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The marine sponge Ianthella basta can recover from stress-induced tissue regression

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Abstract

Sponges often exhibit tissue regression in response to stressful conditions. This study investigated whether handling stress invoked tissue regression in Ianthella basta and assessed whether sponges could recover from this regressed tissue state. Six necrotic specimens and 12 healthy explants were collected at Orpheus Is. Australia and transported to aquarium facilities. Sponges were photographed daily and an integrated density (ID) measurement was used to quantify tissue regression. Histological samples were taken from sponge explants to compare cellular organization. Bacterial communities of regressed and recovered tissue were compared using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE). After 12 h both necrotic and healthy sponges displayed substantial tissue regression. However, within 72 h all sponges recovered to their original condition. The ID of the sponge tissue doubled, confirming tissue recovery in I. basta. Sponges affected by tissue regression had significantly fewer choanocyte chambers and more densely packed granulated cells than recovered sponges. DGGE revealed the same microbial symbionts in both regressed and recovered sponges. Handling stress associated with collection and transportation is sufficient to invoke tissue regression in this species, but sponges can rapidly recover. This study contributes to our understanding of how sponges respond to environmental pressures, influencing population resilience and persistence.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by an Australian Institute of Marine Science @ James Cook University and a Marine and Tropical Science Research Facility postgraduate award to Heidi Luter. We thank Rocky de Nys for his support, Brandon Luter for his assistance with the processing of histology samples and Andrew Negri for his assistance with the photograph analysis. We also thank Jasper de Goeij and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful editorial comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Heidi M. Luter & Steve Whalan

  2. Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia

    Heidi M. Luter & Nicole S. Webster

  3. AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Heidi M. Luter

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  1. Heidi M. Luter
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  2. Steve Whalan
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Correspondence to Heidi M. Luter.

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Guest editors: M. Maldonado, X. Turon, M. A. Becerro & M. J. Uriz / Ancient animals, new challenges: developments in sponge research

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Luter, H.M., Whalan, S. & Webster, N.S. The marine sponge Ianthella basta can recover from stress-induced tissue regression. Hydrobiologia 687, 227–235 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0887-x

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