Carbon-isotopic shifts associated with heterotrophy and biosynthetic pathways in direct- and indirect-developing sea urchins

TitleCarbon-isotopic shifts associated with heterotrophy and biosynthetic pathways in direct- and indirect-developing sea urchins
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2004
AuthorsVillinski, JC, Hayes, JM, Villinski, JT, Brassell, SC, Raff, RA
JournalMarine Ecology Progress Series
Volume275
Pagination139-151
ISSN0171-8630
Accession NumberWOS:000223426100014
Abstract

Natural abundances of C-13 were measured in bulk biomass and in individual lipids isolated from 2 species of sea urchins, Heliocidaris erythrogramma and H. tuberculata, and from calcareous and green benthic algae on which they were feeding. Planktonic larvae of H. erythrogramma are lecithotrophic whereas those of H. tuberculata are planktotrophic. The organisms were collected from a subtidal environment in Botany Bay, Sydney, Australia. The biomass of both consumers was enriched in C-13 relative to their diets by up to 1.8parts per thousand. The carbon skeletons of sterols from the urchins derive at least in part from de novo biosynthesis by the urchins. Depending on chain length and degree of unsaturation, carboxylic acids from the urchins derive from de novo blosynthesis (14:0, unsaturated acids), from the diet (18:0), or from both these sources (16:0). H. tuberculata synthesizes a greater distribution and proportion of unsaturated carboxylic acids. Odd-C and branched-chain carboxylic acids derive in part from bacterial sources and are enriched in C-13 relative to algal lipids and depleted relative to those in urchins. Only H. erythrogramma, which uses wax esters-as storage lipids in its relatively large and buoyant eggs, produces significant quantities of n-alkanols; n-alkanols in H, tuberculata derive from the diet. In terms of molecular distributions and isotopic compositions, the lipids in fecal matter from both heterotrophs resemble those of the diet rather than those of the urchins.

DOI10.3354/meps275139