Dormancy in Embryos: Insight from Hydrated Encysted Embryos of an Aquatic Invertebrate.

Numerous aquatic invertebrates remain dormant for decades in a hydrated state as encysted embryos. In search for functional pathways associated with this form of dormancy, we used label-free quantitative proteomics to compare the proteomes of hydrated encysted dormant embryos (resting eggs; RE) with nondormant embryos (amictic eggs; AM) of the rotifer A total of 2631 proteins were identified in rotifer eggs. About 62% proteins showed higher abundance in AM relative to RE (Fold Change>3; = 0.

Long-term survival of hydrated resting eggs from Brachionus plicatilis.

Background: Several organisms display dormancy and developmental arrest at embryonic stages. Long-term survival in the dormant form is usually associated with desiccation, orthodox plant seeds and Artemia cysts being well documented examples. Several aquatic invertebrates display dormancy during embryonic development and survive for tens or even hundreds of years in a hydrated form, raising the question of whether survival in the non-desiccated form of embryonic development depends on pathways similar to those occurring in desiccation tolerant forms.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins in nondesiccated, encysted, and diapausing embryos of rotifers.

Two genes encoding for late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEAs) are expressed in encysted diapausing embryos (or resting eggs) of rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis O.F. Müller) and females forming them.

Discovering genes associated with dormancy in the monogonont rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

Background: Microscopic monogonont rotifers, including the euryhaline species Brachionus plicatilis, are typically found in water bodies where environmental factors restrict population growth to short periods lasting days or months. The survival of the population is ensured via the production of resting eggs that show a remarkable tolerance to unfavorable conditions and remain viable for decades. The aim of this study was to generate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) for molecular characterisation of processes associated with the formation of resting eggs, their survival during dormancy and hatching.