The impact of UVA on the glycoprotein glue of orb-weaving spider capture thread from a diurnal and a nocturnal species (Araneae: Araneidae)

Stellwagen, Sarah D.; Opell, Brent D.; Clouse, Mary E.

doi:10.1636/m15-78.1

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In the wild, however, there may be a multitude of fluctuating environmental factors, e.g. prey availability, temperature, humidity, wind and UV radiation, all of which can further affect spider spiral and gluey silk functional morphology and biochemistry (Vollrath et al, 1997;Opell et al, 2011bOpell et al, , 2013Wu et al, 2013;Stellwagen et al, 2014Stellwagen et al, , 2016. Our study significantly expands on previous studies of spider web architectural and property plasticity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…Some studies have shown that starved spiders construct larger orb webs and/or orb webs with greater investment in spiral threads, which has been presumed to be an adaptation to enhance prey interception (Mayntz et al, 2003;Blamires et al, 2015aBlamires et al, , 2017a. Other studies have shown gluey silk droplet properties to vary with diet (Blamires et al, 2014(Blamires et al, , 2015a(Blamires et al, , 2017a or environmental changes (Opell et al, 2013;Wu et al, 2013;Stellwagen et al, 2016), albeit without subsequent investigations of the fitness benefits for the spider. Our experiments showed that orb web spiders are able to vary the volume of the glycoproteins in their gluey droplets in order to enhance prey capture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have established that the physical and chemical properties of modern orb web spiral and gluey silks vary with changing climatic or dietary conditions (Wu et al, 2013;Stellwagen et al, 2014Stellwagen et al, , 2016Blamires et al, 2014Blamires et al, , 2017a. As the function of the spiral thread is to retain any intercepted prey, it might be hypothesized that a fitness consequence of any changes in spiral and/or gluey silk properties is the enhancement or diminishment of prey retention (Opell et al, 2017), assuming that the spiders consume all prey retained in the web, as previous observations have suggested they do (Blamires et al, 2017a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fitness consequences of plasticity in an extended phenotype

Blamires

Martens

Kasumovic

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Like regular phenotypes, extended phenotypes have demonstrable fitness advantages and their properties may vary plastically across environments. However, the fitness advantages of plasticity are only known for a select few extended phenotypes. It is known that the form and functions of spider orb webs can be manipulated by laboratory experiments. For instance, the physical and chemical properties of the spiral and gluey silks vary in property as protein intake varies. Orb web spiders thus represent good models for extended phenotypic plasticity studies. We performed experiments manipulating the protein intake of two vertically aligned orb web building spiders to determine whether variations in the chemical and physical properties of their spiral and gluey silk affect prey retention in their webs. We found in both spider species that individuals deprived of protein had a greater gluey silk glycoprotein core volume, and this correlated strongly with spiral thread stickiness and increased prey retention by the webs. Moreover, we found strong positive correlations between glue droplet volume and glycoprotein core volume for spiders in the protein-deprived treatment, but weaker correlations for protein-fed spiders. We interpreted these findings as the spiders investing more in glycoprotein when nutrient deprived. We attribute the associated increase in prey retention capacity as a fitness consequence of plasticity in the spiral properties.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fitness consequences of plasticity in an extended phenotype

Blamires

Martens

Kasumovic

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…We monitored temperature using a thermometer suspended 1 cm below the top of each chamber and maintained at 23°C to standardize our observations to both the previous insect retention study (Opell et al, ) and studies of capture thread droplet properties (Opell, Clouse, & Andrews, ; Opell et al, ; Stellwagen, Opell, & Clouse, , ; Stellwagen et al, ). To 37% RH and 72% RH chambers, we added a 22 × 15 cm aluminum heat sink that extended 11 cm into the top of the chamber and served to dissipate the heat added by the dehumidifier and humidifier, respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A growing number of studies on the properties and performance of orb‐weaver prey capture thread have revealed details about this natural adhesive system and how it responds to environmental humidity (Figure d), temperature, ultraviolet light, and insect surface texture (Opell Clouse & Andrews, ; Opell, Jain, et al, ; Opell & Schwend, ; Stellwagen, Opell, & Clouse, , ; Stellwagen, Opell, & Short, ). Humidity has a pronounced effect on glue droplet adhesion, and interspecific differences in this response have been attributed to natural selection that optimizes thread performance to the humidity of each species' habitat (Amarpuri, Zhang, et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking properties of an orb‐weaving spider's capture thread glycoprotein adhesive and flagelliform fiber components to prey retention time

