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Digestive flexibility in response to environmental salinity and temperature in the non-symbiotic sea anemone Bunodosoma zamponii

Hydrobiologia volume 759, pages 189–199 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

In spite of their ecological importance in tidal pools, studies on digestive flexibility in non-symbiotic anemones (i.e., without symbiosis throughout their life) upon changes in key environmental factors are lacking. This study constitutes the first work to investigate the response of digestive enzymes in relation to high environmental salinity and temperature in a non-symbiotic sea anemone. We determined the occurrence and biochemical characteristics of maltase activity and compared maltase and proteolytic activities in mesenterial filaments in Bunodosoma zamponii from the intertidal area of Punta Cantera, Mar del Plata, Argentina (38°05′S, 57°32′W) acclimated to 35 and 40 psu and after an acute enhancement (15 min) of temperature from 20° to 30°C. Maltase activity was higher in 40 psu and upon the increase in temperature (about 80 and 99%, respectively). Proteolytic activity was not affected in any case. The results suggest the occurrence of specific digestive adjustments in relation to high salinity and temperature. The fact that differential modulation of maltase activity could be associated with a higher digestive capacity for glycogenic substrates is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by Grants from the University of Mar del Plata, Argentina and from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina (CONICET) (PIP OO21/11). We dedicated this work to the memory of Dra. Adriana Excoffon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras IIMyC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3250, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Juana Cristina del Valle & Alejandra Antonia López Mañanes

  2. Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras IIMyC-CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Fabián Horacio Acuña

  3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Argentina http://www.conicet.gov.ar/

    Fabián Horacio Acuña & Alejandra Antonia López Mañanes

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  1. Juana Cristina del Valle
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  2. Fabián Horacio Acuña
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  3. Alejandra Antonia López Mañanes
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Correspondence to Alejandra Antonia López Mañanes.

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Guest editors: Yehuda Benayahu, Oren Levy and Tamar Lotan / Coelenterate Biology: Advanced Studies on Cnidaria and Ctenophora

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del Valle, J.C., Acuña, F.H. & López Mañanes, A.A. Digestive flexibility in response to environmental salinity and temperature in the non-symbiotic sea anemone Bunodosoma zamponii . Hydrobiologia 759, 189–199 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2239-8

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Keywords

  • Intertidal
  • Phenotypic flexibility
  • Non-symbiotic anemones
  • Bunodosoma zamponii
  • Mesenterial filaments
  • Digestive enzymes