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General Session 3: Biological oceanography & global change |
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Diversity and evolution of an ultraviolet sunscreen pathway in aquatic environment
GS3-32-S
Lingxiao Lin* , Xiamen University
Tuo Shi, Xiamen University
Senjie Lin, Xiamen University
Presenter Email: lingxiao.lin@outlook.com
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| Mycosporines and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a group of ultraviolet-B absorbing molecules that are widely detected in aquatic ecosystem. These small compounds are critical for marine organisms, especially reef-building corals, to survive high-solar irradiance. Despite recent discovery of the MAA synthesis gene cluster, little is known about the diversity and ubiquity of this gene cluster in marine and freshwater organisms. Here we mined genome and transcriptome databases, and identified homologous genes in a large number of organisms including cyanobacteria, algae, and cnidarians. We found a complex and peculiar distribution of the MAA gene cluster that appears to involve several horizontal gene transfer events among different taxa. Paradoxically, the MAA synthesis pathway exists in the genome of the scleractinian coral Acropora digitifera, but not that of the sequenced coral symbionts Symbiodinium kawagutii and Symbiodinium minutum. However, we found all these genes in several transcriptomes of other Symbiodinium species, which suggests that some symbiotic dinoflagellates may perform de novo synthesis of MAAs, but others might have lost this capability to their host as a result of adaptive evolution. Our study provides an overview on the evolution and dissemination of these universal and important molecules. |
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