Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Not to be confused with Atlantic purple sea urchin.
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Subclass: Euechinoidea
Superorder: Echinacea
Order: Echinoida
Family: Strongylocentrotidae
Genus: Strongylocentrotus
Species: S. purpuratus
Binomial name
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
(Stimpson, 1857)
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus range
Oral surface of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus showing teeth of Aristotle's Lantern, spines and tube feet.
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

The purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, lives along the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean extending from Ensenada, Mexico to British Columbia, Canada.[1] This sea urchin species is deep purple in color, eggs are orange when secreted in water [2], and lives in lower inter-tidal and nearshore sub-tidal communities. January, February, and March function as the typical active reproductive months for the species. Sexual maturity is reached around two years. [3]

It normally grows to a diameter of about 4 inches and may live as long as 70 years.[4]

Role in biomedical research

Strongylocentrotus purpuratus is one of several biomedical research models in cell and developmental biology.[5] The sea urchin is the first animal with a sequenced genome that (1) is a free-living, motile marine invertebrate; (2) has a bilaterally organized embryo but a radial adult body plan; (3) has the endoskeleton and water vascular system found only in echinoderms; and (4) has a nonadaptive immune system that is unique in the enormous complexity of its receptor repertoire.[6]

Its genome was completely sequenced and annotated in 2006 by teams of scientists from over 70 institutions including the Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology as well as the Human Genome Sequencing Center at the Baylor College of Medicine.[7] The sea urchin genome is estimated to encode about 23,500 genes. The S. Purpuratus has 353 protein kinases, containing members of 97% of human kinase subfamilies.[8] Many of these genes were previously thought to be vertebrate innovations or were only known from groups outside the deuterostomes. The team sequencing the species put forth several conclusions: some genes that had previously believed to have been vertebrate specific were found in the genome, while other genes still were found in the urchin but not the chordate.The genome is largely non-redudant, making it very comparable to vertebrates, but without the complexity. For example, 200 to 700 chemosensory genes were found that lacked introns, a feature typical of vertebrates, but not found in other model organisms like Drosophila melanogaster.[9] S. purpatuses' immune systems contains innate pathogen recognition proteins. There were genes identified for Biomineralization. Many Orthologs exist for genes associated with human diseases. [10]

Thus the sea urchin genome provides a comparison to our own and those of other deuterostomes, the larger group to which both echinoderms and humans belong.[6] Sea Urchins are also the closest living relative to chordates. [11] Using the strictest measure, the purple sea urchin and humans share 7,700 genes.[12] Many of these genes are involved in sensing the environment,[13] a fact surprising for an animal lacking a head structure. The sea urchin also has a chemical 'defensome' that reacts when stress is sensed to eliminate potentially toxic chemicals. [14]

Since the completion of the first sequencing, the project has attempted to fill any gaps missing in the original estimation as well as to sequence allied species of the S. purpuratus. The sequencing has allowed for an even greater diversity of research than previously employed by the scientific community. While Embryonic development is still a major part of the utilization of the sea urchin, studies on urchin's position as an evolutionary marvel have become increasingly frequent. Orthologs to human diseases have led to scientists investigating potential therapeutic uses for the sequences extracted and observed at work in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. In 2012, Scientists at the University of St Andrews began investigating just that when a virus sequence was discovered amidst the S. purpuratus genome. [15] This discovery allows scientist to be hopeful for a role Alzheimer's disease research and Cancer work. The paper dictates a sequence that can return cells to a 'stem-cell' like state, allowing for more malleable treatment options. [16]The species has also been a candidate in longevity studies, particularly because of its ability to regenerate damaged or aging tissue. A very recent paper compared 'young' versus 'old' of the species to see if one had any evolutionary advantages over the other. [17]

Ecology and economics

The purple sea urchin, along with sea otters and abalones, is a prominent member of the kelp forest community.[18] Sea urchins have been used for food by the indigenous peoples of California. They ate the yellow egg mass raw.[19][20]

Close up of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus clearly showing tube feet.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ricketts EF, Calvin J. Between Pacific Tides. 3rd Rev. edn. 1962 by J.W. Hedgpeth. XII 516. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA. 1939
  2. ↑ "Sea Urchin Research | ASU - Ask A Biologist". askabiologist.asu.edu. 2010-04-16. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  3. ↑ "Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  4. ↑ T.A. Ebert, J. R. Southon, 2003. Fish. Bull. 101, 915
  5. ↑ SU White Paper
  6. 1 2 Sodergren, E.; Sodergren, G. M.; Weinstock, E. H.; Davidson, R. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Gibbs, R. C.; Angerer, L. M.; Angerer, M. I.; Arnone, D. R.; Burgess, R. D.; Burke, J. A.; Coffman, M.; Dean, M. R.; Elphick, C. A.; Ettensohn, K. R.; Foltz, A.; Hamdoun, R. O.; Hynes, W. H.; Klein, W.; Marzluff, D. R.; McClay, R. L.; Morris, A.; Mushegian, J. P.; Rast, L. C.; Smith, M. C.; Thorndyke, V. D.; Vacquier, G. M.; Wessel, G.; Wray, L.; Zhang, C. G. (2006). "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science. 314 (5801): 941–952. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  7. ↑ "California Purple Sea-Urchin Genome Sequenced by International Team | Caltech". The California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  8. ↑ "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science (New York, N.Y.). 314 (5801): 941–952. 2006-11-10. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  9. ↑ "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science (New York, N.Y.). 314 (5801): 941–952. 2006-11-10. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  10. ↑ "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science (New York, N.Y.). 314 (5801): 941–952. 2006-11-10. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  11. ↑ "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science (New York, N.Y.). 314 (5801): 941–952. 2006-11-10. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  12. ↑ Materna, S.C., K. Berney, and R.A. Cameron. 2006a. The S. purpuratus genome: A comparative perspective. Dev. Biol. 300: 485-495.
  13. ↑ Burke, R.D., L.M. Angerer, M.R. Elphick, G.W. Humphrey, S. Yaguchi, T. Kiyama, S. Liang, X. Mu, C. Agca, W.H. Klein, B.P. Brandhorst, M. Rowe, K. Wilson, A.M. Churcher, J.S. Taylor, N. Chen, G. Murray, D. Wang, D. Mellott, R. Olinski, F. Hallböök, M.C. Thorndyke. 2006. A genomic view of the sea urchin nervous system. Dev. Biol. 300: 434-460.
  14. ↑ "The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus". Science (New York, N.Y.). 314 (5801): 941–952. 2006-11-10. doi:10.1126/science.1133609. ISSN 0036-8075. PMC 3159423Freely accessible. PMID 17095691.
  15. ↑ "Sea urchins could contain the genetic key to curing some diseases". Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  16. ↑ "Sea urchins could contain the genetic key to curing some diseases". Retrieved 2016-12-05.
  17. ↑ Bodnar, Andrea G.; Coffman, James A. (2016-08-01). "Maintenance of somatic tissue regeneration with age in short- and long-lived species of sea urchins". Aging Cell. 15 (4): 778–787. doi:10.1111/acel.12487. ISSN 1474-9726. PMC 4933669Freely accessible. PMID 27095483.
  18. ↑ Pearse, J. S. 2006. The ecological role of purple sea urchins. Science 314: 940-941.
  19. ↑ D. Sweetnam et al., Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 46: 10 (2005).
  20. ↑ Heizer, Robert Fleming; Elsasser, Albert B. (1980-01-01). The Natural World of the California Indians. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520038967.

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