Unraveling cellular and molecular mechanisms of acid stress tolerance and resistance in marine species: New frontiers in the study of adaptation to ocean acidification

Abstract

Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuel combustion has led to a 30 %-increase of the atmospheric CO₂ concentration, also increasing the ocean partial CO₂ pressure. The consequent lowered surface seawater pH is termed ocean acidification (OA) and severely affects marine life on a global scale. Cellular and molecular responses of marine species to lowered seawater pH have been studied but information on the mechanisms driving the tolerance of adapted species to comparatively low seawater pH is limited. Such information may be obtained from species inhabiting sites with naturally low water pH that have evolved remarkable abilities to tolerate such conditions. This review gathers information on current knowledge about species naturally facing low water pH conditions and on cellular and molecular adaptive mechanisms enabling the species to survive under, and even benefit from, adverse pH conditions. Evidences derived from case studies on naturally acidified systems and on resistance mechanisms will guide predictions on the consequences of future adverse OA scenarios for marine biodiversity.

Keywords: ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport proteins; Acid stress tolerance and resistance; Cellular and molecular responses; Marine organisms; Ocean acidification.