title: Is the deep-sea crab Chaceon affinis able to induce a thermal stress response?
abstract: Fluctuations in the stress level of an organism are expressed in behavioural and molecular changes that can affect its ecology and survival. Our knowledge of thermal adaptations in deep-sea organisms is very limited, and this study investigates the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and the heat-shock response (HSR) in the deep-sea crab Chaceon affinis commonly found in waters of the North East Atlantic. A mild but significant HSR in C. affinis was noted and one of the lowest CTmax known amongst Crustacea was revealed (27.5 °C at 0.1 MPa; 28.5 °C at 10 MPa). The thermal sensitivity of this species appears to be reduced at in situ pressure (10 MPa), given the slightly higher CTmax and the significant 3-fold induction of stress genes hsp70 form 1 and hsp70 form 2. Although C. affinis deep-sea habitat is characterized by overall low temperature this species appears to have retained its ability to induce a HSR. This capability may be linked with C. affinis' occasional exploitation of warmer and thermally instable hydrothermal vent fields, where it has been found foraging for food.
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Equipe Adaptations aux Milieux Extrêmes, UMR 7138 SAE, Quai St Bernard, 75252 Cedex 5 Paris, France. Electronic address: neliamestre@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nélia C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Mestre
authors.affiliation: Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cottin
authors.affiliation: Centre of IMAR of the University of the Azores, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries/UAz-LARSyS Associated Laboratory, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal; MARE-Marine and Environmental Science Center, University of the Azores, 9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal.
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.affiliation: Centre of IMAR of the University of the Azores, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries/UAz-LARSyS Associated Laboratory, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal; MARE-Marine and Environmental Science Center, University of the Azores, 9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colaço
authors.affiliation: Rua José Saramago, Montenegro, 8005-181 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sérgio P C
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Equipe Adaptations aux Milieux Extrêmes, UMR 7138 SAE, Quai St Bernard, 75252 Cedex 5 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shillito
authors.affiliation: Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thatje
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Equipe Adaptations aux Milieux Extrêmes, UMR 7138 SAE, Quai St Bernard, 75252 Cedex 5 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ravaux
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003386:Brachyura / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
keywords: CTmax; Crustacea; Heat-shock response; High pressure; Stenothermy; hsp70