Lipid remodelling in the reef-building honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata, reflects acclimation and local adaptation to temperature

Type Article
Date 2016-10
Language English
Author(s) Muir Anna1, 2, Nunes FlaviaORCID1, 3, Dubois StanislasORCID3, Pernet FabriceORCID4
Affiliation(s) 1 : UEB, IUEM, Univ Brest UBO,IFREMER,UBO, Lab Sci Environm Marin,LEMAR,UMR 6539,CNRS,IRD, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
2 : Univ Chester, Dept Biol Sci, Parkgate Rd, Chester CH1 4BJ, Cheshire, England.
3 : IFREMER, Ctr Bretagne, DYNECO, Lab Eccol Benth Cotiere LEBCO, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
4 : IFREMER, Ctr Bretagne, PFOM, LPI,UMR 6539,CNRS,UBO,IRD,Lab Sci Environm Marin, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Source Scientific Reports (2045-2322) (Nature Publishing Group), 2016-10 , Vol. 6 , N. 35669 , P. 1-10
DOI 10.1038/srep35669
WOS© Times Cited 20
Abstract Acclimation and adaptation, which are key to species survival in a changing climate, can be observed in terms of membrane lipid composition. Remodelling membrane lipids, via homeoviscous adaptation (HVA), counteracts membrane dysfunction due to temperature in poikilotherms. In order to assess the potential for acclimation and adaptation in the honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata, a reef-building polychaete that supports high biodiversity, we carried out common-garden experiments using individuals from along its latitudinal range. Individuals were exposed to a stepwise temperature increase from 15 °C to 25 °C and membrane lipid composition assessed. Our results suggest that S. alveolata was able to acclimate to higher temperatures, as observed by a decrease in unsaturation index and 20:5n-3. However, over the long-term at 25 °C, lipid composition patterns are not consistent with HVA expectations and suggest a stress response. Furthermore, unsaturation index of individuals from the two coldest sites were higher than those from the two warmest sites, with individuals from the thermally intermediate site being in-between, likely reflecting local adaptation to temperature. Therefore, lipid remodelling appears limited at the highest temperatures in S. alveolata, suggesting that individuals inhabiting warm environments may be close to their upper thermal tolerance limits and at risk in a changing climate.
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Muir Anna, Nunes Flavia, Dubois Stanislas, Pernet Fabrice (2016). Lipid remodelling in the reef-building honeycomb worm, Sabellaria alveolata, reflects acclimation and local adaptation to temperature. Scientific Reports, 6(35669), 1-10. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35669 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00354/46551/