Proteomics of cryoprotective dehydration in Megaphorura arctica Tullberg 1876 (Onychiuridae: Collembola)

• Published in: Insect Molecular Biology
• Main Authors: Thorne, M.A.S., Worland, M.R., Feret, R., Deery, M.J., Lilley, K.S., Clark, Melody
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Wiley 2011
• Subjects: Arctic; Springtail
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/16633/; http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2583.2010.01062.x/pdf

The Arctic springtail, Megaphorura arctica Tullberg 1876 (Onychiuridae: Collembola), is one of the few organisms known to survive the extreme stresses of its environment by using cryoprotective dehydration. We have undertaken a proteomics study comparing M. arctica, acclimated at -2 degrees C, the temperature known to induce the production of the anhydroprotectant trehalose in this species, and -6 degrees C, the temperature at which trehalose expression plateaus, against control animals acclimated at +5 degrees C. Using difference gel electrophoresis, and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we identified three categories of differentially expressed proteins with specific functions, up-regulated in both the -2 degrees C and -6 degrees C animals, that were involved in metabolism, membrane transport and protein folding. Proteins involved in cytoskeleton organisation were only up-regulated in the -6 degrees C animals.