title: Transcriptomic responses of the calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus to the saxitoxin producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense.
abstract: In the Gulf of Maine, the copepod Calanus finmarchicus co-occurs with the neurotoxin-producing dinoflagellate, Alexandrium fundyense. The copepod is resistant to this toxic alga, but little is known about other effects. Gene expression profiles were used to investigate the physiological response of females feeding for two and five days on a control diet or a diet containing either a low or a high dose of A. fundyense. The physiological responses to the two experimental diets were similar, but changed between the time points. At 5-days the response was characterized by down-regulated genes involved in energy metabolism. Detoxification was not a major component of the response. Instead, genes involved in digestion were consistently regulated, suggesting that food assimilation may have been affected. Thus, predicted increases in the frequency of blooms of A. fundyense could affect C. finmarchicus populations by changing the individuals' energy budget and reducing their ability to build lipid reserves.
authors.affiliation: Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Roncalli
authors.affiliation: Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cieslak
authors.affiliation: Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Petra H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lenz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D033342:Copepoda / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D012530:Saxitoxin