Anthopleurine: a sea anemone alarm pheromone

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Chemical ecology
• Animal behavior

Background:

• Sea anemones exhibit defensive behaviors.
• Chemical communication plays a role in marine invertebrate interactions.
• Wounding can elicit defensive responses in some species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the alarm pheromone released by wounded sea anemones (Anthopleura elegantissima).
• To characterize the chemical structure of the alarm pheromone.
• To determine the effective concentration of the pheromone in triggering a response.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of the pheromone using ion-exchange chromatography.
• Chemical and spectroscopic methods for structure identification.
• Determination of median effective concentration (MEC) through bioassays.

Main Results:

• The alarm pheromone was isolated and identified as a quaternary ammonium ion: (3-carboxy-2, 3-dihydroxy-N, N, N-trimethyl)-1-propanaminium.
• The MEC of the crystalline pheromone was determined to be 3.5 x 10^-10 moles per liter of seawater.
• Anthopleura elegantissima exhibited characteristic contraction in response to the pheromone.

Conclusions:

• A specific quaternary ammonium ion acts as an alarm pheromone in Anthopleura elegantissima.
• This pheromone elicits a defensive contraction response in sea anemones.
• The high potency of the pheromone suggests a significant role in intraspecific communication and defense.