title: Heat stress-activated, calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase in sponges.
abstract: The presence of Ca(2+)-dependent, heat-stress-activated nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in peculiarly shaped, fusiform, and dendritic sponge cells is described for the first time. The NOS activity was evidenced evaluating the conversion of radioactive citrulline from [(14)C]arginine in intact cells from two different species that are phylogenetically unrelated in the class of Demospongiae: Axinella polypoides and Petrosia ficiformis. The production of nitrogen monoxide (NO) was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance analysis, and the histochemistry technique of NADPH diaphorase showed a specific localization of NOS activity in a particular network of dendritic cells in the sponge parenchyma. Sponges are the most primitive metazoan group; their evolution dates back 600 million years. The presence of environmental stress-activated NOS activity in these organisms may prove to be the most ancient NO-dependent signaling network in the animal kingdom.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council, Biotechnology Target Project, Via L.B. Alberti, 16132 Genoa, Italy. pfbiotec@unige.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovine
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozzolini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bavestrello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerrano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ottaviani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiarantini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerasi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cangiotti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zocchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scarfì
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarà
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Benatti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011161:Porifera / Q000201:enzymology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase; D002118:Calcium