Opell

Burba

Deva

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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An orb web's adhesive capture spiral is responsible for prey retention. This thread is formed of regularly spaced glue droplets supported by two flagelliform axial lines. Each glue droplet features a glycoprotein adhesive core covered by a hygroscopic aqueous layer, which also covers axial lines between the droplets, making the entire thread responsive to environmental humidity. We characterized the effect of relative humidity (RH) on ability of Argiope aurantia and Argiope trifasciata thread arrays to retain houseflies and characterize the effect of humidity on their droplet properties. Using these data and those of Araneus marmoreus from a previous study, we then develop a regression model that correlated glycoprotein and flagelliform fiber properties with prey retention time. The model selection process included newly determined, humidity‐specific Young's modulus and toughness values for the three species' glycoproteins. Argiope aurantia droplets are more hygroscopic than A. trifasciata droplets, causing the glycoprotein within A. aurantia droplets to become oversaturated at RH greater than 55% RH and their extension to decrease, whereas A. trifasciata droplet performance increases to 72% RH. This difference is reflected in species' prey retention times, with that of A. aurantia peaking at 55% RH and that of A. trifasciata at 72% RH. Fly retention time was explained by a regression model of five variables: glue droplet distribution, flagelliform fiber work of extension, glycoprotein volume, glycoprotein thickness, and glycoprotein Young's modulus. The material properties of both glycoprotein and flagelliform fibers appear to be phylogenetically constrained, whereas natural selection can more freely act on the amount of each material invested in a thread and on components of the thread's aqueous layer. Thus, it becomes easier to understand how natural selection can tune the performance of viscous capture threads by directing small changes in these components.

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Biomechanical properties of fishing lines of the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa (Diptera; Keroplatidae)

Byern

Chandler²,

Merritt

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Animals use adhesive secretions in highly diverse ways, such as for settlement, egg anchorage, mating, active or passive defence, etc. One of the most interesting functions is the use of bioadhesives to capture prey, as the bonding has to be performed within milliseconds and often under unfavourable conditions. While much is understood about the adhesive and biomechanical properties of the threads of other hunters such as spiders, barely anything is documented about those of the New Zealand glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa . We analysed tensile properties of the fishing lines of the New Zealand glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa under natural and dry conditions and measured their adhesion energy to different surfaces. The capture system of A . luminosa is highly adapted to the prevailing conditions (13–15 °C, relative humidity of 98%) whereby the wet fishing lines only show a bonding ability at high relative humidity (>80%) with a mean adhesive energy from 20–45 N/m and a stronger adhesion to polar surfaces. Wet threads show a slightly higher breaking strain value than dried threads, whereas the tensile strength of wet threads was much lower. The analyses show that breaking stress and strain values in Arachnocampa luminosa were very low in comparison to related Arachnocampa species and spider silk threads but exhibit much higher adhesion energy values. While the mechanical differences between the threads of various Arachnocampa species might be consequence of the different sampling and handling of the threads prior to the tests, differences to spiders could be explained by habitat differences and differences in the material ultrastructure. Orb web spiders produce viscid silk consisting of β-pleated sheets, whereas Arachnocampa has cross-β–sheet crystallites within its silk. As a functional explanation, the low tear strength for A . luminosa comprises a safety mechanism and ensures the entire nest is not pulled down by prey which is too heavy.

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The impact of UVA on the glycoprotein glue of orb-weaving spider capture thread from a diurnal and a nocturnal species (Araneae: Araneidae)

Cited by 7 publications

References 16 publications

Fitness consequences of plasticity in an extended phenotype

Fitness consequences of plasticity in an extended phenotype

Linking properties of an orb‐weaving spider's capture thread glycoprotein adhesive and flagelliform fiber components to prey retention time

Biomechanical properties of fishing lines of the glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa (Diptera; Keroplatidae)

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