Biosynthesis in the Albumen Gland-Capsule Gland Complex Limits Reproductive Effort in the Invasive Apple Snail Pomacea canaliculata

CADIERNO, M. P.; SAVEANU, L.; DREON, M. S.; MARTÍN, P. R.; HERAS, H.

BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN

MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

Año: 2018 vol. 235 p. 1 - 11

0006-3185

High fecundity often contributes to successfulinvasives. In molluscs, this may be facilitated by the albumengland-capsule gland complex, which in gastropods secretesthe egg perivitelline fluid that nourishes and protects embryos.The biochemistry of the albumen gland-capsule gland complexand its relationship with fecundity remain largely unknown.We addressed these issues in Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck,1822), a highly invasive gastropod whose fecundity and reproductiveeffort exceed those of ecologically similar gastropods.We evaluated the dynamics of its major secretion compounds(calcium, polysaccharides, and total proteins) as well as thegene expression and stored levels of perivitellins during keymoments of the reproductive cycle, that is, before and after firstcopulation and at low, medium, and high reproductive output.Copulation and first oviposition do not trigger the onset of albumengland-capsule gland complex biosynthesis. On the contrary,soon after an intermediate reproductive effort, genes encodingperivitellins overexpressed. A high reproductive effortcaused a decrease in all albumen gland-capsule gland complexsecretion components. Right after a high reproductive output,the albumen gland-capsule gland complex restored the mainsecretion components, and calcium recovered baseline reserves;but proteins and polysaccharides did not. These metabolicchanges in the albumen gland-capsule gland complex aftermultiple ovipositions were reflected in a reduction in eggmass but did not compromise egg quality. At the end of the cycle,egg dry weight almost doubled the initial albumen glandcapsulegland complex weight. Results indicate that albumengland-capsule gland complex biosynthesis limits a constantlyhigh reproductive output. Therefore, lowering fecundity by targetingbiosynthesis could effectively reduce the rate of this species?spread.