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Catecholamine involvement in the bioluminescence control of two species of anthozoans
Duchatelet, L.; Coubris, C.; Pels, C.; Dupont, S.T.; Mallefet, J. (2023). Catecholamine involvement in the bioluminescence control of two species of anthozoans. Life-Basel 13(9): 1798. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life13091798
In: Life-Basel. MDPI AG: Basel. e-ISSN 2075-1729, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Funiculina Lamarck, 1816 [WoRMS]; Pennatula Linnaeus, 1758 [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    luminescence; sea pen; Pennatula; Funiculina; adrenaline; noradrenaline;octopamine

Authors  Top 
  • Dupont, S.T.
  • Mallefet, J., more

Abstract

    Bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to emit visible light, is an important ecological feature for many marine species. To fulfil the ecological role (defence, offence, or communication), bioluminescence needs to be finely controlled. While many benthic anthozoans are luminous, the physiological control of light emission has only been investigated in the sea pansy, Renilla koellikeri. Through pharmacological investigations, a nervous catecholaminergic bioluminescence control was demonstrated for the common sea pen, Pennatula phosphorea, and the tall sea pen, Funiculina quadrangularis. Results highlight the involvement of adrenaline as the main neuroeffector triggering clusters of luminescent flashes. While noradrenaline and octopamine elicit flashes in P. phosphorea, these two biogenic amines do not trigger significant light production in F. quadrangularis. All these neurotransmitters act on both the endodermal photocytes located at the base and crown of autozooids and specific chambers of water-pumping siphonozooids. Combined with previous data on R. koellikeri, our results suggest that a catecholaminergic control mechanisms of bioluminescence may be conserved in Anthozoans.


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