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The essential omega-3 fatty acid EPA affects expression of genes involved in the metabolism of omega-6-derived eicosanoids in Daphnia magna

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Abstract

Eicosanoids are an important class of signalling molecules derived from essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Some recent research had started to investigate the eicosanoid pathway in Daphnia magna, but focussed mostly on the role of omega-6 PUFAs, rather than on the nutritionally important omega-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is known to determine the trophic transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to cladoceran zooplankton in freshwater foodwebs. To test for the relevance of EPA for the expression of genes in the eicosanoid pathway, we conducted highly controlled feeding experiments with D. magna under two temperature conditions and supplemented diets differing only in their EPA contents. Some, but not all genes previously reported to be related to the eicosanoid metabolism of D. magna, were significantly upregulated when EPA was available in the diet. Other genes from the eicosanoid pathway and two control genes not related to eicosanoid metabolism were unaffected by dietary EPA availability. Our data demonstrate that dietary omega-3 PUFA availability affects the expression of some genes typically considered to be part of the omega-6 PUFA-dependent eicosanoid metabolism. These findings may thus advance our understanding of the biochemical physiology of this essential dietary compound and its role for zooplankton nutrition.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Melina Meffert for her assistance in the laboratory and to Nina Schlotz and Dominik Martin-Creuzburg for their valuable comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. This study was funded by the Heinrich-Heine-University of Duesseldorf and the German Research Foundation (DFG), under Grant FI 1548-6-1 to PF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Workgroup Aquatic Chemical Ecology, Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Koeln, Germany

    Patrick Fink

  2. Institute for Zoology and Cell Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany

    Patrick Fink & Heidrun S. Windisch

  3. University of Cologne, Cologne Biocenter, Zuelpicher Strasse 47b, 50674, Koeln, Germany

    Patrick Fink

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  1. Patrick Fink
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  2. Heidrun S. Windisch
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Correspondence to Patrick Fink.

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Guest editors: Linda C. Weiss, Eric von Elert, Christian Laforsch & Max Rabus / Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Cladocera

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Fink, P., Windisch, H.S. The essential omega-3 fatty acid EPA affects expression of genes involved in the metabolism of omega-6-derived eicosanoids in Daphnia magna. Hydrobiologia 846, 5–16 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3675-z

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