Contrasting alterations in brain chemistry in a crustacean intermediate host of two acanthocephalan parasites
Description
• Parasite-induced behavioral changes may rely on host adaptive behavioral flexibility • Brain chemistry mediating flexibility may be altered in acanthocephalan-infected host • Brain total protein is higher in intermediate host infected by two acanthocephalans (Bradford assay on brain extracts) • Decreased antioxidant capacity and increased dopamine level is parasite species-specific (TEAC measurements on brain extract; UHPLC-ED on brain extracts for dopamine, serotonin and tyramine analysis) • Species- and season-specific neurochemical changes reflect variable response of the crustacean intermediate host, Gammarus fossarum
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Steps to reproduce
- field collected amphipods : uninfected, infected with the bird acanthocpehalan Polymorphus minutus, with the fish acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus tereticollis - brain dissection - whole body dry weight estimated (for regression of total protein on weight) - bioassays: total protein concent, Trolox-equivalent-antioxidant-capacity (TEAC), on pools of six brains - monoamine concentrations estimated by UHPLC-ED on pools of 6 brains