GNPS - Lipidomics data for

We performed untargeted, high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to generate lipidomic and proteomic profiles of eggs and larvae from three sea urchin species: the lecithotroph Heliocidaris erythrogramma, the closely-related planktotroph Heliocidaris tuberculata, and the more distantly-related planktotroph Lytechinus variegatus. We identify numerous molecular changes involving several previously undescribed physiological adaptations possibly associated with the evolution of lecithotrophic development including upregulated carbohydrate metabolism during embryonic development and long-term storage of maternally-derived diacylglycerol ether lipids for post-metamorphic survivorship. These findings demonstrate how mass spectrometry can enrich our understanding of life history evolution by identifying specific molecules associated with distinct life history strategies.