Catabolism of lysosome-related organelles in color-changing spiders supports intracellular turnover of pigments.

ABSTRACT: Pigment organelles of vertebrates belong to the lysosome-related organelle (LRO) family, of which melanin-producing melanosomes are the prototypes. While their anabolism has been extensively unraveled through the study of melanosomes in skin melanocytes, their catabolism remains poorly known. Here, we tap into the unique ability of crab spiders to reversibly change body coloration to examine the catabolism of their pigment organelles. By combining ultrastructural and metal analyses on high-pressure frozen integuments, we first assess whether pigment organelles of crab spiders belong to the LRO family and second, how their catabolism is intracellularly processed. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron tomography, and nanoscale Synchrotron-based scanning X-ray fluorescence

SUBMITTER: Figon F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8536372 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature