Nitric oxide mediates the stress response induced by diatom aldehydes in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.

ABSTRACT: Diatoms are ubiquitous and abundant primary producers that have been traditionally considered as a beneficial food source for grazers and for the transfer of carbon through marine food webs. However, many diatom species produce polyunsaturated aldehydes that disrupt development in the offspring of grazers that feed on these unicellular algae. Here we provide evidence that production of the physiological messenger nitric oxide increases after treatment with the polyunsaturated aldehyde decadienal in embryos of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. At high decadienal concentrations, nitric oxide mediates initial apoptotic events leading to loss of mitochondrial functionality through the generation of peroxynitrite. At low decadienal concentrations, nitric oxide contributes to the activation

SUBMITTER: Romano G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3191173 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature