside)
Figure 6. |3-galactosidase activity in a lobster neuron maintained 10 days in organ culture alter injection
with LacZ cRNA. /3-galactosidase activity was detected in a living injected cell by addition of a fluorogenic
substrate, fluorescein di-(fJ-D-galactopyranoside). (Left) The cell was photographed, using a confocal fluorescent
microscope, at various time points (in minutes) following addition of the substrate. (Right) The intensity of
fluorescence increased almost linearly
Future uses of the organ culture method
Long-term organ culture offers a controlled environment in
which to perform experiments that were difficult to carry out in
short-term studies using isolated nerve cords. This should
allow us to explore the consequences of applying test sub-
stances to central ganglia in more biologically relevant time
frames. For example, the lobster molting hormone, 20-hy-
droxyecdysone, is likely to have actions at both membrane and
genomic levels (see Zakon, 1998). The genomic effects may
take days to bring about observable changes at synaptic or
circuit levels. The organ culture system offers enough time for
such changes to be seen, in an environment in which tissues
will continue to synthesize the RNA and protein required to
trigger the changes. Long-term drug effects relating to amin-
ergic function also can be examined in the cultured ganglia. At
present we are particularly interested in chronic exposure of
ganglia to Prozac (fluoxetine). In behavioral studies, acute
exposure to Prozac has little effect on agonistic behavior in
lobsters (Huber el ai, 1997); in contrast, chronic exposure
increases the amount of time that animals are willing to fight
(A. Delago, unpubl. obs.).
Another exciting application of the organ culture method
is in the experimental manipulation of gene expression in
identified neurons. The extended time frame makes it pos-
sible to examine the effects of gene expression on the
physiology of cRNA-injected neurons and to analyze cloned
genes in their native environment. For example, the seroto-
nin-containing neurosecretory neurons of lobster appear to
lack the mRNA for the shab form of the potassium channel
(H. Schneider, unpubl. obs.). It would be interesting to
express shab in these neurons, and then examine the con-
sequences of this manipulation on the intrinsic properties of
the injected cell and on the network in which it functions.
Other applications could include injections of sense, anti-
sense, or double-stranded RNAs coding for particular pro-
teins into cells to ask how such manipulations alter function.
These and other applications await further exploitation of
this important system.
Summary and conclusions
We describe an organ culture method that maintains isolated
lobster ganglia in viable states for up to 7 weeks. We have
validated the method, showing that evidence of gene expres-
sion and electrophysiological activity persist throughout the
culture period. Applications include long-term experiments to
examine the consequences of chronic treatment with pharma-
cological or hormonal reagents and of changes to the levels of
expression of particular genes in single neurons and in net-
works of neurons. The ability to introduce genes into lobster
nerve cells should allow analysis of the function of these genes
in their native environment, narrowing the gap between mo-
lecular methods and the study of physiology in this important
system.
48
G. K. CANTER ET AL.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge Dr. Gary N. Cherr, Dr. Frederick J.
Griffen. and Ms. Carol Vines for help with confocal mi-
croscopy: the staff of the Bodega Marine Laboratory, Dr.
Ernest S. Chang, and Ms. Sharon Chang for providing
technical support, and a rich environment; and the Univer-
sity of California. Davis, for the fellowship support that
funded these studies. We also thank Drs. Margaret Bradley
and Stuart Cromarty for their ideas about the project and
their helpful comments on the manuscript. This research
was supported by a grant from the National Science Foun-
dation (to EAK) and by a post-doctoral fellowship from the
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (to RH).
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Vao, K.-M.. and K. White. 1994. Neural specificity ol <7440 h) and under a variety of
behavioral circumstances. The natural behavior of the squid
was filmed on spawning grounds off Cape Cod (northwest-
ern Atlantic), and behavioral trials in the laboratory were
run in large tanks. The body pattern components — 34 chro-
matic (including 4 polarization components). 5 postural, and
12 locomotor — are each described in detail. Eleven of the
most common body patterns are also described. Four of
them are chronic, or long-lasting, patterns for crypsis: an
example is Banded Bottom Sitting, which produces disrup-
tive coloration against the substrate. The remaining seven
patterns are acute; they are mostly used in intraspecific
communication among spawning squids. Two of these acute
patterns — Lateral Display and Mate Guarding Pattern — are
used during agonistic bouts and mate guarding; they are
visually bright and conspicuous, which may subject the
squids to predation; but we hypothesize that schooling and
diurnal activity may offset the disadvantage presented by
Received 1 February 1999; accepted 20 April 1999.
E-mail: rhanlon@nihl.edu
increased visibility to predators. The rapid changeability
and the diversity of body patterns used for crypsis and
communication are discussed in the context of the behav-
ioral ecology of this species.
Introduction
Cephalopods have a highly developed system of visual
communication that is expressed mainly through the skin.
The distinguishing features of this remarkable chromato-
phore system are its speed of change and the diversity of
body patterns that each individual uses for either crypsis or
communication (Hanlon and Messenger. 1996). A body
pattern is defined as the total appearance of the animal at
any given time, and includes the expression of the full
complement of chromatic (i.e.. color or visual), textunil.
postural, and locomotor components (see Packard and
Hochberg. 1977; Hanlon and Messenger, 1996). Among the
components of the body pattern, the most conspicuous are
chromatic, although squids probably perceive intraspecific
signals monochromatically because cephalopods are
thought to be color blind (Hanlon and Messenger, 1996).
These chromatic components are produced primarily by
chromatophore organs and various reflective cells in the
dennis, and they are discrete neural entities (just as postural,
textural. and locomotor components are) because the chro-
matophore organs are controlled by radial muscles under the
direct control of the posterior chromatophore lobes in the
brain (e.g.. Dubas et al.. 1986). Most of the reflective cells
are also controlled by the squid (Cooper et al., 1990). This
neural control enables the cephalopod to change its appear-
49
50
R. T. HANLON ET AL
ance in a fraction of a second, depending upon the visual
sensory input it receives during behavioral interactions.
Few. if any. animals can match the speed of change and
diversity of cephalopod signals, and the body patterns are
used in most behavioral interactions, whether they be for
competition for resources or mates, or interactions between
predators and prey. We are documenting these diverse body
patterns, focusing primarily on adult squids during their
inshore migration every year.
Squids, like other cephalopods, are sensitive to the partial
polarization characteristics of light (Saidel et ai. 1983;
Hanlon and Messenger. 1996; for a description of polarized
light see Kattawar. 1994; Wolff and Andreou. 1995).
Shashar and Hanlon (1997) described a few specific polar-
ization components of squid and correlated these patterns
with the distribution of iridophore cells in the animals' skin.
In cuttlefish, partial polarization patterns have been associ-
ated with communication (Shashar et ai, 1996). Since
squids may use polarization patterns for intraspecific com-
munication, and since polarization-sensitive predators may
be looking for polarization contrasts to locate squid prey, we
also document here some polarization components pre-
sented by the squid.
The long-tinned squid Loligo pealei Lesueur, 1821, is a
renowned model in neuroscience research. The third-order
giant axon. its attendant giant synapse, the complex eye, and
several other organ systems in L. pealei have been studied
in detail for over 50 years at the Marine Biological Labo-
ratory (MBL) in Woods Hole (see Gilbert et til., 1990).
Although a great deal is known about the peripheral nervous
system of L. pen lei. little is known about the behaviors of
this squid, which like most cephalopods, has an enormous
brain relative to its body size. Loligo pealei is also a
valuable commercial resource in the northeastern United
States — worth about $30 million annually (McKiernan and
Pierce. 1995; NEFSC, 1995). Curiously, little is known
about the ecology, life history, and behavior of this species
(e.g., Verrill. 1880; Drew. 191 1; Stevenson. 1934; Griswold
and Prezioso, 1981; Summers, 1983; Gilbert et al. 1990;
Brodziak and Macy. 1996). The present report is part of a
broad-based study that focuses on sexual selection pro-
cesses in L. pealei from two perspectives: as a test of sexual
selection theory (e.g.. Hanlon. 1996; Hanlon et til.. 1997)
and as a study of the role that reproductive behavior plays in
the life history and population dynamics of the species
(Hanlon. 1998).
Materials and Methods
The behavior of Loligo pealei can be observed both in a
natural setting and in the laboratory because the squids
habituate quickly to divers and to laboratory surroundings.
Overall, 27.5 h of videotape were analyzed for body pat-
terning and behavior.
During the months of May 1996. May 1997, and May
1998. 103 scuba dives were made on squid spawning
grounds by RTH and NS off the southern arm of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. Depths ranged from 3-10 m and most sites
were within 2 km of shore between Hyannis and Chatham.
Spawning squids were found mostly in or near commercial
weir traps whose inner pocket dimensions (or capture arena)
were roughly 20 m2; often there were many thousands of
squids in these traps, with a proportion of them actively
engaged in reproductive behavior. Water temperatures
ranged from about 4° to 13°C. currents were often strong,
and visibility was usually poor. On about one-third of the
dives, conditions were suitable for video. In total. 16.5 h of
dive video were recorded, using video cameras (either an-
alog or digital) in underwater housings, and analyzed, with
multi-motion playback machines and high-resolution mon-
itors.
Laboratory trials of mating behavior were performed
from May through October in 1996, 1997. and 1998 in the
Marine Resources Center of the MBL. Three large tanks
were used, each measuring 3 m (diameter) by 1 m (height)
and containing about 28,000 1 of seawater. Each tank had a
substrate of mixed gravel and sand, and a continuous supply
of ambient seawater. Animals were acquired by squid jig-
ging (both at night and during the day) off the MBL re-
search vessel Gemma in Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds.
This method minimizes skin damage for maximal survival
in captivity (see Hanlon el al., 1983). Squids were fed live
fish (Fundiihis sp.) daily. Trials involved from three to eight
squids in various combinations of males and females. One
set of trials was performed in an outdoor pond, 20 m X 20 m
X 1 m deep, at the Environmental Systems Laboratory of
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The squids
were observed for 440 h in captivity. 1 1 of which were
recorded on video.
All videos were reviewed multiple times, each time look-
ing for only one category of component (i.e.. first viewing
for chromatic components, second viewing for postural
components, third viewing for locomotor components). In
the laboratory, chromatic, postural, and locomotor compo-
nents were recorded on separate data sheets each time they
were seen. A chromatic component was recorded if it was
expressed for at least 2 s; locomotor and postural compo-
nents were recorded if they were performed for at least 3 s.
All chromatic components were illustrated using a computer
graphics program.
Polarization components were recorded using a video
polarimeter based on a standard three-tube ENG camera
(JVC BY-110) that uses a dichroic prism block for color
separation. The dichroic prism has been replaced with a
custom-made neutral prismatic splitter (Richter Enterprises,
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR
51
Manhattan Beach, CA) such that each of the three video
channels receives 1/3 of the broad-spectrum image input.
Since this assembly lacks the color-trimming filters ce-
mented to the original dichroic prism, magnification errors
due to pathlength differences were corrected with small
quartz discs of appropriate thickness. A small disc of sheet
polarizer (Polaroid, HNP'B) was placed immediately in
front of each camera tube to impart polarization sensitivity
to the channels. The orientation of the polarizers was ad-
justed so that the color channels now encoded 0°, 45°, and
90° polarization images. The camera electronics encode the
three polarization channels as if they were color, making it
possible to store all the data on a regular portable videocas-
sette recorder and allowing for immediate viewing of a
pseudocolor polarization image on a color monitor. Nonpo-
larizing elements of the scene have no color, whereas po-
larizing elements do. The signal in all three channels is
identical, and the output of the tubes was adjusted to give
white for a saturating faceplate intensity. A polarizer placed
in front of the lens such that horizontally polarized light is
freely transmitted produces the following normalized sig-
nals in the three "color" channels: the R channel signal is 1,
the G channel is 0.707, and the B channel is 0. Monochro-
matic images of the same scene, taken from the three
channels separately, were transferred through a frame grab-
ber into the computer and their linear polarization charac-
teristics were analyzed following procedures in Cronin et al.
(1994). This camera is better suited than previously de-
scribed polarimeters (Cronin et al., 1994; Wolff and An-
dreou, 1995; Horvath and Varju, 1997) for recording the
polarization patterns of moving animals, because it provides
true instantaneous measurements. Technological limitations
made it impossible to get the camera in an underwater
housing; thus measurements were limited to the laboratory.
Furthermore, the light conditions during measurements had
to be precisely controlled, thereby allowing only 3 h of
recorded footage. During these periods, the squids exhibited
only a few behaviors that included fighting, mate guarding,
and egg laying.
Ethogram
We constructed an ethogram for Loligo pealei on the
basis of our field and laboratory observations. The compo-
nents and body patterns identified (Table I) represent a
segment of all behaviors, especially those related to repro-
duction. In fact, because of the size of the sample, most of
the patterning components of the species were probably
identified. The more than 440 h of observation far exceed
the observation periods in other published accounts of Lo-
ligo spp. (e.g., Hanlon, 1982, 1988; Hanlon et al., 1983,
1994; Porteiro et al., 1990).
The chromatic components of the ethogram are illustrated
in Figures 1 and 3, and some of the postural components are
shown in Figure 2. Unlike octopuses and cuttlefishes, loli-
ginid squids do not show textural components in the skin.
Table I, which lists all components, includes the number of
times that we counted a component on videotape or from
observation notes, giving an impression of how commonly
it occurs. Unless otherwise indicated, all components and
body patterns were shown by both sexes.
Light
' components
Chromatic components are produced mainly by the action
of dermal chromatophore organs, which number in the
hundreds of thousands in an adult squid. Loligo pealei has
three color classes of chromatophores: yellow, red, and
brown. Expansion of the chromatophores darks the skin,
while retraction of the chromatophores (and the resultant
expression of underlying iridophores) produces a lightening
or even brightening effect. Intense darkness produced by
maximal expansion and intense brightness produced by
maximal retraction mark two ends of a chromatic contin-
uum, and thus it is somewhat arbitrary to assign a compo-
nent to light or dark. Some of these components are com-
mon to other Loligo spp., as described by Hanlon ( 1982) for
Loligo plei, by Porteiro et ul. ( 1990) for Loligo forbesi, and
by Hanlon et al. ( 1994) for Loligo vulgaris reynaudii.
Clear is retraction of all or most chromatophores, thus
rendering the animal translucent in clear water or white in
murky water. In clear water, when viewed against a sand
bottom or laterally against the aquatic background (Fig.
2B), the translucence renders the squid cryptic, or camou-
flaged, and often the Dorsal iridophore splotches are ex-
pressed simultaneously. Internal organs, such as the red
accessory nidamental gland in females, are often visible. In
murky water. Clear appears bright white in most lighting
circumstances (i.e., the brightness surpasses the albedo of
the greenish water, producing a whitish color). In the im-
mediate vicinity of egg beds, the white form of Clear seems
to function as an intraspecific signal to repel other squids; a
squid displaying this component is almost always engaged
in mate guarding, egg laying, or agonistic bouts (see Fig.
2C). White arms/head results from variable retraction of
chromatophores on the head and arms (three variations are
illustrated in Fig. 1 ). This component sometimes preceded
all white (or clear) in intraspecific encounters; thus, it ap-
pears to be a milder signal of alarm or repellent to approach-
ing squids (Fig. 2G). White head/arms is most common in
paired females near eggs and is seen when unpaired males
approach. White dorsal stripe is retraction of chromato-
phores along a dorsal mantle that is otherwise dark; the
stripe may be short or long (Fig. 1). It has been seen in
52
R. T. HANLON ET AL
Table I
Body patients and their components in the squid Loligo pealei; compare Figure 1
BODY PATTERNS
Chronic (mm to hours)
1. Basic Amber Pattern
2. Clear Body Pattern
3. Countershading
4 Chronic AM Dark
5. Banded Bottom Sitting
6. Chronic Bright White Pattern
Acute (seconds)
1. Very Dark
2. Blanch-Ink-Jet Maneuver
3. Lateral Display
4. Mate Guarding Pattern
5. Accentuated Testis
COMPONENTS*
Chromatic
Light:
1 . Clear
2. White arms/head
3. White dorsal stripe
4. Accentuated testis (m)
5. Accentuated oviducal gland (f)
Iridescent:
6. Dorsal mantle collar indophores
7. Iridescent sclera
8. Dorsal iridophore splotches
9. Iridescent arm stripes
10. Dorsal iridophore sheen
Light polarization components:
1 . Polarized arms
2. Skin surface polarization
3. Polarized eyes
4. Polarized dorsal sheen
(861)
(769)
(194)
(1179)
(183)
(a 1000)
(167)
(500)
(338)
(32)
Dark:
1. All dark
2. Dark arms/head
3. Dark head
4. Dark dorsal stripe
5. Ventral mantle stripe
6. Mantle margin stripe
7. Dark arm stripes
8. Fin spots
9. Arm spots
10. Intraocular spot
11. Bands
12. Shaded eye
13. Dark fins
14. Dark posterior mantle
15. Shaded testis (m)
16. Shaded oviducal gland (f)
17. Red accessory nidamental gland (f)
18. Lateral mantle spot (f)
19. Lateral blush If)
20. Weak lateral flame (m)
(1440)
(133)
(853)
(47)
(369)
(283)
(38)
(195)
(672)
(129)
(153)
(190)
(31)
(42)
(11)
(16)
(-200)
(147)
(88)
(13)
Locomotor
1. Inking
(12)
2. Jetting/fleeing
(336)
3. Chasing
(17)
4. Bottom sitting
(45)
5. Egg touching
(120)
6. Parallel positioning
(435)
7. Jockeying and parrying (m)
(62)
X, Fin beating (in)
(93)
9. Forward lunge/grab (m)
(206)
10. Male-parallel mating
(59)
1 1 . Head-to-head mating
(24)
12. Oviposition
( = 300)
Postural
1 Raised arms
1 1065)
2. Splayed arms
(667)
3. Drooping arms
(54)
4 Raised & splayed arms
(560)
5. Flared arms
(30)
* Letters in parentheses indicate that the component is sex-specific: f = female; m = male. Numbers indicate how many times each component was
observed on video or in laboratory trials.
Clear
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR
All dark
53
Accentuated oviducal eland (0
Dorsal mantle
Iridescent sclera collar indophojs
Dorsal iridophore splotches
•v
Iridescent arm stripes
Dorsal iridophore sheen
•
Shaded oviducal gland (f)
-~r^"
llatcnil vicwt
Mantle margin stripe
Fin spots
Arm spots
Bands (with variations)
Red accessory nidamental eland (f)
Lateral mantle spot (f)
Figure 1. Chromatic components of body patterning in the squid Loligo pealei. The arrangement generally
follows Table I and the text.
54
R. T. HANLON ET AL.
Figure 2. Underwater video images of selected components and body patterns of Laligo pealei. (A) The
chronic Basic Amber Pattern. (B) The chronic Clear Body Pattern. (C) The chronic Bright White Pattern amidst
other squids in Basie Amber. (D) The chronic All Dark pattern viewed against a sand substrate. (E) The Banded
Bottom Sitting pattern showing disruptive coloration against a gravel substrate. (F) Acute Mate Guarding Pattern
shown by a large consort male (female is just below him) showing the Splayed arm posture and the Accentuated
testis chromatic component. (G) Raised arms postural component in a male that also shows the chromatic
component of While arms/head; he is directing this signal to the lone male at upper left as he guards his female
mate (barely visible behind him).
Intensity
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR 55
Partial polarization Orientation of polarization
B
D
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0
Figure 3. Selected images demonstrating the main sources of polarization components in adult squids.
LEFT: Black-and-white images of the squid. CENTER: Partial polarization images in which black represents
unpolarized light -0, and white represents full linear polarization -1. RIGHT: Orientation of polarization;
horizontal polarization is coded into white or black, and vertical polarization into 50% grey. Special iridophores
on the arms create the predominant components (A, B). where the partial polarization can exceed 0.75. The
orientation of polarization can be equal on all arms (A) or it can vary between them (B, indicated by arrows).
Structural reflection from the skin-water interface can produce a polarization pattern that changes with the
animal's motion (C). The reflection from the sclera of the eye may be highly polarized (D, arrow). The top of
the mantle of the squid occasionally reflects light that is partially polarized (E). This polarization may arise from
structural reflection, as in C. or from reflection by the indophores on the squid's mantle or splotches (Shashar
and Hanlon. 1997).
56
R. T. HANLON ET AL
consort males when an intruder male approaches. Accentu-
ated testis is u male-only component shown when the
chromatophores directly above the testis are retracted while
the squid mantle is otherwise dark, thus accentuating the
whiteness of the organ (Fig. 2F). This component was seen
frequently in single or mate-paired males when reproductive
behavior was actively occurring in the school. Accentuated
oviducal gland is a female-only component analogous in
form and function to Accentuated testis in the male. This
was often seen in females paired with consort males. All of
these light components except White dorsal stripe have been
seen commonly in other Loligo spp.
Light iridescent chromatic components
Each of the light iridescent chromatic components is
common to Loligo spp., and comparable color images
may be viewed in Hanlon (1982). Dorsal mantle collar
iridophores are on the anteriormost portion of the man-
tle, and they appear as bright yellow or pink iridescence;
this component tends to produce disruptive coloration by
breaking up the longitudinal aspect of the squid's body.
It and the next component are usually seen on calm
squids near the bottom in the Clear pattern. Dorsal iri-
dophore splotches occur on the dorsal mantle and head.
They are a distinctive yellow or golden color, and they
help to produce general camouflage (Fig. 2E). Iridescent
arm stripes extend most of the length of the first three
pairs of arms. These are usually expressed lightly during
camouflage in the Clear pattern, but during agonistic
encounters they can be expressed very brightly (see color
illustration in Hanlon. 1982). Iridescent sclera is the
bright silver iridescence on the back (or sclera) of the
eye; squids have the ability to obscure this with chro-
matophores with the Shaded eye component. Dorsal iri-
dophore sheen is somewhat rare and is only noticeable
from the side. Its function is unclear but may aid cam-
ouflage in open water by disrupting the body shape. None
of these are unique to L. pealei but are shared by other
Loligo spp.
Light polarization chromatic components
These linear polarization components are newly de-
scribed for Loligo spp. Polarized arms are highly polarized
reflections that create the most conspicuous component of
polarization (Fig. 3A, B). This component often exceeds
partial polarization of 0.75, which is noteworthy because
Flamarique and Hawryshyn ( 1997) showed that the natural
underwater light field rarely exhibits partial polarization as
high as 0.67. The orientation of polarization can be equal in
all arms (Fig. 3A), or it may differ between arms (Fig. 3B).
Skin surface polarization results from the difference in
refractive indexes between the squid's body and the water,
so that light reflected from any area of the skin may be
partially polarized (Fig. 3C). However, the partial polariza-
tion in this case is mostly low, rarely reaching 0.5. Polar-
ized eyes result from reflection by iridophore cells that
surround the eye (Fig. 3D, arrow). The dorsal mantle occa-
sionally reflects light that is partially polarized, resulting in
Polarized dorsal sheen. The orientation of polarization can
vary, reaching 20 degrees from horizontal. This polarization
reflection corresponds to the area of the Dorsal iridophore
sheen, although the two components do not always coincide
in time. The source of this polarization component can be
either reflection from iridophores on the mantle or Skin
surface polarization. Owing to the limitations of the equip-
ment used to record polarization patterns, these are probably
not the only polarization components that squids can show.
Dark chromatic components
All dark is the opposite of Clear: all or most chromato-
phores are expanded to some degree. The maximal expres-
sion of All dark (Fig. 2D) produces an overall deep brown
coloration; it is characteristic of alarmed squids. However,
the chromatophores need not be maximally expanded, and
thus there are ranges of darkness. Often squids are in a
"normal" or "basic" coloration that is roughly between
Clear and All dark, producing an overall amber body pattern
(Fig. 2A). There is also a striking unilateral expression of
All Dark (Fig. 1 ). Dark arms/head is variable in expression
(see Fig. 1) and is opposite to White amis/head. It is seen
typically in mating pairs and may represent a mild state of
alarm. Dark head is expansion of all the chromatophores
around the head of the animal (but not the arms), causing the
head to appear almost black. This component is frequently
seen in mate pairs near the egg mop and probably represents
a low-grade alarm signal.
Four striped components occur in L. pealei, one used for
crypsis and three used during intraspecific agonistic con-
tests. Dark dorsal stripe extends halfway or fully down the
mid-dorsal mantle. Seen mainly on calm squids, it appar-
ently aids camouflage because it covers some of the bright
organs such as the testis, oviducal glands, and ink sac.
Ventral mantle stripe is a thin, distinct line of fully ex-
panded chromatophores. L. pealei. in contrast to L. plei but
in common with L vulgnris reymnulii. L. vulgaris, and L.
forbesi, shows no protrusile flap of skin when exhibiting this
component (Hanlon, 1988; Hanlon ct ai, 1994). The func-
tion of this component is uncertain, but it is seen commonly
on mating pairs and on males during mate guarding. Males
often swim just above females, and pairs are frequently
approached by other squids from below, so the ventral
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR
positioning of this visual signal may be useful. It is also
possible that the stripe helps disrupt the body form when
viewed from below by predators. Mantle margin stripe is
a dark line running along the fin insertion. It was seen most
often as a mild reaction to disturbance or alarm during
agonistic bouts, and was usually expressed in conjunction
with Ventral mantle stripe. Fin spots, and weak Lateral
flame (see below). Dark arm stripes are variable, being
expressed either along the third pair of arms or along pairs
1, 2, and 3. This uncommon component was seen on a
female that also expressed Dark fins (also uncommon, see
below) just before a male mated her, and as another mating
pair bumped into them. Thus it seems to be an expression of
alarm when all three arm pairs are darkened. The simulta-
neous expression of stripes on three arm pairs has not been
reported for squids.
Three spotted components are expressed during alarm or
threat situations, mainly intraspecifically, and can be shown
unilaterally on the side towards the other squid. Fin spots
are a collection of small circular and oval dark spots scat-
tered across the fins. This component is seen mostly during
agonistic bouts or rarely when an aggressive male comes
close by. Arm spots are small and occur at the base of the
third arms, the second arms, or both. This component is seen
on males during mate guarding and at the early stages of
agonistic encounters; it probably constitutes a low grade of
alarm (see also Arnold, 1962, 1990). Intraocular spot
appears directly in front of the eye and has variations,
including a circular shape that looks like an eye ring. The
avenue of achieving signals of "increasing alarm" appears
to be Arm spots > Infraocular spot > expanded to eye
ring > Dark head.
Various other dark components include two for crypsis
and four for intraspecific alarm situations. Bands are vari-
able (see Figs. 1 and 2E) and may occur on the fins, head,
or arms. First reported by Stevenson (1934), this component
is seen typically in calm, bottom-sitting squids and func-
tions as disruptive coloration to break up the longitudinal
outline of the squid. Shaded eye is a transverse head bar of
expanded chromatophores that may aid crypsis by covering
the bright Iridescent sclera of the eyes. Dark fins occur
when all fin chromatophores are expanded maximally; it is
not common but has been seen on females that are alarmed.
Dark posterior mantle is similar to Dark fins, but the
mantle chromatophores are expanded; it may be the next
stage of alarm after Dark fins.
Several dark components associated with reproductive
behavior complement the light components Accentuated
testis and Accentuated oviducal gland. Shaded testis and
Shaded oviducal gland are selective expansion of chro-
matophores over the testis or oviducal gland. Both are often
indistinct and serve to mask these bright white organs, thus
aiding crypsis. However, the complementary "shading/ac-
centuating" allows rapid signaling. The Red accessory ni-
damental gland can be seen through the translucent mantle
and occurs only in fully mature females, so it may be a part
of communication even though it is internal. Since it turns
red only upon attainment of full sexual maturity, it may be
a sign of female sexual maturity or even receptivity. Lateral
mantle spot is a female-only component expressed as a
small intense dark spot of chromatophores near the anterior
fin insertion. It coincides roughly with the position of the
Red accessory nidamental gland, and the two may function
together in some way. The Lateral mantle spot is seen only
when the female is paired with a large consort male, and
could indicate either receptivity or rejection. Lateral blush
is a female-only component expressed unilaterally as a
diffuse dark area on the lateral mantle. It may be compara-
ble to a variety of similar components shown by female
squids, and it may function as a repellent to courting males
(Hanlon and Messenger, 1996: their fig. 6.21).
Weak lateral flame is a male-only component produced
by longitudinally oriented rows of partly expanded chro-
matophores. It is seen during low-grade agonistic contests.
There are several variations of this component in other
Loligo spp., the most well developed and dramatic of which
is in Loligo plci (Hanlon, 1982; DiMarco and Hanlon,
1997). In Loligo vulgaris, Loligo vulgaris reynaudii, and
Loligo forbesi there are Lateral mantle streaks that are
arranged a bit differently in the skin, but they all function to
provide a lateral signal to an opposing male. Loligo pealei
has perhaps the weakest expression of this component,
while L. plei has the strongest.
Postural components
Five postural components are expressed through the arm
positioning of Loligo pealei. They are generally comparable
to postures seen in other Loligo spp. Raised arms (Fig. 2G)
is the unilateral or bilateral raising of the first pair of arms,
which may be light or dark, and is seen in both males and
females on the mating grounds. This component appears to
be a signal of alarm during agonistic contests. It was pre-
viously reported by Arnold (1962, 1990). Splayed arms
(Fig. 2F) is a posture in which all eight arms are spread and
flattened on the horizontal plane. This posture is expressed
by both sexes but is most common in males that use it to
guard female mates they are escorting to egg mops. Raised
and splayed arms are a combination of the previous pos-
tures in which the arms are all splayed except for the first
pair, which is raised; it is a strong signal of alarm used when
a rival male approaches closely. Drooping arms in a swim-
ming squid is a posture in which all the arms appear relaxed
and hang downward, but its function is unknown. Flared
arms is a rare posture in which all of the arms are held
58
R. T. HANLON ET AL
stiffly outward in a radial manner; it is seen during highly
aggressive agonistic encounters between two males, and
during mate guarding.
Locomotor components
Inking is the expulsion of ink mixed with mucus, either
in small puffs or as a large dense cloud (Hanlon ct /.,
1994). Inking is often followed by Jetting/fleeing, which is
a rapid jet-propulsed escape used in avoidance of both
predators and conspecifics. Females often jet from males
that try to swim with them or copulate with them. Chasing
occurs when one squid actively pursues another, usually in
forward swimming. In most cases a male is pursuing an-
other male at the conclusion of an agonistic bout. Bottom
sitting occurs when a squid rests on the substrate (Fig. 2E).
Egg touching consists of contacts with an egg mop by both
males and females. Contact ranges from brief, exploratory
touches to embraces of an egg capsule with all of the arms.
Females usually lay eggs on existing egg mops, and touch-
ing may be a way of assessing the egg-laying substrate.
Males commonly touch eggs, and touching is often fol-
lowed by highly aggressive agonistic bouts (Hanlon, 1996),
suggesting that the eggs provide a visual, tactile, or perhaps
chemosensory stimulus. Parallel positioning occurs when
two animals are hovering or swimming parallel to one
another in the same direction, within one body length or
each other. Courting pairs maintain this position, and ago-
nistic encounters begin with this movement. Jockeying and
parrying (in, males only) occur when two males maneuver
to get next to a female. A successful paired male will often
ward off (or parry) the jockeying movements of the un-
paired male in a long sequence of swimming maneuvers.
Fin beating (m) occurs in the parallel position when two
males maneuver themselves so that they are beating their
fins against each other. This is a physical and escalated stage
of an agonistic context, but it results in no obvious physical
damage. Forward lunge/grab (m) is a short, fast movement
to bluff or grab another male during agonistic contests. The
grab sometimes results in grappling in which the squids
attempt to bite each other. It is rare and is the highest
escalation of a fight. Male-parallel mating occurs when the
male positions himself under the female and grasps her
anterior mantle to pass spermatophores into her mantle
cavity. Head-to-head mating occurs when a male and
female face each other, and the male grasps the female's
arms. Spermatophores are placed in a seminal receptacle
below the mouth (Drew, 1911). Oviposition (f, females
only) occurs when the female extrudes a single egg capsule
and affixes it to the substrate or to existing communal egg
masses; she does not hold the egg capsule for long. Among
these, egg touching is newly described for Loligo spp.,
although other species do this to varying degrees.
Body patterns
Chronic patterns last for minutes or hours. There are four
general chronic body patterns that are common on calm
squids and function as crypsis. The Basic Amber Pattern
(Fig. 2A) is the most common and long-lasting body pattern
observed in Loligo pealei, and it occurs while the squids are
hovering, gently rocking back and forth, or swimming
slowly. It is characterized by a partial expansion of all
chromatophores (i.e., the All dark component). Apparently
the squid detects the albedo in the immediate vicinity and
neurally adjusts chromatophore expansion to match it, thus
achieving crypsis by matching its surroundings. This pattern
can grade into a lighter Clear Body Pattern (Fig. 2B) with
expression of the Dorsal iridophore splotches; this is seen
both when squids are swimming just above the substrate and
when they are in the water column. Another subtle variation
of these two patterns is Countershading, in which the
chromatophores on the dorsal surfaces of the squid are in a
rather uniform light expansion (as in Clear or Basic Amber)
while the ventral portions of the animal are light (probably
with help from the many iridophores in the dermis; see
Cooper ct ai. 1990; Hanlon et ul.. 1990) to eliminate the
shadow. In the natural environment, squids only a few
meters away blend in almost perfectly with the water col-
umn. A more unusual situation occurs when a whole school
of squids go into the Chronic All Dark Pattern (Fig. 2D),
which is not cryptic at all. The function of this pattern is
unknown, but we have observed it several times in the
natural habitat on many hundreds of calm squids hovering
in large schools in the water column. The Banded Bottom
Sitting pattern (Fig. 2E) is very common and consists of
Bands with Dorsal iridophore splotches and Bottom sitting.
The pattern provides excellent crypsis through disruptive
coloration because the bands break up the longitudinal
shape of the squid, and the pattern has variations in the
banding. To our knowledge, L. pcalci is the only loliginid
squid that commonly sits on the substrate, although Loligo
forbesi was observed to bottom sit in the laboratory on rare
occasions (Porteiro et /.. 1990).
Around egg beds, many squids that are actively engag-
ing in sexual selection behavior remain in the Chronic
Bright White Pattern (Fig. 2C), which is visually con-
spicuous. This pattern has many variations, but the most
common one is seen on mating pairs near the egg beds.
Males that are mate guarding are in Clear. Raised arms,
White arms/head. Arm spots, and sometimes Dark head.
Females that are being guarded are in Clear with Dark
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR
59
head, and sometimes Raised arms. In both cases the testis
and the oviducal glands are clearly visible through the
mantle. It is noteworthy that unpaired males (whether
large or small) moving amidst a school of reproductively
active squids are not in this bright white pattern, yet if a
large male wins an agonistic contest and pairs with the
female he will immediately go into the Chronic bright
white pattern.
Acute patterns last for seconds or rarely for minutes and
are seen during intra- and interspecific interactions. Very
Dark has two variations. The first is a brief flash to a
conspecific or an interspecific threat (e.g., to a person in the
laboratory or a fish in the field). The second variation shows
several flashes over a 5-s period, producing a strong De-
imatic effect that startles or bluffs (see Hanlon and Messen-
ger, 1996). The Blanch-Ink-Jet Maneuver may be univer-
sal among squids: the animal blanches Clear and jets away
(usually backwards, but sometimes forward) while ejecting
ink in a pseudomorph that remains in the approximate
position from which the squid started the maneuver. This is
a typical secondary defense against predation or threat
(when, for instance, the primary defense of crypsis fails).
Such behavior is called Protean behavior because the vari-
able and erratic escape response upsets target prediction by
the attacker (Driver and Humphries, 1988).
Lateral Display is a complex set of behaviors performed
only by males during agonistic contests. There is some
stereotypy. although it is by no means a fixed sequence (see
Hanlon and Messenger, 1996; DiMarco and Hanlon, 1997).
It begins with Parallel positioning by two males and then
includes various visual signals including Arm spots. In-
fraocular spot. Fin spots. Mid ventral stripe. Weak lateral
flame, and Raised and splayed arms. The overall base col-
oration of the body is bright white; this, because it is "turned
on" so quickly as the chromatophores retract when a contest
begins, gives the optical illusion of flashing. The ensuing
dynamic interactions between the males include flashing
and escalation to Fin beating followed by Jockeying on the
part of the intruder male to get near the female, and Parrying
by the paired male to fend off the intruder. Mate Guarding
Pattern (Fig. 2F) is shown by paired consort males that are
approached either by paired males or by single large or
small males that may be seeking an extrapair copulation.
The male hovers directly between his mate and the ap-
proaching male, maintaining a bright white coloration with
Arm spots and maximally Splayed arms; the Accentuated
testis is often conspicuous, especially if the male goes dark
or amber briefly (Fig. 2F). Accentuated Testis is a single
component that can and does act as a body pattern, and it is
particularly common on small sneaker males that swim
around spawning areas attempting extrapair copulations.
This pattern is often shown with the All dark component.
but it may also be paired with Basic Amber. Although we
list it as an acute pattern, it can sometimes be shown often
enough to be considered chronic.
Comparisons With Other Loliginids
Sympatric Loligo pealei and Loligo plei
The components of body patterns were compared be-
tween these species by Hanlon (1988) before detailed in-
formation on Liili^o pealei was available. The importance
of these comparisons is that the species are nearly indistin-
guishable morphologically at hatching (McConathy et al.
1980), as juveniles (e.g.. Cohen, 1976), or even at adult size
(Vecchione et al.. 1998). and fisheries statistics usually
lump the two species together in landing records. Hanlon
( 1988) should be consulted for many comparisons of these
two species; only corrections or additions to that paper are
discussed here. First. Accentuated testis and Accentuated
oviducal gland (and their respective shaded counterparts)
occur in both species, so these components cannot be used
to distinguish them. Second. Lateral blush has now been
seen in both species, but the Lateral mantle spot of female
L. pealei seems to be unique. Third, Dark arm stripes in L
pealei seem distinctive. Fourth, Fin spots in L. pealei are
strikingly distinguishable from Stitchwork fins in L. plei.
Fifth, the bands are more variable and perhaps distinctive in
L. pealei. The Lateral Displays of the two species are clearly
different, especially the Mid ventral ridge and the dramatic
Lateral flame of L. plei compared to the Mid ventral stripe
(i.e., no ridge of extended skin) and the weak Lateral flame
of L. pealei. Conversely, the bright white Mate Guarding
Pattern of L. pealei seems distinctive, although field obser-
vations of natural spawning in L. plei would be needed to
confirm this difference.
Loligo forbesi and Loligo vulgaris reynaudii
In general, Loligo pealei is comparable in the content and
diversity of its patterning with other Loligo spp. Porteiro et
til. (1990) provided an ethogram of L. forbesi based on
limited laboratory observations in the Azores Islands, and
Hanlon et al. (1994) provided an ethogram of L. vulgaris
re\naitdii based on a moderate number of diving observa-
tions (but no laboratory trials) in South Africa. The latter
two species occur in the eastern Atlantic and do not overlap
in distribution with L. pealei. However, the adults are ex-
tremely similar in morphology, and hence the body patterns
are one reasonable way to distinguish living animals. The
western Atlantic L. plei and L. pealei have Lateral flame
markings on the mantle, whereas the eastern Atlantic L.
60
R. T. HANLON ET AL
vulgaris. L. vulgaris revnaudii. and L. forbesi all have
Lateral mantle streaks; the arrangement of chromatophores
in the skin is very different and can be seen in preserved
specimens. All five species seem to have highly comparable
body patterns for crypsis and countershading. but differ-
ences appear in the intraspecific signals used during ago-
nistic contests, courtship, and mate guarding. Sexual signals
must be specific, and these are, therefore, the components of
body patterns that will continue to provide unique markers,
which is critical in distinguishing sympatric species.
Conclusions
Loligo pealei has an unexpectedly rich repertoire of
body patterning. Any of the 34 chromatic components
can be expressed instantly and in various combinations
with the 5 postural and 12 locomotor components to
produce each squid's wide variety of behavior. This is a
unique capacity of cephalopods because of the direct
neural control of hundreds of thousands of chromato-
phore organs in the skin. It also reflects this group's
sensory capabilities and well-developed central nervous
system (Hunlon and Messenger, 1996). In L. pealei, the
largest portion of these visual signals seem to be used for
intraspecific communication. This is not unexpected in a
species that schools for much of its brief life, but it calls
into question just how social squids are. Our findings in
this report can be explained partly in the context of the
life history and ecology of this species off Cape Cod.
Loligo pealei individuals live less than a year (Brodziak
and Macy, 1996), and their inshore migration each spring
is generally thought to be linked to spawning. Off of
south Cape Cod (which is a prime squid fishing area and
much warmer than Cape Cod Bay and other locations
northward), the squids arrive around the first week of
May. The inshore trawl and weir trap fishery targets these
schooling squids, which often have egg mops when cap-
tured, indicating high levels of spawning. This reproduc-
tive activity can be studied by divers throughout May, but
it becomes increasingly difficult to find spawning con-
gregations of squids around the southern Cape and is-
lands (Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds) during the sum-
mer and fall, although eggs are trawled episodically
throughout this time.
Our diving operations were designed to study sexual
selection processes, thus our ethogram is based mostly on
squids that were mature and actively engaged in agonistic
contests between males, courting, mating, mate guarding,
and egg laying. In May, many females already have sperm
stored in the seminal receptacle, and it is likely that some
reproductive behavior occurs offshore, before the squids
migrate inshore. Moreover, the squids apparently spend
considerable time in reproduction while inshore during the
spring and summer, and thus it is not surprising that most of
the components listed in Table I are associated with repro-
ductive behavior. Our many hours (more than 440) of ob-
servation over three field seasons make us confident that the
ethogram is quite complete for these activities and times.
Whether other forms of social behavior occur remains to be
discovered. For example, behaviors of young squids and of
adults not engaged in reproductive activities during other
times of the year and in different habitats have yet to be
studied. However, we predict that such observations will
reveal only a few new body patterns.
We have included polarization components in the etho-
gram largely because recent discoveries have shown that L.
pealei (and probably all cephalopods) uses its visual polar-
ization sensitivity to detect prey (Shashar et «/., 1998) and
produces polarization components in its skin that could be
used for intraspecific signaling (Shashar and Hanlon, 1997;
this paper. Fig. 3). Experiments on the cuttlefish Sepia
officinalis suggested that it could possibly use this distinc-
tive visual capability as a "hidden channel" of intraspecific
communication (Shashar et ai, 1996).
One of our recurrent and peculiar observations while
diving was that aggregations of squids actively engaged in
reproductive behaviors were usually conspicuous (i.e.,
bright white) rather than cryptic, thus potentially making
them more easily detected by visual predators, which
abound in the nearshore waters (e.g., mackerel, striped bass,
flatfish). By helping squids avoid predators, schooling, com-
bined with diurnal activity, may offset the disadvantage of
increased visibility.
We believe that use of our ethogram will contribute to
future behavioral studies demonstrating that L. pealei. like
other loliginids. is a species with complex sexual behavior
(Hanlon et al.. 1997; Hanlon and Messenger, 1996; Sauer et
a I.. 1997) that must be understood by those charged with
protecting the resource. This species apparently has a win-
dow of opportunity for laying eggs that is restricted in both
time (mainly spring) and space (shallow nearshore waters).
Many squid fisheries worldwide target spawning congrega-
tions, so the predation pressure on spawners is increased
(Hanlon. 1998). State and federal fishery managers estimate
that stocks of L. pealei are being maximally exploited by
commercial fishing (NEFSC. 1995). Understanding the mat-
ing system of such short-lived species will help managers
assess the true effects of fishery practices that not only
capture a large number of animals but, by removing spawn-
ing individuals, may disrupt the reproductive behavior of
individuals and affect the recruitment and demographic
structure of populations.
SQUID BODY PATTERNING AND BEHAVIOR
61
Acknowledgments
We thank Mark Simonitsch, Ernie Eldridge, and Paul
Lucas, who allowed us to dive in and around their weir traps
to film squid spawning activity. We also thank numerous
personnel of the Marine Resources Center of the MBL and
many summer students who helped collect and feed squids.
This work is the result of research sponsored in part by
NOAA National Sea Grant College Program Office, Depart-
ment of Commerce, under Grant No. NA86RG0075, Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant no. 22850012.
Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant NA76FD0111 and NSF Grant
IBN 9722805 also partially supported this work. KLB was
partially funded by the Marine Models in Biological Re-
search Program (NSF Grant DBI-9605155). ERL was sup-
ported by ONR grant NR 4221022-01 and NSF grant
9419566. Special thanks to Rosie Davis who produced the
first draft of Fig. 1 .
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Stevenson, J. A. 1934. On the behavior of the long-finned squid (Loligo DC
pealii. (Lesueur)). Can. Field-Nat. 48: 4-7. Verrill, A. E. 1880-1881. The cephalopods of the northeastern coast of
Summers, W. C. 1983. Loligo pealei. Pp. 1 15-142 in Cephalopod Life America. Part II. The smaller cephalopods. including the 'squids' and
Cycles. Vol. I, P. R. Boyle, ed. Academic Press. London. the octopi, with other allied forms. Trans. Conn. Acad. Sci. 5: 259-
Vecchione, M., T. F. Brakoniecki, Y. Natsukari, and R. T. Hanlon. 446.
1998. A provisional generic classification of the family Loligin- Wolff, L. B., and A. G. Andreou. 1995. Polarization camera sensors.
idae. Pp. 215-222 in Systematic! and Biogeography of Ceph- Image Vis. Comput. 16: 497-510.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 63-71. (August 1999)
Concurrent Signals and Behavioral Plasticity in Blue
Crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun) Courtship
PAUL J. BUSHMANN*
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. 647 Coulee's Wharf Road, Edgewater, Maryland 21037
Abstract. Behavioral flexibility and behavioral regulation
through courtship signals may both contribute to mating
success. Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus} form precopula-
tory pairs after courtship periods that are influenced by
female and perhaps male urine-based chemical signals. In
this study, male and female crabs were observed in 1.5-in
circular outdoor pools for 45 min while the occurrence and
sequence of courtship behaviors and pairing outcomes were
recorded. These results were then compared with trials in
which males or females were blindfolded; lateral antennule
(outer flagellum) ablated; blindfolded and lateral antennule
ablated; or had received nephropore blocks. The relative
importance of visual and chemical sensory systems during
blue crab courtship were then determined and urine and
non-urine based chemical signals for both males and fe-
males were examined. Courtship behaviors varied consid-
erably in occurrence and sequence; no measured behavior
was necessary for pairing success. Male or female blind-
folding had no effect on any measured behavior. Males and
females required chemical information for normal courtship
behaviors, yet blocking male or female urine release did not
affect courtship behaviors. Males required chemical infor-
mation to initiate pairing or to maintain stable pairs. Male
urine release was necessary for stable pairing, suggesting
that male urine signals may be involved in pair maintenance
rather than pair formation. Females that could not receive
chemical information paired faster and elicited fewer male
agonistic behaviors. The results demonstrate a great vari-
ability and flexibility in blue crab courtship, with no evi-
dence for stereotyped behavioral sequences. However, these
behaviors appear regulated by urine- and nonurine-based
redundant chemical signals emanating from both males and
females. Although urine-based signals play roles in blue
Received 30 March 1998; accepted 1 June 1999.
* Current address: Anne Arundel Community College, 101 College
Parkway. Arnold. MD 21012. E-mail: pjbushman@mail.aacc.cc.md.us
crab courtship, chemical signals from other sites appear to
carry sufficient information to elicit a full range of behav-
ioral responses in males and females.
Introduction
Courtship and mating success depend upon correct be-
havioral responses by both males and females. One might
expect a degree of plasticity in these behaviors (Hazlett,
1995). Because behavior can quickly track changes in en-
vironmental conditions (West-Eberhard, 1989). flexibility in
the occurrence and timing of reproductive behaviors might
help insure successful mating. Many invertebrates do ex-
hibit plasticity in their behaviors (Carlson and Copeland.
1978; Dejean, 1987; Elner and Beninger, 1995) and this
variability may be the rule for most animal species (Lott,
1991).
Conversely, one might also expect courtship and repro-
ductive behaviors to be controlled and regulated by conspe-
cific communication signals. By eliciting appropriate be-
havioral responses, these signals could enhance mating
success and help to prevent interspecies mating. Courtship
and mating in a fluctuating environment could be aided by
multiple or redundant signals, which would make the trans-
mission of adequate and correct information more likely.
Multiple or redundant signals have been found in both
invertebrate and vertebrate species (van den Hurk and Lam-
bert. 1983; Linn <•/ «/., 1984; Rand et «/., 1992).
Chemical communication signals appear to be nearly
universal in the animal world. For aquatic crustaceans,
chemical communication signals have been well docu-
mented in courtship and reproduction (Ryan, 1966; Atema
and Engstrom, 1971; Bales, 1974; rev. in Dunham. 1978,
1988; Gleeson, 1980; Borowsky, 1984, 1985), while visual
(Christy and Salmon, 1991) and acoustic (Salmon and
Horch, 1972) signals have received less study. Recent stud-
ies with a variety of animal taxa have begun to examine
63
64
P. J. BUSHMANN
multiple signals and signal interactions (Hazlett, 1982;
Waas and Colgan, 1992; Stauffer and Semlitsch, 1993;
Hughes, 1996).
Like many crustaceans (Hartnoll, 1969), the blue crab
Callinectes sapidn.\ Rathbun practices a polygynous mating
system involving a complex coordination of female ecdysis,
maturation, and copulation. The mating process has been
well described (Hay, 1905; Churchill, 1921; Van Engel,
1958; Gleeson, 1980). Immature females nearing their final
maturational molt, termed prepubertal females, are ap-
proached and courted by mature males. Pairing success
results in females being held beneath males in a "cradle
carry" posture for a period of precopulatory guarding. They
are released for their molt, mated while still soft, and carried
again for a period of postcopulatory guarding. This latter
guarding protects the female while she is soft and prevents
subsequent inseminations by other males (Jivoff, 1997a).
Females are thought to receive only one copulation in their
lifetime while males mate repeatedly (Van Engel, 1958),
although multiple inseminations are possible and occur oc-
casionally (Jivoff, 1997a).
Blue crab courtship can be divided into three phases:
mate attraction, pair formation, and pair maintenance. In
each phase a precise signaling system would seem impor-
tant to help insure mating success. The coupling of molt and
reproductive condition requires individuals to ascertain the
physiological state of prospective partners. Signals can
function in the reduction of agonistic behaviors (Tinbergen,
1953; Bastock, 1967), and during mating female blue crabs
must in some way guard against injury or death by aggres-
sive, cannibalistic males. Reproductive behaviors and se-
quences might, therefore, be tightly regulated by commu-
nication signals, making appropriate responses more likely
and increasing the eventual mating success of the partici-
pants (Ryan, 1990; Reynolds, 1993).
Chemoreception and vision are the two best studied sen-
sory modalities in blue crab courtship. Teytaud (1971) re-
ported a role for visual signals in male recognition by
pre-pubertal females. However, Gleeson ( 1980) showed that
males did not respond to female visual stimuli alone, and
pairing could proceed in darkness. Chemical signals are
important tor both male (Gleeson, 1980) and female
(Teytaud, 1971; Gibbs, 1996) mate recognition. Some ma-
ture males respond with a courtship display to chemical
compounds in pre-pubertal female urine (Gleeson, 1980;
Gleeson et al., 1984) and reception of these chemical sig-
nals occurs via the aesthetasc sensilla on the lateral filament
(outer flagellum) of the male antennules (Gleeson, 1982).
This signaling theme appears common in crustaceans: urine
carries chemical courtship signals (Ryan, 1966; Bushmann
and Atema, 1997; Bamber and Naylor, 1997) and the an-
tennules appear to be the site of distance chemoreception
(Ache, 1975; Ameyaw-Akumfi and Hazlett, 1975; Devine
and Atema, 1982; Cowan, 1991). The presence of a male
chemical signal has not been firmly established, although
Gleeson ( 1991 ) showed female attraction to water that con-
tained males and Gibbs (1996) demonstrated disruption of
pairing with male antennule ablation.
In this study, the occurrence and variability of courtship
behaviors observed during blue crab pair formation were
examined. These behaviors were then compared with those
generated by male and female pairs with vision, distance
chemoreception, both senses, or urine release impaired.
This allowed a determination of the relative importance of
visual and chemical sensory systems during blue crab court-
ship and an examination of urine- and nonurine-based
chemical signals for both males and females.
Materials and Methods
Adult male crabs (125 mm-170 mm carapace width)
were collected from the Rhode River, an upper Chesapeake
Bay subestuary, with baited commercial crab traps. Premolt
prepubertal females (96 mm-127 mm carapace width) were
purchased from two local businesses which hold molting
females for the soft crab industry. Females ranged in molt
stage from late D0 to D3 (Drach. 1939). Animals were held
in floating cages in the Rhode River or flow-through sea-
water tanks for no more than 48 h before participation in the
study.
Behavioral interactions were observed in outdoor circular
pools (150 cm d. X 20 cm h.) with three centimeters of
washed river sand as substrate. Prior to a trial, pools were
filled with 15 cm of new river water filtered through a felt
bag with 10 /nm mesh. A trial began by randomly selecting
a male crab and placing him into a pool. Ten minutes later,
a randomly selected prepubertal female was placed into the
middle of the pool, inside an opaque plastic cylinder de-
signed to prevent interactions prior to the start of the trial.
After 10 min acclimation, the cylinder was removed, allow-
ing the animals to freely interact. Three pools were started
and watched simultaneously, and the ensuing behaviors
were recorded by hand for 45 min. Carapace width and molt
stage were recorded for each animal.
Prior to trials either a male or a female from each pair was
subjected to an experimental treatment. They were as fol-
lows:
1. Nephropore Occlusion: Blue crabs possess bilateral
nephropores, located anteriorly and just ventral to the
eye stalks. Each opening is found in a pit in the
carapace. A chitinous flap opens to allow urine to exit.
A modification of a successful cannulation technique
was used to prevent urine release. Each pit was first
dried by blotting and a drop of acetone, then filled
with a viscous cyanoacrylate glue. The glue was im-
mediately hardened with a catalytic accelerator. This
sealed the nephropore flap shut. Animals were oc-
cluded 30 min prior to a trial. The blocks were
CONCURRENT SIGNALS IN BLUE CRABS
65
checked for a tight bond with the carapace immedi-
ately before and after a trial, n = 12 males (M:
URINE). 14 females (F:URINE).
3. Antennule Ablation: the distal lateral filament (outer
flagellum), containing the aesthetasc sensilla, of both
antennules was removed, n = 12 males (M:
ANTENN), 12 females (FiANTENN).
4. Blindfolding: two strips of black plastic (50 X 10 mm)
were fastened with cyanoacrylate glue to the dorsal
and ventral carapace so that each wrapped over and
covered an eye stalk, n = 13 males (M:BLIND), 12
females (F:BLIND).
5. Antennule ablation and blindfolding: animals received
both antennule ablation and blindfolding treatments.
n = 12 males (M: ANT-BLIND). 12 females (F: ANT-
BLIND).
6. Sham treatment: both animals in a pair were subjected
to sham operations. Antennules were held with for-
ceps without ablation, nephropores were treated with
acetone and accelerator but not glued, and blindfolds
were attached similarly, but lateral to the eye stalks so
that vision was not impaired, n = 10.
7. Intact: No treatments or sham operations were per-
formed on either animal, n = 12.
Blue crab reproductive and agonistic behaviors have been
well described over the years (Churchill. 1921; Van Engel,
1958; Teytaud, 1971; Jachowski. 1974; Gleeson. 1980).
This study analyzed one agonistic and five reproductive
behaviors. These behaviors were common, unmistakable,
and reliable indicators of the nature of the interaction oc-
curring. They were:
1 . Male Strike: an agonistic behavior in which the male
strikes or seizes any female body part with either
chelae without subsequent attempts at cradle carry.
2. Male Displav: A courtship behavior in which the male
raises high on his walking legs, spreads his chelae
laterally, and raises and rotates his 5th walking legs
(periopods) laterally.
3. Female Present: a courtship behavior in which the
female faces away from the male and holds her body
in a cradle carry posture, with or without spread
chelae.
4. Female Rock: a courtship behavior in which the fe-
male rocks her body from side to side.
5. Initiation of Pair Formation: the male seizes the fe-
male and attempts to pull her into a cradle carry
position. Females often resist, males may make many
attempts, and pairing may or may not become estab-
lished.
6. Stable Pair Formation: this was scored at the end of a
trial. Pairs were in stable cradle carry if both female
and male struggling had ceased, and the animals had
been paired for at least 10 min.
Comparisons of the intact and sham-treated groups
showed no differences in the frequency of occurrence of any
measured behavior or pairing outcome. These two groups
thus appeared to represent samples of the same population
and their data were pooled to yield 22 intact control trials.
Behaviors of these pairs were examined to determine a
normal range of behavioral variability and sequence. Be-
haviors were scored once if they occurred in a given trial.
The number of trials in which behaviors occurred for the
intact control group was then compared with those gener-
ated by the treatment groups. Overall differences between
treatment and control groups were evaluated with a Chi-
square test for multiple independent samples (Siegel and
Castellan. 1988). Where significance was found, differences
between specific treatment groups and the control were
evaluated with a Fisher exact test (FAT) (Siegel and Cas-
tellan, 1988). The mean times between trial start and both
the first behavioral interaction and Initiation of Pair For-
mation were also compared between the control and treat-
ment groups. Overall differences were evaluated with anal-
ysis of variance (Jaccard. 1983), while mean differences
between specific treatments and the control were evaluated
with a non-directional r-test (Jaccard, 1983).
Results
Male and female blue crabs in intact control pairs showed
great variability in the occurrence of their behaviors. During
courtship, no behavior occurred with a high frequency (Ta-
ble I). Male Strike, Male Display, Female Present and
Female Rock occurred in only 41. 41, 56, and 36 percent of
intact control trials, respectively. Pairing was initiated at a
high rate, however (82% of trials), with 50% of trials
resulting in Stable Pair Formation. No single behavior
more likely led to the initiation of pairing or stable pairing,
nor did the exhibition of any behavior preclude these out-
comes (Table I). There was no single sequence of behaviors
Table I
Fret/iiencv of coiin.\lui> uncl agonistic behaviors in intact blue crah
pairs. The number of trials in which each behavior occurred is shown
for all trials, those trials in which Initiation of Pair Formation occurred,
and those trials in which a stable pair was fanned
Trials (%) with Trials ('',', ) with
Imitation of Stable Pair
Occurrence in Pair Formation Formation
Behaviors 22 trials (%) (n = 181 (n = 111
Male Strike
9(41)
6(33)
2(18)
Male Display
9(41)
1(1(56)
3 (30)
Female Present
12(56)
10(56)
4(36)
Female Rock
8(36)
8(44)
3(27)
Initiation of Pair
Formation
18(82)
—
—
Stable Pair Formation
11 (50)
—
—
66
P. J. BUSHMANN
Figure 1. Flow chart showing behavioral pathways from first encoun-
ter, through courtship and/or male agonistic behavior, to stable pairing
success or failure. The circled numbers represent the number of trials
following that particular pathway.
that predominated, nor any single sequence that invariably
led to greater or lesser pairing success. Neither male or
female courtship behaviors were correlated with female
molt stage (early premolt D0 vs. late premolt D?) or the
relative sizes of males and females.
However, some general trends emerge from courtship
sequences examined together with male agonistic behavior
(Fig. 1 ). Most pairs ( 18 of 22) exhibited some sequence of
courtship behaviors prior to pair formation (x2 = 8.91, P =
0.003). The presence of male agonistic behavior signifi-
cantly reduced the likelihood of stable pairing (FAT, P =
0.040). Of the nine pairs in which males exhibited Male
Strike, only two (22%) formed stable pairs. Of the remain-
ing 13 pairs in which males did not exhibit Male Strike, nine
(69%) formed stable pairs (Fig. 1 >.
Examination of male agonistic and display behaviors
revealed overall differences between treatment and control
groups (x2 = 20.45. P < 0.05; r = '7.62, P < 0.05). The
incidence of Male Strike was significantly diminished
(FAT, P = 0.009) if females were antennule ablated (F:
ANTENN) (Fig. 2A). Scores for females antennule ablated
and blindfolded (F:ANT-BLIND) closely approached sig-
nificance (FAT, P = 0.050). Male Display was significantly
reduced when males were antennule ablated (M:ANTENN)
(FAT, P = 0.009) or antennule ablated and blindfolded
(M: ANT-BLIND) (FAT, P = 0.049), but were unaffected
by female or male nephropore occlusion (F:URINE or M:
URINE) (Fig. 2B). Blindfolding alone (M:BLIND and
F:BLIND) had no effect on any measured behavior.
When the behaviors Female Present and Female Rock
were examined, there were significant overall differences
between treatment and control groups (x~ = 45.78, P <
0.05; x2 = 20.2. P < 0.05). The incidence of Female
Present was reduced when females were antennule ablated
(FAT. P = 0.035) or antennule ablated and blindfolded
(FAT, P = 0.009) (Fig. 2C). This behavior was also reduced
by male antennule ablation (FAT, P = 0.001 ). Female Rock
(Fig. 2D) was reduced in incidence when females were
antennule ablated and blindfolded (FAT, P = 0.009): fe-
male antennule ablation alone did not significantly reduce
the occurrence of this behavior (P = 0.083). Female Rock
also occurred less frequently when males were antennule
ablated and blindfolded (FAT, P = 0.009). Male or female
nephropore occlusions or blindfolding had no significant
effect on either female courtship behavior.
Initiation of Pair Formation occurred frequently (80% of
trials) in the intact control group (Fig. 2E). There were
significant overall differences between groups in the occur-
rence of this behavior (x2 = 34.8, P < 0.05). It occurred
significantly less often than the control group when males
were antennule ablated (FAT. P = 0.007), while the reduc-
tion for antennule ablated and blindfolded males ap-
proached statistical significance (P = 0.062). Examination
of stable pairing at the trials' conclusions showed significant
overall differences between treatment groups (x2 = 31.36,
100 ,
80
60
40
20
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80
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40
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Male Display
lUul I-
Male Strike
1 1 !..••••
Female Present
I.
Female Rock
Initiation of Pair Formation
h.lillll
Stable Pair Formation
Illllllll
Treatments
Figure 2. The percentage of trials in which Male Strike. (2A). Male
Display (2B), Female Present (2C), Female Rock (2D). Initiation of Pair
Formation (2E), and Stable Pair Formation (2F) occurred for the intact
control and treatment groups. Differences between intact control and
treatment groups were evaluated with a Fisher exact test. Stars indicate
statistical significance at a = 0.05.
CONCURRENT SIGNALS IN BLUE CRABS
67
S 16
i ,.
O 20
o 12
Figure 3. Mean lime to first observed behavior (3A) and Initiation of
Pair Formation (3B) for the intact control and treatment groups. Bars
represent mean standard error. Differences between intact control and
treatment groups were evaluated with a non-directional t-test. Stars indicate
statistical significance at a = 0.05.
P < 0.05). Fewer pairs were stable (Fig. 2F) if the males
were antennule ablated (FAT, P = 0.016) or antennule
ablated and blindfolded (FAT, P = 0.002). The incidence of
stable pairing was also reduced when male nephropores
were occluded (FAT, P = 0.016). This was the only sig-
nificant effect observed with any nephropore occlusion.
An examination of the mean time between a trial's start
and the first observed behavior (Fig. 3 A) showed significant
differences between treatment groups (ANOVA F = 2.73,
p = 0.009). The mean time to first behavior was signifi-
cantly less than the control group when males were blind-
folded (t = 2.97, P = 0.026), when males were blindfolded
and antennule ablated (t = 2.28, P = 0.032), and when
females were antennule ablated (t = 3.69, P = 0.001).
Overall differences were found (ANOVA F = 2.29, P =
0.030) when the time between trial start and Initiation of
Pair Formation was evaluated (Fig. 3B). In this comparison
only the female antennule-ablated trials showed a signifi-
cant reduction in time (t = 3.90, P = 0.001). Time differ-
ences between the male blindfolded group and the intact
controls closely approached significance (t = 2.01, P =
0.06), while those for the male blindfolded and antennule
ablated group were not significant (t = 1.46, P = 0.170).
Discussion
Arthropod behavior has generally been considered ste-
reotyped. Studies of some insects, such as many moth
species, have demonstrated stereotypic courtship behavior:
specific chemical signals elicit specific and predictable re-
sponses (Kaissling, 1979; Charlton and Carde, 1990). Other
insect species have shown greater flexibility, with individ-
uals basing their behavioral responses upon current condi-
tions and context (Carlson and Copeland, 1978; Dejean,
1987).
Similarly, the behavior of many crustacean species is not
based upon stereotyped responses but instead shows great
plasticity and can be modified as context changes (Ra'anan
and Cohen, 1984; Finer and Beninger, 1995; Hazlett, 1995).
The current study demonstrates such flexibility in Calli-
nectes sapidus courtship behavior. Courtship is variable in
that no single behavior must occur, nor does any behavior
invariably lead to successful pairing. No single behavior
occurred more than approximately half the time, yet the
odds of successful pairing remained high. This suggests that
courtship follows multiple behavioral pathways, all poten-
tially leading to successful pair formation. Such flexible
courtship would be useful for both males and females in a
species that mates in a fluctuating estuarine environment.
With intense male competition for females (Jivoff, 1997b)
and only one chance for females to receive sperm, it max-
imizes the chances of an encounter producing pair forma-
tion, with eventual mating and reproductive success.
However, blue crab mating behavior is not without con-
straints and regulation. In the intact control group most pairs
displayed some courtship behaviors prior to pair formation,
and male agonistic behavior reduced the likelihood of stable
pairing. This demonstrates the importance of controlling
male aggression during courtship and, together with the
treatment trials, illustrates the role that communication sig-
nals often serve in this regard (Tinbergen, 1953). For blue
crabs, the most likely path to successful pairing, and there-
fore successful reproduction, involves courtship and re-
duced male aggression.
The treatment trials suggest behavioral regulation
through chemical communication signals and that both fe-
male and male chemical signals play important roles in
courtship and pairing. Males with ablated antennules
showed reduced instances of Male Display, Initiation of
Pair Formation and Stable Pair Formation. For the male,
loss of distance chemoreception affected behavioral expres-
sion and directly reduced courtship success. The relevant
chemical information did not seem to reside solely in female
urine, however, because females with occluded nephropores
induced male behaviors at frequencies similar to intact
controls. Although the results were less clear, females also
appeared to exhibit fewer instances of courtship behaviors
when their antennules were ablated, while pairing initiation
or stability was unaffected. The physical act of pairing is
initiated by the male, and evidently an antennule-ablated
female is still attractive to males. However, an unreceptive
female can likely flee and decline pairing in the wild.
Blocking male urine release had no effect on female court-
ship behaviors, again suggesting that the relevant chemical
compounds are not restricted to urine.
68
P. J. BUSHMANN
It is now generally recognized that many chemical signals
are mixtures or blends and thus can serve as multiple or
redundant signals (van den Hurk and Lambert. 1983; Vetter
and Baker, 1983; Linn < t al. 1984). In blue crabs and other
brachyurans, a chemical signal in female urine that induces
male courtship behavior has been well described (Ryan.
1966; Gleeson. 1980; Seifert. 1982; Bamber and Naylor,
1997). The present study does not refute the existence of
this signal, but rather suggests urine is only one source of
courtship signals and is not obligatory for the initiation of
male or female courtship behaviors. There appears to be
chemical information from non-urine sources capable of
eliciting the same behaviors when nephropores are oc-
cluded. It is only when all chemical signals are lost through
antennule ablation that behavior is negatively affected.
These statements appear at odds with Ryan's (1966) work
showing no male responses to seawater that had contained
nephropore-blocked premolt Portiimis sanguinolentus fe-
males. It may be that the relevant female P. sanguinolentus
signal is sent only in urine. In addition, the females in
Ryan's study were isolated in 8-1 buckets during signal
release, while females in the current study were placed in
larger tanks in the presence of a male. This more naturalistic
behavioral context may have elicited female nonurine signal
release and male responses not seen in the earlier study.
Lastly. Ryan used molten paraffin rather than glue as
blocks; this may have affected the animals differently from
the blocks used here. These apparent interspecific differ-
ences in behaviors and signals should be more closely
examined.
Blue crab courtship thus appears regulated by female and
male concurrent chemical signals emanating from multiple
sources. It is unknown if the concurrent signals demon-
strated here are different compounds or if they are the same
compound released at different sites. This knowledge awaits
the purification and structural description of these chemical
courtship signals. The release sites of the non-urine chem-
ical compounds are likewise unknown. In lobsters (Hoimi-
nis (imericanus), the gill current has been implicated as a
method for transporting chemical signals to a receiver
(Atema, 1985). Because blue crabs possess a similar cur-
rent, it is possible that the gills themselves or structures
within the gill cavity are sources of chemical signals. Teg-
umental glands, found in blue crabs and other arthropods
(Johnson, 1980; Talbot and Demers, 1993) have been sug-
gested as chemical signal sources in several crustacean
species (Berry, 1970; Kamiguchi, 1972; Bushmann and
Atema, 1996) and also may play a role here.
Loss of chemical signals in some instances had indirect
effects on behavior. Males were less aggressive toward
antennule-ablated females. Ablation evidently alters either
female behavior or her signaling patterns in a way that
affects male agonistic behavior. Similarly, female courtship
behaviors were reduced when male chemical reception was
impaired. Male antennule ablations must alter male behav-
iors or communication signals in a way that makes them less
attractive to females and less capable of inducing female
courtship behavior. This is consistent with field work
(Gibbs, 1996) demonstrating that antennule-ablated males
in crab traps are less able to attract prepubertal females.
There is evidence for an obligatory male urine-based
signal involved in pair maintenance during precopulatory
guarding. When male nephropores were occluded, initiation
of pair formation was not affected yet there was reduced
incidence of stable pairing. This was the only evidence for
a urine-based signal in this study. However, female anten-
nule ablation did not reduce the incidence of stable pair
formation. It is possible that the direct contact involved in a
cradle carry produces other avenues for signal reception,
such as contact chemoreceptors on the dactyls or elsewhere
on the exoskeleton (Fuzessery and Childress, 1975). Al-
though the observed reduction in stable pairing could have
resulted from some male trauma associated with the occlu-
sion procedure, occluding females produces no such pattern
and blue crabs and lobsters appear capable of suspending
urine release for periods of several hours without ill effect
(Bushmann. unpub. data, Breithaupt and Atema, 1993).
Visual signals seem to play no role in influencing court-
ship behaviors or outcomes. Blindfolded males and females
courted, received courtship, and paired with success rates
equal to the intact controls. This is consistent with previous
observations for blue crabs and lobsters that visual signals
are of secondary importance during social interactions
(Gleeson, 1980; Snyder et al.. 1993: Kaplan et al.. 1993).
Thus, the primary function of the male courtship display is
likely not transmission of a visual signal. However, it may
be an excellent method for transmitting both chemical and
hydrodynamic signals to a potential partner. Rotation of the
periopods causes a strong and highly turbulent flow of water
directed forward of the animal (Gleeson, 1991; Bushmann,
unpub. data). This flow would likely entrain any chemical
signal emanating from the gills or nephropores. In addition,
some crustaceans use hydrodynamic information during ag-
onistic interactions and prey capture (Barron and Hazlett,
1989; Breithaupt ct al., 1995). The highly turbulent, di-
rected flow generated by male paddle waving could provide
directional or other information to females.
Many aspects of the male courtship display remain un-
clear. It must have some energetic cost and may draw
attention by predators, yet it need not occur for successful
pairing and occurred in less than half the observed encoun-
ters. In this study its occurrence was not correlated with
female premolt stage, the relative sizes of males and fe-
males, or pairing success during the encounter. The function
of this rather spectacular behavior and the stimuli leading to
its initiation require further investigation.
Loss of female chemoreception appeared to accelerate
rather than retard pairing. When females were antennule-
CONCURRENT SIGNALS IN BLUE CRABS
69
ablated, males showed little agonistic behavior, females
exhibited fewer courtship behaviors, and pairs formed more
quickly than in the intact control group (Fig. 3B) and they
remained stable. This is at odds with Gibbs (1996), who
found males to be more aggressive toward antennule-
ablated females and the time required for pairing to be
unaffected. The present study suggests that females use
chemical information and courtship behaviors to lengthen
courtship periods, perhaps as a way of better evaluating
potential partners. Loss of chemical information through
female antennule ablation would then result in less female
evaluation and faster pairing.
The significant reduction in time until first behavior seen
in the male blindfolded group was probably a general be-
havioral rather than specific communication effect. Blind-
folded males, without visual stimuli, may have been less
wary and more likely to begin moving about the pool after
trial start. This male movement would result in more rapid
encounters with females. The time until Initiation of Pair
Formation was not significantly shortened, however (Fig.
3B), and blindfolding had no effect on any measured be-
havior.
Several studies have shown that lateral antennule ablation
affects behavior by interfering with chemical reception
(Ache, 1975; Ameyaw-Akumfi and Hazlett, 1975; Gleeson,
1980; Cowan, 1991). However, in any ablation experiment
there is always a question of false-negative responses due to
a general dampening of behavior caused by the procedure
itself (Dunham, 1978). In the present study, while ablated
males showed reduced reproductive behaviors, agonistic
responses were unaltered. Antennule-ablated females, while
not exhibiting many courtship behaviors, were nonetheless
courted and carried by males. These ablations appeared to
affect certain reproductive behaviors, presumably those de-
pendent upon chemical signals, rather than causing a gen-
eral reduction in behavioral responses.
A second potential problem concerns the blocks applied
to the nephropores to prevent urine release. Correct inter-
pretation of results depends upon an effective block. Several
lines of evidence suggest that these blocks prevented urine
release. First, they are the initial step in the attachment of a
urine cannula. This cannula can collect urine from blue
crabs for several days without leaking (Bushmann, unpub.
data). Second, three urine blocked animals were held after
their trials. These individuals were swollen from fluid re-
tention within 6 h and died within 12 h. Lastly, the water
from four blocked animals held individually in 2-1 tanks
showed reduced ammonia levels compared to water from
four unblocked crabs (Bushmann, unpub. data). Ammonia
levels from blocked crab water were not zero, because
ammonia is also excreted across the gills (Mantel and
Farmer, 1983). Taken together, these observations suggest
that the blocks used in this experiment were effective in
preventing urine release.
In summary, Callincctes sapidus courtship illustrates
both behavioral plasticity and the importance of behavioral
regulation through a signaling system. The concurrent and
seemingly redundant chemical signals discussed here may
be different compounds or the same compound released
from different sites. Chemical rather than visual signals
from both male and female seem to play crucial roles in
courtship and pairing. Although these signals influence the
initiation of behaviors and pairing success, there appear to
be many different pathways leading to pairing success, and
no single behavior and perhaps no single signal is necessary
for pairing success. Courtship behaviors and chemical sig-
naling may operate in a more complex and flexible manner
than previously demonstrated.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks Dr. Anson H. Mines for his assistance,
support, and review of this manuscript. This work was
funded through a Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellowship to
PB, and an NSF grant OCE-971 1843 to AHH.
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Reference: BinL Bull 197: 72-81. (August 1999)
Translocation of Photosynthetic Carbon From
Two Algal Symbionts to the Sea Anemone
Anthopleura elegantissima
HILARY P. ENGEBRETSON AND GISELE MULLER-PARKER*
Department of Biology and Shannon Point Marine Center, Western Washington University,
Bellingham, Washington 98225-9160
Abstract. The intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura el-
egantissima contains two symbiotic algae, zoochlorellae
and zooxanthellae, in the Northern Puget Sound region.
Possible nutritional advantages to hosting one algal symbi-
ont over the other were explored by comparing the photo-
synthetic and carbon translocation rates of both symbionts
under different environmental conditions. Each alga trans-
located 30% of photosynthetically fixed carbon in freshly
collected anemones, although zoochlorellae fixed and trans-
located less carbon than zooxanthellae. The total amount of
carbon translocated to the host was equivalent because
densities of zoochlorellae were two to three times greater
than were densities of zooxanthellae. In A. elegantissima
maintained under high and low irradiance ( 100 and 10 /xmol
photons/rrr/s) at 20°C and 13°C for 21 days, both algae
fixed and translocated carbon at greater rates at 20°C (trans-
location rates: 0.38 pg C /zoochlorella/h; 1.12 pg C /zoo-
xanthella/h) than at 13°C (translocation rates: 0.06 pg
C /zoochlorella/h; 0.37 pg C /zooxanthella/h). However,
zoochlorellate anemones received 3.5 times less carbon at
20°C than at 13°C because the higher temperature caused a
significant reduction in the density of zoochlorellae. Envi-
ronmental variables, like temperature, that influence the
densities of the two symbionts will affect their relative
nutritional contribution to the host. Whether these differ-
ences in carbon translocation rates of the two algal symbi-
onts affect the ecology of their anemone host awaits further
investigation.
Received 12 January 1998; accepted 3 June 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: gisele®
biol.wwu.edu
Introduction
The temperate sea anemones Anthopleura elegantissima
and Anthopleura xanthogrammica host both dinoflagellate
zooxanthellae and green algae known only generally as
zoochlorellae (Muscatine, 1971). Both algal symbionts pho-
tosynthetically fix inorganic carbon and translocate some of
the products to the animal host. Zooxanthellae in corals, as
well as in A. elegantissima, translocate carbon to the host
mainly as glycerol (Muscatine, 1967; Trench, 1971; Battey
and Patton, 1987). Glycerol is used by the host to support its
basal metabolism, while lipids that are also translocated by
the algae are used to create lipid stores (Battey and Patton,
1987). We do not know what products are translocated by
marine zoochlorellae to their host, although unpublished
work by Minnick and McCloskey (cited in Verde and Mc-
Closkey, 1996) indicates that zoochlorellae translocate sev-
eral amino acids in addition to glycerol. For zoochlorellae in
the freshwater green hydra, maltose is the principal form of
translocated photosynthate (Mews and Smith, 1982).
Further understanding of the nutritional relationship be-
tween Anthopleura and the two algae may come from
comparisons of the amount of carbon translocated from the
algae to the host. Previous studies have suggested that
zoochlorellae do not translocate as much carbon as zoo-
xanthellae. Using I4C, O'Brien (1980) found that zoochlo-
rellae in excised tentacles translocate from zero to 3.6% of
the total carbon fixed by the algae to the epidermal tissues
of Anthopleura xanthogrammica. Zooxanthellae in intact
anemones translocate as much as 50% of the total I4C-
labelled carbon fixed to the host fraction of A. elegantissima
(Trench, 1971). Based on carbon budgets, Verde and Mc-
Closkey (1996) calculate that zooxanthellae will have pho-
tosynthetic products available to supply A. elegantissima
72
CARBON TRANSLOCATION IN ANEMONES
73
with 48% of its respiratory carbon requirement, while zoo-
chlorellae will only he able to satisfy 9% of the anemone's
respiratory needs. Verde and McCloskey conclude that the
higher net photosynthesis and lower algal growth demand of
zooxanthellae combine to provide more photosynthetic car-
bon to a zooxanthellate host anemone than is the case for an
anemone that contains zoochlorellae as its endosymbiont.
These studies show that zooxanthellae appear to be the
"better" symbiont with respect to carbon supplied to the
host.
It is important to directly compare carbon translocation
rates of zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae under different
temperatures and irradiance levels, because intertidal A.
elegantissima are exposed to extreme seasonal fluctuations
in these parameters (Dingman. 1998). Furthermore, both
irradiance and temperature are thought to influence the
distribution of these two algae within anemones. Field ob-
servations of the distribution of Anthopleura xanthogram-
mica in British Columbia, Canada, by O'Brien and Wytten-
bach (1980) led the authors to suggest that zooxanthellae
and zoochlorellae populations in anemones may be regu-
lated by temperature. In the lower latitude, warmer regions
of Anthopleura' s range zooxanthellae are the dominant
symbiont, while zoochlorellae are more abundant in anem-
ones in the higher latitude, colder regions of Anthopleura 's
range (Secord, 1995). Are these distribution patterns related
to differences in carbon translocation of the two algae?
Saunders and Muller-Parker (1997) determined that in-
creased temperature caused a reduction in the density of
zoochlorellae in Anthopleura elegantissima tentacles over
time. How do such changes in algal density affect the rate of
carbon translocation to the host?
This study compares carbon fixation and translocation
rates of both zoochlorellate and zooxanthellate anemones
collected from a single site and kept under different envi-
ronmental conditions likely to be encountered in the field.
The effects of irradiance and temperature on translocation
of fixed carbon from zooxanthellae and zoochlorellae to A.
elegantissima are examined by measuring the distribution of
radioactively labelled carbon in the algae and in the animal
host, and relating the carbon translocation rates to popula-
tion densities of the respective algae.
Materials and Methods
Collection of anemones and determination of symbiont
complement
Anthopleura elegantissima was collected from a rocky
intertidal area located on Anaco Beach, Fidalgo Island,
Washington (48° 29'; 122° 42') in June and July of 1994.
Ambient seawater temperature was 11°C. Both zooxanthel-
late and zoochlorellate anemones were collected from the
same large boulder, at one tidal height (+0.6 m). Nonsym-
biotic (algae-free) anemones were collected from dark crev-
ices in a nearby rock jetty. The anemones were placed in
flow-through ambient seawater tables at Shannon Point
Marine Center for one day before experiments began.
The anemones were separated by color and excised ten-
tacles from several anemones were examined microscopi-
cally to verify that anemones that appeared brown in the
field actually contained zooxanthellae, that green anemones
contained zoochlorellae, and that white anemones were
algae-free.
The symbiont complement of all anemones was con-
firmed by counting the number of zoochlorellae and zoo-
xanthellae in homogenized anemone samples after 14C in-
cubation. Zoochlorellate anemones from the field contained
an average of 99.0% (±2.0 SD, ;; == 18) zoochlorellae,
while zooxanthellate anemones contained an average of
97.3% (±3.2 SD. ;; = 18) zooxanthellae. Three field anem-
ones that contained mixed populations of both symbionts
contained from 40% to 60% of each alga (average = 53%
zoochlorellae) within their tissues.
Experimental treatments: symbiont. light, and temperature
To examine the effects of irradiance and temperature on
zooxanthellate and zoochlorellate anemones, a 2 X 2 X 2
factorial experiment was designed with factors of anemone
symbiont type, irradiance level, and temperature. Two ex-
periments were run sequentially in one incubator. For each,
28 anemones, consisting of 14 zoochlorellate anemones and
14 zooxanthellate anemones, were placed in individual
50-ml beakers containing 35 ml of 5 /xm-filtered seawater.
For the first experiment the anemones were incubated at
20°C; for the second experiment the anemones were incu-
bated at 13°C. The beakers containing the anemones were
arranged randomly within the incubator under a bank of
fluorescent lights providing a mean irradiance of 100 /j,mol
photons/nr/s. For each experiment, half of each group of
anemones was covered with mesh for the low irradiance
treatment (10% of full irradiance; see Saunders and Muller-
Parker. 1997, for details). The lights were set to a natural
daylength cycle of 14 h:10 h (lighf.dark). The anemones
were fed every three days with freshly hatched Anemia
nauplii and were last fed two days prior to 14C incubation.
The anemones were maintained under the experimental
conditions for 21 days prior to measuring carbon fixation
and translocation rates.
Carbon fixation and translocation
The amount of carbon photosynthetically fixed by the
algal symbionts and translocated to the anemone host was
measured using the I4C method (O'Brien, 1980; Battey and
Patton, 1987), with some modifications. One hour prior to
the I4C incubation period each anemone was transferred to
an individual clear plastic vial (Nunc* tube). Exactly 10 ml
74
H P. ENGEBRETSON AND G. MULLER-PARKER
of 5 /xm-filtered seawater was added to each vial and the
anemones were returned to their treatment conditions.
The I4C incubations were always begun at the same time
of day (0900 h) to minimize variation due to any factors
associated with the natural photoperiod of the anemone. The
addition of 14C-bicarbonate to each vial was noted as time
zero. After thorough mixing, 100 /j,l of the seawater was
subsampled to determine the total activity of the seawater in
the vial, which ranged from 13.6 to 21.3 juCi/anemone.
Anemones in vials that were covered completely with foil to
exclude light served as controls for each experiment. These
controls were used to account for dark fixation of I4C by the
algae and/or the animal under each set of conditions. Sep-
arate controls were run for zoochlorellate and for zooxan-
thellate anemones. All anemones were incubated with 14C
for 1 .5 h under the appropriate temperature and irradiance
conditions they had experienced for 21 days. After incuba-
tion, the anemones were rinsed thoroughly with non-la-
belled seawater, making sure that seawater retained in the
coelenteron was also expelled. The seawater in the vials was
replaced, and all of the vials were covered completely with
foil. The vials were then returned to the appropriate incu-
bation conditions for the dark chase period, which was
1.75 h for most experiments. Following the dark chase
period, the anemones were rinsed again and individually
homogenized in seawater with a motor-driven teflon tissue
grinder (60 ml volume). Homogenate volume (= anemone)
was measured and 1 ml of the homogenate was frozen for
later protein analysis. A 0.5 ml sample of the homogenate
was transferred to a 7-ml plastic scintillation vial and acid-
ified with 0.3 ml 6 N HCI under a heat lamp in a fume hood
to remove unincorporated inorganic I4C label. Assay of
homogenate was used to determine the amount of I4C fixed
by the whole anemone.
The algae were separated from the host fraction to mea-
sure the distribution of I4C in both fractions. Ten ml of the
homogenate was centrifuged in a table top swinging bucket
centrifuge for 10 min. The algal pellet was rinsed two times
and the final algal pellet was resuspended in 5 ml of filtered
seawater. The combined supernatant was the animal frac-
tion of the homogenate and the resuspended pellet was the
algal fraction. The final animal fraction volume was mea-
sured and 1-nil samples of the animal and algal fraction
were frozen for later analysis. Half-milliliter (0.5-ml) sam-
ples of each fraction were acidified with 0.3 ml 6 N HCI, as
described above. The acidified homogenate, animal, and
algal samples in the scintillation vials were then neutralized
with 0.3 ml 6 /V NaOH, 5 ml of Ecolume scintillation fluid
was added, and disintegrations per minute (DPM) of each
sample counted in a Packard TriCarb 1900TR liquid scin-
tillation counter.
To compare trunslocution of 14C by freshly collected field
anemones to the anemones in the experimental treatments,
anemones gathered from the field were subjected to I4C
analysis the day after collection. These anemones were kept
under a light bank of fluorescent lamps at a photosyntheti-
cally saturating irradiance of 309 ^tmol photons/nr/s in a
flow-through ambient seawater table ( 1 1°C) until I4C anal-
ysis.
Bioniciss parameters
The protein content of the homogenate and animal frac-
tions of each anemone was determined by the method of
Lowry (Lowry el al., 1951). using bovine serum albumin
(BSA) as a standard. Two replicates of both homogenate
and animal fractions from each anemone were analyzed on
a Hitachi 100-40 spectrophotometer. To ascertain the algal
biomass and proportion of zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae
in each anemone, cell counts were done on the frozen algal
fractions. The number of each alga (zoochlorellae and zoo-
xanthellae) in each sample was counted using a hemacy-
tometer viewed under a compound microscope. Six repli-
cate counts of algal numbers were done for each sample.
The mean of the replicate counts was normalized to weight
of anemone homogenate protein to provide an estimate of
algal density in each anemone.
Percent carbon translocation
The percent of fixed I4C translocated to the host during
the 1.75-h dark chase time was determined by dividing the
DPM calculated for the whole animal fraction by DPM in
the whole homogenate fraction. Any dark carbon fixation by
the algae and host was accounted for by subtracting the
mean DPM per nig protein of the dark control fractions for
the appropriate symbiont type from the DPM per mg protein
of each experimental anemone fraction (homogenate or
animal) before calculating the percent translocation. For all
symbiotic anemones, dark fixation accounted for less than
10% of the total carbon fixed by anemones in the light. For
the nonsymbiotic anemones, dark fixation accounted for
86% of the total carbon fixed. Because the data were in the
form of percentages, they were arcsine transformed for
statistical analysis.
Rates of carbon fixation anil translocation
Although the percent of fixed carbon translocated to the
host is important, it does not indicate the actual rate of
carbon received by the anemone under different environ-
mental conditions. For that information, the rates of carbon
fixation and translocation must be examined. The specific
activity of I4C in the seawater was used to calculate the
actual amount of carbon fixed and translocated. The weight
of carbon dioxide (all forms) present in the seawater was
determined by the alkalinity method described in Parsons et
al. ( 1984). The weight of the total inorganic carbon present
in the seawater was then multiplied by the rate of uptake (or
CARBON TRANSLOCATION IN ANEMONES
75
100 -
c 80 -
S
|
f 60 -
ro
O
! "0 -I
c
°- 20 -
— I —
10
15
— 1 —
20
I
25
Time (h)
Figure 1. The effects of symbiont type and dark chase period on the
percent of carbon translocated to the host anemone, n = 2 for each group;
± 1 SD of the mean.
translocation) of the labelled carbon in the sample, as de-
termined by dividing DPM in the homogenate (or animal)
fraction sample (corrected for DPM in the dark control) by
the total activity (DPM) of the I4C added and the hours of
incubation with I4C. The result is the rate of carbon fixation
(or translocation), as amount of C fixed (or translocated) per
hour.
Carbon fixation and translocation rates can be expressed
on the basis of both anemone biomass (protein) and on the
basis of an individual algal cell. Comparison of rates nor-
malized to these two parameters shows how algal density
affects photosynthesis and translocation. The rate of carbon
fixed by anemones was calculated by using the homogenate
fractions in the above calculation and normalizing to either
anemone protein biomass or to number of algae. The rate of
carbon translocated to the animal was calculated by using
the animal fractions in the above calculation.
All analyses of variance and multiple range test statistics
were examined with a significance level of 5%. Statistics
were calculated using Statistix 4. 1 by Analytical Software.
Results
Percent C translocation over time
A I4C pulse-chase time course experiment was conducted
with field anemones to determine if and how the length of
the dark chase time affected the percent of carbon translo-
cated to the host by the two symbionts. A 2 X 6 factorial
analysis of variance showed that symbiont type had a sig-
nificant effect on percent translocation (P < 0.000). Over
the entire chase time period, the percent of fixed carbon
translocated to the host by zooxanthellae is significantly
higher than the percent of fixed carbon translocated by
zoochlorellae (Fig. 1). The length of the chase time period
also significantly affected the percent of carbon translocated
to the host anemone (P = 0.031). but there was no inter-
action between symbiont type and chase period. Tukey's
(HSD) multiple range test indicated that only chase time
periods of 10.2 h and 22 h are significantly different from
each other. To permit direct comparison of the effects of
external factors (temperature and irradiance) on percent
translocation. we used a short dark chase period ( 1.75 h) to
compare C translocation of zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae
in all subsequent experiments.
Percent transl
There was no significant difference in the percent of
carbon translocated from the algae to the animal in zoo-
chlorellate, zooxanthellate. and mixed anemones collected
from the field and incubated under saturating irradiance and
at ambient seawater temperature (comparison by ANOVA).
Percent carbon translocated averaged 30% for all field
anemones under these conditions (Fig. 2).
The percent C translocated was higher for anemones
maintained under the experimental treatments than for field
anemones, and zoochlorellae translocated a greater percent
of carbon (up to 65%; Fig. 2). Both temperature and sym-
biont type are significant main effects on percent transloca-
tion. Both symbionts translocated greater percentages of
fixed carbon at 20°C than at 13°C (2X2X2 factorial
analysis, P = 0.013). Additionally, zoochlorellae translo-
cated a higher percent of fixed carbon than zooxanthellae
(P = 0.036) at both temperatures. Irradiance was not a
significant main effect on the percent of carbon translocated
to the host (P = 0.437). No interaction effects were signif-
icant. Although these results show that hosting zoochlorel-
Field
Zoochlorellate
Zooxanthellate
100 n
80 -
60 -
40 -
20 -
T
I
I
1
vv V
A
A
Figure 2. Percent of carbon translocated to the anemone host after a
1.75 h dark chase period. Field anemones were incubated at 11°C and a
light intensity of 309 jixmol photons/nr/s (for Zoochlorellate anemones.
n = 4; lor zooxanthellate and mixed anemones, n = 2). Experimental
Zoochlorellate and zooxanthellate anemones were incubated under their
treatment conditions: high light (HL. 100 /j,mol/nr/s ) or low light (LL, 10
/j,mol/nr/s) at either 13 or 20"C (20 or 13). n = 5 for each group; ± 1 SD
of the mean.
76
H. P. ENGEBRETSON AND G. MULLER-PARKER
Zoochlorellate
Zooxanthellate
u.io -
'c
AA
f 0.10 -
CL
T
O)
"S 0.05 -
1
O
01
=3
n nn -
r1] r*-\
-! B
Figure 3. The rate of carbon fixation by zoochlorellate (D) and zoo-
xanthellate (•) anemones incubated under their treatment conditions: high
light (HL. KM) jamol/rrr/s) or low light (LL, 10 /xmol/nr/s) at either 13 or
20 C (20 or 13). it = 5 for each group; ± 1 SD of the mean. A. The rate
of carbon fixation per mg anemone protein. B. The rate of carbon fixation
per algal cell.
lae at higher temperatures results in a greater percent of
fixed carbon to the anemone, carbon translocation rates are
needed to compare the actual amounts of carbon received by
zoochlorellate and zooxanthellate anemones under field and
experimental conditions.
Rates of carbon fixation and translocation
The rate of carbon fixation by zoochlorellate and zoo-
xanthellate anemones maintained under high and low irra-
diance at 13°C and 20°C for 21 days was significantly
affected by an interaction between temperature and symhi-
ont type (P = 0.009). While zooxanthellate anemones fixed
carbon at the same rate at both temperatures, zoochlorellate
anemones fixed about three times more carbon at 13°C than
at 20"C for rates expressed on the basis of anemone biomass
(Fig. 3a). Carbon fixation and translocation rates expressed
on an algal cell basis are needed to compare these processes
at the level of the individual algal cell with that of the
symbiotic association. When the rate of carbon fixation is
normalized to algal numbers instead of to anemone protein
biomass, none of the interaction effects were significant and
both algae fixed carbon at a lower rate at 13°C than at 20°C
(2.3 times less and 3 times less, respectively; P = 0.004:
Fig. 3b). The rate of carbon fixation per algal cell is signif-
icantly greater under high irradiance than under low irradi-
ance (P = 0.045), and at both temperatures the zoo.xanthel-
lae fixed carbon at a significantly greater rate than did the
zoochlorellae (P = 0.000).
As shown in Figure 4a for carbon fixation rates normal-
ized to anemone biomass, (he rate of carbon translocated to
the host anemone is significantly affected by an interaction
between temperature and symbiont type (P = 0.009).
While zooxanthellate anemones experienced similar rates of
carbon translocation at both temperatures, rates of translo-
cation in zoochlorellate anemones were almost 3.5 times
less at 20°C than at I3°C (Fig. 4a). At 13°C. rates of
translocation are comparable for both zoochlorellate and
zooxanthellate anemones, and these rates were higher at the
high irradiance level at both temperatures (Fig. 4a). When
carbon translocation rates are normalized to algal cell num-
ber, a significant interaction between temperature and sym-
biont type is again observed (P = 0.039; Fig. 4b). In this
case, the rate of carbon translocation was also greater per
Zoochlorellate
Zooxanthellate
0 08 -,
I o.oe H
I
"S ° °4 -
i
, — 1__
i
o
£ 0.02 -
ro
O
_ n nn
n
4 -i
|3H
2>
ro
I 2
S
^2
1 1
O
S 0
B
Figure 4. The rate of carbon translocation by zoochlorellate (D) and
zooxanthellate (•) anemones incubated under their treatment conditions:
high light (HL, 100 /nmol/nr/s) or low light (LL. 10 /^mol/nr/s) at either
13 or 20"C (20 or 13). ;i = 5 for each group; ± I SD of the mean. A. The
rate of carbon translocation per mg anemone protein. B. The rate ot carbon
translocation per algal cell.
CARBON TRANSLOCATION IN ANEMONES
Table I
Rales of carbon fixation and iranslocation by algae in zoochlorellate. zooxanthellate and mixed field anemones collected during summer,
normalized to anemone protein biomass or to alga
77
ANEMONE TYPE
CARBON
FIXED
CARBON
TRANSLOCATED
fj.g C fixed/mg
protein/h
pg C fixed/
alga/h
/^g C translocated/mg
protein/h
pg C translocated/
alga/h
Zoochlorellate
Zooxanthellate
Mixed
Results of 1-way ANOVA
0.110 ± 0.03
0.145 ± 0.06
0.199 ± 0.02
NS
0.275 ±0.14
1.236 ± 1.13
0.684 ± 0.08
NS
0.034 ± 0.007"
0.038 ± 0.004"
0.065 ± 0.0 12b
P = 0.014
0.091 ± .06
0.390 ± 0.042
0.221 ± 0.01
NS
For zoochlorellate anemones, n = 4; for zooxanthellate and mixed anemones, n = 2. NS denotes the parameters (column headings) that are not
significantly different among the three anemone types. Tukey's HSD Multiple Range Test indicated that both zoochlorellate and zooxanthellate anemones
experienced similar rates of translocation per mg protein, while mixed anemones experienced a significantly greater rate of translocation per mg protein
(a and b are used to indicate these differences among anemone types).
zooxanthella than per zoochlorella at both 13°C and 20°C;
however, while zooxanthellae translocated approximately
2.5 times less carbon at 13°C as at 20°C, zoochlorellae
translocated almost 4 times less carbon at 13°C as at 20°C
(comparisons between temperatures use pooled rates from
both irradiance levels, because irradiance did not affect the
rate of carbon translocation per algal cell).
Although our sample size for field anemones is small,
data obtained from these anemones provide a valuable com-
parison to treatment anemones. When mixed anemones are
included in the comparison of carbon fixation and translo-
cation rates of field anemones, the carbon fixation rates of
zoochlorellate, zooxanthellate, and mixed field anemones
are not significantly different from each other, whether
expressed on the basis of anemone protein biomass or algal
cell (Table I). Although algal cell-based translocation is not
significantly different, the rate of carbon translocation per
mg protein in A. elegantissima is significantly affected by
symbiont type (Table I). However, Tukey's HSD Multiple
Range Test indicated that both zoochlorellate and zooxan-
thellate anemones experienced similar rates of translocation
per mg protein, while mixed anemones experienced a sig-
nificantly greater rate of translocation per mg protein.
Algal density in anemones
Zoochlorellate field anemones contained significantly
higher algal densities than did zooxanthellate field anemo-
nes (Fig. 5; P = 0.000). Mixed anemones had algal densities
between those of zooxanthellate and zoochlorellate anemo-
nes; the density of algae in mixed anemones was not sig-
nificantly different from the density of algae in either zoo-
xanthellate or zoochlorellate anemones.
A two-way ANOVA performed on the algal density
within the anemones after 21 days under the experimental
treatments showed that the interaction between temperature
and symbiont type was significant (P = 0.001). All anem-
ones held at 20°C contained similar densities of algae;
however, at 13°C zooxanthellate anemones had signifi-
cantly fewer algae per mg anemone protein than did
zoochlorellate anemones (Fig. 5). Anemones held in the
laboratory under all experimental treatments contained sig-
nificantly fewer algae than did anemones freshly collected
from the field (P = 0.000).
Discussion
Percent translocation and translocation rates
In the field, zoochlorellate and zooxanthellate anemones
receive the same amount of photosynthetic carbon from
their symbionts during the summer in northern Puget Sound
(Fig. 2, Table I). These results suggest that during summer
50 -
C. 40 -
Field
Zoochlorellate
Zooxanthellate
'o
o.
ID
C
o
30 -
20 -
en
1
Figure 5. Density of algae in field anemones (n = 20, 17, and 3 for
zoochlorellate. zooxanthellate, and mixed anemones respectively) and in
zoochlorellate (D) and zooxanthellate • anemones after 21 days under
high light (HL, 100 jumol/nr/s) or low light (LL. 10 /j.mol/nr/s) at either
13 or 20°C (20 or 13). n = 7 for each group; ± 1 SD of the mean.
78
H. P. ENGEBRETSON AND G. MULLER-PARKER
there is no selective advantage, with respect to carbon, of
hosting one symbiont over the other under saturating irra-
diance levels and ambient temperature. However, under
different environmental conditions imposed in a laboratory
experiment, zoochlorellae translocated a greater percent of
fixed carbon to the host than did zooxanthellae, and both
algal symbionts translocated a significantly greater percent
of the carbon they fixed at 20°C than at 13°C (Fig. 2). The
implications of these results are discussed below.
In our study, zoochlorellae translocated a much greater
percent of the fixed carbon than shown by the previous
studies of Muscatine ( 197 1 ), O'Brien (1980), and Verde and
McCloskey (1996). However, the percent carbon translo-
cated by both algae in A. elegantissima is comparable to
values obtained for other temperate cnidarian symbioses
(Sutton and Hoegh-Guldberg, 1990; Davy et at., 1997).
Muscatine (1971), using I4C analysis, determined that zoo-
chlorellae translocate only 1 .0% to 3.6% of the carbon they
fix. However, Muscatine used only the tentacles and not
whole anemones in his experiments; in addition, for some
experiments the animal and algal fractions from tentacles
were homogenized and separated before incubation with
I4C. O'Brien (1980) found that zoochlorellae translocated
1.3% to 3.9% of the carbon they fixed. O'Brien also used
only tentacles of A. xanthogrammica. He dissected the
epidermis of the anemone from the algae-containing gastro-
dermis after 14C incubation and used the epidermis as the
animal fraction and the gastrodermis as the algal fraction for
translocation calculations. Any labelled carbon that the al-
gae had translocated to the gastrodermal tissues of the host
was counted as fixed carbon retained by the algal fraction.
In addition, any host mechanisms acting upon translocation
would be lost due to the excision of the tentacle from the
remainder of the anemone body.
The 14C method employed in this study accounts only for
short-term carbon products fixed and released by the algae
from inorganic carbon supplied in the external environment.
There is substantial evidence for zooxanthellae that recently
fixed carbon is released to the host (Sutton and Hoegh-
Guldberg, 1990; Wang and Douglas, 1997). In contrast,
translocation of carbon based on the growth-rate method
takes into account the daily carbon budget of the symbiotic
algae (Muscatine et al, 1984). Because carbon required for
algal growth may be supplied from the host animal (Trench,
1979), any contribution of host-derived carbon is wholly
missed by the I4C method as applied here. This may explain
the discrepancy between our results and those of Verde and
McCloskey (1996), who found that zoochlorellae may have
only minimal excess carbon available to translocate to the
host. The algae may selectively translocate photosyntheti-
cally fixed carbon while concurrently obtaining carbon for
growth from the anemone host. This comparison also illus-
trates the importance of defining the time scales used to
assess carbon translocation. Zoochlorellate and zooxanthel-
late anemones receive the same amount of translocated
carbon during short-term (hours) I4C incubations (our re-
sults), while growth rate comparisons based on longer time
intervals (days to weeks) show that zoochlorellae translo-
cate less carbon (Verde and McCloskey, 1996). The appro-
priate time scale for comparisons of these two algae will
depend on the metabolic fate of the translocated carbon and
on the external supply of carbon derived from host feeding.
Higher carbon fixation rates by both algae at the high
irradiance level at both temperatures also resulted in greater
carbon translocation rates (Figs. 3, 4). It appears that the
symbiotic algae simply translocate fixed carbon at a higher
rate under high irradiance because they have more photo-
synthetic product available. These results indicate that, with
similar algal densities, anemones located in areas exposed to
high solar irradiance should receive larger amounts of fixed
carbon from their symbionts than should anemones located
in areas of low light. The same is true for temperature. Both
zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae fixed and translocated car-
bon at greater rates at 20°C. However, the advantage of
greater carbon translocation at the higher temperature and
irradiance level on an algal cell basis is offset by lower algal
densities under these conditions, reducing the amount of
carbon received by the anemone (see below).
Algal density and carbon translocation in anemones
Zoochlorellate anemones from the field contained ap-
proximately two to three times the density of algae as did
zooxanthellate anemones (Fig. 5), as has been found by
others (Verde and McCloskey, 1996; Dingman, 1998).
Thus, although an individual zoochlorella translocates car-
bon to the host anemone at a lesser rate than does a zoo-
xanthella (Table I; Fig. 4b), both anemone types receive
fixed carbon at similar rates because of increased densities
of zoochlorellae in field anemones (Fig. 5). Interestingly,
although the zoochlorellae are numerically more abundant,
volume comparisons indicate that they occupy the same
"space" as the larger zooxanthellae within the anemones
(unpub. data). Therefore, both anemone types in the field
maintain similar ratios of algal to animal biomass and
receive similar amounts of photosynthate.
Anemones in all experimental treatments contained sig-
nificantly fewer algae than did field anemones, and both
types of anemone had lower algal densities at the higher
temperature (Fig. 5). This may be related to differences in
summer field conditions and laboratory incubator condi-
tions. Although anemones were maintained at relatively low
constant irradiances in the lab (an order of magnitude lower
than noon irradiance levels in the field), they probably
received more light on a daily basis than field anemones
because of tide-related changes in water depth and rapid
light extinction due to high plankton levels in summer. Field
anemones also experienced pronounced daily changes in
CARBON TRANSLOCATION IN ANEMONES
79
water temperature during periods of exposure to low tide.
Changes in density of symbionts may result from differ-
ences in both algal growth rate and algal expulsion rate
under the experimental treatments. Although we did not
measure these parameters in our study, zooxanthellate and
zoochlorellate A. elegantissima have higher algal expulsion
rates at 20°C than at 13°C (Saunders, 1995). McCloskey el
al. ( 1996) also found that algal expulsion rates increase with
increasing irradiance, and concluded that algal densities in
A. elegantissima are regulated by expulsion of excess algae.
In mixed anemones, the presence of the dominant symbiont
is more likely due to that alga's ability to grow at a rate that
meets or exceeds the rate of expulsion by the anemone and
the growth rate of the other algal species. It is likely that
greater numbers of algae were lost from zoochlorellate
anemones than were lost from zooxanthellate anemones at
20°C since, as noted earlier, zoochlorellate anemones from
the field contain higher densities of algae than do zooxan-
thellate anemones.
With respect to translocation of photosynthetic carbon,
the relative abundance of zooxanthellae and zoochlorellae
in A. elegantissima determines the amount of carbon trans-
located within anemones. How does the advantage of
greater carbon translocation at the higher temperature and
irradiance level on an algal cell basis affect the amount of
carbon received by anemones when these also contain lower
algal densities (Fig. 5)7 A zoochlorellate anemone held at
13°C under high light receives 0.048 /xg C/mg protein/h
from its algae (Fig. 4a). To maintain this rate of carbon
translocation at 20°C. the anemone would require an algal
density of only 9.6 X 104 algae/mg protein because indi-
vidual zoochlorellae translocate 2.5 times more at the higher
temperature. However, the density of zoochlorellae at 20°C
was one-fourth (26%) of this density (Fig. 5), showing that
the higher translocation rate per cell was not sufficient to
compensate for the reduced density of zoochlorellae at the
higher temperature. A similar calculation for a zooxanthel-
late anemone shows that it needs 2.97 X 104 algae/mg
protein at 20°C to maintain a translocation rate equivalent to
that obtained at 13°C. However, zooxanthellate anemones
held at 20°C contained 3.5 X 104 algae/mg protein (Fig. 5),
about 18% more than required to maintain the translocation
rate obtained at 13°C. This slightly elevated density of
zooxanthellae was not sufficient to yield any significant
difference in translocation rate (Fig. 4a). Using carbon
translocation at 13°C as the basis of comparison, zoochlo-
rellate anemones lost more algae than they should have at
20°C, and zooxanthellate anemones kept more algae than
they needed to at this temperature. This comparison sug-
gests that the nutritional contribution of the algae is not
important to the host anemone and there is no regulation of
algal densities to maintain certain carbon translocation
rates. However, the cost to the host anemone of harboring
symbionts at different densities is unknown. Should reduced
algal densities lower the cost of maintaining the symbionts.
then simply comparing carbon translocation rates is insuf-
ficient for assessing benefit to the host.
Application to the field
The Anthopleura elegantissima-zoo\anthe\\a nutritional
relationship has been examined by determining the percent
contribution of translocated carbon to animal respiration
(CZAR). Shick and Dykens (1984) indicated that CZAR
was greater for low intertidal (34%) than for high intertidal
anemones (18%) due to self-shading of the anemone during
exposure to air. while Fitt el al. (1982) demonstrated that
CZAR for fed anemones (13%') was less than that for
starved anemones (45%). In the only study to compare
CZAR of anemones harboring both symbionts, Verde and
McCloskey (1996) showed that CZAR for zooxanthellate
anemones was much greater than CZAR for zoochlorellate
anemones. The use of CZAR as a tool of comparison hinges
on the assumptions that the algae will translocate all un-
needed fixed carbon, that the anemone will use all of the
translocated carbon, and that the form in which the fixed
carbon is translocated does not matter to the anemone. Some
of these assumptions may not apply to temperate anemone
symbioses.
While there may be energetic advantages to the anemone
to maintaining an algal population within its tissues, these
advantages may be quite limited for temperate anemones
(Davy el al.. 1997). Anthopleura elegantissima may not rely
on carbon supplied by zooxanthellae for growth. Tsuchida
and Potts (1994) demonstrated that A. elegantissima clones
gained or lost weight in response to whether they were fed
or not, regardless of whether they were kept in the light or
dark, or whether they contained zooxanthellae or were al-
gae-free. Similar results for zooxanthellate and zoochlorel-
late anemones were obtained by Blevins (1991). The het-
erotrophic supply of carbon appears to be the primary
source of nutrition for these anemones. Indirect evidence for
high rates of feeding under field conditions is provided by
high ammonium concentrations in anemone-dominated
tidepools (Jensen and Muller-Parker, 1994). Moreover,
Davy el al. (1996) showed that reduced photosynthetic
production of zooxanthellae in temperate anemones due to
cloud cover, depth, and other environmental conditions
could decrease the alga's translocatable carbon to just 0.7%
of that fixed. Reliance on external carbon sources will be
pronounced during seasonally low irradiance during the
winter months. During such times the algae may represent a
liability to the host, especially because algal densities in A.
elegantissima during the winter season are the same as
densities in midsummer (Dingman, 1998). In contrast with
tropical symbiotic associations (Muscatine et al.. 1981;
1984; Davies, 1984), temperate symbiotic cnidarians like
Anthopleura must often depend on sources outside of their
80
H. P. ENGEBRETSON AND G. MULLER-PARKER
algal complement for their respiratory carbon requirements
as well as their growth needs (Davy el ai. 1997).
On the other hand, during warm and sunny periods,
translocated photosynthate may be an important source of
carbon. Clark and Jensen ( 1982) proposed that a period of
high yield during such conditions may be sufficient for the
anemone hosts to keep the symbionts year-round. Because
their study of the anemone Aiptasia pallida showed that
temperature also affects the nature of the translocated prod-
ucts, it will be important to compare the metabolites trans-
located by zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae under the range
of environmental conditions experienced by anemones in
the field. The nature of these metabolites, and the ability of
the anemone host to use translocated compounds, may be
more important than the amount of carbon translocated.
Temperate symbioses exposed to pronounced seasonal vari-
ations in environmental factors are ideal systems in which to
explore variation in the nutritional contribution of algal
symbionts to the host and the consequences for the associ-
ation.
The quantity of carbon translocated, as examined in this
study, is only one factor in the symbiosis between zoochlo-
rellae, zooxanthellae. and the anemone host in temperate
regions. While this factor has justifiably received the great-
est attention in tropical algal-cnidarian symbioses, it is not
at all clear if provision of carbon is the most important
benefit of the symbiosis to temperate A. elegantissima. If it
was, our results suggest that zooxanthellae should predom-
inate given their translocation potential under high temper-
ature. Other selective advantages not directly related to
carbon translocation must also be considered for this dual
symbiosis. For example, there may be different energetic
costs to hosting zooxanthellae and zoochlorellae associated
with photooxidative stress resulting from photosynthesis,
since host anemones must protect against toxic effects of
reactive oxygen species (Shick, 1991). It would be interest-
ing to compare antioxidant defenses in zooxanthellate and
zoochlorellate anemones. There may be behavioral costs
associated with harboring these two algae. If photosynthesis
of zooxanthellae and zoochlorellae results in different ex-
pansion and contraction behaviors of anemones in the field,
these may affect primary productivity and feeding on zoo-
plankton (Shick and Dykens, 1984), as well as gas and
dissolved organic matter exchanges with the environment.
Ecological consequences of harboring different symbionts
must also be considered. For example, Augustine and Mul-
ler-Parker (1998) have shown that selective predation on
zooxanthellate anemones by a sculpin favors the survival
and propagation of zoochlorellate anemones. Future studies
should also focus on long-term comparisons of the growth
and asexual reproduction of zooxanthellate and zoochlorel-
late anemones under a variety of environmental conditions.
Continuing studies of this dual symbiosis in a temperate
environment should prove useful to researchers studying
tropical symbioses as well.
Acknowledgments
We thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful
comments. This study was supported by a Project Develop-
ment Award from Western Washington University to Gisele
Muller-Parker.
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Reference: Biol. Bull 197: 82-93. (August 1999]
Morphology and Epithelial Ion Transport of the
Alkaline Gland in the Atlantic Stingray
(Dasyatis sabina)
GREGORY M. GRABOWSKI.1 JOHN G. BLACKBURN,2 AND ERIC R. LACY3'4
Department of Biology, University of Detroit Mercy, 4001 W. McNichols, P.O. Box 19900, Detroit,
Michigan 48219; 2 Department of Physiology, 3 Department of Cell Biologv and Anatomy,
Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29425;
and 4 Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina,
221 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412
Abstract. The alkaline glands are two fluid-filled sacs that
lie on the ventral, posterior surface of each kidney in skates
and rays. In this study, the morphology, transepithelial ion
transport, fluid constituents, and histochemistry of the alka-
line glands of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina, were
investigated. The duct from each gland joined the corre-
sponding vas deferens and the resulting two common ducts
emptied into the cloaca. Dark burgundy, aqueous fluid (pH
8.0-8.2) was secreted into the sacs by a simple columnar
epithelium with extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum and
large secondary lysosomes containing lipofuscin and mem-
brane fragments. Zonulae occludentes were deep (—22
fibrils), reflecting an electrically tight epithelium (732
ohms/cm2). Carbonic anhydrase activity was localized his-
tochemically within the intercellular spaces and less in-
tensely in the mid-basal cytoplasm.
In vitro electrophysiology showed that baseline short-
circuit current (Isc, 29.1 /A A/cm2) was reduced 67.0% after
Cl~ removal from the medium. Cl removal also com-
pletely abolished luminal alkalinization (baseline 4.5 ± 0.7
/LtEq of acid/cnr/h). Luminal exposure to the chloride-
bicarbonate exchange inhibitor, DIDS, reduced Isc by 38%.
Simultaneous administration of DIDS and bumetanide
(Na+/K + /Cl ~ cotransport inhibitor) to the serosal side of
Received 12 April 1999; accepted 14 June 1999.
Send correspondence to Eric R. Lacy. Marine Biomedicine and Envi-
ronmental Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 221 Fort John-
son Road. Charleston. SC 29412.
A portion of this work was presented in abstract form (The FASEB
Journal, Part I, #3024, 1992).
the tissue caused the Isc to decrease >100%. Serosal expo-
sure to ouabain (Na-K, ATPase inhibitor) decreased Isc
48%, whereas amiloride (sodium ion channel blocker) and
acetazolamide (carbonic anhydrase inhibitor) had no statis-
tically significant effect on Isc or alkalinization rates. Taken
together the results suggest the presence of apical epithelial
bicarbonate exchangers that are chloride or sodium depen-
dent, basal sodium and HCO^ transport, and an Isc that is
not totally dependent on Na+-K+ ATPase.
Introduction
Early anatomical studies of the male skate and stingray
urogenital system reported a pair of blind-ended sacs, each
of which opened into the cloaca. These structures were
described initially as urinary bladders or sperm storage sacs
(Borcea, 1906; Daniel, 1934), but the only evidence to
support this functional nomenclature is the proximity of the
sacs' openings to those of the ureters and vas deferens
within the cloaca.
The sacs secrete and store a watery fluid of high pH
(8.0-9.2), thus their name, alkaline gland (Maren et al.,
1963). On the basis of the high pH of the fluid, Smith ( 1929)
speculated that it neutralized the potentially deleterious
effects of acidic urine in the cloaca on the extruded sperm.
As yet, however, no studies on the physiological function of
the alkaline gland have been published.
A few reports, from various skate species (little skate,
Raja erinacea; barndoor skate, R. stabuliforis; big skate, R.
ocellata), have described the gland's morphology and epi-
thelial transport physiology (H.W. Smith. 1929; Maren et
82
STINGRAY ALKALINE GLAND
83
al.. 1963; Masur. 1984; P. L. Smith, 1981, 1985). These
morphological accounts show that the gland lumen has
mucosal "villar projections" lined by a simple columnar
epithelium (Maren et al.. 1963; Masur, 1984). The mucosa
generates and maintains a hundred-fold concentration gra-
dient of OH ions and a 50-fold gradient of CO2 from plasma
to gland lumen; these are some of the steepest alkaline
gradients across any epithelium in nature (Maren el al.,
1963). Given the unique epithelial transport properties of
the alkaline gland, physiologic studies have focused on the
mechanisms of fluid and bicarbonate secretion (Maren et
al., 1963; Smith, 1981, 1985).
Chloride and bicarbonate are the two main anions con-
stituting alkaline gland fluid in the skate. In vitro experi-
ments indicate that chloride secretion accounts for most, if
not all, of the short-circuit current (Isc) (Maren et al.. 1963;
Smith. 1981. 1985). These results led to speculation that
chloride-dependent bicarbonate transport might be involved
in fluid alkalinization. Although definitive evidence was
lacking, secreted chloride was believed to recirculate into
the epithelial cell by way of a Cr/HCOJ exchanger located
at the apical plasma membrane (Maren et al., 1963; Smith,
1981. 1985). Carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme associated
with many bicarbonate-secreting tissues, was identified bio-
chemically in the alkaline gland of some but not all skate
species studied (Maren et al., 1963). The concentration of
carbonic anhydrase in the tissue was correlated with the pH
of the alkaline gland fluid produced (Maren et al., 1963),
suggesting that this enzyme has a role in bicarbonate secre-
tion for some skate species.
The present study uses transmission and scanning elec-
tron microscopy and freeze fracture to elucidate the ultra-
structural organization of the alkaline gland in a stingray
species, Dasyatis sabina, the Atlantic stingray. The pres-
ence and distribution of carbonic anhydrase activity, nerve
fibers, and lipofusion were identified histochemically. These
results are correlated with in vitro electrophysiological data
and rates of fluid alkalinization. Some of the regulatory
mechanism of ion transport were probed with various met-
abolic inhibitors. The composition of the fluid removed
from the alkaline glands was analyzed.
Materials and Methods
Sexually mature male Atlantic stingrays (Dasvatis sa-
bina, wing span ~45 cm) purchased from Gulf Specimens
Inc. (Panacea, FL) or captured along the coast of South
Carolina were allowed to acclimate in a 16,000-1 holding
tank for at least 5 days prior to experimentation. Water in
the holding tank was drawn from Charleston (South Caro-
lina) Harbor (650-850 mosm/1) and maintained at room
temperature. Stingrays were fed shrimp twice a week and
kept on a 12-h light/dark cycle. After acclimation, animals
were anesthetized with MS222 (3-aminobenzoic acid ethyl
ester, 0.5 g/1, Sigma Chemical Co.) and double pithed. The
body cavity was opened by a ventral midline incision; the
alkaline gland fluid was aspirated with a 25-gauge needle
and saved at 4°C for further analysis; the alkaline gland was
removed for use in morphology or electrophysiology exper-
iments.
Light and electron microscopy
Fixative (2.5% paraformaldehyde, 5.0% glutaraldehyde,
and 0.25% picric acid; Ito and Karnovsky. 1968) was in-
jected into both sacs of the gland immediately after the fluid
was removed. After 1 h the puboischiac bar was severed,
and the alkaline gland was freed from surrounding tissue
with fine forceps. Each gland was excised at its junction
with the cloacal wall and placed in the same fixative for
24 h. The tissue was then rinsed, trimmed into 1-mnr pieces
with a razor blade, and stored in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate
buffer.
Alkaline gland fluid was centrifuged at 200 X g for 10
min. The pellet was fixed for 4 h in the same fixative
injected into the gland sacs (Ito and Karnovsky, 1968). Both
pellet and pieces of fixed gland were then postfixed (1.0%
osmium tetraoxide in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer),
dehydrated in graded ethanols, and embedded in Epon-
Araldite. Sections were cut, stained (semithin sections
stained with alkalinized toluidine blue and ultrathin sections
with uranyl acetate and lead citrate), and examined using a
light microscope or a JEOL 1 200 EX electron microscope.
Additional gland tissue, fixed as described above but in
aldehydes only, was cryoprotected in graded concentrations
of glycerols to a final concentration of 30% glycerol for
freeze fracture. The tissue was then frozen rapidly in liquid
propane, followed by fracturing and replication in a Balzer
360 M device (Balzers, Fiirstentum Liechtenstein). Replicas
were supported on 200-mesh copper grids and examined
with the transmission electron microscope.
Aldehyde-fixed tissue was also used for scanning electron
microscopy. It was first postfixed in 1.0% osmium tetraox-
ide in 0. 1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, followed by dehy-
dration in graded ethanols, and then critical point dried
using a Sorvall critical point dryer (Newtown, CT). Tissue
was coated with gold/palladium for 3 min at 2.5 kV and 20
mA using an E5100 sputter coating unit (Polaron Instru-
ments, Doylestown, PA) and examined with a JEOL 35C
scanning electron microscope.
Lipofuscin staining
Alkaline gland tissue and paniculate matter from gland
fluid of four stingrays were stained for lipofuscins using the
Long Ziehl-Neelsen technique (Bancroft and Cook, 1984).
The pellet, as described above, and gland tissue were fixed
in Bouin's solution for 2 h, followed by dehydration in
graded ethanols, clearing in xylene, and embedding in par-
84
G. M. GRABOWSKI ET AL
aftin. Five-micrometer-thick sections were deparaffinized in
xylene taken stepwise to water and stained in filtered carbol
fuchsin for 1-3 h at 56°C. After staining, sections were
washed in water, differentiated in 1% acid-alcohol, and
counter stained in aqueous methylene blue. Slides were then
rinsed in water, dehydrated, cleared in xylene. and mounted
on glass slides. Lipofuscin appeared bright magenta, and
nuclei stained blue against a pale magenta background.
Silver staining of neural tissue
Nerve fibers in alkaline glands were localized using the
silver precipitate method of Sevier and Munger (1965).
Five-micrometer-thick paraffin sections of Bouin's fixed
tissue were incubated in 20% silver nitrate for 15 mm,
washed with distilled water, and developed in ammoniacal
silver (10% silver nitrate precipitated with 28%-30% am-
monium hydroxide, plus 2% formalin). After a 2-min rinse
in 5% sodium thiosulfate. slides were washed in distilled
water, dehydrated, cleared in xylene, and mounted.
Localization of carbonic anhydrase activity (CAM)
Alkaline glands were fixed in a solution of 2.0% parafor-
maldehyde, 2.5% glutaraldehyde, and 0.4% CaCK in 0.1 M
sodium cacodylate buffer for localization of carbonic anhy-
drase activity (CAH) using the Hansson's technique (Hans-
son, 1967: Maren. 1980b: Sugai and Ito, 1980; Lacy,
1983b). Fixed tissue was frozen in 8% sucrose and sec-
tioned at 10 M111 on an IEC CTF cryostat (International
Equipment Company). Sections were floated on Hansson's
medium (1.86 mM CoSO4. 55.9 mM H2SO4, 3.73 mM
KH,PO4, and 158 mM NaHCO,) for 1-5 min. Sections
were rinsed by floating on Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH
8.0) for 1 min and then transferred onto 2% ammonium
sulfide for 1-2 min. This was followed by rinsing sections
on Sorensen's phosphate buffer at pH 5.0 and then mount-
ing them in heated glycerin jelly on glass slides for obser-
vation with a light microscope (Sugai and Ito, 1980; Lacy,
1983b). After the sections were incubated on 2% ammo-
nium sulfide, low-pH buffers were used to prevent the black
precipitate indicative of CAH activity from degrading. For
electron microscopy, sections were postfixed in 1.0% os-
mium tetraoxide in Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH 5.0)
for 30-45 min, stained en bloc with 1.0% uranyl acetate in
maleate buffer (pH 5.2). dehydrated in graded ethanols, and
embedded flat in epoxy resin. Ultrathin sections were
stained and examined as described above.
Acetazolamide ( 10~5 and 10~6 M) in Hansson's medium
was used to inhibit CAH, thereby serving as a negative
control. For evaluation of nonspecific activity, sections were
incubated either in ammonium sulfide without prior incu-
bation on Hansson's medium, or on bicarbonate-free Hans-
son's medium.
Morplioinctric analysis
Ratios of basal cells to columnar cells were determined
from counts made of cross-sectioned glands at the light
microscopic level (epoxy resin sections, 50 X). The size and
distribution of intramembranous particles observed in freeze
fracture replicas were measured on electron micrographs
using a scale magnification loupe (Baxter. Atlanta, GA).
The luminal surface area of columnar epithelial cells was
estimated by measuring the cell diameters of luminal
plasma membranes from scanning electron micrographs.
Constituents of alkaline gland fluid
Fluid from the alkaline glands of five stingrays was
pooled, cooled to 5°C, and centrifuged as described above.
The supernatant was then frozen by placing the tube in dry
ice and shipped overnight to Mayo Medical Laboratories
(Rochester. MN) for analysis of its composition.
Electrophysiology
Each sac of the alkaline gland was freed in situ from
suiTOunding connective tissue, excised, and placed in a petri
dish of oxygenated elasmobranch Ringer (NaCl. 280.0 mM;
KC1. 5.0 mM; MgCU 3.3 mM; CaCl2. 3.8 mM; NaHCOv
10.0 mM; urea, 350.0 mM; dextrose, 5.0 mM; 800 mOsm/1;
pH 6.9). The Ringer was gassed with 95% O:/5% CO2,
unless otherwise noted, and used at room temperature.
Each sac was mounted between two halves of an Ussing
chamber (4-mm diameter). Each half of the chamber was
connected to a 20-ml circulation reservoir (Medical Re-
search Apparatus, Clearwater, FL). The short-circuit current
(Isc) and transepithelial potential difference (PD) were mea-
sured using a voltage-current clamp (Physiological Instru-
ments. San Diego, CA). Before tissue was mounted in the
Ussing chamber, electrode polarization and fluid resistance
was compensated with the VCC600 voltage-current clamp.
Calomel electrodes (Fisher, Atlanta, GA) placed in a satu-
rated KC1 solution were connected to the Ussing chamber
via salt bridges (4% agar in elasmobranch Ringer) to mea-
sure the PD. Platinum electrodes (Fisher. Atlanta, GA) were
placed directly into the Ussing chamber to measure Isc. The
PD and Isc were displayed on a Soltec 1242 strip chart
recorder (Soltec Corp.. Sun Valley, CA). Transepithelial
resistance was calculated using the open-circuit PD, and the
closed-circuit Isc of the mounted tissue. All readings were
in reference to the luminal medium.
Transport inhibitors
Once baseline electrophysiological parameters were es-
tablished, the percent change of Isc was calculated after the
tissue was exposed to the following transport inhibitors:
ouabain. Na"/K+ ATPase inhibitor ( 10~4 M. serosal): bu-
metanide, Na+/K+/Cl cotransport inhibitor (10 3 M. se-
STINGRAY ALKALINE GLAND
85
rosal); DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic
acid, CT/HCO^ exchange inhibitor (10"' M, luminal);
amiloride, sodium channel inhibitor, (10 3 M. luminal and
serosal); acetazolamide, carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (10~5
M, luminal). Chloride was substituted in the medium with
isomolar concentrations of gluconate. All reagents were
purchased from Sigma Chemical Co.. St. Louis, MO.
Alkalinization rates
The alkalinization rate of the luminal medium was mea-
sured using the pH stat technique on glands mounted in the
Ussing chamber. Unbuffered (bicarbonate-free) Ringer
bathing the luminal side of the gland was gassed with 100%
oxygen during experiments and 30 min prior to tissue
mounting. The serosal-bathing medium consisted of buff-
ered elasmobranch Ringer, gassed with 95% oxygen/5%
carbon dioxide. The rate of fluid alkalinization (/u,Eq of
acid/cnr/h) was then determined via titration using 0.01 M
sulfuric acid. The pH of the luminal medium was main-
tained at pH 5.5 for at least six consecutive intervals of 5
min each. The pH was monitored using a pH microelectrode
(Microelectrode, Londonderry, NH) connected to a Beck-
man pH meter (Omega 40, Fullerton, CA).
Two experiments were performed to determine the pres-
ence of either chloride-dependent or sodium-dependent bi-
carbonate transport. Alkalinization rates were measured af-
ter each manipulation. Baseline values were made from
tissues bathed on both sides with elasmobranch Ringer. The
medium was changed on the luminal and serosal sides to
iso-osmotic elasmobranch Ringer free of chloride or so-
dium. In the first experiment, chloride-containing Ringer
was added back to the luminal side; in the second experi-
ment, sodium-containing Ringer was added back to the
serosal side. After a new alkalinization rate was established,
a bicarbonate transport inhibitor, SITS (4-acetamido-4'-
isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, 10~3 M), was
added to the luminal medium in both experiments.
The buffering capacity of the various Ringers was deter-
mined after each experiment, using the pH stat method. The
buffering capacity of each medium was then subtracted
from the alkalinization rate derived under the experimental
conditions.
Statistical analyses
Statistical significance was evaluated using a two-tailed-
paired t test, with the level of significance set at P < 0.05.
Results
Gross anatom\
The alkaline gland of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis
sabina, consists of a pair of blind-ended, bladder-like sacs
located within the pelvic girdle ventral to the posterior pole
of the kidney and lateral to the vas deferens. In the animals
we examined, the glands were retroperitoneal and symmet-
rically aligned along the vertebral column. They were easily
distinguished from surrounding tissue by their deep bur-
gundy color. Each sac of the gland held a maximum of 4-5
ml of fluid. The mediocaudal portion of each gland nar-
rowed to a single duct, which joined the respective sperm
duct (vas deferens) on the same side of the animal. The
resultant common duct for sperm and alkaline gland fluid
was about 3-mm long and pierced the body wall to open on
the crest of the urinary papilla in the cloaca.
Microscopv
The mucosa of the alkaline gland was highly folded and
lined by a simple columnar epithelium (Figs. 1, 2). A rich
capillary network lay immediately beneath the basement
membrane. Within each fold were an arteriole and venule
and dense tracts of nerve fibers (Figs. 1-3).
Two populations of epithelial cells were distinguished on
the basis of their apical membrane exposure to the lumen
(Fig. 1 ). The length of the long axis of the apical cell surface
differed significantly in the two populations (P < 0.05, n =
141); in one (84.4% of the total cells) the long axis of the
apical cell surface was 7.2 ± 0.14 ^m; in the other (15.6%),
the long axis was about twice that length (14.92 ± 0.49
/u,m). All cells that contacted the lumen had the same
ultrastructural organization, despite the difference in lu-
menal membrane area.
Columnar epithelial cells had a prominent, basally lo-
cated pleomorphic nucleus and exceptionally large and
abundant secondary lysosomes (Figs. 1, 2). The secondary
lysosomes stained positively for lipofuscin (data not shown)
and were dark green-brown in unstained sections. (Fig. 3).
The smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum was evenly
distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Mitochondria bearing
lamellar cristae were located in the upper two-thirds of the
cell, and Golgi complexes were abundant in the perinuclear
region (Fig. 2). Many membrane-bound vesicles were
present in the Golgi region and adjacent to the apical plasma
membrane. Some of these vesicles were seen fusing with
larger vesicles as well as with the apical plasma membrane
(Fig. 2).
Basal cells were also present in the lower third of the
epithelium (Fig. 4) in a ratio of about 1 basal cell to 20
columnar cells. These cells, which ranged from 1.4 to 2.6
/j,m in diameter, were not highly interdigitated with adjacent
columnar cells and were not observed in contact with an-
other basal cell. The cytoplasm of basal cells surrounded a
proportionately large nucleus and contained only a few
organelles, which were limited to the endoplasmic reticu-
lum, and small vesicles containing material of various de-
grees of electron density.
The apical surface of the columnar cells was elaborated
86
G. M. GRABOWSKI ET AL
Figure 1.
Figure 3.
.
STINGRAY ALKALINE GLAND
87
into microplicae (Figs. 1, 2). The basolateral plasma mem-
brane was relatively straight nearest the lumen, but closer to
the basal lamina it was interdigitated with itself and adjacent
cells (Fig. 2). Freeze fracture of the lateral plasma mem-
brane revealed some areas consisting only of large in-
tramembranous particles (99 A ± 0.1, n = 52) (Fig. 5)
loosely arranged as single particles or in groups of up to 20
particles. Outside these areas was a mixture of large and
small intramembranous particles. No rod-shaped particles
were observed in either the apical or basolateral plasma
membrane. The zonulae occludentes were deep ( 1 .4 ± 0.7
jam, n = 19 replicas) and composed of 21.8(±4.5) fibrils
(Fig. 6). Most of the fibrils were parallel to the apical
plasma membrane, with those constituting the basal one-
fourth of the zonulae occludentes forming a loose anasto-
mosing network (Fig. 6).
Ultrastructural observations of the solids from alkaline
gland fluid showed cellular debris including multivesicular
bodies, spherical particles with electron-dense cores that
stained positively for lipofuscin, membrane whorls, and a
few necrotic spermatozoa (Fig. 7).
Localization of carbonic anhydrase activity
Carbonic anhydrase activity (CAH) was indicated by a
black precipitate at both the light and electron microscopic
level (Figs. 8, 9). A minimum of 2 min in the incubation
medium was required for the precipitate to develop, at
which time CAH appeared first within the intercellular
space of columnar cells. In electron micrographs, CAH was
localized in the intercellular space between columnar cells
but excluded from the zonulae occludentes (Fig. 9). Adja-
cent to the basement membrane, CAH was observed only
within the intercellular space formed by invaginations of the
plasma membrane or interdigitation of cytoplasmic folds
(Fig. 9). Regions of the basolateral plasma membrane that
contacted the basement membrane did not exhibit CAH.
After 3-10 min of incubation, the precipitate appeared in the
basal two-thirds of columnar cell cytoplasm (Fig. 8).
Control sections incubated on bicarbonate-free Hansson's
medium or on ammonium sulfide alone were similar to
unstained sections that were rinsed only on Sorensen's
phosphate buffer, and showed no positive staining (data not
shown). Complete inhibition of CAH occurred at acetazol-
amide concentrations of 10~5 M in Hansson's medium (data
not shown). Lower concentrations of acetazolamide (10~6
M) failed to inhibit CAH activity for incubation periods
longer than 2 min.
Analysis of alkaline gland fluid (AGF)
Table I shows the analyzed constituents of AGF. Sodium
and chloride were the dominant ions, with K+, Mg+ + ,
Ca+ + , and Fe++ in detectable amounts. The osmolality was
near that of plasma (750-875 mOsm), and significant con-
centrations of protein and urea were measured. The pH
varied between 8.0 and 8.2.
Electrophysiology
Baseline parameters. The baseline PD was 14.5 ± 1.9
mV, Isc was 29.1 ± 4.2 juA/cm2, and transepithelial resis-
tance was calculated to be 732.4 ± 184.6 ohm • cnr
(n = 18).
Transport inhibitors. The effect of specific ion transport
inhibitors on the baseline Isc is shown in Table II. The
serosal addition of ouabain, a Na+/K+ ATPase inhibitor,
resulted in an almost 48% decrease of Isc within 45 to 50
min. Bumetanide, a Na+/K+/CF cotransport inhibitor, de-
creased the Isc approximately 70% within 30 min, and
DIDS, a Cr/HCO3-exchange inhibitor, placed on the lumi-
nal side of the epithelium decreased the Isc almost 38%
within 30 to 40 min. The Isc was completely inhibited, and
in fact was slightly reversed, after consecutive addition of
bumetanide within 30 min of DIDS addition to the lumenal
surface. The effect of luminal exposure to acetazolamide, a
carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, on Isc was sporadic, and pro-
duced only a 16% overall reduction of Isc. Amiloride, a
sodium ion channel inhibitor, placed in either the luminal or
serosal media had no significant effect on the Isc (data not
shown). The removal of chloride from the bathing media on
both sides of the tissue with the substitution of gluconate
resulted in a 67% reduction in Isc by 45 min.
Alkalinization rates. Two experiments investigating de-
Figure 1. Scanning electron micrograph of a transected mucosal fold. The asterisk is located in the center
of an arteriole. A network of capillaries (arrows) lies directly beneath the epithelium, which has prominent
secondary lysosomes (arrowheads). Bar = 50 /im.
Figure 2. Transmission electron micrograph (TEM ) of the simple columnar epithelium of the alkaline gland.
Arrows indicate secondary lysosomes located in the supranuclear region. Arrowheads indicate a nerve fiber
closely adjacent to the epithelium. Note the numerous vesicles in the apical cytoplasm. Bar = 2 fj.m.
Figure 3. Light micrograph (LM) of nerve fibers (arrows) in the subepithelial lamina propna stained black
using the Sevier Munger silver technique. Nerve libers were closely associated wilh blood vessels (asterisks) and
the epithelium (e). Note the multiple darkly staining secondary lysosomes in the apical cytoplasm of the
epithelium. Bar = 4 /j.m.
Figure 4. TEM of a basal cell (BO located between adjacent columnar cells (CC). Note the large proportion
of the nucleus relative to the BC cytoplasm. Basal lamina (BL). Bar = 2 /tim.
Figure 5.
G. M. GRABOWSKI ET AL
Figure 7.
Table I
Analyzed constituents of alkaline gland fluid
STINGRAY ALKALINE GLAND
Table II
Effects of ion transport inhibitors on the short-circuit current (Isc)
Component
Concentration
Na +
286 mA/
K+
3.7 mA-/
Cl
113.0mA/
Mg+ +
1 .68 mA-/
Ca+ +
0.84 mA/
Cu + +
0.58 mA/
Zn+ +
0.87 mAf
Fef*
0.61 mM
Urea
271 mA/
Progesterone
0.012 ju,A/
Estradiol
0.16 pM
Norepinephrine
ND
Epinephnne
ND
Dopamine
ND
Testosterone
4.3 tiM
Protein
5.9 mg/ml
Osmolality
875 mosm
mosm = milliosmoles. ml = milliliter, mg = milligram. pM = pico-
moles. fj.M = micromoles, mM = millimoles. ND = none detected.
pendent and independent bicarbonate transport mechanisms
are shown in Table III. The baseline alkalinization rate of
control tissues varied from about 4 to 7.5 /uEq of acid/cnr/h
depending upon the animal used.
Chloride-dependent bicarbonate secretion was demon-
strated by a significant decrease in alkalinization rate when
both sides of the gland were exposed to chloride-free Ringer
(Table III, Experiment 1 ). Alkalinization returned to control
levels when chloride was added back to the luminal side of
the tissue. SITS ( 10~3 M), a bicarbonate transport inhibitor,
when applied to the luminal medium, had no statistically
significant effect on the alkalinization rate after luminal
exposure to chloride (Table III). However, the results varied
widely from tissue to tissue.
In the second experiment, the fluid alkalinization rate
decreased significantly, 55%, after luminal and serosal ex-
% Decrease
Treatment
of Isc
n
Ouabain (ICT-1 A/). S
47.8 ± 2.9
4
Bumetanide (10~3 Ml S
69.7 ± 5.5
8
DIDS (10"' A/1. L
37.9 ± 5.9
6
DIDS <10~' A/1, L + Bumetanide (10~3 A/), S
105.9 ± 12.2
5
Acetazolanude (1()~5 A/1. L
16.0 ± 9.0
3
Values are means ± SE, L = Luminal, S = Serosal. n = number of
mounted glands. DIDS = 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfomc
acid.
posure to sodium-free media (Table III). The alkalinization
rate increased immediately with the readdition of serosal
sodium-containing Ringer. Addition of the bicarbonate
transport inhibitor, SITS ( 10~3 A/), to the luminal medium
caused a significant decrease (24%) in the alkalinization rate
compared to the values after sodium readdition (Table III).
Discussion
Results of this study extend the presence of alkaline
glands in the Elasmobranchii to include stingrays. Our gross
anatomical explorations of several species of shark — spiny
dogfish, Squalus aciintlmix; black tip, Carcharhinns lini-
batus; smooth dogfish, Miistelus canis; scalloped hammer-
head, Sph\rna lewini, and Atlantic sharpnose. Rhizoprion-
odon terraenovae — did not reveal the presence of alkaline
glands in these elasmobranchs. This finding is consistent
with the notion that alkaline glands are present only in
skates and rays and not in sharks. Furthermore, this study is
the first to elucidate the morphology, ion transport mecha-
nisms, enzyme histochetnistry, and fluid composition of the
alkaline gland in a species of stingray.
The gross anatomy of the Atlantic stingray alkaline gland
is similar to that described for several species of skates
Figure 5. Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of freeze fracture replica of a loose cluster of large
intramembranous particles (arrows) found on the P fracture face of the lateral plasma membrane. Bar = 270 nm.
Figure 6. TEM of freeze fracture replica of the zonula occludens between two columnar cells. Note that
numerous strands are arranged in a parallel array near the gland lumen (asterisk), but the more basal strands form
an anastomosing network (P fracture face). Bar = 200 nm.
Figure 7. TEM of solid constituents from centrifuged alkaline gland fluid. Arrows indicate degenerate
sperm with outer plasma membrane separated from the sperm head. Arrowheads indicate masses ot membranes.
Asterisks show roughly globular particles that composed the greatest part of the alkaline gland paniculate matter.
Bar = 2 /j.m.
Figure 8. Light micrograph of carbonic anhydrase activity in epithelial cells lining the alkaline gland.
Typical staining pattern in sections incubated for 3-10 mm on Hansson's medium. Enzyme activity was strongly
present in the intercellular spaces (arrows), as well as in the mid to basal cytoplasm of columnar cells. Bar =
7 jiiii.
Figure 9. TEM of carbonic anhydrase activity in sections incubated for 2 min on Hansson's medium.
Enzyme activity appears as electron-dense precipitate (arrows) confined to the intercellular space. N = nuclei
of columnar cells. Note the absence of CAH activity along the basal lamina (BL). Bar = 2 ;am.
90
G. M. GRABOWSKI ET AL
Table III
In \ilro alkalini-alion mles cj ' alkiilinc ^ln
Experimental conditions
Alkalinization rate
of acid/cnr/h)
Experiment I
Elasmobranch Ringer (Control)
3.88 ± 0.63
Chloride-free Ringer, L&S
-1.93 ± 1.89*
Chloride readdition. L
3.65 ± 1.17**
Addition of SITS ( 1 m/W), L
1.45 ± 2.22
Experiment 2
Elasmohranch Ringer (Control )
7.65 ± 0.67
Sodium-free Ringer. L&S
3.49 ± 0.41*
Sodium readdition. S
5.64 ± 0.62**
Addition of SITS ( 1 nW). L
4.30 ± 0.45**
Values are means ± SE; n = 5 lor each experiment. L = luminal. S =
serosal. SITS == 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2.2'-disulfonic
acid.
* Significant difference compared to control, ** .significant difference
compared to respective chloride or sodium free conditions, *** significant
difference compared to respective chloride or sodium readdition. P < 0.05.
(Maren et ai, 1963). However, one significant difference is
the relationship between the alkaline gland duct and the
sperm duct. In skates, Maren et al. (1963) reported that the
alkaline gland ducts and sperm ducts have separate open-
ings onto the urinary papilla. In the stingray, the alkaline
gland duct joins the sperm duct, and the resultant common
duct then opens onto the urogenital papilla. This anatomical
arrangement in the Atlantic stingray allows mixing of sperm
and alkaline gland fluid (AGF), suggesting that AGF may
facilitate successful fertilization by its actions on spermato-
zoa. Furthermore, the confluence of the two ducts in the
Atlantic stingray may explain the presence of some necrotic
sperm and cell membranes in AGF, because residual sperm
in the common duct would have retrograde access to the
alkaline gland lumen. The absence of spermatozoa in the
AGF supports the contention that the gland is not a hona
fide sperm storage organ, thus contradicting reports by early
anatomists (Borcea, 1906; Daniel. 1934).
Morphological features of columnar cells composing the
epithelium of the alkaline gland of the Atlantic stingray are
generally consistent with preliminary reports of the alkaline
gland of the little skate (Maren et al.. 1963; Masur. 1984).
Those cells exhibited a well-developed Golgi apparatus and
endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting a high degree of active
protein synthesis. The many vesicles we observed in the
cytoplasm, especially those budding from the Golgi appa-
ratus and fusing with larger vesicles or with the apical
plasma membrane, support that idea. Although basal cells
were morphologically distinct from columnar cells, we are
uncertain whether they are a separate population of mature
cells or are immature columnar cells.
A striking microscopic feature of stingray alkaline gland
epithelial cells was large secondary lysosomes that imparted
a dark green-black color to the gland and were distinctive in
unstained tissue sections. An accumulation of myelin fig-
ures and lipofuscin granules in these secondary lysosomes
was strongly suggestive of increased lysosomal processing
of lipid membrane (Reed et ai, 1965; Harman, 1990).
Interestingly, such features were also observed in epithelial
cells of mammalian male reproductive organs such as the
epididymis and seminal vesicle (Pappenheimer and Victor,
1954; Nicander, 1958; Mitchinson et al. 1975). Mitchinson
et ill. ( 1975) suggested that the spermatozoa in the lumen of
those organs may be the source of the intracellular lipofus-
cin granules, whereby epithelial cells perform a "salvaging"
function and store insoluble fatty acids as lipofuscin. A
similar process may occur in alkaline gland epithelial cells:
the necrotic sperm and cell debris observed in the lumen of
the gland would be the extracellular source of the intracel-
lular lipofuscin granules.
The composition of stingray AGF differs from that pre-
viously reported for three species of skates (Maren et ai,
1963) in several ways. Stingray AGF is a deep burgundy
color and nearly opaque; in contrast, skate AGF is clear to
slightly yellow. Stingray AGF has significant amounts of
protein and urea; skate AGF is reported to lack protein and
have only about one-third the concentration of urea found in
the Atlantic stingray (Maren et ai, 1963). Furthermore, the
ionic concentration was different: stingray AGF had one-
half the concentration of K+ and Cl~ reported for skate
AGF but 4 times more Mg + + and Ca+ + . The present study
is the first to show AGF with immunodetectable steroid
hormones. However, the immunological methods used an-
tibodies to human hormones, which raises the possibility
that the results may be due to nonspecific binding.
A recent study (Biillesbach et ai, 1997) probed the pos-
sibility that AGF contained relaxin, a peptide hormone
found in mammalian reproductive tissues and secreted flu-
ids. The fact that relaxin in mammalian seminal fluid stim-
ulates sperm motility (Essig et ai, 1982; Weiss. 1989) was
the basis for the investigation in the stingray. Biillesbach
and colleagues (1997) showed that stingray AGF contains a
unique relaxin-like molecule with an apparent molecular
mass of 1 3 kDa formed by two polypeptide chains of 4 and
9 kDa. This molecule is the only member of the relaxin
family known to be glycosylated. The relaxin-like molecule
of stingray AGF did not alter stingray sperm motility in
vitro (Biillesbach et ai, 1997), but this finding does not rule
out the possibility that the AGF relaxin-like molecule acts
on a different aspect of sperm function such as capacitation
or that it functions in the female reproductive tract.
The lumen of the stingray alkaline gland was not lined by
the villar projections described in the skate (Maren et ai.
1963). but it did have mucosal folds, each of which con-
tained a major arteriole and venule. The apical plasma
membrane of the columnar epithelial cells was elaborated
into microvilli characteristic of a secreting epithelium.
STINGRAY ALKALINE GLAND
91
Freeze fracture replicas showed that the only distinguishing
intramembranous particles were in the basolateral plasma
membrane. The size and distribution of the particles form-
ing these clusters was comparable to those forming gap
junctions in mammalian cells. Apical and basolateral
plasma membranes did not reveal any rod-shaped particles
that would suggest proton transport (Brown and Montesano,
1980).
The zonulae occludentes of columnar cells consisted of
about 22 strands, suggesting that the epithelium is electri-
cally tight and imparts a high transepithelial resistance
(Claude and Goodenough. 1973; Claude, 1978). Our in vitro
electrophysiological data showed that the transepithelial
resistance was 732 ohm • cm2, confirming the tight junction
morphology. The presence of "very tight" zonulae occlu-
dentes and a high transepithelial resistance suggests that
there is little paracellular solute transport across the epithe-
lium of the alkaline gland (Bowman el al, 1992; Byers and
Marc-Pelletier. 1992). Therefore, regulation of ion transport
appears to occur primarily across the plasma membrane.
Maren et al. (1963) and Smith (1981. 1985) have dem-
onstrated that both bicarbonate and chloride are secreted in
the little skate alkaline gland and that chloride is the main
anion responsible for most of the Isc. This finding was
extended to the stingray alkaline gland in the present study
in which Isc decreased almost 70% when chloride was
removed from the bathing medium. Using intracellular mi-
croelectrodes. Smith (1981, 1985) showed that the apical
plasma membrane was dominated by a large chloride con-
ductance, whereas the basolateral plasma membrane con-
tained a barium-sensitive potassium channel. However, the
mechanisms involved in the alkalinization process have
never been clearly established in this gland, despite specu-
lation that a Cr/HCO3 exchanger may exist in the apical or
basolateral plasma membrane or in both membranes (Maren
et al.. 1963; Smith. 1981. 1985).
In the present study, the marked reduction in Isc after
serosal addition of bumetanide. an inhibitor of Na+/K+/Cl~
cotransport. suggests that this transporter is located in the
basolateral plasma membrane. If so. it may be the main
conductive pathway for chloride entry into the cell. The
remaining Isc could be due to the secretion of intracellular
chloride or another anion. such as bicarbonate. To test this
latter possibility we added the stilbene, DIDS, which effec-
tively inhibits bicarbonate cotransporters (Wiederholt et til..
1985; Melvin and Turner. 1992) as well as chloride chan-
nels (Bretag. 1987) to the luminal side of the epithelium.
The resultant 38% decrease of Isc. and its further reduction
to nominal levels after the consecutive addition of serosal
bumetanide. substantiates this assumption. Furthermore,
complete reduction of the Isc by consecutive addition of
DIDS and bumetanide suggests a pathway for chloride
secretion across the epithelial cells via a Na+/K+/CP co-
transporter at the basolateral plasma membrane, and a chin-
ride channel at the apical plasma membrane.
Chloride movement across the epithelial basolateral
plasma membrane, via a putative Na+/K+/CF cotrans-
porter in epithelial cells in stingray alkaline gland, appears
to be driven in part by Na^/K+ ATPase, as shown by the
serosal addition of ouabain, which decreased the Isc by
48%. In contrast, ouabain completely abolished chloride
secretion and Isc in the little skate alkaline gland (Smith.
1985).
The lack of significant alkalinization rates after the tissue
was exposed to medium free of chloride and sodium sug-
gests that there is little independent transport of bicarbonate.
If a significant portion of the alkalinization process involves
an apical Cl /HCO, exchanger — as our results suggest —
the absence of luminal chloride could impede that process,
resulting in the accumulation of intracellular bicarbonate.
Such a scenario has been observed in the rat parotid acini:
SITS, an inhibitor of bicarbonate transport, increased intra-
cellular pH and was thought to stimulate bicarbonate secre-
tion via anion channels (Pirani et al.. 1987; Melvin and
Turner. 1992). Chloride channels in a number of different
epithelia. including pancreatic duct, sweat gland duct, and
respiratory epithelia, have been shown to transport bicar-
bonate (Gray et al.. 1989; Tabcharani et at.. 1989; Kunzel-
mann et a I.. 1991 ) at a conductance as high as 50% of the
conductance of chloride.
The remaining Isc may be accounted for by a Na+/HCOJ
symport, as demonstrated in this study by using pH stat
methodology. Such mechanisms for bicarbonate transport
have been demonstrated in renal proximal tubule (Yoshi-
tomi et til.. 1985), corneal endothelial cells (Wiederholt et
ill.. 1985), and gastric oxyntic cells (Curci et al.. 1987).
Alkalinization of the luminal medium in the present study
was dependent on the presence of both apical chloride and
serosal sodium. The changes attributed to the absence and
readdition of sodium suggests the presence of a Na+/HCO^
symport. The alkalinization rate attributed to the readdition
of serosal sodium, and its reduction by luminal SITS, is
indirect evidence that a Na 4 /HCO^ symport may be located
at the apical plasma membrane. The stilbene. SITS, blocks
not only bicarbonate transport via Na'/HCO, symporters
(Curci et al.. 1987; Fitz et al., 1989; Wiederholt et al..
1985), but also Cl /HCO, exchangers (Stewart et al..
1989).
Maren and co-workers (1963) demonstrated a possible
relationship between CAH and higher pH levels in AGF of
various skate species. They showed that inhibition of CAH
/;; vivo reduced the pH of newly formed fluid to levels found
in species that did not have glandular CAH. This was
accomplished using intravenous injections of acetazolamide
at least 10 times higher than the dose we used. In a study of
rat distal colon, the need for high (millimolar) concentra-
tions of acetazolamide to inhibit bicarbonate transport was
92
G. M. GRABOWSKI ET AL
attributed to the drug's poor cellular penetration, the distri-
bution of CAH within the cell, and the requirement of 99%
inhibition of CAH for a significant decrease of Isc to occur
(Feldman et al., 1988). The effectiveness of acetazolamide
in reducing the Isc of the stingray alkaline gland is ques-
tionable because of the erratic results from tissue to tissue.
However, concentrations of acetazolamide greater than
10~4 M were not used in the present study, because reports
have indicated that the drug interferes with other ion trans-
port mechanisms (Nellens et al.. 1975; Weiner and Mudge.
1985). Because the response to acetazolamide in our exper-
iments was not consistent, we conclude that, in the stingray
alkaline gland, either higher concentrations of acetazol-
amide are required to reduce the Isc, or bicarbonate secre-
tion is not completely dependent on the presence of CAH.
We chose Hansson's technique (Hansson, 1968) to local-
ize CAH after indirect immunoperoxidase staining methods
failed. Antibodies to mammalian carbonic anhydrase I and
II failed to recognize stingray carbonic anhydrase, which
has significant structural and kinetic differences from forms
found in higher vertebrates (Maynard and Coleman, 1971;
Maren, 1980b).
The presence of CAH in the intercellular space of epi-
thelial cells has been demonstrated not only in the alkaline
gland in the present study, but also in other tissues such as
the gall bladder, duodenum, and sweat gland (Hansson,
1968), as well as in the teleost opercular epithelium (Lacy,
1983b) and the elasmobranch rectal gland (Lacy. 1983a).
This subcellular site may indicate the presence of either a
membrane-bound or soluble form of CAH (Maren. 1980a).
The exclusion of CAH activity from portions of the plasma
membrane that contact the basement membrane suggests
that its function is important in areas of cell-cell contact.
Another possibility is that a soluble form of CAH exists in
the intercellular space. The mechanisms that would prevent
its diffusion along the basal aspect of the cell are unknown.
In any case, CAH in intercellular spaces suggests that a
bicarbonate reservoir may exist between epithelial cells
(Lacy, 1983a) or that membrane-bound CAH may transport
carbon dioxide, protons, or bicarbonate into or out of the
cell (Enns. 1967; Wistrand. 1984).
The exclusion of CAH from the apical region of the
alkaline gland epithelial cells shown in the present study has
been demonstrated in mitochondria-rich cells of the turtle
bladder and interfoveolar epithelial cells of the rat stomach,
both of which are thought to subserve bicarbonate secretion
(Sugai and Ho. 1980; Fritsche et al.. I991a). A pattern
similar to that seen in the alkaline gland was displayed in
microvillated cells and microplicated cells under conditions
inhibiting acid secretion (Fritsche et al., I991b).
The difference in distribution pattern and stain develop-
ment of CAH in the alkaline gland may reflect the presence
of at least two carbonic anhydrase isozymes (Carter and
Parsons. 1971 ). The appearance of CAH in the intercellular
space after relatively short incubation periods may indicate
a high-affinity membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase
isozyme. A low-affinity cytoplasmic form of carbonic an-
hydrase in the stingray alkaline gland is suggested by the
longer incubation periods necessary for intracellular stain
development.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported, in part, by the Slocum-Lunz
Foundation (GMG), National Science Foundation (ERL #
DCB 8903369), and the University Research Council, Med-
ical University of South Carolina.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 94-103. (August 1999)
Waterborne and Surface-Associated Carbohydrates as
Settlement Cues for Larvae of the Specialist Marine
Herbivore Alderia modesta
PATRICK J. KRUG1 * AND ADRIAN A E. MANZI2
' Department of Biology, University1 of California, Box 95 J 606, Los Angeles, California 90095- ] 606;
and 2 Cytel Corp., 9393 Towne Center Drive, San Diego, California 92121-3016
Abstract. Larvae of the specialist marine herbivore Alde-
ria modesta (Opisthobranchia: Ascoglossa) metamorphose
in response to a chemical settlement cue from the alga
Vaucheria longicaulis, the obligate adult prey. Bioactivity
coeluted with both high and low molecular weight carbo-
hydrates in solution, and with insoluble high molecular
weight carbohydrates associated with the algal cell wall.
Larvae metamorphosed in response to water conditioned by
V. longicaulis, as well as to frozen and homogenized algal
tissue. The inducer was efficiently extracted from the algae
with boiling water, but after all soluble activity was ex-
tracted, residual tissue still induced larval settlement. Etha-
nol precipitation of a boiled-water extract followed by gel
filtration chromatography showed that the precipitate con-
tained carbohydrates of > 100, 000 Da molecular weight,
while the supernatant contained only low molecular weight
carbohydrates (<2,000 Da); in both cases all activity was
associated with the carbohydrate peak. An aqueous-insolu-
ble 4% NaOH extract was chromatographed in 7 M urea to
yield a bioactive high molecular weight carbohydrate peak.
Activity was not affected by proteinase K or mild acid
hydrolysis, but was significantly decreased by periodate
treatment. The results indicate that larvae of A. modesta
metamorphose in response to both water-soluble and sur-
face-associated carbohydrates of V. longicaulis, and that the
soluble cue exists as both high and low molecular weight
isoforms.
Received 3 March 1999; accepted 1 June 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pkrug@
biology.ucla.edu
Abbreviations: BVE = boiled Vaiicheriu extract.
Introduction
Most marine invertebrate species produce free-swimming
larvae that disperse in the plankton until becoming compe-
tent to settle to the bottom and metamorphose into the adult
form (Grahame and Branch, 1985; Levin and Bridges,
1995). Larval recruitment plays a critical role in benthic
marine ecosystems, structuring communities and regulating
population dynamics (Grosberg, 1982; Roughgarden et al.,
1988; Underwood and Fairweather, 1989). Microscopic lar-
vae are generally viewed as passive particles transported by
flow to the benthos (Eckman, 1983. 1990; Butman, 1987).
Following hydrodynamic delivery of larvae to the bottom,
recruitment can be divided into settlement and metamor-
phosis (Chia and Koss, 1988; Pawlik, 1992). Settlement is
characterized by active behaviors with which larvae explore
the physical and chemical characteristics of potential sub-
strata (LeTourneux and Bourget, 1988; Rodriguez et al.,
1993). Larvae may reject a substrate and resume swimming,
becoming resuspended in the water column (Butman et al.,
1988; Butman and Grassle, 1992). Alternatively, larvae may
respond to surface-associated cues and commit to metamor-
phosis, an irreversible developmental transformation into
the adult stage of the organism (Burke, 1983; Pawlik et al.,
1991; Roberts et al., 1991; Pawlik, 1992). Larvae are capa-
ble of fine-scale discrimination among substrata both in the
laboratory and in the field (Keough and Downes, 1982;
Raimondi, 1988).
Recent studies have demonstrated that both surface-asso-
ciated and water-soluble chemical cues can trigger larval
behavioral responses that greatly increase rates of settle-
ment and metamorphosis. Still-water laboratory assays have
demonstrated the importance of surface-associated chemical
cues for inducing larval metamorphosis of barnacles (Maki
94
CARBOHYDRATE SETTLEMENT CUES
95
et til., 1990), bryozoans (Hurlbut, 1991), corals (Morse et
al., 1988), gastropods (Morse et nl., 1984), and polychaetes
(Kirchman et al.. 1982). Hydrodynamic conditions and the
presence of a surface cue associated with adult conspecifics
had an interactive effect on settlement of larvae of the
reef-building polychaete Phragmatopoma califomica in
flow (Pawlik et al., 1991). Waterborne chemical cues also
affect larval settlement processes. Soluble cues secreted by
the adult prey organisms induced settlement and metamor-
phosis in the opisthobranchs Pliestilla sibogae and Adalaria
proximo (Hadfield and Scheuer, 1985; Lambert and Todd,
1994). Larvae of the oyster Crassostrea virginica showed
dramatic behavioral responses to a chemical cue secreted by
adult conspecifics, increasing settlement in both still and
moving water (Tamburri et al., 1992; Turner et al., 1994;
Tamburri et al.. 1996). However, despite decades of re-
search into the nature of larval chemical settlement cues,
relatively little is known about the molecules that regulate
this crucial aspect of the life history of most benthic marine
invertebrates.
A recent study of a population of the opisthobranch
mollusc Alderia modesta revealed several unusual features
that make A. modesta an ideal experimental system for
investigating larval life history and settlement processes
(Krug, 1998a, b). A. modesta is an ascoglossan found in
temperate estuaries in association with its obligate food
source, the yellow-green alga Vaucheria longicaulis (Xan-
thophyta: Xanthophyceae) (Hartog and Swennen, 1952;
Hartog, 1959; Trowbridge, 1993). In southern California, A.
modesta exhibits a reproductive polymorphism that is ex-
tremely rare among marine invertebrates; study populations
contain specimens that produce planktotrophic larvae and
other individuals that produce lecithotrophic larvae (Krug,
1998b). Most lecithotrophic spawn masses contain a mix-
ture of sibling larvae, some of which metamorphose spon-
taneously within 2 days of hatching; the remaining veligers
delay metamorphosis until encountering a chemical cue
derived exclusively from the adult host alga V. longicaulis
(Krug, 1998a). The present work used a bioassay for larval
metamorphosis to determine whether the inductive activity
was soluble or surface-associated in nature, and for bioas-
say-guided isolation of active fractions as a preliminary step
in purifying the settlement cue.
Materials and Methods
Collection of organisms and lan'al bioassay
Alderia modesta (Loven, 1844) and Vaucheria longi-
caulis were collected from mudflats in the Kendall-Frost
Marine Reserve and Northern Wildlife Preserve, and in the
San Diego River Flood Control Channel, San Diego, Cali-
fornia, U.S.A. All algae used in this study conformed to
published descriptions of V. longicaulis from California
(Abbott and Hollenberg, 1976). Patches of V. longicaulis
were grown under continuous lighting in the laboratory, and
blades of algae were pulled free of the sediment base and
rinsed in seawater before use in assays. Adult specimens of
A. modesta were maintained in petri dishes under 1 cm of
seawater. and lecithotrophic egg masses were harvested
daily for 3 days. Egg masses from each day were pooled and
maintained in 0.45 jam-filtered seawater (FSW); water was
changed every other day until hatching. Upon hatching,
larvae were maintained in FSW for 2 days, to allow spon-
taneous metamorphosis to occur in cue-independent larvae
(Krug. 1998a). The remaining larvae were then subsampled
for use in the bioassay. For each experimental treatment, 1 5
larvae were added to each of 3 replicate dishes containing 4
ml FSW. After 2 days, larvae were scored for metamorpho-
sis. Each experiment included a FSW-only treatment as a
negative control and live V. longicaulis as a positive control.
The percentage of metamorphosis for each replicate was
arcsine transformed, and treatments were compared using a
1-way ANOVA. Unplanned comparisons of means were
done using the Scheffe procedure (Day and Quinn, 1989).
Secretion of settlement cue
An experiment was designed to determine whether the
Vaucheria-denved settlement cue was surface-associated or
secreted by the algae. Small patches (1 cm2) of V. longi-
caulis were cut from a growing mat and left attached to the
sediment base. Conditioned seawater (CSW) was made by
placing a patch in 4 ml FSW for either 3 h or 24 h, after
which the CSW was filtered through cotton and placed in a
sterile petri dish; larvae were added directly to the CSW for
the bioassay. Conditioned fresh water (CFW) was made by
placing patches of V. longicaulis in 4 ml deionized water for
24 h. The CFW was filtered through cotton, dried on a
rotary evaporator, and resuspended in an equivalent volume
of FSW for use in the bioassay. The negative control was
FSW aged 24 h and filtered through cotton in parallel with
treatements; the positive control was live V. longicaulis
tissue.
To determine whether Vaucheria longicaulis must be
alive to trigger metamorphosis, pieces of the algae were
frozen at -20°C for 3 days. Frozen patches were thawed by
immersion in FSW at room temperature for 1 h prior to use
in the bioassay. To determine whether algal tissue must be
physically intact, blades of live V. longicaulis were pulled
free of a 2 cm2 sediment base and washed in FSW. The
algae was manually homogenized in 10 ml deionized water
for 20 min. and the suspension sonicated for another 10 min.
The homogenate was centrifuged ( 10 min, 2000 RPM) and
the supernatant removed. The soluble homogenate was as-
sayed by adding 200 /Ltl (high concentration) or 30 ju.1 (low
concentration) aliquots to 4 ml FSW for use in the bioassay.
The negative control was FSW, and the positive control was
live intact V. longicaulis tissue.
96
P. J. KRUG AND A E. MANZI
Sequential extraction with boiling water
Four 20 X 20 cm mats of Vaucheria longicaulis attached
to the natural sediment base were field collected (March
1997) and grown in the laboratory under continuous light-
ing, moistened daily with 50% seawater. After 2 weeks
algal blades had grown 1-2 cm in height, and were har-
vested by cutting with dissecting scissors just above the
sediment base. The V. longicaulis tissue (1.34 g wet weight)
was placed in a beaker containing 50 ml deionized water
and boiled for 10 min. The solution of boiled Vaucheria
extract (BVE) was filtered through 100 /j,m Nitex mesh to
remove Vaucheria residue, and then through a 0.45 ;u,m
filter membrane. The Vaucheria residue was collected off of
the mesh filter, put in 50 ml of fresh deionized water, and
again boiled for 10 min to generate a second extract. This
process was repeated four more times, yielding a total of six
sequential boiling water extracts. The Vaucheria residue
remaining after the sixth extraction was collected from the
filter; this residue was yellow-brown in coloration but the
blades were still physically intact. Each of the six extracts
was assayed by adding a 50 jid aliquot to 4 ml FSW per
replicate assay dish. Pieces of live V. longicaulis were
assayed as a positive control, and equivalently sized pieces
of the V. longicaulis residue remaining after the six sequen-
tial extractions were also assayed.
Biochemical characterization of boiled Vaucheria
longicaulis extract (BVE)
The initial extract made by boiling Vaucheria longicaulis
for 10 min (described above) was subjected to preliminary
biochemical characterization. Six volumes of ethanol were
added to 1 ml of BVE and the solution was precipitated
overnight at 4°C. The precipitate was pelleted by centrifu-
gation, the supernatant removed, and the precipitate washed
with ethanol and repelleted. The supernatant and wash eth-
anol were combined and dried on a rotary evaporator. The
precipitate and supernatant residue were individually resus-
pended in 1 ml of MilliQ-purified water, such that the
material in each fraction was present in solution at the same
concentration as in the original extract.
Aliquots (100 ju,l) of the initial BVE and of the resus-
pended solutions of supernatant and precipitate were used in
subsequent assays to determine the dry weight, carbohy-
drate content, protein content, and bioactivity of each sam-
ple. Lyophilized aliquots were weighed to determine dry
mass. Carbohydrate content was determined for duplicate
aliquots from each sample using the phenol-sulphuric col-
orimetric assay (DuBois et al.. 1956). Measurements were
calibrated to a standard curve generated with known con-
centrations of glucose. Protein content was determined us-
ing the BCA colorimetric assay (Pierce Co.) calibrated to a
standard curve generated with commercially supplied albu-
min standards. Bioactivity was determined using the larval
settlement bioassay.
Another 3 ml of BVE was precipitated with 6 volumes of
ethanol overnight, and the supernatant and precipitated ma-
terial were separated as before. The carbohydrate elution
profiles of both the supernatant and precipitate fractions
were determined using a gel filtration column (90 cm X 1
cm) of Sephacryl S-200 resin (Pharmacia Co.). The column
was calibrated for molecular weight using Blue Dextran to
determine the void volume (V0) and glucose to determine
the included volume (V,) for small molecules; size stan-
dards were detected in fractions after collection visually
(Blue Dextran) or by the phenol-sulphuric colorimetric as-
say (glucose). The supernatant residue was dissolved in a
minimal volume and loaded onto the column, eluting with
MilliQ-purified water at a flow rate of 6 ml/h and collecting
0.5 ml fractions. Aliquots were taken from each fraction and
analyzed for carbohydrate content by the phenol-sulphuric
colorimetric assay and for protein content by the BCA
assay; the detection limit for both colorimetric assays was
0.5 /j,g/ml. Based on the resulting carbohydrate elution
profile, fractions representing every 8 ml were pooled and
lyophilized to give 5 total fractions spanning the void vol-
ume and included volume. Each pooled fraction was dis-
solved in water and 150 ^il aliquots were bioassayed. The
precipitated fraction was chromatographed in an identical
manner and fractions were collected, assayed for carbohy-
drate content, and pooled to give five total fractions. Each
pooled fraction was dissolved in water and 75 jul aliquots
were bioassayed. A positive control using live Vaucheria
longicaulis induced 84 ± 10% metamorphosis, while a
negative control using FSW gave 4 ± 4% background
metamorphosis.
Sequential extraction of Vaucheria longicaulis with
solvents of increasing polarity
To determine whether macromolecules associated with
the algal cell wall were bioactive, Vaucheria longicaulis
was sequentially extracted with solvents of increasing po-
larity and harshness to extract molecules of increasing mo-
lecular weight. Lyophilized Vaucheria longicaulis (500 mg)
was homogenized into a fine powder and extracted with
80% aqueous ethanol (50 ml, 7 h, 75°C), cold water (50 ml,
4 d, 20°C), hot water (50 ml, 24 h, 65°C), and 4% sodium
hydroxide (50 ml. 24 h, 20°C) (Cleare and Percival, 1972).
The ethanol extract was partitioned into a water-soluble
fraction and a water-insoluble organic fraction. The cold
and hot water extracts were precipitated with ethanol as
before to generate supernatant and precipitate fractions for
each extract. Aliquots corresponding to 250 /ng dry weight
were taken from the water-soluble ethanol extract and from
the cold and hot water supernatant and precipitate fractions
and were assayed directly for bioactivity. An aliquot of the
CARBOHYDRATE SETTLEMENT CUES
97
organic-soluble material from the ethanol extract was dis-
solved in methanol, added to a dry culture dish, the solvent
evaporated, and 4 ml of FSW added prior to the bioassay.
The 4% NaOH extract was exhaustively dialyzed against
MilliQ-purified water and lyophilized, giving a dry material
(44 mg) that was completely insoluble in water but dis-
solved readily in 7 M urea. The S-200 Sephacryl column
was equilibrated in 7 M urea and calibrated for V,, and V, as
before. A portion of the 4% NaOH extract was dissolved in
a minimal volume of 7 M urea and loaded onto the S-200
column. The sample was chromatographed and fractions
were collected and assayed exactly as before, except the
column was eluted with 7 M urea. Fractions comprising the
high molecular weight carbohydrate peak were pooled and
dialyzed exhaustively against water using 10.000 molecular
weight cutoff dialysis tubing. The dialysate was reduced to
a volume of 1 ml on a rotary evaporator and 100 ;ul aliquots
were bioassayed.
Treatment of EVE with proteinase K, sodium periodate,
and mild acid hydrolysis
Chemical and enzymatic treatments were performed to
determine the biochemical nature of the settlement cue. A
solution of sodium periodate (0.37 M, 100 jal) was added to
1 .0 ml of BVE, and the solution was incubated at 4°C in the
dark (Hassid and Abraham, 1957). The reaction was
quenched after 24 h by the addition of excess glycerol (20
;u.l ). As a control, 1 .0 ml of B VE was incubated at 4°C in the
dark for 24 h, after which excess glycerol (20 /il) was added
followed immediately by periodate as in the treated sample.
Both samples were incubated for 1 h to allow the consump-
tion of excess periodate, and were then dialyzed exhaus-
tively against deionized water for one week. Both treatment
and control samples were lyophilized, dissolved in 300 p.\
FSW, and 100 jul aliquots used as replicate treatments in the
larval settlement bioassay.
Proteinase K (600 /j,g) was added to a sample of BVE
(300 /ill) which had been adjusted to pH 7.8 and incubated
at 50°C for 24 h. The proteinase was then inactivated by
heating at 100°C for 15 min. A control was done by adding
proteinase to BVE immediately prior to heating at 100°C for
15 min. Samples were split into three replicate 100 pil
aliquots and tested in the larval bioassay. A mild acid
hydrolysis was performed by adding concentrated TEA ( 1 .5
/j.1) to BVE (400 fil) to achieve a final concentration of 0. 1
M TFA. The solution was heated at 100°C for 75 min
(Lahaye and Ray, 1996) and dried under vacuum to remove
TFA. As control for the presence of residual TFA salts.
BVE (400 jul) was heated in parallel at 100°C for 15 min.
and concentrated TFA was added to BVE immediately prior
to drying under vacuum. Samples were dissolved in 300 jiil
FSW, and 100 ju.1 aliquots used as replicate treatments in the
bioassay. Differences between treatment and control sam-
ples were compared using an unpaired two-tailed t-test on
arcsine-transformed percentages for each of the three treat-
ments, as different quantities of BVE were treated and
bioassayed in each case.
Results
Secreted and surface-associated forms of the larval
settlement cue
Previous work had demonstrated that Alderia modesta
larvae metamorphosed specifically in response to living
tissue of Vauchcrid Innxicunlis (Krug, 1998a). The initial
aim of the present study was to determine whether the
settlement cue was secreted into seawater by living algae,
and whether dead or homogenized algal tissue could induce
settlement. Water previously conditioned by the presence of
V. longicaiilis was as active in promoting metamorphosis as
was the living algae (Fig. 1A, and results of a 1-way
ANOVA: df = 4. 22; F = 32.73; P < 0.0001). The
120,
100
BO
40 .
r1
livc lanchena CSW(3hl CSW(24h) CFW(24h)
live I auciiena dead intact homogenate homogenate FSW
I titiL-lit'na (high cone ) (low cone)
Figure 1. Induction of larval metamorphosis by live Vaiicheria longi-
caiilis, dead tissue, and conditioned water. Percentages of larval metamor-
phosis are given as means + SD (n = 3); arcsine-transformed percentages
were compared with a 1-way ANOVA, with a post-hoc Scheffe test for
unplanned comparisons. Live V. longicaiilis tissue was used as a positive
control and filtered sea water (FSW) as a negative control A. Secretion of
larval settlement cue by living V. longicaulis. Means are percentages of
metamorphosis induced by exposure to Wwc/ima-conditioned seawater
(CSW) or conditioned fresh water (CFW). Duration of conditioning pro-
cess is given in parentheses- Means not joined by a horizontal line differed
significantly (P < 0.001 ). B. Inductive effect of dead or homogenized V.
l«n<;ictiulis. Previously frozen and thawed Vaucheria tissue, or aliquots of
homogenized algal tissue, were assayed for inductive effect. Means not
joined by a horizontal line differed significantly (P < 0.0?l.
98
P. J. KRUG AND A. E. MANZI
conditioning process occurred rapidly in the laboratory,
such that water conditioned for 3 h induced the same level
of metamorphosis as water conditioned for 24 h. Fresh
water was also conditioned by the presence of V. longicaulis
(Fig. 1A). There was no statistical difference between the
level of metamorphosis induced by the living algae and any
of the conditioned water treatments, all of which differed
significantly from the seawater-only control (Scheffe test.
P < 0.001).
Vaucheria longicaulis tissue that was frozen and thawed
induced significant larval metamorphosis, indicating that
the algae does not have to be alive to trigger settlement (Fig.
IB. and results of a 1-way ANOVA: df = 4, 16; F = 61.55;
P < 0.0001 ). Homogenates of algal tissue were also active,
confirming that V. longicaulis tissue does not have to be
alive or intact to induce metamorphosis (Fig. IB). Signifi-
cantly higher levels of metamorphosis were induced by
frozen V. longicaulis and the higher concentration of tissue
homogenate than by the negative control (Scheffe test, P <
0.05). The lower concentration of homogenate did not in-
duce significantly more metamorphosis than the negative
control, indicating that the larvae may be dose-responsive to
preparations of the cue; dilution experiments with condi-
tioned seawater support this conclusion (data not shown).
When Vaucheria longicaulis was extracted with boiling
water, the resulting aqueous extract was as active as positive
controls when assayed at an 80-fold dilution (Fig. 2, and
results of a 1-way ANOVA: df = 8, 18; F = 20.45; P <
0.0001). Conditioned seawater had no effect at such a
dilution, indicating that boiling water extracted the settle-
ment cue more efficiently than did the conditioning process.
When the V. longicaulis tissue was re-extracted with boiling
water for a second time, the resulting extract induced a low
level of metamorphosis, but not significantly more than the
negative control when assayed at an 80-fold dilution (Fig.
% metamorphosis
Ml
0
- 1st -
2nd '
2,5 5,0 7,5 H
I—1
1
^-.b.c
sequential
extract
3rd -
4th '
]"<
c
5th '
c
~~ 6th '
]-
extracted residue -
3 ,a,b
FSW '
h«
Figure 2. Serial extraction of Vaucheria longicaulis with boiling wa-
ter. Means + SD (n = 3) are percentages of larval metamorphosis induced
by aliquots of 6 sequential boiling water extracts, tested at an 80-fold
dilution, along with the fully extracted algal residue. Live V. longicaulis
was used as a positive control, and FSW as a negative control. Means not
identified with the same letter differed significantly (P < 0.05, 1-way
ANOVA with a post-hoc Scheffe comparison).
2). Four further extractions with boiling water yielded ex-
tracts that contained no appreciable bioactivity, even when
assayed at higher concentrations. These data indicate that all
of the measurable bioactivity was extracted from V. longi-
caulis in the first two boiling water treatments. The insolu-
ble residue remaining after six sequential extractions had
thus been exhaustively extracted. However, larvae exposed
to this residue metamorphosed at a level comparable to
those exposed to living V. longicaulis (Fig. 2). Significant
bioactivity thus remained associated with the Vaucheria cell
wall residue after all the soluble settlement cue had been
extracted.
High and low molecular weight forms of the soluble
settlement cue
Boiled Vaucheria extract (BVE) was fractionated by eth-
anol precipitation into a supernatant and precipitate, each of
which was diluted back up to the starting volume of BVE
for comparison. Biochemical analysis revealed that the car-
bohydrate content of BVE partitioned equally between the
precipitate and supernatant, while the majority of the protein
in the crude BVE went into the ethanol precipitate (Table I).
There was no significant difference between the bioactivity
in 100 ju.1 of precipitate, supernatant, and BVE (1-way
ANOVA. P > 0.3), although the supernatant consistently
displayed slightly lower activity at several concentrations
tested.
Both the ethanol precipitate and supernatant were further
fractionated by gel filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl
S-200 column. When column fractions were assayed for
carbohydrate content, contrasting elution profiles were ob-
tained for the two samples (Fig. 3). All detectable carbohy-
drate from the supernatant fraction eluted in the included
volume of the column, indicating a molecular weight of
<2,000 Da. In contrast, when the precipitate was chromato-
graphed, all detectable carbohydrate eluted as one peal; in
the void volume, indicating molecules of > 100, 000 Da
molecular weight. When fractions were pooled and bioas-
sayed, there was significant variation in the bioactivity of
different fractions (Fig. 3, and results of a 1-way ANOVA:
df = 11, 24; F = 17.33; P < 0.0001). For the precipitate,
a high level of metamorphosis (54 ± 23% SD) was induced
by the pooled fractions containing the high molecular
weight carbohydrate peak, and a lower level was induced by
the adjacent fraction containing the trailing edge of the
peak. The level of metamorphosis induced by the high
molecular weight peak was not statistically different from
that induced by the positive control (Scheffe test, P = 0.20)
but was significantly higher than the negative control
(Scheffe test, P < 0.05). No bioactivity significantly higher
than the negative control (4 ± 4%) was detected in the low
molecular weight fractions from the ethanol precipitate. The
bioactivity profile of the ethanol supernatant gave the op-
CARBOHYDRATE SETTLEMENT CUES
99
Table I
Comparative dry weight, protein content, carbohydrate content, and
bioactivity (±SD) of 100 /J aliquots of a standard solution of boiled
Vaucheria extract (BVE) and the precipitate and supernatant resulting
from ethanol treatment of BVE. The precipitate and supernatant were
dissolved in the starting volume of extract and aliquots were removed
for chemical assays (n = 2) and bioassays (n = 3)
Dry Weight
Carbohydrate
Protein
Bioactivity
Sample
C/ug)
<^g)
(Mg>
(%)
BVE
270 ± 10
6 ± 1
25 ± 1
82 ± 25
supernatant
110 ± 10
4 ± 1
6 ± 1
49 ± 4
precipitate
140 ± 10
3 ± 1
17 ± 1
77 ± 21
posite result. The low molecular weight fraction of the
supernatant, which contained all the carbohydrate, induced
a level of metamorphosis that was not significantly different
from the high molecular weight carbohydrate peak from the
precipitate (Scheffe test, P = 0.79). No other fraction from
the supernatant induced significant metamorphosis. Bioac-
tivity thus co-eluted with the major carbohydrate peak of
both the supernatant and precipitate, although the active
peak from the supernatant contained only low molecular
weight molecules while that from the precipitate contained
molecules of high molecular weight. Identical carbohydrate
I? 01
supernatant
\ precipitate
v,
t
*Ay^ . A -A
?0 40 50 60 70
30 40 50 60 70
Figure 3. Gel filtration chromatography of the supernatant and pre-
cipitate from ethanol precipitation of boiled Vaucheria extract (BVE).
Fractions were independently chromatographed on a size-calibrated col-
umn of Sephacryl S-200 gel eluting with water. Molecules of molecular
weight > 100,000 Da elute in the void volume (V0), while those of <2,000
Da elute in the included volume (V,). Column fractions (0.5 ml) were
assayed for carbohydrate content by the phenol-sulphuric colonmetric
assay. Fractions were pooled as indicated, lyophilized, and bioassayed for
induction of larval metamorphosis. Percentages of metamorphosis are
means + SD (n = 3).
peak profiles were obtained when sarpples were chromato-
graphed using 7 M urea as a chaotropic agent to disrupt any
potential aggregation of macromolecules, and no major
protein peaks were evident for either sample (data not
shown).
Sequential extraction of Vaucheria longicaulis
Lyophilized Vaucheria longicaulis was sequentially ex-
tracted with solvents of increasing harshness to determine if
bioactivity was persistently associated with molecules of
increasing molecular weight and stronger association with
the algal cell wall. Aqueous extracts were ethanol precipi-
tated to yield supernatant and precipitate fractions, and all
soluble extracts were bioassayed at the same concentration
per unit dry weight. The material extracted with 4% NaOH
was insoluble in water but dissolved readily in 7 M urea, a
chaotropic agent routinely used to solubilize and chromato-
graph high molecular weight polysaccharides. One major
carbohydrate peak was detected in the void volume of the
S-200 column when the 4% NaOH extract was chromato-
graphed with 7 M urea as eluant (Fig. 4). This carbohydrate
peak was exhaustively dialyzed, and the material which
remained in aqueous solution was bioassayed. There was
significant variation in the bioactivity of different extracts
(Fig. 5, and results of a 1-way ANOVA: df = 8, 39; F =
4.64; P < 0.0005). The water-soluble partition of an ethanol
extract of V. longicaulis induced significantly higher levels
of metamorphosis than the water-insoluble organic layer
and the negative control (Scheffe test, P < 0.05), indicating
all bioactive molecules are highly polar. Bioactivity above
the level of the negative control (8 ± 8%) was found in all
water-soluble extracts as well as in the resolubilized 4%
NaOH extract, indicating that molecules of increasing mo-
ml eluted
Figure 4. Carbohydrate elution profile of 4% NaOH extract of
Vaucheria longicaulis powder. Aqueous-insoluble material from the basic
extraction was eluted from Sephacryl S-200 gel with the chaotropic agent
7 M urea. Fractions containing the carbohydrate peak eluting in the void
volume were pooled, dialyzed, and reduced in volume before being bio-
assayed.
100
P. J. KRUG AND A. E. MANZI
metamorphosis
live Vaucheria twiga ac metamorphosed in response to water condi-
tioned with the hard coral Porites compressa (Hadfield,
1977; Hadfield and Scheuer, 1985). Larvae of the dorid
nudibranch Adalaria proxima metamorphosed in seawater
conditioned by the preferred adult prey, the bryozoan Elec-
tro pilosa (Lambert and Todd. 1994). However, metamor-
phosis of A. proxima larvae could only be induced by live
colonies of E. pilosa and not by dead colonies or homoge-
nized extracts (Todd ct ai. 1991 ; Lambert and Todd. 1994).
In contrast, dead and homogenized V. longicaulis tissue
induced metamorphosis in A. modesta.
Secreted settlement cues are also involved in gregarious
settlement of some species. Larvae of the sand dollars
Dendraster excentricus and Echinarachinus parma meta-
morphosed in response to sand beds and seawater condi-
tioned by the presence of adult conspecifics (Burke, 1984;
Pearce and Scheibling, 1990). The most detailed studies on
the effects of a secreted chemical settlement cue have fo-
cused on the oyster Crassostrea virginica. Larvae altered
their swimming speed and turning rate in response to small
basic peptides secreted by adult conspecifics, significantly
increasing settlement in both still and moving water in
response to the dissolved cue (Tamburri et ai, 1992; Turner
ct ill., 1994; Tamburri el /., 1996). These results demon-
strate that soluble chemicals can increase settlement rates by
influencing the behavior of larvae still suspended in the
water column (Turner et al, 1994). The relative importance
of the secretion of the Vaucheria-denved cue to the settle-
ment of Alderia modesta larvae in the field will require
further study. However, the rapidity of the conditioning
process suggests that absorbent mats of V. longicaulis may
become saturated with naturally conditioned water during
high tides, which might induce settlement in larvae that
enter trapped water parcels.
Extracting Vaucheria longicaulis with boiling water
not only demonstrated that the chemical cue is stable to
prolonged periods of boiling, but that a highly concen-
trated solution can be prepared in this manner. The di-
minishing bioactivity of sequential extracts indicates that
a
Figure 6. Effects of proteinase K. mild acid hydrolysis, and sodium
periodate on bioactivity of boiled Vaucheriu extract (BVE). Percentages of
larval metamorphosis are given as means + SD (n = 3) for each treatment
and the corresponding control. Percentages for each treatment and control
were arcsine transformed and compared with a two-tailed impaired t-test (*
= significant at P < 0.05 level); the t values obtained were 2.08 (proteinase
K), 1.20 (mild acid hydrolysis), and -4.46 (sodium periodate).
CARBOHYDRATE SETTLEMENT CUES
101
there is a limited amount of the waterborne cue that can
be extracted with boiling water. However, after repeated
extractions the residual Vaucheria tissue retained signif-
icant activity, indicating that a non-extractable form of
the settlement cue remains associated with the algal cell
wall. This is the first direct demonstration that the same
substrate produces both secreted and surface-associated
forms of a larval settlement cue, each of which is suffi-
cient to induce metamorphosis.
Polysaccharide chemists routinely employ basic solvents
such as NaOH to extract material that remains associated
with plant cell walls following hot water extraction (Cleare
and Percival, 1972). The water-insoluble material extracted
with 4% NaOH contained high molecular weight carbohy-
drates that, when partially resolubilized in 7 M urea and
then dialyzed against water, were active in the larval settle-
ment assay. The bioactivity of this fraction is consistent
with the finding that Vaucheria tissue exhaustively ex-
tracted with boiling water can still induce metamorphosis;
together, these experiments define a surface-associated class
of molecules which differ in their physical properties (size.
solubility) from the water-soluble cue molecules, but share
the same bioactivity. An insoluble inducer associated with
cell wall polysaccharides of the crustose red alga Hydroli-
thon boergesenii triggered metamorphosis in the coral Aga-
ricia humilis (Morse et al, 1988; Morse and Morse, 1991 ).
Larvae of the echinoid Stronglyocentrotus droebachiensis
metamorphosed in response to live tissue or a homogenate
of several species of coralline red algae, but the algae did
not release soluble inducers into seawater (Pearce and
Scheibling. 1990).
The active material in the water-soluble extracts was
further divided into discrete molecular weight classes by
ethanol precipitation. Chromatography revealed that the
carbohydrates in the BVE precipitate were exclusively of
high molecular weight, while those in the supernatant
were all of low molecular weight; in both cases, the
bioactivity co-eluted with the major carbohydrate peak.
Studies of larval settlement inducers for other opistho-
branchs have used ultrafiltration to show that the bioac-
tive molecules are less than 1,000 Da in size (Hadfield
and Pennington, 1990; Gibson and Chia, 1994; Lambert
et al., 1997). Distinct size-classes of water soluble set-
tlement cue molecules have not been previously reported
from other study systems.
The bioactive settlement cue molecules co-eluted with
the carbohydrate peak in each extract, were stable to
boiling and mild acid or base treatment, and some were
firmly associated with the algal cell wall. These results
suggested that the molecules were either composed of, or
tightly associated with, algal carbohydrates. Proteinase K
treatment did not diminish the activity of algal extracts,
but bioactivity was significantly reduced by treatment
with sodium periodate. Periodate reacts with monosac-
charide units of polysaccharides, oxidizing consecutive
hydroxyl groups to aldehydes and cleaving sugar residues
having three consecutive hydroxyl groups to produce
formic acid (Hassid and Abraham, 1957). Taken together,
the data strongly suggest that the larvae of Alderia ino-
desta metamorphose in response to a structural feature of
the polysaccharides produced by Vaucheria longicaulis.
This would account for the bioactivity of molecules of
differing molecular weight, since small oligosaccharides
can contain the same distinctive glycosidic linkages as
are found in the full-length polymer. Consistent with this
hypothesis, the activity of Vaucheria extract was not
diminished by a mild acid hydrolysis using 0.1 M TFA;
the same conditions have been used to fragment matrix
polysaccharides of green algae into smaller oligosaccha-
rides representative of the repeating unit (Lahaye and
Ray, 1996).
Recognition of carbohydrates by larval lectins has been
implicated in settlement induction for several taxonomically
diverse marine invertebrates (Kirchman et al., 1982; Maki
and Mitchell, 1985; Bahamondes-Rojas and Dherbomez,
1990; Bonar et al., 1990; Morse and Morse, 1991). Meta-
morphosis of barnacle larvae in response to glycoproteins is
abolished when the oligosaccharide chains of the proteins
are bound by lectins and thus rendered inaccessible to larval
receptors (Matsumura et al., 1998). The present study
strongly indicates a carbohydrate is the settlement cue for
Alderia modesta, but definitive proof will require the isola-
tion of a pure oligosaccharide that induces metamorphosis.
Preliminary results indicate that inductive fragments are
anionic and contain uncommon sugar residues including
glucuronic and galacturonic acid, rhamnose, and xylose,
which are not recognized by most available enzymes and
lectins (Krug, 1998a). A direct chemical analysis of the
structural features of the polysaccharides of Vaucheria lon-
gicaulis and their bioactivity is currently underway. How-
ever, bioactivity is clearly associated with algal polysaccha-
rides, both soluble and insoluble, making A. modesta an
ideal experimental organism for dissecting the roles of
waterborne versus surface-associated cues in the larval set-
tlement process.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. K. Norgard-Sumnicht for experimental
assistance, and Drs. N. Holland, L. Levin, W. Fenical, C.
Derby, and two anonymous reviewers for thoughtful criti-
cisms that greatly improved this manuscript. Access to the
Kendall-Frost Reserve was made possible by Isabelle Kay
and the University of California Natural Reserve System.
P. J. K. was supported by an NSF Predoctoral Fellowship.
102
P. J. KRUG AND A. E. MANZI
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The Velar Ciliature in the Brooded Larva of the
Chilean Oyster Ostrea chilensis (Philippi, 1845)
O. R. CHAPARRO1, R. J. THOMPSON2*. AND C. J. EMERSON"
1 Institute de Biologia Marina, Universidad Austral de Chile. Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile;
2 Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland.
Canada A1C 557; and 3 Biology Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 3X9
Abstract. The Chilean oyster (Ostrea chilensis) broods its
offspring almost to the settlement stage (about 8 weeks).
Larvae are maintained inside the infrabranchial chamber of
the female. Samples from all embryo and larval develop-
mental stages were obtained from mantle cavities of brood-
ing females and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy,
with particular attention to the velar structures.
All embryos and the earliest veliger stages of O. chilensis
are devoid of cilia. Cilia first appear when shell length
reaches 290-300 jam, and the first cilia to grow on the
velum form the outer preoral cilia. In larvae 340 /n,m long,
all the ciliary rings on the velum can be distinguished. These
are the apical cilia (AC), inner preoral cilia (IPC), outer
preoral cilia (OPC), and adoral cilia (AOC). The absence of
the apical tuft in both O. chilensis and the closely related
species O. ednlis represents an adaptation to brooding by the
embryos and larvae, but the lack of the postoral cilia (POC)
in O. chilensis and the lack of cilia in the embryonic and
early veliger stages are associated with an extreme brooding
condition in this species.
Introduction
Most bivalve molluscs exhibit external fertilization of the
gametes followed by the development of pelagic larvae. In
some species, however, there is a totally benthic or brooded
larval development, and in other cases a period of brooding
is followed by a pelagic phase (Pechenik, 1979, 1986). In
brooding species the eggs, embryos, and larvae are retained
in the interlamellar spaces of both demibranchs or of the
Received 22 May 1998; accepted 24 May 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: thompson®
morgan.ucs.mun.ca
inner or outer demibranchs only; alternatively, they may be
confined to brood sacs, marsupia, mucous masses, capsules,
or other specialized structures (Ockelmann, 1964; Soli's.
1967; Franz, 1973; Mackie et ai, 1974; Heard. 1977;
Mackie. 1984; Tankersley and Dimock. 1992, 1993; Gal-
lardo, 1993).
Brooding is a characteristic common to all members of
the subfamily Ostreinae (Harry, 1985). All species of the
genus Ostrea brood their embryos in the infrabranchial
chamber (Millar and Hollis, 1963; Galtsoff, 1964; Chanley
and Dinamani. 1980; Harry. 1985; Cranfield and Michael.
1989). Brooding in oysters can be very short, as in O.
puelchana (3 days. Morriconi and Calvo, 1980; 3 to 9 days,
Fernandez Castro and Le Pennec, 1988). or very long, as in
O. chilensis (6 to 12 weeks; Toro and Chaparro. 1990). In
addition to having the longest period of brooding, the Chil-
ean oyster produces the fewest eggs (3500 to 152.000) of
any Ostrea species, with the largest egg diameter (approx-
imately 250 /urn), the largest pediveliger at the time of
release (approximately 450 /am), and the shortest pelagic-
phase (minutes to 24 hours) (review by Toro and Chaparro.
1990).
Pelagic larvae possess structures specialized for swim-
ming and feeding, but it is unlikely that brooded larvae have
the same requirements, especially if the brooding period is
long, as in the Chilean oyster (8 weeks). In many species,
brooded larvae do not ingest particles, often because the
brooding female provides nutrition through the biochemical
reserves in large eggs, as in O. chilensis, or through body
fluids or nurse eggs. Strathmann (1978) has described the
adaptations of some nonfeeding brooded larvae. In other
cases, the female concentrates phytoplankton and other sus-
pended material from the external environment for the use
104
VELUM OF OSTREA CHILENSIS
105
of the larvae, as suggested by Buroker (1985) for Ostrea
spp. and by Mackie (1979) for freshwater bivalves (Pisidi-
idae), and as demonstrated in O. chilensis by Chaparro ct al.
( 1 993 ). The present paper examines the velar ciliature of the
larva of O. chilensis, an extreme case in which the larva is
brooded for almost the entire developmental period, and
compares the ciliature morphologically with that of the
planktotrophic larvae of related species, particularly other
ostreids.
Materials and Methods
Samples of oysters (Ostrea chilensis) were obtained at
intervals throughout the brooding period (October to Janu-
ary) during 1992, 1993. and 1994 from a natural bank in the
Quempillen estuary in the northern part of Chiloe Island
(41°52'S: 73°46'W). in the south of Chile. On each sam-
pling date, several female oysters were opened and their
embryos or larvae removed. In this way. all larval develop-
ment stages were sampled. Larvae were prepared for scan-
ning electron microscopy (SEM) following Hadfield and
laea (1989).
Larvae were anesthetized for about 10 min in a MgCl-,
solution isotonic with seawater, then fixed for 1 h in ice-cold
3% glutaraldehyde in 0.2 M sodium cacodylate buffer. pH
7.4. Fixed samples were rinsed in the buffer solution twice
and post-fixed for 1 h in ice-cold 1% OsO4 in 0.2 M sodium
cacodylate. pH 7.4. The specimens were then rinsed two or
three times with buffer solution and then once with distilled
water before being dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol
(Cragg, 1985).
For SEM, dehydrated specimens were critical-point dried
from liquid carbon dioxide in a Polaron E3000 drying
apparatus. Dried larvae were attached to aluminum viewing
stubs with double-sided tape and then coated with gold in an
Edwards S150A sputter-coaler. When necessary, larval
shells were broken with a fine needle to expose the internal
structures (Cragg, 1985, 1989). Coated samples were
viewed in a Hitachi S570 scanning electron microscope
operated at an accelerating voltage of 20 kV. Micrographs
were recorded on Polaroid Type 665 positive/negative film,
and stereopairs taken with a 10° tilt angle difference.
Each brood of larvae was processed separately. Although
all larvae from a given brood were at the same develop-
mental stage, as an additional precaution at least 30-50
larvae from each brood were observed by SEM before
micrographs were taken, to ensure that the structures ob-
served were common to all of them. Measurements based on
SEM are approximate, owing to foreshortening effects re-
lated to the depth of field, the tilt angle, and the curvature of
the sample.
Figure 1. Early development stages in Ostrea chilensis. (a) Gastrula;
scale bar 109 /u,m. (b) Dorsolateral view of late trochophore; scale bar 96
jj.m. (c) Lateral view of early veliger; scale bar 109 /nm. In all cases,
embryos or larvae are devoid ot cilia.
Results
Early development stages
The earliest development stages are naked, with no cilia
(Fig. 1). Only when the embryo reaches the earliest veliger
stage, with a shell length of about 290 /xm, is the first ciliary
growth observed. Cilia appear on the upper part of the
velum, and owing to their location and arrangement on the
velum, they are presumed to form the future ring of outer
preoral cilia (OPC) (Fig. 2a, b). These cilia are about 1 1-14
jam long. At this stage they are separate, with a tendency to
join each other in the middle basal part of the cilia. At the
same time, a group of short cilia develops in the mouth
region and begins to cover the food groove. These cilia are
shorter than those in the putative OPC ring, and are ran-
domly distributed (Fig. 2c).
After 25-30 days of brooding (shell length 315-320 /am).
a clear pattern of single or compound cilia has emerged
which persists for the remainder of the larval phase. The
ciliary belts composing the velum are shown schematically
in Figure 3. Larvae exhibit a very well synchronized ciliary
106
O R. CHAPARRO ET AL
growth pattern, with all larvae from the same brood being at
the same developmental stage.
Distribution of cilia on the velum
The ciliature of a larva of shell length 400 jam is shown
in Figure 4A. A concavity about 70-80 /urn in diameter is
visible in the most central and apical sector of the velum
(Fig. 4B). Located in its base is a group of small cilia, the
apical cilia (AC), which are randomly distributed and are
not organized into the apical tuft characteristic of planktonic
veligers, but lie in the same position. Surrounding this
depression is a bare region about 60 /urn wide, delimited by
a single belt of cilia constituting the inner preoral ciliary
(IPO ring.
Figure 2. In a larva of Ostri'u chilcnsix with a shell length of about 300
fitn. the cilia first appear on top of the velum, as well as in the food groox e
and mouth region, (a, b) Superior-lateral view of the cilia that will form the
OPC band; scale bars 60 JLUII and S JLUII respectively; arrows indicate future
OPC. (c) Short cilia covering the adoral food groove (FC) and the mouth
region (ventral aspect); scale bar 80 /jm.
The IPC form a ring of single cilia (Fig. 4C), each one
about 15-20 ;um long. Outside the IPC ring is a naked area,
9-10 ju,m wide, which is surrounded by a large ring of OPC.
Oilier preoral cilia
The OPC form a band, about 10-15 ju.ni wide, of two
rows of cirri, or composite cilia (Waller, 1981), which are
oriented radially from the center of the velum (Fig. 4D, E).
This is the dominant ring in the velum because of its width
and the size and complexity of its cirri. Each cirrus is
roughly 80 ju,m long and is composed of 50-100 cilia.
©(H)®©
Figure 3. Schematic representation of the velum in a laic pedneligcr ol Ihircn
Educational Programs
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Report of the Director
and Chief Executive Officer
The Marine Biological Laboratory remains a
remarkable place as we approach the end of the 20th
Century. At every turn there are feelings of pride and
satisfaction, of excitement, curiosity, determination and
anticipation of things to be discovered. These feelings are
shared by both resident and visiting scientists and by
students for whom time spent at MBL is an experience
never to be matched. That spirit of scientific adventure
and achievement is alive and thriving here, as it has been
for more than a century.
The MBL continues to build on its solid history, to add
programs in research and education, to recruit new
scientists and to raise funds for vital improvements to this
place that is like no other. After establishing research and
education priorities, we were able to define funding
requirements and a timeframe enabling us in August of
1997 to launch Discovery: The Campaign for Science at
the Marine Biological Laboratory. The goal is to reach
$25 million by December 31, 2000. We are gratified by
the response to this fundraising effort and are grateful to
many of you who have already made generous
contributions to this Campaign. I'm pleased to say that,
by the end of 1998, we had raised $20.6 million, which is
good news indeed.
Education at the MBL
The MBL's education program is growing both in
numbers of students and faculty and in courses offered.
During the summer of 1998 we hosted 594 faculty for
416 students from around the world. We were able to
award more than $600,000 in scholarship support for
those students, making it possible for the best and the
brightest to continue to come to the MBL. Even as we
grow, we have retained the high quality, intensive courses
that have long set the MBL apart from other educational
institutions. As Purnell Choppin, president of the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, stated in announcing a $2.2
million award to support education at the MBL in April
of 1999, "The Marine Biological Laboratory serves as an
international schoolhouse for the biomedical research
community. Young scientists and established researchers
alike gather there to learn the latest developments at the
cutting edges of their fields." In 1998 we continued to
attract international students with over 307c of our
applications from students from 68 different foreign
countries.
We take great pride in maintaining the quality and
dynamics of the courses and continue to be responsive to
the changing face of biological research as demonstrated
by our ability and interest in adding new courses to our
roster of exceptional offerings. Two new courses were
introduced in 1998: Frontiers in Reproduction: Molecular
and Cellular Concepts and Neural Development and
Genetics of Zebrafish. These were in addition to the
Molecular Mycology: Current Approaches to Fungal
Pathogenesis course and the Semester in Environmental
Sciences, both of which were offered for the first time in
1997.
Not only have we added new courses, but we have
continued to change our long-standing courses through
the planned turnover in course directors. For example, in
1999 David Garbers and Randy Reed will be the co-
directors of the over 100-year-old Physiology course.
They will succeed Kerry Bloom and Mark Moosekar who
did a superb job in leading the course for the past four
years.
Our Semester in Environmental Sciences program was
a great success again this year. Undergraduate students
selected from a consortium of 34 liberal arts colleges
were in residence for 14 weeks during the fall to learn
about environmental sciences. The curriculum covered
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and included electives
in computational modeling and microbial ecology.
Students gained a basic understanding of ecosystem
structure and dynamics through intensive hands-on
fieldwork at two local sites on Cape Cod. Major
biogeochemical processes were studied and general
problems concerning the global carbon cycle, fossil fuel
emissions, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases
Rl
R2 Annual Report
in the atmosphere, estuarine eutrophication, deforestation,
and over-exploitation of fisheries were considered. Special
emphasis was given to how changes in biodiversity affect
ecosystem function.
The MBL's Science Writing Fellowships Program, now
about to enter its fourteenth summer, added a new hands-
on laboratory course in environmental science during the
summer of 1998. Co-directed by John Hobble and Jerry
Melillo of the Ecosystems Center, this new component of
the program was a great success, attracting environment
writers from around the country.
Research at the MBL
The Marine Resources Center
While John Glenn was the most famous traveler in
space late last fall, two other passengers aboard the
shuttle were of considerable importance to scientific
experiments conducted during that mission. Two oyster
toad fish participated in an experiment overseen by Steve
Highstein that was designed to provide a better
understanding of the effects of microgravity on our
balance system. The fish, collected from the waters off
Woods Hole, traveled more than three million miles in
what was a follow-up to studies conducted during the
Neurolab space mission in April of 1998. Balance,
location and movement are so crucial to animals that the
vestibular system was one of the first sensory systems to
evolve. The toadfish has become a well-known
experimental model for learning more about balance
disorders, such as Meniere's disease and vertigo. It also is
a good model for studying motion sickness, including that
experienced by astronauts during space flight.
Thanks to a $1 million challenge grant, the MBL has
an exciting opportunity to build on its existing strengths
as a developer of aquatic models for biomedical research.
The technologically sophisticated Marine Resources
Center is an ideal venue for this program. And MRC
Director Roger Hanlon's expertise in the culturing of
marine organisms such as Hawaiian squid and cuttlefish
provides a great foundation for the expansion of
aquaculture activities at MBL. Dr. Hanlon contributed his
expertise in this area as a member of a National Research
Council/National Academy of Sciences committee that
published in 1998 a report titled "Biomedical Models and
Resources: Current Needs and Future Opportunities." This
paper is expected to help the National Institutes of Health
structure research funding for model organisms, including
many aquatic ones.
The MRC challenge grant, which stipulates that two
dollars must be raised for every one dollar awarded, will
enable the MBL to establish a scientific aquaculture
program in the Marine Resources Center. This
exceptional gift will allow scientists to develop novel
research techniques and to address problems being faced
by scientific and commercial aquaculture interests alike.
Studies will address problems such as disease diagnosis
and management, water quality requirements for specific
life stages, nutrition research for optimal diets and
numerous aspects of reproductive biology. For many
Report of the Director and CKO R3
years, commercial aquaculture companies have sought the
MBL's expertise in addressing all of these issues. In
recent years, we successfully maintained 95,000 juvenile
flounder bound for the Japanese sushi industry and raised
seedling scallops for the local shellfish trade. Now we
will be in an even better position to provide advice and
develop appropriate aquaculture techniques in the future.
The Ecos\stems Center
The Ecosystems Center recently launched a new
tropical ecology program that focuses on the
consequences of land-cover and land-use changes in the
tropics. The possibility of a new joint research project
with Brazilian scientists is being explored. The program
is based on a challenge put to ecologists: "Now that you
think you know how ecosystems work, why don't you try
to fix some broken ones?" Perhaps we can test our
understanding of ecosystem structure by working to
rebuild a damaged one. The joint project would focus on
large tracts of coastal forests northeast of Sao Paulo.
The Ecosystems Center also received the only Long-
Term Ecological Research Site award made in 1998. The
MBL is now the only place in the country responsible for
the oversight of two LTER sites — the new one at Plum
Island Sound, located north of Boston, and the long-time
Arctic Toolik Lake site, located on the North Slope of the
Brooks Range in Alaska — and which has major
involvement in a third (Harvard Forest in Petersham.
Massachusetts).
All of this research activity has resulted in remarkable
growth over the past few years. Since 1979, Center staff
has increased sixfold. The resulting demand for additional
laboratories, offices, and staging areas for equipment and
supplies used in field research has led to a severe
shortage of space. And the MBL's new Semester in
Environmental Sciences program for undergraduate liberal
arts students is putting an additional squeeze on the
Center's already over-taxed facilities.
In November, the MBL Board of Trustees approved the
architectural plans for a new facility to house research
and education activities of the Ecosystems Center. The
proposed three-story building will provide a cutting-edge
GIS (geographic information systems) facility, state-of-
the-art laboratories for plant and soil sample analysis, a
stable isotope laboratory, modern offices, teaching
facilities and a classroom/conference room for the
Semester in Environmental Science program, ample
storage areas for diving gear, field samples, and
equipment, and field staging areas. The 32,000-square-
foot building is designed to meet the needs of Ecosystems
Center scientists for many years to come, as well as serve
the needs of the entire MBL research and education
programs.
Fundraising is now underway, with a much appreciated
$1 million challenge grant from the Clowes Fund leading
the way. With groundbreaking scheduled for the spring of
2000, this new state-of-the-art Environmental Sciences
Building will be a fitting tribute to a quarter century of
excellence in ecological research and provide the
foundation for continued scientific achievements as the
MBL enters the 21st Century.
The Josephine Buy Paul Center
Under the direction of MBL Senior Scientist Dr.
Mitchell Sogin, the Josephine Bay Paul Center for
Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, dedicated
in August of 1998, is flourishing. The research pace at the
Center escalated during the past year, thanks to the arrival
of a number of scientists and the receipt of several
important grant awards.
Early in 1998, the Center received a major grant from
the National Institutes of Health, to be used in an
important research initiative to sequence the genome of
the parasitic protist, Giurtlia Unnblia. Giardia is a
waterborne human pathogen that attacks the intestinal
tract and exacts a terrible toll on public health worldwide.
The NIH grant will provide salary support for nine
scientists and technicians and has allowed us to establish
a new automated DNA sequencing facility.
There was still more exciting news at the Bay Paul
Center in 1998, when NASA selected MBL as a member
of the new Virtual Astrobiology Institute. This program
will bring together astrophysicists, biologists, chemists,
physicists, planetologists, and geologists for
interdisciplinary studies on life in the universe and its
cosmic implications. The MBL was one of 1 1 institutions
selected to participate from a field of nearly 70
applicants.
Dr. Michael Cummings joined the Bay Paul Center in
R4 Annual Report
early 1998 as an Assistant Scientist. His work is in the
field of molecular evolutionary genetics. The major focus
of that research is using novel statistical methods to study
relationships between genotype and phenotype. Current
investigations examine how gene sequence data can be
used to understand and predict drug resistance in
tuberculosis, variation in color vision, and basic immune
system functions at the molecular level. Dr. Cummings is
also studying the evolution of pathogenic bacteria by
examining species within the genus Mycobacterium. The
analysis of Mycobacterium DNA sequence data will
reveal evolutionary patterns that demonstrate the
emergence of both new pathogens and drug resistant
strains. This information will assist clinicians with
diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis
and leprosy.
Other Research Initiatives
The MBL is home not only to the above centers, but to
a number of individual laboratories where, for example,
the basis of bioluminescence is being investigated, the
fluxes of ions from individual cells are being measured,
the evolution of heme biosynthesis is being traced, new
antibiotics are being sought, and microscopy is being
developed and used to understand more about the cell.
A remodeled and expanded laboratory is serving Dr.
Carol Reinisch, a recently appointed Senior Scientist at
the MBL and a new year-round resident. She investigates
how environmental factors influence the prevalence of
leukemia using soft shell clams as a research model. She
also studies surf clams to better understand how toxins
such as PCBs disrupt nerve development in embryos that
later influences normal learning and behavior.
Drs. Barbara and Bruce Furie have modernized their
MBL laboratory to accommodate ongoing work on the
study of hemophilia and other blood disorders using the
venomous cone snail. The conotoxins produced by these
invertebrate snails share an amino acid that is found in
mammals. A protein containing this unusual amino acid,
when linked to vitamin K. triggers blood-clotting
mechanisms that are distributed widely throughout
mammalian species.
Summer Research
The MBL — as it has for more than a century — will
host hundreds of scientists from around the world who
come each summer to the Laboratory to participate in a
unique and intense research experience. Often using
marine and aquatic model organisms, these investigators
study basic processes in the life sciences. Their work
spans research on the protein assemblies that achieve
accurate chromosome segregation in cell division, on the
neural processing of visual information in the brain, and
on how hormones and Pharmaceuticals stimulate the
secretion of insulin from the pancreas.
The MBL's Fellowship Program is an important
element of summer research activities. Nineteen scientists
were awarded summer research fellowships at the MBL
in 1998. Examples of research projects by neurobiologists
Report of the Director and CEO R5
— •
include studies by Dr. Elizabeth Jonas of Yale University
School of Medicine on the intracellular channels that
regulate synaptic function; studies by Dr. Matthew
Halstead of the University of New Zealand on the
processing of electrosensory information in the midbrain
of the skate; and studies by Dr. James Zheng from the
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School on the cellular
mechanisms underlying the formation of nerve
connections. Cell biologists included Dr. Mark Alliegro of
Louisiana State University, who studied cells from sea
urchins and other organisms to learn how cells
differentiate, and Dr. John Eriksson of the Turku Center
for Biotechnology in Finland, who studied the mitotic
protein phosphatases in surf clam eggs. Fourteen other
scientists whose research focused on topics ranging from
global climate change to sensory physiology rounded out
the group of 1998 fellows.
Improvements Around Campus
As always there is work to be done on the MBL's
physical plant, all of it important, all of it requiring time.
effort, and financial support. In 1998, renovations were
made at the Loeb building and to the Neurobiology
course laboratories. And the Lillie Auditorium got a new
roof. I'm pleased to report that commitments are now in
hand to install an air-conditioning system at the Library,
and very soon the MBL will have a new emergency
generator. One of the most the exciting changes to the
MBL campus last summer was the creation of the new
Robert W. Pierce Visitors Center, which shares 100
Water Street with the MBL and Satellite Clubs. This
beautiful new facility, which is also home to the MBL
Associates Gift Shop, was dedicated and opened in the
summer of 1998. It has already introduced thousands of
Woods Hole visitors to the Marine Biological Laboratory.
MBL Trustees
In 1998. the MBL Board of Trustees welcomed Dr.
John E. Dowling as President of the Corporation. Dr.
Dowling succeeded Dr. James D. Ebert, who retired after
serving as President for seven years. Dr. Dowling is the
Maria Moors Cabot Professor of Natural Science at
Harvard University, as well as an MBL summer
investigator and former MBL Trustee. His research
focuses on the physiology of vision, especially the
correlation between structure and function in the
vertebrate retina. He also is interested in retinal
development and uses the zebrafish as a model organism
for these studies.
Last year the MBL Board of Trustees elected Ronald
P. O'Hanley, President of Dreyfus Institutional Investors
in Boston, and Vincent J. Ryan, President, Chairman, and
CEO of Schooner Capital Corporation, also of Boston, to
membership in the Class of 2003. The Laboratory is most
fortunate to welcome these dynamic and thoughtful
individuals to help guide our progress over the next few
years. Burton J. Lee, III, Laurie J. Landeau, Darcy
Brisbane Kelley, and Jean Pierce were reappointed to the
R6 Annual Report
Board in November 1998 as members of the class of
2003.
Directors Emeriti
The Board of Trustees voted to name three former
directors of the Marine Biological Laboratory "Directors
Emeriti." James D. Ebert, Paul R. Gross, and Harlyn O.
Halvorson were recognized for the contributions that each
of these men made to the growth and strength of the
Laboratory during their tenures as director. Each of these
individuals has left a legacy of achievement that has
earned the respect and gratitude of the MBL community.
In closing, 1998 was an exciting time, and 1999 should
be no less so. The Marine Biological Laboratory remains
a wonderful gathering place for scientists and students
from around the world. Anchored by a top-notch team of
year-round investigators, enlivened by some of the best
students anywhere, and stimulated by the summer influx
of great researchers, the MBL continues to serve science
in a unique and exciting way.
— John E. Burris
Report of the Treasurer
During 1998 the Marine Biological Laboratory
continued a favorable trend in operations. This progress
was due to healthy increases in five of the six areas of
Operating Support. Government grants increased 9.6%
and now represent 42.5% of the total support and
revenues. Double digit increases in Private Contracts
(38.3%), Fees for Conferences and Services ( 10.7%) and
Miscellaneous Revenues (22.3% ) powered the year's
success story. While there was an easing in the present
value of Contributions this was predictable at the
midpoint of our very successful Discovery Campaign. As
already noted in the Report of the Director and CEO, the
campaign is ahead of schedule.
Focusing on the change in Unrestricted Net Assets, we
enjoyed a three-year favorable trend. The change before
nonoperating activity has improved from a deficit of $1
million in 1996, to a deficit of $753 thousand in 1997, to
a deficit of only $256 thousand this year. This is
particularly auspicious when one realizes these figures are
after approximately $1.5 million in depreciation each
year.
While the Change in Net Assets before nonoperating
activity was only half of 1997 results, it was still a robust
$1.1 million. Total Investment Income and Earnings of
only 820 thousand dollars were unsatisfactory when
compared to the multi-million dollar returns in previous
years. This was a result of the volatile markets and a
revamping of our endowment management philosophy.
As a result. Net Assets increased for the fourth year in
a row, but the Return on Average Net Assets was
only 1.1%.
A review of the 1998 Balance Sheet demonstrates our
continued strong liquidity and low and improving
leverage. Property Plant and Equipment showed a slight
decline (2.4%). but this is the smallest decline in the past
four years as we are in the process of upgrading the
physical plant. Plans are underway to expand our capital
maintenance efforts and to build a new Environmental
Sciences Building. Ultimately, this will make the
Laboratory an even more attractive facility to conduct
science.
In summary, the Laboratory continues to demonstrate
the ability to attract funds from the federal government,
foundations and individuals. Our housing and conferences
continue to generate surplus cash. Successful completion
of the Discovery Campaign and a return to our history of
very successful endowment performance will guarantee
the financial strength of the Marine Biological Laboratory
for the 21st century.
— Mary B. Conrad
R7
Financial Statements
PrrcewaterhouseCoopers LIP
One Post Offic e Square
Boston MA 0_> 1 09
Telephone (hi 7) 478 5000
F.ii simile (111 7) 478 5900
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Trustees of
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole. Massachusetts
In our opinion, the accompanying balance sheet of Marine Biological Laboratory (the "Laboratory") as of
December 31, 1998 and the related statements of activities and cash flows for the year then ended present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Laboratory as of December 31, 1998, and the
changes in its net assets and its cash flows for the year then ended in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Laboratory's management; our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our
audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures
in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We
believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.
Our audit was conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a
whole. The supplemental schedule of functional expenses for the year ended December 31, 1998 is presented
for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements. Such
information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the basic financial
statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the basic financial
statements taken as a whole.
April 9, 1999
R8
MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, 1998
(with comparative totals as of December 31. 1997)
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents
Short-term investments, at market (Note C)
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $34,195 in 1998 and
$36.782 in 1997
Current portion of pledges receivable (Note H)
Receivables due for costs incurred on grants and contracts
Other assets
Total current assets
Long-term investments, at market (Notes C and Di
Pledges receivable, net of current portion (Note H)
Plant assets, net (Notes B. E and F)
Total long-term assets
Total assets
1998
S 1,187,954
3.561,544
1,242,530
1 ,607.664
1,531,083
557.908
9.688.683
37.054.120
2.855.352
19.536.171
59,445.643
$69.134,326
1997
$ 560.801
4.408.046
1,221,781
2,219,056
1.157.165
560.269
10.127.118
35,614,151
2,238,826
20.026.580
57.879.557
$68.006.675
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Current portion of long-term debt (Note E)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
Deferred income and advances on contracts
Total current liabilities
Annuities and unitrusts payable
Long-term debt, net of current portion (Note E)
Advances on contracts
Total long-term liabilities
Total liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Notes F and H)
243,274
2,057,741
462.873
2.763.888
1.412,200
2.324.096
1.272.390
5.008.686
7.772,574
229,657
1.494,948
384.258
2.108.863
1.213.583
2,567.370
1.433.208
5.214.161
7,323,024
Net assets:
Unrestricted
Temporarily restricted
Permanently restricted
Total net assets (Note Bl
Total liabilities and net assets
18,451.865
25.635.237
17.274.650
61.361.752
$69,134.326
18.729.311
25,596.656
16.357.684
60.683.651
$68.006,675
The accompanving notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
R9
MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES
for the year ended December 31,1 998
(with comparative totals for the year ended December 31, 1997)
Operating support and revenues:
Government grants
Private contracts
Laboratory rental income
Tuition
Fees for conferences and services
Contributions
Investment income
Miscellaneous revenue
Present value adjustment to annuities
Net assets released from restrictions
Total operating support and revenues
Expenses:
Research
Instruction
Conferences and services
Other programs (Note B)
Total expenses
Change in net assets before nonoperating activity
Nonoperating revenue:
Total investment income and earnings
Less: investment earnings used tor operations
Reinvested (utili/ed) investment earnings
Total change in net assets
Net assets, beginning of year
Net assets, end of year
Temporarily
Permanently
1998
1997
Unrestricted
Restricted
Restricted
Total
Total
$10,943,239
$
$
$10,943,239
$ 9.986.800
1.629,283
—
—
1.629,283
1.178,192
1.470.372
—
—
1.470.372
1.478.757
489,726
—
—
489.726
399.703
3.415,519
—
—
3,415,519
3.085,616
1.264,235
3,420,615
653.152
5,338,002
6.441.429
490,474
1,465,261
—
1.955.735
1 ,709,983
405,633
—
—
405.633
322,667
—
(68,849)
(7.853)
(76.702)
(164.447)
4.100,624
(4,138,622)
37,998
—
—
24,209,105
678,405
683.297
25.570.807
24.438.700
12,666.746
12,666.746
11.031.914
4.433,789
—
—
4,433,789
4,144,508
1 ,999,433
—
—
1 ,999,433
1,487.705
5,365,530
—
5.365.530
5.440.808
24,465,498
—
—
24,465.498
22.104.935
(256,393)
678,405
683,297
1,105,309
2.333,765
27.353
558.683
233,669
819.705
4,869,035
(48.406)
(1.198.507)
—
(1.246.913)
(1.056,211)
(21,053)
(639,824)
233.669
(427.208)
3,812,824
(277.446)
38,581
916,966
678.101
6,146,589
18.729,311
25,596,656
16,357,684
60.683.651
54,537.062
$18,451,865
$25.635 2^7
$17 274650
$61 361 75"1
$60683 651
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
RIO
MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
for the year ended December 31, 1998
(with comparative totals for the year ended December 31, 1997)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Change in net assets
Adjustments to reconcile change in net assets to net cash provided by (used
in) operating activities:
Depreciation
Unrealized (gain) loss on investments
Realized (gain) loss on investments
Present value adjustment to annuities and unitrusts payable
Contributions restricted for long-term investment and annuities
Provision for bad debt
Provision for uncollectible pledges
Change in certain balance sheet accounts:
Accounts receivable
Pledges receivable
Grants and contracts receivable
Other assets
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
Deferred income and advances on contracts
Annuities and unitrusts payable
Advances on contracts
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment
Proceeds from sale of investments
Purchase of investments
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on annuities and unitrusts payable
Receipt of permanently restricted gifts
Annuity and unitrusts donations received
Loan proceeds
Payments on long-term debt
Net cash provided by financing activities
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
1W8
$ 67S.10I
1.505.696
2,755.079
(2.805.560)
76.702
(682.817)
15,771
250.000
(36.520)
(255.134)
(373.918)
2.361
562,793
78.615
163.700
(160,818)
1.774.051
(1.015.287)
18.935,050
(19.478.036)
(1.558.273)
(41.785)
653,152
29,665
(229.657)
411.375
627.153
560.801
S 1.187.954
6.146,589
1.483.203
(1.740,501)
(1.728,792)
164.447
(1.390,609)
21,781
89.620
(480.702)
(314.658)
(43,083)
(77.277)
(71.564)
62,260
120.052
222.258
2,463,024
(814,159)
23,450,218
(26.321.432)
(3.685.373)
(30.430)
1,321,302
69.307
250.000
(218.557)
1,391.622
169.273
391,528
560.801
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
Rll
R12 Annual Report
Marine Biological Laboratory
Notes to Financial Statements
A. Background:
The Marine Biological Laboratory (the "Laboratory") is a private, independent not-for-profit research and educational institution dedicated to
establishing and maintaining a laboratory or station for scientific study and investigation, and a school for instruction in biology and natural history.
The Laboratory was founded in 1888 and is located in Woods Hole. Massachusetts.
B. Significant Accounting Policies:
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting and in accordance with the principles outlined in the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Audit Guide. "Not-For-Profit Organizations." The financial statements include certain prior-year
summari/.ed comparative information in total but not by net asset class. Such information does not include sufficient detail to constitute a presentation
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, such information should be read in conjunction with the Laboratory's
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1997, from which the summarized information was derived.
The Laboratory classifies net assets, revenues, and realized and unrealized gains and losses based on the existence or absence of donor-imposed
restrictions and legal restrictions imposed under Massachusetts State law. Accordingly, net assets and changes therein are classified as follows:
Unrestricted
Unrestricted net assets are not subject to donor-imposed restrictions of a more specific nature than the furtherance of the Laboratory's mission.
Revenues from sources other than contributions are generally reported as increases in unrestricted net assets. Expenses are reported as decreases in
unrestricted net assets. Gains and losses on investments and other assets or liabilities are reported as increases or decreases in unrestricted net assets
unless their use is restricted by explicit donor stipulations or law. Expirations of temporary restrictions on net assets, that is, the donor-imposed
stipulated purpose has been accomplished and or the stipulated time period has elapsed, are reported as reclassifications between the applicable classes
of net assets.
Temporarily Restricted
Temporarily restricted net assets are subject to legal or donor-imposed stipulations that will be satisfied either by the actions of the Laboratory, the
passage of time, or both. These assets include gifts plus monies for which the specific, donor-imposed restrictions have not been met, and pledges,
annuities, and unitrusts for which the ultimate purpose of the proceeds is not permanently restricted. As the restrictions are met, the assets are released
to unrestricted net assets. Also, realized/unrealized gains/losses associated with permanently restricted gifts which are not required to be added to
principal by the donor are classified as temporarily restricted but maintain the donor requirements for expenditure.
Permanently Restricted
Permanently restricted net assets are subject to donor-imposed stipulations that they be invested to provide a permanent source of income to the
Laboratory. These assets include gifts, pledges and trusts which require that the corpus be invested in perpetuity and only the income be made
available for program operations in accordance with donor restrictions.
Nonoperating revenues include realized and unrealized gains on investments during the year as well as investment income on the master pooled
investments. Investment income from short-term investments and investments held in trust by others are included in operating support and revenues.
To the extent that nonoperating investment income and gains are used for operations as determined by the Laboratory's total return utilization policy
(see below), they are reclassified from nonoperating to operating on the statement of activities as "Investment earnings used for operations." All other
activity is classified as operating revenue. The Laboratory recorded net realized gains of $2,805,560, net unrealized losses of $2.755,079 and dividend
and interest income of $1,478,046 in 1998.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents consist of resources invested in overnight repurchase agreements and other highly liquid investments with original maturities ot three
months or less.
Financial instruments which potentially subject the Laboratory to concentrations of risk consist primarily of cash and investments. The Laboratory
maintains cash accounts with one banking institution.
Investments
Investments purchased by the Laboratory are carried at market value. Donated investments are recorded at fair market value at the date of the gift. For
determination of gain or loss upon disposal of investments, cost is determined based on the first-in, first-out method. Investments with an original
maturity of three months to one year are classified as short-term. All other investments are considered long-term. Investments are maintained primarily
with five institutions.
In 1924, the Laboratory became the beneficiary of certain investments, included in permanently restricted net assets, which are held in trust by others.
The Laboratory has the continuing rights to the income produced by these funds in perpetuity, subject to the contractual restrictions on the use of such
funds. Accordingly, the trust has established a process to conduct a review every ten years by an independent committee to ensure the Laboratory
Financial Statements R13
continues to perform valuable services in biological research in accordance with the restrictions placed on the funds by the agreement. The committee
met in 1994 and determined that the Laboratory has continued to meet the contractual requirements. The market values of such investments are
$7.673.828 and $7,440.158 at December 31. 1998 and 1997, respectively. The dividend and interest income on these investments totaled $260.805 and
$254.898 in 1998 and 1997, respectively.
Investment Income and Distribution
For the master pooled investments, the Laboratory employs a total return utilization policy that establishes the amount of the investment return made
available for spending each year. The Finance Committee has approved a standing policy that the withdrawal will be based on a percentage of the latest
three-year average ending market values of the funds. The market value includes the principal plus reinvested income, realized and unrealized gains
and losses. Spending rates in excess of 5%, but not exceeding 1%, can be utilized if approved in advance by the Finance Committee of the Board of
Trustees. For fiscal 1998 and 1997. the Laboratory obtained approval to expend 6% of the latest three-year average ending market values of the
investments.
The net appreciation on permanently and temporarily restricted net assets is reported together with temporarily restricted net assets until such time as
all or a portion of the appreciation is distributed for spending in accordance with the total return utilisation policy and applicable state law.
Investment income on the pooled investment account is allocated to the participating funds using the market value unit method (Note D).
Plant Assets
Buildings and equipment are recorded at cost. Donated facility assets are recorded at fair market value at the date of the gift. Depreciation is computed
using the straight-line method over the asset's esiimated useful life. Estimated useful lives are generally three to ten years for equipment and 20 to 40
years for buildings and improvements. Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31. 1998 and 1997 amounted to $1.505.696 and $1.483,203.
respectively, and has been recorded in the statement of activities in the appropriate functionalized categories. When assets are sold or retired, the cost
and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in unrestricted income for the period.
Annuities tint! Unitnists Pavable
Amounts due to donors in connection with gift annuities and unitrusts are determined based on remainder value calculations, with varied assumptions
of rates of return and payout terms.
Deferred Income and Advances on Contracts
Deferred income includes prepayments received on Laboratory publications and advances on contracts to be utilized within the next year. Advances
on contracts includes funding received for grants and contracts before it is earned. In certain circumstances, long-term advances are invested in the
master pooled account until they are expended.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized at the time it is earned. The sources of revenue include grant payments from governmental agencies, contracts from private
organizations, and income from the rental of laboratories and classrooms for research and educational programs. The tuition income is net of student
financial aid of $523. 1 90 and 5536,097 in 1 998 and 1 997, respectively. Fees for conferences and other services include the following activities: housing,
dining, library, scientific journals, aquatic resources and research services.
Contributions
Contribution revenue includes gifts and pledges. Gifts are recognized as revenue upon receipt. Pledges are recognized as temporarily or permanently
restricted revenue in the year pledged and are recorded at the present value of expected future cash flows, net of allowance for unfulfilled pledges. Gifts
and pledges, other than cash, are recorded at fair market value at the date of contribution.
Expenses
Expenses are recognized when incurred and charged to the functions to which they are directly related. Expenses that relate to more than one function
are allocated among functions using various methodologies.
Other programs expense consists primarily of fundraising, year-round labs and library room rentals, costs associated with aquatic resource sales and
scientific journals. Total fundraising expense for 1998 and 1997 is $1.037,495 and $1.226,360, respectively.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of financial statements
and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Tax-Exempt Status
The Laboratory is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
R14 Annual Report
C. Investments:
The following is a summary of the cost and market
value of investments at Dec
ember 31. 1998 and 1997:
Market
Cost
199S
1997
1998
1997
Certificates of deposit
$ 40.000
S 40.000
$ 40.000
$ 40,000
Money market securities
1.052.276
2,168.958
1.052,276
2.168,958
U.S. Government securities
1,397,686
1.292.600
1,136.219
1.098.526
Corporate fixed income
2.504.507
2,587,861
2.472.653
2.472,653
Common stocks
5,033.704
5,279,266
4,290,581
4,271,853
Mutual funds
29,548,89!
23.223,812
26.225.214
19,317,499
Limited partnerships
1,038.600
5.429,700
958.982
3,309.994
Total investments
$40,615,664
$40,022,197
$36,175,925
$32,679,483
Investment portfolios tor the years ended December
31, 1998 and 1997 are as f<
allows:
Mark
el
Cost
1998
1997
1998
7997
Short-Term Investments
Certificates of deposit
$ 40,000
$ 40.000
$ 40,000
$ 40,000
Money market 1784 Fund
559,314
1 .759.589
559.314
1 .759.589
Common stocks
6.241
551.780
6,241
530.936
Mutual funds
2,955,989
2,056.677
2,940.929
2,056.679
Total
3.561,544
4,408,046
3.546.484
4.387,204
Mark
et
Cost
1998
1997
1998
1997
Long-Term Investments
Pooled investments:
Master pooled investments
$27.057.909
$26,163,702
$23.723.343
$20,201,962
Separately invested:
General Chase trust
6,038,153
5,846.916
5,433,574
4,986.443
Library Chase trust
1,635,675
1,593.242
1.477,462
1.358.149
Annuity and unitrust investments
2.322.383
2,010,291
1.995,062
1,745,725
Total
37.054,120
35,614,151
32.629.441
28.292,279
Total investments
$40.615.664
$40.022.197
$36.175.925
$32.679.483
Financial Statements KI5
D. Accounting for Pooled Investments:
Certain net assets are pooled for investment purposes. Investment income from the pooled investment account is allocated on the market value unit basis,
and each fund subscribes to or disposes of units on the basis of the market value per unit at the beginning of the calendar quarter within which the
transaction takes place. The unit participation of the funds at December 31. 1998 and 1997 is as follows:
Unrestricted
Temporarily restricted
Permanently restricted
Advances on contracts
199N
4.001
44,455
65.016
6.437
119.909
1997
4.192
42,693
65,411
6.506
118,802
Pooled investment activity on a per-unit basis was as follows:
Unit value at beginning of year
Unit value at end of year
Total return on pooled investments
1998
$ 220.30
225.51
$ 5.21
1997
$ 186.35
220.30
$ 33.95
E. Long-Term Dchj:
Long-term debt consisted of the following at December 31 :
Variable rate (5.15% at December 31, 1998) Massachusetts Industrial Finance
Authority Series 1992A Bonds payable in annual installments through 2012
6.63% Massachusetts Industrial Finance Authority Series 1992B Bonds,
payable in annual installments through 2012
5.8% The University Financing Foundation. Inc.. payable in monthly
installments through 2000
5.8% The University Financing Foundation. Inc.. payable in monthly
installments through 2002
I99N
$ 925,000
1,230.000
226.024
186.346
$2.567.370
1997
$ 960,000
1.280.000
325.210
231.817
S2.797.027
The aggregate amount of principal due on long-term debt for each of the next five fiscal years and thereafter is as follows:
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Thereafter
Less current portion of long-term debt
Long-term debt net of current return
$ 243.274
267.404
173,664
148,028
125.000
1.610.000
2.567.370
(243.274)
$2.324.096
In 1992. the Laboratory issued $1.100.000 Massachusetts Industrial Finance Authority (MIFA) Series 1992A Bonds with a variable interest rate and
SI. 500.000 MIFA Series 1992B with an interest rate of 6.63%. Interest expense debt totaled $136.340 tor the year ended December 31. 1998. The Series
1992 A and B Bonds mature on December 1. 2012 and are collateralized by a first mortgage on certain Laboratory property.
On March 17. 1998, the Laboratory entered into a ten-year interest rate swap contract in connection with the Series 1992A Bonds. This contract
effectively fixes the interest rate at 6.30% through December 17. 200S.
R16 Annual Report
The agreements related to these bonds subject the Laboratory to certain covenants and restrictions. Under the most restrictive covenant of this debt, the
Laboratory's operating surplus, exclusive of interest expense and depreciation expense, must be greater than or equal to 1.2 times all debt service
payments, as defined by the agreement. The Laboratory was in compliance with these covenants and restrictions at December 31, 1998.
In 1996. the Laboratory borrowed $500,000 with an interest rate of 5.8% per annum from the University Financing Foundation. Inc. The interest expense
for the year ended December 31. 1998 was $16,253. The loan matures in 2000 and is collaterali/ed by 50.000 shares of a fixed income fund with a
fair value of $595.000 at December 31. 1998.
In 1997, the MBL borrowed $250.000 with an interest rate of 5.8% per annum from the University Financing Foundation. Inc. The interest expense
for the year ended December 31, 1998 was $12,249. This loan matures in 2002 and is collateralized by 19.440 shares of a fixed income mutual fund
with a fair value of $231,336 at December 31. 1998.
The Laboratory has a line of credit agreement with BankBoston from which it may draw up to $1.000.000. No amounts were outstanding under this
agreement as of December 31. 1998 and 1997.
F. Plant Assets:
Plant assets consist of the following at December 3 1 :
1W8
1997
Land
Buildings
Equipment
Total
Less: Accumulated depreciation
Plant assets, net
$ 702.908
33,334,107
4,401,184
$ 702,908
32,419,072
4,300,932
38,438.199
(18,902,028)
37,422.912
(17,396,332)
$19.536.171
$20,026.580
G. Retirement Plan:
The Laboratory participates in the defined contribution pension plan of TIAA-CREF (the "Plan"). The Plan is available to permanent employees who
have completed two years of service. Under the Plan, the Laboratory contributes 10%< of total compensation for each participant. Contributions
amounted to $737,156 and $715,858 for the years ended December 31, 1998 and 1997. respectively.
H. Pledges:
Unconditional promises to give are included in the financial statements as pledges receivable and the related revenue is recorded in the appropriate net
asset category. Unconditional promises to give are expected to be realized in the following periods:
In one year or less
Between one year and five years
After five years
/W,S
$1,607.664
3,110,354
146,586
7997
$2,219,056
2.485,851
80.000
Total
4,864.604
4.784.907
Less: discount of $301,588 in 1998 and $227,025 in 1997
and allowance of $100,000 in 199S and $100.000 in
1 997
(401.5X8)
(327,025)
$4,463.016
$4.457.882
Financial Statements R17
Pledges receivable at December 31 have the following restrictions:
Research and education
Permanently restricted net assets
$3,933,988
529,028
1997
$3.787,882
670.000
$4.463.016
$4,457.882
I. Postretirement Benefits:
The Laboratory accounts for its postretiremen! benefits under Statement No. 106, "Employers' Accounting tor Postretiremen! Benefits Other than
Pensions." which requires employers to accrue, during the years that the employee renders the necessary service, the expected cost of benefits to be
provided during retirement. As permitted, the Laboratory has elected to amortize the transition obligation over 20 years commencing on January 1 . 1994.
The Laboratory's policy is that all current retirees and certain eligible employees who retired prior to June 1 . 1994 will continue to receive postretirement
health benefits. The remaining current employees will receive benefits; however, those benefits will be limited as defined by the Plan.
Employees hired on or after January 1. 1995 will not be eligible to participate in the postretirement medical benefit plan.
The following tables set forth the Plan's funded status as of December 31:
Benefit obligation at December 31
Fair value of plan assets at December 3 1
Funded status
Accrued benefit cost
Weighted-average assumptions as of December 3 1 :
Discount rate
Expected return on plan assets
Compensation increase rate
Benefit cost
Employer contribution
Benefits paid
1998
$ 2.171.119
820.645
$(1.350.474)
$ (26.654)
6.75%
7.25%
N/A
210,339
192.082
109.404
1997
$ 1.919.865
701,140
$(1,218.725)
$ (8.397)
7.50%
8.00%
N/A
192,082
192.082
111.255
For measurement purposes a 7.5% annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits was assumed for 1999. The rate was
assumed to decrease by half of 1 .00% per year to 4.25% in 2006 and remain at that level thereafter. Pension plan assets consist of investments in a money
market fund.
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torsion angles. Structure generation based on interproton distance
restraints and torsion angle measurements yield convergent structures
generated using distance geometry and simulated annealing methods.
The goal of this project is to determine the structural role of y-
carboxyglutamic acid in the Gla-containing conotoxins.
Staff
Barbara C. Furie, Scientist
Bruce Furie, Scientist
Johan Stenflo. Visiting Scientist
Eva Czerwiec. Postdoctoral Fellow
Gail Begley, Postdoctoral Fellow
Alan Rigby. Postdoctoral Fellow
Staff
Hanlon. Roger, Senior Scientist
Sussman, Raquel, Investigator
Hatfield, Emma, Postdoctoral Fellow
Maxwell, Michael, Postdoctoral Scientist
Rurnmel, John, Visiting Scientist
Shashar. Nadav. Postdoctoral Scientist
Visiting Investigators
Boal, Jean, Visiting Scientist
Gabr, Howaida, Graduate Student. Suez Canal University. Egypt
Cavanaugh, Joseph. Graduate Student, Boston University Marine
Program
Fern, Sophie, Graduate Student, Boston University Marine Program
Wittenberg. Kim, Boston University Marine Program
Laboratory of Shinya Inoue
Scientists in this laboratory study the molecular mechanism and
control of mitosis, cell division, cell motility, and cell morphogenesis,
with emphasis on biophysical studies made directly on single living
cells, especially developing eggs in marine invertebrates. Development
of biophysical instrumentation and methodology, such as the centrifuge
polarizing microscope, high-extinction polarization optical and video
microscopy, digital image processing techniques, and exploration of
their underlying theory are an integral part of the laboratory's efforts.
Staff
Inoue, Shinya. Distinguished Scientist
Knudson. Robert. Instrument Development Engineer
Maccaro, Jackie, Laboratory Assistant
MacNeil, Jane. Executive Assistant
Laboratory of Alan M. Kuzirian
Research in the laboratory explores the functional morphology and
infrastructure of various organ systems in molluscs. The program
includes mariculture of the nudibranch. Hermissenda crassicnnus. with
emphasis on developing reliable culture methods for rearing and
maintaining the animal as a research resource. The process of
metamorphic induction by natural and artificial inducers is being
explored in an effort to understand the processes involved and as a
R50 Annual Report
video, and digital image processing for fast analysis of specimen
birefringence over the entire viewing field. Examples of biological
systems currently investigated with the Pol-Scope are: microtubule-based
structures (asters, mitotic spindles, single microtubules); actin-based
structures (acrosomal process, stress fibers, nerve growth cones); zona
pellucida of vertebrate oocytes; and biopolymer liquid crystals.
Staff
Oldenbourg. Rudolf, Associate Scientist
Katoh. Kaoru. Postdoctoral Research Associate
Geer. Thomas. Research Assistant
Knudson. Robert. Instrument Development Engineer
Barahy, Diane. Laboratory Assistant
means to increase the yield of cultured animals. Morphologic studies
stress the ontogeny of neural and sensory structures associated with the
photic and vestibular systems which have been the focus of learning and
memory studies, as well as the spatial and temporal occurrence of
regulatory and transmitter neurochemicals. Concurrent studies detailing
the toxic effects of lead on Hermissenda learning and memory, feeding,
and the physiology of cultured neurons are also being conducted. New
studies include cytochemical investigations of the Ca:+/GTP binding
protein, calexcitin. and its modulation with learning and lead exposure.
Collaborative research includes histochemical investigations on
strontium's role in initiating calcification in molluscan embryos (shell
and statoliths). immunocytochemical labelling of cell-surface antigens,
neurosecretory products, second messenger proteins involved with
learning and memory, as well as intracellular transport organelles using
mono- and polyclonal antibodies on squid (Loligo pealei) giant axons
and Hermissenda sensory and neurosecretory neurons. Additional
collaborations involve studying neuronal development and defects, as
well as nerve regeneration and repair in phylogenetically conserved
nervous systems.
Additional collaborative research includes DNA fingerprinting using
RAPD-PCR techniques in preparation for isogenic strain development of
laboratory-reared Hermissenda and hatchery-produced bay scallops
(Argopectin irradiana) with distinct phenotypic markers tor the rapid
field identification. Systematic and taxonomic studies of nudibranch
molluscs, to include molecular phylogenetics, are also of interest.
Staff
Ku/.irian, Alan M.. Associate Scientist
Visiting Scientists
Chikarmane, Hemant. Assistant Scientist, MBL
Clay. John R.. NINDS/NIH
Gould, Robert. NYS Institute of Basic Research
Laboratory of Rudolf Oldenbourg
Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine,
Brown University and Women
and Infants Hospital, Providence
Work in this laboratory centers on the investigation of the underlying
mechanisms behind female infertility. Particular emphasis is placed on
the physiology of the oocyte or early embryo, with the aim of assessing
developmental potential and mitochondria dysfunction arising from
mtDNA deletions. The studies taking place at the MBL branch of the
Brown Laboratory use some of the unique instrumentation available
through the resident programs directed by Rudolf Oldenbourg and Peter
J. S. Smith. Most particularly, non-invasive methods for oocyte and
embryo study are being sought. Of several specific aims, one is to use
the Pol-Scope to analyze the birefringence of the preimplantation
mammalian zona pellucida — a structure most predictive of successful
implantation. We also have used this instrument to examine meiotic
spindles. An additional aim is to continue the studies on transmembrane
ion transport using the non-invasive electro-physiological techniques
available at the BioCurrents Research Center. Preliminary studies
indicate that the calcium transport may form an accurate predictor of
oocyte and embryo health. The newly developed oxygen probe also
offers the possibility of looking directly at abnormalities in the
mitochondria arising from accumulated mtDNA damage. Our laboratory
has also focused on studying the mechanism underlying age-associated
infertility in terms of oocyte quality, attempting to rescue the
developmentally compromised oocytes or embryos through nuclear-
cytoplasmic transfer technology. We have characterized oxidative stress-
induced mitochondria! dysfunctions, developmental arrest and cell death
in early embryos using animal models. Ultimately, in addition to
investigating the mechanisms behind cellular aging underlying infertility,
this laboratory aims to produce clinical methods for assessing
preimplantation embryo viability, a development that will make a
significant contribution to the health of women and children.
Staff
Keefe. David. Director
Liu. Lin. Research Scientist
Pepperell, John. Visiting Investigator
Trimarchi. James. Postdoctoral Scientist
The laboratory imotig.itcs the molecular architecture ot living cells
and of biological model systems using optical methods for imaging and
manipulating these structures. For imaging non-invasively and non-
destructively cell architecture dynamically and at high resolution, we
have developed a new polari/ed light microscope (Pol-Scope). The Pol-
Scope combines microscope optics with new electro-optical components.
Laboratory of Sensory Physiology
Members of this laboratory have conducted research on various facets
of vision since 1473. Current investigations use UV/V1S light
microspectrophotometry on vertebrate retinal photoreceptors for the
Yciir-Round Research R51
determination of visual pigment ahsorbance characteristics. One aim is
to arrive at a better understanding of the method of spectral tuning that
forms the chemical basis of color vision. Polarized light microscopic
techniques are used to measure linear dichroism and linear birefringence
aimed at revealing structure-function relationships and biophysical
mechanisms. An area of interest is polarization discrimination, the
mechanisms that could account for the ability of some fish species to
detect the direction of polarization of light collected by their eyes. As a
recent development, investigations are carried out on sickling in fish red
blood cells due to hemoglobin polymerization, once again making
extensive use of polarized light microscopic techniques.
Staff
Harosi, Ferenc I.. Senior Scientist, MBL. and Boston University School
of Medicine
Novales Flamarique. I., Postdoctoral Fellow
Laboratory of Osainu Shinwmiira
Biochemical mechanisms involved in the bioluminescence of various
luminescent organisms are investigated. Based on the results obtained,
various improved forms of bioluminescent and chemiluminescent probes
are designed and produced for the measurements of intracellular free
calcium and superoxide anion.
Staff
Shimomura, Osamu. Senior Scientist, MBL, and Boston University
School of Medicine
Shimomura, Akemi. Research Assistant
Laboratory of Robert B. Silver
The members of this laboratory study how living cells make
decisions. The focus of the research, typically using marine models, is
on two main areas: the role of calcium in the regulation of mitotic cell
division (sea urchins, sand dollars, etc.) and structure and function
relationships of hair cell stereociliary movements in vestibular
physiology (oyster, toadfish). Other related areas of study, i.e. synaptic
transmission (squid), are also, at times, pursued. Tools include video
light microscopy, multispectral, subwavelength, and very high speed
(sub-millisecond frame rate) photon counting video light microscopy,
telemanipulation of living cells and tissues, and modeling of decision
processes. A cornerstone of the laboratory's analytical efforts is high
performance computational processing and analysis of video light
microscopy images and modeling. With luminescent, fluorescent, and
absorptive probes, both empirical observation and computational
modeling of cellular, biochemical, and biophysical processes permit
interpretation and mapping of space-time patterns of intracellular
chemical reactions and calcium signaling in living cells. A variety of in
vitro biochemical, biophysical, and immunological methods are used. In
addition to fundamental biological studies, the staff designs and
fabricates optical hardware, and designs software for large video image
data processing, analysis, and modeling.
Staff
Silver. Robert. Associate Scientist
Visiting Scientist
Pearson, John, Los Alamos Nations Laboratory
Interns
King, Leslie A., REU Intern. Duke University
Wise. Alyssa. REU Intern. Yale University
Laboratory of Seymour Zigman
This laboratory is investigating basic mechanisms of photooxidative
stress to the ocular lens due to environmentally compatible UVA
radiation. This type of oxidative stress contributes to human cataract
formation. Other studies are the search for and use of chemical
antioxidants to retard the damage that occurs. Cultured mammalian lens
epithelial cells and whole lenses in vitro are exposed to environmentally
compatible UVA radiation with or without previous antioxidant feeding.
The following parameters of lens damage are examined: molecular
excitation to singlet states via NADPH (the absorber); cell growth
inhibition and cell death; calalase inactivation; cytoskeletal description
(of actin. tubulin. integrins): and cell membrane damage (lipid oxidation,
loss of gap junction integrity and intercellular chemical
communications). Thus far. the most successful antioxidant to reduce
these deficiencies is alpha-tocopherol (10 /j.g/ml) and tea polyphenols
(especially from green tea). The preliminary phases of the research are
usually carried out using marine animal eyes (i.e.: smooth dogfish) as
models. Our goal is to provide information that will suggest means to
retard human cataract formation.
Staff
Seymour Zigman. Laboratory Director, Professor of Ophthalmology.
Boston University Medical School
Keen Rafferty. Research Associate. Boston University Medical School
Nancy S. Rafferty, Research Associate, Boston University Medical
School
Buiinie R. Zigman. Laboratory Manager, Boston University Medical
School
R52 Annual Report
The Marine Resources Center
The Marine Resources Center (MRC) is one of the world's most
advanced facilities for maintaining and culturing aquatic organisms
essential to advanced biological, biomedical, and ecological research.
Service and education also play an important and complementary role in
the modern. 32,000-square-foot facility.
The MRC and its life support systems have already increased the
ability of MBL scientists to conduct research and have inspired new
concepts in scientific experiments. Vigorous research programs focusing
on basic biological and biomedical aquatic models are currently being
developed at the Center. The Program in Scientific Aquaculture was
initiated in 1998.
In addition to research, the MRC provides a variety of services to the
MBl. community through its Aquatic Resources Division, the Water
Quality and System Engineering Division, and the Administrative
Division.
Research and educational opportunities are available at the facility to
established investigators, postdoctoral fellows, graduate, and
undergraduate students. Investigators and students will tind that the
MRC's unique life support and seawater engineering systems make this
a favorable environment in which to conduct independent research and
masters and doctoral theses using a variety of aquatic organisms and
flexible tank space for customi/ed experimentation on live animals.
Prospective investigators and students should contact the Director of the
MRC for further information.
Staff
Hanlon, Roger. Director and Senior Scientist
Sussman. Raquel. Investigator
Ku/.irian, Alan, Associate Scientist
Maxwell. Michael, Postdoctoral Scientist
Shashar, Nadav. Postdoctoral Scientist
Visiting Invextiguturx
Adamo, Shelly, Dalhousie University. Canada
Baker. Robert. New York University
Boal. Jean. Visiting Scientist
Cavanaugh, Joseph, Boston University Marine Program
Gabr, Howaida. Graduate Student, Sue?- Canal University, Egypt
Gilland, Edwin, Staff Scientist
Kier, William. University of North Carolina
Spotte, Stephen. University of Connecticut
Wittenberg, Kim, Boston University Marine Program
Honors
Friday Evening Lectures
June \<->
June 26
July 3
July 10
July 17
July 23, 24
July 31
August 7
August 14
Stephen L. Hajduk, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham
"Carriers of Death: Civil War and Tsetse Flies"
Mary Lidstrom. College of Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle
"Borrowing Genes to Create New Metabolism" (Glassman Lecture)
David Garbers. Howard Hughes Medical Center, Dallas
"From Sea Urchins To High Blood Pressure: Smell and Vision"
Donald Brown. Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington
"How Tadpoles Turn Into Frogs"
Irene Pepperberg, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson
"In Search of King Solomon's Ring: Studies on Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots" (Lang Lecture)
Nicolas Spitzer, Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego
1. "The Development of Electrical Excitability in Nerve and Muscle"
2. "Breaking the Code: Regulation of Differentiation by Patterns of Calcium Transients" (Forbes Lectures)
Eric Kandel. Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University
"Genes, Synapses and Long-Term Memory"
Peter Raven. Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis
"Biodiversity, the Global Environment, and the New Millennium"
Matthew Meselson. Harvard University
"Evolution Without Sexual Reproduction and Genetic Recombination"
Fellowships and Scholarships
Robert Day Allen Fellowship Fund
Drs. Joseph and Jean Sanger
MBL Associates Endowed
Scholarship Fund
MBL Associates
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas P. Amon
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Laster
Frank A. Brown, Jr.
Memorial Readership
Dr. and Mrs. Francis D. Carlson
C. Lalor Burdick Scholarship Fund
The Lalor Foundation
Gary Nathan Calkins
Scholarship Fund
Ms. Sarah A. Calkins
Charles R. Crane Fellowship Fund
Friendship Fund
Mr. Thomas S. Crane
John O. Crane Fellowship Fund
Friendship Fund
Mr. Thomas S. Crane
Jean and katsuma Dan
Fellowship Fund
Drs. Joseph and Jean Sanger
Mrs. Eleanor Steinbach
Bernard Davis Fellowship Fund
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Davis
E. E. Just Research
Fellowship Fund
Ayco Charitable Foundation
Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Conrad
Fiduciary Trust Company International
Daniel Grosch Scholarship Fund
Ms. Alice C. Leech
Ms. Lena T. Lord
Ms. Enid K. Sichel
Dr. Margaret W. Taft
Aline D. Gross Scholarship Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Kaminer
Technic, Inc.
R53
R54 Annual Report
Keffer Hartline Fellowship Fund
Dr. Lloyd M. Beidler
Dr. Lawrence Eisenberg
Dr. Paul Rosen
Mr. Robert L. Schoenfeld
Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan D. Victor
Dr. Earl Weidner
Dr. Torsten Wiesel and Ms. Jean Stein
Fred Karush Endowed Library
Readership
Dr. and Mrs. Laszlo Lorand
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Silverstein
Stephen W. Kuffler
Fellowship Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Edward A. Kravitz
Frank R. Lillie Fellowship and
Scholarship Fund
Dr. and Mrs. George H. Acheson
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Valois
Josiah Macy, Jr. Research
Fellowship Fund
Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation
James A. and Faith Miller
Fellowship Fund
Drs. David and Virginia Miller
Frank Morrell Scholarship Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Maynard M. Cohen
Dr. Leyla de Toledo Morrell
Mr. Paul Morrell
Mountain Memorial Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Dean C. Allard, Jr.
Ms. Brenda J. Bodian
Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Kaminer
Ms. Anne C. Kimball, Ph.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Amos L. Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. William B. Sanford
Mr. and Mrs. Hans L. Schlesmger
Dr. and Mrs. R. Walter Schlesinger
Neural Systems & Behavior
Scholarship Fund
Dr. Ronald Calabrese and Dr. Christine
Cozzen
Dr. and Mrs. Alan Gelperin
Dr. Warren M. Gnll
Dr. Ronald Hoy and Dr. Margaret Nelson
Drs. Darcy B. Kelley and Richard M.
Bockman
Dr. William Kristan and Dr. Kathleen French
Dr. Richard and Mrs. Jane Levine
Dr. Janis C. Weeks and Dr. William M.
Roberts
Nikon Fellowship Fund
Nikon. Inc.
The Ann Osterhout
Edison/Theodore Miller Edison and
Olga Osterhout Sears/Harold
Bright Sears Endowed
Scholarship Fund
Mrs. Jean S. Holden
Dr. Susan M. Plourde
William Townsend Porter
Scholarship Fund
William Townsend Porter Foundation
Phillip H. Presley
Scholarship Fund
Carl Zeiss, Inc.
Ruth Sager Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Arthur B. Pordee
Science Writing
Fellowships Program
Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology
American Society for Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology
American Society for Cell Biology
American Society for Photobiology
Charles A. Dana Foundation
Federation of American Society for
Experimental Biology
Foundation for Microbiology
Friendship Fund
New York Times Foundation
Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation
Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology
The Times Mirror Foundation
The Washington Post Company
Milton L. Shifman
Endowed Scholarship
Milton L. Shifman Scholarship Trust
The Evelyn and Melvin Spiegel
Fellowship Fund
Drs. Joseph and Jean Sanger
Drs. Melvin and Evelyn Spiegel
The Sprague Foundation
H. B. Steinbach Fellowship Fund
Mrs. Eleanor Steinbach
Marjorie R. Stetten
Scholarship Fund
Ms. Pauline F. Blanchard
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Campbell
Cognos Corporation
Cognos Inc.
Ms. Ann P. B. Fit/.gerald
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas W. Lucy
Mr. and Mrs. William Morton
Ms. Linda A. O'Donnel
Mrs. Jane Lazarow Stetten
Mrs. Janet L. Vanderweil
Ms. Ann M. White
Horace W. Stunkard
Scholarship Fund
Dr. Albert Stunkard and Dr. Margaret Maurin
Walter L. Wilson
Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Paul N. Chervin
Mr. and Mrs. Rexford A. English
Dr. Jean R. Wilson
Honors R55
Fellowships Awarded
MBL Summer Research Fellows
• Mark C. Alliegro, Ph.D.. Louisiana State University. Dr.
Alliegro uses sea urchins, and a variety of mammalian cells in culture to
study the mechanisms of cell differentiation. He was supported by the
Frederik B. Bang Fellowship Fund, the James A. and Faith Miller
Memorial Fund, and an MBL Associates Fellowship.
• Brian D. Bovard, Ph.D., Duke University. Dr. Bovard worked at
a field site located in Abisko, Sweden, this summer. He studies relations
between plants and water as part of a climate change project being
conducted by scientists at the MBL's Ecosystem Center. He was
supported by the William Townsend Porter Fellowship for Minority
Investigators.
• Wei-Jun Cai, Ph.D.. University of Georgia. Dr. Cai is
developing microelectrodes to aid in the study of benthic carbon
recycling. He was supported by the Lucy B. Lemann Fellowship.
• William Cohen, Ph.D.. Hunter College. Dr. Cohen uses blood
clams in his studies of the formation and function of the cellular
framework known as the cytoskeleton. He was supported by the Erik B.
Fries Endowed Fellowship.
• John Costello, Ph.D., Providence College. Dr. Costello studies
the feeding behavior in the comb jelly, Mnemiopsis leidyi. He was
supported by the Erik B. Fries Endowed Fellowship, the Lucy B.
Lemann Fellowship, and an MBL Associates Fellowship.
' John E. Eriksson. Ph.D.. Turku Center for Biotechnology,
Finland. Dr. Eriksson is studying mitotic protein phosphatases in the
eggs of the surf clam, Spisula. He was a Herbert W. Rand Fellow.
• Andrew F. Giusti. University of California. Santa Barbara. Mr.
Giusti investigates the role of the SRC tyrosine kinase during egg
activation at fertilization. He was supported by the Frederik B. Bang
Fellowship Fund.
• Matthew Halstead. Ph.D.. University of Auckland, New
Zealand. Dr. Halstead studies sensory processing of electrosensory
information in the midbrain of the little skate. Raja. He was supported
by the M.G.F. Fuortes Fellowship, the Frank R. Lillie Fellowship, and
an MBL Associates Fellowship.
' Jonathan J. Henry. Ph.D.. University of Illinois. Dr. Henry
examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in embryonic
cell fate and axis determination using barnacles as his research model.
He was supported by the Evelyn and Me/vin Spiegel Fellowship Fund
and the NASA Life Science Program Fellowship.
• Elizabeth Jonas, Ph.D.. Yale University School of Medicine. Dr.
Jonas studies the intracellular channels that regulate synaptic function.
She was supported by the Ann E. Kammer Memorial Fellowship Fund,
the H. B. Steinbach Fellowship, an MBL Associates Fellowship, the
Charles R. Crane Fellowship, and the John O. Crane Fellowship Fund.
• Nicholas Lartillot, Universite Paris Sud. Mr. Lartillot conducted
a molecular study of mesoderm specification in marine spiralians. He
was an MBL Associates Fellow.
• Guy Major, a Research Fellow from Lucent Technologies. Mr.
Major took voltage-sensitive dye recordings from multiple parts of
single brain cells. He was a Herbert W. Rand Fellow.
• Mark Martindale, Ph.D., University of Chicago. Dr. Martindale
studies the evolution of development, in particular axial specification
and the role of the cleavage program in body plan evolution. He was a
NASA Life Sciences Program Fellow.
• Paul McNeil, Ph.D., Medical College of Georgia. Dr. McNeil
hopes to discover how cells reseal tears in their outer covering, the
plasma membrane, and to demonstrate that such membrane tears are
physiological events. He uses sea urchins, starfish eggs, and squid in his
studies. He was supported by a Robert Day Allen Fellowship and a
NASA Life Science Program Fellowship,
• Allen Mensinger. Ph.D.. Washington University School of
Medicine. Dr. Mensinger is developing an acoustical transmitter tag for
neural telemetry. He was a NASA Life Science Program Fellow and an
MBL Associates Fellow.
' Inigo Novales Flamarique, Ph.D.. University of Victoria,
Canada. Dr. Novales Flamarique studies the functional organization of
visual pathways from the retina to the brain in fishes. He was a Herbert
W. Rand Fellow and an MBL Associates Fellow.
• Elaine C. Seaver, Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin. Dr.
Seaver studies the mechanism of segmentation in polychaetes. She was
supported by the Evelyn and Melvin Spiegel Fellowship Fund.
• Matt Wachowiak, Ph.D.. University of California. Berkeley. Dr.
Wachowiak studies the transmission of olfactory information from
sensory cells to the central nervous system. He was supported by a
Stephen W. Kuffler Fellowship and an MBL Associates Fellowship.
• James Q. Zheng. Ph.D., Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Dr. Zheng studies the cellular mechanisms underlying the formation of
nerve connections. He was a Nikon Fellow.
Grass Fellows
• Pamela England, Ph.D.. California Institute of Technology.
Project: Probing the role of the protein tyrosine kinase SRC in long-term
potentiation.
• Alexander Gimelbrant. Ph.D., University of Kentucky Medical
Center. Project: Characterization of cDNAs specific to individual lobster
olfactory receptor neurons.
• Kathryn Jessen-Eller, Ph.D., Tufts University School of
Veterinary Medicine. Project: Serotonergic growth and p53 expression
in developing embryos.
• Jane Roche King, Ph.D.. University of Arizona. Project:
Vestibular contribution to escape turning and orientation to prey in the
leopard frog. Rana pipiens.
• Maria Fabiana Kubke. Ph.D., University of Maryland. Project:
Analysis of early position as a function of best frequency in the
hindbrain auditory nuclei of the chicken.
• David P. Len/.i. Ph.D.. University of Oregon. Project: The role
of the synaptic ribbon at sensory cell output synapses.
• Andrey Loboda, University of Pennsylvania. Project:
Elucidation of the role of the S4-S5 linker in gating of the shaker
potassium channel by site-directed crosslinking and gating current
measurements.
• Matthias Lorez. University of Zurich. Project: The role of HRS-
2 in synaptic transmission in the giant synapse of the squid Loligo
pealei.
• Kimberly McAllister. Ph.D.. The Salk Institute for Biological
Studies. Project: Properties of synapse formation between cultured
cortical neurons.
• Kristina S. Mead, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley.
Project: The biomechanics and neurobiology of chemoreception in
stomatopods.
• Hong-Sheng Wang, Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook. Project:
Angiotensin modulation of transient outward current of cardiac
myocytes.
MBL Science Writing Fellowships Program
Fellows
Monica Allen. Bangor Daily News
Kevin P. Carmody. Chicago Daily South/own
R56 Annual Report
Thomas Carney. Des Moines Register
Randall J. Edwards. Columbus Dispatch
Don Finley, Sun Antonio Express-News
Joel Greenberg. The Los Angeles Times
Ralph K. M. Haurwitz, Austin American-Statesman
Diedtra Henderson. Seattle Times
Edie Lau. Sacramento Bee
Larry Proulx. The Washington Post
Frank D. Roylanee, Baltimore Sun
Angela Swafford, Mas Vida/CBS
Diane Toomey. WUNC Radio
Ulysses Torassa. Cleveland Plain Dealer
Karin Vergoth. National Public Radio/Science Friday
Joby S. Warrick. The Washington Post
Philip Yam, Scientific American
Program Directors
Robert D. Goldman, Northwestern University
Boyce Rensberger. Knight Science Journalism Program
Htinds-On Laboratory Course Directors
Rex Chisholm, Northwestern University (Biomedical)
John Hobbie. Marine Biological Laboratory (Environment)
Jerry Melillo. Marine Biological Laboratory (Environment)
Robert Palazzo, University of Kansas (Biomedical)
SPINES — Summer Program in Neuroscience
Ethics and Survival
SPINES is a month-long program directed by Joe L. Martinez, Jr., and
James Townsel. The program is supported by grants from NIMH
administered by the American Psychological Association and the
Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs. SPINES offers
an introduction to the opportunities available at the MBL and in the
field of neuroscience in general. Fellows are taught responsible conduct
in research and other survival skills such as scientific writing, poster
construction, presentations, grant mechanisms, and how to seek a
postdoctoral or job position.
Fellows
Carlos Bolanos-Guzman
Morry Brown
Winfred Monica Bryan
Damani Nabet-Yero Bryant
Jameel Dennis
Cynthia Gentry
Karen Gilliums
Caterina Maria Hernandez
William Meilandt
Silke Monn
Nivia Perez Acevedo
Osceola Whitney
Scholarships Awarded
Aline D. Gross Scholarship Fund
Tao, Haiyang, Ohio University
American Society for Cell Biology
Minorities Affairs Committee
Anderson, Tonya, University of California. Los Angeles
Foster, Andrea, Stanford University
Freeman, Antoinette, Boston University School of Medicine
Hinojos, Cruz, University of Texas, Houston
Tafari. Tsahai, University of California. San Diego
Arthur Klorfein Scholarship and Fellowship Fund
Garcia. Ana Anton, Universidad Miguel Hernandez. Spain
Jacobson, Eyal. Technion, Israel
Rossi. Francesco, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa
Tarlera, Silvana, Universidad de la Republica of Uruguay
Hubby. Bolyn, University of Georgia
Lambert, Laurence, Universitat Miinchen
Lovett, Jennie. Washington University
Lyons, Emily, Indiana University
Matuschewski, Kai, New York University
Nde, Pius, Humboldt University, Germany
Oli, Monica, Auburn University
Paul, Kimberly, Princeton University
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Frontiers In Reproduction Course
Arechavaleta-Velasco. Fabian, National Institute of Nutrition, Mexico
Beg, Mohd, National Institute of Immunology, India
Chen, Chie-Pein, MacKay Memorial Hospital
Moreno, Ricardo, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center
Kumar, Ramasamy Sampath, University of Western Ontario
Sanchez-Partida. Luis. University of Adelaide
Santos. Joao, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center
Biology Club of the College of the City of New York
Belluscio, Leonardo, Columbia University
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Biology of Parasitism Course
Alves. Fabio. Fundaeao Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil
Arevalo, Myriam, Universidad del Valle Cali
Artis, David, University of Manchester
Henze, Katrin. The Rockefeller University
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Molecular Mycology Course
Cisalpino. Patricia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Edens, Heather, Montana State University
Haycocks, Neil, University of Texas Medical Branch
Lee, Samuel, Yale University School of Medicine
Nagabhushan, Moolky, Loyola University, Chicago
Santangelo, Rosaria. Public Health Research Institute, Italy
Schaffrath, Raffael, University of Halle. Germany
Sheppard. Don, McGill University
Honors R57
C. Lalor Burdick Scholarship
Shirasaki, Ryuichi, Osaka University
Caswell Grave Scholarship Fund
Champion, Mia, University of California, Davis
Pollack, Anne, University of Arizona
Tao, Haiyang, Ohio University
Wagner, Eric, Duke University
Charles Baker Metz and William Metz Scholarship
Fund in Reproductive Biology
Arechavaleta-Velasco, Fabian, National Institute of Nurtrition, Mexico
Carabatsos, Mary Jo, Tufts University
Euling, Susan, US Environmental Protection Agency
Grazul-Bilska, Anna. North Dakota State University
Halvorson, Lisa, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Rulli, Susan, Hospital General de Ninos Ricardo Gutierrez
Sanchez-Partida, Luis, University of Adelaide
Daniel S. Grosch Scholarship Fund
Castro, Hector. University of Florida
Edwin Grant Conklin Memorial Fund
Wagner. Eric, Duke University
Frank R. Lillie Fellowship and Scholarship Fund
Lee, Agnes, Yale University
Strieker, Jesse, Duke University
Vos. Johannes, University of Massachusetts
Gary N. Calkins Memorial Scholarship Fund
Bjornsson, Christopher, University of Manitoba
Herbert W. Rand Fellowship and Scholarship Fund
Azouz, Rony. University of California, Davis
Battaglia, Francesco, SISSA, Italy
Bi, Guoqiang, University of California. San Diego
Brenner, Naama, NEC Research Institute
Buschbeck, Elke. Cornell University
Cai, Rick, University of California, Los Angeles
d'Avella. Andrea, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fairhall, Adrienne, Weizmann Institute. Israel
Fellows, Matthew, Brown University
Hartings. Jed, University of Pittsburgh
Kepecs, Adam, Brandeis University
Klug, Achim, University of Texas
Lee, Ann, Brown University
Machens, Christian, Humboldt University, Germany
Majewska. Anna, Columbia University
Pollack, Anne, University of Arizona
Ruggiano, Stephanie, Boston University
Shaub, Amy, University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill
Scares, Daphne, University of Maryland
Van Rossum. Mark, University of Pennsylvania
Weber, Stacy, Ohio University
Wright, Brian, University of California, San Francisco
Zhang, Ying, Harvard Medical School
Howard A. Schneiderman
Endowed Scholarship
Buschbeck, Elke, Cornell University
Shirasaki, Ryuichi. Osaka University
Tahmci, Emilios. Boston University
Wonsettler, Angela, Marshall University School of Medicine
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Educational
Scholarship Funding
Berggren, Kirsten, University of Vermont
Bjornsson, Christopher, University of Manitoba
Castro, Hector, University of Florida
Chang, Sunghoe, University of Illinois
Gladfelter, Amy, Duke University
Jacobson. Eyal, Technion, Israel
Locke, Emily, Johns Hopkins University
Mansharamani, Malini, Texas Tech University Health Science Center
Marchant. Jonathan. University of California. Irvine
Ober, Elke. Max-Planck-Institut Tubingen
Pappu. Kartik. Wesleyan University
Roch. Fernando. Wellcome/CRC Institute. United Kingdom
Rozowski. Marion, Wellcome/CRC Institute. United Kingdom
Runt't. Linda, University of Connecticut
Shaub, Amy, George Washington University Medical Center
Strieker, Jesse, Duke University
Wagner, Eric, Duke University
Zhou. Ming. State University of New York. Buffalo
Indo-U.S. Contraceptive and Reproductive Health
Initiative Program Award
Beg. Mohd. National Institute of Immunology. India
International Brain Research Organization
Scholarships
Burzio, Veronica, University of Chile
Concha, Miguel, University of Chile
Gallo. Gianluca, University of Minnesota
Miiller, Ferenc, IGBMC. Strasbourg
St. Amant, Louis. McGill University
Wang, Feng, Yale University
Jacques Loeb Founders' Scholarship Fund
Gladfelter, Amy. Duke University
Marjorie W. Stetten Scholarship Fund
Avila. Antonia. CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico
Pepi, Milva, University of Siena
Speirs, Kendra, University of Pennsylvania
Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium Awards
Monteiro, Antonia, Harvard University
Rocha-Olivares, Axayacatl. Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Rosenthal, Benjamin. Harvard University
R58 Annual Report
MBL Pioneers Scholarship Fund
Geraci, Fabiana, Dip di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Italy
Lupo. Guiseppe. University of Pisa
Ober, Hike, Max-Planck-Institut Tubingen
Vonica, Alin, Cornell University Medical Center
Merck & Company, Inc. Scholarships
Locke, Emily, Johns Hopkins University
Paul, Kimberly, Princeton University
Runt't, Linda. University of Connecticut
Saxowsky, Tina, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Speirs, Kendra, University of Pennsylvania
Waller, Ross, University of Melbourne
Zaph, Colby, University of Victoria
Billing. Susan. US Environmental Protection Agency
Grazul-Bilska. Anna, North Dakota State University
Halvorson, Lisa, Brigham and Women's Hospital
McBnde. Helen. University of Utah
McCauley, David. Pennsylvania State University
Smith, Katherine, University of Virginia
Stimson, Laura, University of Arizona
Surdna Foundation Scholarship
Ghazi, Arjuman, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India
Lupo, Giuseppe, University of Pisa
Pappu. Kartik. Wesleyan University
Roch, Fernando, Wellcome/CRC Institute, United Kingdom
Tahinci, Emilios, Boston University
Mountain Memorial Fund Scholarship
Chenevert, Janet, CNRS, France
Deavours. Bettina, Virginia Tech
Lam, Phoebe, Princeton University
Lanntina. Samuel, Emory University
Omara, Felix, Universite de Quebec
Zaarour, Rania. Yale University
Pfizer Inc. Endowed Scholarship Fund
Locke, Emily. Johns Hopkins University
Runft, Linda, University of Connecticut
Phillip H. Presley Scholarship Award,
Funded by Carl Zeiss, Inc.
Kappler, Andreas, University of Konstanz
Paemeleire. Koen, University of Ghent
Paliulis. Leocadia. Duke University
Pepi. Milva. University of Siena
Rossi. Francesco, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa
Takasu, Mari, Harvard University
Planetary Biology Internship Awards
Klappenbach. Joel, Michigan State University
Spear. John. Colorado School of Mines
Ruth Sager Memorial Scholarship
Weber, Stacy. Ohio University
S. O. Mast Memorial Fund
d'Avella, Andrea, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Komarova, Svetlana. NASA Ames Research Center
Society for Developmental Biology Scholarships
Carabatsos. Mary Jo. Tufts University
Chen. James, Harvard University
Walter L. Wilson Endowed Scholarship Fund
Mansharamani. Malini. Texas Tech University Health Science Center
William F. and Irene C. Diller Memorial
Scholarship Fund
Champion. Mia. University of California. Davis
William Morton Wheeler Family
Founders' Scholarship
Bjomsson. Christopher. University of Manitoba
Soares. Daphne. University of Maryland
Zhou, Ming, State University of New York. Buffalo
William Randolph Hearst Foundation Scholarships
Wang, Jing. Bell Laboratories
Lee, Agnes, Yale University
William Townsend Porter Fellowship
and Scholarship Fund
Anderson, Tonya. University of California, Los Angeles
Foster. Andrea, Stanford University
Freeman, Antoinette. Boston University School of Medicine
Hinojos, Cruz, University of Texas, Houston
McFarlane, Matthew, Stanford University
McGiffert. Christine, University of California, San Diego
Tafan, Tsahai, University of California, San Diego
World Health Organization Scholarships
Arechavaleta-Velasco, Fabian. National Institute of Nutrition, Mexico
Cohen. Debora, IBYME, Argentina
Rulli, Susan. Hospital General de Ninos. Argentina
Honors R59
Post Course Research Awards
Brinda Dass, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Physiology Jonathan Marchant, University of California, Irvine. Physiology
Bettina Deavours, Virginia Tech, Physiology David McCauley. Penn State University, Embryology
James Hitt, SUNY Health Science Center. Syracuse, Neural Systems Linda Runft, University of Connecticut, Physiology
and Behavior Tshai Tafari, University of California. San Diego, Physiology
Adam Kepecs. Brandeis University. Neural Systems and Behavior Sinju Tauhata. Dep. de bioquimica FMRP/USP. Brazil.
Shann Kim. University of Illinois. Chicago. Physiology Physiology
Malini Mansharamani. Texas Tech University Health Science Center. Johannes Vos. University of Massachusetts. Physiology
Physiology
Board of Trustees and
Committees
Corporation Officers & Trustees
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sheldon J. Segal. The Population
Council
Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Frederick Bay, Josephine Bay
Paul and C. Michael Paul Foundation
Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Mary J. Greer, New York. NY
President of the Corporation, John E. Dowling. Harvard University
Director and Chief Executive Officer, John E. Burris, Marine Biological
Laboratory*
Treasurer of the Corporation, Mary B. Conrad. Fiduciary Trust
International*
Clerk of the Corporation, Neil Jacobs, Hale and Dorr
Chair of the Science Council, Kerry S. Bloom. University of North
Carolina*
Class of 2002
Class of 1999
Mary-Ellen Cunningham, Grosse Pointe Farms. MI
Darcy Brisbane Kelley, Columbia University
Laurie J. Landeau. Marinetics. Inc.
Burton J. Lee, III, Vero Beach, FL
Robert E. Mainer, The Boston Company
Jean Pierce, Boca Grande. FL
Class of 2000
Alexander W. Clowes, University of Washington School of Medicine
Story C. Landis, Case Western Reserve University
Irwin B. Levitan, Brandeis University
G. William Miller. G. William Miller and Co.. Inc.
Frank Press, The Washington Advisory Group
Christopher M. Weld. Sullivan and Worcester
Class of 2001
Porter Anderson. North Miami Beach. FL
Frederick Bay, Josephine Bay Paul and C. Michael Paul Foundation,
Inc.
Martha W. Cox. Hobe Sound, FL
Mary J. Greer. New York. NY
William C. Steere, Jr.. Pnzer Inc.
Gerald Weissmann. New York L'niversity School of Medicine
*Ex officio
Sydney M. Cone, III. Cleary. Gottlieb. Steen & Hamilton
John R. Lakian. The Fort Hill Group. Inc.
Joan V. Ruderman. Harvard Medical School
Sheldon J. Segal, The Population Council
William T. Speck, New York Presbyterian Hospital
Alfred Zeien. The Gillette Company
Honorary Trustees
James D. Ebert. Baltimore. MD
William T. Golden. New York. NY
Ellen R. Grass. The Grass Foundation
Trustees Emeriti
Edward A. Adelberg, Yale University
John B. Buck. Sykesville. MD
Seymour S. Cohen, Woods Hole, MA
Arthur L. Colwin, Key Biscayne, FL
Laura Hunter Colwin, Key Biscayne, FL
Donald Eugene Copeland, Woods Hole, MA
Sears Crowell, Jr., Indiana Lmiversity
Alexander T. Daignault. Falmouth. MA (deceased)
Teru Hayashi, Woods Hole, MA
Ruth Hubhard, Cambridge. MA
Lewis Kleinholz, Reed College
Maurice Krahl. Tucson, AZ
C. Ladd Prosser. University of Illinois
W.D. Russell-Hunter. Syracuse University
John W. Saunders, Waquoit. MA
D. Thomas Trigg. Wellesley, MA
Walter S. Vincent, Woods Hole. MA
Directors Emeriti
James D. Ebert, Baltimore, MD
Paul R. Gross, Falmouth, MA
Harlyn O. Halvorson, Woods Hole, MA
K60
Trustees and Committees R61
Executive Committee of the Board
of Trustees
Sheldon J. Segal. Chair
Frederick Bay. Co-Vice Chair
Mary J. Greer, Co- Vice Chair
John E. Burris*
Ronald L. Calabrese (1998)
Kerry S. Bloom
Mary B. Conrad
Mary Ellen Cunningham
Robert Mainer
Joan V. Rudemian
Gerald Weissmann
Science Council
Ronald L. Calabrese. Chair (8/98)
Donald Abt (1999)
Clay M. Armstrong (8/98-8/2000)
Peter Armstrong (8/98-8/2000)
Vincent E. Dionne (1999)
John Dowling (8/98)
Barbara Ehrlich (1999)
Laurinda Jaffe (8/98-8/99)
Charles Hopkinson (8/98-8/2000)
Bruce J. Peterson (8/98)
Mitchell Sogin (8/98-8/2000)
Standing Committees of the Board of Trustees
Development
Mary Ellen Cunningham. Chair
Porter W. Anderson
Robert Barlow
Fred Bay
Mary B. Conrad
Martha Cox
James Ebert
Philip Grant
Neil Jacobs
John Lakian
Burton Lee
G. William Miller
Jean Pierce
William Speck
William Steere
Christopher Weld
Facilities & Capital Equipment
Joan Ruderman, Chair
Porter W. Anderson
Frederick Bay
Lawrence Cohen
Neal Cornell
Story Landis
Irwin Levitan
Jean Pierce
Frank Press
Christopher Weld
Investment
Robert Mainer. Chair
Svdnev M. Cone
Mary B. Conrad
John R. Lakian
G. William Miller
Sheldon Segal
Alfred Zeien
Finance
Robert Mainer. Chair
Alexander Clowes
Sydney M. Cone
Mary B. Conrad
Donald DeHart
Neil Jacobs
Darcy Kelley
John R. Lakian
Laurie Landeau
Werner Loewenstem
Robert Manz
G. William Miller
Ronald O'Hanley
Alfred Zeien
Nominating
Gerald Weissmann
Ronald L. Calabrese
Alexander Clowes
Martha Cox
Mary Ellen Cunningham
Mary Greer
Story Landis
Sheldon Segal
William Steere
Standing Committees of the Corporation and Science Council
Buildings and Grounds
Lawrence B. Cohen. Chair
Barbara C. Boyer
Alfred B. Chaet
Richard Cutler*
William R. Eckberg
*Ex officio
R62 Annual Report
Barry Fleet*
Ferenc Harosi
Joe Hayes*
Bruce J. Peterson
Kenyon S. Tweedell
Ivan Valiela
Education Committee
John Dowling, Chair
Kerry S. Bloom
Elaine Bearer
Vincent Dione
Paul Dunlap
Rachel Fink
Roger Hunlon
Holger Jannasch
George M. Langford
Michael Mendelsohn
Steve Zottoli
Ron Calahrese*
E.A. Dawidowicz*
Dorianne Chrysler Mebane*
LouAnn King*
Robert P. Malchow
Darrell R. Stokes
Ann E. Stuart
Janis C. Weeks
MBL/WHOI Library Joint Advisory Committee
David Shepro, Chair. MBL
Judy Ashmore, MBL*
David Dow, NMFS
Daniel Fornan. WHOI
G. Richard Harbison, WHOI
John Hobbie, MBL
Sylvia Kane, NMFS
Mark Kurz, WHOI
Colleen Hurter, WHOI*
Cathy Norton, MBL*
James Robb. USGS
Birgit Rose, MBL
Peter J.S. Smith. MBL
Bruce Warren. WHOI
Fellowships
Thoru Pederson. Chair
Linda Deegan
Barbara Ehrlich
George M. Langford
Jose Lemos
Cindy Lee VanDover
E.A. Dawidowicz*
Sandra Kautmann*
Research Services and Space
Housing, Food Service and Child Care
Carole Browne, Chair
Kerry S. Bloom
Hans Laufer, Chair
Peter B. Armstrong
Neal Cornell
Richard Cutler*
E.A. Dawidowicz*
Kenneth Foreman
Louis M. Kerr*
David Landowne
Andrew Mattox*
Merle Mizell
Peter J.S. Smith
Paul Steudler
Ivan Valiela
Discovery: The Campaign for Science at the Marine Biological Laboratory
Steering Committee
Frederick Bay, Campaign Chair
William T. Golden. Honorary Chair
Ellen R. Grass, Honorary Chair
Alexander W. Clowes. Vice-Chair
Martha W. Cox, Vice-Chair
G. William Miller, Vice-Chair
Gerald Weissmann, Vice-Chair
Porter W. Anderson
Robert B. Barlow. Jr.
Norman Bernstein
Jewell Plummer Cobb
Mary B. Conrad
Mai> I'llen Cunningham
*Ex <
John E. Dowling
James D. Ebert
Gerald D. Fischbach
Robert D. Goldman
Mary J. Greer
M- Howard Jacobson
Laurie J. Landeau
George M. Langford
Burton J. Lee, III
Jean Pierce
Robert A. Prcndergast
David Shepro
William T. Speck
William C. Steere, Jr.
Christopher M. Weld
Alfred M. Zeien
Trustees and Committees R63
Council of Visitors
Norman B. Asher, Esq., Hale and Dorr,
Boston. MA
Mr. Donald J. Bainton. Chairman & CEO,
Conlinental Can Co., Boca Raton, FL
Mr. David Bakalar, Chestnut Hill. MA
Mr. Charles A. Baker, The Liposome
Company, Inc., Princeton, NJ
Dr. George P. Baker, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Sumner A. Barenberg. Bernard
Technologies, Chicago, 1L
Mr. Robert P. Beech. President/CEO.
Component Software International. Inc.,
Mason, Ohio
Mr. George Berkowitz. Chairman and Founder,
Legal Sea Foods, Allston, MA
Dr. Elkan R. Blout, Harvard Medical School,
Boston. MA
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Bogdanovitch. Lake Clear.
New York
Mr. Malcolm K. Brachman. Northwest Oil
Company. Dallas, TX
Dr. Goodwin M. Breinin. New York
University Medical Center, New York, NY
Mr. John Callahan, President, Carpenter.
Sheperd & Warden, New London, NH
Mrs. Elizabeth Campanella, West Falmouth,
MA
Thomas S. Crane, Esq., Mintz Levin Cohen
Ferris Glovsky & Popeo, PC, Boston, MA
Dr. Stephen D. Crocker. Chief Technology
Officer, Cyber Cash Inc., Reston. VA
Ms. Lynn W. Piasecki Cunningham, Film and
Videomaker, Piasecki Productions,
Brookline, MA
Dr. Anthony J. Cutaia, Sr. Director, Office of
Health Issues. Anheuser-Busch. Inc.. St.
Louis, Missouri
Dr. Georges de Menil. DM Foundation. New
York, NY
Mrs. Sara Greer Dent, Chevy Chase, MD
Mr. D. H. Douglas-Hamilton. Vice President,
Research and Development. Hamilton
Thorne Research, Beverly. MA
Mr. Benjamin F. Du Pont. Du Pont Company,
Deepwater, New Jersey
Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Founder, Deep Ocean
Engineering. Oakland. CA
Mr. Anthony B. Evnin, General Partner,
Venrock Associates, New York, NY
Stuart Feiner, Esq., Vice President and
Secretary, General Counsel. Inco Limited.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mrs. Hadley Mack French, Consultant, Edsel
& Eleanor Ford House, Grosse Pointe
Farms. MI
Mr. William J. Gilbane. Jr.. Gilbane Building
Company, Providence. Rl
Dr. Michael J. Goldblatt, Intelligent Biocides,
Tewksbury. MA
Mr. Maynard Goldman, President, Maynard
Goldman & Associates, Boston, MA
Ms. Charlotte I. Hall, Edgartown. MA
Mr. Thomas J. Hynes, Jr.. President, Meredith
& Grew, Inc., Boston, MA
Mr. M. Howard Jacobson, Bankers Trust
Westborough. MA
Mrs. Elizabeth Ford Kontulis, New Canaan.
CT
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lambrecht, Boca Grande.
FL
Dr. Catherine C. Lastavica. Tufts University
School of Medicine. Boston. MA
Mr. Joel A. Leavitt, Boston, MA
Mr. Stephen W. Leibhol/. President.
TechLabs. Inc.. Huntingdon. PA
Mrs. Margaret Lilly, West Falmouth, MA
Mr. George W. Logan, Chairman, Valley
Financial Corp., Roanoke, VA
Mr. Michael T. Martin, SportsMark, Inc.. New
York, NY
Mrs. Christy Swift Maxwell. Grosse Pointe
Farms. MI
Mr. Ambrose Monell. G. Unger Vetlesen
Foundation, Palm Beach, FL
Dr. Mark Novitch, Washington, DC
Ms. Julie Packard, Executive Director,
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA
Mr. David R. Palmer, Founder & Managing
Director, David Ross Palmer & Associates,
Waquoit, MA
Dr. Roderic B. Park, Richmond. CA
Mr. Santo P. Pasqualucci, President/CEO
Falmouth Co-Operative Bank. Falmouth.
MA
Mr. Robert Pierce, Jr., Pierce Aluminum Co.,
Canton, MA
Mr. Richard Reston, Editor and Publisher,
Vineyard Gazette, Edgartown, MA
Mr. Marius Robinson, Managing Partner,
Fundamental Investors Ltd., Key Biscayne,
FL
John W. Rowe, M.D., President, Mt. Sinai
School of Medicine and Mt. Sinai Medical
Center, New York, NY
Mr. Edward Rowland, Tucker, Anthony, Inc..
Boston. MA
Mr. Gregory A. Sandomirsky, Mintz Levin
Cohen Ferris Glovsky & Popeo, PC, Boston,
MA
Mrs. Mary Schmidek. Marion. MA
Dr. Cecily C. Selby. New York. NY
Mr. Robert S. Shifman. St. Simon's Island,
GA
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Skau, Grosse Pointe
Farms. MI
Mr. Malcolm B. Smith. Vice Chairman.
General American Investors Co., New York,
NY
Mr. John C. Stegeman, Owner, Campus
Rentals, Ann Arbor, MI
Mr. Joseph T. Stewart. Jr.. Skillrnan. NJ
Mr. John W. Stroh. Ill, Chief Executive
Officer. The Stroh Brewery Company,
Detroit. MI
Mr. Gerard L. Swope. Washington. DC
Mr. John F. Swope, Concord, NH
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Taylor, Boston, MA
Mrs. Donna Vanden Bosch-FIynn, Spring
Lake. NJ
Mrs. Carolyn W. Verbeck, Vineyard Haven,
MA
Mr. Benjamin S. Warren, III, Grosse Pointe
Farms, MI
Nancy B. Weinstein, R.N., The Hospice, Inc.,
Glen Ridge, NJ
Stephen S. Weinstein, Esq., Morristown, NJ
Mr. Frederick J. Weyerhaeuser, Beverly, MA
Mr. Tony L. White, The Perkin Elmer
Corporation. Norwalk. CT
Dr. Torsten N. Wiesel. President Emeritus, The
Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Administrative Support Staff1
Biological Bulletin
Greenberg, Michael J., Editor-in-Chief
Hinkle, Pamela Clapp. Managing Editor
Burns, Patricia
Gibson. Victoria R.
Schachinger. Carol H.
Financial Sen'ices Office
Lane, Jr., Homer W., Chief Financial Officer
Roddy, Timothy, Chief Financial Officer
Bowman, Richard, Controller
Arbnso, Janis
Barry, Maureen
Dwyer, Patricia E.
Eidelman, Dana
Hopkins, Ann E.
Lancaster, Cindy
Poravas. Maria
Ranzinger. Laura
Sprague, Patricia A.
Stark, Judy M.
Stellrecht, Lynette
Slock Room
Schorer, Timothy M., Supervisor
Capano, Holly2
O'Connor-Lough. Susan
Purchasing
Hall Jr., Lionel E., Supervisor
Shamon, Lynne R.
Stone, Janice G.2
Director's Office
Burris, John E.. Director and Chief Executive Officer
Donovan, Marcia H.
MacNeil, Jane L.
External Affairs
Carotenuto, Frank C., Director
Butcher. Valerie
1 Including persons who joined or left the staff during 1998.
: Summer or temporary.
Callahan Jr., John L.:
Faxon. Wendy P.
Martin, Theresa H.
Maxwell, Thanh L.2
Patch-Wing. Dolores
Quigley. Barbara A.
Scibek, John C.
Shaw. Kathleen L.
Associates Program
Bohr. Kendall B.
Brown. Shannon K.2
Gault, Miciah Bay2
Communications Office
Hinkle, Pamela Clapp, Director
Burton. Anne E.
Flynn, Bridget
Hinkle. Kristen"
Joslin, Susan
Liles. Beth R
Housing and Conferences
King. LouAnn D.. Director
Barry, Maureen J.
Grasso, Deborah
Hanlon, Arlene K.2
Johnson-Herman. Frances N.
Masse, Todd C.
Perito, Diana
Switchboard
Baker, Ida M.:
Ridley, Alberta W.2
Human Resources
Goux. Susan P., Director
Cox, Sarah2
Orange. Stacey B.
Houser, Carmen
Renaud, Nina L.
Marine Resources Center
Hanlon, Roger T.. Director
Moni/., Priscilla
R64
Administrative Support Staff R65
Aquatic Resources Department
Enos, Jr., Edward G., Superintendent
Bourque, Ryan M.2
Chappell, P. Dreux2
DeGiorgis, Joseph A.2
Grossman, William M.
Gudas. Christopher N.2
Kilpamck. Brian2
Klimm III, Henry W.
Luther. Herbert
Mansfield, Darren P.2
Sexton, Andrew W.
Smith, Gary2
Sullivan, Daniel A.
Tassinari, Eugene
MRC Life Support System
Mebane. William N., Systems Operator
Hanley, Janice S.
Kuzirian, Alan
Solbo, Jr.. Steven2
Stukey, Jetley M.
Till, Geoffrey A.
MBLAVHOI Library
Norton, Catherine N., Director
Ashmore, Judith A.
Costa, Marguerite E.
Crocker, Daniel2
Cullen. Cynthia M.2
Deveer, Joseph M.
Duda, Laurel E.
Farrar, Stephen R. L.
Medeiros, Melissa
Monahan. A. Jean
Moniz, Kimberly L.
Nelson. Heidi
Riley, Jacqueline
Swasey, Anne E.2
Copy Center
Mountford, Rebecca J., Supervisor
Abisla. Richard L.2
Clark, Tamara L.
Delaney. Elizabeth S. (Suwijn)2
Kefeauver, Lee
LaPlante, Robert F.
Mancini. Mary E.
Sorocco. Debra2
Wallace, Jennifer2
Warner, Kathleen2
Information Systems Division
Smith, Adrian P., Assistant Director
Berrios, Kelly2
Ennis, Douglas E.2
Gage, Timothy J.2
Katz, Corey2
Malchow, Robert2
Mountford, Rebecca J.
Moynihan, James V.
Remsen, David P.
Renna, Denis J.
Space. David B.
Safety Sen'ices
Mattox, Andrew H.. Environmental. Health, and Safety Manager
Bradley. Margaret2
O'Neill, Maureen D.2
Sen'ice, Projects and Facilities
Cutler. Richard D.. Director
Enos, Joyce B.
Apparatus
Baptiste, Michael G.
Barnes. Franklin D.
Haskins, William A.
Building Senices & Grounds
Hayes, Joseph H., Superintendent
Anderson. Lewis B.
Atwood, Paul R.
Baker, Harrison S.
Barnes. Susan M.
Berrios, Jessica L.2
Boucher, Richard L.
Brenerman, Brian2
Brereton, Richard S.2
Callahan. John J.
Cameron, Lawrence M.2
Collins. Paul J.
Cowan, Matthew B.2
Cutler, Matthew D.2
Dirnond, Jay2
Dorris. John J.
Eldridge, Myles2
Fernandez, Peter R.2
Gibbons, Roberto G.
Gonsalves, Nelson
Gray, Joshua2
Hannigan. Catherine
Harrington. James D.
Illgen. Robert F.
Lawrence. Adam2
Ledwell. L. Patrick2
Luther, Herbert
Lynch, Henry L.
Maccaro. Jackie
Mayock, Michael J.2
McNumara, Noreen M.
McQuillan, Jeffrey2
Plant, Stephen W.
Rattacasa, Frank"
Ryan. Timothy A.:
Sholkovitz.. David2
Silva. Cynthia C.
Stites, Clint2
Tardif. Joseph G. R.2
Ware, Lynn M.
Plant Operations anil Maintenance
Fleet. Barry M.. Superintendent
Cadose. James W., Maintenance Supervisor
R66 Annual Report
Barnes, John S.
Blunt, Hugh F.
Bourgoin. Lee E.
Carini, Robert J.
Carroll, James R.
Deree. Dana J.
Fish Jr., David L.
Fuglister, Charles K.
Goehl, George
Gonsalves, Jr.. Walter W.
Hathaway, Peter J.
Henderson. Jon R
Justason, C. Scott
Langill. Richard
Lochhead, William M.
McAdarns III, Herbert M.
McHugh. Michael O.
Mills, Stephen A.
Olive, Jr.. Charles W.
Schoepf, Claude
Settlemire, Donald
Shepherd. Denise M.
Sylvia, Frank E.2
Toner, Michael
Wetzel, Ernest D.2
Photolab
Nelson, Linda M.
Research Administration & Educational Programs
Dawidowicz, Eliezar A.. Director
Hamel. Carol C.
Kaufmann. Sandra J.
Kefauver, Lee
Iwaszko, Nicole2
Lynn, Rebecca
Mebane. Dorianne C.
Malmude-Davis, Anna2
Palmer, Pamela2
Patten. Brooke A.2
Stukey, Jetley
Central Microscopy Facility and General Use Rooms
Kerr, Louis M.. Supervisor
DeProto, Jamin E.2
Luther, Herbert
Peterson. Martha B.
Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular
Biology and Evolution Administrative Staff
Harris, Marian
Lim, Pauline
Journal of Membrane Biology
Loewenstein. Werner R., Editor
Fay, Catherine H.
Howard Isenberg. Linda L.
Lynch, Kathleen F.
Satellite/Periwinkle Children 's Programs
Robinson. Paulina H.2
Browne, Jennifer L.2
Collins, Anne E.2
Curran, Kelly2
Douglas, Alicia D.2
Fitzelle. Annie2
Gallant, Carolyn A.2
Gallant, Cynthia2
Guiffrida, Beth2
Griffin, Courtney A.2
Jenkins, Michelle2
Laundy, Jennifer2
McCusker. Stephanie2
Robinson, Jayma L.2
NASA Center for Advanced Studies in the Space Life
Sciences
Dawidowicz. Eliezar A., Administrator
Amit, Udem P.
Ecosvstems Center Administrative Staff
Berthel. Dorothy J.
Donovan, Su/.anne J.
Nunez, Guillermo
Seifert, Mary Ann
Members of the
Corporation
Life Members
Acheson, George H., 25 Quissett Avenue. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Adelberg, Edward A., 204 Prospect Street. New Haven. CT 065 1 1 -
2107
Afzelius. Bjorn, University of Stockholm, Wenner-Gven Institute.
Department of Ultrastructure Research. Stockholm, SWEDEN
Amatniek, Ernest, address unknown
Arnold, John M., 329 Sippewissett Road, Falmouth. MA 02540
Bang, Betsy G., 76 F. R. Lillie Road. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Bartlett. James H., University of Alabama. Department of Physics. Box
870324. Tuscaloosa. AL 35487-0324
Berne, Robert M., University of Virginia School of Medicine,
Department of Physiology. Box 1116, MR4. Charlottesville, VA
22903
Bernheimer, Alan W., New York University Medical Center,
Department of Microbiology, 550 First Avenue. New York. NY
10016
Bertholf, Lloyd M., Westminster Village. #2114, 2025 East Lincoln
Street, Bloomington. IL 61701-5995
Bosch, Herman F., P.O. Box 353, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Buck, John B., Fairhaven C-020, 7200 Third Avenue. Sykesville, MD
21784
Burbanck, Madeline P., P.O. Box 15134. Atlanta. GA 30333
Burbanck. \\illiam D.. P.O. Box 15134. Atlanta. GA 30333
Carlson, Francis D., Johns Hopkins University. Biophysics Department
Jenkins Hall, North Charles Street, Baltimore. MD 21218 (deceased)
Clark, Arnold M., 53 Wilson Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Clark, James M., 258 Wells Road. Palm Beach. FL 33480-3625
Cohen, Seymour S., 10 Carrot Hill Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543-
1206
Colwin, Arthur L., 320 Woodcrest Road, Key Biscayne, FL 33149-
1322
Colwin, Laura Hunter, 320 Woodcrest Road. Key Biscayne, FL
33149-1322
Cooperstein. Sherwin J., University of Connecticut. School of
Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Farmington. CT 06030-3405
Copeland. D. Eugene, Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA
02543
Corliss, John O., P.O. Box 2729, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-21 16
Costello, Helen M., Carolina Meadows, Villa 137, Chapel Hill, NC
27514-8512
Crouse, Helen, Rte. 3, Box 213. Hayesville. NC 28904
DeHaan, Robert I,., Emory University School of Medicine, Department
of Anatomy & Cell Biology. 1648 Pierce Drive, Room 108. Atlanta.
GA 30322
Dudley, Patricia L., 3200 Alki Avenue SW. #401. Seattle. WA 98116
Edwards, Charles, 3429 Winding Oaks Drive, Longboat Key, FL
34228
Elliott, Gerald F., The Open University Research Unit. Foxcombe Hall.
Berkeley Road. Boars Hill. Oxford OX1 5HR, ENGLAND
Failla, Patricia M., 2 1 49 Loblolly Lane, Johns Island, SC 29455
Ferguson, James K. W., 56 Clarkehaven Street. Thornhill, Ontario L4J
2B4, CANADA
Glusman, Murray, New York State Psychiatric Institute. 722 W. 168th
St.. Unit #70, New York, NY 10032
Goldman, David E., 140 Ter Heun Drive, Room 212. Falmouth. MA
02540 (deceased)
Graham, Herbert, 36 Wilson Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Hamburger, Viktor, Washington University. Department of Biology.
740 Trinity Avenue. St. Louis. MO 63 1 30
Hamilton. Howard L., University of Virginia, Department of Biology,
238 Gilmer Hall, Charlottesville. VA 22901
Harding, Jr., Clifford V., 54 Two Ponds Road, Falmouth. MA 02540
Haschemeyer, Audrey E. V'., 21 Glendon Road, Woods Hole, MA
02543-1406
Hauschka, Theodore S., 333 Fogler Road, Bremen, ME 0455 1
Hayashi, Teru, 1 5 Gardiner Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543- 1113
Hisaw, Frederick L.. 1 765 SW Tamarack Street, Apt 11, McMinnville,
OR 97128-7416
Hoskin, Francis C. G., c/o Dr. John E. Walker, U.S. Army Natick
RD&E Center. SAT NC-YSM, Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-
5020
Humes, Arthur G., Marine Biological Laboratory. Boston University
Marine Program, Woods Hole. MA 02543
Hunter, W. Bruce, 305 Old Sharon Road, Peterborough, NH 03458-
1736
R67
R6S Annual Report
Hurwitz, Charles, Stratum VA Medical Center. Research Service.
Albany. NY 1220S
Kalz, George, Merck. Sharp and Dohme. Fundamental & Experimental
Research Laboratory. PO Bo\ 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065
Kingsbury, John M., Cornell University, Department of Plant Biology.
Plant Science Building. Ithaca. NY 14853
Kleinholz. Lewis, Reed College. Department of Biology, 3203 SE
Woodstock Boulevard. Portland, OR 97202
Kusano, Kiyoshi, National Institutes of Health, Building 36, Room 4D-
20, Bethesda, MD 20892
Laderman, Ezra, Yale University, New Haven. CT 06520
LaMarche, Paul H., Eastern Maine Medical Center, 489 State Street,
Bangor, ME 04401
Lauffer, Max A., Penn State University Medical Center, Department of
Biophysics & Physiology. Hershey. PA 1 7033
LeFevre, Paul G., 1 5 Agassiz Road, Woods Hole. MA 02543
(deceased)
Lochhead, John H., 49 Woodlawn Road, London SW6 6PS. UK
Loevvus, Frank A., Washington State University, Institute of Biological
Chemistry, Pullman, WA 99164
Loftfield, Robert B., University of New Mexico, School of Medicine.
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Malkiel, Saul, 174 Queen Street, #9A, Falmouth. MA 02540
Marsh, Julian B., 9 Eliot Street. Chestnut Hill. MA 02467-1407
Martin, Lowell V., 10 Buzzards Bay Avenue, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Mathews, Rita W., East Hill Road, P.O. Box 237. Southfield. MA
01259-0237
Moore, John A., University of California. Department of Biology.
Riverside, CA 92521
Moscona, Aron A., University of Chicago, Department Molecular
Genetics & Cell Biology, Chicago. IL 60637
Musacchia, X. J., P.O. Box 5054, Bella Vista, AR 72714-0054
Nasatir, Maimon, P.O. Box 379, Ojai, CA 93024
Passano, Leonard M., University of Wisconsin, Department of
Zoology. Birge Hall. Madison. WI 53706
Prosser, C. Ladd, University of Illinois, Department of Physiology, 524
Burrill Hall, Urbana. IL 61801
Prytz, Margaret McDonald, address unknown
Ratner, Sarah, Public Health Research Institute, Department ol
Biochemistry. 455 First Avenue, New York. NY 10016
Renn, Charles E., address unknown
Reynolds, George T., Princeton University, Department of Physics,
Jadwin Hall. Princeton, NJ 08544
Rice, Robert V., 30 Burnham Drive, Falmouth, MA 02540
Rockstein, Morris, 600 Biltmore Way. Apt. 805, Coral Gables. FL
33134
Ronkin, Raphael R., 3212 McKinley Street. NW. Washington. DC
20015-1635
Sanders, Howard L., Woods Hole Occanographic Institution, Woods
Hole, MA 02543
Sato, Hidemi, Nagova University, 3-24-101. Oakinishi Machi, Toha
Mie 517-0023, JAPAN
Saz, Arthur K., Cieorgi •)<:•• n University Medical School, Department of
Immunology, Washington. DC 20007
Schlesinger, R. Walter, 7 Langley Road, Falmoulh, MA 02540-1809
Scott, Allan C., Colby College, Waterville. ME 04901
Silverstein, Arthur M.. Johns Hopkins University. Institute of the
History of Medicine. 1900 E. Monument Street, Baltimore, MD
21205
Sjodin, Raymond A., University of Maryland. Department of
Biophysics. Baltimore. MD 21201
Smith. Paul F., P.O. Box 264. Woods Hole. MA 02543-0264
Speer, John VV., 293 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871
Sperelakis, Nicholas, University of Cincinnati, Department of
Physiology/Biophysics, 231 Bethesda Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267-
0576
Spiegel, Evelyn, Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences,
204 Oilman, Hanover. NH 03755
Spiegel, Melvin, Dartmouth College, Department of Biological
Sciences. 204 Gilman, Hanover, NH 03755
Steinhardt, Jacinto, 1508 Spruce Street, Berkeley, CA 94709
(deceased)
Stephens, Grover C., University of California, School of Biological
Sciences, Department of Ecolocy and Evolution/Biology, Irvine, CA
92717
Strehler, Bernard L., 2310 N. Laguna Circle Drive, Agoura, CA
9130I-2SS4
Sussman, Maurice, 72 Carey Lane, Falmouth, MA 02540
Sussman, Raquel B., Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA
02543
Szent-Gyorgyi, Gwen P., 45 Nobska Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Taylor, Robert E., 339 Gifford Street. Apt. 303, Falmouth, MA 02540
(deceased)
Thorndike, W. Nicholas, Wellington Management Company, 200 State
Street, Boston, MA 02104
Trager, William, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue. New
York. NY 10021-6399
Trinkaus, J. Philip, 870 Moose Hill Road, Guilford, CT 06437
Villee, Jr., Claude A., Harvard Medical School, Carrel L, Countway
Library. 10 Shattuck Street. Boston, MA 021 15
Vincent, Walter S., 16 F.R. Lillie Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Wald, Ruth, Harvard University. Biological Laboratories. Cambridge,
MA 02138
Waterman. Talbot H., Yale University, Box 208103, 912 KBT Biology
Department, New Haven, CT 06520-8103
Wigley, Roland L., 35 Wilson Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Wilber, Charles G., Colorado State University, Department of Biology,
Forensic Science Laboratory, Fort Collins. CO 80523 (deceased)
Members
Aht, Donald A., Marine Biological Laboratory, Laboratory of Aquatic
Animal Medicine and Pathology. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Adams, James A., 348 1 Paces Ferry Road. Tallahassee. FL 32308
Adelman, William J., 160 Locust Street. Falmoulh. MA 02540
Alkon, Daniel L., N1H Laboratory of Adaptive Systems. 36 Convent
Drive. MSC 4124, 36/4A2I, Bethesda, MD 20892-4124
Allen, Garland E., Washington University. Department of Biology, Box
1 137, One Brookings Drive, Street Louis, MO 63130-4899
Allen, Nina S., North Carolina State University, Department of Botany,
Box 7612, Raleigh. NC 27695
Alliegro, Mark C., Louisiana State University Medical Center.
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy. 1901 Perdido Street, New
Orleans. LA 701 12
Anderson, Everett, Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell
Biology, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 021 15-6092
Anderson, John M., 110 Roat Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
Members of the Corporation R6M
Anderson, Porter W., 100 Bayview Drive #2224. North Miami Beach,
FL 33160
Armett-Kihel, Christine, University of Massachusetts. Dean of Science
Faculty. Boston. MA 02125
Armstrong, Clay M., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
B701 Richards Building. Department of Physiology. 3700 Hamilton
Walk. Philadelphia. PA 19104-6085
Armstrong, Ellen Prosser, 57 Milltield Street. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Arnold, William A., Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Biology Division.
102 Balsalm Road. Oak Ridge. TN 37830
Ashton, Robert W., Bay Foundation, 1 7 West 94th Street. New York,
NY 10025
Atema, Jelle, Boston University Marine Program. Marine Biological
Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Baccetti, Baccio, University of Sienna. Institute of Zoology, 53100
Siena. ITALY
Baker. Robert G., New York University Medical Center, Department
Physiology and Biophysics, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Baldwin, Thomas O., Texas A and M University. Department of
Biochemistry and Biophysics. College Station, TX 77843-2128
Baltimore, David, California Institute of Technology, 204-31. Pasadena,
CA 91125
Barlow, Robert B., SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse, 750 East
Adams Street, Center for Vision Research, 3258 Weiskotten Hall.
Syracuse, NY 13210
Barry, Daniel T., 2415 Fairwmd Drive, Houston, TX 77062-4756
Barry. Susan R., Mount Holyoke College. Department of Biological
Sciences. South Hadley, MA 01075
Bass. Andrew H., Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and
Behavior. Seely Mudd Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853
Battelle, Barbara-Anne, University of Florida, Whitney Laboratory,
9505 Ocean Shore Boulevard, Street Augustine. FL 32086
Bay, Frederick, Bay Foundation. 17 W. 94th Street. First Floor. New
York. NY 10025-7116
Baylor, Martha B., P.O. Box 93. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Bearer, Elaine L., Brown University. Division of Biology and
Medicine. Department of Pathology. Box G. Providence. RI 02912
Beatty, John M., University of Minnesota. Department of Ecology and
Behavioral Biology, 1987 Gortner, Street Paul, MN 55108
Beauge, Luis Alberto, Instituto de Investigacion Medica. Department of
Biophysics. Casilla de Correo 389. 5000 Cordoba, ARGENTINA
Begenisich, Ted, University of Rochester, Medical Center, Box 642,
601 Elmwood Avenue. Rochester, NY 14642
Begg, David A.. University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine,
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy. Edmonton. Alberta T6G
2H7, CANADA
Bell, Eugene, Tissue Engineering, Inc.. 451 D Street, Boston, MA
02210
Benjamin, Thomas L., Harvard Medical School, Pathology. D2-230,
200 Longwood Avenue, Boston. MA 021 15
Bennett. Michael V. L., Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Department of Neuroscience, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx. NY
10461
Bennett, Miriam F., Colby College, Department of Biology. Waterville,
ME 04901
Berg, Carl J., P.O. Box 681. Kilauea. Kauai. HI 96754-0681
Berlin, Suzanne T., 5 Highland Street, Gloucester. MA 01930
Bernstein, Norman, Columbia Realty Venture. 5301 Wisconsin
Avenue, NW. #600. Washington. DC 20015-2015
Bezanilla, Francisco, Health Science Center, Department of Physiology,
405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Biggers, John D., Harvard Medical School. Department of Physiology.
Boston. MA 02115
Bishop. Stephen H., Iowa State University, Department of Zoology,
Ames, IA 50010
Blaustein, Mordecai P., University of Maryland, School of Medicine,
Department of Physiology, Baltimore. MD 21201
Blennemann, Dieter, 1117 East Putnam Avenue, Apt. #174. Riverside,
CT 06878-1333
Bloom, George S., The University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center. Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience. 5323 Harry
Hmes Boulevard. Dallas. TX 75235-9039
Bloom, Kerry S., University of North Carolina. Department of Biology.
623 Fordham Hall CB#3280. Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
Bodznick, David A., Wesleyan University, Department of Biology,
Lawn Avenue. Middletown. CT 06497-0170
Boettiger, Edward G.. 17 Eastwood Road, Storrs, CT 06268-2401
Boolootian, Richard A., Science Software Systems. Inc.. 3576
Woodcliff Road. Sherman Oaks. CA 91403
Borgese, Thomas A., Lehman College, CUNY. Department of Biology.
Bedford Park Boulevard. West. Bronx. NY 10468
Borst, David W., Illinois State University. Department of Biological
Sciences, Normal, 1L 61790-4120
Bowles, Francis P., Marine Biological Laboratory, Ecosystems Center,
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Boyer, Barbara C., Union College, Biology Department, Schenectady.
NY 12308
Brandhorst, Bruce P., Simon Fraser University, Institute of Molecular
Biology/Biochemistry, Barnaby. B.C. V5A 1S6. CANADA
Brinley, F. J., NINCDS/NIH. Neurological Disorders Program. Room
812 Federal Building, Bethesda, MD 20892
Bronner-Fraser, Marianne, California Institute of Technology,
Beckman Institute Division of Biology. 139-74. Pasadena. CA 91125
Brown, Stephen C., SUNY. Department of Biological Sciences.
Albany. NY 12222
Brown, William L., 80 Black Oak Road. Weston, MA 02193
Browne, Carole L., Wake Forest University. Department of Biology.
Box 7325 Reynolds Station, Winston-Salem. NC 27109
Browne, Robert A., Wake Forest University. Department of Biology,
Box 7325. Winston-Salem. NC 27109
Bucklin, Anne C., University of New Hampshire, Ocean Process
Analysis Laboratory. 142 Morse Hall, Durham. NH 03824
Bullis, Robert A., Manne Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street,
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Burger, Max M., Friedrich Miescher Institute. P.O. Box 2543. CH
4002 Basel, SWITZERLAND
Burgess, David R., Boston College. Academic Vice President and Dean
of Facilities, Bourneuf House, 84 College Road, Chestnut Hill. MA
02467-3838
Burgos, Mario H., IHEM Medical School, UNC Conicet, Casilla de
Correo 56, 5500 Mendoza, ARGENTINA
Burky, Albert, University of Dayton. Department of Biology. Dayton,
OH 45469
Burris, John E., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods
Hole, MA 02543
Burstyn, Harold Lewis, United States Air Force. Air Force Materiel
Command, Rome Research Site RL/JA, 26 Electronic Parkway,
Rome, NY 13441-4514
Bursztajn. Sherry, LSU Medical Center, 1501 Kings Highway,
Building BR1F 6-13. Shreveport, LA 71130
Calabrese, Ronald L., Emory University, Department of Biology. 1510
Clifton Road. Atlanta. GA 30322
Callaway, Joseph C., New York Medical College. Department of
Physiology. Basic Sciences Building. Valhalla. NY 10595
Cameron, R. Andrew, California Institute of Technology. Division of
Biology 156-29, Pasadena, CA 91 125
R70 Annual Report
Campbell, Richard H., Bang-Campbell Associates, Eel Pond Place,
Box 402. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Candelas, Graciela C., University of Puerto Rico, Department of
Biology. P.O. Box 23360, UPR Station. San Juan. PR 00931-3360
Cariello, Lucio, Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohm", Villa Comunale.
80121 Naples, ITALY
Case, James F., University of California. Marine Science Institute.
Santa Barbara. CA 93106
Cassidy, Joseph D., Providence College, Priory of Street Thomas
Aquinas. Providence, Rl 02918-11001
Cavanaugh, Colleen M., Harvard University, Biological Laboratories,
16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Chaet, Alfred B., University of West Florida, Department of Cell and
Molecular Biology, 1 1000 University Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32514
Chambers, Edward L., University of Miami School of Medicine.
Department of Physiology and Biophys., P.O. Box 016430, Miami.
FL 33101
Chang, Donald C., Hong Kong University, Science and Technology,
Department of Biology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, HONG KONG
Chappell, Richard L., Hunter College, CUNY. Department of
Biological Sciences. Box 210. 695 Park Avenue. New York, NY
10021
Child III, Frank M., 28 Lawrence Farm Road, Woods Hole. MA
02543-1416
Chisholm, Rex Leslie, Northwestern University, Medical School,
Department of Cell Biology, Chicago, IL 6061 1
Citkowitz, Elena, Hospital of Street Raphael, Lipid Disorders Clinic,
1450 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 0651 1
Clark, Eloise E., Bowling Green State University, Biological Sciences
Department. Bowling Green, OH 43403
Clark, Hays, 150 Gomez Road, Hobe Sound, FL 33455
Clark, Wallis H., 12705 NW I 12th Avenue, Alachua, FL 32615
Claude, Philippa, University of Wisconsin, Department of Zoology,
Zoology Research Building 125. 1 1 17 W Johnson Street, Madison,
Wl 53706
Clay, John R., NIH-NINDS. Building 36. Room 2-CO2. Bethesda. MD
20892
Clowes, Alexander W., University of Washington, School of Medicine.
Department of Surgery, Box 356410. Seattle. WA 98195-6410
Cobb, Jewel Plummer, California State University, 5151 University
Drive, Health Center 205, Los Angeles, CA 90032-8500
Cohen, Carolyn, Brandeis University. Rosenstiel Basic Medical,
Sciences Research Center, Waltham, MA 02254
Cohen, Lawrence B., Yale University School of Medicine, Department
of Physiology. 333 Cedar Street, New Haven. CT 06520
Cohen, Maynard M., Rush Medical College, Department of
Neurological Sciences, 600 South Paulina, Chicago, IL 60612
Cohen, William D., Hunter College. Department Biological Sciences,
New York, NY 10021
Coleman, Annette W., Brown University, Division of Biology and
Medicine, Providence. Rl 02912
Colinvaux, Paul, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Unit 0948.
Apo AA 34002-0948, USA
Collier. Jack R., 3431 Highway. #107. P.O. Box 139. Effie. LA 71331
Collier, Marjorie McCann, 3431 Highway 107. P.O. Box 139. Effie,
LA 71331
Cook, Joseph A., Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, 250 Park Avenue,
New York. NY 10177-0026
Cornell, Neal W., Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole. MA
02543
Cornwall, Melvin C., Boston University School of Medicine,
Department of Physiology L714, Boston. MA 021 18
Corson, D. Wesley, Storm Eye Institute, Room 537, 171 Ashley
Avenue. Charleston, SC 29425
Corwin, Jeffrey T., University of Virginia, School of Medicine,
Department Otolaryngology and Neuroscience, Box 396.
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Couch, Ernest F., Texas Christian University. Department of Biology,
TCU Box 298930, Fort Worth. TX 76129
Cox, Rachel Llanelly, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Biology
Department. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Crane, Sylvia E., 438 Wendover Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540
Cremer-Bartels, Gertrud, Universitats Augenklinik, 44 Munster,
GERMANY
Crow, Terry J., University of Texas Medical School, Department of
Neurobiology and Anatomy. Houston, TX 77225
Crowell, Sears, Indiana University, Department of Biology.
Bloomington. IN 47405
Crowther, Robert J., Shriners Hospitals for Children. 51 Blossom
Street. Boston, MA 021 14
Cunningham, Mary-Ellen, 62 Cloverly Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
48236-3313
Cutler. Richard D., Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA
02543
Daignault, Alexander T., Edgewood #6308. 575 Osgood Street, North
Andover, MA 01845 (deceased)
Davidson, Eric H., California Institute of Technology. Division of
Biology. 156-29. 391 South Holliston. Pasadena. CA 91 125
Davison, Daniel B., Bristol-Myers Squibb PR1. Biomformatics
Department, 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford. CT 06492
Daw, Nigel W., 5 Old Pawson Road, Branford, CT 06405
Dawidowicz, Eliezar A., Marine Biological Laboratory. Office of
Research Administration and Education, Woods Hole, MA 02543
De Weer, Paul J., University of Pennsylvania, B400 Richards Building.
Department of Physiology, 3700 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia. PA
19104-6085
Deegan, Linda A., Marine Biological Laboratory, The Ecosystems
Center, Woods Hole, MA 02543
DeGroof, Robert C., 145 Water Crest Drive. Doylestown, PA 18901-
3267
Denckla, Martha Bridge, Johns Hopkins University. School of
Medicine. Kennedy-Krieger Institute. 707 North Broadway, Baltimore.
MD 21205
DePhillips, Henry A., Trinity College, Department of Chemistry, 300
Summit Street. Hartford, CT 06106
DeSimone, Douglas \V., University of Virginia, Department of Cell
Biology. Box 439, Health Sciences Center. Charlottesville, VA 22908
Dettbarn, Wolf-Dietrich, Vanderbilt University. School of Medicine,
Department of Pharmacology, Nashville. TN 37232
Dionne, Vincent E., Boston University Marine Program, Marine
Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Dowling, John E., Harvard University, Biological Laboratories, 16
Divinity Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Drapeau, Pierre, Montreal General Hospital, Department of Neurology,
1650 Cedar Avenue. Montreal. Que. H3G 1A4. CANADA
DuBois, Arthur Brooks, John B. Pierce Foundation Laboratory. 290
Congress Avenue, New Haven. CT 06519
Duncan, Thomas K., Nichols College, Environmental Sciences
Department. Dudley, MA 01571
Dunham, Philip B., Syracuse University, Department of Biology. 1 30
College Place. Syracuse. NY 13244-1220
Dunlap, Paul V., University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute.
Center of Marine Biotechnology. Columbus Center. Suite 236, 701
East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Ebert, James I)., The Johns Hopkins University. Department of
Members of the Corporation R71
Biology. Homewood, 3400 North Charles Street. Baltimore. MD
21218-2685
Eckberg, William R., Howard University. Department of Biology, P.O.
Box 887. Administration Building. Washington, DC 20059
Edds, Kenneth T., R & D Systems, Inc., Hematology Division. 614
McKinley Place, NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Eder, Howard A., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris
Park Avenue. Bronx, NY 10461
Edstrom, Joan, 53 Two Ponds Road, Falmouth, MA 02540
Egyud, Laszlo G., Cell Research Corporation, P.O. Box 67209,
Chestnut Hill. MA 02167-0209
Ehrlich, Barbara E., Yale University Medical School, B207 SHM.
New Haven, CT 06473
Eisen, Arthur Z., Washington University, Division of Dermatology,
Street Louis, MO 63110
Eisen, Herman N., Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for
Cancer Research, El 7- 128, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge,
MA 02139-4307
Elder, Hugh Young, University of Glasgow, Institute of Physiology,
Glasgow G12 8QQ, SCOTLAND
Englund, Paul T., Johns Hopkins Medical School, Department of
Biological Chemistry. 725 North Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205
Epel, David, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Ocean View
Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Epstein, Herman T., 18 Lawrence Farm Road, Woods Hole, MA
02543
Epstein, Ray L., 1602 W. Olympia Street, Hernando. FL 34442
Farb, David H., Boston University School of Medicine, Department of
Pharmacology L603, 80 East Concord Street, Boston. MA 02 1 1 8
Farmanfarmaian, A. Verdi, Rutgers University. Department of
Biological Sciences. Nelson Biology Laboratory FOB 1059,
Piscataway. NJ 08855
Feldman, Susan C., University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey
Medical School, 100 Bergen Street. Newark, NJ 07103
Festoff, Barry William, VA Medical Center, Neurology Service (151),
4801 Linwood Boulevard. Kansas City. MO 64128
Fink, Rachel D., Mount Holvoke College, Department of Biological
Sciences, Clapp Laboratories, South Hadley, MA 01075
Finkelstein, Alan, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris
Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
Fischbach, Gerald D., National Institute of Health, Neurological
Disorders and Strokes, 31 Center Drive. MSC 2540, Bldg 31, Rm
8A03. Bethesda, MD 20892-2540
Fishman, Harvey M., University of Texas Medical Branch, Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston,
TX 77555-0641
Flanagan, Dennis, 12 Gay Street, New York, NY 10014
Fluck, Richard Allen, Franklin and Marshall College, Department of
Biology, Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003
Foreman, Kenneth H., Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole,
MA 02543
Fox, Thomas Oren, Harvard Medical School, Division of Medical
Sciences. MEC 435. 260 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 021 15
Franzini-Armstrong, Clara, University of Pennsylvania, School of
Medicine. 330 South 46th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Fraser, Scott, California Institute of Technology, Beckman Institute
139-74, 1201 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91 125
Frazier, Donald T., University of Kentucky Medical Center,
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, MS501 Chandler Medical
Center. Lexington, KY 40536
French, Robert J., University of Calgary, Health Sciences Centre,
Alberta, T2N 4NI, CANADA
Fulton, Chandler M., Brandeis University, Department of Biology, MS
008, Waltham, MA 02454-91 10
Furie, Barbara C., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. BIDMC
Cancer Center, Kirstein 1, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Furie, Bruce, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, BIDMC Cancer
Center, Kirstein 1, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Furshpan, Edwin J., Harvard Medical School. Department of
Neurobiology. 220 Longwood Avenue. Boston, MV\ 021 15
Futrelle, Robert P., Northeastern University, College of Computer
Science, 360 Huntmgton Avenue, Boston, MA 021 15
Gabr, Howaida, Sue/. Canal University, Department of Marine Science.
Faculty of Science, Ismailia, EGYPT
Gabriel, Mordecai L., Brooklyn College. Department of Biology, 2900
Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210
Gadsby, David C., The Rockefeller University, Laboratory of Cardiac
Physiology, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021-6399
Gainer, Harold, NIH. NINDS.BNP.DIR, Neurochemistry. Building 36,
Room 4D20, Bethesda. MD 20892-4130
Galatzer-Levy, Robert M., 180 North Michigan Avenue. Suite 2401,
Chicago, IL 60601
Gall, Joseph G., Carnegie Institution, 1 15 West University Parkway,
Baltimore, MD 21210
Garber. Sarah S., Allegheny University of the Health Sciences,
Department of Physiology, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19124
Gascoyne, Peter, University of Texas. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center,
Experimental Pathology. Box 89, Houston, TX 77030
Gelperin, Alan, Bell Labs Lucent, Department Biology Comp., Rm
1C464, 600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
German, James L., The New York Blood Center, Laboratory of
Human Genetics, 310 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021
Gibbs, Martin, Brandeis University, Institute for Photobiology of Cells
and Organelles, Waltham. MA 02254
Giblin, Anne E., Marine Biological Laboratory. The Ecosystems
Center. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Gibson, A. Jane, Cornell University, Department of Biochemistry.
Biotech. Building. Ithaca, NY 14850
Gifford, Prosser, 540 North Street, SW. Apt. #S-903. Washington, DC
20024-4557
Gilbert, Daniel L., National Institutes of Health, Biophysics Sec., BNP,
Building 36, Room 5A-27, Bethesda, MD 20892
Giudice, Giovanni, Universita di Palermo, Dipartimento di Biologia,
Cellulare e Dello Sviluppo, 1-90123 Palermo. ITALY
Giuditta, Antonio, University of Naples, Department of General
Physiology, Via Mezzocannone 8, Naples, 80134, ITALY
Glynn, Paul, P.O. Box 6083, Brunswick, ME 04011-6083
Golden, William T., Chairman Emeritus, American Museum of Natural
History, Rm. 4201. 40 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005
Goldman, Robert D., Northwestern University Medical School,
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. 303 E. Chicago Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60611-3008
Goldsmith, Paul K., National Institutes of Health. Building 10, Room
9C-101. Bethesda. MD 20892
Goldsmith. Timothy H., Yale University, Department of Biology, New
Haven, CT 06510
Goldstein, Moise H., The Johns Hopkins University, ECE Department,
Barton Hall, Baltimore. MD 21218
Goodman, Lesley Jean (deceased)
Gould, Robert Michael, NYS Institute of Basic Research, 1050 Forest
Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314-6399
Govind, C. K., Scarborough College, Life Sciences Division, 1265
Military Trail, West Hill, Ontario MIC 1A4, CANADA
Grace, Dick, Doreen Grace Fund, The Brain Center, Promontory Point,
New Seabury, MA 02649
Graf, Werner M., College of France. 1 1 Place Marcelin Berthelot.
75231 Paris Cedex 05, FRANCE
R72 Annual Report
Grant, Philip, National Institutes of Health.
NINDS.BN.DIR.Neurochemistry. Building 36. Room 4D20. Bethesda.
MD 20892-4130
Grass, Ellen R., The Grass Foundation, 77 Reservoir Road. Quincy.
MA 02 170-3610
Grassle, Judith P., Rutgers University, Institute of Marine and Coastal
Studies, Box 23 1 , New Brunswick, NJ 08903
Graubard, Katherine G., University of Washington, Department of
Zoology, NJ-15. Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98195-1800
Greenberg, Everett Peter, University of Iowa. College of Medicine.
Department of Microbiology. Iowa City, IA 52242
Greenberg, Michael J., University of Florida, The Whitney Laboratory,
9505 Ocean Shore Boulevard. St. Augustine, FL 32086-8623
Greer, Mary J., 176 West 87th Street, #12A, New York. NY 10024-
2402
Griffin, Donald R., Harvard University. Concord Field Station, Old
Causeway Road, Bedford, MA 01730
Gross, Paul R., 1 1 1 Perkins Street. Apt. 45. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130-
4320
Grossman, Albert, New York University Medical Center, 550 First
Avenue. New York, NY 10016
Grossman, Lawrence, The Johns Hopkins University. Department of
Biochemistry. 615 North Wolfe Street. Baltimore, MD 21205
Gruner, John A., Cephalon, Inc.. 145 Brandyw'ine Parkway, West
Chester, PA 19380-4245
Gunning. A. Robert, P.O. Box 165. Falmouth. MA 02541
Gwilliam, G. F., Reed College, Department of Biology, Portland, OR
97202
Haimo, Leah T., University of California. Department of Biology.
Riverside. CA 92521
Hajduk, Stephen L., University of Alabama. School of
Medicine/Dentistry, Department of Biochemistry/Molecular Genetics.
University Station. Birmingham. AL 35294
Hall, Linda M., SUNY. Department of Biochemstry Pharmacology, 329
Huchstetter Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-1200
Hall, /;K h YV., University of California, Department Physiology, San
Francisco. CA 94114
Halvorson, Harlyn O., University of Massachusetts, Policy Center for
Marine Biosciences and Technology. 100 Morrissey Boulevard.
Boston. MA 02125-3393
Haneji, Tatsuji. Kyushu Dental College. Department of Anatomy, 2-6-
1, Mana/.uru. Kokurakita-Ku, Kitakyushu 803. JAPAN
Hanlon, Roger T., Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA
02543
Harosi, Ferenc, New College of the USF, Division of Natural Sciences,
5700 North Tamiami Trail. Sarasota, FL 34243-2197
Harrigan, June F., 7415 Makaa Place, Honolulu. HI 96825
Harrington, Glenn W., Weber State University, Department of
Microbiology, Ogden. UT 84408
Harrison, Stephen C., Harvard University, Department of Molecular
and Cell Biology, 7 Divinity Avenue. Cambridge. MA 02138
Haselkorn, Robert, University of Chicago. Department of Molecular
Genetics and Cell Biology, Chicago, IL 60637
Hastings, J. Woodland, Harvard University. The Biological
Laboratories. 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge. MA 02138-2020
Huydnn-Baillie, Wensley G., Porton Institute, 2 Lowndes Place,
I ondon SW1X 8Dd, ENGLAND
Hayes, Raymond L., Howard University, College of Medicine. 520 W
Street. NW, Washington. DC 20059
Heck. Diane E.. F.OHSI. Department of Pharmacology/Toxicology, 681
Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08855
Henry, Jonathan Joseph, University of Illinois, Department of Cell and
Struct. Biology. 601 South Goodwin Avenue #BI07, Urbana, II.
61801-3709
Hepler. Peter K., University of Massachusetts. Department of Biology.
Morrill III. Amherst, MA 01003
Herndon, Walter R., University of Tennessee. Department of Botany,
Knoxville, TN 37996-1 100
Herskovits, Theodore T.. Fordham University. Department of
Chemistry. John Mulcahy Hall. Room 638. Bronx. NY 1045S
Hiatt. Howard H., Bngham and Women's Hospital. Department of
Medicine. 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 021 15
Highstein, Stephen M., Washington University. Department of
Otolaryngology. Box 8115. 4566 Scott Avenue, Street Louis, MO
63110
Hildehrand, John G., University of Arizona, ARL Division of
Neurobiology. P.O. Box 210077. Tucson, AZ 85721-0077
Hill, Richard W., Michigan State University, Department of Zoology,
East Lansing. MI 48824
Hill, Susan D., Michigan State University. Department of Zoology, East
Lansing. MI 48824
Hillis, Llewellya W., Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Unit
0948. APO. AA 34002-0948
Hinkle, Gregory J., Bioinformatics Group, Cereon Genomics, One
Kendall Square, Building 200. Cambridge. MA 02139
Hinsch, Gertrude W., University of South Florida. Department of
Biology. Tampa, FL 33620
Hinsch, Jan, Leica. Inc.. 1 10 Commerce Drive, Allendale. NJ 07401
Hobhie, John E., Marine Biological Laboratory. The Ecosystems
Center. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Hodge, Alan J., 3843 Mount Blackburn Avenue. San Diego, CA 921 1 1
Hoffman, Joseph F., Yale University School of Medicine, Cellular and
Molecular Physiology. 333 Cedar Street. New Haven. CT 06520-8026
Hollyfield, Joe G. address unknown
Holz IV, George G., New York University Medical Center, Medical
Sciences Building Room 442, 550 First Avenue. New York. NY
10016
Hopkinson, Charles S., Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole,
MA 02543
Houk, James C., Northwestern University Medical School, 303 East
Chicago Avenue, Ward 5-315. Chicago. IL 6061 1-3008
Hoy, Ronald R., Cornell University. Section of Neurobiology and
Behavior, 215 Mudd Hall. Ithaca, NY 14853
Huang, Alice S., California Institute of Technology. Mail Code 1-9.
Pasadena, CA 91125
Hufnagel-Zackroff. Linda A., University of Rhode Island, Department
of Microbiology, Kingston. RI 02881
Hummon, William D., Ohio University. Department of Biological
Sciences. Athens. OH 45701
Humphreys, Susie H., Food and Drug Administration, HFS-308, 200 C
Street. SW, Washington. DC 20204-0001
Humphreys, Tom, University of Hawaii. Kewalo Marine Laboratory.
41 Ahui Street. Honolulu, HI 96813
Hunt, Richard T., ICRF, Clare Hall Laboratories. South Minims
Potter's Bar, Herb EN6-3LD. ENGLAND
Hunter, Robert D., Oakland University, Department of Biological
Sciences. Rochester. MI 48309-4401
Huxley, Hugh E., Brandeis University, Rosenstiel Center, Biology
Department. Waltham. MA 02154
1 1. HI. Joseph, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine.
Department of Anatomy, Cleveland. OH 44106
Ingoglia, Nicholas A., New Jersey Medical School, Department of
Pharmacology/Physiology, 185 South Orange Avenue. Newark. NJ
07103
Inoue, Saduyki, McGill University. Department of Anatomy, 3640
University Street, Montreal.PQ H3A 2B2, CANADA
Inoue, Shinya, Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Members of the Corporation R73
Isselbacher, Kurt J., Massachusetts Genera] Hospital Cancer Center.
Charlestown. MA 02129
Issidorides, Marietta Radovic, University of Athens, Department of
Psychiatry, Monis Petraki 8. Athens, 140, GREECE
Izzard, Colin S., SUNY-Albany. Department of Biological Sciences,
1400 Washington Avenue. Albany, NY 12222
Jacobs, Neil, Hale and Dorr, 60 State Street, Boston, MA 02109
Jaffe, Laurinda A., University of Connecticut Health Center,
Department of Physiology. Farmington Avenue. Farmington, CT
06032
Jaffe, Lionel, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Jannasch. Holger W., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
Department of Biology. Woods Hole, MA 02543 (deceased)
Jeffery, William R., University of Maryland. Department of Biology.
College Park. MD 20742
Johnston, Daniel, Baylor College of Medicine. Division of
Neuroscience, Baylor Plaza. Houston. TX 77030
Josephson, Robert K., University of California, School of Biological
Science. Department of Psychobiology, Irvine. CA 92697
Kaczmarek, Leonard K., Yale University School of Medicine,
Department of Pharmacology, 333 Cedar Street. New Haven, CT
06520
Kaley, Gabor, New York Medical College. Department of Physiology.
Basic Sciences Building. Valhalla. NY 10595
Kaltenbach, Jane, Mount Holyoke College. Department Biological
Sciences, South Hadley, MA 01075
Kaminer, Benjamin, Boston University Medical School, Physiology
Department, 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 021 18
Kaneshiro, Edna S., University of Cincinnati, Biological Sciences
Department, JL 006. Cincinnati. OH 45221-0006
Kaplan, Ehud, 450 E 63rd Street. New York. NY 10021-7928
Karakashian, Stephen J., Apartment 16-F. 165 West 91st Street. New
York. NY 1 0024
Karlin, Arthur, Columbia University, Center for Molecular
Recognition, 630 West 168th Street, Room 1 1-401. New York, NY
10032
Keller, Hartmut Ernst, Carl Zeiss. Inc.. One Zeiss Drive. Thomwood.
NY 10594
Kelley, Darcy B., Columbia University. Department of Biological
Sciences. 911 Fairchild. Mailcode 2432. New York. NY 10027
Kelly, Robert E., 5 Little Harbor Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Kemp, Norman E., University of Michigan, Department of Biology,
Ann Arbor. Ml 48109
Kendall, John P., Faneuil Hall Associates, 176 Federal Street, 2nd
Floor. Boston. MA 02110
Kerr, Louis M.. Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA
02543
Keynan, Alexander, Israel Academy of Science and Humanity. P.O.
Box 4040, Jerusalem. ISRAEL
Khan, Shahid M.M., Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Department
of Physiology and Biophysics. 1300 Morris Park Avenue. Room
U273. Bronx, NY 10461
Khodakhah, Kamran, University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, 4200 East 9th Avenue.
C-240, Denver, CO 80262
Kiehart, Daniel P., Duke University Medical Center. Department of
Cell Biology. Box 3709, 308 Nanalme Duke Building. Durham. NC
27710
Kleinfeld, David, University of California. Department of Physics. 0319
9500 Oilman Drive. La Jolla. CA 92093
Klessen, Rainer, Address unknown.
Klotz, Irving M., Northwestern University. Department of Chemistry.
Evanston. II. WI20I
Knudson, Robert A., Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA
02543
Koide, Samuel S., The Rockefeller University. The Population Council.
1230 York Avenue. New York. NY 10021
Kornberg, Hans, Boston University. The University Professors, 745
Commonweath Avenue, Boston. MA 02215
Kosower, Edward M., Tel-Aviv University, Department of Chemistry.
Ramat-Aviv. Tel Aviv, 69978, ISRAEL
Krahl. Maurice E., 27X3 West Casas Circle, Tucson, AZ 85741
Krane. Stephen M., Massachusetts General Hospital. Arthritis Unit,
Fruit Street, Boston. MA 021 14
Krauss, Robert, P.O. Box 291. Demon. MD 21629
Kravitz, Edward A., Harvard Medical School. Department of
Neurobiology, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston. MA 02 1 1 5
Kriebel, Mahlon E., SUNY Health Science Center, Department of
Physiology. Syracuse. NY 13210
Kristan Jr., William B., University of California. Department of
Biology 0357, 9500 Oilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0357
Kropinski, Andrew M., Queen's University, Department of
Microbiology/Immunology, Kingston. Ontario K7L 3N6. CANADA
Kuffler. I). inn, 11 P., Institute of Neurobiology. 201 Boulevard del
Valle. San Juan 00901. PR
Kuhns. William J., Hospital for Sick Children, Biochemistry Research,
555 University Avenue. Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, CANADA
Kunkel, Joseph G., University of Massachusetts, Department of
Biology, Amherst, MA 01003
Kuzirian, Alan M., Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
02543-1015
Laderman, Aimlee D., Yale University. School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies. 370 Prospect Street, New Haven. CT 065 1 1
Landeau. Laurie J., Listowel. Inc.. 2 Park Avenue. Suite 1525. New
York. NY 10016
I .nulls. Dennis M.D., University Hospital of Cleveland, Department
Neurology. I 1 100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. OH 44106
Landis, Story C., National Institutes of Health, Building 36. Room
5A05, 36 Convent Drive. Bethesda. MD 20892-4150
Landowne, David, University of Miami Medical School, Department of
Physiology, P.O. Box 016430. Miami. FL 33101
Langford, George M., Dartmouth College. Department of Biological
Sciences. 6044 Oilman Laboratory. Hanover, NH 03755
Laskin, Jeffrey, University of Medical and Dentistry of New Jersey,
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane. Piscataway,
NJ 08854
Lasser-Ross. Nechama, New York Medical College. Department of
Physiology. Valhalla. NY 10595
Laster, Leonard. University of Massachusetts Medical School. 55 Lake
Avenue. North, Worcester. MA 01655
Laties, Alan, Scheie Eye Institute, Myrin Circle, 51 North 39th Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Laufer, Hans, University of Connecticut. Department of Molecular and
Cell Biology. U-125. 75 North Eagleville Road Storrs. CT 06269-
3125
Lazarow, Paul B., Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Department of
Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1190 Fifth Avenue. Box 1007, New
York, NY 10029-6574
Lazarus, Maurice, Federated Department Stores, Sears Crescent, City
Hall Pla/a. Boston. MA 02108
Leadhetter, Edward R., University of Connecticut, Department of
Molecular and Cell Biology, U-131. Beach Hall. Room 249. 354
Mansfield Road. Storrs. CT 06269-2 1 3 1
Lederberg, Joshua. The Rockefeller University. 1230 York Avenue.
New York, NY 10021
R74 Annual Report
Lee, John J.. City College of CUNY. Department of Biology, Convent
Avenue and 138th Street. New York, NY 10031
Lehy, Donald B., 35 Willow Field Drive, North Falmouth. MA 02556
Leibovitz, Louis, 3 Kettle Hole Road, Falmouth. MA 02540 (deceased)
Leighton, Joseph, Aeron Biotechnology. Inc., 1933 Davis Street #310.
San Leandro. CA 44577 (deceased)
Leighton. Stephen B.. National Institutes of Health, Building 13, 3WI3.
Bethesda, MD 20842
Lemos, Jose Ramon, University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
Worcester Foundation Campus. 222 Maple Avenue. Shrewsbury. MA
01545-2737
Lerner, Aaron B.. Yale University School of Medicine, Department of
Dermatology. P.O. Box 3333, New Haven, CT 06510
Levin, Jack, Veterans Administration. Medical Center. 1 1 1 H2. 4150
Clement Street, San Francisco. CA 94121
Levine, Michael, University of California. Department MCB. 401
Barker Hall. Berkeley. CA 94720
Levine, Richard B., University of Arizona. Division of Neurobiology.
Room 611. Gould Simpson Building. P.O. Box 210077. Tucson. AZ
85721-0077
Levinthal, Francoise, Columbia University, Department of Biological
Sciences, Broadway and 116th Street. New York, NY 10026
Levitan, Herbert, National Science Foundation. 4201 Wilson
Boulevard, Room 835, Arlington. VA 22230
Levitan. Irwin B., Brandeis University. Volen Center for Complex
Systems. 415 South Street, Waltham. MA 02254
Linck. Richard VV., University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Cell
Biology and Neuroanatomy Department, 4-135 Jackson Hall. 321
Church Street. Minneapolis. MN 55455
Lipicky. Raymond J., FDA/CDER/ODEI/HFD- 1 10. 5600 Fishers Lane.
Rockville. MD 20857
Lisman, John E., 199 Coolidge Avenue, #902, Watertown. MA 02172-
1572
Liuzzi. Anthony, 320 Beacon Street, Boston. MA 021 16
Llinas, Rodolf'o R., New York University Medical Center. Department
of Phsyiology/Biophysics. 550 First Avenue. Room 442. New York.
NY 10016
Lobel, Phillip S., Boston University Marine Program. Marine Biological
Laboratory, Woods Hole. MA 02543
Loew, Franklin M., Becker College. 61 Sever Street. Worcester. MA
01615-0071
Loewenstein, Birgit Rose, Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole.
MA 02543
Loewenstein, Werner R., Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole.
MA 02543
London, Irving M., Harvard-MIT. Division. E-25-551. Cambridge. MA
02 1 39
Longo, Frank J., University of Iowa. Department of Anatomy. Iowa
City. IA 52442
Lorand, Laszlo, Northwestern University Medical School. CMS
Biology. Searle 4-555. 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago. 1L 60611-
3008
Luckenbill, Louise M., Ohio University. Department of Biological
Sciences, Irvine Hall, Athens, OH 45701
Macagno, Fduardo R., Columbia University. 109 Low Memorial
Library, Mail Code 4306. New York, NY 10027
MacNichol Jr., Kdward F., Boston University School of Medicine.
Department of Physiology, 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA
021 IS
Maglott-Dul'lield, Donna R., American Type Culture Collection, 12301
Parklawn Drive. Roik \ille. MD 20852-1776
Maienschein, Jane Ann, Ari/ona State University, Department of
Philosophy. P.O. Box 872004. Tempe. AZ 85287-2004
Mainer. Robert E., The Boston Company. Inc.. One Boston Place,
OBP-15-D, Boston. MA 02108
Malhon, Craig C., SUNY, University Medical Center. Pharmacology-
HSC. Stony Brook, NY 11794-8651
Malchow, Robert P., University of Illinois, Department of
Ophthalmology, 1855 West Taylor Street N/C 648, Chicago. IL
60612
Man. ilis, Richard S., Indiana-Purdue University, Department of
Biological Science, 2101 Coliseum Boulevard East, Fort Wayne. IN
46805
Mangum, Charlotte P., College of William and Mary. Department of
Biology. Williamsburg. VA 23187-8795 (deceased)
Manz, Robert D., 304 Adams Street, Milton. MA 02186
Margulis, Lynn, University of Massachusetts. Department of
Geosciences. Morrill Science Center, Box 35820, Amherst. MA
01003-5820
Marinucci, Andrew C., 102 Nancy Drive, Mercerville, NJ 08619
Martinez, Joe L., The University of Texas, Division of Life Sciences,
6900 North Loop 1604 West, San Antonio. TX 78249-0662
Martinez-Palomo, Adolfo, CINVESTAV-IPN, Sec. de Patologia
Experimental. 07000 Mexico. D.F.A. P. 140740, MEXICO
Mastroianni, Luigi, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. 106 Dulles.
3400 Spruce Street, Philadeplna, PA 19104-4283
Mauzerall, David, Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New
York, NY 10021
McC'ann, Frances V., Dartmouth Medical School, Department of
Physiology. Lebanon. NH 03756
McLaughlin, Jane A., Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, MA
022543
McMahon, Robert F., University of Texas, Arlington. Department of
Biology. Box 19498. Arlington, TX 76019
Meedel, Thomas, Rhode Island College. Biology Department. 600
Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, RI 02908
Meinertzhagen, Ian A., Dalhousie University, Department of
Psychology, Halifax. NS B3H 4J 1 . CANADA
Meiss, Dennis E., Immunodiagnostic Laboratories. 488 McCormick
Street, San Leandro, CA 94577
Melillo, Jerry M., Marine Biological Laboratory. Ecosystems Center,
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Mellon Jr., DeForest, University of Virginia. Department of Biology.
Gilmer Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Mellon. Richard P.. P.O. Box 187. Laughlintown, PA 15655-0187
Mendelsohn, Michael E., New England Medical Center, Molecular
Cardiology Laboratory. NEMC Box 80, 750 Washington Street.
Boston. MA 021 I I
Merriman, Melanie Pratt, 751 1 Beach View Drive, North Bay Village.
FL 33141
Meselson, Matthew, Harvard University. Fairchild Biochemistry
Building, 7 Divinity Avenue. Cambridge. MA 02138
Metuzals, Janis, University of Ottawa. Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medical. 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa. Ontario K1H 8M5.
CANADA
Miledi. Ricardo, University of California. Irvine. Department of
Psychobiology. 2205 Biology Sci. II. Irvine. CA 92697-4550
Milkman. Roger D., University of Iowa. Department of Biological
Sciences, Biology Buiilding, Room 318, Iowa City, IA 52242-1324
Miller, Andrew L., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Department of Biology, Clearwater Bay. Kowloon, HONG KONG
Mills, Robert, 10315 44th Avenue. W 12 H Street. Brandenton. FL
34210
Misevic, Gradimir, University Hospital of Basel. Department of
Research. Mebelstr. 20. CH-403 1 Basel. SWITZERLAND
Mitchell. Ralph. Harvard University, Division of Applied Sciences, 29
Oxford Street. Cambridge. MA 02 1 38
Members of the Corporation R75
Miyakawa, Hiroyoshi, Tokyo College of Pharmacy. Laboratory of
Cellular Neurobiology. 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachiouji, Tokyo 192-03,
JAPAN
Miyamoto. David M., Drew University. Department of Biology.
Madison, NJ 07940
Mi/. II. Merle, Tulane University. Depanment of Cell and Molecular,
Biology. New Orleans. LA 70118
Moore, John W., Duke University Medical Center. Department of
Neurobiology, Box 3209. Durham, NC 27710
Moreira, Jorge E., NIH/NICHD. Department of Cell and Molecular
Biol., Bethesda, MD 20852
Morin, James G., address unknown
Morrell. Leyla de Toledo, Rush-Presbyterian-Street Lukes, Medical
Center, 1653 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612
Morse, M. Patricia, National Science Foundation, Room 885, Esie.
Arlington, VA 22230
Morse, Stephen S., DARPA/DSO, 3701 North Fairfax Drive. Arlington,
VA 22203-1714
Mote, Michael I., Temple University. Department of Biology,
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Muller, Kenneth J., University of Miami School of Medicine,
Department of Physiology and Biophysics. 1600 NW 10th Avenue.
R-430. Miami, FL 33136
Murray, Andrew W., University of California. Department of
Physiology. Box 0444, 513 Parnassus Avenue. San Francisco. CA
94143-0444
Nabrit, S. M., 686 Beckwith Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30314
Nadelhoffer, Knute J., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Naka, Ken-ichi, 2-9-2 Tatumi Higashi, Okazaki, 444, JAPAN
Nakajima, Yasuko, University of Illinois, College of Medicine.
Anatomy and Cell Biology Department. M/C 512. Chicago, IL 60612
Narahashi, Toshio, Northwestern University Medical School,
Department of Pharmacology. 303 East Chicago Avenue. Chicago. IL
60611
Nasi, Enrico, Boston University School of Medical. Department of
Physiology, R-406. 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118
Neill, Christopher, Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street,
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Nelson, Leonard, Medical College of Ohio. Department of Physiology.
CS 10008. Toledo. OH 43699
Nelson, Margaret C., Cornell University. Section of Neurobiology and
Behavior. Ithaca, NY 14850
Nicholls, John G., University of Basel, Department of Pharmacology
Biocenter. Klingelbergstrasse 70. Basel, CH-4056, SWITZERLAND
Nickerson, Peter A., SUNY, Buffalo, Department of Pathology,
Buffalo, NY 14214
Nicosia, Santo V., University of South Florida, College of Medicine.
Box 1 1. Department of Pathology, Tampa, FL 33612
Noe, Bryan D., Emory University School of Medicine. Department of
Anatomy and Cell Biology, Atlanta. GA 30322
Norton, Catherine N., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Nusbaum, Michael P., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
Department of Neuroscience, 215 Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia. PA
191(14-6074
O'Herron, Jonathan, Lazard Freres and Company. 30 Rockefeller
Plaza. 59th Floor. New York. NY 10020-1900
Obaid, Ana Lia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
Neuroscience Department, 234 Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia, PA
19104-6074
Ohki, Shinpei, SUNY at Buffalo, Department of Biophysical Sciences,
224 Cary Hall. Buffalo. NY 14214
Oldenbourg, Rudolf, Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Olds, James L., George Mason University. Krasnow Institute for
Advanced Studies, Mail Stop 2A1, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
Olins, Ada L., 45 Eastern Promenade, #7-D, Portland. ME 04101
Olins, Donald E., 45 Eastern Promenade. #7-D, Portland, ME 04101
Oschman, James L., Nature's Own Research Association, P.O. Box
5101. Dover, NH 03X20
Palazzo, Robert E., University of Kansas, Department of Physiology
and Cell Biology, Lawrence, KS 66045
Palmer, John D., University of Massachusetts, Department of Zoology,
221 Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003
Pant, Harish C., NINCDS/NIH. Laboratory of Neurochemistry,
Building 36, Room 4D20. Bethesda. MD 20892
Pappas, George D., University of Illinois. College of Medicine,
Department of Anatomy. Chicago. IL 60612
Pardee, Arthur B., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. D810, 44 Binney
Street, Boston, MA 02 1 1 5
Pardy, Rosevelt L., University of Nebraska, School of Life Sciences,
Lincoln, NE 68588
Parmentier, James L., 175 S. Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773-41 12
Pederson, Thoru, University of Massachusetts Medical Center,
Worcester Foundation Campus. 222 Maple Avenue. Shrewsbury, MA
01545
Perkins, Courtland I)., 400 Hilltop Terrace, Alexandria, VA 22301
Person, Philip, 137-87 75th Road, Flushing, NY 11367
Peterson, Bruce J., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street,
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Pethig. Ronald, University College of North Wales. School of
Electronic Engineering. Bangor. Gwynedd. LL 57 IUT, UNITED
KINGDOM
Pfohl, Ronald J.. Miami University, Department of Zoology, Oxford,
OH 45056
Pierce, Sidney K., University of Maryland. Department of Zoology,
College Park. MD 20742
Pleasure. David E., Children's Hospital. Neurology Research, 5th
Floor. Ambramson Building. Philadelphia, PA 19104
Poindexter, Jeanne S., Barnard College. Columbia University, 3009
Broadway. New York, NY 10027-6598
Pollard, Harvey B., NIH/NIDDKD, Building 8, Room 401, Bethesda.
MD 20892
Pollard, Thomas D., Salk Institute for Biological Studies. 10010 N.
Torrey Pines Road. La Jolla. CA 92037
Porter, Beverly H., 5542 Windysun Court, Columbia, MD 21045
Porter, Mary E., University of Minnesota, Department of Cell Biology
and Neuroanatomy. 4-135 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE,
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Potter, David D., Harvard Medical School. Department of
Neurobiology, 25 Shattuck Street. Boston, MA 02115
Potts, William T., LIniversity of Lancaster. Department of Biology,
Lancaster, ENGLAND
Powers, Maureen K.. Vanderbilt University. Department of
Psychology. 301 Arts and Science Psychology Building, Nashville.
TN 37240
Prendergast, Robert A., Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital. 600
North Wolfe Street, Baltimore. MD 21287-9142
Price, Carl A., Rutgers University, Waksman Institute of Microbiology,
P.O. Box 759. Piscataway, NJ 08855-0759
Prior, David J., Northern Arizona University. Arts and Sciences Dean's
Office, Box 5621, Flagstaff, AZ 8601 1
Prusch. Robert D., Gonzaga University, Department of Life Sciences,
Spokane, WA 99258
R76 Annual Report
Purves, Dale, Duke University Medical Center. Department of
Neurobiology. Box 3209. 101-1 Bryan Research Building, Durham.
NC 27710
Quigley, James P., SUNY Health Sciences Center, Department of
Pathology. BHS Tower 4. Room 140. Stony Brook. NY 1 1794-8691
Rahb, Irving VV., 1010 Memorial Drive. Cambridge. MA 02138
Rabin, Harvey. P.O. Box 4022. Wilmington. DE 19807
Rabinowitz, Michael B., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Rafferty, Nancy S., Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Rakowski. Robert F., UHS/The Chicago Medical School, Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, 3333 Greenbay Road. N. Chicago, IL
60064
Ramon, Fidel, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Division
EStreet Posgrado E Invest.. Facultad de Medicina, 04510, D.F.,
MEXICO
Ranzi, Silvio, Sez. Zoologia Scienze Naturali, Dip. di Biologia. Via
Celoria, 26, 20133 Milano. ITALY (deceased)
Rastetter, Edward B., Marine Biological Laboratory, The Ecosystems
Center. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Ri'bhun. Lionel I., University of Virginia. Department of Biology,
Gilmer Hall 45, Charlottesville. VA 22901
Reddan. John R., Oakland University. Department of Biological
Sciences. Rochester. MI 48309-4401
Reese, Thomas S., NIH. N1NDS. Building 36. Room 2A29. Bethesda,
MD 20892
Reinisch, Carol L., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Rickles, Frederick R., 2633 Danforth Lane, Decatur, GA 30033
Rieder, {.'only L., Wadsworth Center, Division of Molecular Medicine.
P.O. Box 509. Albany. NY 12201-0509
Riley, Monica, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods
Hole. MA 02543
Ripps, Harris, University of Illinois at Chicago. Department of
Ophthalmology/Visual Sciences. 1855 West Taylor Street, Chicago,
IL 60612
Ritchie, J. Murdoch, Yale LIniversity School of Medicine. Department
of Pharmacology, 333 Cedar Street. New Haven. CT 06510
Rome, Lawrence C., University of Pennsylvania. Department of
Biology. Philadelphia. PA 19104
Rosenhluth, Jack, New York University School of Medical,
Department of Physiology and Biophysics. RR 714. 400 East 34th
Street, New York, NY 10016
Rosenhluth, Raja, Simon Fraser University. Institute of Molecular
Biology and Biochemistry. Burnaby, BC. BC V5A IS6. CANADA
Rosenh'eld, Allan, Columbia University School of Public Health. 600
West IfiSih Street. New York. NY 10032-3702
Ro.senkranz. Herbert S., 130 Desoto Street. Pittsburgh. PA 15213-2535
Roslansky, John D., 57 Buzzards Bay Avenue. Woods Hole. MA
02543
Roslansky, Priscilla F., Associates of Cape Cod. Inc., P.O. Box 224,
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Ross, William N., New York Medical College. Department of
Physiology. Valhalla. NY 10595
Roth, Jay S., P.O. Box 692. Woods Hole. MA 02543-0692
Rottenfusser, Rudi, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Rowland. Lewis P., Neurological Institute. 710 West 168th Street, New
York. NY 10032
Riiderman, Joan V., Harvard Medical School. Department of Cell
Biology. 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 021 15
Rummel. John I)., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street,
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Rushforth, Norman B.. Case Western Reserve University, Department
of Biology. Cleveland, OH 44106
Russell-Hunter, W. D., 71 1 Howard Street, Easton. MD 21601-3934
Saffo, Mary Beth, Arizona State University West. Life Science
Department, MC 2352. P.O. Box 37100. Phoenix. AZ 85069-7100
Salama, Guy, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Physiology.
Pittsburgh. PA 15261
Salmon, Edward D., University of North Carolina. Department of
Biology. CB 3280. Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Salvers, Abigail, University of Illinois. Department of Microbiology.
407 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana. IL 61801
Salzberg, Brian M., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
Department of Neuroscience. 215 Stemmler Hall. Philadelphia. PA
19104-6074
Sanger, Jean M., University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Department of Anatomy. 36th and Hamilton Walk. Philadelphia, PA
19104
Sanger. Joseph W., University of Pennsylvania Medical Center,
Department of Cell and Developemental Biology, 36th and Hamilton
Walk. Philadelphia. PA 19104-6058
Saunders Jr., John W., Marquette University, P.O. Box 3381.
Wauuoit. MA 02536
Schachman, Howard K., University of California. Molecular and Cell
Biology Department. 229 Stanley Hall. #3206. Berkeley. CA 94720-
3206
Schatten, Gerald P., Oregon Health Sciences University. Oregon
Regional Primate Research Center. 505 N.W. 185th Avenue.
Beaverton, OR 97006
Schatten, Heide, University of Wisconsin. Department of Zoology,
Madison, WI 53706
Schmeer, Arlene C., Mercenene Cancer Research Institute, 790
Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 065 1 1
Schuel. Herbert. SUNY at Buffalo, Department of Anatomy/Cell
Biology, Buffalo, NY 14214
Schwartz, James H., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Research
Annex, 722 West 168th Street, 7th floor, New York, NY 10032
Schwartz, Lawrence, University of Massachusetts. Department of
Biology, Morrill Science Center, Amherst, MA 01003
Schweitzer. A. Nicola, Brigham and Women's Hospital. Immunology
Division, Department of Pathology, 221 Longwood Avenue, LMRC
521. Boston. MA 02115
Segal, Sheldon J.. The Population Council, One Dag Hammarskjold
Pla/a. New York, NY 10036
Senl't, Stephen Lamont, Neuroengineering/Neuroscience Center, P.O.
Box 208205. New Haven. CT 06520-8205
Shanklin. Douglas R., University of Tennessee. Department of
Pathology, Room 576, 800 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 381 17
Shashoua, Victor E., Harvard Medical School, Ralph Lowell Labs.
McLean Hospital. I 15 Mill Street. Belmont. MA 02178
Shaver, Gaius R.. Marine Biological Laboratory. The Ecosystems
Center, Woods Hole. MA 02543
Shaver, John R., Michigan State University. Department of Zoology,
East Lansing, MI 48824
Sheetz, Michael P.. Duke University Medical Center. Department of
Cell Biology, Bx 3709, 388 Nanalmc Duke Building. Durham. NC
27710
Slii'pro, David, Boston University. CAS Biology. 5 Cummington Street,
Boston, MA 02215
Shimomura. Osamii, Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Shipley, Alan M., P.O. Box 2036. Sandwich. MA 02563
Members of the Corporation R77
Silver, Robert B., Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street, Woods
Hole, MA 0254.1
Siwicki, Kathleen K., Swarthmore College, Biology Department. 500
College Avenue. Swarthmore. PA 19081-1397
Skinner, Dorothy M., Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biology
Division. P.O. Box 2009. Oak Ridge. TN 37831
Sloboda, Roger D., Dartmouth College. Department of Biological
Science. 6044 Oilman. Hanover. NH 03755-1893
Sluder, Greenfield, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Room
324. 377 Plantation Street. Worcester. MA 01605
Smith, Peter J.S., Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street. Woods
Hole. MA 02543
Smith, Stephen J., Stanford University School of Medicine, Department
of Molecular and Cellular Physiology. Beckman Center. Stanford, CA
94305
Smolowitz, Roxanna S., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Sogin, Mitchell L., Marine Biological Laboratory. 7 MBL Street.
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Sorenson, Martha M., Cidade Universitana-UFRJ. Department
Bioquimica Medica-ICB. 21941-590 Rio de Janerio. BRAZIL
Speck. William T., Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. 161 Fort
Washington Avenue. 14th Floor. Room 1470, New York. NY 10032-
3784
Spector, Abraham, Columbia University. Department of
Ophthalmology. 630 West 168th Street. New York. NY 10032
Speksnijder. Johanna E., University of Groningen, Department of
Genetics, Kerklaan 30. 9751 NN Haren, THE NETHERLANDS
Spray, David C., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of
Neuroscience, 1300 Morris Park Avenue. Bronx, NY 10461
Spring, Kenneth R., National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive.
MSC 1598. Building 10. Room 6N260. Bethesda. MD 20892-1603
Steele, John H., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole,
MA 02543
Steinacker, Antoinette, University of Puerto Rico, Instituet of
Neurobiology, 201 Boulevard Del Valle. San Ian, PR 00901
Steinberg. Malcolm, Princeton University, Department of Molecular
Biology. M-18 Moffett Laboratory. Princeton, NI 08544-1014
Stemmer, Andreas C., Institut fur Robotik, ETH-Sentrum. 8092 Zurich.
SWITZERLAND
Stenflo, Johan, University of Lund. Department of Clinical Chemistry.
Malmo General Hospital, S-205 02 Malmo. SWEDEN
Stetten, Jane Lazarow, 4701 Willard Avenue. #1413. Chevy Chase.
MD 20815-4627
Steadier, Paul A., Marine Biological Laboratory. The Ecosystems
Center. Woods Hole, MA 02543
Stokes, Darrell R., Emory University, Department of Biology. 1510
Clifton Road NE, Atlanta. GA 30322-1100
Stommel, Elijah W., Darmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Neurology
Department. Lebanon. NH 03756
Stracher, Alfred, SUNY Health Science Center. Department of
Biochemistry, 450 Clarkson Avenue. Brooklyn. NY 1 1 203
Strumwasser, Felix, P.O. Box 2278. East Falmouth. MA 02536-2278
Stuart, Ann E., University of North Carolina. Department of
Physiology, Medical Research Building 206H, Chapel Hill. NC
27599-7545
Sugimori. Mutsuyuki, New York University Medical Center.
Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Room 442, 550 First
Avenue, New York. NY 10016
Summers, William C., Western Washington University, Huxley College
of Environmental Studies, Bellingham. WA 98225-9181
Suprenant, Kathy A., University of Kansas. Department of Physiology
and Cell Biology. 4010 Haworth Hall. Lawrence. KS 66045
Swenson. Katherine I., Duke University Medical Center. Department of
Molecular Cancer Biology, Box 3686, Durham. NC 27710
Sydlik, Mary Anne, Hope College, Peale Science Center. 35 East 1 2th
St./P.O. Box 9000, Holland. MI 49422
Szent-Gyorgyi, Andrew G., 9 Westgate Road. Wellesley. MA 02181
Tabares, Lucia, University of Seville School of Medicine. Department
of Physiology. Avda. Sanchez Pizjuan 4, Seville 41009, Spain
Tamm, Sidney L., Boston University. 725 Commonwealth Avenue.
Boston. MA 02215
Tanzer, Marvin L., University of Conn School of Dental Medicine.
Department of Biostructure and Function. Farmmgton, CT 06030-
3705
Tasaki, Ichiji, NIMH/NIH, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Building 36.
Room 2B-16. Bethesda. MD 20892
Taylor, D. Lansing, Carnegie Mellon University, Center for
Flurorescence Research. 4400 Fifth Avenue. Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Taylor, Edwin W., University of Chicago, Department of Molecular
Genetics, 920 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
Teal, John M., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Department of
Biology. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Telfer, William H., University of Pennsylvania. Department of Biology.
Philadelphia. PA 19104
Telzer, Bruce. Pomona College, Department of Biology, Thille
Building, 175 West 6th Street, Claremont, CA 91711
Townsel, James G., Meharry Medical College. Department of
Physiology. 1005 DB Todd Boulevard. Nashville, TN 37208
Travis, David M., 19 High Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1221
Treistman, Steven N., University of Massachusetts Medical Center,
Department of Pharmacology. 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester. MA
01655
Trigg, D. Thomas, One Federal Street. 9th Floor. Boston. MA 0221 1
Troll, Walter, NYU Medical Center. 550 First Avenue. New York, NY
10016
Troxler, Robert F., Boston University School of Medicine. Department
of Biochemistry, 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 021 18
Tucker, Edward B., Baruch College. CUNY, Department of Natural
Sciences, 17 Lexington Avenue. New York, NY 10010
Turner, Ruth D., Harvard University, Museum of Comparative
Zoology, Mollusk Department, Cambridge, MA 02138
Tweedell, Kenyon S., University of Notre Dame, Department of
Biological Sciences. Notre Dame, IN 46556-0369
Tykocinski, Mark L., Case Western Reserve University, Institute of
Pathology, 2085 Adelbert Road, Cleveland. OH 44106
Tytell, Michael, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of
Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Winston-
Salem, NC 27157
Ueno, Hiroshi, Kyoto University. AGR Chemistry. Faculty of
Agriculture, Sakyo. Kyoto 606-8502. JAPAN
Valiela, Ivan, Boston University Marine Program. Marine Biological
Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA 02543
Vallee. Richard, University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
Worcester Foundation Campus, 222 Maple Avenue. Shrewsbury, MA
01545
Valois, John J., 420 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Van Holde, Kensal E., Oregon State University, Biochemistry and
Biophysics Department. Corvallis. OR 97331-7503
Van Dover, Cindy Lee, University of Alaska, P.O. Box 757220.
Fairbanks. AK 99775
Vogl. Thomas P., Environmental Research Institute of Michigan. 1101
Wilson Boulevard. Arlington, VA 22209
R78 Annual Report
Wainvvright, Norman R., Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street,
Woods Hole. MA 02543
Waksman, Byron H., New York University Medical Center.
Department of Pathology. 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Wall, Betty, 9 George Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Wang, Hsien-Yu, State University of New York, University Medical
Center, Physiology and Biophysics-HSC, Stony Brook. NY 1 17^4-
8633
Wangh, Lawrence J., Brandeis University, Department of Biology. 415
South Street, Waltham, MA 02254
Warner, Robert C., University of California, Irvine. Molecular Biology
and Biochemistry, Irvine. CA 92717
Warren, Leonard, Wistar Institute, 36th and Spruce Streets.
Philadelphia, PA 191(14
Waterbury, John B., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Department of Biology, Woods Hole. MA 02543
Waxman. Stephen G., Yale Medical School. Neurology Department,
333 Cedar Street, P.O. Box 208018, New Haven, CT 06510
Webb, H. Marguerite, 184 Chestnut Street, Foxboro, MA 02035-1548
Weber, Annemarie, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
Department of Biochemstry and Biophysics. Philadelphia, PA 19066
Weeks, Janis C., University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience,
Eugene, OR 97403- 1 254
Weidner, Earl, Louisiana State University, Department of Biological
Sciences. 508 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-1715
Weiss, Alice Sara, 105 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD
20901
Weiss, Dieter, University of Rostock. Institute of Zoology. D- 18051
Rostock. GERMANY
Weiss, Leon P., University of Pennsylvania School of Vet Medicine,
Department of Animal Biology. Philadelphia, PA 19104
Weiss, Marisa C., Paoli Memorial Hospital, Department of Radiation
Oncology, 255 W. Lancaster Avenue. Paoli, PA 19301
Weissmann, Gerald, New York University Medical Center, Department
of Medicine/Division Rheumatology. 550 First Avenue. New York,
NY 10016
Westerh'eld, Monte, University of Oregon, Institute of Neuroscience,
Eugene, OR 97403
Whittaker, J. Richard, University of New Brunswick, Department of
Biology, BS 4511, Frederiction, NB E3B 6E1, CANADA
Wilkens, Lon A., University of Missouri, Department of Biology. 8001
Natural Bridge Road, Street Louis, MO 63121-4499
MBL Associates
Wilson, Darcy B., San Diego Regional Cancer Center. 3099 Science
Park Road, San Diego, CA 92 1 2 1
Wilson, T. Hastings, Harvard Medical School. Department of
Physiology, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02 1 1 5
Witkovsky, Paul, NYU Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology,
550 First Avenue. New York, NY 10016
Wittenberg, Beatrice, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Bronx, NY 10461
Wittenberg, Jonathan B., Albert Einstein College of Medicine,
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Bronx, NY 10461
Wolken, Jerome J., Carnegie Mellon University, Department of
Biological Sciences, 440 Fifth Avenue. Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(deceased)
Wonderlin, William F., West Virginia University, Pharmacology and
Toxicology Department. Morgantown, WV 26506
Worden, Mary Kate, University of Virginia, Department of
Neuroscience, McKim Hall Box 230, Charlottesville. VA 22908
Worgul, Basil V., Columbia University, Department of Ophthalmology.
630 West 16X Street. New York, NY 10032
Wu, Chau Hsiung, Northwestern University Medical School.
Department of Pharmacology (S215), 303 East Chicago Avenue,
Chicago, II. 6061 1-3008
Wyttenbach, Charles R., University of Kansas, Biological Sciences
Department, 2045 Haworth Hall. Lawrence. KS 66045-2106
Yen, Jay Z., Northwestern University Medical School, Department of
Pharmacology, Chicago. IL 6061 1
Zacks, Sumner I., 65 Saconesset Road, Falmouth. MA 02540-1851
Zigman, Seymour, University of Rochester Medical School,
Ophthalmology Research, Box 314, 601 Elmwood Avenue. Rochester.
NY 14640
Zigmond, Michael J., Lmiversity of Pittsburgh. S-526 Biomedical
Science Tower, 3500 Terrace Street. Pittsburgh. PA 15213
Zimmerberg, Joshua J., National Institutes of Health, LCMB, NICHD,
Building 10. Room 10D14, 10 Center Drive. Bethesda, MD 20892
Zottoli, Steven J., Williams College, Department of Biology,
Williamstown, MA 01267
Zucker, Robert S., University of California. Neurobiology Division,
Molecular and Cellular Biology Department. Berkeley. CA 94720
Zukin, R. Suzanne, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department
of Neuroscience, 1410 Pelham Parkway South, Bronx. NY 10461
Executive Board
Ruth Ann Laster, President
Jack Pearce, Vice President
Hanna Hastings, Treasurer
Molly Cornell. Secretary
Elizabeth Farnham, Membership Chair
Tammy Smith Amon
Duncan Aspmwall
Barbara Atwood
Kitty Brown
Julie Child
Seymour Cohen
Michael Fenlon
Alice Knowles
Rebecca Lash
Barbara Little
Cornelia McMurtne
Jack Moakley
Joan Pearlman
Virginia R. Reynolds
Volker Ulbnch
John Valois
Kensal E. Van Holde
Patrons
Mr. and Mrs. David Bakalar
Josephine B. Crane Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. James J. Ferguson, Jr.
Sustaining Associate
Mr. Robert A. Jaye
George Frederick Jewett Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. MacNichol. Jr.
Plymouth Savings Bank
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Putnam, III
Supporting Associate
Mrs. George H.A. Clowes
Dr. and Mrs. James D. Ebert
Mr. and Mrs. David Fausch
Dr. and Mrs. Prosser Gifford
Mr. and Mrs. Lon Hocker
Mrs. Mary D. Janney
Drs. Luigi and Elaine Mastroianni
Dr. and Mrs. William M. McDennott
Drs. Matthew & Jeanne Meselson
Dr. and Mrs. Courtland D. Perkins
Ms. Linda Sallop and Mr. Michael Fenlon
Mrs. Anne W. Sawyer
Dr. Maxine F. Singer
Members of the Corporation R79
Dr. John Tochko and Mrs. Christina
Myles-Tochko
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Valois
Drs. Walter S. Vincent and Dore J. Butler
Fumilv Membership
Dr. Frederick W. Ackroyd
Dr. and Mrs. Edward A. Adelberg
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas F. Allison
Drs. Peggy and Fred Alsup
Drs. James and Helene Anderson
Dr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Armstrong
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan P. Aspinwall
Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Aukamp
Mr. and Mrs. John M. Baitsell
Mr. and Mrs. William L. Banks
Dr. and Mrs. Robert B. Barlow. Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Barnes
Dr. and Mrs. Robert M. Berne
Drs. Harriet and Alan Bernheimer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Bigelow
Dr. and Mrs. Edward G. Boettiger
Mr. and Mrs. Kendall B. Bohr
Dr. and Mrs. Alfred F. Borg
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Borgese
Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Bowen
Dr. and Mrs. Francis P. Bowles
Dr. and Mrs. John B. Buck
Dr. and Mrs. John E. Burns
Mr. and Mrs. William O. Burwell
Mr. and Mrs. G. Nathan Calkins. Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. D. Bret Carlson
Prof, and Mrs. James F. Case
Dr. and Mrs. Alfred B. Chaet
Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Chappell
Dr. and Mrs. Frank M. Child, III
Dr. and Mrs. Arnold M. Clark
Mrs. LeRoy Clark
Mr. and Mrs. James Cleary
Dr. and Mrs. Laurence P. Cloud
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence H. Coburn
Dr. and Mrs. Neal W. Cornell
Mr. and Mrs. Norman C. Cross
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce G. Daniels
Mr. and Mrs. Joel P. Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Dierker
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Brooks DuBois
Mr. and Mrs. John Eustis. II
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Frank
Mr. and Mrs. Howard G. Freeman
Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. Frosch
Dr. and Mrs. John J. Funkhouser
Dr. and Mrs. Mordecai L. Gabriel
Dr. and Mrs. David Garber
Dr. and Mrs. Sydney Gellis
Dr. and Mrs. James L. German, III
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Gillette
Dr. and Mrs. Murray Glusman
Drs. Alfred and Joan Goldberg
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goodwin
Dr. and Mrs. Philip Grant
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Gregg
Prof, and Mrs. Lawrence Grossman
Dr. and Mrs. Antoine P.O. Hadamard
Mr. and Mrs. Peter A. Hall
Dr. and Mrs. Harlyn O. Halvorson
Capt. and Mrs. Frederick J. Hancox
Drs. Alexander and Carol Hannenberg
Mrs. Janet Harvey and Dr. Richard Harvey
Dr. and Mrs. J. Woodland Hastings
Mr. and Mrs. Gary G. Hayward
Dr. and Mrs. Howard H. Hiatt
Mr. and Mrs. David Hibbitt
Dr. and Mrs. John E. Hobbie
Drs. Francis C. G. Hoskin and Elizabeth M.
Farnham
Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Huettncr
Dr. and Mrs. Shinya Inoue
Dr. and Mrs. Kurt J. Isselbacher
Dr. and Mrs. Gary Jacobson
Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Kaminer
Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Knaplund
Mr. and Mrs. A. Sidney Knowles, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. S. Andrew Kulin
Dr. and Mrs. George M. Langford
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard Laster
Dr. and Mrs. Hans Laufer
Mr. William Lawrence and Mrs. Barbara
Buchanan
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Levy
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Livingstone, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Lloyd
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Manuel
Dr. and Mrs. Julian B. Marsh
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Martyna
Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Mather, III
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Matthews
Dr. and Mrs. Robert T. McCluskey
Mr. Paul McGonigle
Dr. and Mrs. Jerry M. Melillo
Dr. Martin Mendelson
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Meyers
Dr. and Mrs. Daniel G. Miller
Dr. and Mrs. Merle Mizell
Dr. and Mrs. Charles H. Montgomery
Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Murphy
Dr. and Mrs. John E. Naugle
Dr. Pamela Nelson and Mr. Christopher
Olmsted
Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Nickerson
Dr. and Mrs. Clifford T. O'Connell
Mr. and Mrs. David R. Palmer
Dr. and Mrs. George D. Pappas
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Parkinson
Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Paulson, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Pechilis
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Peri
Dr. and Mrs. Philip Person
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick S. Peters
Mrs. and Mr. Grace M. Peters
Mr. and Mrs. George H. Plough
Dr. and Mrs. Aubrey Pothier, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Carl A. Price
Mr. Allan Ray Putnam
Dr. and Mrs. Lionel I. Rebhun
Dr. and Mrs. George T. Reynolds
Mr. and Mrs. John Ripple
Dr. and Mrs. Harris Ripps
Ms. Jean Roberts
Drs. Priscilla and John Roslansky
Dr. and Mrs. John D. Rummel
Dr. and Mrs. John W. Saunders, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. R. Walter Schlesinger
Mr. and Mrs. Harold H. Sears
Mr. John Seder and Ms. Frances Plough
Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon J. Segal
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas R. Shanklin
Dr. and Mrs. David Shepro
Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Silver
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan O. Simonds
Drs. Frederick and Marguerite Smith
Dr. and Mrs. Hein/. Specht (Dr. Specht
deceased)
Drs. William and Phoebe Speck
Dr. and Mrs. William K. Stephenson
Mr. and Mrs. E. Kent Swift. Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Gerard L. Swope, III
Mr. and Mrs. Emil D. Tietje, Jr.
Mr. Norman N. Tolkan
Dr. and Mrs. Walter Troll
Mr. and Mrs. Volker Ulbrich
Drs. Claude and Dorothy Villee
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Vincent
Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Ward
Mr. J. Ware and Ms. Sharon McCarthy
Dr. and Mrs. Henry B. Warren
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Weissmann
Dr. and Mrs. Paul S. Wheeler
Dr. Martin Keister White
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey G. Whitney, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard M. Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. Leslie J. Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. Dick S Yeo
Dr. and Mrs. Sumner I. Zacks
Individual Membership
Mr. David C. Ahearn
Mr. Henry Albers
Mrs. Constance M. Allard
Dr. Nina S. Allen
Mrs. Tammy Amon
Mr. Dean N. Arden
Mrs. Ellen Prosser Armstrong
Mrs. Kimball C. Atwood, III
Dr. Serena Baccetti
Mr. Everett E. Bagley
Mr. C. John Berg
Ms. Avis Blomberg
Mrs. Elinor W. Bodian
Mr. Thomas C. Bolton
Mrs. Jennie P. Brown
Mrs. M. Kathryn S. Brown
Ms. Hennete Bull
Dr. Alan H. Burghauser
Mrs. Barbara Gates Burwell
Mr. Bruce E. Buxton
Mr. Patrick J. Calie
Dr. Graciela C. Candelas
Mrs. Winslow G. Carlton (deceased)
Mr. Frank C. Carotenuto
R80 Annual Report
Dr. Robert H, Currier
Mrs. Patricia A. Case
Dr. Sallie Chisholm
Mrs. Octavia C. Clement
Mr. Allen W. Clowes
Dr. Jewel Plummer Cohh
Mrs. Margaret H. Cohurn
Dr. Seymour S. Cohen
Ms. Anne S. Concannon
Mr. Robert J. Cook
Prof. D. Eugene Copeland
Dr. Helen M. Costello
Dr. Vincent Cowling
Mrs. J. Sterling Crandall
Ms. Dorothy Crossley
Ms. Helen M. Crossley
Mrs. Villa B. Crowell
Mr. Norman Dana
Dr. Morton Davidson
Ms. Carol Reimann De Young
Dr. Mane A. DiBerardino
Mrs. Shirley Dierolt
Mr. David L. Donovan
Mr. Stephen Doyle
Ms. Suzanne Drohan
Mr. Roy A. Duffus
Mrs. Charles Eastman
Dr. Frank Egloff
Mr. Raymond Eliott
Mr. William M. Ferry
Mr. Robert Fitzpatrick
Ms. Sylvia M. Flanagan
Mr. Robert P. Flynn. Jr.
Mr. John W. Folino, Jr.
Mr. John H. Ford
Dr. Krystyna Frenkel
Mr. Paul J. Freyheit
Mrs. Paul M. Fye
Mr. Joseph C. Gallagher
Miss Eleanor Garrield
Dr. Patricia E. Garrett
Mr. Charles Gilford
Mrs. James R. Glazebrook
Mrs. Mary L. Goldman
Mr. Michael P. Goldring
Mrs. Phyllis Goldstein
Ms. Muriel Gould
Mrs. Deborah Ann Green
Dr. B. Herold Griffith
Mrs. Edith T. Grosch (deceased)
Mrs. Barbara Grossman
Mrs. Valerie A. Hall
Dr. Peter J. Hamre
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Hamstrom
Ms. Elizabeth E. Hathaway
Dr Robert R. Haubrich
Mrs Jane M. Heald
Mr. Michael W. Herlihy
Mrs. Nalhan Hirschfeld
Mrs. Eleanor D. Hodge
Mr. Roger W Huhbell
Ms. Susan A. Huettner
Miss Eli/ubelh B. Jackson
Dr. Joseph Jacohson
Mr. Raymond L. Jewett
Mrs. Barbara W. Jones
Mrs. Margaret H. Jones
Mrs. Barbara Kanellopoulos
Mrs. Joan T. Kanwisher
Mrs. Sally Karush
Mrs. Marcella Katz
Ms. Patricia E. Keoughan
Dr. Peter N. Kivy
Lady Haber Kornberg
Dr. Bruno P. Kremer
Ms. Norma Kumin
Mr. Bernard H. Labitt
Mrs. Janet W. Larcom
Ms. Rebecca Lash
Dr. Marian E. LeFevre
Dr. Mortimer Levitz
Mr. Edwin M. Libbm
Mr. Lennart Lindberg
Mrs. Barbara C. Little
Mrs. Sarah J. Loessel
Mrs. Ermine W. Lovell
Mr. Richard C. Lovering
Mrs. Margaret M. Macleish
Ms. Anne Camille Maher
Mrs. Annemarie E. Mahler
Mr. Patrick J. Mahoney
Dr. Phillip B. Maples
Mr. Daniel R. Manin
Dr. G. C. Matthiessen
Dr. Miriam Jacob Mauzerall
Mrs. Mary Hartwell Mavor
Mrs. Jane C. McCormack
Ms. Suzanne McDermott
Mrs. Nella W. McElroy (deceased)
Dr. Susan Gerbi Mcllwain
Ms. Mary W. McKoan
Ms. Geraldine G. McLean
Ms. Cornelia Hanna McMurtrie
Mrs. Ellen L. Meigs
Mr. Ted Mehllo
Mrs. Grace S. Metz
Mrs. Mary G. Miles
Mrs. Florence E. Mixer
Mr. John T. Moaklcy
Mrs. Mary E. Montgomery
Ms. Cynthia Moor
Mr. Stephen A. Moore
Mr. Alan F. Morrison
Dr. M. Patricia Morse
Mrs. Eleanor M. Nace
Mr. William G. Neall
Mrs. Anne Nelson
Mrs. Catherine N. Norton
Mr. Thomas J. Novitsky
Mr. John J. O'Connor
Dr. Renee Bennett O'Sullivan
Miss Carolyn L. Parmenter
Mrs. Dolores Patch-Wing
Dr. John B. Pearce
Ms. Joan Pearlman
Dr. Judith Pederson
Ms. Joyce S. Pendery
Dr. Murray E. Pendleton
Mr. Raymond W. Peterson
Ms. Victoria A. Powell
Mrs. Julia S. Rankin
Mr. Fred J. Ravens, Jr.
Mrs. Adell R. Rawson
Dr. Robert M. Reece
Ms. Anecia Kathy Regis
Dr. Renato A. Ricca
Dr. Mary Esther Rice
Mr. John Riina
Dr. Monica Riley
Mrs. Alison A. Robb
Mrs. Lola E. Robertson
Mrs. Ruth J. Robinson
Mrs. Arlene Rogers
Mrs. Wendy E. Rose
Ms. Hilde Rosenthal
Mrs. Atholie K. Rosett
Dr. Virginia F. Ross
Mr. Raymond A. Sanborn
Mrs. Joyce Waksman Schambacher
Ms. Elaine Schott
Mrs. Elsie M. Scott
Sea Education Association, Inc.
Dr. Cecily C. Selby
Mrs. Deborah G. Senft
Mrs. Charlotte Shemin
Mrs. Phyllis J. Silver
Mrs. Cynthia C. Smith
Mrs. Perle Sonnenblick
Dr. Evelyn Spiegel
Dr. Guy L. Steele, Sr.
Dr. Robert E. Steele
Mrs. Eleanor Steinbach
Mrs. Judith G. Stetson
Mrs. Jane Lazarow Stetten
Dr. Dorothy A. Stracher
Mr. Robert Stump
Dr. Maurice Sussman
Mr. Albert H. Swain
Mr. James K. Taylor
Mrs. Alice Todd
Mr. Arthur D. Trauh
Ms. Natalie Trousof
Ms. Ciona Ulbrich
Mrs. Barbara Van Holde
Dr. Kensal E. Van Holde
Ms. Sylvia Vatuk
Ms. Susan Veeder
Mr. Lee D. Vincent
Mr. Arthur D. Voorhis
Mrs. Eve Warren
Mr. John T. Weeks
Ms. Lillian Wendorff
Dr. William M. Wheeler
Ms. Mabel E. Whelpley
Mrs. Barbara Whitehead
Mrs. A. A. Wickersham
Mrs. Clare M. Wilber
Mrs. Ann S. Wilke
Mr. Albert Wilson
Dr. T. Hastings Wilson
Ms. Nancy Woitkoski
Mrs. Eli/abeth S. Yntema
Members (if the Corporation R81
Mrs. Donald J. Zinn
Pat Hancox
Arlene Rogers
Hanna Hastings
Lil Saunders
MBL Gift Shop Volunteers
Sally Karush
Alice Knowles
Louise Specht
Cynthia Smith
Marion Adelberg
Donna Kornberg
Peggy Smilh
Barbara Atwood
Evelyn Laufer
Jane Stetten
Caroline Banks
Barbara Little
Elaine Troll
Harriet Bernheiiner
Sally Loessel
Natalie Trousof
Avis Blomberg
Winnie Mackey
Barbara Van Holde
Gloria Borgese
Miriam Mauzerall
Susan Veeder
Kitty Brown
Mary Mavor
Carol Ann Wagner
Elisabeth Buck
Jane McCormack
Mabel Whelpley
Vera Clark
Louise McManus
Clare Wilbcr
Peggy Clowes
Phyllis Meyers
Jewel Cobb
Polly Miles
Janet Daniels
Florence Mixer
MBL Summer Tour Guides
Carol DeYoung
Lorraine Mizell
Fran Eastman
Elizabeth Moseley
Sears Crowell
Alma Ebert
Stacia Palmer
Barbara Little
Jane Foster
Bertha Person
Steve Oliver
Becky Glazebrook
Margareta Pothier
Julie Rankin
Muriel Gould
Julie Rankm
Pnscilla Roslansky
Barbara Grossman
Millie Rebhun
Mary Ulbrich
Jean Halvorson
Jean Ripps
John Valois
Certificate of Organization
Articles of Amendment
Bylaws
Certificate of Organization
Articles of Amendment
(On File in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth)
No. 3170
We, Alpheus Hyatt, President. William Stanford Stevens. Treasurer, and William T.
Sedgwick, Edward G. Gardiner, Susan Mims and Charles Sedgwick Minot being a
majority of the Trustees of the Marine Biological Laboratory in compliance with the
requirements of the fourth section of chapter one hundred and fifteen of the Public
Statutes do hereby certify that the following is a true copy of the agreement of
association to constitute said Corporation, with the names of the subscribers thereto:
We, whose names are hereto subscribed, do, by this agreement, associate ourselves
with the intention to constitute a Corporation according to the provisions of the one
hundred and fifteenth chapter of the Public Statutes of the Commonwealth of Mas-
sachusetts, and the Acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto.
The name by which the Corporation shall be known is
THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY.
The purpose for which the Corporation is constituted is to establish and maintain a
laboratory or station for scientific study and investigations, and a school for instruc-
tion in biology and natural history.
The place within which the Corporation is established or located is the city of Boston
within said Commonwealth.
The amount of its capital stock is none.
In Witness Whereof, we have hereunto set our hands, this twenty seventh day of
February in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-eight. Alpheus Hyatt, Samuel Mills.
William T. Sedgwick, Edward G. Gardiner, Charles Sedgwick Minot, William G.
Farlow. William Stanford Stevens, Anna D. Phillips, Susan Mims, B. H. Van Vteck.
That the tirst meeimy nt the subscribers to said agreement was held on the thirteenth
day of March in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-eight.
In Witness Whereof, we have hereunto signed our names, this thirteenth day of March
in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, Alpheus Hyatt, President, William
Stanford Stevens, Treasurer, Edward G. Gardiner. William T Sedgwick, Susan Minis,
Charles Sedgwick Minot.
(Approved on March 20, 1888 as follows:
I hereby certify that it appears upon an examination of the within wntten certificate
and the records of the corporation duly submitted to my inspection, that the require-
ments of sections one. two and three of chapter one hundred and fifteen, and sections
eighteen, twenty and twenty-one of chapter one hundred and six, of the Public
Statutes, have been complied with and I hereby approve said certificate this twentieth
day of March A,D. eighteen hundred and eighty-eight.
Charles Endicoit
Commissioner of Corporations)
(On File in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth)
We, James D. Ebert. President, and David Shepro, Clerk of the Marine Biological
Laboratory, located at Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, do hereby certify that the
following amendment to the Articles of Organization of the Corporation was duly
adopted at a meeting held on August 15, 1975, as adjourned to August 29. 1975, by
vote of 444 members, being at leasi two-thirds of its members legally qualified to vote
in the meeting of the corporation:
Voted: That the Certificate of Organization of this corporation be and it hereby is
amended by the addition of the following provisions:
"No Officer, Trustee or Corporate Member of the corporation shall be personally
liable for the payment or satisfaction of any obligation or liabilities incurred as a result
of, or otherwise in connection with, any commitments, agreements, activities or
affairs of the corporation.
"Except as otherwise specifically provided by the Bylaws of the corporation, meet-
ings of the Corporate Members of the corporation may be held anywhere in the United
States.
"The Trustees of the corporation may make, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the
corporation in whole or in part, except with respect to any provisions thereof which
shall by law, this Certificate or the bylaws of the corporation, require action by the
Corporate Members."
The foregoing amendment will become effective when these articles of amendment
are filed in accordance with Chapter 180, Section 7 of the General Laws unless these
articles specify, in accordance with the vote adopting the amendment, a later effective
date not more than thirty days after such riling, in which event the amendment will
become effective on such later date.
In Witness whereof and Under the Penalties of Perjury, we have hereto signed our
names this 2nd day of September, in the year 1975, James D. Ehert, President; David
Shepro, Clerk.
(Approved on October 24, 1975, as follows:
I hereby approve the within articles of amendment and, the riling fee m the amount
of $10 having been paid, said articles are deemed to have been filed with me this 24th
day of October. 1975,
Paul Guzzi
Secretary' of the Commonwealth)
Bylaws
(Revised August 7, 1992 and December 10. 1992)
ARTICLE 1— THE CORPORATION
A. Name iintl Piirpiat: The name of the Corporation shall he The Marine Biolog-
ical Laboratory. The Corporation's purpose shall he to establish and maintain a
K82
Bylaws of the Corporation R83
laboratory or station tor scientific study and investigation and a school lor instruction
in biology and natural history.
B. Nondiscrimination. The Corporation shall not discriminate on the basis of age,
religion, color, race, national or ethnic origin, sex or sexual preference in its policies
on employment and administration or in its educational and other programs.
ARTICLE II— MEMBERSHIP
A. Members. The Members of the Corporation ("Members") shall consist of
persons elected by the Board of Trustees (the "Board"), upon such terms and
conditions and in accordance with such procedures, not inconsistent with law or these
Bylaws, as may be determined by the Board. At any regular or special meeting of the
Board, the Board may elect new Members. Members shall have no voting or other
rights with respect to the Corporation or its activities except as specified in these
Bylaws, and any Member may vote at any meeting of the Members in person only and
not by proxy. Members shall serve until their death or resignation unless earlier
removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Trustees
then in office. Any Member who has retired from his or her home institution may,
upon written request to the Corporation, be designated a Life Member. Life Members
shall not have the right to vote and shall not be assessed for dues.
B. Meetings. The annual meeting of the Members shall be held on the Friday
following the first Tuesday in August of each year, at the Laboratory of the Corpo-
ration in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, at 9:30 a.m. The Chairperson of the Board shall
preside at meetings of the Corporation. If no annual meeting is held in accordance
with the foregoing provision, a special meeting may be held in lieu thereof with the
same effect as the annual meeting, and in such case all references in these Bylaws,
except in this Article II. B.. to the annual meeting of the Members shall be deemed to
refer to such special meeting. Members shall transact business as ma\ properly come
before the meeting. Special meetings of the Members may be called by the Chair-
person or the Trustees, and shall be called by the Clerk, or in the case of the death,
absence, incapacity or refusal by the Clerk, by any other officer, upon written
application of Members representing at least ten percent of the smallest quorum of
Members required for a vote upon any matter at the annual meeting of the Members,
to be held at such time and place as may be designated.
C. Quorum. One hundred (100) Members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
Except as otherwise required by law or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of a
majonty of the Members voting in person at a meeting attended by a quorum shall
constitute action on behalf of the Members.
D. Notice of Meetings. Notice of any annual meeting or special meeting of
Members, if necessary, shall be given by the Clerk by mailing notice of the time and
place and purpose of such meeting at least 15 days before such meeting to each
Member at his or her address as shown on the records of the Corporation.
E. Wavier of Notice. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given a
Member, under any provision of the Articles or Organization or Bylaws of the
Corporation, a written waiver thereof, executed before or after the Meeting by such
Member, or his or her duly authorized attorney, shall be deemed equivalent to such
notice.
F. Adjournments. Any meeting of the Members may be adjourned to any other
time and place by the vote of a majority of those Members present at the meeting,
whether or not such Members constitute a quorum, or by any officer entitled to preside
at or to act as Clerk of such meeting, if no Member is present or represented. It shall
not be necessary to notify any Members of any adjournment unless no Member is
present or represented at the meeting which is adjourned, in which case, notice of the
adjournment shall be given in accordance with Article II. D. Any business which could
have been transacted at any meeting of the Members as originally called may be
transacted at an adjournment thereof.
ARTICLE III— ASSOCIATES OF THE CORPORATION
Associates of the Corporation. The Associates of the Marine Biological Laboratory
shall be an unincorporated group of persons (including associations and corporations)
interested in the Laboratory and shall be organized and operated under the general
supervision and authority of the Trustees. The Associates of the Marine Biological
Laboratory shall have no voting rights.
ARTICLE IV— BOARD OF TRUSTEES
A. Powers. The Board of Trustees shall have the control and management of the
affairs of the Corporation. The Trustees shall elect a Chairperson of the Board who
shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified. They shall annually elect
a President of the Corporation. They shall annually elect a Vice Chairperson of the
Board who shall be Vice Chairperson of the meetings of the Corporation. They shall
annually elect a Treasurer. They shall annually elect a Clerk, who shall be a resident
of Massachusetts. They shall elect Trustees-at-Large as specified in this Article IV.
They shall appoint a Director of the Laboratory for a term not to exceed five years,
provided the term sh.ill not exceed one year if the candidate has attained the age of
65 years prior to the date of the appointment. They shall choose such other officers
and agents as they shall think best. They may fix the compensation of all officers and
agcnls D| the Corporation and may remove them at any time. They may fill vacancies
occurring in any of the offices. The Board shall have the power to choose an
Executive Committee from their own number as provided in Article V, and to
delegate to such Committee such of their own powers as they may deem expedient in
addition to those powers conferred by Article V. They shall, from time to time, elect
Members to the Corporation upon such terms and conditions as they shall have
determined, not inconsistent with law or these Bylaws.
B. Composition anJ Elt'clion.
( 1 1 The Board shall include 24 Trustees elected by the Board as provided below:
(a) At least six Trustees I "Corporate Trustees") shall be Members who are
scientists, and the other Trustees I "Trustees-at-Large" ) shall he individuals who need
not be Members or otherwise affiliated with the Corporation.
(b) The 24 elected Trustees shall be divided into four classes of six Trustees
each, with one class to be elected each year to serve for a term of four years, and with
each such class to include at least one Corporate Trustee. Such classes of Trustees
shall be designated by the year of expiration of their respective terms.
(2) The Board shall also include the Chief Executive Officer, Treasurer and the
Chairperson of the Science Council, who shall be ex officia voting members of the
Board.
(3) Although Members or Trustees may recommend individuals for nomination
as Trustees, nominations for Trustee elections shall be made by the Nominating
Committee in its sole discretion The Board may also elect Trustees who have not
been nominated by the Nominating Committee.
C. Eligibility. A Corporate Trustee or a Trustee-at-Large who has been elected to
an initial four-year term or remaining portion thereof, of which he/she has served at
least two years, shall be eligible for re-election to a second four-year term, but shall
be ineligible for re-election to any subsequent term until one year has elapsed after
he/she has last served as a Trustee.
D. Removal. Any Trustee may be removed from office at any time with or without
cause, by vote of a majonty of the Members entitled to vote in the election of
Trustees: or for cause, by vote of two-thirds of the Trustees then in office. A Trustee
may be removed for cause only if notice of such action shall have been given to all
of the Trustees or Members entitled to vote, as the case may be. prior to the meeting
at which such action is to be taken and if the Trustee to be so removed shall have been
given reasonable notice and opportunity to be heard before the body proposing to
remove him or her.
E. Vacancies. Any vacancy in the Board may be filled by vote of a majority of the
remaining Trustees present at a meeting of Trustees at which a quorum is present. Any
vacancy in the Board resulting from the resignation or removal of a Corporate Trustee
shall be tilled by a Member who is a scientist.
F. Meetings. Meetings of the Board shall be held from time to time, not less
frequently than twice annually, as determined by the Board. Special meetings of
Trustees may be called by the Chairperson, or by any seven Trustees, to be held at
such lime and place as may be designated. The Chairperson of the Board, when
present, shall preside over all meetings of the Trustees. Written notice shall be sent to
a Trustee's usual or last known place of residence at least two weeks before the
meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written waiver of
notice executed by such Trustee before or after the meeting is filed with the records
of the meeting, or if such Trustee shall attend the meeting without protesting prior
thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice given to him or her.
G. Quorum and Action by Trustees. A majority of all Trustees then in office shall
constitute a quorum. Any meeting of Trustees may be adjourned by vote of a majonty
of Trustees present, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting ma\ be held
as adjourned without further notice. When a quorum is present at any meeting of the
Trustees, a majority of the Trustees presenl and voting (excluding abstentions) shall
decide any question, including the election of officers, unless otherwise required by
law. the Articles of Organization or these Bylaws.
H. Transfers of Interests in Land. There shall be no transfer of title nor long-term
lease of real properly held by the Corporation without prior approval of not less than
two-thirds of the Trustees. Such real property transactions shall he finally acted upon
at a meeting of the Board only if presented and discussed at a prior meeting of the
Board. Either meeting may be a special meeting and no less than four weeks shall
elapse between the two meetings. Any property acquired by the Corporation after
December 1. 1989 may be sold, any mortgage or pledge of real property (regardless
of when acquired) lo secure bonowings by the Corporation may he granted, and any
transfer of title or interest in real property pursuant to the foreclosure or endorsement
R84 Annual Report
of any such mortgage or pledge of real property may be effected by any holder of a
mortgage or pledge of real property of the Corporation, with the prior approval of not
less ihan two-thirds of the Trustees {other than any Trustee or Trustees with a direct
or indirect financial interest in the transaction being considered tor approval) who are
present at a regular or special meeting of the Board at which there is a quorum.
ARTICLE V— COMMITTEES
A. Executive Committee. There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board of
Trustees which shall consist of not more than eleven (II) Trustees, including ex
officio Trustees, elected by the Board.
The Chairperson uf the Board shall act as Chairperson of the Executive Committee
and the Vice Chairperson as Vice Chairperson. The Executive Committee shall meet
at such times and places and upon such notice and appoint such subcommittees as the
Committee shall determine.
The Executive Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Board
during the intervals between meetings of the Board except those powers specifically
withheld, from lime to time, by vote of the Board or by law. The Executive
Committee may also appoint such committees, including persons who are not Trust-
ees, as it may, from time to time, approve to make recommendations wilh respect to
matters to be acted upon by the Executive Committee or the Board.
The Executive Committee shall keep appropriate minutes of its meetings, which
shall be reported to the Board. Any actions taken by the Executive Committee shall
also be reported to the Board.
B. Nominating Committee. There shall be a Nominating Committee which shall
consist of not fewer than four nor more than six Trustees appointed by the Board in
a manner which shall reflect the balance between Corporate Trustees and Trustees-
at-Large on the Board. The Nominating Committee shall nominate persons for
election as Corporate Trustees and Trustees-at-Large. Chairperson of the Board. Vice
Chairperson of (he Board, President, Treasurer, Clerk, Director of the Laboratory and
such other officers, if any, as needed, in accordance with (he requirements of these
Bylaws. The Nominating Committee shall also be responsible for overseeing the
training of new Trustees. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees shall appoint the
Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, The Chairperson of the Science Council
shall be an ex officio voting member of the Nominating Committee.
C. Science Council. There shall be a Science Council (the "Council") which shall
consist of Members of the Corporation elected to the Council by vote of the Members
of the Corporation, and which shall advise the Board with respect to matters con-
cerning the Corporation's mission, its scientific and instructional endeavors, and the
appointment and promotions of persons or committees with responsibility for matters
requiring scientific expertise. Unless otherwise approved by a majority of the mem-
bers of the Council, the Chairperson of the Council shall be elected annually by the
Council. The chief executive officer of the Corporation shall be an c.\ officio voting
member of the Council
D. Board of Overseers. There shall be a Board of Overseers which shall consist of
not fewer than five nor more than eight scientists who have expertise concerning
matters with which the Corporation is involved. Members of the Board of Overseers
may or may not be Members of the Corporation and may be appointed by the Board
of Trustees on the basis of recommendations submitted from scientists and scientific
organizations or societies. The Board of Overseers shall be available to review and
offer recommendations lo the officers. Trustees and Science Council regarding
scientific activities conducted or proposed by the Corporation and shall meel from
time to time, not less frequently than annually, as determined by the Board of
Trustees.
E. Board Committees Generallv. The Trustees may elect or appoint one or more
other committees (including, but not limited to, an Investment Commiltee, a Devel-
opment Committee, an Audit Committee, a Facilities and Capital Equipment Com-
mittee and a Long-Range Planning Committee) and may delegate to am sin.li
committee or committees any or all of their powers, except those which by law, the
Arliclcs of Organization or these Bylaws the Trustees are prohibited from delegating;
provided thai any committee to which the powers of the Trustees are delegated shall
consist solely of Trustees. The members of any such committee shall have such tenure
and duties as the Trustees shall determine. The Investment Committee, which shall
oversee (he management of the Corporation's endowment funds and marketable
securities sh.ill include as e.\ officio members, the Chairperson of the Board, the
Treasurer and the Chairperson of the Audit Committee, together with such Trustees
as may be requiixo fur not less than two-thirds of the Investment Committee to consist
of Trustees. Except a> otherwise provided by these Bylaws or determined by the
Trustees, any such committee may make rules lor the conduct of its business, but,
unless otherwise provided by the Trustees or in such rules, its business shall he
conducted as nearly as possible in the same manner as is provided by these Bylaws
for the Trustees.
F. Actitms Without n Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Executive Committee or any other committee elected by the Trustees
may be taken without a meeting if all members of such committees consent to the
action in writing and such written consents are filed with the records of meetings.
Members of the Executive Committee or any other committee elected by the Trustees
may also participate in any meeting by means of a telephone conference call, or
otherwise lake action in such a manner as may, from time to time, be permitted by
law.
G. Manual of Procedures. The Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the
Executive Committee, shall establish guidelines and modifications thereof to be
recorded in a Manual of Procedures. Guidelines shall establish procedures for: (1)
Nomination and election of members of the Corporation, Board of Trustees and
Executive Commiltee; (2) Election of Officers; (3) Formation and Function of
Standing Committees.
ARTICLE VI— OFFICERS
A. Enumeration. The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a President, a
Treasurer and a Clerk, and such other officers having the powers of President,
Treasurer and Clerk as the Board may determine, and a Director of the Laboratory.
The Corporation may have such other officers and assistanl officers as the Board may
determine, including (without hmiialion) a Chairperson of the Board, Vice Chairper-
son and one or more Vice Presidents. Assistant Treasurers or Assistanl Clerks. Any
two or more offices may be held by the same person. The Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson of the Board shall be elected by and from the Trustees, but other officers
of the Corporation need not be Trustees or Members. If required by the Trustees, any
officer shall give the Corporation a bond for the faithful performance of his or her
duties in such amount and with such surely or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the
Truslees.
B. Tenure. Except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of Organization
or by these Bylaws, the President. Treasurer, and all other officers shall hold office
until the first meeting of the Board following the annual meeting of Members and
thereafter, until his or her successor is chosen and qualified.
C. Resignation. Any officer may resign by delivering his or her written resignation
to the Corporation at its principal office or to the President or Clerk and such
resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some
other time or upon Ihe happening of some other event.
D. Removal. The Board may remove any officer with or withoul cause by a vote
of a majority of the entire number of Trustees then in office, at a meeting of the Board
called for thai purpose and for which notice of the purpose thereof has been given,
provided that an officer may be removed for cause only after having an opportunity
to be heard by the Board at a meeting of the Board at which a quorum is personally
present and voting.
E. Vacancy. A vacancy in any office may be filled for the unexpired balance of the
term by vote of a majority of the Trustees present at any meeting of Trustees at which
a quorum is present or by written consent of all of Ihe Truslees, if less than a quorum
of Trustees shall remain in office.
F. Chairperson. The Chairperson shall have such powers and duties as may be
determined by the Board and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall serve
in thai capacity for a term coterminous with his or her term as Trustee.
G. Vice Chairperson. The Vice Chairperson shall perform Ihe duties and exercise
the powers of the Chairperson in Ihe absence or disability of the Chairperson, and
shall perform such other duties and possess such other powers as may be determined
by the Board. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Vice Chairperson shall
serve for a one-year term.
H. Director. The Director shall be the chief operating officer and, unless otherwise
voted by the Trustees, the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The Director
shall, subject to the direction of the Trustees, have genera! supervision of the
Laboratory and control of (he business of the Corporation. Al Ihe annual meeting, the
Director shall submit a report of the operations of the Corporation for such year and
a statement of its affairs, and shall, from time to time, report to the Board all matters
\\ ithin his or her knowledge which the inlerests of the Corporation may require to he
brought to its notice
I. Depin\ Director The Deputy Director, if any. or if there shall be more than one,
the Deputy Directors in the order determined by the Truslees, shall, in the absence or
disability of the Director, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Director
and shall perform such other duties and shall have such other powers as the Truslees
may. from lime lo lime, prescribe
J President- The President shall have Ihe powers and duties as may he vested in
him or her by the Board.
K. Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer shall, subject to the direction
of the Trustees, have general charge of the financial affairs of the Corporation,
Bylaws of the Corporation R85
including us long-range financial planning, and shall cause to he kept accurate books
of account. The Treasurer shaJl prepare a yearly report on the financial status of the
Corporation to be delivered at the annual meeting. The Treasurer shall also prepare or
oversee all filings required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Internal
Revenue Service, or other Federal and State Agencies. The account of the Treasurer
shall be audited annually by a certified public accountant.
The Assistant Treasurer, if any, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant
Treasurers in the order determined by the Trustees, shall, in the absence or disability
of the Treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer, shall
perform such other duties and shall have such other powers as the Trustees may, from
time to time, prescribe.
L. Clerk and Assistant Clerk. The Clerk shall be a resident of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, unless the Corporation has designated a resident agent in the
manner provided by law. The minutes or records of all meetings of the Trustees and
Members shall be kept by the Clerk who shall record, upon the record books of the
Corporation, minutes of the proceedings at such meetings. He or she shall have
custody of the record books of the Corporation and shall have such other powers and
shall perform such other duties as the Trustees may, from time to time, prescribe.
The Assistant Clerk, if any, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Clerks
in the order determined by the Trustees, shall, in the absence or disability of the Clerk,
perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Clerk and shall perform such other
duties and shall have such other powers as the Trustees may, from time to time,
prescribe.
In the absence of the Clerk and an Assistant Clerk from any meeting, a temporary
Clerk shall be appointed at the meeting.
M. Other Powers unj Dunes. Each officer shall have in addition to the duties and
powers specifically set forth in these Bylaws, such duties and powers as are custom-
arily incident to his or her office, and such duties and powers as the Trustees may.
from time to time, designate.
ARTICLE VII— AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of the Members at any
meeting, provided that notice of the substance of the proposed amendment is stated
in the notice of such meeting. As authori/.ed by the Articles of Organization, the
Trustees, by a majority of their number then in office, may also make, amend or repeal
these Bylaws, in whole or in part, except with respect to (a) the provisions of these
Bylaws governing d) the removal of Trustees and (ii) the amendment of these Bylaws
and (b) any provisions of these Bylaws which by law, the Articles of Organization or
these Bylaws, requires action by the Members.
No later than the time of giving notice of meeting of Members next following the
making, amending or repealing by the Trustees of any Bylaw, notice thereof stating
the substance of such change shall be given to all Members entitled to vote on
amending the Bylaws.
Any Bylaw adopted by the Trustees may be amended or repealed by the Members
entitled to vote on amending the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII— INDEMNITY
Except as otherwise provided below, the Corporation shall, to the extent legally
permissible, indemnify each person who is, or shall have been, a Trustee, director or
officer of the Corporation or who is serving, or shall have served at the request of the
Corporation as a Trustee, director or officer of another organization in which the
Corporation directly or indirectly has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or
otherwise, against all liabilities and expenses (including judgments, fines, penalties,
and reasonable attorneys' fees and all amounts paid, other than to the Corporation or
such other organization, in compromise or settlement) imposed upon or incurred by
any such person in connection with, or arising out of, the defense or disposition of any
action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which he or she may be
a defendant or with which he or she may be threatened or otherwise involved, directly
or indirectly, by reason of his or her being or having been such a Trustee, director or
officer.
The Corporation shall provide no indemnification with respect to any matter as to
which any such Trustee, director or officer shall be finally adjudicated in such action,
suit or proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or
her action was in the best interests of the Corporation. The Corporation shall provide
no indemnification with respect to any matter settled or comprised unless such matter
shall have been approved as in the best interests of the Corporation, after notice that
indemnification is involved, by (i) a disinterested majority of the Board of the
Executive Committee, or (ii) a majority of the Members.
Indemnification may include payment by the Corporation of expenses in defending
a civil or criminal action or proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such
action or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by the person indemnified to
repay such payment if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to
indemnification under the provisions of this Article VIII, or under any applicable law.
As used in the Article VIII, the terms "Trustee," "director," and "officer"
include their respective heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives, and
an "interested" Trustee, director or officer is one against whom in such capacity the
proceeding in question or another proceeding on the same or similar grounds is (hen
pending.
To assure indemnification under this Article VIII of all persons who are determined
by the Corporation or otherwise to be or to have been "fiduciaries" of any employee
benefits plan ol the Corporation which may exist, from time to lime, this Article VIII
shall be interpreted as follows: (i) "another organization" shall be deemed to include
such an employee benefit plan, including without limitation, any plan of the Corpo-
ration which is governed by the Act of Congress entitled "Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974," as amended, from time to time, ("ERISA"); (ii)
"Trustee" shall be deemed to include any person requested by the Corporation to
serve as such for an employee benefit plan where the performance by such person of
his or her duties to the Corporation also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves
services by, such person to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; (iii)
"fines" shall be deemed to include any excise tax plan pursuant to ERISA; and (iv)
actions taken or omitted by a person with respect to an employee benefit plan in the
performance of such person's duties for a purpose reasonably believed by such person
to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed
to be for a purpose which is in the best interests of the Corporation.
The right of indemnification provided in this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of
or affect any other rights to which any Trustee, director or officer may be entitled
under any agreement, statute, vote of Members or otherwise. The Corporation's
obligation to provide indemnification under this Article VIII shall be offset to the
extent of any other source of indemnification of any otherwise applicable insurance
coverage under a policy maintained by the Corporation or any other person. Nothing
contained in the Article shall affect any rights to which employees and corporate
personnel other than Trustees, directors or officers may be entitled by contract, by
vote of the Board or of the Executive Committee or otherwise.
ARTICLE IX— DISSOLUTION
The consent of every Trustee shall be necessary to effect a dissolution of the Manne
Biological Laboratory. In case of dissolution, the property shall be disposed of in such
a manner and upon such terms as shall be determined by the affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the Trustees then in office in accordance with the laws of the Com-
monwealth of Massachusetts,
ARTICLE X— MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
A. Fiscal Year, Except as otherwise determined by the Trustees, the fiscal year of
the Corporation shall end on December 31st of each year.
B. Seal. Unless otherwise determined by the Trustees, the Corporation may have
a seal in such form as the Trustees may determine, from time to time.
C. Execution of Instruments. All checks, deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds,
notes and other obligations authorized to be executed by an officer of the Corporation
in its behalf shall be signed by the Director or the Treasurer except as the Trustees
may generally or in particular cases otherwise determine. A certificate by the Clerk or
an Assistant Clerk, or a temporary Clerk, as to any action taken by the Members,
Board of Trustees or any officer or representative of the Corporation shall as to all
persons who rely thereon in good faith be conclusive evidence of such action.
D. Corporate Records. The original, or attested copies, of the Articles of Organi-
zation, Bylaws and records of all meetings of the Members shall be kept in Massa-
chusetts at the principal office of the Corporation, or at an office of the Corporation's
Clerk or resident agent. Said copies and records need not all he kept in the same office.
They shall be available at all reasonable times for inspection by any Member for any
proper purpose, but not to secure a list of Members for a purpose other than in the
interest of the applicant, as a Member, relative to the affairs of the Corporation.
E. Articles of Organization. All references in these Bylaws to the Articles of
Organization shall be deemed to refer to the Articles of Organization of the Corpo-
ration, as amended and in effect, from time to time
F. Transactions with Interested Parties. In the absence of fraud, no contract or other
transaction between this Corporation and any other corporation or any firm, association,
p;irtncislup or pcrsnn shall be affected or invalidated by the fact that any Trustee or officer
of this Corporation is pecuniarily or otherwise interested in or is a director, member or
officer of such other corporation or of such firm, association or partnership or in a party
to or is pecuniarily or otherwise interested in such contract or other transaction or is in any
way connected with any person or person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation
pecuniarily or otherwise interested therein; provided that the fact that he or she individ-
ually or as a director, member or officer of such corporation, firm, association or
RS6 Annual Report
partnership tn such a party or is so interested shall be disclosed to or shall have been authorizing any such contract or transaction with like force and effect as if he/she were not
known by the Board ot Trustees or a majority of such Members thereof as shall be present so interested, or were not a director, member or officer of such other corporation, firm,
at a meeting of the Board of Trustees at which action upon any such contract or association or partnership, provided that any vote with respect to such contract or
transaction shall be taken; any Trustee may be counted in determining the existence of a transaction must be adopted by a majority of the Trustees then in office who have no
quorum and may vote at any meeting of the Board of Trustees for the purpose of interest in such contract or transaction.
VOLUME 197
THE
NUMBER 2
BIOLOGICAL
BULLETIN
BIOI OGICAL BUUJH'IN
CENTENNIAL ISSUE
OCTOBER
1899-1999
llll
BIOLOGICAL
BU LI J.TIN
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THE
BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN
OCTOBER 1999
Editor
Associate Editors
Section Editor
Online Editors
Editorial Board
Editorial Office
MICHAEL J. GREENBERG
Louis E. BURNETT
R. ANDREW CAMERON
CHARLES D. DERBY
MICHAEL LABARBERA
SHINYA INOUE, Imaging ami Microscopy
JAMES A. BLAKE, Keys to Marine
Invertebrates of the Woods Hole Region
WILLIAM D. COHEN, Marine Models
Electronic Record and Compendia
PETER B. ARMSTRONG
ERNEST S. CHANG
THOMAS H. DIETZ
RICHARD B. EMLET
DAVID EPEL
GREGORY HINKLE
MAKOTO KOBAYASHI
DONAL T. MANAHAN
MARGARET MCFALL-NGAI
MARK W. MILLER
TATSUO MOTOKAWA
YOSHITAKA NAGAHAMA
SHERRY D. PAINTER
J. HERBERT WAITE
RICHARD K. ZIMMER
PAMELA CLAPP HINKLE
VICTORIA R. GIBSON
CAROL SCHACHINGER
PATRICIA BURNS
The Whitney Laboratory, University of Florida
Grice Marine Biological Laboratory. College of Charleston
California Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
University of Chicago
Marine Biological Laboratory
ENSR Marine & Coastal Center. Woods Hole
Hunter College, City University of New York
University of California, Davis
Bodega Marine Lab., University of California, Davis
Louisiana State University
Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, Univ. of Oregon
Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
Cereon Genomics, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Hiroshima University of Economics, Japan
University of Southern California
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii
Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan
Marine Biomed. Inst., Univ. of Texas Medical Branch
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Los Angeles
Managing Editor
Staff Editor
Editorial Associate
Subscription & Advertising Secretary
Published by
MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS
Cover
The three-dimensional stereo anaglyph on the
cover is a ventral view of a brachiolaria larva of
Patiriella regularis, a starfish; the brachiolaria de-
picted is about 1500 jtim in length. Serotonergic
neurons in the larva were stained with a rabbit
antiserum and appear, in confocal fluorescent mi-
croscopy, as bright dots lining the ciliated bands
and brachiolar arms. The image (which should be
viewed through the stereo glasses provided with
this issue) is composed of 145 optical sections and
was reconstructed as described in the article by
Francis Chee and Maria Byrne (p. 123).
Immunoreactive serotonergic cells are already
visible in the gastrulae of echinoderms; but they
increase in number and form an increasingly com-
plex neural system as development proceeds. Be-
cause the immunoreactivity is associated with the
ciliary bands of free-swimming, planktotrophic lar-
val forms — as well as with their sensory structures
and buccal cavity — the serotonergic system has
been thought to coordinate the locomotory and
feeding behaviors of these larvae.
In Iheir paper. Chee and Byrne focus on the larval
stages of Patiriella regularis, which are all plank-
totrophic; thus the development of the serotonergic
system can be monitored throughout development,
from the gastrula. through the brachiolaria (the last
larval stage), and on to metamorphosis. The authors
have used confocal fluorescence microscopy to re-
construct the development of the serotonergic ner-
vous sytsem in three dimensions and have related
the increase in complexity to morphogenetic
changes in the larvae. They have demonstrated a
complex network of cells with varicose processes
that connect the preoral and postoral ciliated bands,
supporting the hypothesis that this network is reg-
ulating larval feeding and swimming.
In a related article in this issue (see p. 115),
Michael Dailey and his colleagues use the mamma-
lian brain as a model to show how multidimensional
confocal fluorescence microscopy can enhance
studies of biological structure and function. The
images in this article are fine examples of the tech-
niques described, and readers should use the stereo
glasses to examine them. This is the third in a series
of papers on Concepts in Imaging and Microscopy;
the series is supported by the Optical Imaging
Association, which has also provided the stereo glasses.
Finally, this issue marks the end of The Biolog-
ical Bulletin's first century of publication and the
beginning of its second. The four small images on
the cover, below the anaglyph, show how the face
of the journal changed as the decades passed, biol-
ogy expanded, the world shrank, and scientific pub-
lishing entered its greatest revolution since the in-
vention of movable type. A metamorphosis is
certainly at hand, but the nature of the imago re-
mains unresolved.
CONTENTS
VOLUME 197, No. 2: OCTOBER 1999
EDITORIAL
IMMUNOLOGY
Greenberg, Michael J.
A century of science: The Biological Bulletin looks
back — and forward . 113
IMAGING AND MICROSCOPY
Dailey, Michael, Glen Marrs, Jakob Satz, and Marc
Waite
Concepts in Imaging and Microscopy: Exploring biolog-
ical structure and function with confocal micros-
copy 115
NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Chee, Francis, and Maria Byrne
Development of the larval serotonergic nervous sys-
tem in the sea star Patiriella regu/aris as revealed by
confocal imaging 123
Hartline, O.K., E.J. Buskey, and P.H. Lenz
Rapid jumps and bioluminescence elicited by con-
trolled hydrodynamic stimuli in a mesopelagic cope-
pod, Pleuromamma xiphica 132
Harrison, Paul J.H., and David C. Sandeman
Morphology of the nervous system of the barnacle
cypris larva (Balanus amplutnte Darwin) revealed by
light and electron microscopy 144
PHYSIOLOGY
Gainey, Louis F., Jr., Kelly J. Vining, Karen E. Doble,
Jennifer M. Waldo, Aurora Candelario-Martinez, and
Michael J. Greenberg
An endogenous SCP-related peptide modulates cili-
ary beating in the gills of a venerid clam, Mercenaria
mercenaria 159
DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION
Saigusa, Masayuki, and Hiroshi Iwasaki
Ovigerous-hair stripping substance (OHSS) in an es-
tuarine crab: purification, preliminary characteriza-
tion, and appearance of the activity in the developing
embrvos 174
Shirae, Maki, Euichi Hirose, and Yasunori Saito
Behavior of hemocytes in the allorejection reaction
in two compound ascidians, Bottyllus scalaris and Sywz-
plegma replant 188
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
Skorokhod, Alexander, Vera Gamulin, Dietmar Gun-
dacker, Vadini Kavsan, Isabel M. Muller, and Werner
E.G. Muller
Origin of insulin receptor-like tyrosine kinases in
marine sponges 198
Grain, Jennifer A.
Functional morphology of prey ingestion by Placetron
wosnessenskii Schalfeew Zoeae (Crustacea: Anomura:
Lithodidae): 207
SHORT REPORTS FROM THE 1999 GENERAL
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS OF THE MARINE
BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
FEATURED ARTICLE
Rome, Lawrence C.
Introduction. Bringing the script to life: the role of
muscle in behavior 225
Rome, Lawrence C., Andrei A. Klimov, and Iain S.
Young
A new approach for measuring real-time calcium
pumping and SR function in muscle fibers 227
PHYSIOLOGY
Malchow, Robert Paul, and David J. Ramsey
Responses of retinal Muller cells to neurotransmitter
candidates: a comparative study 229
Clay, John R., and Alan M. Kuzirian
Fluorescence localization of K+ channels in the
membrane of squid giant axons 231
Ruta, Vanessa J., Frederick A. Dodge, and Robert B.
Barlow
Evaluation of circadian rhvthms in the Limnlus eve. . . 233
CONTENTS: VOLUME
Novales Flamarique, Iriigo, and Ferenc I. Harosi
Photoreceptor pigments of the blueback herring
(Aloia aestevalis, Clupeidae) and the Atlantic silver-
side (Mfnitiiii mi'iii/lin, Atherinidae) 235
Hanley, Janice S., Nadav Shashar, Roxanna Smolowitz,
William Mebane, and Roger T. Hanlon
Soft-sided tanks improve long-term health of cul-
tured cuttlefish 237
King, Alison J., Shelley A. Adamo, and Roger T. Hanlon
Contact with squid eggs increases agonistic behavior
in male squid (Loligo f>ealei) 256
CELL MOTILITY
PISCINE NEVROBIOLOGY A.\L> BEHAVIOR
Zottoli, S.J., F.R. Akanki, N.A. Hiza, D.A. Ho-Sang, Jr.,
M. Motta, X. Tan, K.M. Watts, and E.-A. Seyfarth
Physiological characterization of supramedullary/ dor-
sal neurons of the cunner, Tuutogolfilmis adspersus. . . .
Fay, R.R., and P.L. Edds-Walton
Sharpening of directional auditory input in the descend-
ing octaval nucleus of the toadfish, Opasnus tau .......
Kaatz, Ingrid M., and Phillip S. Lobel
Acoustic behavior and reproduction in five species of
Corycoras catfishes (Callichthvidae) ..............
Lobel, Phillip S., and Lisa M. Ken-
Courtship sounds of the Pacific damselfish, Abudefduf
sordidus (Pomacentridae) .....................
Oliver, Steven J., and Elise Watson
Threat-sensitive nest defense in domino damselfish
239
240
241
Price, Nichole N., and Allen F. Mensinger
Predator-prey interactions of juvenile toadfish, Opsa-
iiu\ Ian ....................................
Tang, Kathleen Q., Nichole N. Price, Maureen D.
O'Neill, Allen F. Mensinger, and Roger T. Hanlon
Temperature effects on first-year growth of cultured
oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau ....................
24(i
Bearer, E.L., M.L. Schlief, X.O. Breakefield, D.E. Schu-
back, T.S. Reese, and J.H. LaVail
Squid axoplasm supports the retrograde axonal
transport of herpes simplex virus 257
Gould, Robert, Concetta Freund, Frank Palmer, Pam-
ela E. Knapp, Jeff Huang, Hilary Morrison, and Doug-
las L. Feinstein
Messenger RNAs for kinesins and a dvnein are lo-
cated in neural processes 259
Fukui, Yoshio, Taro Q.P. Uyeda, Chikako Kitayama.
and Shinya Inoue
Migration forces in Dictyostelium measured by centri-
fuge DIG microscopy 260
Tran, P.T., P. Maddox, F. Chang, and S. Inoue
Dynamic confocal imaging of interphase and mitotic
microtubnles in the fission yeast, S. pombe 262
Maddox, Paul, Arshad Desai, E.D. Salmon, T.J. Mitchi-
son, Karen Oogema, Tarun Kapoor, Brian Matsumoto,
and Shinya Inoue
Dynamic confocal imaging of mitochondria in swim-
ming Tftrahymena and of microtubule poleward flux
in Xenopus extract spindles 263
Wollert, Torsten, Ana S. DePina, and George M. Lang-
ford
Effects of vanadate on actin-dependent vesicle motil-
ity in extracts of clam oocytes 265
CHEMORECEPTION AND BEHAVIOR
Mjos, Katrin, Frank Grasso, and JeUe Atema
Antennule use by the American lobster, Homann
americanus, during chemo-orientation in three turbu-
lent odor plumes 249
Hanna, John P., Frank W. Grasso, and Jelle Atema
Temporal correlation between sensor pairs in differ-
ent plume positions: A study of concentration infor-
mation available to the American lobster, Humartis
inni'rn(tnti\, during chemotaxis 250
Zetder, Erik, and Jelle Atema
Chemoreceptor cells as concentration slope detec-
tors: preliminary evidence from the lobster nose . . . 252
Berkey, Ci istin, and Jelle Atema
Individual recognition and memory in HII//KIIIH
amem/i//ii\ > >l<--female interactions 253
McLaughlin, L she C., Jennifer Walters, Jelle Atema,
and Norman V aimvrighl
Urinary protein coiuenlration in connection with
agonistic interactions m Haimini*, nmmcanus 254
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Billack, Blase, Jeffrey D. Laskin, Michael A. Gallo, and
Diane E. Heck
Effects of a-bungarotoxin on development of the sea
urchin Arbacia puncttdatu 267
Silver, Robert B., and Nicole M. Deming
Leukotriene B4 as calcium agonist for nuclear enve-
lope breakdown: an enzymological sur\'ey of endo-
membranes of mitotic cells 268
Weidner, Earl, and Ann Findley
Extracellular survival <>1 an intracellular parasite
(Spraffiii'ii l/>/ih/i, Microsporea) 270
Kaltenbach, Jane C., William J. Kuhns, Tracy L. Simp-
son, and Max M. Burger
Intense concanavalin A staining and apoptosis of
peripheral flagellated cells in larvae of the marine
sponge Microfionti prulifrnt: significance in relation to
morphogenesis 271
CONTENTS: VOLUME
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
Harrington, John M., and Peter B. Armstrong
A cuticular secretion of the horseshoe crab, Limulus
polyphemus: a potential anti-fouling agent
Asokan, Rengasamy, and Peter B. Armstrong
Cellular mechanisms of hemolysis by the protein limu-
lin, a sialic-acid-specific lectin from the plasma of the
American horseshoe crab. Limiting polyphermis
Biswas, Chhanda, and Peter B. Armstrong
Identification of a hemolvtic activity in the plasma of
the gastropod Sustain canaliculatum
Kiihns, William J., Max M. Burger, and Eva Turley
Hyaluronic acid: a component of the aggregation
factor secreted by the marine sponge, Microciona pro-
lifera
Popescu, Octavian, Key Interior, Gradimir Misevic,
Max M. Burger, and William J. Kuhns
Biosynthesis of tyrosine O-sulfate by cell proteoglycan
from the marine sponge, Microciona frrolifrra
Vasse, Aimee, Alice Child, and Norman Wainwright
Prophenoloxidase is not activated by microbial sig-
nals in Limulus poliiplirnnis
Ogunseitan, O.A., S.L. Yang, and E. Scheinbach
The 8-aminolevulinate dehydratase of marine Vibrio
alginolyticus is resistant to lead (Pb)
Hoskin, Francis C.G., Diane M. Steeves, and John E.
Walker
Substituted cyclodextrin as a model for a squid en-
zyme that hydrolyzes the nerve gas soman
Zigman, Seymour, Nancy S. Rafferty, Keen A. Rafferty,
and Nathaniel Lewis
Effects of green tea polyphenols on lens photooxida-
tive stress
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
Mondrup, Thomas
Salinity effects on nutrient dynamics in estuarine
sediment investigated by a plug-flux method
275
276
283
285
Pease, Katherine M., L. Claessens, C. Hopkinson, E.
Rastetter, J. Vallino, and N. Kilham
Ipswich River nutrient dynamics: preliminary assess-
ment of a simple nitrogen-processing model
Wolfe, Felisa L., Kevin D. Kroeger, and Ivan Valiela
Increased labiliiv of estuarine dissolved organic ni-
trogen from urbanized watersheds
Evgenidou, A., A. Konkle, A. D'Ambrosio, A. Corcoran,
J. Bowen, E. Brown, D. Corcoran, C. Dearholt, S. Fern,
A. Lamb, J. Michalowsky, I. Ruegg, and J. Cebrian
Effects of increased nitrogen loading on the abun-
dance of diatoms and dinoflagellates in estuarine
phytoplanktonic communities
Cubbage, Andrea, David Lawrence, Gabrielle Tomasky,
and Ivan Valiela
Relationship of reproductive output in Acartia tonsa,
chlorophyll concentration, and land-derived nitrogen
loads in estuaries in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts
Canfield, Susannah, Luc Claessens, Charles Hopkinson
Jr., Edward Rastetter, and Joseph Vallino
Long-term effect of municipal water use on the water
budget of the Ipswich River Basin
Young, Talia, Sharon Komarow, Linda Deegan, and
Robert Garritt
Population size and summer home range of the green
crab, Carriniu nu'ti»ii.\, in salt marsh tidal creeks
Komarow, Sharon, Talia Young, Linda Deegan, and
Robert Garritt
Influence of marsh flooding on the abundance and
growth of Fundulus hettrvclitus in salt marsh creeks . . .
Widener, Justin W., and Robert B. Barlow
Decline of a horseshoe crab population on Cape
Cod
Kerr, Lisa M., Phillip S. Lobel, and J. Mark Ingoglia
Evaluation of a reporter gene system biomarker for
detecting contamination in tropical marine sedi-
ments. .
289
290
294
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
287
Pl'BLISHED BY TlTLE ONLY
297
299
300
303
307
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BIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS and CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS, with the minor
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ABSTRACTS (BIOSIS List of Serials; the most recent issue). Foreign
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NOT J. cell. comp. Physiol. )
C. All abbreviated components must be followed by a period,
whole word components must not (i.e.. J. Cancer Res.)
D. Space between all components (e.g.. J. Cell. Comp.
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E. LInusual words in journal titles should be spelled out in
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F. All single word journal titles in full (e.g.. Veliger, Ecol-
ogy, Brain).
G. The order of abbreviated components should be the same
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ABSTRACTS listings).
H. A few well-known international journals in their preferred
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Biological Bulletin does not have page charges.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 113-114. (October 1999)
A Century of Science: The Biological Bulletin
Looks Back — and Forward
The first number of The Biological Bulletin was pub-
lished in October 1899; so with the current issue we cele-
brate the 100th anniversary of this journal. The founder was
Prof. C. O. Whitman, director of the Marine Biological
Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts (MBL), who
aimed to publish short articles with simple illustrations as
rapidly as possible. Progress was halting at first: a prede-
cessor, the Zoological Bulletin (with C. O. Whitman and W.
M. Wheeler as editors, but unassociated with the MBL).
failed in 1898 after two volumes: and The Biological Bul-
letin itself ceased publication for a time, also after two
volumes.1 But guided by general policies set out in a pro-
spectus written in June 1902,2 the Bulletin began to function
smoothly under the editorship of Frank R. Lillie. Those
policies, paraphrased below, have informed the operation of
the journal ever since:
• The Bulletin will be published under the auspices of the
Marine Biological Laboratory.
• Its scope will include "Zoology, General Biology, and
Physiology": it is a general interest journal.
• It will contain original articles, occasional reviews, re-
ports of work and lectures at the MBL: and preliminary
statements of important results will be special feature.
• It will meet the need for rapid publication of results.
• It will be open to contributions from any source.
A general journal. The Biological Bulletin was meant to
be, in some measure, an institutional journal; and indeed,
the Annual Report of the MBL Corporation has been pub-
lished by the Bulletin since 1908. Moreover, the scientific
agenda of the MBL has always been very broad, so the close
association of the Bulletin with the Laboratory has ensured
that the scope of the journal would also be so. Probably
every editor has considered this characteristic of the journal.
Indeed, Alfred C. Redrield ( 1941 ) called it "one of the most
perplexing problems of policy with which the ... editor
1 The history of The Biological Bulletin has been described thoroughly
twice before: by Alfred C. Redfield ( 1941 ). who was Managing Editor of
this journal from 1930 to 1942; and (on the occasion of the 100th anni-
versary of the founding of the MBL) by Pamela L. Clapp ( 1988), who was
Editorial Assistant to Charles B. Metz. the Editor from 1980-1989.
2 The prospectus is published in the Tenth Report for the Years 1903-
1906 including Financial Report from 1900-1906, Section XI Publica-
tions, pp. 42-44. (1907) Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Holl.
Massachusetts.
must deal." and he concluded that "in this day of special-
ization [in 1941!} one journal at least should present a rather
broad cross-section of biology as a whole." This is not a
necessary conclusion, but it has been accepted by the seven
editors that succeeded Lillie. Today we expect — beyond
technical competence — that a publishable submission will
contain data resulting from the experimental testing of some
hypothesis, and that it will advance its own area signifi-
cantly. Moreover, we suppose that if such an investigation is
not too narrowly focused, it is likely to interest a generous
fraction of our diverse readership.
Of course, the actual scope of The Biological Bulletin has
always been determined by those who contribute manu-
scripts: and the composition of that pool of potential au-
thors— which is unconstrained by policy — has changed
markedly through the years. In the decade 1930-1940,
roughly 700 papers were published in the Bulletin; of these,
29% originated from the MBL, and 40% were written by
members of the Corporation. These values began to decline
during the late '60s, as investigators at the MBL (as else-
where) began to send their work to specialty journals. The
pace of specialization increased markedly, so that in the
most recent decade (1989-1999), only about 10% of arti-
cles were authored by members of the Corporation. More-
over, the rate of acceptance by foreign authors, which began
to increase in the '60s. reached 30% of papers published in
the last decade. So today more than ever before, the con-
tributors to the Bulletin are widely distributed throughout a
shrinking world.
We are able, in a way, to ask these contributors whether
The Biological Bulletin is actually a general journal, be-
cause authors select the headings under which their papers
are published. The profile varies from issue to issue, but
over 50% of recent articles have appeared under the rubric
of either Physiology or Development & Reproduction; 20%
are listed under Ecology & Evolution; and a quarter are
distributed between Cell Biology and Neurobiology & Be-
havior. These data suggest that, although the pool of authors
is different than it was a century ago. the scope of published
material is similar to that in 1903 or 1941. On the other
hand, of the animals reported on in the past two years, all
but 6 were invertebrates from 13 different phyla, mostly
marine, and mostly molluscs, crustaceans, cnidarians, and
echinoderms. Insects are virtually absent, only one paper is
about nematodes, and of 37 molluscan articles, only one is
114
about Aplysia: current marine biomedical models appear
largely in specialty journals. The subject matter in Bulletin
articles is diverse and thus difficult to characterize in brief.
But it is predominantly experimental and functional, and the
functions tend to be complex, sometimes appearing in un-
usual, primitive, or extremeophilic animals, and often at the
intersection of fields, e. g.. the development of symbiosis; or
neural or pheromonal regulation of development, activity,
or metamorphosis. In summary. The Biological Bulletin,
like all general journals, has its special focus. We might
predict that so long as its publication is under the auspices
of the MBL, the scope of the Bulletin will remain general;
but its focus might well shift with time or new leadership.
Enhancing the contents. Although The Biological Bul-
letin contains primarily research reports, successive editors
have leavened the diet with reviews, some based on lec-
tures. The series of lectures on Concepts in Imaging and
Microscopy, one of which appears in this issue, is exem-
plary. During the past decade, the Bulletin has also pub-
lished symposia and workshops, about one per year, on a
variety of topics. These proceedings have also served to
broaden the scope of the journal.
As part of its association with the MBL, The Biological
Bulletin has, since 1936, published the abstracts of the
General Scientific Meetings held at the Laboratory each
summer. Investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and students
present their work at these meetings, so the abstracts pro-
vide a snapshot of the research taking place at the MBL. The
abstracts have been enhanced since 1991: they are longer
and contain a figure or table; moreover, they are reviewed
and are thus more credible and valuable than the old ab-
stracts were. In the past nine years, about 420 of these short
reports have been published, which has also served to widen
the focus of the Bulletin.
Response to electronic publishing. Printing, design,
graphic techniques, and the quality of paper have improved
slowly over the past 100 years, brightening and enhancing the
data published in The Biological Bulletin, as in other journals.
This improvement in appearance is symbolized by the images
on the cover of this issue. But these technical advances are
trivial compared with the sea change that electronic commu-
nication has brought in the last decade. This revolution is not
close to peaking, but it has already fundamentally altered the
way that scientists do business.
To date. The Biological Bulletin has responded to the
potential for electronic publishing with three online prod-
ucts: the Compendia, the Marine Models Electronic Record
(MMER), and the Keys to the Invertebrates of the Woods
Hole Region (The Keys). These products, or their contents,
are composed of relatively independent units of data or
methods. I he) are therefore well adapted to navigation and
viewing on-screen and are amenable to the advantages of
online editing a,"d publication, especially continual updat-
ing. The Ct>iupeii:lia consist of tabulated data: e.g., compo-
sition of physiological solutions, breeding seasons and ga-
mete characteristics, and invertebrate anesthetics and
relaxants (in review). The MMER is a completely electronic
journal devoted to the collection, culture, and preparation of
marine animals for experimentation. The Keys, first pub-
lished in 1954, were particularly useful to researchers who
are not systematists; unfortunately, this guide is now out-
of-date, but it is undergoing revision online. These three
products are accessible on the home page of Biological
Bulletin Publications at: www.mbl.edu/BiologicalBulletin/.
Biological Bulletin Publications also manages the classical
print journal. Tables of contents and the abstracts of articles
published in each issue of the Bulletin are published elec-
tronically as soon as they have all been accepted and proof-
read. Moreover, videos and data supplemental to published
articles are also maintained online.
The full text of the papers in The Biological Bulletin are
still not available electronically; but this state of affairs
cannot continue forever. Our readers do not want to store
paper journals. They want to store a collection of articles,
selected from a variety of journals, and tailored to their
specific needs. Overwhelmingly, now, these papers are ob-
tained, not as reprints, but by photocopying or, where avail-
able, by downloading from the internet. More important,
our authors expect that, when the paper is accepted and the
editorial process is complete, their paper will be distributed
as rapidly and widely as possible. If this expectation is to be
met, then The Biological Bulletin should be published elec-
tronically, and since fees limit distribution, access should be
free of cost to readers.
The present Biological Bulletin Publications could pro-
duce an online journal, but two major, well-ventilated ques-
tions remain: First, who should pay for this significant
service to authors? Probably authors — at least in part. At
present, however. The Biological Bulletin has no page
charges, and revenue comes almost entirely from libraries.
Second, although paper documents last for hundreds of
years, electronic storage technology turns over in about five;
so if we only publish electronically, how do we solve the
problem of archiving? Clearly paper archival copies must be
produced. But who will pay for them? Probably the librar-
ies— at least in part. In any event, scientific publication will
be revolutionized in the next decade, and The Biological
Bulletin — if it survives its inevitable transmogrification —
will bear about as much physical resemblance to its earlier
life as a butterfly does to a caterpillar.
— MICHAEL J. GREENBERG, Editor-in-Chief
References
Clapp, P. L. 1988. The history of The Biological Bulletin. Bwl. Bull.
174: 1-3.
Kcdtield, A. C. 1941. Annual report of the Marine Biological Laboratory
for the year 1940. Report of the Managing Editor. Biol. Bull. 81: 12-17.
Reference: Bio/. Bull- 197: 115-122. (October 1999)
Concepts in Imaging and Microscopy
Exploring Biological Structure and Function with
Confocal Microscopy
MICHAEL DAILEY. GLEN MARRS1, JAKOB SATZ1, AND MARC WAITE
Department of Biological Sciences and l Program in Neitroscience. The University of lomi.
Iowa Citv, Iowa 52242
Abstract. Confocal microscopy is providing new and ex-
citing opportunities for imaging cell structure and physiol-
ogy in thick biological specimens, in three dimensions, and
in time. The utility of confocal microscopy relies on its
fundamental capacity to reject out-of-focus light, thus pro-
viding sharp, high-contrast images of cells and subcellular
structures within thick samples. Computer controlled focus-
ing and image-capturing features allow for the collection of
through-focus series of optical sections that may be used to
reconstruct a volume of tissue, yielding information on the
3-D structure and relationships of cells. Tissues and cells
may also be imaged in two or three spatial dimensions over
time. The resultant digital data, which encode the image, are
highly amenable to processing, manipulation and quantita-
tive analyses. In conjunction with a growing variety of vital
fluorescent probes, confocal microscopy is yielding new
information about the spatiotemporal dynamics of cell mor-
phology and physiology in living tissues and organisms.
Here we use mammalian brain tissue to illustrate some of
the ways in which multidimensional confocal fluorescence
imaging can enhance studies of biological structure and
function.
Received 26 March 1999: accepted 21 July 1999.
To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dr. Michael Dailey.
Dept. of Biological Sciences. 335 Biology Building, University of Iowa.
Iowa City, IA 52242. E-mail: michael-e-dailey@uiowa.edu
This is the third in a series of articles entitled "Concepts in Imaging and
Microscopy." This series is supported by the Optical Imaging Association
(OPIA) and was introduced with an editorial in the April 1998 issue of this
journal (Bio/. Bull. 194: 99). Other articles in the series are listed on Tin-
Biological Bulletin'f, website at .
ll namics of glial cells responding to neural tissue injury
(U. ms et a!.. 1996; Dailey and Waite. 1999). In each
case, i ! -.mimic features of cell structure and movement
could be \ < i-d in a near-native tissue environment.
One of i and i -utilized features of confocal microscopy
is the ability to image dynamic cell and tissue structures in
four dimensions (4-D); that is. in three spatial dimensions
over time (e.g., Kriete and Wagner. 1993; Konijn et ai.
1996; Errington et ul.. 1997; Zimmermann and Siegert.
1998). This can be accomplished by collecting stacks of
confocal images at set time intervals The resultant time
series of confocal image stacks can be used to reconstruct
3-D views of dynamic cell and tissue development. Mark
Cooper's group has elegantly applied this approach to early
CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY
119
Figure 3. Time-lapse sequence shows the dynamics of axon growth and contact with a dendrite in a
developing rat hippocampal slice. Neurons were labeled with a fluorescent membrane dye, Dil. To image growth
of neuronal processes in three dimensions, stacks of 16 optical sections spanning 30 ^xm in the axial dimension
(2-^im ;-steps) were collected at time intervals of 6 min. Images in the top sequence represent a simple axial
projection of the 16 images in the through-focus stack. The bottom series of images are red-green stereo images
of the same data to provide depth information (viewing requires red-green or red-blue stereo glasses). A thin
axon (arrow) extends parallel to a dendrite (arrowhead). Note the long thin filopodia at the leading edge of the
growth cone (0 min), which advances (18 min) and bifurcates (arrows, 36 min). The left branch of the growth
cone contacts the adjacent dendrite, and the axon growth is subsequently reoriented in that direction (54 min).
A time-lapse movie of the axon growth is available for viewing on The Biological Bulletin Website at
.
zebrafish development (Cooper, 1999), demonstrating the
power of time-resolved, 4-D confocal imaging in a fully
intact, experimental vertebrate preparation. In Figure 3 we
illustrate the use of 4-D confocal imaging to capture the
dynamic behavior of an axonal growth cone extending and
contacting a dendrite within a rat hippocampal brain slice.
Imaging Cell and Tissue Physiology
With increasing frequency, it is becoming necessary —
and feasible — to gather information about both the structure
and physiology of the biological specimen. This is espe-
cially essential for studies on neural tissue, where spatial
and temporal patterns of electrical and chemical signals play
critical roles in brain function. Optical imaging of the phys-
iology of individual cells within the context of a 3-D tissue
can provide a powerful means of exploring tissue organiza-
tion and function. Within a single field of view, the activity
of many tens or hundreds of cells may be observed simul-
taneously. This can help elucidate physiological features of
populations of cells, reveal distinct functional properties
and relationships of different cell types, and define func-
tional domains within a tissue.
In conjunction with the various fluorescent probes used in
cell physiology, confocal imaging can provide information
on absolute values of, as well as transient changes in,
membrane potential, pH, intracellular calcium, and several
other ions and physiological factors. For example, fluores-
cent calcium indicator dyes (such as fluo-3) have been used
often to investigate the dynamics of intracellular calcium
fluctuation in a variety of cell and tissue preparations. Such
studies have helped define the spatiotemporal aspects of
intra- and inter-cellular calcium signals (Cornell-Bell et al.,
1990; Cleemann et al.. 1998; Wier et al.. 1997). Confocal
physiological imaging also has been feasible for studies in
thick brain tissue slices (Dani e t al., 1993; van den Pol et al.,
1992; Dailey and Smith, 1994; Komuro and Rakic, 1996;
Guerineau et al.. 1998) and in other complex neural prep-
arations, such as the intact zebrafish (Cox and Fetcho, 1996)
and the neuromuscular junctions of frog (Reist and Smith.
1992) and fly (Karunanithi et al., 1997). Figure 4 illustrates
the use of confocal imaging to examine, in cultured brain
tissue, the spatiotemporal patterns of intra- and inter-cellu-
lar activity in neuroglial cells in response to a physiological
perturbation.
Many calcium imaging experiments that use laser confo-
cal microscopy have employed nonratiometric calcium in-
dicator dyes (e.g., fluo-3, calcium green), primarily because
the most popular ratiometric dyes (fura-2 and indo-1) re-
M. DAILEY ET AL
.ICTOsec
200 sec
200um
Figure 4. Physiological time-lapse imaging reveals changing spatiotemporal patterns of intracellular cal-
cium (Ca2+) activity in brain tissue in response to potassium (K.f) depolarization. The slice was loaded with
fluo-4 AM (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR), a membrane-permeant fluorescent indicator of intracellular
calcium, and mounted in an open chamber for imaging. Single confocal scans were collected at 7-s intervals to
detect changes in fluorescence intensity, which reflect changes in intracellular calcium levels. Each panel (left,
center, right) is a composite of three images acquired at three slightly different time-points (7 s apart) and
encoded red, green, or blue. Thus, the colors represent points in time when cells are active. Inactive cells appear
black, and cells with sustained high calcium levels appear white. The left panel, corresponding to a time-point
prior to Kf depolarization, shows a low level of spontaneous calcium activity (few colored cells). The center
panel, taken just after addition of medium containing high (9 mM) K ' . shows a much higher level of calcium
activity in cells. Note that the small colored patches (corresponding to individual, active cells; arrows) are
dispersed across the field of view. In the right panel, taken about 100 s later, the isolated cell activity has
diminished, and a new pattern of activity emerges corresponding to groups of 5-15 synchronously active cells
within patches that are 100-200 fiin in diameter. The active cells are probably astrocytes, and the emergence of
synchronously active groups of neighboring cells probably represents electrical (gap junction) coupling among
astrocytes (Charles, 1998; Harris-White et ni, 1998). A lime-lapse movie is available for viewing on The
Biological Bulletin Website at .
quire excitation wavelengths in the ultraviolet (UV) range.
Such short-wavelength lasers are expensive and thus less
widely available; moreover, chromatic aberration problems
associated with UV excitation make confocal microscope
design very challenging (Blinton and Lechleiter. 1995).
However, several studies have shown that ratiometric phys-
iological data can be obtained by visible wavelength con-
focal imaging. These studies utilize two calcium-sensitive
dyes (fluo-3 and fura red) simultaneously (Lipp and Niggli.
1993, 1994; Schild et a!., 1994), or a calcium sensitive
(fluo-3) and a calcium-insensitive (rhodamine) dye in com-
bination (Strieker. 1996).
Since many physiological events occur on a very fast
time-scale, an imaging system must sample at a sufficiently
high rate to resolve such events. Many of the early confocal
systems were severely limited by the rate at which they
"ere able to collect and store images. This limitation is
inc; , singly being overcome in two ways. First, with stan-
dard r scanning confocal microscopes, the sampling rate
can hi jd by reducing the size of the field over which
image d;n . t'lected. In the extreme case, the "field size"
is reduced to a vigle line that can be repeatedly scanned at
high rates ( Mi Hz), a so-called line-scanning mode. This
yields limited spatial information, but provides the ex-
tremely high time-resolution necessary for resolving
fast physiological events such as neural synaptic activity
(Schild etal.. 1994; Korkotian and Segal, 1998; Yuste etui..
1999).
Second, several video rate or "real-time" confocal sys-
tems have been developed, some of which are capable of
collecting over one hundred .v-v (2-D) images per second.
These systems have been utilized to study preparations as
diverse as individual mesenchymal cells (Vesely and
Boyde. 1996), perfused whole rat heart (Hama ft /., 1998),
kidney (Andrews. 1996). and mammalian nerve and blood
vessels /';; vivo (Bussau et til.. 1998; Papworth et ai. 1998).
While confocal imaging is permitting unprecedented ob-
servations of intact tissues and organisms, it is also extend-
ing our view into the dynamic subcellular and molecular
world. This new capability has been closely coupled with
the development and use of vital fluorescent probes such as
green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged proteins (Chalfie et
nl.. 1994). Such probes can be engineered to target partic-
ular organelles, delivered to living cells and organisms, and
imaged by time-lapse confocal microscopy, so thai the
growth, dynamics, and reorganization of subcellular com-
partments can be studied (Cole et ai, 1996; Terasaki et /..
1996).
CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY
121
Outlook
The plethora of cell and molecular probes now available
will, with increasing frequency, permit studies aimed at
elucidating both morphological and physiological features
of biological specimens. An especially exciting aspect of
current biological investigation is the ability to assess the
spatiotemporal dynamics of molecules in living cells, tis-
sues, and intact organisms. Progress in such studies criti-
cally depends upon the availability of imaging tools that
provide sufficient spatial and temporal resolution and that
are, to the extent possible, noninvasive and nondestructive.
We can anticipate that advances in confocal microscopy
will continue to play a role in extending our capacity to
probe the relationship between biological structure and
function, from molecule to organism.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported in part by grants from the Roy
J. Carver Charitable Trust, the National Institutes of Health
(NS37159), the Whitehall Foundation (#S98-6), and an
American Cancer Society seed grant (#IN-122R) adminis-
tered through the University of Iowa Cancer Center. Vox-
blast was developed at the University of Iowa Image Anal-
ysis Facility.
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Development of the Larval Serotonergic Nervous
System in the Sea Star Patiriella regularis
as Revealed by Confocal Imaging
FRANCIS CHEE* AND MARIA BYRNE
Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney F13, NSW 2006, Australia
Abstract. Development of the nervous system in the lar-
vae of the sea star Patiriella regularis was reconstructed in
three dimensions. The optical sectioning and image process-
ing capabilities of the confocal microscope made it possible
to identify the precise location and timing of development
of serotonergic cells in relation to subsequent development
of larval features. Similarities between this system and the
serotonergic systems in larvae of other echinoderms were
explored. Neuronal-like immunoreactive cells and pro-
cesses first appeared in late gastrulae as a collection of cells
scattered across the animal pole. These cells subsequently
gave rise to basal axons positioned along the basal lamina.
Immunopositive cells located in the stomodaeal region
marked the beginnings of formation of the adoral ciliated
band. Cells were also present in the mid-dorsal epithelium.
Advanced bipinnaria had pyramidal immunoreactive cells
within the adoral band and ovoid immunoreactive cells
within the preoral and postoral ciliated bands. Processes
originating from neurons in the transverse region of the
preoral ciliated band extended into the buccal cavity, sug-
gesting that these cells have a sensory role in feeding. An
anterior ganglion formed in the late bipinnaria. innervating
the preoral and postoral ciliated bands. This connection has
not previously been described. It thus appears that the
ciliated bands in the bipinnaria larvae of P. regularis com-
municate via serotonergic nerve tracts.
Introduction
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine. 5-HT) is a ubiquitous
monoamine and functions as a neurotransmitter in the adult
Received 2 November 1998: accepted 28 June 1999.
* E-mail: francis@anatomy.usyd.edu.au
Abbreviations: ADNP. adoral nerve plexus; FSW. filtered seawater;
PBS. phosphate buffered saline; AG, anterior ganglion; 5-HT. serotonin.
nervous systems of a large range of animal groups (Collier,
1958). In echinoderms, serotonin was first isolated in the
gonads of adult asteroids (Welsh and Moorehead, 1960),
and its cellular location has been documented in studies of
the larval nervous system of echinoids, asteroids, and ho-
lothuroids (Bisgrove and Burke, 1986: Burke et ai, 1986;
Bisgrove and Burke, 1987: Nakajima, 1988; Bisgrove and
Raff, 1989: Nakajima et ai, 1993; Moss et al., 1994; Chee
and Byrne, 1997). These studies indicate that serotonin
functions in a neuronal capacity in these larvae. The feeding
larvae of echinoderms typically have a well-developed se-
rotonergic nervous system that innervates the ciliated bands
and is suggested to play a sensory role in feeding and
metamorphosis. The similarities between the serotonergic
systems in the larvae of several echinoderm classes have
been taken to suggest that these systems are homologous
(Burke et al., 1986). In general, the increasing complexity
of the serotonergic nervous system in the feeding larvae of
echinoderms parallels the development of the ciliated bands
(Burke, 1983).
During sea star development the number of serotonergic
immunoreactive cells increases from a few cells at the
sastrula stage to a complex nervous system in competent
larvae prior to metamorphosis (Nakajima, 1988). In this
study we investigate the larval nervous system of the sea
star Patiriella regularis. This species has planktotrophic
development through bipinnaria and brachiolaria feeding
stages (Byrne and Barker. 1991). Following from previous
observations (Chee and Byrne, 1997), we document the
expression of serotonin in P. regularis from the first ap-
pearance of neurons in gastrulae through the formation of a
complex three-dimensional nervous system. Assisted by
confocal microscopy, we were able to reconstruct develop-
ment of the serotonergic-like nervous system in three di-
mensions with respect to morphogenetic change. Although
123
124
F. CHEE AND M. BYRNE
previous studies have successfully used epifluorescence mi-
croscopy to follow the formation of the larval serotonergic
nervous system in echinoderms (Burke, 1983; Nakajima,
1988: Moss et ul., 1994), insights into cell structure and the
three-dimensional nature of the system were limited with
this technique.
For echinoderms. development through feeding larvae is
considered to be the ancestral life-history pattern (Strath-
mann. 1978: Hart et al., 1997). In Patiriellti, developmental
evolution has resulted in the loss of a feeding larva and
adaption of various forms of planktotrophic, benthic, in-
tragonadal, and lecithotrophic larvae (Byrne and Cerra,
1996: Hart et al., 1997). A major aim of this study was to
obtain a more complete picture of 5-HT-like expression in
the ancestral-type larvae of P. regularis and demonstrate
that during the development of P. regularis small changes in
gross morphology coincide with large changes in serotoner-
gic architecture. The significance of the distribution of se-
rotonergic neurons is assessed with respect to the functional
morphology of the larvae and the roles these neurons may
play in modulating larval behavior. Parallels in the immu-
nocytochemical expression of 5-HT with other neurotrans-
mitters in the feeding larvae of other echinoderms are dis-
cussed. The nomenclature used to describe the ciliated
bands follows that established by previous authors (Strath-
mann, 1975; Moss et ul., 1994).
Materials and Methods
Patiriella regularis were collected from the Derwcnt
Estuary, Tasmania. Mature oocytes were obtained by in-
tracoelomic injection of the starfish with 10~s M 1-methy-
ladenine (Sigma) in 0.2-jum filtered seawater (FSW). Testes
were dissected from mature males, and a dilute solution of
sperm was added to the eggs. Fertilization success was
visually checked after 15 min. The fertilized eggs were
washed three times in FSW to remove any remaining sperm.
Embryos and larvae were cultured at 22°C in FSW, and the
larvae were fed Dunuliellu tertiolecta, Rhodomonas sp., or
both.
Gastrulae, early and late bipinnariae, and early brachio-
lariae were immunolabeled for microscopic examination.
Gastrulae were obtained from four cultures derived from
different fertilizations. The hipinnaria were derived from six
different cultures. All of the stages were transferred to glass
scintillation vials, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in FSW at
22°C for 1-2 h, rinsed briefly in FSW. and then placed into
phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at pH 8.2-8.3. Prior to
antibody incubation, specimens were treated for 30 min in
PBS containing normal goat serum and 0.3<7r Triton x 100
to reduce nonspecific staining and to aid antibody penetra-
tion. After each incubation step the specimens were washed
with gentle agitation in three 10-min changes of 0.1 M PBS
pH 8.2. Specimens were then incubated first in the primary
antibody, rabbit anti-serotonin (Incstar/DiaSorin) diluted 1
in 100. for 16 to 22 h at 4"C, and then in the secondary
antibody, biotinylated goat and rabbit IgG (H + L) (Vector
Laboratories) 1 in 50. for 2 h. The final incubation was in a
1 -in- 100 dilution of fluorescein (FITC (-labeled streptavidin
(Vector Laboratories) for 20 min in the dark at 23°C.
Controls consisted of omitting the primary antibody, omit-
ting the secondary antibody, using normal rabbit serum as a
substitute for the primary antibody, and checking for
autofluorescence using only paraformaldehyde-rixed gastru-
lae and larvae. Immunolabeled gastrulae (n > 100) and
larvae were mounted on welled slides in a drop of Fluoro-
guard antifade reagent (Bio-Rad). and the coverslips were
sealed with nail polish. Slides were viewed immediately or
stored at 4°C in the dark. Slides refrigerated for several
months showed no sign of fading when examined. All times
quoted are postfertilization.
The specimens were examined with a confocal laser
scanner coupled to an epifluorescence microscope (a Bio
Rad MRC600 scanner and a Zeiss Axiophot microscope or
an MRC1024 and an Olympus BX 60). The 488-nm line of
the krypton/argon laser was used with a 520DF32-nm filter
block. Various numbers of optical sections were collected at
different depth intervals. The depth of collection was deter-
mined by the thickness of the specimen and the degree of
immunolabeling. The number of immunoreactive cell bod-
ies was determined by optically sectioning the various lar-
vae. All images are displayed in ventral or lateral view,
anterior at the top of the page. Image projections (extended
focal length) were created using Confocal Assistant (Soft-
ware version 4.02), and three-dimensional (3D) stereo ana-
glyphs were produced using Laser Sharp (Bio-Rad Labora-
tories) and Confocal Assistant. Computer animations were
produced using a Silicon Graphics XS24 4000 with Voxel
View Ultra software.
Patiriella regularis larvae were prepared for scanning
electron microscopy according to Byrne and Barker ( 1991 )
and examined with a Philips XL30 at 10 Kv.
Results
Giistmlii
The first cells exhibiting specific 5-HT-like immunoreac-
tivity occurred in mid gastrulae (Fig. 1A), about 24 h
postfertilization. As the gastrulae began to elongate, these
cells formed a partial dome-like array across the animal
region and included monopolar. bipolar, and tripolar cells
(Fig. IB). Varicosities were occasionally observed on these
processes (Fig. 1C). Both the soma and the neurites of these
cells were immunopositive (Fig. 1C). In cross section the
cells spanned the epithelium (Fig. ID). With 3D computer
reconstructions or extended focus projections, these cells
were shown to be pyramidal. Control gastrulae (H = 15),
were nonfluorescent.
5-HT NEUROGENESIS IN A LARVAL SEA STAR
125
Figure 1. Confocal images showing bodies and processes of cells with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity in early
and advanced gastrula. (A) A projection from 16 optical sections taken at 4.5-/j,m intervals of a mid gastrula
shows cells with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity (arrowheads) scattered in the epithelium. C, cilia. Bar. 63 jam. (B)
Advanced gastrula. projection created from 14 images at 4.5-ju.m depth intervals showing the concentration of
immunoreactive cells (arrowheads) in the animal half. Bar. 95 /am. (C) 5-HT-like immunoreactivity in a tripolar
nerve cell in a 34-h gastrula. ax, axonal-like processes; v, varicosities; neb. nerve cell body. Bar. 16 (j,m. (D)
Advanced gastrula/early bipinnaria epithelium (e) showing nerve cell bodies (neb) and axonal-like processes (ax)
traveling along the basal lamina in a single confocal section. Bar. 20 ju.m.
Bipinnaria
Prior to the opening of the mouth, early bipinnariae had
a distinct stomodaeal invagination while the blastopore was
still located at the vegetal pole (Fig. 2A). The larvae could
now be orientated according to their dorsoventral axis (Fig.
2 A). A 144-/xm-thick projection reconstructed from 32 op-
tical sections showed that cells with 5-HT-like immunore-
activity were abundant on both sides of the larva (Fig. 2A).
On the ventral surface, the cells around the stomodaeum,
about 10 in number, were monopolar and marked the posi-
tion at which the adoral ciliated band will form (Fig. 2 A). A
collection of bipolar ovoid immunoreactive cells on the
dorsal surface was positioned roughly opposite the stomo-
daeal invagination (Fig. 2A).
At about 48 h postfertilization, the mouth opened. The
larvae were further elongated and the anus opened ven-
trally. With completion of the gut, the larvae were able to
feed. As seen above, 5-HT-like immunoreactivity was
conspicuous in the cells surrounding the mouth, which
marked the position of the developing adoral ciliated
band (Fig. 2B). A few immunoreactive cell bodies were
also observed on the upper right region of the buccal
cavity (Fig. 2B). Immunoreactive cells and processes on
the mid-dorsal surface formed an incomplete ring that
wrapped partially around the larva but did not extend to
the ventral surface (Fig. 2C). Axonal-like processes from
these cell bodies extended towards the posterior end of
the larva (Fig. 2C). Although the fate of the immunore-
active cells in this ring could not be followed, their
mid-body position indicates that they were subsequently
126
F. CHEE AND M. BYRNE
Figure 2. Confocal optical projections of early hipinnariae. (A) Early bipinnaria reconstructed from 32
optical sections. Cells with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity can be clearly seen around the stomodaeal invagination
(si) and the dorsal surface (arrowheads) of the larva. (B) Projection of 5 confocal sections from the ventral side
of a 48-h bipinnaria. 5-HT-like immunoreactivity is present in cell bodies (arrowheads) in the adoral ciliated
band (adcb), and a few immunoreactive cells are also present on the upper left-hand side of the mouth (m). (C)
Projection of 5 optical sections from the dorsal side of the larva in panel B. Immunoreactive cell bodies (neb)
and axonal-like processes (ax) form a band partially wrapping around the larva. Bars. 95 /j.m.
incorporated into the serotonergic tracts associated with
the preoral and postoral ciliated bands.
As the preoral, postoral and adoral ciliated bands devel-
oped, the oral hood was also beginning to form (Fig. 3 A, B).
Serotonin-like immunoreactivity was observed along the
ciliated bands in the form of monopolar cell bodies with
axonal-like tracts following the path of these bands (Fig.
3 A). By this stage, a ganglion was evident at the anterior
end of the larva. This anterior ganglion ( AG) consisted of
the immunopositive cells and processes innervating the
preoral and postoral ciliated bands and processes intercon-
necting these bands (Fig. 3A).
Advanced bipinnaria (about 18 days old) underwent a
distinct shape change with the formation of an extension at
the anterior end of the larva (Fig. 4A, B). The three ciliated
bands were well developed in these larvae (Fig. 4A, B).
Internally, the larva had a well-developed gut. and the right
and left enterocoels had formed. The distribution of immu-
noreactive cells in these bands, discussed below, was con-
sistent in all larvae examined (n = 100).
Adoral cilititeil huiul
The adoral ciliated band was located along the posterior
margin of the mouth and was characteristically paraboloidal
(Fig. 5A). Along this band were densely packed cells with
5-HT NEUROGENESIS IN A LARVAL SEA STAR
127
Figure 3. Three-dimensional red/green anaglyph and a scanning electron micrograph (false colored) of early
bipinnariae. (A) A 3-D lateral view of an early bipinnaria showing immunoreactive cell bodies and axonal-like
tracts following the ciliated bands. The anterior ganglion (ag) has formed and connects the preoral (procb) and
postoral (pocb) ciliated bands, adocb. adoral ciliated band; o. esophagus; s, stomach; i, intestine. Bar, 95 /j.m. (B)
Ventral view of an early bipinnaria at the same stage as in panel A. The ciliated bands are developing, but the
anterior extension has not yet formed. Black arrowheads, preoral ciliated band; white arrowheads, postoral
ciliated band; white arrow, adoral ciliated band; in. mouth; a. anus. Bar, 100 /u,m.
5-HT-like immunoreactivity; the apical ends of these cells
extended to the edge of the ciliated epithelium. These cells
were pyramidal and connected basally \-ui a thick immu-
nopositive tract (Fig. 6A). Compared with the other ciliated
bands, the adoral ciliated band had the highest concentration
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrographs of a hipinnaria showing fully
developed ciliated bands (arrowheads and arrows): (A) Ventral view of a
bipinnaria with a flexed oral hood and mouth (m) open showing the
position of the adoral ciliated band (adcb). (B) Lateral view of a bipinnaria
showing the anterior extension of the oral hood, top right-hand side.
Double-ended arrow indicates the anterior region where the anterior gan-
glion links the preoral and postoral ciliated bands. Arrowheads, preoral
ciliated band; arrows, postoral ciliated band: Bar, 200 /urn.
of immunoreactive cells and processes, forming the adoral
nerve plexus (ADNP). The ADNP innervated the epithe-
lium of the adoral ciliated band. Confocal optical sectioning
revealed that the apical region of these cells protruded to the
exterior of the ciliated band epithelium. Computer anima-
tions (data not illustrated) and a 3D anaglyph (Fig. 5A|
showed that this plexus was also connected by serotonergic
processes with the nerve plexus in the preoral transverse
band via two thin (approximately 2.5 pirn) lateral immuno-
reactive tracts.
Preoral ciliated band
The preoral ciliated band was located on the ventral
surface of the larva and outlined the oral hood (Fig. 4A).
Where this band traversed the larva above the mouth (pre-
oral transverse region), a large number of flask-shaped cell
bodies with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity (x = 21, SE = 0. 1
n = 10 larvae) were found in the epithelium (Fig. 4B). From
these cell bodies, confocal sectioning into the larva from the
ventral surface revealed axonal-like processes from the
basal portion of the cells extending inwards toward the
buccal cavity (Fig. 4B). In its lateral region, the preoral
ciliated band contained a few immunopositive cells scat-
tered along its path. Occasionally, a collection of cell bodies
forming a pair of lateral ganglia were seen in the lateral
region of the postoral ciliated band. These structures were
not seen in all larvae and appear to be ephemeral. In the late
bipinnaria, a ganglion developed at the anterior end of the
larva. This ganglion consisted of immunoreactive cells
128
F. CHEE AND M. BYRNE
Figure 5. Bipinnaria: 3-D anaglyph and a high-magnification confocal image projection of the anterior
ganglion. Images were constructed from a series of optical sections covering a distance of 132 /urn. (A) 3-D
anaglyph of a bipinnaria detailing the serotonergic nervous system following the pathway of the ciliated bands.
White arrowheads, serotonergic connection between preoral and adoral ciliated bands; s, stomach; m, mouth; o,
esophagus; arrows, immunoreactive coelomic cells. Bar, 200 JJITI. ( B ) A projection of the anterior ganglion in
a late bipinnaria. Parallel axonal-like tracts on the opposing sides of the preoral ciliated band (prcb) and the
postoral ciliated bands (pocb) interconnecting in a fine network of processes with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity.
axt, axonal-like processes; neb, nerve cell bodies. Bar, 50 /im.
associated with the preoral and postoral ciliated bands and a
network of varicose processes spanning the two bands. This
structure innervated the two bands and is a prominent neu-
roanatomical feature in the bipinnaria of Patiriella rei>iultiiix with a similar shape. Three-dimensional recon-
structions of the tripolar cells revealed that they were
pyramidoid. a structure not previously reported. This ob-
servation would, however, be dependent on the imaging
5-HT NELIROGENESIS IN A LARVAL SEA STAR
129
Figure 6. Confocal images detailing immunnreactive cells in ciliated bands. (Al Image from 15 optical
sections (total thickness 139 /im) showing nerve cell bodies (neb) with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity and an
axonal-like tract (axt and arrowsl in the adoral ciliated band. The entire band is immunoreactive. Note that the
apical region of the neuron-like cells extend to the edge of the epithelium of the ciliated band. Arrowheads, cilia
projecting into the buccal cavity. Bar. 20 /nm. (B) The preoral and postoral ciliated bands of a fully developed
bipinnaria. Note the greater number of cells with 5-HT-like immunoreactivity (neb) present in the preoral ciliated
band (procb) compared with the postoral ciliated band (pocb). The preoral ciliated band has immunoreactive
processes (ip and lateral arrowheads) extending towards the buccal cavity, c and arrowheads, cilia. Bar, 63 f±m.
(C) Nerve cell bodies (ncbl and arrowheads) in the right lateral postoral ciliated band. Bar, 50 |um.
technique employed. Monopolar cells were the most com-
mon type of immunoreactive cell in the preoral and postoral
ciliated hands, whereas multipolar pyramidal cells were the
most common cell type in the adoral nerve plexus (ADNP)
of the adoral ciliated band.
The presence of the apical projection arising from the cell
bodies in the ADNP suggests that this plexus may have a
sensory role. This interpretation is similar to that of Ko-
matsu et til. (1991), who defined sensory neurons in the
bipinnaria of Luidia senegalensis as neurons whose apical
surface contacts the external environment. Strathmann
( 1975) demonstrated that the cilia of the adoral ciliated band
in bipinnariae are involved in carrying food particles into
the esophagus. It is possible that the adoral ciliated band of
P. regularis plays a gustatorial function under the influence
of serotonergic activity in the ADNP.
In the bipinnaria of P. regularis. serotonin-like immuno-
reactivity was conspicuous in the adoral ciliated band, in the
preoral and postoral ciliated bands, and in the anterior
ganglion. The adoral ciliated band was strongly fluorescent
and connected to the preoral ciliated band by an immuno-
reactive tract. Detection of this connection was possible
through generation of 3D anaglyphs from confocal optical
sections, which allowed visualization, and tracing of the
complex immunostained network with respect to larval
anatomy. On-screen animations (Chee and Byrne, 1997)
were also employed to view immunolabeled larvae to de-
termine the structure and direction of the immunolabeled
130
F. CHEE AND M. BYRNE
Figure 7. Confocal image showing immunoreactive cells (arrow-
heads) in the intestinal wall (il and surrounding the anus (a): Bar. 50 jum.
processes. Although serotonergic immunoreactivity of the
adoral ciliated band has been described in several studies
(Nakajima, 1988; Moss et ai, 1994). the connections be-
tween the adoral and preoral ciliated bands have not been
seen before. The conventional epi fluorescence microscopy
used in these earlier studies would not, however, have
allowed resolution of this fine structure. Our observations
demonstrate the presence of an extensive serotonergic com-
munication network that connects all the ciliated bands and
may govern reactions to stimuli and generate the behavioral
patterns associated with feeding and swimming.
Optical sections through the oral region revealed that the
immunoreactive cells in the preoral ciliated band gave rise
to basal immunoreactive processes that project dorsally
along the roof of the buccal cavity. The high density of
immunoreactive cells in the region of the preoral ciliated
band along the buccal opening suggests that these cells may
play a sensory role in feeding. Selection and rejection of
particles during feeding is thought to be associated with
sensory cells in the buccal cavity (Strathmann, 1975). The
cell processes in the roof of the buccal cavity in the larvae
of P. regularis may connect with receptor sites that lie
within the buccal cavity and are involved in particle selec-
tion in feeding. The 5-HT immunopositive tract connecting
the adoral and preoral ciliated bands indicates a serotonergic
link between the adoral ciliated band and the preoral ciliated
band; this link could be important in feeding.
The anterior ganglion (AG) is first seen in early bipinna-
ria prior to formation of the anterior extension. As this
extension develops, the ganglion becomes more intricate,
forming a highly complex network. In advanced bipinnaria
the AG consisted of prominent, strongly fluorescent tracts
traversing the anterior region of the preoral and postoral
ciliated bands. The anterior ganglion was the only seroto-
nergic connection between these ciliated bands.
In contrast to that suggested for sea stars (Lacalli, 1994),
the AG of P. regularis does not split to form a pair of lateral
ganglia. On the contrary, the pair of lateral ganglia occa-
sionally seen in P. regularis (Chee and Byrne, 1997) are
distinct from the AG. This bilateral collection of nerve cells
may be homologous to those seen in other sea star larvae
(Nakajima, 1988; Moss et al, 1994), and it also corresponds
to the position of peptidergic GFNSALMFamide (SI ) gan-
glia seen in P. regularis (Byrne et ai, 1999).
At the brachiolaria stage, the AG is incorporated into the
attachment complex, which contains many serotonergic
neuronal-like cells suggested to be involved in the settle-
ment process (Chee and Byrne, 1999). What appears to be
a serotonergic AG has been observed in other echinoderms.
Immunocytochemical labeling with anti-serotonin in the
auricularia larvae of a holothuroid produced a structure
described as an apical ganglion (Burke et al., 1986). Unlike
the AG of P. regularis, this structure was not composed of
many immunoreactive tracts. Serotonergic AG that differ
structurally from that of sea stars but are still anterior in
position have been extensively described for sea urchin
plutei (Bisgrove and Burke, 1987; Bisgrove and Raff, 1989;
Nakajima et al., 1993).
The AG in the bipinnaria of P. regularis is similar to the
anterior concentration of serotonergic neurons, variously
called apical organs or apical ganglia, characteristic of many
invertebrate larvae (Lacalli, 1994). These appear to be
highly conserved structures in marine invertebrate larvae
and are thought to have a sensory function (Lacalli, 1994;
Marois and Carew, 1997). The function of the AG and the
significance of the connection between the preoral and
postoral ciliated bands of P. regularis are not known. The
position of the AG, considered together with the bipinna-
ria's anterior direction of swimming, suggests that it may
have a sensory role in directional swimming; a similar
function has been suggested for the apical ganglion of other
invertebrate larvae (Marois and Carew, 1997). Moreover, in
an ultrastructural study of the bipinnaria of Luiilia seuega-
lensis, sensory cells were found in the preoral and postoral
ciliated bands ( Komatsu et ai, 1991 ) in the region where the
AG is located in P. regularis. Immuno-electron microscopic
examination of thin sections from the anterior region of P.
regularis would be needed to determine whether similar
cells are present in this species.
The anterior ganglion in P. regularis is also similar to
non-serotonergic neuronal structures in other asteroids.
Similar catecholaminergic anterior structures in the bipin-
naria of Archaster typicits were described as a "fluorescent
anastomosis" (Chen ct ai, 1995). Nakajima (1987) de-
scribed a similar catecholaminergic structure as a "fibrous
network" in the bipimiariae of Asterias ainurensis. We
5-HT NEUROGENESIS IN A LARVAL SEA STAR
131
believe that confocal imaging would reveal that these struc-
tures are similar to the AG in P. regultiris.
This study presents the most detailed immunocytochem-
ical description of the development of the serotonergic
system in a larval sea star. The organization of the seroto-
nergic nervous system in the bipinnaria of Patiriella regu-
luris reflects the bilateral symmetry of the larva. A striking
bilateral symmetry is also seen in the SI -like peptidergic
system in P. ref>ularis (Byrne et ai, 1999). For a complete
picture of the expression of serotonin in nerve-like cells
during development, we will continue this study in the
brachiolaria of P. regultiris through metamorphosis. Inter-
estingly, serotonin has never been localized immunocyto-
chemically in the nervous system of adult sea stars. It
appears that complex serotonergic innervation is a feature
common to the swimming and feeding larval form across a
range of marine invertebrate phyla. Changes in expression
of serotonin in the lecithotrophic larvae of the other Patiri-
ella species are being examined to document the evolution
of neurogenesis in these asteroids.
Acknowledgments
We thank Paulina Selvakumaraswamy, Anna Cerra and
Paula Cisternas, and Gillian Anderson for their comments
and help with the manuscript. Ray Ritchie kindly supplied
the algal cultures. Tony Romeo at the Electron Microscope
Unit at the University of Sydney also provided assistance.
This work was supported by an Australian Research Coun-
cil grant.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 132-143. (October 1999)
Rapid Jumps and Bioluminescence Elicited by
Controlled Hydrodynamic Stimuli in a Mesopelagic
Copepod, Pleuromamma xiphias
D. K. HARTLINE1*, E. J. BUSKEY2, AND P. H. LENZ1
1 Bekesy Laboratory of Neumbiology, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, Universitv of Hawaii at
Manoa, 1993 East-West Rd., Honolulu, Hawaii 96822; and 2 Marine Science Institute, University of
Texas at Austin. 750 Channelview Drive, Port Aransas, Texas 78373
Abstract. Actively vertically migrating mesopelagic
copepods are preyed upon by a wide variety of fishes and
invertebrates. Their responses to predatory attacks in-
clude vigorous escape jumps and discharge of biolumi-
nescent material. Escape jumps and bioluminescent dis-
charges in the calanoid copepod Pleuromamma xiphias
were elicited by quantified hydrodynamic disturbances.
Brief weak stimuli (peak water velocity 64 ± 21 /im s~')
elicited weak (peak force 6.5 dynes) propulsive responses
("jumps") and no bioluminescence. Moderate stimuli
(1580 ± 780 ju,m s~') produced strong propulsive re-
sponses consisting of long trains of coordinated power
strokes by the four pairs of swimming legs ("kicks").
Peak forces averaged 42 dynes. Strong stimuli (5520 ±
3420 ju,m s~') were required to elicit both a jump and a
bioluminescent discharge. In several cases, multiple
stimuli were needed to evoke bioluminescence, given the
limits on stimulus magnitude imposed by the apparatus.
Repeated bioluminescent discharges could be evoked, but
this responsiveness waned rapidly. Latencies for the
jump response (14 ± 4 ms) were shorter than for the
accompanying bioluminescent discharge (49 ± 26 ms).
The higher threshold for eliciting bioluminescent dis-
charge compared to escape jumps suggests that the cope-
pods save this defense mechanism for what is perceived
to be a stronger threat.
Received 13 May 1999; accepted 6 August 1999.
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
danh(<"phrc lunv.ui.edu
Introduction
Planktonic copepods are preyed upon by a wide variety of
fishes and invertebrates (Hopkins and Baird, 1985; Hopkins
ct a/.. 1996). Thus, predator evasion strategies are key to the
survival of these animals in pelagic communities. Plank-
tonic copepods respond to perceived attacks with rapid and
powerful escape "jumps" (Singarajah, 1969, 1975; Strick-
ler, 1975). The Augaptiloidea (Calanoida), which typically
inhabit the mesopelagic region, possess the ability to dis-
charge bioluminescent material (Clarke et «/., 1962; Her-
ring, 1988). These discharges are thought to either startle a
potential predator away or misdirect a possible attack
(David and Conover, 1961; Morin, 1983; Young, 1983).
Although we have a qualitative understanding that biolumi-
nescent discharges in these calanoids are used as a defense
mechanism, we know less about how these discharges are
triggered in the natural environment. In the laboratory,
electrical stimulation and mechanical agitation are routinely
used to elicit bioluminescent discharges (e.g., Latz et al.,
1987. 1990; Widder, 1992). However, we know little about
the magnitude of stimuli required to elicit this behavior.
Neither do we understand the relationship between the
escape jump and the bioluminescence. We addressed some
of these questions in a laboratory study, working with
tethered Plettromamma xiphias. This calanoid is a metridi-
nid (Augaptiloidea) and belongs to a widespread and abun-
dant genus in this group. Here we report on the minimum
hydrodynamic stimuli necessary to elicit a jump response,
and how this compares to the minimum stimulus that trig-
gers bioluminescence. By concurrently monitoring jump
behavior with a force transducer and bioluminescence with
132
COPEPOD JUMPS AND BIOLUMINESCENCE
133
a photomultiplier tube, we are able to describe the temporal
sequences for the two behaviors following a quantitative
stimulus.
Materials and Methods
Collection
Animals were collected at night (2000 to 2200 h). about
1 mile offshore from Keauhou Bay, Kona, Island of Hawaii,
at a depth of 70 to 100 m. A plankton net (0.5-m diam,
333-/j.m mesh) was towed from a small boat at idle speeds
(<2 knots) for 15 to 20 min. Within 2 h of collection the
animals were sorted into jars with clean seawater, cooled to
6°C, and flown, in coolers, to Oahu. Once the animals were
brought into the laboratory (within 16 h of collection), they
were kept in the dark at 6° to 8°C. Every 2 to 3 days the
copepods were fed under dim red light with a mixture of
Artemia nauplii and Isochrysis galbana cells.
Tethering
Copepods were affixed to aluminum wire tethers with
cyanoacrylate glue (Borden or Loctite) under red light in an
otherwise darkened room. They were corralled in a droplet
of seawater, which was then drawn down until a portion of
the dorsal prosome was briefly exposed to air. The wire,
with some glue on its tip, was applied and held in place
while the animal was reimmersed. During this procedure the
animals typically bioluminesced in response to the tactile
stimulation. Once a copepod was glued and transferred to
the experimental setup, 3 h were allowed to elapse before it
was tested for mechanical sensitivity. Good experimental
animals had high mechanical sensitivity, maintained their
swimming appendages in the promoted position (tucked
under the body, anteriorly directed), and were biolumines-
cently competent. In the experiments presented, the animals
maintained their mechanical sensitivity for at least 2 days,
although the force produced during the jump typically de-
clined. Toward the end of the experiments we observed
either a loss in sensitivity or a failure to maintain the
swimming appendages in the promoted position. All ani-
mals were still bioluminescently competent at the end of the
experiments and responded to direct tactile stimulation with
a discharge. While on the tether, copepods were fed Iso-
chrysis galbana.
Health
To test the bioluminescent competence of P. xiphias, five
specimens were tested for total mechanically stimulable
luminescence (TMSL) using methods described in Buskey
and Swift ( 1990). A single P. xiphias was placed in each of
five liquid scintillation vials containing 10 ml of filtered
seawater. After allowing the copepods to recover for about
2 h from the disturbance of being transferred, we placed a
vial inside an integrating sphere (Labsphere, Polane coated)
and stimulated bioluminescence by stirring the vial with a
battery-powered test-tube stirrer until no additional biolu-
minescence was detected. Bioluminescence was quantified
using a photomultiplier tube (PMT; Hamamatsu R464) and
a photon-counting photometer (Hamamatsu C1230). Values
for TMSL of P. xiphias ranged from 5.3 X 1010 to 5.5 X
10" photons, with a mean of 2.4 X 10" photons. These
results are similar to previously measured values of TMSL
for P. .xiphias (Buskey and Swift, 1990; Latz el al, 1990)
and indicate that our experimental animals were capable of
full bioluminescence and were in good physiological con-
dition.
Experimental protocol
The experimental setup is diagrammed in Figure 1 and is
described in detail in Lenz and Hartline (1999). After the
tethered copepod was positioned in the apparatus, red back-
ground lights were turned off, and illumination was
switched to infrared light from four Optek OP-293A LEDs
emitting 875 ± 20 nm and positioned about 1 cm behind the
animal, outside of the field of view of the video camera.
Hydrodynamic stimuli were generated using a piezoelectric
pusher to control movement of a plastic sphere of either 3-
or 5-mm diameter positioned about 3 mm in front of the
animal. At maximum amplitude, the experimental sphere
was displaced vertically by 40 jum. A behavioral response
was elicited at threshold by vertical movements of the larger
sphere of less than 0.5 /AID. Water displacement at the
rostrum, approximately parallel to the long axes of the first
antennae, was calculated based on the dipole attenuation
expected of near-field laminar water flow (Kalmijn, 1988;
Gassie et al., 1993). Although there are some errors and
approximations inherent in this indirect approach to deter-
mining stimulus magnitude (see Gassie et al., 1993, and
Lenz and Hartline, 1999, for detailed discussion), it is
widely used in behavioral and physiological studies on
hydrodynamic reception in aquatic organisms (e.g., Coombs
etal., 1989: Bleckmann, 1994; Coombs, 1994) and provides
a reasonable measure given uncertainties in such factors as
the location of receptors. Computer-controlled stimuli in-
cluded short and long sinusoidal movements ranging in
frequency from 50 to more than 1000 Hz.
Force measurement
During a rapid swim the copepod exerted a force on the
tether. The displacement this produced along a horizontal
axis, roughly parallel to the copepod' s body axis, was
measured with a fiberoptic displacement sensor (Philtec
88N) positioned opposite to a small reflective disk mounted
on the tether (Fig. 1). The force was calibrated by pushing
134
A
From Computer
D. K. HARTLINE ET AL
To Computer
B
Photometer
To
Computer
To VCR
Microscope
Figure 1. Diagram of the experimental setup. (A) Side view showing
the positions of the dipole (sphere) and the glued copepod. The sphere used
in the stimulus was either 3 or 5 mm in diameter. The distance between the
center of the sphere and the rostrum of the animal ranged from 3 to 5 mm.
(B) View from the top. Location of the photometer, dissecting microscope,
and camera are shown. The experimental dish was made out of microscope
slides and designed to allow positioning of the equipment at right angles to
the glass.
against the tether with a wire, the deflection of which had
been calibrated using weights. Force-transducer responses
were monitored with an oscilloscope, digitized at 42 kHz
per channel, and stored on computer. Resonance frequency
of the transducer ( 1.5-2 kHz) was kept as high as possible
while maintaining sufficient sensitivity for measurements.
The transducer was underdamped, with an overshoot of
around 20% to abruptly applied (0.5 ms rise) forces; it had
a dampn time-constant of 4 ms. Force signals were filtered
at 2 kHz wilt an 8-pole Bessel filter. Further details of the
recording system are given in Gassie et til. ( 1993) and Lenz
and Hartline (1999).
Mounted perpendicular to the view presented in Figure
1 A were a photometer, a dissecting microscope, and a video
camera (Fig. IB). Each of these instruments faced one of the
five sides of the experimental chamber. Light from the I-R
LEDs was blocked from the photometer with an interfer-
ence filter (center wavelength 480 nm), and background
recordings were very low. The spatial and temporal patterns
of bioluminescent emission of P. xiphitis were recorded on
videotape using a Cohu monochrome CCD (charge-cou-
pled-device) camera (30 fps) fitted with a 55-mm Micro-
N1KKOR macro lens, coupled to a Videoscope Interna-
tional KS-1381 microchannel plate image intensifier. The
video output signal was recorded on a Mitsubishi HU-770
videocassette recorder. The stimulus-trigger from the com-
puter also triggered a 30-ms-long flash in an I-R LED,
producing a single video frame with an elevated light level.
This was used to correlate video with force and PMT
records, which thus had an uncertainty of 30 ms. Charac-
teristics of the bioluminescence monitored by the PMT
could frequently be used to estimate the relative timing with
higher temporal resolution.
Lii;ht measurement
The bioluminescent emissions of P. xipliicis were mea-
sured in two ways: with a photomultiplier photometer and
with an image intensifier. In early experiments, photometer
measurements were made using a Hamamatsu C1230 pho-
ton counter and a Hamamatsu R464 PMT. This system was
convenient for measuring the total integrated biolumines-
cence emitted by P. xiphias. but it did not provide the
temporal resolution necessary to accurately measure flash
kinetics since it integrates counts over 0.1 -s intervals. It was
replaced with a Pacific Instruments model 126 wide-range
photometer using an EMI QL-30 PMT. Amplified voltage
from the PMT was sent directly to the computer and digi-
tized along with other components of the data stream. Be-
fore and after being shipped to Hawaii, both photometer
systems were calibrated using cultures of bioluminescent
bacteria (Photobacterium sp.) and a calibrated Quantalum
2000 luminescence photometer with a highly stable silicon
photodiode sensor. A secondary standard ( UC emission
standard made from Sylvania Type 132 blue phosphor, peak
wavelength 455 nm) was also calibrated. The secondary
standard was measured frequently to allow for calibration of
readings of bioluminescence.
Results
Sudden hydrodynamic disturbances were capable of elic-
iting behavioral responses in Plciironuiinmn xiphias; we
interpret these responses as "rapid swims." or "jumps." In
COPEPOD JUMPS AND B1OLUMINESCENCE
135
tethered animals, a complex temporal pattern of force de-
velopment followed closely on the presentation of such a
stimulus. Figure 2A shows a typical response to a brief
(2-ms) water movement of peak-to-peak amplitude com-
puted at 3.83 jum at the copepod's rostrum. Following a
short latency ("L"), there was an abrupt rise ("R") in for-
ward propulsive force. Then a relatively rapid return past
zero force to a smaller reverse force ("Rv") led to the
development of a second forward component. As in a pre-
vious study on the epipelagic copepod Umlinula vulgaris
(Lenz and Hartline, 1999), we interpret these propulsive
units to be kicks generated by the combined power strokes
of the four pairs of swimming legs (pereiopods). The fea-
tures of strong locomotor responses in P. xiphias were
20 30
Time (ms)
50
100 150
Time (ms)
200
Figure 2. Force record of a fast swim response of a Pleiiminnniiiui
xiphias adult female to a suprathreshold hydrodynamic stimulus. (A)
Expanded temporal scale showing the first four kicks of the response. (B)
Record showing the complete response to the stimulus. Stimulus: 700 H/,,
1.5 cycles, maximum water velocity of 8400 /mi s~' at the rostrum.
Piezoelectric transducer: PZL-060; vertical movement of sphere: 40 ;um;
sphere diameter: 5. 1 mm; distance from center of ball to rostrum: 4.4 mm
(BPL97-8.D04, second trace).
similar in most respects to those of U. vnlgaris (Lenz and
Hartline, 1999). They were characterized by short latencies,
measured from the onset of the stimulus to the onset of the
forward propulsion, typically around 10 ms (minimum: 6
ms). A weak brief backward propulsion, or "preparatory
movement." was observed in some animals immediately
preceding the forward propulsion (e.g.. Fig. 3A, "Pr").
Following the peak of forward propulsion, there was often
an irregular pattern of peaks and valleys for the remainder
of the short stroke duration (mean: 8.7 ms. Table I). As in
U. vulgaris (Lenz and Hartline, 1999) and Calanux helgo-
landicus (Svetlichnyy, 1987), the major peaks can be as-
signed to the individual strokes of pereiopod pairs. Minor
peaks caused by resonance in the underdamped force-trans-
ducer system were also often apparent (Fig. 2A "res"). The
distinct reverse propulsion following the termination of the
forward phase was a feature found consistently in P. xiphius
but not in previous studies on U. vulgaris. A pattern of
multiple kicks in quick succession characterized a strong
response to a stimulus. This is illustrated in Figure 2B,
which shows the same response as Figure 2A on a com-
pressed time scale. In P. xiphius, a train of kicks was
typical, producing a cohesive propulsive response we term
a "jump." Within the train, kicks occurred at repetition rates
of 80 Hz (Table I; range 59 to 98 Hz).
Response depended on stimulus magnitude
With the experimental setup described, we were able to
monitor jumps and bioluminescence simultaneously. As
with other copepods we have tested, P. xiphias is very
sensitive to water movement. Figure 3 shows records from
the PMT and the force transducer at three stimulus intensi-
ties. We observed several degrees of response, graded with
the intensity of the stimulus (Table II). Figure 3A shows a
"weak" response given to the lowest intensity of a 1.5-cycle
stimulus that elicited a measurable response in this animal.
Peak water velocity produced by this stimulus at the rostrum
was calculated to be 50 jum s ' (BPL97-10: Table II).
Neither the PMT nor the image intensifier recorded any sign
of bioluminescence. The force trace shows first one small
12-dyne kick followed by a 100-ms delay and then three
additional kicks. The cumulative force impulse generated
by these kicks (the integral of force over time; related to
total distance moved in a linear viscous medium) reaches
only 0.2 dyne-second. In general, a weak response consisted
of a brief force transient, which often barely registered on
the force transducer (e.g., mean of 6.5 dynes. Table 1).
These weak responses consisted of a small number of pro-
pulsive events (e.g., 1-3) with moderate latencies (15-20
ms). We term them "weak kicks," but determining what is
involved in their production awaits high-resolution cinema-
tography. As in Figure 3A, a weak kick was sometimes
136
D. K HARTLINE ET AL.
I-
CO
CO
2. io9
o
0
cf 40
1g 20
I 0
8-20
o
LL
50
100 150
^*
CO
I109
-^ 0
I-
1 40
'c? 20
I 0
8-20
o
LL
200
Time (ms)
50
100
1 50 200
w
50
100
200
Time (ms)
50 100 150 200
Figure 3. Behavioral responses of a Pleuromamma xiphias adult female to three stimulus intensities.
Hydrodynamic stimulus was produced hy a piezoelectric transducer (PZL-060) with a 5.1 -mm sphere, the center
of which was located 4.3 mm from the animal's rostrum. (A) Photomultiplier tube (PMT) and force records
showing response to a small stimulus: 700 H/., 1.5 cycles, maximum water velocity of 50 iim s ' at the rostrum
(vertical peak-to-peak movement of sphere: (1.22 /xm). (B) PMT and force records showing response to a
moderate stimulus: 700 Hz, 1.5 cycles, maximum water velocity of IdOO ,um s ' at the rostrum (vertical
peak-to-peak movement of sphere: 7.1 /j,m). (C) PMT and force records showing response to a large stimulus:
700 Hz, 8 cycles, maximum water velocity of XWO iim s"1 at rostrum (vertical peak-to-peak movement ol
sphere: 40 jtxm). Response is to fourth stimulus in a series of five presented at l-s intervals (the animal also
luminesced to the fifth presentation). Estimated times of video frames shown in Figure 5 indicated with marks
along the time axis. (Dl Integral of force over time for the force records shown in A, B. and C. Arrows indicate
stimulus presentation Bar in C indicates the length of time the stimulus was on ( 1 1.5 ms). Stimulus length in
A and B: 2 ms (BPL97-IO.D02, D04, D0f».
followed ( :' SO-200 ms period of quiescence and then a
cluster oi elayed, sometimes stronger, kicks.
As stimulus intensity was progressively increased above
the threshold level, a point was passed at which the intensity
of the response increased abruptly (Tables I, II). Figure 3B
shows force and PMT records for a stimulus intensity that is
COPEPOD JUMPS AND BIOLUMINESCENCE
Table I
Characteristics of escape response elicited bv a hydrodynamic stimulus
137
Experiment
Sex
Weak kick force
(dynes)
Max kick force
(dynes)
Latency (ms)
Kick duration
(ms)
Kick frequency
(Hz)
BPL97-3
M
7.5 ± 1.7
60.0 ± 6.4
12.9 ± 9.1
8.1 ± 1.2
89 ± 3
(5)
(5)
(6)
(4)
(5)
BPL97-6
M
4.7
24.8 ± 6.8
11.5 ± 1.0
6.9 ± 0.6
98 ± 5
(1)
(5)
(6)
(5)
(6)
BPL97-8
F
4.3
55.9 ± 3.5
7.4 ± 0.6
8.5 ± 0.7
89 ± 5
(1)
(6)
(6)
(6)
(6)
BPL97-10
F
10.4 ± 3.2
36.8 ± 6.8
1 1 . 1 ± 3.3
11.3 ± 0.8
75 ± 4
(8)
(19)
(16)
(8)
(8)
BPL97-II
F
5.5 ± 1.5
34.2 ± 6.8
15.6 ± 1.7
8.8 ± 2.4
56 ± 5
(3)
(4)
(4)
(6)
(7)
Weak kick forces were measured from escape responses to near-threshold stimuli. Maximum kick force, latency, kick duration, and kick frequency were
all measured from responses to suprathreshold stimuli. Maximum kick force refers to the largest force produced in a train of kicks. Latency and kick duration
were measured as shown in Figure 2 (L. D). Kick frequency was calculated by averaging the number of kicks over time either for the complete jump or
over the data record (200 ms) in the cases where the jumps extended beyond the sampling window. Means and standard deviations are given; sample size
(in parentheses) indicates the number of measurements used for the mean and SD.
30 times higher than that shown in Figure 3A. The PMT
record shows no sign of bioluminescence. However, many
characteristics of the force record are substantially aug-
mented (Fig. 3B). The response typically involved multiple
strong kicks with maximum forces produced by individual
kicks registering nearly 40 dynes (Fig. 3B). The force
impulse produced in the example shown in Figure 3B over
a 75-ms interval approached 1 dyne-second (Fig. 3D). In
general, such "strong" responses were elicited at stimulus
strengths 15 to 30 times above threshold for the weak kicks
(Table II). Peak amplitudes (mean = 42 dynes) were greater
by a factor of 5 or more than for the weak kicks (Table I).
Duration of individual kicks averaged 8.7 ms (Table I). The
overall envelope of peak forces during a jump was "spindle"
shaped (Fig. 2B). The first few kicks increased progres-
sively in amplitude, then continued with several (sometimes
35 or more) kicks, and finally tapered off somewhat before
ending. Figure 4 shows an example of the initial phase of
one of these very long spindle-shaped jumps. In a multiple-
stimulus protocol, the first or second stimulus of a train of
five at 1.5-s intervals usually evoked the longest spindle-
shaped jump.
Further increase in stimulus intensity would in some
cases result in a bioluminescent discharge. Figure 3C shows
Table II
Calculated water velocities that elicited behavioral responses: weak kicks, strong kicks, and strong kicks and bioluminescent discharges
Weak kick response
Strong kick response
Jump + biolum response
Expt
Sex
Stim
Velocity
(ju.m s ')
Stim
Velocity
( yum s ' )
Stim
Velocity
(u.m s~')
BPL97-3
M
S700
70
S700
2220
S700
2220
BPL97-6
M
S700
66
S700
1170
S700
6590
BPL97-7
F
ND
ND
ND
ND
S700
8420
BPL97-8
F
S700
84
S700
840
ND
ND
BPL97-9
F
S700
28
S700
890
ND
ND
BPL97-10
F
S700
50
S700
1570
F700
8860
BPL97-11
F
S700
89
S700
2770
F700
8860
BPL97-1
F
F700
58
ND
ND
F700
1830
BPL96-1
M
ND
ND
ND
ND
F700
1830
Mean
64
1580
5520
SD
21
780
3420
Water velocities at the copepod were calculated using dipole equations. Sinusoidal vertical movements of sphere at 700 Hz were either short (S700. 1.5
cycles) or long (F700. 8 cycles). ND = not determined: threshold could not be established.
138
D. K. HARTLINE ET AL.
50 100 150
Time (ms)
200
B
Q.
E
0
50
100
Time (ms)
150
200
Figure 4. (A) Force record of a long series of multiple kicks in
response to a large stimulus in Pteuromamma .\iphias. adult female. (B)
Integral of force over time for the force record shown in A. Stimulus: 700
Hz. 1.5 cycles, maximum water velocity of 8900 jim s~ ' at rostrum.
Piezoelectric transducer: PZL-060; sphere diameter: 5.1 mm: distance from
center of ball to rostrum: 4.4 mm: vertical peak-to-peak movement of
sphere: 40 /uni.
the response of the same animal as in Figures 3A and 3B to
a stimulus with an amplitude 180 times greater (and of
longer duration) than threshold for eliciting the weak jump.
Both a jump and a bioluminescent discharge were produced.
The jump response was initiated well before (18 ms) the
bioluminescence (Fig. 3C, top panel). The bioluminescent
discharge started at the end of the second kick in a train of
five and lasted for about 200 ms. The integrated force for the
train of kicks was about 0.8 dyne-second (Fig. 3D). Biolu-
minescence was usually accompanied by strong spindle-
shaped jumps. Near threshold for bioluminescence. dis-
charges were likely to be given in response to one of the
later stimuli in a sequence of five, and were thus not clearly
associated with the strongest (= longest) jump.
We were not able to elicit bioluminescent discharges to
hydrodynamic stimuli in all cases. This was not due to a
lack of bioluminescent competence, as electrical stimuli or
more vigorous mechanical disturbance would invariably
elicit bioluminescence even if our strongest hydrodynamic
stimulus would not. In five experiments, we obtained
thresholds for both jump and bioluminescence. and the
mean and standard deviations for the stimulus intensities are
shown in Table II. The mean threshold of computed peak
water velocity for a jump response was 64 /urn s~ ', whereas
that for eliciting bioluminescence was 5520 jam s~'. The
variability of the threshold for bioluminescence was greater
than that for the jump. On average the stimulus magnitude
had to be 90 times greater to elicit bioluminescent discharge
than to produce a weak jump, but this ratio ranged from 30
to 180 in the five experiments. Once we established a
threshold for bioluminescence for an experimental animal,
we usually were able to elicit bioluminescence multiple
times at that stimulus level, sometimes within half an hour
from the previous discharge.
Water velocity was not the only stimulus characteristic
that affected the likelihood of a bioluminescent discharge,
as shown in Table II. Stimulus length was important: the
multi-cycle sinusoidal stimulus (F700) was more effective
than the 1.5-cycle one (S700; Table II). Furthermore, re-
peated presentation of stimuli in quick succession was even
more effective. In these cases, the animals would respond
with only a jump to the first and second stimulus presenta-
tions, but would bioluminesce as well as jump to the sub-
sequent one or two stimuli.
Characteristics of evoked bioluminescence
In our tethered animals, bioluminescence typically
(though not always) outlasted the jump. The PMT record in
Figure 3C shows that bioluminescence was initiated at
about 30 ms post-stimulus, corresponding to the second
kick. It lasted throughout the recording period, although by
200 ms post-stimulus it was well along an exponential
decay. Excerpts from the corresponding video record are
shown in Figure 5. Taken at 30 frames per second (fps),
with the frame following stimulus delivery tagged by a light
flash, the first frame shows no bioluminescence and the
onset of the major kick transients occur in this interval.
Bioluminescence begins to appear from the region of the
abdomen in the next frame, and reaches a peak in the third.
Its near-absence from the last two frames is partly a result of
decay and partly that much of the material has left the field
of view. Thirty-five minutes later a second trial for the same
animal as in Figures 3 and 5 elicited an escape as well as a
bioluminescent discharge from both head and abdomen
(Fig. 6). The animal bioluminesced in response to the sec-
COPEPOD JUMPS AND BIOLUMINESCENCE
139
Figure 5. Video frames showing the bioluminescent discharge associated with the records in Figure 3C. The
pre-stimulus frame is a composite of the 10 frames preceding stimulus presentation. The next five video stills
are from frames 3-7, counting the first post-stimulus frame as 1 (30 fpsl. Ventral-posterior aspect of animal faces
camera. Discharge is primarily from abdominal glands. Broken outlines up to frame 3 indicate position of body
prior to stimulation.
ond stimulus of a train of five. It was somewhat more
delayed (50-ms latency) and shorter (100-ms duration) than
the earlier response (peak amplitude could not be measured
owing to saturation of the PMT), but the jump was twice the
length (10 kicks versus 5).
Records of jumps and bioluminescent discharges from a
male Pleuromamma xiphias are shown in Figure 7. In this
case the animal completed its jump before the biolumines-
cence. This example was chosen to illustrate a double re-
action. The animal responded with two sets of kicks and
matching bioluminescent discharges. The discharges were
small and short in duration. The animals routinely push the
bolus of bioluminescence away from them by flicking their
urosomes. This can be seen in Figure 7 as the streaks of
bioluminescence move across the screen. The force gener-
ated by this behavior is very small compared to the pereio-
pod power strokes and does not register on the force record.
Comparing this record with the data from the female of
Figures 3. 5. and 6 shows the differences that occur when
the pereiopods beat during emission of bioluminescent ma-
terial. The combined kicking and bioluminescence produce
the explosion of bioluminescence seen in the video frames.
This is in contrast to the male (Fig. 7). in which the lumi-
nescent material clung to the urosome, presenting a streaky
appearance.
Temporal relations bet\\'een jump and bioluminescence
The rapid swim was always initiated before the biolumi-
nescence, as illustrated in Figure 8. a scatter plot of jump
latencies versus bioluminescence latencies. All points are
above the line with a slope of one. Rapid swims were
initiated within 7 to 20 ms (mean ± SD = 14 ± 4 ms),
whereas bioluminescence latencies ranged from 20 to 50 ms
(with one very delayed response that started at 110 ms;
mean ± SD = 49 ± 26 ms). In general, the longer the rapid
swim latency the greater the delay for the bioluminescence,
although the correlation coefficient was not significant (/• =
0.508, n = 8). Bioluminescent discharges in response to the
hydrodynamic stimulus were typically short, lasting from
50 to 350 ms. Luminescence often (e.g.. Figs. 3C; 7), but
not always (Fig. 6), extended well after the termination of
the jump.
Discussion
Escape jumps
Like all pelagic calanoids, mesopelagic Pleuromamma
xiphias has an impressive escape jump at its disposal. When
sensitivity to water perturbations and jump kinematics mea-
sured in tethered animals are compared to similar data for
neritic Undinula vulgaris (Lenz and Hartline, 1999), a pat-
140
D K HARTLINE ET AL
50 100 150
Time (ms)
200
Figure 6. (A) Force record of a second response from the animal in Figures 3 and 5. Comparison shows
variability in propulsion and bioluminescence. Note the greater duration of the jump and the shorter duration of
the bioluminescent discharge. Stimulus: second in a train of live identical to that for Figures 3 and 5, delivered
35 min following. (B) Video frames 3-7 and 10 following stimulus, showing bioluminescent discharge
associated with records of A (30 fps). Broken outline indicates position of body prior to stimulation. Note
luminescent discharge from cephalic gland.
tern of characteristics emerges that is similar in broad scope
but distinctive in detail. P. xiphias sensitivities (—60 /xm
s~') are similar to. though perhaps somewhat lower than,
those in U. vulgaris (—40 /xm s~'). Minimum latencies for
P. xiphias (—6 ms) were distinctly longer than for U.
vulgaris ( -2 ms). This difference in reaction times is in part
explained by the lack of myelination of nerve fibers in the
Augaptiloidea (Davis et al., 1999). Peak forces of kicks
from U. vulgaris showed a small gradation in magnitude as
a function of the strength of the triggering stimulus and over
the course of an escape jump. In contrast, those of P. xiphias
exhibited a much wider range, with a 5- to 10-fold differ-
ence between the weak kicks produced to near-threshold
stimuli and the strongest kicks in the middle of a spindle-
shaped jump. The strongest kicks registered in our apparatus
by U. vulgaris (100 dynes) were almost twice the peak
forces measured from P. xiphias (Table I). In U. vulgaris,
the initial one or two kicks were the strongest, whereas in P.
xiphias, the strength of kick built up over several cycles,
and then waned, giving rise to the spindle-shaped enve-
lope. Although both species produced multiple kicks in
response to threshold and well supra-threshold stimuli.
U. vulgaris consistently produced fewer (2-3 typical; up
to 9) than did P. xiphias (5-10 typical; up to 35). For
comparably sized animals, this should result in longer
jump distances in the latter species. This expectation is in
agreement with casual observations made while attempt-
ing to catch P. xiphitis in an open vessel: jumps of tens of
centimeters are not atypical, while those of U. vulgaris
are shorter (3 to 5 cm).
Bioluminescent discharges can he evoked hv
hydmdynaniii • stimuli
Pleuromamma xiphias will produce a bioluminescent dis-
charge to a brief water disturbance; tactile stimulation is not
COPEPOD JUMPS AND BIOLUMINESCENCE
141
B
o
o
.c
Q.
O
3<
0.5
0
31 41 61 71 81
1 00 200
Time (ms)
300
Figure 7. Response of Pleuromamma xiphuis adult male to a large hydrodynamic stimulus. (A) PMT and
force records. (B) Video frames of bioluminescent discharge. The pre-stimulus frame is a composite ot 10 frames
preceding stimulus presentation. The next five video stills are post-stimulus frames 3-8. Approximate times of
frames are indicated with marks along time axis of A. Note the occurrence of two jumps and two separate
bioluminescent discharges, spaced 150 ms apart. Stimulus: 700 Hz, 1.5 cycles, maximum water velocity of 6600
p,m s~ ' at rostrum. Piezoelectric transducer: PZL-060; sphere diameter: 5. 1 mm; distance from center of ball to
rostrum: 4.8 mm, vertical peak-to-peak movement of sphere: 40 ^m. Broken outlines indicate position of body
prior to stimulation and a portion of the stimulating sphere in lower left corner; posterior view of animal with
dorsal toward lower right corner of frames. Glowing material appears associated with abdominal glands
(BPL97-6.D03).
required. The magnitude of the stimulus required varied
among experimental animals, but in general was signifi-
cantly greater than that sufficient to trigger strong escape
jumps (velocities of 2000 to 9000 /urn s ~ ' ). When presented
with a threat, P. xiphias preferentially responds with an
escape jump. However, if the threat is prolonged or persists
as in the case of repetitive strong stimulation, then the jump
is more likely to be accompanied by a bioluminescent
discharge. Widder ( 1992) found a similar pattern for Gaus-
sia princeps. During a train of electrical stimulation (3 s~')
G. princeps would respond with an escape alone until the
fifth stimulus, when it finally produced a bioluminescent
discharge as well.
Bioluminescence is delayed compared to the jump
Bioluminescence was always initiated after the onset of a
jump sequence. Although the numbers of animals tested
were insufficient for complete reliability, in two animals of
our study (both males), jumps were completed before the
bioluminescence began. In four others (all females), the
bioluminescent discharge commenced during the train of
kicks. This resulted in a qualitative difference in the visual
effect of the bioluminescence. the luminescent bolus being
swept along by water propelled posteriorly by the power
strokes. An animal that bioluminesces after it has stopped
swimming would seem more likely to become a victim of a
predatory attack if the luminescent bolus attracts a predator.
142
D. K. HARTLINE ET AL.
C/)
O
c
Q)
CO
120
80
E 40
_
o
CO
0
• Fern
X Male
I I I 1
0
10 20
Jump Latency (ms)
Figure 8. Scatter plot of fast swim latencies (x axis) versus biolumi-
nescence latencies (v axis). Squares: adult females (H = 7); crosses: adult
male (n = 1 1. All points lie above the line, which has a slope of one.
The possibility that there might be a sexual difference in the
response patterns is intriguing.
Characteristics of biolitminescence and its relation to
other cases reported in the literature
The kinetics and spatial patterns of bioluminescence re-
leased by copepods have been studied for copepods stimu-
lated with electrical pulses (Latz et al. 1987; Bowlby and
Case. 1991) and for copepods stimulated by mechanical
disturbance of undefined frequency and intensity (Latz et
ai, 1990). For the large mesopelagic copepod Gaussiu
princeps, Bowlby and Case ( 1991 ) identified three types of
flash in response to single electrical stimuli: a fast flash of
about 2-s duration, a long flash of 7-s duration, and a slow
flash of 17-s duration. Latz et al. (1987) found two compo-
nents to flashes in P. xiphias stimulated with a single
electrical pulse: a fast component that reached maximum
intensity in < 100 ms and a slow component that reached
peak intensity in > 600 ms. Double flashes with fast and
slow characteristics were also observed. Using an intensi-
fied video system, he observed that the fast component
originated from thoracic and abdominal glands, without
obvious discharge of bioluminescent material away from
the body; the slow component of flashes was caused by the
discharge of luminescent fluid from the abdominal organ.
Flashes with similar kinetics were observed for P. xiphiax
exposed to mechanical stimulation from a stirring paddle
with three tines rotated at 2000 rpm for < 1 s. Since the
spatial relationship between the copepod and the rotating
tines is unknown during the stimulation period, neither the
frequency nor the intensity of mechanical stimulation is
known. In addition to strong hydrodynamic stimulation
caused by the velocity of the water and the shear created by
the spinning tines, mechanical stimulation is possible
through direct contact of the copepods with the tines or by
contact with the walls of the scintillation vial following an
escape jump. In our observations of bioluminescence
evoked by hydrodynamic stimuli of known intensity, only
fast flashes were observed. In contrast to the observations of
Latz et al. (1990). we observed bioluminescence having fast
flash kinetics originating from abdominal glands, and with
obvious discharge of bioluminescent material away from
the body. We have noted that a copepod' s ability to produce
a second bioluminescent discharge shortly after a previous
one is not necessarily precluded. Thus recovery times mea-
sured in TMSL protocols (8-24 h) are probably overly long
for most natural situations.
Ecological significance
Vertically migrating copepods such as Pleuromamma
xiphias are important components of mesopelagic food
webs, and Pleuromamma spp. are often preferred prey of
mesopelagic fish (Hopkins and Baird. 1985; Hopkins et ai.
1996). To help them avoid predation, these copepods have
evolved several defensive behaviors, including vertical mi-
gration (Bennett and Hopkins, 1989), strong escape jumps
(Buskey et al., 1987; present study), and bioluminescence
(Clarke et al.. 1962). In contrast to the diversity of strategies
possessed by P. xiphias. neritic Undinula vtilgaris appears
to have relied on enhancing the speed and strength of the
escape response itself as a survival mechanism (Davis et al.,
1999; Lenz and Hartline, 1999). The production of light in
an otherwise dark environment may at first seem counter-
intuitive as a defense mechanism against visual predators;
discharge of bioluminescence while the predator is still
remote might help the predator locate its prey. However, the
higher stimulus threshold for eliciting bioluminescence
compared to escape jumps suggests that copepods save this
defense for what are perceived to be the strongest threats by
predators in close proximity. Mesopelagic predators have
sensitive eyes adapted to low light levels, and the discharge
of bioluminescence when the predator is nearby may serve
to temporarily blind and confuse the predator (Buck, 1978;
Morin, 1983). Since copepods initiate escape jumps prior to
release of bioluminescence, and leave behind distinct drop-
lets or clouds of bioluminescent material (Widder, 1992),
the bioluminescent discharge may also serve as a decoy to
confuse visual predators (Morin, 1983).
Acknowledgments
We thank P. Couvillon, B. Kodama. and S. Lum for
major alterations to the experiment room: C. Kosaki tor
administrative assistance; H. Akaka and A. Davis for tech-
COPEPOD JUMPS AND BIOLUMINESCENCE
143
nical assistance; C. Unabia for providing the algal cultures;
and P. Cunningham for making the copepod collections
possible. The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii pro-
vided access to the laboratory facilities at Keahole Point,
Hawaii. This is University of Texas Marine Science Insti-
tute Contribution number 1118. The research was supported
by NSF grant OCE 95-21375.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 144-158. (October 1999)
Morphology of the Nervous System of the Barnacle
Cypris Larva (Balanus amphitrite Darwin) Revealed
by Light and Electron Microscopy
PAUL J. H. HARRISON* AND DAVID C. SANDEMAN
School of Biological Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2052
Abstract. The central nervous system of the cypris larva
of Balanus amphitrite consists of a brain and posterior
ganglion. The neuropil of the brain includes protocerebral
and deutocerebral divisions, with nerve roots from the pro-
tocerebrum extending to the eyes and frontal filaments, and
nerve roots from the deutocerebrum extending to the first
antennae (antennules) and cement glands. The neuropil of
the posterior ganglion includes subesophageal and thoracic
divisions, with nerve roots from subesophageal divisions
extending to the gut, and nerve roots from each of the six
thoracic divisions extending to their corresponding thoracic
appendage. The antennular nerve is the major peripheral
extension of the nervous system and is composed in pail by
afferent fibers that innervate setae on the antennules. The
cyprid nervous system is small, containing fewer than 2000
neurons, but is well organized for coordinating a response to
settlement cues.
Introduction
The cyprid (cypris larva) is the final larval stage of the
barnacle. Cyprids are specialized for settlement (Anderson,
1994), a behavioral process in which a site is selected for
permanent attachment and metamorphosis (Anderson,
1994; Walker, 1995). Cyprid settlement is known to be
mediated by specific environmental cues (Clare. 1995;
Walker. 1995), but little is known about the mechanisms of
cue detection and, in particular, how the detection of cues
results in the centrally coordinated motor patterns of settle-
ment behavior.
Cyprids are highly mobile and bear numerous sense or-
Received 22 March 1999; accepted 27 July 1999.
* Current address: Department of Biology, Georgia State University. PO
Box 4010. Atlanta, Georgia 30302.
gans (Walley, 1969). The nauplius eye (= median eye) is
present during the cyprid stage and is remodeled into the
adult ocelli during metamorphosis (Takenaka et ai, 1993).
A pair of compound eyes are also present, which are unique
to the cyprid. These develop during the final naupliar stage
and are lost during metamorphosis (Walley, 1969; Hallberg
and Elofsson, 1983). The compound eyes are closely asso-
ciated with a pair of frontal filaments (Walker. 1974), and
many setae are located on the antennules (Nott and Foster,
1969; Nott, 1969; Clare and Nott, 1994; Glenner and H0eg,
1995), thoracic appendages (Glenner and H0eg, 1995), cau-
dal rami (Walker and Lee, 1976; Glenner and H0eg, 1995),
and carapace valves (Walker and Lee, 1976; Jensen et ai.
1994; Glenner and H0eg, 1995). Many of these setae are
thought to function as mechano- and chemoreceptors. Pu-
tative sensory structures located on the carapace include
dermal pits, wheel organs (Elfimov, 1995), and lattice or-
gans (Jensen et nl.. 1994; H0eg et ai. 1998). Recently,
cilia-type dendritic segments were shown to innervate the
lattice organs, suggesting a chemosensory function (H0eg et
ul.. 1998).
To date, morphological studies of the cyprid have fo-
cused primarily on external structures (Elfimov, 1995), and
particularly on the antennules because of the role played by
these appendages during settlement (Nott and Foster, 1969;
Nott. 1969; Moyse et al.. 1995). Fewer details are available
on the internal organization of the cyprid. Walley (1969)
described the larval development of Semibalanus bal-
anoides (previously Balanus balanoides) and outlined the
nervous system and major sense organs of both the cyprid
and nauplius. Other studies have shown that the antennules
(Nott and Foster, 1969), frontal filaments (Kauri, 1961;
Walker, 1974), dermal pits (Walker and Lee, 1976), lattice
organs (H0eg et ai. 1998), and cement glands (Walker,
1971; Okano et ai, 1996) are innervated, but the nerves
144
CYPRID NEUROANATOMY
145
associated with each of these structures have not been traced
back to the central nervous system.
The cyprid is well equipped to detect settlement cues, but
little is known about the underlying role of the nervous
system. Recent studies have suggested that cyprid settle-
ment behavior is affected by exposing cyprids to certain
neuroactive substances (Clare et ai, 1995; Kon et ai, 1995;
Yamamoto et ai. 1995, 1996: Okano et ai. 1996, 1998).
Studies aimed at investigating the underlying mechanisms
of settlement would benefit from a detailed account of the
cyprid nervous system. We report here the results of an
anatomical study of the central nervous system and the
major sense organs of the cypris larva of B. amphitrite.
gained from microdissection, semithin serial sections, and
electron microscopy. We find that the central nervous sys-
tem is made up of about 2000 neurons and that it contains
regionalized neuropils, many of which are linked to periph-
eral sense organs. Although the cyprid nervous system is
small, it is well organized, which is consistent with the
cyprids' need to detect and respond to multiple cues for
settlement.
Materials and Methods
Cyprids used in this study were obtained from a labora-
tory culture of Balanus amphitrite (see DeNys et ai, 1995).
The selected individuals were between 1 and 3 days old
(nauplius-cyprid molt = day 0), were active, and had clear
(i.e., non-milky) carapaces, obvious cement glands, and
compound eyes. Dissection of the animals provided a useful
overview of their structure, including the placement of the
antennules and limbs within the bivalved carapace and the
gross organization of internal organs. Specimens were
placed on a stereomicroscope and dissected using tungsten
microscalpels and pins (Conrad et ai, 1993). Individuals
were placed in a calcium-free saline (in mmol • 1~', 485
NaCl, 13 KC1, 10 MgCU 10 HEPES, pH 7.4) to reduce
movement and secured (ventral surface upward) to a sili-
con-coated microscope slide using either tungsten pins or a
nontoxic, rapid-setting silicon adhesive (Kwik-Sil, World
Precision Instruments). A cut along the ventral midline
allowed separation of the carapace valves to expose the
central nervous system and internal organs of the cephalon
(see Figs. 1, 2). The carapace valves, antennules, and tho-
racic appendages were then secured with fine (<10 ju,m
diameter) tungsten pins. The secured preparation was trans-
ferred to a fixed-stage Olympus BH-2 microscope and
viewed and photographed using water immersion objec-
tives.
Fixation and embedding. Larvae were placed in equal
volumes of 0.4 M MgCU and 0.22 jam-filtered seawater
(FSW) and gently agitated for up to 3 h. which had the
effect of relaxing the carapace adductor muscles and expos-
ing the antennules. Specimens were cooled to 4°C for 30
thoracic appendages
100u.m
Figure 1. The cypris larva of Balumis amphitrite. (A) Light micro-
graph of a live cyprid with antennules and thoracic appendages extending
from the bivalved carapace. Internal structures visible include a compound
eye (CE), translucent oil cells (OC), and a cement gland (CG). Frontal
filaments (FFl extend posterior to each antennule. (B) Longitudinal section
of the cyprid showing the central nervous system, which consists of a brain
and posterior ganglion. The brain connects via paired circumesophageal
connectives (not visible in this section I to the posterior ganglion. A single
antennular nerve (AnN) and its associated antennular soma cluster (ASC)
are visible. The ASC contains the somata of bipolar sensory neurons. Also
apparent in this section are densely stained oil cells, the oral cone, esoph-
agus, and gut. The compound eyes and cement glands are located lateral to
this plane and are not seen (0.5 /urn section; stained with toluidine blue and
osmium tetroxide).
min, transferred to chilled (4°C) fixative consisting of 2.5%
glutaraldehyde and 2.0% formalin in FSW (pH 8.2; 950
mosmol). The formalin used was prepared fresh from para-
formaldehyde (37% w/v paraformaldehyde in H2O). Micro-
wave treatment was used to facilitate the penetration of
fixative. For microwave fixation, specimens were placed in
20-ml glass vials filled with chilled fixative; the vials were
secured in a beaker filled with chilled water, which in turn
was placed in a beaker of crushed ice. Microwave treatment
continued until the water in the beaker reached a tempera-
ture of 37°C (typically 50 s). Specimens were then removed
from the oven and allowed to cool to ambient temperature;
fixation continued overnight. The following day, specimens
were rinsed in FSW for 1 h (three changes of 20 min each),
post-fixed in 2% osmium tetroxide (in H-.O) for 30 min, 2%
uranyl acetate (in H2O) for 20 min, dehydrated through an
ethanol series, cleared in propylene oxide, exposed to
146
J. H HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
thorax
PMC
PMC
posterior
Ventral
Figure 2. Schematic drawings of the cypnd nervous system and major
organs in longitudinal and horizontal planes. (A-B) The body of the cyprid
is organized in two main compartments, the cephalon and the thorax. The
bivalve carapace encloses anterior (AMC) and posterior (PMC) mantle
cavities about the cephalon and thorax respectively. The brain, compound
eyes (CE), median eye (ME), and cement glands (CG) are contained within
the cephalon. The antennules extend from the cephalon and bear the
adhesive discs and putative chemoreceptive and mechanoreceptive sensilla.
The brain connects with the posterior ganglion via circumesophageal
connectives (CC). The posterior ganglion and gut are contained within the
thorax. Six pairs of thoracic appendages (TA) and a pair of caudal rami
(CR) extend from the thorax. (C-D) The orientation of neural structures in
the cyprid depends on the relative position of the antennules and thoracic
appendages, both of which extend beyond the carapace when the c\pnd
either swims or contacts the substratum (C), or can be withdrawn for
protection (D). Planes are identified on the basis of the orientation ot the
nervous system in (C). Other abbreviations: ASC. antennular soma cluster;
OC. oil cell; FF, frontal hlamein.
increasing concentrations of Araldite epoxy resin, and Hat-
embedded on microscope slides. Flat embedding allowed
the orientation of the specimen to be determined using a
light microscope. The Araldite was then removed from the
slides by cold shock (using liquid nitrogen) and specimens
cut from the blocks and remounted on Araldite stubs for
sectioning.
Lii>!ii microscopy. Twelve animals were serially sec-
tioned at cither 0.5 or 1.0 /j,m (six in sagittal plane, three
frontal, and three horizontal — see Fig. 2 for orientation)
with a Reichen -Jung ultramicrotome and diamond histology
knife. Sections were transferred to microscope slides and
stained with toluidine blue (17r in 6<7r borax, 0.6<7r boric
acid, pH 8.3)ormethyleneblue (1% in 0.1% borax, pH 8.0);
reconstructions were made from camera lucida drawings
and photographs and with the aid of PC-based. Adobe
Illustrator software.
Electron microscopy. Specimens for transmission elec-
tron microscopy were prepared as described above, sec-
tioned at 60-70 nm on a Reichert-Jung ultramicrotome
using a diamond knife, and viewed and photographed using
a Hitachi H-7000 transmission electron microscope. For
scanning electron microscopy, anesthetized and fixed ani-
mals were washed for 10 min in H^O (three changes of 3
min each) with sonication during the first two steps, dehy-
drated, and transferred to acetone for critical-point drying.
Dried specimens were mounted on microscope stubs with
double-sided carbon tape, then gold coated and photo-
graphed on a Leica/Cambridge S-360 scanning electron
microscope.
Results
General anah>in\
Live cyprids of B. amphitrite typically measure 500-550
/am in length from the rostral to the caudal end of the
carapace (Fig. 1A) (Glenner and H0eg, 1995), but minor
size variations occurred in our cultured animals. When
fixed, the average dimensions for 1 2 individuals were 480
/LUTI in length, 220 /xm in height, and 1 70 /xm across the
broadest part of the carapace.
The body of the B. amphitrite cyprid, like that of 5.
balanoides (Walley, 1969). is arranged as two separate
compartments, the cephalon and thorax (Fig. 2). A bivalved
carapace encloses anterior and posterior mantle cavities
around the cephalon and thorax respectively (Fig. 2). The
cephalon houses the brain, eyes, and cement glands, to-
gether with many large, densely staining oil cells (Figs. 1,
2), which are thought to supply energy for the lecithotrophic
larva and its subsequent metamorphosis (Walley, 1969).
First antennae (antennules) project anteriorly from the
cephalon and can be extended well beyond the carapace
during temporary attachment (Fig. 2C), or completely re-
tracted within the anterior mantle cavity (Fig. 2D). Frontal
filaments extend from the ventral surface of the cephalon,
posterior to the antennules (Figs. 1A, 2A, 6C). The thorax
houses the posterior ganglion and the undifferentiated gut
(Figs. 1, 2). Six pairs of thoracic appendages and the caudal
rami project from the ventral surface of the thorax, which
may extend beyond the ventral edge of the carapace or be
completely withdrawn within the posterior mantle cavity
(Fig. 2C-D).
The central nervous system (CNS) can be seen in near-
sagittal section (Fig. IB) and is drawn schematically in
Figure 2. The CNS consists of a cerebral ganglion, or
"brain." linked by paired circumesophageal connectives to a
CYPRID NF.UROANATOMY
147
posterior ganglion. Nerve roots extend from central ganglia
toward peripheral organs (Figs. 1,2). The major peripheral
nerves include the antennular nerve and thoracic nerve roots
(Fig. 2A). The relative position of neural structures depends
on the degree of contraction of the appendages. When the
appendages are fully extended (e.g., Fig. 2C), the central
nervous system lies essentially flat along the ventral surface,
and this orientation is used to identify planes throughout this
study. When the appendages are withdrawn (e.g., Fig. 2D),
the central nervous system can bend to an angle of 60°
relative to the longitudinal axis, and the antennular nerve
bends accordingly to accommodate flexion of the antennule.
The bruin and associated structures
The brain (Figs. 3, 4) is composed of centrally positioned
neuropil surrounded by the somata of central cells (Figs. 3,
4). The neuropil is composed of fine fibers and nerve
endings and on close inspection contains membrane-bound
vesicles and densely staining clefts typical of invertebrate
synapses (Fig. 4C). Central somata are relatively uniform in
size, measuring 4-8 /u,m in diameter, and form an outer
layer of between one and five cells thick (Figs. 3, 4). The
somata of these cells typically contain lightly stained gran-
ular nuclei and have a relatively thin layer of cytoplasm
between the nucleus and cell membrane (Fig. 3B-C). Dis-
tinct clusters project neurites together in bundles to the
central neuropil (Fig. 3B-C); based on a calculation of soma
volume, we estimate the total number of neuronal cells in
the cyprid brain to be approximately 750.
The brain is enclosed in a thin sheath, but the broad
perineural glial layer present beneath the sheath in decapod
crustacean ganglia (Sandeman, 1982) is absent. Small,
densely stained, spindle-shaped glial cells lie between the
somata and central neuropil and delineate neuropil regions
(Fig. 3C). Two broad areas of neuropil can be discerned in
the cyprid brain, and the lateral lobes of each division link
via transverse fiber tracts (Fig. 4). The anterior division is
connected to the eyes and frontal filaments via the optic
tracts, and the posterior division is connected to the anten-
nules via the antennular nerves (Fig. 4A). These divisions
appear similar to the protocerebral and deutocerebral divi-
sions of the decapod brain. We find no evidence of a
tritocerebrum in the cyprid, which is consistent with the
absence of antenna II during this stage (Sandeman el ul.,
1992).
The protocerebntm. The protocerebrum can be subdi-
vided into three regions, based on connections with periph-
eral sense organs and delineation by spindle-shaped glia
(Fig. 5). We refer to these regions as the dorsofrontal
neuropil. optic lobe neuropil, and median protocerebral
neuropil. The dorsofrontal neuropil is dorsal to the proto-
cerebral commissure (Fig. 5) and receives input from the
median eye. The optic lobe neuropils are located within the
anterolateral extensions of the brain and are linked to more
posterior regions of the protocerebrum via the optic tract
(Figs. 4, 5). Each optic lobe neuropil receives input from the
adjacent frontal filament and compound eye (Figs. 4. 5). The
median protocerebral neuropils elongate along the antero-
posterior axis of the brain (Fig. 5) and are not directly linked
with peripheral sense organs. Neurites from surrounding
somata project into the median protocerebral neuropils
(Figs. 3B. C) and longitudinal fibers that extend from the
posterior regions of these neuropils contribute to the cir-
cumesophageal connectives (Fig. 5). Lateral lobes of the
median protocerebral neuropil connect via the protocerebral
commissure (Figs. 4. 5).
The nauplins eve (= median eye) is located on the an-
terodorsal margin of the brain. The nauplius eye has been
studied in B. amphitrite hawaiiensis (Takenaka el ai, 1993)
and in 5. balanoides and B. crenutiis (Kauri, 1961 ). In the B.
amphitrite cyprid, the nauplius eye is composed of three
pigment "cups" (two lateral and one ventral), with each cup
containing four retinular cells. Axons from each of the three
pigment cups were traced to the dorsofrontal neuropil. In
one of three preparations in which these axons were traced,
however, some axons appeared to bypass the dorsofrontal
neuropil and contribute directly to the protocerebral com-
missure.
A frontal filament is attached to the anteromedial margin
of each compound eye. The fine structure of the frontal
filament in the nauplius of S. balanoides has been described
previously (Walker, 1974). In the relaxed cyprid, the fila-
ments extend beyond the carapace margin (Figs. 1A. 6C)
and each contains large internal vesicles in its basal region
(Fig. 6B). A frontal filament tract connects each frontal
filament to its adjacent optic lobe neuropil (Figs. 5. 6B).
The structure of the compound eye in B. amphitrite is
consistent with that described for S. balanoides (Walley,
1969: Hallberg and Elofsson, 1983). Each eye is located
within a lateral "pocket" of the cephalon and composed of
radially arranged ommatidia, each with a spherical lens and
underlying retinular cells (Figs. 2, 5, 6A, B). Retinular cell
axons converge to form a short optic nerve (Figs. 6A. B).
which emerges from the medial surface of each compound
eye and projects anteriorly to the optic lobe neuropil (Figs.
5. 6A, B).
The deutocerebrum. The deutocerebrum can be subdi-
vided into two distinct regions, which we call the circular
deutocerebral neuropils and median deutocerebral neuropils
(Figs. 3B, 4A, 5). All peripheral nerves associated with the
deutocerebrum travel within the antennular nerves. The
circular deutocerebral neuropils are located lateral and
slightly posterior to the brain-antennular nerve junction (see
Fig. 3B). These neuropils are clearly delineated by glial
cells and, based on their position and shape, are possible
candidates for olfactory lobes. However, glomeruli that
characterize the olfactory lobes in many animals (Hallberg
148
P. J. H. HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
Figure 3. (A) Horizontal section through the cyprid brain. The brain is composed mainly of centrally
positioned neuropil (NP) and surrounding cell somata. The anterior portion of the brain extends laterally to form
the optic lobes. Also apparent are the compound eyes (CE), cement glands (CG). and cross-sections of the
cement ducts (*), which extend to the adhesive discs of the antennules (see also Figure 7). OC, oil cell. (B)
Longitudinal section of the cyprid brain showing clusters of somata with primary neurites (arrows) that project
to the neuropil (NP). The circular deutocerebral neuropil (see also Fig. 5) is outlined. (C) Electron micrograph
of the brain in near sagittal section highlighting projections of neurons (single arrow) into the central neuropil
(NP) and the delineation of the neuropil by spindle-shaped glia (double arrows). ME, median eye.
t'/ <;/., 1992; Hildebrand and Shepherd, 1997) were not seen
in this region. Lateral lobes of the median deutocerebral
neuropil are linked by the deutocerebral commissure and
receive primary neurites from surrounding cell somata, par-
ticularly those located ventrolaterally to this neuropil. Pos-
terior projections from the median protocerebral neuropils
contribute to the circumesophageal connectives and travel
in bundles distinct from those associated with the median
protocerebral neuropil (Fig. 5).
The antennules and associated cement glands are inner-
vated by the antennular nerves, which link to the deutoce-
rebral neuropil (Fig. 4 A, B). Detailed morphological de-
scriptions of the cyprid antennule are available for both B.
ainphitrite (Clare and Nott. 1994; Glenner and H0eg, 1995)
CYPR1D NEUROANATOMY
149
1 .0 urn j|
Figure 4. Two distinct neuropil dmsions in the cyprid brain as seen in (A) longitudinal and (B) horizontal
planes. (A) The anterior, or protocerehrul. neuropil (PNP) is associated with the optic tract (OpT); the posterior,
or deutocerebral. neuropil (DNP) is associated with the antennular nerve (AnN). (B) Protocerebral and
deutocerebral commissures (PC. DC respectively) are the transverse fiber tracts that link lateral lobes of these
two major neuropil divisions. (C) Electron micrograph of the neuropil showing many dark clefts (e.g.. single
arrow) and membrane-bound vesicles (e.g.. double arrow) indicative of synapses.
and S. bukmoides (Nott and Foster, 1969). We provide a
brief description here to account for the neural innervation
of this appendage. The antennule. represented schematically
in Figure 7, consists of four articulating segments. Segment
I projects ventrally from the cephalon and attaches to the
slightly longer and slender segment II. Segment III func-
tions as an adhesive disc and is used for attachment to the
substratum (Nott and Foster. 1969; Nott. 1969; Walker,
1971). Segment IV is the terminal segment and extends
laterally from the disc. Cuticular setae project from the
antennular segments, particularly from the disc (Nott and
Foster, 1969; Moyse el al, 1995) and from segment IV
(Nott and Foster, 1969; Gibson and Nott. 1971; Clare and
Nott. 1994; Glenner and H0eg. 1995). Two large cement
glands are associated with the antennules (Fig. 7). These are
located within the cephalon, posterior to the compound eyes
(Figs. 1, 2, 7; Walker, 1971), and ducts from these glands
extend the length of the antennule to open through the
adhesive disc. A muscular sac surrounds each duct ( Walley,
1969) near the base of the antennule. In addition to the
cement glands, antennulary glands are present in segment II
of the antennule. which are thought to mediate the con-
trolled release of adhesive used for temporary attachment
(Nott and Foster. 1969; Walker. 1971).
The antennular ncn-e extends from the ventrolateral mar-
gin of the brain to the distal region of the antennule (Fig. 7).
Distally, the antennular nerve is composed almost exclu-
sively of neural processes associated with the distal setae
(Figs. 8, 9). The external morphology of setae on segment
IV has been described previously (Clare and Nott, 1994;
Glenner and H0eg, 1995). There are nine setae on the fourth
segment, winch are arranged in terminal and subterminal
rows (Fig. 8); their associated neural processes can be seen
in cross-section of segment IV (Fig. 9A). Most neural
processes in this segment are between 0.5 and 1.0 jum in
diameter and contain between one and three mitochondria
150
P. J. H. HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
OpN
circuruesophageal \
connective
Posterior
Figure 5. Schematic drawing of the neuropils and fiber tracts in the
cyprid brain, showing further possible subdivision. The protocerebrum
includes the paired optic lobe neuropils (OLN), median protocerebral
neuropils (MPN), and an unpaired dorsofrontal neuropil (DFN). Optic lobe
neuropils receive input from compound eyes (CE) via the optic nerve
(OpN). and from frontal filaments (FF) vi'i; the frontal filament tract (FFT).
The small dorsofrontal neuropil (DFN) lies anterior to the PC and receives
input via the median eye (ME). Median protocerebral neuropils are not
directly linked to peripheral sense organs, but the lateral lobes are con-
nected by the protocerebral commissure (PC). The deutocerebrum includes
paired circular and median deutocerebral neuropils (CDN, MDN, respec-
tively). Peripheral nerves from the deutocerebrum form the antennular
nerve (AnN), and lateral lobes of the median deutocerebral neuropil are
connected by the deutocerebral commissure (DC). Longitudinal fiber tracts
extend from the posterior of both the MPN and MDN and contribute to the
circumesophageal connectives.
(Fig. 9B). Narrow "cilia-type" dendritic profiles (0.1-0.2
ju,m in diameter), which can be identified by a 9 X 2 + 2
microtubule arrangement, are also present (Fig. 9C). The
larger processes can be traced as far as the distal portion of
this segment, whereas the outer dendritic segments of
smaller cilia-type processes extend into each of the four
short subterminal setae (Fig. 9C).
Approximately 50 /um from the brain, the antennular
nerve is associated with a cluster of neurons, which we refer
to as the antennular soma cluster (Fig. 10). This group of
cells was referred to as the antennular "ganglion" by Walley
( 1969), who proposed that the somatu were those of motor-
neurons that had migrated out from the brain. From light
micrographs, the cells in this cluster appear to be bipolar,
with processes extending both proximally to the brain and
distallv along the antennular nerve. The somata, which
measure 6-8 /nm in length, have large nuclei and a rela-
tively thin layer of cytoplasm (Figs. IOB, 3C). From elec-
tron micrographs, we found no evidence of branching or of
synapses within the antennular soma cluster, which leads us
to conclude that these cells do not form a ganglion in the
usual sense. The morphology of these cells and their asso-
ciation with the antennular nerve suggest that they are
receptor cells and are, therefore, possible candidates for
chemoreceptors or mechanoreceptors whose dendrites ex-
tend to the distal setae.
The antennular nerve splits midway between the anten-
nular soma cluster and the brain (Fig. 7). sending a fine
branch toward the cement duct. This fine branch splits again
before reaching the duct, and minor branches project toward
both the cement gland and the muscular sac. These branches
of the antennular nerve travel adjacent to the cement duct
and are difficult to trace in serial section. They are more
obvious, however, during dissection of this region and will
typically separate from the collecting duct following slight
enzymatic treatment (0.01 mg • ml~ ' trypsin for 5 min). We
were unable to trace projections of these fine branches
beyond the muscular sac.
The posterior ganglion and associated structures
The posterior ganglion is composed largely of centrally
positioned neuropil and fiber tracts surrounded by neuronal
somata (Fig. 1 1 A). The somata in this region, like those in
the brain, measure 4-8 ^im in diameter, contain lightly
stained granular nuclei, and are gathered into clusters with
neurites that project together to the central neuropil.
Densely stained glial cells are present and delineate the
neuropil (Fig. 1 1 A, B).
The posterior ganglion is composed of several fused
divisions. Longitudinal fiber tracts extend through the
length of this ganglion, and individual divisions can be
discerned by the presence of transverse commissures (Fig.
1 1 A). We identified six divisions in the posterior portion of
this ganglion as thoracic divisions on the basis that paired
nerve roots extend ventrally from each division toward the
corresponding thoracic appendage (Figs. 2, 11A-C). We
were unable to determine whether a seventh thoracic divi-
sion, which might be expected in cirripedes (see Grygier,
1987), was present in the cyprid. Individual divisions are
more difficult to distinguish in the anterior portion of the
ganglion, which elongates laterally and is compressed lon-
gitudinally (Fig. I IA). However, we identified three divi-
sions in this region (from two of the three preparations
sectioned in the horizontal plane), which might reflect the
presence of the three pairs of gnathopods that can be seen
with either scanning electron microscopy or light micros-
copy (Fig. 12B).
Thoracic appendages and the candid mini. Six pairs of
thoracic appendages (thoracopods) and the paired caudal
rami extend from the ventral surface of the thorax. The
extrinsic muscles of thoracic appendages and the caudal
rami attach dorsally in the thorax and can be seen in both
TYPRID NEUROANATOMY
B
151
Figure 6. Compound eyes and frontal filaments. (A) The optic nerve (OpN) connects the compound eye
(CE) to the optic lobe neuropil (OLN). (B) Frontal filaments are closely associated with compound eyes, and a
transverse section through the base of a frontal filament (FF) is shown. The frontal filament tract (FFT) connects
the frontal filament with the optic lobe neuropil proximal to the point of entry of the optic nerve (OpN) (see Fig.
5). (C) Scanning electron micrograph of the anterior ventral surface of a cyprid in which the cephalon is extended
from the bivalve carapace. Frontal filaments (FF) extend from the ventral surface of the cephalon. posterior to
the antennules.
horizontal and longitudinal sections (Fig. 11 A, B). Paired
nerve roots to the thoracic appendages extend from each
thoracic division (Fig. 1 IB, C). Paired nerve roots extend to
the caudal rami, but unlike those to thoracic appendages, are
not associated with an obvious ganglionic division. Instead,
these nerve roots appear to extend from a terminal loop of
the longitudinal fibers (Fig. 11 A, D).
Oral cone. The gnathopods of the cyprid form an oral
cone, which opens to the ventral surface of the cephalon
(Figs. 1, 2, 12A). The cyprid does not eat. and gnathopods
are rudimentary during this stage (Walley. 1969). There are
no obvious nerves connecting the gnathopods to the central
nervous system in B. aiuphi trite. However, the posterior
ganglion extends laterally in the region adjacent to the oral
cone. It is likely that the three ganglionic divisions located
adjacent to the oral cone reflect the presence of three pairs
of gnathopods and are, therefore, referred to as subesopha-
geal divisions.
Esophagus and digestive system. The digestive system of
the cyprid is not fully developed (Walley, 1969). The esoph-
agus has an oral opening (Fig. 12A), but we found no
evidence of a rostral opening of the digestive system. In
some sections the esophagus appears to be closed in the
region where it passes between the cephalon and thorax
(Fig. 12A, B), but it remains possible that this represents a
sectioning artifact. Fine nerves can be traced from the dorsal
surface of the subesophageal ganglionic divisions to the
esophagus and midgut (Fig. 12B). These nerves are most
obvious when they converge to pass between the cephalon
and thorax, but they disperse among the cells surrounding
the midgut (Fig. 12C).
Discussion
Our results show that the cypris larva of B. amphitrite has
a well-developed nervous system that, in spite of being
relatively small, contains the full complement of neural
elements necessary for mediating complex interactions with
152
P. J. H. HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
muscular sac
sub-terminal
sensilla
antennular soma
cluster (ASC)
cement gland
terminal sensilla
Figure 7. (A) Schematic drawing of the amennule to show the extension of the antennular nerve and its
association with the collecting duct of the cement gland. The antennule has tour segments (I-IV). The antennular
nerve consists of neural processes associated with the distal setae (innervation of setae not drawn here, but see
Figs. 8, 9). The antennular nerve is also expected to contain the motor neurons to the antennular musculature.
The antennular soma cluster (ASC), located near the base of the antennule, contains bipolar cells, which are
candidates for receptor cell somata whose dendrites innervate the distal setae (discussed in text). Midway
between the ASC and the brain, a small branch of the antennular nerve extends to the muscular sac, a node of
muscle surrounding the collecting duct of the cement gland, and a separate branch extends toward a cement
gland.
the environment. The presence of regionalized neuropils.
some of which clearly receive input from peripheral sensory
structures, suggests a level of neural integration that goes
beyond simple reflexive responses.
Observations of complex behavior displayed by cyprids
during settlement support the claim that the nervous system
has the capacity for more than simple reflex responses. For
example, cyprids of S. haltinoiiles settle gregariously in
response to a proteinaceous cue associated with the cuticle
of conspecifics (Crisp and Meadows, 1962; Gabbott and
Larman, 1987). Upon encountering this cue, however, the
cyprids' response is not indiscriminate. For example, in
"favored" areas (those containing conspecifics), individual
cyprids will still conduct a meticulous inspection phase and
reject the substratum if the immediate barnacle density is
too high or if the surface topography is inadequate (Crisp,
1961).
The cyprids' need to settle is reflected by the fact that the
barnacle nervous system is most "complete" during the
cyprid stage. The cyprid has a well-developed brain and a
large investment in cephalic sense organs, whereas the brain
is greatly reduced in the naupliar stages and almost com-
pletely absent in the adult barnacle (Walley. 1969). The
"upgrade" from the nauplius to the cyprid nervous system is
CYPRID NEUROANATOMY
153
Figure 8. (A) The setae on the fourth antennular segment (IV) are
arranged in terminal and subterminal rows. (A) The four subterminal setae
(sts) do not articulate at the base. These are short and taper toward the tip
with a general morphology similar to that of the aesthetasc (olfactory)
sensillu described in other crustaceans. The terminal row consists of two
plumose setae (a. h). a short, sickle-shaped seta (c). a longer "sculptured"
seta with many cuticular ridges along its length (d), and a shorter unsculp-
tured seta (e). Terminology following Clare and Nott (1994) and Glenner
and Hoeg ( 1995). (B) Higher power micrograph highlighting the articulat-
ing bases of two of the terminal setae (b. d). (C) High power of the distal
tips of setae a, b. and d. The setules of a and b are folded back on
themselves, and seta d appears open-ended. 9A. 9C, 9D in (A) refer to
cross-sectional planes shown in Figure 9.
consistent with the cyprids' need to detect and actively
respond to settlement cues. The restructuring to the adult
nervous system (Walley, 1969). in which most of the ante-
rior neuropil regions and cephalic sensory structures that we
describe here degenerate, is presumably an adaptation to
sedentary life.
The nen'ous svstem and associated structure*
Neural input from cephalic sense organs is structurally
organized in discrete neuropils within the cyprid brain (see
Fig. 5). The cephalic sensory input in the cyprid can be
summarized as follows: primary nerves from the median
eye project to the dorsofrontal neuropil; primary nerves
from each compound eye form an optic tract and project to
the optic lobe; primary nerves from each frontal filament
form a frontal filament tract and project also to the optic
lobe: and primary nerves that innervate setae on the anten-
nule project to the deutocerebrum.
Eyes and frontal filaments. Optic nerves connect the
compound eyes with their adjacent optic lobe neuropils
(Figs. 5. 6A, B). Under the light microscope, this neuro-
pil appears to be unstructured, lacking the geometrically
ordered segments seen in the optic lobes of decapods
(Dahl, 1965). Nevertheless, compound eyes are morpho-
logically well developed in the cyprid (Hallberg and
Elofsson, 1983). and the fact that these eyes are present
only during the cyprid stage is suggestive of a significant
role in settlement. The exact function of these eyes is not
yet known. Crisp (1955) argued, on the basis of the
simple structure of these eyes, that image formation was
unlikely, but suggested a role in mediating responses to
fine-scale topographic features such as cracks and
grooves. It is likely that compound eyes enable the de-
tection of reflected light levels (Yule and Walker. 1984),
thereby mediating light-guidance behavior (Barnes et ai,
1951 ). However, this function might equally be attributed
to the median eye.
The frontal filament tract connects each of the frontal
filaments with the adjacent optic lobe (Fig. 6B). proximal
to the point of entry of the optic nerve (Figs. 5. 6A-B).
The optic lobe of decapods includes neuropil divisions of
the lamina ganglionaris, external and internal medullae.
terminal medulla, and hemiellipsoid body (Dahl, 1965).
We were unable to identify these divisions in the cyprid
and have therefore chosen to use the general term of optic
lobe. The exact nature of the frontal filaments and their
function remains a contentious issue. Frontal organs are
found in many Crustacea but, to date, frontal filaments of
barnacle larvae have been considered only as pressure
sensors on the basis of their suspected homology with the
SPX organs (or organ of Bellonci) of Pericarida (Kauri.
1964; Walker, 1974).
Antennules. The antennules play a role as attachment
organs during exploration and settlement (Nott and Foster.
1969) and have been implicated in the detection of chemical
and physical cues (Nott and Foster, 1969; Walker, 1971;
Clare et ai, 1994; Clare and Nott. 1994; Walker, 1995). The
antennular nerve extends through the length of the anten-
nule (Fig. IB) and during dissection can be dissected into
smaller individual bundles. Recently, electrical activity has
been recorded from this nerve in response to chemical and
mechanical stimulation of the distal segments of the anten-
nule (Harrison, 1998).
The setae on the fourth antennular segment, and the
nerves that innervate them, vary considerably in their
morphology (Figs. 7-9). The functional properties of
individual setae on this segment are not known. How-
ever, the innervation of segment IV suggests that these
are sensilla. and some appear to be morphologically
similar to chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors of other
Crustacea (Nott and Foster, 1969; Bush and Laverack.
1982; Heimann, 1984; Schmidt, 1989; Clare and Nott,
1994). The external morphology of the four subterminal
setae, for example, is similar to that of the olfactory
154
P. J. H. HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
A
Figure 9. Innervation of antennular segment IV (see Fig. SA for orientation). (A) The dendritic profiles in
segment IV vary in diameter. Most profiles are between 0.5 and 1.0 /urn in diameter and contain between one
and three mitochondria (single arrow). Smaller-diameter processes (typically 0.1-0.3 /im in diameter) are also
present (double arrows), and in some cases a 9 X 2 + 2 pattern of microtubules is apparent (*). (B) Enlargement
of part of (A) to highlight the variation in the number of mitochondria in neural profiles. (C) Transverse section
through a single subterminal seta showing the outer dendritic segments (ods) that extend into each of the
subterminal setae. At this level, the dendrites are contained within an electron-dense tube (arrow), which is
encircled by two glial cells. (D) A transverse section through seta e (see Fig. 8a) reveals densely stained
peripheral structures (arrow) that possibly support this seta. Neural processes were not observed to extend into
this seta, nor into anv of the other terminal setae.
aesthetascs of Decapoda (Hallberg et al.. 1992; Clare and
Nott, 1994). Furthermore, our results show that up to six
outer dendritic segments (each 0.1-0.2 ;um in diameter)
project into the lumen of each subterminal seta (Fig. 9C).
The outer dendritic segments are contained within a
central cavity bordered by electron-dense material and a
pair of ensheathing cells. This arrangement is similar to
that reported for olfactory aesthetascs of crayfish (Tier-
ney et til., 1986).
It is generally accepted that the setae on the antennule
include both chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors
(Clare and Nott, 1994; Clare, 1995). but the location of
the somata of receptor cells has not been shown. In an
effort to locate receptor cell somata. we traced serial
sections of the antennule and were led to the bundle of
cells that form the antennular soma cluster (Fig. 10). The
cells in this bundle are 6-8 /u,m in length. 4-6 jum in
width, and are located about 150 jum from the fourth
segment of the antennule. Interestingly, the size and
shape of these soma is again consistent with olfactory
receptor neurons of many decapods (Laverack and Ardill.
1965; Snow, 1973; Tierney ct til.. 1986; Hallberg et al.,
1992). These cells, however, are located at the base of the
antennule in the cyprid and not. as in decapods, at the
base of the sensilla.
The antennules are used for temporary attachment dur-
ing surface exploration, which enables the cyprid to
"walk" across the substratum (Nott and Foster. 1969;
Walker. 1971). This involves the controlled release of
cement from the adhesive disc via the antennulary glands
(Nott and Foster. 1969; Walker, 1971; Okano et til.,
1996) and the coordination of motor activity. Motor
neurons to the antennular musculature are expected to
travel in the main branch of the antennular nerve. The
CYPRID NEUROANATOMY
155
Figure 10. Longitudinal sections of the untennular soma cluster (ASC). (A) Light micrograph of the ASC
shows its position relative to the brain, and association with the antennular nerve (AnN). The bipolar cells in this
cluster are likely candidates for receptor cells that project to distal setae. (B) Electron micrographs of the ASC
do not reveal synapses in this region, as would be expected for motor neurons, suggesting that these cells do not
form a ganglion of antennular motorneurons as previously suggested (discussed in text).
location of efferent cell soma within the central nervous
system is not known, but cells located ventrolateral to the
median protocerebral neuropil that project anteriorly in
the deutocerebrum are possible candidates (see Fig. 3B).
The location of cells that control the release from the
antennular glands for temporary attachment and the ex-
plosive release from cement glands for permanent attach-
ment remains to be shown.
Thoracic appendages and caudal mini. The nerves that
project to the thoracic appendages are, together witli the
antennular nerve, the most obvious peripheral extensions
from the central nervous system. Thoracic appendages are
used for swimming and bear many setae (Glenner and H0eg,
1995). These appendages, however, serve a natatory func-
tion, and it is not known whether the setae play a sensory
role. Setae are also present on the caudal rami (Walker and
Lee, 1976; Glenner and H0eg, 1995), and behavioral obser-
vations suggest that caudal rami might play a sensory role
(Crisp and Barnes, 1954).
The nervous system and settlement
Cyprids settle in response to a range of environmental
cues. It follows that the cyprid nervous system must sort
and process input from various sense organs, and coor-
dinate an appropriate behavioral response. We have
traced neural connections between the central nervous
system and many of the peripheral sense organs, but
connections to the lattice organs (Jensen et al.. 1994b;
H0eg et al.. 1998) and other sensory structures on the
carapace remain to be shown. The small size of the cyprid
raises questions about the behavioral capacity of this
156
P. J. H, HARRISON AND D. C. SANDEMAN
20um
Figure II. Light micrographs of the posterior ganglion. (A) Horizontal section showing regions of neuropil
(NP), parallel fiber tracts (FT) and transverse fiber tracts (*). The transverse fibers distinguish individual
divisions of this ganglion. The parallel fiber tracts end in a terminal loop (arrow). Extrinsic muscles of the
thoracic appendages are seen in cross-section (double arrows). (B) A longitudinal section through the posterior
ganglion. Paired nerve roots (*) extend from the ventral portion of each ganglionic division to the corresponding
thoracic appendage. Extrinsic muscles of the thoracic appendages are seen (arrows). (C) Higher power of a
thoracic nerve root (*) extending venlrally from the posterior ganglion. (Dl Paired nerve roots (*) extend from
the terminal loop of the transverse fiber tract to the caudal rami.
organism (Rittschof et «/., 1998). However, the large
investment in sensory structures, each of which links to a
discrete neuropil within the brain, suggests that the cyp-
rid nervous system has the capacity for a relatively so-
phisticated level of neural processing.
Acknowledgments
We thank Renate Sandeman for discussion and advice
during the course of this work and particularly for advising
on many of the techniques used. We also thank Holly Gate
CYPRID NEUROANATOMY
157
20|am
Figure 12. Light micrographs showing possible innervation of the esophagus and gut. (A-B) The esophagus
of the cyprid opens on the ventral surface through the oral cone (consisting of vestigial mouthpart appendages).
In these sections the esophagus appears to be closed in the region where it passes between the cephalon and
thorax. Nerve roots arising from the anterior ganglionic divisions can be traced along the length of the esophagus
and extend toward the gut (arrows). Innervation of mouthpart appendages was not observed. (C) The neurites of
ventrally located cells project to the neuropil of anterior ganglionic divisions, but few nerves could be traced out
of this region.
and two anonymous reviewers, whose comprehensive feed-
back was used to significantly improve the manuscript.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 159-173. (October 1999)
An Endogenous SCP-Related Peptide Modulates
Ciliary Beating in the Gills of a Venerid Clam,
Mercenaria mercenaria
LOUIS F. GAINEY. JR.1 *. KELLY J. VINING1. KAREN E. DOBLE2. JENNIFER M. WALDO2,
AURORA CANDELARIO-MARTINEZ2. AND MICHAEL J. GREENBERG2
1 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine 04104; and
- the Whitney Laboratory of the University of Florida, 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd.,
St. Augustine, Florida 32086-8623
Abstract. The activities of both the lateral and frontal
cilia of Mercenaria mercenaria were unaffected, either by
the two endogenous SCP-related peptides AMSFYFPRM-
amide and YFAFPRQamide, or by FMRFamide (all at 10~h
M). Dopamine (DA) inhibited the lateral cilia; the mean
ECSO was 2 X 1(T6 M. The peptide YFAFPRQamide— but
neither AMSFYFPRMamide nor FMRFamide — antago-
nized the inhibition induced by DA; this effect was depen-
dent on both time and dose. At a DA concentration of 5 X
1(T7 M, the effect of YFAFPRQamide appeared within 20
min and became maximal within 40-60 min; the mean
EC50 at these times was 4.7 X 10" " M. If the concentration
of DA was increased to 10~6 M, the maximal effect of the
peptide was delayed to 50 min, and the mean EC50 in-
creased to 1.1 X 10~7 M. Particle transport by the frontal
cilia was inhibited by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT); the
mean EC,,, was 5.7 X 10~7 M. Again, only YFAFPRQ-
amide had an antagonistic effect on the 5HT-induced inhi-
bition. At a 5HT concentration of 10~6 M, the effects of
YFAFPRQamide did not appear until 45 min; the mean
EC50 was 10~6 M. When radioimmunoassayed with an SCP
antiserum, the elution profile of a gill extract overlapped
those of the SCP-related peptides that had previously been
identified in extracts of whole animals. These data suggest
that all three SCP analogs occur in the gill. Immunohisto-
chemistry of the gill, carried out with a monoclonal anti-
body raised to SCPB, stained many varicose neuronal fibers.
Received 7 April 1999; accepted 22 July 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Department of Bio-
logical Sciences, University of Southern Maine. P.O. Box 9300, Portland.
ME 04104-9300. E-mail: gainey@usm.maine.edu
Most of these were associated with the gill musculature, but
a sparse innervation of the filaments underlying the cilia
was also observed. Some fluorescent nerve cell bodies were
also seen in the gill tissue. Our results are consistent with
the hypothesis that YFAFPRQamide modulates branchial
activities — muscular as well as ciliary — that are associated
with feeding.
Introduction
Molluscs are ciliary organisms; they are among the larg-
est animals, yet cilia perform mechanical functions that, in
many other taxa, are carried out primarily by muscles. For
example, cilia are responsible for locomotion in gastropods
as large as the lightning whelk Busycon contrarium and the
helmet conch Cassis tiiberosa (see Gainey, 1976; and
Miller. 1974. respectively). Cilia are particularly well
known for generating the currents that provide for respira-
tion and feeding in all bivalves, except the Septibranchia.
These currents are substantial; clearance rates generated by
cilia in the American oyster Crassostrea virginica are as
high as 24 to 27 l/li (Loosanoff and Nomeijko, 1946; Col-
lier, 1959 [both cited in Foster-Smith, 1975]).
The ctenidial water currents are created by the lateral cilia
(Purchon, 1968; Morton, 1983), although the abfrontal cilia
may contribute between 30% and 40% of the flow in Myti-
lus edulis (Jones and Richards, 1993). The control of lateral
ciliary activity, especially in Mytilus, has been studied for
nearly a century (early work reviewed in Aiello, 1960;
Paparo, 1972, 1985). In brief, the ciliated cells of bivalve
gills are electrically coupled (Motokawa and Satir. 1975;
Murakami and Machemer, 1982; Saimi et al, 1983b; Stom-
159
160
L. F, GAINEY, JR. ET AL,
me], I984a), and branches of the branchial nerve run be-
neath the lateral and frontal ciliated cells (Aiello and
Guideri, 1965; Paparo, 1972; Owen, 1974; Aiello, 1979).
Apparently not all of the ciliated cells are innervated, but
those that do receive neural input are reported to act as
pacemakers (Paparo. 1972).
Both 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and dopamine (DA)
have been localized in the branchial nerves of M\tilu.\
(Paparo and Finch. 1972; Stefano and Aiello, 1975). More-
over, electrical stimulation of either the cerebrovisceral
connective or the branchial nerve at a stimulus frequency of
1 0 Hz increased the rate of beat of the lateral cilia, whereas
stimulation at a frequency of 20 Hz decreased the rate.
These excitatory and inhibitory effects of electrical stimu-
lation were blocked, respectively, by serotonergic and do-
paminergic antagonists (Catapane et ai, 1978, 1979; Cata-
pane, 1983). Applied exogenously to isolated gills. 5HT
stimulates the lateral cilia of all bivalves studied to date,
including those of Mercenaria mercenaria (see Aiello,
1962, 1970, 1990; Paparo. 1972; Motokawa and Satir. 1975:
Catapane. 1983). In contrast to the effect of 5HT, the
response of lateral cilia to DA is variable. For example, the
lateral cilia ofMytilus edulis, Crassostrea virginica (Paparo
and Aiello, 1970; Catapane, 1983; Paparo, 1985), Ostrea
edulis, Mercenaria mercenaria, and Modiolus modiolus
(Gainey and Shumway, 1991 ) are inhibited by DA; but the
lateral cilia of Geukensia (= Modiolus) demissa (Catapane,
1983). Argopecten irradians, and Mya arenaria (Gainey
and Shumway. 1991 ) are unaffected. In summary, both 5HT
and DA are present in the gills of at least some bivalves, and
they appear to serve as endogenous transmitters regulating,
in part, the activity of the lateral cilia.
Dose-response curves for 5HT and DA (see Catapane.
1983) show that the lateral cilia of Mytilns have a maximal
beat frequency of about 25 beats/s, and that synchronous
beating is lost below about 10 beats/s. Between these nar-
row limits (i.e.. 25 and 10 beats/s), the cilia respond in a
graded manner, both to stimulation by 5HT and to inhibition
by DA. At the lower limit (10 beats/s), these compounds
seem to be activating a simple on-off switch. That such a
switch controls pumping in intact animals has yet to be
demonstrated unequivocally (Stefano et ai. 1977; Jorgen-
sen. 1989; Jones and Richards. 1993).
In contrast to the lateral cilia, which transport water, the
frontal cilia receive material that has been retained by the
branchial filter and transport it to the food grooves; there it
is packaged in mucus and carried to the labial palps (Pur-
chon. 1968; Morton. 1983; Murakami. 1989). The frontal
cilia are therefore intimately involved in feeding, and their
activity is correlated with the rate of mucus secretion (Ai-
ello, 1979). Beyond that generality, the pharmacology and
control of the frontal cilia iv poorly understood (reviewed by
Aiello, 1990).
The inconsistency between the raime of clearance rates in
intact bivalves and the pharmacology of isolated gill cilia, as
well as the distinct functions of cilia in different tracts,
suggests that ciliary activity is probably not controlled by
motoneurons that release only dopamine or serotonin. Stud-
ies of a pair of neurons in the pedal ganglia of the nudi-
branch Tritonia diomedea clearly show that, in this mollusc,
peptides are also involved. These neurons innervate the
locomotory cilia on the foot of Tritonia, augment the fre-
quency of ciliary beat when stimulated, and synthesize and
store a family of three pedal peptides (Peps). Moreover, the
action of these peptides mimics neuronal stimulation by
increasing the frequency of ciliary beating (reviewed by
Willows et ui, 1997). The beat frequency of vertebrate cilia,
particularly those of airway epithelia, are also regulated
by neuropeptides. including Substance P (Lindberg and
Mercke, 1986; Lindberg et til., 1986; Lindberg and Dolata,
1993; Aiello et ai, 1991 ); vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
(VIP) (Lindberg et ul, 1988); neuropeptide Y (NPY) (Cervin
et ul.. 1991; Wong et ul.. 1998); endothelin (Tamaoki et ul.,
1991); and vasopressin (Tamaoki et til.. 1998).
Among bivalved molluscs, three members of the SCP-
related family of peptides have been isolated from the
quahog Mercenaria mercenaria: lAMSFYFPRMamide.
AMSFYFPRMamide, and YFAFPRQamide; the second
peptide is likely a degradation product of the first. Further-
more, high levels of these peptides occur in the gills, and
SCP-related immunoreactivity has been localized to neural
fibers in the gill. But though these peptides affect gut
motility in the clam (Candelario-Martinez et ai, 1993), their
effects upon ciliary activity in the gill have not yet been
tested. We have, therefore, examined two of these SCPs —
YFAFPRQamide and AMSFYFPRMamide— as well as
DA, 5HT, and another neuropeptide. FMRFamide, for their
actions upon both the lateral and frontal gill cilia of Mer-
cenaria. The results indicate that one of the peptides,
YFAFPRQamide, modulates the effects of the amines. Pre-
liminary results of this study were presented to the Society
for Integrative and Comparative Biology (Gainey et ai.
1997).
Materials and Methods
Animals
Quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria L.) were obtained
from Poquoson and Wachapreague, Virginia. The animals
were held at I()"C in natural seawater (309M on a 12 h
light/dark cycle. Individuals were held a minimum of 3 days
prior to use.
The preparation
Gills were dissected away from the body wall distal to the
visceral ganglia and were then separated into demibranchs.
The dissection caused the beatint: of the lateral cilia to cease
MODULATION OF CILIARY ACTIVITY
161
for an hour or more. But once the beating had resumed, the
frequency remained unchanged for up to 24 h. Therefore,
the gills were excised between 4 and 15 h before an exper-
iment. Dorsoventral strips about 1 cm wide were cut from
the isolated demibranchs and pinned to strips of rubber band
that had been glued with rubber cement to the bottom of
petri dishes (4.7 cm diameter). The dishes were filled with
5 ml of artificial seawater (recipe in Welsh et «/.. 1968).
Drugs
Peptides were synthesized at the Protein Chemistry Core
Facility of the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology
Research at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Dopa-
mine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) were purchased
from Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Missouri.
Responses of the lateral cilia
The activity of the lateral cilia was measured as follows:
Isolated, pinned-out strips of gill were placed on the stage of
a compound microscope and observed at a magnification of
100X. The substage illuminator on the microscope was
replaced with a mirror, and the rate of beating of the lateral
cilia was determined by their synchrony with a Pasco Sf-
921 1 strobe light. Details of the measurement procedure are
described in Gainey and Shumway (1991).
At the outset of each experiment, we would locate an area
of the gill with well-defined metachronal waves and with
frequencies between 12 and 25 beats/s. Once the initial rate
was measured, the gill was not moved, and the same patch
of cilia was used for all subsequent measurements. In all but
the initial set of experiments on the effects of the peptides
alone, two pieces of gill were used on separate microscopes,
with one of these pieces serving as a control.
Larger quahogs (7 to 9 cm long) had lateral cilia that were
consistently less sensitive to DA than those of smaller
quahogs (5 to 7 cm). Moreover, the sensitivity of the lateral
cilia of the smaller quahogs followed a seasonal pattern;
they were less sensitive to DA from April to June. There-
fore, all of the experiments reported here were done with
gills from smaller animals and were carried out from June to
April.
Effects of peptides: ( 1 ) Stimulation. Freshly dissected gill
strips showing no lateral ciliary activity were exposed to
one of the peptides at 10~6 M; controls were untreated. 5HT
at 10~6 M was used as a positive control because it excites
quiescent lateral cilia of Mercenaria mercenariu (Aiello,
1970). The rate of beat of the lateral cilia on the treated and
control strips was measured hourly for 3 h. In a separate
observation, we examined 10 areas on each strip of gill for
the presence or absence of metachronal waves; the percent-
age of areas with metachronal waves (percent activity) was
taken as an estimate of the ciliary activity of the strip. The
data on rate and on percent activity were analyzed with
ANCOVA with time as a covariate; the analysis was per-
formed with the general linear models (GLM) procedure in
SAS, version 6.
Effects of peptides: (2) Inhibition. Isolated strips of gill
with active lateral cilia were exposed to one of the peptides
at 10~6 M: controls were untreated. Measurements were
made every 2 min for the first 10 min and then at 20. 40, and
60 min. The effects of the peptides on the rate of ciliary
beating were evaluated with a two-way ANOVA with treat-
ment, time, and treatment*time as factors; the analysis was
performed with the GLM procedure in SAS.
Effects of peptides and DA. Previous studies have shown
that 10' 4 M DA will, within several minutes, completely
arrest the lateral cilia of Mercenaria (Gainey and Shumway,
1991). This effect is temporary because DA slowly oxi-
dizes, and the cilia eventually return to their initial rate of
beating. To assess the effects of the peptides on this DA
arrest, we exposed isolated demibranch strips to concentra-
tions of 10~6 M of each peptide; 10 min later, the same
demibranch was exposed to 10~4 M DA. Controls were
exposed only to 10~4 M DA. The activity of the lateral cilia
was recorded every 2 min until it returned to the initial rate.
In some instances, the ciliary beating on one of the gill strips
did not return to its initial rate before the end of the exper-
iment; data of this type were designated censored. The
results were analyzed with the Wilcoxon test with the
lifetest procedure in SAS; this program adjusts for censored
data.
Dose-dependent effects. In these experiments, two strips
taken from the same demibranch were pinned out and
observed with separate microscopes. The initial rate of
ciliary beating of both strips was then determined. There-
after, the measurement of ciliary activity at any time was
expressed as a fraction of the initial rate; i.e.. the fractional
rate of beat. After a drug of interest was applied, the
fractional rate of the treated strip was corrected by subtrac-
tion of the fractional rate of the control strip. This fractional
difference was taken as the measure of peptide effect and
was used as the ordinate on dose-response curves.
( 1 ) Dopamine. In these experiments, oxidation of DA was
retarded with an ascorbic acid buffer as described by
Malanga (1975a). DA was added to the treated strip; the
control strip was untreated; and the rate of beat of both
strips was determined every 10 min for 1 h. Each pair of gill
strips was used to measure only one dose of DA. Because
DA is inhibitory, the value of the fractional difference
becomes larger and more negative with dose. Therefore, to
make the DA dose-response plots more comprehensible, the
effect was expressed as the adjusted fractional difference:
1 1 + (fractional ratetreated - fractional rateconm,,)].
(2) YFAFPRQamide. After the measurement of initial
rate, a dose of peptide was added to the treatment strip. Ten
minutes later, DA (either 5 X 10~7 A/ or 10~6M) was added
to both the treatment and control gills. Thereafter, rates
162
L. F. GAINEY, JR. ET AL.
were measured every 10 min for 1 h. The fractional differ-
ence was used as the measure of effect in the dose-response
curves; notice that when the response of peptide is maximal,
no inhibition by DA is observable, so the fractional rate of
the control strip approximates zero.
Responses of the frontal cilia
The activity of the frontal cilia was measured as follows:
Isolated, pinned-out strips of gill were observed at a mag-
nification of 100X with a compound microscope, and the
activity of the frontal cilia was determined by the rate of
transport of polystyrene microspheres (diameter, 0.85-1.0
jiun; Polysciences, Inc., Warrington, Pennsylvania). The
time (in seconds) required for these particles to travel 0.5
mm was measured with a stopwatch and an ocular micro-
meter. Particle transport rates (mm/s) were expressed as a
fraction of the initial rate. During the experiments on pep-
tides, five readings were taken on each gill strip at each
time. But during the experiments on the effects of the
peptides and 5HT, three readings were made at each time.
Once the initial rate was measured, the gill strips were not
moved, and the same gill filaments were used for all sub-
sequent measurements.
Effects of peptides. Isolated strips of gill were exposed to
one of the peptides at 10~6 M; controls were untreated.
Particle transport rates were measured every 5 min for 25
min. Initial analysis of these data indicated a positive cor-
relation between the standard deviation and the mean of the
fractional initial rate. Therefore, the data were transformed
with natural logarithms, which removed this correlation.
The effects of the peptides on the frontal cilia, as well as the
effects of the peptides plus 5HT, were evaluated using
repeated measures ANOVA; the analyses were performed
using the GLM procedure in SAS.
Effects of peptides with 5-hydroxytryptamine. We found
that 5HT inhibits the rate of particle transport by the frontal
cilia. To assess the effects of the SCPs on this inhibition, we
first exposed isolated strips of gill to the SCPs at 10~h M: 10
min later, the same gill strip was exposed to 10~A M 5HT.
Control strips were exposed only to 10~6 M 5HT. Particle
transport rates were measured every 15 min for I h.
Dose-dependent effects. We followed almost the same
protocols and analyses that were used to examine the effects
of DA and of YFAFPRQamide plus DA on the lateral cilia.
The exceptions were that (1) readings were taken every 15
min for I h; and (2) three replicate readings on each gill
strip at each time were averaged, and the average rates were
expressed as a u lion of the average initial rate of each
strip. In the experiments on the effects of YFAFPRQamide
plus 5HT. the concen ration of 5HT was 10 '' M.
Regression cnuilvses, significance levels
All dose-response curves, and the concentrations of ago-
nists giving half-maximal responses (ECM1), were estimated,
at each time, from a logistic model (response =: !/(! +
e<(3<>+j3i' g dose)^ wjt|1 a nonijnear regression procedure
(Nlin) in SAS. E tests were used to compare the regression
lines using a general linear test approach (Bates and Watts,
1988; Neter el ai, 1990). In most instances, means are
reported with their standard errors and sample sizes. All test
statistics, including ANCOVA and ANOVAs. were consid-
ered significant at probabilities less than 0.05.
Detection of SCPs in chini i>ill
Radioimmunoassay of a fractionated extract. In 1993,
Candelario-Martinez et al. tabulated the distribution of
SCP-related immunoreactivity among the tissues of M. nter-
cenaria (see their table I). In this paper, we present the
unpublished immunoreactive profile of the SCPs in gill,
which were obtained as follows.
Gills from 20 animals were extracted in acetone. The
extract was evaporated, and the aqueous portion was loaded
onto a Prep- 10 Octyl column ( 10 X 100 mm. 4 ml/min) and
eluted with a gradient of acetonitrile ( 16%- 40% over 30
min) in water with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Fractions were
collected every half minute and analyzed by radioimmuno-
assay; elution patterns were plotted from these data. Details
of the fractionation and the assay are set out in Candelario-
Martinez et ul. (1993).
Immunohistochemistry. Small, rectangular pieces of tis-
sue were cut from the outer demibranchs of several clams;
the samples usually included the ventral edge of the gill and
were 2-3 mm wide and 3-5 mm high. A few minutes after
dissection, the tissues were fixed in a solution of paraform-
aldehyde, prepared freshly as follows. A solution of para-
formaldehyde (4 g in 45 ml distilled water) was heated at
60"C for 10 min, clarified by the addition of I N NaOH.
brought to a final volume of 50 ml, and cooled on ice for
about 20 min. Thereafter. 50 ml of 0.2 M sodium potassium
phosphate buffer (SPB) was added, together with 15 g of
sucrose to approximate the osmolality of seawater. The
tissues were left in this fixative overnight at 4UC.
After fixation, the tissues were rinsed twice (5 min each)
with Tris buffered saline (TBS; pH 7.4), and then placed in
30% sucrose/PBS and left overnight at 4°C. The tissues
were then embedded in Tissue Tek O.C.T., frozen, and
sectioned (10 /u,m). The sections were collected onto gela-
tin-coated slides, and stored at -80°C for at least 24 h prior
to staining.
The sections were preincubated for 30 min at 37°C in
TBS containing 0.1% Triton X-100 and 2% normal goat
serum. The preincubation medium was then poured off and
replaced with the primary antibody — a monoclonal raised to
SCPB (Masinovsky et ul.. 1988)— which was diluted 1:100
MODULATION OF CILIARY ACTIVITY
163
in the preincubation medium. After 4 h in the primary
antibody at room temperature, the sections were rinsed three
times (5 min each) in TBS. and secondary antibody —
fluoresceine isothiocyanate-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG
(FITC-GAM IgG) — was then applied to the sections; incu-
bation continued for 2 h, at room temperature, in the dark.
The sections were then washed once for 5 min in TBS
containing 10 ju,g/ml of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole
(DAPI), an ultraviolet-excitable, nucleic acid-binding dye.
The sections were washed twice more (5 min each) in TBS,
and coverslips were applied; the mounting medium was
60% glycerol/TBS containing p-phenylenediamine (PPD).
Controls were treated as described above, except that the
primary antibody, before being applied to the sections, was
incubated overnight, at 4°C, on a rotating shaker, with either
YFAFPRQamide or AMSFYFPRMamide (10~3 M).
Micrographs were generated with a Leica/Leitz DMRB
microscope equipped with filters that allow the mutually
exclusive visualization of fluorochrome and DAPI staining.
Digital images were gathered with a Humumatsu color
chilled 3CCD camera (C5810) and were prepared for print-
ing with Adobe Photoshop.
Results
Lateral cilia
Peptides. Analysis of preliminary experiments on gill
strips exposed to either AMSFYFPRMamide, YFAFPRQ-
amide, or FMRFamide (all at 10~6 M) revealed that none of
the peptides had any significant stimulatory or inhibitory
effect upon the activity of the lateral cilia: stimulation
(ciliary rate), F(3 liy, = 0.85, P = 0.47; stimulation (percent
activity), FOJ9> = 0.37, P = 0.78 (Table I); inhibition
(ciliary rate), F(3^s) = 0-26> P = 0.85. In the experiment on
the inhibition of spontaneous ciliary activity, the mean rate
of beat of the control cilia, as well as those treated with any
Table I
Responses of quiescent lateral cilia exposed to peptides and 5HT at
1Q-" M
Treatment
Frequency (beats/s) SE % activity SE
Control
11 1.
36
5.5
6
AMSFYFPRMa
12 1.
31
5.5
6
YFAFPRQa
10 [.
30
5.5
6
FMRFamide
12 1
30
5.5
6
5HT*
12 1.
57**
5.8
6
Controls were untreated; n = number of gill-strip preparations. Re-
sponses are frequency (beats/s); or as the percent occurrence of metachro-
nal waves in 10 separate areas of each gill (% activity). The data are all
expressed as least square means.
* Excluded from the ANCOVA in text.
** Significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the control and the peptides.
Table II
Comparison t>f int'iui tinie\ to recover}' (—SE) for lateral cilia exposed
siimiltaneousl\ to peptides (10"'' M) and DA (10 J Mj. and for lateral
cilia exposed onlv lo DA I/O J M)
Recovery time
Treatment
Treated (mm) Control (min)
P**
AMSFYFPRMu
62 ± 9.26
60 ± 9.44
5
0.60
YFAFPRQa
43 ± 9.04
64 ± 8.19
6
0.02
FMRFamide
69 ± 9.16
62 ± 5.36
6
0.93
n = number of gill strip preparations.
** P values were generated with a Wilcoxan test.
of the three peptides, was 25 beats/s (;; = 9 gills for each
treatment).
Peptides and dopaminc. To determine whether the pep-
tides might alter the activity of lateral cilia inhibited by DA,
we exposed isolated gill strips to individual peptides at 10
M, and 10 min later to l(r4 M DA. Control strips were
exposed only to DA. An ascorbic acid buffer was omitted in
these experiments, so DA oxidized and the ciliary beat
recovered. The recovery times of lateral cilia exposed, at
first, to either AMSFYFPRMamide or FMRFamide, and
then to DA, were not significantly different from those of
the controls (DA only. Table II). In contrast, the lateral cilia
of gill strips exposed to YFAFPRQamide and then to DA
returned to their initial rates within 42 ± 9.0 min, whereas
the DA controls required 64 ± 8.2 min to return to their
initial rates; these times are significantly different (Table II).
Dose-dependent effects. The adjusted fractional differ-
ences, measured at several times, were plotted against the
log of the DA concentration, and the family of calculated
regression lines is set out in Figure 1A. This graph shows
that the effects of DA appear within 10 min of the treatment
and remain constant for 1 h; there is no statistical difference
among the regression lines plotted in Figure 1A (F(1(U2()) =
0.22, P = 0.99). The mean ECSO, as estimated from the
regression parameters, is 2.0 X 10~6 M (±6.9 X 10"s M).
But the dose-response curves are very steep; the change
from 90% to 10% maximal activity is effected by an in-
crease of only half a log unit in the concentration of DA
(3-4 JJ.M). Moreover, Figure IB shows that the response is
essentially biphasic; i.e., the cilia are either beating or not at
a DA concentration of about 3 y.M.
The dose-dependent effects of YFAFPRQamide on DA-
treated cilia were studied on gills exposed to 5 X 10~7 M
DA. This concentration of the amine was chosen because it
was predicted (from the dose-response regression equation)
to inhibit the cilia by 17% of their initial rate; thus the
peptide could, in theory, either potentiate or inhibit the
effects of DA. The actual response of the control gills to DA
was quite variable, ranging from 10% to 100% inhibition of
the original rate, but YFAFPRQamide always had an
164
L. F. GAINEY. JR. ET AL.
antagonistic effect on the action of DA. That is, gill strips
treated with varying concentrations of the peptide and 5 •
1CF7 M DA were inhibited less than gill strips exposed to
DA alone. The threshold for the effect of YFAFPRQamide
was about 5 X 10 ~ '" M. The maximal response (i.e.,
complete block of inhibition) was produced by about 1CTS
M. Moreover, the antagonistic effects of the peptide were
time dependent. A set of dose-response regression lines
produced at 10-min intervals shows that the effects of the
peptide began to appear within 20 min after the addition of
DA. The regression lines from 40 to 60 min are not statis-
tically different (F(4.44) = 0.71. P > 0.05; Fig. 2A).
U 1.0
O
0.4
0.2
0.0
I I I I I I
-9 -8 -7 -6
log [DA (M)]
-5
-4
B
= 0.45, P = 0.64); the mean
EC50 for these times is 1.1 X 10~7 M (±2.6 X 10~s M).
Finally, a Mann-Whitney U test revealed that the mean
EC5(I of gills exposed to YFAFPRQamide and 10~ft M DA
was significantly greater than that of gills exposed to YFAF-
PRQamide and 5 X 10 7 M DA (P = 0.04). Thus, the
latency of the peptide response cannot be due entirely to
permeability.
Beat frequencies. The lateral cilia used in dose-response
studies, including controls, beat in metachronal waves at
frequencies from 7 to 27 beats/s, or they did not beat at all.
That is, no metachronal waves appeared at frequencies
lower than 7 beats/s (n = 888 on 148 pieces of gill).
Frontal cilia
Peptides. Preliminary experiments on gill strips exposed
to the three peptides, all at 10^ft A/, revealed that none of the
peptides had a significant effect on the activity of the frontal
cilia: AMSFYFPRMamide. F(I781 == 0.05, P == 0.81;
YFAFPRQamide, FIK7X) = 1.66, P = 0.20; FMRFamide,
^(i 48i = 3.18, P = 0.08; the mean rate of particle transport
in all cases was 0.29 mm/s.
SCPs and 5-hydroxytryptamine, To determine whether
the two SCPs might alter the activity of frontal cilia inhib-
ited by 10~6 M 5HT. we first exposed isolated gill strips to
either AMSFYFPRMamide or YFAFPRQamide (10~6 M)
and then. 10 min later, to 10~6 M 5HT. Controls were
exposed only to 5HT. Neither peptide had a significant
effect upon the 5HT-induced inhibition: AMSFYFPRM-
amide. F(U61 = 1.22, P = 0.28; YFAFPRQamide, F(1 8) =
3.93. P = 0.08.
Dose-dependent effects. In Figure 4A, the regression lines
of the adjusted fractional difference are plotted against the
log of the 5HT concentration and time. The graph shows
that the inhibitory effects of 5HT on the frontal cilia appear
within 15 min and remain constant for 1 h; there is no
statistical difference between these regression lines
(F(6 ,4) = 0.32, P = 0.92). The mean ECW is 5.7 X 10"7 M
(±3.5 X 10~7 M). Particle transport was, however, never
completely inhibited; the maximal inhibition was about
80% of the initial rate at 10 3 M 5HT.
The effect of YFAFPRQamide on frontal cilia inhibited
by 5HT was not statistically significant. But because the
probability of the "F" value from the ANOVA was 0.08.
which is close to the significance level of 0.05, and because
the peptide had modulated the action of DA on lateral cilia,
we decided to measure the dose-dependency of the effects
of the peptide on 5HT-induced inhibition. The frontal cilia
were exposed to 10 '' M 5HT, a concentration predicted to
inhibit the cilia by 39% of their initial rates, and to varying
concentrations of the peptide. The threshold for the effect of
166
L. F. GA1NEY. JR. ET AL
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Ovigerous-Hair Stripping Substance (OHSS) in an
Estuarine Crab: Purification, Preliminary
Characterization, and Appearance of the Activity
in the Developing Embryos
MASAYUKI SA1GUSA AND HIROSHI IWASAKI
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okuyama University, Tsushima 2-1-1
(General Education Buildings), Oka\amu 700-8530, Japan
Abstract. Ovigerous-hair stripping substance (OHSS) is
an active factor in crab hatch water (i.e., filtered medium
into which zoea larvae have been released). This factor
participates in stripping off the egg attachment structures
(i.e., egg case, funiculus, and the coat investing ovigerous
hairs) that remain attached to the female's ovigerous hairs
after larval release. Thus this activity prepares the hairs for
the next clutch of embryos. OHSS activity of an estuarine
crab. Sesarma haematoc/ieir, eluted as a single peak on
molecular-sieve chromatography, but this peak still showed
two protein bands at 32 kDa and 30 kDa on SDS-PAGE.
The two protein bands stained with a polyclonal antiserum
raised to the active fractions from molecular-sieve chroma-
tography. Moreover, antibodies purified from this poly-
clonal OHSS antiserum also recognized both the 32-kDu
and 30-kDa bands. OHSS immunoreactivity and biological
activity were associated with the attachment structures that
remained connected to the ovigerous hairs after hatching. In
developing embryos, both protein bands could be stained
immunochemically at least 10 days before hatching. But
OHSS biological activity appeared only 3 days before
hatching. The immunoreactive protein bands were not ob-
served in the zoea, but OHSS bioreactivity was present,
though greatly reduced. The 32-kDa protein, at least, is
probably an active OHSS, and the 30-kDa protein band may
also be OHSS-related. The OHSS appears to be produced
and stored by the developing embryo. Upon hatching, most
of the material may be trapped by the remnant structures,
and the remainder is released into the ambient water.
Received 16 January 1997; accepted 16 June 1999.
Introduction
After egg-laying, the embryos of intertidal and estuarine
crabs — and indeed most decapod crustaceans — are encased
in a thick, protective capsule composed of two or three
layers; these capsules are then attached to the female's
ovigerous hairs through the funiculus and investment coat
(Yonge, 1937, 1946; Cheung, 1966; Goudeau and Lachaise,
1983). The capsule breaks open during or after embryonic
development, and hatching occurs (Davis, 1968, 1981;
Saigusa, 1997).
The funiculus and investment coat, as well as the broken
egg capsule, remain attached to the hairs after hatching (for
further details, see Saigusa, 1994). But at the time of hatch-
ing, an active factor we call ovigerous-hair stripping sub-
stance (OHSS) is released from the embryo and causes these
remnant structures to slip off the hairs (Saigusa, 1994). The
stripping of these remnant structures is very important be-
cause it leaves the hairs clean, unbroken, and thus prepared
to incubate the next clutch of embryos (Saigusa, 1995).
The funiculus. the coat that wraps the ovigerous hairs,
and the outermost layer of the egg capsule are all composed
of the same material (Saigusa ct <;/.. unpub. data), and
OHSS may be an enzyme that acts on this material. In many
other animals, a hatching enzyme is released from the
embryos upon hatching and digests the layers of the egg
case (e.g., Yamagami. 1988; Lepage and Cache. 1989; Roe
and Lennarz, 1990; Helvik et ai, 1991). However, there is
no evidence, even after electron microscopy studies, that the
layers of the egg capsule encasing crab embryos are di-
gested by OHSS (Saigusa et /.. unpubl. data). So the notion
that OHSS is a crustacean hatching enzyme remains unsub-
stantiated.
174
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
175
Although the cells that produce OHSS have not yet been
identified, we do know that this substance is secreted by the
embryo, and not by the female. The molecular mass of
OHSS was estimated by primary gel filtration to be 15-20
kDa (Saigusa, 1995), but no other chemical characteristics
are known. If we are ever to characterize the physiological
mechanism of OHSS. or its expression during development
under the control of a circatidal clock (Saigusa. 1992. 1993,
1997), a purified preparation must first be obtained.
Here we describe a relatively simple procedure for puri-
fying OHSS from the hatch water of an estuarine terrestrial
crab, Sesarma haematocheir, and we also provide a prelim-
inary characterization of this material. A polyclonal anti-
serum was raised against OHSS and purified so that, by
immunochemical staining, we could examine the appear-
ance of OHSS in the developing embryos and its disappear-
ance after hatching. Furthermore, we assessed whether
OHSS is still associated with the remnants of the embryonic
attachment structures that remain after hatching and larval
release.
Materials and Methods
Larval release and collection of hatch water
Specimens of Sesarma haematocheir, the estuarine ter-
restrial crab used in this study, were collected at Kasaoka,
Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Here, the thicket inhabited by
the crabs is separated from the shore of a tidal creek by a
small road (for their habitat, see Saigusa, 1982). Just after
sunset, between 1900 and 2000 h, for several days around
the time of the full or new moon, large numbers of oviger-
ous female appear onto this road on their way to the shore.
Thus exposed, they can easily be captured.
In 1994, more than 3000 females were captured on the
road and placed individually into large plastic containers
(10 cm in diameter, 15 cm in height) containing 30 ml of
very clean ground water obtained near the collecting site.
The females released their larvae into this water. Immedi-
ately thereafter, the females were removed from the con-
tainers, and the water was filtered through a nylon mesh that
retained the larvae. The filtered hatch water was accumu-
lated in 1 -liter bottles, transported 50 km to the laboratory,
and finally frozen at — 20°C.
The method of collection was changed in 1996. In the
three years 1996. 1997. and 1998, ovigerous females were
still collected at the same site at Kasaoka. but they were first
disinfected in ice-cold 70%- 80% ethanol for a few minutes,
then washed with distilled water, and finally placed indi-
vidually in the large plastic containers, but without water.
These containers were transferred to the laboratory, where
each crab was immediately placed in a small, covered
plastic cup (5 cm in diameter, 6 or 8 cm in height) contain-
ing 9 ml of distilled water. As soon as larvae were released,
the zoeas were removed by filtration through nylon mesh,
and the remaining water was then passed again through a
filter paper. The resulting hatch water was pooled in a 50-ml
plastic bottle and immediately stored at -40°C until used.
Most females incubate their next clutch of embryos a few
days after larval release. The females were therefore kept in
the laboratory for a month, and hatch water was obtained
from their second larval release.
Since the OHSS activity of hatch water declines con-
stantly at ambient temperatures, the second method, in
which the material is frozen immediately after production,
yielded hatch water solutions with higher concentrations of
OHSS. Moreover, since all of the female crabs survived and
were able to incubate another clutch of embryos, we are
confident that the disinfection in ethanol and the dry trans-
port were not deleterious to the animals.
Most of the hatch water used in this study was collected
in 1994. but some experiments were carried out with mate-
rial collected in 1996-1998. The concentrations of OHSS
obtained by the two methods would certainly have been
different, but the biochemical properties observed were
virtually identical.
Bioassay of OHSS activity
Our biological assay of OHSS is based on the ability of
chemically fixed ovigerous setae to respond to OHSS. In
brief, an ovigerous seta with its attached embryos, all in
early stages of development, were excised from a female
crab, fixed in 70% ethanol, and then stored in the refriger-
ator at 4°C until used. Ethanol-fixed setae with their at-
tached clumps of embryos respond well to exogenous
OHSS. even after several years of cold storage at 4°C
(unpub. data).
Shortly before a bioassay was to be performed, the fixed
setae were suspended in distilled water (DW) to wash out
the ethanol, and then placed in a glass dish with DW. The
tip of each ovigerous seta was cut away, and the remainder
was subdivided into four segments under the stereomicro-
scope (see Saigusa. 1995). Each segment was placed on a
paper towel to remove attached water, and one or two (or
three in some experiments) of these segments were placed
in each of the wells (each 0.8 cm in diameter, 1.7 cm in
height) of a plastic culture dish; the wells also contained
300-500 /J.1 of a fraction eluted through chromatography.
The culture dish was shaken slowly on a mechanical shaker
for 1.0-2.2 h at about 23°C.
Recall that each seta is equipped with 10-15 whorls of
ovigerous hairs to which the embryos are actually attached,
and that the number of ovigerous hairs is about 10-20 per
whorl (see Saigusa, 1994, 1995). For example, each of the
three segments of a seta would contain 2-5 whorls (30-100
ovigerous hairs). After the incubation described above, each
setal segment with its cluster of embryos was again placed
in a glass dish with DW. This dish was put under a
176
M. SAIGUSA AND H. IWASAKI
stereomicroscope, and tine forceps were used to pull the
embryos gently away from the ovigerous hairs. The per-
centage of hairs in each whorl that were stripped clean but
were still undamaged was calculated. The activity of OHSS
was usually taken as the mean of 3-10 whorls (one or two
segments); the standard deviation was also calculated.
Purification procedure
Stored, frozen, crude hatch water was thawed and centri-
fuged at 1 8,000 rpm for 30 min at 4°C to remove the solid
materials. The hatch water was saturated with (NH4)-,SO4
powder, left overnight, and centrifuged at 18.000 ipm for 30
min. The supernatant contained no OHSS activity. The
precipitate was dissolved in 100 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH
9.0) and, at this stage, could also be stored at -20°C. This
material was called "concentrated hatch water." OHSS was
purified further in three steps, as described below. The
procedures were all carried out with a fast protein liquid
chromatography system (FPLC; Pharmacia) in an experi-
mental chamber with the temperature controlled at 4"C:
protein elution was monitored at 280 rim. OHSS rapidly
loses its activity during purification, so the following pro-
cedures were completed within 12 h.
Step 1: Hydrophobic chromatography. Concentrated
hatch water (described above) was mixed with an equal
quantity of 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 9.0) containing 300
mM Na,SO4. This medium was applied to a column con-
taining 10 ml of HiTrap-Octyl-Sepharose 4FF (prepack
column, Pharmacia) equilibrated with 20 mM Tris-HCl
buffer containing 300 mM Na2SO4 (pH 9.0). The column
was eluted with a linear gradient of Na2SO4: -8 mM/min
(—2 mM/ml and a flow rate maintained at 4.0 ml/min).
Fractions of 10 ml were collected.
Step 2: Ion-exchange chromatography. The active frac-
tions from step 1 were pooled (60 ml), and this sample was
applied to an anion-exchange column (MONO-Q HR5/5.
prepack, Pharmacia: 0.5 X 5 cm). The column had been
pre-equilibrated with 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 9.0). and
the sample was eluted with the same solution. The flow rate
was 1.0 ml/min. and 2-ml fractions were collected. The
fractions from the void volume were pooled, and were
concentrated to 500 ju,l with an ultrafiltration membrane
(YM 10, Amicon).
Step 3: Molecular-sieve chromatography. A sample of
these concentrated active fractions (500 /u,l) was fraction-
ated by molecular-sieve chromatography (gel filtration) (Su-
perdex 75 HR 10/30, prepack. Pharmacia). The column had
been equilibrated previously with 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer
containing 150 mM NaCl (pH 9.0). The sample was eluted
with the same buffer at a flow rate of 0.25 ml/min, and I -ml
fractions were collected. The molecular mass of OHSS was
determined by comparison with the elution volume of the
following marker proteins: glutamate dehydrogenase (55.6
kDa), aldolase (39.2 kDa), trypsin inhibitor (20.1 kDa)
(Sigma Chemical Co.).
Effects of temperature and pH
The active fractions from molecular-sieve chromatogra-
phy (fractions 6-8; Fig. 2A) were pooled and incubated for
15 min at temperatures from 4°C to 100°C, and were
immediately returned to 23°C. Segments of the ovigerous
seta with their attached embryos were incubated with these
solutions for 1 h at 23°C, and OHSS activity was bioas-
sayed. In another experiment, the pooled active fractions
were maintained at 4' C and 23°C for 0-120 h. These
solutions were then bioassayed for 1 h.
The effects of pH were examined similarly. Buffers used
for this study were as follows: 100 mM Na-acetate (pH 3.0
and 5.0; 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.0 and 8.5); and 100 mM
glycine-NaOH (pH 10.5). Active fractions were mixed with
an equal quantity of each buffer, and the OHSS activity was
bioassayed for 1 h.
In each experiment (A-C), assays were repeated three
times with the same OHSS solution. The mean percentage
of stripped hairs in 2-5 whorls of the hair was first esti-
mated, and the mean of three assays was estimated.
Electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE)
SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate)-polyacrylamide gel elec-
trophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was carried out according to the
method of Laemmli (1970). Each fraction from gel filtration
was concentrated by passage through an ultrafiltration mem-
brane (Centricon 10, Amicon). The filtered material was
dissolved in an equal quantity of lysis buffer [composition:
5% SDS, 5% 2-mercaptoethanol, 8 M urea, 5 mM EDTA
(ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), 5% sucrose, in 125 mM
Tris-HCl (pH 6.8)], and then kept at room temperature for
30 min. The molecular mass markers employed were glu-
tamate dehydrogenase (55.6 kDa). aldolase (39.2 kDa),
triosephosphase isomerase (26.6 kDa), trypsin inhibitor
(20.1 kDa). and lyso/yme (14.3 kDa) (Sigma Chemical
Co.). The gels (15%) were transblotted onto PVDF (poly-
vinyliden difluoride) membranes (Clear Blot Membrane P;
Atto, Japan), and were stained with Coomassie brilliant blue
R-250 (CBB).
Electrophoresis of the active fractions without
denaturation {native SDS-PAGE) anil biotissuy with the
crushed gel
The active fractions from gel filtration were pooled (2 ml)
and concentrated to less than 200 jid by passage through the
ultrafiltration membrane. This material (80 /xl) was dis-
solved in a solution containing 45 mg of saccharose added
in 100 n\ of 0.5 M Tris-HCl (pH 6.8), and was electropho-
resed on an SDS-polyacrylamide gel (15%). After electro-
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
177
phoresis, a narrow strip of this gel was cut parallel to the
direction of migration, and then stained with CBB. This
strip was used to indicate the position of the protein bands.
The remainder of the gel was cut into four equal segments
perpendicular to the direction of migration. Each of these
gel segments was crushed with a pestle, 500 jul of DW was
added, and the OHSS activity was bioassayed.
Preparation of polyclonal antiserum, electrophoresis, mul
western blotting of OHSS
In preliminary experiments, a 32-kDa protein band seen
on SDS-PAGE was cut from the gel with a sharp knife,
mixed with Freund's complete adjuvant, and injected into a
commercial white rabbit. These treatments — four injections,
2 weeks apart — yielded no antiserum when assayed by
western blotting. Therefore, the pooled active fractions from
gel filtration (2 ml; 6 and 7 in Fig. 2A) were mixed with the
adjuvant, and two additional injections, 2 weeks apart, were
given to the same rabbit.
In western blotting, the electrophoresed sample was
transblotted onto PVDF membrane, and immunoreactivity
was detected by chemobioluminescence with ECL western
blotting reagents (Amersham). For the primary antibody,
the polyclonal antiserum was diluted 1:1000 with 0.5%
nonfat milk in T-TBS ( 10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 50 mM NaCl, and
0.05% Tween 20). The PVDF membrane was incubated
with the primary antibody for 1 h at room temperature, then
washed five times with T-TBS. The secondary antibody was
peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin
(Cappel) diluted 1:5000 with 0.5% nonfat milk in T-TBS.
After a 1 h incubation with the secondary antibody at room
temperature, the membrane was washed five times with
T-TBS. and was further incubated (for 1 min at room
temperature) with ECL western blotting reagents. This
membrane was exposed to Hyperfilm ECL (Amersham).
Affinitv purification of the OHSS antiserum
The pooled active fractions from molecular sieve chro-
matography (6 and 7 in Fig. 2A) were concentrated, elec-
trophoresed on 15% SDS gel, and then transferred to a
PVDF membrane. A narrow strip of this membrane was
then cut on both edges (5 mm in width), parallel to the
direction of migration. These filter strips were stained with
CBB and were used to indicate the position of each protein
band; the membrane was not stained with CBB. except these
strips.
Two protein bands located with the CBB-stained tiller
strips, an upper (32 kDa) and lower (30 kDa), were cut
separately from the membrane. Each band was further cut
into pieces and was incubated for 24 h in 1 ml antiserum at
4°C. The pieces of membrane were then rinsed in PBS (pH
7.4) for 10 min, and this operation was repeated 5-6 times.
The membrane pieces were overlain with 200 jul of 0.2 M
glycine-HCl (pH 2.0) for 10 min, on ice, to elute bound
antibody. The eluate was adjusted to pH 7.4-7.5 by the
addition of 30-32 jul of I M Tris.
For staining, a 1:1000 dilution of the antibody that was
eluted from either the 32-kDa or 30-kDa band was used as
the primary; dilution was with 0.5% nonfat milk in T-TBS.
The secondary antibody was peroxidase-conjugated goat-
rabbit immunoglobulin (Cappel) diluted 1:5000 with 0.5%
nonfat milk in T-TBS.
Because the two bands were at most 2 mm apart on the
gel and were not stained with CBB, we could not be sure
that the two proteins had been completely separated. There-
fore, concentrated active fractions from molecular-sieve
chromatography (6 and 7 in Fig. 2A) were electrophoresed
on 15% SDS gel for a longer period (9 h), and were then
transferred to a PVDF membrane. This procedure produced
a gap of 5-6 mm between the upper and lower bands. The
whole membrane was stained with 0.01% Ponceau S
(Sigma) in 5% acetic acid for 10 min. The protein bands, 2
mm wide, were cut out and the middle strip (about 2 mm
wide) was excluded. The bound antibodies were then eluted,
as described above.
Immunochemical detection of OHSS during
embryonic development
At various times before hatching, an embryo cluster with
its attached hairs and seta (i.e., one-third of an ovigerous
seta altogether) was detached from a single female, crushed
with a pestle in distilled water (300 ;ul) for 5 min. and
denatured by the addition of 300 jid of the lysis buffer (pH
6.8). The solution was centrifuged at 15.000 rpm for 20 min.
Fifty microliters of the supernatant was pipetted, and 100 ^\
of DW and 100 /ul of the lysis buffer were added to this
supernatant. Thirty microliters of this solution was sub-
jected to electrophoresis, and OHSS was examined by the
immunochemical staining of western blots. The purified
antibody was used in the experiments.
OHSS was also examined as follows. Embryo clusters
were crushed with a pestle in 500 /LL! of DW, and immedi-
ately centrifuged for 20 min. Then the supernatant was
denatured in the lysis buffer described above for 1 h, elec-
trophoresed. and the OHSS was examined by the immuno-
chemical staining of western blots. The sediment was de-
natured separately by the addition of the lysis buffer for 1 h.
The solution was further centrifuged for 20 min, and the
supernatant was subjected to electrophoresis followed by
immunochemical detection.
Appearance of OHSS activity in developing embryos:
bioassa\ with crushed emhryos
One-third of the embryo clusters attached to an ovigerous
seta were detached from a single female every day until
hatching, crushed in 500 /ul of DW, and then centrifuged at
178
M. SAIGUSA AND H. IWASAKI
15.000 rpm. The OHSS activity contained in these samples
(i.e., the supernatant and sediment of crushed embryos) was
bioassayed.
Bioassa\ of OHSS activity in broken egg cases
As described elsewhere (Saigusa, 1994), remnants of the
embryonic attachment system (i.e., broken egg cases, funic-
uli, and the coat investing ovigerous hairs) remain on the
ovigerous hairs after hatching and larval release. These
remnants were removed with tine forceps after hatching,
and stored at -20°C until used. Ovigerous hairs and setae
were not contained in these remnants. So the possibility that
the OHSS activity is present in the ovigerous hairs and setae
of the female was excluded.
Five hundred milligrams of the remnant matter (wet
weight) was thawed and washed repeatedly with DW, and
centrifuged for 20 min (15,000 rpm). The sediment was
crushed in 600 /n.1 of DW; the suspension was divided into
two wells of a plastic dish (each 300 /il), and OHSS activity
was bioassayed for 1.5 h and 2.0 h.
We also determined whether the OHSS activity could be
extracted with the detergent (Triton-X). Remnant matter
(500 mg wet weight) was thawed and washed repeatedly
with DW. The remnants were then crushed in 600 ju.1 of
Triton-X solution dissolved in DW (5%, 10%. and 20%),
and were held for 30 min at room temperature (23° C). Each
suspension was centrifuged for 20 min (15,000 rpm), the
supernatant was divided into two wells of a plastic culture
dish (each 300 /xl), and OHSS activity was bioassayed for
1.5 and 2.2 h.
Results
Chromatography and estimation of the molecular mass
Crude hatch water from about 90 females was saturated
with (NH4)2SO4 overnight; no OHSS activity was found in
the supernatant. The precipitate was dissolved in 100 mM
Tris-HCl buffer. This solution (concentrated hatch water)
was subjected to hydrophobic chromatography, and each
fraction (10 ml) was bioassayed for 1.5 h.
As shown in Figure 1, most proteins were removed by
this fractionation. The peak of OHSS activity was very
2.0 r
0.3
M
0.2
0.1
J 0
30
Fraction number
40
50
Figure 1. Hlutinn of OHSS activity from a hydrophobic column ( HiTrap-Octyl-Sepharose 4FF; Pharmacia).
Concentrated hatch water from 90 females was applied to a column previously equilibrated with 20 mM Tris-HCl
buffer containing 300 m/M Na2SO4, and the proteins were eluted with a linear gradient: -8 mM Na:SO4/min
(broken line). Open circles (O): 280 nm absorption indicating protein concentration in each fraction (10 ml).
Bioassay: incubation time, 1.3 h; OHSS activity, percentage of stripped, unbroken ovigerous hairs per whorl:
data points arc the mean percentages of 3-10 whorls (A solid triangles); vertical bars indicate standard deviation;
conltol assay (A bottom right), incubation with buffer (details of assay in Methods). Vertical arrows indicate the
6 active tractions (60 ml) applied to anion exchange chromatography.
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
179
broad, and only half of it coincided with a protein peak that
eluted after 0 mM Na2SO4 was reached. A bioassay with an
incubation of 1.0 h was also attempted; the results were
similar to those shown in Figure 1, although the peak of
activity was narrower than that with the longer incubation
(not shown).
The pooled active fractions from hydrophobic chroma-
tography (60 ml; six vertical arrows in Fig. 1) were sub-
jected to anion exchange chromatography. The OHSS ac-
tivity appeared in the pass-through fractions (not shown).
These active fractions (60 ml) were concentrated to 500
/Lil by ultrafiltration and were then subjected to molecular-
sieve chromatography. Each fraction was bioassayed for
1.5 h. As shown in Figure 2A, the activity appeared as a
single peak in fractions 6-8. The molecular mass of the
eluted protein peak was estimated at 35 kDa by comparison
with standard proteins. Similar results were also obtained
with the solutions bioassayed for 1.0 h (not shown).
SDS-PAGE
Each fraction eluted in molecular-sieve chromatography
(Fig. 2A) was concentrated, and the proteins were analyzed
by SDS-PAGE. As shown in Figure 2B. two common
protein bands appeared in fractions 6 and 7, both of which
had high OHSS activity (Fig. 2A). Fraction 8. which also
had high OHSS activity, had little or no staining. The
molecular masses of these bands were estimated to be 32
kDa and 30 kDa by comparison with the marker proteins.
An additional band (22 kDa) appeared in fractions 5 and 6;
it is very weak in Figure 2B, but is clear in Figure 5A. It was
clear that the OHSS activity bioassayed with ovigerous setal
segments does not correspond to the 22-kDa band in frac-
tions 5 and 6 (compare Fig. 2A with Fig. 2B).
The concentrated active fractions (6 and 7) from molec-
ular-sieve chromatography were also electrophoresed with-
out denaturation; the proteins were clearly separated (Fig.
3A). The gel was cut into quarters, and each segment of the
gel was bioassayed for 1 .5 h and 2.0 h. The OHSS activity
appeared in the second segment (b) of the gel strip (molec-
ular mass between 40 kDa and 23 kDa), which contained the
32-kDa and 30-kDa protein bands (Fig. 3B).
Characterization
Active fractions 6-8 from molecular-sieve chromatogra-
phy (Fig. 2A) were pooled, and the thermostability of the
OHSS solution was examined. Active solutions that were
exposed for 15 min to temperatures between 4°C and 80°C
showed virtually no decrease in OHSS activity. In contrast,
solutions exposed to 100°C lost activity (Fig. 4A).
Least-square regression lines fitted to the data (Fig. 4B)
indicated that active solutions incubated at either 4°C or
room temperature (about 23°C) for up to 70 h showed no
significant decrease in activity, and that there was no sig-
0.3 r
0.2 -
0.1
20.1 kDa
-1 1 00 %
4
>,
50
X
o
01 23456 78910
Fraction number
Conlro1
Fraction number
234567
89
B
55.6
39.2
26.6
14.3
kDa
Figure 2. Purification of OHSS activity by molecular-sieve chroma-
tography with protein analysis on SDS-PAGE. (A) The pass-through
fractions (60 ml) from anion-exchange chromatography were concentrated
by ultrafiltration, and an aliquot (500 /il) was applied to molecular-sieve
chromatography; fractions are I ml. Open circles (O): protein concentra-
tion in each fraction (280 nm absorption). Solid triangles (A): the OHSS
activity of each fraction; bioassays carried out for 1.5 h with one (or two)
ovigerous setal segments per fraction; error bars: standard deviation. Con-
trol assay (A bottom right). Downward-pointing arrows indicate the mo-
lecular masses of marker proteins: glutamate dehydrogenase (55.6 kDa).
aldolase (39.2 kDa). and trypsin inhibitor (20.1 kDa). (B) Analysis, by
SDS-PAGE. of the proteins in each fraction (1-9) eluted from molecular-
sieve chromatography. The polyacrylamide gel was transblotted to a PVDF
membrane which was stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. The marker
proteins were glutamate dehydrogenase (55.6 kDa), aldolase (39.2 kDa),
triosephosphate isomerase (26.6 kDa), and lysozyme (14.3 kDa). The two
bands that appear in fractions 6 and 7 (arrows to the right) have molecular
masses of 32 kDa and 30 kDa.
180
M. SAIGUSA AND H IWASAKI
B
55.6
39.2 —I
26.6
14.3
kDa
40
23
-«- 12 kDa
100 r
80 -
40
20
1.5 h
abed
100 r
80 -
60 -
40
20
2.0 h
I
abed
Figure 3. Distribution of OHSS activity in a polyacrylamide gel divided into four equal segments after
SDS-PAGE. (A) The gel. Numbers at the left of the small arrows indicate the molecular masses of the standards
(see Fig. 2B). The molecular mass limits of each gel segment are indicated by the large arrows. (B) Bioassay
with two or three ovigerous setal segments. Open bars indicate OHSS activity of each gel segment. Incubation
periods for the bioassay: 1.5 h and 2.0 h. Stippled bars: controls; the ovigerous setal segments were incubated
in DW for 1.5 h and 2.0 h. Error bars: standard deviation.
nificant difference between the two experiments. Solutions
maintained for longer times (100 and 120 h) decreased in
activity in both experiments.
Figure 4C shows the pH dependency of OHSS activity.
After an assay incubation of 1 h, the pH optimum was quite
broad, about 7.0-11.0.
Specificity of antibodies and affinity purification
An antiserum raised from molecular-sieve chromatogra-
phy (fractions 6 and 7) detected only two strong protein
bands on SDS-PAGE, and they appeared in fractions 6-8
(Fig. 5). These immunostained protein bands clearly corre-
sponded to the peak of OHSS activity in Figure 2A.
The antibodies that had stained the 32-kDa and 30-kDa
protein bands were purified by immunochemical affinity to
determine the specificity of binding. As shown in Figure
6A, the antibodies eluted from the 32-kDa protein band on
SDS-PAGE stained the 30-kDa protein as well; and the
antibodies eluted from the 30-kDa band similarly stained
both the 30-kDa and 32-kDa proteins.
B
100-
80-
S 60^
w
w
O 40-
20-
0
— i —
20
— i —
40
— i —
60
— i —
80
100
Temperature ( C )
100-
80-
60-
40 -i
20-
— i —
20
— i —
40
— i —
80
60 80 100
Time of incubation ( h )
120
100-i
80-
60-
40-
20-
0
f
i * i
0 24 6 81012
pH
Figure 4. Characteristics of OHSS activity. (A) Heat stability. Active solutions were incubated for 15 mm
at each temperature, and OHSS activity was bioassayed for 1 h. (B) Effects of prolonged incubation (up to 5
days). For each time, active solutions were maintained at either 4°C (O) or 23°C (A), and the activity was
bioassayed for 1 h. (C) Dependence of activity on pH. Buffers: 100 mM Na-acetate (•): 100 mM Tns-HCl (A);
100 mM Gly-NaOH (O). The activity was bioassayed for 1 h. Broken line in (C) indicates the least-square
regression curve fitted to the data. Error bars: standard deviation of three experiments.
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
181
Fraction number
23456789
B
Fraction number
556
392
266 —
143-
kDa
2 34567 8 9
*
Figure 5. Specificity of the polyclonal antiserum raised against OHSS. (A) SDS-PAGE of fractions
eluted from molecular-sieve chromatography. The polyacrylamide gel was transblotted onto a PVDF
membrane and stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. (B) Immunostaining of the PVDF membrane with a
polyclonal antiserum raised to OHSS. Numbers to the left show the molecular masses of the standards
shown in Figure 2B. The intensely immunostained bands in fractions 6-8 have masses of about 32 kDa and
30 kDa (arrows to the right).
In this experiment (Fig. 6A), however, the 32-kDa band
was at most 2 mm apart from the 30 kDa band on the gel.
In addition, the PVDF membrane was not stained with
CBB, except the narrow strip that had been cut on both sides
(5 mm in width), because the antibodies were not bound to
CBB-stained proteins. So these protein bands could have
been incompletely separated.
In Figure 6B, concentrated active fractions from molec-
ular sieve chromatography (6 and 7 in Fig. 2A) were elec-
trophoresed for a longer period (9 h), which produced a gap
of 5-6 mm between the upper and lower bands. The whole
membrane was stained by Ponceau S, and each protein band
(2 mm in width) was subjected to affinity purification.
Again, the antibody raised from the 32-kDa band bound to
the 30-kDa band as well; and the antibody produced from
the 30-kDa band also recognized the 32-kDa band (Fig. 6B).
55.6-
39.2-
26.6
14.3-
kDa
B
55.6
39.2
26.6
14.3
kDa
i a
Figure 6. Immunostaining with antibodies affinity purified from SDS-PAGE bands that had OHSS activity.
SDS-PAGE of the proteins from molecular-sieve fractions 6 and 7 (see Fig. 2A) was carried out for either 3.5 h
(A) or 9h (B), the longer electrophoresis producing the greater separation between the active bands at 32 kDa
and 30 kDa. The bands were cut out of the PVDF membranes, incubated with a polyclonal antiserum raised to
OHSS, and the bound antibodies were eluted (see Methods). These antibodies, obtained from the short and long
electrophoresis, were applied to two new SDS-PAGE runs, both of 3.5 h; these final runs are shown in this figure.
Immunostaining was effected by antibodies bound (a) to protein in the upper band (32 kDa), and (b) to the
protein in the lower band (30 kDa). The strips to the left of the two panels were stained with Coomassie brilliant
blue (A) and Ponceau S (B); the numbers (with arrow) are the molecular masses of the standard molecules
(identified in Fig. 2B).
182
M. SAIGUSA AND H. IWASAKI
OHSS activity in the post-hatching remnants of the
embryo attachment system
After hatching, the broken egg cases, funiculus, and in-
vestment coat remain attached to the ovigerous hairs. The
female picks these remnant attachment structures off the
ovigerous hairs, but this must occur after the OHSS released
with the hatch water has been greatly diluted in the estuary.
We therefore examined the possibility that at least some
OHSS is present in the remnant attachment structures them-
selves.
The remnants were collected and stained with FITC-
conjugated, OHSS antiserum (Fig. 7). OHSS was clearly
detected all over the remnants, including the prezoeal cuti-
cles. In contrast, the egg capsule, funiculus, and investment
coat did not react to the FITC-conjugated OHSS antiserum
when the embryos were squeezed in the egg cases (not
shown).
When samples for electrophoresis and immunoblotting
were prepared from remnants that had been crushed and
denatured, only the 32-kDa band was detected (Fig. 7,
right).
Remnants stored at — 20°C were thawed and crushed, and
suspensions of this material (not centrifuged) were bioas-
sayed for 1.5 h and 2.0 h. As shown in Table I, strong OHSS
was detected in this solution. In another experiment, the
remnants were thawed and crushed, and then treated with
5%, 10%, and 20% Triton-X. After centrifugation for 20
min ( 15,000 rpm), the supernatant was bioassayed for 1.5 h
and 2.2 h and showed strong OHSS activity, particularly at
the longer incubation (Table II).
Appearance of OHSS in the developing embryos
Because OHSS immunoreactivity and biological activity
occur in the remnants after hatching, we determined when.
during development, these activities would appear. Immu-
nochemical and biological observations were made.
Immunochemistry. Embryo clusters (one-third of an
ovigerous seta) were taken at successive times from a single
female and crushed; the suspensions were denatured with
the lysis buffer before centrifugation. As shown in Figure 8,
the 32- and 30-kDa proteins became noticeable at least 2
weeks before hatching. The 30-kDa band was the stronger
of the two bands at 10 and 6 days before hatching; but its
intensity declined and became very faint in embryos 4 h
before hatching; and it disappeared completely in post-
hatched zoeas. In contrast, the 32-kDa band appeared later
than the 30-kDa band, but it was still quite clear in embryos
4 h before hatching, and again was not detected in the
post-hatched zoeas. In addition to the two bands of OHSS-
related protein, an immunoreactive band appeared at about
55 kDa, from 14 to about 2 days before hatching (Fig. 8).
In another female, the supernatant and the sediment were
denatured separately by the lysis buffer after the embryo
clusters had been crushed and centrifuged. In the superna-
tant (Fig. 9 A). OHSS first appeared as a weak 32-kDa band
14 days before hatching. The 30-kDa band was noticeable
10 days before hatching, and the amount increased abruptly
in the embryos collected 6 days before. This protein de-
creased markedly just before hatching, but was still visible
4 h before hatching.
On the other hand, the sediment contained broken egg
cases, funiculi, the investment coat, ovigerous hairs,
prezoeal cuticles, and probably only a portion of the em-
bryos. When this material was centrifuged and the superna-
tant was examined on the same female (Fig. 9B), the 30-
kDa band appeared weakly in the lanes derived from
embryos collected 10, 6, and 4 days before hatching; but it
was absent at other times. In contrast, the 32-kDa band
55.6
39.2
26.6
32 kDa
Figure 7. Immunochemica] staining of the structures remaining attached to a female's ovigerous hairs after
hatching. Left: the iminunoblot of an extract of the remnants subjected to SDS-PAGE. Arrowhead: 32-kDa
protein band. Numbers to the left show the molecular masses of the standard molecules (as in Fig. 2B). Right:
the remnants stained with polyclonal FITC-conjugated OHSS antiserum. ci1: broken egg case:/: funiculus; pc:
prezoeal cuticle; oh: female ovigerous hair (see fig. 2 in Saigusa. 1994). Scale: 100 /nl.
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
183
Table I
iatissiiv iff suspensions of crushed attachment slniciu
ificr hatching
Incubation*
1.5 h
2.0 h
Control t
Experiment
1.2 ± 2.4%(5)
81.1 ± 7.4%(6)
3.8 ± 6.3%(6)
93.5 ± 4.3%(4)
* Values are the mean percentage of unbroken, stripped ovigerous hairs
on each whorl; number of whorls on the subdivided segments of the
ovigerous seta is given in parentheses.
t Incubation of embryo clusters in distilled water.
became very distinct 6 days before hatching, and was vir-
tually the only band that appeared from 2 days before, until
hatching. A 55-kDa band was also detected in the sediment,
but was less clear than in the supernatant (Fig. 9A).
Bioassay. Embryo clusters (one-third of an ovigerous
seta) were detached from a single female, and were frozen
at — 20°C. The embryo clusters were thawed and crushed in
distilled water, centrifuged, and the OHSS activity in the
supernatant was bioassayed for 1.5 h and 2.2 h (Fig. 10A).
The OHSS activity began to appear 3 days before hatching,
became very strong 6 h before hatching, and was markedly
decreased in the zoeas.
The sediment of the embryo clusters was also examined
(Fig. 10B). The OHSS activity was again detectable 3 days
before hatching; the activity increased near hatching and,
like the supernatant, was very strong 6 h before hatching.
The zoeas, again, had weak OHSS activity.
Discussion
Ovigerous-hair stripping substance (OHSS) from an es-
tuarine terrestrial crab was purified through three steps of
chromatography (Fig. 2A). The activity eluted as a single
peak on molecular-sieve chromatography, but still showed
two protein bands at 32 kDa and 30 kDa on SDS-PAGE
(Fig. 2B). Affinity purified antibodies raised to the active
fractions (6 and 7 in Fig. 2A) also bound to two bands at 32
kDa and 30 kDa, corresponding to the bands shown in
Figure 2B. Furthermore, immunochemical staining indi-
cated that OHSS-related 32-kDa and 30-kDa bands appear
in developing embryos at least 10 days before hatching.
This time course, however, did not correspond to the ap-
pearance of OHSS activity as bioassayed with ovigerous
setal segments. These features invite the following four
issues for discussion.
Stability of OHSS
As shown in Figure 4B, purified OHSS retains its activity
for at least 80 h, even at room temperature. When crude or
concentrated hatch water was frozen to temperatures lower
than -20°C, OHSS was stable. But instability appeared
after thawing. For example, active fractions that were eluted
from the hydrophobic column lost most of their activity
within 12 h (unpub. data).
Crude hatch water contains multiple proteases, and these
proteases digest casein (Katsube el al, 1999; see also
Saigusa, 1996), and they are not excluded by the hydropho-
bic chromatography shown in Figure 1. So the disappear-
ance of OHSS activity could be due to its digestion by the
caseinolytic proteases that still remain in active solutions.
These caseinolytic proteases do, however, bind to an
anion exchange column (MONO-Q) and are therefore ex-
cluded with this chromatography. Thus, caseinolytic pro-
teases are not present in the materials applied to the column
for molecular-sieve chromatography (Fig. 2 A). Conse-
quently, purified OHSS retains its activity for a long period
even at room temperature (Fig. 4B).
Evidence that the 32-kDa hand is active OHSS
As shown in Figure 2A, OHSS activity always appeared
in fractions 6-8 on molecular-sieve chromatography. On
SDS-PAGE, 32-kDa and 30-kDa protein bands appeared
very clearly in these fractions (Fig. 2B). The second seg-
ment (b) of the gel strip containing these two bands cer-
tainly showed OHSS activity (Fig. 3). An additional band
(22 kDa) appeared in fractions 5 and 6 (Figs. 2B and 5 A),
but did not correspond to the OHSS activity bioassayed with
ovigerous setal segments (compare Fig. 2 A with Fig. 2B).
Thus, we might speculate that OHSS consists of either or
both of the two protein bands at 32 kDa and 30 kDa.
Antibodies raised from fractions 6 and 7 stained the
32-kDa and 30-kDa protein bands (Fig. 5B). These bands
also appeared in fraction 8, indicating a good correspon-
dence with the bioassayed OHSS activity (Fig. 2 A). OHSS
is clearly detected all over the remnants that remain on the
ovigerous hairs after hatching (Fig. 7). However, only the
Table II
Bioassay with the extract from ihc remnants with the detergent
(Triton-X)
Incubation*
1.5 h
2.2 h
Control t
5f/r Triton-X
10% Triton-X
20% Triton-X
3.6 ± 8.7%(7)
27.5 ± 9.3%(4)
72.5 ± I5.19H3)
88.3 ± 7.3%(3)
5.8 ± 7.99H5)
92.0 ± 5.79H3)
91.0 ± 2.8%(3)
98.5 ± 2.6%(4)
* Values are the mean percentage of unbroken, stripped ovigerous hairs
on each whorl; number of whorls on the subdivided segments of ovigerous
seta is given in parentheses.
t Incubation of embryo clusters in distilled water.
184
M. SAIGLISA AND H. IWASAKI
Days before hatching
14d 10d 6d 4d 2d 1d 4h Z
REM
55.6
39.2
26.6
— 32 kDa
14.3 ->
kDa
Figure 8. The appearance of immunoreactive OHSS in developing crab embryos. Embryo clusters (one-
third of an ovigerous seta) were detached from a single female, crushed, and then denatured with the lysis buffer.
The extracts (supernatant) were subjected to SDS-PAGE, and blots were stained immunochemically with the
polyclonal OHSS antiserum. d (or /?): days (or hours) before hatching. Z: post-hatched embryos (zoeas) released
from the same female. REM: remnant structures remaining attached to the female's ovigerous hairs after
hatching. Numbers to the left are the molecular masses of the same markers shown in Figure 2B Note that only
the 32-kDa band is delected in the remnant structures (see Fig. 7).
32-kDa protein band was detected in these remnants (Fig.
8). Furthermore, a strong OHSS activity was also detected
in these remnants (Table I), as well as in the supernatant
after treatment with detergent (Table II). Hence, we specu-
late that the 32-kDa band is an active OHSS.
On the other hand, we cannot yet hypothesize that the
30-kDa protein band also has OHSS activity. Since purified
antibodies recognized both the 32-kDa and 30-kDa bands
(Figs. 6A and 6B). we suppose that these two proteins have
very similar sequences; i.e., the bands detected by immu-
nochemical staining are probably both OHSS-related pro-
teins.
The OHSS antiserum detected not only 32-kDa and 30-
kDa proteins, but also a band at 55 kDa (Figs. 8 and 9).
When the active fractions 6 and 7 of molecular-sieve chro-
matography were studied (Fig. 3A). this band was not
detected at all. In contrast, when the crushed embryos (Figs.
8 and 9) were examined, the 55-kDa band often appeared
clearly; but it did not appear in the remnant (Fig. 7). The
55-kDa band also appeared on molecular-sieve chromatog-
raphy (Fig. 2B), but it did not have OHSS activity (Fig. 2 A).
This band also did not appear in any fraction (1-8) of
immunostained PVDF membranes (Fig. 5B). So the 55-kDa
band in Figure 2B might be different from that appearing in
Figures 8 and 9.
As shown in Figure 8. the 55-kDa protein appeared
clearly between 14 days and 4 days before hatching; and it
became very faint after 2 days before hatching. Figure 9A
556
39 2
266
A Days before hatching
14d 10d 6d 4d 2d 1d 4h Z
-»»*»-
A 01 DM
Days before hatching
14d 10d 6d 4d 2d 1d 4h Z
Figure 9. Appearance of immunoreactive OHSS in developing crab embryos. Embryo clusters (one-third of
'• wigerous seta) were detached from a single female, crushed, and then centrifuged. The supernatant and
n ni svere separately denatured with lysis buffer after centrifugation. (A) The supernatant subjected to
PAGE, and the blots immunostained. (B) Extracts of precipitate of the crushed embryos run on SDS-PAGE
ami niiiiunoMained. (or /;): days (or hours) before hatching. Z: post-hatched embryos Uoeas) released from the
same female. Arrows indicate immunostained 32-kDa and 30-kDa bands. Numbers to the left are the molecular
masses nt ihe same markers as in Figure 2B.
100-,
o 50
ra
00
CO
O
1.5 h
I
8d 7d 6d 5d 4d 3d 2d 1d 6h Z C
1UU -
X
—
2.2 h
1 :
I
1
£ 50-
co
to
I
0
1
n
^ A
rh n 1 1 ri, r1!
1
8d 7d 6d 5d 4d 3d 2d 1d 6h Z C
Days before hatching
100 -,
ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN CRAB HATCH WATER
A B
i
1
185
50-
1.5 h
I
I
i
^y
i
i
8d 7d 6d 5d 4d 3d 2d 1d 6h Z C
100-1
50-
2.2 h
i,
I
1
8d 7d 6d 5d 4d 3d 2d 1d 6h Z C
Days before hatching
Figure 10. Appearance of OHSS activity in developing crab embryos. Every day. an embryo cluster
attached to one-third of an ovigerous seta was detached from a single female. These embryos were crushed,
centrifuged. and then the OHSS activity was bioassayed with one or two ovigerous setal segments (open bars).
A: Bioassay of the supernatant for 1 .5 h (upper panel) and for 2.2 h (lower panel). B: Bioassay of the sediment
for 1.5 h (upper panel) and 2.2 h (lower panel). C: Control (incubation with DW; stippled bar). Error bars:
standard deviation.
also shows that this protein appears 2 weeks before hatch-
ing, and that it stains intensely until 1 day before hatching.
These results favor the notion that the 55-kDa protein is,
perhaps, a precursor to the 32 and 30 kDa forms.
Behavior of OHSS before and at hatching
When the ovigerous hairs with their attached embryo
clusters are gently pulled by a forceps, they are easily
broken until the time of hatching. Just after hatching,
however, the hairs easily slip out of the coat without
damage (see fig. 6 in Saigusa. 1995). Nevertheless, if
embryos are crushed before hatching, and the extract is
bioassayed. OHSS activity is shown to be present (Fig.
10A and 10B).
The egg capsule, funiculus. and the coat investing
ovigerous hairs are not stained by FITC-conjugated
OHSS antiserum at least 4 h before hatching (unpub.
data). On the other hand, as shown in Tables 1 and II,
remnant structures that are still attached to the ovigerous
hairs after hatching show a strong OHSS activity, and
immunoreactive OHSS is associated with the remnants
(Fig. 7). We speculate that OHSS is stored somewhere in
the embryos as they approach hatching, and that it is
released outside the egg capsule when hatching occurs or
the embryos are crushed. This OHSS would be strongly
attached to broken egg capsules, funiculus, and invest-
ment coat, which would be stained by FITC-conjugated
OHSS antiserum. As shown in Figure 7, a large amount
of immunoreactivity was detected in the broken egg
cases. We speculate that most of the OHSS is trapped by
the egg capsules upon hatching, and the remainder is
released into the ambient water.
With immunochemical staining, the 32-kDa band al-
ready appears as a faint band between 14 days (Fig. 9A)
and 10 days (Fig. 9B) before hatching. However, bioas-
say of OHSS (Fig. 10A and 10B) shows the OHSS
activity appearing no earlier than 3 days before hatching.
Moreover, neither the 32-kDa nor 30-kDa band was
detected in post-hatched larvae upon immunochemical
staining (Fig. 9A and 9B), but at least some OHSS
186
M. SAIGUSA AND H. IWASAKJ
activity was detected by bioassay (Fig. 10A and 10B).
We cannot fully explain this discrepancy. As described
above, OHSS could be stored somewhere in the embryo
after it has been produced; at first it may be in an inactive
form, being activated a few days before hatching.
Active substances in other species
Morphologically, the coat that wraps the ovigerous hairs,
the funiculus, and the outermost layer (El) of the egg case
are all composed of the same material (Saigusa ct al.,
unpub. data). OHSS is likely to be an enzyme that acts on
this material, but electron microscopical observations sug-
gest that OHSS does not digest any portion of the egg case
(unpub. data). OHSS is neither a collagenase nor a chitinase.
If the main component of the embryo attachment structures
were glycoproteins, OHSS might act by partially digesting
the sugar, and thus softening the coat wrapping the oviger-
ous hairs.
Since the layers forming the egg case are not digested
by OHSS, the notion that this substance is a crustacean
hatching enzyme remains unsubstantiated. However,
OHSS can be compared with active substances that are
released to the outside by the embryos of other species,
upon hatching.
Medaka hatching enzyme, which digests a thick inner
layer of the egg case, consists of two kinds of proteases: a
high choriolytic enzyme (HCE) and a low choriolytic en-
zyme (LCE) (Yasumasu et al., 1989a, b). The molecular
masses of these enzymes are similar — 24.0 kDa for HCE
and 25.5 kDa for LCE, as determined by SDS-PAGE— but
their actions on the egg case are different. That is, HCE
digests the inner layer, causing it to swell markedly, and
LCE efficiently digests this swollen inner layer; but acting
alone, LCE has no effect on this structure. These are distinct
enzymes, and they are not interconvertable (Yasumasu et
al.. 1989a, b; Yasumasu et al., 1992).
Hatching enzymes in sea urchin embryos are known to
be released first as a large molecular mass, and then
converted into a smaller mass. For example, the hatching
enzyme of Paracentrotus lividis, purified by Lepage and
Cache (1989). is a 57-kDa glycoprotein, highly active on
the fertilization envelope. But this enzyme is soon con-
verted into a 30-kDa form with a reduced proteolytic
activity on dimethylcasin (about 80%) and with no ac-
tivity on the fertilization envelope. The reduced molec-
n I. r size and the loss of activity were hypothesized to be
due uutolysis.
Si results have been reported for Strongylocentrotus
purpia, embryos (Roe and Lennarz, 1990); i.e., the
hatching en ;>n: is secreted from the embryos as a 57-kDa
form on SDS-PAGE, but it is converted to a 33-kDa form
during purification. This conversion was speculated to be
due either to autolysis or to proteolysis by a different
protease contained in the sample solution.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Masatsugu Hatakeyama, Kobe Univer-
sity, for help in raising the polyclonal antiserum. Thanks
are also due to Dr. Yasushi Yamamoto, Biochemistry
Laboratory, and the students of the Molecular Biology
Laboratory, for their kind help and many suggestions
about SDS-PAGE and immunochemical techniques. Dr.
Tadashi Akiyama helped M. S. in the collection of hatch
water in 1994. Supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific
Research (C) (2) from the Ministry of Education, Science,
Sports, and Culture, Japan, to M. S. (Nos. 06839017 and
08833009. Marine Biology; No. 10836014, Natural History).
Also supported by Narishige Zoological Science Award to
M. S. in 1997.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 188-197. (October 1999)
Behavior of Hemocytes in the Allorejection Reaction
in Two Compound Ascidians, Botryllus scalaris
and Symplegma reptam
MAKI SHIRAE1*, EUICHI HIROSE:, AND YASUNORI SAITO1
1 Shimoda Marine Research Center, University ofTsukiiba. Shimoda 5-10-1. Shi-noka 415-0025.
Japan: uiitl Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science,
University of the Ryiikyns, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213. Japan
Abstract. In botryllid ascidians, the type of allorejection
reaction differs among species. Comparative studies of
these different reactions contribute to our understanding of
the allorecognition and nonself-rejection system. We stud-
ied the morphology of hemocyte behavior during allorejec-
tion reactions in two species. Botryllus scalaris and Svm-
p/egma reptans, which stand at important points in botryllid
phylogeny. In B. scalaris, phagocytes mediated hemocyte
aggregation, resulting in interruption of blood flow just after
vascular fusion of incompatible colonies. Although previ-
ous studies indicate that morula cells (MCs) play a central
role in the rejection reaction, the MCs of B. scalaris did not
participate in the rejection reaction. Colonies of S. reptans
showed two types of allorejection reaction that started at
different points in the process of vascular fusion between
two colonies. In both types of rejection reaction, the MCs
played a central role and behaved similarly to those of all
botryllids except B. scalaris and a botryllid from Israel.
These observations suggest that the differences in hemocyte
behavior and allorecognition site observed in this study
reflect the variation in allorejection reactions among botryl-
lids.
Introduction
Colony specificity is a type of self-nonself recognition
and rejection reaction against conspeeifics that occurs in
many colonial forms of animals; allogeneic colonies fuse to
form a single mass or reject each other when the colonies
come into contact at their growing edges, whereas synge-
Received 30 September 1998; accepted 26 June 1999.
Abbreviations: MCs, moriih cell-.
* To whom correspondence should he addressed. Email: shirae@
kurofune.shimoda.tsukuba.ac.jp
neic colonies always fuse with each other. The phenomenon
has been studied in various species in different phyla (e.g.,
Porifera. Cnidaria, Bryoz.oa, and Urochordata), and the sig-
nificance of the fusion and the rejection to survival has been
discussed. However, it is difficult to reach a reasonable
conclusion by comparing the features of colony specificity
among a broad range of species because they differ in body
plan and physiological condition.
In botryllid ascidians, the morphological process of fu-
sion and rejection reactions in colony specificity has been
described in detail for five species: Botrvllus primigenus
(Oka and Watanabe, 1957, 1960;Tanaka, 1973; Tanaka and
Watanabe, 1973; Taneda and Watanabe. 1982a, 1982b);
Botryllus schlosseri (Sabbadin, 1962; Boyd et ai, 1990);
Botrylloides simodensis (Mukai and Watanabe, 1974; Hi-
rose et ai, 1988. 1997); Botrylloides fuscus (Hirose et ai,
1994, 1997); and Botrylloides violaceus (Hirose et ai,
1988). In these botryllid ascidians, the processes of fusion
are essentially the same. When rejection reactions occur,
they interrupt the progress of fusion, and the beginning
stages of rejection differ among species. That is, the varia-
tion in allorejection types is thought to be caused by differ-
ences in the allogeneic recognition stage in the colony
fusion process (Taneda et ai, 1985; Saito et ai. 1994).
Hemocytes play important roles in the allorejection reac-
tions of botryllid ascidians (Taneda et ai, 1985; Saito et ai,
1994). An earlier comparative study on the ultrastructure of
hemocytes in some botryllids, including Botryllus scalaris
and Syniplc^ma reptans, showed that hemocytes could be
commonly classified into five morphological types: hemo-
blasts, morula cells (MCs), granular leukocytes, vacuolated
cells, and phagocytes (Shirae. unpub. data). Transient cells
in differentiation were also observed. We hypothesize that
I 88
HEMOCYTE BEHAVIOR IN ASCIDIAN ALLOREJECTION
189
Figure 1. Allorejection reaction in Botryllus scalaris under a stereomi-
croscope. Two incompatible colonies are in contact at their growing edges.
Their tunics and ampullae are fused, and hemocyte aggregation in the fused
ampullae induces interruption of blood flow (arrowheads), am. ampullae;
tv, tunic vessels; z. zooids. Bar = 0.5 mm.
differences in these hemocyte characteristics reflect the va-
riety in allorejection reactions among botryllids.
Botryllus scalaris is thought to be the most primitive
botryllid species known to date, based on its manner of
sexual reproduction (Mukai, 1977; Mukai el al., 1987; Saito
et ai, 198 la, 1981b; Saito and Watanabe, 1985). Recently,
the molecular phylogeny of botryllids, based on 18S rRNA
sequencing, indicated that B. scalaris branched off from the
lineage earlier than the other botryllids studied thus far
(Cohen et al.. 1998). In B. scalaris, the allorejection reac-
tion begins at the latest stage of the fusion process, that is,
soon after fusion of blood vessels and the beginning of
blood exchange between two incompatible colonies (Saito
and Watanabe, 1982). Therefore, the rejection reaction in B.
scalaris may be the most primitive type of rejection among
botryllid ascidians (Saito et al., 1994). However, there are
few descriptions of hemocyte behavior in the rejection
reaction to compare with hemocyte behavior of other bot-
ryllids.
Symplegimi reptans, of the family Styelidae, might be the
nearest phylogenetic relative of botryllids for the following
reasons. Styelidae is a sister family of Botryllidae (Berrill,
1936). and some researchers (cf. Kott, 1969) argue that
botryllid ascidians should be classified in a subfamily Bot-
ryllinae, belonging to an enlarged family Styelidae. Among
compound styelids, S. reptans is the species most similar to
botryllids morphologically. In botryllids and S. reptans, all
zooids in a colony are interconnected via a common vascu-
lar system, and vascular ampullae occur at the growing edge
of a colony. Furthermore, the occurrence of colony speci-
ficity in S. reptans was reported, on the basis of stereomi-
croscopic observation, by Mukai and Watanabe (1974).
They showed that the manner of colony specificity of S.
reptans resembles that of botryllids.
In this study, we used light and electron microscopy to
investigate the processes of allorejection reactions in B.
scalaris and 5. reptans, paying special attention to the
behavior of hemocytes. In B. scalaris, we found that the
hemocytes with a central role in the rejection reaction are
not morula cells (MCs) but phagocytes. In 5. reptans, we
describe two types of allorejection reaction — the particular
combination of allogeneic colonies determines which type
occurs. Finally, we discuss the variation in the allorejection
reaction in botryllids based on the behavior of hemocytes.
Materials and Methods
Colonies of Botryllus scalaris and Symplegma reptans
were collected in the vicinity of Shimoda (Shizuoka Prefec-
ture), Japan. They were attached to glass slides and reared in
culture boxes immersed in Nabeta Bay near the Shimoda
B
Figure 2. Reaction reaction in Botryllus scalaris. (A) Vascular fusion
has just occurred and blood of the two incompatible colonies is exchanged.
Arrow indicates the fusion point of two ampullae (am) between the
incompatible colonies. (B) Hemocytes gradually aggregate in the fused
vessels. Arrowheads indicate clusters of aggregating hemocytes. (C) Blood
flow is interrupted by the mass of aggregating hemocytes in a few minutes.
A, B, and C are the same magnification. Bar = 100 /urn.
190
M. SHIRAE ET AL.
Marine Research Center. University of Tsukuba. Colonies
that grew well were used for the experiments.
Fusion experiments to test fusibility (compatibility) be-
tween two colonies were routinely carried out as follows. A
small piece was cut from the periphery of each colony with
a razor blade. Two allogeneic or syngeneic colony pieces of
the same size were brought into contact at their growing
edges on a glass slide and were allowed to adhere to the
slide in a moisture chamber for 30 min. These colony pieces
were subsequently reared in a running seawater aquarium
and were observed periodically under a binocular stereomi-
croscope.
Specimens undergoing fusion or rejection were fixed for
2 h on ice in a 2.57c glutaraldehyde solution containing 0.45
M sucrose buffered with 0. 1 M sodium cacodylate at pH 7.4.
The fixed specimens were rinsed in the same buffer and
were then postfixed with 1% osmium tetroxide in the same
buffer without sucrose for 1.5 h. After dehydration through
an ethanol series, the specimens were cleared with //-butyl
glycidyl ether and embedded in low-viscosity epoxy resins.
Thick sections were stained with 1.0% toluidine blue and
examined under a light microscope. Thin sections were
double-stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and then
examined with a Hitachi HS-9 transmission electron micro-
scope at 75 kV.
Results
Allorejection reaction in Botryllus scalaris
In B. scalaris, as in other botryllids. autogeneic or syn-
geneic colony pairs fuse and form a single mass. The fusion
process was the same as that of other botryllids (Katow and
Watanabe. 1980; Saito and Watanabe. 1982). First, the
tunics of two colonies fused. Second, the ampullae (termini
of blood vessels) penetrated into the opposite colony and the
ampullar tips came into contact with the sides of opposite
ampullae (tip-to-side contact); at these contact points the
colonies fused with each other. Blood started to flow be-
tween the two colonies, and finally those colonies formed a
single mass. The rejection reaction between allogeneic col-
onies began after the fusion of opposing ampullae (Fig. 1 ).
Soon after blood exchange through the fused vessels of the
two colonies (Fig. 2A), hemocytes aggregated in the vas-
cular lumen of the fused ampullae (Fig. 2B, arrowheads).
These aggregates formed a cluster that plugged the opening
of the fused ampullae (Fig. 2C) and interrupted the blood
flow within a few minutes. Histological observations of the
rejection area in the same stage are shown in Figure 3A. As
the aggregation gradually proceeded, the volume of hemo-
cyte clusters in the blood vessels increased (Fig. 3. B and
C). Subsequently, the vessels collapsed in the rejection area,
the surrounding tunic disintegrated, and the two colonies
became separate.
The behavior of the hemocytes, as observed by electron
microscopy, is shown in Figures 4 and 5. Immediately after
ve
jife.
• « n
: «?* 5
B
ve
Figure 3. Histological sections in rejection reaction area in B. xcalaris.
(A) Immediately after interruption of blood exchange. Arrow indicates
fusion point of vascular epithelia. (B) About 10 h after interruption of
blood exchange. Arrow indicates fusion point of vascular epithelia. (C)
Two days after interruption of blood exchange. Three clusters encapsulated
by phagocytes are shown, t. tunic; ve, vascular epithelia; arrow indicates
fusion point of vascular epithelia; arrowheads indicate periphery of hemo-
cyte clusters. A. B. and C are the same magnification. Bar = 50 fj.m.
the stoppage of blood flow, the cell density of the phago-
cytes (including hyaline amebocytes, macrophage-like cells,
and signet ring cells, as described by Ballarin et ai, 1994)
increased significantly in the rejection reaction area. The
phagocytes had variable shapes, contained many round
granules of 0.5 /urn in diameter, and often engulfed other
hemocytes. Moreover, the phagocytes adhered to other he-
mocytes and began to aggregate with one another inside the
fused ampullae (Fig. 4A). After about half an hour, hemo-
cytes in the aggregates were packed more tightly in the
fused ampullae (Fig. 4B), and some of them disintegrated.
The aggregates in the ampullae gradually enlarged by
HEMOCYTE BEHAVIOR IN ASCIDIAN ALLOREJECTION
191
Figure 4. Hemocytes in allorejection reaction in Botiyllus scalaris. (A) Several phagocytes adhere to a
hemocyte. (B) Aggregation. (C) Phagocytosis. Arrowheads indicate outer edges of a phagocyte that surrounded
and engulfed a hemocyte cluster. (D) Encapsulation. Arrowheads indicate the periphery of a phagocyte that
encapsulated a hemocyte cluster, m, encapsulated and disintegrated morula cell: p. phagocyte. Bars = 2 urn.
B
Figure 5. Morula cells in Borryllus scalaris: (A) inside the vascular lumen in an allorejection reaction; (B)
in an intact colony, m, morula cell. Bars = 2 joim.
192
M SHIRAE ET AL.
am
am
.
Figure 6. The rejection type of Sympli ^inn IV/>MJ» that is initiated before fusion of ampullae. (A) View of
allorejection under stereomicroscope. Ampullae of two incompatible colonies make contact at their growing
edges, and infiltrated hemocytes (arrowheads) are observed at the tips of ampullae. (B) Contact area of two
incompatible colonies. Arrows indicate the contact point of these two colonies. Many hemocytes infiltrate the
tunic and disintegrate, and the surrounding tunic is broken, am. ampulla; I. tunic. Bars: A = 200 /urn: B =
50 /j,m.
recruiting cells from the circulating blood. Furthermore. 3 to
4 h after the stoppage of blood flow, phagocytes engulfed
other hemocytes or hemocyte clusters in the rejection areas
of blood vessels (Fig. 4C). The hemocyte clusters were
encapsulated by phagocytes (Fig. 4D), and the encapsulated
clusters sometimes attained a diameter of about 50 juin. All
types of hemocytes, including MCs. were engulfed or en-
capsulated by phagocytes. In the allorejection reaction of
other botryllids. MCs always infiltrate the tunic from the
blood vessels and disintegrate, but in the allorejection reac-
tion of B. scalarix, MCs showed neither infiltration nor
disintegration; they also did not show any morphological
change inside the blood vessels (Fig. 5).
Allorejection reactions in Symplegma reptans
In botryllid ascidians the ampullae exhibit tip-to-side
fusion after extension into the facing colony (Katow and
Watanabe, 1980). In S. reptans, the fusion process in auto-
geneic and syngeneic colony pairs has been reported (Mukai
and Watanabe, 1974) as tip-to-tip fusion: ampullae of the
two colonies did not extend into the facing colony and the
ampullae of both colonies came into contact with each other
at their tips. But as far as we observed, tip-to-side fusion of
ampullae always occurred in the fusion reaction of S.
reptans, as in botryllid ascidians.
Unlike botryllids, S. reptans showed two types of al-
lorejection reaction. The first type was the same as that
HEMOCYTE BEHAVIOR IN ASCIDIAN ALLOREJECTION
193
B
Figure 7. The rejection type of Symplcximi re/nans that is initiated after fusion of ampullae. (A) View of
rejection area under stereomicroscope. Arrowheads indicate fused ampullae of two incompatible colonies and
aggregation of hemocytes in their ampullae. (B) Inside of fused blood vessels during rejection reaction. Single
arrows indicate fused points of vascular epithelia in the two incompatible colonies. Arrowheads indicate
phagocytes engulfing other hemocytes. Double arrowheads indicate disintegrating cells, tv, tunic vessels; z,
zooid. Bars: A = 500 pm: B = 10 /urn.
described by Mukai and Watanabe (1974). In this type of
rejection reaction, when two allogeneic colonies came into
contact with each other, their tunics fused, but their ampul-
lae neither extended into the opposite colony nor fused with
each other. Then, within about 12 h of the contact hemo-
cytes infiltrated the tunic from the ampullar tips at the
contact area (Fig. 6A). Then, at the contact area, the tunic
around the infiltrating hemocytes disintegrated (Fig. 6B).
In the second type of rejection reaction, which was dis-
covered in this work, fusion of blood vessels and exchange
of blood occurred between two incompatible colonies as it
does in fusion between compatible colonies. Twelve to
fourteen hours after the fusion, hemocytes began to aggre-
gate in blood vessels, and cell aggregation progressed inside
the fused ampullae. Thereafter, the vessels were filled with
aggregated hemocytes until finally the blood exchange was
interrupted completely, within about 24 to 48 h after vas-
cular fusion (Fig. 7A). Histological observations showed
phagocytosis and disintegration of cells in this area (Fig.
7B). In addition, hemocytes infiltrated the tunic mainly from
the fused ampullae, and these hemocytes and the surround-
ing tunic disintegrated.
With respect to hemocyte behavior, the two types of
rejection reaction were similar. In both types, most of the
hemocytes infiltrating the tunic were MCs. During the re-
jection reaction. MCs disintegrated inside and outside the
blood vessels (Figs. 8 and 9), as in some botryllids (such as
Botryllus priniigeHits and Bntiylliis schlosseri). Disintegra-
194
M. SHIRAE ET AL.
B
Figure 8. Hemocytes and vascular epithelium in the rejection type initiated before fusion of ampullae in
Symplexma reptans. (A) Blood vessel and outside of blood vessel. (B) Disintegration of morula cell inside blood
vessel. (C) Disintegration of infiltrating morula cell in tunic. Arrowheads indicate electron-dense liber in the
tunic, m. infiltrating morula cell; t. tunic: ve. vascular epidermal cell. Bars = 2 p.m.
tion of MCs in the tunic promoted disintegration of the tunic
matrix. Phagocytosis occurred in both types of rejection
reaction, but encapsulated hemocyte clusters were not
found. In the first type of rejection reaction (rejection before
vascular fusion), tunic disintegration was limited to the
regions surrounding the tips of ampullae in the contact area,
and it was more intensive than in the second type (rejection
after vascular fusion). However, MC disintegration and
phagocytosis inside blood vessels was more common in the
second type of rejection reaction than in the first. In the
second type of rejection, electron-dense material that might
have been discharged from MCs was often found in the
vascular lumen (Fig. 9, arrowheads). This material was most
abundant in the fused ampullae. The second type of rejec-
tion reaction in 5. reptans progressed more slowly than the
rejection ^action of B. scalahs. In both types of rejection
reaction in v reptans, cellular junctions between the epi-
thelial cells ui unpullar tips became loose, and some gaps
appeared (arrow in Fig. 8A).
Some 5. reptans colonies could exhibit both types of
rejection reaction, but others showed only the first type (Fig.
10). The fusion experiments with the same pair of colonies
were repeated several times and always showed the same
results.
Discussion
In five botryllids, Botr\llus primigenus, Botryllus schlos-
seri, Botrylloides simodensis, Botrylloides fuscus, and Bot-
rylloides violaceiis, the rejection reaction between incom-
patible colonies starts before the fusion of ampullae,
although the beginning stages differ among species. These
reactions involve activation of a few types of hemocytes,
especially MCs, which are ubiquitous hemocytes in ascid-
ians (Wright, 1^81 ). In contrast to these allorejections ac-
companied by MC activation, the first stage of the rejection
reaction in B. scalaris was hemocyte aggregation in fused
ampullae mediated by phagocytes, especially hyaline ame-
bocytes. The hemocyte clusters clearly caused the interrup-
tion of blood exchange between incompatible colonies, as
HEMOCYTE BEHAVIOR IN ASCIDIAN ALLOREJECTION
195
Figure 9. Hemocytes and vascular epithelium in the rejection type initiated after fusion of ampullae in
Svmplegma reptans. (Al Hemocytes in blood vessel where the hemocytes have not aggregated yet. Phagocytosis
often occurred. (B) Aggregation of hemocytes mediated by highly electron-dense material. (C) Disintegration of
morula cell inside blood vessel. (D) Disintegration of infiltrating morula cell in tunic. Arrowheads in B, C, and
D indicate highly electron-dense material inside blood vessel. Arrows in D indicate disintegrated tunic around
morula cells, m, infiltrating morula cell; p, phagocyte; t. tunic; ve, vascular epidermal cell. Bars: A and B = 5
fim; C and D = 2 /im.
shown in Figure 2. We labeled this phagocyte-mediated
rejection reaction as P-type rejection, to distinguish it from
the M-type rejection reaction primarily mediated by MCs in
the other botryllids studied thus far. In S. re/nans, the two
types of allorejection reaction shown here could be regarded
as M-type rejection, although the second type did not in-
volve remarkable MC infiltration. Morula cell infiltration,
which occurs in allorejection in most botryllid species,
might be facilitated by the change of permeability in the
ampullar epithelium (Taneda and Watanabe, 1982a). This
rejection reaction is always accompanied by disintegration
of MCs, and their disintegration occurs not only outside but
also inside of the ampullae in some botryllids (Rinkevich et
al., 1994. 1998: Shirae. unpub. data). Therefore, we regard
the standard character of M-type rejection as disintegration
of MCs and discharging of their vacuolar contents.
Both MCs and phagocytes are known to have important
functions in the defense system of ascidians (Wright, 1981;
Raftos, 1990; Cammarata et al.. 1997). In the M-type re-
jection in botryllids and in S. reptans, the accumulation of
the electron-dense material at the allorejection area is dis-
tinctive. Moreover, in the second type of rejection in S.
reptans, that material seems to mediate hemocyte aggrega-
tion, resulting in interruption of blood exchange. Since
phenoloxidase activity was demonstrated in MCs (Ballarin
ct ul., 1995), the electron-dense material might be a mela-
196
M. SHIRAE ET AL.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
\
f
1
1
1
1
1
A
\
1
1
1
1
1
B
\
1
1
1
1
C
\
f
2
2
D
\
2
2
E
\
f
F
\
G
c)
F=G
ihe first type of rejection 2. — — : the second type of rejection
f, n : the fusion reaction
Figure 10. A pairwise allorejection assay among seven strains of Symplegma reptans (a) and relationships
among S. reptans colonies concerning allorejection/fusion type (h).
nin-like substance. A recent cytochemical study by Ballarin
<7 i/l. ( 1998) suggested that phenoloxidase activity of MCs
caused cytotoxicity in the allorejection reaction of Botryllus
schlosseri. However, in the P-type rejection reaction of B.
scalaris, such a defense system might not act. In B. scalaris,
phagocytes might involve some functions in mediation of
hemocyte aggregation. Consequently, the diversity of he-
mocyte characteristics among botryllid ascidians may lead
to the observed variation in allorejection. Comparative stud-
ies of hemocyte histochemistry might further highlight the
variation in allorejection systems of botryllids.
A "fusion-rejection" reaction resembling the allorejection
reaction in B. scalaris was described in an Israeli Botryl-
loides (Rinkevich et /.. 1994). In that botryllid, the al-
lorejection reaction started after vascular fusion and in-
volved much phagocytosis, but cell disintegration occurred
inside fused ampullae. Because the hemocyte behavior in
the Israeli botryllid is unclear, it is unknown whether the
rejection reaction is M-type or P-type.
In S. reptans, colonies of four strains exhibited the second
type of rejection when they contacted and rejected each
other (as shown in Fig. 10); colonies of the other three
strains always showed the first type of rejection or fusion.
Contact between the colonies of the two groups always
resulted in the first type of rejection. Thus, the expression of
allorejection reaction type might be controlled genetically.
In addition, we found that in the second type of rejection,
hemocyte aggregation accompanied by accumulation of
electron-dense materials was always initiated only at the
fused ampullae of the incompatible colonies, although
blood was exchanged well through the fused ampullae just
after the fusion. The ampullar epithelial cells might lead to
the rejection reaction, at least in 5. reptans. More studies of
the two rejection reactions are needed to fully understand
the M-type rejection system.
In the present work, we studied the behavior of hemo-
cytes during allorejection reactions, and showed that differ-
ences in hemocyte behavior, as well as differences in al-
lorecognition site, reflect the variation in allorejection
reactions among botryllids. Differences in hemocyte behav-
ior are probably caused by changes in hemocyte function, in
which case the cytochemical and histochemical character-
istics of hemocytes may change. Therefore, to understand
the allorejection reaction in botryllids, cytochemical and
histochemical studies, as well as morphological studies,
should be performed using as many botryllid species as
possible.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported in part by a grant-in-aid to Y. S.
(#08459005) from the Ministry of Education. Science and
Culture of Japan. We are grateful to the staff of the Shimoda
Marine Research Center (SMRC), University of Tsukuba.
for their assistance and hospitality during this work. We also
thank Professor K. Tanaka, Dr. T. Otake (Nihon Univer-
sity), and Dr. T. Ishii (Akita University) for their advice.
Finally, special thanks to Dr. A. Bellgrove for her kindness
in reading the manuscript for grammatical correctness. This
report is contribution No. 633 from SMRC.
HEMOCYTE BEHAVIOR IN ASCIDIAN ALLOREJECTION
197
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the compound ascidian. Botryllus primigenus Oka. II. In vivo bioassay
for analyzing the mechanism of "nonfusion" reaction. Dev. Comp.
Immiinol. 6: 243-252.
Taneda, Y., Y. Saito. and H. Watanabe. 1985. Self or non-self dis-
crimination in ascidians. Zool. Sci. 2: 433-442.
Wright, R. K. 1981. Urochordates. Pp. 565-626 in Invertebrate Blood
Cells. Vol. 2. N. A. Ratcliffe and A. F. Rowley, eds. Academic Press.
London.
Reference: Binl. Bull 197: 198-206. (October 1999)
Origin of Insulin Receptor-Like Tyrosine Kinases
in Marine Sponges
ALEXANDER SKOROKHOD1 :. VERA GAMULIN3, DIETMAR GUNDACKER1.
VADIM KAVSAN2, ISABEL M. MULLER ', AND WERNER E. G. MULLER '•*
1 Institut fiir Physiologische Clieniie, Ahteilung Angewandte Molekularbiologie, Universita't.
Duesbergweg 6. D-55099 Mainz, Germany: Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Department of
Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 252627 Kiev, Ukraine,
anil * Institute Rudjer Boskovic, Department of Molecular Genetics, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract. One autapomorphic character restricted to all
Metazoa including Porifera [sponges] is the existence of
transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). In this
study we screened for molecules from one subfamily within
the superfainily of the insulin receptors. The subfamily
includes the insulin receptors (InsR), the insulin-like growth
factor I receptors, and the InsR-related receptors — all found
in vertebrates — as well as the InsR-homolog from Drosoph-
ila melanogaster. cDNAs encoding putative InsRs were
isolated from the hexactinellid sponge Aphrocallistex vas-
tus. the demosponge Suberites domuncula, and the calcar-
eous sponge Svcan raphanus. Phylogenetic analyses of the
catalytic domains of the putative RTKs showed that the
sponge polypeptides must be grouped with the InsRs. The
relationships revealed that all sponge sequences fall into one
branch of this group, whereas related sequences from mam-
mals (human, mouse, and rat), insects and molluscs, and
polypeptides from one cephalochordate, fall together into a
second branch. We have concluded that (/) the InsR-like
Received 13 January 1999; accepted 26 July 1999.
To whom correspondence should he addressed. E-mail: WMUELLERO?
nuul.UNI-Mainz.DE
The sequences reported here are deposited in the EMBL/GenBank data
base: Suberites domuncula. cDNA tor InsR-like molecule, SD1NR: acces-
sion number Y 17880; Aphmcullistes vastus, cDNA for InsR-like molecule
AVINR: accession number Y 1788 1; Sycnn raphanus. cDNA for type 1
InsR-like molecule, SRINRI : accession number Y17877; Svctm raphanus,
cDNA for type 2 InsR-like molecule. SRINR2: accession number Y 17878;
Syciin raphanus. clJNA for type 3 InsR-like molecule, SRINR3: accession
number Y 17879.
Abbreviations: aa. ammo acid; kb, kilobase; nt, nucleotide; InsR. insulin
ivccpior; ORF. open reading frame; EGF, epidermal growth factor; IGF-
I-R, insulin growth factor I receptor; PTK, protein tyrosine kinase; RTK.
receptor tyrosine kinase; TK, tyrosine kinase
molecules evolved in sponges prior to the "Cambrian Ex-
plosion" and contributed to the rapid appearance of the
higher metazoan phyla; (//) the sponges constitute a mono-
phyletic taxon, and (//';') epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like
domains are present in sponges, which allows the insertion
of this domain into potential receptor and matrix molecules.
Introduction
The Porifera [sponges] are the oldest metazoan phylum;
they existed 40 to 50 million years prior to the onset of the
"Cambrian Explosion" (Valentine et ai, 1996), the time of
main divergence of metazoan phyla (Valentine, 1994).
Highly conserved amino acid (aa) sequences in sponges
indicate that the Porifera share one common ancestor with
other metazoan phyla (Muller et ai. 1994; also see Muller,
1995, 1997. and 1998). These sequences include those (/)
for transmembrane receptors, e.g.. transmembrane tyrosine
kinase (TK] receptors [RTKs] (Muller and Schiicke. 1996);
(/;') for transmembrane adhesion molecules, e.g., the inte-
grins (Pancer ct al., I997a); and (/;'/') for G-protein linked
transmembrane receptors for signaling molecules, e.g., the
metabotropic glutamate receptor (Perovic et ai, 1999). Ad-
ditional sequences from homeodomain transcription factors
show that the transcriptional control of gene expression in the
oldest Metazoa is similar to that of the most recent phyla
(Seimiya et ai. 1994; Richelle-Maurer et al, 1998; Coutinho
et til.. 1998). One metazoan autapomorphic character restricted
to Porifera is the presence of high telomerase activity in all (or
almost all) cells, including somatic cells (Koziol et al., 1998).
The discovery that sponges contain transmembrane
(Schiicke et ai. 1994a), cytoplasmic (Ottilie et ai. 1992).
and nuclear TKs (Cetkovic et ai. 1998) suggests that the
198
INSULIN RECEPTOR-LIKE TYROSINE KINASES IN SPONGES
199
signaling system in these animals is sophisticated enough to
respond to peptide growth factors and to cell adhesion
(Miiller and Miiller. 1999). The catalytic domain of the
RTKs is related to that of the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine
kinases [PTKs] and the Ser/Thr kinases (Hanks and Hunter,
1995; Kruse et ai, 1997). The catalytic domain of the TKs
is subdivided into 12 smaller subdomains. the first eight of
which are most highly conserved (Hardie and Hanks. 1995).
In addition to the characteristic tyrosine protein kinase-
specific active-site signature, the previously described cat-
alytic domain of the RTK from the demosponge Geodia
c\donium contains no further site that marks this molecule
as belonging to a specific class of RTKs (Schacke et ai,
1994a). In this study, we have demonstrated for the first
time that one distinct subfamily of the RTKs is already
present in all three classes of Porifera, and that it contains
the TK class II signature with the consensus pattern
D-[LIV]-Y-xrY-Y-R (PC/GENE, 1995 [Prosite]). By
choosing appropriate primers for the polymerase chain re-
action, sequences were obtained from sponges that must be
grouped with the insulin receptors [InsRs] of vertebrates
(Ullrich et al., 1985), the insulin-like growth factor I recep-
tors [IGF-I-Rs] of vertebrates (Ullrich et ai, 1986). the
InsR-related receptors of vertebrates (Shier and Watt.
1989), and the InsR homolog from Dwsophila melano-
gaster (Fernandez et al., 1995). These molecules are all
members of the class II RTKs which display, within sub-
domain VII, the following consensus for InsRs. GF-I-Rs,
and InsR-homologs R-D-[IV]-Y-E-[TS]-D-Y (Hardie and
Hanks, 1995).
Here we present the TK domains of InsR-(like) molecules
that have been isolated from the hexactinellid sponge
Aphrocallistes vastus, the demosponge Suberites domun-
cula. and the calcareous sponge Sycon raphaniis. From S.
raphanus, three full-length clones from the InsR-like mol-
ecules are given. All of the sequences were used for phy-
logenetic analyses. These revealed that the sponge InsR-like
molecules are statistically significantly distinct from the
related molecules of higher Metazoa, and allowed an as-
sessment of the evolutionary order in which the three
classes of Porifera appeared.
Materials and Methods
Materials
Restriction endonucleases and other enzymes for recom-
binant DNA techniques and vectors were obtained from
Stratagene (La Jolla, CA; USA), QIAGEN (Hilden; Ger-
many). Boehringer Mannheim (Mannheim; Germany),
GibcoBRL (Grand Island, NY; USA), Amersham (Buck-
inghamshire; UK), USB (Cleveland, OH; USA), DUPONT
(Bad Homburg; Germany), Epicentre Technologies (Madi-
son, WI; USA), and Promega (Madison, WI; USA). Tut/
DNA polymerase, DIG [digoxigeninj DNA labeling kit.
DIG-11-dUTP, anti-DIG AP Fab fragments, and CDP
[disodium 2-chloro-5-(4-methoxyspiro{ l,2-dioxetane-3.2'-
(5'-chloro)-tricyclo[3.3.1.13'7]decan)-4-yl)phenyl phosphate]
were from Boehringer Mannheim (Mannheim; Germany).
Sponges
Live specimens of Svcon raphanus [Schmidt] (Porifera,
Calcarea, Calcaronea, Leucosoleniida, Sycettidae) and
Suberites domuncula [Olivi] (Porifera, Demospongiae. Tet-
ractinomorpha, Hadromerida, Suberitidae) were collected
from the Adriatic Sea near Rovinj (Croatia). The specimens
of Aphrocallistes vastus [Schulze] (Porifera. Hexactinellida.
Hexasterophora. Hexactinosida, Aphrocallistidae) were col-
lected from Saanich Inlet and Barkley Sound, British Co-
lumbia (Canada) by scuba diving. They were a gift of Dr.
Sally P. Leys (Department of Biology, University of Vic-
toria, P.O. Box 1700, Victoria, BC, Canada). The material
was immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen until use.
Construction of c DNA library from A. vastus
Total RNA was extracted from sponge tissue, and poly-
adenylated mRNA was isolated from total RNA as already
described (Pfeifer et al., 1993a and b). cDNA was prepared
with a ZAP Express cDNA synthesis kit. The cDNA library
of A. vastus was prepared in Hybri ZAPII (Stratagene) and
packaged in vitro with the MaxPlax Packaging Extract
(Epicentre Technologies). The library contained approxi-
mately 2.4 X 106 independent plaque forming units (pfu);
the amplified library was stored at 4':'C.
Screening and isolation of the cDNAs encoding InsR-like
molecules
The complete cDNAs as well as those encoding the
catalytic domains were cloned by the polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) from the A. vastus cDNA library (see
above), the S. domuncula (Kruse et al., 1997), or the S.
raphanus cDNA libraries (Kruse et al., 1997). The degenerate
sense primer 5 '-TTYGGIATGGTITAYGARGG-3' (Y = py-
rimidine. R = purine. I = inosine) and the downstream primer
(anti sense) 5'-TARTARTCIGTYTCRTADATRTC-3' were
designed against the conserved regions of TK subdomain I
(FGMVYEG) and TK subdomain VII (DIYETDY) of InsRs
as well as IGF-I-Rs from mammalian species; these regions
are different from the corresponding protein kinases of other
classes (Scavo et al.. 1991). The two primers define a
470 — 190 bp long sequence encoding part of the TK cata-
lytic domain (Fig. 1). The PCR was carried out using a
GeneAmp 9600 thermal cycler (Perkin Elmer), with an
initial denaturation at 95°C for 3 min, then 35 amplification
cycles each at 95°C for 30 s. 50°C for 45 s, 72°C for 1.5
min, and a final extension step at 74°C for 10 min. The
reaction mixture of 50 /u,l included 20 pmol of the respective
200
A. SKOROKHOD ET AL
degenerate primer and 10 pmol of the primer T7 (Strat-
agene), 200 p.M of each nucleotide, 1 jal of the respective
cDNA libraries, buffer, and 2.5 units of Taq DNA polymer-
ase. The expected amplified products were purified and
concentrated using Geneclean Spin Kit and directly ligated
into pGEM-T vector. After isolation and purification, the
plasmid DNAs were sequenced with an automatic DNA
sequenator [Li-Cor 4200 1.
The TK catalytic domains of the three S. raplumus InsR-
like molecules were used and completed by both 5'- and
3'-RACE. using the kits "5'-" and "3'-RACE System" to
full-length cDNAs.
Sequence analyses
Sequences were analyzed using PC/GENE, release 14.0,
from IntelliGenetics, Mountain View, CA (USA). Similar-
ity searches and sequence retrieval were performed via the
e-mail servers at the European Bioinformatics Institute.
Hinxton Hall, UK (BLITZ and FASTA), and the National
Institutes of Health. Bethesda. MD. USA (BLAST). The
phylogenetic tree was constructed from an aa alignment by
the neighbor-joining method (Saitou and Nei, 1987) apply-
ing the PHYLIP package version 3.5c program (Felsenstein,
1993). The degree of support for internal branches was
further assessed by bootstrapping. The distance matrix was
calculated as described (Dayhoff el ai, 1978). Multiple
alignments were performed with CLUSTAL W version 1.6
(Thompson et al.. 1994) and their graphic presentations by
the program GeneDoc (Nicholas and Nicholas, 1997).
Northern him
RNA was extracted from liquid-nitrogen-pulverized
sponge tissue with TRIzol Reagent (GibcoBRL) as recom-
mended by the manufacturer. Total RNA ( 1 jag) was elec-
trophoresed through tormaldehyde/agarose gel and blotted
onto Hybond N+ membrane following the manufacturer's
instructions (Amersham). Hybridization experiments were
performed with the probes SRINR1. SR1NR2. or SRINR3
[==600 bp segments] from S. raplumus. These probes were
labeled with DIG-11-dUTP by the DIG DNA labeling kit.
Hybridization was performed with the anti sense DIG-
labeled probes at 42°C overnight using 50% formamide
containing 5XSSC, 2% blocking reagent [Boehringer], 7%
[w/v] SDS. and 0.1% [w/v] N-lauroylsarcosine, following
the instructions of the manufacturer [Boehringer]. After
washing. DIG-labeled nucleic acid was detected with anti-
DIG Fab fragments [conjugated to alkaline phosphatase)
and visuah/ed by a chemiluminescence technique using
CDP, the chemiluminescence substrate for alkaline phos-
phatase, according to the instructions of the manufacturer
[Boehringer].
Results
„ loning and sequencing the cDNAs encoding the
InsR-like molecules
Cl
The S. domuncula nt sequence, SDINR, is 491 nt long and
has a potential open reading frame [ORFj of 489 bases
encoding a deduced protein sequence of 163 aa residues.
The sequence from A. vastus. AVINR, is 490 nt long with an
ORFof 489 nt (163 aa).
Three putative sequences of InsR-like molecules were
isolated from the cDNA library of S. raplumus. The cDNA
for type 1 InsR, SRINR1, is 2026 nt long with an ORF of
1848 nt encoding a putative sequence of 616 aa (Figs. 1 and
2); type 2 InsR, SRINR2. is 2150 nt long with an ORF of
1842 nt (614 aa); and type 3 InsR (Fig. 2K SRINR3. is 1433
nt long with an ORF of 1368 nt (456 aa) (Fig. 2). Northern
blot analyses were performed with these S. raplumus cDNA
probes. One band each of approximately 2.2 kb (type 1 ), 2.3
kb (type 2), and 1.6 kb (type 3) were obtained, confirming
that the full-length cDNAs were isolated (Fig. 3).
Deduced aa sequences of the catalytic domains of the
putative sponge InsRs
The deduced aa sequences of the catalytic domains of the
InsR-like sequences between subdomains I to VII have been
aligned (Fig. 1). The borders of subdomains I to VII (ac-
cording to Hardie and Hanks, 1995), could be defined for all
sponge sequences unequivocally (Fig. 1). Specific sites and
sequence characteristics were also present as outlined ear-
lier (Muller and Schacke, 1996): in subdomain I. the ATP-
binding site [consensus: GxGxxGxV; but in the hexactinel-
lid INR_AV sequence G is replaced by R]; within
subdomain II, the residue Lys in the consensus VAxK,
which is required for kinase activity; within subdomain VIb:
the aa D [Asp] and N [Asn] as well as in subdomain VII: the
DFG tripeptide is present. The DFG segment has been
implicated in ATP binding (Hanks et al.. 1988) and repre-
sents the most conserved portion within the catalytic do-
main. The tyrosine residue (Y) in subdomain VII (aa no.
1 80 of the catalytic domain, with respect to the G. cyiioniuni
RTK) undergoes phosphorylation and is the tyrosine kinase
phosphorylation site. Signatures within subdomains VIII,
IX, X, and XI are generally less well conserved. Therefore,
the PCR-based sequencing was restricted to the part within
subdomains I to VII. The TK-specific active-site signature,
D-L-A-T/A-R-N, characteristic for both vertebrate and in-
vertebrate TKs (Ottilie et al., 1992; Hanks et al., 1988) is
found in subdomain VIb. Within the subdomain VII the
signature for the TK class II receptors with the consensus
pattern is found, D-|LIV]-Y-x,-Y-Y-R (PC/GENE, 1995
[Prosite]).
The PCR primers were chosen to identify, in sponges,
those catalytic domains of class II RTKs that share the
INSULIN RECEPTOR-LIKE TYROSINE KINASES IN SPONGES
201
highest similarity to InsRs, IGF-l-Rs. to InsR-related recep-
tors, and to the insulin receptor homolog from D. mclano-
gaster (Fernandez el al., 1995). These receptors have the
consensus within the class II signature of R-D-[IV]-Y-E-
[TS]-D-Y (Hardie and Hanks, 1995). As seen in Figure 1,
this consensus is. as expected, present in all sponge se-
quences; therefore the sequences from the demosponge S.
domunciila. the calcareous sponge S. raphanus, and the
hexactinellid sponge A. vastus were termed InsR-like mol-
ecules.
Complete aa sequences of the InsR-like sequences
from S. raphanus
Three cDNAs encoding complete putative InsR-like se-
quences from S. raphanus have been isolated from the
library. The sequences are termed type 1, SRINR1. type 2,
SRINR2. and type 3, SR1NR3, InsR-like molecules. The
putative 616 aa sequence INRJSR1 (deduced from
SRINR1 ) has a calculated Mr of 69,477; INR_SR2 of 614 aa
has an Mr of 69,213, and INR_SR3 of 456 aa has an Mr of
51,259.
The sequence INR_SR2 was selected for the analysis
siven here. The transmembrane segment, determined ac-
cording to the program "RAOARGOS" (PC/GENE, 1995)
ranges from aam to aa,96. The intracellular domain is. as in
other RTKs (Hardie and Hanks. 1995), divided into a jux-
tamembrane domain (aa,97 to aa242) and the catalytic do-
main [TK domain] (aa24, to aa521) (Fig. 2). The catalytic
domain is subdivided into 12 subdomains and contains the
characteristic TK-specific active-site signature and the RTK
class II signature (see above); in addition, the putative
ATP-binding site (Hanks et al., 1988) is present (Fig. 2).
The extracellular domain contains one calcium-binding,
epidermal growth factor receptor [EGF]-like domain that
reads D-x-N-E-C'-D-x5-C2-D-E-C3-Q-N-C4-x-N-x6-C3-x-
N-x3-C6-D; it is located from aa,2s) to aai62 [the Cys resi-
dues are numbered consecutively]. This EGF-like domain
consists of six Cys residues, flanked by aa with carbonyl
oxygen atoms, which are arranged slightly differently from
those found in molecules from higher Metazoa. In particu-
lar, the Cys4 and Cys5 are separated by more than one aa
(Bork er al.. 1996). Furthermore, an incomplete EGF-like
domain is present from aa4y to aa]2K. The two other types of
InsR-like molecules from S. raphanus also have two EGF-
like domains, and they are similarly arranged. This finding
is the first demonstration that EGF-like domains are present
in the lowest metazoan phylum. Until now, this domain,
which is widely found in vertebrate receptors — e.g.. mam-
malian epidermal growth factor receptors (Geer et al., 1994)
and matrix proteins like fibulin (Pan et a 1.. 1993) — has only
been identified among invertebrates in Caenorhabditis el-
egans (Campbell and Bork, 1993).
Phylogenetic analvses
When the deduced aa sequences of the TK catalytic
domains from the three sponge species were analyzed using
the programs BLITZ, FASTA, and BLAST, they displayed
highest similarity to the polypeptides from both inverte-
brates and vertebrates. Among invertebrates, these domains
were most similar to the insulin-like receptors from the
insects Aedes aegypti and D. melanogaster, as well as to the
insulin receptor of the mollusc Aplysia californica. In addi-
tion an InsR-homolog sequence isolated, so far. from one
cephalochordate, Branchiostoma lanceolatimi, as well as
InsRs, IGF-I-Rs, or InsR-homologs from selected verte-
brates (human, mouse and rat) were highly similar to the
sponge sequences. They share about 40%-45% of identical
aa and about 609r-65% of similar aa (including identical
aa) with the selected corresponding molecules. Taking only
the sponge sequences, the sequence from S. raphanus, type
1, is identical in 67% of the aa (similarity of 78%) within the
catalytic domain with A. vastus and in 69% (79%) with S.
domuncula. The finding that the three sequences obtained
from S. raphanus differ considerably from each other is
interesting; type 1 shares only 75%' identical aa (similarity
86%) with type 2 and only 79% identical aa (similarity
88%) with type 3.
The phylogenetic tree was constructed and rooted with
the sequence of the catalytic domain of the Fes/FER non-
receptor TK domain from S. raphanus (Cetkovic et al..
1998; Fig. 4A). All sequences used were cut for the align-
ment to obtain the 12 subdomains, comprising approxi-
mately 300 aa. All of the sponge sequences fall into one
branch of the tree, whereas the selected sequences of InsRs.
IGF-I-Rs, or InsR-related sequences from invertebrates and
vertebrates are grouped together into a second one. This
relationship is statistically very robust as analyzed by boot-
strapping. Hence, support for monophyly of Porifera can be
deduced. In consequence, the presented findings, based on
the data obtained with the catalytic domains of the InsR-like
molecules from sponges, shed new light on the assumed
uncertain position of sponges as reviewed by Rodrigo et al.
(1994). In addition, the data given do not support earlier
notions which suggested that the phylum Porifera might be
paraphyletic (Cavalier-Smith et al., 1996).
Rate of evolution of the catalytic domains of sponge
InsR-like molecules
Use of our data collected on the percentage of aa identity
among the polypeptide sequences from the different sponge
species on one side and the sponge sequences in comparison
to those from higher metazoan allows a relative approach to
determining the time of divergence of the sponge classes
from a common ancestor. This estimation, which is based on
the number of point mutations per 100 aa within given
polypeptides, might reflect the time of divergence of two
202
A. SKOROKHOD ET AL.
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SYLRSLRPEME NNPV
SYLRSLRPEAE NNPG
SYLRSLRPEVEQ-- --NNLV
SHLRSLRPDAE NNPG
SHLRSLRPDAE-- NNPG
NYLRRHRPEEDVGLSDSPASNEAKNSPFAENDN
YLRGHRPDED-- HPG
SYLRRHRPD YEMRRS
SYLRAHRPEERDEAM MTYLNRIG
GYVRKCRPQNRQFSINS-- --IETNGS
.GYLMKCRPQEEQFATR FSGS
GYLMKCRPQEEQFATR FSGS
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;iATNLVLi
lATNLVLi
VGSNFRIi
Via
Vlb
t ]
Tyr-signature
105
105
106
105
105
123
105
105
113
111
108
108
97
97
116
167
167
168
167
167
185
167
168
179
177
174
174
163
163
180
class II [InsR]
Figure 1. Alignment of the catalytic domains of the insulin-like receptors as well as of the related sequences
within the class II tyrosine kinase receptors ( RTKs). The deduced amino acid sequences of InsR homologs from
the polypeptides of the three classes of the phylum Ponfera (sponges) were aligned with the related sequences
tor three invertebrates (mosquito, fruit fly. and mollusc); one cephalochordate (amphioxus); and the three
vertebrates (human, mouse, rat). In addition, the RTK domain from the sponge Geoiim cycioniiini was used for
the comparison. Specific sequence codes are identified below. The borders of the subdomains [I to VII] are
shown in the figure below the sequences; the nomenclature follows thai of Hardie and Hanks (1495). Also
marked are the tyrosine protein kinase specific active-site signature (Tyr-signature [~ • — ]). the TK class II
INSULIN RECEPTOR-LIKE TYROSINE KINASES IN SPONGES
203
taxa. The evolutionary rates — expressed as A-.,.,- values —
vary between different proteins (Zuckerkandl and Pauling,
1965; Kimura, 1983; Li et at.. 1987). In a previous study,
the galectin protein from the sponge G. cyJoniuin (Pfeifer et
al., 1993b) was calculated to have an estimated evolutionary
rate of 0.97 X 10~9 aa substitutions/site/year (Hirabayashi
and Kasai, 1993); a value of 1.24 X 10""' was calculated for
the RTK from G. c\donium (Schacke et al.. 1994b) from the
same animal.
Dating based on the molecular clock is inaccurate be-
cause its rate often varies. If we accept this insecurity, reject
the estimated evolutionary rate from sponge genes, and
accept the one calculated from the time of protostome-
deuterostome divergence — 700 MY A (Dayhoff 1978) — we
can postulate the time of separation of the sponges from the
common metazoan ancestor, as follows. If we take the
calculated k :.n-value for the human to D. melanogaste (0.46)
as a reference for the protostome-deuterostome split, then
the hexactinellid sponge A. vastits branched off 1400 MYA
(Aaa- value of 0.92), followed by the demosponge S. doimin-
cula 1300 (Aaa-value of 0.84) and the calcareous sponge S.
raphanus 1200 MYA for type 1 and 2 Uaa- value of 0.80)
and for type 3 1 100 MYA (/taa- value of 0.77). Recent fossil
data show (Li et al.. 1998) that sponges existed in much
their present form 580 MYA (Fig. 4B).
Discussion
We have shown that all three classes of the phylum
Porifera express molecules related to InsR; and these mol-
ecules display, in their extracellular domains, EGF-like
sequences (as shown here for 5. raphanus). This finding
implies that animals of the lowest metazoan phylum already
contain growth factor receptors that allow them to react to
nutrient cues and also to neighboring, individual cells, with
a complex intracellular signaling reaction. The InsR-ho-
mologs, which are putative transmembrane receptors, pre-
sumably allow the transduction of signals through the cel-
lular membrane. Usually signaling by RTKs involves
ligand-mediated receptor dimerization (Geer et al.. 1994), a
process that has not yet been studied in Porifera. InsRs,
IGF-I-Rs, and InsR-related receptors or InsR-homologs of
higher metazoan taxa do not contain, in their extracellular
loops, EGF-like domains, but rather cysteine-rich regions
(Geer et al.. 1994). This finding underlines again previous
findings, that most polypeptides deduced from the cDNA
sequences of sponges are assembled by an unusually large
variety of modules. For one example, the putative sponge
aggregation receptor is composed of scavenger receptor
cysteine-rich domains as well as of short consensus repeats
(Pancer et al., I997b; Blumbach et al.. 1998) in a structural
complexity not known in higher Metazoa.
From the evolutionary point of view, the present contri-
bution makes three points. First, it establishes that mole-
cules similar to the InsR-homologs have evolved prior to the
"Cambrian Explosion." Suga et al. (1997) suggested that
most of the PTK subfamilies, including InsRs, diverged by
domain shufflings, together with gene duplications before
the diploblast-triplobast split. As a result of recent findings
that the Porifera already existed before this event (Li et al..
1998), we can assume that this class of key molecules,
involved in the complex network of intracellular signaling,
could have been one major driving force that allowed the
signature [specific for InsRs and related sequences] («-class II— [InsR]) as well as the TK phosphorylation site
(P). The positions of the primers are indicated ([+ + + + ]) above the sequences. Identical ua residues in all 15
sequences are shown in white-on-black, and residues conserved in at least eight sequences are shaded.
Vertebrates
Human insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor precursor (XO4434)
Human InsR precursor (PO6213)
InsR precursor house mouse (Mus miiscithis; PI 5208).
IGF-I-RI receptor precursor rat (Rcittus non-egicits; A33837)
InsR precursor from rat (R. non'egicus: P15127)
IG1R_HUMAN
INSR.HUMAN
INSR_MOUSE
IGF_RAT
INSR_RAT
Cephalochordate
ILPR.BRALA
Invertebrates
INSR_AEDAE
INR_DROME
INSR_APLA
Sponges
INR_SD
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR_SR3
INR_AV
RTK_GC
Insulin-like peptide receptor precursor amphioxus (Branchiostoma luiiccolutiint; O02466)
Insulin-like receptor precursor mosquito (At'Jvs ticgypti: QM3105)
InsR homolog fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster; U28136)
InsR the mollusc (Aplysia ctilifornica; 1587845)
Insulin-like receptor demosponge Suberites domuncula
Insulin-like receptor calcareous sponge Sycon rupliiiiiux type I
Insulin-like receptor calcareous sponge S. raplutniis type 2
Insulin-like receptor calcareous sponge S. raphanus type 3
Insulin-like receptor hexactinellid sponge Aphrocallistes mstn.\
Receptor tyrosine kinase demosponge Geodia cnloniiun (X77528)
204
A. SKOROKHOD ET AL.
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INK SR3
MVSIPGYMHYNLTATLPYPSDR DAVQSCTTDETFNFSITAGTYSCTLTNNSIIATSQRGG
MHSGNILGIGYAETVYQTPLRNINVNVTVSIDGFEDYNFTVLYTIASTSCNGERNYTVTVAASHY
f— EC domain
60
65
INR_SR1 : NVTVSWNRPVTCLVGDGGSSEDDDAVISNMIT--AL|
INR_SR2 : FSTRTVTYHTSIADGGDLNVLWNQSLESDa*DNQLP|
INR_SR3 : M^cgpDl RJLP
EC domain
QDE SWYEKT SIERS rVGWHV
iXJRSIAS^L
EGF-like •«*• EGF-like
121
130
38
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
IHR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
INR_SR1
INR~SR2
INR SR3
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
L3RQT1P VSDMRRKTNIN--SLWHIBWIGVGFGAII
YFSVN TTGCDTNMHESPNPDPDQYEYLALLSIAPLLAL
l3SYN3VRRTTGVSSECRMAENGGRD--GPPRBALFAIJFSLLIVftV
A A A EGF-HV
EC domain
TM
I
EDPAWELVPDSLTijnjIEVGEGAFC
EDPAWELVPDSLT?HgEVGEGAFG
EDPAWELVPOSLlfflgEVGEGAFG
IVB
TK domain
[ ATP ]
IV • V
Vlb
170
190
100
229
255
165
294
320
230
359
382
292
424
447
357
'AERPT : 4B9
IPADRPT : 512
STGGQAH : 422
TK domain
XI •
: FEKIVSMLDDSPYQDPLAGrLRFYSTFHYGRVVADVSKPILFRAMRIFIGQPTTLSLTLTOVARR : 554
: FADrVRVLDDSPYQEPLWEQTSENQSSGEPPGDNNVFPVMVGDSSVSEQLLDIIISNHKSQEFPE : 577
: IRRHCQSVGGLAVSRAIMATDIGEPVLWRASRGR-- : 456
TK domain — \
VHRDLAARNCM
VHRDLAARNCM
Vlb
,ssj
:KTi
VII
TK domain
VII
VIII
.KIGDFGFTRDIYESDYYRKIi
.KIGDFGFTRDIYESDYYRXJ
J< IGDFGFT RD I YE S D YYRK1
INR_SR1
INR_SR2
INR SR3
RDCIDCTAYSFEIRiFYFEVHDMLEYIDIWILLLVFTSLLARSTRSIKPHRAYASSYHHNDV : 616
DHTSLKLRGRTENQGHNVSTWLWTNANDSYYPLPSHV : 614
Figure 2. Alignment of the deduced aa sequences of the InsR-like sequences from Sycon raphamis type 1
(INR_SR1 ). type 2 (INR_SR2), and type 3 (INR_SR3). The four segments of the sequences are the extracellular
domains (EC domain); the transmembrane segments (TM); and the two intracellular domains, the juxtamem-
brane domain (JM domain) and the catalytic domain (TK domain). The TK domain is subdivided into the 12
subdomains (above the sequence) with the characteristic TK-specific active-site signature (Tyr-signature
[—• -]) and RTK class II signature (<— class II—) (below the sequence); in addition, the putative ATP-
hinding-site (ATP) is marked. In the extracellular domain, the conserved Cys residues (arrowhead) of the two
EGF-like domains (EGF-like) are indicated. Identical amino acid residues are shown in white-on-black type, and
residues conserved in at least two sequences are shaded.
other meuizoan phyla to arise. Second, the phylogenetic
analyses cor.1 ,-'n that, based on the autapomorphic character
for Metazoa, llie RTKs, sponges as a taxon are monophy-
letic; the Hexactinellida have been calculated to be the
oldest class, followed by the Demospongia and finally by
the Calcarea. Third, EGF-like domains are already present
INSULIN RECEPTOR-LIKE TYROSINE KINASES IN SPONGES
205
type:
SRINR
2 1
kb
2.3
2.2
1.6
Figure 3. Northern blot analyses to determine the sizes of the tran-
scripts of the mRNA encoding the Sycon raphanus InsR-like molecules
(SRINR) type I (SRINRI). type 2 (SRINR2). and type 3 (SRINR31 RNA
was prepared from sponge tissue and 1 jug each was subjected to analysis.
Molecular masses of marker RNAs. which were run in parallel, are given
on the right (in kilobytes).
Fes/FER_SR
INR_SR1
INR_SR3
INR AV
INR_SR2
INR^SD
INSR_AEDAE
INR DROME
PORIFERA
I
ILPR BRALA
IG1R HUMAN
GF RAT
r INSR HUMAN
INSR^MOUSE
INSR_RAT
INSR_APLA
INVERTEBRATA
CEPHALOCHORDATA
VERTEBRATA
INVERTEBRATA
B
higher metazoan phyla
S. domuncula
S. raphanus A. vastus
Catcarea 1.100MYA
Oemospongiae 1.300MYA
Hexactinellida 1.400MYA
common metazoan ancestor
Figure 4. (A) Rooted phylogenetic tree of the catalytic domains of the
sequences listed in Figure I . The numbers at the nodes refer to the levels
of confidence as determined by bootstrap analysis. The scale bar indicates
an evolutionary distance of 0. 1 amino acid substitution per position in the
sequence. The catalytic domain of the Fes/FER nonreceptor TK domain
from Sycon raphanus (Fes/FER_SR. Y 1 705 1) was used as the outgroup
sequence. (B) Proposed branching order of the three classes of the phylum
Porifera (Hexactinellida, Demospongiae. and Calcarea) from a common
metazoan ancestor. The dates of the approximate times of divergence are
indicated.
in sponges, where they were inserted into potential cell
surface receptors and also into matrix molecules.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft [Mii 348/12- 1 ] and from the Inter-
national Human Frontier Science Program [W. E. G. Mul-
len RG-333/96-M].
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Functional Morphology of Prey Ingestion by
Placetron wosnessenskii Schalfeew Zoeae
(Crustacea: Anomura: Lithodidae)
JENNIFER A. GRAIN
Shannon Point Marine Center, 1900 Shannon Point Road, Anucortes. Washington 98221
Abstract. The relationship between the morphology and
functions of the feeding appendages of first-stage zoeae of
the lithodid crab Placetron wosnessenskii Schalfeew during
ingestion is explored in this study. The preoral chambers of
these zoeae are bordered on all sides, with the labrum and
mandibles forming the anterior borders, the paragnaths and
sternal projection together creating the posterior boundaries,
and the maxillules forming the sides. The maxillules are the
sole pair of appendages responsible for prey manipulation
immediately preceding ingestion. Maxillules are capable of
remarkable plasticity of movement, enabling them to grasp.
control, and redirect violently struggling prey (Anemia sp.
metanauplii). The asymmetrical mandibles tear and grind
the prey, working against each other with rotating motions.
Two separate ratchet-like coordinations of the append-
ages were seen, each of which enabled the zoea to maintain
a firm grasp on the prey while renewing points of leverage
for ingestion. The mandibles hold prey in position while the
maxillules regrab it to push it farther into the mouth. Sim-
ilarly, the labrum holds the prey while the mandibles pre-
pare for a new grinding rotation.
Capture and ingestion of an algal cell by a rapid outward
flinging and inward clasping of the mouthparts was seen in
one videotaped sequence. Gut fluorescence after introduc-
tion of various algal species reveals an ability to ingest a
range of particle sizes. This plasticity of feeding behaviors
allows the zoeae to ingest a range of food items, and thus
meet their nutritional needs.
Received 16 July 1998; accepted 29 July 1999.
Current address: College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. Oregon
State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5503. E-mail: jcrain@oce.orst.edu
Introduction
Behavioral observations, especially in conjunction with
detailed morphological descriptions, are valuable in relating
form and function of the mouthparts of adult crustaceans.
Among decapod crustaceans, feeding behavior has been
studied by many authors (e.g., Orton, 1927; Roberts, 1968;
Greenwood, 1972; Kunze and Anderson, 1979; Manjulatha
and Babu, 1991 ). In adult crabs, the tasks of manipulating,
tearing, shredding, and retaining food are divided among
their six pairs of feeding appendages. These small, rapidly
moving appendages (the mandibles, maxillules, maxillae,
and first, second, and third maxillipeds) are obliquely lay-
ered, forming the confines and manipulatory structures of
the preoral chamber. Gross accounts of feeding behavior in
crustaceans commonly include descriptions of the functions
of the outer mouthparts. emphasizing the maxillipeds. in
manipulation of food items. Detailed accounts of the move-
ments of the inner mouthparts during ingestion are less
common, because these appendages are usually blocked
from view either by the food being ingested or by adjacent
appendages. Schembri ( 1982) accounted for the motions of
the inner mouthparts in his description of feeding in the
brachyuran crab Ebcilia tiibero.su (Pennant), and Alexander
and Hindley ( 1985) described the functional morphology of
these appendages during food ingestion by the banana
prawn Penaeus inergnit'iisis De Man.
To date, studies of the functional morphology of decapod
zoeal mouthparts have focused on descriptions of morpho-
logical features, with few or no behavioral observations
available. The development of the feeding apparatus in
decapods, with special emphasis on the mandibles and gas-
tric mill, has been extensively reviewed by Factor (1989).
Lavalli and Factor (1992) used scanning electron micros-
copy to detail the functional morphology of mouthparts of
207
208
J. A. GRAIN
juvenile and larval lobsters. Decapod zoeae have fewer pairs
of functional mouthparts than the adults. The zoeal maxil-
lipeds are used for locomotion, and are not used for feeding
until the megalopal stage. In these earlier stages, all the
actions involved with manipulation and ingestion of food
are therefore divided among the maxillules, mandibles, la-
brum, and, possibly, maxillae. Although detailed analyses
of the motions and functions of the inner mouthparts of
decapod zoeae during ingestion have not been made, it is
reasonable to expect a situation similar to that found in
copepods (Paffenhofer and Lewis, 1989), with the functions
of zoeal mouthparts being quite different from those ob-
served in adult crabs.
The species used in this study is Placetron wosnessenskii
Schalfeew. a somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, long-
legged lithodid crab found at depths from 0 to 110 m in
rocky areas from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Puget
Sound, Washington (Hart, 1982). This species exhibits a
reproductive pattern typical of lithodids, with mating in the
spring, brooding for nearly a year, and hatching between
March and early May (Nyblade, 1987). There is a short
prezoeal stage (several minutes in duration: pers. obs.),
followed by four planktonic zoeal stages and one megalopal
stage (pers. obs.), during which settlement as a megalopa
occurs. A morphological description of the first zoeal stage
was published by Haynes ( 1984), and a description of larval
and megalopal development and morphology is currently in
preparation (Grain and McLaughlin, unpubl. data). P. wos-
nessenskii was chosen for this study because of the large
size of the first-stage zoeae (carapace length is about 3 mm)
and their willingness to feed under the conditions necessary
for videotape recording.
The present paper relates form to function for the append-
ages involved in the ingestion of large prey items (Anemia
metanauplii) and unicellular algae by first-stage P. wosnes-
senskii zoeae. Feeding appendages and accompanying setal
types of newly hatched zoeae are described and related to
their functions during prey ingestion. Descriptions of ap-
pendage functions are based on direct observations and on
analysis of videotaped feeding activity of untethered first-
feeding zoeae.
Materials and Methods
Morphological descriptions of the mouthparts and behav-
ioral observations were based on zoeae from two separate
broods. The first brood was from an ovigerous female
Placetron wosnessenskii collected on 5 March 1992 and the
second from an ovigerous female collected in late October
of 19'H. Both ovigerous females were collected from depths
of about H to 15 m at rocky sites near Anacortes, Wash-
ington, liach ovigerous female was transported in a bucket
of seawater to Shannon Point Marine Center, where it was
transferred to a sea table with continuously flowing natural
seawater and held throughout the hatching period. Upon
hatching, normal larvae underwent a brief prezoeal stage,
after which they shed the prezoeal cuticles and swam ac-
tively in the sea table as first-stage zoeae. Only actively
swimming, healthy zoeae were used in the study. A careful
comparison showed no morphological differences among
the zoeae or between broods.
Specimens were preserved in 707c ethanol. Dissection
and mounting of preserved specimens in polyvinyl alcohol
lactophenol followed staining with 19r chlorozol black (3%
in equal parts lactic acid and phenol). Details of appendages
and setae were described with the aid of Nomarski differ-
ential interference microscopy. Illustrations of morpholog-
ical features were drawn with camera lucida attachments
mounted on dissecting and compound microscopes. Setal
descriptions follow the system of Lavalli and Factor ( 1992)
in general terminology and categorization. Terminology
used for morphological descriptions follows that of
McLaughlin ct til. (1988).
Appendage movements during ingestion of Artt'iiiiu meta-
nauplii were observed with a dissecting microscope. Be-
cause preliminary attempts to tether the zoeae to thin glass
rods with cyanoacrylate glue or modeling clay were unsuc-
cessful, newly hatched zoeae (less than 24 h old) were
videotaped while they swam freely in a small glass dish
containing about 7.5 ml of filtered seawater. During obser-
vations of feeding behavior, each zoea was isolated indi-
vidually in the observation chamber and allowed to adjust to
the dish for one to several minutes prior to addition of
Anemia metanauplii or, in several cases, algal cells. Feeding
sequences were videotaped using a black-and-white CCD
(charge-coupled device) video camera mounted on a dis-
secting microscope and connected to a VHS video recorder
equipped with an onscreen stopwatch. Frame duration of
1/1000 s enhanced the clarity of the images.
Analysis of videotaped feeding sequences was based on
review of the tapes both on normal speed (30 frames per
second) and in slow motion using a jog shuttle advance
mechanism or stepping through individual frames. Dura-
tions of sequences were determined either by use of the
onscreen stopwatch or by an actual count of the number of
frames used for a given sequence.
Selected frames from ingestion sequences were digitized
with Bioscan Optimas image analysis software and illus-
trated from projected negatives. Illustrations of the ratchet-
ing mechanisms observed from the videotapes were pieced
together by copying morphological illustrations into the
positions in which the appendages were observed for the
relevant sequences.
A preliminary experiment to test the ability of first-stage
P. wosnessenskii zoeae to capture algal cells was performed
using five species of algae. Eight zoeae were isolated in
each of six small glass bowls with 75 ml of filtered (2 JU.ITI)
seawater. Each bowl except the control received one ot the
INGESTION BY L1THODID ZOEAE
209
K
pappose
serrulate
simple
p 1 umode n t i cu 1 a t e
1
plumose
Figure 1. Setal types found on the mtmthparts of first-stage Placetron wosnessenskii zoeae. Illustrations not
to scale.
following algal species: Cryptomonas sp.. Prorocentrum
niicans, Gyrodiniwn dorsum. Chaetoceros calcitrans, or
Isochiyxix galbanu. In bowls containing algae, the concen-
tration of cells was such that the algal cells were visible
under a dissecting microscope. The bowls were placed in a
dark incubator at 12° C. Zoeae were removed after 12 h,
rinsed with deionized water, placed in groups of four on
GF/C glass filters, and frozen at 4° C. After 16 h. the filters
and zoeae were removed from the freezer, cut into small
pieces, and ground in 90% acetone in a tissue grinder. The
resultant slurry was poured into volumetric test tubes and
refrigerated for 24 h. The tubes were then centrifigued and
the supernatant was tested for fluorescence using a Turner
fluorometer calibrated with a 90% acetone blank.
Results
Type's of setae
The types of setae found on the maxillules and maxillae
of first-stage P. wosnessenskii zoeae (Fig. 1 ) can be grouped
into six of Lavalli and Factor's (1992) categories, differen-
tiated by the armature of the setal shaft. All of these setae
have ampullae and basal septae that are readily visible by
differential interference microscopy. Size and shape of the
ampulla, prominence of the basal socket, thickness of the
walls of the shaft, and shaft length are all variable characters
both among and within these six major setal groupings.
They are defined as follows:
Simple setae (Lavalli and Factor's Type I). No setules or
other secondary processes present on setal shaft.
Plumose setae (Lavalli and Factor's Type A). Secondary
processes long: thin setules arranged in two distinct
rows along length of setal shaft; setule density and
distances between rows variable.
Pappose setae (Lavalli and Factor's Type B). Secondary
processes long: thin setules arranged in no apparent
order on setal shaft; setule density highly variable.
Serrate setae (Lavalli and Factor's Type D). Secondary
processes relatively short; thick, pointed denticles:
denticle density variable, size often decreasing along
length of setal shaft.
Serrulate setae (Laval// and Factor's Type F). Secondary
processes minute scales, often visible only as slight
210
J. A. GRAIN
indentations of outer walls, arranged along setal shaft
in one or more rows, concentrated on the distal half.
Plitmodenticiilate <> itions. Orientation: anterior is top left, posterior is bottom
right.
Figure 3. Lateral view of the oral region of first-stage Placetron
wosnessenskii zoea, showing locations and orientations of the mouthparts.
Orientation: anterior is to the right, posterior to the left; ventral is at the top
of the figure, and dorsal at the bottom.
ingestion, but were difficult to observe because of their
position deep in the preoral chamber.
Posterior to the paragnathal lobes is a large, immobile
projection of the sternite (Figs. 2, 3), which completes the
posterior boundary of the preoral chamber. The sides of the
chamber are bordered, anteriorly to posteriorly, by the
highly mobile mandibles, maxillules, and maxillae.
Mandibles. The cutting edges of the mandibles are di-
vided into distinct incisor and molar processes and are
asymmetrical with respect to the armament of these pro-
cesses. The incisor process of the left mandible (Fig. 4b) is
slightly larger than that of the right (Fig. 4a), consisting of
one very large tooth and three or four smaller denticulate
teeth. The left molar process is a large, rounded section of
the mandible bearing two to four sen-ate or denticulate
ridges culminating in a group of jagged denticles at the
extreme (dorsal) edge. The right mandible (Fig. 4a) also
bears a large, denticulate incisor process that includes one
very large tooth, but in contrast to the left bears approxi-
mately 6 to 10 smaller denticulate teeth. The molar region of
the right mandible has a complex jagged margin and several
serrate ridges. The cutting edges of the mandibles are
aligned in a ventrodorsal plane, perpendicular to the sagittal
plane of the animal. The incisor processes are positioned
farthest ventrally, adjacent to the oral opening.
The mandibles have rolling ventral-dorsal (down-up),
mesial-lateral (inside-outside). and anterior-posterior (front-
back) components to their movement. Each mandibular
motion begins with a lateral-to-mesial movement that brings
the cutting edges together and ends with a mesial-to-lateral
movement that draws them apart. The ventral-dorsal rolling
motions serve to tear and subsequently grind the prey by
bringing the two mandibles together in an arcing slice, with
contact made first at the extreme (dorsal) ends of the molar
regions. Simultaneously, the mandibles make short anterior-
posterior motions that grind the ridges of the molar regions
against each other. The point of contact between the man-
dibles is then smoothly shifted from the molars to the
incisors over the duration of the arcing movement. Al-
though the actions of the mandibles bring the grinding
INGESTION BY LITHODID ZOEAE
211
. 25 mm
Figure 4. Illustrations of the preoral chamber features and mouthparts of first-stage Plact'tnm wosnessenskii
zoeae: (a) labrum; (b) paragnaths; (c) right mandible; (d) left mandible: (e) maxillule; (f) maxilla.
molar regions together first, prey entering the oral region
initially contact the tearing incisor processes. As the incisors
are drawn across each other, the rolling motion of the
mandibles results in a mouthward push of torn material
from the incisors to the molar regions, to be crushed by the
next mandibular roll. In this way. food is broken into
sequentially smaller fragments by the mandibles before
entering the oral cavity.
Maxillules. Each maxillule (Fig. 4c) has a three-
segmented endopodite located distolaterally; a large,
toothed, mesially directed basal endite; and a smaller setose
coxal endite that is also mesially directed. The setae of the
three endopodal segments are (progressing distally): one
simple, one pappose, and three plumodenticulate or pappose
setae. The basal endite is armed with three large cuspidate
teeth, each tooth with two to five denticles, and often with
one very small, naked tooth developing between the others.
The basal endite also bears two submarginal serrate or
serrulate setae. The coxal endite bears six to eight marginal
setae that are plumodenticulate, serrate, simple, or a com-
bination of these types and one submarginal serrate seta.
The maxillules position the food prior to ingestion. An
overall mesial-lateral motion is most common, with the
entire maxillule moving as a lever that uses the basal at-
tachment as the fulcrum, and the tips of the endites describ-
ing a large arc. Anterior-posterior motions of the maxillule
are also observed, with the base of the appendage again
serving as the fulcrum. The endopodite of each maxillule is
muscularized and seems to be capable of some independent
motion both in the anterior-posterior and mesial-lateral di-
rections.
The radically different morphologies of the endopodite
and coxal and basal endites facilitate the plasticity of func-
tions that this appendage is capable of performing. The
denticulate teeth of the basal endite are used primarily for
grasping and holding a captured metanauplius. The row of
denticles on each tooth presumably aids in maintaining a
grip on a struggling metanauplius. and although many of the
metanauplii captured struggled energetically, very few of
them were able to escape from the maxillules. The two
submarginal setae on the basal endite may also aid in this
grasping and holding. The three-segmented endopodite was
seen to act as an outer guide for captured metanauplii, with
the distal setae considerably extending the effective reach of
the appendage in the anterior direction. The mobility of this
endopodite adds a certain amount of fine control to the
positioning of large prey. The location of the coxal endite
was often difficult to distinguish in the videotapes, but was
clearly at the posterior end of the preoral chamber during
the final phase of ingestion. This endite was sometimes used
to sweep small fragments of loose food back into the preoral
chamber during phases 2 and 3 of ingestion. The setae of the
coxal endites of the two maxillules were also seen to over-
lap each other along the midline of the zoea when the
212
J. A. GRAIN
maxillules were not in motion, thus forming a stationary
border to the preoral chamber when at rest.
Maxillae. Each maxilla (Fig. 4d) of the first zoeal stage
consists of a large scaphognathite (exopodite fused with
epipodite) on the lateral portion of the appendage, a weakly
bilobed endopodite and two bilobed endites on the mesial
portion. The scaphognathite bears four to six plumose setae
on the outer margin; the proximal lobe is completely fused
with the protopod. There are two or occasionally three small
groupings (one to five setae per grouping) of setae on the
distal portion of the endopodite, in combinations of serrate,
plumodenticulate. simple, and pappose setae. The coxal
endite is divided into two distinct lobes, with three plumo-
denticulate or serrate marginal setae and one plumodenticu-
late or pappose submarginal seta on the distal lobe. The
proximal lobe of the coxal endite bears two plumodenticu-
late marginal setae, a ridge with four or five plumodenticu-
late setae, and one plumodenticulate submarginal seta. A
similar division into two distinct lobes is characteristic of
the basal endite. with the distal lobe bearing three plumo-
denticulate or pappose marginal setae and one plumoden-
ticulate submarginal seta. There are three or four plumo-
denticulate or pappose marginal setae and one plumoden-
ticulate or pappose submarginal seta on the proximal lobe of
the basal endite.
The maxillae beat continuously during ingestion, with
the entire appendages moving water over the thoracic
area. The scaphognathites, with their fringe of plumose
setae, create a large functional "paddle" that increases the
amount of current flow over the developing gill buds at
the bases of the maxillipeds and adjacent area. This
beating pattern is apparently respiratory, as it is in adults,
and is undisturbed by the motions of adjacent append-
ages. Involvement of maxillae in prey ingestion was not
observed.
Behavioral observations: ingestion of
Artemia metanauplii
Not all of the videotaped zoeae were observed to feed.
Many individuals failed to capture or attempt to capture
metanauplii. Those that successfully captured and ingested
Anemia metanauplii nearly always exhibited an initial pe-
riod of several minutes during which no metanauplii were
captured. This interval prior to capture and ingestion of the
first metanauplius tended to be longer than the pauses be-
tween subsequent captures. Initial capture preceded a rapid
series of capture and ingestion events, after which the zoea
was apparently satiated and ceased feeding. At this point,
the appendages even failed to respond to direct contact with
the moulhparts by an Artemia metanauplius. In two separate
sequences, the zoea spent several minutes merely holding,
twisting, rotating, and finally rejecting a metanauplius cap-
tured during the preceding feeding event.
Zoeae captured and ingested metanauplii both while ac-
tively swimming and while stationary. Prey manipulation
and ingestion were apparently unaffected by movements of
the exopodites and endopodites of the maxillipeds. which
were used only for locomotion. Similarly, positioning of the
abdomen and telson had no apparent effect on ingestion
mechanisms.
Because of complications in the use of untethered larvae,
compounded by limitations of both field of view and of field
of focus, only one sequence was recorded in which the
ingestion of an Artemia metanauplius was traceable in its
entirety (Fig. 5). Partial sequences in which only portions of
the ingestion process were recorded were more numerous.
Consequently, ingestion events have been separated into
three consecutive phases to analyze appendage motions
throughout the ingestion process. Each phase is easily dis-
tinguished and possesses a distinct beginning and end.
Phase 1. During the initial phase of Artemia ingestion,
only the maxillules are in direct contact with the prey item.
As noted above, the principal movements of the maxillules
involve the rotating of the entire appendage from the base.
In this way, they push the prey around or catch it between
opposing endites. and the whole maxillule acts as a large
paddle. The maxillules coordinate simultaneous and alter-
nating motions as necessary to manipulate prey into position
for ingestion. The first motion of ingestion is a rapid out-
ward fling of the paired appendages, followed by an inward
squeezing action, bringing the endites of the maxillules into
contact with the metanauplius as it enters the preoral cham-
ber. Metanauplii are held between the basal endites of the
opposing maxillules, with the endopodites acting as outer
guides and presumably aiding in stabilization of the strug-
gling prey. Symmetrical motions of the opposing maxillules
control the anterior-posterior positioning of the metanau-
plius, while asymmetrical motions are involved with lateral
repositioning of the metanauplius or with rotating it about
its long axis. In two sequences, the metanauplius was turned
end over end by the maxillules employing both symmetrical
and asymmetrical motions. Metanauplii can be grasped by
the maxillules in any position, but are usually manipulated
into either a head-first or tail-first position (with the long
axis of the metanauplius perpendicular to the long axis of
the zoea) prior to ingestion. In some cases, ingestion se-
quences are initiated with the metanauplius in a sideways
position (with the long axis parallel to the long axis of the
zoea), but are completed with the metanauplius in a head-
first or tail-first position.
Variations of this basic sequence were seen with two or
more metanauplii involved. In four of the five multiple
ingestion sequences analyzed, a newly captured metanau-
plius was used to push a partially ingested metanauplius into
the mandibles. In two separate sequences, two metanauplii
were ingested simultaneously, although sequential inges-
tions were far more common. In two of the analyzed
INGESTION BY LITHODID ZOEAE
213
Figure 5. Selected frames from a sequence of ingestion of an Arieniiii metanauplius by a first-stage
Placetron wosnessenskii zoea at 0, 7. 13. 26. 27. 37 (phase 1 ), 45.0 (phase 2). 45.8 and 46.3 (phase 3) seconds
elapsed time: (a) photographs from images captured from a videotaped sequence; (h) illustration drawn from
photographs in (a) to enhance clarity.
214
J. A. GRAIN
maxillule
Figure 6. Coordination of maxillule and mandible movements during phase 2 of ingestion of an Arteinui
metanauplius by a first-stage PUiceiron wosnessenskii zoea. Approximate duration: 0.1 to 0.6 s.
sequences, phase 1 of ingestion was shortened to merely the
fling and capture steps, which were followed immediately
by the maceration associated with phase 2.
Recorded phase 1 duration ranged from 0.2 to 5.9 s in
sequences involving only a single metanauplius. and from
6.1 to 233.0 s in sequences involving two or more meta-
nauplii. Mean durations were 3.9 (;i = 14; SD = 5.8) and
56.8 (n = 5; SD = 93.2) s respectively.
Phase 2. This phase of ingestion involves the maxillules,
mandibles, and labrum. Phase 2 begins with the first contact
of the metanauplius with the mandibles and ends with the
loss of direct contact with the prey item by the basal endites
of the maxillules. The maxillules, after manipulating the
metanauplius into position in phase 1, begin pushing the
prey toward the mouth, bringing it into contact with the
mandibles. In one sequence, phase 2 was initiated by re-
peated nudging of the metanauplius into and out of range of
the mandibles by the maxillules.
The maxillules and labrum press the metanauplius against
the mandibles as the latter tear and grind the prey on its way
into the mouth. Two separate ratcheting mechanisms were
observed, each of which maintains a steady net movement
of the metanauplius into the mouth, while enabling the
appendages to renew points of contact for leverage. First,
the maxillules and mandibles alternate motions, maintaining
a firm grip on the metanauplius as it is masticated (Fig. 6).
The maxillules press the prey against the mandibles as they
shred bits of tissue with their rolling motions. The mandi-
bles then hold the metanauplius as the maxillules regrasp it
once every two or three mandibular rotations, or as seen in
two sequences, with each mandibular roll. Second, the man-
dibles and the labrum work in conjunction to prevent food
from escaping from the mouth when the mandibles are on
the recovery stroke of their motion (Fig. 7). The labrum
moves downward, pinning the metanauplius in the preoral
chamber with its spiny processes as the mandibles return to
their initial (lateral) position in preparation for the next
grinding roll, with a 1:1 ratio of alternating movements.
The recorded total durations of phase 2 range from 6.5 to
150 s, with a mean duration of 49 s (n = 1 1: SD = 45.7).
Phase 3. This phase of ingestion begins when the basal
endites of the maxillules are no longer in contact with the
prey, and continues until the entire metanauplius has passed
through the mandibular region into the oral cavity. The
mandibles and labrum continue to work together as in phase
2 until the entire metanauplius has been ingested. Although
the maxillules are apparently no longer in direct contact
with the prey, they often continue to make the sweeping
mesial-lateral motions associated with phase 2, and direct
small, easily lost fragments of masticated food back into the
preoral chamber. A variation of phase 3 was seen in four
sequences, when the maxillules pushed one metanauplius
through the final stage of ingestion with a second metanau-
plius.
The range of durations recorded for this phase was from
4 to 84 s, with a mean duration of 23.2 s (/; = 9; SD =
31.6).
mandible
Figure 7. Coordination of mandible and lahrum movements during phases 2 and 3 of ingestion ot an
Aitt'inin metanauplius by a tirst-slage Plact'lron wmnesscnskii zoea. Approximate duration: 0.1 to 0.3 s.
INGESTION BY LITHODID ZOEAE
215
Behavioral observations: capture of algal cells
Although several instances of algal capture by zoeae were
observed, only one, in which a Pronicentniin niicuns cell
was caught and ingested, was recorded on videotape. This
capture took place very quickly, with the maxillules and
mandibles drawing laterally, then held open momentarily
before closing over the algal cell, which had apparently
been drawn into the mouth by the suction created in the oral
region. In preliminary gut fluorescence experiments. P.
wosnessenskii ingested four species of unicellular algae:
Cryptomonas sp. (approximately 12 X 7 jum), Prorocen-
triini micans Ehrenberg (approximately 39 X 30 /urn), Gv-
rodinium sp. (approximately 40 X 35 /im), and Isochrysis
galbana Parke (approximately 4X3 /urn). These experi-
ments did not contain sufficient numbers of replicates to
determine clearance rates, but did indicate that the zoeae
were able to ingest a range of particle sizes.
Discussion
Comparison of morphological descriptions
A comparison of the present description of the mouth-
parts of first-stage P. wosnessenskii zoeae with that of
Haynes ( 1984) reveals few differences. Haynes commented
on asymmetry between the left and right mandibles and on
the jagged ridge of denticles located at the extreme end of
the molar process of each, as noted here. The descriptions of
the maxillules and maxillae differed only slightly in termi-
nology and degree of detail.
Mechanical functions of setae
Function can sometimes be inferred by the types and
placement of setae on an appendage. Detailed descriptions
of setal types and locations, using both light and scanning
electron microscopy, have been instrumental in revealing
the function of the corresponding appendages or body areas
(e.g.. Roberts. 1968; Farmer. 1974; Factor, 1978; Ajmal-
Khan and Natarajan, 1981; Ohtsuka and Onbe, 1991: La-
valli and Factor, 1992). In some cases specific setal types
have been linked to specific functions, especially in feeding
and grooming (e.g.. Barker and Gibson. 1977; Kunze and
Anderson, 1979; Schembri, 1982; Fryer. 1983; Pohle.
1989).
Crustacean setal types have been described in detail by
many authors, as reviewed in Jacques (1989). Lavalli and
Factor ( 1992), in their work on the lobster Homarus ameri-
caiuis. used light microscopy to produce detailed descrip-
tions of the range and locations of setal types found on the
mouthparts of larval and juvenile lobsters. They grouped the
setae into 13 categories based on external features, espe-
cially the form and position of setules. Each category in-
cluded variations in form, and several of the setal types
found on the mouthparts of first-stage P. wosnessenskii
zoeae fit into Lavalli and Factor's (1992) groupings.
The setae found on the tips and edges of the feeding
appendages of P. wosnessenskii were often more setulose
than those on the inner surfaces, a condition that is also
reported for crayfish by Thomas ( 1970), lobsters by Factor
(1978) and Lavalli and Factor (1992), and leucosids by
Schembri ( 1982). Fanner ( 1974) reported smoother setae on
the inner surfaces of the mouthparts of Nephrops norvegicus
(Linnaeus) than on the fringes, attributing this pattern of
distribution to the different functions of the two locations.
Farmer ascribed primarily a gripping function to the setae
located on the insides of the mouthparts, a role for which
setulose setae would be less suited because of the recurring
need for removal of bits of trapped food. Following this line
of reasoning, the submarginal serrulate setae on the inner
surface of the maxillules of P. wosnessenskii zoeae are well
suited for gripping: their minute scales enhance the ability
to clutch food without retaining or becoming clogged by
small particles. Similarly, the serrate setae on the endites of
the maxillules and maxillae may perform gripping functions
along with grooming of other setose appendages, as sug-
gested by several authors, e.g.. Roberts (1968). Farmer
(1974), and Schembri (1982).
A variety of functions have been reported for setae armed
with long setules. such as the plumose, pappose, and plu-
modenticulate setae found on the maxillules and maxillae of
P. wosnessenskii zoeae. Plumose setae like those found in
this study on the scaphognathites of the maxillae aid in
generating water currents for respiration (Thomas, 1970;
Farmer, 1974; Factor, 1978; Ajmal-Khan and Natarajan,
1981; Schembri, 1982). filter feeding (Rubenstein and
Koehl. 1977: Cheer and Koehl. 1987). and locomotion
(Fryer, 1983). If the setules are closely spaced, the boundary
layer surrounding each will overlap that of adjacent setules,
increasing the effective area of the appendage. As the thick-
ness of these boundary layers changes with velocity, a given
group of setae can effectively function either as large solid
areas or as sieves (Cheer and Koehl. 1987). In this respect,
although the planar configuration of the setules on plumose
setae may cause them to function as flat paddles, the seem-
ingly haphazard arrangement of the setules on the shafts of
pappose setae such as those found on the maxillary endites
of P. wosnessenskii may in turn cause the setae to function
more like cylinders.
Plumodenticulate setae on the maxillules and maxillary
endites of P. wosnessenskii may act as a combination of
pappose and denticulate setae. Schembri (1982) observed
that the tendency toward smaller denticles on the distal
portions of plumodenticulate setae served to direct stray
particles toward the tips of the setal shafts. The large num-
ber of these setae on the endites of the maxillae and max-
illules of first-stage P. wosnessenskii zoeae, coupled with
the diversity of secondary processes, suggests that they may
216
J. A. GRAIN
be quite versatile, performing grasping, brushing, cleaning,
and current-controlling functions.
The chemosensory and tactile roles of setae have been
studied in detail by a number of authors, including Shelton
and Laverack (1970). Derby (1982). Atema (1985), and
Lavalli and Factor ( 1992). Regrettably, the electron micros-
copy and neurological experimentation necessary to at-
tribute chemosensory or tactile function to specific setal
types was beyond the scope of this study.
Behavioral and morphological analysis
The wide ranges of time for each phase of ingestion were
due in large part to the variability of levels and types of
activity in which the zoeae were engaged. Lapses in inges-
tion activity were frequent, often corresponding with in-
creased swimming or capture of a second metanauplius, but
in some cases not attributable to any obvious external cause.
The shortest phase durations were recorded for zoeae that
were actively engaged in sequential capture and ingestion
events, and were often followed by long periods of reduced
interest in feeding.
Although not usually included in most morphological
descriptions, the functional significance of the puragnathal
lobes warrants mention. It has been observed that in at least
some crustaceans the paragnaths are mobile and are me-
chanically coupled with the mandibles (Wales, 1982). The
paragnaths of P. wosnessenskii zoeae were not observed to
move in this study, which is consistent with the findings of
Alexander (1988), who noted that although the paragnaths
of anomurans do not move by themselves, they can pas-
sively shift position as the mandibles open. Alexander also
noted that the many large setae on the inner margins of
unoimiran paragnaths seem to aid in food retention. This
appears to be true in P. wosnessenskii.
The labrum is another feature of crustacean anatomy
often omitted from morphological descriptions. The func-
tional significance of this structure and its complement of
spines and setae in prey ingestion by zoeal P. wosnessenskii
cannot be overlooked. In all of the observed sequences, the
labrum was instrumental in maintaining a steady movement
of food into the mouth. Its location at the opening to the oral
chamber places it in position to give food items the final
push into the loregut as well as to grip large prey items
while the mandibles reposition themselves between mo-
tions. Similar accounts of labrum and mandible coordina-
tion in other crustaceans can be found in Manton ( 1977) and
Schembri (1982).
The mandibles are the masticating appendages, responsi-
ble for all tearing, shredding, and grinding of the prey prior
to entry into the mouth. Although the rotational motion of
the mandibles brings the molar processes into contact with
each other before the rest of the cutting edges, the prey item
actually contacts the ventrally located incisor processes
first. The incisor portion of the cutting edge tears off large
pieces of the prey, the rotational motion of the mandible
then aids in pushing those pieces farther toward the mouth
to be further shredded and ground by the molar processes.
The asymmetry of the molar processes of the left and right
mandibles and the complexity of these regions provides a
variety of masticating surfaces. As these surfaces are mov-
ing past each other, the prey is torn, shredded, and ground
into tiny pieces in the final preparation for ingestion.
The maxillules manipulate prey during the initial phase of
ingestion. The radically different morphologies of the en-
dopodite and coxal and basal endites facilitate a wide range
of functions. The denticulate teeth of the basal endite were
used primarily for grasping and holding a captured meta-
nauplius. The row of denticles on each tooth presumably
aids in maintaining a firm grip on a struggling metanauplius.
and although many of the metanauplii captured struggled
energetically, very few of them escaped from the grip of the
maxillules. The two submarginal setae on the basal endite
may also aid in this grasping and holding process. The
three-segmented endopodite acts as an outer guide for the
manipulation of captured metanauplii, with the distal setae
extending its effective reach in the anterior direction. En-
dopodite mobility enhances fine control over the positioning
of a large prey item. The position of the coxal endite was
often difficult to distinguish in the videotapes, but it clearly
was at the posterior end of the preoral chamber during the
final phase of ingestion. The range of motion demonstrated
by manipulation of preserved specimens shows that the
coxal endite is capable of at least some movement indepen-
dent of the rest of the maxillule. Small fragments of floating
food were often swept back into the preoral chamber by the
coxal endite during phases 2 and 3 of ingestion. The setae of
the coxal endites of the two maxillules overlapped each
other along the midline of the zoea when the maxillules
were not in motion, thus forming a stationary border to the
preoral chamber when at rest. Fryer ( 1983) observed that the
naupliar maxillules of the anostracan Branchinecta ferox
(Milne-Edwards) retained food particles in a similar
manner.
The lack of observed feeding function of the endites of
the maxillae off. wosnessenskii zoeae is probably related to
their more posterior position in the zoeal stages compared to
the adults, in which they are presumed to be involved in
ingestion. In adult crabs, all of the feeding appendages,
including the three pairs of maxillipeds, overlap one another
obliquely and are limited in their posterior extension by the
sternites of the pereopods. In this arrangement, the maxil-
lary endites are more directly in the path of the food parti-
cles than they are in the larvae. Greenwood ( 1972) observed
that the movements of the endites in adult hermit crabs were
coupled with those of the scaphognathites. resulting in a
continuous beating, "threshing the sides of the food" in the
preoral chamber. It is also quite possible that the setae of the
INGESTION BY LITHODID ZOEAE
217
maxillary endites of both zoeae and adult crabs aid in the
ingestion of smaller food items either through physical
contact with the food or by the creation of a strong feeding
current.
Other possible food sources for zoeae:
ecological implications
For some decades, the focus of studies on zoeal diet has
been its effect on growth and survival under laboratory and
natural conditions (e.g., Kurata, 1959; Sulkin, 1975, 1978;
Paul ct ul.. 1979; McConaugha, 1985; Harms and Seeger.
1989; Paul et ul., 1989; Epifanio el ul.. 1991). There is
increasing agreement that under natural conditions, zoeae
are unlikely to encounter zooplankton prey in the concen-
trations routinely used in laboratory rearing experiments,
and therefore they can probably utilize a variety of food
sources (Incze and Paul, 1983; Harms and Seeger, 1989;
Paul et ul.. 1989; Epifanio et ul.. 1991). Sulkin found that
the zoeae of Cullinectes sapidus Rathbun, a brachyuran crab
that cannot successfully complete development to metamor-
phosis on purely algal diets, nonetheless ingested unicellu-
lar organisms (Sulkin. 1975). The lithodid crab Parulifh-
odes cumtschuticu (Tilesius) can be reared in the laboratory
on polychaete larvae or Artemia nauplii, but not on a diet
made up solely of diatoms (Kurata, 1959). However, Paul et
ul. (1989) found that when first-stage P. camtschatica zoeae
ingested phytoplankton soon after hatching, they molted to
the second zoeal stage at higher rates than those that did not.
The algal diet did not sustain the zoeae through metamor-
phosis, and an increasing dependence on carnivory through
the zoeal stages was hypothesized for this species (Paul et
ul., 1989). First-feeding P. wosnessenskii zoeae are able to
take advantage of a wide range of prey items and probably
rely on a variety of planktonic food sources throughout their
development.
Factor and Dexter (1993) found that the larvae of the
brachyuran crab Carcinus muenus (Linnaeus) could capture
suspended algal cells, and hypothesized that the setose
mouthparts were involved in suspension feeding. In prelim-
inary gut fluorescence experiments, P. wosnessenskii in-
gested unicellular algae covering a range of sizes. How
these zoeae capture small algal cells is not known, but we
assume that the mechanism is similar to that seen for in-
gestion of a Prorocentnun micuns cell. In the one sequence
of particle capture recorded on videotape, a P. micuns cell
was captured and ingested using a "fling and clap" method
similar to that described for copepods by Koehl and Strick-
ler (1981). The mouthparts were flung outward, enlarging
the space between them, thus drawing the cell into the
mouth. The mouthparts were then closed over the cell,
squeezing water out through the spaces between the setae
and endites. as seen in algal capture by copepods (Koehl and
Stockier, 1981).
This study demonstrates that P. wosnessenskii zoeae can
utilize prey items ranging from unicellular algae (Crypto-
monus sp., Pmroccntnim micuns. Gyrodinium sp.. and Iso-
cluysis gulbiinu) to relatively large, active zooplankton (Ar-
temiu sp. metanauplii). McConaugha ( 1985) identified three
criteria for suitability of prey items as food sources for
larval crustaceans: ( 1 ) appropriate size for capture and con-
sumption. (2) adequate concentration, and (3) essential di-
etary nutrients to meet the larvae's needs for survival,
growth, and metamorphosis. Natural plankton assemblages
are varied in composition both spatially and temporally. The
ability to capture and ingest a variety of sizes and shapes,
expanding the diversity of prey species that meet Mc-
Conaugha's first criterion, increases the probability that the
zoea will be able to fulfill its nutritional requirements for
successful development.
Acknowledgments
This project was funded by a grant from the PADI Foun-
dation. Special thanks go to Drs. P. A. McLaughlin. R. R.
Strathmann, S. D. Sulkin. D. Schneider, and C. B. Miller for
invaluable advice and assistance. Use of space and equip-
ment at Shannon Point Marine Center and Friday Harbor
Laboratories is gratefully acknowledged.
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Reports of Papers Presented at
THE GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY,
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
16 to 18 August 1999
Program Chairs:
BARBARA BOYER, Union College
WILLIAM ECKBERG, Howard University
CHARLES HOPKINSON, Ecosystems Center, MBL
ROBERT PAUL MALCHOW, University of Illinois at Chicago
Each of these reports was reviewed by two members of a special editorial board
drawn from the research community of Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Reviewers included scientists from
THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY,
THE WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION,
AND THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE.
SHORT REPORTS FROM THE 1999 GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
FEATURED ARTICLE
Rome, Lawrence C.
Introduction. Bringing the script to life: the role of
muscle in behavior 225
Rome, Lawrence C., Andrei A. Klimov, and Iain S.
Young
A new approach for measuring real-time calcium
pumping and SR function in muscle fibers 227
Oliver, Steven J., and Elise Watson
Threat-sensitive nest defense in domino damselfish
(Dascyllm iilhiwllii) 244
Price, Nichole N., and Allen F. Mensinger
Predator-prey interactions of juvenile toadfish, Opsa-
n us tau 246
Tang, Kathleen Q., Nichole N. Price, Maureen D.
O'Neill, Allen F. Mensinger, and Roger T. Hanlon
Temperature effects on first-year growth of cultured
oyster toadfish, Op\//ini.\ l/iu 247
PHYSIOLOGY
Malchow, Robert Paul, and David J. Ramsey
Responses of retinal Miiller cells to neurotransmitter
candidates: a comparative study 229
Clay, John R., and Alan M. Kuzirian
Fluorescence localization of K.' channels in the
membrane of squid giant axons 231
Km. i. Vanessa J., Frederick A. Dodge, and Robert B.
Barlow
Evaluation of circadian rhythms in the I.imitlu.s eye. . . 233
Novales Flamarique, Iriigo, and Ferenc I. Harosi
Photoreceptor pigments of the blueback herring
(Alosa aestevalis, Clupeidae) and the Atlantic silver-
side (Menidia menidia. Atherinidae) 235
Hanley, Janice S., Nadav Shashar, Roxanna Smolowitz,
William Mebane, and Roger T. Hanlon
Soft-sided tanks improve long-term health of cul-
tured cuttlefish . 237
PISCINE NEUROBIOLOCY AND BEHAVIOR
Zottoli, S.J., F.R. Akanki, N.A. Hiza, D.A. Ho-Sang, Jr.,
M. Motta, X. Tan, K.M. Watts, and E.-A. Seyfarth
Physiological characterization of supramedullary/ dor-
sal neurons of the dinner, Tautogolalmu athpersus. . . . 239
Fay, R.R., and P.L. Edds-Walton
Sharpening of clirectic mal auditor)' input in die descend-
ing octaval nucleus of the toadfish, (>/>//.\i/n.\ Itni 240
Kaatz, Ingrid M., and Phillip S. Lobel
Acoustic behavior and reproduction in five species of
Cmycoroi catfishes (Callichthyidae) 241
Lobel, Phillip S., and Lisa M. Ken-
Courtship sounds of the Pacific damselfish, Abudefduf
.wrdidus (Pomacentridae) 242
CHEMORECEPTION AND BEHAVIOR
Mjos, Katrin, Frank Grasso, and Jelle Atema
Antennule use by the American lobster, Homanis
americanus, during chemo-orientation in three turbu-
lent odor plumes 249
Hanna, John P., Frank W. Grasso, and Jelle Atema
Temporal correlation between sensor pairs in differ-
ent plume positions: A study of concentration infor-
mation available to the American lobster, Homams
americanus, during chemotaxis 250
Zetder, Erik, and Jelle Atema
Chemoreceptor cells as concentration slope detec-
tors: preliminary evidence from the lobster nose . . . 252
Berkey, Cristin, and Jelle Atema
Individual recognition and memory in Homaru\
americanus male-female interactions 253
McLaughlin, Leslie C., Jennifer Walters, Jelle Atema,
and Norman Wainwright
Urinary protein concentration in connection with
agonistic interactions in Homarus americanus 254
King, Alison J., Shelley A. Adamo, and Roger T. Hanlon
Contact with squid eggs increases agonistic behavior
in male squid (Lnligo pealef) 256
CELL MOTILITY
Bearer, E.L., M.L. Schlief, X.O. Breakefield, D.E. Schu-
back, T.S. Reese, and J.H. LaVail
Squid axoplasm supports the retrograde axonal
transport of herpes simplex virus 257
221
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Gould, Robert, Concetta Freund, Frank Palmer, Pam-
ela E. Knapp, Jeff Huang, Hilary Morrison, and Doug-
las L. Feinstein
Messenger RNAs for kinesins and a dynein are lo-
cated in neural processes 259
Fukui, Yoshio, Taro Q.P. Uyeda, Chikako Kitayama,
and Shinya Inoue
Migration forces in Dictyostelium measured by centri-
fuge DIC microscopy 260
Tran, P.T.. P. Maddox, F. Chang, and S. Inoue
Dynamic confocal imaging of interphase and mitotic
microtubules in the fission yeast, ,S. pombr 262
Maddox, Paul, Arshad Desai, E.D. Salmon, T.J. Mitchi-
son, Karen Oogema, Tarun Kapoor, Brian Matsumoto,
and Shinya Inoue
Dynamic confocal imaging of mitochondria in swim-
ming Tetrahymena and of microtubtile poleward flux
in Xenopus extract spindles 263
Wollert. Torsten, Ana S. DePina, and George M. Lang-
ford
Effects of vanadate on actin-dependent vesicle motil-
ity in extracts of clam oocytes 265
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Biswas, Chhanda, and Peter B. Armstrong
Identification of a hemolytic activity in the plasma of
the gastropod Busyron canalirulatum 276
Knlins. William J., Max M. Burger, and Eva Turley
Hvaluronic acid: a component of the aggregation
factor secreted by the marine sponge, Microdona pro-
lifera 277
Popescu, Octavian, Rey Interior, Gradimir Misevic,
Max M. Burger, and William J. Kuhns
Biosynthesis of tyrosine O-sulfate by cell proteoglycan
from the marine sponge, Microdona prolifern 279
Vasse, Aimee, Alice Child, and Norman Wainwright
Prophenoloxidase is not activated by microbial sig-
nals in Limulm polyphemus 281
Ogunseitan, O.A., S.L. Yang, and E. Scheinbach
The 6-aminolevulinate dehydratase of marine Vibrio
alginolytirus is resistant to lead (Pb) 283
Hoskin, Francis C.G., Diane M. Steeves, and John E.
Walker
Substituted cyclodextrin as a model for a squid en-
zyme that hydrolyzes the nerve gas soman 284
Zigman, Seymour, Nancy S. Rafferty, Keen A. Rafferty,
and Nathaniel Lewis
Effects of green tea polyphenols on lens photooxida-
tive stress 285
Billack, Blase, Jeffrey D. Laskin, Michael A. Gallo, and
Diane E. Heck
Effects of a-bungarotoxin on development of the sea
urchin Arbada punttulala 267
Silver, Robert B., and Nicole M. Deming
Leukotriene B4 as calcium agonist for nuclear enve-
lope breakdown: an enzymological survey of endo-
membranes of mitotic cells 268
Weidner, Earl, and Ann Findley
Extracellular survival of an intracellular parasite
(Spragitea lophii, Microsporea) 270
Kaltenbach, Jane C., William J. Kuhns, Tracy L. Simp-
son, and Max M. Burger
Intense concanavalin A staining and apoptosis of
peripheral flagellated cells in larvae of the marine
sponge Microdona prnlifrra: significance in relation to
morphogenesis 271
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
Harrington, John M., and Peter B. Armstrong
A cuticular secretion of the horseshoe crab, Linndii\
polyphemus: a potential anti-fouling agent 274
Asokan, Rengasamy, and Peter B. Armstrong
( Cellular mechanisms of hemolysis by the protein limu-
lin, a sialic-acid-specific lectin from tlie plasma of the
American horseshoe crab, Limulm pol\plu>mus 275
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
Mondrup, Thomas
Salinity' effects on nutrient dynamics in estuarine
sediment investigated by a plug-flux method 287
Pease, Katherine M., L. Claessens, C. Hopkinson, E.
Rastetter, J. Vallino, and N. Kilham
Ipswich River nutrient dynamics: preliminary assess-
ment of a simple nitrogen-processing model 289
Wolfe, Felisa L., Kevin D. Kroeger, and Ivan Valiela
Increased lability of estuarine dissolved organic ni-
trogen from urbanized watersheds 290
Evgenidou, A., A. Konkle, A. D'Ambrosio, A. Corcoran,
J. Bowen, E. Brown, D. Corcoran, C. Dearholt, S. Fern,
A. Lamb, J. Michalowsky, I. Ruegg, andj. Cebrian
Effects of increased nitrogen loading on the abun-
dance of diatoms and dinoflagellates in estuarine
phytoplanktonic communities 292
Cubbage, Andrea, David Lawrence, Gabrielle Tomasky,
and Ivan Valiela
Relationship of reproductive output in Acartia tonsa,
chlorophyll concentration, and land-derived nitrogen
loads in estuaries in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts 294
Canfield, Susannah, Luc Claessens, Charles Hopkinson
Jr., Edward Rastetter, and Joseph Vallino
Long-term effect of municipal water use on the water
budget of the Ipswich River Basin 295
LIST OF MBL REPORTS 223
Young, Talia, Sharon Komarow, Linda Deegan, and Kerr, Lisa M., Phillip S. Lobel, and J. Mark Ingoglia
Robert Garritt Evaluation of a reporter gene system biomarker for
Population size and summer home range of the green detecting contamination in tropical marine sedi-
crab, Carcimis mmnus, in salt marsh tidal creeks 297 ments 303
Komarow, Sharon, Talia Young, Linda Deegan, and
Robert Garritt
Influence of marsh flooding on the abundance and
growth of Fundulus htteroclitus in salt marsh creeks . . . 299 ^^ PRTSENT \TIONS
Widener, Justin W., and Robert B. Barlow
Decline of a horseshoe crab population on Cape
300 PUBLISHED BY TITLE ONLY 307
Reference: Biot. Bull. 197: 225-226. (October
Introduction to the Featured Article
Bringing the Script to Life:
the Role of Muscle in Behavior
A goal of Neurosc ience 's soon-to-be-completed "Decade of the Brain" is to integrate nervous function from
molecule to behavior. But behavior does not begin and end in the nervous system. Muscles actuate the movements
that constitute most behaviors — and if the properties of the muscle are not "tuned" to the overall biomechanics of
the body, then the behavior will not occur as planned in the brain. Thus, the properties of the muscles and the
overall biomechanics of the body are also determinants of behavior, sometimes equal in importance to that of the
nervous system. Two central concepts dictate that experimental approaches to the properties of muscles must also
be integrative. First, one cannot understand how a muscle is designed without knowing exactly what it does during
normal behavior ( 1 ). and second, the adaptation of muscle for different motor activities takes place at the
molecular level.
Our goal over the past few years has therefore been to understand, from the level of molecular biophysics to
whole-animal biomechanics, how muscles are designed to power different activities. This ambitious goal has only
become feasible because of a revolution that has taken place in the field of integrative muscle physiology and
biomechanics over the past decade. This revolution has been largely fueled by technological improvements in
three areas: biophysics, whole-animal measurements, and computer modeling.
The development of new biophysics technologies (e.g., Ca2+-sensitive dyes and caged compounds) enables us,
for the first time, to measure the kinetics of the pertinent molecular processes of muscle contraction. Indeed, we
will soon begin to develop a model of muscle contraction that is based on principles of chemical kinetics. At the
organismal end of the scale, development and miniaturization of transducers (e.g.. sonomicrometry, strain gauges)
and telemetry now facilitate measuring the performance of muscles in the animal during normal behavior. Further,
recent development of musculoskeletal modeling systems and 3-D laser scanners permits us to construct virtual
animals with anatomical features that are exactly like those of living animals. Because the movements of these
virtual animals are dictated by biomechanics rather than an animator's imagination, simulation of a set of muscle
contractions will allow us to test how whole-animal motor performance would be altered if the kinetics of a
molecular process were changed in a specific manner. This approach will show how changes in single molecular
components might affect whole-animal performance in real life, and thus how simple genetic changes might have
affected the evolution of behavior.
Finally, this current revolution in muscle physiology and biomechanics would not have been possible without
the development of exceptional experimental models. Fish have led the way in this regard. In contrast to the
mixing of different fiber types that occurs in the muscles of mammals and most other vertebrates, the different
muscle fiber types in fish are organized into large, homogenous, and anatomically separated regions that are visible
to the naked eye. In fish, as opposed to mammals, we can monitor which motor activities are powered by each
fiber type because we can implant electromyography electrodes in these anatomically separate regions. In addition,
one can dissect bundles of fibers that are all of the same type, so that the mechanical, biochemical, and
ultrastructural properties of each muscle fiber type can be determined.
The fish that best exemplifies the diversity of muscular function and design is the toadfish (Opsamis tan) (Fig.
1. left). These animals rest on the bottom and wait for a fish or crustacean to pass; then they grab the prey with
their immense jaws. The swimming muscles of the toadfish reflect this sluggish behavior. Their slow-twitch
muscles, which in most fish are used for steady swimming, are almost nonexistent; the few that do occur are
among the slowest ever measured — they work at about 1 Hz. Toadfish "fast"-twitch white muscle, used in a short
burst of activity to capture prey, is also unimpressive — it has about the same speed as ,s7mr-twitch muscle in
other fish.
But when it comes to calling for a mate, the male toadfish is an athlete of Olympic stature. The muscles that
surround his heart-shaped swimbladder (Fig. 1, center) alternately contract down on the organ and relax at up to
200 Hz to produce the "boat-whistle" mating call. In fact, the swimbladder muscle is the fastest vertebrate muscle
known.
The diversity of muscles in toadfish strikingly illustrates how muscle can be so exquisitely tuned for one
225
226
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Figure 1. Left: The toadfish Opsanus tau (Photo by A. Kuzirian). Center: Toadfish swimbladder; the red swimbladder muscle runs circiimferentntlh-
around the white swimbladder (Photo by L. Nelson). Right: Molecular processes of muscle activation and relaxation (Drawing: T. Clark).
behavior that it can't be used for another. Neither the red nor the white swimming muscle can physically produce
high-frequency sounds because it can't relax fast enough. By contrast, at the low frequencies of steady swimming,
the swimbladder muscle's extremely low mechanical power output and extremely high energetic cost make it
unable to power locomotion (2).
The challenge of studying the adaptations of the fastest vertebrate muscle is irresistible. My colleagues and 1
(3, 4) had already determined that the immense speed of the swimbladder is principally due to its extremely fast
relaxation rate, which in turn is due to three specific adaptations: the swimbladder removes Ca2 + from the
cytoplasm 50-fold faster than the red muscle does (Fig. 1, right: Step 4). swimbladder troponin C has a far faster
Ca2 + off-rate than red muscle (Step 5), and swimbladder crossbridges have a 50-fold faster detachment rate
constant than red muscle (Step 6).
In our attempt to further dissect the molecular mechanisms responsible for the swimbladder's rapid clearing of
Ca~ + , we ran into a snag in distinguishing the three competing mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is fast Ca2 +
pumping by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR); but two other mechanisms — binding of Ca2 + to the soluble protein
pan/albumin and binding to the SR-Ca2 + pumps themselves — may also make a very large contribution. Consider
that when toadfish call with the swimbladder muscle, it is not a single twitch but a series of many contractions
that is produced. When the muscle relaxes after a stimulus, the interval before the next stimulus (Vino s) is not long
enough for all the Ca2+ to be pumped back into the SR. So Ca2+ is left attached to the parvalbumin and the Ca2+
pumps, and thus less Ca2+ is pumped back into the SR than was originally released. During calling, therefore, the
SR may ultimately run out of Ca2+ to release. Perhaps reflecting this limitation, toadfish call in short bursts rather
than continuously. Therefore, if we could determine the relative importance of these three mechanisms we could
understand, not only how the system is designed to be so quick, but why these animals behave as they do.
Unfortunately, these processes can't be differentiated in an intact cell. We turned, therefore, to permeabilized
("skinned") muscle cells because the parvalbumin can be washed out through the leaky cell membrane while the
SR membrane remains intact. The following paper describes the development of a new technique for measuring
Ca2+ uptake by the SR in skinned muscle fibers. This technique is a small but necessary step towards solving the
puz/.le of how these biological machines have evolved to perform so many functions. It will also help us better
understand the biological basis of behavior.
— Lawrence C. Rome
August 1999
Literature Cited
I Rome, L. C., R. P. Funke, R. M. Alexander, G. Lutz, H. D. .1. N.
Alclridge, F. Scott, and M. Freadman. 1988. Nature 355: 824-X27
2. Rome, L. C., and S. L. Lindstedt. 1998. News Plmiol. Sci. 13:
261-268.
3. Rome, L. C., D. A. Syme, S. Hollinj;Horth, S. L. l.indstedt, and S. M.
Baylor. 1996. Pmc. Null. Acud. Si-i. USA 93: K(W5-SIO().
4 Rome, L. C., C. Cook, D. A. Syme, M. A. Connaughton, M. Ashley-
Ross, A. A. Klimov, B. A. Tikunov, and Y. E. Goldman. 1999.
Pr,,c. Null. Acud. Sci. USA 96: SS3I.
FEATURED ARTICLE
227
Reference: Bio/. Bull. 197: 227-228. (October
A New Approach for Measuring Real-time Calcium Pumping and SR Function in Muscle Fibers
Lawrence C. Rome{, Andrei A. Kliniov, and lain S. Yoiiii}f
(Biology Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104)
Different muscles are designed to perform a wide variety of
motor activities that extend over a large range of frequencies. To
increase our understanding of the molecular basis for these differ-
ent designs, we are attempting to model the activation-relaxation
cycle of different muscles by obtaining kinetic information about
each of the constituent processes (1, 2). An important component
in muscle relaxation is Ca2+ sequestration by sarcoplasmic retic-
ulum (SR)-Ca2 + pumps, but the pump turnover rate in different
fiber types is not known precisely.
Previous measurements of SR function have generally in-
volved one of two approaches. One approach involves homog-
enizing muscle, making SR preparations and measuring the rate
of Ca2+ accumulation in the presence of oxalate (e.g., 3). It is
unclear, however, whether homogenization alters the pumping
rate compared to that of intact SR in muscle fibers. Further, the
presence of oxalate probably increases the rate of accumulation
above that in normal fibers by reducing the free Ca2 + concen-
tration inside the SR. An alternate approach involves physio-
logical measurements of intracellular free [Ca2 + ] using calcium
sensitive dyes (e.g., 1, 4). However, this approach provides
direct information only about the small amount of Ca2 + that is
actually free in the myoplasm. The total movements of Ca2 +
can only be estimated by modelling the large quantities of cither
Ca2 + buffers in the cell (e.g., parvalbumin and troponin; 4). but
the amounts and the kinetics of these calcium buffers are not
always known in detail.
We have developed a technique and an instrument that permit
direct measurements of Ca2+ sequestration by intact SR of
muscle fibers as a function of [Ca2+free]. Single muscle fibers
are exposed to 50 /ig/ml saponin (20 min), which permeabli/.es
the cell membrane, but leaves the SR membrane intact (5). The
"skinned" muscle fibers are then bathed in solutions that contain
various concentrations of Ca2 + frce; and calcium sequestration
(i.e., Ca2+ leaving the bath) is monitored by using a Ca2+
sensitive dye, FURA-2. This approach solves two important
problems. First, during the "skinning" procedure, most of the
intracellular Ca2+-buffer (the soluble parvalbumin) leaks out of
the cell membrane and is washed away. Second, the amounts of
remaining intracellular buffers (e.g.. troponin), become very
small compared to the total buffer in the bath, which is well
defined in terms of amounts and kinetics, and can be accurately
calibrated. Hence Ca2 + sequestration by the SR can be accu-
rately measured as a removal of Ca2+ from the bathing solution.
' To whom correspondence should be addressed.
This approach, unfortunately, involves a high bath volume to
fiber volume ratio. The fiber diameter (and hence fiber volume)
must be kept small because of potential diffusion limitations.
Further, the necessity of stirring the bathing solution rapidly in
the long and thin chamber fitted to the morphology of muscle
fibers prevents reduction of the bath volume below a critical
value. In this study we used a bath volume of 5 /xl and typical
fiber volumes of -5 nl. giving a bath to fiber volume ratio of
about 1000:1.
We overcame the large bath volume to fiber volume ratio by
using three approaches to optimize the detection of the fluores-
cence change associated with the uptake of Ca2+. First, by
using FURA-2 as the main Ca2+ buffer (in addition to its use as
Ca2+ indicator), we maximized the absolute fluorescence
change for a given uptake of Ca2 ' . By avoiding using addi-
tional buffers (e.g.. EGTA), at low [Ca2 + free], we achieved a
nearly stoichiometric fluorescent change in one FURA molecule
for every Ca2+ molecule taken up by the SR. Second, we also
improved detection by employing only a low concentration (50
fj.M) of the FURA Ca2 ' buffer. Note that at high [Ca2 + lrec|. the
ATP in the solution also bound Ca2 + , thus leading to a decline
in sensitivity. Third, as illustrated in the optics diagram (Fig.
IB), the FURA was excited at 400-420 nm. With this excita-
tion, only unbound FURA absorbs light (6). Hence the emission
measured at 480-610 nm with a solid state photodetector is
proportional to the concentration of unbound FURA. Thus,
those solutions containing high [Ca2 + ,ree] have low fluores-
cence. This is important because, under conditions where Ca2 +
sequestration was measured (i.e., high [Ca2 + free]). Ca2+ se-
questration was observed as an increase in fluorescence over a
low initial fluorescence (Fig. 1C), thereby further improving
detection.
In addition to the optics for measuring the fluorescence
change, the calcium sequestration device contained a cuvette in
which the muscle fiber is positioned and in which solutions
containing the appropriate FURA and Ca2 + concentrations can
be very rapidly exchanged ( — 200 ms. Fig. 1A). Because the
cuvette is well stirred (with air jets — Fig. I A), the FURA
fluorescence can be sampled anywhere within it, except in the
small volume occupied by the fiber itself.
For development of this technique, our preparation consisted
of one or two toudfish swimbladder muscle fibers with a max-
imum diffusion distance of about 20 /nm. This fiber type is
thought to have the highest density of Ca2 ' pumps (7) and the
fastest calcium transient of any vertebrate muscle ( 1 ). Our base
solution *^ W
400 800 1200 1600
c
lonomycin L
7
ATP
Adn Ach Dop Glu /
Figure 1. Changes in inlrucellular calcium levels in isolated retinal
cells upon superfusion of a variety of neurotransmitter agents. In-
creases in internal calcium were indicated by increases in the ratio of
Fura-2 fluorescence induced by stimulation with 334 and 380 nm light.
(A) Responses from mi isolated tiger salamander Miiller cell, showing
that of the agents tested, only ATP was able to produce an increase in
the ratio of 334/380 fluorescence. This result was typical of the majority
of the cells tested. (B) Responses from another tiger salamander Miiller
cell. In this cell, as in 47% of the others tested, both acetylchotine and
ATP induced an increase in tin1 ratio of 334/380 fluorescence. The
increase induced h\ acetylcholine was always smaller and more tran-
sient than that produced by ATP. (CJ Responses from t\vo skate Miiller
cells. None of the neurotransmitter candidates induced changes in
intracellular calcium levels in these cells. However, ionomycin, a
calcium ionophore. induced a significant increase in the 334/380 ratio,
indicating that the svstem could indeed detect increases in intracellular
calcium. (D) Responses from an isolated external horizontal cell from
the skate. As expected, the neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate, and
the glutamate analoi; kainate. all produced significant increases in
intracellular calcium /crc/v. All drugs were bath superfused ill u
concentration of I mM. except lonomycin. In the latter case, 2 y.1 of a
5 mM solution was added to the central we/I of the dish, resulting in a
final concentration of 50 p,M. Superfusion was turned off during the
application of ionomycin. Abbreviations: Adn. adenosine; GABA.
gainma-atniut) butyric acid: Ach, acetylcholine; Dop, doparnine; glu,
g/iitamalc: \TP, adenn.\inc Iripliospliale.
230 REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Table I
Cells responding with an increase in intracelliiliir calcium after addition of neiirotransmitter agents
ATP
Acetylcholine
Glulamate
GABA
Dopamine
Adenosine
Tiger
64(65)
16(34)
5 (42)
2 (40)
1 (15)
5 (34)
Salamander
Miiller
Skate
1 (24)
— (21)
I (22)
-(12)
— (17)
— (17)
Muller
The number of cells tested in each condition is shown in parentheses. The number of cells responding with an increase in calcium (defined as producing
a 334/380 ratio greater than 25% of the initial baseline) is shown to the left of the parentheses. A dash ( — ) indicates that none of the cells tested responded
with an increase. All chemicals were applied at 1 mM concentrations via bath superfusion.
alternately with 334 and 380 nm light every 2 seconds, and the
resultant fluorescence, emitted through a 520 nm filter, was quan-
tified with a Zeiss Attofluor calcium imaging system. Drugs were
applied onto the cells, in random order at about 1-2.5 ml/min via
a gravity superfusion system. Cells were rinsed for at least two
minutes with Ringer in between applications of drugs. A response
was considered to have been induced when the ratio of 334/380
fluorescence exceeded, by 25%, the baseline level recorded prior
to the application of a drug. A transient increase in calcium was
frequently observed when the flow of Ringer was started; typically,
drugs were applied 2 min after this initial transient had declined to
a steady baseline level.
We examined the responses of these cells to applications of 1
mM gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, acetylcholine,
adenosine, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and dopamine. As first
reported by Keirstead and Miller (12). extracellularly-applied ATP
elicited a marked increase in calcium in the tiger salamander
Muller cells (Fig. 1A). Of 65 cells examined, ATP induced an
increase in calcium in 64 cells. Acetylcholine was less consistent
in raising internal calcium, producing smaller and more transient
calcium increases in 47% of the cells tested (Fig. IB; see also
Table I). These data are of interest in light of work by Wakakura
i' i at. (13), demonstrating that one-half of all rabbit Muller cells
examined responded to acetyicholine with increases in calcium.
We were, however, unable to evoke an increase in calcium with 1
mM glutamate. despite previous evidence supporting the presence
of metabotropic glutamate receptors on the Muller cells of the tiger
salamander (12). This result was unexpected, but we note that
glutamate has also been reported to be ineffective in inducing
calcium waves in Muller cells in the intact retina of the tiger
salamander (7). None of the other neurotransmitters caused an
increase in calcium in the majority of cells tested.
The same array of neuroactive agents were ineffective in in-
creasing calcium in 24 skate Muller cells. Positive controls to
ensure that the imaging system was working properly included
demonstrations: (a) that increases in calcium were observed in
skate Muller and horizontal cells upon application of the calcium
ionophore ionomycin (Fig. 1C); and (b) that glutamate and GABA
both increased calcium levels in isolated skate retinal horizontal
cells (Tig. ID), as had been described previously (14).
Electrophysiological data also support significant differences in
the responses of the Muller cells of the two species to neurotrans-
mitter agents. For example, skate Muller cells respond to GABA
with a brisk electrical current mediated by GABAa receptors (9),
while no such similar current has yet been reported in tiger
salamander Muller cells. While we cannot rule out the possibility
that the enzyme used to produce isolated cells might have altered
the properties of some of the membrane proteins present in the
cells, our results suggest that Muller cells of disparate species can
differ widely in their responses to neurotransmitter agents. Con-
sequently, the conditions under which Muller cells might alter the
function of neighboring neurons is likely to differ from species to
species.
The authors would like to thank Kasia Hammar and Rudi
Rottenfusser for guidance and assistance in using the Zeiss
Attofluor system, Naomi Rosenkranz for help with cell culture.
Richard Sanger for computer and equipment assistance, and Peter
J. S. Smith and Barbara Innocenti for comments on the manuscript.
This research was supported by grant EY0941 1 from the National
Eye Institute, grant DBI-9605155 from the National Science Foun-
dation, and grants NCCR P41 RR01395 and R21 RR12718 from
the National Center for Research Resources.
Literature Cited
l.
7.
8.
Carter-Dawson, L., F. Shen, R. S. Harwerth, E. L. Smith 3rd,
M. L. Crawford, and A. Chuang. 1998. Exp. Eye Res. 66: 537-45.
2. Newman, E. A. 1985. Trends Neurosci. 8: 156-159.
3. Newman, E. A. 1996. J. Neurosci. 16: 159-168.
4. Sarthy. P. V. 1982. J. Neurosci. Methods 5: 77-82.
5. Wilbold, E., and P. G. Layer. 1998. Histol. Histopathol. 13: 531-
552.
6. Schwartz, E. A. 1993. Neuron 10: 1 141-1 144.
Newman, E. A., and K. A. Zahs. 1997. Science 275: 844-847.
Newman, E. A., and K. A. Zahs. 1998. J. Neurosci. 18: 4022-
4028.
9. Malcnow, R. P., H. H. Qian, and H. Ripps. 1989. Proc. Nat/. Acad.
Sci. U.S.A. 86: 4226-4230.
10. Newman, E. A. 1985. / Neurosci. 5: 2225-2239.
1 1 . Linser, P. J., K. Smith, and K. Angelides. 1985. J. Comp. Neural.
237: 264-272.
12 Keirstead, S. A., and R. F. Miller. 1997. Glin 144-203.
13. Wakakura, M., I. Utsunomiya-Kawasaki, and S. Ishikawa. 1998.
Graefe's Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophrhalmol. 236: 934-939.
14 Haugh-Scheidt, L., R. P. Malchow, and H. Ripps. 1995. J Physiol.
488: 565-576.
PHYSIOLOGY
231
Reference: Biol. Bull 197: 231-232. (October
Fluorescence Localization of K+ Channels in the Membrane of Squid Giant Axons
John R. Clay and Alan M. Ku-irian (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Modern neuroscience can be said to have begun with the sem-
inal work of Hodgkin and Huxley (1) who demonstrated the
existence of Na+ and K+ specific conductances in the membrane
of squid giant axons. These conductances underlie the action
potential that propagates along the nerve and then triggers con-
traction of the mantle, i.e., the jet-propelled escape response (2). In
the last few years, Na+ and K+ channel proteins from this prep-
aration have been cloned and sequenced (3. 4). Moreover, a
polyclonal antiserum has been raised against a portion of the
NH-,-terminal amino acid sequence of the SqKvlA K* channel
(4) — an intracellular epitope. We have used this antiserum to
localize with fluorescence immunocytochemistry K* channels in
the axonal membrane.
Because the target for the antibody we have used is intracel-
lular. we necessarily had to deliver it to the interior of the axon.
We were unable to accomplish this by external application of
the antibody, even with Triton-X-100, because of barriers out-
side the axolemma — particularly the basement membrane and
the glial cell layer (5). We circumvented this problem by using
intracellular perfusion. This is a novel approach for histologists,
but not for electrophysiologists, who have for decades used
intracellular perfusion together with the axial wire voltage-
clamp technique to investigate the effects of intracellular fac-
tors on ionic currents in squid giant axons (6. 7). The method
used is illustrated in Figure 1. The axoplasm was extruded with
a roller (Fig. 1A). A small piece or "plug" of axoplasm was left
near one end of the axon. The preparation was then placed in a
Lucite chamber and tied onto a small hook (Fig. IB). A small
hole was cut in the axon. and a glass cannula was guided into
the axon through the remaining plug of axoplasm. The axon was
ligated onto the cannula, and perfusion with a I -ml syringe was
initiated. The syringe was attached to the apparatus which held
the cannula in place (not shown). Throughout the experiment,
the exterior surface of the central portion of the axon ( 1 cm
length) was superperfused with filtered seawater (fsw). The
standard intracellular perfusion buffer consisted of 100 mM K
glutamate and 500 mM sucrose (pH = 7.2; referred to below as
"standard buffer").
Even though we were able to introduce antibodies inside the
axon with this preparation, no immunostaining was observed un-
less we used procedures to circumvent the inner cortical layer of
axoplasm that remains after extrusion (5). This layer prevents
antibodies from reaching the inner membrane surface. Specifically,
we used either potassium iodide (KI) — a chaotropic agent — to
completely wash away the cortical layer, or Triton-X-100 to per-
1 Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
20892.
meabilize the layer. In the former experiments, we perfused for 10
min with 300 mM K] and 500 mM sucrose, and then for 1 h with
standard buffer containing primary K* channel antibody (1:500
dilution). After a wash with standard buffer for 30 min, we
perfused with secondary antibody (goat anti-rabbit/Oregon Green.
Molecular Probes Inc.. Eugene, Oregon) at the recommended
dilution of 1:200. followed by a wash with standard buffer for 30
min. In the experiments with Triton-X-100, we perfused with
standard buffer containing 4% paratbrmaldehyde for 1 h, followed
by perfusion with 0.2% Triton-X-100 in standard buffer for 1 h.
Antibodies were applied as above. The axon was subsequently tied
closed at both ends, removed from the chamber, and mounted on
a slide with Aqua Poly/Mount (Polysciences, Warrington, Penn-
sylvania). The preparation was viewed either with a confocal laser
microscope or conventional epifluorescence. Control preparations
were treated in the same way as the test axons. but with the K +
channel antibody replaced by an antibody that does not cross-react
with squid.
Observed by conventional epifluorescence microscopy, the
test axons were intensely immunofluorescent in discrete areas
or patches throughout the membrane, with a spacing of —25 ju,m
between patches (Fig. 2A). A pattern in the immunostaining
was not clearly apparent, although the punctate patches of
fluorescence appeared to lie along linear elements longitudi-
nally oriented along the axon. The result in Figure 2A was
obtained with the KI pretreatment described above. A control
preparation (different axon) for these conditions is shown in
Figure 2B in which the SqKvlA antibody was replaced with a
K+ channel antibody that does not crossreact with squid. All
other procedures were the same as for the test result. A clear
fluorescence signal was not observed, which demonstrates lack
of nonspecific binding by the secondary antibody (Fig. 2B).
Results similar to those in Figure 2A were obtained when
fixation and permeabilization of the cortical axoplasm layer was
carried out with Triton-X-100, as described above. Using con-
focal laser microscopy, we observed in test preparations a
roller axon
A 1
«-Q
axon
1 j
fsw
4
cannula
^
T) l
1
Figure 1. Sclu'innrii' diagram illustrating the method for intracellular
perfusion of antibodies in the w/m i^itint axon. See text for details.
232
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
longitudinal view
end-on view
F igure 2A. Epifluorescent intake of immunolabeled K ' channel* in an
inlraeellnlarls perfused sc/uid giant a\on. Without the central a\o/>lasinic
con: the unsupported a\«nal membrane folded and collapsed as it \\-as
mounted mi the slide Hop panel). The bottom pan of the image lin focus)
illustrates paiches «/ immunqfluorescence from Mm membrane surface's.
I'hc 1,1/1 purl «/ the image loin of locus) .showed .sunning similar to thai in
the hottoni part of the inia,gi- when it mis brought into focus. B. Epiflno-
rescenl linage of an a\on idi/tcrcnl than the one described in A) perfused
\\ilh a K channel antihoilv that does not < rossrcact with st/niil. All other
experimental procedures \verc the same as the lest a\on. as described in
the >c\l. The bar below this image represents /fill ij.ni (same lor A ami K).
dittuse signal throughout the membrane — not present in the
control axons — in addition to the patches of intense immuno-
fluorescence shown in Figure 2A. Preliminary results with
immunogold suggest that the immunofluoreseence is attribut-
able to K+ channels in the a.xonal membrane rather than to K +
channel containing vesicles which have not been removed dur-
ing extrusion of the axoplasm. Our results provide further
support to the argument that SqKvlA mediates the classic
delayed rectifier potassium ion current in the squid giant
axon (4).
Punctate ion-channel immunofluoreseence has been observed
in a number of preparations. The results most relevant to this
study are those of Johnson et ul. (8). They demonstrated, in
cultured Aplysin axons. clusters of Na+ channels that were
separated by regions where channels were not present, i.e..
similar to nodes of Ranvier in myelinated axons (9). Our results
are consistent with the punctate nature of immunofluoreseence
observed in Aplysin axons, but the patches of fluorescence in
squid axons appear to be uniform throughout. We speculate that
the membrane patches of ion channels suggested by the results
in Figure 2A are targets for K+ channel-containing vesicles,
which we have isolated from the axoplasm and which may be
involved in turnover of ion channels in the membrane (J. R.
Clay and A. M. Kuzirian. unpublished). The punctate distribu-
tion of immunostaining is very similar to clustering of Kvl
channels by PDZ proteins in heterologous expression systems
( 10). We note that the squid SqKvlA K+ channel does have a
consensus sequence for PDZ protein binding at its C term-
inus (4. 10). However, it is premature to speculate on the role
of PDZ proteins in the clustering of K1 channels in squid
axons.
We gratefully acknowledge William Oilly and Zora Lebaric for
generous gifts of their K4 channel antibodies.
Literature Cited
1. Hodgkin, A. L., and A. F. Huxley. 1952. J. Physiol. iLond.l. 116:
449-472.
2. Otis, T. S., and W. F. Gilly. 1990. Proe. Nat/. Aead. Sci. U.S.A. 87:
291 1 -29 1 5.
3. Rosenthal, J. J. C., and W. F. Gilly. 1993. Pmc. Nail. Acad. Set.
U.S.A. 90: 10026-1(1030.
4. Rosenthal. J. J. C.. R. G. Vickery. and W. F. Gilly. 1996. J. Gen.
Physiol. 108: 207-219.
5. Brown, A., and R. J. Lasek. 1990. Pp. 235-302 in St/itid as Exper-
imental Animals. D. L. Gilbert, W. J. Adelman, Jr., and J. M. Arnold,
eds. Plenum Press, New York.
6 Baker. P. F., A. L. Hodgkin, and T. I. Shaw. 1961. Nature 190:
885-887.
7. Adelman. W. J., Jr., and D. L. Gilbert. 1964. J. Cell. Comp.
Physiol. 64: 423-428.
8. Johnson, W. L., J. R. Dyer, V. F. Castellutd, and R. J. Dunn. 1996.
J. Neiirosei. 16: 1730-1739.
9 Dugandzija-Novakovic, S., A. G. Koszowski, S. R. Levinson, and P.
Shrager. 1995. / Neurosei. 15: 492-503.
10. Sheng, M., and M. Wyszynski. 1997. Bioesxayx 19: 847-853.
PHYSIOLOGY
233
Reference: Biul. Bull. 197: 233-234. (October IW9)
Evaluation of Circadian Rhythms in the Limulus Eye
Vanessa J. Riita, Frederick A. Dodge, and Robert B. Barlow
(Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
The visual system of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus,
shows a remarkable circadian rhythm in sensitivity. About the time
of sunset, a circadian oscillator in the brain of the animal generates
efferent optic nerve signals to the lateral eye modulating both its
structure and function. The overall increase in sensitivity nearly
compensates for the reduction in ambient light at night (1,2). High
nighttime visual sensitivity appears to be important for mating, a
visually guided behavior that the animals can accomplish as well
at night as in the day (3). The mechanisms underlying the elegant
adaptation of the Limulus eye to dim nighttime illumination in-
clude anatomical changes in the retina that increase photon catch
at the expense of spatial resolution, and physiological changes that
enhance the summation of photon events at the expense of tem-
poral resolution.
Here we evaluate further the effect of the circadian clock on two
properties that shape the dynamics and strength of the eye's
response. We first asked whether the elevated nighttime response
resulted from a clock-induced reduction in the strength of lateral
inhibitory interactions between ommatidia. We then asked whether
the loss of temporal resolution at night resulted from an increase in
the dispersion of latencies of optic nerve responses. We report here
that the circadian clock does not change the latencies of the optic
nerve responses but decreases the strength of lateral inhibition at
night.
To evaluate the possible clock influence on the strength of
lateral inhibitory interactions, we compared the steady state
optic nerve discharge of a single dark-adapted ommatidium
over a wide range of light intensities during the day and at
night. To maximize the inhibitory influences exerted on the
recorded ommatidium. we uniformly illuminated the entire eye
by placing a Teflon diffusing screen in contact with the cornea
and illuminating it with a large (5 mm) light pipe (4). We
recorded the intensity response function of the single optic
nerve fiber during the day. At dusk efferent optic nerve fiber
activity begins to transform the retina to its highly sensitive
nighttime state, and we tracked the transformation by measur-
ing the shift in threshold of the dark-adapted ommatidium. We
define threshold as the intensity of brief (35 ms) test flashes to
which the optic nerve responds 50% of the time; test flashes are
triggered at 20 s intervals allowing complete decay of lateral
inhibition. We remeasure the intensity-response function about
2100 h when the eye has attained its nighttime state.
Figure 1A shows the intensity response functions for a single
dark-adapted ommatidium during the day and at night. Plotted are
the steady-state optic nerve responses as a function of the log of
the light intensity. To compare the level of lateral inhibitory
interactions in the two states of the retina, we subtracted the mean
rate of spontaneous activity from all steady-state responses. We
then shifted the nighttime intensity-response function to the right
to account for the increase in sensitivity as measured by the
threshold shift (5). Barlow and Fraioli (4) reported that inhibitory
effects are not detectable at low firing rates ( — 1-2 impulses/s).
Note that in Figure 1A the "Night" and "Day" functions separate
above —5 impulses/s. The elevated nighttime responses indicate a
weakening of lateral inhibition. At firing rates greater than 10
impulses/s another circadian mechanism comes into play — one
that increases response gain. The increased gain at night is thought
to result from a reduction in the efficacy of a voltage-dependent
light adapting mechanism which acts to reduce the eye's response
to light during the day (5). The contribution of increases in
response gain to the separation of the two functions limits our
ability to evaluate the clock's role in lateral inhibition strength at
higher light intensities.
For a more quantitative measure of the changes in lateral
inhibition at night, independent of the changes in gain, we
designed a second experiment in which lateral inhibition was
induced by antidromic stimulation of the optic nerve trunk. We
recorded the response of a single, optically-isolated ommatid-
ium to a steady 30-s light stimulus and every two seconds
applied a brief ( 100 ms) train of four current pulses to the optic
nerve trunk. To avoid transients at the onset of illumination, we
discarded the response to the first antidromic stimulus, averaged
the following 14 responses, and plotted the two-second cycle
averages in Figure IB. Brief periods of inhibition occur imme-
diately following the antidromic stimuli (0.9-1.0 s). In addition
to exerting inhibition, antidromic stimulation also activates the
efferent fibers, simulating the circadian clock and driving the
retina into the higher sensitivity nighttime state ( 1 ). We reduced
the light intensity by over 300 times to compensate for the
increased sensitivity of the eye and maintain roughly the same
firing rate as in the daytime state. Note that the depth and
duration of inhibition in the nighttime state (thick black line)
are less than in the daytime state (thin black line). As measured
by the change in response rate, inhibition is approximately 60%
less in the nighttime state. Other experiments exhibited equiv-
alent or smaller decreases in inhibition. After cessation of
efferent input, inhibition (broken line) recovered to that re-
corded during the daytime state.
To monitor response latencies of the dark-adapted retina, we
measured the delay of the optic nerve response to a brief (35 ms)
test flash. As in the experiment shown in Figure 1A, we adjusted
the intensity of the test flash to produce a threshold response of
50%. Figure 1C shows a histogram of the latencies of response for
both the day and nighttime state of the retina. During the day, the
average latency of response at threshold was 140 ± 21 ms. After
converting the eye into the nighttime state by delivering current
pulses to the optic nerve, the threshold intensity decreased tenfold,
but the average response latency remained unchanged (145 ± 22
ms). There is no significant change in either the length of the
234
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
30T
latency of response or in the distribution of latencies as a conse-
quence of circadian input.
We conclude that the clock increases retinal sensitivity with a
concomitant reduction in lateral inhibition but without a significant
change in the latency between the absorption of a photon and the
discharge of an optic nerve impulse.
Literature Cited
1 Barlow . R. B., S. J. Bolanowski, and M. L. Brachman. 1977. Sci-
ence 197: 86-89.
2. Barlow, R. B., S. C. Chamberlain, and J. Z. Levinson. 1980. Sci-
ence 210: 1037-1039.
3 Barlow, R. B., R. B. Ireland, and L. Kass. 1982. Nature 296:
65-66.
4. Barlow, R.B., and A. J.Fraioli. 1978. J. Gen. Physiol. 71: 699-718.
5. Barlow, R. B., E. Kaplan, G. H. Renninger, and T. Saito. 1987.
/ Gen. Phvsiol. 89: 353-378.
30T
B
Seconds
150 T
(ft
3)
B
§ 100-
Q.
W
• Night
0)
o:
uDay
**—
0 50-
6
0-
t
I
•fj
0.1 0.2
Latency (s)
Figure I. Input from the circadian cluck in the nighttime eye increases
sensitivity by weakening lateral inhibition hut does not affect the dispersion
of response latencies. (A) Intensity functions of the steady-state response of
a single dark-adapted ointnatidiittn in a Limulus eve during the da\ and at
night. The steady-state response is defined as the last 2 s of a 5-s light flash,
although at low intensities the flash duration and the count interval were
increased to compensate for variability in the spike discharge. The whole
eye was uniformly illuminated by placing a Teflon diffusion screen over the
eve. At log 1 = 0 the light incident on a single ommatiilium was ~10
photons/s. {B) Inhibition of the response of a single ommatidium by
antidromic stimulation of the optic nerve in the daytime state (thin black
line), in the simulated nighttime state (thick black line), and after recovery
back to the daytime state (broken line}. (C) The dispersion of optic nerve
response latencies is not affected bv efferent input. The histogram for the
daytime state includes the latencies of 275 responses and that for the
nighttime state includes the latencies of 280 responses.
PHYSIOLOGY
235
Reference: «/«/. Bull. 197: 235-236. (October 1999)
Photoreceptor Pigments of the Blueback Herring (Alosa aestevalis, Clupeidae)
and the Atlantic Silverside (Menidia menidia, Atherinidae)
Inigo Noviiles Flamarique and Ferenc I. Harosi
(Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Since the discovery of an ultraviolet (UV) visual pigment in the
retina of the Japanese dace ( 1 ). other freshwater fishes have been
found to possess UV pigments (1). Among marine species, UV
pigments have been reported for the adults of only one tropical
species (3). Here we examine the pigments in the retinal cones
from two marine coastal species, the blueback herring and the
Atlantic silverside. The blueback herring is strictly a saltwater
species (stenohaline), whereas the Atlantic silverside is euryhaline;
i.e., it can live in a wide range of salinities. Both the Atlantic
silverside and the juvenile blueback herring inhabit coastal surface
waters (<10 m depth) where light from 320-800 nm is available
to stimulate all potential photoreceptor types (UV, blue, green, and
red) present in fish retinas. Adult blueback herring also dwell in
deeper waters (50-100 m) where UV light is absent and the
spectrum narrower and centered around 560 nm (4).
We used the technique of microspectrophotometry (MSP) to
measure photoreceptor pigments in situ. After enucleation of the
eye from a recently euthanized dark-adapted animal, pieces of
retina were extracted and teased apart in Ringer solution. These
pieces were placed between coverslips. and individual photorecep-
tors lying on their sides were examined with the dichroic mi-
crospectrophotometer (5). Sample measurements were carried out
by placing a beam of light (0.6 X 2 /urn cross section) on the
structure of interest and taking an average of eight consecutive
transmission scans from 270-648 nm. Similarly, reference mea-
surements were recorded from adjacent areas devoid of tissue, and
sample absorbance was computed in 2 nm increments (5).
The blueback herring showed single cones, double cones, and
rods. The single cones were sensitive to blue or short (S) wave-
lengths with maximum absorbance (Amax) at 447 nm. The double
cones were composed of a green or middle (M) wavelength-
sensitive cone (Amux = 517 nm) and a red or long (L) wavelength-
sensitive cone (Amax = 566 nm). The Am.ix of the rod was 510 nm
(Figs. 1A, B). The average spectral bandwidth at half maxima for
the cones and the rod was about 4000 cm '. This measurement
suggests that the primary visual pigment chromophore in this
retina is vitamin A, (6).
The retina of the Atlantic silverside also showed rods, as well as
single and double cones; but the distal parts of the cones' inner
segments and the pigment spectra were different from those in the
blueback herring. Double cones in the Atlantic silverside were of
two kinds, M/L and L/L pairs. The average Amax of the M pigment
was 472 nm. while that of the L pigment was 580 nm (Fig. ID).
M/L pairs exhibited pinkish globular structures at the distal end of
their inner segments, termed ellipsosomes (7). These organelles
were first documented in the double cones of killifishes and gup-
pies and are known to be of mitochondria! origin (7). The M
ellipsosome had the highest absorbance. with a spectral profile
indicative of cytochrome-c (Fig. IE). Ellipsoid absorbance by the
L member was always lower than that of the M member (Fig. IF).
L/L double cones showed an ellipsosome in one member with
absorbance similar or higher than that of the L member in M/L
pairs, and minute traces of cytochrome-c in the other member.
There were two types of single cones: large ones (S cones) with
inner segment structures that looked exactly like ellipsosomes. but
did not contain any cytochrome-c (pseudoellipsosomes. Fig. IF),
and smaller ones with normal ellipsoids. The average Amax of the
S cones was 410 nm (Fig. 1C). Although we were unable to secure
good average spectra from the smaller cones, our records none-
theless show that they contain a UV pigment (Amax around 365
nm). The average spectrum of the rod peaked at 5 1 1 nm (Fig. 1C),
and its half bandwidth was —4010 cm" '. The latter is indicative of
a visual system predominantly based on vitamin A,.
The pigment complement found in the retina of the blueback
herring resembles that of other stenohaline fishes and may be the
basis for maximal quantal catch over an extensive depth range,
> 0-100 m (8). Fishes that live closer to the water surface, where
UV and blue wavelengths are more prevalent, may instead benefit
from a pigment complement shifted toward shorter wavelengths,
as with the Atlantic silverside. If the presence of UV cones in the
Atlantic silverside were confirmed, the visual pigment complement
of this fish would then be similar to those of the killifishes, with
Amax at 360. 410. 470 and 570 nm for the cones, and at 510 nm for
the rods (2). Beyond the visual pigments, these euryhaline species
also share the presence of ellipsosomes in double cones, which
were previously hypothesized to act as optical filters for the
reduction of /3-band absorption by M cones (7). A similar mech-
anism could operate here to improve discrimination and contrast
detection at short wavelengths. Since the Atlantic silverside is
often found in the same habitat as the killifishes, the similarities in
their visual systems may be due to convergent evolution.
Literature Cited
1. Harosi, F. I., and V. Hashimoto. 1983. Science 222: 1021-1023.
2. Harosi, F. I. 1991. Vision Res. 34: 1359-1367.
3 McFarland, W. N., and E. W. Loew. 1994. Vision Kes. 34: 1393-
1396.
4. Novales Flamarique, I., and C. W. Hawryshyn. 1993. Can. J. Fish.
Aquat. Sci. 50: 1706-1716.
5. Harosi, F. I. 1987. ./. Gen. Physiol. 89: 717-743.
6. Bridges, C. I). B. 1967. Vision Res. 1: 349-369.
7. MacNicholl, E. F. Jr., Y. W. Kunz, J. S. Levine, F. I. Harosi, and
B. A. Collins. 1978. Science 200: 549-552.
8. Harosi, F. I. '.996. Biol. Bull. 190: 203-212.
236
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
B
0.04
0.03
0.02
(0
.g
o
to
-0.01
M
0)
u
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
350
400 450 500 550 600
Wavelength (nm)
650
-0.01
350
400 450 500 550 600 650
Wavelength (nm)
0.04
S
I
8
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
-0.01
-0.01
M
350 400 450 500 550 600 650
Wavelength (nm)
350 400 450 500 550 600 650
Wavelength (nm)
0.35
0.35
-0.05
-0.05
Ellipsosome (L)
Pseudoellipsosome (S)
^^^H^VTN^^
400 450 500 550 600
Wavelength (nm)
650
400 450 500 550 600
Wavelength (nm)
650
1. Photoreceptor pigments »t ' the hint-hack herring ami the Atlantic silverside. (A. Bt Blnchack herring: average spectral absorbances of the
S (n = .(). M (n = 13) anil L (n = //) cones, ami the rod (R. n = 6). (C D) Atlantic silverside: average spectral ab.wrbances of the S (n = 9), M (n =
//) an,/ • (n = 15) cones, and ilic nut (R, n = 8). (E. F) Atlantic xilversule: t\/>ical ellipsosomes of the M and L members of double cones, ami
l>M'ii,l<:clnr , ,./ the S cone. A value of II I? has been added to the L ellipsusome trace to separate it from that oftheSpseudoelttpsosome. Ellipsosomes
exhibited the typi • \tnchrome-c spectrum with a prominent Sorcl ly) peak at 414 nm, and secunthin- (3 and a peaks nt 5 IK inn and 54K nm. respectively.
PHYSIOLOGY
237
Reference: Bml. Bull. 197: 237-238. (October 1999}
Soft-sided Tanks Improve Long-term Health of Cultured Cuttlefish
Janice S. Hanle\, Nadav Shashar1, Roxanna Smolowit-, William Mebane, and Roger T. Hanlon
(Marine Resources Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543).
The common European cuttlefish. Sepia officinalis Linnaeus.
1758. is being cultured in captivity to provide experimental ani-
mals for biological and biomedical research, and for testing meth-
ods applicable to larger-scale mariculture. This species adapts
quite well to captivity, and several generations of cuttlefish have
been grown in facilities in Europe and the United States (e.g., 1-5).
However, while jetting away from other animals during social
interactions, or from human observers who have inadvertently
startled them, cuttlefish occasionally collide into the walls of
holding tanks (3). Moreover, recent work by Boal et al. (7) shows
that social interactions (many of them deleterious) increase sub-
stantially when sub-adult and adult cuttlefish are maintained or
cultured in higher densities, which they usually are. The accumu-
lated damage to the skin caused by the collisions (see also 6) often
contributes substantially to mortalities in the course of the one-
year life cycle. Repetitive collision causes trauma, particularly to
the posterior mantle tip. because the cuttlefish are most often
jetting backwards when they hit the wall. The mantle tip is par-
ticularly vulnerable because the layer of muscle and skin overlying
the posterior tip of the cuttlebone is quite thin. As a result, focally
extensive, deep ulcerative dermatitis and cellulitis develop. We
term this posterior mantle tip dermatitis (PMTD). Severe cases
result in hemolymph loss, bacteremia. and death. Subacute.
chronic cases result in fibrosing cellulitis and abnormal cuttlebone
formation at the posterior apex; occasionally, the apex of the
cuttlebone fractures. Because culturing a cuttlefish through its life
cycle is expensive, methods that will increase survival to adult-
hood need to be developed.
We counted collisions for a total of 7 h over 3 days; the
cuttlefish were males of about 1 kg. and females of about 0.5 kg.
Collisions with tank walls can occur quite frequently: we counted
rates of 0.75-1 .25 events per animal per hour in a variety of tanks
(n = 4 tanks), even when the animals were relatively calm (e.g.,
when they were not sexually active, when the tanks contained only
females or immature animals, and when human distraction was
minimized). These rates increased to over 4.0 wall collisions per
animal per hour when the animals were sexually active (e.g., when
two males were placed in a tank with mature females, or when
human observers startled the cuttlefish).
Hulet et al. (8) suggested that a "bumper system" be installed
along the walls of squid holding tanks to reduce skin damage from
collisions with the hard surfaces. Modifying their concept, we have
developed a simple system in which black plastic cushioning
curtains were hung parallel to, and 10 cm away from, the inner
surfaces of the tank walls (Fig. 1 ). The resulting holding arena was
smaller — 1.65 X 1.3 m (surface area = 2.145 m2) — than the
1 Hebrew University, H. Steinitz Intel-university Institute, P.O. Box 469,
Eilat 8800, Israel.
control tank. Water depth was held at 0.28 m. providing an overall
volume of 0.6 m\
An identical control tank ( 1.85 X 1.5 X 0.28 m, surface area =
2.775 m2. volume = 0.777 m3) was set adjacent to the experimen-
tal tank. Animals in both tanks experienced the same water input,
outside disturbances, light conditions, cleaning schedule, etc.
Since no space was taken by cushioning curtains, the cuttlefish
could roam through the entire volume of the control tank.
Hulet et al. (8) used cushioning walls that created a slope
between the bottom of the tank and its hard walls. Although this
design greatly reduced the impact when the side surfaces were hit,
it restricted water movement behind this angled curtain, so the
medium became increasingly anoxic, and hydrogen sulfide built
up. The new tank design circumvents the water quality problem.
First, we are using a flow-through seawater system and no sub-
strate. We improved water circulation by placing the cushioning
curtains parallel to the tank walls and by pumping fresh seawater
into the area between the curtains and the walls. Two airlift pumps
were used, each working at 9.45 1/min (2.5 gal/minute); the pumps
were placed near the curtains at opposite sides of the tank and
moved water from behind the curtains to the central area. The
volume of water behind the curtains was 176.4 liters, and with both
pumps operating that entire volume could be exchanged approxi-
mately every 9.3 minutes. No significant difference in pH or in
oxygen concentration was found between the water in the control
tank and that in the center arena of the experimental tank, or in the
area between the cushioning curtains and the walls of the experi-
mental tank.
Two sequential trials were conducted. In each trial. 4 sexually
mature cuttlefish (2 males and 2 females, all free of any body
Water input
1.5m
Water out 9
......... >
\Airlift
1.3m
indicates water flow
1.85m
1 .65 m
Figure 1. Setup for testing the use of cushioning curtains in cuttlefish
/milling tanks. Left, a control tank. Right, the experimental tank with the
cushioning curtain (hold lines) set along its sides. Two airlifts moved water
from behind the curtain to the center of the tank, thus maintaining high-
i/U(ilir\' water on hoth sitlc,\ of the curtain.
238
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
injury) were placed in each tank. Hence, the density in the exper-
imental tank was slightly higher than in the control tank (0.54 vs.
0.69 nr per cuttlefish, respectively). The health of these adult
animals was monitored throughout the trials.
Trial 1 lasted for 40 days. On day 1 1 , one of the cuttlefish in the
control tank developed PMTD. On day 17, a second cuttlefish in
the control tank developed PMTD. None of the animals in the
experimental tank showed any signs of PMTD. although two
animals developed unrelated illnesses.
Trial 2 was conducted with four new healthy cuttlefish in each
tank (2 males, 2 females). In the control tank. PMTD first occurred
at day 7, and this animal died on day 1 1 ; thus animal density in this
tank was lower during the remainder of the trial. By day 26, the
three remaining animals in this tank showed PMTD; one died on
day 42, one on day 49, and one is still alive at this writing (day
105). Once again, in contrast, none of the animals in the experi-
mental tank developed PMTD. More importantly, the second trial
is still in progress, and all four cuttlefish in the experimental tank
are completely free of PMTD at day 105. Overall, for both trials,
none of the 8 cuttlefish in the tank equipped with the cushioning
sides exhibited PMTD. as compared with 6 out of 8 (75%) of the
animals in the control tank (\2, P < 0.014).
The new tank design increases the maintenance effort in rearing
the cuttlefish. Eight additional surfaces must be scrubbed as com-
pared with traditional hard-sided holding tanks. Furthermore, the
soft sides of the tank are more difficult to scrub than hard surfaces.
Nevertheless, the efforts are worthwhile because cuttlefish nur-
tured through the life cycle in captivity have a relatively high
value. Although our tank design did not reduce the number of
social interactions among cuttlefish, which occur even at low
densities (7). it reduced the resulting skin damage experienced by
the animals, and thus increased their longevity.
Acknowledgments
We thank Geoff Till for help in culturing the animals, and
Aaron Hoffman for animal observations. This study was
partly supported by NSF Grant IBN 9729598.
Literature Cited
1. Schroeder, W. 1966. Sber. Ges. nalitif. Frenmle (N.F.) 6: 101-107.
2. Pascual, E. 1978. Invest. fV.v) mule in courtship eoloration. fc) jemulc. both about l> cm total length. <5.4%) and siieeessful (34.6%) strike* (n = 7H) is
plotted n^iiinsl ilisliinee Inn) from prey til strike initiation.
PISCINE NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
247
occurred at 1.5 to 2.0 cm (Fig. 1 ). Strike success was similar when
compared to prey number remaining, indicating that earlier preda-
tion events did not influence predation success.
Juvenile toadfish are effective short-range ambush predators. At
strike distances between 0 and 1.5 cm they strike successfully
76. 2% of the time. But between 1.5 and 2.0 cm. strike success is
mixed, and it continues to decline with distance. Future experi-
ments will examine the efficacy of prestrike orientation on preda-
tion success.
We thank L. C. Rome, S. M. Highstein, W. Mebane, and J.
Hanley for their contributions to this study. We also show our
appreciation to M. Tytell and C. Browne, directors of the under-
graduate Marine Models in Biological Research program. The
experiment was funded by the Lawrence Scholarship of Connect-
icut College and the NSF grant NSFDBI-9605155.
Literature Cited
1. Schwartz, F. J., and B. W. Dutcher. 1963. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 92:
170-173.
2. Bisker, R., M. Gibbons, and M. Castagna. 1989. J. Shellfish Res. 8:
25-31.
3. Edds-Walton, P. I,., and R. R. Fay. 1997. Hear, Res. Ill: 1-21
4. Rome, L. C., and S. L. Lindstedt. 1998. News Pliysiol. Sci. 13:
261-268.
5. Mensinger, A. F., and S. M. Highstein. 1999. J. Com/). Nenrol. 410:
653-676.
6. Tang, K. Q., N. N. Price. M. D. O'Neill, A. F. Mensinger, and R. T.
Hanlon. 1999. Bi,,l. Bull. 197: 247-248.
7. Gosline, W. A. 1996. Em-iron. Biol. Fishes. 47: 399-405.
8. Walton, W. E., S. S. Easter, C. Malinoski, and N. G. Hairston. 1994.
Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 51: 2017-2026.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 247-248. (October 1999)
Temperature Effects on First- Year Growth of Cultured Oyster Toadfish, Opsanus tan
Kathleen Q. Tang (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts ){, Nichole N. Price2,
Maureen D. O 'Neill, Allen F. Mensinger . and Roger T. Hanlon
The toadfish, Opsanus tan. has been the focus of scientific-
research for more than a century. Since its development was first
outlined by Ryder ( 1 1. it has continued to be an important marine
model for muscle (2). auditory (3), and vestibular physiology (4),
as well as for nerve regeneration (5). Recent studies (6) have
established baseline blood chemistries to help understand biolog-
ical requirements of the toadfish in captivity. Despite the many
studies of toadfish physiology, little is known about the basic life
history of the animal, such as its growth rate and nutritional
requirements.
Recently, the availability of wild-caught toadfish has declined,
making it difficult for the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) to
provide the necessary numbers and size classes for research. In
addition, captive populations of adults have been affected by
diseases such as bacterial pericarditis, Flexibacter sp. dermatitis,
and parasitic infestations (7). To provide researchers with healthy
toadfish and reduce pressure on wild populations, a mariculture
program has been initiated to examine husbandry techniques
needed to propagate captive populations. To our knowledge, Op-
sanus tau has never been cultured. This paper summarizes aspects
of growth and survival during the first year posthatching.
Two toadfish nests (with guardian males) were transported to
the Marine Resources Center of the MBL from Waquoit Bay in
early July 1998. Physical detachment of the larval fish from the
nest was completed by late July. One hundred (100) juvenile
toadfish from an original pool of about 200 fish were randomly
selected in mid-October for this study and separated into 90-1
fiberglass tanks ( 130 x 70 x 10 cm). Each tank was provided with
rock and sandy substrate and artificial habitats (PVC pipe). Half of
1 Washington University. St. Louis, Missouri 631 10.
" Connecticut College. New London, Connecticut.
3 Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 631 10.
the toadfish were maintained at a constant temperature (Temper-
ature A) of 19.5° ± 1°C. The other toadfish were maintained at
predominantly cooler temperatures (Temperature B) using ambient
(October-November 1998, 10°-15°C) or recirculating seawater
(December 1998 -May 1999 13° ± 2°C). These fish were subse-
quently switched to ambient in June 1999 and experienced tem-
peratures ranging from 1 5°C to 23°C by the end of July 1999. Each
experimental group was further subdivided into two groups con-
sisting of 10 (1 1.3 fish/nr) or 40 fish (45.0 fish/nr) to study the
effects of density on toadfish growth.
Many food types were presented to the fish, which were fed
every other day. The initial diet consisted of live, newly hatched
squid (Loligo pealei). Anemia sp., and mysid shrimps. As the fish
increased in size, the diet was switched to approximately 10% live
food (guppies), and 90% prepared food such as chopped butterfish
(Peprilus triacanthus}. oyster (Crassostrea virginica). blood-
worms (Glycera capitahi). krill. and thawed squid. Due to the
faster growth exhibited by the fish in Temperature A. they were
placed on the prepared food diet several months earlier than the
other group.
Toadfish were removed bimonthly and weighed (wet weight in
grams) and measured (standard length in centimeters). All 10 fish
in the low-density tanks were examined, while at least 10 of the 40
were randomly chosen from the high-density tanks for measure-
ment.
After detachment from nests, juveniles had an average length of
1 .36 ± 0. 1 cm. After one year of culturing. fish kept at the constant
19°C temperature were significantly (/ test with Welch correction,
P < 0.0001 ) larger (mean 6.10 ± 0.3 cm compared to 4.1 ± 0.4
cm) and heavier (7.70 ± 0.5 g compared to 1.7 ± 0.1 g) than
conspecifics maintained on the lower temperature regime (Fig. 1 ).
No differences in average length or weight were found between the
two densities in each temperature regime (t test. P > 0.21).
The survival rate from day 80 through day 365 was 78%. Many
248
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
*COMBINED • TEMPERATURE A •TEMPERATURES
•i«
<**
~*r
B
50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
TIME (DAYS)
50
100
150 200 250
TIME (DAYS)
300
350
400
Figure 1. Standard length in centimeters (At and wet weight in grams
(B) are plotted against time (days) from physical detachment of larval
toadfish from the nest. Fish from the nm nests were combined (diamonds)
and maintained at ambient water temperatures until late October 1998.
Fish (n = 50) were then subdivided into t\vo temperature regimes: Tem-
perature A fish (circles) were maintained at 19.5° ± 1°C; Temperature B
fish (squares) were kept at temperatures ranging IO°C to 23°C (see text for
details). The Temperature A and B data represent the means ± / SEfor the
fish (n = 10) kept in the low-density tanks.
of the mortalities were smaller fish that showed signs of conspe-
cific attack, which is consistent with the cannibalistic nature of
batrachadoids (8). Future studies will test whether fish sorted by
size class fare better and reduce the effects of cannibalism.
A similar mariculture study conducted at approximately the
same temperature range ( 15° to 20°C) on the congener Porichthyx
itotatus showed slightly faster growth rates (6.2 cm at 8 months
and 8.8 cm at 13 months) (8). These fish were maintained mostly
on live prey, which may have contributed to faster growth.
Our study has shown that full-life-cycle mariculture of Op-
siinus inn may be possible. Surprisingly, growth rate did not
appear to be density-dependent. It was, however, temperature-
dependent as predicted. It remains to be determined how culture
temperatures, which are warmer than the normal winter/spring
ambient temperatures, may affect development. Concurrent be-
havioral studies indicate that the cultured toadfish can accu-
rately detect and capture various forms of prey (9). We also
plan to increase genetic variation in future years by obtaining
multiple nests from different geographical locations. At current
growth rates, cultured toadfish will reach the size desired by
researchers in about 3 years.
We would like to thank J. Hanley and W. Mebane for assisting
with this project. The project has been funded an MBL Associates
Fellowship (AFM). Lawrence Scholarship (NNP), NSF grant DBI-
9605515, and NIH grant DC01837.
Literature Cited
1. Ryder, J. A. 1886. Am. Nat. 20: 77-80.
2. Rome, L. C., D. A. Syme, S. Hollingworth, S. L. Lindstedt, and S. M.
Baylor. 1996. Pmc. Null. Actul. Sci. USA. 93: 8095-810(1.
3. Fay, R. R., and P. L. Edds-Walton. 1997. HetiriiiK Ke*. Ill: 1-21.
4 Mensinger, A. F., J. P. Carey, R. Boyle, and S. M. Highstein. 1997.
J. Comp. Neurol. 384: 71-85.
5. Mensinger, A. F., and S. M. Highstein. 1999. J. Comp. Neurol. 410:
653-676.
6 O'Neill, D. O., H. M. Wesp, A. F. Mensinger, and R. T. Hanlon.
1998. Biol. Bull. 195: 228-229.
7 Smolowitz, R., E. Wadman, and H. M. Chikarmane. 1998. Biol.
Bull. 195: 224-230.
8. Mensinger, A. F., and J. F. Case. 1991. Biol. Bull. 181: 181-188.
9. Price, N. N., and A. F. Mensinger. 1999. Biol. Bull. 197: 246-247.
CHEMORECEPTION AND BEHAVIOR
249
Reference: «/,./. Bull. 197: 249-250. (October 1949)
Antennule Use by the American Lobster, Homarus americanus,
During Chemo-orientation in Three Turbulent Odor Plumes
Katrin Mjos , Frank Grasso, and Jelle Ateina
(Boston University Marine Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts)
The American lobster, Homarus americanus, may use the dy-
namics and spatial distribution of chemical signals for guidance to
the source of a turbulent odor plume ( 1, 2, 3). Other studies have
shown that lobsters orient most efficiently when they are able to
use both of their lateral antennules (4, 5). These results lead us to
wonder whether the use of antennules by the plume-tracking
lobster varies with the type of turbulence the lobster encounters.
Such variations would suggest that the lobster is actively sensing
rather than merely adjusting to the mechanical stresses presented
by turbulence.
One way to answer this question is to measure the positions and
orientations of the antennules of a lobster as it tracks different
turbulent odor plumes. In this report we describe new methods for
making these types of measurements and present preliminary
results.
We observed the plume tracking behavior of 24 locally caught
lobsters (~84 mm carapace length) in a flow-through seawater
flume (3 m X 0.9 m and 0.22 m water depth). During trials, a
plume was injected into the background flow ( 1.5 cm/s) at one of
three rates: 1,12, or 1 20 ml/min. The source was a glass tube (0.25
cm I.D.) positioned parallel to the flume floor, at antennule height
(~9 cm), and in the middle of the flume. The downstream distance
was selected to lie within the zone where the boundary layer had
reached asymptote.
A shelter was positioned 1.5 m directly downstream from the
source. The lobsters (tested one at a time) were given 30 min to
habituate to the flume and settle in to this shelter before the plume
was turned on. If a lobster had not settled within the allotted time,
it was given another 30 min to habituate. If, after this, the lobster
had not habituated, it was removed from the flume, and the
habituation process was begun with a different lobster. After
habituation, the stimulus was turned on, and the lobster was given
20 min to track the plume. Lobsters that did not track the plume
were removed at the end of 20 min and given an additional trial 8
or more hours later. Each lobster was presented with three different
injection rates (i.e.. plume types) in random order.
We recorded the tracking behavior of the lobsters with overhead
video cameras. The dorsal surface of the lateral antennules and the
anterior and posterior tips of the carapace were marked with
fluorescent paint. Black lights were suspended over the testing
section of the flume. This arrangement allowed us to score the
positions of the antennules and the body in the X and Y coordi-
nates of the flume floor. We then used the Metamorph Image
Processing System™ to digitize the animals' paths from video
images. The video was sampled at 6 Hz, and in each sampled
frame the positions of the left and right lateral antennules were
1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.
North Dartmouth. Massachusetts.
collected in source-centered coordinates. Once calibrated to dis-
tances in centimeters, these positions were used to compute the
angle between the two antennules. Because the antennules are
fixed in length, the angle is a measure of the bilateral sampling
distance from which the lobster derives odor information. We only
scored those trials in which the lobster: 1) started in the shelter or
the downstream end of the behavioral section: 2) moved its ros-
trum within 5 cm of the source: 3) did not contact the side walls of
the flume during its tracking; and 4) did this within the 20-min
time limit.
Ol
"3JD
C
=
e
=
11
*-
=
R
180-
150-
120-
90-
60-
30-
0
A. e
•
*
• Plume 1 (IR=1 ml/min)
• Plume 2(IR=12ml/min)
A Plume3(IR=l20ml/min)
|
|
01
55
f
o
45-
30-
TJ Approximate Plume Boundary
B. ^ •
15-
0-
Source
-15-
*"*v
-30-
*
-25
-50
-75
-10
Down Stream Distance (cm)
Figure 1. (A) rhe an^le between the two antennules for three paths
made h\ lohster 2H while trucking. The Juki taken from path* assoi iuti'tl
\\-ilh three different injection rule* are shown at 6 H: sampling rate. Note
the lusher inter-antennular angle tit the lowest injection rate, particularly
at farther downstream distances. IBI The actual positions of the antennules
from the 120 ml/min injection rate in A. Display is at 2 H;. The listens/*
marks the location of the source. Each "V" tlruwn has its ir/Yn at the
location of the lobster's rostrum. The tips of each "V" mark the location
of the antennule tips \'iinalions in antennule length reflect the elevation «/
the antennule.
250
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
The animals met the criteria in 26 of 125 trials. However, only
three animals did so for for all three injection rates. For these nine
trials, we measured the animals' body orientation, walking speed,
projected antennule length (an indirect measure of antennule tip
elevation), the angle between the antennules. and the absolute
antennular orientation from the digitized video. We report here the
results for the analysis of inter-antennular angle. An analysis of
variance for repeated measures (on the individual animals) indi-
cated a significant primary effect of injection rate F(2,2,708) =
29.06 (P < 0.001) and a significant animal-by-injection-rate in-
teraction (Fig. 1). Inter-antennular angle increased with distance
from the source during tracking at the lowest of the three injection
rates. The two higher injection rates are significantly different from
the lowest injection rate in this analysis, but are not distinct from
one another.
The three animals that were analyzed held their antennules more
widely at the lower injection rates, meaning that less turbulent flow
leads to wider spatial sampling. Obviously, the results taken from
three animals must be interpreted conservatively. However, we
take these results to indicate the power of this methodology for
revealing the different sampling behavior lobsters employ with
their lateral antennules. If the relationship between antennular
separation and plume structure demonstrated here represents lob-
ster tracking behavior in general, we will continue to use these
methods to further examine the relationships between sampling
strategies and stimulus environment.
This work was supported by NSF-REU (OCE-960599) Site
Grant to Boston University and DARPA-ONR Award (N00014-
98-1-0822) to FG and JA. The authors wish to thank Mimi Sheik
for valuable technical assistance and Dr. Jennifer Basil, Marjorie
Steele, Kirsten Pohlman, Michael van der Waal, and Thomas
Breithaupt for advice and David Sandeman for thoughtful discus-
sions that suggested this approach.
Literature Cited
1. Moore, P. A., N. Scholz, and J. Atema. 1991. ./. Chrin. Ecol. 17:
1293-1307.
2. Basil, J., and J. Atema. 1994. Biol. Bull. 187: 272-273.
3 Dittmer, K., F. Grasso, and J. Atema. 1995. Biol. Hull. 189: 232-
233.
4 Devine, D., and J. Atema. 1982. Biol. Bull. 163: 144-153.
5. Beglane, P., F. Grasso, J. Basil, and J. Atema. 1997. Biol. Bull. 193:
214-215.
Reference: Biol. Hull. 197: 250-251. (October 1999)
Temporal Correlation Between Sensor Pairs in Different Plume Positions: A Study of Concentration
Information Available to the American Lobster, Homarus americaiius, During Chemotaxis
John P. Hanna1, Frank W. Grasso. and Jelle Aleina (Boston University Marine Program.
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts)
The American lobster requires both lateral antennules for effi-
cient tracking of a turbulent jet odor plume (I. 2). We set out to
determine what bilateral cues are available to a lobster while it
tracks a "leaky" plume to its source. To do this we characterized
the dynamics of a turbulent odor plume. We made video record-
ings of a 5-mm thick horizontal plane through a plume at the same
height above the substrate that the lobster holds its lateral anten-
nules and then analyzed the spatial patterns of concentration dy-
namics in that plane.
The experiments were conducted in a transparent-sided recircu-
lating flume (10 m long; 2 m wide; water depth, 0.44 m). We
analyzed a momentum-free ("leaky") plume that issued from a
length of 0.5 cm diameter Tygon tubing (terminating in a stop-
pered porous section. 2 cm long) situated centrally on the floor of
the flume. The tubing oozed 1 x 10~4 M rhodamine b dye (in
seawater) at a rate of 15 ml/min, producing a "puddle" of dye
about 10 cm in diameter on the floor of the flume. This dye was
then lifted from the viscous sub-layer into the free-stream by the
small amount of intrinsic vertical turbulence of our flume, which.
in turn, created a plume that was transported downstream by the 9
cm/s tree M .mi current. This plume is a good model of a decom-
posing can . i ither benthic odor source typical of lobster food
Department of Biology. University of Delaware, Newark. Delaware.
items. In addition, lobsters in our laboratory track an identical,
odor-laden plume to the source under these exact conditions.
We used a pulsed YAG CO-, laser (532 nm) and appropriate optics
to produce a horizontal laser sheet that covered a 1 m2 area of the
flume 10 cm off the flume floor. The laser light within this sheet
excited the fluorescent dye that constituted the plume. The intensity of
the light emitted from the excited rhodamine B (excitation 540 nm
emission 625 nm) molecules (and detected by the overhead CCD
camera) was proportional to their concentration. Synchronizing sig-
nals were sent from an overhead CCD camera (Hitachi KP-M2U) to
a 400 MHz Pentium computer running MetaMorphIM imaging soft-
ware; the computer then synchronized the firing of the laser with the
acquisition of images. We made seven recordings, each 2.35 min in
duration, with the source positioned sequentially at 50. 100, 150, 200.
250. 300, and 350 cm upstream from the center of the recording area.
The recordings were streamed directly to the computer disk at a rate
of 10 frames per sec. At each recording location, we made separate
recordings with the plume off to correct for background illumination,
background dye accumulation from flume water re-circulation, and
intensity variations in the laser sheet. Reference concentration series
were also recorded so that pixel intensities could be calibrated to
molar units. The individual images in each recording were corrected
for background illumination and dye accumulation in the flume by
subtracting the average background image. The effects from uneven
light distribution in the laser sheet were corrected by using this same
CHBMORECEPTION AND BEHAVIOR
251
average background image as a normalizing mask. Each image was
then filtered with a 7 X 7 pixel median filter to remove speckle noise.
The dye reference images were corrected in the same manner and
used to create a linear calibration curve (R2 = 0.98) to convert the
pixel values into molar units of dye concentration.
In general, this plume resembled a series of discontinuous filaments
and patches of dye. with their long axes aligned with the direction of
flow. As the plume progressed downstream, these filaments became
more diffuse and blended into an unhomogenous cloud at the furthest
downstream recording location. At the 350-cm recording location this
diffusion led to signal levels too low to analyze.
Once all the recordings were appropriately calibrated (above),
we extracted concentration profiles (time series) at various spatial
positions within the plume. We collected from pairs of sites
separated by 1. 3. and 9 cm cross-stream distances. Three centi-
meters approximates the inter-antennular separation of a plume-
tracking lobster. We centered these pairs at coordinates directly
downstream and at 15 cm to the left and right of the source in a
given image stack. One such set of six points was collected from
the image stack corresponding to each distance from the source.
This spatial distribution of concentration profiles provided a sam-
pling, in regular x-y coordinates, of the plume concentration dy-
namics within the laser sheet.
We studied the cross correlation functions (CCF) of these paired
concentration series (Fig. 1) to look for spatial cues that would
indicate source direction and that might be available to a pair of
sensors (e.g., the lobster's paired lateral antennules). For each
spatial location, we measured the best con-elation magnitude.
best-matched delay, peak half width, and peak asymmetry. The
delay and asymmetry indicated the existence of left-right differ-
ences in odor patch arrival time, half width reflected variation in
odor patch size. The correlation magnitude gave an indication ot
reliability of any of these cues. All 54 CCFs had significant
correlations centered at 0 delay (P < 0.0001 for all CCF maximum
peaks, many P < 0.0001, R- ranged between 0.99 at 1 cm and 0.25
at 9 cm inter-sensor separation). The magnitude of the correlations
fell off with increased separation between sampling pairs, but did
not vary systematically with the spatial location of the pairs in the
plume. We also found no significant variations in CCF asymmetry
or half width with spatial location.
Although American lobsters are more accurate plume trackers
when they use both antennules. we found no indications in this
rigorous quantitative study that bilaterally relevant information
exists in the plume generated by this "leaky" source. The earlier
lobster studies were conducted with plumes from non-zero mo-
mentum (jet) sources, where such directional cues are known to
exist (3. 4, 5, 6). Since lobsters can track this exact momentumless
(leaky) plume, however, we are left with two alternatives: 1) that
lobsters use other bilateral cues than instantaneous cross correla-
tion of concentration when tracking such plumes; or 2) that no
bilateral information is required by these animals to track leaky
plumes. These negative results are important because leaky plumes
are common in the natural world and contrast the 'jet' sources
which have received greater attention in previous physical plume
characterizations (5, 6) and behavioral studies with lobsters (1, 2).
These results support the idea that lobsters are more likely to use
different tracking strategies in different plumes than one univer-
sally effective strategy for all plumes.
Right/Left Virtual Sensors 150 cm
Downstream 1 cm Separation
— Right Sensor
— Left Sensor
.2 O.OF
Cross-Correlation of Above Signals
-Peak r=.91 p=<.001
Half-Heighl (0.45)
0 0.5
Delay (s)
Figure 1. A representative cross-correlation (n = 1411) from our data
set. Only the first second and hull <>/ rlic 2.35-min range of the cross-
correlation is slum-it. All nl the cross-correlations showed a zero delay and
a high degree of s\mmetr\ anninil that delay. The method of determining
the half-width of the cross-correlation is illustrated in the diagram. We
measured half width by finding the two points of intersection between the
horizontal line at the _W7r maximum correlation level and the correlogram.
The half-width was the distance between these nru points projected onto
the time axis. Peak asymmetry was measured by comparing the integrated
areas beneath the correlograin between these nro half-widths anil the
delav of the peak correlation.
We thank Dr. Deborah Compton of the Boston University
Aeronautical Engineering department for fluid dynamics advice,
and the loan of the laser and optical equipment. We thank Doug
Bowman and Neil Glickman from Universal Imaging, and Meg
Steele and Carla Guenther for valuable technical assistance. This
work was supported by NSF-REU (OCE-960599) Site Grant to
Boston University and DARPA-ONR Award (N00014-98-1-0822)
to FG and JA.
Literature Cited
I Devine, D., and J. Atema. 1982. Biol. Bull. 163: 144-153.
2. Beglane, P., F. VV. Grasso, J. Basil, and J. Atema. 1997. Biol. Bull.
193: 214-215.
3. Grasso, F. W.. J. H. Dale, T. R. Consi, D. C. Mountain, and J.
Atema. 1996. Biol. Bull. 191: 312-313.
4 Grasso, F. VV., J. H. Dale, T. R. Consi, D. C. Mountain, and J.
Atema. 1997. Biol. Hull. 193: 2l5-21h.
5. Dittmer, K., F. W. Grasso, and .1. Atema. 1996. Biol. Bull. 191:
313-314.
6. Dittmer, K., F. W. Grasso, and J. Atema. 1995. Biol. Bull. 189:
232-233.
252 REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 252-253. (October 1999)
Chemoreceptor Cells as Concentration Slope Detectors: Preliminary Evidence from the Lobster Nose
Erik Zettler1 and Jelle Atema (Boston University Marine Program,
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Chemoreceptor cells of the American lobster Ho/iiunt.s ameri-
i-uniis distinguish between different chemical compounds, as well
as their concentrations ( 1 . 2, 3). After an initial phasic response to
an increase in stimulus concentration, chemoreceptor cells quickly
adapt to the higher background and. within one to a few seconds,
spike frequency reverts to zero or to a low tonic level (2. 3). The
chemical signature of an odor source is dispersed through its fluid
medium by generally turbulent flow resulting in patches of differ-
ent sizes and shapes. As these spatial patches pass by a sensor they
appear as concentration peaks over time. The onset slopes of these
peaks depend on the shape and concentration of the individual
patches. Despite the chaotic nature of turbulence there is a spatial
gradient of patches within such an odor plume. Patches disperse in
statistically describable patterns, creating "odor landscapes" such
that, closer to the source, the average odor peak heights and onset
slopes are greater (I, 4). If an animal could distinguish between
shallow and steep odor onset slopes, it could orient itself in a
turbulent plume and move towards or away from the odor source.
We have investigated the response of chemoreceptor cells of the
lateral antennule of the American lobster Honuinis americiiniis to
odor onset slopes generated by computer-controlled piston pumps
(Millipore model 510). The odor stimulus (a 0.01% aqueous ex-
tract of TetraMarin fish food) was mixed with a dopamine tracer
that allowed us to measure the actual stimulus concentration pro-
file of each slope with high spatial and temporal resolution; the
measurement was made with an IVEC-5 system (In Vivo Electro-
chemistry. Harvard Apparatus). Lateral antennules were excised
and inserted, with aesthetasc sensilla facing up, into an acrylic
olfactometer chamber that permitted perfusion with cold oxygen-
ated Ringers and use of a suction electrode to record from the
proximally exposed nerve bundle. The distal section bearing the
aesthetascs was bathed with a constant flow of 10 ml min ~ ' of
filtered seawater into which the food odor and tracer dissolved in
seawater could be injected by the piston pumps. Using a micro-
manipulator, the measuring tip of the IVEC electrode was placed
within the aesthetasc tuft. Details of this tracer system, the olfac-
tometer. and the extracellular recording techniques for this prep-
aration are found elsewhere (3).
Four cells were tested with each of two stimulus slopes (Low
and Medium). One of these cells was tested with an additional
slope ( High) generated by suddenly opening a valve to gravity feed
the stimulus to the preparation. This delivery system is similar to
one used earlier (3) to achieve steep onset ramps but does not
allow for easily controlled slope variation. Because all cells tested
showed a similar response, we chose to show results from the cell
with the greatest number of treatments (Fig. I ). Average spike
frequency, calculated during the first second of stimulus concen-
tration rise, was higher for steeper onset slopes, ranging from 3
' Also at Sea Education Association. Woods Hole. Massachusetts.
spikes per second for the Low slope to 60 spikes per second for the
High slope. Despite this 20-fold increase in spike frequency in
response to steeper slopes, the ratio of spike frequency to stimulus
concentration change varied only by a factor of two. Since the
length of the slopes and the peak concentrations varied between
treatments and the purpose of this study was to investigate the
effects of onset slopes, we also compared the spike frequency
during the initial rise from background to when the dopamine
tracer reached 8 juM (the highest concentration reached by the Low
slope). Examined in this way, the change in concentration is
identical across treatments, so differences in spike frequency
40
Low
i ->
10
30
20
5
10
M i ,
a- ^- i
1 — -"Hi 1 J|l,l!lllli I
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Figure 1. Duplicate odor pulses for the three slopes (top traces in each
panel t, and the resulting spikes from a .single chemoreceptor cell The
concentration of the dopamine tracer (measured at 200 H; using IVEC-5)
i\ plotted on the left \-a\is: the dopamine was mixed in seawater with the
otlor stimulus and is assumed to disperse in a manner .similar to the odor
I-/). The lower section of each panel represents the occurrence of individ-
ual spikes grouped into Kill ins Inns (right y-a.\is). For hulli llic stimulus
trace and the spikes, the first run is shown in hlack, and the second run in
gra\. Despite some variation in the pump outputs (especially after the peak
concentration was reached) agreement during the initial rise in concen-
tration was good bet\veen replicates. Spikes were digitized and sorted to
ensure that they would represent a single receptor cell. Spike frequency
mi leased with increasing odor onset slope.
CHEMORECEPTION AND BEHAVIOR
253
should be due mainly to the different slopes. The spike frequency
(and rise time) during this portion of each slope was 3.1 Hz (1800
ms) for the Low slope, 5.5 Hz (980 ms) for the Medium slope, and
70 Hz ( 160 ms) for the High slope. Once the concentration stopped
rising, cells adapted to the constant background within a couple of
seconds. We note that the lack of a response to the second slope
rise in the Medium slope (middle panel between 7 and 8 seconds)
of Figure 1 may be due to the large fluctuations in the output of the
piston pumps preceding this rise. These periodic fluctuations
(some of which exceed 5 juM) would cause cumulative adaptation
in the chemoreceptor cell such that the overall response is de-
pressed (5). Because spike adaptation can occur rapidly, beginning
within 500 ms of the stimulus presentation, a steeper onset slope
may minimize adaptation and provide the highest frequency for a
given concentration. We will not discuss here the intracellular
signal transduction pathways that may be involved in the excita-
tion and adaptation phenomena observed.
These preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of deliver-
ing measured concentration slopes and provide initial evidence
that chemoreceptor cells can act as "slope detectors." Odor slope
discrimination could be very useful for orienting and tracking in a
fluid environment, because so much physical information about the
plume and odor source is present in the distribution of slopes in the
eddy field (4). In this study, single cells could discriminate be-
tween a range of odor onset slopes with rise times similar to those
measured in laboratory studies of jet plumes (1, 4). In general,
animals may have different chemoreceptor cells "tuned" to partic-
ular ranges of pulse characteristics, such as frequency, height,
length, and slope (1, 2, 3).
Thanks to D. Mellon and G. Gomez for helpful discussions.
Supported by NSF grant IBN-9723542 to JA and a B.U.M.P.
Humes alumni Award to EZ.
Literature Cited
1. Atema, J. 1996. Biol. Bull. 191: 129-138.
2. Borroni, P., and J. Atema. 19S8. ./. Com/'. Physiol. A. 164: 67-74.
3 Gomez, G., and J. Atema. 1996. J. Exp. Biol. 199: 1771-1779.
4. Moore, P., and J. Atema. 1991. Biol. Bull 181: 408-418
5. Voigt, R., and J. Atema. 1990. J. Own/'- Physiol. A. 166: 865-874.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 253-254. (October 1999)
Individual Recognition and Memory in Homarus americamis Male-Female Interactions
Cristin Berkev1 and Jelle Atema (Boston University Marine Program, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Individual recognition and memory have been studied in Ho-
marus americamis, the American lobster. It has previously been
demonstrated, through lobster boxing matches, that males can
recognize individuals. When a male encounters the same male it
lost to previously, it avoids a new fight. The same animal will fight
on subsequent occasions if presented with an unfamiliar opponent
( 1 ). The ability to recognize a previous opponent lasts for up to a
week, and it is based on olfactory recollection of the opponents'
urine (2). The same results have been obtained in female-female
encounters (3). We therefore hypothesize that male-female pairs of
Homarus americanus can also recognize individuals, as demon-
strated by shorter periods of fighting on the second encounter with
familiar individuals.
Males and females were paired by carapace length, with no pair
differing by more than 3 mm. It was also ensured that in all
matched pairs, the animals had not previously met. Animals were
kept in isolation for 24 h before their first boxing match and for the
24 h between the first and second matches. All boxing matches
took place in a 240-1 glass aquarium and were videotaped. One
male and one female were placed in the tank and separated by a
removable, opaque divider. The lobsters were allowed to acclimate
for 10 min before the divider was removed, and then allowed to
interact for 20 min. There were two sets of fights, group A and
group B. In group A, the same pair of animals fought twice. In
group B, the animals were rotated so that each animal met a new
opponent in the second fight. In both sets, the first and second
fights were separated by 24 h. Any pair of animals that did not
1 Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.
show a definite loser and winner after the first 20-min period was
disqualified and the fight was not included in the data analysis.
The fights were scored using a pre-established scale of agonistic
levels ( 1 ) with some additions made for differences that arose as a
result of the fights being between males and females. An agonistic
level was assigned to each animal every 5 s. The levels ranged
from —2 to 5, with -2 demonstrating fleeing behavior and 5
demonstrating claw snapping or claw ripping at the opponent. An
overall agonistic scale was calculated for each animal in each fight
by summing all of the agonistic values. A fight was determined to
be over when one animal ceased to show an agonistic level above
one. In this way, the duration of each fight was scored. To prevent
bias during analysis of the behavioral tapes, the scorer was blind to
whether the tapes were from a first or second fight.
In group A, 10 pairs of fights were carried out. Significantly, in
9 out of 10 instances, no fighting occurred on the second encoun-
ter; fighting did occur in the tenth case. In group B, 13 pairs of
fights were carried out. Two sets were disqualified because there
was no clear winner after the first fight. In 3 out of 1 1 instances, no
fighting occurred on the second encounter. In 8 instances, fighting
occurred. The fraction of times in which fighting occurred on the
second encounter is significantly different between the two groups
(P < 0.005 .v2 = 8.41 6 df = 1).
When a fight was between familiar opponents, the aggression
level of the loser was significantly lower in the second boxing
match than in the first boxing match (P < 0.05 paired t test).
However, for unfamiliar opponents, the aggression level of the
loser was not significantly lower in the second boxing match than
in the first (paired / test). The aggression level of the winner was
254
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
not significantly different between the two fights in either group A
or group B (paired t test).
We observed two behaviors that had not previously been seen in
either male-male ( I ) or female-female (3) matches. One of these
was mounting behavior, which typically occurs just prior to mating
(4): the male climbs on the back of the female and attempts to turn
her onto her back using his first two pairs of walking legs and his
third maxillipeds. In our encounters, however, this mounting be-
havior never progressed to actual mating. We observed male-
female mounting behavior in five separate encounters, two of
which involved the same pair of animals. A second form ol
behavior not seen in same-sex boxing matches was nonreactive
contact. This included any situation in which the two animals were
in physical contact but did not seem to be reacting to each other.
The average time spent in contact across the 42 fights analyzed
was 1 79 s per 20-min fight. This value had no obvious correlation
with previous exposure to the opponent. In addition to the differ-
ences already mentioned, fight duration in first encounters was
significantly shorter in male-female fights than in male-male fights
(P < 0.05, / test). The average fight duration was 250 s (SE ± 50 s)
in male-female pairs, but 457 (SE ± 73 s) in male-male pairs ( 1 ).
However, there was no significant difference in fight duration
between male-female and female-female first fights: the average
fight duration in female-female pairs was 206 s (SE ± 73 s) (3).
The similarity in fight duration between female-female and male-
female pairs is consistent with the observation that the loser
determines the end of the fight: in male-female pairs, females
typically lost.
The fact that second encounters were much shorter, to the point
that no fighting occurred, supports the hypothesis that male and
female lobsters can recognize each other as individuals. The results
also demonstrated differences, such as nonreactive contact and
mounting behavior, in the way male and female lobsters interact
within the boxing match situation, compared to male-male and
female-female interactions. It is possible that these differences
parallel the natural interactions between male and female lobsters.
Females are allowed to enter male shelters, whereas other males
are not (5 ). Therefore, males and females must be capable of being
near to each other without demonstrating aggressive behavior.
Financial support from NSF-REU (OCE-9605099 site award
to Boston University). We thank Leslie McLaughlin, Jennifer
Walters, and Dr. Frank Grasso for their assistance with this project.
Literature Cited
I Karavanich, C., and J. Atema. 1998. Anim. Bchav. 56: 1553-1560.
2. Karavanich, C., and J. Atema. 1998. Behaviour 135: 719-730
3. Atema, J.. T. Breithaupt, A. LeVay, J. Morrison, M. Mallidis, and
M. Edattukaran. 1999. Client. .SVino (in press).
4 Atema, J., and D. G. Engstrom. 1971. Nunire 232: 261 263.
5. Bushmann, P., and J. Atema. 1997. dm. J. Fish. Aqital. Sri. 54:
647-656.
Reference: «;,./. Bull. 197: 254-255. (October 19l. Bull. 197: 257-258. (October I9W)
Squid Axoplasm Supports the Retrograde Axonal Transport of Herpes Simplex Virus
E. L. Bearer (Brown University). M. L Schlief , X. O. Breakefield2 , D. E. Sclutback2, T. S. Reese*.
and J. H. LaVaif
Neurotropic viruses, such as Herpes simplex virus type 1
(HSV1 1. first enter the axon terminal and are transported to the cell
body where they replicate in the nucleus. Based on previous
studies using whole animal assays ( 1 ). as well as assays of whole
cells //; vitro (2. 3), we know that HSV enters axons and travels as
an unenveloped particle — capsid plus associated tegument pro-
teins— in a retrograde direction toward the cell body. The rate of
transport has been estimated to be 3-5 mm/hr (2).
Although these earlier studies provided important insight into
the delivery of virus to the nucleus, they were limited. What has
been needed is an experimental system in which HSV can be
applied to a particular region of a neuron at a known concentration
and time, and the transport of the virus assayed quantitatively
within the axon. With such an assay one could address questions
about the real time motility of the viral particle and about the viral
and cellular proteins that are essential for this behavior.
The giant axon of the squid, Loligo pealei, serves as a powerful
model for the molecular mechanisms of axoplasmic transport. The
microtubule-based motor, kinesin, was discovered in squid (4);
and microtubule-based transport in both anterograde and retro-
grade directions has been extensively characterized. Recently,
actin-based transport of squid axoplasmic organelles has also been
described (5, 6). Organelles move in either direction in the giant
axon at 2-4 JLUTI/S. Organelles isolated from squid axons move
towards the barbed ends of actin filaments (6. 7) at 1.6 jxm/s (8)
and in either direction on microtubules at 2 ju,m/s (9). The axon
contains long tracks of microtubule-actin filament bundles that
appear to serve collectively as tracks for axonal transport (10).
Thus, the squid axon contains all the requisite molecular machin-
ery for transport. In this report, we describe the use of the squid
giant axon as an alternative to previous approaches and present for
the first time direct observation of the movement of HSV in living
axons.
To image the virus in the axon, we used a viral HSV strain in
which a major tegument protein, viral protein (VP) 16, was gen-
erated as a fusion protein with GFP at the C terminal. This virus
was grown in Vero cells, purified, and concentrated to a titer of
about 1.0 X 109 pfu/ml. Different aliquots of the viral stock were
treated in various ways to remove the viral envelope. This mimics
the first step in viral infection in which the viral envelope fuses
with the cell membrane, releasing the capsid together with its
tegument into the cytosol. In vitro removal of the envelope was
necessary for these experiments because injection of virus into the
axon by-passes the normal membrane fusion step. Several treat-
ments were found that produced motile, fluorescent particles in the
axon after injection.
' NINDS. National Institutes of Health. Bethesda. Maryland.
2 Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston. Massachusetts.
3 University of California. San Francisco.
The viral preparation was co-injected with non-fluorescent oil.
The oil droplet was used to determine an appropriate focal plane
and as a fixed reference marker, since it remains stationary after
injection (11). The movement of viral particles was recorded on a
laser scanning confocal microscope. Movement was sampled ~ I
frame/3 s. and transport rates were determined by analyzing se-
quential frames.
When we examined fields upstream from the oil droplet, i.e..
closer to the cell body, we identified rapidly moving particles. One
of these moved -36 p.m in 18 s for an overall rate of 1.9 ju,m/s in
the retrograde direction (Fig. 1 ). At the end of this sequence, this
particle went out of the plane of focus. Of 113 moving particles
examined, all were found in the region of the axon between the oil
droplet and the cell body, moving in the retrograde direction.
The effect on the virus of the pre-injection treatment was de-
termined by electron microscopy of negatively stained prepara-
tions. Of the virus in those samples that produced motile particles
when injected in the axon. —90% had lost their surface envelope.
Since the GFP-labeled protein. VP16, is a tegument protein, the
moving particles we observed must include at least tegument,
either as whole virus, tegument plus capsid. or simply as tegument
aggregates. Since neither capsid nor membrane are GFP-labeled.
we cannot know from these studies whether they also are capable
of moving.
We have demonstrated the rapid and preferential retrograde
axonal transport of HSV particles in the living axon. The rate of
movement of these viral particles in the squid giant axon is similar
to the estimated rates of retrograde transport of this human virus in
rat dorsal root ganglia in culture (2). Furthermore, this rate is
consistent with the rates of retrograde transport of endogenous
organelles in the squid axon and of isolated organelles on either
microtubules or actin filaments. Both the direction and rate of
movement suggest that a host cell motor molecule, such as the
retrograde microtubule motor, dynein, may be co-opted by invad-
ing virus. Thus, by combining the power of the squid axon with a
biochemical and genetic dissection of the virus, we expect to be
able to identify the viral proteins required for transport, as well as
the cellular transport machinery that they recruit.
Supported by NIH EY08773 (JHL), GM47638 (ELB), NINDS
(TSR). NINDS24279 (XDB). and by the Frederik B. Bang Fel-
lowship Fund and the Evelyn and Melvin Spiegel Fellowship
Fund, Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole. MA. and by a
predoctoral NINDS fellowship (MLS).
Literature Cited
1. Topp, K. S.. L. B. Meade, and J. H. LaVail. 1994. J. Neumsci. 14:
318-325.
2. Lycke, E., K. Kristensson, B. Svennerholm, A. Vahlne, and R.
Zeigler. 1984. J. Gen. Virol. 65: 55-64.
258
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
muscle
retrograde
1 Sodeik, B., M. W. Ebersold, and A. Helenius. 1997. J. Cell Biol.
136: 1007-1021.
4. Vale, R. D., T. S. Reese, and M. P. Sheetz. 1985. Cell 42: 39-50.
5 Kuznetsov, S. A., G. M. Langford, and D. G. Weiss. 1992. Nature
356: 722-725.
6. Bearer E. L., J. A. DeGiorgis, R. A. Bodner, A. W. Kao, and T. S.
Reese. 1993. Proe. Null. Acad. Sci. USA 90: 11252-11256.
7. Langford, G. M., S. A. Kuznetsov, D. Johnson, D. L. Cohen, and
D. G. Weiss. 1994. J. Cell Sci. 107: 2291-8.
8 Bearer, E. L., J. A. DeGiorgis, N. A. Medeiros, and T. S. Reese.
1995. Cell Mori/. Cytoxkeleton 33: 106-1 14.
9. Schnapp, B. J., R. D. Vale, M. P. Sheetz, and T. S. Reese. 1985.
Cell 40: 455-462.
10. Bearer, E. L., and T. S. Reese. 1999. J. Neurocytol. 28: 85-98.
1 1 Galbraith, J. A., T. S. Reese, M. L. Schlief, and P. E. Gallant. 1999.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (in press).
Figure 1. Retrograde transport of a GFP-labe/ed viral particle in u
living squid axon. The giant axon was dissected in Ca++ -containing
seawater and injected with >IOO pfu O/GFP-VP16 labeled and extracted
Herpes simplex virus. Still frames were taken from a BioRad confocal
microscope sei/uence captured at 2—3 sec intervals and processed with
NIH Image sojhvare. The diagram shows the orientation of the giant axon
and site of injection relative to obsen-ed movements (dashed arrow). In this
preparation, the cell body is to ihc right. GFP-labeled particle (oblii/ue
arrowhead] moves at 1.9 fiin/s towards the cell body, contrasting with a
\tati S).
DNA sequences known from five other neuronal kinesin family
mRNAs were used as probes in a Northern blot analysis to deter-
mine whether any other kinesins were enriched in myelin. Mes-
senger RNA isoforms of two other kinesins, KHC and KIF2, were
found to be enriched in myelin (data not shown). The mRNA for
the major KHC was quite large, 7-9 kb. whereas that for KIF2 was
small, less than 2.5 kb. Northern blots were used to determine the
tissue distributions and developmental appearances of these
mRNAs. The low molecular weight mRNA for KIF2 had tissue
distribution and developmental expression patterns similar to those
of the MBP and CNP mRNAs. Unlike these "myelination-specific"
mRNAs, non-neural tissues also expressed KHC and DLIC-2 (data
MBP
S M
KIF1A DLIC-2
S M S M
CNP
S VI
• •
Figure 1. L RNA/lane) of RNA from the sttirtni^
material supernatant iSI unit myelin fraction (M) were run on ]1e agarose/
formaldeh\de Kcls and transferred to in/on membranes. The membranes
were probed with "P-labeledcDNAsforMBP. CNP. and r\\-o novel cDNAs
obtained b\ siibiractive hybridization (see text) according to methods used
in mil lab i^i. We have not checked these membranes for eainil loading,
bit! have fount! !l/' same results for each probe on several occasions. The
sizes of the inKNAs are roitxhly 2 kb {MBP). 5 kb (CNP). 7 and 9 kb for the
larger KIFIA hands uml more thtin 6 kb for the DLIC-2 band enriched in
mvelin. The sizes for MBP. CNP and DLIC mRNAs tire the same as
expected front the sizes of the cDNAs (accessed through GenBankl
260
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Figure 2. In situ hybridization of KIF1A tnRNA in (A) the dorsal
column of P10 rat spinal cord and in (B) cultured mouse OL. In both
pictures the arrows point to labeled cell processes. The resolution in
cultured cells is sufficient to see thai the mRNA is present in discrete
granules, which would be an indicator that the mRNA was transported in
granules.
not shown). Their developmental expression patterns also differed
from MBP and CNP mRNAs; they were expressed throughout
postnatal development. In situ hybridization studies confirm the
presence of these mRNAs in OL processes in vivo and in culture.
We have demonstrated that the KJF1A probe recognizes mRNAs
in a cluster of OLs in the dorsal column of a young rat spinal cord
and in cultured mouse brain OLs (Fig. 2). In cells in vivo and in
culture. mRNA is clearly seen in long cell processes, indicative of
mRNA transport. Synthesis of motor proteins in OL processes
indicates that complex "microtubule-based" communication sys-
tems are in place to transport vesicles from sites of myelin sheath
assembly back to the OL soma. This system could function to
transport those proteins that must be removed from the OL plasma
membrane so that the myelin sheaths will be left with their select
and rather simple protein composition. We hypothesize that the
appearance of KIF1A. KHC. and DLIC-2 mRNAs early in devel-
opment indicates that these proteins are formed in OL processes at
early developmental stages, i.e., when OLs first contact the axons
they myelinate. If this is the case, the motors may play a role in
transporting axon-derived material back to the OL soma.
Supported by a grant (RG2944AG/1) from the National Multi-
ple Sclerosis Society.
Literature Cited
1 Colman, D. R., G. Kreibich, A. B. Frey, and D. D. Sabatini. 1982.
J. Cell B/o/. 95: 598-608.
2. Gillespie, C. S., L. Bernier, P. J. Brophy. and D. R. Colman. 1990.
J. Nfurochem. 54: 656-661.
3. Gould, R. M. 1998. J. Neurocliem. 70 Suppl. 1 S53.
4 Diatchenko, L., V.-F. C. Lau, A. P. Campbell, A. Chenchik, F.
Mooadam, B. Huang, S. Lukyanov, K. Lukyanov, N. Gurskaya,
E. D. Sverdlov, et al. 1996. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93: 6025-
6030.
5 Altschul, S. F., T. L. Madden, A. A. Schaffer, J. Zhang, Z. Zhang,
W. Miller, and D. J. Lipman. 1997. Nucleic Acids Res. 25: 3389-
3402.
6. Okada, Y., V. Yamazaki, Y. Sekine-Aizawa, and N. Hirnkawa.
1995. Cell 81: 769-780.
7. Hughes, S. M., K. T. Vaughan, J. S. Herskovits, and R. B. Vallee.
1995. ./. Cell Sci. 108: 24.
8. Gould, R. M., C. M. Freund, and K. Barbarese. J. Neurocliem. 73:
(in press).
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 260-262. (October 1999)
Migration Forces in Dictyosteliiun Measured by Centrifuge DIC Microscopy
Yoshio Fukui1, Taro Q. P. U\eda~, Chikako Kitavanur, and Sliinya fnoiie
(Marine Biological Laboraton; Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543-1015)
Amoeboid locomotion represents an important biological activ-
ity involved in cell growth and development ( 1 ). Forces that
underlie movement of the giant amoeba. Chaos chaos, have been
estimated to be 1.5 x 102 pN/junr as measured by Kamiya's
double chamber method (2). For a slime mold, Dictyosteliiun
disctiideum, the forces of cell locomotion have been unknown, but
the cortex resists poking with a microneedle (cortical tension) at
1.4 X K)1 pN//nirr (3). By micropipette aspiration, the cortical
tension of D. discoideum has been measured as 1.55 x 103
pN//xm2 (4). In the present study, we determined the migration
stalliirj forces of D. discoideum by using a centrifuge polarizing
1 Cell anil Molecular Biology. Northwestern University Medical School,
Chicago. Illinois 6061 1-3008.
: Biomolecular Research Group. National Institute for Advanced Inter-
disciplinary Research. Tsukuha, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan.
microscope (CPM) equipped with DIC optics (5). The results
demonstrated that individual wild type (NC4) amoebae (6) can
crawl centripetally on a glass surface, resisting gravitational forces
larger than 1 1 ,465 x g. NC4 amoebae can also undergo normal
cytokinesis at forces of at least 8376 X g.
Dictyostelium cells were washed with Bonner's saline solution
(BSS: 10 mM NaCl, 10 mM KC1, 3 mM CaCl,) and allowed to
attach to an ethanol-cleuned glass slide in a custom centrifuge
chamber filled with BSS. Frozen images of the spinning micro-
scopic field containing 20-50 cells were recorded onto Sony
ED-Beta tape through an Olympus SLC Plan Fl 40 x (N.A. 0.55)
or LC Plan Fl 20x (N.A. 0.40) objective lens and a condenser lens
(LC Plan Fl 20X/N.A. 0.40). The images illuminated by a 532-nm
pulsed laser were captured in real time with a Hamamatsu C5946
CCD camera equipped with an interference-fringe-free filter. The
centrifuge disk rotates horizontally, and its speed was controlled in
CELL MOTILITY
Table I
Migration stall forces in Dictyostelium
261
Measurement
Maximum Rotation (rpm)t
Gravity (X g)
Force § (X103 pN)
Strain*
NC4
Ax3
HSI
B. Migration stall forces of different strains and myosin mutants
> II, 700
> 1 1 ,465
>8.77 ± 1.10
6,400
3,431
1.08 ± 0.42
3.500
1,025
0.28 ± 0.09
C. Migration stall forces and medium density in HSI
A5
Radius (X10 4 cm)
Volume (X10~10cm3)
AMasst (X10~" g)
A. Reduced mass of different
4.81 ± 0.95
3.78 ± 1.44
2.57 ± 0.98
strains and myosin mutants
5.47 ± 1.05
4.87 ± 1.80
3.32 ± 1.23
5.14 ± 0.83
4.26 ± 1.34
2.90 ± 0.91
5.48 ± 0.98
4.87 ± 1.69
3.31 ± 1.15
3,400
968
0.30 ± 0. 1 1
Percoll (%)
0%
10%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Density (g/ml)
1.000
1.024
1.032
1.064
1.104
1.186
Maximum Rotation (rpml±
3,500
4.100
4.900
6.800
7.800
8,600
Gravity (X g)
1.025
1,408
2,011
3,873
5,096
6.195
* NC4: wild type, Ax3: axenic mutant, HSI: myosin II knock-out mutant. A5: triple (myoIA, myolB, myosin II) knock-out mutant.
t AMass = (Cell density - Medium density) x Volume = (1.068 - 1.000) x Volume = 0.068 (g/cm1) x Volume (cm')
t Maximum rotor rpm beyond which the amoebae were unable to crawl centnpetally.
§ Standard deviation each based on measurements of diameters of more than 100 cells.
100-rpm increments up to a maximum speed of I 1.700 rpm. The
radius from the center of the disk to the center of the observation
chamber was 7.5 cm. We determined the maximum rotation speed
at which the cell's geometric center ("centroid") exhibited centrip-
etal movement, i.e., movement towards the center of the rotor. The
measurement was done for wild type (NC4) (6). axenic strain
(Ax3) (6), and two myosin knock-out mutants. Of the two, HSI is
a myosin II null mutant that does not express conventional myosin,
which is responsible for production of major mechanochemical
forces (7). A5 is a triple knock-out mutant that does not express
myoIA. myolB, or myosin II (8).
Migration forces were calculated from Newton's Force Law,
i.e., F = in X a, where F is force (in pico Newton: pN). »t is mass
(in grams), and a is acceleration (in centimeters per second
squared). We measured cell volumes from the diameter of round
cells and calculated the reduced mass by multiplying the volume
by the density difference (1.068 - 1.000 g/cm') (9). The average
radius, calibrated volume, and reduced mass of NC4, Ax3, HSI,
and A3 are shown in Table IA. As shown, the maximum rotational
speeds at which the amoebae were able to crawl centripetally were
11,700, 6400. 3500. and 3400 rpm. respectively. No centripetal
migration occurred when the rotor speed was increased by 100
rpm. These values correspond to 11.465 x g. 3431 X g, 1025 X
g, and 968 X g, respectively. These results showed that the
gravitational forces equivalent to the migration stall forces are.
respectively, >2.77 x 10' pN. 1.08 x 101 pN. 0.28 x 10' pN. and
0.30 X 103 pN (Table IB).
We also examined the "maximum rotation speed" as a function
of density of the medium (Table 1C). The results of these experi-
ments were unexpected; the ability of the amoebae to migrate
centripetally continued to increase with the density of the medium.
even when it substantially exceeded the density of the amoebae
themselves, so that detached amoebae would float. Since all strains
exhibited the same level of adhesion up to maximum rotation (i.e..
11.700 rpm). we propose that the capacity for centripetal move-
ment in fact represents the migration forces of those amoebae. The
behavior of an amoeba in a medium with a density greater than its
own must signify a stalling mechanism based not on the overall
buoyant density of the amoeba, but perhaps on some stratified
components on or within the amoeba.
This study demonstrates that the axenic strain (Ax3) is in fact a
type of mutant (10) that can generate less than 39% of the migra-
tion force generated by the original wild type (NC4). This study
further demonstrates that a myosin II knock-out mutant (HS 1 ) can
generate only 26% of the migration force that its axenic parent
(Ax3) can produce. In contrast, knocking-out myoIA and IB (A5)
produces no additional decrease in the generation of migration
forces. The migration stall forces exhibited by those mutants are
obviously not dependent on myoIA. myolB or myosin II. suggest-
ing a significant contribution by other actin-based. force-generat-
ing mechanisms.
Literature Cited
1. Fukui, Y. 1993. Inl. Rf\: CM,,!. 144: 85-127.
2. Kamiya. N. 1964. Pp. 257-277 in Primitive Motile Systems in Cell
B/o/()?v. R. D. Allen and N. Kamiya, eds. Academic Press. New York.
3. Pasternak. C., J. A. Spudich, and E. L. Elson. 1989. Nature 341:
549-551.
4 Gerald, N., J. Dai, H. P. Ting-Beall, and A. De Lozanne. 1998.
J. Cell />'/»/. 141: 483-492.
5. Goda, M., S. Inoue, and R. Knudson. 1998. Biol. Bull. 195:
212-214.
262
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
ft. Raper, K. B. 1984. Pp. 19. 74-75 in The Dictyosteliads, Princeton
University Press. Princeton. New Jerse>
7 Ruppel, K. M., T. Q. P. Uyeda, and J. A. Spudich. 1994. J. Biol.
Cliein. 269: 18773-18780.
X Kitayama, C.. J. Dai. H. P. Ting-Beall. M. A. Titus, and T. Q. P.
Uyeda. 1998. Mol. Biol. Cell 9: 387a.
9. Fukui, Y. 1976. Dev. Growth Differ. 18: 145-155.
10. Kavman, S. C., and M. Clarke. 1983. ./. Cell Biol. 97: 1001-11)10.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 262-263. (October 1999)
Dynamic Confocal Imaging of Interphase and Mitotic Microtubules in the Fission Yeast, S. pombe
P. T. Tran1, P. Maddox2, F. Chang1, and S. Inone
(Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
In the fission yeast. S. pombe, microtubules are required for
multiple cellular processes, including maintenance of cell polarity,
positioning of cellular organelles. and mitosis. Thus, microtubules
are dynamic polymers ( 1 ), remodeling themselves within the living
cell throughout the cell cycle.
Unfortunately, our current view of the cytoskeletal architecture
of the fission yeast microtubule conies from immunofluorescence
microscopy and electron microscopy of static, fixed cells (2).
However, recent technical advances in wide-field epifluorescence
imaging of microtubules, made possible by fusions of green fluo-
rescent protein to tubulin (GFP-tubulin), have allowed direct ob-
' Columbia University. New York. New York 10032.
2 University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514.
servation of microtubule behavior in living fission yeast cells (3).
We have now applied real-time confocal microscopy to GFP-
tubulin in haploid fission yeast, and can report dynamic changes in
the microtubule cytoskeleton with unprecedented spatial and tem-
poral resolution.
A wild type haploid strain of fission yeast was transformed with
a plasmid carrying the GFP-a2/tubulin gene. GFP-tubulin was
therefore expressed along with endogenous tubulin. The behavior
of the GFP-tubulin yeast strain is identical to that of the wild type
in terms of cellular morphology and cell cycle duplication time (3).
For imaging, cells were mounted on a thin layer of 20% gelatin
mixed with yeast medium, between coverslip and slide. Images
were digitally acquired at room temperature (23° to 26°C) with
Metamorph Software (Universal Imaging Corp.) controlling a
Figure 1. Real-time confocal ima^inx of GfP-nihiilin in the haploid /nwo/i \etixt, S. pombe. linages are extracted at the noted tune intervals to x/iow
cell cvcle proxrcsxii'ii >/ inn lotnhnle reori>aiii.iilion and i/vnamicx. Panel A xliowx un interphiixe microtnlnile hnndle. Note the dynamic changes in
microlnhnle lcn?;tli\ an, I the /" i w\/cm e nf the overlap region; o = overlap region. Panel R xhowx n initotic microtubule spindle. Note the rapid increase
in \piiulle length at both emlx, a\ well i/.s nxlnil niierotiihiilex and newlv nucleated microtubules from the central region of the cell at the late Stage of mitosis;
\ = spindle, a — astral microtubules. \< ale har = 5 ^m.
CELL MOTILITY
263
CCD digital camera (Orca-1, Hamamatsu Corp.), mounted on a
real-time confocal unit at 488 nm excitation (CSU-10, Yokogawa
Corp.) attached to the Leica DMRX microscope stand equipped
with a 100X/1.3N.A. oil-immersion objective (Leica Corp.).
During interphase, about 4-6 bundles of microtubules extend
along the long axis of the cell. Each bundle consists of 2-4
individual microtubules arranged in a characteristic manner sug-
gestive of anti-parallel microtubules overlapping each other within
a small region near the center of the cell (Fig. 1A). The microtu-
bules are very dynamic, exhibiting a growth rate of 2.5 /nm/min
and a shrinkage rate of 15 /urn/min. Switching between growth and
shrinkage is frequent. Microtubule shrinkage starts at one tip of the
cell, progresses to the overlap region near the center of the cell,
and abruptly stops, never advancing beyond the overlap region
(Fig. 1A). The behavior of the opposing microtubule in the overlap
appears to be independent of the shrinking microtubule. In in-
stances where both ends of the same microtubule bundle shrink
completely, the overlapping region remains in the center of the cell
as a small bright dot which eventually nucleates new microtubules
(Fig. 1A). This suggests that the overlapping region in each mi-
crotubule bundle contains secondary microtubule-organizing-cen-
ters (MTOCs). whereas the SPB is the primary MTOC.
At the onset of mitosis, all interphase microtubules abruptly and
completely shrink, not to be renucleated. The secondary MTOCs
also disappear. The SPBs appear as one bright dot, which subse-
quently elongates to form the mitotic spindle. Spindle elongation
appears biphasic. There is an initial slow rate of elongation of 0.2
/Lim/min until the spindle reaches a length of about 2-3 microme-
ters. Then the spindle elongates rapidly, at 0.8 /nm/min. Coincident
with the fast elongation phase, astral microtubules, which appear
to be more or less perpendicular to the long axis of the spindle,
begin to nucleate from the SPBs (Fig. IB). The ends of the astral
microtubule bundle seem to interact with the cell cortex, as the
spindle elongates to the length of the cell. Before the spindle has
completely elongated to the tips of the cell, numerous microtuhiile
nucleations can be observed at the center of the cell, where the
division ring and septum eventually constrict to separate the two
new cells (Fig. IB). The new microtubules undergo dynamics
similar to those of the interphase microtubules. At the end of
mitosis, the spindle microtubules disassemble, septation occurs,
and the two new cells are once again in interphase. The complete
cell cycle lasts about 2.5 h.
These preliminary observations on microtubule cytoskeleton
dynamics and reorganization throughout the fission yeast cell cycle
were made directly on living cells at high spatial and temporal
resolution. Because a myriad of mutants in fission yeast are avail-
able for study with this imaging technique, important new oppor-
tunities for probing and analyzing the molecular mechanisms of
microtubule-dependent cellular processes and activities are now
open.
P.T.T. thanks Dr. Rudolf Oldenbourg for generously providing
lab space and equipment during this study. This work was funded
in part by NIH grants to P.T.T. and F.C.
Literature Cited
1. Desai, A., and T. J. Mitchison. 1997. Anmi. Rev. Cell De\: liinl. 13:
83-117.
2. Hagan, I. M. 1988. J. Cell Sci. Ill: 1603-1612.
3 Ding, D. Q., Y. Chikashige, T. Haraguchi, and Y. Hiraoka. 1998.
J. Cell Sci. Ill: 701-712.
Reference: Bint. Bull. 197: 263-265. (October 1999)
Dynamic Confocal Imaging of Mitochondria in Swimming Tetrahymena and of Microtubule Poleward
Flux in Xenopus Extract Spindles
Paul Maddox1, Arshad Desai2, E. D. Salmon1, T. J. Mitchison"'. Karen Oogema2, Tarun Kapoor3,
Brian Matsuinoto4, and Slunya Inoue (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
We report here the use of a real-time, spinning-disk confocal
scanning unit (Yokogawa Electric CSU-10; 1 ) mounted on a Leica
microscope to investigate the internal dynamics of fluorescently
labeled microtubules in mitotic spindles. We aimed, in particular,
to test the spatial and temporal resolution and the optical section-
ing capability of the microscope setup.
Live Tetrahymena were stained with the fluorescent probe, Mito
Tracker Green FM (Molecular Probes, Cat#M7514). Excitation
was provided by the 488-nm line from a Krypton-Argon gas laser,
which was passed through the spinning disk in the CSU-10. Green
fluorescence from the mitochondria was collected back through the
confocal unit by a SIT (Silicon Intensified Target) camera (Dage-
1 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
2 EMBL, Heidelburg. Germany.
3 Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
4 University of California, Santa Barbara. California.
MTI 66) mounted at the primary image plane. Video output from
the camera was recorded directly onto ED-Beta tape at 30 frames
per second, i.e.. in real time. The objective lens used for this
experiment was the 100X/1.3 NA Fluotar on the Leica DMRX
microscope.
Conventional wide field microscopy showed bright signals from
all the mitochondria, so the image was blurred. With confocal
observation, optical sections of the swimming Tetrahymena
showed fluorescence only where mitochondria came to intersect
the plane of focus.
We next explored the ability of the microscope system to
produce confocal images of assembly dynamics and motility of
microtubules within mitotic spindles. The mitotic spindles were
produced in the cell-free Xenopus extract system described else-
where (2). Briefly, cytoplasm was isolated from eggs of Xenn/nis
laevis. This extract, arrested by a metaphase cytostatic-factor
(CSF), was driven into interphase by Ca ' ' addition, then induced
264
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Figure 1. (Al Mitotic spindle in Xenupus egg extract. Fluorescent speckles in the microtubules were visualized by adding \-rliodamine-labeled tithulin
( ~ l'7r "I total tnhulin in extract! anil using the CSU-IO confocal unit as described in the text. Arrows point to free microtubules extending from the spindle.
iBl Kymograph showing the dynamics of fluorescent speckle flux. The kymograph is made up by displaying, on the horizontal axis, the fluorescence
distribution along the black line in (A) us a function of time (vertical axis). The diagonal streaks are bright spots of fluorescent speckles which move over
lime within the spindle, indicating mil rombiilc poleward flux. (C) Wide field fluorescence image of a different Xenopus extract spindle (~ 5%
laheled-liihiilin). Notice the hoiiiogeneitv of the \pimlU: ID) Another Xenopus extract spindle <~ 0.05% labeled-tubuliii) imaged by wide field fluorescence
microscopy. Fluorescent speckles are visible, but finer details of the spindle are not visible due to fluorescence from oiit-of-focus planes. Bars: (A) and (B) =
10 P.III: 1C) and (II) = 15 /ixm.
back into mitosis by addition of a small amount of CSF-arrested
extract. The resulting cytoplasmic extract contained metaphasc
spindles (sperm nuclei were added for a source of chromatin) that
were easily observed by addition of fluorescent labels (DAPI for
DNA and x-rhodamine-labeled purified tubulin for microtubules).
In previous studies, photo-uncaging of fluorescently labeled
lubulin in spindles was used to show that there is a bulk flow of
polymer originating near the spindle mid-zone and progressing
toward each pole region. This How, termed microtubule poleward
lluv was found to move at about 2 /j.m/min in Xenopus extract
spindles; this is the same rate as the chromosome-to-pole move-
ment during anaphase in this system. Therefore, it was proposed
that poleward microtubule flux could be the force generator for
anaphase A chromosome separation (3).
The object of this study was to image the dynamics of individual
microtubules within spindles. Because the spindles are about
40-/Mm long and contain thousands of microtubules, conventional
wide-field fluorescence micrographs lack tine structural detail (Fig.
1C). Lowering the ratio of labeled to unlabeled tubulin subunits in
the cytoplasmic extract leads to a low density of label along the
polymerized microtubule lattice (4, 5). This distribution in turn
creates bright speckles of fluorescence that serve nicely as internal
fiduciary marks along the lattice. One is then able to visualize
either polymerization or depolymerization, as well as the flux of
subunits within polymers and the movement of whole polymers
(5). A problem with this technique, however, is that the small
amounts of labeled tubulin (less than 0.1%) make visualization of
gross spindle morphology difficult (Fig. ID).
CELL MOTIL1TY
265
Mitotic Xeuo/nis extract spindles with more than 0.1% of the
total tubulin pool labeled were observed with the CSU-10 real-
time confocal unit, which was coupled to an Orca cooled CCD
camera (Hamumatsu Photonics, Bridgewater. New Jersey). With
this system, the dynamics of microtubules in the middle of spindles
could be seen, as could the fibrous structure of the polymer mass
(Fig. 1A). MetaMorph software (Universal Imaging Corp., West
Chester. Pennsylvania) was used to control the CSU-10 shutter as
well as the camera. This allowed time-lapse imaging for up to 10
min, exposing the sample for 0.75 s to the 568-nm line of the laser
every 10 s, with little photobleaching. A Leica IOIK/I.3 NA
objective lens was used to increase light-gathering efficiency, as
well as to match magnification to the resolution limit imposed by
the pixel size of the CCD chip.
Analysis of the time-lapse images revealed that microtubules
add subunits to their plus ends while losing subunits from their
minus ends near the spindle poles. Plus ends were located through-
out the half spindle, and the movement of fluorescent speckles was
often seen traversing the entire spindle (Fig. IB). Preliminary
measurements of the poleward movement of fluorescent speckles
indicated a rate of about 2 /nm/min. corresponding nicely to
previous values (4, 5). The confocal images revealed that micro-
tubules were clustered into bundles within the spindle (Fig. 1A).
Also clearly visible were fluorescent-speckled microtubules ex-
tending out and away from the main spindle (Fig. 1A. arrows),
often for great lengths (up to 50 p,m). Poleward speckle movement
was detected in this population of microtubules, indicating that
plus ends do not have to be within the spindle to facilitate pole-
ward microtubule flux and disassembly near the poles.
We thank Yokogawa Electric, Universal Imaging. Leica,
Hamamatsu Photonics, and Nikon for generous support. EDS was
supported in pan by the 1999 Nikon Fellowship. TJM and EDS
were supported by NIH grains.
Literature Cited
1. Fukui, Y., E. L. de Hostos, and S. Inoue. 1997. Biol. Bull. 193:
224-225.
2. Murray, A. W. 1991. Methods Cell Biol. 36: 581-605.
3. Desai A., P. S. Maddox, T. J. Mitchison, and E. D. Salmon. 1998.
J. Cell Biol. 141: 703-713.
4. Waterman-Storer. C. M., and E. D. Salmon. 1998. Biophys. J 75:
2059-2069.
5 Waterman-Storer, C. M.. A. Desai, J. C. Bulinski, and E. D.
Salmon. 1998. Ciirr. Biol. 8: 1227-1230.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 265-266. (October 1999)
Effects of Vanadate on Actin-dependent Vesicle Motility in Extracts of Clam Oocytes
Torsten Wollert1, Ana S. DePina, and George M. Liingford
(Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755)
The effect of sodium orthovanadate on actin-based vesicle trans-
port ( 1 ) was examined in extracts obtained from oocytes of the surf
clam Spisula solidissima. Vanadate. an analog of inorganic phos-
phate (Pi), inhibits microtubule-based motors at low concentra-
tions (5-50 IJ.M) without affecting actin-based motors, and inhibits
tyrosine phosphatases selectively at higher concentrations (0.5-1 .0
mM) (2). The higher concentrations of vanadate were used to
determine whether myosin-dependent vesicle transport in clam
oocyte extracts is regulated by tyrosine phosphatase activity.
