Temperature affects the biology of Schmidtea mediterranea

Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 8;8(1):14934. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-33355-5.

Abstract

Studies of tissue regeneration and host-pathogen interactions using the model planarian Schmidtea mediterranea have been performed at an experimental temperature of 19 °C. S. mediterranea planarians exposed to 19 °C-32 °C were observed for survival, mobility, feeding and regeneration for three months and elimination of the Staphylococcus aureus pathogen over six days. S. mediterranea planarians died at 30 °C-32 °C after 18 days of observation but tolerated temperatures of 19 °C up to 28 °C with non-significant differences in mobility and feeding behavior. Genetic malleability tested by RNAi feeding was still efficient at 26 °C and 28 °C. Concerning the immune capacity of planarians, we reported an exacerbation of the immune response in worms infected by S. aureus at 26 °C and 28 °C. These observations suggest a temperature modulation of planarian stem cells and illustrate the importance of modulating experimental temperature when using planarians as model organisms to study regeneration and immune response.

MeSH terms

  • Acclimatization
  • Animals
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Heat-Shock Response
  • Immunity
  • Planarians / genetics
  • Planarians / immunology
  • Planarians / microbiology
  • Planarians / physiology*
  • RNA Interference
  • Regeneration*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / immunology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
  • Staphylococcus aureus / immunology
  • Temperature