Meeting Abstract
Calmodulin (calcium-modulated protein, or CaM) is an important cellular signaling molecule and is integral in modulating stress responses. In some marine invertebrates, calmodulin gene expression is upregulated during larval development, growth, and environmental stress; the latter suggests that changes in CaM transcription are part of the cellular stress response. Our research investigates the genetic and physiological basis of low salinity tolerance in larval and juvenile blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). We have found evidence for gene-specific patterns of expression for CaM and other calmodulin-like (CaM-like) genes over 48 hours of hypoosmotic stress. As expected, CaM is upregulated in the gills of stressed, juvenile mussels, however, its expression is downregulated in mussel larvae following low salinity exposure. The CaM-like genes also show differential patterns of expression during development, suggesting that larval osmotic stress responses do not mimic those of their post-metamorphic counterparts. To further explore the spatial and temporal expression of these genes during osmotic stress, we will present results from fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) experiments and comparisons of transcriptional patterns in the tissues of juvenile mussels.