Clam oocyte extracts were incubated at 18°C for 45 min and
then treated with 0.5 p.M rhodamine-phalloidin to fluorescently
label aclin filaments, and 0.5 or 1.0 mM vanadate to inhibit
tyrosine phosphatases. Vesicle transport on actin filaments was
monitored for 60 min by video microscopy, and images of the actin
filaments on the coverslip surface were recorded at regular inter-
vals by epi-fluorescence microscopy. Vesicle transport on actin
filaments was unaffected by vanadate during these experiments.
Both motile activity and the velocity of vesicle transport in the
control and the treated extracts were the same. However, the actin
filament network in the extracts was altered significantly by van-
adate treatment. Vanadate reduced actin filament nucleation and
stimulated the formation of actin bundles. In the control samples at
15 and 60 min (C in Fig. 1). single actin filaments formed on the
coverslip surface and bundles were rarely seen. In the vanadate-
1 University of Rostock, Rostock. Germany.
treated samples (V in Fig. 1 ), a 3-D network of bundles formed,
and the density of the network increased over time (60 min). The
bundles of actin filaments in the vanadate-treated extracts sup-
ported bi-directional movement of vesicles. The actin filament
bundles in these extracts were disrupted by treatment with Triton
X-100 (0.05 and 0.1%). indicating that actin assembly may be
dependent on the presence of membranes in the extracts, as ob-
served in Xenopii.i oocyte extracts (3, 4). These results suggest that
some of the membranes in these extracts have the ability to
nucleate actin filament assembly, although vesicle transport was
driven by myosin motors.
The inhibitory effect of vanadate on tyrosine phosphatases is
well established (2, 5), and the actin filament bundle formation
observed in these extracts was most likely due to an increase in
actin cross-linking activity upon inhibition of tyrosine phospha-
tases by vanadate. However, vanadate can influence many differ-
ent activities in cells when used at high concentration. At milli-
molar concentrations, it can inhibit the myosin motor by forming
a stable complex with ADP (6), but under our assay condition, in
the presence of ATP, formation of myosin-ADP-Vi is slow, with
an inhibition tl/2 of 1.5 h (7). Therefore, the slow formation of the
inhibitory complex explains the failure to inhibit myosin-depen-
dent vesicle transport in clam oocyte extracts. Vanadate has the
potential to inhibit other activities requiring ATP, including
Na'/K + ATPase (8), acid and alkaline phosphatases (9. 10).
phosphofructokinase (II), and adenylate kinase (12), as well as
actin polymerization (13). The complexity of the vanadate effect
266
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Figure 1. Vanadate-inditced actin filament bundles in clam oocyte extracts: the DIC (top row) and corresponding fluorescent images (bottom row) of
extracts that were stained with rhodamine-phalloidin. Actin filaments were present in control samples (C> at the initial time point (15 min) as well as the
final time point (60 min). In vanadate (I mM)-treated samples (V), bundles rather than filaments were detected at the 15 and 60 min time points.
Concentrated extracts of clam oocytes were clarified, incubated at 1S°C for 45 min, and stained with 0.5 jiM rhodamine-phalloidin which stabilizes actin
filaments and enables their detection through fluorescence microscopy. Scale bar, 5 fim.
does not allow us to state categorically that the effect we observed
is due solely to inhibition of protein tyrosine dephosphorylation.
To resolve this potential complication, future experiments are
planned to determine the level of tyrosine phosphorylation in the
extract when vanadate is present, and to monitor the level of
phosphotyrosine in specific actin cross-linking proteins.
Literature Cited
I DePina, A. S., and G. M. Langford. 1999. Microsc. Res. Tech. (In
press).
2. Gilbert-McClain, L. I., A. D. Verin, S. Shi, R. P. Irwin, and J. G.
Garcia. 1998. J. Cell. Biochem. 70: 141-15?.
3. Moreau, V., and M. Way. 1998. FEBS Lett. 427: 353-356.
4. Ma, L., L. C. Cantley, P. A. Janmey, and M. W. Kirschner. 1998.
J. Cell Biol. 140: 1125-1136.
5. Swarup, G., S. Cohen, and D. L. Garbers. 1982. Biochem. Bio-
plivs. Res. Commtin. 107: 1104-1109.
6. Goodno, C. C. 1982. Methods Enzymol. 85: 1 16-123.
7. Goodno, C. C. 1979. Proc. Nail. AcaJ. Sci. U. S. A. 76: 2620-2624.
8. Huang, W. H., and A. Askari. 1984. J. Biol. Chem. 259: 13287-
13291.
9. Vescina, C. M., V. C. Salice, A. M. Cortizo, and S. B. Etcheverry.
1996. Biol. Trace Elcm. «o. 53: 185-191.
10. Seargeant, L. E., and R. A. Stinson. 1979. Biochem. J. 181: 247-
250.
I 1 Khoja, S. M., A. O. Abuelgassim, and O. A. al-Bar. 1996. Comp.
Biochem. Physiol. C Phurmacol. Toxicol. Endocrinol. 115: 217-221.
1 2 Cremo, C. R., J. A. Loo, C. G. Edmonds, and K. M. Hatlelid. 1992.
Biochemistry 31: 491-497.
13 Combcau, C., and M. Carlier. 1988. J. Biol. Chem. 263: 17429-
17436.
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Reference: Bio/. Bull. 197: 267-268. (October 19"M)
267
Effects of a-bungarotoxin on Development of the Sea Urchin Arbacia punctiilata
Blase Billack (Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854), Jeffrev D. Laskin1,
Michael A. Gallo1 . and Diane E. Heck2
Recent evidence suggests that the expression of acetylcholine
receptors is important in regulating growth and development ( 1 ).
Normally, as sea urchins develop and progress through the pluteus
stage, the postoral arms of the embryo elongate, the stomach
develops into a large sack, the esophagus becomes muscular, the
mouth opens and the digestive track begins to function (2, 3).
During this time, the animal begins to feed, a requirement for
further development (4).
The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the role of
a-bungarotoxin-sensitive acetylcholine receptors in the develop-
ment of the sea urchin Arbacia punctiilata. For these studies, we
used the fluorescent labeled drug (BODIPY-paclitaxell — which
binds polymerized microtubules with high affinity (4) — to visual-
ize subtle alterations in the architecture of developing structures
within the sea urchin embryo. In untreated embryos, we observed
polymerized microtubules appearing in the cilia, the cells lining
1 Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI),
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 170 Frelinghuysen Road,
Piscataway, New Jersey 08854.
"EOHSI. Rutgers University. 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway,
New Jersey 08854.
the mouth, esophagus, and gut, and in distinct punctuate regions
within the epithelium during development through the pluteus
stages (Fig. 1, panel A). Treatment with a-bungarotoxin ( 1 /xA/K a
neurotoxin known to bind a subunits of the acetylcholine receptor
(5), dramatically altered this pattern of accumulation. Prior to the
pluteus stage no teratogenic effects of a-bungarotoxin were evi-
dent. We observed that the gross morphology, the developing
internal structures that could be visualized using BODIPY-pacli-
taxel, and swimming behavior were indistinguishable from un-
treated animals. However, using both light and fluorescence mi-
croscopy, we observed marked alterations in development from
early to late pluteus induced by a-bungarotoxin. These alterations
included diminished extension of the postoral arms, lack of dif-
ferentiation of the gut and mouth, failure to feed and impaired
swimming (Fig. 1 ). In a-bungarotoxin-treated zygotes, the pattern
of microtubule accumulation within the cells surrounding the gut,
which normally develops during the pluteus stage, was not ob-
served.
We also used rhodamine-labeled a-bungarotoxin in conjunction
with confocal microscopy to study the uptake of this acetylcholine
receptor antagonist into zygotes. We found that, prior to the
extension of postoral arms and gut enlargement, distinct accumu-
Figure 1. Fluorescence localization of polymerized microtubules bound to pacliraxel and acetylcholine receptors in the sea urchin embryo. Fertilized
eggs from the sea urchin Arbacia punctula (Marine Biological Laboratories. Woods Hole. Massachusetts) were grown for three da\s in seawater, at room
temperature, in the dark and in the presence or absence of I /J.M biotin-a-bungarotoxin (Molecular Probes, Eugene OR). The embryos were then treated
with 1.25 ;u,M BODIPY-paclitaxel (panels A and B) and I /J.M rhodamine-labeled a-bungarotoxin (panel A. Molecular Probes, Eugene OR) or I ^g/ml
rhodamine strepavldin (Sigma, panel B)for 30 min. The specimens were then fixed in 1% buffered formalin. After 1 h, embryos were washed and examined
witli a BIO-RAD confocal imaging system fitted with argon and helium-neon lasers on a Nikon ES800 microscope. Panel A. normal pluteus labeled with
BODIPY-paclitaxel and rhodamine-conjugated a-bungarotoxin; panel B. pluteus grown in biotin-a-bungarotoxin and labeled with BODIPY-paclitaxel and
rhodamine strepavidin.
268
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
lations of a-bungarotoxin-sensitive acetylcholine receptors could
be observed in these areas. Figure 1 (panel A) demonstrates this
pattern in an untreated embryo. Rhodamine labeled a-bungaro-
toxin binding at the distal ends of the expanding arms and within
the developing gut are clearly evident. Panel B in Figure 1 dem-
onstrates the altered morphology of an animal grown in biotin-a-
bungarotoxin. In this animal the postoral arms are undeveloped
and the skeletal structure remains immature. Finally, animals that
were incubated with rhodamine strepavidin, which binds biotin-a-
bungarotoxin, and observed by fluorescent confocal microscopy
revealed small clusters of a-bungarotoxin in distinct areas adjacent
to the developing skeletal structures.
Taken together these data indicate that a-bungarotoxin disrupts
zygote development during the pluteus stages in the sea urchin
Arbacia punctulata. We speculate that a-bungarotoxin-sensitive
acetylcholine receptors are necessary for the development of pos-
toral arms and the gut in this sea urchin.
Supported in part by NIH grants ES 03647, ES 05022 and ES
06897
Literature Cited
1. Lauder, J. M., and U. B. Schambra. 1999. Environ. Health Par-
sped. 107: S65-S69.
2. Okazaki, K. 1975. Pp. 1 77-232 in The Sea Urchin Embryo. Biochem-
istry and Morphogenesis. G. Czihak, ed. Springer- Verlag, New York.
3. Gustafson, T. 1975. Pp. 233-266 in The Sea Urchin Embryo. Bio-
chemistry and Morphogenesis, G. Czihak, ed. Springer- Verlag. New
York.
4 Bicamumpaka. C., and M. Page. 1998. Int. J. Moi Med. 2: 161-
165.
5. Carr, C., G. D. Fischbach, and J. B. Cohen. 1989. J. Cell. Biol. 109:
1753-64.
Reference: Bi,>l. Bull. 197: 268-270. (October 1999)
Leukotriene B4 as Calcium Agonist for Nuclear Envelope Breakdown: An Enzymological Survey
of Endomembranes of Mitotic Cells
Robert B. Silver and Nicole M. Deming (Marine Biological Lahore/ton; Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
The requisite calcium signal that precedes nuclear envelope
breakdown (NEB) is generated, acts, and is degraded very near to
the site of action (1,2). Neither calcium nor an agonist that would
trigger release of calcium diffuse over distances greater than 1
micrometer from the site of agonist production and calcium release
(2). In addition, this laboratory has shown that: a) leukotriene B4
(LtB4), but no other products of the arachidonic acid (AA) path-
way, can evoke calcium release from endomembrane stores in
vitro and in vivo in a pattern quite similar to that of the pre-NEB
calcium signal (3) in sand dollar (Echinaracnius panna) eggs and
mitotic cells (2-9); b) both the pre-NEB calcium signal and NEB
are blocked by inhibitors of LtB4 synthesis (8, 9); c) phospholipase
A, (PLA,) is present on calcium regulatory endomembranes of
prophase mitotic apparatus (MA) and is selectively concentrated in
the MA relative to the whole cell (9, 10); and d) phospholipase C
activity, and thus production of 1 ,4,5-inositol trisphosphate, is
absent from prophase MA (8-10). These four findings led Silver to
hypothesize that LtB4. and not IP3, is the calcium agonist that
produces the space-time patterned calcium QEDs essential for
NEB (3, 8, and 9).
'.eukotriene B4 is produced by a well-established mechanism
(II) Phospholipase A2 acts on phospholipids to yield AA and
monoai. ylglycerols. In turn. AA is converted to LtB4 through the
5'-lip<'\ygenase (5-LO) branch of the AA pathway. Leukotriene
A4 (LtA4i. the precursor of LtB4, can be converted by glutathione
S-transferasr (GST) to leukotriene C4 (LtC4) by the conjugation of
reduced glutathione (GSH) to LtA4. Oxidized glutathione is re-
duced to GSH by gluiaihione reductase through a reaction in which
NADPH serves as the proton donor. The primary source for
NADPH in animal and plant cells is the oxidative branch of the
pentose phosphate pathway, specifically through the actions of
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphoglu-
conate dehydrogenase (6PGD).
We now report that: a) LtB4 is a stereospecitic agonist of
endomembrane calcium release in vivo; b) observed PLA2 activity
is "calcium-independent"; c) kinetic analyses show that the
prophase MA endomembrane GST activity represents two distinct
microsomal GST enzymes; and d) enzymes of the oxidative branch
of the pentose phosphate pathway are present on prophase MA
membranes.
Our studies were conducted with cells from the first and second
cell cycles, eggs, and isolated native prophase MA, all from the
sand dollar (Echinaracnius panna) (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 12, 13). Eggs
were obtained from mature females as previously described (1,2).
Endomembranes were subfractionated as previously described (4,
12). Native prophase MA were isolated according to our standard
methods (4, 12). Spectrophotometric assays for enzyme activities
developed for these studies are adaptations of published methods
for PLA, (14), PLC (15) GST (16, 17), GSR (18), creatine kinase
(19). G6PD (17), lactonase (9), 6PGDU7). and pentose phosphate
isomerase (9). Standard curves for identification of enzyme prod-
uct were generated for each experiment at log/2 and linear/2
concentration steps (R2 typically > 0.995). Kinetic analyses were
performed with GraFit™, version 4 (Erathicus Software). Protein
concentration was measured with the biuret assay, where standard
curves had an R2 of > 0.9985 across at least three orders of
magnitude of protein concentration (e.g.. 12, 13). Triplicate assays
were performed for each membrane subtraction. Specific and total
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Table I
Glutathione S-iransferase activity of calcium regulatory endomembranes
269
Km
S.E.
Vmax
S.E.
Enzyme Activity
Source
(mA/GSH)
(±)
( mM sec ~ ' mg protein ~ ' )
(±)
Total microsomal GST activity
Calcium regulatory endomembranes
0.1518
0.0307
0.2246
0.0149
Microsomal GST-a activity
Parsed from above data
0.0097
0.0015
0.0814
0.0052
Microsomal GST-0 activity
Parsed from above data
0.2707
0.0528
0.2824
0.0188
Microsomal GST-a activity
Reduced glutathione affinity column
0.0092
0.0020
0.0981
0.0052
Microsomal GST-0 activity
Reduced glutathione affinity column
0.2171
0.0947
0.2335
0.0307
activities for the enzyme activities of each subtraction were deter-
mined, and the values compared. Quantitative direct-pressure mi-
croinjection studies were performed as previously described (1,2,
13. 20).
This laboratory has demonstrated that LtB4 evokes release of
calcium from MA-associated endomembranes in vivo and in vitro
(3, 7-9). Intracellular microinjection of 2 — 10 picoliters of LtB4
( 10~J to 10~K A/) evokes release of calcium from endomembranes
in intact eggs and prophase cells (3, 8, 9). In contrast, microinjec-
tion of similar doses of structural homologues of LtB4 such as
LtA4 (3, 8. 9) LtC4 (3, 8, 9), 6-trans-UB4. or 5|S],15[S]-DiHETE
do not evoke calcium release from intracellular stores. This is the
first report of a stereospecific-dependence of LtB4-evoked calcium
release from endomembranes in echinoderms or from mitotic cells.
Thus, among the lipoxins, LtB4 is a stereospecific agonist of MA
endomembrane calcium release in vivo.
The PLA2 superfamily is composed of four PLA2 families, two
secretory (Types I and II), and two cytosolic (Types III (calcium-
dependent) and IV (calcium-independent)) (21). The activities of
these enzymes have distinguishing requirements for calcium con-
centration. Types I, II and III PLA-, require 5. 3 and 0.08 mM
CaCK, respectively (22). Type IV PLA, requires no calcium ions
for its activity and is thus considered to be calcium independent.
The PLA2 activity measured as a component of the calcium
regulatory endomembranes of isolated prophase MA, using meth-
ods previously described (9, 10, 25), does not require addition of
calcium to the reaction milieu. This is consistent with the observed
MA associated PLA2 being a Type IV calcium-independent PLA2.
Kinetic analyses of the GST activity in calcium regulatory
endomembranes from prophase MA. measured across a substrate
concentration range of 0.001 to 1.0 mM GSH. revealed values for
Km and Vmax of 0.1518 mM GSH and 0.2246 mM sec"1 mg
protein"1, respectively (Table 1). Lineweaver-Burke plots of the
results indicated that the overall observed activity comprises two
components. Parsing the data revealed two distinct microsomal
GST enzyme activities designated GST-a and GST-/3 whose val-
ues for Km and Vmax differ by 27.9-fold and 3.5-fold, respec-
tively (Table I). Both GST-a and GST-/3 bind to immobilized GSH
and, consistent with their kinetic properties, elute at 0.3 and 0.01
mM GSH, respectively. The kinetic parameters of the affinity
purified GST-a and GST-/3 are consistent with values parsed from
the crude microsomal GST activity (Table I). Based upon kinetic
properties comparable to published values for mammalian hepatic
microsomal GST (e.g., 23) and LtC4 synthase (e.g.. 24), relative
associations with S-hexyl-glutathione, and their microsomal ori-
gin, GST-a appears to be a LtC4 synthase, while GSH-/3 appears
to be a microsomal GST. This is the first demonstration of such
activities in echinoderms, mitotic apparatuses, or mitotic cells.
In animal and plant cells, two dehydrogenases of the pentose
phosphate pathway, specifically G6PD and 6PGD, serve as the
catalytic source for NADPH. NADPH is necessary for GSR to
produce GSH from oxidized glutathione. Reduced glutathione is a
substrate for GST in the production of LtC4 and "deactivation" of
reactive oxygen intermediates. Present experiments show that GSR
and active enzymes of the oxidative branch of the pentose phos-
phate pathway are present on prophase MA membranes. Specifi-
cally, we have identified GSR, G6PD, lactonase, 6PGD, and pen-
tose phosphate isomerase as constitutive enzymes of the calcium
regulatory endomembranes proximal to the nucleus during
prophase. Thus, we propose that in the presence of glucose-6-
phosphate and NADP4 . the calcium regulatory endomembranes of
prophase MA can produce NADPH essential for GSR-mediated
reduction of oxidized glutathione. Reduced glutathione is, in turn,
necessary and available for the observed microsomal GST to
produce either LtC4 or glutathione-derivatized reactive oxygen
intermediates. The presence of the pentose phosphate pathway
enzymes also suggests a site for biosynthesis of purines, pyrimi-
dines and amino acids essential for the subsequent cell cycle
(e.g.. 8. 9).
These results, together with earlier findings from this laboratory
(e.g., space-time patterns of pre-NEB calcium signals (e.g., 1. 2).
LtB4 as an agonist of pre-NEB calcium signals (3, 8, 9, 25),
distribution of PLA2 and PLC activities (7-10)). reveal a network
of enzymes within prophase MA that is available for regulated
production of LtB4 as an agonist of the space-time patterned
pre-NEB calcium signal (2, 8, 9).
This is the first report of stereospecificity for LtB4 evocation
of calcium release from MA endomembrane stores, of two
distinguishable forms of microsomal GST (tentatively identified
as microsomal GST and leukotriene C4 synthase), and of a
calcium-independent PLA2 in echinoderms, mitotic apparatus,
or mitotic cells. These findings support Silver's hypothesis of
an intracellular control network in which LtB4 is the agonist for
the space-time patterned pre-NEB calcium signal and cell ac-
tivation (2, 8, and 9).
Research grant support by NSF (MCB-99082680) is gratefully
acknowledged. The authors are grateful to the reviewers and editor
270
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
for their many helpful and well considered suggestions made in
final preparation of this manuscript.
the
Literature Cited
1 Silver, R. B. 1989. Dev. Biol. 131: 11-26.
2. Silver, R. B. 1996. Cell Calcium 20: 161-179.
3. Silver, R. B. 1995. Biol. Bull. 189: 203-204.
4 Silver, R. B., R. D. Cole, and W. Z. Cande. 1980. Cell 19:
505-516.
5. Bansal, V. S., and P. W. Majerus. 1990. Aniui. Rev. Cell Biol. 6:
41-67.
6. Chow, S. C., and M. Jondel. 1990. / Biol. Chem. 265: 902-907.
7. Silver, R. B., D. E. Strongin, L. R. Hurwitz, and A. P. Reeves. 1997.
Biol. Bull. 193: 236-237.
8. Silver, R. B. 1999. FASEB J. (in press).
9. Silver. R. B. 1999. Science (accepted).
10. Silver, R. B., L. A. King, and A. F. Wise. 1998. Biol. Bull. 195:
209-210.
11. Samuelsson, B. 1983. Science 220: 568-575
12. Silver, R. B. 1986. Methods En;vmol. 134: 200-217.
13. Silver, R. B. 1986. Proc. Null. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83: 4302-4306.
14 Reynolds, L. J., L. L. Hughes, L. Vu, and E. A. Dennis. 1994.
Anal. Biochem. 217: 25-32.
15. Kurioka, S., and M. Matsuda. 1976. Anal. Biochem. 75: 281-289.
16. Keen, J. H., W. H. Habig, and W. B. Jakoby. 1976. J. Biol. Chem.
251: 6183-6188.
1 7. Pabst, M. J., W. H. Habig, and W. B. Jakoby. 1976. J. Biol. Chem.
249: 7140-7147.
IS. Racker, E. 1955. ./. Biol. Chem. 190: 855-865.
19. Silver, R. B., M. S. Saft, A. R. Taylor, and R. I). Cole. 1983.
J. Biol. Chem. 258: 13287-13291.
20. Silver, R. B. 1997. Pp 83. 1 -20 in Cellx: A Laboratory Manual. D L.
Specter, R. D. Goldman, and L. Leinwand. eds. CSHL Press.
21. Dennis, E. A. 1995. J. Biol. Chem. 269: 13057-13060.
22. Leslie, C. C. 1977. J. Biol. Chem. 272: 16709-16712.
23 Gupta, N., M. J. Gresser, and A. W. Ford-Hutchinson. 1998.
Bioehim. Biophys. Ada 139: 157-168.
24 Oesch, F., and C. R. Wolf. 1989. Biochem. Pharmacol. 38: 353-
359.
25. Silver, R. B., J. B. Oblak, G. S. Jeun, J. Sung, and T. Dutta. 1994.
Biol. Bull. 187: 242-244.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 270-271. (October 1999)
Extracellular Survival of an Intracellular Parasite (Spraguea lophii, Microsporea )
Earl Weidner and Ann Findley (Biology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
Microsporeans are intracellular parasites; they are located di-
rectly in host cell cytoplasm with only a plasma membrane as an
interface ( 1 ). Microsporeans have an infective spore stage that
discharges the sporoplasm from a long, fine tube. The spore has
but one plasma membrane which is left behind within the spore
ghost during discharge. The extruded sporoplasm is surrounded by
a membrane, but this structure is derived from the extrusion
apparatus within the spore. Since microsporeans have not been
cultured or maintained extracellularly for more than short periods,
it became an objective of this study to: (a) develop a simple
protocol for isolating pure populations of discharged sporoplasms;
and (h) develop a procedure for maintaining pure populations of
extruded microsporean sporoplasms in culture for 24 h for further
biochemical investigations.
To initiate spore discharge, spores of Spni^iifa lophii were
incubated in 0. 1 M HEPES buffer at pH 7.0 (with 50 nM Ca4 + ) for
1 h. Subsequently. 10-100 /nl of spore suspension were transferred
into a thin pool on a glass coverslip. These spores were triggered
to discharge by the addition of 1-2 /j.1 of filtered (0.45 ;um pore
size) mammalian or fish mucus onto the spore film, followed a few
seconds later by the addition of 1-5 /*] of 0. 1 M HEPES buffer (pH
10). After several minutes, most of the spores had discharged
sporoplasms that were attached to the cover glass surface. The
mi: < I and discharged spore ghosts were removed from the sur-
face by rapid washes with 0.1% concanavalin A (Con A) made up
in Hh. (pH 7.0). The sporoplasms were transferred to a Me-
dium I'- -idied with 5 mM ATP pH 7.2 ( 1 ).
The supi medium that was tested at first included vitamins A
' Biology, Northea-K.-in Louisiana University, Monroe, Louisiana.
and C ( 1 nM), i.-phosphatidycholine (0. 1 mg/ml), glucose (0.01%).
5% bovine serum albumen, 5% fetal calf serum, cofactors NAD
and Co-A ( 1 nM) and 5 /uM concentrations of ATP and GTP. The
cells were maintained at 15°C and 20°C. Although the sporo-
plasms showed some stability in this medium, the cells lost much
Figure 1. Spraguea lophii sporoplasms after 24 h in Medium 199 with
ATP supplement and 10% Xenopus oocyte cytosol. (At Sporoplasms (ar-
row} t'rei/uentl\ fuse or attach to one another. (B} Sporoplasms farrows)
a/so attach or fuse with other elements in medium. Bar scale represents
4 }.un.
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
271
of their cytosol and frequently fused during the first 6 h of
incubation. When the support medium was suspended onto a
2c/c-5c/c gelatin matrix, the cells incubated within it developed a
vacuolated cytoplasm. However, the sporoplastns appeared to have
a more robust stability when they were added to Medium 199
made up in 0.15 M potassium phosphate buffer with 5 mM ATP.
and were supplemented with 10%-30% Xenopus oocyte cytosol
(Fig. 1). After 12-24 h, these sporoplasms retained cytoplasm and
did not vacuolate. although the sporoplasms appeared to still attach
to each other or fuse. There was no evidence of nuclear division
during 24 h of incubations.
Microsporean sporoplasms were clearly stabilized in Medium
199 (pH 7.1-7.2) with ATP (5 mM) on a 2% gelatin substrate onto
which was added 0.01-0.02 mM cholesterol with no Xenopus
cytosol. There was no evidence of vacuolation or nuclear division.
However, after 12 h. the sporoplasms remained segregated and
retained their cytoplasmic matrix. This significant positive effect
of cholesterol addition to the medium indicates that the sporoplasm
outer envelope may be devoid of cholesterol. Insertion of choles-
terol into plasma membrane is an essential component of eu-
karyote plasma membranes; it affects membrane fluidity and re-
duces the permeability of membranes (2). Because newly extruded
sporoplasms acquire an outer membrane that is believed to be
derived from the extrusion apparatus (and is not the original
plasma membrane of the spore), we expect that this second-hand
membrane may lack a cholesterol component. This may account
for the leaky condition of discharged sporoplasms when they are
first entering into extracellular environs. Other primitive cells,
such as mycoplasmas. also have an outer membrane that requires
an external source of cholesterol from the outside environs for any
level of stability. Once the cholesterol is acquired, these cells begin
to regulate their internal milieu.
Literature Cited
Weidner, E., A. Findley, V. Dolgikh, and J. Sokolova. 1999. Pp.
172-195 in The Microsporidia and Microsporidiosis. American Society
of Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
Dahl, J. 1993. Pp. 167-188 in Subcellular Biochemistry: Vol. 20.
Plenum, New York.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 271-273. (October 1999)
Intense Concanavalin A Staining and Apoptosis of Peripheral Flagellated Cells in Larvae of the
Marine Sponge Microciona prolifera: Significance in Relation to Morphogenesis
Jane C. Kaltenbach ' , William J. Kulins2, Tracy L. Simpson3, and Max M. Burger4
(Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Free-swimming larvae are released from adult Microciona
sponges during a brief period in late June and early July. The
larvae are covered by a layer of flagellated epithelial cells, which
disappear within 24 h, at about the time of larval settlement, to a
substrate such as rocks, shells, etc. (1, 2). The fate of the flagellated
cells has long been discussed. As early as 1892, the inversion of
these cells to form choanocytes was proposed for some species of
sponge (3). However, more recent evidence (e.g.. electron micros-
copy and autoradiography) indicates that, in certain species includ-
ing Microciona prolifera, flagellated cells do not differentiate into
other cell types but. near the time of settlement, are engulfed by
large phagocytic cells presumed to be archaeocytes (4. 5).
The present study addresses the fate of peripheral flagellated
cells in Microciona larvae with methods other than those used in
previous reports. We used lectin-based histochemical staining of
surface sugars, as well as terminal LIDP, nick-end labeling, com-
monly known as the TUNEL assay, and DNA gel electrophoresis,
to define apoptosis.
Lectins. which have binding sites for specific sugars, can be
1 Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. Massachusetts.
: Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
3 University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.
4 Friedrich Miescher Institute. Basel. Switzerland.
conjugated to markers, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and
used as probes to localize sites of terminal sugar residues of the
glycans of membrane glycoproteins (6). To this end, larvae were
fixed in 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned (5
/j,m). The sections were treated with H,O, to block endogenous
peroxidase, and with bovine serum albumin to block non-specific
staining. Sections were then incubated with HRP lectins (Table I).
A brown color was developed with 3,3'diaminobenzidine (DAB)-
H-.OT to indicate sites of specific sugars in the larvae. Control
Table 1
Lectins and their specific affinities
Lectin
Sugar
Concanavalin A (Con A)
Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA)
Soybean Agglutinin (SBA) and
Dolichos hi floras Agglutinin (DBA)
Peanut Agglutinin (PNA|
Ulex europucii.t Agglutinin
(UEA-1)
a-Mannose
N-Acetyl-Glucosamine
(GlcNAc)
N-Acetyl-Galactosamme
(GalNAc)
/3-Galactose
a-L-Fucose
272
A
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
B
D
Figure 1. Sections of Microciona prolifera lamie: A. B: Peripheral flagellated epithelium stained intensely with eon .4 for mannose (arrows). Some
large inner cells also gave a positive con A stain. Scale bars. (A): 20 fj.ni. (B) 60 /jjn. C: Peripheral epithelium stained lightly with WGA for GlcNAc. Scale
bar. 60 /urn. D: Peripheral flagellated epithelium containing darkly stained apoptotic cell.', or cell fragments (TUNEL assay). Lighter background staining
is due to hematoxylin counterstain. Two large phagocytic cells (arrows) have light cell membranes and contain darkly stained apoptotic cells or cell
fragments within the cytoplasm I dark brown with TUNEL).
sections were treated with lectin solutions containing high concen-
trations of specific sugars.
The TUNEL assay for apoptosis involves labeling the strand
breaks of disrupted DNA (7). Sections of larvae were treated
successively with proteinase K and endogenous peroxidase block-
ing solution, and were then permeabilized with 0.1% Triton-X-
100. Non-specific reactive sites were also blocked. Sections were
treated with TUNEL mixture followed by sheep antifluorescein-
HRP conjugate. A brown color, developed by DAB-FLO,, showed
sites of apoptosis. The sections were counterstained with hema-
toxylin. For controls, the TUNEL mixture was omitted from the
procedure.
The occurrence of apoptosis was confirmed by DNA gel elec-
trophoresis. Samples of DNA (3 jug) extracted from sponge cells
(8) were loaded into wells prepared on 1% agarose gel and were
separated electrophoretically. Standards consisted of Hind 111 (high
molecular weight) DNA ladder and 100-bp low molecular weight
(LMW) DNA ladder. The gel was stained with ethidium bromide
and washed in several changes of water to remove excess stain.
Peripheral flagellated cells showed an intense brown stain with
the con A probe for mannose (Fig. IA.B). but only a weak stain
with GlcNAc (Fig. 1C), and no stain at all with the other lectins
tested (SBA, DBA, PNA, UEA-1 ) (not shown). This suggests that
mannose was the only terminal lectin-binding sugar residue on the
surface of the flagellated cells. The diagram of a high mannose
N-glycan shows the two terminal mannose residues (arrows) that
are able to bind to the lectin con A or to similar structures
(receptors) on the surface of phagocytes. The diagram also illus-
trates our notion that the weak WGA staining reflects GlcNAc
residues that are covered by mannose. The negative results by
other lectins indicate that the corresponding sugars were non-
terminal or not present.
Man*
Man'
Man
Man— GlcNAc— GlcNAc— Asn
(Glc),Man — Man — Man '
The brown staining of fragmented DNA produced by the
TUNEL assay indicated that apoptosis was only located in the
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
273
peripheral region of flagellated cells. However, brown staining was
sometimes seen within large cells adjacent to the peripheral region
(Fig. ID), suggesting that apoptotic cells or fragments had been
engulfed by large phagocytic cells (probably archaeocytesl.
Comparison of sponge DNA extracts with the standards showed
a ladder of LMW DNA fragments (not shown), which is charac-
teristic of apoptotic cells (indicated in larvae by the TUNEL
assay).
In summary, the results demonstrate that, in Microciona larvae,
mannose is the only terminal, lectin-binding sugar on the surface
of the flagellated cells as shown by con A staining. The cells
undergo apoptosis and engulfment, indicated by dark staining of
fragmented DNA (TUNEL assay).
We suggest that mannose receptors are present on the surface of
phagocytes in the larvae (as shown in a variety of other organisms)
(9) and that such receptors recognize and bind with mannose on
apoptotic flagellated cells. A mannose-mannose receptor reaction
may be required for ingestion of the apoptotic cells (9, 10).
Membrane surface changes are characteristic in cell development
and cell death. The changes may include turnover and external-
ization of high mannose N-glycans as a terminal expression in
apoptotic cells and thus provide a unique method for their disposal
by phagocytes (10).
Other sugars that are associated with terminal differentiation
and apoptosis include those that specify histo-blood group H
(L-fucose) (11). Our study supports the theory that peripheral
flagellated cells in Microciona larvae are terminally differentiated;
their fate is apoptosis and eventually phagocytosis.
Literature Cited
1- Bergquist, I". R. 1978. Sponges. University of California, Berkeley.
2. Simpson. T. L. 1984. Tin- Cell Biology of Sponges. Springer- Verlag.
New York.
3. Delage, Y. 1892. Arch. Zool. Exp. Gen. 2° serie: 345-498.
4. Bergquist, P. R., and K. Glasgow. 1986. Exp. Biol. 45: 1 1 1-122.
5. Misevic, G. N., V. Schulep, and M. M. Burger. 1990. Pp. 182-187
in New Perspectives in Cell Biology, K. Riltzler. ed. Smithsonian
Press, Washington, DC.
6. Faszewski, E. E., and J. C. Kaltenbach. 1995. Cell Tissue Res.
281: 169-177.
7. Kuhns. W. J., M. Ho, M. M. Burger, and R. Smolowitz. 1997.
Biol. Bull. 193: 239-241.
8. Gavriela, Y., Y. Sherman, and S. A. Ben-Sasson. 1992. / Cell
Biol. 119: 493-501.
9. Drickamer, K.. and M. E. Taylor. 1993. Aimu. Rev. Cell Biol. 9:
237-264.
10. Platt, N.. R. P. da Silva, and S. Gordon. 1998. Trends Cell Biol. 8:
365-372.
11. Kuhns, W. J., and C. Pann. 1972. Nat. New Biol. 240: 22-24
274 REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 274-275. (October 1999)
A Cuticular Secretion of the Horseshoe Crab, Limiting polyphemus: A Potential Anti-fouling Agent
John M. Harrington (Biological Sciences Department, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688)
and Peter B. Armstrong^
Solid surfaces placed in the ocean are targets for colonization by
all manner of sessile fouling organisms. Although the carapace of
the horseshoe crab presents just such an opportunity for coloniza-
tion, it is usually surprisingly clean of macroscopic colonizers. The
dorsal surfaces of the cephalothorax of 8 of 16 randomly chosen
animals from the Marine Resources Center at the Marine Biolog-
ical Laboratory were completely free of macroscopic fouling or-
ganisms and in a second sample of 10 randomly chosen animals.
6.09% of the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax was occupied by
macroscopic colonizers. In these samples, the commonest fouling
organisms were members of the genera Crepidula (a sessile gas-
tropod) and Balanns (barnacles). Some common sessile organisms,
such as bryozoans, tunicates. and green algae, were not present on
these animals.
We have identified a viscous secretion (dermal exudate) re-
leased onto the entire dorsal and ventral surfaces of the carapace of
the American horseshoe crab that may have anti-fouling activity.
Only a small fraction of the animals freshly collected from
Chatham. Massachusetts, and brought into the Marine Resources
Center show detectable traces of dermal exudate. but we found that
the secretion is produced when the animal is exposed to waters
containing concentrated decaying animal material. We had modest
success in eliciting exudate secretion by challenging animals with
dense mixed cultures of marine bacteria grown up on marine broth.
A more robust and a prolonged response was achieved when the
horseshoe crabs were housed in a live car in Eel Pond in the
company of decaying fish parts (the head, viscera, and skeleton
that remains after filleting striped bass). The dorsal surface of the
cephalothorax of the pollution-challenged animal was harvested
with a rubber scraper and Pasteur pipette, yielding 0.5-1 ml of
dermal exudate. This material was stored at — 20°C. or with NaN,,
to prevent microbial growth. The animals reconstituted the layer of
secreted exudate within 2 h after its removal.
The exudate is probably the product of the hypodermal glands,
whose ducts pass through the dermis and terminate at the surface
of the cuticle ( 1 ). This secretion is different from the material
released from animals injected with lipopolysaccharide (2), which
we now believe is a secretion of the gastrointestinal tract. The
protein content of dermal exudate is low. approximately 20 /ng/ml.
as determined by the bicinchoninic acid assay (Pierce Cat.
#23225).
The activities of the dermal exudate included hemolytic, hem-
agglutinating, and bacteriolytic activities. Hemolysis was assayed
according to standard procedures (3) with sheep red cells in a
buffer containing 0.25 MNaCl, 10 mA/CaCU. 0.14 M dextrose, 10
1 Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Cal-
ifornia 95616, .
Table I
Hemolysis of sheep red cells hy dermal exudute
Hemolytic agent
Hemolysis (%)
10 nA/ Limulin
1:16 Dermal exudate, preparation #1
16 Dermal exudate. preparation #2
:16 Dermal exudate, preparation #3
27.5 ± 11.3
38.5 ± 7.4
13.3 ± 2.2
36.4 ±1.3
mM Tris, pH 7.3. The positive control was limulin, a sialic acid-
binding lectin that is responsible for the hemolytic activity of the
plasma of the horseshoe crab (4). A robust hemolytic activity was
caused by a 1:16 dilution of dermal exudate (Table I). Hemagglu-
tination of sheep red cells was found at a 1:8 dilution when tested
in a buffer containing 0.15 M NaCl. 10 mM CaCK. 50 mM Tris,
pH 7.3. Bacteriocidal activity was assayed on confluent lawns of
the marine Gram-negative bacterium. Vibrio alginoh'ticus. grown
on nutrient agar. Aliquoits (5 /nl) of dermal extract (azide-free)
were placed at equally spaced intervals on the surface of the
culture shortly after bacterial plating, and the culture was checked
periodically for zones of clearance in the bacterial lawn, at sites of
deposited exudate. Controls were 5 p.\ deposits of sterile 3% NaCl.
Bacteriolysis was observed only in one of four separate collections
of dermal exudate, so this may be a variable property of the
exudate.
We propose that the dermal exudate is a barrier to coloniza-
tion of the cuticle by fouling organisms. Two distinct mecha-
nisms probably collaborate in this function. The exudate, which
is continuously secreted onto the surface of the exoskeleton,
would present a mechanical barrier to contact with the solid
surface of the cuticle. In addition, the exudate has antibiological
properties that may kill or disable potential colonizers. Produc-
tion of the exudate is stimulated by polluted water. The dermal
exudate is not a perfect barrier. Green algae and cyanobacteria
that succeed in establishing colonies on the cuticle slowly
destroy the exoskeleton, which can prove fatal for adult horse-
shoe crabs (5). Thus, the prevention of this condition clearly has
important health benefits.
Supported by Grant No. MCB-97-26771 from the National
Science Foundation. We thank Dr. Chhanda Biswas for help with
the bacteriolytic assay and Mr. Edward Enos and Dr. Norman
Wainwright for suggestions on methods to elicit secretion of the
dermal exudate.
Literature Cited
1 . Stagner, J. I., and .1. R. Redmond. 1975. Mar. Fish. Ke\: 37: 11-19.
2. Quigley, J. P., G. Corcoran, and P. B. Armstrong. 1997. Riot. Riill.
193: 273
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
275
3. Armstrong, P. B., R. Melchior. S. Swarnakar, and J. P. Quisle).
1998. M,,l. Imiminol. 35: 47-53.
4 Armstrong, P. B., S. Swarnakar, S. Srinial. S. Misquith, K. A. Hahn,
R. T. Aimes, and J. P. Quij-ley. 1996. J. Rial. Chem. 271: 14717-
14721.
5. Liebovitz. I... and G. A. Lewbart. 1987. Biol. Bull. 173: 430.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 275-276. (October
Cellular Mechanisms of Hemolysis by the Protein Limulin, a Sialic-Acid-Specific Lectin From the
Plasma of the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus polyphemus
Rengasamy Asokan1 and Peter B. Armstrong (Department of Molecular ami Cellular Biology,
University of California, Davis, California 95616)
The cytolytic destruction of foreign cells by proteins of the
plasma is an important immune defense strategy of higher animals.
In the American horseshoe crab. Limulus />i>l\nln'imi.\, the plasma-
based cytolytic system is mediated by a single protein, the sialic
acid-binding lectin. limulin ( 1 ). Limulin is a member of the pen-
traxin protein family and is present in the plasma of the horseshoe
crab at 30-50 nM (2). In assays using sheep red cells as the model
foreign cell, the entire hemolytic activity of plasma is the province
of limulin (1). Hemolysis depends on the sialic acid-binding ac-
tivity of limulin. because sialylated glycoconjugates, such as fetuin
and the sialic acids N-acetyl neuraminic acid and colominic acid,
inhibit hemolysis, and desialylation of the target cells renders them
immune to cytolysis ( 1 ).
Limulin was purified from Limiilu.i plasma by sequential
affinity chromatography on phosphorylethanolamine-agarose to
isolate the pentraxins followed by chromatography on fetuin-
Sepharose to isolate limulin. the sole pentraxin with sialic
acid-binding capability. The cytolytic activity of Linnilii.\
plasma proteins was assayed with sheep red blood cells as
described previously (3).
The hemolytic action of purified limulin is sensitive to the ionic
environment and shows a broad activity maximum at NaCl con-
centrations between 0.2 and 0.35 M. These salt concentrations
would be non-physiological for an immune effector from a verte-
brate, but the blood of the horseshoe crab has the ionic composi-
tion of seawater. 0.5 M NaCl. The curve showing the Ca + ~
dependence for hemolysis is sigmoidal, with a surprisingly sharp
rise from zero activity at 0.65 mM to maximal activity at 0.85 mA/.
This may reflect the Ca+~ dependency of binding of limulin to the
red cell, because hemagglutination shows a similar dose-depen-
dence on the concentration of Ca+2. Under optimized conditions,
hemolysis is dependent upon the concentration of limulin between
2-8 nM.
The macromolecular osmolites dextran-8 (Mr 8-12 kDa)
and. to a lesser extent, dextran-4 (Mr 4-6 kDa) block hemolysis
(Table I). This result suggests that limulin inserts into the
plasma membrane to generate hydrophilic channels that allow
water to flow into the cell in response to the high concentration
1 Molecular and Cellular Biology. University of California. One Shields
Avenue. Davis, California 95616, .
of internal macromolecular osmolites, principally the protein
hemoglobin. Protection is imagined to result from the estab-
lishment of a concentration of osmolites larger than the channel
pore size in the external milieu that is equal to the concentration
of hemoglobin in the cell so that the dextrans external to the cell
exert an osmotic pressure equal to that of the hemoglobin within
the cell and the cell is thus protected from osmotic rupture (4).
Protection is partially reversible because red cells treated with
limulin plus dextran show partial lysis when washed into limu-
lin- and dextran-free buffer (data not shown). Dextran-8 fails to
block hemagglutination at low Ca + 2 concentrations (data not
shown) and exerts the same protective effect against hemolysis
at standard (0.85 mM) and high (10 mM) Ca+2 concentrations
(Table I), so dextran's activity does not involve Ca + 2 seques-
tration. The molecular size of dextran-4 is approximately 1.7
nm (5). indicating an effective pore size for membrane-associ-
ated limulin that is smaller than this.
One of the indicators of microbial intrusion into higher animals
is the plasma protein os-macroglobulm, which is activated by
proteases of the intruding microbes. Furthermore, os-macroglob-
ulin can be activated by small primary amines, such as methyl-
amine, as well as by the reaction with proteases. In the context of
this study, activated forms of Limulus os-macroglobulin inhibit the
hemolytic activity of purified limulin (3). Only the activated form
Table 1
Inhibition of limulin-mediated hcino/\\ix l>y high molecular
mass osmolites
Osmolite'
Hemolysis (%)2
None
30 mM Sucrose
30 mM Melezitose
30 mM Inulin
30 mM Dextran-4
30 mM DexiM
30 mM Dextran-S + 10 mM CaCI,
47.4 ± 2.3
36.7 ± 1.6
30.2 ± 2.3
17.9 ± 1.6
13.7 ± 2.1
2.7 ± 0.9
1.5 ± 1.0
1 All sampl.". contained 7 nA/ limulin in standard hemolysis buffer. 0.25
M NaCl. 0.85 mM CaCI,. 10 mM Tns. pH 7.3.
2 Mean of 3 determinations. ± standard error of the mean.
276
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
of a,-macroglobulin inhibits limulin-mediated cytolysis; native,
unreacted a2-macroglobulin has no effect (3).
Treatment of methylamine-reacted Limulus a2-macroglohulin
with the thiol alkylating agent iodoacetamide abolished the ability
of activated os-macroglobulin to inhibit hemolysis. indicating an
important role for free thiols in inhibition. Activation of a2-
macroglobulin involves cleavage of an internal thiol ester bond
which, in Limulus os-macroglobulin. links Cys 999 with Glx 1002.
Thiol ester cleavage generates a new free thiol at Cys 999 (6). This
is the only free thiol of the protein (7. 8). and. based on the effects
of thiol alkylation. appears to be important for the ability of thiol
ester-reacted a-,-macroglobulin to inhibit limulin-mediated hemo-
lysis.
Cytolysis of foreign cells is an important immune defense
strategy for a broad array of animals. In Limulus, foreign cell
cytolysis is produced by the plasma protein, limulin. Limulin
appears to exert this action by inserting into the plasma membrane
of the targeted foreign cell to establish a hydrophilic channel that
compromises the integrity of the cell membrane. This cytolytic
activity is modulated by a second plasma protein, a;-macroglob-
ulin, and that activity appears to depend on the generation of a new
free thiol group when a,-macroglobulin is activated by its reaction
with proteases.
This research was supported by NSF Grant No. MCB 2677 1 .
Literature Cited
I Armstrong, P. B., S. Suarnakar, S. Srimal, S. Misquith, E. A. Hahn,
R. T. Aimes, and J. P. Quigley. 1996. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 14717-
14721.
2. Swarnakar, S., R. Melchior, J. P. Quigley, and P. B. Armstrong.
1995. Bn>l. Bull. 189: 226-227.
3. Armstrong, P. B., R. Melchior, S. Swarnakar, and J. P. Quigley.
1998. M,>l. liwinino/. 35: 47-53.
4 Hatakeyama, T., H. Nagatomo and N. Yamasaki. 1995. J. Bint.
Chan. 270: 3560-3564.
5 Scherrer, R. and P. Gerhardt. 1971. J. Bacteriol. 107: 718 735
6 Ikawi, D., S.-I. Kawabata, V. Miura. A. Kato, P. B. Armstrong, J. P.
Quigley, K. L. Nielsen, K. Dolmer, and S. Iwanaga. 1996. Eur.
J. Binchem. 242: 822-831.
7. Armstrong, P. B. and J. P. Quigley. 1987. Biochetn. J. 248: 703-
707.
X Dolmer, K., L. B. Husted, P. B. Armstrong, and L. Sottrup-Jensen.
1996. FEBS Lett 393: 37-40.
Reference: «/«/. Bull. 197: 276-277. (October 1999)
Identification of a Hemolytic Activity in the Plasma of the Gastropod Busycon canaliculatuni
Chhanda Biswas (Inununobiology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biolog\, Calcutta 700 032, India),
and Peter B. Armstrong1
The immune protection of higher animals from parasitic inva-
sion depends on the activities of immune effector proteins in the
blood. These agents must discriminate between host tissues and the
surfaces of foreign cells and direct their actions only against the
latter. The most effective strategy to deal with pathogenic invasion
is the immediate cytolytic destruction of the pathogen. In several
well-characterized examples, the agents of cytolytic destruction of
invading pathogens are present in the blood, either as soluble
molecules of the plasma or as molecules secreted from blood cells.
In mammals, the principal agent of foreign cell cytolysis is the
complement system, which consists of several dozen proteins that
act either in the direct complement activation cascade or as ancil-
lary regulatory molecules and receptors ( 1 ). In Limulus
polyphemus, the American horseshoe crab, the plasma-based cy-
tolysis of foreign cells is mediated by a single protein, the sialic
acid-binding lectin limulin (2). Here we report the presence of a
cytolytic activity in the plasma of the channeled whelk. Busycon
cii/ui/Uii/dtiiiii, and present preliminary evidence that the cytolytic
activity is mediated by hemoeyanin. the major protein of the
plasma.
To obtain blood, adult animals were removed from the tank and
prompted to express the sea water held inside the shell. The animal
was then placed in a large beaker, the shell and underlying tissue
' Molecular and Cellular Biology. University of California. Davis. Cal-
ifornia 95616.
were punctured adjacent to the operculum, and blood flowed from
the wound into the beaker. A large animal yielded 20-25 ml of
blood, which was centrifuged to remove the blood cells, and was
then fractionated by differential precipitation with polyethylene
glycol-8000 (PEG) (Sigma cat #P-2I39). A majority of the hemo-
eyanin was precipitated at 49r PEG and gave a voluminous blue
pellet upon centrifugation. PEG precipitation fractionates protein
solutions largely by size, with proteins in excess of 1,000 kDa
precipitating at low concentrations of PEG. Busvcon hemoeyanin
exists in solution as aggregates that range in size from dimers to
heptamers of the basic decameric aggregate of the polypeptide
chain, yielding molecular assemblies ranging from 9,000 kDa to
35.000 kDa (3. 4). The Biisyrun hemoeyanin molecule truly is a
huge protein. Plasma contains approximately 80 mg/ml of protein,
the great majority of which is hemoeyanin. Precipitation by 4%
PEG yielded a preparation that showed a major protein band with
a subunit molecular mass in the vicinity of 300 kDa when exam-
ined by SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. This is
close to the reported subunit molecular mass of Busycon hemoey-
anin. 290 kDa (5).
Whole plasma and the protein precipitated by PEG were hemo-
lytic when tested with horse red cells in a standard hemolysis assay
(2) (Fig. 1). In this context, the mammalian red cell is a model
foreign cell, albeit not a relevant parasite, and it is used because
hemolysis is a convenient assay of cytolysis of foreign cells.
Removal of Ca ' 2 diminished, but did not eliminate completely,
the hemolytic activity of the PEG-precipitable protein (Fig. 1).
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
277
_
o
E
. Camp. Immunoi 15: 251-
261.
n Sugumaran, M., and K. Nellaiappan. 1991. Biochem. Biophys. Res.
Coinmun. 176: 1371-1376.
7 Nellaiappan, K., and M. Sugumaran. 1996. Camp. Biochem.
Plnsiol. B. 113: 163-168.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
283
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 283-284. (October 1999)
The 5-AminoIevulinate Dehydratase of Marine Vibrio alginolyticus is Resistant to Lead (Pb)
O. A. Ogunseitan, S. L. Yang, and E. Scheinbach (Department of Environmental Anal\sis and Design,
University of California at Inine, California 926^7-7070)
Vibrio algiimlyticus is a ubiquitous marine bacterium that
causes vibriosis in shellfish ( 1 ). The association of V. algino-
lyticus with biofilms in marine ecosystems that are contami-
nated with toxic metals has led to the discovery of an inducible
copper-binding protein produced by this bacterium as a mech-
anism for copper detoxification through the formation of or-
ganic complexes (2, 3). However, the rule of organic ligands
produced by marine bacteria in trace metal cycling remains
poorly understood at the molecular level. The aim of our
research is to determine whether the production of certain other
proteins by V. alginolyticus can be used as a biosensor for the
bioavailability of lead (Pb). a potent neurotoxin in contaminated
marine habitats. 8-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALADl is a
phylogenetically conserved metalloprotein that catalyses the
second step in the synthesis of porphobilinogen, the universal
precursor of tetrapyrroles found in hemes and chlorophylls (4,
5). It is well known that the ALAD in humans and other
eukaryotic organisms is very sensitive to Pb toxicity, because
the required zinc atoms in the protein are stoichiometrically
replaced by Pb. In fact, the accumulation of aminolevulinic acid
(ALA) due to the inhibition of ALAD activity by Pb is respon-
sible for the adverse neurological effects of lead poisoning.
Consequently, the excretion of ALA and the level of ALAD
activity have both been used as biomarkers for lead exposure in
human populations and in wildlife (6. 7). To our knowledge,
this is the first report on the response of marine bacterial ALAD
to Pb.
Two strains of V. alginolyticus were isolated from Buzzards Bay
in July 1999. The strains were purified by colony streaking and
were identified through fingerprint analysis of fatty acids and
methyl esters (FAME I. There was a 94.7% match between the
FAME profile of a non-swarming isolate and prototype V. algino-
lyticux subgroup A. whereas a swarming isolate exhibited a 91%
FAME profile match with V. alginolvticus subgroup B. To deter-
mine the sensitivity of ALAD activity to Pb exposure in the two
strains, total protein was extracted through sonication of cell
pellets from cultures grown overnight without Pb. The protein
extracts were suspended in a buffer containing 20 mM Tris-CI. 1
mM dithiothreitol, and 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (pH
7.4). Protein concentration was determined by means of the Brad-
ford assay (USB Biochemicals, Cleveland, Ohio), and ALAD
activity (/^mol porphobilinogen/mg protein/h) was determined ac-
cording to the method of Battistuzi ft al. (4) after incubation of 1
mg aliquots of protein with 0, 10, or 500 juM of Pb++ as lead
nitrate (Oguseitan et ciL. unpublished). As a control, parallel ex-
periments were conducted with a freshwater strain of Pseudomo-
nas putidti ATCC 700097 known to be sensitive to lead toxicity
(Oguiseitan et al., unpublished).
The results (Table I) show that ALAD activity in both strains
of V. alginolyticus is not inhibited by Pb. The effect of Pb on
Table I
Effect of Pb on htu'tcrinl S-aminolevulinate delmlratase activitv
ALAD Activity
( /Minol
% Change in
[Pb]
Porphobilinogen/mg
Enzyme Activity
Bacterial Strain*
liM
protein/h)**
due to Pb
Control. P. putida
(]
5.70 ± 0.01
ATCC 700097
1C)
4.51 ± 0.09
-20.9
500
0.41 ± 0.01
-92.3
Vibrio alginolytii /n
0
7.38 ± 0.01
Group A (Swarmer)
10
7.64 ± 0.04
+ 3.5
500
8.09 ± 0.01
+9.6
Vibrio alginolyticus
0
2.37 ± 0.01
Group B
10
2.58 ± 0.04
+ 8.9
(Non-swarmer)
500
2.54 ± 0.07
+ 7.2
* Data in the Table are from experiments conducted with proteins
extracted from cells before Pb exposure. Pb at the specified concentrations
was then incubated with proteins tor I h before enzyme assay. Similar
results were obtained when viable cells were exposed to the specified
concentrations of Pb before protein extraction and enzyme assay.
** Experiments were replicated five times. Values reported are the
means ± standard deviation.
ALAD activity in protein extracts from V. alginolyticus was not
significant (P > 0.05). whereas 0.5 mM of Pb caused greater
than 90% inhibition of ALAD activity in the control strain, P.
putida ATCC 700097. The average concentration of Pb in
Buzzards Bay sediment was about 20 nig/kg (8), but the extent
to which this amount of Pb is biologically available at a level
that would constitute a selective pressure on the molecular
evolution of ALAD is not known. The metallic component of
ALAD varies according to species. Zinc is required for ALAD
activity in mammals, yeast, and Escherichia coli, whereas mag-
nesium is required for ALAD activity in most plants and in
bacteria that are associated with plants, e.g.. Bradyrhizobiwn
japonicum (9). The identity of the metallic component of
ALAD, as well as the amino acid sequence of the metal-binding
site of the protein, have likely evolved in response to environ-
mental factors, including the presence of toxic chemicals. Fur-
ther work to identify the metallic component of ALAD in V.
alginolyticus is ongoing in our laboratory as an approach to the
molecular basis of Pb-resistance.
This research was supported by a Josiah Macy Jr. fellowship
awarded to Ogunseitan.
Literature Cited
1 . Elston, R., E. I.. Elliot, and R. R. Colwell. 1982. J. Fish Diseases 5:
265-284.
284
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
2 Schreiber, D. R., F. J. Millero. and A. S. Gordon. 1990. Mar.
Clirin. 28: 275-284.
3. Harwood, V. J. and A. S. Gordon. 1994. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
60: 1794-1753.
Robin, I). Boulav, N. S. Richard. C. L. Gordon, and C. E. Webber.
1998. Environ. Res. 77: 44-61.
7 Burden, V. M., M. B. Sandheinrich, and C. A. Caldwell. 1998.
Environ. Polhit. 101: 285-2S9.
4. Battistuzi, G., R. Petrucci, L. Silvagni, F. R. Urbani, and S. Caiola. s shine, J. P., R. V. Ika, and T. E. Ford. 1995. Environ. Sci. Techno/.
1981. .4/»i. Hum. Genet. 45: 223-229. 29: 1781-1788
5 Duncan, R., M. A. Faggart, A. J. Roger, and N. W. Cornell. Mot. g fhauhan. S., and M. R. O'Brian. 1995. J. Biol. Chem. 270: 19823-
Biol. Evol. 16: 383-396. m-,7
6. Fleming, D. E. B., D. R. Chettle, J. G. Wetmur, R. J. Desnick, J-P.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 284-285. (October 1999)
Substituted Cyclodextrin as a Model for a Squid Enzyme that Hydrolyzes the Nerve Gas Soman
Francis C. G. Hoskin (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543),
Diane M. Steeves1, and John E. Walker1
Certain phosphorus-fluorine (P-F) compounds are powerful in-
hibitors of the nerve enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). and are
thus termed "nerve gases." One such compound is soman. 1,2,2-
trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate. An enzyme that hy-
drolyzes, and thus detoxifies soman has been purified from squid
nerve and immobilized on agarose resin. However, this enzyme,
termed organophosphorus acid anhydrolase (OPAA), hydrolyzes
the relatively non-toxic pair of diastereoisomers. C( ± )P( + ). more
rapidly than the toxic pair C( ± )P( - ) ( 1 ). Cyclodextrins are donut-
shaped heptahexose molecules that can also act as P-F hydrolyzing
"synzymes" (2, 3); but their rates are much lower than those of the
OPAAs. We now report the rapid hydrolysis and detoxication of
soman by a substituted cyclodextrin: 2-O-(4-carboxy-3-iodosoben-
zoyl)-/3-cyclodextrin (IBA-/3CD) (4). Dimebu (3.3-dimethylbutyl
methylphosphonofluoridate) (5), an isomer of soman with only one
chiral center, P( ± ), is also hydrolyzed by IBA-j3CD. Information
about the catalysis of these reactions by IBA-/3CD contributes to
our understanding of the active site of the naturally occurring
OPAA.
The hydrolysis of soman or dimebu was monitored with a
fluoride-sensitive electrode ( 1 ); the loss of AChE inhibitory po-
tency, by a modified Ellman reaction ( 1 ). A 5-ml solution was
made 25 mM in Pipes buffer. 3 mM in soman or dimebu. and 0.03
mM in IBA-J3CD; pH 7, 22°-23°C. After approximately half
hydrolysis, as measured by the fluoride electrode, 0. 1 ml of the
reaction solution was removed, diluted al ice-water temperature,
and tested for AChE inhibitory potency. The results of the AChE
determinations, and the fluoride measurements at that point are
presented in Table I. Semi-log plots of fluoride release up to that
point and well beyond are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 shows that the hydrolysis of both soman and dimebu by
IBA-/3CD is catalytic. Had it been stoichiometric, about 95% of
either P F compound would have remained unhydrolyzed at 200
min. Figure I further suggests that the catalyzed hydrolysis of
soman involves Iwo simultaneous reactions, one with a t,/, of
about 20 min, and the other with a tl/2 of 300 min or more. In
contrast, dimebu is hydrolyzed by a single reaction with a (,,, of
U.S. Army Nalick RD&l- Center. Natick, Massachusetts 01760.
Table 1
Soman or dimebu degradation by IBA-fiCD determined by Mo methods
Compound
Method
Degraded
Soman
Fluoride-sensitive electrode
34. 36
Soman
AChE inhibitory loss
41,47
Dimebu
Fluoride-sensitive electrode
44. 47
Dimebu
AChE inhibitory loss
57, 60
about 15 min. Table I. on the other hand, shows that soman or
dimebu are hydrolyzed at about the same rate at which they lose
potency as AChE inhibitors. That is, when soman is about 35%
hydrolyzed as determined by the fluoride-sensitive electrode, 44%
has been destroyed judging by the loss of AChE inhibitory po-
tency. The same values for dimebu are 46% and 59%, respectively.
These observations can be explained in the following way. From
the manner of its synthesis, IBA is covalently bonded to the rim of
the /3CD torus. The enhanced activity of IBA-/3CD over IBA alone
suggests that soman fits inside the torus and that the CH, of the
100
E 10
50
too
150 0
Time, min
50
100
Figure 1. Hydrolysis of soman and dimebu by IBA-ftCD, determined
in duplicate with the fluoride-sensitive electrode. Soman hydrolysis is
resolvable into tu-o reactions: (A) obsenvd values: (B) derived values.
Dimebu hydrolysis appears to be a single reaction: (C) observed values.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY
285
methylphosphono part of soman is oriented away from the IBA.
No matter whether the P=O or the P-F is to one side or the other
of the IBA. about equal hydrolysis of the AChE inhibitory P( - )F
isomers and the relatively non-inhibitory P( + )F pair will result.
However, the chiral C-CH, at the 1-propyl position of soman will,
in one configuration, allow a close approach of the P-F to the IBA.
but in the other configuration will increase the distance of the P-F
from the IBA by 1-2A. The increased distance would cause a
much slower hydrolysis rate for half of the racemic soman. The
same reasoning applies to dimebu, but since there is no chiral
C-CH, on the 3,3-dimethylbutyl portion, dimebu is hydrolyzed at
a single fast rate.
Both AChE. which is inhibited by soman, and OPAA, the
enzyme that hydrolyzes soman, seem to be indifferent to the
configuration around the C chiral center ( 1 ). In contrast, IBA-/3CD,
in its catalytic hydrolysis of soman. shows the reverse stereospec-
ificity with respect to the two chiral centers. This conclusion is
supported by the use of dimebu, in which there is no C-chiral
center. These findings and speculations have important implica-
tions for protection against, and disposal of, the acid anhydride
type nerve gases, of which soman is an important example.
Literature Cited
1. Hoskin, F. C. G. 1990. Pp. 469-480 in Squid as Experimental
Animals, D. L. Gilbert. W. J. Adelman, Jr.. and J. M. Arnold, eds.
Plenum Press. New York.
2. Klotz, I. M., G. P. Royer, and I. S. Scarpa. 1971. Proc. Nail. Acad.
Sci. USA 68: 263-264.
3. Breslow, R., and S. D. Dong. 1998. Chem. Rev. 98: 1997-2012
4. Seltzman, H. H. 1992. Pp. 24-29 in Final Report of Contract No.
DAMD I7-89-C-90I2. Synthesis of Soman Scavengers. Requests for
this document should he addressed to: Commander, U.S. Army Medical
Research and Development Command. Attention SGRD-RM1-S. Fort
Detrick, MD 21702 USA.
5. Chettur, G., J. J. DeFrank, B. J. Gallo, F. C. G. Hoskin, S. Mainer,
F. M. Robbins, K. E. Steinmann, and J. E. Walker. 1988. Fiimlani.
Appl. Timcol. 11: 373-380.
Reference: Biul. Bull. 197: 285-286. (October 1999)
Effects of Green Tea Polyphenols on Lens Photooxidative Stress
Seymour Zigman, Nancy S. Rafferty, Keen A. Rafferty, and Nathaniel Lewis (Eye Research Laboratory,
Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, and Marine Biological Laboratory,
Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
Our purpose was to determine whether tea polyphenols such as
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) would protect certain functions
of rabbit and dogfish lenses HI vitro against the photooxidative
stress of UVA irradiation. We have asked specifically whether
catalase activity was protected.
New Zealand white rabbit eyes were obtained from PelFreeze
Biologicals within 20 hours of death. Dogfish (Mustelus canis)
lenses were obtained fresh (under conditions approved by the
MBL Institutional Animal Use Committee), and kept on ice for 5 h
before use. The media used to maintain the lenses were Tyrode's
solution (Sigma) for rabbit tissues and elasmobranch Ringer's
medium (Marine Biological Laboratory) for dogfish tissues.
The HPLC-purified EGCG (one elution peak) was supplied in
solid form by the Lipton Company (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), and the
solid material was dissolved in Tyrode's or Ringer's solutions to
make 50 ^ig/ml. Whole eyes were placed with their anterior
surfaces up in small glass beakers on gauze soaked with medium.
Only the corneas were protruding into the air. and the beakers were
filled with Tyrode's or Ringer's.
Whole eyes were exposed to the EGCG solutions as follows.
Filled plastic bottle reservoirs were placed on a shelf above the
beakers of eyes so that the solutions were delivered through plastic
tubing connected to shortened micro-pipette tips at about 12 drops
per min for 4 h. For comparison, solutions not containing EGCG
were dropped onto control eyes at the same rate.
Cornea epithelia and lens capsule epithelia were dissected,
washed in their respective media, and homogenized in glass ho-
mogenizers in 1 .5 ml of medium. Homogenates were cleared of the
insoluble residues by precipitation with an Eppendorf centrifuge at
12,000 rpm for 10 min. The presence of EGCG (50 /ig/ml) was
detected in the cornea and lens, which were found to exhibit the
same fluorescent and absorptive spectral qualities as the pure
EGCG (excited at 490 nm, emission at 540 nm). We therefore
attribute the fluorescences of these ocular tissues to the presence of
EGCG.
Extracted lenses were pre-incubated in Tyrode's (rabbit) or
elasmobranch Ringer's (dogfish) solutions containing 5 /ng/ml of
EGCG. After the presoaking period, three lenses per group were
placed in beakers containing 15 ml of fresh Tyrode's or Ringer's
solutions without EGCG. The beakers containing lenses with an-
terior surface pointing upward were placed on a rack in our UVA
exposure chamber.
The UVA radiation was provided by 15 Osram Sylvania 15 W
BL (maximum emission at 355 nm) lamps. Total exposure was 20
J/cirr. Lenses were kept on ice until examined.
When the experimental procedures were complete, the lenses
were blotted, weighed analytically, and assayed for catalase activ-
ity (i.e., O2 production from H2O2) with an O2 meter and probe
(Microelectrodes) connected to an (XY) LKB recorder. The slope
of O, generation per minute was used as a measure of catalase
activity. Controls for the EGCG-treated lenses and for UV-ex-
posed lenses were included in every experiment.
The enzyme catalase is quite sensitive to inactivation due to
UVA exposure (1. 2). This was shown to occur in lenses of
286
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Table I
Protection of lens catalase activity from UVA imictivation ftv EGCG
UV exposed
Dark UV % of after EGCG % of
control exposed control soak control
Rabbit catalase*
(% O, increase) 4.0 ± 0.9 1.5 ± 0.3 38%
Dogfish catalase
(It O, increase) 2.78 ± 0,5 0.63 ± 0.2 23%
2.9 ± 0.5 73%
1 .38 ± 0.3 50%
: Average of 3 determinations ± the Standard Deviations.
numerous species. In this report, we confirm that the inactivation
of catalase due to UVA exposure is significantly reduced by the
antioxidant action of EGCG. The protection of lens catalase by 5
/ig/ml of EGCG ranged from 10% to 50% (Table I).
This study indicates that EGCG in physiological solutions can
penetrate the anterior surface of the eye in vitro so as to reach the
lens. It also shows that when EGCG reaches the lens, it is incor-
porated into the capsule epithelium. EGCG is known to be an
antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress in non-ocular tissues (3).
This report shows that it enters the eye so as to reach the lens as
well and provides beneficial antioxidant effects, as shown by
others in non-ocular tissues (3).
Further research is needed to determine whether EGCG can
reduce oxidative stress to the human lens, thus delaying some
cataractous changes that are due to environmental photo-oxidants.
Literature Cited
1. Zigman, S. 1997. Bi»I. Bull. 193: 253-254.
2 Zigman, S., J. Reddan. J. B. Schultz, and T. McDaniel. 1996.
Photochem. Plintobiol. 63: 818-X24.
3. Mitscher, L. A., M. Jung, D. Shankel, J-H. Don, L. Steele, and S. P.
Pillar. 1997. Meil. Res. Rev. 17: 327-365.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
287
Reference: Biol. Bull- 197: 287-288. (October 1999)
Salinity Effects on Nitrogen Dynamics in Estuarine Sediment Investigated by a Plug-flux Method
Thomas Mondrup (Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Roskilde University, Denmark}
The efficiency of nitrification and coupled denitrification of
regenerated N is greater in fresh water than in the marine and
estuarine environments (1). Salinity or factors related to salinity
thus play a major role in determining the fate of regenerated N.
Increasing salinity decreases the amount of exchangeable ammo-
nium, which is thought to diminish the substrate availability for
nitrifiers ( 1 ). Sulfide, which is associated with sulfate reduction in
saline environments, inhibits nitrification and denitrification (2).
Lastly, nitrifiers and denitrifiers presumably suffer direct physio-
logical salinity stress (3).
The relative significance and interaction of these relations are
unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of
salinity on estuarine sediment in the absence of potential sulfide
effects. We employed a plug-flux method (4) in which thin layers
of sediment are incubated with a small volume of overlying water
after porewater concentrations have achieved steady state in a
large volume of overlying water. The advantage of the method is
that steady state can be attained relatively fast, and that linear
fluxes during incubation can be interpreted as production rates (4).
Surface sediment (0-2 cm) was collected in April 1999 from a
station with seasonally varying salinity in the Parker River Estu-
ary, Massachusetts. Salinity was — 0%c at collection. Sediment was
sieved ( 1 mm), kept dark at 2°C, and stirred daily for 2 weeks prior
to incubations. Sediment was incubated at different concentrations
of artificial seawater lacking sulfate (0, 3, 10, and 30% under oxic
conditions, and 0 and 30%c under anoxic conditions). At each
treatment. 14 plugs (0.8 cm deep, 4.8 cm diameter) filled with 14.5
cm1 of sediment were each placed in open 125-nil cups, and
afterwards placed in a tank containing 25 1 of treatment water. The
experiment was kept at 20°C. After 50 h, steady state was assumed
and the cups were sealed. Exchangeable and porewater ammonium
concentrations were hereafter measured to be constant in each
treatment between 0 and 72 h, thus indicating that steady state had
been achieved. Microelectrode measurements of oxygen concen-
trations indicated that only the top 2 mm of sediment in the plugs
was oxygenated. Rates of ammonification, nitrification, denitrifi-
cation, and oxygen consumption were calculated from differences
in final and initial concentrations in the overlying water in the
sealed cups after 0, 18, 40, 48, 72. and 161 h. At every timepoint.
two cups from each treatment were removed for analysis. For
sediments removed after 161 h, potential nitrification was mea-
sured as nitrate production in oxic conditions. The samples were
shaken with treatment water enriched with 500 juM NH4+ and 200
|uA/P. The measured rates of
denitrification (Fig. IE) were highly variable and not significantly
different from 0 in any treatment. The measurements ranged from
0 to 100 nmol N g~' ww d~'. However, because ammonification
did not differ between anoxic and oxic treatments, because there
was no nitrate in overlying water at the beginning of the experi-
ment, and because there was very low measured nitrification, we
believe that denitrification was very low.
In conclusion, there was a relative stimulation of ammonifica-
tion and potential nitrification at 3%r. Neither sulfide inhibition nor
the relative amount of exchangeable ammonium could explain this
result, pointing to a direct physiological response of the bacterial
community to salinity. This response could be due either to a larger
number of active bacteria or to an increase in bacterial activity.
Potential and actual nitrification was lowest at 30%r, which was
expected due to severe salinity stress. Decrease in substrate avail-
ability could also acount for the low actual nitrification, but not for
the low potential nitrification. However, the experimental setup
was not optimal for investigating actual nitrification and denitrifi-
cation. First, changes in oxygen conditions influenced the condi-
tions for nitrification and denitrification, so that fluxes were non-
linear at several treatments. To investigate the effects on actual
rates of nitrification and denitrification more thoroughly, it would
be advisable to look at the two processes separately. This could
have been done by investigating nitrification at thinner sediment
plugs without an anoxic interface, and by investigating denitnrt-
cation in plugs with an oxic anoxic interface as described above.
but with a substantial addition of nitrate to the treatment water.
This research was supported by an NSF-LTER Grant (OCE
9726921 ), NOAA Sea Grant, the Mellon Foundation, and Roskilde
University. I thank Gary T. Banta, Anne E. Giblin, Charles S.
Hopkinson. Jane Tucker, Nathaniel Weston. and Yongchen Wang
for help and assistance in carrying out this research.
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
I HU
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Literature Cited
1. Seitzinger. S. P. 1988. l.nnnol. Oceam'Ki: 33: 702-7:4.
2. Joy, S. B., and J. T. Hollibaugh. 1995. Science 270: 623-625
3. Rysgaard, S.. P. Thastum. T. Dalsgaard, P. B. Christensen, and
N. P. Sloth. 1999. Estuaries 22: 21-30.
4. Aller, R. C., and J. E. Mackin. 1989. J. Mar. Res. 47: 441-456
5 Henriksen, K., J. I. Hansen, and T. H. Blackburn. 1981. Mar. Biol.
61: 299-304.
6. Holmes, R. M., A. Aminot, R. Kerouel. B. A. Hooker, and B. J.
Peterson. 1999. Can. J. Fish. Ai/uat. Sci. (in press).
7 Kana, T. M., C. Darkangelo, M. D. Hunt, J. B. Oldham, G. E.
Bennett, and J. C. Cornwell. 1994. Anal. Client. 66: 4166-4170.
OO O3 O10 030
DUU
o T 500
•^3 "D
E I 400
-^
r^-
r^-
r^-|
| Tra 300
c ° 200
O) °
5- I 100
O
n
OO O3 O10 030
60
73 50
> 40
^ 30
o 20
1 m
OO
O 3 O 10
TREATMENTS
030
Figure 1. Average flux rates ± SE for each treatment (A 0 and A 30 =
ano.\ic II ami Mf/,,. O II. O .\ O II). ami O 30 = oxic 0. j. In. and 30%*):
IAI ammonium cfflui. (Hi nitrate effu.\. (C) potential nitrification, UIN * IN
AnunoniflcattoD
H4 * INOJ
Nitrification
E3
Plant Uptal
Plant Uptake
Model Equations . i • i i
le
mmobUization
ion
r2=k2*[NH4]
r3=k3*[NO3]
r7=k7"[DON]
r4,rS,r6=constants
Microbial 1
, pr»N , Denitrificat
0
80
70
60
5^50
~40
"" 30
20
10
0
7
• NH4 Observed
• NO3 Observed
A DON Observed
NH4 Modeled ^
NO3 Modeled ,
DON Modeled A
H-^-r
**-*-±, • • • „ •
A
-» — A—
-^-y^
20 1
•
•
• ^
0 60 50
40 30
River km
Figure 1. (Top): A simple N-processing model shtm'inx compartments, equations, and calculated rale coefficient.*. (Bottom): Obsen-ed (symbols) and
predicted (lines) concentrations of NH^. NO,~, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) for the Ipswich River in July 1998.
290
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
NH4 + . NO, , dissolved organic N (DON), and participate organic
N (PON) and considered the processes of ammonification, nitrifi-
cation, and immobilization (Fig. 1. top). First-order kinetics were
assumed for all processes except for lateral inputs. Concentrations
were modeled as functions of distance. The least squares approach
was used to fit the model to the main channel concentration data.
The concentration data from the headwater sites were not used in
the model. Constraints were placed on the model so that the initial
concentrations, rate coefficients (k), and uptake rates (r) were
greater than zero. Uptake lengths (1/k) were calculated from the
rate coefficients; an uptake length is an estimate of the average
distance traveled by an element before it is removed from the
water column.
Phosphate concentrations were very low at the headwater sites,
averaging only 0.3 p.M P (data not shown). Further downstream in
the main stem of the river, PO43 was roughly the same as
upstream (0.6 JJ.M). TOP concentrations showed no apparent
downstream pattern and were only slightly higher than PO4?~,
indicating very low DOP concentrations (0-1.5 ;u,A/). DIN con-
centrations at the headwater sites were high, approaching 60 ;uM N
(Fig. 1, bottom). Further downstream in the main stem of the river,
DIN concentrations were markedly lower (averaging 17 /xM).
TDN concentrations were much higher than DIN but, as with TDP.
showed no apparent spatial pattern. Of the DIN fractions, NO,
exhibited a large drop in concentration with distance down the
headwater stream. Although NO," dropped, NH4 + increased
slightly, suggesting denitritication of the NO," and ammonifica-
tion without subsequent nitrification. In contrast, in the main
channel, NH4 + and NO," concentrations were mirror images of
each other but with NH4 dropping and NO, increasing. This
pattern suggests nitrification.
Our simple N model tracked observed data well (Fig. 1, bottom).
Plots of predicted versus observed concentrations of NH4 + , NO,",
and DON illustrated close agreement for all fractions. Slopes of
regression lines were between 0.96 and 1 .2 for the three compo-
nents. Not only was there close agreement in a general sense, but
the spatial patterns were also close to observed patterns for all
components.
Rate coefficients determined with the model differed greatly
between the various N fractions, ranging from 0.0078 km ~ ' for
ammonification to 107 km"1 for plant uptake and microbial im-
mobilization (Fig. 1, top). For all fractions, uptake, or transforma-
tion, lengths calculated from the rate coefficients were much
longer than those usually reported for more pristine stream systems
(2). The uptake lengths for NH4+ and NO," were 9 km and 1 3 km.
respectively. The uptake length for NO," was dominated by
nitrification, as the rate of nitrification was \CT times that of plant
uptake. The uptake length for DON exceeded the length of the
river. NH4 ' uptake lengths reported in the literature for low-
nitrogen, pristine stream systems are often between 30 and 400 in
(2). Reported NO, uptake lengths for similar systems typically
range from 40 to 690 m (2). The long Ipswich River uptake lengths
are probably due to the relatively high concentrations of inorganic
and organic N in the Ipswich River. For a given rate of processing,
calculated uptake rate coefficients vary inversely with concentra-
tion. The observed uptake lengths may also represent slow overall
rates of N cycling in this system, which as evidenced by extremely
high inorganic N:P ratios, is probably P limited.
Patterns of nutrient concentration and the results of the N model
suggest that an important location for N retention or loss is in the
headwater streams of the Ipswich River. Inorganic N concentra-
tions decrease markedly in this region. The N-cycling model
indicates very long uptake lengths in the mid and lower stretches
of the river. It is possible that nutrient processing is greater in the
headwaters because of greater relative contact with the riverbed.
There may also be more active exchange between surface and
hyporheic waters in the headwater streams. We would expect high
rates of denitrification in anoxic hyporheic waters. Additional
studies, such as tracer-nutrient releases and 15N additions could be
profitably conducted in the upper reaches. Study of nutrient pro-
cessing in the Ipswich River is increasingly important because N
loading is rising in this rapidly urbanizing watershed. It is unclear
how long the Ipswich River will be able to continue to process the
high loads of inorganic N before the uptake capacity is reached.
This research was funded by NSF grants (LTER: OCE-9726921,
DEB-9726862. and EAR-9807632) and a gift from the Jessie B.
Cox Charitable Trust.
Literature Cited
1 Ingram, K. K., C. S. Hopkinson, K. Bowman, R. Garritt, and J.
Vallino. 1994. Biol. Bull. 187: 277-278.
2. Marti, E., and F. Sahatcr. 1996. Ecology 77: 854-869.
Reference: Biol. Bull 197: 290-292. (October 1999)
Increased Lability of Estuarine Dissolved Organic Nitrogen From Urbanized Watersheds
Felisa L Wolfe1, Kevin D. Kroeger, and Ivan Valiela (Boston University Marine Program, Marine Biological
Lahoraton; Woods Hole. Massachusetts 02543)
Inputs of nitrogen from land can lead to eutrophication of
estuaries (1-5. 6). Terrestrial N is transported as NO,", NH4 * ,
PON (particulate organic nitrogen), and DON (dissolved organic
' Oberlin College, Oberlin. Ohio.
nitrogen), but most estimates of N loading are based on DIN
(NO, + NH4 ' ). DON had been thought to be mostly refractory
to organisms, but recent studies show that some portion of the
DON may be labile (6, 7). Land-derived DON may thus be
mineralized within estuaries, and the NH4 + released may be avail-
able to organisms (4). Most calculations of N inputs to estuaries
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
291
are based on DIN; to the extent that DON is labile, nitrogen loads
calculated on the basis of land-derived DIN inputs alone underes-
timate effective N loads (6, 7).
There is evidence that urbanization of watersheds alters the
lability as well as the amount of DON loaded to receiving waters
(6). We evaluated these issues by use of estuaries of Waquoit Bay,
Massachusetts (Sage Lot Pond, Quashnet River, and Childs River),
that receive different N inputs from their watersheds because of
different degrees of urbanization (1,4, 5). Sage Lot Pond (SLP)
has a primarily forested watershed that provides a N load of 14 kg
N ha"1 y~'; Quashnet River (QR) has a watershed with an
intermediate degree of urbanization and a N load of 350 kg N ha" '
y~'; Childs River (CR) has a watershed with the greatest degree of
urbanization, and a N load of 601 kg N ha"1 y~' (4, 5).
To gain a better understanding of how urbanization alters DON.
we measured the lability of DON from the three different estuaries.
In each estuary we collected surface water from a station with a
salinity of 25%t. Samples were placed in acid-washed bottles and
kept on ice. The water was filtered through precombusted Q.l-p.m
glass fiber filters to remove larger consumers and particulates.
Triplicate samples (1000-ml/flask) were incubated at 25°C in the
dark with continuous shaking. Each flask was re-sampled at 1 2. 24,
36, 48, 96, and 192 h. The water samples were filtered (0.2-fxm
Durapore membrane Millipore filter, prerinsed with deionized
water); placed in acid-washed, high-density polyethylene bottles;
and frozen for later analysis. Nutrient concentrations were deter-
mined by standard methods (Lachat QuikChem 8000 Automatic
Ion Analyzer, 8).
DON concentrations decreased in all incubations (Fig. 1, top
right) and as a percentage of the total N (Fig. 1. middle row). The
loss of DON generated NH4 + , which increased in concentration
during all incubations (Fig. 1, middle panel in top row, and all
panels in middle row). NO," concentrations remained relatively
constant during the incubations (Fig. 1, top left). The total dis-
solved nitrogen (TON) did not change significantly (data not
shown) within the measurement error (F values for regressions
were 0.56 for SLP, 0.95 for QR. and 0.9 for CR), which implies
that the transformation of TDN to paniculate forms was not
significant during the incubation; the concentrations of NH4 ' ,
NO,", and DON accounted for measured TDN throughout.
The degree of urbanization on the different watersheds did alter
the lability of DON generated from the watersheds. Concentrations
of DON were largest in SLP (Fig. 1. top right), the estuary with the
smallest N load (Fig. 1. bottom left) and the largest ratio of forest
to residential land on its watershed (Fig. 1, bottom right). Our
results thus suggest that increased N loads during urbanization
(Fig. 1, bottom right) are accompanied by proportionally more
labile DON (Fig. 1, bottom rightl.
We conclude that since DON is quantitatively a large part of
inputs from land (6), a labile fraction of 20%-40% (Fig. 1, bottom
left) could indeed make a significant contribution of available N to
estuarine organisms. Nutrient-loading protocols should therefore
include assessments of the amounts and lability of DON entering
estuaries. This is particularly important in cases of eutrophication
of estuaries with watersheds exposed to greater degrees of urban
land use.
The DON in the incubation was derived from a mix of terrestrial
and marine sources. Internal sources (exudation from producers.
0 200 400 600 " 0.2 04 06
N load (kg N ha'V) Residential area/Naturally vegetated area
Figure 1. Top row: concentration (mean ± SE) of nitrate, ammonium,
and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON} during the incubation. Middle row:
percentage composition ofN measured in each of the three estuaries (Sage
Lot Pond. Quashnet River, and Childs River) during the incubations.
Bottom row: relationship of total percent DON lost during the incubations
vs. land-derived nitrogen load {left panel) and vs. ratio of residential to
vegetated land acreage on the watersheds (right panel ').
regeneration from sediments) of DON are qualitatively important
(our unpublished data). In addition, we collected samples from
stations at which salinity was high and marine sources could have
been important. Both of these features would diminish the possi-
bility of our finding differences in lability due to land-derived
DON. Nevertheless, we did find such differences, suggesting that
despite the potentially confounding effects of internal estuarine
and marine sources of DON, we can still detect measurable influ-
ences tied to land-use mosaics on watersheds. Clearly, further
mass balance studies will be useful to clarify issues, but our
present results point to a substantive coupling between land use on
watersheds and the nature of the DON in estuarine waters. This
coupling has considerable importance to the management of N
loads to estuaries.
We thank Caroline Plugge, Kurt Hanselmann, Gabrielle To-
masky, and Jennifer Walters for analytical assistance. Also special
thanks to Kenneth Foreman and The Ecosystems Center for use of
the Lachat autoanalyzer and to Eric Davidson of the Woods Hole
Research Center for suggestions. This research was supported by
funds from the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates
program (OCE-9605099).
292
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Literature Cited
1 Valiela, I., J. Costa, K. Foreman. J. M. Teal, B. Howes, and I).
Aubrey. 1990. Bingemiiemistiy 10: 177-197.
2 Valiela, I., el al. 1992. Estuaries 15: 443-457
3. D'Avanzo, C., and J. Krenier. 1994. Estuaries 17: 131-139.
4. McClelland, J. W., and I. Valiela. 1998. Lnnnol. Oceanogr. 43:
577-585.
5. Valiela, I., G. Collins, J. Kremer, K. Lajtha, M. Geist. B. Seely, J.
Brawley, and C. H. Sham. 1997. Ecol. ,4/-/>/. 7: 358-380.
6. Seitzinger, S. P., and R. W. Sanders. 1997. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.
159: 1-12.
7 Bronk. D. A., P. M. Gilbert, and B. B. Ward. 1994. Science 265:
1843-1846.
8. D'Elia, C. e I al. 1977. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22: 760-764.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 292-294. (October 1999)
Effects of Increased Nitrogen Loading on the Abundance of Diatoms and Dinoflagellates in Estuarine
Phytoplanktonic Communities
A. Evgenidou, A. Konkle, A. D'Ainbrosio, A. Corcoran. J. Rowcn, E. Brown, D. Corcoran, C. Decirliolt.
S. Fern, A. Lamb, J. Michalowski, I. Ruegg, and J. Cehridn (Boston University Marine Program,
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543)
Coastal and estuarine ecosystems are among the most anthro-
pogenically affected ecosystems on earth ( 1 ). Increased urbaniza-
tion, deforestation, and agricultural land uses are some of the main
factors that cause increased nitrogen loading in the estuaries (2).
The effects of this increased delivery of nitrogen on the receiving
estuarine waters include increased abundance of benthic macroal-
gae and phytoplankton, reduced oxygen content of the water, and
deterioration of shellfish and finfish populations (2, 3). However,
knowledge of how and why estuaries subject to different rates of
nitrogen loading differ in the composition of their phytoplanktonic
communities is not as extensive, even though many laboratory
experiments have addressed this question (4, 5, 6, 7). Changes in
phytoplanktonic composition may have important effects on the
receiving estuaries, such as changes in the food web structure (8)
or in the sedimentation rates of organic matter (9).
In our study, we describe the abundance of diatoms and
dinoflagellates in three estuaries of Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts,
which have similar physical properties but differ greatly in their
degree of urbanization and subsequent nitrogen loading rates (2).
Childs River. Quashnet River, and Sage Lot Pond exhibit high
(6(11 kg ha ' y ' ). medium (350 kg ha" ' y~ ' ). and low ( 14 kg
ha"1 y ' ) nitrogen loading rates respectively ( 10). To describe the
natural assemblages of diatoms and dinoflagellates in the three
estuaries, we took water samples from one site at the mouth of
each estuary, at ~2 m depth on 12 November 1998. Temperature
and salinity were very similar in the three sites examined. We took
six samples from Childs River and Sage Lot Pond, and three
samples from Quashnet River. Natural abundance was low during
the sampling period; therefore, samples were concentrated 50
times by filtering 50 1 of water through a 10-jnm-mesh filter to
collect the phytoplankton. The phytoplankton was then placed in
1 1 of water and fixed with Lugol's solution. The two phytoplank-
tonic groups were identified and cells were counted under com-
pound microscopes.
In addition, we conducted a laboratory experiment to test
whether the observed differences in composition of the phyto-
planktonic groups examined were driven by increased nitrogen
loading. Phytoplankton from Sage Lot Pond was collected using a
10-jLim mesh, and then placed in two 35-1 tanks tilled with Childs
River water that had been previously filtered through 1-jum filters.
The control tank contained phytoplankton from Sage Lot Pond
placed in water from the same estuary using the procedure de-
scribed above. Similar quantities of phytoplankton were placed in
the three tanks. All tanks were oxygenated and kept with seasonal
light and temperature conditions in an incubation chamber. In each
tank, three replicates were taken at 0, 3. 6, and 9 days to measure
phytoplankton abundance. We used the nitrogen content in the
water column as a proxy for nitrogen loading. Nitrogen concen-
trations in Sage Lot Pond and Childs River water in November
were 1 and 5 ^M respectively. Therefore, every 3 days we mea-
sured the nitrogen concentration in all tanks and added nitrogen as
needed to maintain these natural levels.
Analysis of the natural abundance of diatoms and dinoflagellates
showed that diatoms were the dominant group in all three estuaries
(Fig. 1A). while dinoflagellates represented less than 10% of
the phytoplanktonic community examined. Both diatom and
dinoflagellate abundances increased from low- to high-nitrogen
estuaries (Fig. 1A: ANOVA. P < 0.01 for both groups). In
addition, diatoms increased to a much greater extent than
dinoflagellates did and. as a consequence, the ratio of diatoms to
dinoflagellates increased more than one order of magnitude from
low- to high-nitrogen estuaries (Fig. IB; ANOVA. P < 0.01).
Dinoflagellates represented about 10% of the total community
examined in Sage Lot Pond, but were less than 1% in Childs River
(Fig. IB). A further examination of the diatom community showed
that both centric and pennate diatoms increased from low- to
high-nitrogen estuaries (Fig. 1C; ANOVA. P < 0.01 for both
types). The two groups increased in similar proportions and, con-
sequently, the ratio of centric to pennate did not change signifi-
cantly with higher loading rates (ANOVA. P > 0.05).
The results from the experiment showed that the Sage Lot
diatom community in Childs River water responded differently
than the control, the same community kept in its own water (Fig.
2). Diatom abundance in Childs River water increased over the
course of the experiment (t test, P < 0.01). Conversely, diatom
abundance in Sage Lot water at the end of the experiment was not
higher than the initial abundance (/ test, P > 0.05). in spite of the
observed peak on the third day. At the end of the experiment,
diatoms were more abundant in Childs River water than in Sage
Lot water (t test. P < 0.01). Dinoflagellate abundance increased
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
293
over the experiment in both Childs and Sage Lot water (/ test, P <
0.01), reaching similar values in both types of water (/ test, P >
0.05).
Results from the natural abundance survey indicate that diatoms
were more abundant than dinoflagellates in the estuaries examined
(Fig. 1A). Moreover, these results suggest that the dominance of
diatoms is promoted by increased nitrogen loading. The results of
the experiment also show that by the end of the study period
diatoms were more abundant in Childs River water than in Sage
Lot Pond water. However, diatom abundance in Sage Lot Pond
water was inconsistent over the course of the experiment, increas-
ing for the first 3 days before declining to levels not different from
their initial abundance. Therefore, the results of this preliminary
experiment can only suggest that nitrogen loading rates may be
promoting diatom dominance in these estuaries (Fig. 2). Moreover,
= 1
o j5
'a "3
••5 gf
'S'S
o c
'
SLP
QR
CR
Figure 1. Analysis of the natural phytoplanktonic communities in the
three estuaries of Waquoit Bay. (A) The abundance of diatoms (open bins)
and dinoflagellates (grey bins) in Sage Lot Pond (SLP), Qtiashnet River
(QR}. and Childs River (CR). (B) The ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates in
the three estuaries examined. (C) The abundance of centric diatoms (open
bins) and pennate diatoms (grey bins) in the three estuaries. Bins represent
mean values and bars show confidence inten'als calculated from six
replicates for CR and SLP and from three replicates for QR. Variables
were log-transformed to comply with the assumptions of the AN OVA test
employed.
time elapsed (days)
Figure 2. Abundance of diatoms (circles) and dinoflagellates
(squares) during the laboratory experiment. Sage Lot Pond phytoplankton
in Childs River water (experimental) is represented by solid symbols; Sage
Lot Pond phytoplankton in Sage Lot Pond water (control) is represented by
open symbols. Symbols represent mean values and bars show confidence
inten'a/s calculated from six replicates for experimental tanks and from
three replicates for control tanks. Lines depict the spline-smoothed trends.
Variables were log-transformed to comply with the assumptions of the
ANOVA test employed.
there may be some other factors that could account for the increas-
ing abundance of diatoms, such as differences in silica and other
trace metals among estuaries.
Our findings are consistent with the results of previous labora-
tory manipulations. Many authors have shown that experimental
nitrate enrichment results in phytoplanktonic communities domi-
nated by centric diatoms (4, 5, 7). This is attributed to the higher
growth rates of diatoms compared to dinoflagellates (5. 6, 7).
Therefore, it is possible that diatoms could build up large stocks of
biomass faster than dinoflagellates.
Changes in the relative abundance of diatoms and dinoflagel-
lates under increasing nitrogen loading may have important eco-
logical implications for the receiving estuaries. Large centric dia-
toms are the main diet of some copepods species, which in turn are
preyed upon by commercial fish species (8). Therefore, increases
in abundance of centric diatoms could cause changes in the food
web structure of the receiving estuaries. In addition, diatoms have
higher sinking rates than other groups of phytoplankton. which
could lead to enhanced sedimentation rates of carbon in the estuary
(9). Examination of these hypotheses is needed to assess the effects
of nitrogen induced shifts in phytoplankton composition, particu-
larly among diatoms and dinoflagellates. on the ecology of the
receiving estuaries.
Literature Cited
1. Vitousek, P. M., H. A. Mooney, J. Lubchenco, and J. M. Melillo.
1997. Science 277: 494-499.
2. Valiela, I., K. Foreman, M. LaMontagne, D. Hersh, J. Costa, P.
Peckol, B. DeMeo-Andreson, C. D'Avanzo, M. Babione, C. Sham,
J. Bra\vle>, and K. Lajtha. 1992. Estuaries 15: 443-457
3. Nixon, S. VV. 1986. J. Lininol. Soc. S. Afr. 12: 43-71.
294
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
4. Davis, C. O. 1982. Pp. 323-332 in Marine Mesoct>xm.\. G. D. Gnce
and M. R. Reeve, eds. Springer-Verlag. New York.
5. Takahashi, M., I. Koike, K. Iseki, P. K. Bienfang, and A. Hatlori.
1982. Pp. 333-340 in Marine Mesocosms. G. D. Grice and M. R.
Reeve, eds. Springer- Verlag, New York.
6. Ishizaka. J., M. Takahashi, and S. Ichimura. 1983. Mar. Biol 76:
271-278.
7 Parsons, T. R., P. J. Harrison, and R. Waters. 1978. J. Exp. Mar.
Biol. Ecol. 32: 285-294.
8. Greve, W., and T. R. Parsons. 1977. Hclt-ol. Wiss. Meeresunters
30: 666-672.
9. KiOrboe, T. 1993. ,490% of the individuals, D.
Lawrence, unpublished data). A. tonsa has a high rate of popula-
tion turnover and a low capacity for energy storage (3), so it is a
suitable organism to use in assessing short-term responses to food
supply. We expected that changes in available food supply created
by the different nitrogen enrichment regimes would be reflected in
the egg output of A tonsu. a variable known to respond rapidly to
food supply (3).
Egg production experiments were conducted in the held from K)
to 20 July 1999 to measure reproductive output of A. IOIIMI in
relation to chlorophyll concentration and to nitrogen load. Adult A.
tonsa females were collected from each site by towing a 153-/j.m
Nitex nylon net obliquely at a depth of 0.5 in. To minimize the
inlluence of temperature and salinity, animals were collected from
sites that ranged in temperature from 24°C to 27°C and in salinity
from 25%p to 30%<. The incubation water was collected, using a
Lamotte water sampler, from the same site and depth as the tows,
and hltered through a 45-p.m sieve to remove all mesozooplankton
and copepod eggs but retain phytoplankton. This hltered water,
now devoid of eggs, was used to fill the 2-1 incubation bottles.
In the laboratory, adult females were isolated and d to 10 were
placed in each incubation bottle. For each site, six bottles were
incubated in Waquoit Bay for 24 h. This is sufficient time to
measure changes in egg production in these animals (4). Incuha-
1 Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania.
tions were run in situ to maintain field conditions of light and
temperature. After the incubations the water was sieved twice, first
through a 200-jj.m mesh to isolate the adult females and then
through a 53-jmn mesh to concentrate the eggs and nauplii. After
the copepods were fixed in 70% ethanol, we measured the prosome
length of adult females to determine average size, and the eggs and
nauplii were counted in each sample. We determined daily egg
production (EP) as (E + N)/F. where E = number of eggs, N =
number of nauplii. and F = number of adult females in each
sample. The adult females may have cannibalized nauplii. but
probably at an ingestion rate of only 1% day"1 (5).
Water for determination of chlorophyll a concentration was
collected on 20 July 1999 from five sites in each estuary, from near
surface and bottom depths, using a Lamotte water sampler. Spec-
trophotometrie measurements (6) were averaged to estimate mean
chlorophyll u concentration in each incubation.
Reproductive output of A. tonsa increased as chlorophyll con-
centrations increased (Fig. 1, top left). Chlorophyll concentrations
in the water increased at higher nitrogen loads (Fig. 1. top middle).
We interpret these results to mean that increases in nitrogen supply
led to increases in chlorophyll concentration, which in turn sup-
plied greater amounts of food to copepods. which responded by
increasing egg production. There is. therefore, an indirect correla-
tion between reproductive output and nitrogen loads (Fig. I, top
right).
Of course, the greater reproductive production could be caused
by the somewhat larger female size in the higher loaded estuaries
(Fig. 1, bottom left). Nitrogen load increased both reproductive
output and adult size, but egg production rates were not related to
size of females (Fig. 1, bottom right). The increased reproductive
output measured was therefore mediated by conditions in the
estuary, not by the size of females alone.
The results suggest that with increasing nitrogen loads, phyto-
plankton populations increase, providing more food for A. tonsa,
thus probably increasing its reproductive output. The reproductive
output by this calanoid zooplankter seems therefore indirectly
linked, through the response of phytoplankton to increased nutrient
concentration, to the nitrogen loading rate derived from the wa-
tershed land-use mosaic.
This research was supported by NSF Research Experience for
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
295
40-
S 20
D)
O 10-
0.
O)
O)
150-1
8
o
8
o
r = 0.933"
20 40
60
Mean chl a cone, (mg m")
750-1
O)
.5 700
CU
O
w
o
0.650
c
03
(1)
600
y = 0.1x + 656.1", r = 0.631 n.s.
200
400
600
Nitrogen load (kg ha~1 y"1
100-
co
E
O)
6
§
CO
-F 50-
o
c
CO
0)
40-1
y = 0.2x+ 1.2", r = 0.949"
80 100 120
"3
200
400
600
Nitrogen load (kg ha"1 y"
40-
'•o
-
0 0
0)
« 30-
o
E
o o
o
0) 20-
A
O)
3-
D A A
-6
° 10-
dP A o
CL
n a
CD
cn
LU
r = 0.423 n.s.
o
o.1(H
D)
CD
LU
y = 9.6* ipO-OP1*", r = 0.910'
200 400 600
Nitrogen load (kg ha"1 y"1)
o
A
D
CR
QR
SL
640
660
680
700
720
Mean prosome length (|im)
Figure 1. Top left: Egg production rate (eggs female ' day ') versus mean chlorophyll concentration (mg m ). Top middle: Mean chlorophyll
concentration versus land-derived nitrogen load (kg ha
I The lines represent standard error. Nitrogen loads obtained from Valiela et al. (2). Top
right: Egg production rate versus land-derived nitrogen load. Bottom left: Mean prosome length versus nitrogen load. The lines represent standard error.
Bottom right: Egg production rate versus mean prosome length of females (fan). One asterisk indicates significance of <0.05 and fn'o asterisks indicate
significance of<0.01.
Undergraduates grant. Special thanks to Felisa Wolfe, Amy
Watson, Erica Stieve. and the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve.
Literature Cited
1. Valiela, I., K. Foreman, M. LaMontagne, D. Hersh, J. Costa, P.
Peckol, B. DeMeo-Anderson, C. D'Avanzo, M. Babione, C-H.
Sham, J. Brawley, and K. Lajtha. 1992. Estuaries 15: 443-457.
2. Valiela, I., J. McClelland, J. Hauxwell, P. Behr, D. Hersh. K.
Foreman. Ecol. Appl. (in press).
3. Kleppel, G. S., C. A. Burkart, and C. Tomas. 1998. Estuaries 21:
328-339.
4 Bellantoni, D. C., and W. T. Peterson. 1987. J. E.\r>. Mar. Bioi Ecol.
107: 199-208.
5. Lonsdale, D. J., D. R. Heinle, and C. Siegfried. 1979. J. £v/> Mar.
Biol Ecol. 36: 235-248.
b. Lorenzen, C. J. 1967. Lnnnol. Oceanogr. 12: 343-346.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 295-297. (October 1999)
Long-Term Effect of Municipal Water Use on the Water Budget of the Ipswich River Basin
Susannah Canfield1, Luc Claessens, Charles Hopkinson Jr., Edward Rastetter, and Joseph Vallino
(The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
The Ipswich River watershed has served as a public water
supply to suburban communities north of Boston since the late
1 Bates College, Lewiston, Maine 04240.
1800s. Population growth and land-use changes have affected the
hydrology of the watershed by increasing the amount of water
pumped from the basin and altering the land cover — a problem that
is prevalent nationwide ( 1 ). In recent years, the river has suffered
296
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
from low flows in the summer (2). Low streamfiow can be detri-
mental to the ecosystem of the river, the surrounding wetlands, and
the estuary into which the river drains (1). The purpose of this
study was to examine the effect of municipal water use on the
overall water budget of the Ipswich River basin.
Monthly water budgets were constructed for the period 1931-
1989 as: AS = P - ET - R - D. where P is precipitation; ET is
evapotranspiration; R is streamflow; D is net diversions, including
drinking water and wastewater; and AS is change in storage.
Precipitation data were obtained from observations of the National
Weather Service (NWS) and cooperative network. Observations
from NWS first-order weather stations were used to calculate
evapotranspiration using a mathematical model (3). Streamtlow
data were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey. Data on
monthly water pumpage and wastewater systems were collected
from individual town water departments, the Department of Envi-
ronmental Protection, the Massachusetts Area Planning Council,
and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. Public drinking
water was divided into public water supply from within and from
outside the watershed based on the locations of pumping stations
relative to the boundary of the Ipswich River basin. Using popu-
lation data and the relative distribution of urban land use for each
town, we separated the total public water supply into water deliv-
ered inside and outside the basin. To account for lawn and plant
watering, an irrigation coefficient was calculated for the summer
months by considering the difference between summer and winter
pumpage. Finally, the remaining water, for commercial and house-
hold use, was divided into wastewater exported out of the basin via
sewer systems and wastewater retained in the watershed by on-site
septic disposal. Sewered water was assumed to have a 65% infil-
tration component from groundwater (4). Linear regression anal-
yses were performed to examine time-dependent trends in annual,
monthly, and seasonal data.
On a long-term annual scale (Fig. la), precipitation, streamflow,
and evapotranspiration are highly variable but do not display any
significant time-dependent trends. Only diversions have increased
significantly over time (/• = 0.96. P < 0.001) and currently
represent 15%-20% of streamflow. One would expect that with a
significant increase in diversions, streamflow would decrease sig-
nificantly. It is plausible, however, that changes in land use have
masked the effect of diversions on streamflow and the overall
water budget; for example, the conversion of forested area to
impervious land cover could lead to an increase in streamflow and
a decrease in evapotranspiration (5). Our analysis of the main
diversion components shows an increase in water drawn from
within and outside the basin, tripling over the 59-year period (Fig.
Ib). Water supply from outside the basin constitutes 30% of the
total supply; of this total water supply. 71% is delivered outside the
watershed. The septic wastewater component levels off after 1966.
when sewer systems became more prevalent.
la.
1800 -i
1500
•*• Precipitation
-*- Streamflow
Change in Storage
Evapotranspiration
Diversions
-300
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Time (yr)
1C.
Precipitation (1180mm/yr)
Evapotranspiration
(541mm/yr)
Public Water
Import (33mm/yr)
Public Water
Export (103mm/yr
Ib.
Id.
Streamflow
(538mm/yr)
Sewered
Wastewater
(40mm/yr)
PWS from within IRB -*- PWS from outside 1RB
-o- Septic Wastewater -+- Sewered Wastewater
— Water Delivered outside IRB
140 q
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Time (yr)
-»- Precipitation
-*- Streamflow -•-
-*- Change in Storage
Evapotranspiration
Diversions
'
•
y \
^^-^M A N
*^ =-" ^^* f^L- -A.
\ /^ V
las'^^^^-^ \_
V g
o -:
/
rn ^^ ^^
1234567
Month
8 9 10 11 12
Figure 1. la) I93I-I9N9 annual time series of the main components of the water budget, with only diversions increasing significantly, tl'l 1 931-1989
annual time series of the components of diversions, including public water supply (PWS) from within and from outside the Ipswich River basin (1KB), water
delivered outside ihe basin, septic and sewered wastewater, including infiltration, Ic) Main C(imponents of the Ipswich Ri\:er hasin water budget, including
I979-I9NN annual averages. Id) 1979-I98K average nionthlv tune series of the main components o/ the water budget.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
247
In the 1979-1988 water budget (Fig. Ic). which is representa-
tive of current conditions, evapotranspiration (541 mm/y) and
streamflow (538 mm/y) each account for about 45% of precipita-
tion (1180 mm/y). Diversions leaving the basin (143 mm/y) are
greater than diversions entering the basin (33 mm/y). The change
in storage ( — 9 mm/y) is small. However, in this study, we ignored
the absolute value of the storage component because it is highly
dependent on the evapotranspiration estimate, which is the least
accurate component of any large-scale water budget; only the
temporal variation is considered. During the summer months (Fig.
Id), the change in storage is most negative, due to increasing
evapotranspiration, and it is coincident with decreasing rainfall and
streamflow. Diversions remain relatively constant throughout the
year, with high groundwater pumping during the summer balanced
by surface water withdrawals into reservoirs during the rest of the
year. The effect of diversions should be most apparent during the
summer months because streamflow is lowest at this time.
With increasing water demands, diversions have become a ma-
jor component of the water budget — they currently represent 15%-
20% of the streamflow. Our analyses of the water budget did not
reveal any significant long-term trend in change in storage or in
streamflow. This suggests that to understand the impact of diver-
sions on the system we ought to reduce the time step (to daily or
hourly) to examine changes in streamflow; focus the study area on
the upper Ipswich basin where low flows occur and the river dries
up most frequently; and look at different indices of hydrological
change, such as the number of days of low flow and groundwater
levels. Low streamflow is detrimental not only to the river eco-
systems, but also to the downstream estuary, where alterations in
salinity during the summer months could increase the stress on
estuarine communities, a topic that requires further research.
This research has been supported by the NSF-BUMP REU
program, the Cox Charitable Trust, and the NSF grants: OCE-
9726921, DEB-9726862. and EAR-9807632. We thank the water
departments of those towns that provided data and assistance, the
Ipswich River Watershed Association, the Department of Environ-
mental Protection, and Gil Pontius and colleagues at Clark Uni-
versity.
Literature Cited
1. U.S. Geological Survey. 1997. Pp. 41-45 in Watershed Research in
the L/.S. Geological Sumy. National Academy Press, Washington. DC.
2. USGS website (http://ma.water.usgs.gov/ipswich/).
3. Morton, F. I., F. Ricard. and S. Fogarasi. 1985. National Hydrology-
Research Institute. Paper No. 24. Ottawa. Canada.
4. Allen, Scott. 1999. Boston Globe. July 16:AI6.
5. Van Patten, Peg. 1997. Nor 'Easter. Spring/Summer: 15. Northeast Sea
Grant Programs, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett. Rl.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 297-299. (October 1999)
Population Size and Summer Home Range of the Green Crab, Cardans maenas,
in Salt Marsh Tidal Creeks
Talia Young (Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081), Sharon Komarow1,
Linda Deegan2 anil Robert Garritt2
The green crab. Carcinus maenas, is native to the Atlantic coast of
Europe. First reported in the western Atlantic in 1817, it is abundant
today in salt marshes and on rocky shores from Nova Scotia to
Virginia. As a predator, it has been linked to the sharp decline of the
New England soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) industry in the 1940s
(1). Since the crab was first found in San Francisco Bay in 1989.
scientists and fishers have been anxiously monitoring its movement
northward and its effects on the ecosystem (2). Despite interest in the
extension of the species' geographic distribution, little work has been
conducted on the home range of individual crabs. We examined the
population size and summer home range of green crabs in a New
England salt marsh tidal creek.
We conducted a mark-recapture experiment in a branched primary
tidal creek off of the Rowley River in the Plum Island Sound Estuary
in northeastern Massachusetts. The upper 200 m of the creek has
about 7274 m3 of volume and about 7128 m2 of creek bed area. Water
temperature (16°-25°C) and salinity (28%e-31%o) in the creek were
typical of New England salt marshes in late spring and summer. From
' Earth Systems Program, Stanford University. Stanford. California
94035.
• Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole. Mas-
sachusetts 02543.
29 June to 6 August 1999. crawfish traps (20 X 30 X 45 cm with
1.3-cm mesh and 8-cm opening) baited with tuna fish or dog food
soaked in fish oil were laid along both branches and downstream of
the confluence at seven sites 100 m apart. From 29 June to 30 July,
each trapped crab measuring 40 mm or more was marked either with
colored oil-based marker paint on the carapace or with a plastic loop
behind the claws. The carapace width (in millimeters), sex (male or
female), and carapace color (red or green) of each crab were also
noted. Crabs trapped at each of the seven sites were marked with a
distinct color scheme and then released at the same site. Marked crabs
that were recaptured were marked a second time with the color
scheme corresponding to their recapture location. Crabs trapped from
3 to 6 August were counted and removed from the creek. We used the
Lincoln index and the Schnabel method to estimate population size
(3). We also conducted two catch-per-unit-effort collections in five
other similar-sized primary tidal creeks off of the Rowley River (Sand
Creek, Shad Creek. West Creek, Club Head Creek, and Nelson Island
Creek) by deploying traps from high tide to low tide (~6 h).
We estimated the population of green crabs in the study creek to
be 30.000-40,000 individuals (~5 crabs per nr) (Table I). Re-
capture rate of marked crabs was between 5% and 11%. The
average number of crabs caught over a 6-h period did not differ
significantly between the study creek and the other five creeks
298 REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Table I
Estimates of the population size of green crabs. Carcinus maenas, in a tidal creek in Rowley, Massachusetts
Number of crabs
Marking technique
Marking period marked
recaptured
captured
Recapture rate
Estimated
population
95% confidence
interval
Paint'
29 June-1 July
87
9
4095
10.35%
39585
23852-118948
Plastic tags'
12 July-16 July
240
25
3735
10.42%
35856
25636-59627
Paint2
26 July-30 July
1887
109
1848
5.78%
31992
26979-39295
All marking techniques'1
29 June-30 July
2378
120
1848
5.05%
36621
31126-44473
All marking techniques1
29 June-30 July
2629
145
4251
5.52%
32746
28082-39268
1 Estimates calculated using the Lincoln index, counting all crabs trapped in subsequent weeks as the single capture sample (6). The
crabs used in these calculations was 66% of the actual number marked because approximately 33% of marked crabs in the laboratory
two weeks.
2 Estimates calculated using the Lincoln index with the collection from 3 to 6 August as the single recapture sample (6).
3 Estimate calculated using the Schnabel method, treating each marking technique as one of the repeated recapture samples (6).
number of marked
lost their marks in
sampled. We caught slightly more male crabs (/; = 1257) than
female crabs (n = 1131). but the numbers were not significantly
different (P = 0.32, t = 1.03, d.f. = 16). We caught five times as
many green-colored crabs (n = 1921) as red-colored crabs (n =
364) (P = 0.0004, t = 4.73, d.f. = 13). As is typical of this species
(4). males were larger than females in our collections (P < 0.0001.
t = 21.447, d.f. = 2386). Red-colored males (mean = 56 ± 0.593
SE) were larger than green-colored males (mean = 52 ± 0.193 SE;
P < 0.0001, t = 5.75, d.f. = 1187), and red-colored females
(mean = 48 ± 0.269 SE) were also larger than green-colored
females (mean = 47 ± 0.165 SE; P = 0.0006, t = 3.43, d.f. =
1094). We found no significant difference in average crab size
between the beginning (mean = 49 ± 1.073 SE) and the end
(mean = 49 ± 0.215 SE) of the study period. This stability in crab
size over time suggests that we did not lose many marks to
molting.
About half of the 149 recaptured crabs were trapped at the same
site both times (Fig. 1). As the distance from the marking site
increased, the number of recaptured crabs decreased: only 5% of
the crabs were recaptured 300-400 m upstream or downstream
from their original marking site (the extent of the trapping area).
There was no significant difference between the numbers of crabs
found upstream and those found downstream (P = 0.37, t = 0.97,
50 --
£ 40
3 30
D.
g JO-
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n= 1 n= I
n = 2i
I
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n=l
400
300 200
downstream
100
100
across
400
distance (m) and direction traveled
Figure 1. Distance and direction (upstream, downstream, or across)
traveled by recaptured green crabs, Carcinus maenas. in a tidal creek in
Row/ev, Massachusetts.
d.f. = 6). Three percent crossed from one branch of the creek to
the other, either through the mosquito ditch network connecting
the two branches (about 150 m of travel), or down to the conflu-
ence and back up the other branch (about 300 m).
Our population density estimate of 5 crabs per m2 is comparable
to previous estimates for green crabs on rocky shores in Wales (4).
The results of the catch-per-unit-effort comparison for the six
creeks suggest that this value may be a good estimate of green crab
populations in the Rowley River.
Green-colored crabs are found throughout the molt cycle, but
some crabs become red-colored during prolonged intermolt stages
(5, 6). Green-colored crabs are more tolerant of low salinities than
are red-colored crabs (6): the green form has been found primarily
in the intertidal zone on Welsh shores and the red form primarily
in the subtidal zone (7, 8). The dominance of green-colored crabs
in our collection may be a result of the large tidal range (>3 m)
and narrow subtidal zone in the study creek. McGaw (5) found
red-colored males to be larger than green-colored males and hy-
pothesized that this color change may be partly associated with
sexual maturity.
The recapture data suggest that green crabs can move at least
400 m upstream or downstream, but that for the most part they
remain within a 400-m range during the summer. Frequency of
distance traveled was calculated only from crabs recaptured 1 to 3
weeks after each marking period in order to allow marked crabs to
remix with the general population of the creek. But we also
recaptured several crabs 300-400 m away from their original
marking site within 4 days of being marked, indicating that they
can move at least 400 m in a matter of days; distance traveled may
thus not be directly related to time.
A study of the movement of crabs within the creeks in relation to
tidal cycles would expand on previous research showing that these
crabs follow tides up and down rocky shorelines in Wales (4, 7, 8).
Warman (7) and Crothers (4) suggest that green crabs move offshore
in the winter; an investigation of the winter range of green crabs
would also add to information on the annual range of individual green
crabs. Such research would contribute to the understanding of the role
of this invasive species in coastal ecosystems.
This research was funded by the NSF Research Experience for
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
299
Undergraduates through the Boston University Marine Program
and also by the Plum Island Sound LTER Program. We thank
Simon Panall, Joao Feliciano Salgado, Susan Oleszko. Jaimie
Champagne, Nate Tsao. Marc McDonnell, Jeff Hughes, and Jesse
Young for their help.
Literature Cited
1. Ropes, J. VV. 1968. Fisheiy Bull. Fish Wildl. Sen: U.S. 67: 183-203.
2. Cohen, A. N., J. T. Carlton, and M. C. Fountain. 1995. Mar. Biol.
122: 225-237.
3. Tanner, J. T. 1978. Ciu'ule to the Stinlv of 'Animal Po/iitlatiiwi. The
University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.
4. Crothers. J. H. 1967. Field Stud. 1: 407-434.
5. McGaw, I. J., M. J. Kaiser, E. Naylor, and R. N. Hughes. 1992. J.
Zool. Loud. 228: 351-359.
6 Reid, I). G., P. Abello, I. J. McGaw, and E. Naylor. 1989. Pp.
40-60 in Phenotypic Kes/mnxcx and Individuality in Aquatic Eclo-
therms, J. C. AlcJrich, ed. Japaga, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
7. Warman, C. G., D. G. Reid, and E. Naylor. 1993. ./. Mai: Biol.
Assoc. U.K. 73: 355-364.
8. Edwards, R. L. 1958. J. Aiiim. Ecu/. 27: 37-45.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 299-300. (October 1999)
Influence of Marsh Flooding on the Abundance and Growth of Fiinduliis heteroclitm
in Salt Marsh Creeks
Sharon Komarow {Earth Systems Program, Stanford Umversirv, Stanford, California 94305),
Talia Young1, Linda Deegan2, and Robert Garritt2
Like many other estuarine fish and crustaceans, Fitndulus hct-
eroclitus (mummichog) regularly makes use of the marsh as a
foraging area, nursery habitat, and refuge from predators. Mum-
michogs are known to follow flooding tides onto the intertidal
marsh to forage (1, 2). Through this behavior, they provide an
important trophic link between salt marsh and open estuary (3).
Previous research indicates that access to the intertidal flooded
marsh has significant effects on the growth rate of F. hetemclitus.
Weisberg and Lotrich (4) showed that foraging exclusively on
subtidal food sources was not sufficient to support normal growth
rates of mummichogs. Javonillo et al. (5) found that mummichogs
denied access to the marsh had lower growth rates than those that
were allowed entree to the marsh surface. Both of these studies
employed caging techniques on a relatively small scale. Our goal
was to examine the importance of marsh flooding to mummichog
growth and abundance in a natural environment without enclo-
sures.
Tidal creek flooding onto the marsh determines the vegetation in
the area surrounding the creek. Spartina alterniflora grows on the
marsh adjacent to the creek that floods on every high tide, whereas
S. patens grows on the higher marsh that floods less frequently. We
measured the length from the creek edge to the transition between
S. alterniflora and S. patens at increments along the creek. The
mean of these measurements multiplied by the length of the creek
was considered the area of marsh accessible to mummichogs at
high tides. This area is equivalent to the area of marsh adjacent to
the creek covered by S. alterniflora. A comparison of the regularly
flooded area in the 5 tidal creeks that were part of our study is
shown in Figure la.
We measured the abundance and growth of F. heteroclitnx in
tidal salt marsh creeks of the Rowley River in the Plum Island
Estuary in northeastern Massachusetts (42°44' N X 70°50' W).
1 Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081.
2 The Ecosystems Center, The Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods
Hole. Massachusetts 02543.
Over 6 weeks, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was measured three
times in each of five salt marsh creeks. Ten minnow traps
(6.35-mm mesh), spaced evenly in the primary tidal creeks, were
set at high tide and retrieved about 5 h later during low tide. In two
ot the creeks, we measured growth of mummichog young-of-the-
year. the life stage in which the most dramatic growth occurs. Four
times during the 6 weeks (first three times coincided with CPUE
measurements, plus one additional growth measurement), the total
lengths of between 275 and 1000 fish from each creek were
measured, and length-frequency histograms were constructed.
Probability paper was used, according to the method described by
Harding (6), to identify the young-of-the-year cohort from the
length-frequency histograms. Mean values from each set of mea-
surements were plotted to evaluate growth.
Catch-per-unit-effort measurements indicated that mummichogs
tended to be more abundant in creeks with greater areas of fre-
quently flooded marsh (con-elation coefficient = 0.83, P = 0.09)
(Fig. Ib). This relationship suggests that creeks with increased
marsh flooding are able to support a larger population of mummi-
chogs by providing greater regularly flooded areas for foraging, or
that creeks with increased flooding offer greater refuge from
predation. Mummichogs that follow the high tide onto the marsh
surface become more exposed to predation by shorebirds. but they
gain protection from predation by larger fish, the more likely
predator. Although the creeks are very similar, properties other
than regularly flooded area — including dimensions, water volume,
temperature regime, productivity, and food availability — may af-
fect the abundance of mummichogs in a creek.
The pattern of growth was the same for young-of-the-year
mummichogs in Sweeney Creek and Club Head Creek (Fig. Ic).
However, the mean total length values of mummichogs from
Sweeney Creek were significantly greater than mean total length
measurements from Club Head Creek (Complete Randomized
Block ANOVA P < 0.05). Though statistically significant, the
very small mean difference between measurements of 1.25 mm is
unlikely to be of ecological significance, especially since the
pattern of growth did not differ between the creeks. Unlike in
300
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
SW
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enclosure experiments in which mummichogs were denied access
to the marsh (4, 5), all fish in our study could access the marsh,
though the extent of this access differed among creeks. Thus,
because the lower marsh is accessible at every high tide, differ-
ences in regularly flooded accessible marsh area may not be great
enough to cause a large difference in mummichog growth.
This work was funded by NSF Research Experience for Under-
graduates through the Boston University Marine Program and the
Plum Island Sound Long-term Ecological Research Program. We
thank Simon Panall, Nate Tsao, Marc McDonnell, Susan Oleszko,
Joao Salgado, Jaimie Champagne, and Jeff Hughes for their help
with the project.
Literature Cited
I Itiiinrr. A., and B. H. Brattstrom. 1960. Copcia 1960: 139-141.
2. Weisberg, S. B., R. Whalen, and V. A. Lotrich. 1981. Mar. Biol. 61:
243-246.
3. Kneib, R. T., and A. E. Stiven. 1978. J. E.v/>. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 31:
121-140.
4. Weisberg, S. B., and V. A. Lotrich. 1982. Mar. Biol. 66: 307-310.
5. Javonillo, R., L. Deegan, K. Chiaravalle, and J. Hughes. 1997.
Bi»l. Bull. 193: 288-289.
h. Harding, J. P. 1949. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K. 28: 141-153.
Sweeney o Club Head
Figure 1. (.4) Regularly flooded accessible marsh area (m:) bv tidal
creek, ordered from upstream to downstream: SW, Sweeney Creek: SA,
Sand Creek: WE, West Creek: CL. Club Head Creek: and NE. Nelson
Island Crefk. (B) Mean catch-per-unit-effort (number of fish ± / standard
error) plotted against regularly flooded accessible marsh area (m~l (O
Mean total length measurements (mm ± / standard error, standard errors
a/I < O.I ) at Sweeney Creek and Club Head Creek plotted against date of
measurement.
Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 300-302. (October 1999)
Decline of a Horseshoe Crab Population on Cape Cod
Justin W. Wiclener ami Robert B. Barlow (Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543)
The American horseshoe crab, Liiiiuhix polyrihemiis. inhabits
coastal estuaries of North America from Northern Maine to Flor-
ida, as well as the region around the Yucatan peninsula. Delaware
Bay contains the largest known population, but surveys of the New
Jersey beaches that border the Delaware Bay show a decline of
about 50% in the spawning population since 1990 (ref. 1 and B. L.
Swan, pers. comm.). Trawl surveys of Delaware Bay from 1990 to
1997 yielded a 74% decline in crabs caught per tow (2). These
declines do not appear to be isolated events; the populations of
crabs spawning on the beaches of Cape Cod have also declined.
We report here the results of a longitudinal study of the spawning
population at Mashnee Dike. Bourne, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
301
the 15 years from 1984 to 1999 the population declined more than
80%, and its spawning activity decreased 95%.
We surveyed the horseshoe crab population at Mashnee Dike in
parallel with studies of their visually guided behavior (3. 4). We
selected Mashnee Dike because its south-facing beach was an
active spawning area for horseshoe crabs when we began our
studies in the early 1980s, and because no humans inhabit the area
bordering the spawning beach (length: —1 km). Mashnee Dike is
under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which
does not permit alteration or development of the Dike. Each spring
animals migrate to the beach from offshore as the moon ap-
proaches new and full phases. Maximum migration is coordinated
with the higher of the two daily high tides that occurs in the late
afternoon and throughout the night (5). To quantify the dynamics
of the crabs' migratory behavior we followed a surveying proce-
dure published elsewhere (5). In brief, we mapped out three 10-nr
quadrats with 10-m spacings along a 50-m transect at the water's
edge (longitude: 70° 37'46" W and latitude 41 :'46'34" N). We then
counted the number of animals in each quadrat at 30-min intervals
for a period of 2 to 3 h as the tide flooded and ebbed. The 10-m
spacings of the quadrats, together with the animals' slow move-
ments and the insignificant tidal flow, precluded the crabs being
counted twice in an observation period. Summing the data from the
three quadrats for an observation period yielded a measure of the
density of spawning animals for that period of the tidal cycle.
Comparison of the data over the 2- to 3-h tidal cycle revealed the
dynamics of the animal's migratory behavior. In general, animal
density increases as the tide floods, peaks about 1 h after high tide,
and decreases as the tide ebbs. Frequent surveys outside the
quadrats during a tidal cycle indicated that the density of animals
in the quadrats was representative of that along the appoximately
I km of spawning beach. On this basis we assume that the
maximum density per tidal cycle observed in a spawning season is
proportional to the size of the spawning population in the vicinity
of Mashnee Dike for that year. The sum of the maximum densities
per tidal cycle over an entire spawning season is a measure of the
spawning activity for that year.
Figure I shows a dramatic decline in the spawning population of
horseshoe crabs at Mashnee Dike from 1984 to 1999. We counted
a maximum of 247 crabs in the three quadrats near the time of the
new moon in late May of 1984. Six years later, in 1990. near the
full moon at the beginning of June, the maximum count was 73
crabs. In 1999 the maximum number of crabs was also observed
near the time of full moon at the beginning of June, but it was
considerably less (total of 42) than those in 1984 and 1990. Taken
together the results from 1984 to 1999 reveal an 83% decline in the
maximum density/transect/season, implying a comparable decline
in the spawning population all along Mashnee Dike. The decline in
spawning activity was greater, decreasing from 3171 in 1984 to
736 in 1990 and finally to 148 in 1999— a remarkable 95.39r
decline.
The decline in spawning activity at Mashnee Dike accompanied
a shortening of the spawning season. In 1984. crabs began spawn-
ing on the nighttime high tide of 13 May and were last seen in the
transects on 7 July — a total of 56 days. In 1999 the spawning
season lasted only 1 1 days — 28 May to 7 June. The 5-fold short-
ening of the spawning season and concomitant decrease in spawn-
ing activity may be related to the decrease in the spawning pop-
Full
Moon
o
New
Moon
Full
Moon
O
New
Moon
200
1984
O
200
100
1990
. .....
ilh.. ...
i i
E
3
o
o
200
100
1999
15 20 25 31 5 10 15 20 25 1 5
May June July
Figure 1. Maximum number of Limulus counted in three 10-nr i/ntiti-
rats during the 1984. 1990. and 1999 spawning seasons at Mashnee Dike.
The height of each bar gives tlic maximum number of males and females in
a single half-hoiir/v survey each day. The open and filled circles indicate
the times of full and new moonx. Suireys were not done on 28 and 30 May
1990 because of bad weather. Data were interpolated for these two dayx to
calculate spawning activity. Observation periods were 14 May to 8 July
1984: 19 May to 22 June IWO. and 24 May to 16 June 1999.
ulation. The data shown in Figure 1 are representative of the
overall trend we observed of high densities in the early 1980s,
intermediate densities from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, and
low densities in the late 1990s. We have surveyed systematically
only the crab population near Mashnee Dike. Because of the
decline in this population we transferred our studies of horseshoe
crab vision in 1994 to a spawning beach in Stage Harbor
(Chatham, Massachusetts). Over the 5-year period, we observed a
substantial decrease in the Stage Harbor population, suggesting
that the decline of horseshoe crab populations on Cape Cod may be
widespread.
The causes of the declines in the horseshoe crab populations in
Delaware Bay. Mashnee Dike, and Stage Harbor are not known.
Possibities include loss of habitat, loss of food source, change in
water conditions, and increase in predation. Mashnee Dike is an
exemplary site, for it has been under the jurisdiction of the U.S.
302
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Army Corps of Engineers since its construction over 50 years ago,
and consequently no man-made alteration or development of the
beach has occurred. Also no known changes have occurred in the
availability of food sources at Mashnee Dike. The crabs are pri-
marily scavengers with a diet of polychaetes, seaweed, nematodes,
soft-shell bivalves, and detritus (6). In addition, no changes in
chemical or other characteristics of water conditions of Phinney's
Harbor have been reported. There is. however, clear evidence of
increased predation. Each year since the mid-1980s, fishermen
have been observed removing horseshoe crabs from the entire
length of the Dike at high tide during the spawning season (R.B.
Barlow, unpubl. obs.). On two occasions during the 1990 and 1995
spawning seasons, we succeeded in intercepting some fishermen,
purchased the harvested animals (total: 1376). and returned them
to their habitat. The yearly harvesting of crabs at the Dike has
intensified since the mid-1990s, and activity correlates well with
the large decline in the spawning population we observe. Also, the
recent decline in the spawning population at Stage Harbor corre-
lates with intensified harvesting in that area. It is not certain that
harvesting caused the observed population declines in either area.
Note however that the population at Mashnee Dike appears to be
a local one. Animals tagged during a spawning season return the
following seasons, and pairs of horseshoe crabs (some tagged)
have been found during winter scuba dives buried in the bottom of
Phinney's Harbor 100 to 300 m offshore (R. B. Barlow, unpubl.
obs.). Harvesting large numbers of animals from such a local
population would have a significant impact on its size.
Delaware Bay has also experienced increasingly large annual
harvests of horseshoe crabs for use as bait in the eel and conch
fisheries (7). Expansion of this bait fishery has led to near historic
peaks in annual harvests in Delaware Bay (8) concomitant with the
decline in population noted above. Although the spawning popu-
lalion in Delaware Bay is the largest on the East Coast, local
populations appear to inhabit various beaches along the Bay (B.
Swan, personal communication), as they do at Mashnee Dike. In
an attempt to preserve the horseshoe crab fishery, the states of
Delaware. Maryland, and New Jersey that border Delaware Bay
have established regulations for harvesting the animals (9). Vir-
ginia, New Hampshire, and South Carolina have also established
regulations, with those of South Carolina being the strictest. No
regulations exist in Massachusetts.
What is the impact of a declining horseshoe crab population? In
Delaware Bay it may have an important effect on the survival of
shorebirds that migrate 3000 to 4000 miles from South America to
the Arctic. The Bay provides an essential stopover for nourishment
and rest for perhaps as many as one million shorebirds ( 10). Their
springtime arrival coincides with the intense spawning activity of
horseshoe crabs, and upon landing they devour crab eggs, with
some birds consuming more than 100.000 in 2 weeks before
continuing on to the Arctic for their own spawning activity (11).
There is concern that the current density of crabs in Delaware Bay
is not sufficient to provide nourishment for the migratory shore-
birds. Indeed, Joan Walsh of the Cape May Research Observatory
has been quoted as saying that "the density (of horseshoe crabs) is
not great enough to provide food for shorebirds." She also noted
that birds are arriving at their Arctic destinations "underweight"
(12). The effect of declining spawning populations of horseshoe
crabs on Cape Cod is not known.
We thank N. Buelow, S. Gibson, E. Herzog, L. Kass, M.
Kelly-Manglapus. J. Marler, M. Parsley, J. Pelletier, M. Powers.
and T. Thiele for assistance in transect counts at Mashnee Dike.
We also thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for providing
access to Mashnee Dike. Study was supported in part by the
National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Mental
Health.
Literature Cited
1 Swan, B. I... \\. R. Hall, Jr., and C. N. Shuster, Jr. 1996. Pages
35—39 in Proceedings of the Horseshoe Crab Forum: Status of the
Resource, J. Farrell and C. Martin, eds. University of Delaware, Sea
Grant Program, Lewes, Delaware.
2. Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. 1999. Stock As-
sessment Report No. 98-01 (Supplement) page 47, Washington. DC.
3. Barlow, R. B., Jr., L. C. Ireland, and L. Kass. 1982. Nature 296:
65-66.
4 Herzog, E. H., M. K. Powers, and R. B. Barlow. 1996. Visual
Neiirosci. 13: 31-42.
5. Barlow, R. B., Jr., M. K. Powers, H. Howard, and L. Kass. 1986.
Iliol. Bull. 171: 310-329.
6. Botton, M. L., and H. H. Haskin. 1984. Fish. Bull. 82(2): 383-389.
7. Shuster, C. N., Jr. 1996. Pages 5-14 in Proceeilintis of the Horse-
shoe Crah Forum: Status of the Resource, J. Farrell and C. Martin, eds.
University of Delaware, Sea Grant Program, Lewes, Delaware.
8. Loveland, R. E., M. L. Botton, and C. N. Shuster, Jr. 1996. Pages
15-22 in ProceeJiiif>s of the Horseshoe Crah Forum: Status of the
Resource. J. Farrell and C. Martin, eds. University of Delaware, Sea
Grant Program, Lewes, Delaware.
9 Schrading. E.. T. O'Connell, S. Michels, and P. Perra. 1998.
Fishery Management Plan for the Horseshoe Crab Uinulus
polyphemus. Fisheries Management Report oj the Atlantic Stales Ma-
rine Fisheries Commission. 7-9. Washington. DC.
10. Clark, K. E., L. J. Niles, and J. Burger. 1993. Comlor 95: 694-
705.
11. Myers. J. P. 1986. Nut. Hist. 95(5): nS-77.
12. McDonald, G. G. 1999. The Cape Codder. June IS, 1999, p. 3.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
303
Reference: Bid. Bull. 197: 303-306. (October
Evaluation of a Reporter Gene System Biomarker for Detecting Contamination
in Tropical Marine Sediments
Lisa M. Kerr (Biologv Department, University of Massachusetts, 100 Morrissey Blvd.,
Boston. Massachusetts 02125}, Phillip S. Lobe!1, and J. Mark Ingoglia2
A major challenge in conducting field assessments of potential
ecological impacts is optimizing the number of samples and the
costs. This is especially important in light of the growing concern
over the presence of persistent organic contaminants, such as
PCBs. dioxins, furans, and PAHs in sediments. A reporter gene
system (RGS) assay that measures induction of the CYP1 Al gene
and transcription of P450 enzyme systems is often used to assess
potential toxicity of these compounds in environmental samples ( I.
2. 3). RGS has gained acceptance as an inexpensive, rapid method
for screening environmental samples for contaminants (4. 5). The
RGS approach has been validated in the laboratory with pure
compounds, known chemical mixtures, and from field-collected
sediments by comparing RGS system response and chemical con-
centrations (1,2. 3. 6). Our study differed from other validation
studies in two respects: we used field-collected sediments over a
wide range of contaminant concentrations and evaluated RGS
response to sediment samples containing a mixture of dioxins.
furans, and PAHs. With few exceptions, the previous validation
studies using field-collected samples used fairly small sample sizes
and generally evaluated one chemical group (3. 6). Few studies
have compared large numbers of samples containing both PAHs
and 2.3.7.8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) over the range
reported here. The purpose of this study was to determine if there
is a high correlation between RGS response and chemistry results
from the same samples. If this proves to be the case, the assay
could be used to screen large areas at a relatively low cost.
Samples exhibiting high responses could be targeted for further
characterization using more precise, but costly, GC/MS methods.
Matched sediment samples (n = 31) were collected off the
northwestern shore of Johnston Island, adjacent to potential
sources of PAHs and 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDDl
(Site 1), and at sites farther removed from the potential contami-
nant sources (Sites 3, 4). To ensure blind analysis of the samples,
P450 RGS assays were conducted by MEC Analytical Systems
(Carlsbad, California) and Columbia Analytical Services (Vista,
California) while chemical analyses were completed by the Toxic
Contaminant Research Laboratory at Wright State University
(Dayton. Ohio).
The RGS assay used in this study was developed by Anderson
c/ «/. ( I ) and detailed methods have been described (1. 7). Induc-
tion in the assay is dependent upon the aryl hydrocarbon receptor
(AhRl activation pathway. AhR ligands. including planar PCBs,
PAHs. and TCDD, bind to AhR, activating it and resulting in its
translocation to the nucleus of the cell. In the nucleus, the activated
' Boston University Marine Program. Marine Biological Laboratory,
Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543.
2 United States Air Force, Environmental Restoration. Hickam AFB,
Hawaii 96853.
AhR complex hinds to the xenobiotic responsive element in the
promoter region of the CYP1 Al gene, resulting in its transcription.
Compounds that are not AhR ligands, such as metals and pesti-
cides, do not cause induction in the system (1,7). Briefly, the RGS
methodology involves exposing human 101L cells to 10 p.1 of
solvent extracts for 16 hours (1, 5). Sediment extracts were pre-
pared according to EPA method 3540. The cells are stably trans-
fected with a plasmid containing firefly luciferase linked to the
human CYP1 Al promoter sequence. This promoter sequence con-
tains 1800 bp of flanking regulatory DNA with three xenobiotic
responsive elements ( 1 ). Exposure to Ah receptor ligands induces
luciferase activity which is quantified with a luminometer (7, 8).
Previous studies have determined that RGS detection limits in
sediment are 8 pg/g for dioxin. 63 pg/g for furan. 6.2 to 7500 ng/g
for specific PAHs, and 250 ng/g for a mixture of PAHs (7). Solvent
blanks were used as negative controls while extracts from sedi-
ments spiked with 2 ng/g TCDD were used as positive controls
(/; = 6). From the level of induction generated by each sample,
equivalent doses of TCDD or benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) that would
result in the observed level of induction were calculated. While the
level of induction is the same in each sample, the amount of pure
compound (either TCDD or BaP) required to produce the observed
induction level differs between the compounds. Equivalent doses
for total PAHs and dio.xins/furans calculated from RGS induction
are designated as "RGS BaPEQ" and "RGS TEQ" respectively.
For the GC/MS analyses, sediments were extracted using EPA
Method 3540. PAHs and dioxins/furans were measured using EPA
Methods 8270 and 8290. Detection limits were from 0.0638 to
0.777 pg/g for the 17 individual dioxin or furan congeners mea-
sured. Total PAHs measured included 14 individual compounds
with detection limits ranging from 19.1 to 40.7 ng/g. Toxicity
equivalents (TEQs) based on the 17 dioxin and furan congeners
measured were calculated using human/mammalian toxic equiva-
lency factors (TEFs; 9). TEQs calculated from the chemical anal-
ysis of dioxins and furans are designated as "Chem TEQ." Total
PAHs measured by chemical methods are referred to as "Chem
PAHs."
Linear regression analysis was used to determine if signifi-
cant relationships existed between the RGS TEQ and Chem
TEQ. Similarly, the relationship between Chem PAH and RGS
BaPEQ was determined. Data were log transformed to equalize
variances.
There was a significant statistical relationship between Chem TEQ
and RGS TEQs I)-2 = 0.774; P< 0.001) (Fig. 1 ). However. 4 1.9% of
the points fall outside the 95% confidence intervals. Additionally.
there was a significant statistical relationship between Chem PAHs
and RGS BaPEQ (r = 0.564; P < 0.001 ). In this case, 35.5% of the
points fall outside of the 95% confidence intervals. While there was
significant covariance between Chem and RGS values, the actual
304
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
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o
LU
oo
>f>
o
1000
100
CHEM PAHs (ng/g)
10000
Ol
01
Ct
1000
100
XX
CHEM TEQ (pg/g)
Figure 1. (A) Comparison of chemically derived total PAH concen-
tration (Chem PAHs) to RGS estimates oj benzo(a)pyrene equivalents
(RGS BaPEQs) r = 0.564 P < 0.007. (B} Comparison of chemically-
derived TEQs (Chem TEQ) to P450 RGS estimated TEQs (RGS TEQ) r =
0.564 P < 0.001. Best fit regression lines are shown with 95%
confidence intervals.
magnitude of the values differed. RGS TEQs were 10~ to 104 times
higher than Chem TEQs (Table I). Similarly. RGS BaPEQs were 10
to 104 times higher than Chem PAHs.
The levels of induction and the resultant estimates of RGS TEQ
and RGS BaPEQ decreased with distance from shore (Table I).
This pattern also held for Chem TEQ and Chem PAHs, with those
samples with the highest concentrations being the closest to shore
(Site 1 ). Three samples exceeding ecological screening levels were
found closest to shore. One sample exceeded the effects range low
(ER-L) screening levels for Chem PAHs, including total PAHs.
low and high molecular weight PAHs, and nine individual PAHs
1 10). Two additional samples from site I had contaminant concen-
trations exceeding ecological screening levels. These samples with
Chem TEQs of 68.24 pg/g and 901 .27 pg/g exceeded the low and
high risk to aquatic life screening values respectively (II).
When using the RGS assay as a screening method, the samples
with the highest responses or induction levels might be "chosen"
as the samples expected to contain the highest contaminant con-
centrations. In this study, this was the case, and the three samples
with the highest contaminant concentrations would have been
detected. However, there are two important points: 1 ) induction
was higher than that of the positive controls (around 100-fold) in
eight samples (129- to 316-fold), and 2) the samples with the
highest overall induction levels were not necessarily the samples
with the highest dioxin or PAH concentrations. Additionally, some
samples exhibited significant RGS induction, although very low
levels of PAHs. dioxins. or furans were detected. These responses
could be considered false positives. A false negative could be
identified only if arbitrary limits were set on the number of
samples further characterized. For example, if budget constraints
limited the number of samples that could be chemically charac-
terized to five samples and we chose to characterize only those
samples with the highest RGS response, the sample with the
highest concentration of PAHs would not have been detected,
resulting in a false negative.
One potential explanation for the variable RGS response in this
study is induction by other compounds not measured by GC/MS.
Other chemicals that may induce the RGS system include planar
PCBs as well as some dioxin congeners not measured in this study.
The contribution of PCBs to induction is unlikely since previous
sampling events at the same sites found total PCB concentrations
below the 10 ng/g RGS detection limit.
Another explanation suggests that in tropical environments.
P450 activity is higher in some fishes and may be related to a
herbivorous diet (12). This suggests further consideration of the
presence of naturally occurring toxins such as ciguatoxins or other
allelochemicals potentially inducing the RGS assay or interfering
with cell function. Furthermore, coral reef environments may have
different sediment characteristics due to physical and chemical
factors that may affect bioavailability. The RGS assay detects
compounds that may or may not be specifically measured by
GC/MS and assesses the synergistic and/or antagonistic effects of
the constituents in the mixture.
This study found significant co-variance between Chem TEQ
and RGS TEQ as well as between Chem PAHs and RGS BaPEQs.
However, there was a high level of variability (more than 35% of
values fall outside the 95% CD; and of the samples with the
highest RGS response (greater than positive controls), a high
percentage (5 of 8) could be identified as false positives. Qualita-
tively, the RGS assay revealed a contaminant gradient on a scale
of hundreds of meters. We conclude that this method is useful as
a broad area assessment tool tor screening purposes, provided that
data are interpreted carefully.
Use of this screening method is substantially complicated by the
presence of multiple compounds, as at Johnston Atoll. This may
include natural or other anthropogenic compounds that were not
chemically measured in the GC/MS analysis. While the response
to these various compounds may be complex, the value of the RGS
assay is that it gives an integrated and more biologically relevant
response than chemistry alone. Additionally, given the expense of
GC/MS analysis of dioxin congeners (>$1000/sample). use of the
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
305
Table 1
Conitimiiuint concentrations in sediment samples from the west end of Johnston Atoll compared tu ;o/>n;«fs generated h\ the RGS assa\
Sample
Nu m he i
Site
Chem TEQ pg/g
RGS
TEQ pg/g
Chem
PAH ng/g
RGS
BaPEQ ng/g
Induction
030
1'
0.01
2400
21.7*
2000
25
064
1
0.95
18200
158.5*
15200
183
074
1
0.40
1700
1.3*
1400
17
076
1
0.02
1X00
77.1*
1500
18
086
2.04
7800
937.9
6500
79
088
7.29
31200
1125.0
26000
316
095
0.00
1200
11.6*
1000
12
104
13.63
6400
8.0*
5300
64
108
0.00
1100
2.1*
900
11
120a
2.35
13200
9711.0
11000
133
217
0.04
3400
151.7*
2800
34
225b
68.27
21300
64.9*
17700
218
233
0.78
4400
124.5*
3700
45
234
1
4.44
30700
1988.0
25600
308
238
1
6.43
7400
41.5
6100
74
242
1
2.38
5200
343.2*
4400
53
248
1
0.05
5500
174.8
4600
55
249
1
1.26
7300
rid
6100
73
254
1
9.13
18700
906.3
15600
188
256"
1
901.29
14700
50.5*
12300
147
257
5.87
12800
2383
10600
129
307
2.14
2600
21.4*
2200
26
013
3-
0.00
700
2.4*
600
7
027
3
0.00
600
1.4*
500
6
043
3
0.00
300
2.8*
300
3
118
3
0.00
200
2.4*
100
2
243
3
0.00
200
1.4*
200
2
038
4
0.00
200
3.2*
200
2
124
4
0.00
400
2.4*
400
5
105
4
0.00
200
0.8*
400
2
119
4
0.00
200
nd
200
2
Control
2000.00
79
Control
2000.00
101
Control
2000.00
90
Control
2000.00
77
Control
2000.00
81
Control
2000.00
137
1 Site 1 is adjacent to the former herbicide orange storage site and burn pits on Johnston Island.
" Sites 3 and 4 are across the shipping channel from site 1. approximately 1000 m from shore.
a Exceeds screening level for PAHs (Effects Range-Low for total PAHs = 4022 ng/g).
h Exceeds low risk screening limit for TCDD (60 pg/g).
c Exceeds high risk screening limit for TCDD (100 pg/g).
d Positive Controls.
[PAHs] below quantifiable limit,
nd-none detected.
RGS assay ($150/sample) shows potential for possible cost sav-
ings through incremental, phased use in combination with GC/MS
methods. As site specific complexities and relationships between
the two methods and the matrix are further defined, the under-
standing of and confidence in the RGS results can improve. This
can lead to reduced need for GC/MS analyses and increased
emphasis on RGS results. Annual long-term monitoring, which
may span decades, lends itself to such incremental cost savings
through the development of large data sets and cumulative expe-
rience gained over time.
This research supported by Army Research Office grant DAAG
55-98-1-0304 for the Johnston Atoll Reef Study.
Literature Cited
1 Anderson. J. W., S. S. Rossi. R. L. Tuke>, T. Vu, and L. C.
Quattrochi. 1995. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 7: 1159-1169.
306
REPORTS FROM THE MBL GENERAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
2. Murk, A. J., J. Legler. M. S. Denison, J. P. Giesy, C. van de
Guchte, and A. Brouwer. 1996. fiimlam. A/t/il. Taxicol. 33: 149-
160.
3. Jones, J. M., and J. W. Anderson. 1998. Pp. 1 -6 in Risk. Resource,
and ReKiilnttny As»f.v, G. B. Wickramanayake and R. E. Hinchee. eds.
Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio.
4. APHA. 1996. Pp. 24-25 in Standard Methods for the Examination
of Water ami Waste Water. 19th ed. Supplement. American Public
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5. ASTM. 1997. Pp. [392-1391 in Biological Effects and Environmen-
tal fate: Biotechnology; Pesticides. IW7 Annual Book of ASTM
Standards. Vol. 11.05. American Society for Testing and Materials.
West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
6. Kim, G. B., J. W. Anderson, K. Bothner, J. Lee, C. Koh, and S.
Tanahe. 1997. Biomarkers 2: 1X1-188.
7 Anderson, J. \V., K. Bothner, D. Edelman, S. Vincent, T. P. Vu,
and R. H. Tukey. 1996. Pp. 150-lhX in field Apnluution\ of
Biomaikers for Agrochemicals and Toxic Substances, J. Blancato. R.
Brown. C. Dary. and M. Saleh. eds. American Chemical Society.
Washington. DC.
S. Jones, J., and J. W. Anderson. 1999. Em-iron. Toxicol. Pharni. 1:
19-26.
9. Van den Berg, M. L. Birnbaum, A. T. C. Bosveld, B. Brunstrom.
P. Cook, M. Freely, J. P. Giesey, A. Hanberg, R. Hasegawa, S. W.
Kennedy, T. Kubjak, J. C. Larsen. R. X. R. van Leeuwen, A. K. D.
Liem, C. Nolt, R. E. Peterson, L. Poeliinger, S. Sale, D. Schrenk, D.
Tillitt, M. Tysklnd, M. Vounes, F. \\aern, and T. Zacharewski.
1998. Environ. Health Perspecl. 106: 77S-792.
10 Long, E. R., D. D. MacDonald, S. L. Smith, and F. D. Calder. 1995.
Environ. Manage. 19: 81-97.
11. U.S. EPA. 1993. P. \x in Interim Rc/'ort on Data and Methods of
2.1,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Risks to Ai/uatic Life and Associ-
ated Wildlife. EPA-600-R-93-089. Environmental Protection Agency.
Washington, DC.
12. Stegeman, J. .)., B. R. \\oodin, H. Singh, M. F. Olesiak, and M.
Celander. 1997. G-;»/>. Binchem. Plminl. 116C(1): 61-75.
Reference: Biol. Bull 197: 307. (October IW4)
Published By Title Only
Ku/ii i.in. Alan, and John Clay Vang, Stacy, and Oladele Ogunseitan
Isolation of K+ channel containing vesicles from squid Cell swarming and ALAD activity in Vibrio alginolyticus:
giant axons. testing an environmental selective pressure hypothesis.
Simpson, Tracy, Max M. Burger, and William J. Kuhns Furlong, Christopher, David Lawrence, and Ivan Valiela
Localization and selectivity of CD44 antigen for a cell Impact of anthropogenic nitrogen loading on phytoplank-
population from the marine sponge Microciona prolifera. ton production in Waquoit Bay and Popponessett Bay.
307
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BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN
DECEMBER 1999
DEC 27 1999
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Cover
The polychaete worm Chaetoptenis is found
worldwide in littoral sediments, where it builds and
inhabits a U-shaped, parchment-like tube. Seawater
is pumped through the tube by "fans" — modified
appendages on three adjacent mid-body segments.
Microscopic food particles suspended in the seawa-
ter current are caught in a mucous net that the worm
secretes, deploys, and then (when the net is full)
ingests. Chaetoptenis has highly specialized seg-
ments that are grouped in three functionally distinct
regions, so the morphology is more complex than
that of most annelids. This complexity is evident in
the two adults shown in the large photograph on the
cover; note that because the worms are designed to
fit within the curve of the tube, they curl up when
removed from it (anterior is up).
Chaetoptenis is well-known for studies of its
feeding behavior, its intense luminescence, as well
as its development. In particular, this worm is a
classic model for the study of early embryogenesis
because it can be readily spawned in vitro and also
cultured through its larval development. As a rule,
annelidan segments are generated from a posterior
growth zone, arising and developing sequentially,
from anterior to posterior. But morphogenesis in
Chaetoptenis does not follow this canonical pat-
tern. Rather, an examination of larval ontogeny-
reported by Steve Irvine and his colleagues in this
issue (p. 319) — reveals that those segments destined
for the mid-body region develop precociously and
more rapidly than the anterior segments. This ac-
celerated development (or heterochrony) is not seen
in other polychaetes — not even in very closely re-
lated families. Thus it must have arisen within the
chaetopterid lineage. [Segmental development is
shown in the small photographs on the cover; they
depict (left to right) an early larval stage (4 days
old, 180 jLim), a mid-stage larva (about 30 days old.
400 jam), and a newly metamorphosed juvenile
(about 60 days old; 1.2 mm).]
Further information on the laboratory culture of
Chuetoptenix larvae and those of related spionidan
polychaetes is available in a companion article by
S. Q. Irvine and M. Q. Martindale published in the
Marine Models Electronic Record (MMER) at:
www.mbl.edu/html/BB/MMER/IRV/IrvTit.html.In
addition, a general review of Chaetoptenis as a
system for studying developmental biology, includ-
ing methodology and a comprehensive bibliogra-
phy, is set out by W. R. Eckberg and S. D. Hill
(1996) in another MMER paper at; http://www.
mbl.edu/html/BB/MMER/ECK/EckTit.html.
Cover
h Beth Liles
CONTENTS
VOLUME 197, No. 3: DECEMBER 1999
RESEARCH NOTE
Kelrnan, Dovi, and Richard B. Emlet
Swimming and buoyancy in ontogenetic stages of the
cushion star Ptemxtn' tessflatus (Echinodermata: Aster-
oidea) and their implications for distribution and
movement 309
Yusa, Yoichi, and Shigeyuki Yamato
(.topping of sea anemone tentacles by a symbiotic
barnacle 315
DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION
Irvine, Steven Q., Oleg Chaga, and Mark Q. Martindale
Larval ontogenetic stages of Chai:ll the response of rock crabs, Canrer
imtratus, to prey odors following feeding experience 36
PHYSIOLOGY
Silverman, Harold, John W. Lynn, Peter G. Beninger,
and Thomas H. Dietz
The role of latero-frontal cirri in particle capture bv
the gills of A/V/////S i'ltr>nii\ 275
Biswas, Chhanda, and Peter B. Armstrong
Identification of a hemolytic activitv in the plasma of
the gastropod HIO\I'IHI nntnUiiiliitniii 276
Kuhns, William J., Max M. Burger, and Eva Ttirley
Hvaluronic acid: a component of the aggregation
factor secreted by the marine sponge, Micnn IOIKI /n<>-
li/i'i/i 277
Popescu, Octavian, Rey Interior, Gradimir Misevic,
Max M. Burger, and William J. Kuhns
Biosynthesis of tyrosine O-sulfate bv cell proteoglycan
from the marine sponge, Mii'iiniiiuii /im/i/nti 279
Vasse, Aimee, Alice Child, and Norman Wainwright
Prophenoloxidase is not activated b\' microbial sig-
nals in I.iimiliis polyphemus 281
Ogunseitan, O.A., S.L. Yang, and E. Scheinbach
The 8-aminolevulinate dehydratase ol marine \'ilnn>
i//tf/i/ii/\//i n\ is resistant to lead (Pb) 283
Hoskin. Francis C.G., Diane M. Sleeves, and John E.
Walker
Substituted cvdodcxtrin as a model lor a squid en-
/vme lli.it hyclrolyzes the neiTe gas soman 284
Zigman, Seymour, Nancy S. Rafferty, Keen A. Rafferty,
and Nathaniel Lewis
Effects of green tea polyphenols on lens photooxida-
liu- si i ess . . 285
CONTENTS: VOLUME 197
ECOLOGY A\I> EVOLUTION
Mondnip. Thomas
Salinity effects on nutrient dynamics in estuarine
sediment investigated bv a plug-flux method 287
Pease, Katherine M., L. Claessens, C. Hopkinson, E.
Rastetter, J. Vallino, and N. Kilham
Ipswich River nutrient dynamics: preliminary assess-
ment of a simple nitrogen-processing model 289
Wolfe, Felisa L., Kevin D. Kroeger, and Ivan Valiela
Increased lability of estuarine dissolved organic ni-
trogen from urbanized watersheds 290
Evgenidou, A., A. Konlde, A. D'Ambrosio, A. Corcoran,
J. Bowen, E. Brown, D. Corcoran, C. Dearholt, S. Fern,
A. Lamb, J. Michalowsky, I. Ruegg, and J. Cebrian
Effects of increased nitrogen loading on the abun-
dance of diatoms and dinoflagellates in estuarine
phytoplanktonic communities 292
Cubbage. Andrea, David Lawrence, Gabrielle Tomasky,
and Ivan Valiela
Relationship of reproductive output in Amrtiii tonsa,
chlorophyll concentration, and land-derived nitrogen
loads in estuaries in Waquoit Bav, Massachusetts 294
Canfield, Susannah, Luc Claessens, Charles Hopkinson
Jr., Edward Rastetter, and Joseph Vallino
Long-term effei I ol municipal water use on the watei
budget of the Ipswich River Basin 295
Young, Talia, Sharon Komarow, Linda Deegan, and
Robert Garritt
Population si/e and summer home range of the
green crab, < .nniiim iiiciiiin.'t, in salt marsh tidal
creeks 297
Komarow, Sharon, Talia Young, Linda Deegan, and
Robert Garritt
Influence of marsh flooding on the abundance and
growth of Eiiinliilin In-trim lilu.', in salt marsh creeks . . . 299
Widener, Justin W., and Robert B. Barlow
Decline of a horseshoe crab population on Cape Cod. 300
Kerr, Lisa M., Phillip S. Lobel, and J. Mark Ingoglia
Evaluation of a reporter gene system biomarker for
detecting contamination in tropical marine sediments. 303
ORAL PRESENT A T/U.\\
Pi 'Hl.KHED BY TlTUC (>\l > .
307
No. 3, DECEMBER 1999
RESEARCH NOTE
Kelman, Dovi, and Richard B. Emlet
Swimming and buoyancy in ontogenetic stages of the
cushion star Pteraster tesselatus (Echinodermata: Aster-
oidea) and their implications for distribution and
movement 309
Yusa, Yoichi, and Shigeyuki Yamato
Cropping of sea anemone tentacles by a symbiotic
barnacle 315
DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION
Irvine, Steven Q., Oleg Chaga, and Mark Q. Martindale
Larval ontogenetic stages ot Chaetopterus: develop-
mental heterochronv in the evolution of chaetop-
terid polvchaetes 319
Degnan, Bernard M., and Craig R. Johnson
Inhibition of settlement and metamorphosis of the
ascidian Hrrdmania cunxitn by non-geniculate coral-
line algae 332
Kanungo, Jyotshna, Ruth M. Empson, and Howard Ras-
mussen
Microinjection of an antibody to the Ku protein ar-
rests development in sea urchin embryos 341
NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Lindsay, S.M., T.M. Frank, J. Kent, J.C. Partridge, and
M.I. Latz
Spectral sensitivity of vision and bioluminescence in
the midwater shrimp Sergestes similis 348
Ristvey, Andrew, and Steve Rebach
Enhancement of the response of rock crabs, Ciiim-i
itroratus, to prey odors following feeding experience 361
PHYSIOLOGY
Silverman, Harold. John W. Lynn, Peter G. Beninger.
and Thomas H. Dietz
The role of latero-frontal cirri in particle capture by
the gills of M\tilii-'i rdulis 368
Bayne, Brian L., Susanne Svensson, and John A. Nell
The physiological basis for faster growth in the Svd-
ne\r rock oyster, Sarrostrea comint'rcittlif> 377
Siebenaller, Joseph F., and Thomas F. Murray
Hydrostatic pressure alters the time course of
GTP[S] binding to G proteins in brain membranes
from two congeneric marine fishes 388
CELL BIOLOGY
Lema-Foley, Christine, Kyeng G. Lee, Tchaiko Parris,
Zoya Koroleva, Nishal Mohan, Pierre Noailles, and Wil-
liam D. Cohen
Reversible alteration of morphology in an inverte-
brate erythrocyte: properties of I he natural inducer
and the cellular response 395
Index for Volume 197 415
CONTENTS: VOLUME 197
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 309-314. (December 1999)
Swimming and Buoyancy in Ontogenetic Stages of the
Cushion Star Pteraster tesselatus (Echinodermata:
Asteroidea) and Their Implications for
Distribution and Movement
DOVI KELMAN1 AND RICHARD B. EM LET2 *
1 Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences. Tel-Aviv University, Ramat Aviv.
Tel Aviv 69978, ISRAEL: and : Institute of Marine Biology and Department of Biology,
University of Oregon, Charleston, Oregon 97420
The eggs of some marine fish (1) and benthic inverte-
brates such as many corals (2. 3) and lecithotrophic echi-
noderms (4, 5) are positively buoyant at time of release front
the parent, and density increases later in ontogeny. How
these eggs and lan'ae are distributed in the water column
and eventually reach suitable habitat for settlement will
depend, in part, on their vertical velocity and on the turbu-
lence in the water (i.e., the eddy diffusivity). For eggs and
unhatched stages, vertical velocity is passive and depends
on egg or embryonic volume and density relative to the
seawater (6. 7). For motile stages, vertical velocity depends
on relative density, swimming ability, and behavior of the
lan'ae (8, 9). We have measured the vertical velocity of eggs
and lan'ae of the sea star Pteraster tesselatus Ives, which
spawns floating eggs (1.1 to 1.5 mm diameter) that develop
into nonfeeding larvae and spend several weeks in flic
plankton before settling to the benthos (10). Because of the
simple shapes of eggs and lan'ae, we used force balance
equations for drag and buoyant forces to determine the
density of eggs and t\ro lan'al stages. Initially the eggs were
positively buoyant and floated upwards at about I mm/s.
Even formalin-fixed eggs floated in seawater, so concentra-
tions of light ions were not responsible for the buoyancy.
The density of the lan'ae increased in the first 10 to II days,
but it varied considerably between the three larval cohorts
examined. Ten-day-old lan'ae that were negatively buoyant
swam downward at mean speeds as high as 1. 7 mm/s, while
Received 24 May 1999; accepted 16 August 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: remleKs1
oregon.uoregon.edu
positively buoyant lan'ae of the same age swam upward in
about I mm/s. These patterns of buoyancy and swimming
velocity should initially facilitate dispersion and later pro-
mote settlement into subtidal habitats.
Position in the water column and relative to the sea
bottom will determine the amount of advection and the
likelihood of encountering suitable habitat for settlement;
variation in vertical position between related propagules
will increase the spread of siblings or species (9. 11. 12).
Predicting the depth distribution of eggs and larvae and
other planktonic organisms requires information on their
vertical velocity and on the turbulence structure of the water
column (6-9). Alternatively, if the vertical velocity and
distribution of propagules are known, one can estimate the
turbulence structure (6). Many studies examine the density
offish eggs, and some relate this to their vertical distribution
(e.g., 6, 7, 13, 14). For larvae of benthic invertebrates,
studies on swimming behavior and responses to environ-
mental cues dominate discussions of vertical distribution
(see reviews 15-17). With the exception of numerous stud-
ies on crustacean meroplankton (e.g., 18, 19), there are few
observations on vertical distribution as a function of stage of
development or on density of the eggs and larvae of benthic
invertebrates. Medeiros-Bergen et al. (20) showed that the
lecithotrophic larvae of several sea cucumber species, which
are released as positively buoyant eggs, can be distributed to
depths exceeding 50 m, though they were most common in
the upper 20 m of the water column. Young and Cameron
(21) measured the rate of rise of positively buoyant eggs of
the bathyl echinoid Phormosoma placenta, calculated the
density of the eggs, and predicted that these embryos would
309
310
D. KELMAN AND R. B. EMLET
u
I
P •*
k
Cohort A Cohort B Cohort C
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Figure 1. Rising and sinking rates of eggs with jelly coats (e), hatched gastrulae (g), and bilobed larvae (b)
from three cohorts of Pterasler tesselatus. The open bars represent passive movement of eggs or deciliated
larvae, and the shaded bars represent swimming larvae. The value on each bar represents the mean from 10 or
12 eggs, gastrulae, or larvae. Error bars are 1 S.E. bu, bilobed larvae swimming up; bd, bilohed larvae swimming
down.
We collected adult Pteraste r tesselatus Ives near San Juan Island. Washington (USA), in May 1998. Adult sea
stars were induced to spawn by intracoelomic injection of 2-3 ml of 100 pM 1-methyladenine (4). We collected
the spawned eggs from each of three females and washed them in filtered seawater (FSW). Larval stages that we
studied were from eggs exposed to sperm at low concentrations. We do not know whether the sperm fertilized
the eggs or was necessary for development, as oocytes of this species have been reported to develop without
sperm (see Ref. 10).
Vertical speeds were measured in a cylindrical chamber (10 cm in diameter, and 15 cm tall) filled to within
2 cm of the top with 1 liter FSW (salinity. 289fr) and marked with graduations that circled the chamber at 2-cm
intervals. The chamber was covered and immersed in an insulated aquarium maintained by a circulating water
bath at a temperature of 12.2° ( ±0. 1°C) to minimize convection currents that might affect the movement of the
eggs and larvae in the chamber. Positively buoyant eggs and larvae that floated or swam up were introduced to
the center of the chamber bottom. Negatively buoyant larvae and those that swam down were released at the
surface in the center of the chamber. Rising and sinking times were measured for two successive 2-cm intervals
in the middle of the water column where wall effects were minimal. Measurements that differed more than 10%
were discarded. The individual was then repositioned at the bottom (or top) and allowed to rise (or sink) again;
the new times were recorded. The average time to rise or sink 2 cm was calculated and used to determine speed.
rise into the warmer surface waters where their rate of
development would be increased.
Measurement of vertical velocities of invertebrate eggs
and swimming larvae is relatively simple and can be used to
determine ontogenetic changes in velocity and density as
well as to predict distributions of propagules in the field.
Measurements on multiple cohorts can reveal variation
among offspring from different parents. Among echino-
derms, lecithotrophic larval development has evolved re-
peatedly from planktotrophic larval development (22-24),
and many of the lineages with derived, nonfeeding larval
development also have large, positively buoyant eggs that
have evolved from negatively buoyant ones (5). Shifts in
egg and embryonic buoyancy may require functional
changes in swimming that are revealed by observations on
vertical movement and orientation.
For three cohorts (from separate female parents), we
measured the vertical velocities of unfertilized eggs, newly
hatched gastrulae (5 d), and older, bilobed larvae ( 10-1 1 d).
After swimming velocities were measured for individual
larvae, they were deciliated in hypertonic seawater and their
vertical velocity was measured again and used to determine
the density of these stages.
Eggs (with intact jelly coats) always floated up, rising at
speeds between 0.2 and 1.3 mm/s. The mean rising rates of
eggs were 1.2, 0.4, and 1.0 mm/s for cohorts A, B, and C,
respectively (Fig. 1 ). An ANOVA followed by a multiple
comparisons test indicated that the rising rates of eggs were
SWIMMING AND BUOYANCY IN A YOLKY LARVA
311
significantly different among cohorts (F = 135.6, df 2,27,
P < 0.001; Tukey HSD test./) < 0.001 for all three pairwise
comparisons).
Differences in egg rising rates among cohorts were due to
differences in egg density and in part to differences in the
egg and jelly coat volumes (Fig. 2a). Cohorts had signifi-
cantly different egg densities ( ANOVA. F = 1 25.6, df 2.27.
P < 0.001; Tukey HSD test, P < 0.001 between all three
pairwise comparisons). Eggs of cohort A, with the fastest
mean rising rate, also had the lowest density (1020.2 kg/
m3); eggs of cohort B, with the slowest rising rate, had the
highest density (1021.4 kg/m3). Comparisons of the egg
diameter and jelly coat thickness revealed significant vari-
ation among the cohorts in each trait (egg diameter
ANOVA, F ' 125.3. df 2,27, P < 0.001; jelly coat
ANOVA, F = 23.02. df 2.27, P < 0.001 ). However, mul-
tiple comparisons (Tukey HSD tests) revealed that cohorts
A and B each differed from cohort C in egg diameter (P <
0.001 ) and jelly coat thickness (P < 0.001 ). but A and B
were not significantly different from each other in egg
diameter (P = 0.76) or jelly coat thickness (P = 0.15). Thus
differences in rising rates between cohorts A and B were
due to differences in egg density, whereas differences be-
tween cohorts A and C and cohorts B and C were due to
both density and dimensions of the eggs. Though eggs of
cohort C had an intermediate density, their relatively large
diameters and thin jelly coats contributed to their rising
rates, which approached those of cohort A.
To determine whether active metabolic concentration of
light ions was a possible buoyancy mechanism in the eggs
of Pteraster, we fixed eggs in 3% formalin in filtered
seawater (FSW) for several hours and then transferred them
to fresh FSW. Formalin-fixed eggs floated, indicating that
their positive buoyancy did not involve the metabolic mech-
anisms that maintain ion gradients (e.g., 25, 26). Positive
buoyancy may also be due to the presence of buoyant lipid
reserves. According to Jaeckle (27), lipid content in leci-
thotrophic eggs of echinoderms ranges between 34% and
50% of total organic weight and is twice that found in
planktotrophic eggs. A high lipid content could reduce the
densities of the eggs and cause them to float. No data are
available on the biochemical composition of P. tesselatus
eggs and larvae or on the possible importance of lipid
content in floating.
For another estimate of egg density, we assumed that the
jelly coats were neutrally buoyant in seawater (Fig. 2a).
Because the jelly coat has a very high water content, we
believe this assumption was reasonable. Furthermore, the
jelly coats of eggs of the sand dollar Dendraster cxcentricits
are neutrally buoyant (28). The estimated densities of eggs
without jelly coats were also significantly different among
cohorts (ANOVA. F = 159.4, df 2.27. P < 0.001; Tukey
HSD test, P < 0.001 between all three pairwise compari-
sons). Differences in egg density may be due to variation in
biochemical composition and could also reflect variation in
egg or maternal nutritional state. The estimated densities of
the eggs without jelly coats were lower by 0.4 kg/m3 (range.
0.7 to 0.2 kg/m1) than those for the eggs with jelly coats. If
the jelly coat is neutrally buoyant, it slows the rising rate of
the buoyant egg. We calculated that the mean rising rates of
eggs without jelly coats would be 12%, 15%. and 7% faster
than those measured for intact eggs of cohorts A, B, and C
respectively.
Eggs hatched after 3 to 4 d, and by day 5 swimming
gastrulae were either at the water surface or at the bottom
of their mesh-bottom culture vessels, depending on the
female of origin. Gastrulae in cohorts A and C swam up
at mean speeds of 1 .4 and 1 .2 mm/s respectively. When
deciliated. all gastrulae in these cohorts were positively
buoyant, rising at mean speeds of 0.9 mm/s (cohort A)
and 0.3 mm/s (cohort C). In contrast, all gastrulae of
cohort B swam down at a mean speed of 1.1 mm/s; when
deciliated. 7 of 10 gastrulae were negatively buoyant and
three others were slightly positively buoyant. The mean
sinking speed of deciliated gastrulae from cohort B was
0.6 mm/s (see Fig. I ).
Larvae swam up or down, usually along a straight, ver-
tical path, and rotated around their anterior-posterior axes as
they swam. Regardless of its direction of vertical motion, a
gastrula always had its anterior end up and its posterior end,
with blastopore, down. Deciliated gastrulae also showed
this orientation whether they rose or sank. This posture was
assumed as soon as a swimming gastrula was placed in the
stable water column and was maintained, without exception.
as long as the larva was moving in the water column. This
orientation appeared to result from an uneven distribution of
buoyancy, with the anterior end being less dense than the
posterior end. Because swimming speeds downward ex-
ceeded sinking speeds, the cilia must have produced cur-
rents that moved water from the posterior end toward the
opposite end. The downward movement was sustained and
was not likely to result from the transient reversal of ciliary
beat that is known for planktotrophic larvae (29; Emlet,
pers. obs.). The consistent and sustained downward swim-
ming by gastrulae of cohort B, with the blastopore leading,
indicates that the coordination of their cilia was different
from that of negatively buoyant gastrulae that swim up.
anterior end first, by moving water from anterior to poste-
rior. This change in ciliary coordination from that typical of
planktotrophic species has also been observed in down-
ward-swimming, positively buoyant, lecithotrophic larvae
of the echinoids Heliociilaris ery thro gramma and Holo-
pneustes piirpurascens (Emlet, pers. obs.).
