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Title: Trehalose as an indicator of desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster larvae: A potential marker of anhydrobiosis

Abstract

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First report confirming anhydrobiosis in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose synthesis and accumulation in larvae that hydrolyzed on rehydration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose synthesis in concert with the enzymes involved in trehalose metabolism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of trehalose hydrolysis in presence of a specific trehalase inhibitor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose proposed as a reliable marker for biomonitoring of climate change studies. -- Abstract: In the current scenario of global climate change, desiccation is considered as one of the major environmental stressors for the biota exposed to altered levels of ambient temperature and humidity. Drosophila melanogaster, a cosmopolitan terrestrial insect has been chosen as a humidity-sensitive bioindicator model for the present study since its habitat undergoes frequent stochastic and/or seasonally aggravated dehydration regimes. We report here for the first time the occurrence of anhydrobiosis in D. melanogaster larvae by subjecting them to desiccation stress under laboratory conditions. Larvae desiccated for ten hours at <5% relative humidity could enter anhydrobiosis and could revive upon rehydration followed by resumption of active metabolism. As revealed by FTIR and HPLC analyzes, our findings strongly indicated the synthesis and accumulation of trehalose in the desiccating larvae. Biochemical measurements pointed out the desiccation-responsive trehalose metabolic pathway that was found tomore » be coordinated in concert with the enzymes trehalose 6-phosphate synthase and trehalase. Further, an inhibitor-based experimental approach using deoxynojirimycin, a specific trehalase inhibitor, demonstrated the pivotal role of trehalose in larval anhydrobiosis of D. melanogaster. We therefore propose trehalose as a potential marker for the assessment of anhydrobiosis in Drosophila. The present findings thus add to the growing list of novel biochemical markers in specific bioindicator organisms for fulfilling the urgent need of environmental biomonitoring of climate change.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Centre for Advanced Studies, Department of Zoology, University of Pune, Pune 411007 (India)
  2. Division of Biochemical Sciences, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008 (India)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22207763
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 419; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS; BIOLOGICAL MARKERS; BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS; BIOSYNTHESIS; CLIMATIC CHANGE; DISACCHARIDES; DROSOPHILA; ENZYMES; HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY; HUMIDITY; HYDROLYSIS; INFRARED SPECTRA; LARVAE; METABOLISM; STOCHASTIC PROCESSES

Citation Formats

Thorat, Leena J., Gaikwad, Sushama M., and Nath, Bimalendu B., E-mail: bbnath@unipune.ac.in. Trehalose as an indicator of desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster larvae: A potential marker of anhydrobiosis. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1016/J.BBRC.2012.02.065.
Thorat, Leena J., Gaikwad, Sushama M., & Nath, Bimalendu B., E-mail: bbnath@unipune.ac.in. Trehalose as an indicator of desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster larvae: A potential marker of anhydrobiosis. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2012.02.065
Thorat, Leena J., Gaikwad, Sushama M., and Nath, Bimalendu B., E-mail: bbnath@unipune.ac.in. 2012. "Trehalose as an indicator of desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster larvae: A potential marker of anhydrobiosis". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2012.02.065.
@article{osti_22207763,
title = {Trehalose as an indicator of desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster larvae: A potential marker of anhydrobiosis},
author = {Thorat, Leena J. and Gaikwad, Sushama M. and Nath, Bimalendu B., E-mail: bbnath@unipune.ac.in},
abstractNote = {Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First report confirming anhydrobiosis in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose synthesis and accumulation in larvae that hydrolyzed on rehydration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose synthesis in concert with the enzymes involved in trehalose metabolism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inhibition of trehalose hydrolysis in presence of a specific trehalase inhibitor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Trehalose proposed as a reliable marker for biomonitoring of climate change studies. -- Abstract: In the current scenario of global climate change, desiccation is considered as one of the major environmental stressors for the biota exposed to altered levels of ambient temperature and humidity. Drosophila melanogaster, a cosmopolitan terrestrial insect has been chosen as a humidity-sensitive bioindicator model for the present study since its habitat undergoes frequent stochastic and/or seasonally aggravated dehydration regimes. We report here for the first time the occurrence of anhydrobiosis in D. melanogaster larvae by subjecting them to desiccation stress under laboratory conditions. Larvae desiccated for ten hours at <5% relative humidity could enter anhydrobiosis and could revive upon rehydration followed by resumption of active metabolism. As revealed by FTIR and HPLC analyzes, our findings strongly indicated the synthesis and accumulation of trehalose in the desiccating larvae. Biochemical measurements pointed out the desiccation-responsive trehalose metabolic pathway that was found to be coordinated in concert with the enzymes trehalose 6-phosphate synthase and trehalase. Further, an inhibitor-based experimental approach using deoxynojirimycin, a specific trehalase inhibitor, demonstrated the pivotal role of trehalose in larval anhydrobiosis of D. melanogaster. We therefore propose trehalose as a potential marker for the assessment of anhydrobiosis in Drosophila. The present findings thus add to the growing list of novel biochemical markers in specific bioindicator organisms for fulfilling the urgent need of environmental biomonitoring of climate change.},
doi = {10.1016/J.BBRC.2012.02.065},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22207763}, journal = {Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications},
issn = {0006-291X},
number = 4,
volume = 419,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Fri Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}