Dataset Information

Comparative mucomic analysis of three functionally distinct Cornu aspersum Secretions.

ABSTRACT: Every animal secretes mucus, placing them among the most diverse biological materials. Mucus hydrogels are complex mixtures of water, ions, carbohydrates, and proteins. Uncertainty surrounding their composition and how interactions between components contribute to mucus function complicates efforts to exploit their properties. There is substantial interest in commercializing mucus from the garden snail, Cornu aspersum, for skincare, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and composite materials. C. aspersum secretes three mucus-one shielding the animal from environmental threats, one adhesive mucus from the pedal surface of the foot, and another pedal mucus that is lubricating. It remains a mystery how compositional differences account for their substantially different properties. Here, we characterize mucus proteins, glycosylation, ion content, and mechanical properties that could be used to provide insight into structure-function relationships through an integrative "mucomics" approach. We identify macromolecular components of these hydrogels, including a previously unreported protein class termed Conserved Anterior Mollusk Proteins (CAMPs). Revealing differences between C. aspersum mucus shows how considering structure at all levels can inform the design of mucus-inspired materials.

SUBMITTER: Cerullo AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10475054 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparative mucomic analysis of three functionally distinct Cornu aspersum Secretions.

Cerullo Antonio R AR McDermott Maxwell B MB Pepi Lauren E LE Liu Zhi-Lun ZL Barry Diariou D Zhang Sheng S Yang Xu X Chen Xi X Azadi Parastoo P Holford Mande M Braunschweig Adam B AB

Nature communications 20230902 1

Every animal secretes mucus, placing them among the most diverse biological materials. Mucus hydrogels are complex mixtures of water, ions, carbohydrates, and proteins. Uncertainty surrounding their composition and how interactions between components contribute to mucus function complicates efforts to exploit their properties. There is substantial interest in commercializing mucus from the garden snail, Cornu aspersum, for skincare, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and composite materials. C. ...[more]

PMID: 37660066

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Project description:This study is the first on the genetics of invasive populations of one of the most widely spread land mollusc species known in the world, the "Brown Snail" Cornu aspersum aspersum. Deliberately or accidentally imported, the species has become recently a notorious pest outside its native Mediterranean range. We compared the spatial structure and genetic variability of invasive (America, Oceania, South Africa) versus native populations using five microsatellite loci and mitochondrial (Cyt b and 16S rRNA) genes as a first step towards (i) the detection of potential source populations, and (ii) a better understanding of mechanisms governing evolutionary changes involved in the invasion process. Results based on multivariate analysis (Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components), Bayesian statistical inference (Clustering, Approximate Bayesian Computation) and demographic tests allowed a construction of the introduction pathways of the species over recent centuries. While emigrants originated from only one of the two native lineages, the West one, the most likely scenario involved several introduction events and "source switching" comprising (i) an early stage (around 1660) of simultaneous introductions from Europe (France, Spain) towards Oceania (New Zealand) and California, (ii) from the early 18(th) century, a second colonization wave from bridgehead populations successfully established in California, (iii) genetic admixture in invasive areas where highly divergent populations came into contact as in New Zealand. Although these man-made pathways are consistent with historical data, introduction time estimates suggest that the two putative waves of invasion would have occurred long before the first field observations recorded, both in America and in Oceania. A prolonged lag period as the use of an incorrect generation time could explain such 100-150 years discrepancy. Lastly, the contrasting patterns of neutral genetic signal left in invasive populations are discussed in light of possible ways of facing novel environments (standing genetic variation versus new mutation).

Dataset Information

Comparative mucomic analysis of three functionally distinct Cornu aspersum Secretions.

Publications

Comparative mucomic analysis of three functionally distinct Cornu aspersum Secretions.

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