Holothuria scabra; aggregation; behavior; pheromone; saponins; Saponins; Animals; Mass Spectrometry; Holothuria/chemistry; Sea Cucumbers; Saponins/pharmacology; Saponins/chemistry; Holothuria; Pharmaceutical Science; Drug Discovery; Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (miscellaneous)
Abstract :
[en] Intraspecific chemical communication between echinoderms has often been limited to prespawning aggregation. However, sea cucumber farmers have long observed year-round adult aggregation as a potential source of disease propagation and the suboptimal use of available sea pen acreage and food resources. In this study, through spatial distribution statistics, we demonstrated the significant aggregation of the aquacultivated sea cucumber Holothuria scabra both as adults in large sea-based pens and as juveniles in laboratory-based aquaria, proving that aggregation in these animals is not only observed during spawning. The role of chemical communication in aggregation was investigated using olfactory experimental assays. Our study established that the sediment that H. scabra feeds on as well as the water preconditioned by conspecifics induced positive chemotaxis in juvenile individuals. More specifically, through comparative mass spectrometry, a distinct triterpenoid saponin profile/mixture was identified to be a pheromone allowing sea cucumber intraspecific recognition and aggregation. This "attractive" profile was characterized as containing disaccharide saponins. This "attractive" aggregation-inducing saponin profile was, however, not conserved in starved individuals that were no longer attractive to other conspecifics. In summary, this study sheds new light on the pheromones in echinoderms. It highlights the complexity of the chemical signals detected by sea cucumbers and suggests a role of saponins well beyond that of a simple toxin.
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Claereboudt, Emily ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Chemistry for Sustainable Food and Environmental Systems (CSFES) ; Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium
Claereboudt, Michel R; Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123, Oman
Savarino, Philippe ; Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S2MOs), Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium
Caulier, Guillaume ; Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium ; Belaza Marine Station (IH.SM-UMONS-ULIEGE), Toliara 601, Madagascar
Gaumez, Loic; Indian Ocean Trepang, Mahavatsy II, Toliara 601, Madagascar
Deleu, Magali ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Chemistry for Sustainable Food and Environmental Systems (CSFES)
Gerbaux, Pascal ; Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (S2MOs), Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium
Eeckhaut, Igor; Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics Unit, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons (UMONS), 7000 Mons, Belgium ; Belaza Marine Station (IH.SM-UMONS-ULIEGE), Toliara 601, Madagascar
Language :
English
Title :
A Distinct Saponin Profile Drives an Olfactory-Mediated Aggregation in the Aquacultivated Sea Cucumber Holothuria scabra.
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