Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026
08:43
Aerobic Biodegradation Testing of Materials Using a Natural Marine Seawater Inoculum and Closed Loop Respirometer
Published on: October 24, 2025
357
Proteomic changes across a natural temperature gradient in a marine gastropod
M Christina Vasquez1, Marilla R Lippert1, Crow White1
1Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA.
Marine Environmental Research
|June 18, 2019
Summary
Marine snails show altered protein levels in response to temperature changes, with cold-adapted whelks displaying increased metabolism and signaling proteins for cold compensation.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Proteomics
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Marine ectotherms rely on physiological adjustments for temperature compensation.
- Understanding thermal stress responses is crucial for predicting species' resilience to climate change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate proteomic changes in Kellet's whelk (Kelletia kelletii) across a natural thermal gradient.
- To test the hypothesis that cold-acclimation involves increased cellular stress and energy metabolism proteins.
Main Methods:
- Proteomic analysis of gill tissue from Kellet's whelk sampled across four California Channel Island sites.
- Quantification of protein abundance changes related to cellular stress, energy metabolism, and cell signaling.
Main Results:
- Exploratory proteomic analysis revealed changes in proteins associated with cytoskeleton, energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and cell signaling.
- Whelks from the coldest site exhibited higher abundance of energy metabolism and oxidative stress proteins.
- Cell signaling protein abundance was higher in the coldest site compared to the warmest site.
Conclusions:
- Observed protein changes suggest potential roles in cold-compensation and oxidative stress management in Kellet's whelk.
- Cell signaling may be particularly important for physiological regulation in cooler marine environments.
- Identified protein targets can inform future research on marine animal responses to ocean warming.
Related Concept Videos
01:26What is an Electrochemical Gradient?
127.5K
Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is considered the primary energy source in cells. However, energy can also be stored in the electrochemical gradient of an ion across the plasma membrane, which is determined by two factors: its chemical and electrical gradients.
The chemical gradient relies on differences in the abundance of a substance on the outside versus the inside of a cell and flows from areas of high to low ion concentration. In contrast, the electrical gradient revolves around an...
The chemical gradient relies on differences in the abundance of a substance on the outside versus the inside of a cell and flows from areas of high to low ion concentration. In contrast, the electrical gradient revolves around an...
127.5K
01:32What is Natural Selection?
126.3K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
126.3K
01:10Nature and Nurture
22.2K
Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.2K
01:33Proteomics
9.4K
A proteome is the entire set of proteins that a cell type produces. We can study proteomes using the knowledge of genomes because genes code for mRNAs, and the mRNAs encode proteins. Although mRNA analysis is a step in the right direction, not all mRNAs are translated into proteins.
Proteomics is the study of proteomes' function. It involves the large-scale systematic study of the proteome to denote the protein complement expressed by a genome. Scientist Mark Wilkins coined the term...
Proteomics is the study of proteomes' function. It involves the large-scale systematic study of the proteome to denote the protein complement expressed by a genome. Scientist Mark Wilkins coined the term...
9.4K
01:27Energy Line and Hydraulic Gradient Line
2.1K
Based on Bernoulli's equation, the energy line (EL) and hydraulic grade line (HGL) provide graphical representations of energy distribution in a fluid flow system. For steady, incompressible, inviscid flows, Bernoulli's equation is expressed as:
2.1K
01:14Gradient and Del Operator
4.4K
In mathematics and physics, the gradient and del operator are fundamental concepts used to describe the behavior of functions and fields in space. The gradient is a mathematical operator that gives both the magnitude and direction of the maximum spatial rate of change. Consider a person standing on a mountain. The slope of the mountain at any given point is not defined unless it is quantified in a particular direction. For this reason, a "directional derivative" is defined, which is a vector...
4.4K