Data from: Transcriptomic responses of the calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus to the saxitoxin producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense

In the Gulf of Maine, the copepod Calanus finmarchicus co-occurs with the neurotoxin-producing dinoflagellate, Alexandrium fundyense. The copepod is resistant to this toxic alga, but little is known about other effects. Gene expression profiles were used to investigate the physiological response of females feeding for two and five days on a control diet or a diet containing either a low or a high dose of A. fundyense. The physiological responses to the two experimental diets were similar, but changed between the time points. At 5-days the response was characterized by down-regulated genes involved in energy metabolism. Detoxification was not a major component of the response. Instead, genes involved in digestion were consistently regulated, suggesting that food assimilation may have been affected. Thus, predicted increases in the frequency of blooms of A. fundyense could affect C. finmarchicus populations by changing the individuals’ energy budget and reducing their ability to build lipid reserves.在缅因湾（Gulf of Maine）中，桡足类动物飞马哲水蚤（Calanus finmarchicus）与产神经毒素的甲藻芬迪亚历山大藻（Alexandrium fundyense）共存。该桡足类对这种有毒藻类具有耐受性，但目前对其介导的其他生态效应尚不明确。本研究采用基因表达谱（gene expression profiles）技术，分析了分别以对照饵料、低剂量或高剂量芬迪亚历山大藻饵料喂食2天与5天的雌性飞马哲水蚤的生理响应。两种实验组饵料诱导的生理响应整体较为相似，但在两个取样时间点间存在显著差异。喂食5天时，该响应以能量代谢相关基因的下调为核心特征。解毒过程并未成为该响应的主要组成部分；相反，与消化功能相关的基因呈现持续性表达调控，这提示食物同化作用可能受到了影响。综上，芬迪亚历山大藻水华爆发频率的预计升高，可通过改变个体能量收支、降低其脂质储备积累能力，进而对飞马哲水蚤种群产生影响。