Cell lineage and gene expression in the development of polychaetes

The developmental strategies of embryos within the various taxa of polychaetes are designed to set up the fate of the cell lines. Some of these traits of pattern formation are considered to be ancestral, but we also find a number of derived developmental characteristics, some of which might be useful indicators for phylogenetic relationships. A combination of ooplasmic segregation and anisotropic cleavage rapidly establishes the fate of several larval cell lines in the polychaete embryo. The setting-up of the primary trochoblasts basically concerns the same cell line (la²–ld²) in polychaetes and even in molluscs. Such mechanisms may thus be regarded as ancestral. The determination of the mesoderm precursor occurs very late in both equally cleaving annelids and mollusks, indicating that an equal cleavage pattern may be regarded as an ancestral trait. Since both disproportionate cytoplasmic distribution (either by spindle shift or polar lobe formation) and cell cycle asynchronies appear to speed up the development of the mesoderm-forming cell line, these strategies represent derived traits. An analysis of these derived traits of early development is given and is discussed in the light of the phylogenetic relationships among the polychaetes. These data are extended by an analysis of some of the postlarval structures in polychaetes and the molecular developmenta1 circuitry involved.     

Modeling mate-finding behavior of the swarming polychaete,Nereis succinea,with TangoInSilico,a scientific orkflow-based simulation system for sexual searching

Summary

Pheromones can be used as attractants for the opposite sex in many environments; however, little is known about the search strategies employed in responding to pheromones in the marine environment. The spawning behavior of males of the polychaete Nereis succinea is known to be triggered at close range by a high concentration (>～10^?7 M) of pheromone, cysteine glutathione disulfide (CSSG), released by females. Since CSSG also causes acceleration of swimming and increased turning, in addition to eliciting ejaculation, we proposed the hypothesis that these behaviors elicited by low concentrations of pheromone can be used by males to find females. The current study develops a computer simulation model of male and female N. succinea behavior for testing whether male responses to low concentrations of CSSG can facilitate finding females. Video recording of female swimming behavior in the field showed spontaneous loops, spirals, and circles that have been incorporated into the model. The scientific workflow paradigm within which the computer model has been developed also incorporates a data provenance system to enable systematic replay and testing of responses to individual parameters. Output of the model shows complex turning behavior leading to successful mating encounters at concentrations as low as 3×10^?9 M CSSG. Behavior resembling the output of the model was recorded in field observations. Application of the model in the future will be used to determine what pheromone concentrations produce significant increases in the probability of mating encounters.     

Patterns of protein synthesis and accumulation during oogenesis in the polychaete,Pseudopotamilla occelata Moore

Summary

Proteins synthesized and accumulated during oogenesis or Pseudopotamilla occelata were analyzed by two-dimensional Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. Significant changes in the patterns of synthesis and accumulation occur during oogenesis, paticularly between previtellogenic and vitellogenic stages, although many of the proteins are represented throughout the process. The changes may be generally dependent upon the variation in the gene expression affecting autosynthesis of proteins. However, appearance of proteins, which occur only at the vitellogenic stages but apparently not synthesized within the oocytes, indicates that heterosynthetic proteins are stage-specifically transported into oocytes.     

Spermatogenesis and sperm—spermatheca relations in Spirorbis spirorbis (L.)

The differentiation from early spermatid to spermatozoon is described with special emphasis on the formation of the helix of chromatin and mitochondrial junctions. The role of microtubules in morphogenesis is discussed.

New observations on the role of the recently described spermatheca are presented; phagocytosis and digestion of spermatozoa are proven, and the various origins of the sperm found in the spermatheca are specified.     

