Sea urchins, as echinoderms, occupy an interesting position in animal phylogeny in that they are genetically closer to vertebrates than the vast majority of all other invertebrates but have a nervous system that lacks a brain or brain-like structure. Despite this, very little is known about neurobiology of the adult sea urchin, and how the nervous system, is utilized to produced behavior. Here we investigate effects on the righting response of antagonists of ionotropic receptors for the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, GABA, and glycine, and antagonists of metabotropic receptors for the amines dopamine and norepinephrine. Antagonists slowed the righting response in a dose-dependent manner, with a rank order of potency of strychnine>haloperidol>propranolol>bicuculline>hexamethonium, with RT50s (concentrations that slowed righting time by 50%) ranging from 4.3 µM for strychnine to 7.8 mM for hexamethonium. It is also shown that both glycine and adrenergic receptors are needed for actual tube foot movement, and this may explain the slowed righting seen when these receptors are inhibited. Conversely, inhibition of dopamine receptors slowed the righting response but had no effect on tube foot motility, indicating that these receptors play roles more in the neural processing involved in the righting behavior, rather than the actual physical righting. Our results identity the first effects of inhibiting the glycinergic, dopaminergic, and adrenergic neurotransmitter systems in adult sea urchins and distinguish between the ability of sea urchins to right themselves, and the ability of sea urchins to move their tube feet.
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RESEARCH ARTICLE|
28 February 2022
Effects of neurotransmitter receptor antagonists on sea urchin righting behavior and tube foot motility
Morgan McDonald,
Morgan McDonald
‡
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Natalie Paige Griffin,
Natalie Paige Griffin
‡
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Emma Howell,
Emma Howell
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Dingchen Li,
Dingchen Li
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Sophia Harnew-Spradley,
Sophia Harnew-Spradley
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Patrick Rodriguez,
Patrick Rodriguez
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Abigail Lancaster,
Abigail Lancaster
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Feza Umutoni,
Feza Umutoni
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Jordan Besh,
Jordan Besh
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
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Chris Shelley
Chris Shelley
*
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
*Author for correspondence: cshelley@sewanee.edu
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Morgan McDonald
‡
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Natalie Paige Griffin
‡
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Emma Howell
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Dingchen Li
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Sophia Harnew-Spradley
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Patrick Rodriguez
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Abigail Lancaster
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Feza Umutoni
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Jordan Besh
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
Chris Shelley
*
Biology Department, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383
, USA
*Author for correspondence: cshelley@sewanee.edu
‡
These authors contributed equally to the work.
Received:
24 Jun 2021
Accepted:
22 Feb 2022
Online ISSN: 1477-9145
Print ISSN: 0022-0949
Funding Group:
- Award Group:
- Funder(s): University of the South Conduff Fund
- Funder(s):
Funding Group:
- Award Group:
- Funder(s): University of the South Kresge Fund
- Funder(s):
Funding Group:
- Award Group:
- Funder(s): University of the South Sewanee Undergraduate Research Fellowhip
- Funder(s):
J Exp Biol jeb.243076.
Article history
Received:
24 Jun 2021
Accepted:
22 Feb 2022
Currently Viewing Accepted Manuscript - Newer Version Available
28 Mar 2022
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Citation
Morgan McDonald, Natalie Paige Griffin, Emma Howell, Dingchen Li, Sophia Harnew-Spradley, Patrick Rodriguez, Abigail Lancaster, Feza Umutoni, Jordan Besh, Chris Shelley; Effects of neurotransmitter receptor antagonists on sea urchin righting behavior and tube foot motility. J Exp Biol 2022; jeb.243076. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.243076
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