Sabella spallanzanii mucus bacterial agglutinating activity after arsenic exposure. The equilibrium between predation safety and immune response stability

We report the Sabella spallanzanii mucus bacterial agglutination response after inorganic arsenic (As) exposure. As is actively adsorbed from the surrounding environment and accumulated at high concentrations in tissues as an anti-predatory strategy.Here we investigated the effect of high As concentrations on its immunobiological response. It may act on mucus lectins and on its ability to agglutinate bacteria. We concluded that As at high concentrations leads to the inhibition of pathogen recognition. Nevertheless, although its biological activity is significant reduced in winter, responses to As concentrations are very similar, and below a certain threshold do not induce alterations, supporting the hypothesis of adaptation to high As concentrations related to involvement in predation defence.

Automated summary

We report the mucus bacterial agglutination response of Sabella spallanzanii after exposure to inorganic arsenic (As). High concentrations of As inhibit pathogen recognition, but the response to As concentrations remains similar across seasons. This suggests that Sabella spallanzanii may adapt to high As concentrations and it is related to predation defense.