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RNA responses to N- and P-limitation; reciprocal regulation of stoichiometry and growth rate in Brachionus

  1. D. O. HESSEN1,*,
  2. T. C. JENSEN1,
  3. M. KYLE2,
  4. J. J. ELSER2

Article first published online: 2 JUL 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01306.x

Issue

Functional Ecology

Functional Ecology

Volume 21, Issue 5, pages 956–962, October 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

HESSEN, D. O., JENSEN, T. C., KYLE, M. and ELSER, J. J. (2007), RNA responses to N- and P-limitation; reciprocal regulation of stoichiometry and growth rate in Brachionus. Functional Ecology, 21: 956–962. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01306.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern 316, Oslo, Norway,

  2. 2

    Department of Life Sciences, Division of Ecology and Organismal Biology, State University of Arizona, Tempe, AZ 85069-7100, USA

* †Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dag.hessen@bio.uio.no

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 JUL 2007
  2. Article first published online: 2 JUL 2007
  3. Received 7 March 2007; accepted 28 May 2007; Editor: Carol Boggs

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Keywords:

  • Key-word;
  • Brachionus;
  • growth rate;
  • N-limitation;
  • RNA;
  • stoichiometry

Summary

  • 1
    In this study we address how growth rate in consumers may be regulated by nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)- limitation of ribonucleic acid (RNA), using the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus as the model organism.
  • 2
    Growth rate, RNA and weight-specific concentrations of carbon (C), N and P were analyzed in B. calyciflorus fed algae with different C : N, C : P and N : P ratios.
  • 3
    Growth rate correlated negatively with food C : N, but not with C : P or N : P, strongly suggesting N-limited growth. Growth rate also strongly correlated with tissue concentrations of RNA and P, in support of the growth rate hypothesis which states that specific P-content of organisms reflects their RNA-content and thus capacity for protein synthesis.
  • 4
    Food C : N rather than C : P regulated the growth, RNA and P in this consumer under the food conditions applied. This suggests that availability of N can also be an important regulator of cellular acquisition of P and build-up of ribosomes in that animals released from N-limitation have an increased demand for the P-rich cellular machinery for protein synthesis.
  • 5
    The data suggest a strong reciprocal regulation of consumer demands and their C : N : P stoichiometry via the intimate connections between ribosome allocation and protein synthesis and also lend support to the view that reduced protein synthesis efficiency under high growth rates may affect stoichiometry of the consumer.
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