Adhesive Organs in Turbellaria: Results from Freshwater Species

Poster Number

030

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Biology

Faculty Mentor

: Julian Smith III, Ph.D., and Kathryn Kohl, Ph.D.

Abstract

Meiofauna comprise animals living in aquatic sediments that are small enough to move between sediment grains. Marine forms often possess duo-gland adhesive organs, in which one gland cell (viscid gland) secretes a glue, and the second gland cell (releasing gland) purportedly secretes a releasing substance. Duo-gland organs allow the animal to attach reversibly to sediment grains and are clearly necessary for organisms that constantly are exposed to wave and current action. In the past decade, substantial progress has been made in identifying and characterizing viscid secretions at the molecular/genetic level in marine flatworms and formulating a functional hypothesis for attachment and release. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the lectin Peanut Agglutinin (PNA) specifically labels viscid gland secretions in the marine flatworm Macrostomum lignano. Duo-gland adhesive organs are common in marine species; however, less is known about adhesion in freshwater flatworms. A putative duo-gland adhesive system has been identified by transmission electron microscopy in a member of the genus Prorhynchus, and lectin-staining results have been reported for the marginal adhesive glands in Schmidtea mediterranea. Here, we report on fluorescent lectin staining of putative adhesive glands in three species of freshwater flatworms (Prorhynchus sp., Procotyla cf. typhlops, and Ascophora cf. elegantissima).

Course Assignment

BIOL 300 – Kohl

Previously Presented/Performed?

Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, April 2019

Grant Support?

Supported by an SC INBRE grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH-NIGMS)

Start Date

12-4-2019 2:15 PM

End Date

April 2019

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Apr 12th, 2:15 PM Apr 12th, 4:15 PM

Adhesive Organs in Turbellaria: Results from Freshwater Species

Richardson Ballroom – DiGiorgio Campus Center

Meiofauna comprise animals living in aquatic sediments that are small enough to move between sediment grains. Marine forms often possess duo-gland adhesive organs, in which one gland cell (viscid gland) secretes a glue, and the second gland cell (releasing gland) purportedly secretes a releasing substance. Duo-gland organs allow the animal to attach reversibly to sediment grains and are clearly necessary for organisms that constantly are exposed to wave and current action. In the past decade, substantial progress has been made in identifying and characterizing viscid secretions at the molecular/genetic level in marine flatworms and formulating a functional hypothesis for attachment and release. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the lectin Peanut Agglutinin (PNA) specifically labels viscid gland secretions in the marine flatworm Macrostomum lignano. Duo-gland adhesive organs are common in marine species; however, less is known about adhesion in freshwater flatworms. A putative duo-gland adhesive system has been identified by transmission electron microscopy in a member of the genus Prorhynchus, and lectin-staining results have been reported for the marginal adhesive glands in Schmidtea mediterranea. Here, we report on fluorescent lectin staining of putative adhesive glands in three species of freshwater flatworms (Prorhynchus sp., Procotyla cf. typhlops, and Ascophora cf. elegantissima).