ORCID
- Ignacio Alvarez-Cienfuegos: 0009-0005-3227-2494
- Benjamin Ciotti: 0000-0001-5769-1437
- Richard Billington: 0000-0001-7288-8916
- Paul Sutton: 0000-0003-0568-5478
- Keiron Fraser: 0000-0001-5491-8376
Abstract
Biological processes in intertidal species follow tidal rhythms that enhance survival and fitness. Whereas tidal effects on behaviour and metabolic rates have been widely studied, impacts on other key process such as protein synthesis are still poorly understood. To date, no studies have examined the effect of immersion/emersion and tidal cycles on protein synthesis rates (k s). Patella vulgata is an intertidal limpet present in North-Eastern Atlantic rocky shores from high to low shore. Previously reported P. vulgata respiration and heart rate measurements suggest aerobic metabolism is maintained during emersion and growth rates increase from high to low shore, but whether these patterns are reflected in k s is currently unclear. Here, we measured for the first time in any intertidal organism, k s, RNA to protein ratios and RNA translational efficiency (k RNA) in P. vulgata over a full tidal cycle, at three different shore heights. k s increased during emersion (p < 0.001) and was significantly higher in low shore animals compared to the other shore heights (p < 0.001), additionally k s was negatively correlated to body mass (p = 0.002). RNA to protein ratios remained unchanged over the tidal cycle (p = 0.659) and did not vary with shore height (p = 0.591). k RNA was significantly higher during emersion and was also higher in low shore limpets (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that P. vulgata increases k s during emersion, an important adaptation in a species that spends a considerable amount of its lifecycle emersed. Intertidal species are highly exposed to increasing air temperatures, making knowledge of physiological responses during emersion critical in understanding and forecasting climate warming impacts.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2024-09-11
Publication Title
Journal of Comparative Physiology B
Volume
194
Issue
6
ISSN
0174-1578
Acceptance Date
2024-08-16
Deposit Date
2024-09-14
Embargo Period
2025-09-11
Funding
This work was supported by a University of Plymouth Research Studentship granted by the School of Biological and Marine Sciences to Ignacio A. Cienfuegos.
Additional Links
Keywords
Protein synthesis, RNA to protein ratio, RNA translational efficiency, Rocky shore, Tidal cycle
First Page
779
Last Page
792
Recommended Citation
Alvarez-Cienfuegos, I., Ciotti, B., Billington, R., Sutton, P., & Fraser, K. (2024) 'Life in the margins: the effect of immersion/emersion and tidal cycle on the North Atlantic limpet Patella vulgata protein synthesis rates', Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 194(6), pp. 779-792. Available at: 10.1007/s00360-024-01582-0
