Effect of Temperature on Interaction Between Eggs and Spermatozoa of Sea Urchin

Abstract

Fertilization in the sea urchin, Anthocidaris crassispina, showed marked temperature dependence; high temperatures (15-30C) were required for fertilization. In contrast, fertilization in Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus occurred over a wide range of temperatures (0-30C). The mechanism of this temperature effect in Anthocidaris was investigated. The number of sperm bound to the egg surface and the rate of the acrosome reaction were markedly reduced by lower temperatures (0-10C). Furthermore, an abnormal elongation of the sperm head tip occurred with higher frequency at lower temperatures. In contrast, the egg activation with calcium ionophore A23187 was not prevented at 10C. The swimming activity measured by distance traveled was also relatively high at 0C, although the activity increased as the temperature rose. These results strongly suggest that temperature exerts a direct influence on fertilization in Anthocidaris by acting on the acrosome reaction. The increased fertilization rate at higher temperatures in Anthocidaris corresponds to the higher temperature observed during the breeding season of this species.

Effects of temperature on hatching rate, embryonic development and early larval survival of the edible sea urchin, Tripneustes gratilla

“…Such temperature dependence is not universal but rather species-specific, especially in the embryonic stages (Fujisawa & Shigei 1990). Studies on several species of sea urchins living in the northern Pacific Ocean have revealed that the optimal temperature for fertilization (Mita et al 1984), early cleavage (Yaroslavtseva et al 1992) and normal development to the pluteus stage (Fujisawa 1989;Fujisawa & Shigei 1990) is species-specific and occurs within the range of temperatures found in breeding season. Both organogenesis and somatic growth are controlled by enzyme activities, whereas embryonic development of ectotherms mainly depends on the differential expression of certain genes and temperature.…”

Environmental Tipping Points for Sperm Motility, Fertilization, and Embryonic Development in the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

“…Thermal enhancement of fertilization as a result of increased motility and respiratory rates of spermatozoa, with concomitant decrease in ATP concentration, has been previously demonstrated in other echinoderms [56]. Thermal robustness of fertilization may be also due to the loading of protective maternal factors (e.g., heat shock proteins) during oogenesis [57,58].…”

Sea urchin fertilization in a warm, acidified and high pCO2 ocean across a range of sperm densities

“…asteroids, gastropods, corals) is known to be robust to increased temperature (Chen and Chen, 1992;Davis, 2000;Fujisawa, 1989;Lee et al, 2004;Mita et al, 1984;Negri et al, 2007;O'Connor and Mulley, 1977;Rupp, 1973;Sewell and Young 1999). This may be associated with a temperature-independent period immediately post fertilization (Yamada and Mihashi, 1998).…”

“…If climate change stressors impair fertilization at low sperm densities this would exacerbate the problems of sperm limitation. On the other hand, ocean warming may enhance fertilization due to positive effects on sperm swimming speeds and heightened sperm-egg collisions as documented for sea urchin fertilization (Hagström and Hagström, 1959;Mita et al, 1984). Ocean warming may ameliorate the problems of sperm limitation and help to buffer the potential negative effects of acidification.…”