Cellular Stress Response Mechanisms in Coastal Marine Invertebrates

The coastal biome, a dynamic interface between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, encompasses a diverse continuum of environments spanning from the intertidal zone to subtidal margins. This intricate mosaic of microenvironments is characterized by extraordinary intensity in physical and biological factors of the marine environment, presenting a formidable array of challenges to its inhabitants. Within these coastal realms, invertebrate organisms have evolved remarkable physiological adaptations to withstand the relentless onslaught of biotic and abiotic stressors. These adaptations manifest across multiple tiers of biological organization, ranging from the development of robust exoskeletons to the expression of sophisticated cellular protective mechanisms at the molecular level. The advent of both classical and cutting-edge molecular techniques has provided researchers with unprecedented access to the intricate mechanisms underlying homeostasis and growth in coastal invertebrates. These methodologies serve as a powerful lens through which we can observe and analyze the complex interplay of genes, proteins, and metabolic pathways that enable these organisms to thrive in such demanding environments. This field of inquiry holds the potential to revolutionize our understanding of ecological capacity and cellular design, with far-reaching implications for fields ranging from evolutionary biology to biotechnology.

The objective of "Cellular Stress Response Mechanisms in Coastal Marine Invertebrates" is to curate a collection of exemplary research studies elucidating the underlying mechanisms governing organismal responses to environmental stimuli, encompassing a spectrum from moderate to extreme perturbations. Contemporary investigations into stress responses among marine invertebrates have predominantly focused on extreme thermal stress or pH fluctuations, primarily as a consequence of anthropogenically-induced alterations in marine ecosystems. However, there exists a compelling set of molecular pathways finely tuned to respond to moderate stressors in a compensatory manner, which merits increased attention from the scientific community. By broadening the scope of inquiry, researchers can gain more comprehensive insights into cellular function across the diverse spectrum of animal physiologies and morphologies. Elucidating the commonalities and divergences in these cellular processes across phylogenetically diverse organisms will contribute significantly to our understanding of the evolutionary trajectories and adaptive strategies of marine invertebrates.

The scope of this Research Topic ranges from understanding molecular and biochemical responses to abiotic and biotic factors using novel and traditional techniques. Studies may be hypothesis based or hypothesis forming. Hypothesis based studies founded upon previously established theories will be viewed with higher priority. Manuscripts may be field or laboratory-based studies. A non-exhaustive list of specific research themes this section seeks under the overarching topic of cellular stress include heat hardening, temporal changes in gene expression and metabolism in fluctuating environments, energy acquisition and digestive physiology in moderate and extreme environments, partitioning of cellular processes over temporal scales, underlying mechanisms of torpor and metabolic depression, effects of anthropogenic factors on cellular systems, and effects of biotic and abiotic factors on cellular homeostasis.

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• Hypothesis and Theory
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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Coastal biome, Intertidal and subtidal zones, Physiological adaptations, Biotic and abiotic stressors, Molecular techniques, Homeostasis and growth, Genes and proteins, Ecological capacity, Cellular Stress Response, Environmental stimuli, Thermal stress

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.