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Differential transcriptomic responses to heat stress in surface and subterranean diving beetles
Perry G Beasley-Hall1,2,3, Terry Bertozzi4,5, Tessa M Bradford4,5
1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. perry.beasley-hall@adelaide.edu.au.
Scientific Reports
|September 28, 2022
Summary
Subterranean beetles show weaker molecular heat shock responses than surface beetles, indicating a reduced ability to cope with thermal stress and environmental changes. This molecular difference may explain their lower thermal tolerance.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Molecular ecology
- Physiological adaptation
Background:
- Subterranean habitats offer stable environments, driving evolutionary shifts in organismal physiology, especially thermal tolerance.
- Obligate subterranean species like Paroster macrosturtensis exhibit lower thermal tolerance than their surface-dwelling relatives.
- The genetic underpinnings of these thermal tolerance differences remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare molecular heat shock responses between a surface-dwelling water beetle and a congeneric obligate subterranean species.
- To investigate the genetic basis of differing thermal tolerance in these water beetle lineages.
- To assess the molecular capacity of subterranean species to respond to thermal stress.
Main Methods:
- Comparative transcriptomics was employed to analyze gene expression in response to heat shock.
- Experimental thermal manipulation was applied to 24 individuals from both surface and subterranean species.
- Differential gene expression analysis was conducted to identify species-specific responses to high temperatures (35°C).
Main Results:
- Both species exhibited heat shock responses at 35°C, but the number of differentially expressed genes varied significantly.
- The surface-dwelling species displayed a more robust heat shock response with a greater number of differentially expressed genes.
- The subterranean species, P. macrosturtensis, showed fewer differentially expressed genes, even in response to the experimental setup alone.
Conclusions:
- P. macrosturtensis appears less equipped to handle thermal stress and broader environmental disturbances at a molecular level.
- The study highlights molecular differences that may underlie the reduced thermal tolerance observed in obligate subterranean organisms.
- Findings have conservation implications for P. macrosturtensis, emphasizing its vulnerability to environmental changes.
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