Larvae developed into a bilobed stage, with a circumfer-
ential groove that divided the larval body into anterior and
posterior regions. By 10-1 1 d after fertilization, podia were
beginning to form within the circumferential groove, but
most larvae were still shaped like prolate spheroids and
312
D. KELMAN AND R. B. EMLET
1022 -i
1021.4 1021 1
1020.9 10207
Cohort
Figure 2. Density of unfertilized eggs (a) and eggs and larvae (b) for
three cohorts of Pteraster tesselatus. (a) Two estimates of density: open
bars are for eggs with jelly coats; dark bars are for eggs only, assuming the
jelly to be neutrally buoyant. The value on each bar represents the mean for
10 eggs. Error bars are 1 S.E. (b) Ontogenetic changes in density from eggs
and two larval stages for three cohorts. The bars represent the means for
eggs with jelly coats (e). hatched gastrulae (g). and bilobed larvae (b). All
sample sizes were lOeggsor 10-12 larvae. Error bars are 1 S.E. The dotted
line shows the density of seawater at 12.2°C and 28f?< salinity.
The Reynolds numbers (Re) were £0.8 for all eggs and <0.5 for all
passively moving larvae, so we used the low-Re equation for terminal
velocity and solved for the density of the egg or larva (see e.g., 31, equation
15.1 I. p. 340). We treated eggs as spheres and larvae as prolate spheroids;
in the latter case we included a shape-correction term (see 32). We
measured the diameter of each egg and the thickness of the jelly coat on a
microscope with a 4x objective, after the egg rising time was measured. A
suspension of India ink was added to reveal the edge of the translucent jelly
coat. The length and width of gastrulae and larvae at their widest point
were measured after larval swimming times were measured. Each larva
was then deciliated by placing it in double-strength seawater for 10-15 s,
then immediately rinsed three times in normal-strength seawater. This
method has been used to collect cilia from echinoderm larvae and does not
kill the larva; in fact, cilia are regenerated in a matter of hours (e.g.. 33;
Emlet. pers. obs.). After the deciliated larvae were equilibrated in seawater
at 28%c, we placed them individually in the chamber and measured their
passive rising or sinking rates. The seawater in the chamber was at 12.2°C
and had a salinity of 2X'..'.; from tables (34) we determined its viscosity to
be 0.0013 N s/nr and Us density to he 1022 kg/m1.
Sources of error in our calculations of the densities of eggs and larvae
include our measurements of dimensions (including jelly coat for eggs) and
our assumptions of shape (prolate spheroid or spheres). Measurement
errors of 100 /j.m (7%-10% of egg + jelly diameters) would result in
deviations of density of £0.5 kg/m'. These errors would be random and
were not as advanced as the 8-day larva in figure 3 of
McEdward (10). The swimming direction and buoyancy of
larvae varied among the cohorts (Fig. 1). All larvae of
cohort A swam up and were positively buoyant after they
were deciliated, and all those of cohort B swam down and
were negatively buoyant after they were deciliated. Cohort
C was highly variable, with 7 of 12 larvae swimming up and
5 of 12 swimming down. Five of the seven larvae of cohort
C that swam up were either positively or neutrally buoyant
after being deciliated, whereas all of those that swam down
were negatively or neutrally buoyant after being deciliated.
The exceptions were two larvae that swam up opposite the
direction of their passive motion. Compared to gastrulae,
the bilobed larvae swam up at slower speeds or down at
higher speeds, reflecting the generally increased density of
these later stages (Figs. 1 and 2b). Bilobed larvae showed
the same orientation that gastrulae did with larval anterior
(adult oral) up and posterior (adult aboral) down regardless
of their direction of swimming.
During development, the density of gastrulae and larvae
increased relative to that of the eggs, though cohorts varied
in the extent and timing of increase (Fig. 2b). Cohorts A and
C showed consistent increases in density, with the bilobed
larvae of cohort C obtaining a mean density not different
from that of seawater (t test, t = 0.95, df = 1 1. P = 0.362).
In contrast, the mean density of gastrulae of cohort B
exceeded that of seawater (/ = 3.0. df = 9, P = 0.015), and
some of these individuals had higher densities than any
other stages across all cohorts (Fig. 2b).
Differences in density among eggs (without jelly), gas-
trulae. and bilobed larvae were analyzed separately for each
cohort because of significant heterogeneity of variances
within cohorts A and B but not cohort C (Cochran's C tests,
P < 0.01 for cohort A. P < 0.001 for cohort B, P = 0.1 1
for cohort C). Cohorts A and C had significantly different
densities among all stages. (Cohort A: Kruskal-Wallis test,
H --- 21.8: multiple comparisons with a nonparametric
equivalent of the Tukey test (Ref. 30), P < 0.05; cohort C:
ANOVA, F = 91.9 df 2.29. P < 0.001: Tukey HSD, P <
0.002 for all comparisons). Cohort B also had significant
differences in density among stages (Kruskal-Wallis test,
H = 19.9, P < 0.001). Nonparametric pairwise compari-
sons indicated that density differed significantly between
eggs and gastrulae (P < 0.001 ), between eggs and bilobed
larvae (P < 0.005), but not between gastrulae and bilobed
larvae (P > 0.5).
McEdward (10) observed that eggs and embryos of P.
tesselatus were positively buoyant until the time close to
should inflate the variation without biasing the means. Our assumption of
shape could systematically bias the means through estimates of drag force or
volume, but again the magnitude of the error would be about 0.2 kg/m'. We
do not think that any of these biases created erroneous trends in the data.
SWIMMING AND BUOYANCY IN A YOI.KY LARVA
313
settlement, when larvae swam near the bottom. The present
study confirms that observation for two cohorts, but a third
cohort was negatively buoyant soon after hatching. The
rising speeds of eggs and the swimming speeds of gastrulae
and larvae of Pteraster usually exceeded 1 mm/s. Although
still slow, these rates are about five times the sinking speeds
of planktotrophic eggs and two to three times the swimming
speeds of planktotrophic larvae of echinoderms (5). Our
measurements showed significant increases in density as
development progressed (Fig. 2b), with bilobed larvae ap-
proaching or exceeding the density of seawater. Becoming
less positively buoyant or negatively buoyant may increase
downward swimming speed and assist larvae in the search
for suitable settlement habitats.
The mean downward swimming speed of 1.7 mm/s for
bilobed larvae of cohort B should allow them to overcome
resuspension by turbulent mixing during some parts ot the
tidal cycle. Gross et al. (8) modeled larval settlement in
tidally dominated flows found in estuarine and shelf condi-
tions, exploring how larval swimming speed influenced the
probability of settlement. For a water depth of 50 m, the
model predicted that a doubling of fall velocity from 0.8 to
1.6 mm/s resulted in a 12-fold increase in the probability of
contacting the bottom throughout the entire tidal cycle.
During periods of weak tidal flows, the model predicted that
up to 40% of larvae swimming at 1.6 mm/s could interact
with the bottom and possibly settle, while 1 % to 4% of those
swimming at 0.8 mm/s would be capable of settling (8).
Our studies were conducted at a salinity of 28%c and a
temperature of 12.2°C, conditions typical of the surface
waters near San Juan Island, Washington. Though seawater
higher in salinity (and hence more dense) is found in other
coastal settings, we believe that our results are applicable to
these regions as well. Preliminary observations showed that
when deciliated larvae of Pteraster that were negatively
buoyant at 28%t were placed in water with a salinity of
30%(, they would initially float for a few minutes before
sinking at constant speed. A possible explanation is that the
osmotic difference resulted in water loss and salt gain by
larvae, restoring the relative density of the larvae in seawa-
ter. Further studies that vary salinity would be necessary to
determine if the absolute magnitude of the differences be-
tween the density of the larvae and the seawater are the
same when the salinity changes. Other studies (Emlet, un-
pub. data) of buoyancy and swimming in ontogenetic stages
of two echinoids at a salinity of 35%c found patterns similar
to those reported here.
This study has documented ontogenetic changes in buoy-
ancy from positive to either neutral or negative buoyancy
and found changes in swimming direction and speed that
correlate with buoyancy for one species of sea star with
positively buoyant eggs. The eggs and larvae exceeded 1
mm in diameter and departed from the density of seawater
by as much as 2.0 kg/m3. (For comparison, the density of
seawater changes by 2 kg/m3 for each 10°C change in
temperature.) Though small, the resulting difference in den-
sity caused the eggs and larvae to rise or sink relatively
rapidly compared to planktotrophic larvae, and rates of
movement were augmented later in development by ciliary
swimming. These patterns should initially facilitate disper-
sion from the site of egg release and then promote settle-
ment. Buoyancy and swimming for specific stages were also
found to vary within and between cohorts, which should
increase the spread of siblings as well as offspring of
conspecifics (12). Finally, the swimming orientation of an-
terior up, posterior down that was maintained during devel-
opment suggests that the ciliary coordination of positively
buoyant larvae has been changed from that of planktotro-
phic ancestors.
Acknowledgments
A. O. D. Willows. Director, provided space and facilities
at the Friday Harbor Laboratories. We thank R. Strathmann
and J. Hoffman for contributing ideas throughout this study
and for valuable comments that improved the manuscript.
The manuscript was also improved with helpful comments
by O. Mokady and anonymous reviewers. Funding was
provided by the Friday Harbor Laboratories Marine Science
fund (# 63-3972), an Aharon Katzir Foundation travel grant
to D.K, and NSF grant OCE-9416590 to R.B.E.
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26. Newton, C., and W. T. W. Potts. 1993. Ionic regulation and buoy-
ancy in some planktonic organisms. ./. Mar. Biol. Axxoc. ('A' 73:
15-23.
27. Jaeckle, W. B. 1995. Variation in the si/e, energy content, and
composition of invertebrate eggs: correlates to the mode of larval
development. Pp. 49-77 in Ecology of Marine Invertebrate Larvae. L.
McEdward. ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton. Florida.
28. Podolsky, R. D. 1995. Consequences of temperature, viscosity, and
small size for early life-history processes in the sand dollar Denclraster
excenlricus. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Washington. Seattle.
29. Stralhmann, R. R. 1971. The feeding behavior of planktotrophic
echinodcrm larvae: mechanisms, regulation and rates of suspension-
feeding. J. E.\p. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 6: 109-160.
30. Zar, J. H. 1984. Biostali.stical Analysis. Prentice Hall. Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey.
31. Vogel, S. 1994. Life in Moving Fluid*,. The Physical Biology of
Flow. Princeton University Press. Princeton.
32. Happel. J., and Brenner, H. 1986. Low Reynolds Number Hvdro-
dynamicx. Martin Nijhoff. Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
33. Stephens, R. E. 1986. Isolation of embryonic cilia and sperm fla-
gella. Pp. 217-227 in Methods in Cell Biology. Vol. 27: Eclunodcnii
Gametes and Embryos, T. E. Schroeder. ed. Academic Press. Orlando,
Florida.
34. Walton Smith, F. G., and F. A. Kalber, eds. 1974. CRC Handbook
of Marine Science. CRC Press. Cleveland. Ohio.
Reference: Binl. Bull. 197: 315-318. (December 1499)
Cropping of Sea Anemone Tentacles
by a Symbiotic Barnacle
YOICHI YUSA* AND SHIGEYUKI YAMATO
Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University. Shirahama, Wakayama 649-221 1, Japan
As sessile animals, barnacles (Cirripedia: Tlwracica) are
generally suspension feeders, extending their cirri into the
surrounding water to collect food particles ( 1 ). Although it
has been suggested that some symbiotic barnacles obtain
nutrients directl\ from their hosts, either b\ absorbing body
fluids (2 — t) or by rasping the host's tissue (4-6), most of
these cases are inferred from their morphology. Direct
evidence, such as gut content analysis, has been limited (for
an exception, see ref. 5), and no actual feeding on their
hosts has been absented. Koleolepas avis (Hiro, 1931} is a
pedunculate barnacle symbiotic with the sea anemone Cal-
liactis japonicu, which lives on gastropod shells occupied b\
large hermit crabs ( 7), mainly Dardanus arrosor. Symbiotic-
relationships bet\\'een various hermit crabs and sea anem-
ones have been well documented (8), but the relationship
benreen the barnacle and its host sea anemone has been
virtuallv unknown. From February to April 1996, we col-
lected living individuals o/K. avis from lobster nets landed
at Minabe Fishery Port, southwestern Japan (33° 44' N,
135° 20' E). On the basis of behavioral obsen'ations in the
laboratory and analyses of fecal pellets and gut contents, we
concluded that this barnacle feeds actively on its host's
tentacles.
The shape of Koleolepas avis (Fig. 1 ) differs from that of
typical pedunculate barnacles like Lepas spp. in many ways
(7). First, K. avis, like its two congeners K. willevi Stebbing
(9) and K. tinkeri Edmondson (10), has a sheath-like struc-
ture extending from the base of the peduncle and covering
the main body (the attachment disk). Second, at the orifice,
A', avis has a chitinous, bill-like projection that is developed
only in this species. Hiro (7) stated that this projection gives
Received 12 April 1999; accepted 28 September 1999.
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Present address:
Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment
Station, Nishigoshi. Kumamoto 861-1192, Japan. E-mail: yusa@knaes.
affrc.go.jp
"the cirriped a bird-bill-shape." These two characteristics
are reflected in the generic and specific names, respectively
("koleo" means sheath and "avis" means bird). Third, the
peduncle is highly distensible, being about three times as
long as the length of the capitulum. In addition to these
external characteristics, the internal morphology is also
distinct. The cirri are short, with sparse setae, and thus
unsuitable for filter feeding, and the cutting edge of the
mandible is peculiarly serrate (7).
Observations on living individuals showed that the at-
tachment disk of K. avis was interposed between the pedal
disk of its host anemone and the gastropod shell. Most of the
barnacle's main body was retracted into the attachment disk,
and only the upper part of the capitulum was visible from
outside of the host (Fig. 2 A). A rhythmical cirral movement
could be seen through the semitransparent capitulum, but
otherwise the barnacle usually remained motionless.
When tentacles of the sea anemone touched K. avis
(presumably its cirri), the capitulum of the barnacle imme-
diately came out from the gap under the host and began to
follow the tentacles (Fig. 2B). This tentacle-following be-
havior lasted 89 ± 122 s (mean ± SD of 46 observations on
10 individuals). During this period, the cirri were widely
spread and almost motionless. When the cirri of K. avis
touched a tentacle of its host again, the barnacle grabbed it
with its cirri, pulled part of it into the capitulum, and closed
the orifice firmly. At the same time the peduncle shrank and
bent frontally (to the direction of the orifice). As a result, the
tentacle became pinched by the upper ridge of the bill-like
projection of A", avis (Fig. 2C). In response to the pinching,
the sea anemone contracted its tentacles. Pulled from the
both ends, the pinched tentacle tore off (Fig. 2D). This
tentacle pulling lasted 109 ± 95 s.
A barnacle cropped a tentacle 1.4 ± 1.4 times a day
(mean ± SD of 10 individuals). We did not observe the
barnacles eat other parts of the host, nor other possible foods
315
316
Y. YUSA AND S. YAMATO
M
Figure 1. A'»/<'o/ty>. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 20: 183-243.
1 1 . Fautin, D. G., C-C Guo, and J-S Hwang. 1995. Costs and benefits
of the symbiosis between the anemoneshrimp Periclimenes brevicar-
pulis and its host Entacmaea i/nadricolor. Mai: Ecol. Prog. Ser. 129:
77-84.
12. Mercier, A., and J. F. Hamcl. 1994. Deleterious effects of a pyc-
nogonid on the sea anemone Bartho/omea annulata. Can. J. Zool. 72:
1362-1364.
13. Bieri, R. 1966. Feeding preferences and rates of the snail, lanthina
prolongata, the barnacle, Lepas anserifera, the nudibranchs. Glaums
».-•• •
H \
, Ihc
1 — -pyg
hg
\
pyg
at
st
mg
-mt
hg-
— pyg
Figure 2. Larvae, stages LI through L3. Anterior is toward the top of
the page in all plates, unless noted, (a) Stage LI protrochophore at 24 h. (b.
c) Stage L2 metatrochophor.es at 4S h in ventral and left-lateral views
respectively, (d-f) Early stage L3 larvae at 4 days in dorsal, lateral, and
ventral views respectively, (g-i) Late stage L3 larvae at 18 days in dorsal,
left-lateral, and ventral views respectively. Medial pair of eyes is slightly
out of focus in (g) and at dorsal surface in (h) (open arrowheads). Unicel-
lular ingested algae are visible in the midgut at all stages, at, apical tuft; hg,
hindgut: Ih. lateral bristle; Ihc, lateral hooked cilia; lo, larval ocellus; mg,
midgut: mt. metatroch; pyg. pygidium; st. stomndeum. Scale bars are 50
/am.
typical of early polychaete trochophore larvae formed
(Henry, 1986; Eckberg and Hill, 1996).
Stage L2— 36-72 hours (Fig. 2b-c):
Metatrochophore
Size: 180 X 90 Mm
Ciliary structures: apical tuft present; one pair of lateral
bristles form; trochal band absent
CHAETOPTERUS LARVAL ONTOGENY
323
Ocelli: 2; one lateral pair
Reference*: Henry ( 1986) fig. 3b-c; Bonch-Bruevich and
Malakhov (1987) fig. 1
By this stage gastrulation is complete, forming a tripartite
gut. A ventrally opening ciliated stomodeum is visible an-
teriorly. The more medial stomach occupies about half the
volume of the larva, and a much smaller intestine is located
just anterior to the pygidium. The anus opens dorsally. The
gut is functional at this time, as evidenced by algal particles
in the stomach. A pair of stiff lateral hooked bristles, com-
posed of hooked cilia, take the place of the lateral hooked
cilia (Henry, 1986). A distinct trochal band is not present at
this stage.
Stage L3— 3-30 days (Fig. 2d-i):
Size: 180-320 X 90-180 /am
Ciliary structures: apical tuft present; mesotroch present;
lateral bristles persist
Ocelli: early: 2; one lateral pair: late: 4; one lateral pair
and one medial pair
References: early: Cazaux (1965) pit. 2. fig. 5; late:
Cazaux (1965) pit. 3, fig. 6; Enders (1909) pit. II.
fig. 9
Earl\ period, 3-10 days. In this period the relative size of
the stomach enlarges to occupy most of the larva. A more
distinct pygidial papilla forms. A distinct trochal band is
first visible at the level of the intestine, here referred to as a
mesotroch, following the terminology of Okada (1957). The
lateral bristles of Stage L2 persist.
In histological sections the neuropil of the cerebral gan-
glion is visible anterior and dorsal to the stomodeal opening
(Fig. 3a, b). At this stage other neural tissues were not
visible in section, although a ventral nerve network has been
reported in slightly younger specimens examined with
transmission electron microscopy (Bonch-Bruevich and
Malakhov, 1987). The stomodeum itself has three dorsal
diverticulae and opens to the stomach through a pharyngeal
valve in the midposterior floor of the stomodeal cavity (Fig.
3b). The midgut endoderm consists of relatively large cells,
especially at the anteroventral side, whereas the endoderm
of the intestine forms a much thinner epithelium. The anus
opens from the intestine dorsally, just anterior to the py-
gidium (not shown).
Mesoderm-lined coelomic compartments are visible an-
terior to the stomodeum and along the ventral midgut and
hindgut (Fig. 3a, b). These observations are consistent with
those of Bonch-Bruevich and Malakhov (1987), who report
one unpaired preoral coelom and three pairs of trunk coe-
loms, although we were unable to locate with certainty the
boundaries between the trunk cavities.
Identifiable cell types present at this stage include neu-
rons, secretory digestive cells, trochoblasts. and muscle
>
he'
mg
*r*'"~
pv
vbv
•<*%£*&
^MliP* ' ~'-^^«y^--v
Figure 3. Semithin plastic sections of stages L3 and L4 larvae stained
with hematoxylin, eosin. and alcian blue, (a) Early stage L3 larva in
sagittal section; ventral is to the left and anterior toward the top of the page,
unless noted. Arrow points to algal particle entering stomodeum. Roman
numerals denote locations of three trunk coelomic spaces, (b) Higher
magnification view of same stage larva as in (a), (c) Oblique frontal section
of a late stage L3 larva. Arrow points to an anterior septum dividing one
of the region A segments, (d) Oblique transverse section through head of
stage L4 larva with dorsal side up. (e) Frontal section through palette
rudiments (segments B2-B5). (f) High-magnification view of transverse
section through ventral body wall of stage L4 larva midway between the
mouth and anterior mesotroch. Arrowhead points to the ventral nerve cord.
Arrow indicates the ventral mesentery, (g) Transverse section, with ante-
rior to the left, through posterior metatroch (setiger B2) and palette rudi-
ments (setigers B3-B5). Arrowhead points to trochal cell. Ih. i) Sections
through trochal bands at stage L4 tangential to body wall. Arrow points to
line of basolateral trochal cell nuclei, ce, circumesophogeal connective; eg,
neuropil of cerebral ganglion; e, endodermal cell of the midgut; he, head
coelom; mg. midgut: ml, mesotroch; pal. pallette rudiment; pv, pharyngeal
valve; se, stomodeum: vbv. ventral blood vessel; vnc, neuropil of ventral
nerve cord.
324
S. Q. IRVINE ET AL
cells. Also visible are light-emitting photocytes ventrolat-
eral to the intestine; these, described by Henry (1989). are
functional by stage L2. Staining with alcian blue (not
shown) reveals large mucosal cells dorsal and lateral to the
stomodeum.
Late period, ll-30da\s. This period is morphologically
similar to the preceding, the most obvious difference being
the addition of a pair of dorsomedial eyes. The stomach
becomes still larger relative to the overall body, and the
mesotroch widens with it. The pygidial papilla becomes
longer and more distinct. The apical tuft is still present
along with the lateral bristles, both of which are lost by the
end of this stage. These observations correlate well with
previous descriptions (Enders. 1909; Cazaux, 1965).
//; situ hybridization with a (3-titbulin riboprobe reveals
cells with extensive ciliation in the apical tuft, stomodeum,
and mesotroch (Fig. 4a). However, at this stage our probe
does not reveal neural elements.
Stage L4— 30-60 days (Fig. 5a, b):
Size: approx. mean 600 X 400 /MIII
Cilian- structures: apical tuft lost; two mesotrochs
Ocelli: 6; 2 pairs lateral, 1 pair medial
References: Cazaux (1965) pit. 4, rigs. 7-8; Enders
(1909) pit. II, rig. 10
Two major changes from stage L3 are evident in this
stage. The first is the appearance of a second trochal band
just anterior to the existing mesotroch. The second change is
the advent of overt segmentation in the region between the
posterior mesotroch and the pygidium. Three distinct annu-
lar bulges are visible in this region; as becomes evident in
later stages, these are rudiments of setigers B3-B5. The
segmental anlage of the anterior 1 1 setigers are not apparent
by visual inspection, but the prospective cell populations of
the parapodia are present. This was shown by staining with
an anti-Distal-less antibody that recognizes the prospective
apical cells of body wall outgrowths (refer to Panganiban et
til., 1997). The basic structure of the gut present from stage
L2 persists, with the intestine occupying the postmesotro-
chal segmented region. A second pair of lateral ocelli de-
velop at this stage, making a total of six ocelli in three
bilateral pairs.
The central nervous system now has the basic compo-
nents of the juvenile. The cerebral ganglion forms a disk just
beneath the most rostral epidermis (Fig. 3d). The circum-
esophogeal connectives flank the stomodeum (Fig. 3c, d)
and join in the ventral midline at the anterior midgut level
(Fig. 3f). The ventral nerve cord ( VNC) remains paired as it
travels toward the posterior, with numerous commissures
connecting the bilateral segmental ganglia. In the overtly
segmented posterior region (setigers B3-B5), distinct paired
segmental ganglia are visible (Fig. 3e). Late in this stage the
two hemilateral cords of the VNC diverge anterior to the
mesotrochs. This splitting of the paired nerve cords results
in the adult arrangement of the CNS: laterally placed nerve
cords in setigers A1-A1 1 join at setiger Bl and run at the
ventral midline more posteriorly (Martin and Anctil, 1984).
The lateral divergence of the anterior nerve cord is visible in
a
Figure 4. Whole mount in xitit hybridi/ation to a digoxygenin-labeled antisense p-nihiilin nhoprobe.
Anterior is toward the top of the page in each view, (a) Stage L3 larva viewed from the ventral side in optical
section. Slaining is visible at the base of the apical tuft (arrow), around the posterior stomodeum (open
arrowhead), and in the trochoblasts of the me.sotroch (arrowhead), (b) Ventral view of a stage L4 larva. The
dorsal body wall and head have been dissected open for photography. Strong staining is seen in the trochoblasts
of both mesotrochs (arrowheads), and in the anterior [open arrowhead) and posterior (double arrowhead) ventral
nerve cord. Setiger numbers of posterior ganglia are labeled on the right, (c) Higher magnification view of
anterior ventral nerve cord. The axon tract of the nerve cord (arrows) is visible just subjacent to serially iterated
blocks of staining ectodermal cells (arrowheads).
CHAETOPTERUS LARVAL ONTOGENY
325
Figure 5. Larvae, stages L4 and L5. Anterior and posterior mesotrochs are marked by arrowheads, (a. h)
Stage L4 larvae at 30 days in dorsal and ventral views, (c-e) Stage L5 larvae at 60 days in dorsal, lateral, and
ventral views respectively. The locations of adult setiger rudiments are labeled in (d). Note the appearance of the
red adult ocelli, visible in (e) along with the persistent larval ocelli, ao, adult ocellus; hg. hindgut; lo, larval
ocellus; mg, midgut; nr. notopodial rudiment of setigers A1-A9; pa, palp rudiment; pal, palette rudiment of
setigers B3-B5; pol, post-oral lobe; pp. papilla; prl, pre-oral lobe; st, stomodeum. Scale bars are 100 ftm.
the expression pattern of ft-titbulin visualized by in situ
hybridization (Fig. 4b, c). The fact that in situ hybridization
to p-tubiilin transcripts failed to detect a distinct VNC prior
to this stage suggests that the VNC had not yet formed.
Segmental boundaries are not distinguishable, by conven-
tional microscopy, anterior to the mesotrochs in any tissue.
However, in situ hybridization to jB-tubii/iii transcripts re-
veals that reiterated ganglionic cell populations, presumably
segmental, are present at this stage (Fig. 4b, c). Bilateral
ganglionic cell populations are also visible in the overtly
segmented anlagen of setigers B2-B5 (Fig. 4b).
Capacious coelomic cavities with distinct septa surround
the larval foregut, as seen in frontal section (Fig. 3c).
Transverse sections at the middle of the larva reveal bilat-
eral coelomic cavities, separated by a ventral mesentery,
medial to the nerve cord. Between these cavities and the gut,
the ventral blood vessel is located at the midline (Fig. 3f).
A particularly distinctive cell type is that of the ciliated
cells of the trochal bands. These are large prismatic cells
with a uniform granular cytoplasm (Fig. 3g). They are
extended along the anterior-posterior axis, and packed reg-
ularly in a continuous circumferential ring (Fig. 3h). The
cell nuclei are positioned at the basilateral ends of the cells
(Fig. 3i).
Stage L5 — approx. 60 days (Fig. 5c-e):
Competent to metamorphose
Size: approx. mean 800 X 400 ju,m
Ciliary structures: apical tuft absent; two mesotrochs
Ocelli: 8; 4 lateral, 2 medial, 2 lateral adult ocelli
References: Ca/atix (1965) pit. 5, tig. 10; Enders (1909)
pit. II, rigs. 11-12
At this stage larvae are competent to metamorphose — in
fact, we observed one specimen from this stage that had
reached late stage L7 within 6 h after transfer from mass
culture to a pctri dish with fresh seawater. Specimens from
this stage routinely passed completely through metamor-
326
S. Q. IRVINE ET AL.
phosis overnight, indicating that the rudiments of all juve-
nile structures are present.
As compared with stage L4. the postoral lobe grows
disproportionately with respect to the preoral lobe and folds
towards the posterior. Many eosin-reactive secretory cells
are visible in section in the epidermis of this organ (Fig. 6b).
Appearing at this stage are visible palp and anterior parapo-
dial rudiments. A pair of red adult ocelli appear at the most
lateral margin of the preoral lobe. The smaller dark larval
ocelli remain throughout the stage. In section, the setal sacs
and septation of segments A1-A9 are apparent (Fig. 6a, b).
The epidermis in the region of prospective setigers B2-B5
develops deeper infolding, creating distinct annuli anchored
at the ventral midline (Figs. 3g, 6b). However, the region
around the two mesotrochs has yet to exhibit any segmental
character visible either in the exterior morphology or in
section. A pair of lateral outgrowths emerge just anterior to
the pygidium. which Enders (1909) identifies as the notopo-
dia of segment Cl . These bear stout setal sacs (not shown).
Based on the locations of ganglia in the B and C regions and
the developing parapodia of the A region, it is possible to
locate the primordia of the first 1 5 adult setigers at this stage
(Fig. 5d). The identity of the posterior mesotroch with the
aliform notopodia of setiger Bl can be inferred from Hox
gene expression patterns (Irvine, 1998; Irvine and Martin-
• »'ff'5t/"~-* aS^-s- i,v -
;j JK9. #p •-• |
V '••? '. : i
j£ _M . *«_. *
iffefei
TOfe4 Pal
m& «?
w-*<
Figure 6. Senuthin sections of stage L5 larvae stained as in Figure 7.
(a) Oblique transverse section through region A. Dorsal is towards the top
of the page. Open arrowhead points to a typical anterior seta. Arrow points
to an antciuir septum, (h) Parasagittal section with ventral to the left and
anterior up. cutting through several anterior setal sacs (arrow) and both
mesotrochs (arrow heads). Bars denote approximate plane of section shown
in (a), ere. eosin-rcactive cells; fg, foregut; mg, midgut; pal. palette
rudiment of setiger B2; vnc. axon tract of ventral nerve cord.
dale, 1999b). Ironically, the longest adult segment, B2,
forms from the shortest, most cryptic of the larval setigers.
The hemilateral cords of the anterior ventral nerve cord
have continued to diverge from the ventral midline to ap-
proach the ladderlike form of the adult nervous system in
setigers A1-A9 (Martin and Anctil. 1984). The basic struc-
ture of the nervous system more posteriorly persists, as
described for stage L4.
Stage L6 — approx. 60 days (Fig. 7a-d):
Mid-metamorphosis
Size: 1-2 mm
Ciliary structures: apical tuft absent: two mesotrochs
Ocelli: 8; 4 lateral, 2 medial, 2 lateral adult ocelli
References: Cazaux (1965) pit. 5, fig. 10; Enders (1909)
pit. II. figs. 11-12
This transitory stage is characterized by the transforma-
tion of larval to adult structures (Fig. 1). The prostomium
and peristomium form by the retraction of the preoral lobe
and the folding rostrally of the postoral lobe. The pair of
dorsomedial ocelli disappear during this stage (compare
Fig. 7a and 7c). The two larval pairs of lateral ocelli persist,
with the adult ocelli roughly coincident with the most ven-
trolateral pair of larval ocelli. The parapodial rudiments of
setigers A1-A9 emerge laterally, correlated with a dorso-
ventral flattening of region A. The anterior mesotroch de-
generates, and the posterior mesotroch becomes incorpo-
rated into the aliform notopodia of segment Bl, which
appear dorsolaterally. This fate is confirmed by /'/; situ
hybridization to Hox segmental markers (Irvine, 1998: Ir-
vine and Marti ndale, 1999b). Just caudally, the digestive
and accessory feeding organs of setiger B2 appear along the
dorsal surface with a swelling of this portion of the larva.
The three annular bulges evident at stage L4 expand to take
on the shape of the palettes of segments B3-B5. The no-
topodia of segment Cl continue to project ventrolaterally.
Stage L7 — approx. 60 days (Fig. 8a-b):
Juvenile
Size: 2-3 mm
Ocelli: 2 lateral adult ocelli (2 pairs of larval ocelli
degenerate)
References: Cazaux (1965) pit. 6, figs. 11-14
At the completion of metamorphosis, the juvenile worm
has taken on the general form of the adult for the head and
anterior 15 setigers. The most conspicuous change from
stage L6 is the extreme extension of the body axis from
setigers B1-B5. In addition, the aliform notopodia in setiger
B2, the accessory feeding organ in setiger B2, and the
palettes in setigers B3-B5 all extend out from the body wall
and assume their adult form. The remaining two pairs of
larval ocelli degenerate, leaving the larger red adult ocelli.
The remainder of the roughly 40 abdominal gametogenic
CHAETOPTERUS LARVAL ONTOGENY
327
Figure 7. Stage L6 larvae, (a, b) Early stage L6 larva in dorsolateral
and ventrolateral views, (c, d) Late stage L6 larva in dorsolateral and
ventrolateral views. Note the rotation of the postoral lobe to an anterior-
facing direction in comparison with the orientation at stage L5. afo.
accessory feeding organ rudiment: an. aliform notopodium rudiment; ao,
adult ocellus: lo. larval ocellus: nr. notopodial rudiment of setigers A1-A9;
pa. palp rudiment: pal. palette rudiment of setigers B3-B5; pol. postoral
lobe: prl. preoral lobe. Scale bar is 100 /j.m.
segments have yet to be produced. This occurs by interpo-
lation between setigerCl and the pygidium (Cazaux, 1965).
Tube construction was never observed in these cultures.
This is probably because that substrate was never provided,
the stage L7 juveniles always being kept in glass or plastic
vessels without mud or sand (Irvine and Martindale, 1999a).
Discussion
Developmental variation within the genus Chaetopterus
The genus Chaetopterus has several species that show
variation in overall adult size, tube morphology, and details
of parapodial and setal form. Published descriptions of
Chaetopterus development differ from our results in some
respects. Cazaux' s ( 1965) figure 5 is a drawing of a 48-h
larva corresponding in part to our observations. However,
our cultures and those described in Henry (1986) do not
reach the general morphology depicted until at least 72 h.
despite higher culture temperatures. Four other differences
are apparent between our results and those in figure 5 of
Cazaux (1965): (i) we do not detect trochal bands around
the stomodeum; (ii) a distinct intestine is visible, rather than
the extension of the posterior stomach shown: (iii) the
mesotroch is more posterior in our preparations: (iv) only
one pair of laterally placed eyes are visible rather than the
two pairs depicted. Since Cazaux's specimens came from
the Atlantic coast of France, he may have been observing
another species of Chaetopterus — neither C. variopedatus
Renier, 1804, nor C. variopedatus sensu Enders. 1909, but
possibly C. valencinii Quatrefages, 1866 (M. E. Petersen,
Copenhagen Museum, pers. comm).
Trochal bands
As mentioned, a circumferential ciliary band appears
midway along the anterior-posterior body axis at Stage L3;
following Okada (1957). we have termed this band a me-
sotroch. At Stage L4 another trochal band, which we also
call a mesotroch, forms just anterior to the first band. Rouse
(1999) characterizes this younger band as a metatroch.
following early work of Wilson (1882) that depicts a larva
resembling our Stage L3. However, tracing the fate of both
these trochal bands ahead in ontogeny reveals that they
come to lie well within the segmented trunk of the larva,
contrary to the definition of a metatroch as a presegmental
structure lying on the peristomium (Rouse, 1999). Thus,
rather than a metatroch having evolved within the Chaetop-
teridae lineage, as concluded in the transformations of the
Rouse (1999) analysis, a different type of trochal band
arose, not strictly homologous to a metatroch.
Although the Chaetopterus mesotrochal bands are not
metatrochs, as defined above, they may be homologous to
other types of trochal bands at the level of their develop-
mental pathway. Rouse's (1999) analysis indicates that the
various types of larval trochal bands can appear and be lost
independently in different lineages; i.e., as characters they
exhibit a high degree of homoplasy. This finding suggests
that trochal bands share a developmental pathway that can
be activated at various levels along the anterior-posterior
axis.
328
S. Q. IRVINE ET AL.
Figure 8. Juvenile worms within 1 day of metamorphosis at about 60 days. Anterior is to the left, (a) Dorsal
view. Letters and numbers indicate adult setiger locations. Asterisk denotes the ciliary groove of the aliform
notopodium of setiger B I , derived from the posterior mesotroch. Arrowhead points to a parapodium of the first
'abdominal' setiger Cl. (b) Two newly metamorphosed specimens. Upper specimen is in ventrolateral view and
lower is in dorsolateral view. Arrowheads as in (a) above, afo. accessory feeding organ rudiment; an. aliform
notopodium rudiment; ao. adult ocellus; eg. ciliated groove; lo, larval ocellus; m, mouth; nr, notopodial rudiment
of setigers AI-A9; pa, palp rudiment; pal, palette rudiment of setigers B3-B5; pol, postoral lobe; pyg. pygidium.
Scale bar is 100 juni.
Larval segmentation and relationship to adult bod\ plan
The most commonly described form of larval develop-
ment in polychaetes is the production of a trochophore larva
that adds segments sequentially from a posterior growth
zone to produce a nectochaete larva (Okada, 1957; Ander-
son, 1966). There is some controversy over whether the first
three larval segments develop in the same sequential man-
ner as subsequent segments, but in typical cases the demar-
cation of each of the segmental boundaries is evident in the
external form of the larva from a very early stage.
Chaetopterus represents a distinct departure from this gen-
eral pattern. The first external signs of segmentation are the
rudiments of segments B3-B5 visible at stage L4, at an age
of 30 days. At no point does the metatrochophore take on
the overtly segmented form of the typical nectochaete larva.
However, some incipient segmentation is present before it
becomes visible externally. Bonch-Bruevich and Malakhov
(1987) describe three trunk coeloms existing at stage L2,
which is consistent with our stage L3 sections (Fig. 3a). If
we use the trochal bands as landmarks, the anterior trunk
coelom (']' in Fig. 1 stage L3) roughly corresponds with the
position of adult segments A1-A9, the middle coelom ('II')
with segment Bl or segments Bl and B2. and the posterior
coelom ('III') with juvenile segments B3-B5. By stage L4
the segmental character of the ventral nerve ganglia is
apparent in fi-tubulin expression, even though no segmental
divisions are visible by conventional microscopy (Fig. 4b,
c). Expression of Distal-less protein also reveals segmen-
tally iterated structures, the parapodia of setigers A1-A9, at
stage L4. before they are evident morphologically (Panga-
CHAETOPTERUS LARVAL ONTOGENY
329
niban et /., 1997). Our observations never give the impres-
sion that these segmental rudiments are produced sequen-
tially, anterior to posterior, from a mesodermal band or
bands.
We propose the hypothesis, supported by all the existing
data from this and other studies, that the anterior 15 seg-
ments in Cluietopterus are formed by subdivision of exist-
ing anlage, rather than by sequential addition from a growth
zone. The segments B1-B5 are formed first, at stage L4, by
subdivision of the stage L3 coeloms II and III. Segments
AI-A9 form later, at stage L5, by subdivision of the stage
L3 coelom I. This hypothesis does not rule out the produc-
tion of the segmented body elements from a teloblastic
growth zone, but does temporally dissociate the production
of those elements from their morphogenesis as discrete
segmental structures. Other recent work has shown that Hox
gene expression begins as early as stage L2 in the putative
growth zone (Irvine, 1998; Irvine and Martindale. 1999b;
Kevin J. Peterson, pers. comm.). If the Hox genes are acting
as segmental specification genes at this stage, this early
onset of expression suggests that the delay in the appearance
of overt segmentation in Chaetopterus is the result of a
lengthening of the period between molecular specification
of segments and their morphogenesis. Testing the accuracy
of this model will require more extensive analysis of inter-
vening stages, possibly using histological sections or cell-
labeling techniques.
Even if the correlation of early larval structures with their
final segmental products differs from what we have pro-
posed, the timing and nature of segmental differentiation in
Chaetopterus remain highly diverged relative to the patterns
seen in related polychaete families. This is not surprising
given the extreme level of adult body plan divergence. What
is remarkable is how far back into larval development the
changes in segment formation extend.
Phylogenetic position and larval evolution
A consideration of the phylogenetic position of
Chaetoptems within the Polychaeta can give some insight
into the probable ancestral larval form and the evolutionary
changes that must have taken place to result in the animal
described here. The family Chaetopteridae has generally
been allied to the spionid families (Dales, 1962; Fauchald.
1977). to the sabellids, or to both (Fitzhugh, 1989). A
cladistic analysis of polychaete relationships by Rouse and
Fauchald ( 1997) presents two alternatives for the position of
the Chaetopteridae, depending on the method used to code
character states. In the first case (Fig. 9a). which uses
presence/absence coding, initial weighting of characters by
their dependence on other characters, and sequential
weighting based on consistency index, the Chaetopteridae
are a sister group to the traditional spionid families (Spio-
Figure 9. Two alternative cladograms showing larval form of
Chaeropteriis compared with thai of related polychaete families. The
cladograms are adapted from Rouse and Fauchald ( 1997) — (a) from figure
70 and (b) from figure 71. The presence of the Pogonophora in the sabellid
clade is omitted from these diagrams. Note that in either cladogram.
outgroup taxa to the Chaetopteridae have overtly segmented early larvae,
indicating that the chaetoptend larval form and ontogenetic heterochrony
are unique to that lineage. Representative larval forms are adapted from the
following sources: spionid, Pol\dora webster (Blake, 1969); terebellid.
Ramex califonriensis (Blake. 1991 ); oweniid, Oweniafusiformis (Plate and
Husemann, 1997): sabellid, Mcxalniiiimi vi'sictilosiiin (Wilson. 1936); sa-
bellariid, Lygdami.i miiriilix (Bhaud and Cazaux, 1987); capitellid, Capi-
tella capitals (Plate and Husemann. 1997).
nidae, Apistobranchidae, Trochochaetidae, Longosomati-
dae, Magelonidae, and Poecilochaetidae). This is the topol-
ogy favored by Rouse and Fauchald. who include the
Chaetopteridae in a clade called the Spionida (figs. 70 and
73 in Rouse and Fauchald, 1997). (Examination of other
members of the Chaetopteridae. such as Spiochaetoptems
[Bhaud et ai. 1994]. makes the spionid connection very
clear.) On the other hand, when multi-state characters are
used (fig. 71 in Rouse and Fauchald, 1997). the parsimony
analysis results in the Chaetopteridae being a sister group to
the sabellid families and pogonophorans (Frenulata. Vesti-
mentifera. Sabellariidae. Sabellidae. and Serpulidae; collec-
330
S. Q. IRVINE ET AL.
lively called the Sabellida) (Fig. 9b). Using weighted pres-
ence/absence coding but adding larval characters to the data,
a more recent analysis (Rouse, 1999) also allies the
Chaetopteridae with an order Sabellida.
In the first case, depicted in Figure 9a, overtly segmented
early larvae are common both in the sister group of the
chaetopterids. the spionid clade, and in the outgroups, the
terebellid and sabellid clades. With the exception of the
oweniids, the larvae can be described as variants of a basic
nectochaete type (Okada, 1957; Wilson. 1948). Thus, by
parsimony, the hypothetical common ancestor of the entire
clade depicted would have some type of nectochaete larva.
The divergent larval forms of Owenia and the Chaetopteri-
dae are autapomorphies of their families in this scheme.
Other chaetopterid genera share the basic larval form of
Chaetoptems (Bhaud and Cazaux, 1987). Within the family
there are no larvae with morphology intermediate to a
nectochaete type, indicating that the ancestor of extant fam-
ily members had already developed this modified larval
ontogeny.
In the second case, depicted in Fig. 9b, the Chaetopteri-
dae are a sister group to a sabellid clade. and these groups
together are a sister group to the Oweniidae. This entire
clade is in turn a sister group to a clade consisting of the
capitellid and terebellid families. Once again, because of the
phylogenetically widespread presence of overtly segmented
nectochaete larvae in sister groups and outgroups, the hy-
pothetical common ancestor at the basal node of this cla-
dogram would be some sort of nectochaete.
From the foregoing it follows that, regardless of the
phylogenetic scheme favored, the larval ontogeny of
Chaetoptems is highly modified from a probable nec-
tochaete ancestor. This ancestor developed as an initial
trochophore larva forming three larval segments by subdi-
vision of mesodermal bands. Subsequent segments were
added sequentially from a pre-pygidial growth zone. In the
chaetopterid lineage the following evolutionary changes in
ontogeny took place: ( 1 ) loss of early body wall segmenta-
tion; (2) loss of larval setae; (3) loss of prototroch: (4) gain
of one or more mesotrochs; (5) delay in segmentation of
anterior trunk; (6) modification of parapodia in region B
setigers to form specialized feeding and pumping organs.
Ontogenetic heterochrony
As described above, the temporal pattern of segmentation
in Chaetoptems is modified from that typical of annelids.
This pattern correlates with the regionalization of the adult
body plan along the anterior-posterior axis. In the common
annelid form, segmental morphology is homonomous, and
segments form in a strict anterior-posterior temporal se-
quence. In many groups, there is a measure of heteronomy
in segment form, such as groups of segments bearing
branchiae in spionids, or nereidids with differing anterior
and posterior parapodial morphology. However, even where
this regionalization of adult body plan exists, the segments
develop sequentially in the larva. In Chaetoptems, on the
other hand, each tagma, or body region, develops overt
segmentation at a different time. The first segments clearly
visible are those of setigers B1-B5 at stage L4; these form
the middle tagma of the adult body. Segmentation more
anterior, which would be morphologically apparent in a
nectochaete larva, is visible at this stage only by the use of
molecular markers, such as p-nihulin and Distal-less, to
show segmental cell populations.
These changes in the temporal pattern of development
from the ancestral state can be regarded as ontogenetic
heterochrony in an evolutionary sense. In deBeer's termi-
nology (DeBeer, 1958), the structures of setigers B3-B5
exhibit acceleration relative to the anterior setigers, while
all segments exhibit deviation in morphogenesis relative to
the ancestral form.
An important question raised by consideration of this
case of heterochrony is whether the changes in larval on-
togeny in the extant chaetopterids were part of the direct
evolutionary transformation leading to the tagmatization of
the adult body plan, or if they are secondary modifications
of larval development independent of the changes in adult
body plan. In the first case, the changes in ontogeny would
have to result in the changes in the adult without significant
deleterious effect on larval survival, and thus overall fitness.
In the second case, it could be that extinct ancestors of
Chaetoptems evolved the heteronomous body form seen
today using the primitive larval developmental program
based on sequential anterior-posterior segmentation. After
these changes produced the tagmatization of the adult body,
the heterochrony in larval ontogeny may have evolved
independently either as adaptations to larval ecology or as
changes in developmental pathways that may or may not
have adaptive value. Further comparative work on the mo-
lecular basis of polychaete development may help to distin-
guish between these scenarios.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Mary E. Petersen of Copenhagen Mu-
seum for extensive discussion and information on chaetop-
terid systematics. Jonathan Q. Henry was a great help shar-
ing his expertise on rearing larvae, and he, Susan D. Hill,
Elaine Seaver, and Michael LaBarbera provided insightful
commentaries on earlier versions of the manuscript. S. Q. I.
was supported by National Institutes of Health training
grant T32HD07I36-20. National Science Foundation dis-
sertation improvement grant 9623453, and a Hind's Fund
grant from the University of Chicago. M. Q. M. was sup-
ported by National Science Foundation grant 9315653.
CHAETOPTERUS LARVAL ONTOGENY
331
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: .132-340. (December IsW)
Inhibition of Settlement and Metamorphosis of the
Ascidian Herdmania curvata by Non-geniculate
Coralline Algae
BERNARD M. DEGNAN1-* AND CRAIG R. JOHNSON2
1 Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qkl 4072. Australia: and
'Zoology Department, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252-05, Sandy Bay, Tasmania 7001, Australia
Abstract. The surfaces of non-geniculate coralline algae
(NCA) are known to induce the settlement and metamor-
phosis of disparate marine taxa. In this study we investigate
the responsiveness of larvae of Herdmania curvata (As-
cidiacea: Stolidobranchia) to three species of NCA (Neo-
goniolithon brassica-florida, Hydrolithon onkodes, and
Lithothamnium prolifer) that cohabit the slope and crest of
Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef. H. curvata larvae were first
exposed to these NCA at or within 2 h of hatching, which is
1 to 2 h prior to attaining competence, and then cultured
continuously with the NCA for 12 to 14 h. Rates of settle-
ment and metamorphosis of H. curvata cultured in labora-
tory chambers in the presence of the different NCA were
significantly lower than spontaneous rates in seawater. The
limited settlement in treatments containing NCA were con-
fined entirely to the chamber periphery, and settlement
never occurred on the surface of the NCA. The inhibitory
effect was dose-dependent and was stronger in N. brassica-
f/orida and H. onkodes than in L. prolifer. Larvae that did
not settle in treatments with NCA had rounded anterior
trunks and. in extreme cases, kinked tails with rounded and
dissociated tail muscle cells. In some individuals, we ob-
served the anterior chemosensory papillae being sloughed
off the larval body. Morphological analysis of trunk ecto-
dermal and mesenchymal nuclei of larvae cultured in the
presence of the NCA revealed that general necrotic cell
death was occurring. Importantly, H. cumita larvae that
were exposed to NCA could not subsequently be induced to
metamorphose in KCl-elevated seawater, whereas larvae
Received 24 February 1999: accepted 22 September IW9.
Author to whom correspondence should he addressed- E-mail: bdegnan<"
zoology.uq.edu.au
not exposed to NCA metamorphosed at high rates in KCl-
elevated seawater.
Introduction
Marine invertebrate larvae traverse a complex chemical
seascape and can encounter factors that promote or deter
settlement and metamorphosis. The unique and sometimes
opposite responses of different larvae to chemicals emanat-
ing from or on the surface of a particular substratum has
been attributed to differences in larval chemosensory capa-
bilities (reviewed in Hadfield. 1986; Hadfield and Penning-
ton. 1990; Morse. 1990. 1993; Pawlik. 1992; Leitz. 1997)
and developmental states (Trapido-Rosenthal and Morse,
1986; Degnan and Morse. 1995). At different ages, compe-
tent larvae of a given species can respond differentially to a
particular inductive cue. either by settling or metamorphos-
ing at different rates (e.g.. Coon et al., 1990; Degnan et al.,
1995)..
Despite the apparent diversity of larval chemosensory
systems, disparate marine invertebrate taxa often respond in
a similar manner to particular substrata. Bacterial films on
both biotic and abiotic substrata induce settlement in a wide
range of marine invertebrates (reviewed in Pawlik, 1992;
Johnson et al., 1997), although several species are inhibited
from settling by bacteria or their products (e.g.. Maki et al.,
1988. 1992) or show no response to bacteria (e.g., Keough
and Ramondi, 1995). In contrast, in most cases the surfaces
of sessile marine invertebrates such as sponges, bryozoans.
and ascidians either contain inhibitors or do not provide
morphogenic cues to induce the settlement of larvae (re-
viewed in Davis et al.. 1989; Pawlik, 1992). A finer scale of
analysis reveals greater complexity in larval/substratum in-
teractions. For example, in the case of microbial films.
332
INHIBITION OF ASCID1AN SETTLEMENT
333
larvae of some species respond to a variety of bacterial
genera (e.g., Fitt et ul., 1989), whereas others apparently
require particular strains or communities (e.g., Wilson,
1955: Kirchman el al.. 1982: see also Johnson and Sutton,
1994). Similarly, a particular strain may induce settlement
in some species but not others (Tritar et ai, 1992) or even
inhibit settlement in some species but promote settlement in
others (cf. Kirchman et ai. 1982; Maki et ul.. 1990, 1992).
The range of interactions between invertebrate larvae and
the surface of non-geniculate coralline algae (NCA) is sim-
ilar to that exhibited between larvae and microbial films.
NCA induce settlement, metamorphosis, or both in a variety
of echinoderms (e.g.. Rowley, 1989; Johnson et ul., 1991),
molluscs (e.g., Barnes and Gonor, 1973: Heslinga, 1981;
Rurnrill and Cameron, 1983; Morse and Morse, 1984; Moss
and long. 1992), annelids (e.g.. Gee and Knight-Jones,
1962; Gee, 1965), and coelenterates (e.g., Harrigan. 1972;
Sebens, 1983a, b; Morse et al., 1988), but do not provide a
morphogenic signal for several species of tubicolous anne-
lids (e.g., De Silva. 1962; Gee and Knight-Jones. 1962;
Jensen and Morse, 1984). Among species whose larvae are
induced by NCA. the specificity of the interaction covers a
spectrum from species that manifest specificity for a partic-
ular species of NCA (Gee and Knight-Jones, 1962; Gee,
1965; Johnson et al., 1991), to those requiring contact with
any of a variety of NCA (Morse et al., 1988), to those
requiring a cue from NCA or any of a variety of other
substrata (Harrigan. 1972; Heslinga. 1981; Harm, 1989).
In this study we investigate the responsiveness of larvae
of the tropical solitary ascidian Herdmania curvata (previ-
ously known as H. mounts "Heron Reef or H. mounts
forma curvata: see Degnan and Lavin, 1995) to three spe-
cies of NCA. viz. Neogoniolithon brassica-florida (previ-
ously known as N.foslei), Hydrolitlwn onkodes (previously
known as Pololithon onkodes). and Lithothamnium prolifer.
H. citi-vata and these NCA inhabit the slope and crest of
reefs along the Great Barrier Reef. Since larval ontogeny
and the cellular basis of morphological change are under-
stood in solitary ascidians to a greater extent than in most
marine invertebrates (reviewed in Satoh, 1994), and the
developmental and morphogenetic processes that regulate
the attainment of competence, settlement, and metamorpho-
sis have been documented in H. citn'ata and other ascidians
(Cloney, 1982; Torrence and Cloney, 1983; Degnan et ul..
1996, 1997; Eri et al., 1999), this tropical ascidian is a
useful model for investigating the inductive and inhibitory
activities of various substrata. Settlement and metamorpho-
sis can be induced rapidly in H. citn'ata by a range of
artificial and natural cues, with most competent larvae ini-
tiating metamorphosis within 1 h of contact with the induc-
tive signal (Degnan et al.. 1997). In addition. H. curvata
larvae spontaneously settle and metamorphose in axenic
cultures at a slower rate, such that up to 80% will be settled
within 24 h of hatching. This "spontaneous" settlement and
metamorphosis facilitates the analysis of inhibition of these
processes.
Here we demonstrate that all three species of NCA inhibit
settlement and metamorphosis of H. citn'ata in the labora-
tory. In the presence of the algae, settlement rates were
much less than rates of spontaneous settlement in the ab-
sence of the NCA, and the limited settlement in the presence
of NCA was confined to the periphery of the culture cham-
ber and never occurred on the surface of the plant. Mor-
phological analysis of larvae cultured in the presence of the
NCA revealed that the NCA were toxic to the larvae,
resulting in necrotic cell death and sloughing of the anterior
chemosensory papillae. This toxic inhibition prevents these
larvae from subsequently responding to a strong artificial
inductive cue (40 mM KCl-elevated seawater; Degnan et
ul.. 1997). This result contrasts with that observed for some
echinoderm larvae, which are readily induced to settle and
metamorphose on contact with some of these NCA species
(Johnson et al.. 1991; Johnson and Sutton. 1994).
Materials and Methods
Collection, niaintentinee, am! cultivation of Herdmania
curvata and coralline algae
Gravid Herdmania curvata and pieces of the non-genic-
ulate coralline algae (NCA) Neogoniolithon brassicu-
fiorida. Hvdrolitlion onkodes. and Lithothamnium prolifer
were collected from the reef crest and slope of Heron Reef.
Great Barrier Reef. Australia (23° 27' S; 151° 55' E), and
maintained separately in flowing, ambient seawater on site.
NCA were collected by chiselling the algae from the surface
of coral rubble.
H. curvata eggs were fertilized by pooling the gametes
from at least three individuals into 0.2-jum-filtered seawater
(FSW), and embryos were cultured in FSW as described in
Degnan et al. (1996). Thin ( 1-2 mm) shards of NCA were
prepared by chipping away most of the coral rubble from
underneath the algae. Only shards free of macroscopic foul-
ing organisms were used in the experiments.
Settlement experiments
Three experimental designs were used to examine the
settlement response of H. citn'ata to the NCA: ( 1 ) larvae
were presented with all species of NCA simultaneously (the
"choice" experiment); (2) larvae had access to only a single
species of NCA (the "no choice" experiment); and (3) a "no
choice" design in which a dose-dependent response was
examined.
Choice experiment. A variable number of small shards of
each species of NCA (total epithallial area of ca. 1 .5-3 cnr
for each species) were placed in the center of 100-mm-
diameter polycarbonate chambers containing 200 ml of
seawater. Shards of each species were arranged so that the
334
B. M. DEGNAN AND C. R. JOHNSON
epithallial surfaces faced both upwards and downwards.
H. citn-ata embryos were mass cultured in FSW at 24°C
until hatching, which is about 10 h after fertilization (Deg-
nan et at., 1996); newly hatched larvae require another 3-4
h of development to attain competence (Degnan et al..
1997). Pre-competent H. cun'ata larvae ( 10-12 h old) were
transferred from the mass culture to chambers (mean num-
ber of larvae cu. 130 per chamber) containing NCA and
incubated at the ambient water temperature (22°-24°C) for
12-14 h. For controls, larvae were added to chambers
containing seawater only. The experiment was repeated on
consecutive days with different batches of larvae. Since the
results of the two experiments were similar, data were
combined for presentation, yielding a total of 15 replicate
chambers of each of the NCA and control treatments.
After incubation, the NCA were removed from the cham-
ber, placed in a shallow dish containing seawater, and
inspected microscopically for settled H. cun'ata on the
epithallial and rubble surfaces. The seawater in the chamber
was filtered through a 60-/u.m mesh, and the chamber was
gently washed with an additional 100 ml of seawater, which
was also filtered. The chamber and the mesh were inspected
and scored for larvae, settled postlarvae. and unsettled post-
larvae (i.e., larvae that underwent metamorphosis but not
settlement).
After being scored, specimens of H. cun'ata were either
inspected microscopically, fixed for histological analysis, or
artificially induced to metamorphose (see below). Light
microscopy was performed on living individuals with an
Olympus BH-2 light microscope fitted with Nomarski
optics; photomicrographs were obtained on an Olympus
C-35AD-2 camera attached to this microscope.
No choice experiment. This experiment was conducted
similarly to the choice experiment outlined above except
that each chamber contained only a single species of NCA.
The mean number of pre-competent larvae added to each
chamber was 1 10, and there were 10 replicate chambers of
each treatment containing NCA, and 9 replicate controls
containing seawater but no NCA.
Dose-dependency (no choice): To determine the nature of
any dose-dependency in the response to NCA, larvae were
added to polycarbonate tissue culture vessels (35-mm diameter
XlO-mm depth) containing 5 ml of seawater and either a
single small, medium, or large (surface area of base of chamber
respectively 5%-15%, 25<7r-35<7c, and 50%-757r) shard of
NCA. Each chamber contained a single species of NCA, and
about 30 newly hatched larvae (i.e., 3 h before development of
competence) were added to each. There were 6 replicate cham-
bers per treatment, to give a total of 3 species NCA X 3 size
classes X 6 replicates = 54 chambers containing NCA, and 6
control chambers containing larvae but no NCA, to yield a
total of 60 chambers in the experiment.
After 12-14 h of incubation, the following categories of
larvae were scored: settled on NCA (epithallus). settled on
the rubble surface, settled on the sides of the chamber,
metamorphosed but not settled, and neither metamorphosed
nor settled. Larvae that had not yet metamorphosed or
settled in chambers containing large shards of L. prolifer
and the smallest shards of N. brassica-florida and H. onkode
were transferred to 40 mA/ KCl-elevated FSW (see below).
Artificial induction of metamorphosis
To determine whether H. cun-ata larvae were competent
to metamorphose after exposure to the NCA, we transferred
20 larvae that had been in the presence of large shards of
L. prolifer. small shards of H. onkodes or N. hrassica-
florida, or seawater to new sterile 35-mm polycarbonate
chambers containing 5 ml of 40 mA/ KCl-elevated FSW;
this was performed in triplicate for each treatment (i.e., 20
larvae X 3 replicates), and all larvae were derived from the
same fertilization. KCl-elevated FSW is normally a potent
artificial inducer of metamorphosis (Degnan et al., 1997).
Because most larvae that were previously exposed to sea-
water had metamorphosed by the time of the transfer, ad-
ditional cultures were established as described in the above
section to ensure that 60 larvae were transferred. Untreated
control larvae were also transferred to FSW to control for
the transfer process (an additional 60 larvae).
At 1-h intervals after transferral of larvae, each chamber
was scanned to record the number of larvae that were
undergoing metamorphosis. H. cun-ata larvae were consid-
ered to have initiated metamorphosis when the tail was at
least 50% resorbed (Degnan et al.. 1996. 1997).
Histology anil microscopy
Larvae that had been cultured in seawater or in the
presence of the NCA were fixed in 4% (w/v) paraformal-
dehyde in 100 mA/ Hepes (pH 6.9), 2 mA/ MgSO4. 1 mM
EGTA for at least 3 h and stained with 2 mg/ml propidium
iodide for 1 h as described in Hinman and Degnan (1998).
Larvae were examined on a BioRad 600 laser confocal
scanning microscope, exciting samples with 488-nm laser
light and monitoring emission at 515 nm.
Statistics
Since there was no settlement on the epithallial surface of
any NCA in the choice and no choice experiments, settle-
ment rates on the chamber sides only were compared among
NCA and control treatments with one-way Model I
ANOVA. Similarly, in the dose-dependent experiment,
there was little (if any) settlement on NCA surfaces; there-
fore, total settlement (on NCA and the plastic sides of
chambers) was compared among the different "doses" ( =
size classes, 3 levels) and species (3 levels) using Model I
two-way ANOVA. For this experiment the proportion of
larvae neither settled nor metamorphosed and the proportion
INHIBITION OF ASCIDIAN SETTLEMENT
335
metamorphosed but not settled were analyzed in separate
Model I two-way ANOVAs. All a posteriori multiple range
tests used Tukey's HSD criteria (P = 0.05).
For all analyses, the relationship between group means
and standard deviations was examined to determine the
appropriate transformation (if any) to stabilize variances
(Draper and Smith, 1991 ). Transformations are expressed in
terms of the untransformed variate Y. All analyses were
undertaken using the SAS/STAT software package (version
6.12. SAS Institute Inc.. Gary. NC).
Results
Settlement ant! metamorphosis of Herdmania curvata are
inhibited by non-geniculate coralline algae
Responses of Herdmania cun'ata larvae to NCA were
similar in experiments in which larvae had access to all
three NCA species simultaneously (choice experiment; Fig.
1A). and those in which larvae were presented with only a
single species (no choice experiment; Fig. IB). In control
cultures containing seawater only, the majority of larvae
(60.8% ±SE = 4.4% and 51.1% ±SE = 4.6% in the choice
and no choice trials respectively) had settled and metamor-
phosed on the bottom of the plastic chamber 11-13 h after
attaining competence ( — 14-16 h after hatching; Figs. 1A,
IB). These larvae were metamorphosing normally; i.e., tail
muscle cells were in the process of being degraded, ampul-
lae and the postlarval tunic were forming, and the endoder-
mal primordia had turned and commenced morphogenesis.
Larvae that had not settled or metamorphosed were also
normal and possessed extended sensory papillae.
In contrast, in treatments containing NCA the majority of
larvae (ca. 80%) neither settled nor metamorphosed (Fig. 1),
no postlarvae settled on the epithallial surface of any of the
NCA, and the low levels of settlement (ca. 20%) that did
occur were confined wholly to the periphery of the plastic
chambers. Although we did not quantify larval behavior
during the experiment, we did observe some larvae directly
contacting the NCA, and we noted that larvae exhibited
their usual weak and irregular swimming behavior. Al-
though early metamorphosis appeared normal for H. curvata
settled on the plastic in the presence of NCA (i.e., larval tail
resorption. papillae retraction, and initiation of the pro-
grammed degradation of muscle myofibrils appeared nor-
mal), metamorphosis was abnormal in that postlarvae did
not develop ampullae or undergo the rotation of the
endodermal primordium (see Degnan et ai. 1996. 1997).
Most of the unsettled H. cun'ata larvae appeared abnormal
(see below).
By exposing larvae to different quantities of NCA, sig-
nificant differences were observed in larval responses to the
different coralline species, and to different quantities of any
given species (Fig. 2). For a given amount of NCA. larval
settlement was consistently (and often significantly) greater
in the presence of Lithothamnium prolifer than either of
the other species. Larvae showed greatest sensitivity to
Neogoniolithon brassica-florida, and the inhibitory effect
increased dramatically when the percentage of the base of
the settlement chamber that was covered with shards in-
creased from small (5%'-15% coverage) to medium (25%-
35% coverage). Of these treatments, normal metamorphosis
occurred only in H. curvata cultured in the presence of
small and medium shards of L. prolifer. Overall, the inhib-
itory effect on larval settlement was ranked N. brassica-
florida > Hydrolithon onkodes > L. prolifer.
Non-geniculate coralline algae cause sloughing of larval
sensory papillae and necrotic cell death
Unlike normal 14-16 h posthatch larvae, which have
extended papillae, larvae cultured in the presence of NCA
had rounded trunks and lacked papillae (Fig. 3). Normal
larvae were evident only in the treatment containing small
and medium shards of L. prolifer (Fig. 2A). Microscopic
inspection of larvae revealed that all three NCA species
appeared to induce this same effect on larval morphology,
although the amount of NCA required to affect larval mor-
phology differed (Fig. 2 A). For these reasons, only the
effects of L. prolifer, the least potent of the NCA, on
H. cun'ata larvae were documented further.
Large shards of L. prolifer (Fig. 2 A) induced a range of
changes in H. curvata larval morphology that appeared to be
related but differed in severity. Slightly abnormal larvae had
normal axial structures (notochord. neural tube, and muscle)
and trunk structures (sensory vesicle containing otolith and
ocellus, and endoderm rudiment) but lacked projecting pa-
pillae and had a slightly rounded trunk (Fig. 3C, D). Some
of these larvae still had papillae associated with them;
however, the papillae were no longer attached to the anterior
trunk and appeared to be in the process of being sloughed
off (Fig. 3E). In the most severely altered larvae, the trunk
was small and rounded, the tail was kinked, and the muscle
cells had lost integrity and their usual columnar shape (Fig.
3F). Between these extremes of NCA-induced abnormali-
ties was a continuum of morphological defects.
To determine whether the inhibitory factor or factors
associated with L. prolifer or the other NCA were inducing
general cell death, we investigated the structure of the nuclei
of larvae that exhibited an intermediate abnormal morphol-
ogy (i.e.. rounded trunk, straight tail with slightly rounded
muscle cells). Nuclei were stained with propidium iodide
and analyzed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Opti-
cal sections were taken through the trunk epidermis and
mesenchyme of normal and abnormal larvae, and compared.
In both tissues, the nuclei of larvae exposed to L prolifer
were larger Ihan those of normal larvae (Fig. 4). Mesenchy-
mal nuclei of normal larvae were circular (diameters be-
tween 3.5 and 4.3 jam) and appeared granular when stained
336
B. M. DEGNAN AND C. R. JOHNSON
80
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(N. brassica-florida = H. onkodes = L. prolifer)].
with propidium iodide (Fig. 4 A). The mesenchymal nuclei
of larvae cultured with L prolifer were oval, larger (4.3-7. 1
jum), and more diffusely stained with propidium iodide
(Fig. 4B). Normal epidermal nuclei were similar in appear-
ance to normal mesenchymal nuclei (Fig. 4C). Larvae ex-
posed to L. prolifer had irregularly shaped epidermal nuclei
that stained intensely with propidium iodide and were about
the same size as normal nuclei (Fig. 4D). There was addi-
tional, non-nuclear staining of these epidermal cells.
Metamorphosis cannot occur in lan-cie previously exposed
to non-geniculate coralline algae
To determine whether the effect of the NCA on
H. cnrvata larvae was transient, we transferred larvae that
were cultured with either H. onkodes, N. brassica-florida or
L. prolifer into culture chambers containing 40 mM KC1-
elevated FSW. Because the larvae exhibited a range of
abnormalities, we transferred only those showing slight
abnormalities (i.e., lost papillae and rounded trunk; e.g.,
Fig. 3C, D). Larvae from the same fertilization batch that
were not exposed to NCA and had not metamorphosed in
the plastic chambers acted as controls and were transferred
to the KCl-elevated FSW or FSW. We monitored and
scored the number of larvae that had initiated metamorpho-
sis (i.e., began tail resorption) every hour for 3 h. Although
most of the untreated larvae in both FSW and KCl-elevated
FSW began metamorphosing over this period, only 2 of a
total of 180 larvae previously exposed to any one of the
algae initiated metamorphosis (Fig. 5). Analysis of these
cultures after 24 h revealed that control larvae were meta-
morphosing normally and that larvae previously cultured
with NCA had not metamorphosed and died. The two post-
larvae previously exposed as larvae to the NCA were also
dead after 24 h.
Discussion
Most competent Henlnutnia cnn-ata larvae will normally
settle and metamorphose in seawater, FSW, and FSW with
antibiotics within 24 h of hatching (Degnan el al., 1997;
unpub. data). The percentage of larvae that will spontane-
ously settle varies between cohorts, with those cultured in
until tered seawater generally settling at a greater rate than
those cultured in FSW. To assess the extent of any inhibi-
tory effects of NCA on larval settlement and metamorpho-
sis, we cultured the larvae and NCA in untiltered seawater.
The high percentage of larvae that settled in chambers
containing seawater demonstrated that H. ciin-iitu will settle
spontaneously under these culture conditions. The signifi-
cant reduction in settlement rates of larvae cultured in the
presence of the different NCA demonstrates that these algae
are inhibiting settlement in this tropical ascidian.
H. ciirrata larvae respond differentially to a range of
epitloral and faunal substrata associated with the cryptic
INHIBITION OF ASCIDIAN SETTLEMENT
337
A
100 a. Neo (sml)
-,
b. Neo (med)
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c. Neo (Ig)
ns
ns
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B
(i) Total settlement
Litho Litho Litho Hydro Neo Hydro Neo Hydro Neo
sml tge med sml sml med med Ige Ige
largesl mean
smallest mean
(ii) Metamorphosed but not settled
Litho Litho Litho Hydro Hydro Neo Hydro Neo Neo
med sml Ige Ige sml sml med med Ige
smallest mean
(iii) Neither metamorphosed nor settled
Neo Neo Hydro Hydro Neo Hydro Litho Litho Litho
Ige med Ige med sml sml Ige sml med
largest mean
smallest mean
Figure 2. Dose-dependence of inhibitory effect of non-geniculate coralline algae on settlement and meta-
morphosis of Herdmania cumita in a "no-choice" experiment. (A) Mean response ( + SE) of H. ciimita larvae
in the presence of small, medium, and large (= "sml," "med," "Ige," respectively) shards of the NCA
Neogoniolithon brassica-florida ( = "Neo"), Hvdrolithon onkodes ( = "Hydro"), and Lithothamnium prolifer ( =
"Litho"). "nca" = settlement and metamorphosis on NCA shards; "pi" = settlement and metamorphosis on the
sides of the plastic settlement chambers; "met" = larvae metamorphosed but not settled, and "ns" = larvae
neither settled or metamorphosed; n = 6 for all treatments. Greatest total settlement occurred in controls (68.72%
± SE = 5.11; not shown on figure). Tukey groupings (P = 0.05) indicated settlement in controls was
significantly greater than in treatments containing medium- and large-sized shards of N. brassica-florida and
H. onkodes (one-way ANOVA, F(9, 50) = 15.05. P < 0.0001, transformation y""'). The pattern of settlement
in control chambers (n = 6) containing seawater only (not shown) was not significantly different from the
treatment containing small shards of L. prolifer (panel g). (B) Tukey groupings following detection of significant
interaction between NCA species and size of shard ( = "dose") for total larvae settled, larvae metamorphosed but
not settled, and larvae neither settled nor metamorphosed (two-way ANOVA, species x size interaction; total
larvae settled and metamorphosed, F(4. 45) = 3.31. P = 0.018, transformation V'551; larvae metamorphosed but
not settled, Fl-t. 45) = 5.02, P = 0.002. transformation = arcsin Vy; larvae not settled or metamorphosed. F(4.
45) = 4.96, P = 0.002, no transformation required). These results show that the inhibitory effect of
N. brassica-florida and H. onkodes on larval settlement and metamorphosis was greater than that ot L. prolifer,
and that the dose-response relationship was significantly steeper for N. brassica-florida and H. onkodes than for
L. prolifer.
community of the reef crest and slope of the Great Barrier
Reef: metamorphosis is induced by some substrata and not
induced or inhibited by others in the laboratory. Manual
removal of the larval trunk anterior of the otolith and ocellus
prevents the posterior part of the larva from being induced
to metamorphose with KCl-elevated FSW or natural indue -
ers (Degnan et ai, 1997), suggesting that responsiveness to
inductive substrata in H. cun-ata is mediated by the che-
mosensory papillae and an anterior signaling center. The
Hemps gene, which encodes a protein with a putative se-
cretion signal sequence and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-
like repeats, is expressed in this region and has been shown
to regulate the induction of metamorphosis (Arnold et til..
1997; Eri et ai, 1999). The NCA investigated in this study
(Neogoniolithon brassica-florida, Hydrolithon onkodes, and
Lithothamnium prolifer) appear to be toxic to H. curvata
larvae, inhibiting settlement on the surface of the algae,
significantly lowering the level of spontaneous settlement,
and preventing the future ability of larvae to respond to
inductive cues. Trunk ectodermal and mesenchymal nuclei
of larvae cultured in the presence of L. prolifer were bloated
and irregular in shape respectively, both features of necrotic
cell death (Kerr and Harmon, 1991). Induced morphoge-
netic changes during normal metamorphosis do not include
this form of cell death (see Degnan et ai, 1996. 1997;
Hinman and Dennan, 1998). H. curvata larvae that were
338
B. M. DEGNAN AND C. R. JOHNSON
B
E
\
Figure 3. The effect of Liilintlmiiiniiini I'mlifer on normal develop-
ment and larval structures of Hcn/iminui curnitu. Larval anterior is to the
right in all micrographs. (A) A normal postlarva approximately 12 h after
initiating metamorphosis; degenerating larval muscle cells (Imc) and pro-
jecting ampullae (amp) are evident. (B) Normal tadpole larva with sensory
papillae (arrow). (C-F) Larvae cultured with L firnlifcr. (C, D) Larva with
a rounded trunk and no papillae; arrows point to region where papillae are
normally located. (E) Larva in the process of shedding a papilla (arrow).
(F) Larva with rounded trunk, no papillae, kinked tail, and necrosing
muscle cells (arrow). Scale bars: A, B, C, F, 100 mm); D. E, 50 /urn.
cultured with NCA and had not settled lacked papillae and
had rounded anterior trunks. In some of the least morpho-
logically disturbed individuals, the palps were observed
Figure 4. Degeneration of the nuclei of Herdmania cun-aia larvae
cultured in the presence of Lillinilitiiiiiiiiini />/«///<•/•. Confocal micrographs
of nuclei stained with propidium iodide. (A) Normal larval trunk mesen-
chyme (trunk ventral cells; Satoh. 1996). (B) Trunk mesenchyme of larva
exposed to L. pmlifer. (C) Normal larval Irunk epidermis. (D) Trunk
epidermis of larva exposed to L. pmlifcr. Scale bar, 10 /j.m.
1 2
h post-treatment
Figure 5. Percentage of Herdmania cun-ata larvae metamorphosing
when treated with 40 m/W KCl-elevated FSW. Prior to treatment with
KCl-elevated FSW, larvae were cultured either in FSW. or in the presence
of Nei>K»niolitlmn brassica-florida. Hydrolithon onkodes. or Litlinllhiiii-
niiini /uvi/j/c; for 12-14 h. Filled triangles, larvae cultured in seawater and
then transferred to KCl-elevated FSW; open circles, larvae cultured in
seawater and then transferred to FSW; open squares, larvae exposed to
Neogoniolithon brassica-florida and then transferred to KCl-elevated
FSW; diamonds (hidden behind open squares), larvae exposed to Hydro-
liihuii (inkoiU's and then transferred to KCl-elevated FSW; half-filled
squares (hidden behind open squares), larvae exposed to iithothamnium
prolifer and then transferred to KCl-elevated FSW. Data are means ( ±SE).
being sloughed from the trunk of the larva, suggesting that
the toxic effect of the NCA upon the larva first disables the
chemosensory and primary signaling system. Hemps is ex-
pressed in the papillae and the papillae-associated tissue
(PAT) which is located in the anterior epidermis between
the three papillae and consists of about 5 cells (Eri ct /.,
1999). In the vicinity of the sloughed papillae are individual
cells that may have been part of PAT (Fig. 3E). Secretion of
the Hemps protein is essential for the induction and pro-
gression of metamorphosis (Eri el «/., 1999). It is possible
that PAT cells are exuded precociously in larvae exposed to
NCA, disrupting the Hemps signaling system. H. cun'iitu
larvae do not have the ability to regenerate these papillae
nor regain the ability to respond to artificial (Fig. 5) or
natural cues (data not shown). The global toxic effect ot the
NCA upon H. ciirvutu larvae is demonstrated by the high
percentage of death within 24 h of larvae being cultured
with NCA. Experimental inhibition of papillae morphogen-
esis by ecotopic application of retinoic acid results in a very
similar phenotype to larvae cultured with NCA: however,
metamorphosis is not inhibited (Hinman and Degnan,
1998). Toxicity is not limited to the larvae — individuals that
INHIBITION OF ASCIDIAN SETTLEMENT
339
did settle and initiate metamorphosis in these assays did not
complete metamorphosis and died within 24 h (data not
shown).
The inhibitory signals produced by these NCA appear to
be taxa specific. Importantly, under similar laboratory con-
ditions, we have induced normal settlement and metamor-
phosis of an asteroid (with L. prolifer; Johnson et til., 1 99 1 ;
Johnson and Sutton, 1994) and observed that coral and
mollusc larvae are not affected by these algae under iden-
tical assay conditions (unpub. data). Given that the effect of
each of the NCA species on H. citwata larval morphology
was very similar (i.e., all induced rounded trunks and some-
times kinked tails and dissociated muscle cells), a similar
inhibitory factor may be being produced by all three species
of NCA. We did not determine whether the inhibitors were
produced by the NCA or by surface-associated bacteria or
microalgae.
Although it is well established that NCA provide mor-
phogenic cues for larvae of a variety of marine inverte-
brates, but do not induce settlement or metamorphosis in
others (see Introduction), this report demonstrates toxic
inhibition of settlement and metamorphosis of an inverte-
brate by NCA. The distinction between the simple absence
of a morphogenic cue and inhibition is important. Although
larvae will not settle and metamorphose in either case, if the
initial contact is with a substratum that simply lacks an
inductive cue, the larva can continue to search and may
subsequently receive the appropriate stimulus to settle and
metamorphose. These NCA are apparently not toxic to other
larvae, since some coral and mollusc larvae swim in the
assay chambers and behave normally for several days with-
out settling (unpub. data). Importantly, the ability of
H. cnn-ata larvae to undergo high rates of "spontaneous"
settlement and metamorphosis in seawater (Degnan et ul.,
1997) or when exposed to a potent inducer (KC1) allows us
to determine whether a substratum is actually inhibiting
settlement and metamorphosis or is merely not providing a
morphogenic cue. If the ascidian larva contacts an inhibitory
substratum — in this case three species of NCA — then lower
(or zero) rates of settlement or metamorphosis will be
detected, even when the larvae are subsequently exposed to
a potent inducer (KC1). In contrast, because many larvae do
not readily undergo spontaneous metamorphosis (e.g., the
mollusc and coral used in the unpublished assays), it is not
possible to determine whether the NCA are inhibiting set-
tlement by means of a nontoxic pathway or are simply
having no effect on the larvae.
If the inhibitory effect reported here occurs in nature as it
does in the laboratory, then given extensive cover of NCA
in the preferred habitat of H. cnmitu (shallow water on the
reef crest), this interaction is likely to have a large effect in
determining the small-scale distribution of H. cunutii. Al-
though the inhibitory effect is evident when larvae are
prevented from contacting the surface of the NCA (unpub.
data), indicating that the inhibitors can be released from the
surface, it is likely that the inhibitors would operate on a
microscopic scale because of dilution to noneffective con-
centrations a short distance from the NCA. The inability of
NCA to induce settlement and metamorphosis in H. cumita
is consistent with a general pattern that NCA induce settle-
ment and metamorphosis in motile species whose feeding
activities reduce fouling of the plant surface, and in sessile
species that provide preferred habitat for NCA, but not in
sessile species that potentially grow to smother and kill
NCA (C. R. Johnson, unpub. manuscript).
Acknowledgments
We thank the Vision, Touch and Hearing Centre for use
of their confocal microscope facilities, Colin McQueen for
his help with confocal microscopy. Veronica Hinman for
kindly providing some of the confocal micrographs, the
staff of the Heron Island Research Station for their assis-
tance in maintenance of animals, and two anonymous re-
viewers for their valuable comments. This work was sup-
ported by Australian Research Council grants to BMD and
CRJ.
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Reference: Bio/. Bull. 197: 341-347. (December
Microinjection of an Antibody to the Ku Protein
Arrests Development in Sea Urchin Embryos
JYOTSHNA KANUNGO1 :. RUTH M. EMPSON3, AND HOWARD RASMUSSEN1'2'*
1 Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics. Medical College of Georgia. Augusta. Georgia 30912,
and 2 Marine Biological Lahorator\. Woods Hole. Massachusetts 02543: 3 University Department of
Pharmacology. University of Oxford, Oxford, OX] 3QT, UK
Abstract. Ku is the regulatory subunit of the DNA-depen-
dent protein kinase (DNA-PK). This enzyme plays a role in
DNA repair, recombination, and transcription. It is composed
of a large catalytic subunit (p460), and a regulatory het-
erodimer. the Ku protein, which consists of 86-kDa and 70-
kDa subunits. These various components of the enzyme have
been found in both eggs and embryos of the sea urchin. When
variable amounts of a specific monoclonal antibody to the Ku
protein (Ku 162) were injected into one cell of a 2-cell embryo
of L\techimis /rictus, they caused a dose-dependent develop-
mental arrest of the injected cell. The non-injected cell contin-
ued to develop normally. In contrast, injection of an antibody
(N3H10) raised against the 70-kDa subunit of the Ku protein
had no effect on development when injected into 2-cell-stage
embryos. Co-injection of purified DNA-PK with the antibody
reversed the antibody-mediated inhibition of development. In
the fertilized egg and during the early stages of development,
the DNA-PK was localized largely in the cytoplasm, but in
later developmental stages, it assumed a nuclear location. On
the basis of these results, we postulate that the injection of the
Ku antibody either prevents the translocation of the DNA-PK
into the nucleus or interferes with its enzymatic activity either
in the nucleus or in the cytoplasm. In either case, the results
suggest that DNA-PK plays an important role in regulating the
early stages of embryogenesis in this primitive organism.
Introduction
The DNA-dependent protein kinase, DNA-PK, was first
detected in the nuclei of mammalian cells (Walker et al..
1985: Carter et al., 1990). Studies in the last several years
Received 24 March 1999; accepted 16 August 1999.
* Author to whom correspondence should he addressed. E-mail:
hrassmus@mail.mcg.edu
have provided evidence that this enzyme is involved in
DNA repair, and in the activation of specific transcription
factors (reviewed by Anderson and Lees-Miller. 1992;
Weaver. 1995). It may also be involved in regulating DNA
synthesis (Brush et al.. 1994). Ku-associated ATP-depen-
dent helicase activity (Tuteja et al.. 1994). and DNA-de-
pendent ATPase activity (Vishwanatha and Baril, 1990:
Cao et al., 1994). The enzyme consists of a large catalytic
subunit. p460. and a heterodimeric regulatory component,
the Ku protein. The latter consists of subunits of 86 and 70
kDa (Anderson. 1993: Gottlieb and Jackson. 1993). The Ku
protein possesses a DNA-binding domain, and enzymatic
activity is thought to be induced when this domain binds
double-stranded DNA. (ds)DNA (Anderson and Lees-
Miller, 1992; Dvir et al.. 1992; Anderson, 1993; Gottlieb
and Jackson, 1993). However, the catalytic subunit of
DNA-PK can be activated by another DNA-binding protein,
heat shock transcription factor 1 (Peterson et al, 1995).
Additional complexity of control may be involved in its
catalytic function, because the p86 subunit of Ku is a
somatostatin receptor protein that can regulate the activity
of protein phosphatase 2A (Le Romancer et al.. 1994). In
addition, it has recently been reported that in cultured mam-
malian cells, a significant amount of the Ku protein is
present in the cytoplasmie portion of the cell (Fewell and
Kuff, 1996). These findings have led to the proposal that
one or both of the Ku subunits may function in ways other
than through the activation of nuclear DNA-PK. or that
DNA-PK can be activated by factors other than (ds)DNA
and function to regulate events in the cytoplasmie domain.
More recent work has shown that the enzyme is present in
lower organisms, and particularly in the oocytes. eggs, and
embryos of several marine invertebrates (Walker et al.. 1985;
Kanungo et al.. 1996a, b) as well as in mice, frogs, and
341
342
J. KANUNGO ET At.
Drosophila (Finnic et al, 1995). Thus, DNA-PK may have
one or more evolutionarily conserved functions. Transgenic
mice that are deficient in the Ku 86 subunit exhibit severe
combined immunodeficiency (Nussenzweig et al., 1996; Zhu
et al., 1996). Such mice are considerably smaller (40%- 80% )
than their normal litter-mates, and cultured cells derived from
these mice display variable degrees of delay in cell cycle
progression (Nussenzweig et al., 1996).
That high concentrations of DNA-PK exist in the eggs of
sea urchins (Kanungo et ill., 1996a, b) and frogs (Kanungo
et nl., 1997) raises the interesting possibility that this en-
zyme may also play a regulatory role in early embryogen-
esis in these species. To explore this possibility, we initially
undertook studies of DNA-PK localization and activation
before and after fertilization of the eggs of Arbacia punctii-
liitu, the purple sea urchin. The unfertilized egg of this
organism contains considerable amounts of both Ku and
p460, as measured by western analysis, and by immunocy-
tochemistry (Kanungo et al., 1996b). These enzyme sub-
units are located largely, if not entirely, in the cytoplasmic
compartment of the egg. Nonetheless, in the unfertilized
egg, the DNA-PK cannot be activated by the addition of
(ds)DNA to cytoplasmic extracts; i.e.. the enzyme is present
in the cytoplasm in some cryptic form (Kanungo et al..
I996b). Within minutes of fertilization, and without evi-
dence of new protein synthesis, the enzyme is still in the
cytoplasmic fraction, but can now be activated when
(ds)DNA is added to this fraction. Of equal interest is that,
if one coats Protein A Sepharose (PAS) beads with a spe-
cific monoclonal antibody to the Ku protein, Ku 162, and
then uses these beads to isolate the Ku proteins from the
cytoplasmic extracts of fertilized eggs, the beads bind the
holoenzyme, and in this bound form the enzyme is active in
the absence of (ds)DNA.
As the fertilized egg develops, there is a progressive shift
of the various protein components of DNA-PK from a
cytoplasmic to a nuclear location within the cell (Kanungo
et ul.. 1996b). The enzyme is located exclusively in the
nuclear domain from the blastula stage onward, but in
embryos at the 2- and 4-cell stages the enzymatic activity
remains largely in the cytoplasm (Kanungo et al., 1996a, b).
In this report, we demonstrate that microinjection of the
antibody, Ku 162, into one cell of a 2-cell embryo of
Lytechinus pictns, the white sea urchin, inhibits the further
development of the injected cell, but has no effect on the
non-injected cell. This species, rather than Arbacia punctu-
lata. was employed in the present experiments because the
microinjection experiments were more easily performed in
its embryos.
Materials and Methods
Collection of eggs and embryos. Male and female Lyte-
chinus pictns were obtained from the Marine Resources
Department of the Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods
Hole, Massachusetts. Shedding of eggs and sperm was
induced by injecting 0.5 ml of 0.5 M potassium chloride into
the coelom. Batches of eggs were inseminated by mixing
them with diluted sperm. Embryos were collected at sched-
uled times.
Kinase assay. Cytoplasmic extracts from the 2-cell em-
bryos of L. pictns were prepared following the procedures
already described (Ballinger et al., 1984; Kanungo et al.,
1996a). Twenty-five units of purified human DNA-PK (Pro-
mega) or extracts prepared from L. pictns 2-cell embryos
(from 250 embryos) was added to the antibody-coated PAS
beads (Pharmacia) in a 500-fil volume made up by kinase
assay buffer, and incubation was carried out at 4"C with
constant mixing for 2 h. The PAS beads were washed six
times with kinase assay buffer. The assay consisted of 12 /ul
of kinase assay buffer containing DTT (dithiothreitol) at a
final concentration of 1 mM, 200 ;u,M of peptide substrate
(EPPLSQEAFADLWKK) (Anderson, 1993). 2 mM of
MgCK, 130 mM of ATP, and 10 /iCi of gamma-[32P]ATP
(3000 Ci/mmol) (NEN, Du Pont). The assay was carried out
at 25°C for 30 min and stopped by adding glacial acetic acid
to a final concentration of 30%. The reaction product was
spotted onto p81 phosphocellulose discs (Whatman). Sev-
eral washes with 15% acetic acid following a 30-min wash
with 30% acetic acid were carried out. The discs were
finally washed for 5 min in acetone, air-dried, and the
uptake of radioactivity was assessed by scintillation count-
ing. The counts obtained from the control beads, not coated
with any IgG but treated with either the purified human
DNA-PK or extracts of L. pictns embryos, were used as a
means of measuring nonspecific background radioactivity.
These values were subtracted from the counts obtained from
reactions using mouse IgG- and Ku 162-coated PAS beads.
Immnnoprecipikition. DNA-PK holoenzyme was iminu-
noprecipitated with PAS beads that had been coated with
the Ku antibody as follows: PAS beads were pre-swollen in
kinase assay buffer (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4; 10 mM EGTA.
40 mM NaCl, 100 mM potassium acetate, 8.5 mM CaCl:,
2.29 mM MgCK, 277 mM glycerol). Two micrograms of
preimmune mouse IgG or of a monoclonal antibody to
human Ku (Ku 162) that recognizes a conformational
epitope of the Ku protein (Neomarkers, CA) was added to a
10-jixl packed volume of PAS beads. After 1 2-h incubation
at 4°C with constant mixing, the beads were washed four
times with kinase assay buffer.
Innnnnoblotting. The immunoprecipitates from PAS
beads were eluted by boiling in SDS-PAGE sample buffer
and resolved on a 7.5% SDS-PAGE column (Laemmli.
1974). Duplicate gels were run. One was employed to
prepare autoradiographs. The proteins from the other gel
were transferred to nitrocellulose membrane and immuno-
blotted (Towbin et al.. 1979) with anti-p460 antibody as
previously described (Kanungo et al., 1996b).
KU ANTIBODY INHIBITS Oll.L DIVISION
343
Preparation of antibodies for microinjection. The IgG
antibodies (Ku 162 and N3H10) and the control IgGs were
used for the microinjection experiments (Wang el al..
1993). They were a generous gifts from Dr. Westley Reeves
of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Antibodies
against RNAP II were obtained from Promega. and preim-
mune mouse IgG was purified using a Pierce immunoglob-
ulin purification kit (Cat # 44667). The purified IgGs were
dialyzed against Ca2 + -. Mg2+-free PBS (Silver. 1986) and
concentrated to 3 /Mg//u.l. The antibody-enzyme complex
was prepared using 6 jag of Ku 162 antibody and 10 /^g of
purified human DNA-PK (Promega) and incubated on ice
with intermittent mixing for 2 h. The mixed aliquot was
diluted to 1 ml with Ca2 + -, Mg2 + -free PBS. then dialyzed
(4X2 liters) overnight. The dialyzed antibody-enzyme
complex was collected and concentrated using an Amicon
filter concentration unit. The final concentration was
brought back to the original volume of the antibody solution
used (10 /id), giving a final concentration of 600 ng/ju.1 Ku
162 and 1000 ng/jul DNA-PK.
Microinjection. Specimens of L. pictus were obtained
from Marinus Inc. (Long Beach, CA). To induce a female to
shed eggs, about 0.5 ml of 0.5 M KC1 was injected into the
intracoelomic cavity. The eggs were then passed through an
80-/J.M diameter Nitex membrane to remove the jelly that
surrounded them and washed once in Ca2 + -containing sea-
water. A 0.5-ml sample of eggs was placed onto a glass
coverslip previously coated with poly-L-lysine. and the eggs
were exposed to sperm. Low densities of activated sperm
(1/40.000 dilution of dry collected sperm) were used to
prevent the occurrence of polyspermy. If fertilization pro-
ceeded with an efficiency of at least 90%, we continued the
experiment. After fertilization, the dishes were covered and
left at 17°-19°C for 1 h, at which time the embryos begin
first division. Solutions of antibodies that had been dialyzed
and concentrated to known protein concentrations (3 jug//u.l
in the pipette, estimated as a final amount of 15 X 10~'~ g
in the cell) were microinjected into one cell of the 2-cell-
stage embryo shortly after first cleavage and before aster
formation of the second cleavage. We typically injected
l%-2% of the volume of the embryo. An occasional em-
bryo was damaged by the microinjection procedure: such
clearly damaged embryos were discarded. The injected em-
bryos were again covered and remained on the microscope
stage for a further 2 h; we then determined the incidence of
continued or arrested division. In most experiments, digital
images of the eggs were recorded using either an integrating
cooled CCD camera (Hamamatsu, USA) or an intensified
CCD camera (Photonics Science. Robertsbridge. UK). The
camera was attached either to a Metamorph (Universal
Imaging. USA) system controlled by a Pentium PC or an
lonvision (Improvision, Coventry. UK) system run by a
Macintosh. In all experiments we used the uninjected cell as
an internal control.
Immunocytochemistry. Embryos at the 2-cell stage im-
mediately after antibody injection were fixed in 3% form-
aldehyde (Kanungo et al., 1996b) and processed for indirect
immunofluorescence by incubating with fluorescein conju-
gated anti-mouse IgG (Sigma Cat # F 0257). Embryos were
then whole-mounted onto glass coverslips and viewed with
epiftuorescence and appropriate filters using a Zeiss 135
inverted microscope (Zeiss. Oberkochen. Germany). Pic-
tures were recorded using a cooled CCD camera and col-
lected digitally with Metamorph (Universal Imaging, West
Chester. PA). The DNA of some of the injected cells ar-
rested as a consequence of Ku 162 administration were
counter-stained with a DNA stain. Hoechst 3342 (0.001
mg/ml. Molecular Probes. Oregon) to determine the struc-
ture of the DNA. and specifically to answer the question of
whether the failure of these cells to undergo cell division
could be due to the induction of apoptosis as a result of the
antibody.
Results and Discussion
To determine whether DNA-PK plays a unique role dur-
ing early embryogenesis, we microinjected two anti-Ku
antibodies, both raised against human Ku, into one cell of
2-cell embryos, and examined their effects on subsequent
development. For technical reasons, we employed Lytechi-
nus pictus in these studies rather than Arbacia punctulata.
Hence, it was necessary to demonstrate that the fertilized
eggs and early embryos of this species would express DNA-
PK, and that this enzyme could be activated by the same
means as those employed in the Arbacia. The first mono-
clonal antibody against the Ku protein, Ku 162, is an IgG
that recognizes a conformational epitope on the Ku het-
erodimer. It has been used successfully to immunodeplete
the DNA-PK activity from Xenopus oocytes (Kanungo et
al.. 1997). When PAS beads are coated with this antibody,
the enzyme in cytoplasmic extracts of L. pictus 2-cell em-
bryos associates with the beads and is catalytically active in
the absence of (ds)DNA (Fig. 1 A). This antibody could not
be employed in western analysis because it detects the Ku
heterodimer, but neither of its subunits. However, a western
blot of the proteins eluted from the PAS beads after labeling
with [32P]-gamma ATP shows that the interacting catalytic
subunit of DNA-PK (p460) is present and can undergo
autophosphorylation (Fig. IB). An immunoblot of the im-
munoprecipitates made with a monoclonal antibody raised
against the human p460 shows that a polypeptide identical
to p460 is co-immunoprecipitated by Ku 162 antibody from
the cytoplasmic extracts prepared from 2-cell embryos of L
pictus (Fig. IB. lanes 5 and 6).
Based on these results, initial experiments were carried
out to determine the effect of the injection of the antibody.
Ku 162, or purified DNA-PK, into one cell of a 2-cell
embryo. The injection protocol is illustrated in Figure 2A. A
344
J. KANUNGO ET AL.
I
I
1
u
£
Mouse IgG Ku 162 Mouse IgG Ku 162
human
sea urchin
B
1234 56
p460
Figure 1. (A) DNA-PK activity of immunoprecipitates of human
purified DNA-PK. and of the cytoplasmic extracts of 2-cell embryos of
Lytechinus pictus. The DNA-PK assay was performed on washed PAS
beads coated with the Ku 162 antibody. Reactions for a single experiment
were run in duplicate. A representative assay (of five assays) is shown.
Note that specific peptide phosphorylation activity is present in immuno-
precipitates of cytoplasmic extracts of the sea urchin embryo. The activity
from 250 embryos was a little less than half of that obtained from the
immunoprecipitates of 25 units of purified human DNA-PK. PAS beads
coated with preimmune mouse IgG did not immunoprecipitate any
DNA-PK activity. (B) Autoradiograph of proteins recovered from the PAS
beads coated with the Ku 162 antibody (lanes 1-4) showing autophospho-
rylated p460. Preimmune mouse IgG immunoprecipitated no labeled pro-
tein from purified human DNA-PK (lane 1 ) or from cytoplasmic extracts
prepared from the two-cell-stage embryos of L. pictus (lane 2). The
autophosphorylated DNA-PK catalytic subunit (p460) was present in Ku
162 immunoprecipitates of the human en/yme (lane 3), and it was present
in Ku 162 immunoprecipitates of cytoplasmic extracts from 2-cell embryos
of L pictus (lane 4). Immunoblots of proteins eluted from lanes 3 and 4 are
shown in lanes 5 and 6. The p46() polypeptide, eluted from Ku 162
immunoprecipitates of purified human DNA-PK on the immunoblot, was
recognized by a monoclonal antibody. mAb 42-26 (Carter ct ai, 1990)
against human p460 (lane 5); a similar protein, from the Ku 162 immu-
noprecipitates of cytoplasmic extracts of L />/V///.v 2-cell embryos, was also
recognized by this antibody (lane 6).
concentration of Ku 162 was chosen (2.5 pg) that com-
pletely arrested cell division in about one-half of the in-
jected cells in 2-cell embryos 1 h after fertilization (/( =17).
At that time, most of the uninjected embryos were at the
16/32 cell stage of development. On the other hand, further
progression of the injected cell was completely arrested in
one-half of the embryos (/; = 17) injected with 2.5 pg of Ku
162 (Fig. 2B). Some cells were injected with a standard, but
not maximally effective, concentration of purified DNA-PK
either in the presence or absence of Ku 162. Injection of
purified DNA-PK (the holoenzyme) alone had no effect on
the development of the injected cells (n = 12. data not
shown). However, when the holoenzyme was co-injected
with Ku 162, the normal Ku 162-dependent inhibition of
cell development was overcome, and 90% (n = 10) of the
co-injected cells developed normally (Fig. 2C). In other
cells, injection of either 0.5 M KC1 (n = 13) or anti-RNA
polymerase II antibody (Promega) (n = 15) had no effect on
the ability of the antibody, Ku 162, to induce developmental
arrest.
The further effects of the antibody, Ku 162. on embryonic
cell development were analyzed in several ways: serial
dilutions of Ku 162 were used to construct a dose-response
curve; the effect of the second antibody, N3H10, was de-
termined; and that of preimmune mouse IgG was examined.
In addition, the possibility that Ku 162 was inhibiting cell
division by causing cell necrosis or apoptosis was evaluated.
As shown in Figure 3A, the injection of standard aliquots
of serially diluted Ku 162 antibody solution into one cell of
a 2-cell embryo produced two effects on cell development.
First, the number of cells that are completely arrested de-
creased as the amount of injected Ku 162 decreased (Fig.
3A. B. C). Second, at the highest concentration of Ku 162 (5
pg/cell) the development of all injected cells (n = 21 ) was
completely arrested at the single-cell stage (Fig. 3A). The
injection of 2.5 pg/cell of the Ku 162 antibody completely
arrested development of 40% of the cells (/; = 18) (Fig. 3A.
right), and the remaining 60% of injected cells (n = 17)
displayed variable rates of development (Fig. 3B, left). The
injection of 1 pg of Ku 162 had no discernible effect on 50%
of cells; i.e., there was no evidence of developmental arrest
(Fig. 3C, left). In this case, only 10% of cells showed a
complete inhibition of cell division, and 40% displayed
variable degrees of retarded development (Fig. 3C, right).
To determine if Ku 162 antibody acts by inhibiting cell
division, and not by causing cell necrosis or apoptosis, a
number of the cells of embryos (n - 12) that displayed
complete arrest were counter-stained with Hoechst 33342.
Evidence of apoptosis was not seen in any of the arrested
cells (Fig. 3 A, right).
In contrast to the results with the Ku antibody 162,
injection of comparable amounts of N3H10, a Ku antibody
directed against the 70-kDa subunit of Ku, had no apparent
effect on the development of the injected cell of a 2-stage
KU ANTIBODY INHIBITS CELL DIVISION
345
A.
Inject antibody + purified enzyme
1 hr /A /gatf\ 2 hrs
Embryo
1st cell
division
16/32 cell
stage
B. Ku 162 arrest C. Ku 162 + Enzyme
Figure 2. The effect of the antibody, Ku 162, with or without the simultaneous injection of the DNA-PK
holoenzyme, on the ability of the injected cell in a 2-cell embryo of Lytechinus pictiis. Injected cells are identified
with an arrow. (A) A diagram of the experimental protocol. (B) The injection of the Ku 162 antibody (2.5
pg/cell) into one cell of a 2-cell embryo caused complete arrest of cell division in the injected cell, but not in
the non-injected cell. (C) Two cells, one in each of a 2-cell stage embryo, microinjected simultaneously with Ku
162 antibody (2.5 pg/cell) and purified DNA-PK holoenzyme (4 pg/cell). In neither embryo was arrest or delay
of cell division seen in the injected cells, or in the uninjected cells.
embryo (n = 15). It is of interest that one of the subunits
(Ku 86) of Ku, but not the other (Ku 70). affected the
postfertilization cleavage in sea urchin. This differential
function specific to Ku 86 is consistent with the observation
that potential functions of DNA-PK. such as X-ray sensi-
tivity, is restored by Ku 86 even when Ku 70 is absent
(Smider et <;/.. 1994; Taccioli et /., 1994). An obvious
question is whether these two Ku antibodies have different
effects on the activity of DNA-PK. On the one hand, we
have found that Ku N3H10, when put on PAS beads, is
incapable of immunoprecipitating DNA-PK in an active
form. What is not yet clear is whether either antibody
inhibits DNA-PK in situ or in cytoplasmic extracts of sea
urchin embryos. Attempts to address this question by using
cytoplasmic extracts have proven difficult for several tech-
nical reasons, so at present we have no answer.
The present results show that a sufficient concentration of
an antibody specific against the Ku heterodimer. Ku 162,
when injected into the cytoplasm of one cell of a two-cell
sea urchin embryo, completely blocked later cell divisions
of the injected cell (Fig. 3). The simultaneous injection of
the holoenzyme rescued the injected cells from develop-
mental arrest (Fig. 3C). At intermediate doses, the effects of
the Ku 162 antibody were attenuated; i.e., the number of
cells completely arrested was reduced, and a number of cells
were delayed, but not completely arrested, in their develop-
ment (Fig. 2B. C). Although the simultaneous injection of
the holoenzyme rescued the cells injected with Ku 162 from
developmental arrest, injection of the holoenzyme itself had
no consistent effect. In these rescue experiments, however,
the purified holoenzyme, which is quite labile, appears to be
acting as an antigen rather than as an active enzyme. In this
light, the lack of effect when the holoenzyme is injected
should not be taken as evidence that endogenous active
enzyme has no effect on cell cycle progression. Additional
experiments will be needed to test this issue in a critical
fashion.
An inhibition of mitosis in sand dollar embryos follows
the microinjection of antibodies against the calcium trans-
port enzyme of muscle (Silver. 1986). And a similar inhi-
bition occurs in sea urchin embryos after the microinjection
of antibodies against kinesin-like proteins (Wright et ai,
1993), the mitotic calcium transport system (Hafner and
Petzelt. 1987), or a 62-kDa mitotic apparatus protein (Dins-
more and Sloboda, 1989). On the other hand, a controlled
translocation of other nuclear enzymes, like DNA polymer-
ase (Loeb et til., 1970), from cytoplasmic stores to the
nucleus occurs during sea urchin embryogenesis. Recently,
346
J. KANUNGO ET AL.
A. 5 pg Ku 162 Hoechst
C. IpgKu 162
B. 2.5pgKu 162
D. 5 pg Mouse IgG
Figure 3. The dose-response effects of the Ku 162 antibody on the arrest of cell division in one cell of a
2-cell stage embryo of Lytechinus pictus. (A) When 5 pg/cell of the Ku 162 antibody was microinjected into one
cell of a 2-cell embryo, the further development of the injected cells was completely inhibited (left). Shown is
an injected cell (arrow) that persists as a single cell, whereas the non-injected cell of the 2-cell stage embryo has
undergone further cell divisions. Also shown (right) is an embryo in which Ku 162 had arrested development
of the injected cell, and the cell was then labeled with the DNA stain Hoechst 33342. In all arrested cells tested,
the DNA could be seen as a single entity (arrow). (B) The injection of 2.5 pg of Ku 162 antibody (see arrow)
led to complete arrest in some injected cells (right), whereas the remaining displayed variable rates of cell
division. Typical embryos with complete inhibition of cell developmental arrest (right I. and partial development
arrest (left) are shown. (C) At the lowest concentration of Ku 162. I pg/cell. nearly half of the embryos displayed
normal rates of cell division (left), 10% displayed complete arrest, and the remainder displayed variable rates of
development (right). (D) The effect of preimmune mouse IgG on development. One cell ot the 2-cell embryo was
injected with 5 pg of preimmune mouse IgG. Of 23 embryos injected with IgG, 23 went on to divide normally.
A representative picture of one such cell is shown. The arrow indicates the location of the injected cell.
it has been reported that the catalytic activity of DNA-PK
does not require Ku ( Yaneva et al., 1997; Hammerstein and
Chu, 1998). The simplest hypothesis to account for our
result is that the Ku 162 antibody interferes with a tempo-
rally controlled transport of DNA-PK from a cytoplasmic
store to the nucleus as development proceeds. Alternatively,
this antibody may inhibit the activity of the enzyme in either
a nuclear or a cytoplasmic location. In any case, our results
suggest that Ku plays an important role in the control of cell
cycle events during early embryogenesis.
Acknowledgments
We thank Westley Reeves for the generous gift of the Ku
antibodies used in these studies and Timothy Carter for the
anti-p460 antibody. We thank Judith Venuti, Richard Cam-
eron, and John Hardin for helpful discussions. Krishna Patel
tor help with some of the experiments, and Rudi Rotten-
fusser and Ivan Burba of Carl Zeiss, Inc., for their generous
help in providing microscopic facilities that allowed this
work to be performed. Support was provided by NIH grant
DK- 198 13-20 to H. R. and by funds from the Medical
College of Georgia; R.M.E. is supported by the Wellcome
Trust.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 34X-360. (December 1999)
Spectral Sensitivity of Vision and Bioluminescence in
the Midwater Shrimp Sergestes similis
S. M. LINDSAY1 *, T. M. FRANK2, J. KENT3. J. C. PARTRIDGE3, AND M. I. LATZ1
Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Universitv of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California: ~ Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. Ft. Pierce, Florida;
and ' School of Biological Sciences. University of Bristol, United Kingdom
Abstract. In the oceanic midwater environment, many
fish, squid, and shrimp use luminescent countershading to
remain cryptic to silhouette-scanning predators. The mid-
water penaeid shrimp, Sergestes similis Hansen, responds to
downward-directed light with a dim bioluminescence that
dynamically matches the spectral radiance of oceanic down-
welling light at depth. Although the sensory basis of lumi-
nescent countershading behavior is visual, the relationship
between visual and behavioral sensitivity is poorly under-
stood. In this study, visual spectral sensitivity, based on
microspectrophotometry and electrophysiological measure-
ments of photoreceptor response, is directly compared to the
behavioral spectral efficiency of luminescent countershad-
ing. Microspectrophotometric measurements on single pho-
toreceptors revealed only a single visual pigment with peak
absorbance at 495 nm in the blue-green region of the spec-
trum. The peak electrophysiological spectral sensitivity of
dark-adapted eyes was centered at about 500 nm. The spec-
tral efficiency of luminescent countershading showed a
broad peak from 480 to 520 nm. Both electrophysiological
and behavioral data closely matched the normalized spectral
absorptance curve of a rhodopsin with Amax == 495 nm,
when rhabdom length and photopigment specific absor-
bance were considered. The close coupling between visual
spectral sensitivity and the spectral efficiency of lumines-
cent countershading attests to the importance of biolumi-
nescence as a camouflage strategy in this species.
Received 15 December 1998; accepted 23 September 1999.
* Present address: School of Marine Sciences. University of Maine,
Orono. Ml: ()44(i9-S74l : E-mail: slmdsayts niaine.edu
Introduction
In terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial environments, vision is
central to many predator-prey interactions. Thus, camou-
flage (crypsis) is a common method of predator avoidance
used by a wide variety of invertebrates and vertebrates. The
oceanic midwater environment offers few structural refuges
from predation. Visual predators commonly search for prey
silhouetted against dim downwelling irradiance. Camou-
flage strategies adopted by midwater animals include trans-
parency, reflective camouflage, and photophore-mediated
counterillumination (reviewed by McFall-Ngai, 1990). For
example, some animals such as gelatinous zooplankton
have a refractive index similar to that of seawater, making
them optically transparent (Chapman, 1976). Many fish use
reflective camouflage to blend with the optical environment
by simulating the angular distribution of oceanic light (Den-
ton. 1970). Finally, animals may produce downward-di-
rected bioluminescence. disrupting or minimizing their sil-
houette (Clarke, 1963; Herring. 1982; Young. 1983); this
behavior is termed luminescent countershading or counter-
illumination.
For luminescent countershading to be effective, the opti-
cal properties of the bioluminescence must match those of
the optical environment. Laboratory studies have demon-
strated that the angular distribution, intensity, and spectral
emission of luminescent countershading from many midwa-
ter animals match those of oceanic downwelling irradiance
(reviewed by Young, 1983). Under certain conditions, some
squid modify the spectral emission of their biolumines-
cence, presumably to match diel changes in the spectral
composition of downwelling light (Young et ai, 1980).
The optical properties of the oceanic midwater environ-
ment derive from downwelling light and bioluminescence,
and the relative importance of these components varies with
348
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIM11.IS
349
time of day, depth, and distance from the source of light.
Far-field illumination consists of diffuse, dim downwelling
light that decreases exponentially with depth and has an
irradiance spectrum centered on 475 nm (Jerlov, 1968).
Near-field illumination consists mainly of bioluminescence,
manifested as point sources of light with emission spectra
peaking primarily between 460 and 490 nm. depending on
species (Herring, 1983; Widder et ai. 1983; Latz et ai.
1988). Deep-sea and midwater animals have well-devel-
oped eyes with unique adaptations for dealing with the in
situ light conditions they encounter. Specialized features
include large or tubular eyes (squids and fishes: Bowmaker,
1976; Locket, 1977), yellow-pigmented lenses that increase
the contrast between bioluminescence and downwelling
light (fishes: Muntz, 1976), rod-dominated retinae in fishes
for greater light sensitivity (Bowmaker, 1976), and visual
pigments with blue-shifted (470-490 nm) absorption max-
ima (fishes: Partridge et ai. 1989; Douglas et ai. 1995;
cephalopods: Kito et ai, 1993: crustaceans: references in
Frank and Case. 1988). These adaptations attest to the
importance of bioluminescence and vision in the deep sea.
Thus there may be a close link between visual spectral
sensitivity and the spectral efficiency of luminescent
countershading (i.e., behavioral spectral sensitivity) if
luminescent countershading is to be a successful means
of camouflage. In the simplest case, the visual system,
bioluminescence emission, and oceanic downwelling
light will all operate in the same spectral range. This
hypothesis has never been tested, largely due to the
difficulty in obtaining quantifiable behavioral data from
midwater and deep-sea animals. Typically, these organ-
isms survive for very short periods when brought to the
surface, and controlled experimental studies of meaning-
ful behaviors have been difficult to achieve. Studies by
Land (1992) and Frank and Widder (1994a.b) are the
only investigations of visually mediated swimming re-
sponses by midwater and deep-sea crustaceans under
environmentally relevant illumination levels. The only
examination of the spectral efficiency of bioluminescence
in a marine organism was performed by Kay ( 1965) with
the euphausiid crustacean, Meganyctiphan.es norvegica,
although the intensity of the photoflash stimulus em-
ployed was considerably brighter than in situ levels ex-
perienced by the animal.
The present study investigates visual and behavioral sen-
sitivity in the bioluminescent penaeid shrimp, Sergestes
siniilis. a common member of the midwater community in
the northeast Pacific Ocean. Bioluminescence in S. siniilis
originates from modified portions of the hepatopancreas,
called organs of Pesta, which produce ventrally directed
light. Previous laboratory studies indicate that the emitted
light is consistent with a camouflage function. Biolumines-
cence is tuned to the optical properties of the midwater
environment, matching the spectral distribution (Widder et
nl., 1983). irradiance (Warner et ai, 1979). and angular
distribution (Latz and Case. 1982) of downwelling oceanic
light. In addition, ventrally directed dim glowing is pro-
duced only when a downward-directed light stimulus is
present and is extinguished within seconds of the cessation
of the stimulus (Warner et ai, 1979; Latz and Case, 1992).
Luminescent countershading in Sergestes siniilis is
clearly dependent on vision; covering the eyes reversibly
abolishes the response (Warner et ai, 1979). Shrimp that are
completely dark adapted are initially unresponsive to light,
but continued light exposure induces bioluminescence after
a latency of several minutes, reaching maximum intensity
about 20 min later (Latz and Case, 1992). Once lumines-
cence is induced, responses exhibit the typical fast kinetics
of luminescent countershading observed in squid and fishes;
luminescence increases within several seconds of light stim-
ulation and reaches maximum intensity in approximately
30 s (Latz and Case. 1992). Thereafter, the lack of eye shine
suggests that the eyes are light adapted when luminescent
countershading occurs.
In the present study, behavioral and physiological ap-
proaches were used to characterize the link between vision
and luminescent countershading behavior in Sergestes si-
milis. Results demonstrate a close coupling between visual
spectral sensitivity and the spectral efficiency of lumines-
cent countershading, further supporting the hypothesized
role of bioluminescence in camouflaging this species.
Materials and Methods
Collection of animals and tissue
Adult specimens of Sergestes siniilis Hansen were col-
lected at night from depths of 55 to 300 m in the San Diego
Trough (8 Dec 1996. 12 Jun 1997. and 25 Jun 1997), the
San Clemente Basin (10 Aug 1997). both near San Diego,
California, USA, and in the Santa Barbara Basin (28 Sep
1997 and 24 Oct 1997), near Santa Barbara. California,
during cruises of the RV R.G. Spnnil. Animals were col-
lected using a modified Tucker trawl with a closing light-
proof cod end (after Childress et ai, 1 977 ). The cod end was
closed at depth and animals were brought to the surface and
sorted in 5°C seawater under dim red light. Animals were
placed in light-proof containers filled with chilled seawater
and transported to the shore laboratory, where they were
maintained in constant darkness in aquaria with flow-
through, 5 /nm filtered seawater at a temperature of 10°C.
All experiments were performed within one week of col-
lection; only actively swimming specimens were used for
testing. Animals were not fed. and except for brief exposure
to dim red light during handling, they remained in constant
darkness.
For electroretinogram studies, animals collected on 8 Dec
1996 from the San Diego Trough were shipped in light-tight
containers to the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
350
S. M. LINDSAY ET AL.
(HBOI), Fort Pierce, Florida. At HBOI. shrimp were main-
tained in chilled (10°C) filtered seawater in constant dark-
ness.
For microspectrophotometry experiments, adult S. siniilis
were collected off the coast of southern California during a
cruise of the RV New Horizon between 12 May and 26 May
1996 using similar equipment and methods (see Kent,
1997). Eyes were removed and cryopreserved for subse-
quent microspectrophotometry, which was carried out at the
University of Bristol, UK. Eyes were orientated in plastic
wells filled with cryomount (Tissue Tek, OCT Compound,
Miles Inc., USA) and rapidly frozen with fluorocarbon
spray (Cryospray 22, Bright Instrument Co., UK). Frozen
blocks were individually sealed in plastic bags to avoid
desiccation, placed in light-tight aluminum tubes, and main-
tained at — 70°C until sectioned for microspectrophotom-
etry.
Microspectrophotometry (MSP) experiments
Frozen eyes from adult Sergestes siniilis were sectioned
using a cryostat and cut sections (average thickness 14 /urn)
were transferred to a 22 X 50 mm No. 1 coverslip, mounted
in Tropic Marin™ artificial seawater, covered with a 19 mm
diameter No. 1 coverslip, and sealed with a ring of silicone
grease. Sectioning proceeded from the region of the cornea
most distal to the eyestalk towards the center of the eye.
Visual pigment absorption was measured with a single
beam, wavelength scanning, computer-controlled micro-
spectrophotometer described by Hart et /., (1998). For
invertebrate MSP, the instrument was modified by the in-
corporation of a high intensity substage lamp that was used
for photoconversion of the visual pigment in the rhodopsin
(R) state to the metarhodopsin (M) state using red light, and
for the photobleaching of R and M mixtures to photoprod-
ucts of non-physiological importance using actinic white
light exposure. This protocol is fully described by Kent
(1997) and follows the methods of Cronin and Goldsmith
(1982).
Initial "baseline" scans were first made from 350 to 750
nm at 1-nm intervals in a tissue-free area of the cell prep-
aration and then followed by several "sample" scans from
rhabdomeric tissue. Sample scans were first made from an
unexposed rhabdom which was then exposed to red light
(wavelength of cut-on ca. 610 nm) for approximately 20 s to
photoconvert the rhodopsin pigment to a stable R/M mix-
ture, after which the rhabdom was re-scanned. The tissue
was then photobleached by an exposure of approximately
30 min to white light and re-measured. Difference spectra
between these data sets were calculated, from which the
absorption spectra of the M and R pigments in the rhabdom
were determined by the method of Cronin and Goldsmith
( 1982) as further developed by Kent ( 1997). In brief, visual
pigment templates (Stavenga ct «/., 1993; Palacios ct ul..
1996) were fitted to the measured difference spectra to
provide estimates of the Amav of R and M pigments (Par-
tridge and De Grip, 1991; Hart et a I., 1998). The fraction of
R in the photo-steady state resulting from the red light
exposure was estimated by comparing the integrated absor-
bances of the two templates to the red light. This fraction
was then subtracted from the R/M mixture in the photo-
steady state and a new template fitted to provide a better
estimate of the Amax of the M pigment. This traditional
analytical method assumes that all the visual pigment in the
initial measurements made from the rhabdom was in the
form of R. The use of iterative template fitting methods
developed by Kent (1997) attempted to avoid the need for
this assumption, and provided estimates of the proportion of
M in the initial measurements and the Amax values of R
and M.
Electroretinogram experiments
Specimens used for electrophysiological recordings were
mounted under dim red light in a holder and suspended in a
chamber filled with chilled (10°C) seawater. This arrange-
ment allowed for enough pleopod movement to maintain
respiratory currents across the gills. The electroretinogram
(ERG), which is the summed mass responses from a large
number of photoreceptor cells, was recorded with a 10 /itm
tip metal microelectrode (F. Haer & Co.) placed subcorne-
ally under dim red light. The reference electrode was placed
in the other eye, which was covered with black Vaseline to
block out light, and a silver-chloride electrode grounded the
water bath. Signals were amplified with an Xcell-3 Micro-
electrode amplifier (F. Haer & Co.), equipped with a high
impedance probe to eliminate electrode polarization prob-
lems. Low frequency filters were set to minimal filtering
(0.01-1 Hz) to minimize distortion due to AC amplification.
Monochromatic test flashes were provided by a tungsten
light source, coupled to a grating monochromator (Instru-
ments SA) with 1 mm slits in place, and delivered to the eye
through one branch of a bifurcated light pipe. The light pipe
was placed 3 mm away from the eye, providing illumination
which covered the whole eye. Flash duration of 100 ms was
controlled by a Uniblitz shutter (Model VS14S) under com-
puter control using LabView software (National Instru-
ments, Inc.). Irradiance was controlled with a neutral den-
sity wheel under computer control, calibrated in units of
photons cm"2*"1 with a UDT Optometer (Model S370)
and a radiometric probe placed 3 mm from the tip of the
light guide. The adapting light source for chromatic adap-
tation experiments was an incandescent light filtered with a
400 nm or 480 nm broadband filter (Melles Griot). The
adapting light was delivered to the eye through the other
branch of the bifurcated light guide, ensuring that both the
adapting and test lights were acting on the same group of
photoreceptor cells. Data were instantaneously analyzed for
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIM/US
351
peak to peak response height using a program written in
LabView, digitized and stored to disk for later analysis.
The eye was stimulated with 100 ms test flashes of
monochromatic light adjusted for irradiance until either a
100 or 200 fiV criterion response was obtained at each
wavelength tested. To ensure that the eye remained in the
same state of dark adaptation during the experiment, the
response to a flash of standard wavelength and irradiance
was tested periodically throughout the experiment. Spectral
sensitivity curves were generated based on the inverse of the
irradiance required to produce the criterion response at each
wavelength. Absorptance spectra were constructed from
visual pigment templates (Stavenga el al.. 1993).
Behavioral sensitivity experiments
Because Sergestes similis produces bioluminescence only
in the presence of a light stimulus, a chopped light source
was used to avoid detection of the stimulus illumination by
the light detector (see below). Bioluminescence was mea-
sured in the brief dark intervals when the stimulus was off,
similar to the methods of Warner el al. ( 1979) and Latz and
Case (1992). Illumination from a Dolan-Jenner model 180
tungsten-halogen source was conducted through an optical
fiber bundle to an Optometrics model DMC 1 monocbroma-
tor and then through another optical fiber bundle to a JML
Optical electro-mechanical shutter that controlled the timing
of the "on" and "off transitions of the stimulus. The stim-
ulus light was chopped at 80 Hz using an Oriel variable
frequency chopper, attenuated by neutral density filters to
control light intensity, and diffused by a single layer of
glassine paper before entering the test chamber. Because the
critical flicker-fusion rate at such low irradiances is <60 Hz
for marine crustaceans (Waterman. 1961; Frank. 1999), the
test animal perceived the chopped stimulus light as contin-
uous.
For testing, specimens were loosely restrained by a clear
acrylic clamp around the cephalothorax and placed in a
sealed, clear acrylic chamber (1.75 X 2.5 X 10 cm) filled
with 10-1 1°C seawater. The clamp allowed free movement
of pleopods and other appendages, yet prevented the spec-
imen from shifting position. Throughout an experiment,
seawater chilled to 1 1-1 2°C by a Fisher Scientific model
1016S recirculating chiller was recirculated through the
chamber at a rate of 100 ml min~' using a Masterflex
peristaltic pump. The specimen chamber was placed in the
center of the light collection chamber, which consisted of a
25 cm diameter Labsphere integrating sphere. The advan-
tage of an integrating chamber is that the measurement of
emitted light is minimally affected by photophore or animal
position. Bioluminescence was detected by a Burle model
8850 photon-counting photomultiplier operating at —1790
V, after passing through a second optical chopper operating
at 80 Hz but synchronized 180° out of phase with the
stimulus light chopper by means of a Scitec Instruments
synchronizer. Thus, the photomultiplier measured only the
bioluminescence produced by the test specimen and not the
stimulus light. The photomultiplier signal was processed by
a Pacific Instruments amplifier/discriminator; square wave
pulses were sent to a Newport Instruments model P6000A
frequency to voltage converter. The resulting voltage was
measured using a Data Translation model 2801 data acqui-
sition board mounted in a personal computer. Data acqui-
sition, real-time display, and storage were controlled by a
data collection program programmed using Data Transla-
tion DTVEE software. Bioluminescence and photodiode
levels were continuously acquired at 2 Hz. Voltages were
subsequently converted to photon values based on a photo-
metric calibration of the photomultiplier using 1 ml of
Cyalume* chemiluminescent liquid and a calibrated Quan-
talum 2000 photometer. Bioluminescence in units of pho-
tons m " s was obtained by dividing photon flux (pho-
tons s~ ' ) by the cross-sectional area of the ventral surface of
the organs of Pesta for an adult shrimp of size 14 mm
carapace length (Latz. 1983).
To measure stimulus intensity, a Graseby Optronics
model 260 calibrated sensor head was mounted in the inte-
grating sphere in the same position as the specimen cham-
ber. Light levels measured in watts with a Graseby Optron-
ics model S370 Optometer were converted to irradiance
units of photons m"2 s~'.
Quantum sensitivity. To determine the threshold level of
light that prompts luminescent countershading by Sergestes
similis, bioluminescence produced by induced animals in
response to various intensities of light was measured. To
induce luminescent countershading. dark-adapted animals
were exposed to a standard light stimulus (490 nm. 2.24 X
10" photons irT2 s"1) for 25 mm (Latz and Case. 1992);
wavelength and irradiance settings were chosen based on
preliminary experiments. After induction, shrimp were ex-
posed to a series of test stimuli as follows: 60 s darkness,
60 s test stimulus, 60 s darkness. 5 or 10 min standard
stimulus (490 nm, 2.24 x 10B photons m~2 s~'), repeating
this pattern with new test stimuli until all irradiances were
tested, typically within 2 h. The purpose of the standard
stimulus was to maintain shrimp in the light-adapted in-
duced state for luminescent countershading so that their
bioluminescence responses to the test stimuli would show
fast kinetics representative of luminescent countershading
(Latz and Case. 1992). In addition, the responses to the
standard stimulus were used to monitor the condition of the
animal, and. if necessary, correct for changes in animals"
responsiveness over time (see data correction below). The
duration of the standard stimulus was determined by the
return to the level of bioluminescence measured during the
initial induction. Typically, this occurred within 5 min, but
occasionally, after the dimmest irradiance test stimuli. 10
min of the standard stimulus was required. Test stimuli of
352
S. M. LINDSAY ET AL.
490 nm light were used at the following irradiance levels (in
units of photons irT2s~'): 2.22 >: 10", 3.45 x 10",
6.41 X 10", 3.95 X 1012, 1.01 X 1013, 2.24 X 1013. 3.40 x
1013, 3.87 x 1013, 4.98 x 1013. 7.65 X 1013, 9.72 X 1013.
Spectral sensitivity: To measure the spectral efficiency of
luminescent countershading. dark-adapted animals were
first exposed to a 490-nm stimulus (at 2.24 X 1013 photons
m~2 s~ ' ) for 25 min to induce counterillumination. Animals
were then exposed to light stimuli at 20-nm increments from
400 to 640 nm. following the general protocol described
above: 60 s darkness, 60 s test wavelength stimulus, 60 s
darkness, 5 or 10 min of the standard illumination to main-
tain the induced countershading state. This process was
repeated for each wavelength tested. The average duration
of a complete trial was 3 h. The order of test wavelengths
was randomized. Because shrimp eyes operate as photon
counters, and the total number of photons in a given stim-
ulus is a function of both light intensity and wavelength,
stimulus irradiance was adjusted at each wavelength using
neutral density filters to obtain equal photon irradiance
levels at each wavelength. Even so, there were slight vari-
ations in stimulus irradiance levels, which ranged from
1.16 X 1013 photons nT2s~' at 400 nm to 2.52 X 1013
photons irT2s~' at 620 nm. Bioluminescence data were
subsequently corrected as detailed below to reflect a stan-
dard irradiance of 1.20 X 10 photons m
Mean
bioluminescence was based on the last 20 s of each 60-s test
stimulus, and the last 4 min for the standard 5-10-min
illumination.
Data correction. Because the test stimuli in the spectral
sensitivity experiments varied slightly in intensity, all data
were corrected to reflect the intensity of bioluminescence at
each wavelength based on a stimulus irradiance of 1.20 X
10° photons m"2 s~'. Data collected in the quantum sen-
sitivity experiments were used to model the correlation
between bioluminescence intensity and stimulus intensity at
490 nm. One of two regression equations (for either San
Diego or Santa Barbara collected specimens) was used to
calculate (1) the predicted bioluminescence at 1.20 X 1013
photons m~2 s~', and (2) the predicted bioluminescence at
the irradiance level measured for each test wavelength stim-
ulus. Dividing (1) by (2) gave a proportional correction
factor that was multiplied by the bioluminescence value at
each test wavelength. Because not enough specimens were
available to empirically derive the relationship between
stimulus intensity and bioluminescence intensity at every
wavelength tested, the assumption was made that quantum
sensitivity did not change with stimulus wavelength, so that
the relationship observed at 490 nm holds for the other
wavelengths. This assumption of univariance is supported
by the visual sensitivity and MSP experiments which dem-
onstrated that only a single visual pigment is present.
The correction for variable stimulus intensity also as-
sumes that the observed relationship between biolumines-
cence intensity and stimulus intensity holds at all levels of
light adaptation or for changes in specimen responsiveness
due to fatigue. This is an important assumption because in
4 of 9 spectral efficiency experiments, bioluminescence
intensity showed slight but significant decreases over the
course of the experiment. Nevertheless, in all cases the
bioluminescent responses to test stimuli showed the char-
acteristic fast kinetics indicative of the induced counterillu-
mination condition (Latz and Case, 1992). In those 4 spec-
imens demonstrating a decrease in the standard response at
490 nm. a correction factor for each data point for each of
these individuals was determined based on a linear regres-
sion describing the intensity of bioluminescence in response
to the standard stimuli as a function of time.
The effects of these corrections are shown for a single
individual (Fig. 1). Responses were corrected for a standard
stimulus irradiance of 1.20 X 1013 photons m~2s~' as
shown in the following example. For this individual, the
relationship between bioluminescence irradiance (in origi-
nal units of volts s~') and stimulus irradiance at490nm (the
standard stimulus wavelength) is best described by the
equation: bioluminescence = 3.66 X 10~h * irradiance0'3
(r- = 0.40, F = 20.03, d.f. = 1.31, P = 0.0001). Using this
regression equation, the predicted bioluminescence at an
irradiance of 1.20 X 1013 photons m"2 s"1 is 0.4805 volts
s 1. For a test wavelength of 400 nm, the measured stimulus
irradiance was 1.28 X 1013 photons m"2 s 1. The predicted
bioluminescence (using the regression equation) for a 490
nm stimulus at this irradiance level is 0.4924 volts s"',
giving a correction factor of 0.976 (0.4805/0.4924). Thus,
for a 490-nm stimulus, bioluminescence intensity at 1.20 X
1013 photons m~2s~' is 0.976 times that at 1.28 X 1013
photons m~2s"1. Making the important assumption that
quantum sensitivity does not change with stimulus wave-
length, the bioluminescence value measured at 400 nm is
multiplied by 0.976 to reflect the response to a "standard"
" 20-,
E 18-1
§ <6-
1 14-
d
™ 12-
380 420 460 500 540 580 620 660
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 1. Correction of spectral efficiency data for a single specimen
ol Si'rxextex ximilis. Uncorrected data (solid circles) were corrected for
variations in stimulus intensity (open circles) and for both stimulus inten-
sity and temporal decrease in responsiveness (closed triangles). Reter to
Materials and Methods for details on data correction.
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIMILIS
353
stimulus of 1.20 X 1013 photons m 2 s '. This correction
was made in turn for each stimulus wavelength.
Data from this individual were also corrected for a de-
crease in responsiveness, because the least-squares linear
regression between bioluminescence intensity (in volts s )
and the order of presentation of the 490 nm standard stim-
ulus showed a slight but significant decay in response ac-
cording to the following equation: bioluminescence =
-0.022 * (order of presentation) + 0.887 (r = 0.72, F =
36.35, d.f. = 1,15, P < 0.0001). Because the response to
490 nm standard stimuli was somewhat variable over time,
this regression equation is the best description of the general
decay in response. The decay correction factor was calcu-
lated based on time of stimulus presentation by first calcu-
lating the predicted bioluminescence at a given stimulus
time using the previous equation, and then dividing that
result by the bioluminescence measured at the first 490 nm
standard stimulus. For example, bioluminescence in re-
sponse to the fifth 490 nm standard stimulus was calculated
to be 0.7771 using this regression equation. Dividing this
value by the value for the first standard stimulus (0.7857)
gives a decay correction factor of 0.989. Making similar
calculations for the order of presentation of each test wave-
length stimulus, the bioluminescence value for each test
stimulus was divided by the appropriate decay correction
factor. The decay correction assumes that the effects were
equivalent at all wavelengths tested. Following corrections
for stimulus intensity and response decay, all biolumines-
cence data were converted from units of volts s~' to pho-
tons m~2 s"1 as previously described, based on the photo-
metric calibration of the photomultiplier and the cross-
sectional area of the ventral surface of the organs of Pesta
for an adult shrimp of size 14 mm carapace length (Latz,
1983). To directly compare visual and behavioral spectral
sensitivity, irradiance values from the electrophysiological
experiments and bioluminescence values from the behav-
ioral experiments were normalized for each individual.
Results
Microspectrophotometry (MSP)
Spectral absorbance, based on MSP measurements of five
sections of rhabdomeric tissue from a single individual, was
unimodal with maximum absorbance in the blue-green (Fig.
2 A). Assuming that the initial scans were uncontaminated
with metarhodopsin (M) pigment, template fitting to the
difference spectra (Fig. 2B) indicated a rhodopsin (R) pig-
ment with a Amax of 492 nm. The template best-fitting the
R/M mixture after red light exposure yields a Amax of 485
nm. This value was corrected to allow for the residue of R
in the R/M mixture to give a best estimate of the M pigment
Amax of 484 nm, and an M/R extinction ratio (at the respec-
tive Amax values) of 1.333. Iterative template-fitting methods
(Kent, 1997) suggest, however, that the fraction of M in the
0.2-i
0.15-
0.1-
1 0.05-
-0.05
300
400 500 600
Wavelength (nm)
700
I 0.6
0.2-
-0.2
300 400 500 600
Wavelength (nm)
700
Figure 2. Spectral absorbance based on microspectrophotometry of
five sections of rhabdomeric tissue from the retina of Sergesres similis. (A)
Averaged absorbance spectra; bold trace shows the initial absorbance, light
trace shows the absorbance following saturating red light illumination,
dashed trace shows the absorbance following photobleaching with bright
white light. For display, spectra have been standardized to an absorbance
of zero at 730 nm. the limit of the spectral scan. (B) Averaged difference
spectra for photobleaching of the rhabdom from its initial state [bold;
derived from bold trace minus dotted trace in ( Al] and for the photobleach-
ing of the rhabdom from its steady state R/M mixture following saturating
red light [light; derived from light trace minus dotted trace in (A)]. Specific
absorbances at the Amax for these absorbance spectra were 0.0078 jum~'
and 0.0094 /M,m~', respectively. Smooth solid traces are best-fit templates
(Stavenga et al.. 1993) with Amax values of 492 nm and 485 nm. respec-
tively. The dashed line is the estimated metarhodopsin absorbance spec-
trum (Amax = 484 nm) resulting from the correction for the residual M in
the R/M mixture difference spectrum (light trace), and the absorbance
spectrum of the rhodopsin (dotted; Amil, = 495 nm), after correcting for
contaminating M in the initial scan (bold).
initial measurements may have been as high as 15% and,
after correction for this contamination, the R and M Amax
values can be revised to 495 nm and 484 nm, respectively,
with a M/R extinction ratio of 1 .406.
Visual sensitivity of the eye (ERG)
The electrophysiologically determined visual spectral
sensitivity of dark-adapted specimens of Sergestes similis
indicated that the sensitivity maximum was centered at
approximately 500 nm in the blue-green region of the spec-
trum (Fig. 3). Both blue (480 nm) and near-UV (400 nm)
chromatic adaptation uniformly depressed the sensitivity
354
S. M. LINDSAY ET AL.
0.8-
5 0.6-
0.2-
-0.6-1
380 420 460 500 540 580 620
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 3. Visual spectral sensitivity of Sergestes similis based on
electroretinogram (ERG) measurements. Sensitivity, based on the inverse
of the irradiance required to elicit a !()() or 200 /u.V response, showed a
broad maximum centered around 500 nm. Symbols represent means ± SE
for 6 specimens.
curve across the spectrum (Fig. 4), and had no effect on
ERG waveform (Fig. 5). These results are consistent with
those of the MSP study indicating that only a single visual
pigment is present.
Behavioral sensitivity
The magnitude of luminescent countershading by 5. si-
milis depended on the level of stimulus irradiance (Fig. 6).
-8.0-,
-9.0-
y>
0-10.0-
o
jz
Q.
ra-11.0-
o
-12.0
dark adapted
480 nm adapted
380 420 460 500 540 580 620
-8.0-,
-9.0-
B
dark adapted
400 nm adapted
\
0-10.0-
•
o
£.
Q.
ra-11 0-
3
-19 r>-
^a*********
380 420 460 500 540 580 620
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 4. fitted »t chromatic adaptation on the spectral sensitivity of
Sergestes similis. Illumination of the eyes with (A) 480 nm, and (B) 400
nm light uniformly depressed spectral sensitivity across the spectrum
compared to the response of dark-adapted eyes.
A ]B 1C D
-\N%*- .*nr**" .*\P"** .*\r»**'
0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
G
H
O>
cr
0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Time (s)
Figure 5. Effect of chromatic adaptation on the ERG waveform of
Sergestes similis. Dark bars indicate light stimulus off; white bars indicate
light stimulus on. (A-D) 200 /xV responses measured in one specimen.
(E-H) 100 /J.V responses measured in another specimen. Response to a 430
nm stimulus for the (A) dark-adapted condition and (B) after 400 nm light
adaptation. Response to a 530 nm stimulus for the (C) dark-adapted
condition and (D) after 400 nm light adaptation. Response to a 430 nm
stimulus for the (E) dark-adapted condition and (F) after 480 nm light
adaptation. Response to a 530 nm stimulus for the (G) dark-adapted eye
and (H) after 480 nm light adaptation.
A behavioral threshold occurred at approximately 2-3 X
1C)'2 photons m^s"1 (Fig. 7). At lower stimulus irradi-
ances, light levels were near background as measured in an
empty chamber. At higher stimulus irradiances. biolumines-
cence increased as the 0.35 power of irradiance according to
a power law (log-log) regression (r = 0.61). Thus the
increase in bioluminescence by S. similis did not match the
increase in stimulus irradiance.
The magnitude of bioluminescence varied according to
stimulus wavelength (Fig. 8). After correcting the data to
reflect a standard irradiance of 1.20 X H)1' photons
m~2s~', and when necessary, for temporal decreases in
responsiveness, the mean spectral efficiency curve for lu-
minescent countershading showed a broad peak between
480 and 540 nm (Fig. 9) in the blue-green region of the
visible spectrum. The wavelength dependence of the spec-
tral efficiency was not symmetrical. Bioluminescence de-
creased dramatically approaching the red wavelengths and
was negligible above 600 nm, while an intermediate re-
sponse still occurred in the near-UV at 400 nm. A compar-
ison of the mean data for all 9 specimens tested showed that
the corrected data fell within the 95% confidence limits of
the original data.
Discussion
In the midwater shrimp. Sergestes similis. there is a close
similarity between visual and behavioral photon and spec-
tral sensitivities. The microspectrophotometry results indi-
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIM1L1S
355
v, 4.5
6.4x1011 3.9x10
photons m s"
12 10x1013 2.2x101
0 50
Figure 6. Representative bioluminescent responses by a single specimen of Sergestes similis to increasing
stimulus irradiance. Bioluminescence was first induced using a 490 nm stimulus of intermediate intensity, then
the specimen was presented with 60-s stimuli from a range of intensities, all at 490 nm. The line represents the
level of bioluminescence versus time. Dark bars indicate stimulus light off; white bars indicate stimulus light on.
Values above graphs are stimulus intensities.
cated that S. similis possesses a single visual pigment with
maximum absorbance around 495 nm. Such data can be
used to calculate the spectral sensitivity of a photoreceptor
containing this visual pigment by first calculating the spec-
tral absorptance of an axially illuminated rhabdom. To do
this, two additional pieces of information are required:
rhabdom length and the specific absorbance (i.e.. absor-
bance jumT1) of the visual pigment in the photoreceptor.
Rhabdom lengths vary somewhat with eye size, but by
sectioning the aldehyde preserved eyes of 5. similis, rhab-
dom lengths were found to range from 128 to 161 /urn for
shrimps with carapace lengths of 1 1.8 to 14.2 mm (T. Frank,
unpublished data). For the specimens used in the ERG
1X101
1X101
1x101
5 1x10"
® i
5 1x103
1x10
1x1012
1x101
1X101
Irradiance (photons m'J s )
Figure 7. Effect of light intensity on average maximum biolumines-
cence produced by Sergestes similis. All stimuli were at a wavelength of
490 nm. The magnitude of bioluminescence measured during the last 20 s
of each 60-s test stimulus was averaged for each individual. Ten specimens
were tested; means ± SE are shown. Responses for stimulus irradiance >
2 X 1012 photons m~2 s~' were best described by the power law (log-log)
equation y = (1.87 X lO^tx"15 (r = 0.61). At lower stimulus irradiance
values, light levels were near background. Note the separate scale for
above-threshold bioluminescence.
experiments, which ranged in size from 10.3 to 13.5 mm
carapace length, the estimated upper and lower bounds for
rhabdom lengths in these animals were approximately 120
to 150 /xm, with a mean of approximately 135 ju,m. This
value is similar to that reported by Hiller-Adams et al.
(1988) for the sergestid Sergia tenuiremis. MSP measure-
ments of specific absorbance for S. similis suggest a specific
absorbance of 0.0074 /uirT1 (Kent, 1997) although this is
significantly lower that the value of 0.01 jam"1 reported by
Cronin and Frank (1996) in Systellaspis debilis, but only
slightly lower than the value of 0.008 ju.m~' reported as
being 'typical' of crustacean photoreceptors (e.g., Cronin
and Goldsmith, 1982). At wavelengths greater than the peak
absorbance (495 nm). the spectral absorptance closely
matches spectral sensitivity data from ERG measurements
and the spectral efficiency curve of luminescent counter-
shading (Fig. 10). Using maximum or minimum values
instead of mean rhabdom length has little effect on spectral
absorptance, while increasing specific absorbance to levels
more typical of crustacean photoreceptors leads to a better
fit between the different data sets at long wavelengths. At
short wavelengths, however, there is significant divergence
which probably cannot be attributed to the photosensitivity
spectrum of the rhodopsin departing from the absorptance
spectrum at short wavelengths, although data on this subject
are limited (Dartnall, 1972). It is more likely that the effec-
tive spectral sensitivity of the eye is affected by intraocular,
pre-retinal filters which selectively filter short wavelength
light (Goldsmith, 1978; reviewed by Fein and Szuts, 1982).
Electrophysiological measurements using the electroreti-
nogram (ERG), corresponding to the summed mass re-
sponse of a large number of photoreceptor cells to a light
stimulus, were performed to determine the behaviorally
relevant spectral sensitivity of S. .similis. While this tech-
nique provides a more comprehensive assessment of the
visual spectral sensitivity of an organism than do measure-
356
S. M. LINDSAY ET AL.
420 nm
500 nm
580 nm
600 nm
50
Figure 8. Representative bioluminescent responses by a single specimen of Sergestes similis to different
wavelengths of light. Bioluminescence was first induced using a 490 nm stimulus of intermediate intensity, then
the specimen was presented with 60 s stimuli at various wavelengths, at approximately equal irradiance of 1.5 x
10'-' photons m~- s '. Bars as for Figure 5.
ments from single photoreceptors (reviewed by Goldsmith.
1986). ERG results do not reflect the amount of higher order
processing of visual input, nor the behavioral response to
visual stimuli. Thus the behavioral studies of luminescent
countershading extend the physiological assessment, result-
ing in a comprehensive description of the organism's sen-
sory and behavioral response to ecologically relevant light
stimulation.
Luminescent countershading by S. xiniilis occurred over a
relatively narrow range of irradiance. A behavioral thresh-
old occurred at approximately 3 X 10|: photons m~2 s~', as
lower irradiance levels resulted in minimal levels of biolu-
minescence which were not significantly different from
background. This illumination level may represent the min-
imum irradiance causing light adaptation of the eye. which
appears to be required for luminescent countershading (Latz
and Case. 1992). Under ideal conditions, bioluminescence
should exactly match stimulus irradiance. As discussed by
Young et al. (1980), differences in geometry between stim-
ulus and response as well as calibration assumptions make
direct comparisons difficult, although relative changes
should still be valid. In the present study, the range of
stimulus irradiance tested was less than two orders of mag-
nitude. Within this range, bioluminescence increased with
stimulus irradiance according to a power law (log-log)
regression as found by Young et al. (1980) for midwater
squid and fish. However, the magnitude of the increase in
bioluminescence did not match the magnitude of the in-
crease in stimulus irradiance. Other counterilluminating an-
imals may not precisely match changes in the stimulus
irradiance (Young et al., 1980). yet they exhibit a better
match over a larger dynamic illumination range for lumi-
nescent countershading than did 5. similis in the present
study.
In Sergestes similis, behavioral spectral efficiency was
similar to visual spectral sensitivity. A survey of species for
which behavioral and physiological spectral sensitivity data
are available (Table I) suggests that behavioral spectral
I ,,H
"° 09-
3
380 420 460 500 540 580 620 660
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 9. Behavioral spectral sensitivity of Sergestes similis based on
the bioluminescence spectral efficiency, corrected for a stimulus irradiance
of 1. 2 X 10" photons m~~ s"1 (see text). Symbols represent means ± SE
for 9 specimens; the curve is a fourth degree polynomial function fitted to
the data, where y = 6.1 X 10V - 1.2 X 10V + 9.2 x 10'V - 3.0 x
10"x + 3.6 x 1015.
380 420 460 500 540 580 620 660
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 10. Comparison of relative visual and behavioral spectral sen-
sitivity of Sergesres similis. Symbols represent means ± SE. Both the
normalized ERG sensitivity (solid circles) and normalized biolumines-
cence spectral efficiency (open circles) coincide well at long wavelengths
with the calculated spectral absorbance (solid line) of a rhodopsin with
peak absorbance at 495 nm. a rhabdom axial length of 135 /urn and .1
specific absorbance of 0.0074 /xn-T1.
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIMII.IS
357
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358
S. M. LINDSAY ET AL
Table II
Relative behavioral and visual sensitivities to near-UV versus blue-green
light for bioluminescent deep-sea crustaceans possessing a single
visual pigment
Species
Visual Spectral
Relative Visual
Relative
Sensitivity
Sensitivity
Behavioral
Maximum (nm)
(400 nm/500 nm)
Sensitivity
(400 nm/500 nm)
Acanthephyra
510
0.24
0.18
curtirostris
Acanthephyra
510
0.30
0.16
smithi
Notostomus
490
0.24
0.10
gibbosus
Sergestes
500
0.27
0.48
similis
For species except Sergestes simi/is. behavioral sensitivity was defined
as the reciprocal of the irradiance required to elicit a simple movement
behavior for 400 nm or 500 nm stimuli (Frank and Widder. 1996). For S.
similis. behavioral sensitivity was based on the standardized magnitude of
bioluminescence. For all species, visual sensitivity was based on electro-
retinogram (ERG) measurements (data from present study and Frank and
Case. 1988).
sensitivity tends to be somewhat broader than that measured
electrophysiologically, though the behavioral maxima are
similar to maxima in visual sensitivity and photopigment
absorption. Douglas and Hawryshyn (1990) noted that be-
havioral measurements of spectral sensitivity in fish varied
with method, with some behaviors, such as the tail-flip
response, being activated only by certain wavelength stim-
uli. Behavioral sensitivity also may depend on the type of
stimulus applied. For example, the initiation of biolumines-
cent flashing by the firefly. Plwtinus scintillnns. has differ-
ent spectral sensitivity maxima for horizontal and vertical
light stimuli (Table I; Lall. 1993). These different sensitiv-
ities appear to be associated with different classes of pho-
toreceptors. Similarly, multiple peaks in behavioral sensi-
tivity in the tree frog Hyla cinerea (King et al.. 1993) and
the tick Hyalommct ilromeilarii (Kaltenrieder et cil., 1989)
correspond to peak sensitivities of different classes of pho-
toreceptors in these animals (Table I).
Sergestes similis shows somewhat greater behavioral sen-
sitivity in the near-UV compared to several other species of
deep-sea decapods that have single visual pigments and
similar ERG-measured visual sensitivities (Table II; Frank
and Widder. 1996). This difference may be a reflection of
the different behaviors assayed (i.e.. luminescent counter-
shading versus movement behaviors) and their ecological
context The ecological significance of sensitivity to
near-UV and UV light remains unknown. The intensity of
downwelling irradiance at mesopelagic depths, calculated
utilizing attenuation coefficients measured in the epipelagic
zone, may be sufficient to be visually detected (Frank and
Widder, 1996). High UV visual sensitivity may aid in
luminescent countershading where the strategy is to match
the downwelling irradiance field. Alternatively, UV sensi-
tivity may play a role in regulating the diurnal vertical
migrations of S. similis and other vertically migrating crus-
taceans (Forward, 1988).
The present study is the first to measure the complete
spectral efficiency of behavior in a deep-sea animal using
ecologically relevant light stimuli. Previously, Kay (1965)
measured peak behavioral spectral sensitivity of 470-490
nm in the euphausiid, Meganyctiphanes non'egica, based on
the number of individuals responding to bright photoflash
stimulation. The peak in spectral efficiency corresponds to
the visual pigment absorbance maximum at 488 nm deter-
mined by MSP (Denys and Brown, 1982) and to the peak
visual sensitivity of 490 nm measured by electroretinogram
(Frank and Widder, in press). As with 5. similis. both visual
and behavioral peaks for M. non'egica lie in the blue-green
region of the visible spectrum. Even though it has long been
suggested that bioluminescence by euphausiid crustaceans
may serve as camouflage (Herring and Locket. 1978), to
date there has been no direct demonstration that dim biolu-
minescence appropriate for luminescent countershading is
produced by euphausiids in response to environmentally
relevant light cues.
The response thresholds for light-induced behaviors of
three species of deep-sea caridean shrimp with single visual
pigments occurs at approximately 0.4-4 X 10" photons
irT2 s~ ' at 500 nm (Frank and Widder, 1994b). Because the
eyes of the caridean shrimp were in the dark-adapted state,
it is expected that the response threshold for S. similis
bioluminescence would occur at higher illumination levels
because of the apparent need for the eyes to be light-adapted
for the initiation of luminescent countershading (Latz and
Case, 1992). The 5. similis response threshold of 2-3 X
1012 photons m~2 s~' at 490 nm for the light-adapted eye
suggests that the absolute visual sensitivity of S. similis is
similar to that for the caridean shrimp.
Sergestes similis and other midwater animals inhabit day-
time depths where dim downwelling light is sufficient to
silhouette their opaque body structures, making them po-
tentially more detectable by predators. Previous studies
have demonstrated that the spectral emission (Widder et al.,
1983). angular distribution (Latz and Case, 1982) and irra-
diance of bioluminescence (Warner et al.. 1979) of S. similis
are consistent with a camouflage function. The results of the
present study show that the behavioral sensitivity of biolu-
minescence is also appropriate for camouflage, based on the
daytime optical environment encountered by this species. In
the northeast Pacific, 5. similis inhabits daytime depths of
approximately 200-700 m (e.g., Clarke, 1966; Pearcy et al..
1977). The apparent behavioral threshold for luminescent
countershading at approximately 3 X 10|; photons m'2 s~'
(for a 490 nm light stimulus) would be reached at a daytime
VISION AND BIOLUMINESCENCE IN SERGESTES SIMILIS
359
depth of approximately 350 m in the coastal waters off San
Diego (Kampa, 1960). Therefore, ambient light levels at the
depths inhabited by 5. siniilis would be sufficient to induce
and maintain luminescent countershading.
The control of luminescent countershading in S. siniilis
represents a simple case, where the visual system, biolumi-
nescence emission, and oceanic downwelling light all op-
erate in the same spectral range. There are other cases where
these simple conditions do not hold. All vertically migrating
animals including 5. similis experience diel changes in their
optical environment. However, animals such as the squid
Abralia. which is able to modify the spectral emission of
bioluminescence (Young and Mencher, 1980), must coor-
dinate the adjustable spectral emission of its biolumines-
cence with diel changes in the spectral distribution of down-
welling light in order for luminescent countershading to be
effective. Animals with multiple visual pigments, such as
the oplophorid shrimp Systellaspis debilis (Frank and Case,
1988). may use only one of their photoreceptor classes to
drive luminescent countershading. In these more complex
cases, the relationship between visual sensitivity and behav-
ioral spectral efficiency promises to offer an intriguing
insight into the coordination of luminescent camouflage
behavior in midwater animals.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the captains, crews, and resident ma-
rine technicians of the RV Robert Gordon Sprout and the R V
New Horizon for assistance with animal collections, as well
as numerous volunteers from the Scripps Institution of
Oceanography and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. In addi-
tion, we thank J. Childress for generously inviting one of us
(J.K.) to participate on his research cruise on the RV New
Horizon. C. Andon, D. Hutchinson, and D. Kelley assisted
with data collection and analysis. We greatly appreciate the
comments of two anonymous reviewers. This work was
funded by NSF grant IBN96-01069 to M.I.L., NSF grant
OCE-93 13972 to T.M.F. and E.A. Widder. NERC grant
GR3/9329 to J.C.P.. and a NERC CASE studentship GT4/
93/3/A to J.K. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Contribution #1269.
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Enhancement of the Response of Rock Crabs, Cancer
irroratuSy to Prey Odors following Feeding Experience
ANDREW RISTVEY1 AND STEVE REBACH*
Department of Natural Sciences. University of Man-land Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Man-land 21853
Abstract. The rock crab. Cancer irroratus Say, uses
chemically mediated learning in the search for food. Rock
crabs are opportunistic benthic predators and scavengers.
Observations indicate that although they eat a variety of
items, they are more sensitive to, and prefer, odors of food
items that they have been eating. We found that C. irroratus
is more responsive to a familiar food source than to an
unfamiliar one and can distinguish between the odors of two
different prey after being fed one species for an extended
time. Initial preferences for two mytilid bivalves, Mytiliis
edulis and Geukensia demissa, were determined in a Y-
maze. Crabs were then fed only one of the mussel species
for 28 days and retested, using sequential and simultaneous
presentations, for their responses to familiar and unfamiliar
prey odors. Crabs increased their responses to familiar prey
odors, but not to unfamiliar odors. In foraging tests, crabs
ate M. edulis more often regardless of the species to which
they had been familiarized.
Introduction
A search image can be defined as a perceptual filtering
mechanism learned from experience. It may be only a
transitory improvement in perceptual ability, but this selec-
tive attention can increase the possibility of stimulus detec-
tion (Bond and Riley, 1991 ). In foraging behavior selective
attention results in certain prey characteristics being dis-
criminated by a predator, facilitating more efficient forag-
ing. Search images increase accuracy and decrease response
time because the predator requires less information about
the prey and becomes more efficient in locating it (Law-
rence, 1985a).
Received 19 August 1998; accepted 2 September 1999.
1 Present address: 10470 Longwoods Rd., Easton. Maryland 21601.
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
srebach@umes-bird.umd.edu.
Search images, originally postulated for visual stimuli
(Croze, 1970; Pietrewicz and Kamil, 1979; Lawrence,
1985a, b) could also be associated with chemical stimuli
(Atema et ai, 1980; Aterna and Derby, 1981; Derby and
Atema, 1981). In the aquatic environment, especially in the
absence of light, chemical signals may be the best cues for
information about the surrounding environment. Organic
molecules are part of the ambient milieu, and an organism
must sift out extraneous "noise" to find the information
needed for foraging, predator avoidance, and mating (Zim-
mer-Faust, 1991).
Chemosensory cues play a major role in agonistic (Kara-
vanich and Atema, 1998), sexual (Gleeson, 1980), host-
finding (Atema and Derby, 1981), and foraging (Pearson
and Olla, 1977) behaviors in crustaceans. Experience influ-
ences an animal's response to those cues. Derby and Atema
( 1981 ) demonstrated that after lobsters (Homarus america-
nus) fed on a specific prey, their sensitivity to that prey odor
increased, and they developed a preference for that partic-
ular prey. The rocky shore gastropod Nucella lamellosa can
discriminate between predatory and nonpredatory crab ef-
fluents (Marko and Palmer, 1991), and the nudibranch Aeo-
lidia papillosa can distinguish between odors from a learned
prey anemone and five other possible prey anemones (Hall
et nl., 1982). Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) became
more sensitive to specific fish odors after feeding on that
prey for a period of time, but lost their sensitivity after a few
weeks without reinforcement (Atema et ai. 1980). In preda-
torily naive postlarval lobsters, responses to metabolites of
Cancer irroratus and Mytiliis edulis (normal lobster prey)
were lower than in field-collected adult lobsters that may
have had experience with those prey (Daniel and Bayer.
1987a). When naive lobsters were fed amphipods or clams,
those fed amphipods developed stronger responses to am-
phipod and not to clam metabolites, but those fed clams did
not develop strong responses to either prey (Daniel and
361
362
A. RISTVEY AND S. REBACH
Bayer, 1987b). In theory, search images need to be rein-
forced (Atema et ai, 1980; Atema and Derby, 1981). and
their strength may vary with experience and with the avail-
ability and palatability of the food (Gendron, 1986).
Many studies have tested the role of chemoreception in
foraging, but few have centered on search images. We
examined search images and foraging behavior in the rock
crab C. irroratus preying on the bivalve mussels Geukensia
and Mvtihts. These two groups of mussels occur in the range
of C irroratus. are frequently taken as prey items (Stehlik.
1993), and have similar physical characteristics. Mytilus is
found on hard substrates in the tidal zone, and individuals
located close to shore are known to be eaten by rock crabs
(Drummond-Davis etui., 1982; Stehlik, 1993). Geukensia is
found in soft substrates in tight clumps attached to marsh
grasses, and is less likely to be encountered by a crab. No
data are available on innate prey preferences in C. irroratus.
Using effluents from these two species, we examined
changes in the responsiveness and sensitivity of crabs to
prey. Chemoreceptors on various body parts appear to in-
fluence behaviors such as walking, searching, and dactyl
grasping, and these actions are dependent upon the concen-
tration of the stimulus (Derby and Atema, 1982). The po-
sition and movements of these structures are good indicators
of the sensitivity to food odors (Derby and Atema, 1981).
We determined a baseline response for rock crabs, famil-
iarized them with a single prey, and retested them to deter-
mine if there were acquired or changed responses to familiar
and unfamiliar odors.
Materials and Methods
Rock crabs were collected by local watermen using traps
off the coast of Delaware and Maryland and by the inves-
tigators at Chincoteague on Assateague Island, Virginia.
Ribbed mussels. Geukensia demissa, between 2 and 6 cm.
were collected from salt marsh environments in Girdletree.
Maryland, and Chincoteague, Virginia. Blue mussels, Myti-
lus edulis. between 2 and 6 cm, were collected on the rock
jetty at the Ocean City, Maryland inlet.
Maintenance conditions
A recirculating, biologically filtered saltwater system was
used for tests. The water temperature was 1 1° ± 3°C, the
salinity was 32 to 35 ppt, and the photoperiod was 12 h
light: 12 h dark. Crabs were kept in 40-1 tanks (50 X 25 cm),
two per tank, with an acrylic plastic divider separating them
to prevent aggression and to enable staggered feeding. They
were acclimated to laboratory conditions for 1-2 weeks and
fed a diet of squid (Loli^o sp.) every other day. Mussels
were housed in an isolated 80-1 tank equipped with a power
filter. Fresh mussels were collected every week. The water
in the mussel tank was kept at 15" ± 2"C and the salinity at
33 to 34 ppt.
The Y-maze
Crabs were tested in a 92 X 33 X 20 cm acrylic plastic
Y-maze containing 55 to 60 1 of salt water. A piece of
acrylic divided the top 50 cm of the maze into two arms (see
Fig. 1, Rebach. 1996). A dual-head MasterFlex peristaltic
pump (Cole-Parmer #7553.20) delivered liquids through
plastic tubing to a 2.5-cm hole in either arm of the Y-maze
at the rate of about 0.33 1 min~'. A concentration gradient
was established, with the odor becoming more dilute at the
drain located at the base of the maze. In dye trials using
methylene blue, the average dilution at the base of the maze
was determined by spectrophotometer to be 13.6% that of
the original concentration. These trials indicated that odor
reached the crab within 3 min, with little mixing. In pre-
liminary trials, crabs responded to odor within a few min-
utes of its reaching them. Each test lasted 10 min during
which the observer recorded, from a blind, crab location in
the maze and behaviors exhibited.
Mussel effluent
Mussel effluent was produced daily by placing live mus-
sels (equivalent to 10 g soft tissue 1~') in seawater for 10 h
(Derby and Atema, 1981). Mussels were checked weekly
for reproductive condition to ensure that effluents would be
consistent in character.
Behaviors
We adapted methods used by Derby and Atema (1981)
for tests of chemoreceptive sensitivity and measured
changes in behavior in the Y-maze that reflected changes in
sensitivity. An approach to the source of the effluent was
defined as a high-sensitivity behavior. Low sensitivity was
characterized by the following behaviors:
I Chela raise — claws lifted beyond normal position.
2. Antennule burst — flicking rate increased suddenly.
3. Antennule wipe — antennules groomed, usually with
third maxillipeds. May occur in bouts. Wipes occur-
ring within 5 s of each other were considered to be
one wipe.
4. Maxilliped wave — third maxillipeds moved slowly
back and forth without touching one another.
5. Maxilliped wipe — third maxillipeds rubbed against
each other within a 5-s period.
6. Shift — body position changed.
7. Body raise — body raised up on dactyls.
8. Fanning — rapid movement of second maxillipeds
along with third maxillipeds opened widely to ex-
pose mouth parts.
An approach was scored when a crab crossed a line 8 cm
from the inlet flow at the end of an arm of the Y-maze
before a 10-min run was completed. Crabs began the ex-
EXPERIENCE AND RESPONSES TO PREY ODORS
363
periment at the base of the maze. If an approach did not
occur during a test run. the low-sensitivity behaviors were
used for scoring. In every run, each occurrence of a behav-
ior other than an approach was counted as one unit (Derby
and Atema. 1981). Totals for each crab were then averaged
to determine a mean frequency. The higher the value, the
more sensitive the crab was, or had become, to the prey
odor. Scores were obtained for each crab tested before and
after training was complete.
Initial response to mussel effluent
Sixteen crabs were fasted for 24 h and then tested. In
control tests, seawater was used on both sides of the Y-
maze. Each crab was allowed to acclimate in the maze for
8-12 h and then tested with effluent and a seawater control.
This was repeated for the other mussel species about 10 h
later. Initial response tests were completed within 24 days.
Familiarization with a specific mussel odor
After testing crabs for their initial response, training
began. Eight crabs were fed Geukensia and eight M\tilus for
a period of 28 days. Crabs were fed whole mussels ad
libitum during the training period. The average number of
mussels eaten each day was recorded.
Response to odors in sequential presentation after
familiarization
Familiarized crabs were retested as in the first experi-
ment. The tests began with a post-familiarization seawater
control using seawater in both arms of the Y-maze. Re-
sponses to the two prey effluents (familiar and unfamiliar)
were recorded based on sequential presentation: each prey
odor was tested against a seawater control. Approaches
were recorded when they occurred; if no approach occurred,
low-sensitivity behaviors were scored.
Response to odors in simultaneous presentation after
familiarization
Familiarized crabs were retested for preference between
the two effluents. Odors were presented simultaneously
without a seawater control. Distinguishing which odor elic-
ited heightened behavioral responses was not possible in
this test, so only approaches were scored.
Influence of experience on mussel selection
A foraging test was performed using live prey in 40-1
tanks. Five equal-sized mussels of each species were ran-
domly positioned in the tank and buried to about 667r of
their length in a calcite substrate to make them factually
cryptic. Crabs were allowed to forage for 12 h, and each test
was videotaped. The total number of mussels handled and
the species handled first, eaten first, or rejected after being
handled were recorded. Mussel shells were marked with
small spots of white epoxy to make them easier to see
during videotape analysis.
Analysis of data
Initial scores for responses to seawater, the Mytilus and
Geukensia effluents, and the sequential presentation test
results were compared using the Friedman test (Systat 8.0,
SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). Responses to familiar and
unfamiliar odors for each familiarization group were com-
pared with the Wilcoxon signed rank tests. (Systat 8.0).
Differences between means were determined with Bonfer-
roni post hoc analysis (Systat 8.0). Mussel selection data
from the foraging test was analyzed using a Wilcoxon
signed rank test, a Mann- Whitney test with tied ranks, and
a chi-square 2x2 contingency table (Zar, 1984).
Results
Behavioral obsen'ations
Crabs responded to effluents within 2 to 3 min. Those that
did not approach responded by displaying lower sensitivity
behaviors. Typically, crabs flicked their antennules slowly
or intermittently, with occasional bursts, before odors
reached them. A burst, with maxilliped or antennule wipes.
occurred when the effluent reached the crab. Within 5 min,
chela waves and raises occurred, and crabs began to move.
Antennule flicks pointed in the direction of movement.
These behaviors continued until tests were concluded.
In a typical approach, the initial behavior was similar to
that of a non-approach. At about 5 min, crabs began walking
towards the effluent. Upon reaching the end of the maze,
they often grabbed the inflow hole with their chelae. In
some simultaneous presentation tests, crabs entered one arm
of the maze, turned back, and then proceeded down the
other side, through which the familiar effluent flowed.
Initial response to mussel effluent
Figure 1 shows the responses of 16 crabs to mussel
effluent before the crabs were familiarized with other mus-
sel species. The Friedman test revealed no differences be-
tween the responses to the seawater control and to the
Mytilus or Geukensia effluents (P > 0.05, Table I).
Familiarization with mussel odor
Familiarization periods began after initial responses were
obtained. Crabs were fed their assigned species of mussel ad
libitum. At first, crabs consumed 6 to 8 mussels a day,
although within 4 weeks this decreased to 2 to 3 mussels a
day, especially those fed Geukensia. During familiarization,
crabs exhibited periods of increased activity. Usual behav-
364
A. RISTVEY AND S. REBACH
3.5
3.0 •
2.5
° 2.0 H
s 1-5H
0.05).
Response to odors in simultaneous presentation after
familiarization
Of the 8 crabs familiarized with Mytilus, 4 approached
familiar prey effluent; of the 8 familiarized with Geukensia,
Table I
Responses to effluents
Odors compared
Method ot comparison
P value
Initial odors
Pre-familiarization and post-familiarization seawater, familiar and unfamiliar
mussel effluents
familiar vs. unfamiliar effluents
familiar effluent vs. post-familiarization seawater
familiar effluent r.v. pre-familiarization seawater
unfamiliar effluent vs. pre-familiarization seawater
unfamiliar effluent vs. post-familiarization seawater
Familiar and unfamiliar odors-familiarized w/ Mvtiltis
Familiar and unfamiliar odors-familiarized w/Geitkcnsta
familiar r.v. unfamiliar odors-familiarized w/ Mvtilus.
familiar vs. unfamiliar odors-familiarized vt/Gettki'iixia
unfamiliar odor-familiarized vj/Gi'iikensia vs. unfamiliar odor-familiarized
w/ Mytilus
familiar odor-familiarized w/Geukensia r.v. familiar odor-familiarized w/ Mytilus
Mylilns eaten vs. Geukensia eaten
Mytilus rejected vs. Geukensia rejected
No. mussels eaten-familiarized on Mytilus or Geukensia
No. mussels rejected-familiarized on Myiilitx or Geukcnsiu
Species eaten vs. familiarization species
Species rejected r.v. familiarization species
Friedman statistic (Fig. 1) 16.16.16 >0.05
Friedman statistic (Fig. 2) 12, 12, 12. 12 <0.01
Bonferroni test (Fig. 2) 2. 12 <0.01
Bonferroni test (Fig. 2) 2. 12 <0.01
Bonferroni test (Fig. 2) 2, 12 <0.01
Bonferroni test (Fig. 2) 2. 12 >0.05
Bonferroni test (Fig. 2) 2. 12 >0.05
Wilcoxon signed ranks test (Fig. 3) 5 <0.05
Wilcoxon signed ranks test (Fig. 3) 7 <0.05
Bonferroni test (Fig. 3) 5, 5 0.05
Bonferroni test (Fig. 3) 7. 5 >0.05
Wilcoxon signed ranks test 14 <0.05
Wilcoxon signed ranks test 9 >0.05
Mann-Whitney tied ranks (Fig. 4) 7. 7 >0.05
Mann-Whitney tied ranks (Fig. 4) 7. 7 >0.05
2X2 chi-square (Fig. 4) 14 >0.05
2X2 chi-square (Fig. 4) 14 >0.05
EXPERIENCE AND RESPONSES TO PREY ODORS
365
14 T
8 • •
H
Initial Post
Seawater Seawater
Control Control
Unfamiliar Familiar Odor
Odor
Figure 2. Comparison of mean (±SEM) frequenaes of initial and
post-familiarization control tests, and tests of familiar and unfamiliar odors
after familiarization. No differences were found between responses to
seawater controls and unfamiliar odors, but responses to familiar odors
were significantly greater than to unfamiliar odors and controls (as indi-
cated by an asterisk).
1 approached unfamiliar effluent. These tests failed to yield
significant responses because only approaches were scored.
The 1 1 crabs that did not approach during the simultaneous
presentation exhibited increased sensitivity, as in the se-
quential tests. These crabs began to search soon after the
odor reached them; they raised chela and walked upcurrent
and downcurrent, but they failed to make an approach.
18 -•
16 • •
14 • •
12 •
10 • •
8-
6 • •
4 . .
2 •
D Fam w/ Mytilus
H Fam w/ Geukensia
Unfamiliar Odor
Familiar Odor
Figure 3. Comparison of mean (±SEM) frequencies between famil-
iarization groups. No differences were found in unfamiliar odor responses
between familiarization groups. Differences were found in familiar odor
responses. Abbreviations: Fam w/ Mytilus = Familiarized with M. edulis;
Fam w/ Geukensia = Familiarized with G. demissa.
Low-sensitivity scoring could not be used because it would
not have been possible to determine which odor was influ-
encing the behavior.
Influence of experience on prey selection
Within 15 min of being placed in the tanks, crabs probed
the calcite substrate with their dactyls, attempted to climb
tank walls, or walked around. During this period, all crabs
touched and moved both species of mussels.
More Mytilus (45) were eaten than Geukensia (19), but
about the same number of mussels of both species were
rejected (Mytilus. 13; Geukensia, 14). A Wilcoxon signed
ranks test determined that, overall — regardless of familiar-
ization group — significantly more Mytilus were eaten than
Geukensia (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in
numbers of Mytilus or Geukensia rejected (P > 0.05) (Ta-
ble I).
Figure 4 compares the species of prey eaten and rejected
by crabs in the two familiarization groups. Crabs familiar
with Geukensia cumulatively ate 21 Mytilus and 5 Geuken-
sia, and rejected 1 1 Mytilus and 1 1 Geukensia. Crabs fa-
miliar with Mytilus ate 24 Mytilus and 14 Geukensia. and
rejected 2 Mytilus and 3 Geukensia. In all cases, Mytilus
was handled first and eaten first. Both groups of crabs
handled about the same number of mussels (43 for Mytilus-
familiarized crabs and 48 for Geukensia-famiYiarized crabs).
A Mann-Whitney test with tied ranks determined that
there was no significant difference in total mussels, regard-
less of species, eaten (P > 0.05) or rejected (P > 0.05),
between crabs familiarized with Mytilus and crabs familiar-
ized with Geukensia (Table I).
