title: Phenotypic diversity, population structure and stress protein-based capacitoring in populations of Xeropicta derbentina, a heat-tolerant land snail species.
abstract: The shell colour of many pulmonate land snail species is highly diverse. Besides a genetic basis, environmentally triggered epigenetic mechanisms including stress proteins as evolutionary capacitors are thought to influence such phenotypic diversity. In this study, we investigated the relationship of stress protein (Hsp70) levels with temperature stress tolerance, population structure and phenotypic diversity within and among different populations of a xerophilic Mediterranean snail species (Xeropicta derbentina). Hsp70 levels varied considerably among populations, and were significantly associated with shell colour diversity: individuals in populations exhibiting low diversity expressed higher Hsp70 levels both constitutively and under heat stress than those of phenotypically diverse populations. In contrast, population structure (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene) did not correlate with phenotypic diversity. However, genetic parameters (both within and among population differences) were able to explain variation in Hsp70 induction at elevated but non-pathologic temperatures. Our observation that (1) population structure had a high explanatory potential for Hsp70 induction and that (2) Hsp70 levels, in turn, correlated with phenotypic diversity while (3) population structure and phenotypic diversity failed to correlate provides empirical evidence for Hsp70 to act as a mediator between genotypic variation and phenotype and thus for chaperone-driven evolutionary capacitance in natural populations.
authors.affiliation: Animal Physiological Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, Tübingen University, Konrad-Adenauer-Str. 20, D-72072, Tübingen, Germany, Maddalena.DiLellis@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Maddalena A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Di Lellis
authors.forename: Sergej
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sereda
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geißler
authors.forename: Adrien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picot
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Troschinski
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dieterich
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hauffe
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Capowiez
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzia
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Knigge
authors.forename: Tiphaine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monsinjon
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krais
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilke
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Triebskorn
authors.forename: Heinz-R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Köhler
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D060105:Animal Shells / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000235:genetics; D006358:Hot Temperature; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012908:Snails / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV