A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus
Abstract Animals of the phylum Echinodermata are characterized by a pentaradially symmetric endoskeleton in adults. Echinoids also have endoskeletal spines ranging in length from several millimeters (sand dollars e.g. Mellita quinquiesperforata of the order Clypeasteroida) to 30 cm (the black sea ur...
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2024-11-01
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| author | Maria Wise Madison Silvia Gerardo Reyes Rushane Dunn Thomas M. Onorato Cosmo Pieplow Aidan Furze El Hebert Nathalie Oulhen Dan Ritschoff David R. McClay Gary Wessel |
| author_facet | Maria Wise Madison Silvia Gerardo Reyes Rushane Dunn Thomas M. Onorato Cosmo Pieplow Aidan Furze El Hebert Nathalie Oulhen Dan Ritschoff David R. McClay Gary Wessel |
| author_sort | Maria Wise |
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| description | Abstract Animals of the phylum Echinodermata are characterized by a pentaradially symmetric endoskeleton in adults. Echinoids also have endoskeletal spines ranging in length from several millimeters (sand dollars e.g. Mellita quinquiesperforata of the order Clypeasteroida) to 30 cm (the black sea urchin, Diadema antillarum of the order Euechinoidea). Here we integrate an analysis of genetic, structural and molecular properties of spines from the variegated sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus. Through genetic crosses we learned that white is dominant over red and green colors, and that pigmentation follows classic Mendelian genetics. The abundance of mRNAs encoding flavin mono-oxygenase variancts and polyketide synthase was predictive of the color of the adult and antibodies identified their histological location in the spine cells. By RNA in situ hybridization, candidate genes important for spine biomineralization and pigmentation were mapped onto the spine epithelia, and MicroCT scans of spines from different color morphs concluded that color morphs are entirely due to pigmentation and not to structural variations of the endoskeleton. By confocal microscopy we localized gene expression along and within the spines and learned that genes involved in pigment biosynthesis showed selective distribution along the spine. Spine epidermis is mitotically active and red spherule immunocytes are highly migratory within the spine. Overall the results provide a key foundation for examining the mechanisms of molecular diversity and patterning in the name sake of the phylum Echinodermata. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-fc3cb7f2541b46d2bdd087f84bf703fe2025-02-09T12:38:22ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111410.1038/s41598-024-79312-3A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatusMaria Wise0Madison Silvia1Gerardo Reyes2Rushane Dunn3Thomas M. Onorato4Cosmo Pieplow5Aidan Furze6El Hebert7Nathalie Oulhen8Dan Ritschoff9David R. McClay10Gary Wessel11Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Natural Sciences, LaGuardia Community College/CUNYDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityDuke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke UniversityDepartment of Biology, Duke UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brown UniversityAbstract Animals of the phylum Echinodermata are characterized by a pentaradially symmetric endoskeleton in adults. Echinoids also have endoskeletal spines ranging in length from several millimeters (sand dollars e.g. Mellita quinquiesperforata of the order Clypeasteroida) to 30 cm (the black sea urchin, Diadema antillarum of the order Euechinoidea). Here we integrate an analysis of genetic, structural and molecular properties of spines from the variegated sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus. Through genetic crosses we learned that white is dominant over red and green colors, and that pigmentation follows classic Mendelian genetics. The abundance of mRNAs encoding flavin mono-oxygenase variancts and polyketide synthase was predictive of the color of the adult and antibodies identified their histological location in the spine cells. By RNA in situ hybridization, candidate genes important for spine biomineralization and pigmentation were mapped onto the spine epithelia, and MicroCT scans of spines from different color morphs concluded that color morphs are entirely due to pigmentation and not to structural variations of the endoskeleton. By confocal microscopy we localized gene expression along and within the spines and learned that genes involved in pigment biosynthesis showed selective distribution along the spine. Spine epidermis is mitotically active and red spherule immunocytes are highly migratory within the spine. Overall the results provide a key foundation for examining the mechanisms of molecular diversity and patterning in the name sake of the phylum Echinodermata.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79312-3EchinodermSea urchin spineBiomineralizationPigmentationPolyketide synthaseFlavin containing monooxygenase |
| spellingShingle | Maria Wise Madison Silvia Gerardo Reyes Rushane Dunn Thomas M. Onorato Cosmo Pieplow Aidan Furze El Hebert Nathalie Oulhen Dan Ritschoff David R. McClay Gary Wessel A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus Scientific Reports Echinoderm Sea urchin spine Biomineralization Pigmentation Polyketide synthase Flavin containing monooxygenase |
| title | A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus |
| title_full | A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus |
| title_fullStr | A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus |
| title_full_unstemmed | A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus |
| title_short | A molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus |
| title_sort | molecular basis for spine color morphs in the sea urchin lytechinus variegatus |
| topic | Echinoderm Sea urchin spine Biomineralization Pigmentation Polyketide synthase Flavin containing monooxygenase |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79312-3 |
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