30 i
25
20-
15
10 • •
5 • •
QFam w/ Mytilus
HFamw/ Geukensia
Mytilus Eaten
Geukensia
Eaten
Mytilus
Rejected
Geukensia
Rejected
Figure 4. Comparison of lotal number of prey eaten and rejected by
crabs familiarized wilh Myiilus and Geukensia. No differences were found
in ratios. Abbreviations: Same as in Figure 3.
366
A RISTVEY AND S. REBACH
A chi-square analysis of a 2 X 2 contingency table
determined that the ratio of Mytilus to Geukensia eaten was
not different (P > 0.05), nor was there a difference between
the ratio of mussel species rejected (P > 0.05) for each of
the familiarization groups (Table I). Regardless of the mus-
sel species that the crabs were familiar with, they ate and
rejected the same proportion of mussel species.
Discussion
Our results show that, in the absence of recent experi-
ence, Cancer irroratus did not strongly respond to the
effluent of either Mytilus editlis or Geukensia demissa.
Exposure to one prey type increased the sensitivity of the
crabs to that prey's odor, and responsiveness increased with
experience. The results of the sequential presentation tests
indicated a significantly increased sensitivity towards famil-
iarized prey. Scores of low-sensitivity behaviors were
higher for familiar effluents than for unfamiliar effluents.
However, the simultaneous presentations could not distin-
guish the responses to the two odors because it was not
possible to determine which odor was eliciting the height-
ened behaviors.
Crabs did not often approach the effluent source in either
the sequential or simultaneous tests. These results may be
misleading since crabs did react to the odors. The use of
prey effluents instead of live prey can influence observed
behaviors, because the lack of reinforcement with actual
prey may have been responsible for the observed decreases
in response.
It is also possible that the concentrations of stimulatory
compounds may have been below the thresholds necessary
to initiate search or approach. The amino acids glycine,
taurine, glutamate, serine, and threonine have been found to
be the most stimulatory in feeding assays in several species
of Cancer (Case, 1964; Allen et at., 1975). These amino
acids may have been present at low concentrations in test-
mussel metabolites. Palaemonetes pugio. a grass shrimp,
specifically recognizes various foods by qualitative and
quantitative differences in combinations of low molecular
weight substances intrinsic to those foods (Carr, 1978).
Concentrations that elicited antennular responses may
have been too low for activation of approaches and feeding
behaviors. Rebach et at. ( 1990) found antennular sensitivity
for mussel extract in C. irroratus to be as low as 10""' g
I '. Pearson et at. (1979) found similar sensitivities for
littleneck clam extract in C. magister. Both of those studies
used tissue extracts, whereas this study used prey rinse
(body odor) from intact animals. The threshold to elicit
feeding is 10s higher than the arousal threshold in rock
crabs (Rebach et at.. 1990) and H)1" to l()17 times higher in
blue crab (Cullinectes sapidus; Ache, 1982). Arousal
thresholds are found at concentrations of picograms ( 10" i:
g) per liter, search behavior thresholds at micrograms (10~6
g) per liter, and handling and ingestion of food at milligrams
(10"' g) per liter (McLeese, 1973; Mackie, 1973; Pearson
and Olla, 1977; Ache, 1982). The effluents used in this
study did not often direct the crabs' responses towards
familiar effluents, but did arouse them. We may therefore
infer that these effluents had concentrations between 10~'
and 10"' g I"1.
The stomach contents of rock crabs indicate that they are
opportunistic feeders (Drummond-Davis et ai, 1982). An
assortment of algae, polychaetes, gastropods, mussels, and
bits of hermit crabs and other crustaceans are typically
consumed. It is possible that nutritional needs were not
being met by a diet restricted to a single food for an
extended time, and the crabs may have lost interest in
familiarized prey. Again, feeding reinforcements were ab-
sent and may have counteracted the effects of training.
In the foraging tests, tactile and visual cues were intro-
duced by the use of living prey rather than effluents. Both
groups of familiarized crabs ate and rejected similar num-
bers of mussels, and there was no difference in the ratios of
Mytilus to Geukensia eaten and rejected. However, even
though crabs encountered both species of mussels, they
handled Mvtilns first, ate Mytilus first, and consumed more
Mytilus than Geukensia regardless of familiarization group.
Since crabs walked over both species before selecting any
prey, both species should have had an equal chance to be
handled. Geukensia has a heavier shell than Mytilus. possi-
bly making it more difficult to open, but this did not account
for the crabs' preference, because equal numbers of both
species were rejected. Metabolites from both species were
present in the test tank. As soon as a mussel was eaten,
freshly killed prey odors would have filled the tank, possibly
decreasing the importance of odor in choosing the next prey,
and other cues may have become more important.
If crabs use more than one sensory cue in prey choice, a
hierarchy may exist for all sensory functions in determining
prey selection. Maynard and Sallee (1970) found that che-
motactile stimulation of lobster dactyls overrode antennular
stimulation. Our tests were run in the light to permit video-
taping, so visual cues might have played a role in prey
selection. Geukensia was difficult to see against the mottled
calcite, whereas the blue-black colored Mytilus contrasted
well with the background. Arthropod compound eyes are
adept at discerning contrasts (Evans. 1984). Mytilus may
have been visually less cryptic and thus more susceptible to
predation.
The crabs were more likely to have been in contact with
Mytilus than with Geukensia before they were caught, and
might have retained their sensitivity for that species. Alter-
natively, Mvtilim may have been easier to open, or may have
simply tasted better than Geukensia. Lobsters are also able
to detect differences between two closely related mus-
sels— in this case Mytilus and Modiolus — and showed in-
creased sensitivity with experience and training (Derby and
EXPERIENCE AND RESPONSES TO PREY ODORS
367
Aterna, 1981). Atema et al. (1980) found qualitative differ-
ences in the amino acid content of live prey rinses. The
foraging study supported the differences found in sensitiv-
ities between crabs familiarized with Mvtilus and crabs
familiarized with Geukensia. However, M\tilus appeared to
be more attractive than Geukensia when crabs were given a
choice between live prey.
The responses of crabs to mussel odors before and after
experience with those mussels indicated that familiarization
increased sensitivity towards a prey item. Whether this
resulted in the formation of a chemosensory search image or
a species-specific preference is not clear. However, recog-
nition and remembrance of familiar prey odors facilitates
the location of suitable prey in a benthic habitat where few
other cues are available.
Acknowledgments
We thank D. French. C. Loshon, and V. Kennedy for their
advice and assistance, E. Layman, M. Ailes, and D. Birkett
for their help and support. We also thank two anonymous
reviewers for their helpful suggestions and thoughtful com-
mentary. AR submitted parts of this manuscript in partial
fulfillment of the MS degree at UMES. This research was
partially supported by NSF Grant # RII-8704054. This is
Contribution No. 30 from the Crustacean Research in Ecol-
ogy and Mariculture (CREAM) Institute of the University
of Maryland Eastern Shore.
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Reference: Biol. Bull. 197: 368-376. (December 1999)
The Role of Latero-Frontal Cirri in Particle Capture
by the Gills of Mytilus edulis
HAROLD SILVERMAN1, JOHN W. LYNN, PETER G. BENINGER*. AND THOMAS H. DIETZ
Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803; and
* Departement de Biohgie, Faculte des Sciences, Universite de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere,
44322 Nantes Cedex, France
Abstract. In this study we examined the mechanism of
particle capture in Mytilus edulis, using radioactive-label
clearance studies, progressive fixation, and scanning elec-
tron microscopy to visualize in detail the cirri and their
range of motion. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was
used to observe the interaction of cirri with 1 /xm fluores-
cent latex particles on live strips of control and serotonin-
treated isolated gill tissue. The gills of M. edulis possess
large, complex latero- frontal cirri composed of 18-26 pairs
of cilia. Particles that were intercepted by the cirri were
transferred to the water current on the frontal surface of the
filament where they were propelled toward the ventral par-
ticle groove. Clearance studies demonstrated that M. edulis
removed Escherichia coli from 5°C seawater bathing me-
dium at 4.9 ml g~' dry tissue min~'. When the gills were
exposed to 10 3 M serotonin, the latero-frontal cirri stopped
moving and became fixed in a flexed position that partially
blocked the frontal surface of the filament. Clearance stud-
ies demonstrated that removal of E. coli from the seawater
bathing medium was reduced 90% to 0.5 ml g~' dry tissue
min"1 when 10~3 M serotonin was present. These data
demonstrated that for small particles (< 2 ;um) in the near
field, movement of cirri was essential for successful capture
either by direct contact or with water acting as a hydrome-
chanical coupler.
Introduction
Considerable progress in understanding particle process-
ing mechanisms in suspension-feeding bivalves has been
made in recent years (Beninger et ai, 1993, 1997; J0r-
gensen, 1990; Ward et ai, 1998b). Investigations have
focused on various components of the feeding sequence:
Received 3 June 1999; accepted 5 October 1999.
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: cxsilv@lsu.edu
capture-transport-selection-ingestion. However, the actual
mechanism(s) of particle capture remains difficult to deter-
mine.
A number of components are important in understanding
the mechanism of particle capture. Fluid mechanics has
been used to describe both the delivery of particles to the
gill filaments and their movement on the gill (J0rgensen,
1983; Nielsen et ai, 1993; Ward et ai. 1998a; Riisgard and
Larsen, 2000). The potential interaction of particles with a
structure on the gill would be an equally important compo-
nent to understanding the mechanisms leading to particle
capture events. Generally, suspension feeding bivalves can
capture particles over a wide range of sizes from 10"' /urn
to 102 pun, with most showing efficient clearance of parti-
cles in the range of a few to tens of /xm (M0hlenberg and
Riisgard, 1978; Ten Winkel and Davids, 1982; Sprung and
Rose, 1988). The mechanisms used to capture particles at
the extremes of the size range may differ, because the
behavior in fluid would change depending on particle den-
sity and geometry.
To observe the actual particle capture event, one needs to
be able to resolve both the particle and the cellular or-
ganelles that are involved with the capture. To date, Riis-
gard and his colleagues have used isolated preparations and
constructed half filament models to analyze particle move-
ments close to the filaments of Mvtilus edulis (Nielsen et ai,
1993; Riisgard et ai, 1996). Their observations indicate that
particles can be directed to the frontal surface of gill fila-
ments by direct interception of particles by latero-frontal
cirri. They have extended these observations by determining
the path as particles approach the gill filaments, in vivo,
using a side-mounted microscopic preparation (Riisgard and
Larsen, 2000).
Silverman et ai. ( 1996, 2000) and Beninger et ai. (1997)
have examined gill strips using confocal laser scanning
368
CIRRI AND PARTICLE CAPTURE
369
microscopy (CLSM). The disadvantages of this system are
that the observations are made on gill strips that are isolated:
normal fluid flow is altered; and normal neural or hormonal
cues are modified or missing. However, the advantages ot
this system include magnification, resolution, tunable depth
of focus, and preselection of a gill strip where all cilia are in
motion as confirmed by observation before adding particles.
The near-field events of particle interaction with cirri are not
altered by isolation procedures. The only bivalve investi-
gated to date using this technique is Dreissena polymorpha,
a species with a homorhabdic eulamellibranch gill type
(Silverman et /., 1996). In this freshwater bivalve, the
latero-frontal cirri direct particles from the water onto the
frontal surface of the gill filaments, where the particles were
transported to the ventral particle groove by the frontal cilia.
M\tilus ednlis. a marine bivalve species often used for a
variety of particle capture studies, has a homorhabdic rili-
branch gill type. It also has latero-frontal cirri and a ventral
particle groove (Atkins. 1937: Owen, 1974: Owen and
McCrae, 1976). The organization and structure of latero-
frontal cirri in M. edulis have been extensively described
(Moore. 1971: Owen, 1974: Owen and McCrae, 1976;
Jones et at.. 1990). The cirri are large, complex structures
composed of two ciliary plates: each plate consists of be-
tween 18 and 26 fused cilia that are hinged at the base
(Owen, 1974). The tips of the cilia are free and oriented at
an angle, suggesting a "paddle" or "filtering" structure
(Riisgard et al, 1996). Capture and retention studies have
shown that M. edulis can intercept particles down to 1 ^m
with retention efficiencies of approximately 50% (M0hlen-
berg and Riisgard, 1978). Using a video microscope to
observe single isolated gill filaments, Riisgard et al., ( 1996)
showed that the latero-frontal cirri of M. edulis can intercept
relatively large (7 ju.m) particles. However, the exact se-
quence of particle-cirrus interaction was not readily resolv-
able.
In the present study we examined small particle capture
by live gill strips using confocal microscopy and high-speed
video recording. This approach enabled us to document in
detail particle-cirrus interactions in the marine bivalve.
Mytilus edulis. We reported some of the preliminary data
recently in a brief commentary (Silverman et al., 2000).
Material and Methods
Animals
Observations were made on Mytilus edulis individuals
collected at low tide in Chamcook Harbour (Passama-
quoddy Bay, Bay of Fundy, Canada) and on animals pur-
chased from the Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods
Hole. Massachusetts). The specimens were flown on moist
icepacks to the Life Sciences Microscopy Facility at Loui-
siana State University. Specimens from Canada were stored
for 1-2 days at 4°C in seawater-soaked towels prior to
dissection and observation. Specimens from Woods Hole
were maintained in the laboratory for several months in
artificial seavvater (Chambers and de Armendi. 1979) at
4°-6°C and fed algae weekly until used.
Confocal laser scanning microscopy
In larger specimens (> 30 mm anterior-posterior shell
length), the posterior extremity of the gill was used for
CLSM preparations, because the demibranchs are thinnest
and shortest in this region, while still presenting the typical
gill architecture. This preparation facilitated the observation
of 4-5 mm wide strips of gill extending from the gill arch
to the ventral particle groove. Strips from the posterior
extremity of each demibranch were removed using micro-
surgical instruments, and placed in isosmotic (1060 mosm)
seawater on a microscope slide lined with Nitex screen (125
/urn mesh). This screen allowed cilia-generated water cur-
rents to flow on both sides of the demibranch. and mechan-
ical disturbance of the gill was avoided by supporting the
coverslip above the preparation with silicone vacuum lubri-
cant posts at each corner. For larger animals with thicker
gills, we also observed single isolated filaments. For spec-
imens < 30 mm. the gill was sufficiently small and thin to
allow any region to be used. We observed the gills of more
than 40 specimens (range of shell length = 18-81 mm)
during this study.
The preparations were observed using the CLSM tech-
nique previously described (Silverman et al.. 1996). The
gills were examined with a Noran Instruments confocal
system attached to a Nikon Optiphot microscope with a
40X fluor lens (NA 1.3). The laser wavelength was set at
529 nm with an FITC barrier filter in the return image path.
Reflected channel images were acquired (laser scan and
image digitization < 1 /us/frame) and sequentially stored at
120 frames s~' (~ 8 ms between frames). Images were
captured and analyzed using the Odyssey InterVision (No-
ran) software on a Silicon Graphics Indy computer. Images
were not altered except to adjust the contrast.
Fluorescent beads of 0.7 ju,m or 1 .0 jnm diameter were
added to the preparations to track particle motion in cilia-
aenerated water currents and particle transport on the cili-
ated epithelia. Gill preparations were oriented such that
beads could be added under the coverslip in the dorsal
resjion of the strip and subsequently moved from dorsal to
ventral. Particle velocities were determined after observing
the movement of individual fluorescent beads over known
distances and times.
Scanning electron microscopy
To examine the spatial relationships of cirri and cilia, gill
tissue was prepared for scanning electron microscopy using
a progressive fixation technique that allowed the arrest of
cilia at all stages of their beat cycles. Small mussels were
placed in containers with enough seawater (~ 20-30 ml) to
cover the shells. They were left undisturbed until their
370
SILVERMAN ET AL.
siphons were clearly visible. Drops of 2% OsO4 (1-2 mil
were slowly added near the edge of the container; the
specimen was left intact for 20 min. The posterior adductor
muscle was then cut and the animal exposed to fixative for
another 40 min. In a few cases, the adductor muscle was
carefully cut before OsO4, was added, with total exposure to
osmium in the bath being 30 min. The mussels were then
rinsed in seawater and fixed for an hour in 2% glutaralde-
hyde in seawater. After fixation, the gill was removed,
dehydrated in a graded ethanol series, critical-point dried,
and sputter-coated with gold-palladium. Specimens were
mounted on stubs and visualized with a Cambridge Scan-
ning Electron Microscope. Some gills were removed and
photographed before and after fixation, and again after
critical-point drying to monitor tissue shrinkage.
Bacterial clearance
Clearance of "S-labeled Excherichia coli from the bath-
ing medium was quantified with an adaptation of the
method of Riisgard ( 1988) as described previously (Silver-
man et al, 1995, 1997). Mussels (< 30 mm shell length)
were placed in individual test tubes containing 20 ml aer-
ated artificial seawater (5°C) with or without 10~3 M sero-
tonin for 15 min. Radiolabeled bacteria were added to each
tube after the mussels opened their siphons, and after 1 min
equilibration, four samples (100 /Ltl) were collected at 10-
min intervals. The reduction of bathing medium radioactiv-
ity followed first order kinetics, and the clearance was
expressed as ml g~ ' dry tissue min" ' . Data are expressed as
the mean ± one standard error with the number of animals
in parentheses.
Results
Cimil structure
Progressive fixation stopped the cirri and cilia in various
stages of their beat cycle. The cirri position varied from
being arched over the frontal surface of a gill filament to
extending into the interfilument space (Fig. 1). Adjacent
cirri on a filament were arrested during fixation in a stag-
gered pattern, such that neighboring cirri were not in the
same position relative to the frontal surface (Fig. 1 ). The
CLSM time series micrographs (Figs. 3-6) are of filaments
in the same orientation as in Figure 1. Confocal images of
a cirrus beat cycle indicated that during the power stroke the
cirrus bent over the frontal surface into a flexed position
(Fig. 2D). On recovery it returned to an extended position
perpendicular to the apical surface of the latero-frontal
cirrus cell (Fig. 2 A, I). The body of the cirrus beat as a
single unit; a complete beat required the cirral body to pivot
at its base in addition to moving through the ciliary wave-
form (Fig. 2). The cirrus moved out of the plane of focus
during the flexion, but as the free ciliary tips were moving
out of view they were clearly resolvable (Fig. 2E). The high
Figure 1. Scanning electron micrograph of gill filaments from A/V///II.V
etlnlis treated to allow fixation of cirri during the beat cycle. Cirri flex
during their power stroke moving over the frontal surface (f) of the
filament. Cirri are in the extended position (arrowhead) in the interfilament
space, and in the flexed position (c) with their free tips bent over the frontal
surface. Adjacent cirri on a filament were stopped at different stages of a
heat cycle (arrow). The inset of a higher magnification indicates that the
tree ciliary tips associated with the two ciliary plates of a cirrus angle away
from the body of the cirrus to give a 'V like appearance ( *). Bar = 25 ;u,m;
inset bar = ? /uni-
rate of capture of each image (< 1 /x.s) minimized blurring
due to the movement of the cirrus (Fig. 2E). The cirral beat
averaged 7.9 ± 0.4 Hz (n = 6).
Cirral interaction with particles
Particles interacted with moving cirri in several different
ways but usually were (i) swept onto the frontal surface of
the filaments and entrained into the frontal water current
(Fig. 3). Fluorescent particles (1 /urn) entering the interfila-
ment space were captured within the 2.2-2.8 /urn wide "V"
of the free ciliary tips of the cirrus and moved toward the
frontal surface as the cirrus beat from the extended into the
flexed position. In most cases, particles interacting with a
cirrus were moved directly into the frontal current and
transported at 307 ± 36 /am s l, n = 4 (Figs. 3, 4) toward
the ventral particle groove.
Three additional types of particle interaction with a beat-
ing cirrus were observed, (ii) During flexion of the cirrus the
particle may be deposited at the edge of the frontal surface
without being immediately transported. Subsequent cirral
movement positioned the particle into the frontal surface
current (Fig. 4). (iii) Some particles remained between the
cirral plates and moved with the cirrus for multiple beat
cycles (Fig. 5). These particles were finally incorporated
into the frontal flow after several cirral beat cycles. The
particles that moved with the cirral extension away from the
CIRRI AND PARTICLE CAPTURE
371
Figure 2. A series of confocal video images ( 1 20 frames s ' ) of a single cirrus from an in vitro gill strip
of M\tilus etlulix. The time between each frame shown in this series is 25 ms. The focal plane of the video is
slightly off the perpendicular to the dorso-ventral axis of the filament. The parallel bright lines flank the lateral
surface of the filament. Thus, the beat of the cirral tip is toward the frontal surface of the filament that lies to
the right and into the background, at a right angle to the visible lateral surface of the filament. The resolution
of individual ciliary tips (arrowhead) on one side of the cirrus (one cirral plate) is clear. The bending (power
stroke) in A-D moves the plane of the ciliary tips toward the frontal surface of the filament. Images in frames
E-I represent the recovery stroke. The total time taken for this beat cycle was —200 ms (beat frequency ~ 5 Hz).
The arrow identifies the midpoint of the cirrus. Bar = 4 /j,m.
frontal surface suggest that there was intimate contact, ei-
ther directly or within a few tenths of a /xm. from a cirrus
(Fig. 5). (iv) Finally, on rare occasions the particle did not
reappear, indicating it became dislodged from the cirrus in
the interfilament space (not shown).
Particle entrainment in the frontal surface current of the gill
was observed both in association with mucus rafts (Beninger et
at., 1993, 1997) and in the absence of any visible mucus rafts
(Figs. 3, 4). Indeed, we have observed filaments where two
particles were being transported, but at different velocities.
One moving particle can overtake another particle on the
frontal surface (Fig. 6). Such events indicate independent trans-
port of the two particles along the frontal surface, and would
suggest that they were not moving in a single mucus raft, or not
at the same height above the epithelium. Quick-time videos
used to construct Figures 3-6 are archived in the electronic
data base of The Biological Bulletin at www.mbl.edu/litml/BB/
VIDEO/BB.video.html.
Serotonin effects on cirral position and clearance of
Escherichia coli
Progressive fixation (as described above) revealed that
the cirri in the serotonin-treated animals were arrested in the
flexed position, occluding most of the frontal surfaces of the
gill filament (Fig. 7). The amount of frontal surface covered
by the cirri is somewhat exaggerated in this figure because
the fixation caused 44 ± 3% (;; = 4) shrinkage. From our
CLSM observations in some sections of the gill, both frontal
and lateral cilia continued to beat in the presence of 10 M
372
SILVERMAN ET AL
Figure 3. A confocal microscopy time series or the frontal surface of
an in vitn> gill filament from Myiilus ednlis. Dorsal is at the top of each
image and ventral toward the bottom. The time elapsed between each
successive frame is 33 ms. Cirral tips are visible as 'V structures (arrows).
The cirri beat in and out of the plane of the image and the 'V's are the tips
of the cirri as they flex over the frontal surface on each side of the filament.
One cirrus directed a I-/LUTI fluorescent latex particle onto the edge of the
filament from the right interhlament space (A: bright spot at top right). The
particle was entrained in the frontal water current and moved ventrally
down the frontal surface (B). The particle was transported on the frontal
surface of the filament (C and D) moving 20 ju.nl in 100 ms by frame D.
Bar = 10 |um.
serotonin. This was also evident in some areas of gill that
were fixed for scanning microscopy. This motion is inferred
in the wave-like pattern formed by the tips of lateral cilia
(Fig. 7). Although the fixation was not instantaneous, the
positions of the lateral cilia tips are suggestive of a syn-
chronized or metachronal motion (Fig. 7).
To assess particle capture in the absence of movement by
latero-frontal cirri, cirral motion was arrested by adding
10 M serotonin to the seawater bathing medium (Jor-
gensen, 1983; Ward el ai. 1998a). Clearance (ml g ' dry
tissue min ') of 35S-labeled E. coti by M. edulis in 5°C
seawater was 4.92 ± 0.43 (n = 3) for controls (130 ± 12
mg dry tissue) compared to 0.51 ± 0.18 (n = 3) for treated
animals (142 ± 26 mg dry tissue). Clearance of bacteria
from control mussels displayed first order kinetics with 21
nun required to remove 5Q7c of the label (Fig. 8). The
serotonin-treated mussels also displayed first order kinetics,
but experienced an 89.6% reduction in the rate of removal
of bacteria from the seawater.
Discussion
The movement of an individual cirrus on a living strip of
Mytilits i'tlulis gill can be observed at high resolution using
confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The beat cy-
cle is similar to that described for the cirri of Drcissena
IHilyniorplui (Silverman et ai, 1996). In the flexed position
the tips of the cirri are located over the frontal surface of the
gill filament, whereas in the extended position they project
into the interfilament space at the level of the latero-frontal
cells from which they originate.
Confocal microscopy permits resolution of individual
cirri and. depending on reflectance and light scattering,
includes their individual ciliary tips. The lateral (x-y plane)
resolution (about 0.2 /xrn) of CLSM, the enhanced rate of
sequential image acquisition (~ 8 ms/frame), and high
speed of capture of individual images (< I /xs) enabled
observation of the interaction of l-/xm particles with latero-
frontal cirri. Although particles were seen to be directed
Figure 4. A cnnlocul microscopy time series of an in run* Myiiltis cJnli.\ gill filament. A l-/j,m fluorescent
particle (bright spot under the letter A) interacted with a cirrus and was moved toward, but not onto, the frontal
surface of the filament (A-C). On the next contact with a cirrus, the particle was moved into the frontal surface
water current and transported rapidly (D-F). The reference line marks the initial location of the particle in all
ol the images. The elapsed time ol the series was 125 ms. Bar = 10 /urn
CIRRI AND PARTICLE CAPTURE
373
Figure 5. A confocal microscopy time series of an in vitro Mytilus eiliilis gill tilumenl. A fluorescent particle
moved rapidly down the center of the filament ( A-F) in 1 25 nis. A second particle was associated with a cirrus
(A; upper left) whose ciliary tips were partially out of the plane of focus. As the cirrus continued to move hack
toward the extended position in the left interfilament space, the particle was drawn back with the cirrus (B-C)
until it moved out of the plane of focus in D. It reappeared in E-F as the cirrus moved into its flexed position
over the frontal surface of the filament. Bar = 10 fim.
onto the frontal surface during the power stroke of a cirrus,
we could not determine whether the interaction was direct
or if water acted as a mechanical coupler between the cirrus
and particle (Riisgard ct til.. 1996). However, the close
interaction (herein defined as within a few tenths of /urn) of
the beating cirrus with the particle is responsible for the
movement of many particles to the frontal surface of the
filament where particles subsequently move in the frontal
water flow. Under the experimental conditions described
here for M. edulis. the particles can be moved to the frontal
Figure 6. A confocal microscopy time series (25 ms between each
image) of an HI vitro Mytilus ediilis gill filament showing that transport of
particles along a filament can occur at different rates. In these images two
particles moved along the frontal surface of the filament. The larger particle
(arrowhead) moved at 750 jum s~'. while the velocity of the smaller
particle (arrow) was 350 /j.m s '. Bar = 10 jim.
surface of the filaments even when no mucus is visible or
onto visible mucus rafts that are observed to be moving
along the frontal surface (Beninger el at, 1997). In both
cases, transport of panicles along the frontal surface aver-
aged about 307 ^im & l, and was similar to previously
reported rates (Jones et at. 1990; Ward et at, 1991. 1993;
Nielsen et at. 1993).
Figure 7. A scanning electron micrograph of two filaments from a
Mytilus eilnlis gill treated with 10 ' M serotonin. The space between these
fixed filaments \\ as larger than that observed in Figure I (20 /im. versus the
15 jj.m). Visible in the enlarged interfilament space are the tips ot the
underlying lateral cilia (Ic). whose origins from two adjacent filaments are
easily discernible. The arrows indicate areas where the lateral cilia were
fixed in the \arious phases of beat associated with the metachronal wave
form unset, lower magnification). The cirri (c) in these preparations are
stopped over the frontal surface of the filament, occluding much of the
frontal surface. Each cirrus is composed of pairs (arrowheads) of cirral
plates containing IS -26 cilia. Bar = 10 /im. inset bar = 20 /j.m.
374
SILVERMAN ET AL
12.5
12.2-
E 12.0-
E
Q.
73
•11.8-
1 1.5-
1 1.2
10 20 30
time (min)
Figure 8. Time-dependent removal of Escherichia coli from 5°C sea-
water by Mytilin ctlnlis controls (open square) or treated with 10"' M
serotonin (filled square). Each point represents the mean ± SEM for 3
animals (SEM smaller than the symbols are not visible). The regression
equation for the control mussels was: Y = 0.033X + 12.365. r = 0.994.
and treated: Y = -0.003X + 12.376. r = 0.908.
The role of these ciliary organelles in particle capture
associated with suspension feeding has been controversial.
Early workers including Atkins (1937) and Oral (1967)
suggested that cirri were important as "mechanical" filters
or traps that moved particles onto the frontal surface of the
gill filament for subsequent transport. Support for this view
is gained from the differential particle capture in bivalve
species with cirri of different sizes (Owen and McCrae,
1976; M0hlenberg and Riisgard, 1978; J0rgensen et ai,
1984). McHenery and Birkbeck ( 1985) suggested that Esch-
erichia coli were captured more effectively by marine bi-
valves with larger cirri than by those with small or no
latero-frontal cirri. A similar relationship between cirral size
and particle capture has been reported for several freshwater
bivalves (Silverman ft cil.. 1995. 1997; Tankersley. 1996).
The observations of particle/cirral interactions described
here extend the observations of Riisgard et a/.. (1996).
These earlier observations were based on traditional light
microscopic lenses immersed in water (theoretical maxi-
mum resolution approximately 0.5 jam) to observe particle
interaction with cirri in isolated M. cdulis gills. Their iso-
lated gill preparation contained 10 7 M serotonin to stim-
ulate ciliary activity and were positioned to maintain the
normal interfilament gap (40 jiim) at the level of the lateral
ciliated cells. The greater resolution of CLSM provides
more structural detail, and the high image capture speed (<
1 jas) and recording speed (120 frames s~') allow better
visualization of particle interaction with the cirri. The con-
focal images indicate that the cirrus was responsible for the
movement of 1 jam particles onto the frontal surface of the
gill filament. The similarity of the results between these two
studies, where different methods were used, supports the
accuracy of information gained from both studies.
While observation of cirral/particle interactions with the
CLSM provides evidence for (he role of cirri in the particle
capture process, it does not provide the information under
the normal water flow conditions expected in vivo. Ward
and his colleagues have provided endoscopic videos ( 1998a,
b) that permit observation of dye streams and the motion of
relatively large particles (7 jam) as they move within the
pallial cavity toward the gill of a living M. edulis. Ward et
ul. ( 1998a) indicate that particles approach the gill at a low
angle (less than 30°) and are either captured by the filament
or bounce until they are subsequently captured. Observing
these endoscopic videos, it appears that there is a non-
random location of the particles interacting at or near the
edge of the filament. These near-field interactions probably
represent interception by the cirri, rather than particle cap-
ture by the frontal water flow (Ward et ul.. 1998a). The
endoscopic observations are valuable to describe flows and
gross movements of particle approach to the filaments. The
variable resolution and relatively low magnification limit
the observations that are necessary to identify precise mech-
anism! s) of interaction between filament organelles and
individual particles. Thus, it is not possible to determine the
distances separating particles from the structures on the gill
filament. Despite the particular limitations of both the con-
focal and the endoscopic observational approaches, the data
obtained from each appear to be complementary and sug-
gest the importance of both cirral interaction (near-field)
and water flow (far-field) for particle capture in this species.
These data also are complementary to those obtained by
Riisgard and his colleagues (1996, 2000) demonstrating
cirral interaction with particles in various isolated prepara-
tions and also in young undisturbed mussels.
Although most reports indicate that isolated M. edulis
gills must be stimulated by 10 7 M serotonin to maintain
ciliary activities, we have found that sections of isolated
gills commonly have beating cilia. We selected preparations
where latero-frontal cirri, and frontal and lateral cilia were
all beating. The beat frequency of the cirri (8 Hz) and the
patterns of motion were similar to the 4-9 Hz observed by
Oral (1967) in young mussels in vivo. He noted that intact
M. edulis displayed a diverse repertoire of ciliary activity,
including spontaneous arrest. While Oral (1967) highlights
a beat cycle that places adjacent cirri offset by Vi beat cycle,
he points out that there are many other relationships be-
tween adjacent cirri that would not be detected with the
methods used. The data presented in this study also are
consistent with the recent in vivo observations of Riisgard
and Larsen (2000) and with the modeling done by Riisgard
and colleagues based on isolated filament preparations
(Nielsen et ul.. 1993: Riisgard et a!., 1996). Indeed, the
observations made here are consistent with the calculations
of Silvester and Sleigh (1984) who suggest that latero-
frontal cirri can act as "sieves." although perhaps more
water moves around rather than through the cirrus (Riisgard
et ul.. 1996).
The finding of an 83% reduction in particle capture in
Mvtilus edulis after serotonin is used to block cirral move-
CIRRI AND PARTICLE CAPTURE
375
merit (Ward et til., 1998a) also is consistent with the previ-
ous results of Jorgensen (1983), who showed that cirral
movement was critical to particle capture. The reduction in
particle capture efficiency after serotonin administration has
been ascribed to a breakdown in cirral-generated water
currents (Ward et ai, 1998a). However, the data of the
present study provide an alternate explanation. The obser-
vations of the present study confirm that the cirri of treated
specimens are arrested in the flexed position (Jorgensen,
1975, 1983). eliminating direct cirri particle interaction
while the frontal and lateral cilia continue to beat. Further-
more, the positions of the arrested cirri physically block
particles from approaching the frontal surface following
serotonin treatment. Bacterial clearance was reduced 90%
under these conditions. On occasion we have noted that
cirral beating may be spontaneously arrested. Oral (1967)
also noted that ciliary organelles on /;; vivo mussel gills
would spontaneously become motionless. Fluorescent par-
ticles moving in the frontal water current were observed to
"fall" occasionally or be deflected from the frontal surface
(Nielsen et ai, 1993; unpub. obs. in D. polymorpha). Thus,
cirral activity is important for both particle capture and.
perhaps, keeping particles entrained in the frontal water
current.
In addition to the cirral arrest, serotonin also caused gill
musculature to relax in preparations (J0rgensen, 1983; Me-
dler and Silverman. 1997). which can increase the interfila-
ment distance. In modeling particle-capture mechanisms,
the dimensions of gill structures (ostial size, intertilament
space, filament size, cirral size), rate of ciliary beat, and
ambient hydrostatic pressure are all critical components
(Silvester and Sleigh, 1984; Famme et ai. 1986; Griinbaum
ft ul.. 1998). Riisgard and Larsen (2000) point out that the
calculations based on /';; vitro gill dimensions must at least
match intact clearance values, microscopic measurements
on intact tissues, and particle transport rates, if such calcu-
lations are to accurately predict mechanism. Many of these
components are neither fixed nor necessarily uniform across
a gill at any particular time (Medler and Silverman. 1997;
Medler f/ «/., 1999).
We cannot determine whether the particle-delivery mech-
anism involves direct particle contact with the cirri. How-
ever, at the observed proximity of the particle with the cirrus
(< 1 ju,m), the question of 'hydromechanical' versus 'me-
chanical' becomes irrelevant, as any intervening water is
essentially a mechanical coupler. Evidence for this reason-
ing comes from particles that were not successfully moved
to the frontal surface on the first cirral interaction. Many of
these particles were drawn back with the cirrus as it moved
toward the extended position (Figs. 4. 5). These particles
appeared to reside within the space (2.2-2.8 /urn) between
the free tips of the two ciliary plates making up the cirrus.
The particle ( 1 ^im in diameter) could be physically wedged
between the plates, moving within the water being drawn
back by the cirrus during its extension, or by cohesive
contact with the plates. The amount of water that might be
moving with the cirri is small according to the model of
Riisgard et ul. ( 1996). In addition, their model indicates that
particles can make contact with the cirral plate. The mech-
anism for particle capture is close interaction with the cirrus,
and at low Reynolds numbers, hydromechanical and me-
chanical are essentially the same, and consistent with the
confocal observations made in this study.
Both the eulamellibranch. Dreissena polymorpha and the
filibranch Mytilus edulis species have homorhabdic gills and
complex cirri, and capture small particles in the near-field
when cirral movements cause particles to be deflected onto
the frontal surface. The cirri stop the particles and then
transfer them to the frontal flow (Riisgard et ai. 1996;
Beninger et ai. 1997; Riisgard and Larsen. 2000; this
study). The environment of the transfer is non-steady state.
low Reynolds number (Griinbaum et ai. 1998). Predicting
exact particle movements without actually observing them
is difficult (Shimeta and Jumars, 1991). Far-field observa-
tions are possible using endoscopy that situate particle cap-
ture in intact specimens near the latero-frontal cirri (Ward et
ul.. 1998a). Near-field interactions are visible with CLSM
(Silverman et ai. 1996; this study). These observations,
together with microscopic observations on single filaments
or isolated gills (Nielsen et ai. 1993; Riisgard et ai. 1996),
and studies using in vivo preparations (Oral, 1967; Riisgard
and Larsen, 2000) all demonstrate the importance of cirri
and their direct interaction with particles during the capture
process.
Acknowledgments
This project was supported by Louisiana State University
Sea Grant Program NA46RG0096 R/ZMM-5. We thank
Julie Cherry, Ron Bouchard, Paul Bruce, and Chris Thi-
bodaux for technical assistance. This research was aided by
the M. D. Socolofsky Microscopy Facility. Additional video
images may be viewed at http://www.biology.lsu.edu/re-
search.
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The Physiological Basis for Faster Growth in the
Sydney Rock Oyster, Saccostrea commercials
BRIAN L. BAYNE1'*, SUSANNE SVENSSON1'2 AND JOHN A. NELL3
1 Centre for Research on Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities, Marine Ecology Laboratories All,
University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; 2 Department of Zoophysiology, University of Goteborg.
Medicinaregatan 18, 413 90 Goteborg, Sweden; and 3 NSW Fisheries, Port Stephens Research Centre,
Tavlors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia
Abstract. Sydney rock oysters were sampled from a mass
selection experiment for growth (the "selected" category)
and from a control ("not selected") population and held in
the laboratory at three ration levels. We evaluated three
models to explain faster rates of growth by selected oysters.
Selection resulted in oysters feeding at up to twice the rate
and with greater metabolic efficiency than controls. A field
experiment confirmed that selection leads to faster rates of
feeding across a wide range of food concentrations. Selected
oysters also grew more efficiently, at a smaller cost of
growth (Cj: mean values for Cg were 0.43 J • J ' in
selected individuals and 0.81 J • J~' in the controls. In
contrast, oysters in both categories showed similar meta-
bolic rates at maintenance, i.e., at a ration supporting zero
growth. There was no evidence that differential energy
allocation affected the balance between total metabolic re-
quirements above and below zero net energy balance. By
experimenting with selected and control oysters of different
sizes and ages, then standardizing the data for size, we
found no effects of age on the differences due to selection.
Faster-growing oysters feed more rapidly; invest more en-
ergy per joule ingested; show a higher net growth effi-
ciency: and are able to allocate less energy per unit of tissue
growth, than slower-growing individuals.
Introduction
The physiological processes that constitute growth are of
fundamental interest. A striking feature of growth in nature
is its variability amongst individuals, which is a result of the
Received 16 December 1998; accepted 29 September 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: blb@bio.
usvd.edu.au
effects of exogenous and endogenous factors. Of the various
endogenous factors involved, genotypic composition may
play a significant part.
Genetic properties may affect growth in various ways
(Koehn, 1991), including correlations between growth rate
and genetic heterozygosity (Mitton and Grant, 1984; Zouros
el al., 1988; Britten, 1996). For marine bivalve molluscs in
particular, presumed interactions between genotype and
growth are of particular interest in aquaculture (Newkirk,
1980), and the selective breeding of oysters has often suc-
ceeded in increasing average rates of growth (see review by
Sheridan, 1997).
Analysis of the bioenergetics of growth is useful in stud-
ies seeking to link phenotypic variability in growth to ge-
netic causes. This approach involves the dissection of
growth into its component processes, as represented by the
"balanced energy equation" of Winberg (1956; see review
by Wieser, 1994). For example, Present and Conover (1992)
have described how genetically based latitudinal differences
in the growth rate of the fish Menidia menidia were due to
differences in both food consumption rates and somatic
growth efficiency. In this present study, we set out to
identify physiological mechanisms to explain observed vari-
ability in growth in oysters. We postulated three ways by
which an individual animal may increase its rate of growth
above that of other individuals, when held in the same
environmental conditions. Though not fully independent
nor mutually exclusive, these are sufficiently different in
both underlying mechanisms and likely ecological conse-
quences to act as useful alternative models to explain vari-
ability in growth rate among individuals. We then evaluated
these models by comparing oysters artificially selected for
faster growth with control, "not-selected," oysters.
377
378
B. L. BAYNE ET AL
First, in the increased acquisition model, an individual
may obtain more food per unit time by feeding more rapidly
than others, so increasing its metabolizable energy intake
(Present and Conover, 1992; Rist et al., 1997; De Moed el
til.. 1998). This may be evaluated by comparing a variety of
traits of feeding behavior (Bayne et al.. 1999) and relating
the results to rates of growth. We tested the hypothesis that,
under similar conditions of ration (quantity and quality),
oysters selected for faster growth will have faster rates of
ingestion than do control (not-selected) oysters.
Second, in the modified allocation model, faster growth
may be the result of greater proportional allocation of en-
ergy to growth at the expense of other energy-demanding
processes, such as body maintenance (Wieser, 1989). We
evaluated one aspect of this model by estimating the meta-
bolic rate of selected and not-selected oysters at mainte-
nance, when growth is neither negative nor positive, to test
the hypothesis that selected oysters would show reduced
maintenance rates.
Finally, in the metabolic efficiency model, faster growth
may result from a higher growth efficiency (Present and
Conover. 1992) from reduced metabolic costs of growth
(Wieser, 1994). or from a combination of the two. This
model was evaluated in two ways. Firstly, net somatic
growth efficiency, defined as the proportion of metaboliz-
able energy intake allocated to growth, was determined.
Secondly, by measuring metabolic rates at different rates of
growth, we tested the hypothesis that reduced costs of
growth correlate, amongst individuals, with increased
growth rate.
We used the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea conunercia-
lis (Iredale and Roughley). The New South Wales Fisheries
Research Centre at Port Stephens. Australia, established a
mass selection program for these oysters in 1990 (Nell el
al.. 1996). Four selected lines were established for faster
growth, and these have been bred in alternate years since.
After one generation of selection, Nell et at.. ( 1996) found
that oysters from two of the lines were heavier than oysters
from two control lines. After two generations, their weight
was 18% greater than controls (Nell et a/.. 1998). Oysters
from the third generation of selection (referred to in Nell et
til.. 1998, as the "loose 2" selection line) were used in the
present study and compared with control oysters. The ex-
periment was designed to test hypotheses derived from the
three models discussed above and to identify the physiolog-
ical characteristics that may explain enhanced growth in the
selected lines.
Materials and Methods
Material and general procedures
Oysters were provided by the NSW Fisheries Laboratory
at Port Stephens. The selected oysters were as described
above. Controls were from a commercial oyster farm and
Table 1
Mean (±SD: n = 12} shell heights (cm) and whole weights {shell plus
flesh, grams} of oysters in the four experimental categories
Category
Shell height
Whole weight
Selected. Large
Not selected. Large
Selected. Small
Not selected. Small
7.93 ± 0.33a
7.89 ± 0.47"
6.37 ± 0.32"
6.54 ± 0.36b
52.95 ± 1.05°
49.66 ± 2.40C
38.40 ± 3.87d
36.96 ± 2.84d
Values sharing superscripted letters are not significantly different.
are referred to as "not-selected." These oysters were grown
under identical conditions to the selected oysters, within
Nelson Bay, New South Wales, though they were from a
natural larval settlement and not cultured as larvae within
the hatchery, as were the selected individuals. Within each
category, we distinguished one group of "small" and one
group of "large" oysters (Table I). The selected oysters were
23 months old. The ages of the not-selected oysters were not
known with certainty, but the "not-selected, small (NSS)"
individuals are considered to be of similar age to the "se-
lected, large (SL)" individuals, though of smaller size, and
of similar age and size to the "selected, small (SS)" oysters.
The "not-selected, large (NSL)" oysters are thought to be
about 6 months older than the selected, large oysters.
Twelve oysters from each experimental category (Table
I) were tagged for individual identification and held in the
water-table of a research aquarium of recirculating seawater
in Sydney. The aquarium contained 600 1 of water, of which
33% was replaced every 7 days. Water temperature was
controlled at 20 ± 5°C and salinity at 33 ± 1.5%c.
The laboratory experiment was as follows:
20 January to 8 Fehnuiry 1998 (20 days). No supple-
mentary food added; physiological measurements
made from 28 January to 5 February and labeled the
"field" condition.
9 February to 4 March (24 days). Food added to make up
the "middle ration" condition; measurements made
from 23 February to 2 March.
5 March to 18 March (14 days). Food added to comprise
the "high ration" condition; measurements made 12 to
18 March.
19 March to 9 April (22 days). No food added; the "low
ration" condition; measurements made from 6 to 10
April, after 16-20 days without food.
Rations
The food was unicelled algae Isochrysis galbana (strain
T-ISO) and Chaetoceros gruclUs, supplied as algal pastes
by Reed Mariculture Inc.. California. Individual pastes were
combined in the proportion 3 parts T-ISO to 7 parts C.
PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH OF ROCK OYSTERS
379
gracilis, and the cells were suspended in seawater in a
feeding reservoir at the desired concentration (Table II). The
cells were dosed to the oysters by peristaltic pump, from
0930 to 1530 daily (middle ration) and 0930 to 1630 (high
ration). Cell concentrations in the trays were monitored
frequently with a particle size analyzer (Coulter Counter
model Zl ). Samples of cells from the feeding reservoir were
weighed after drying overnight at 80°C, and then measured
for nitrogen content (by Leco CHN analyser).
Physiological measurements
All oysters were measured for clearance rate, absorption
efficiency, rate of oxygen consumption, and rate of ammo-
nia-nitrogen excretion, at each ration level. Following pre-
liminary studies, care was taken not to use the same indi-
viduals in any two measurements without at least 24 h of
recovery from the stress of handling.
Clearance rate (CR). Clearance rate is a measure of the
volume of water cleared of algal cells per hour. When
pseudofeces (that is, material cleared from suspension but
not ingested) are not produced (as in this experiment), the
rate of ingestion of food is calculated as CR X [food
concentration].
Oysters were placed individually in 1-1 beakers in water
from the feeding trays and left undisturbed in a water bath
for 30 min. A beaker without an oyster was used as the
blank control. The water was gently aerated using Pasteur
pipettes coupled to a compressed air supply. About 600 ml
of the water was then siphoned off and replaced with
seawater containing algal cells at a concentration equivalent
to the experimental ration. A 10-ml sample was taken after
10 min and then at 10-min intervals for a further 40 min.
Cell concentrations were measured with a particle size
analyzer (Coulter Counter model Zl).
For data analysis, a check was first made for linearity ( In
cell concentration plotted over time), then clearance rate as
Table II
Maximal concentrations of cells (T-ISO + C. gracilis) and total
paniculate matter (TPM) in the oyster trays for each of the
experimental rations
Maximal TPM:
Maximal cell
mg • 1~'
% body weight
Ration
conc:103 mP'
[ = "Peak rations"]
ingested • d~'
Low-
2.9 ± 0.9
0.07 ± 0.02
Middle
44.0 ± 1.9
0.59 ± 0.02
0.87 ± 0.37
High
90.9 ± 5.3
1 .07 ± 0.07
2.41 ± 1.58
TPM is based on a conversion from cell numbers (106 cells = 0.013 ±
0.003 mg dry mass). The "% body weight ingested" is calculated from
mean ingestion rates across the four experimental categories, as presented
later in the Results section. All values are means ± SD.
liters per hour was calculated according to Coughlan
(1969):
CR = ([lnC,,-lnC,]- Vol/M-Blank,
where C0 and C, are concentrations of cells at the beginning
and end of incubation time /, Vol is the volume of water in
the beaker, and Blank is the change in cell concentration in
the blank control beaker.
Absorption efficiency (AE). Absorption efficiency mea-
sures the efficiency with which ingested organic material is
absorbed by the animal. When multiplied by the ingestion
rate, AE estimates absorption rate (milligrams of organic
matter per hour).
Samples of feces were collected from the beakers in
which the oysters were held for CR measurements. It proved
impossible to collect enough material for analysis by indi-
vidual; rather, samples were pooled according to category,
at each of the middle and high ration levels. Food cells were
sampled at the same time. Samples were filtered onto ashed,
preweighed, GF/C filters, washed with 0.9% ammonium
formate, dried overnight at 80°C, weighed, ashed for 4 h at
450°C, and weighed again. AE was estimated according to
Conover (1966):
AE= F - £/[(! - £)• F],
where F and E are the ratios of ash-free dry weight to dry
weight of the food and feces, respectively.
Oxygen consumption (VO:). Oxygen consumption is an
indirect measure of the metabolic rate, or rate of energy
expenditure, by the animal.
Oysters were placed individually in airtight flasks of
-500 ml volume, on a perforated base that allowed stirring
of the water by magnetic stirrers. Each flask was fitted with
a Strathkelvin oxygen electrode to record the rate of decline
of dissolved oxygen in the flasks. The flasks were also fitted
with two 5-ml syringes, one containing algal cells, the other
empty as a compensation chamber. After 30 min at constant
temperature in a water bath, the algal cells were injected
into the flask to achieve a cell concentration equivalent to
that measured in the feeding trays (middle and high ration
levels only). The rate of oxygen consumption was then
recorded for a further 60-90 min. For each set of measure-
ments of five oysters, one flask was used as a blank control.
The rate of oxygen consumption, as milliliters of oxygen
per hour, was calculated as:
VO, = ([<9:il - O2l2] • Vol//) - Blank.
where 0-,,, and O-,,2 are oxygen concentrations (milliliters
per liter) at least 30-min apart; Vol is the volume of water
in the flask; / is the time in hours, and Blank is the change
of oxygen concentration in the blank control respirometer.
Excretion rale (VNH4~N). This is the rate at which
nitrogen is excreted as ammonia. Oysters were placed indi-
380
B. L. BAYNE ET AL.
vidually in 1 1 of filtered seawater and left undisturbed for 3
h. Beakers without oysters served as blank controls. Con-
centrations of ammonia were measured using the phenol-
hypochlorite method of Solorzano (1969); a full set of
standards was analyzed for each experimental run. Rates of
excretion, as milligrams of ammonia-nitrogen per hour,
were calculated as:
VNH4 - N = (Conccvpll - Conca,nlrill)-Vol//.
where Concexptl and Concconlro| are ammonia concentrations
in experimental and control beakers, respectively, Vol is the
volume of water in the beaker, and / is the incubation time
(3 h).
Oxygen:nitrogen ratio. The ratio, in molar equivalents, of
oxygen consumed to nitrogen excreted serves as an index of
catabolic substrate (Bayne and Newell, 1983). and was
calculated to evaluate whether the oysters in the different
growth and size categories were utilizing different biochem-
ical substrates, a difference which might then explain other
observed metabolic differences.
Growth. The 12 oysters in each experimental category
were weighed (shell plus flesh) at the beginning (Table 1)
and end of the experiment. Growth was calculated by sub-
traction and related to the period spent at high ration (14
days) to convert to a daily rate. At the end of the experi-
ment, the oysters were shucked and dry flesh weights de-
termined after drying overnight at 80°C.
Due to uncoupling in the growth of shell and tissue in
bivalves (Hilbish, 1986; Lewis and Cerrato, 1997) conver-
sions of total weight to weight of tissue, using a constant
conversion factor, must be made with caution. For this
study, we derived such conversion factors for each individ-
ual at the end of the experiment. Given the relatively short
duration of the experiment, we considered it appropriate to
use these factors to estimate equivalent dry flesh weight at
the start, and so to estimate growth also as milligrams of dry
tissue per day.
Converting rates to a standard body size
This conversion was based on allometric relationships
between dry flesh weight and the measured physiological
rates, following Bayne and Newell (1983):
where V/stanJ and VVsland are the standardized rate and dry
flesh weight, respectively; Vmeas and Wmeas are the rate and
dry flesh weight as measured; and |3 is the allometric expo-
nent in the equation describing physiological rate as a
function of body size.
Estimates of /3 were derived for clearance and respiration
rates across all experimental categories from the "field
condition" measurements. The exponent for excretion rate
is based on a separate sample of oysters (Svensson, unpub-
lished). The exponent for growth was determined from rates
of growth calculated (see above) for the high ration condi-
tion. The values were as follows:
Clearance rate: ft = 0.641 ± 0.1 13(« = 32)
Oxygen consumption rate: J3 = 0.536 ± 0.107(>i = 25)
Excretion rate: /3 = 0.772 ± 0.156(/( = 50)
Growth rate: j3 = 1.96 ± 0.58(/i = 45).
As measured over all categories (n = 48), the mean dry
flesh weight of the experimental oysters at the end of the
experiment was 0.920 ± 0.243 g. Wstand was set at 1.0 g.
Field measurements
Rates of ingestion were measured in the field on two
occasions, as a test of the hypothesis that results of the
laboratory experiment on feeding rates, and in the context of
a model of energy acquisition, would be repeated under the
more natural conditions of food availability. Selected and
not-selected oysters of similar size (64.0 ± 3.35 g and
62.7 ± 2.86 g whole weight, respectively) were held over-
night in wide-mesh bags at the mouth of the Karuah River
as it enters the Port Stephens estuary, on 9-10 September
and 3-5 November. 1998. This is an area used for cultivat-
ing oysters. The selected oysters were from the same mass
selection as those used in the laboratory. During the field
measurements, water temperatures were 19.1 ± 1.9°C(over
both months) and salinities were 28.2 ± 1.9%o (September)
and 32.5 ± 8.3%c (November). Total paniculate matter in
suspension was 8.0 ± 2.3 and 29.3 ± 5.8 mg • 1 in
September and November, respectively.
The oysters were placed individually in specially de-
signed trays (36 X 16 X 8 cm. with a sill at one end to
reduce turbulent flow) at flow rates of 450 ± 15 ml • min " '
of water pumped directly from the river. After 1 h all
biodeposits were removed from the trays and the oysters left
undisturbed for a further 30 or 60 min. Feces and pseudo-
feces were then collected quantitatively, together with sam-
ples of suspended particulate matter, and filtered onto ashed
and weighed GF/C filters. The filters were dried overnight at
80°C, weighed, ashed at 450°C for 4 h, and weighed again.
The results were used to calculate rates of filtration and
ingestion by the "biodeposition" method as described by
Iglesias et al. (1998) and Bayne er al. (1999).
Statistical anal\sis
The results of the laboratory experiment were analyzed in
three stages, using SYSTAT 6.0 (Wilkinson, 1996).
1 . For each ration condition the physiological measure-
ments, standardized to an animal size of 1 g dry flesh
weight, were analyzed as a two-way ANOVA with
"selection" (i.e.. selected or not-selected) and "size"
PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH OF ROCK OYSTERS
381
(large or small) as the main effects. In all cases the
"selection X size" interaction was not significant.
2. Given the "repeated measures" nature of the experi-
mental design, a different approach was taken to
analyze the data across rations. Three groups of four
individuals were first selected at random from each
category (selection and size). These were then allo-
cated, again at random, to one of the three ration
levels. A three-way ANOVA was then done, with
"selection," "size," and "ration" as the main effects.
Where both "selection" and "ration" showed signif-
icant effect, a regression analysis was performed,
with ration as the independent variable, to compare
oysters from the different categories.
3. Finally, data for each individual oyster over the three
ration levels were analyzed by linear regression, and
comparisons between categories were made on the
basis of the average "within category" values for the
slope and intercept in the fitted equations. These
regressions were for three data points only, per indi-
vidual: only those for which the level of significance
in the analysis was P < 0.10 were used for compar-
isons.
The results of the measurements in the field were ana-
lyzed by two-sample / test with pooled variance.
Results
Laboratory experiment
Ration levels. The cell concentrations in the feeding trays
(Table II) were converted to equivalent dry mass using the
constant 0.013 mg per 106 cells, and to nitrogen content
using 5.6% N by weight. "Peak rations" are the levels
recorded between 1100 and either 1500 (low and middle
ration) or 1600 (high ration), and are the concentrations
applied during the physiological measurements (except ex-
cretion rates, which were measured in filtered seawater).
Peak rations were as follows: low ration, 0.074 ± 0.018;
middle ration, 0.593 ± 0.024: high ration, 1.071 ± 0.068
mg • 1 ~ ' .
Clearance and ingestion rates. These were measured for
the middle and high ration levels only (Table III). Differ-
ences due to size alone, following standardization to 1 g dry
flesh weight, were significant only for ingestion rates at the
middle ration. This result indicates that the effects of age on
feeding rates were not greatly significant overall. The ef-
fects of selection were greater, particularly at high ration,
where the selected, large oysters had significantly faster
rates of clearance and ingestion than the not-selected, large
and not-selected, small oysters.
When the original ingestion rates (i.e.. before standard-
izing them to 1 g dry flesh weight) were converted to
percentages of body weight (as dry mass in milligrams),
significant differences among categories were evident
(Fig. 1: high ration). Selected oysters at both middle and
high ration levels had faster relative ingestion rates than
the not-selected oysters, with no significant differences
between large and small oysters. For example, at the
middle ration. SL oysters ingested 1.14 ± 0.47 %bw •
d"1, compared with 0.80 ± 0.22 %bw • d"1 for NSL
individuals; the values for SS and NSS oysters were
0.88 ± 0.44 and 0.68 ± 0.33 %bw • d 1, respectively
(see Fig. 1 for the high ration data).
Absorption efficiency. There were no significant differ-
ences due either to selection or to size. Values were all
between 0.66 and 0.78 (mean 0.71 ± 0.06), with slightly
lower values at high than at middle ration (P < 0.05).
Rates of oxygen consumption. Differences among cate-
gories (Table IVA) were significant (P < 0.05) only for size
effects at the middle ration, where the VO2 was higher for
the NSL oysters than for the NSS oysters.
Differences between selected, large, and not-selected,
large, and between selected, small, and not-selected, small,
oysters were not significant at any of the ration levels.
The effects of ration on rates of oxygen consumption,
however, were highly significant for all categories, with
Table III
Clearance rates (CR: I • h~'> and ingestion rates (IR: mg • h ' } for oysters in each of four experimental cuti'xurii'x. at twn rution*
CR
IR
Category
Middle ration
High ration
Middle ration
High ration
Selected. Large
2.53 ± 0.28
3.10 ± 0.37
10.36 ± 1.13
23.59 ± 2.74
Not selected. Large
2.12 ± 0.18
2.05 ± 0.29
8.59 ± 0.73
16.42 ± 2.14
Selected. Small
2.07 ± 0.25
3.00 ± 0.34
8.45 ± 1.04
23.54 ± 2.32
Not selected. Small
1.65 ±0.22
2.01 ± 0.29
6.73 ± 0.88
15.09 ± 2.16
P for selection
<0.0]
<0.01
ns
<0.005
P for size
ns
ns
<0.05
ns
Values are means ± SE, for weight-standardized data; n = 1 2 per category. The results of an analysis of variance are shown as the relevant probability,
P, comparing selected with not-selected, and large with small oysters; ns signifies P > 0.05.
382
B. L. BAYNE ET AL
TO
•
cu
Q.
T3
O
LU
CO
LU
O
? 0
SL NSL SS NSS
CATEGORY
Figure 1. Rates of ingestion (not standardized for differences in body
weight), as percent of dry body weight per day, by oysters in the tour
experimental categories at high ration; means ± SD. The categories are SL.
Selected, large; NSL, Not-selected, large; SS. Selected, small; NSS. Not-
selected, small.
respiration rate increasing as ingested ration increased. Ox-
ygen consumption rates were converted to energy equiva-
lents as 20.1 J • ml O: ' (Gnaiger, 1983), and ingestion
rates converted as 26.5 J • mg ' (Widdows and Hawkins,
1989). The energy ingested per unit of energy respired was
then calculated.
At the middle ration, differences in this efficiency mea-
sure between categories were not significant; the overall
mean value was 0.83 ± 0.38 joule ingested per joule re-
spired, which indicates a ration level below the maintenance
requirement. At the high ration, average energy ingested per
unit respiration was higher (1.53 ± 0.55 J • J"'), with
significant differences due to selection (P < 0.01 ). Selected
oysters (large and small: 1.86 ± 0.78 J • J"1) were more
efficient in this respect than the not-selected oysters ( 1 .20 ±
0.55 J • J"1).
This conclusion was confirmed by the analysis of data for
individuals. For each oyster, a regression analysis was made
of respiratory energy loss. R (J • d '), as a function of
ingested ration, IR (J • d"1). Figure 2 shows the means and
standard deviations of the fitted slopes, grouped by cate-
gory. Categories SL and NSL (P < 0.02), and SS and NSS
(P < 0.001) were significantly different. Differences be-
tween size categories (SL vs. SS and NSL vs. NSS). how-
ever, were not significant. On average, selected oysters
respired 0.24 J for every joule ingested, across ration levels,
compared with 0.45 J by the not-selected oysters.
Excretion rates. At all ration levels, selected oysters
excreted more ammonia than the not-selected oysters (Table
Table IV
Metabolic measurements for oysters in four experimental categories at low, middle, ami high ration levels
Ration
Category
Low ration
Middle ration
High ration
A. Oxygen consumption rate (VO2): ml O, • h~':
Selected, Large
0.408 ± 0.080
0.591 ± 0.138
0.738 ± 0.218
Not selected. Large
0.391 ± 0.105
0.662 ±0.148
0.701 ± 0.180
Selected. Small
0.363 ± 0.074
0.538 ±0.126
0.614 ± 0.150
Not selected, small
0.333 ± 0.061
0.514 ± 0.096
0.631 ±0.110
P for selection
ns
ns
ns
P for size
ns
<0.05
ns
B. Excretion rate (VNH4 • N): /ag NH4 • h~'*
Selected, Large
25.0 ± 4.6
28.7 ±4.1
27,4 ± 3.4
Not selected. Large
18.5 ± 2.8
19.9 ± 2.7
17.1 ± 2.5
Selected. Small
22.9 ± 4.3
25.4 ± 3.5
31.9 ± 4.6
Not selected, small
8.9 ± 1.2
18.1 ± 2.5
25.2 ± 4.5
P for selection
<0.05
<0.05
<0.05
P for size
ns
ns
ns
C. Scope for growth (SFG): J • g~' • d~'
Selected. Large
-212 ± 11
-76 ± 23
87 ± 29
Not selected. Large
-199 ± 15
-154 ± 17
-33 ± 31
Selected, Small
-175 ± 10
-122 ± 28
154 ± 47
Not selected, small
-160 ± 8
-106 ± 25
-33 ± 26
P for selection
ns
ns
<0.001
P for size
11 S
ns
ns
Values are means ± SE; n = 12 per category. The results of an analysis of variance arc shown as the relevant probability. P, comparing selected with
not-selected, and large with small oysters; ns signifies P > 0.05.
* Values represent weight-standardized data.
PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH OF ROCK OYSTERS
383
u.o
T3
% 0.7
Q)
O)
•E 0.6
_
-
o 0.5
1 0.4
1 °3
! °2
-
-
-
1 0.1
0.0
-
•"
SL NSL
SS
NSS
CATEGORY
Figure 2. Energy respired (J • d ') per unit of ingested energy (J -d ')
by oysters in the four experimental categories; means ± SD. The tour
categories are SL, Selected, large; NSL. Not-selected, large; SS. Selected,
small; NSS. Not-selected, small.
IVB). Size (age) effects were not significant. Only for the
small oysters was there a suggestion of excretion rates
increasing with increased rates of ingestion.
At the middle ration, excretion rates were fast relative to
ingested nitrogen (1.50 ± 1.13 mg excreted • mg~' in-
gested, across all categories), indicating that this ration was
well below the maintenance requirement for nitrogen, as it
was also for energy (see above). At high ration, on average,
56% of ingested nitrogen was lost in excretion.
Oxygen:nitrogen ratio. Analysis of variance indicated no
significant effects of either growth category or ration on the
O:N ratio. Mean ratios for selected and not-selected indi-
viduals were 59.8 ± 7.0 and 66.6 ± 7.3, respectively.
Scope for growth {SFG) and maintenance metabolic rate.
SFG was calculated as the difference between metaboliz-
able energy intake (ingested ration X absorption efficiency)
and the sum of respiratory and excretory energy losses. At
low ration, SFG is assumed equal to the summed energy
losses (i.e., there was no significant energy intake). There
were no significant differences between either selection or
size categories at this ration. Similarly, at the middle ration
(Table IVC), where the SFG was negative in all cases (i.e.,
metabolizable energy intake was below the maintenance
requirement), there was no significant effect of selection or
size overall.
At high ration, however, the SFG was high and positive
for selected oysters (both large and small) and negative for
not-selected oysters, a highly significant difference (Table
IVC; P < 0.001). Differences due to size (age) in these
weight-standardized data were not statistically significant.
The maintenance metabolic rate (/Jmaim; joules per day) is
the rate expressed when growth is neither positive nor
negative. This was estimated by plotting R as a function of
the SFG (Fig. 3): the intercept at zero growth indicates the
metabolic rate at maintenance. Linear regression analysis
was applied to all individuals, and the slopes and intercepts
were compared by analysis of variance (Table V). Data
from eight individuals (2. 3. 2. and 1 in the SL, NSL, SS,
and NSS categories, respectively) were rejected as not meet-
ing the chosen level of significance (P < 0.10).
There was no significant effect of selection on the esti-
mated maintenance metabolic rate (mean = 308 ± 19 J •
d~'). Size, however, did have a significant effect; mainte-
nance rate was 337 ± 19 J • d ! for large oysters and 278 ±
19 J • d"1 for small oysters.
Regression analysis demonstrated a significant linear re-
lation, over all individual oysters, between intercepts and
slopes from the individual regressions of R vs. SFG. There-
fore, to confirm the absence of any significant differences in
estimated Rmainf due to selection, a separate statistical test
was performed. Individual oysters were ranked for Rmamt,
and the two selection categories were compared by the
Mann-Whitney U test. The result was not statistically sig-
nificant, 0.10 > P > 0.05, over 34 cases.
Growth, the costs of growth, and growth efficiency. Rates
of growth, standardized to 1 g dry flesh weight, were de-
rived for the 14 days spent at high ration, from measures of
whole weight (shell plus flesh). Growth in selected oysters
was faster than in the not-selected oysters (Table V).
The data for growth in whole weight were converted to
equivalents in growth of dry tissue weight using total/dry
ro
T3
I
co
CO
CO
O
rr
O
£
cr
Q.
CO
HI
500
400-
300-
"-200 -100
100 200 300
SCOPE FOR GROWTH: Joules per day
Figure 3. Respiratory energy loss (J • d ' ) at different levels of scope
for growth (J • d ' ) in three oysters from each of two categories; selected,
large (circles) and not-selected, large (triangles). Fitted regression lines are
shown. The intercepts at zero scope for growth represent energy losses at
maintenance (R, „.„„,).
384
B. L. BAYNE ET AL.
Table V
Rates of growth and growth efficiency tit hi^li ration, the estimated costs of growth and maintenance metabolic rate (Rmjln[), /or oysters in each of
four experimental categories
Category
Growth at high ration:
mg total weight • d~'
Growth
efficiency
Cost of growth:
j-r1
Maintenance
metabolic rate: J • d~'
Selected, Large
71.4 ± 4.6
0.26 ± 0.03
0.48 ± 0.07
313.1 ± 23.2
Not selected. Large
58.8 ± 6.2
0.16 ± 0.02
0.75 ± 0.14
361.6 ± 25.8
Selected, Small
63.9 ± 5.0
0.29 ± 0.03
0.35 ± 0.07
248.4 ± 16.4
Not selected. Small
52.0 ± 3.7
0.25 ± 0.03
0.85 ±0.15
308.9 ± 32.2
P for selection
<0.01
<0.05
<0.05
ns
P for size
ns
<0.05
ns
<0.05
Values are means ± SE for n = 12 per category (growth and growth efficiency) and n = 10, 9, 10. and 1 1 for categories SL, NSL, SS, and NSS,
respectively (costs of growth and /?„,.„„,). Growth values are for shell + flesh. Growth efficiency is for tissue growth as a proportion of metabolizable energy
intake. The costs of growth and maintenance metabolic rate are estimated as described in the text. The results of an analysis of variance are shown as the
relevant probability, P. comparing selected with not-selected, and large with small oysters; ns signifies P > 0.05.
tissue conversion factors tor each individual. When values
for metabolic rate associated with growth (/?grow. in units of
joules per day), calculated as R - /?maim. are plotted against
these estimates of tissue growth in energy units, the slope of
the regression provides an estimate of the cost of growth,
i.e., /vgrovv per unit tissue growth (joules per joule). This
analysis yields (see Table V) 0.43 ± 0.19 J • J"1 for the
selected oysters (categories 1 and 3 together) and 0.81 ±
0.26 J • J" ' for the not-selected oysters (categories 2 and 4).
These estimates are significantly different (P < 0.01 ).
Growth efficiency was calculated as metabolizable en-
ergy intake/tissue growth, both in units of joules per day. for
high ration (Table V). The effects of both selection {P <
0.05) and size (P < 0.05) were significant. Over all cate-
gories of selection and size, growth efficiency was low.
0.24 ± 0.04.
Field measurements
Selected oysters (n = 17) had significantly faster rates of
both filtration and ingestion than not-selected oysters (n =
21 ) on both occasions in the field (September and Novem-
ber; Table VI). Rates were faster in November, when con-
centrations of suspended paniculate material were higher
(TPM, 29.3 ± 5.8 mg • T1 compared to 8.0 ± 2.3 in
September: particulate organic matter. POM. 4.0 ± 1.5 mg •
1~' compared to 1.6 ± 0.4 in September). The ratios of
ingestion rates for selectedmot-selected oysters were 2.70
for September and 2.06 for November.
Discussion
The rock oysters (Saccostrea commercialis) used in this
experiment were taken from the third generation of a mass
selection program (the "selected" categories) and from a
control ("not-selected") population from the same location
in the Port Stephens estuary, Australia. At a ration level that
peaked daily at 1.1 mg total particulate matter per liter (the
"high ration" level), the selected oysters grew, on average,
22% faster than the not-selected oysters. This accords with
Newkirk and Haley (1982) for selection for growth in
Ostrea edulis (23% gain over controls), Paynter and Dim-
ichele (1990) for Crassostrea virginica (24%-28% gain),
and Toro et al. ( 1994) for Ostrea chilensis ( 13%-33% gain).
It also accords with assessment of the Port Stephens selec-
tion study itself, where an 18% improvement in growth rate
was recorded after two generations (Nell et al.. 1998).
The molar ratio of oxygen consumed to nitrogen excreted
was calculated to evaluate whether the two groups of se-
lected and not-selected (=control) oysters were catabolizing
Table VI
Filtration and ingestion rates of oysters measured on Mo occasions in the field at Karuah. Ne»: South Wales
Filtration: mg
Ingestion: mg • h '
Category
September
November
September
November
Selected
Not selected
P comparing categories.
20.2 ± 1.6
13.3 ± 1.4
<0.005
70.3 ± 17.7
22.3 ± 5.4
<0.05
2.7 ± 0.3
1.0 ± 0.2
<0.001
16.1 ± 3.0
7.8 ± 1.4
<0.01
Values are means ± SE for n = 16 (September) and n = 22 (November). P values are the result of / tests comparing categories.
PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH OF ROCK OYSTERS
385
different energy substrates at the time of the experiment.
Such differences might indicate different physiological
states in the two growth categories, which would render
more detailed metabolic comparisons complex. There was,
however, no significant difference in the O:N ratios (P >
0.05), in spite of differences in rates of excretion, suggesting
that selection for growth did not shift the normal seasonal
pattern of metabolism significantly in these oysters.
Until we know more about nitrogen metabolism in this
species, we cannot fully interpret the observed differences
in excretion rates. However, the selected oysters both fed
more quickly and excreted nitrogen at a higher rate than the
control individuals. This is not unexpected, but more infor-
mation on the relationship between ingested and excreted
nitrogen is needed before these observations can be set in
context with selection for growth.
We proposed three models to explain the observed dif-
ferences in rates of growth: faster growing individuals may
feed more rapidly; they may reduce their maintenance en-
ergy requirement; or they may grow more efficiently than
slower growing individuals. The results of the laboratory
experiment supported the first and third, but not the second,
of these models. Further, by experimenting with different
sizes (and therefore ages) of oysters, but correcting the
measurements according to observed size/rate relationships,
we demonstrated that age was not a significant factor in
explaining most of the observed differences between indi-
viduals. The exceptions were estimated maintenance meta-
bolic rate, which increased with age. and growth efficiency,
which declined with age.
Oysters from the selected line had faster clearance rates
(volume of water cleared of food cells per hour) than
control, not-selected oysters. This was reflected in a 44%
increase in ingestion rates at the greatest ration. Because of
a similarity across experimental categories in the efficiency
with which these cells were absorbed in the gut, an identical
difference in metabolizable energy intake was observed. In
experiments with hybrid and inbred lines of Pacific oysters
(Crassostrea gigeis), Bayne et al. (1999) recorded faster
clearance rates by hybrids in three out of four comparisons,
consistent with observed differences in growth rate. Genet-
ically based differences in feeding behavior are an impor-
tant component of differences in rates of growth among
individual oysters.
A similar difference between selected and not-selected
oysters was observed in the field experiment, in which a
different technique for measuring feeding behavior was
used (the biodeposition method in the field, in contrast to
direct cell counts in the laboratory), and the concentration of
food was significantly greater (8.00 ± 2.28 and 29.3 ± 5.8
in the field, compared with a maximum of 1 .07 ± 0.07 mg •
1~' in the laboratory). Under these conditions the differ-
ences between the two experimental categories of oyster
were actually more marked than in the laboratory. This
finding lends general support to the "energy acquisition"
model and demonstrates that the inferred genetic component
of variability in feeding behavior supports faster growth,
both under natural circumstances in the field and in the
laboratory.
Feeding rates were not only faster in selected oysters,
they were also more metabolically efficient. Feeding is not
itself energetically expensive in bivalve molluscs, although
the total costs of feeding and digestion plus absorption may
account for up to 20% of total metabolic rate (Hawkins and
Bayne, 1992). Feeding rates may increase significantly
without seriously compromising net energy yield. The rock
oysters selected for growth achieved a greater gain of en-
ergy per unit of energy lost in metabolism than did control
oysters. The actual mechanisms of feeding that are respon-
sible for these differences remain unknown. We presume,
however, that increasing rate of ingestion as a mechanism
for increasing gross energy yield will be limited eventually
by decreased gut passage time, which ultimately limits
maximum absorption efficiency (Bayne et al., 1989).
Our second model, which we call the energy allocation
model, was not supported by the results of the experiment.
The estimated rate of metabolism at maintenance varied
between 250 and 360 joules per day, standardized for oys-
ters of 1 g dry flesh weight, and it increased with age but not
with selection. An average of 308 J • d~' is equivalent to a
maintenance requirement for metabolizable energy intake of
— 1.4% of body weight per day. This is similar to published
values for other bivalves of similar size (reviewed by Bayne
and Newell, 1983) and accords with our conclusion that the
middle ration level in the laboratory was insufficient to meet
the requirements for maintenance of these oysters. Increased
maintenance costs with age have commonly been reported
for other bivalves (review by Griffiths and Griffiths, 1987).
Studies with blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, by Hawkins et
ul. (1986) and Bayne and Hawkins (1997), and with rain-
bow trout, Oncorhvnchus mykiss, by McCarthy et al.
(1994), have demonstrated how reduced rates of protein
turnover contribute to reduced metabolic costs and higher
rates of growth. These processes appear to be genotype
dependent, and they support the concept of differential
energy allocation (Wieser, 1989) as a means of increasing
growth. In our experiments, differences in maintenance
metabolic rate between fast- and slow-growing oysters were
not statistically significant. This result merits further re-
search, however. For example, the data (Table V) show a
tendency towards higher maintenance metabolic rates in the
not-selected oysters, particularly among the smaller size
categories, but with high variance. In similar experiments
with Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas (Bayne, in press),
we have observed significant differences in flmaim among
individuals, which correlated with differences in growth
rate. The energy allocation model remains a possibility in
386
B. L. BAYNE ET AL
Metabolic
energy loss
*Snaint
MEI
select
MEI
control
v G
control
' select
[-ve]
zero
[+ve]
Growth
Figure 4. A qualitative illustration of the main findings of this study. Metabolic energy loss is plotted as a
function of growth for oysters selected for fast growth, and for control oysters. Below the maintenance
requirement, where growth is negative, there is no difference in metabolic expenditure due to selection; the
maintenance metabolic demand (ftma,nl) is the same for both experimental categories. However, selected oysters
achieve a higher metabolizable energy intake (MEI) than the controls and express a lower cost of growth. The
net result is an increased growth rate and a higher growth efficiency (Gxka vs. Gcomro|). Differences due to
selection have been exaggerated for illustration purposes.
the general case, therefore, although not supported directly
by these data on Saccostreu.
Our third model concerned growth and metabolic effi-
ciency. This was evaluated by estimating both the costs of
growth and net growth efficiency in selected and not-se-
lected oysters. The results supported the hypothesis that
selected oysters would show a lower cost of growth (0.43 J •
J ') than control oysters (0.81 J • J~'). Both values are high
compared with published values (Wieser, 1994; average for
"ectothermic metazoans" of 0.30 J • J~ ' ), possibly reflecting
a relatively poor-quality diet and slow overall rates of
growth. Nevertheless, the differences due to selection, and
the lack of significant differences due to age, are evident.
Clearly, selection for growth in this species, as in others
(Bayne and Hawkins, 1997), involves selection for reduced
costs of growth.
Selected and not-selected oysters also differed in growth
efficiency measured as the proportion of metabolizable en-
ergy intake utilized in tissue growth. This efficiency was
low in all cases— for example, 0.28 ± 0.09 and 0.21 ± 0.08
for selected and not-selected oysters, respectively. The re-
sults do, however, support the hypothesis that selected oys-
ters utilize a higher proportion of absorbed ration for
growth, and do so at a reduced cost of growth relative to the
controls.
In summary (Fig. 4), our experiments indicate that mass
selection for growth in the rock oyster resulted in individ-
uals that had a greater intake of metabolizable energy by
virtue of faster (and more metabolically efficient) feeding,
and were able to use this intake more efficiently for growth.
Selected and control oysters did not differ in their energetic
costs at maintenance. The field experiment confirmed that
selected oysters fed more rapidly than the controls. The
challenge now is to analyze in more detail the feeding
behavior and the metabolic processes that contribute to the
costs of growth and to link these processes more directly to
observed individual differences in genotype.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Shannon Long, who helped with many
aspects of this work, and to Shannon and Alison Phillips for
their work in the field. Graham Housefield provided invalu-
able support throughout the project. The research was sup-
ported by a grant from the Australian Research Council to
the Special Research Centre on Ecological Impacts of
Coastal Cities. Susanne Svensson was supported by the
Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Sweden
(Sucozoma Project. DNR 95005). The manuscript benefited
significantly from the comments of Gee Chapman and Tony
Underwood.
PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH OF ROCK OYSTERS
387
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Reference: Bial. Bull. 197: 388-394. (December 1999)
Hydrostatic Pressure Alters the Time Course of
GTP[S] Binding to G Proteins in Brain Membranes
from Two Congeneric Marine Fishes
JOSEPH F. SIEBENALLER1 * AND THOMAS F. MURRAY2
1 Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Louisiana 70803; and
' Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine,
Athens, Georgia 30602
Abstract. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the re-
ceptor-stimulated exchange of guanosine triphosphate
(GTP) for guanosine diphosphate (GDP) on the a subunit of
G proteins were studied in two congeneric marine teleost
fishes that differ in their depths of distribution. The poorly
hydrolyzable GTP analog [35S]guanosine 5'-[y-thio]tri-
phosphate ([35S]GTP[S]) was used to monitor the modula-
tion of signal transduction by the A, adenosine receptor
agonist Nh-R-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine (R-PIA) in brain
membranes of the scorpaenids Sebastolohux ulascunus and
S. altivelis. The maximal binding (BmaJ and dissociation
constant (Kd) values, determined from equilibrium binding
isotherms at atmospheric pressure (5°C), were similar in the
two species. The fim.lx values for these species are much
lower than literature values for mammalian brain tissue
(25°C); however, the Kd values of the teleost and mamma-
lian G proteins are similar. The EC5(, values for the A,
adenosine receptor agonist R-PIA were similar in the two
species. Hydrostatic pressure of 204 atm altered the binding
of ["S]GTP|S]; basal [XSS]GTP[S] binding decreased 25%.
The A, adenosine receptor agonist R-PIA and the musca-
rinic cholinergic receptor agonist carbamyl choline stimu-
lated [ '5S]GTP|S] binding at 1 and 204 atm. At atmospheric
pressure the halt-time (/,,,) of [35S]GTP[S] binding differed
between the two species. The GTP[S] on rate (knn) is larger
in the shallower-living S. alascanus. Increased hydrostatic
pressure altered the time course, decreasing the ;,/: in both
species. The pressures that elicit this change in the time
course differ between the species. However, interpolating
over the ra uze of in situ pressures the species experience.
Received 16 June 1998; accepted 8 September 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: zojose
@ unixl.sncc.lsu.edu
the values are similar in the two species. The guanyl nucle-
otide binding properties of the G protein « subunits appear
to be conserved at the environmental temperatures and
pressures the species experience.
Introduction
The high hydrostatic pressures characteristic of the deep
ocean significantly influence guanine-nucleotide-binding
protein (G protein (-coupled signal transduction systems
(Siebenaller and Murray, 1995). Because of the large num-
ber and ubiquity of G protein-coupled signaling complexes,
the effects of pressure on such systems will have an impor-
tant role in shaping the evolution of signal transduction
systems in marine species and may play a part in determin-
ing the bathymetric distribution of species.
G proteins couple a diverse superfamily of cell surface
receptor proteins, characterized by seven membrane-span-
ning regions, to a variety of effector elements, such as
adenylyl cyclase, ion channels, and phospholipases (Spiegel
ct til., 1994). The subunits of the heterotrimeric G proteins
are designated a, /3, and y. The classes of G proteins, such
as G, and Gs, which inhibit and stimulate adenylyl cyclase,
respectively, and G0. a common G protein in brain tissue
that may be coupled to Ca+ f channels and phospholipase
C, are defined by the « subunit type (Oilman, 1994).
Receptors with bound agonist interact with heterotrimeric
G proteins, promoting the binding of GTP in exchange for
GDP on the a subunit. The binding of GTP evokes a
conformational change that results in the dissociation of the
G protein into a • GTP and a /3y dimer (Coleman ct /..
1994; Wall et «/.. 1995). The activated a • GTP subunit and
the J3y dimer interact with the target enzyme or ion channel.
Signaling is terminated by the hydrolysis of bound GTP by
388
PRESSURE ALTERS GTP[S| BINDING
389
the intrinsic GTPase activity of the a subunit and the
subsequent reassociation of the it and J3y subunits (Gilman,
1994; Mixon et al., 1995).
Guanyl nucleotide binding is important in the pressure-
sensitivity of signal transduction (Murray and Siebenaller,
1993; Siebenaller and Murray, 1994a. b). The present study
was designed to test the hypothesis that alteration of guanyl
nucleotide binding contributes to the perturbation of trans-
membrane signaling by hydrostatic pressure. To directly
examine one of the initial steps of G protein activation, the
binding of GTP, we used the GTP analog guanosine 5'-|y-
thio]triphosphate (GTP[S](. This analog is not hydrolyzed
by the GTPase activity of the G protein a subunit (Wieland
and Jakobs, 1994). The effects of pressure on the activation
of G proteins were studied by measuring the binding of
[35S]GTP[S] to the G protein a subunit. The binding of this
analog of GTP reflects the GDP-GTP exchange reaction,
which is stimulated by receptor agonists.
We have used the A, adenosine-G,-adenylyl cyclase sig-
naling complex as a representative G protein-coupled re-
ceptor system to study the influence of environmental fac-
tors (Murray and Siebenaller, 1987; Siebenaller and
Murray. 1988, 1990, 1995). This system was chosen be-
cause it is amenable to the use of frozen tissues, and because
of the array of pharmacological tools available to probe the
system (Siebenaller and Murray. 1994c). This receptor is
found in brain tissue of vertebrates but has not been detected
in central nervous tissue of the arthropods or molluscs tested
(Siebenaller and Murray. 1986). Adenosine is a potent phys-
iologic regulator with central nervous, cardiac, and periph-
eral effects (Bruns, 1990; Palmer and Stiles, 1995; Sundin
and Nilsson, 1996). Agonist occupation of the A, adenosine
receptor results in the negative modulation of adenylyl
cyclase (Daly et ai, 1981).
We have focused on the A, adenosine-G,-adenylyl cy-
clase signaling complex in brain tissue of two closely re-
lated scorpaenid fish species. These fishes have been em-
ployed as a model system to study adaptation to hydrostatic
pressure. The congeners Sebastolobus alascanus and S.
altivelis, co-occur geographically (Miller and Lea, 1976;
Lauth etal.. 1997). are genetically close (Siebenaller. 1978),
have similar life histories (Moser. 1974). and experience
similar temperatures (Hubbs, 1926; Siebenaller. 1984); but
they have different patterns of depth distribution (Hubbs.
1926; Siebenaller and Somero, 1978; Wakefield and Smith.
1990; Lauth et al.. 1997) and hence encounter different
hydrostatic pressures. Pressure increases 1 atm (= 101,325
Pa == 1 bar) for every 10-m depth increase in the ocean
(Saunders and Fofonoff, 1976). Demersal S. alascamts
adults are commonly found between 100 and 850 m and
have a maximum reported depth of 1524 m; S. altivelis
adults have a maximum reported depth of 1755 m and are
common between 305 and 1755 m (Orr et al.. 1998; Lauth
et til.. 1997). Although the depth ranges of the adults of
these species overlap, S. altivelis is always more common at
greater depths (Hubbs, 1926; Siebenaller and Somero, 1978;
Pearcy et al.. 1982; Wakefield and Smith, 1990; Lauth et al..
1997). These species have been a sensitive model with
which to discern fine-scale adaptations to pressure without
the potentially confounding effects of phylogenetic distance
or other environmental variables (Siebenaller. 1987; Siebe-
naller and Somero. 1989).
To test the hypothesis that increased hydrostatic pressure
alters guanyl nucleotide binding and thus contributes to the
perturbation of G protein-coupled signaling, we have stud-
ied the binding of [35S]GTP[S] to the G protein a subunit in
response to the A, adenosine receptor agonist Nh
(R-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (R-PIA). The binding of
[35S]GTP[S] is a direct measure of the GDP-GTP exchange
reaction, which is stimulated bv R-PIA.
Materials and Methods
Specimens
Demersal adult specimens of Sebastolobus were collected
using a 40-ft semiballoon otter trawl on cruises of the R/V
Weconm off the coast of Oregon. S. alascanus was collected
at depths of 380 to 415 m; S. altivelis was collected from
600 to 1030 m. The collecting sites were at 45° 21.6' N,
124° 29.6' W and 45° 30.9' N. 124° 48.8' W. Brain tissue
was dissected and frozen in liquid N, at sea. Tissues were
transported to the laboratory on dry ice and maintained at
-80°C until used.
Preparation of brain membranes
Brains from several individuals were pooled, and the
tissue was homogenized in 100 volumes (volume to weight)
of 50 mM Tris-HCI. pH 7.4 at 5°C, using a Dounce tissue
homogenizer (Pestle A). The sample was centrifuged for 10
min at 27000 X g (0-4°C). The pellet was resuspended in
100 volumes of buffer and centrifuged. The pellet was
resuspended in 100 volumes of buffer and adenosine deami-
nase was added to 7.5 units (measured at 25°C) per milli-
liter. The sample was incubated at 18°C for 30 min. chilled
on ice, and centrifuged for 10 min. The pellet was resus-
pended in 50 volumes of buffer and brought to 7.5 units of
adenosine deaminase per milliliter and used in the assays.
Adenosine deaminase is included in the incubations to re-
move endogenous adenosine (see Siebenaller and Murray,
19940.
Protein determination
Protein was determined using the method of Lowry et al.
(1951). Samples were solubilized in 0.5 M NaOH. Bovine
serum albumin (Sigma Chemical Co.. St. Louis, MO) was
used as the standard.
390
J. F. SIEBENALLER AND T. F. MURRAY
Binding of [3^S]GTP[Sj to membranes
The binding of the GTP analog [3SS]GTP[S] to mem-
branes was assayed following the methods described by
Lorenzen et at. (1993) and Wieland and Jakobs (1994).
Binding at atmospheric pressure was determined in a vol-
ume of 100 )Ltl. The assay mixture contained 50 mM Tris
HC1, pH 7.4 at the assay temperature of 5°C, 1 mM EDTA.
5 mM magnesium acetate, 10 ju.A/ GDP, 1 mM dithiothrei-
tol, 100 mM NaCl, 5 mg bovine serum albumin per milli-
liter, 2.5 units (at 25°C) of adenosine deaminase per milli-
liter, and approximately 100,000 disintegrations per min
(dpm) [35S]GTP[S] (0.3 to 0.5 nA/). Other additions are as
indicated. Approximately 1 3 to 28 jug of membrane protein
was used per tube. The assay was terminated by filtration
under vacuum on a Brandel (Gaithersburg, MD) model
M-24R cell harvester using Schleicher and Schuell Inc.
(Keene, NH) number 32 glass fiber filters. The filters were
then rinsed with four 4-ml washes of ice-cold 50 mM Tris
HC1. pH 7.4 at 5°C. 5 mM MgCl2 to remove unbound
[ 5S]GTP[S]. Filter disks were placed into counting vials to
which 9 ml of Biocount scintillation fluid (Research Prod-
ucts International Corp., Mount Prospect, IL) was added.
Filter-bound radioactivity was determined by scintillation
spectrometry (Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, CA, model
LS6000IC) following overnight extraction at room temper-
ature. The amount of radioligand bound was less than 10%
ot the total added in all experiments. Specific binding was
defined as total binding minus binding occurring in the
presence of 10 /xA/ unlabeled GTP[S|. Nonspecific binding
was approximately 1% of the total binding at 0.3 nM
[35S]GTP[S].
Assays at elevated pressure
The procedures used for assays at elevated pressure were
as described by Siebenaller et /. (1991 ). Briefly, samples
were sealed in polyethylene tubing and incubated in high-
pressure vessels that were kept in a refrigerated water bath
at 5°C. The pressure vessels are modeled after those of
Zobell and Oppenheimer ( 1950); the pump and gauges used
are as described by Hennessey and Siebenaller (1985). A
volume of 200 ju.1 was used for the pressure incubations. A
l()()-jul aliquot was taken, and the assay was terminated by
filtration under vacuum onto a Schleicher and Schuell num-
ber 32 glass fiber filter supported on a Hoefer Scientific (San
Francisco. CA) single filter holder. The sample was then
treated as described above.
All assays were at 5°C to approximate the body tempera-
tures of the two species (Siebenaller and Somero. 1978; Siebe-
naller and Murray, 1988). Tris was used as the buffer because
of the low Nensitivity of its pKu to pressure (Kauzmann et ai,
1962). Experiments with both species were conducted in par-
allel each day. Theiv were no differences in ligand binding
between samples incubated in test tubes and samples sealed in
tubing and incubated at atmospheric pressure.
Reagents
[35S]guanosine 5'-[-y-thio]triphosphate ([35S]GTP[S], 1332.0
Ci/mmol) was from DuPont NEN (Boston. MA). N6(R-phe-
nylisopropyl (adenosine (R-PIA) was from Research Bio-
chemicals. Inc. (Natick, MA). Adenosine deaminase (Sigma,
type VI) and all other chemicals were from Sigma Chemical
Co. (St. Louis, MO). Water was processed with a four-bowl
Milli-Q purification system to a resistivity of 10 to 18 Mfl-cm
(Millipore. Bedford, MA).
Data analysis
Data were fit using nonlinear regression analyses.
[ S]GTP[S] equilibrium binding isotherms were analyzed us-
ing AccuFit Saturation-Two Site (Lundeen and Gordon, 1986;
Beckman Instruments). Other experiments were analyzed us-
ing Prism (version 2.01, GraphPad Software. Inc.. San Diego,
CA). Comparisons were made using Student's t test or analysis
of variance with a Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test
(Sokal and Rohlf, 1995; BIOMstat, version 3.2. Applied Bio-
statistics, Inc., Setauket, NY, and GraphPad Instat. version
3.00). The ;/ values reported represent determinations using
different membrane preparations.
Pseudo-first-order association kinetics of the interaction
of [ S]GTP[S] and the G proteins were fit to a one-phase
exponential association equation:
y = V ( 1 - e~kl)
1 l max\ l
where Y is ligand bound, Kmax is the maximal binding at the
concentration of [35S]GTP[S] used, t is time (min), and k is
the observed rate constant. At tin_. when t equals 0.6932/k,
Y = 0.5 Kmax. The observed rate constant is a function of the
on (k,,n) and off (koff) rates and the concentration of
[35S]GTP[S]:
k=k,ln[[15S]GTP[S]] + k,,,,
Equilibrium binding was analyzed using the equation:
where Y represents the specific binding. Bmax is the maximal
specific binding. X is the concentration of free ligand and Kd
is the apparent dissociation constant. The Kd is determined
by the off and on rates:
The fits of the data were also tested against a two-site
model, but the two-site model did not statistically improve
the tit of the data (P > 0.05), based on a partial F test
(Hoyer et ul., 1984).
PRESSURE ALTERS GTP[S] BINDING
391
Results
High-affinity binding sites for [3?S]GTP[S] were charac-
terized in equilibrium saturation experiments at 5°C and
atmospheric pressure, using concentrations of [35S]GTP[S]
up to 13.5 nM. Incubations were carried out for 3 h. The
binding capacities and binding affinities of brain membrane
preparations of the two species were identical (Bmav P =
0.27; Kd, P = 0.88: Table I).
The 1C (inhibitory concentration )50 values for GDP
were determined at atmospheric pressure using 0.3 nM
[35S]GTP[S]. The values were 20.66 ± 19.23 juM for S.
alascamts and 27.60 ± 26.24 juM for S. altivelis (mean ± SE,
three independent determinations for each species). The IC50
values do not differ between the two species (P > 0.05).
The EC (effective concentration )50 values for R-PIA
stimulation of [^SJGTPJS] binding at atmospheric pressure
were determined using 0.3 nM [35S]GTP[S] in the standard
assay mixture. The values were 40.92 ± 17.45 nM for 5.
alascamts and 67.04 ± 47.70 nM for S. altivelis (mean ±
SE, three independent determinations for each species). The
values do not differ between the species (P = 0.63).
[35S]GTP[S] binding was maximally stimulated by 3 JJ.M
R-PIA. Increased concentrations of R-PIA ( 10 \iM and 100
juM) did not increase the maximal binding of [35S]GTP[S].
For assays of agonist-stimulated [35S]GTP[S] binding, 10
H.M R-PIA was used.
The effects of 204 atm pressure on the stimulation of
[35S]GTP[S] binding by the A, adenosine receptor agonist
R-PIA and the muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonist car-
bamyl choline (carbachol) were examined in 3-h incu-
bations (Fig. 1). Increased pressure inhibited basal
[35S]GTP[S] binding about 25% in both species. At 204 atm,
both 10 juM RPIA and 100 p.M carbachol increased
[35S]GTP[S] binding over the basal binding at 204 atm. For
these agonists, the percent stimulation was similar in both
species.
The time course of the association of [35S]GTP[S] with G
proteins was determined at atmospheric pressure (Fig. 2).
The time course differed between the Sebastolobus species.
At atmospheric pressure, brain membrane preparations from
S. altivelis had tu2 values for binding of [35S]GTP[S] that
were significantly higher than for S. alascanus. The values
Table I
BmajL and Kd determinations from ['fS]GTP/Sl equilibrium binding
isotherms at 5°C and atmospheric pressure in the absence of other
added giianyl nucleotides
S. alascanus
Species
Bmax (pmol/mg)
K,, (n/W)
5. a!ascam/s
S. altivelis
1.49 ±0.25
1.15 ±0.10
0,41 ±0.10
0.43 ± 0.07
Mean ± SE of three independent determinations for each species. The
values were identical in the two species: Bmax. P = 0.27; Kd, P = 0.88.
l I Control
11
o c
0.05). For S. ultivi'lix the i,,, value at I atm differs from
those at 204 atm (P < 0.05) and 40H atm (P < 0.05); the values at 204 aim and 40S aim do not differ (P > 0.05).
PRESSURE ALTERS GTP[S| BINDING
393
ulation of G proteins appears to be largely GDP-liganded
(Murray and Siebenaller, 1993).
The bulk phospholipid and fatty acid compositions of the
brain membranes of the Sebastolobus species are the same
(Siebenaller et ai, 1991). The ordering effects of increased
pressure on membrane acyl chain organization (Cossins and
Macdonald, 1989) would be expected to also be the same.
The difference in coupling efficiency at atmospheric pres-
sure between the species may reflect the need for confor-
mational flexibility and mobility in the membranes at the
environmental pressures the species experience (Murray
and Siebenaller. 1993). The coupling of receptors to G
proteins depends on membrane fluidity (Houslay et cil.,
1980, 1981; Casado et ai. 1992). The effect of pressure on
the time course of GTP binding in the Sebastolobus species
supports this interpretation.
Increased pressure increases the observed binding con-
stant (decreased ?,/2) of [35S]GTP[S], and the pressure sen-
sitivities of the observed binding rate constants (k) of the
two species differ (Table I). In S. altivelis. the heightened
rate of GTP binding may result from increased pres-
sure raising the proportion of G proteins accessible to
[35S]GTP[S] binding. Alteration of the localization of signal
transduction complexes in the plasma membrane (Huang et
al, 1997) or alteration of the interacting pool of subunits
(Figler et ai, 1997) may contribute to the change in the rate
of guanine nucleotide exchange.
Because the ?,/-, and observed k values depend on the
concentration of GTP, values in vivo will differ from those
reported here. However, it is clear that the pressure effects
on the observed binding constant, k (Table II), reflect
changes in the binding constants, kon and kntl, that are
independent of the GTP concentration. Of note is the ob-
servation that the k values of the species are similar over the
range of /'/; situ pressures that the species experience. At the
typical habitat pressures of S. alascanns ( 10 to 85 atm), the
k value, calculated from the mean of the 1 and 204 atm
values, which do not differ, is approximately 0.0171. Over
the range of 30.5 to 177.5 atm, the k values for S. altivelis,
obtained by interpolation, are 0.0128 to 0.0180. These k
values were calculated from a plot of the replicates of In k
versus 1 and 204 atm pressure. This assumes that the change
in k is due to a pressure-independent volume change. If the
pressure effect diminishes at higher pressures, as suggested
by the fact that the 204 and 408 atm values are the same in
S. altivelis, our interpolation underestimates how close the
values are for the two species. Nonetheless, at their respec-
tive depths of occurrence, the binding rates are more similar
than apparent from a comparison at atmospheric pressure.
Thus the guanyl nucleotide binding properties of the a
subunits appear to be conserved at their habitat pressures.
As seen previously (Siebenaller et ai, 1991; Siebenaller
and Murray, 1994a), increased pressure decreases the effi-
cacy of agonists (Fig. 1). The maximal binding (Bm.M)
values (Table I) for A, adenosine receptor agonist stimu-
lated-! S]GTP[S] binding in Sebastolohus brain mem-
branes at 5"C are about 70-fold lower than the Bmax value
(25°C) in bovine brain membranes (Lorenzen et ai, 1993).
However, the Kd values (Table I) of the mammalian and
teleost species are similar. This observation is consistent
with the conservation of binding parameters, and is similar
to the pattern observed for enzymes and receptors at their
environmental temperatures (e.g.. Yancey and Soinero,
1978; Yancey and Siebenaller, 1987; Siebenaller and Mur-
ray, 1988) and pressures (e.g.. Siebenaller. 1987). Maintain-
ing the affinity and selectivity of ligand binding under
environmental temperatures and pressures maintains the
regulatory and catalytic functions of enzymes (see
Hochachka and Somero, 1984) and the selectivity and sen-
sitivity of receptors (Siebenaller and Murray, 1988).
The effects of pressure make it clear that evolutionary ad-
aptation of transmembrane signal transduction complexes is a
major challenge for organisms colonizing the deep ocean. The
extent of such adaptations for other receptor systems — for
example, receptors coupled to Gs — and for receptors in deeper
occurring species remain to be determined.
Acknowledgments
This work was funded by NSF grant IBN-9407205. We
thank the crew and scientific parties of the R/V Wecoma
cruises.
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Reversible Alteration of Morphology in an
Invertebrate Erythrocyte: Properties of the Natural
Inducer and the Cellular Response
CHRISTINE LEMA-FOLEY, KYENG G. LEE, TCHAIKO PARRIS, ZOYA KOROLEVA,
NISHAL MOHAN, PIERRE NOAILLES, AND WILLIAM D. COHEN*
Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of CUNY, 695 Park Are., New York, New York
10021 : and Marine Biological Laboratoiy, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543
Abstract. The normal shape of the erythrocytes of the
bivalves known as blood clams is maintained by a marginal
band (MB) of microtubules. When hemolymph (or "blood")
is withdrawn from the animal, its erythrocytes change,
within minutes, from the normal smooth-surfaced, flattened
ellipsoids (N-cells) to spheroids with folded surfaces (X-
cells). This alteration can be prevented by rapidly diluting
the hemolymph with physiological medium, yielding N-
cells for use in studying the transformation to X-cells.
Bioassays showed that shape transformation was induced by
a hemolymph activity (Hx) and was a function, in part, of
cell responsiveness to this activity. Eventually the shape of
the cells spontaneously returned to normal, at a rate depen-
dent upon the concentration of the cells and of Hx; recovery
was correlated with loss of Hx. The X-cells contained an
intact but highly deformed MB, but this was not the effector
of the transformation. Erythrocytes made to lack MBs still
changed shape, although they did not recover as completely
as did the MB-containing controls. When clams were cooled
before hemolymph was withdrawn, the concentration of Hx
was reduced. Hx was retained after dialysis of hemolymph,
and initial filtration and chromatography indicated that its
Mr was greater than 500.000. Shape transformation was
blocked by EGTA, by serine protease inhibitors, and by
sodium azide; the last indicates ATP-dependence. Although
the mechanism responsible for shape transformation re-
mains to be determined, the data suggest that the change is
triggered by a coagulation-related activity in response to the
removal of hemolymph from the animal.
Received 23 April 1999; accepted 13 August 1999.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: cohen@genectr.
hunter.cuny.edu
Introduction
The nucleated erythrocytes of non-mammalian verte-
brates are useful for studying the role of cytoskeletal ele-
ments in cellular morphogenesis and cell-shape mainte-
nance. When mature, these cells are characteristically
flattened ellipsoids or discoids with a nuclear bulge. Their
cytoskeletal system contains a marginal band (MB), com-
posed principally of microtubules, enclosed within the
membrane skeleton (MS) in the plane of flattening, and in at
least some species, intermediate filaments link sites on the
MS to the MS or nucleus. The morphology of these cells is
relatively stable and is maintained by the MB against po-
tentially deforming mechanical or osmotic forces (Joseph-
Silverstein and Cohen, 1984, 1985; Cohen, 1991). Certain
invertebrates also have hemoglobin-bearing nucleated
erythrocytes (Ratcliffe and Rowley, 1981; Cohen and Nem-
hauser, 1985), and in some cases these cells change mor-
phologically when they are removed from the animal (e.g.,
Terwilliger et al., 1985). Erythrocyte-containing species
include bivalves of the genera Anadara and Noetia. The
cytoskeletal system of their red cells resembles that of
non-mammalian vertebrates but, unlike the latter, it also
includes a functional centrosome associated with the MB
(Cohen and Nemhauser, 1980: Nemhauser et al., 1983).
Most importantly for the present work, the shape of the
erythrocytes changes drastically — from normal flattened el-
lipsoids ("N-cells") to wrinkled spheroids ("X-cells") — in
hemolymph samples from these and related species (Sulli-
van. 1961; Cohen et al., 1985). We have found that this
transformation is induced by a hemolymph activity, and
that, surprisingly, it eventually reverses spontaneously, so
that the cells return to a near-normal shape ("R-cells";
395
396
C. LEMA-FOLEY ET AL.
Dadacay et ai, 1996). This is the only natural, reversible
morphological change in non-mammalian erythrocytes of
which we are aware, and it offers an opportunity to analyze
the interplay between extracellular factors and cytoskeletal
elements in maintaining cellular shape. We present here
experimental work that defines major properties of the nat-
ural inducing factors and of the cellular response in this
system.
Materials and Methods
Experimental materit.il
Specimens of Noetia ponderosa (the "ponderous ark")
were obtained from Terry Bros. Co. (Willis Wharf, VA) and
were maintained in a refrigerated seawater tank at about
17°C or in the running natural seawater system at the
Marine Biological Laboratory. Blood from the mantle cav-
ity or foot muscle was drawn using syringes with 22- or
27-gauge needles, or was obtained by cutting muscle during
clam sacrifice. Shape-transforming activity in the whole
blood, as measured by the percentage of X-cells present,
was recorded 5 or 10 min after blood was obtained, when it
was typically maximal. Because we occasionally found
clams in which activity was very low, we adopted an
activity of 85% or greater as the minimal level for subse-
quent experimental use.
To obtain N-cells (cells of normal morphology that had
not undergone transformation), blood was immediately di-
luted a minimum of 1:200 into "physiological medium"
consisting of MBL formula artificial seawater (Cohen,
1997) containing 0.5 mM NaH,PO4 at pH 7.2, in which
cells retained normal shape. In a few experiments, marine
molluscan Ringer's solution (MMo-1: Cohen, 1997), a sim-
ilar medium also containing 0.5 mM NaH^PO4 at pH 7.2,
was employed with the same results. The resulting suspen-
sion was centrifuged (2000 rpm, 3 min, Beckman Accuspin
at 17°C), yielding an erythrocyte pellet overlaid by a thin
layer of white cells and trapped erythrocytes. This layer was
removed by aspiration, and the cells were washed two or
three times by centrifugation in about 5 times the original
blood volume of physiological medium. Washed erythro-
cytes were resuspended to the original blood volume and
hematocrit was measured to determine cell concentration by
volume. N-cells were ready for use after final adjustment to
a concentration of 1% by volume and inspection with phase
contrast microscopy to verify normal shape.
Bioassay of shape transforming nctiritv
Cell-free hemolymph was obtained as the supernate after
a 3-min microfuge centrifugation of whole blood. As noted
previously (Dadacay et /.. 1946), the shape-transforming
activity (Hx) of cell-free hemolymph was stable with freez-
ing, permitting storage of hemolymph at -20°C or -80°C
until use. The basic bioassay consisted of suspending N-
cells in normal or experimentally treated cell-free hemo-
lymph (t = 0), incubating at 21°-23°C (room temperature),
then counting samples under phase contrast to determine the
percentage of X-cells present after 5 min and at subsequent
time points. Samples were either counted rapidly, to avoid
appearance of morphology-distorting "glass effects," or
were fixed in physiological medium containing 8% formal-
dehyde before counting. In each sample (i.e.. per data
point), 200 or more cells were counted in non-selected
fields. Unless otherwise specified, cell-free hemolymph was
diluted with physiological medium just prior to use, such
that the X-cell concentration reached 90% or more within
5-10 min, and reversal to less than 10% X-cells occurred in
1-2 h.
Experiments involving bioassays were performed a min-
imum of three times using material from different clams,
unless otherwise noted; each data point records a specific
cell count, and the data presented are representative.
Preparation of erythrocytes with and without
marginal hands
Erythrocytes were pre-incubated with either no inhibitor
(dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] solvent only), 10 |Ug/ml no-
codazole, or 20 /uM taxol (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis,
MO) for 30 min at room temp. (22°-24°C) and subse-
quently incubated at 0°C for 3 h. These cell suspensions
(still containing inhibitors) were then rewarmed for 30 min
at room temperature (22°-24°C). and the presence or ab-
sence of MBs was ascertained by phase-contrast examina-
tion of cytoskeletons produced in Triton lysis medium.
Triton lysis medium consisted of 100 mM piperazine-MW-
bis(ethanesulfonic acid) [PIPES buffer], 5 mM ethylene
glycol-bis-(|3-aminoethyl ether) AW'-tetraacetic acid [EGTA),
1 mM MgCK, pH 6.8 (=PEM), containing 0.4% Triton
X-100 (Cohen and Nemhauser, 1980, 1985: Joseph-Silver-
stein and Cohen, 1984). MBs were observed in taxol-treated
or untreated cells, but were not present in nocodazole-
treated cells (Joseph-Silverstein and Cohen, 1984, 1985).
Microscopy
Cells for morphological examination were either unfixed
or fixed immediately (<30 s) by dilution into physiological
medium containing 4%-8% formaldehyde. Cells were ex-
amined and images recorded using a Zeiss phase contrast
microscope equipped in most instances with a DAGE
NC-70 video camera. Hamamatsu Argus- 10 video image
processor, and video printer.
For fluorescence microscopy, living cells suspended in
physiological medium were first trapped within fibrin clots
as described previously (Lee et «/.. 1998; see also Forer and
Behnke, 1972). Briefly, 1 volume of cell suspension was
mixed with 4 volumes of the same medium containing
ERYTHROCYTE SHAPE TRANSFORMATION
397
Figure 1. Light micrographs of Noelia ponderosa erythrocytes before and after shape transformation, (a)
Normal erythrocytes (N-cells), flattened and slightly ellipsoidal; (b) shape-transformed erythrocytes (X-cells),
appearing refractile, lumpy, and spheroidal at this level of resolution: (c. d) examples of shape-transformed
erythrocytes at different stages during recovery: (e) cells of essentially normal shape post-recovery. Video-
enhanced phase contrast microscopy; bar = 10 fxm.
10 mg/ml tibrinogen (Sigma F-8630). Thrombin (Sigma
T-4648) was added to 1 U/ml to produce a firm clot in about
10 min; within this time window, 5- to 25-jul samples were
spread inside plastic rings adhering to coverslips. Cytoskel-
etons were produced by immersing coverslips bearing fi-
brin-trapped cells in Triton lysis medium (see above) for 1
min, followed by fixation in PEM containing 8% formalde-
hyde. In some cases, 4% formaldehyde was included in the
lysis medium for additional stabilization. This was followed
by PBS washes and incubation with a 50:50 mix of mono-
clonal anti-a- and anti-/3-tubulin (Sigma T-9026, T-4026).
using secondary FITC goat anti-mouse IgG F(ab'), (Sigma
F-8521). Fibrin-trapped specimens were examined using
epifluorescence and confocal fluorescence microscopy.
Controls lacking primary antibody or phalloidin exhibited
little background fluorescence.
For scanning electron microscopy, cells were fixed for
1 h in 16% formaldehyde in 0.5 M KH-,PO4, pH 6.8, at
21°-23°C (room temperature); dehydrated in ethanol to
70%; incubated on acid-cleaned polylysine-coated cov-
erslips; dehydrated to 100% ethanol; and critical-point
dried (Tousimis Samdri-780A). Coverslips were mounted
on stubs with double-sided tape and sputter coated with
Au/Pd (Tousimis Samsputter 2A), with silver paste added
for conductivity.
Hemolymph dialysis, filtration, ami chromatography
Hemolymph samples were dialyzed overnight at 0°C
against physiological medium in dialysis tubing with a
molecular weight cutoff of about 12,000; control samples
were similarly treated except that the dialysis medium was
omitted. Hemolymph fractions were obtained by centrifu-
gation through Centricon concentrators (Amicon Inc.) of
various molecular weight cutoffs ( 10,000-500,000), and by
chromatography on Sephadex G-200SF and Sephacryl
400HR columns. The protein content of the fractions was
assayed by the Bradford method (Bradford, 1976), and
fractions were bioassayed for Hx as described above.
Results
Cell morphology
As observed by video-enhanced phase contrast of fixed
samples, normal erythrocytes ("N-cells") were flattened el-
lipsoids when initially removed from the animal (Fig. la).
Upon incubation in cell-free hemolymph under our standard
assay conditions, most N-cells were transformed to an ir-
regular spheroidal shape (X-cells) within 5-10 min (Fig.
Ib), with a lag of several minutes, but eventually recovered
normal or near-normal shape ("R-cells"; Fig. Ic-e).
More detailed views of cell morphology were obtained by
scanning electron microscopy. Surveys at lower magnifica-
tions verified the light microscopic observations (Fig. 2). At
higher magnifications it was clear that N-cells were rela-
tively smooth-surfaced (Fig. 3a, b), whereas the surface of
X-cells was thrown into large folds (Fig. 3c, d).
Shci/'c transformation: time course and general features
In undiluted hemolymph, recovery of most of the eryth-
rocyte population typically required many hours. In hemo-
lymph diluted in the range of '/: to '/> with physiological
medium, time spent in the fully transformed state was
progressively reduced. A typical time course for shape
transformation and recovery in diluted hemolymph is pre-
sented in Figure 4. and a comparison of cell response to
undiluted and diluted hemolymph is shown in Fig. 5. The
rate of shape reversal was positively correlated with eryth-
rocyte concentration (Fig. 6).
Shape transformation was not triggered by a change in
hemolymph pH. nor could it be mimicked by simple
398
C. LEMA-FOLEY ET AL.
Figure 2. Survey view of Noe tia ponderosa erythrocytes. (a) Normal cells, flattened and ellipsoidal; (h)
shape-transformed erythrocytes; (c) erythrocytes during recovery. Scanning electron microscopy; bar = 10 /urn.
changes of pH in the medium. Cells were found to be
morphologically stable over a tested pH range of 6.6-7.5 in
physiological medium, and the pH of native cell-free he-
molymph remained stable at about 6.7 as measured before
and after shape transformation.
Cell responsiveness
The percentage of cells that changed shape was markedly
lower in native blood samples from certain clams. To test
whether this was due to variable H. or to variable cell
Figure 3. Higher magnification view of two cells in Figure 2. plus two additional examples: (a. b) Normal
erythrocytes, flattened and ellipsoidal (nb = nuclear bulge); (b) shape-transformed erythrocytes, with "lumpi-
ness resolved us extensive surface folding. Scanning electron microscopy; bar = 10 ju,m.
ERYTHROCYTE SHAPE TRANSFORMATION
399
100-,
90-
N.
80-
^
70-
\
0)
0
X
v£
60-
50-
40-
\
30-I \
20-I V
10 I ^\
n J
0 20 40 60 80
time (min)
Figure 4. Typical time-course of cell-shape transformation and recov-
ery in diluted hemolymph. The percentage of X-cells rose to >90% within
5 min, held at >80% for ~15 min. and declined to near zero by 60 min.
responsiveness to Hx, N-cells and hemolymph were pre-
pared from clams exhibiting high and low levels of native
shape transformation respectively, and cells and hemo-
lymph were mixed in all four combinations. The results
(Fig. 7) show that Hx was high in all hemolymphs, but that
erythrocytes of two different clams can vary greatly in their
responsiveness to hemolymph from the same clam.
0 10 20 30 60
time (min)
Figure 6. Effect of cell concentration on cell-shape transformation and
recovery (undiluted hemolymph). At the standard cell concentration (1%)
the percentage of shape transformation was maximal, with only modest
subsequent reversal. At higher cell concentrations the peak percentage of
X-cells was reduced, and reversal rate was progressively greater.
Post-recovery cell responsiveness and depiction of Hx
Cells that had recovered normal shape (R-cells) were able
to undergo a second transformation to X-cells, comparable
to that of controls, when transferred into fresh hemolymph
0 10 20 30
60 90
time (min)
Figure 5. Effect of hemolymph dilution on cell-shape transformation
and recovery. H = undiluted hemolymph; H/5 and H/10 = hemolymph
diluted 1:5 and 1:10 with physiological saline, respectively. Note that
<50% of the cells responded in H/10. In experiments such as this using
undiluted hemolymph. reversal to <10% X-cells was frequently not ob-
served for 6 or more hours.
• A cells + HA
o Acells + HB
• B cells + HA
B cells +HB
10 15 20
time (min)
25 30
Figure 7. Dependence of shape transformation on cellular factors.
Cells and cell-tree hemolymph (H) were obtained from two clams (A and
B), and all four mixtures were made as indicated. Clam A cells yielded
>90% .X-cells within 5 min and maintained that activity independent of
hemolymph source, whereas clam B cells showed submaximal activity
independent of hemolymph source.
400
C. LEMA-FOLEY ET AL.
N-cells + H
o R-cells + H
N-cells + Hp-r
=¥=*
10 15 20
time (min)
25 30
Figure 8. Assay for hemolymph activity (H,) following cell-shape
transformation and recovery, and test of capacity of recovered cells (CR) to
undergo a second transformation. Upon recovery, R-cells reincubated with
fresh hemolymph again underwent shape transformation, whereas reincu-
bation of fresh N-cells in the "post-reversal" cell-free hemolymph (H^r)
showed that it lacked H,.
(Fig. 8, open circles). However, the converse was not true:
N-cells incubated in hemolymph in which other cells had
previously undergone shape transformation and recovery
either remained normal or exhibited only partial transfor-
mation and very rapid recovery, indicating depletion of Hx
(Fig. 8. squares).
Cytoskeletal structure and function
As revealed by indirect anti-tubulin immunofiuorescence,
the MB was still present and continuous in the cytoskeletons
of shape-transformed cells, but its shape was highly convo-
luted compared to that of normal cells (Fig. 9). To test
whether the MB was a primary effector of shape transfor-
mation, erythrocytes with and without MBs were prepared
by temperature cycling in the presence of inhibitors of
disassembly (taxol) or reassembly (nocodazole). Similarly
cycled controls (DMSO solvent only) contained completely
or partially reassembled MBs. Bioassays in diluted hemo-
lymph produced more than 96% X-cells in all three prepa-
rations within 10 min, and reversal after 3 h.
One major difference was noted in cells lacking MBs,
however: many of the major transformation-induced surface
indentations were not eliminated during reversal (Fig. 10).
Shape transformation inhibitors
Heating hemolymph in a boiling water bath, followed by
cooling and bioassay. showed Hx to be heat-labile. In three
experiments in which controls showed very high initial
Figure 9. Marginal bands (MBs) of microtubules as revealed by anti-
tubulin immunofiuorescence. (a) N-cell cytoskeleton; (b-d) X-cell cy-
toskeletons. N-cell MBs were typically ellipsoids, sometimes twisted into
figure-8s. X-cell MBs were essentially intact, but assumed highly convo-
luted shapes without apparent breakage. A diagram of the basic MB
deformation pattern observed in many X-cells (e.g.. b. c) is given in (e);
some twist patterns were more complex, however (e.g.. d). Fluorescence
microscopy; bar = 10 ;um.
activity (99% at 10 min). samples heated for 20 min exhib-
ited initial residual activity of 75%-957c, but recovery of
cell shape began after only about 20 min. By 60 min,
experimentals had 0%-15% X-cells, whereas controls still
Figure 10. Shape reversal in cells containing or lacking MBs. (a)
MB-containing cells: only minor post-reversal surface deformations were
observed; (b) cells lacking MBs; major surface indentations were retained
post-reversal. Video-enhanced phase contrast microscopy; bar = 10 /xm.
ERYTHROCYTE SHAPE TRANSFORMATION
401
20 30 40
time (min)
50 60
Figure 11. Effect of sodium azide on shape transformation and recov-
ery. N-cells were incubated for 30 or 60 min in 3 mM sodium azide in
physiological medium (=expenmentals E30 and E60) or in physiological
medium alone ( =controls C30 and C60) prior to assay. Azide pre-incuba-
tion markedly reduced the percentage of X-cells and accelerated shape
reversal, with greater effect for the 60-min period. Controls maintained
>90% X-cells throughout.
had 95%-99%. In two additional experiments, controls with
9095-9395- initial activity retained 8095—9095- after 30 min,
whereas experimental heated for 10 min had only 595--6%
X-cells initially, and less than 295- in 30 min.
Bioassays were conducted with various potential bio-
chemical inhibitors added to hemolymph prior to the addi-
tion of N-cells. Shape transformation was completely inhib-
ited by 10 mM (or greater) EGTA, as reported previously
(Dadacay et ai. 1996); at a given concentration, EDTA was
less effective. The protease inhibitors initially surveyed
were antipain, aprotinin, bestatin, chymostatin, leupeptin,
aminoethylbenzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF), and phos-
phoramidon. As assayed after a 10-min exposure, only
chymostatin and AEBSF were effective, at 189f and 79f
X-cells, respectively (vs. 91% for controls). AEBSF pro-
duced complete inhibition at 3 mg/ml (12 mM) and above,
and an excess (5 mg/ml) was typically employed in other
experiments.
ATP-dependence of shape transformation was tested by
pre-incubation of N-cells in physiological medium contain-
ing 3 mM sodium azide for either 30 min or 60 min,
followed by a wash, prior to mixing cells and cell-free
hemolymph. Controls were similarly incubated, except
without azide. As shown in Figure 11, the percentage of
cells undergoing shape transformation was markedly re-
duced and shape reversal accelerated in both cases com-
pared to controls, with the longer period of ATP depletion
having the greater effect.
Activity sequence
The inhibitor studies indicated that shape transformation
involved a calcium-activated step and a proteolytic activity.
but in what sequence did they occur? To answer this ques-
tion, N-cells were mixed with hemolymph at t = 0, and
inhibitors were added at subsequent time intervals (Fig. 12).
EGTA was found to be effective only if present initially
(t = 0): in contrast, AEBSF was effective initially and was
at least partially effective at later time points. Importantly,
when added at / = 5 min and 10 min, AEBSF induced some
shape reversal, whereas EGTA did not.
Triggering of transformation acthitv
Shape transformation was apparently triggered during the
removal of blood and thus might be a response to wounding.
Three pairs of clams were used to test this hypothesis:
physiological responsiveness was reduced by pre-cooling
clams to 1 °C. and tissue trauma was minimized by remov-
ing blood through a very fine (28-ga) syringe needle. The
activity of hemolymph obtained using both variables to-
gether (assayed using N-cells from a non-cooled clam) was
reduced to about 5095- of that of hemolymph obtained from
the same clam after re-warming and sacrifice by slashing
muscle (Fig. 13). Activity reduction of lesser extent was
also observed when each variable was tested separately (low
temp. vs. normal: fine needle vs. sacrifice; not shown).
Control BEGTA D AEBSF
100n
(0
0 5 10
time of inhibitor addition (min)
Figure 12. Effect of addition of EGTA and AEBSF at various times
after exposure of N-cells to hemolymph. The percentage of X-cells was
determined 5 mm after the addition of inhibitor (final concentrations: 20
mM EGTA. 5 mg/ml AEBSF). EGTA was effective only when present
initially, whereas AEBSF was still partially effective when added later.
402
C. LEMA-FOLEY ET AL
• B cells + HB
o B cells + HA
• B cells + HA(1°C)
10 15 20
time (min)
25 30
Figure 13. Tissue trauma as a possible factor in Hx level. Two prep-
arations of cell-free hemolymph were made from clam A: HA(1,C, was
obtained via syringe after pre-cooling clam A to 1°C, and HA from the
same clam was obtained by cutting muscle after 3 h of rewarming. N-cells
(CB) and cell-free hemolymph for control bioassay were obtained from
clam B. Three mixtures were made as indicated, with HA(I 0 exhibiting
less than half the activity of HA.
Dialysis and initial fractionation of hemolymph
Active hemolymph was dialyzed for 1 2 h against physi-
ological medium at 0°C. with a molecular weight cutoff of
about 12,000. Control hemolymph was similarly treated
except that the dialysis sac was simply kept moist. Bioassay
with fresh N-cells showed that both samples exhibited ex-
cellent activity, with the experimental comparable to the
control except for an extended activation lag (Fig. 14).
Centrifugation through filters with different molecular
weight cutoffs (Centricon) indicated that the Mr for Hx is
greater than 500,000, and chromatogaphy on Sephadex
G-200SF confirmed that Hx moved together with the blue
dextran marker, indicating the M, to be greater than
250,000.
Discussion
Shape transformation and recovery
The results show that shape transformation occurs in
response to an activity (Hx) in the cell-free hemolymph, and
that the extent of response is a property of the erythrocyte
population. In typical assays, more than 907r of cells were
responsive to Hx, but individual cells, as well as cells from
certain clams, varied in both responsiveness and rate of
recovery. Variability was particularly clear at high hemo-
lymph dilutions (e.g.. Fig. 5, H/IO), in which only a fraction
nl the erythrocytes responded. This was verified by exper-
iments using erythrocytes from clams with high vs. low
percentages of transformation, in which the variable re-
sponse was attributable to cells rather than hemolymph (Fig.
7). In addition, recovery during a typical time course (e.g.,
Figs. 4-6) was not synchronous, indicating a range of cell
sensitivity to Hx.
Cells that had undergone shape transformation and recov-
ery (R-cells) retained the capacity to change shape a second
time (Fig. 8). In contrast, hemolymph assayed after removal
of R-cells was depleted of Hx, and thus the recovery phe-
nomenon is correlated with loss of Hv The increased rate of
recovery with increasing cell concentrations (Fig. 6) is
consistent with increased cell-induced loss of Hv
Biochemical activities involved in shape transformation
Shape transformation was markedly inhibited by EGTA,
with EDTA less effective, indicating that the process is
Ca++-activated. Transformation was also greatly reduced
by preheating of hemolymph and blocked by the serine
protease inhibitors AEBSF and chymostatin. Both EGTA
and AEBSF were effective when present at t = 0 (mixing of
N-cells and hemolymph), but only AEBSF was effective
when added later (Fig. 12). Thus, the initial step is presumed
to be Ca++-activated, resulting in a hemolymph proteolytic
activity for which Ca++ is no longer required.
One relatively simple hypothesis is that a proteolytic
product maintains cell shape transformation, and that cells
recover when the proteolytic activity ceases and product
concentration falls. This is at least partly supported by the
observation that addition of AEBSF produces considerable
reduction in the percentage of X-cells present (Fig. 12)
'Non-dialyzed
o Dialyzed
10 15 20
time (min)
25 30
Figure 14. Activity of cell-free hemolymph after dialysis. Non-dia-
lyzed and dialy/ed hemolymph reached comparable X-cell levels, with the
latter exhibiting a longer lag period.
ERYTHROCYTE SHAPE TRANSFORMATION
403
compared to controls. With time, the X-cells presumably
inhibit this proteolytic activity or exhaust its product, ac-
counting for the loss of transforming activity in post-recov-
ery hemolymph.
Mechanism of shape transformation and recovery
ATP-depletion by pre-incubating the erythrocytes with
azide inhibits shape transformation in most of the cell
population, showing that it is an active phenomenon. Three
hypotheses for an active shape-transformation mechanism
are (a) alteration of MB shape by a microtubule-motor
protein system, (b) contraction of a cell-surface-associated
actomyosin system, and (c) reduction of cell volume by an
osmotic pump system. Each is considered here in relation to
the data.
(a) Microtubule-motor protein mechanism: MB function.
Transformation of cell shape, as well as initiation of shape
reversal, takes place in the presence or absence of the MB;
thus, the MB is not the primary effector, and this mecha-
nism can be ruled out. However, the MB is needed to return
to completely normal cell shape (Fig. 10), a finding consis-
tent with previous studies showing that the MB is required
for the erythrocytes of dogfish and blood clams to resist
deformation caused by mechanical and osmotic stress
(Joseph-Silverstein and Cohen, 1984, 1985).
Whereas normally the MB of the blood clam erythro-
cyte appears to deform the MS and maintain its shape
(Joseph-Silverstein and Cohen, 1985), the mechanism at
work here generates sufficient force to produce substan-
tial secondary deformation of the MB (Fig. 9b-d). Such
deformation without breakage demonstrates that the MB
has remarkable flexibility, as expected for shape-mainte-
nance function. The contours assumed by many of these
deformed MBs appear to be twisted variations of a "base-
ball seam" model, in which a spheroidal shape is accom-
modated by an initially planar ellipse folding back on
itself (Fig. 9e). The complete cell-shape recovery ob-
served in the presence of azide is compatible with non-
ATP-requiring, mechanical MB function in response to
deformation.
(b) Cell-surface-associated actomyosin contraction
mechanism. The entire X-cell surface has a folded appear-
ance, and thus the underlying membrane skeleton (MS) is a
potential cytoskeletal effector. We have observed previ-
ously that F-actin is prominently associated with the Noetia
erythrocyte MS (Lee et al., 1998). but the presence of
myosin has not yet been demonstrated in these cells. Myosin
resembling that of platelets has, however, been identified in
mammalian erythrocytes (Fowler et al., 1985). It can form
bipolar filaments (myosin II class) and is believed to par-
ticipate in contractile activity associated with the eryth-
rocyte membrane (Fowler, 1986; Pasternack and Racusen,
1989; der Terrossian et al., 1994). Thus there is sufficient
precedent for serious consideration of such a mechanism in
blood clam erythrocytes.
(c) Active reduction of cell volume by osmotic efflux. The
appearance of shape-transformed cells (Fig. 3) is compatible
with osmotic distortion, and osmotic mechanisms are attrac-
tive in being potentially readily reversible. However, if an
osmotic mechanism is at work here, it cannot be a simple
phenomenon attributable to use of physiological media or
other experimental manipulations. First, the native shape ot
these red cells is flattened and ellipsoidal, as shown previ-
ously by immediate fixation of blood samples (Cohen and
Nemhauser, 1986); when the "blood" is diluted immediately
and extensively with our physiological media, the cells
retain their native shape indefinitely. Second, both the shape
change and recovery occur in the clam's own hemolymph
without any experimental manipulation whatever. Third,
hemolymph diluted tenfold with physiological medium in
which N-cells are osmotically stable still induces complete
shape change in some cells of the population. Fourth,
freshly added N-cells are morphologically stable in hemo-
lymph in which cells have undergone the complete cycle of
transformation and recovery (Fig. 8). Finally, the effect
cannot be mimicked by suspension of N-cells in hyperos-
motic media, as reported earlier (Dadacay et al., 1996);
N-cells get thinner in such media, but retain their flattened
ellipsoidal shape.
It is quite possible, however, that the shape transforma-
tion involves a more complex osmotic mechanism, such as
one in which an external signal triggers hyperactivity of an
active efflux system that produces and maintains excessive
volume loss until reversal. Amende and Pierce ( 1980a) have
shown that hypo-osmotically stressed Noetia red cells re-
duce their volume to normal levels by a mechanism involv-
ing active efflux of taurine and other amino acids. Like the
shape transformation reported here, this osmoregulatory
mechanism is activated by Ca++ and inhibited by ATP
depletion (Amende and Pierce, 1980b; Pierce and Maugel,
1985; Pierce et al., 1989). Thus it is possible that activation
of the same system in N-cells by some other means could
further reduce cell volume. We have not reported hematocrit
volume measurements in this paper, however, because we
believe that differences in the packing of N-cells — smooth-
surfaced, flattened ellipsoids — and X-cells — spheroids with
highly folded surfaces — make such data highly unreliable.
Studies of this mechanism will require more sophisticated
volume measurements.
Triggering of erythrocyte shape transformation
The hemolymph of this and closely related molluscan
species (Amukira ovulix, A. tmnsversa) does not undergo
complete in vitro clotting in the classic sense, but micros-
copy of whole-blood samples shows that white hemocytes
begin to aggregate shortly after the blood is obtained. In
404
C. LEMA-FOLEY ET AL.
other molluscs (oysters, mussels), hemocytes have been
shown to aggregate at wound sites and plug them (Sparks
and Morado, 1988), and eventual spontaneous disaggrega-
tion has also been observed in oysters under certain condi-
tions (Bang, 1961; Feng. 1965, 1988). The act of obtaining
hemolymph by syringe or by tissue cutting may initiate
similar wound-repair mechanisms in blood clams, with el-
evation of Ca++ by entry of seawater a possible trigger.
Erythrocyte shape transformation might then be a secondary
effect triggered and maintained by a local mechanism of
wound repair, with recovery advantageous for affected
erythrocytes that move away from the site and enter the
general circulation.
The data are consistent with the idea that the mecha-
nism for triggering shape alteration is analogous to that
of vertebrate blood clotting, in which Ca+ + is required
for early activation steps, serine protease activity yields
fibrin, and generation of plasmin causes clot dissolution
(reversal). The analogy is not necessarily superficial, as
serine proteases are involved in clotting cascades in
certain other invertebrates (e.g.. Limnlus: Bergner et al.,
1997). Though not the focus of present work, initial
characterization of molecular species participating in Hv
showed retention of activity in dialyzed cell-free hemo-
lymph, indicating that components of relatively low mo-
lecular mass (< 12,000 Da) were not involved. Hx was
present in fractions produced by column chromatography
and centrifugal filtration that respectively indicate Mr
values of more than 250,000 and more than 500,000 for
critical components. Their identification should provide
further insight into the signals triggering this morphoge-
netic alteration, as well as into the effector mechanism.
Acknowledgments
We thank L. Kerr (MBL) for preparation of critical-point-
dried SEM samples, and L. Bonacci, K. Brown, A-V. Da-
dacay, F. Harrow, and J. Huerta (Hunter College) for addi-
tional technical contributions. Student support from the
Hunter College Howard Hughes Undergrad. Biology
Program, NIGMS-MBRS CMOS 1 76- 1 8, NIGMS-MARC
GM07823-18, and the NSF-REU program, as well as
research support from PSC-CUNY 668201 and NSF
9808368, is gratefully acknowledged.
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INDEX
A century of science: The Bii>li>i;inil Bulletin looks back — and forward,
113
A cuticular secretion of the horseshoe crab, Limtiltix polyphemus: a poten-
tial anti-fouling agent, 274
A new approach for measuring real-time calcium pumping and SR function
in muscle fibers, 227
Acarlia tonsa. reproductive output. 294
Acetylcholine. 267
Acoustic behavior and reproduction in five species of Corycoras cattishes
(Callichthyidae). 241
Acoustics, underwater, 241
Active factor. 174
ADAMO, SHELLEY A., see Alison J. King, 256
Aggression, 256
AKANKI, F. R.. see S. J. Zottoli, 239
Alkaline gland. 82
Allelochemicals, 332
Allorejection, 188
Amazonian fish. 241
5-arninolevulinate dehydratase, 283
An endogenous SCP-related peptide modulates ciliary beating in the gills
of a venerid clam, Mcrcemiria inerct'naria, 159
An ethogram of body patterning behavior in the biomedically and com-
mercially valuable squid Loligo pealei off Cape Cod, Massachusetts,
49
Annelida. 14
Annual Report of the Marine Biological Laboratory, v. 197(1), Rl
Annual viral expression in a sea slug population: life cycle control and
symbiotic chloroplast maintenance. 1
Antennule use by the American lobster. Homarus americanus, during
chemo-orientation in three turbulent odor plumes. 249
Anthiipleiira elegantixximu, 72
Anti-fouling. 274
Apoptosis. 271
ARMSTRONG, PETER B.. see John M. Harrington, 274; Rengasamy Asokan.
275: Chhanda Biswas. 276
Ascidian. 188
ASOKAN, RENGASAMY, AND PETER B. ARMSTRONG, Cellular mechanisms of
hemolysis by the protein limulin. a sialic-acid-specific lectin from the
plasma of the American horseshoe crab. Liimilus polyphemus, 275
Astrocyte, 1 15
ATEMA, JELLE, see Katrin Mjos, 249; John P. Hanna. 250; Erik Zettler. 252;
Cnstin Berkey. 253; Leslie C. McLaughlm. 254
Avian fracture, 1 I
B
Bacteria, marine, 283
BALSER, ELIZABETH J., see Siinke Johnsen. 26
BARLOW. ROBERT B.. see Vanessa J. Ruta. 233: Justin W. Widener, 300
Barnacle, 144
BAYNE. BRIAN L., SUSANNE SVENSSON. AND JOHN A. NELL. The physiolog-
ical basis for faster growth in the Sydney rock oyster. Saccuxtmi
commercialis, 377
BEARER, E. I . M. L. SCHLIEF, X. O. BREAKEHELD, D. E. SCHUBACK, T. S.
REESE, A,;I> .1. H. L/\VAIL. Squid axoplasm supports the retrograde
axonal transj oi herpes simplex virus. 257
Behavior, 49, 225
courtship. 63
feeding, 207, 315. 361, 377
Behavior of hemocytes in the allorejection reaction in two compound
ascidians. Botryllus scalaris and Symplegma reptans, 188
Behavioral plasticity, 63
BEN-YAKIR, R., see B. Rinkevich. I I
BEN-YAKIR, S., see B. Rinkevich, 1 1
BENINGER, PETER G.. see Harold Silverman, 008
BERKEY, CRISTIN, AND JELLE ATEMA. Individual recognition and memory in
Hoimmtx americanus male-female interactions, 253
BILLACK, BLASE, JEFFREY D. LASKIN, MICHAEL A. GALLO, AND DIANE E.
HECK. Effects of a-bungarotoxin on development of the sea urchin
Arhticid piinctiiUttti. 267
Bioacoustics. 241. 242
Bioenergetics. 377
Bioluminescence. 26. 132, 348
Bioluminescence in the deep-sea cirrate octopod Stauroteuthis syrtensis
Verrill (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), 26
Biosynthesis of tyrosine O-sulfate by cell proteoglycan from the marine
sponge, Microciona prolifera, 279
BISWAS, CHHANDA, AND PETER B. ARMSTRONG. Identification of a hemo-
lytic activity in the plasma of the gastropod Busycon canaliculatum,
276
Bivalve feeding, 368
BLACKBURN, JOHN G., see Gregory M. Grabowski, 82
Blood clam, 395
Body coloration. 49
BOLTON, TOBY F., see Florence I. M. Thomas, 7
Botryllus scalaris, 188
BOWEN, J., see A. Evgenidou, 292
BOYLE. KIM-LAURA, see Roger T. Hanlon. 49
Brain slice. 1 15
BREAKEFIELD, X. O.. see E. L. Bearer, 257
Bringing the script to life: the role of muscle in behavior, 225
Brooding. 104
BROWN. E., see A. Evgenidou, 292
BUNGE, RICHARD P.. see Geoffrey K. Ganter. 40
Buoyancy. 309
BURGER. MAX M.. see Jane C. Kaltenbach. 271; William J. Kuhns. 277;
Octavian Popescu. 279
BLISHMANN. PAUL J., Concurrent signals and behavioral plasticity in blue
crab (Callinectes sapiitits Rathbun) courtship. 63
BUSKEY. E. J., see D. K. Hartline. 132
BYRNE. MARIA, see Francis Chee, 123
Calcium. 115. 227. 229. 268
Calliactis japonica, 3 1 5
Camouflage. 348
Ctincer in'orutits, 361
CANDELARIO-MARTINEZ. AURORA, see Louis F. Gainey, Jr.. 159
CANFIELD. SUSANNAH. Luc CLAESSENS. CHARLES HOPKINSON JR.. EDWARD
RASTETTER, AND JOSEPH VALLINO, Long-term effect of municipal
water use on the water budget of the Ipswich River Basin. 295
Carbohydrates. 94
Carbon translocation, 72
Curcinux niecnutx. 297
CEBRIAN, J.. see A. Evgenidou, 292
Cell morphology, 395
Cell shape transformation, 395
Cellular mechanisms of hemolysis by the protein limulin. a sialic-acid-
specilic lectin from the plasma of the American horseshoe crab,
Liniiiliix piilyphi'iintx, 275
406
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
407
Central nervous system. 240
Centrifuge microscopy, 260
Cephalopod. 26. 256
CHAGA. OLEG, see Steven Q. Irvine. 3 1 9
CHAPPARO. O. R.. R J. THOMPSON. AND C. J. EMERSON. The velar ciliature
in the brooded larva of the Chilean oyster Ostrea chilensis (Philippi.
1845). 104
CHEE. FRANCIS, AND MARIA BYRNE, Development of the larval serotonergic
nervous system in the sea star Patiriella regularis as revealed by
confocal imaging, 123
Chemical cues. 94
Chemo-onentation turbulence. 249. 250
Chemoreceptor cells as concentration slope detectors: preliminary evi-
dence from the lobster nose. 252
Chemoreceptor filter properties, 252
Chemoreception. 361
Chemotaxis. 250
CHILD, ALICE, see Aimee Vasse, 281
Cilia
bands, 14
beating. 159
in feeding. 14
velar, 104
Circadian rhythms. 233
Cirri, 008
CLAESSENS, Luc, see Katherine M. Pease. 289; Susannah Canfield, 295
Clam, 159
CLAY, JOHN R., AND ALAN M. KUZIRIAN, Fluorescence localization of K+
channels in the membrane of squid giant axons. 231
COHEN. WILLIAM D., see Christine Lema-Foley. 395
Colony specificity. 188
Columba livia. I 1
Communication, 49
Concentration slope detectors. 252
Concepts in Imaging and Microscopy: Exploring biological structure and
function with confocal microscopy. 1 15
Concurrent signals and behavioral plasticity in blue crab (Callinectes
sapidus Rathbun) courtship. 63
Confocal microscopy. 115. 262. 263
Contact with squid eggs increases agonistic behavior in male squid (Loligo
pealei), 256
Copepod. 132
Coral reef. 303
Coral reef fish. 242
Coralline algae, 332
CORCORAN, A., see A. Evgenidou, 292
CORCORAN, D.. see A. Evgenidou. 292
Countershading. 348
Courtship, 63
Courtship sounds of the Pacific damselfish, Abiidefduf sordidus (Pomacen-
tridae), 242
Crab. 63. 174. 361
GRAIN. JENNIFER A., Functional morphology of prey mgestion by Placetron
wosnessenskii Schalfeew zoeae (Crustacea: Anomura: Lithodidae),
207
Cropping of sea anemone tentacles by a symbiotic barnacle, 315
Crustacea, 144. 348, 361
CUBBAGE, ANDREA, DAVID LAWRENCE, GABRIELLE TOMASKY, AND IVAN
VALIELA, Relationship of reproductive output in Acartia tonsa, chlo-
rophyll concentration, and land-derived nitrogen loads in estuaries of
Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, 294
Cyclodextrin, 284
Cypnd. 144
Cytochrome P450. 303
D
D'AMBROSIO, A., see A. Evgenidou. 292
DAILEY, MICHAEL. GLEN MARRS, JAKOB SATZ. AND MARC WAITE. Concepts
in Imaging and Microscopy: Exploring biological structure and func-
tion with confocal microscopy. 115
Damselfish. 242. 244
DEARHOLT, C.. see A. Evgenidou, 292
Decline of a horseshoe crab population on Cape Cod, 300
DEEGAN. LINDA, see Talia Young, 297: Sharon Komarow. 299
Deep sea, 26. 348
Defense mechanism. 281
DEGNAN, BERNARD M., AND CRAIG R. JOHNSON. Inhibition of settlement
and metamorphosis of the ascidian Henlmaitiu cumitu by non-genic-
ulate coralline algae. 332
DEMING, NICOLE M.. see Robert B. Silver. 268
Density. 309
DEPlNA. ANA S.. see Torsten Wollert. 265
DESAI. ARSHAD, see Paul Maddox. 263
Development. 123. 267. 319. 341
Development of the larval serotonergic nervous system in the sea star
Patiriella regularis as revealed by confocal imaging. 123
Diatom. 292
Dictyostelium, 260
DIETZ. THOMAS H., see Harold Silverman, 368
Dinoflagellate. 292
Dioxm. 303
Disease, 237
Displays, 49
DNA-PK in development. 341
DOBLE, KAREN E., see Louis F. Gainey, Jr., 159
DODGE, FREDERICK A., see Vanessa J. Ruta, 233
Dorsal cell, 239
Dynamic confocal imaging of interphase and mitotic microtubules in the
fission yeast, S. pwnbe. 262
Dynamic confocal imaging of mitochondria in swimming Tetrahymena
and of microtubule poleward flux in Xenopus extract spindles. 263
Dynein, 259
E
Echinoid, life history. 7
Echiuridae. 14
EDDS-W ALTON. P. L.. see R. R. Fay, 240
EDWARDS. KRISTIN A., see Florence I. M. Thomas. 7
Effects of a-bungarotoxin on development of the sea urchin Arbacia
punctulata, 267
Effects of green tea polyphenols on lens photooxidative stress, 285
Effects of increased nitrogen loading on the abundance of diatoms and
dinoflagellates in estuarine phytoplanktonic communities, 292
Effects of vanadate on actin-dependent vesicle motility in extracts of clam
oocytes. 265
Elasmobranch. 82
Electrophysiology. 82
Electroretinogram, 348
Ellipsosomes. 235
Elysia. 1
EMERSON. C. J.. see Benjamin G. Miner, 14; O. R. Chaparro. 104; Dovi
Kelman. 309
EMPSON, RUTH M.. see Jyotshna Kanungo. 341
Endosymbiosis, 1
ENGEBRETSON. HILARY P.. AND GISELE MULLER-PARKER, Translocation of
photosynthetic carbon from two algal symbionts to the sea anemone
Anthopleura eleRiintissima. 72
Enhancement of the response of rock crabs. Cancer irroratus, to prey odors
following feeding experience, 361
Epidermal growth factor. 198
Erythrocyte. 395
Escape behavior kinematics, 132
Ethogram. 49
Eutrophication, 290
Evaluation ol a reporter gene system biomarker for detecting contamina-
tion in tropical marine sediments, 303
Evaluation of circadian rhythms in the Liinu/iis eye. 233
EVGENIDOU. A.. A. KONKLE, A. D'AMBROSIO. A. CORCORAN. J. BOWEN. E.
BROWN. D. CORCORAN. C. DEARHOLT. S. FERN. A. LAMB, J. MICHA-
LOWSKY. I. RUEGG, AND J. CEBRIAN, Effects of increased nitrogen
408
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
loading on the abundance of diatoms and dinotlagellates in estuarine
phytoplanktonic communities. 292
Evolution, 26, 198. 319
Extracellular survival of an intracellular parasite (Spraguea lophii. Micro-
sporea), 270
FAY. R. R.. AND P. L. EDDS-WALTON. Sharpening of directional auditory
input in the descending octaval nucleus of the toadtish, Opsanm tan,
240
Feeding. 207
barnacle. 3 1 5
bivalve. 368
FEINSTEIN, DOUGLAS L., see Robert Gould, 259
FERN, S., see A. Evgenidou. 292
Fertilization. 7
FINDLEY, ANN, see Earl Weidner. 270
Fish
Amazonian. 241
Coral reef, 242
FISHER. ERIN C, see Sbnke Johnsen. 26
Fluorescence localization of K+ channels in the membrane of squid giant
axons. 231
Fluorescence speckle microscopy. 263
Foraging. 361
FRANK. T. M.. see S. M. Lindsay. 348
FREUND, CONCETTA. see Robert Gould. 259
FUKUI, YOSHIO, TARO Q. P. UVEDA, CHIKAKO KITAYAMA. AND SHINYA
INDUE, Migration forces in Dictvoste/iitm measured by centrifuge D1C
microscopy, 260
Functional and evolutionary implications of opposed bands, big mouths,
and extensive oral dilution in larval opheliids and echiurids (Anne-
lida), 14
Functional morphology, 2(17
Functional morphology of prey ingestion by Placetron wosnessenskii
Schalfeew zoeae (Crustacea: Anomura: Lithodidae), 207
G proteins, 388
GAINEY. Louis F.. JR., KELLY J. VININO. KAREN E. DOBLE, JENNIFER M.
WALDO, AURORA CANDELARIO-MARTINEZ, AND MICHAEL J. GREEN-
BERG. An endogenous SCP-related peptide modulates ciliary beating
in the gills of a venerid clam. Mercenaria merceiniria. 159
/B-galactosidase, 40
GALLO. MICHAEL A., see Blase Billack. 267
Gamete properties. 7
GAMULIN, VERA, see Alexander Skorokhod. 198
GANTER, GEOFFREY K.. RALF HEINRICH. RICHARD P. BUNGE, AND EDWARD
A. KRAVITZ, Long-term culture of lobster central ganglia: expression
of foreign genes in identified neurons. 40
GARRITT. ROBERT, see Talia Young, 297; Sharon Komarow, 299
GFP-tubulin. 262
Glial cells.
Glutathione S-transferase, 268
GOULD, ROBERT, CONCETTA FREUND, FRANK PALMER, PAMELA E. KNAPP,
JEFF HUANG. HILARY MORRISON. AND DOUGLAS L. FEINSTEIN: Mes-
senger mRNAs for kinesins and a dynein are located in neural pro-
cesses. 259
GRABOWSKI. GREGORY M., JOHN G. BLACKBURN. AND ERIC R. LACY,
Morphology and epithelial ion transport of the alkaline gland in the
Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis siihiiui). X2
GRASSO, FR-ANK. see Katrin Mjos. 249: John P. Hanna. 250
Green crab, 297
Green tea polyph^n iU. 285
Green-fluorescent protein. 40
GREENBERG. MICHAEL J., A century of science: Th? Biological Bulletin
looks back — and forward. I 13
GREENBERG, MICHAEL J., see Louis F. Gainey, Jr., 159
Growth, 377
GUNDACKER. DiETMAR, see Alexander Skorokhod. 198
H
HANLEY, JANICE S., NADAV SHASHAR, ROXANNA SMOLOWITZ. WILLIAM
MEBANE. AND ROGER T. HANLON, Soft-sided tanks improve long-term
health of cultured cuttlefish, 237
HANLON, ROGER T., MICHAEL R. MAXWELL, NADAV SHASHAR. ELLIS R.
LOEW, AND KIM-LAURA BOYLE, An ethogram of body patterning
behavior in the biomedically and commercially valuable squid Loligo
pealei off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 49
HANLON, ROGER T.. see Janice S. Hanley, 237; Kathleen Q. Tang, 247;
Alison J. King, 256
HANNA. JOHN P., FRANK W. GRASSO. AND JELLE ATEMA, Temporal corre-
lation between sensor pairs in different plume positions: a study of
concentration information available to the American lobster. Homarus
amcricanus. during chemotaxis. 250
HANTEN, JEFFREY J., see Sidney K. Pierce, 1
HAROSI. FERENC I., see Inigo Novales Flamarique, 235
HARRINGTON, JOHN M., AND PETER B. ARMSTRONG. A cuticular secretion of
the horseshoe crab, Liinuhis polypheinus: a potential anti-touling
agent, 274
HARRISON. PAUL J. H.. AND DAVID C. SANDEMAN, Morphology of the
nervous system of the barnacle cypris larva (Balamis amphitrite
Darwin) revealed by light and electron microscopy, 144
HARTLINE, D. K.. E. J. BUSKEY, AND P. H. LENZ. Rapid jumps and
bioluminescence elicited by controlled hydrodynamic stimuli in a
mesopelagic copepod. Pleuromamma xiphias. 132
Hatching, crab. 1 74
Hearing, 240
HECK, DIANE E., see Blase Billack, 267
HEINRICH, RALF, see Geoffrey K. Ganter. 40
Hemocyanin. 276
Hemocytes. 188
Hemolysis, 275, 276
Herpes virus. 257
Hippocampus, 1 15
HIROSE, EUICHI, see Maki Shirae, 188
Hi7A. N. A., see S. J. Zottoli, 239
HO-SANG, D. A. JR.. see S. J. Zottoli. 239
Homarus americamis. 249, 252. 253, 254
HOPKINSON, CHARLES JR.. see Katherine M. Pease. 289; Susannah Canh'eld.
295
HOSKIN. FRANCIS C. G., DIANE M. STEEVES. AND JOHN E. WALKER. Sub-
stituted cyclodextrin as a model for a squid enzyme that hydrolyzes
the nerve gas soman. 284
5-HT neurogenesis. 123
HUANG. JEFF, see Robert Gould. 259
Hyaluronic acid, 277
Hyaluronic acid: a component of the aggregation factor secreted by the
marine sponge, Microciona pro/ifera, 277
Hyaluronic acid binding protein, 277
Hydrostatic pressure, 388
Hydrostatic pressure alters the time course of GTP[S] binding to G proteins
in brain membranes from two congeneric marine fishes. 388
I
Identification of a hemolytic activity in the plasma of the gastropod
Bu*\con ciiiiiiliciiliiiiiin. 276
Identified neurons. 40
Immunity. 274
Immunocytochemistry. 231
Increased lability of estuarine dissolved organic nitrogen from urbanized
watersheds. 290
Individual recognition, 253, 254
Individual recognition and memory in Homarus americanus male-female
interactions, 253
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
409
Influence of marsh flooding on the abundance and growth of Fundiilux
heteroclitus in salt marsh creeks, 299
Ingestion. 207
INGOGLIA, MARK J., see Lisa M. Kerr. 303
Inhibition of settlement and metamorphosis of the ascidian Herdmunui
curvata by non-geniculate coralline algae, 332
INDUE, SHINYA, see Yoshio Fukui. 260: P. T. Tran, 262; Paul Maddox, 263
Insulin receptor-like tyrosine kinase, 198
Intense concanavalin A staining and apoptosis of peripheral flagellated
cells in larvae of the marine sponge Microciona prolifera: significance
in relation to morphogenesis, 271
INTERIOR, REY, see Octavian Popescu, 279
Internal fixation, 1 1
Invertebrate
reproduction. 7
larvae, 207
Ion channels. 23 1
Ipswich River, 289, 295
Ipswich River nutrient dynamics: preliminary assessment of a simple
nitrogen-processing model. 289
IRVINE, STEVEN Q.. OLEG CHAGA. AND MARK Q. MARTINDALE. Larval
ontogenetic stages of Chaetnptertis: developmental heterochrony in
the evolution of chaetopterid polychaetes, 319
IWASAKI. HIROSHI. see Masayuki Saigusa. 1 74
JOHNSEN, SONKE, ELIZABETH J. BALSER, ERIN C. FlSHER. AND EDITH A.
WIDDER, Bioluminescence in the deep-sea cirrate octopod Stauroteu-
this syrtensis Verrill (Mollusca: Cephalopoda). 26
JOHNSON. CRAIG R., see Bernard M. Degnan, 332
Johnston atoll. 242
K
KAATZ, INGRID M., AND PHILLIP S. LOBEL. Acoustic behavior and repro-
duction in five species of Corycoras catfishes (Callichthyidae), 241
KALTENBACH, JANE C.. WILLIAM J. KUHNS, TRACY L. SIMPSON, AND MAX
M. BURGER, Intense concanavalin A staining and apoptosis of periph-
eral flagellated cells in larvae of the marine sponge Microciona
prolifera: significance in relation to morphogenesis, 27 1
KANUNGO. JYOTSHNA. RUTH M. EMPSON, AND HOWARD RASMUSSEN, Mi-
croinjection of an antibody to the Ku protein arrests development in
sea urchin embryos, 341
KAPOOR, TARUN, see Paul Maddox, 263
KAVSAN, VADIM. see Alexander Skorokhod. 198
KELMAN, Dovi, AND RICHARD B. EMLET. Swimming and buoyancy in
ontogenetic stages of the cushion star Pteraster tesselanis (Echino-
dermata: Asteroidea) and their implications for distribution and move-
ment, 309
KENT, J., see S. M. Lindsay, 348
KERR, LISA M., PHILLIP S. LOBEL, AND J. MARK INGOGLIA, Evaluation of a
reporter gene system biomarker for detecting contamination in trop-
ical marine sediments, 303
KERR, LISA M.. see Phillip S. Lobel, 242
KILHAM, N., see Katherine M. Pease, 289
Kinesin. 259
KING, ALISON J., SHELLEY A. ADAMO, AND ROGER T. HANLON, Contact with
squid eggs increases agonistic behavior in male squid (Lotigo pealei),
256
KITAYAMA. CHIKAKO, see Yoshio Fukui, 260
KLIMOV, ANDREI A., see Lawrence C. Rome, 227
KNAPP, PAMELA E., see Robert Gould, 259
Koleolepas avis. 3 1 5
KOMAROW, SHARON, TALIA YOUNG, LINDA DEEGAN. AND ROBERT GARRITT,
Influence of marsh flooding on the abundance and growth of Fundulus
heteroclitus in salt marsh creeks, 299
KOMAROW, SHARON, see Talia Young, 297
KONKLE, A., see A. Evgenidou, 292
KOROLEVA, ZOYA, see Christine Lema-Foley, 395
KRAVITZ. EDWARD A., see Geoffrey K. Ganter, 40
KROEGER, KEVIN D., see Felisa L. Wolfe, 290
KRUG. PATRICK J.. AND ADRIANA E. MANZI, Waterborne and surface-
associated carbohydrates as settlement cues for larvae of the specialist
marine herbivore Alderia modesta, 94
Ku antigen, 341
KUHNS, WILLIAM J.. MAX M. BURGER. AND EVA TURLEY. Hyaluronic acid:
a component of the aggregation factor secreted by the marine sponge,
Microciona prolifera, 211
KUHNS, WILLIAM J., see Jane C. Kaltenbach, 271; Octavian Popescu. 279
KUZIRIAN, ALAN M., see John R. Clay, 231
Lability, 290
LACY, ERIC R., see Gregory M. Grabowski, 82
LAMB, A., see A. Evgenidou. 292
LANGFORD, GEORGE M.. see Torsten Wollert, 265
Larva, 104, 123, 207, 309
cypris, 144
feeding. 14
nonfeeding, 309
settlement, 94
Larval ecology, 207
Larval ontogenetic stages of Chaetopterus: developmental heterochrony in
the evolution of chaetopterid polychaetes. 319
LASKIN, JEFFREY D., see Blase Billack, 267
Lateral inhibition, 233
LATZ . M. I., see S. M. Lindsay. 348
LAVAIL, J. H., see E. L. Bearer, 257
LAWRENCE, DAVID, see Andrea Cubbage, 294
Lead (Pb). 283
Lectin staining, 271
LEE, KYENG G., see Christine Lema-Foley, 395
LEMA-FOLEY. CHRISTINE, KYENG G. LEE, TCHAIKO PARRIS. ZOYA KORO-
LEVA, NISHAL MOHAN. PIERRE NOAILLES, AND WILLIAM D. COHEN,
Reversible alteration of morphology in an invertebrate erythrocyte:
properties of the natural inducer and the cellular response, 395
Lens, 285
LENZ, P. H.. see D. K. Hartlme, 132
Leukotriene B4, 268
Leukotriene B4 as calcium agonist for nuclear envelope breakdown: an
enzymological survey of endomembranes of mitotic cells, 268
LEWIS, NATHANIEL, see Seymour Zigman, 285
Life cycle. 1
Life history, 7
Limulin. 275
Limulus. 233. 274, 275, 300
LINDSAY, S. M., T. M. FRANK, J. KENT, J. C. PARTRIDGE, AND M. I. LATZ.
Spectral sensitivity of vision and bioluminescence in the midwater
shrimp Sergestes similis, 348
LOBEL, PHILLIP S., AND LISA M. KERR, Courtship sounds of the Pacific
damselfish, Abudefduf sordidus (Pomacentridae), 242
LOBEL, PHILLIP S.. see Ingrid M. Kaatz. 241; Lisa M. Kerr, 303
Lobster, 40, 249, 252, 253, 254
chemo-orientation, 249
LOEW, ELLIS R., see Roger T. Hanlon, 49
Loligo pealfi, 49
Long-term culture of lobster central ganglia: expression of foreign genes in
identified neurons. 40
Long-term effect of municipal water use on the water budget of the Ipswich
River Basin. 295
LYNN, JOHN W., see Harold Silverman, 008
M
MADDOX. PAUL, ARSHAD DESAI, E. D. SALMON, T. J. MITCHISON, KAREN
OOGEMA. TARUN KAPOOR, BRIAN MATSUMOTO, AND SHINYA INOUE,
Dynamic confocal imaging of mitochondria in swimming Tetrahy-
mena and of microtubule poleward flux in Xenopus extract spindles,
263
410
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
MADDOX, P., see P. T. Tran, 262
MALCHOW, ROBERT PAUL. AND DAVID J. RAMSEY, Responses of retinal
Muller cells to neurotransmitter candidates: a comparative study, 229
MANZI, ADRIANA E., see Patrick J. Krug, 94
Marginal band. 395
Mariculture. 237
MARRS. GLEN, see Michael Dailey. 1 15
Marsh flooding, 2w
MARTINDALE. MARK Q.. see Steven Q. Irvine. 319
Mating
behavior. 300
systems. 256
MATSUMOTO, BRIAN, see Paul Maddox, 263
MAUGEL, TIMOTHY K., see Sidney K. Pierce, 1
MAXWELL. MICHAEL R.. see Roger T. Hanlon. 49
MCLAUGHLIN. LESLIE C., JENNIFER WALTERS, JELLE ATEMA, AND NORMAN
WAINWRIGHT. Urinary protein concentration in connection with ago-
nistic interactions in Homarus umericiiini*. 254
MEBANE, WILLIAM, see Janice S. Hanley, 237
Mechanical resistance to shear stress: the role of echinoderm egg extra-
cellular layers, 7
Mechanosensory thresholds. 132
Memory, 253
MENSINGER, ALLEN F., see Nichole N. Price. 246. Kathleen Q. Tang. 247
Mercenaria mercemiria, 159
Messenger mRNAs for kinesins and a dynein are located in neural pro-
cesses. 259
Metabolic efficiency. 377
Metamorphosis. 94
MICHALOWSKY. J.. see A. Evgenidou. 242
Microciona prolifera. 211 , 279
Microglia. 1 15
Microinjection of an antibody to the Ku protein arrests development in sea
urchin embryos. 341
Microspectrophotometry. 348
Microsporidian. 270
Microtubule. 262, 263
Migration forces. 260
MINER, BENJAMIN G.. ERIC SANFORD. RICHARD R. STRATHMANN. BRUNO
PERNET. AND RICHARD B. EMLET. Functional and evolutionary impli-
cations of opposed bands, big mouths, and extensive oral ciliation in
larval opheliids and echiurids (Annelida). 14
MISEVIC, GRADIMIR, see Octavian Popescu. 279
MITCHISON, T. J.. see Paul Maddox. 263
MJOS, KATRIN. FRANK GRASSO. AND JELLE ATEMA. Antennule use by the
American lobster. Homarus americunus. during chemo-orientation in
three turbulent odor plumes. 249
MOHAN, NISHAL. see Christine Lema-Foley. 395
Mollusc, 276
MONDRUP, THOMAS, Salinity effects on nutrient dynamics in estuarme
sediments investigated by a plug-flux method, 287
MONDY, WILLIAM L.. see Sidney K. Pierce, 1
Morphology, 82, 144. 319
Morphology and epithelial ion transport of the alkaline gland in the
Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina). 82
Morphology of the nervous system of the barnacle cypris larva (Balanus
amphitrite Darwin) revealed by light and electron microscopy. 144
MORRISON. HILARY, see Robert Gould. 259
Morula cell. 188
MOTTA. M, see S. J. Zottoli. 239
MULLER. ISABEL M., see Alexander Skorokhod, 198
MULLER. WERNER E. G., see Alexander Skorokhod. 198
MULLER-PARKER, GISELE. see Hilary P. Engebretson, 72
Mummichog, 2l>(>
MURRAY. THOM « F., see Joseph F. Siebenaller. 388
Muscle. 225. 22:
Mussel. 008
Myosin-dependent vesicle iransport. 265
Mwilus edulis. 008
N
Natural population. 300
Necrosis. 332
NELL, JOHN A., see Brian L. Bayne. 377
Nerve gas, 284
Nervous system. 144
Neurogenesis. 123
Neuron. 1 15
identifiable. 239
supramedullary. 239
Neuropeptides, 159
Nitrogen
cycling. 287. 289
dissolved organic. 290
land-derived, 294
model, 289
NOAILLES. PIERRE, see Christine Lema-Foley. 395
Noetia ponderosa, 395
NOVALES FLAMARIQUE. INIGO, AND FERENC I. HAROSI, Photoreceptor pig-
ments of the blueback herring (A/osa aesteva/is. Clupeidae) and the
Atlantic silverside (Meniilia menidia, Atherinidae), 235
Nuclear envelope breakdown, 268
Nutrient loadina, 292
o
O'NEILL. MAUREEN D.. see Kathleen Q. Tang. 247
Octopus, 26
Odor, 361
OGUNSEITAN. O. A., S. L. YANG, AND E. SCHEINBACH, The S-aminolevuli-
nate dehydratase of marine Vibrio alginolyticus is resistant to lead
(Ph). 283
Oligodendrocyte, 259
OLIVER, STEVEN J.. AND ELISE WATSON, Threat-sensitive nest defense in
domino damselfish (Dascyllus albise/la), 244
OOGEMA, KAREN, see Paul Maddox. 263
Opheliidae, 14
Opisthobranch. 94
Organ culture. 40
Ongin of insulin receptor-like tyrosine kinases in marine sponges, 198
Oslrea clulensis, 104
Ovigerous-hair stripping substance (OHSS) in an estuarine crab: purifica-
tion, preliminary characterization, and appearance of the activity in
the developing embryos. 174
Oyster. 104. 377
PALMER. FRANK, see Robert Gould. 259
Parasitism. 315
PARRIS, TCHAIKO, see Christine Lema-Foley, 395
Particle capture. 368
PARTRIDGE. J. C.. see S. M. Lindsay, 348
Patiriella regularis. 123
PAUL, ROBERT, see Robert Paul Malchow, 229
PEASE, KATHERINE M.. L. CLAESSENS, C. HOPKINSON, E. RASTETTER, J.
VALLINO, AND N. KILHAM. Ipswich River nutrient dynamics: prelim-
inary assessment of a simple nitrogen-processing model. 289
Pentose phosphate pathway. 268
PERNET, BRUNO, see Benjamin G. Miner. 14
Phospholipase A2, 268
Photo-oxidation. 285
Photoreceptor pigments of the blueback herring (A/osa aestevulis. Clupei-
dae) and the Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia, Atherinidae). 235
Physiological characterization of supramedullary/dorsal neurons of the
cunner. Tautogoldbrus udspersiis, 239
Physiology, 377
Phytoplankton biomass. 294
PIERCE. SIDNEY K.. TIMOTHY K. MAUGEL. MARY E. RUMPHO. JEFFREY J.
HANTEN, AND WILLIAM L. MONDY. Annual viral expression in a sea
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
411
slug population: life cycle control and symbiotic chloroplast mainte-
nance. 1
Polarization. 49
Polychaete. 14. 3 11)
Polyclonal antibody. 174
Pomacentrid. 244
POPESCU. OCTAVIAN, REY INTERIOR, GRADIMIR MlSEVlC. MAX M. BURGER.
AND WILLIAM J. KUHNS, Biosynthesis of tyrosine O-sulfate by cell
proteoglycan from the marine sponge, Microciona prolifera, 279
Population size and summer home range of the green crab, Cphf>rii jiistilliita. 1 1
Substituted c\cl>>.lextrin as a model for a squid enzyme that hydrolyzes the
nerve gas sutnan, 284
Summer home range, 297
Supramedullai) neurons. 239
SVENSSON. S; s\NNE, see Brian L. Bayne. 377
Swimbladder. 225
412
INDEX TO VOLUME 197
Swimming. 309
Swimming and buoyancy in ontogenetic stages of the cushion star Pter-
asler tesselatiia (Echinudermata: Asteroidea) and their implications
for distribution and movement. 309
Symbiosis. 1, 72. 315
Symplegma t't'phui\. 188
TAN. X., see S. J. Zottoli. 239
TANG. KATHLEEN Q., NICHOLE N. PRICE, MAUREEN D. O'NEILL. ALLEN F.
MF.NSINGER, AND ROGER T. HANLON, Temperature effects on first-year
growth of cultured oyster toadfish, Opsanns tan. 247
Teleost. 246
Temperature effects on first-year growth of cultured oyster toadfish. Op-
\iiintx tan. 247
Temporal correlation between sensor pairs in different plume positions: a
study of concentration information available to the American lobster.
Homanm iiiiu'rifiiniix. during chemotaxis, 250
Territoriality, interspecific. 244
The 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase of marine Vihrio alginolyticus is resis-
tant to lead (Pb), 283
The physiological basis for faster growth in the Sydney rock oyster,
Saccostrea commercialis, 377
The role of latero-frontal cirri in particle capture by the gills of Mytilus
ciliilis, 368
The velar ciliature in the brooded larva of the Chilean oyster Ostrca
chilensis (Philippi. 1845), 104
THOMAS. FLORENCE I. M.. KRISTIN A. EDWARDS, TOBY F. BOLTON, MARY
A. SEWELL, AND JILL M. ZANDE, Mechanical resistance to shear stress:
the role of echinoderm egg extracellular layers, 7
THOMPSON, R. J., see O. R. Chaparro. 104
Threat-sensitive nest defense in domino damselfish (Diiscvllns albixclhn,
244
Time-lapse, 1 1 5
Toadfish, 225, 227, 240. 246. 247
TOMASKY, GABRIELLE, see Andrea Cubbage, 294
TRAM, P. T., P. MADDOX, AND S. INOUE. Dynamic confocal imaging of
interphase and mitotic microtubules in the fission yeast. S. ponihe, 262
Translocation of photosynthetic carbon from two algal symbionts to the sea
anemone Anthopleura elegantissima, 72
Trochophore. 14
TURLEY, EVA, see William J. Kuhns, 277
Tyrosine O-sulfate, 279
Tyrosine sulfation substrates, 279
Vanadate. 265
VASSE, AIMEE, ALICE CHILD, AND NORMAN WAINWRIGHT. Prophenoloxi-
dase is not activated by microbial signals in Limulus polyphemus, 281
Veliger. 104
Velum. 104
VINING, KELLY J., see Louis F. Gainey, Jr.. 159
Vision. 235
Visual pigment. 235. 348
w
WAINWRIGHT, NORMAN, see Leslie C. McLaughlin, 254; Aimee Vasse, 281
WAITE. MARC, see Michael Dailey. I 15
WALDO, JENNIFER M., see Louis F. Gainey. Jr., 159
WALKER, JOHN E., see Francis C. G. Hoskin, 284
WALTERS, JENNIFER, see Leslie C. McLaughlin. 254
Water budget. 295
Waterborne and surface-associated carbohydrates as settlement cues for
larvae of the specialist marine herbivore Ahleria mndesta. 94
WATSON, ELISE, see Steven J. Oliver. 244
WATTS. K. M., see S. J. Zottoli, 239
WEIDNER, EARL, AND ANN FINDLEY, The extracellular survival of an intra-
cellular parasite (Spraguca lophii, Microsporea). 270
WIDDER. EDITH A., see Sonke Johnsen. 26
WIDENER, JUSTIN W.. AND ROBERT B. BARLOW, Decline of a horseshoe crab
population on Cape Cod. 300
WOLFE. FELISA L., KEVIN D. KROEGER, AND IVAN VALIELA. Increased
lability of estuarine dissolved organic nitrogen from urbanized water-
sheds. 290
WOLLERT, TORSTEN, ANA S. DfiPlNA, AND GEORGE M. LANGFORD. The
effects of vanadate on actin-dependent vesicle motility in extracts of
clam oocytes. 265
YAMATO, SHIGEYUKI. see Yoichi Yusa. 315
YANG, S. L., see O. A. Ogunseitan, 283
YOUNG, IAIN S., see Lawrence C. Rome. 227
YOUNG. TALIA, Sharon Komarow. Linda Deegan. and Robert Garritt,
Population size and summer home range of the green crab, Carcinus
IIHICIIUS, in salt marsh tidal creeks, 297
YOUNG, TALIA, see Sharon Komarow. 299
YUSA, YOICHI, AND SHIGEYUKI YAMATO. Cropping of sea anemone tenta-
cles by a symbiotic barnacle, 315
u
Ultrastructure, 144
Urchin. 267
Urinary protein, 254
Urinary protein concentration in connection with agonistic interactions in
Hnimiriix iinwricaniix. 254
UYEDA. TARO Q. P., see Yoshio Fukui. 260
VALIELA, IVAN, see Felisa L. Wolfe. 290; Andrea Cubbage. 294
VALLINO, JOSEPH, see Katherine M. Pease, 289; Susannah Canfield, 295
ZANDE, JILL M.. see Florence I. M. Thomas, 7
ZETTLER, ERIK, AND JELLE ATEMA, Chemoreceptor cells as concentration
slope detectors: preliminary evidence from the lobster nose, 252
ZIGMAN, SEYMOUR, NANCY S. RAI-TERTY. KEEN A. RAFFERTY, AND
NATHANIEL LEWIS, Effects of green tea polyphenols on lens photooxi-
dative stress, 2S5
Zoochlorellae, 72
Zooxanthellae. 72
ZOTTOLI. S. J., F. R. AKANKI, N. A. HI/A. D. A. Ho-SANG, JR.. M. MOTTA,
X. TAN. K. M. WATTS, AND E.-A. SEYFARTH. Physiological charac-
terisation of supramedullary/dorsal neurons of the cunner, Tautogo-
liihru\ adspersuSi 239
.