Using zooxanthellae as m×♣odel organisms, Lin Sen¶™jie, a professor at Xiamen University, and othλ↑ ers systematically an£ ↓alyzed the structural chara©©→cteristics of the dinoflagellate genom★≤δe for the first time in the world through gen±↓ome sequencing, and descrβ↑™ibed the molecules that interact duringβ∑ the symbiosis between coral polyps and zooxanthe₹£♣llae. The mechanism (Molecular Mechanisms)α↑ has laid a solid molecular biology fo"•undation for the future in-depth study of din$γoflagellate genomics and coral-zooxanthellΩ<$ae symbiotic ecosystem (ecosys>→↕βtem). The results were β≤®recently published i±♠n Science.
Dinoflagellates are one of the <π most important primary producers in m ✔arine ecosystems with rich mo☆$$βrphological diversity. Among them, zooxanthellae<₩ are essential symbiotic algae in coral reefs. β♥The rich ecosystems of coral reefs ₽$all depend on the primary productiviσ©ty contributed by the intracellular symbiotic ♥"πdinoflagellates of reef-buil£☆₹ding coral polyps via photosynthetic carbon '✘fixation. In the mutually benefi¶δ >cial coral-dinoflage→←↕llate symbiotic ecosystem (ecosystem), nutri∑¶ents circulate within☆™ the symbiotic system, and the׶ primary productivity produced by the symbiotic a<♦δlgae becomes the basis for coral growth and ree ¶≤f formation. Therefore, the coral-zooxanthellae★"✔φ symbiotic system is not only the formation×↕® of The foundation of coral reefs "£and an important part of t ₹♠∞he global carbon cycle.
Experts pointed out that studyεδing how the symbioti✘↕c relationship betwee↓✘₹n coral and zooxanthellae is established and♦€ how this relationship&λε is unbalanced and po$♥↑ssibly repaired under environmental¥φ stress is a scientific prε₽★oblem that needs to be γ×ε↑solved for a long time in the world. Se↕∞♣x and ecological balance will play a cruci∏≥£al role.
Previously, the lack of understanding of the mol±>ecular genetic mechanisms of di≤α↑noflagellates was related to thei→₩¥αr complexity. For example,→∑ dinoflagellate chlo₩↓roplasts originate fr©∑om an extremely complex endosymb∞↑±iotic evolutionary history, and ♣&αλhave a huge and diverse genome ♠, equivalent to 1 to¥'¶ 80 times the human haploid genome.
Source: "Science>♥♥€"