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Captivity induces a sweeping and sustained genomic response in a starfish
Marie Morin1, Mathias Jönsson1, Conan K Wang2
1Centre for Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Molecular Ecology
|April 3, 2023
Summary
Captivity significantly alters gene expression in crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS). Wild and captive COTS show major differences in over 20% of genes, indicating captivity impacts physiology and health.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Ecology
- Genomics
Background:
- Studying wild marine animals is challenging, leading to reliance on captive specimens.
- The physiological comparability of captive versus wild marine invertebrates is often assumed but rarely tested.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of captivity on gene expression in crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS).
- To compare global gene expression profiles between wild and captive COTS populations.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptome analysis of coelomocytes from wild and captive COTS.
- Comparative analysis of gene expression patterns between the two groups.
Main Results:
- A significant portion (20-24%) of coding sequences showed differential gene expression between wild and captive COTS.
- Gene expression changes in captive COTS persisted for over 30 days with no signs of acclimation.
- Upregulated genes in captivity relate to oxidative stress and energy metabolism; downregulated genes relate to cell signaling.
Conclusions:
- Captivity profoundly impacts COTS physiology and health, as evidenced by widespread gene expression changes.
- Results suggest caution when extrapolating findings from captive aquatic invertebrates to wild populations.
