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Influence of diatom exopolymers and biofilms on metamorphosis in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Influence of diatom exopolymers and biofilms on metamorphosis in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite
 
Creator Patil, J.S.
Anil, A.C.
 
Subject biofilms
microorganisms
fouling organisms
larval development
metamorphosis
biological settlement
marine crustaceans
Balanus amphitrite
 
Description Natural biofilms constitute a complex network of microorganisms (bacteria, diatoms, protozoa, fungi) and their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which influence settlement inbenthic invertebrates. The influence of diatom (Bacillariophyceae) films and EPS(greater than 1000 molecular weight) on metamorphosis in the acorn barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin, a dominant fouling organism, using axenic and non-axenic films, and free and biofilm EPS, of 5 species of pennate diatoms: Amphora coffeaeformis and A. rostrata, and Navicula transitans var. derasa f. delicatula, N. crucicula and N. subinflata are investigated. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrarevealed that the EPS produced by diatoms are of similar nature; however, the proportion of monosaccharides varies with species, indicating a potential role for influencing larval metamorphosis. Free EPS of axenic diatoms had no effect, whereas biofilm EPS induced larvae to metamorphose. Amphora spp. produced more biofilm EPS, but had relatively weaker effects than Navicula spp. Axenic diatom films also facilitated larval metamorphosis (depending on species and cell density) in some cases, suggesting that the cues provided by the diatoms themselves can also mediate invertebrate larval metamorphosis in the absence of microbial films. Non-axenic diatom films (which had higher cell densities) and biofilm EPS promoted metamorphosis to a greater degree than those of axenic diatoms. Enhancement of metamorphosis depended on diatom species and on their density in the films, as well as on the composition of their EPS. Differential responses of barnacle larvae to different diatom species and their EPS indicate that each diatom species provides a different set of physico-chemical signals to settling larvae.
 
Date 2008-02-22T04:45:43Z
2008-02-22T04:45:43Z
2005
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Marine ecology progress series, Vol.301; 231-245p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/885
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [2005]. It is tried to respect the rights of the copyright holders to the best of the knowledge. If it is brought to our notice by copyright holder that the rights are voilated then the item would be withdrawn.
 
Publisher Inter Research