Thermo-priming increases heat-stress tolerance in seedlings of the Mediterranean seagrass P. oceanica. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pazzaglia, Jessica; Badalamenti, Fabio; Bernardeau-Esteller, Jaime; Ruiz, Juan M.; Giacalone, Vincenzo Maximiliano; Procaccini, Gabriele; Marín-Guirao, Lazaro
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 174(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Priming -- Seagrass -- Seedling -- Respiration -- Photosynthesis -- Gene expression -- Epigenetics; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113164
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Seawater warming and increased incidence of marine heatwaves (MHW) are threatening the integrity of coastal marine habitats including seagrasses, which are particularly vulnerable to climate changes. Novel stress tolerance-enhancing strategies, including thermo-priming, have been extensively applied in terrestrial plants for enhancing resilience capacity under the re-occurrence of a stress event. We applied, for the first time in seedlings of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica, a thermo-priming treatment through the exposure to a simulated warming event. We analyzed the photo-physiological and growth performance of primed and non-primed seedlings, and the gene expression responses of selected genes (i.e. stress-, photosynthesis- and epigenetic-related genes). Results revealed that during the re-occurring stress event, primed seedlings performed better than unprimed showing unaltered photo-physiology supported by high expression levels of genes related to stress response, photosynthesis, and epigenetic modifications. These findings offer new opportunities to improve conservation and restoration efforts in a future scenario of environmental changes. Highlights: Priming stimulus induced stress tolerance under the re-occurring thermal stress. Primed seedlings performed better than unprimed seedlings. Primed seedlings showed enhanced photo-physiology and grow rates. High expression levels of genes related to stress, photosynthesis and epigenetics