Coral Carbonic Anhydrases: Regulation by Ocean Acidification.
Global change is a major threat to the oceans, as it implies temperature increase and acidification. Ocean acidification (OA) involving decreasing pH and changes in seawater carbonate chemistry challenges the capacity of corals to form their skeletons. Despite the large number of studies that have investigated how rates of calcification respond to ocean acidification scenarios, comparatively few studies tackle how ocean acidification impacts the physiological mechanisms that drive calcification itself. The aim of our paper was to determine how the carbonic anhydrases, which play a major role in calcification, are potentially regulated by ocean acidification. For this we measured the effect of pH on enzyme activity of two carbonic anhydrase isoforms that have been previously characterized in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata. In addition we looked at gene expression of these enzymes in vivo. For both isoforms, our results show (1) a change in gene expression under OA (2) an effect of OA and temperature on carbonic anhydrase activity. We suggest that temperature increase could counterbalance the effect of OA on enzyme activity. Finally we point out that caution must, thus, be taken when interpreting transcriptomic data on carbonic anhydrases in ocean acidification and temperature stress experiments, as the effect of these stressors on the physiological function of CA will depend both on gene expression and enzyme activity.
Marine Biology Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. zoccola@centrescientifique.mc.|Laboratoire International Associ&#233; 647 BIOSENSIB, Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. zoccola@centrescientifique.mc.
Didier
D
Zoccola
Neurofarba Department, University of Florence, Via Ugo Schiff 6, Polo Scientifico, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy. alessio.innocenti@unifi.it.
Alessio
A
Innocenti
Marine Biology Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. anthony.bertucci@u-bordeaux.fr.
Anthony
A
Bertucci
Marine Biology Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. etambutte@centrescientifique.mc.|Laboratoire International Associ&#233; 647 BIOSENSIB, Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. etambutte@centrescientifique.mc.
Eric
E
Tambutté
Neurofarba Department, University of Florence, Via Ugo Schiff 6, Polo Scientifico, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy. claudiu.supuran@unifi.it.
Claudiu T
CT
Supuran
Marine Biology Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. stambutte@centrescientifique.mc.|Laboratoire International Associ&#233; 647 BIOSENSIB, Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 8 Quai Antoine 1&#176;, 98 000 Monaco, Monaco. stambutte@centrescientifique.mc.
Sylvie
S
Tambutté
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D002254:Carbonates / Q000378:metabolism*; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D057231:Climate Change; D057894:Coral Reefs; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012623:Seawater; D013696:Temperature
D002254:Carbonates; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases
calcification; carbonic anhydrase; coral; enzyme activity; gene expression; ocean acidification; pH; temperature