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Evidence of Chitin in the Ampullae of Lorenzini of Chondrichthyan Fishes

Molly Phillips, W. Joyce Tang, Matthew Robinson, Daniel Ocampo Daza, Khan Hassan, Valerie Leppert, Linda S. Hirst, Chris T. Amemiya
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/687301
Molly Phillips
1Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
2Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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W. Joyce Tang
3Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Matthew Robinson
4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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Daniel Ocampo Daza
2Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
5Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
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Khan Hassan
2Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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Valerie Leppert
4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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Linda S. Hirst
6Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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Chris T. Amemiya
2Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
1Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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  • For correspondence: camemiya@ucmerced.edu
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ABSTRACT

Chitin is synthesized by a variety of organisms using enzymes called chitin synthases and was recently discovered in a number of aquatic vertebrates. In our ongoing investigations into the presence of vertebrate chitin, we unexpectedly found evidence of the polysaccharide within the electrosensory organs, known as Ampullae of Lorenzini, of diverse chondrichthyan fishes. Experiments with histochemical reagents, chemical analyses, and enzymatic digestions suggested that chitin is a component of the hydrogel filling the structures. Further, in situ hybridization with a sequence from the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) revealed that chitin synthase expression is localized to cells inside the organs. Collectively, these findings suggest that chondrichthyan fishes endogenously synthesize chitin and beg further investigation into the function of chitin in the electrosensory system.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Footnotes

  • Subtle changes were made to the text and title. We clarified that the distribution of CBD signals were not on their own demonstrative of chitin. Further, we included new FTIR data (Fig. S2) from gel material subjected to our improved polysaccharide extraction protocol. We also added additional data to Fig. S2, namely SEM & AFM images of polysaccharides extracted from AoL gel as well as monosaccharide analysis of the gel before and after polysaccharides were extracted.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted June 27, 2020.
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Evidence of Chitin in the Ampullae of Lorenzini of Chondrichthyan Fishes
Molly Phillips, W. Joyce Tang, Matthew Robinson, Daniel Ocampo Daza, Khan Hassan, Valerie Leppert, Linda S. Hirst, Chris T. Amemiya
bioRxiv 687301; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/687301
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Evidence of Chitin in the Ampullae of Lorenzini of Chondrichthyan Fishes
Molly Phillips, W. Joyce Tang, Matthew Robinson, Daniel Ocampo Daza, Khan Hassan, Valerie Leppert, Linda S. Hirst, Chris T. Amemiya
bioRxiv 687301; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/687301

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