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Physiological and Molecular Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stressors in Marine Organisms

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 1288

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy Via F. Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: multiple stressors; climate change; transcriptomics; epigenetics; eco-physiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to increasing human pressure along coastal areas, and the concomitant action of ongoing climate change, marine organisms are continuously exposed to biotic and abiotic stressors. Consequently, they have evolved a series of physiological and molecular strategies in order to cope with and adapt to stress, ranging from plastic acclimatory responses (reversible, within an individual lifetime) to adaptive or evolutionary responses (with effects across a generation). Such strategies are primary based on the regulation of specific genes or whole molecular pathways underlying physiological and morphological changes under stress conditions. We welcome original articles, reviews, and communication dealing with any aspects of the marine organismal response to stress at the molecular and physiological level. The submission of integrative studies, employing multiple approaches and investigating a combination of multiple stressors, is particularly encouraged.

Dr. Chiara Lauritano
Dr. Miriam Ruocco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • stress responses
  • marine organisms
  • enzymatic pathways
  • multiple stressors
  • stress markers
  • epigenetic response
  • physiological response

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1539 KiB  
Article
The Chemical Defensome: A Survey of Environmental Sensing and Response Genes in Copepods
by Vittoria Roncalli, Daniela Ascione, Chiara Lauritano and Ylenia Carotenuto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(4), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26041546 - 12 Feb 2025
Viewed by 295
Abstract
Highly conserved among eukaryotes, the chemical defensome protects organisms against chemical stressors and helps to reestablish the altered homeostatic state. The defensome includes genes such as transporters (e.g., adenosine triphosphate ATP-binding cassette), phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes, and antioxidant enzymes. [...] Read more.
Highly conserved among eukaryotes, the chemical defensome protects organisms against chemical stressors and helps to reestablish the altered homeostatic state. The defensome includes genes such as transporters (e.g., adenosine triphosphate ATP-binding cassette), phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes, and antioxidant enzymes. During their life cycle, planktonic copepods, the most abundant and ubiquitous metazoans on Earth, are exposed to many environmental stressors that impair their survival and fitness. Here, using high-quality publicly available transcriptomic data, defensome genes were searched in copepods belonging to different orders and living in different environments (e.g., Antarctic, Subarctic, Mediterranean). Gene expression responses were investigated in four calanoids exposed to different stresses to identify a common and species-specific detoxification system. Our results confirm that the defensome is highly conserved among copepods but also report differences in the relative contribution of genes among species living in different habitats, suggesting a fitness adaptation to environmental pressures. The genes provided here can be used as biomarkers of chemical defense and can also be tested in other planktonic organisms to assess the “health” of marine organisms, which is useful for understanding environmental adaptations and they can be used to assess changes and make predictions at the population and community levels. Full article
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16 pages, 3524 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Transcriptional Responses to Phosphorus Deficiency and Glucose-6-Phosphate Supplementation in Neopyropia yezoensis
by Yujiao Chen, Senhao He, Yinghao Wang, Chuanming Hu, Weitao Cheng, Lingjie Zhou, Nanjing Ji, Haihong Chen and Xin Shen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12894; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312894 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 611
Abstract
Neopyropia yezoensis, a marine red algae species, has significant economic and ecological value. However, phosphorus (P) deficiency has emerged as a growing concern in many cultivation regions, negatively impacting its growth. To adapt to P deficiency, algae have evolved various strategies, including [...] Read more.
Neopyropia yezoensis, a marine red algae species, has significant economic and ecological value. However, phosphorus (P) deficiency has emerged as a growing concern in many cultivation regions, negatively impacting its growth. To adapt to P deficiency, algae have evolved various strategies, including using dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) sources to sustain growth. Despite its prevalence as a form of DOP, the utilization mechanism of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) by N. yezoensis remains unclear. In this study, the physiological and transcriptional responses of N. yezoensis to P deficiency and G6P supplementation were examined. The results demonstrated that prolonged P deficiency significantly inhibited the growth of N. yezoensis and had a negative impact on physiological indicators such as photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzyme activity. However, G6P treatment gradually alleviated these adverse effects over time. Both P deficiency and G6P treatment were associated with increased expression of genes involved in signal transduction and P starvation responses while concurrently downregulating genes related to photosynthesis and antioxidant defenses. In contrast, the suppression of gene expression was less significant under G6P treatment. This study elucidates the adaptive strategies of N. yezoensis in response to P deficiency and clarifies the regulatory pathways involved in G6P utilization, providing novel insights into its P nutrient acquisition and metabolic regulation. Full article
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