Do <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lanice conchilega</Emphasis> (sandmason) aggregations classify as reefs? Quantifying habitat modifying effects

The positive effects of the tube dwelling polychaete Lanice conchilega for the associated benthic community emphasizes this bio-engineer’s habitat structuring capacity (Rabaut et al. in Estuar Coastal Shelf Sci, 2007). Therefore, L. conchilega aggregations are often referred to as reefs. The reef building capacity of ecosystem engineers is important for marine management as the recognition as reef builder will increase the protected status the concerned species. To classify as reefs however, bio-engineering activities need to significantly alter several habitat characteristics: elevation, sediment consolidation, spatial extent, patchiness, reef builder density, biodiversity, community structure, longevity and stability [guidelines to apply the EU reef-definition by Hendrick and Foster-Smith (J Mar Biol Assoc UK 86:665–677, 2006)]. This study investigates the physical and temporal characteristics of high density aggregations of L. conchilega. Results show that the elevation and sediment consolidation of the biogenic mounds was significantly higher compared to the surrounding unstructured sediment. Areas with L. conchilega aggregations tend to be extensive and patchiness is high (coverage 5–18%). The discussion of present study evaluates whether L. conchilega aggregations can be considered as reefs (discussing physical, biological and temporal characteristics). Individual aggregations were found to persist for several years if yearly renewal of existing aggregations through juvenile settlement occurred. This renewal is enhanced by local hydrodynamic changes and availability of attaching structures (adult tubes). We conclude that the application of the EU definition for reefs provides evidence that all physical and biological characteristics are present to classify L. conchilega as a reef builder. For temporal characteristics, this study shows several mechanisms exist for reefs to persist for a longer period of time. However, a direct evidence of long-lived individual reefs does not exist. As a range of aggregation development exists, ‘reefiness’ is not equal for all aggregations and a scoring table to quantify L. conchilega reefiness is presented.     

Machaeridian locomotion

The discovery that machaeridians (class Machaeridia Withers, 1926) are annelids allows their mode of locomotion to be interpreted in the context of the body plan of this phylum. The Plumulitidae were errant epibenthic forms, moving with parapodia. The body of Turrilepadidae and Lepidocoleidae, however, was enclosed largely within the mineralized plates that make up the skeleton. Articulated specimens indicate that these machaeridians were able to burrow like other annelids using peristaltic locomotion. A lepidocoleid specimen indicates that multiple waves of shortened and contracted regions moved over the body. This is in contrast to the mode of locomotion in earthworms and most polychaetes, but similar to peristaltic progression in Polyphysia (Scalibregmidae). Either the rugose sculpture (turrilepadids) and/or the margins of the overlapping shell plates functioned as a burrowing sculpture, allowing forward movement but preventing backwards slipping. A trace from the Devonian Hunsrück Slate associated with a lepidocoleid indicates that considerable flexing of the skeleton was possible, but this is an escape trace and does not represent normal locomotion. Features of the skeleton of machaeridians are convergent on those of molluscs where the shells likewise function in protection and burrowing.     

Feeding response of the polychaete Sabellaria alveolata (Sabellariidae) to changes in seston concentration

Sabellaria alveolata is a tube-building gregarious polychaete that constructs large biogenic reefs. In macrotidal shellfish ecosystems, this species competes for food with cultivated suspension-feeders. The suspension-feeding activity and clearance rate of S. alveolata were investigated in response to changes in seston concentration. A flow-through system was designed to study 225 cm² reef blocks with more than 500 individuals. The experimental conditions were characterized by increasing concentrations of suspended particulate matter ranging from 6.5 to 153.8 mg L⁻¹, while the organic content of the diet (microalgae Skeletonema costatum) decreased inversely from 49 to 9%, to mimic the dilution of organic matter by inorganic particles, characteristic of tidal resuspension. We showed that the clearance rate exponentially decreased in relation to an increase in SPM concentration. Clearance rate was estimated at 5.3 10^− 3 L h^− 1 or 0.93 L h^− 1 g^− 1 (dry weight) for the lowest seston concentration (SPM = 6.5 mg L^− 1) and reached the asymptote at CR = 1.97 10^− 3 L h^− 1 or 0.35 L h^− 1 g^− 1 (dry weight) when SPM exceeded 45 mg L^− 1. Using picture analyses of polychaete movements, we showed that, paradoxically, an increase in SPM concentration did not adversely affect the feeding activity of S. alveolata since the number of filtering individuals remained stable from SPM = 6.5 to 55.5 mg L^− 1. These values were applied at the scale of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel (France) to demonstrate that the filtration pressure of large populations of wild suspension-feeders should not be underestimated when the carrying capacity has to be assessed in the context of increasing bivalve cultures.