An inducible release of reactive oxygen radicals in four species of gorgonian corals

Abstract

The capability for physical injury or heat stress to elicit the production of reactive oxygen species was examined in four species of gorgonian corals. The sea plumes Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae, Pseudopterogorgia americana, the sea rod Eunicea fusca and the azooxanthellate red branching gorgonian Lophogorgia chilensis were physically injured using sonic sound cavitations and heat shocked by incubation in 33°C sea water. The pharmacological probe, diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI), an inhibitor of NAD(P)H oxidase and peroxidases was used to identify an enzymatic surrogate of the oxidative burst. Both injury and heat stress were capable of inducing the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in all gorgonians tested, yet the kinetics and amplitude of ROS release varied among genera. In both the treatments, P. americana demonstrated the largest oxidative burst among the other corals tested.

Keywords:

• Gorgonian corals
• injury
• oxidative burst
• reactive oxygen species (ROS)
• diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI)
• hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support and a Sea Grant Traineeship (LDM) from the National Sea Grant Biotechnology Program grant # NAO6R60142 (RSJ). The authors would like to thank R.G. Kerr and L. Santiago-Vasquez (Florida Atlantic University) and L. Anderson at Keys Marine Laboratory for collection of P. elisabethae and P. americana and E. fusca, and S. Anderson for collection of L. chilensis. The authors would also like to thank F. Kupper and C. Ross, and J. Andras and K. Rypien for reviewing the manuscript.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura D. Mydlarz

Present address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Corson Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.