title: Sequestration of Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and Acrylate from the Green Alga Ulva Spp. by the Sea Hare Aplysia juliana.
abstract: Many animals sequester secondary metabolites from their food. In this study, we hypothesized that the sea hare Aplysia juliana sequesters secondary metabolites from green algae. To test this, we performed NMR-based metabolomic analysis on methanol extracts of Ulva spp. and A. juliana. Another sea hare, Bursatella leachii, which mainly feeds on another type of alga, was added to this analysis as an outgroup. Two body parts of the sea hares, skin and digestive glands, were used in the analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) on the NMR data of these samples detected biomarkers common to Ulva spp. and A. juliana. This result indicates sequestration of secondary metabolites by the herbivore from the plants. The biomarker metabolites were identified as dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and acrylate, which were concentrated in skin of A. juliana and were released from the skin of live animals when physically stressed. Thus, our NMR-based metabolomic study revealed sequestration of algae-derived secondary metabolites in skin of A. Juliana, and in the discharge of the metabolites under conditions that mimic attack by predators.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan. mkamio@kaiyodai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamio
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocean Sciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiei
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D044445:Ulva / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D015415:Biomarkers; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; C068078:dimethylpropiothetin; C036658:acrylic acid
keywords: Bursatella leachii; Gastropod; Herbivore; Mollusk; Non-targeted metabolomics; Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); Opisthobranchia; Sequestration