Symbiodinium Symbiosis

MicrobeWiki in Process

Species Overview

Symbiodinium is a genus of diverse endosymbiotic algae with genus members commonly referred to as zooxanthellae(Blank 1987, van Oppen et al. 2001, and Weis et al. 2001). Being algae, organisms of symbiodinium are autotrophic and eukaryotic, gaining energy from photosynthesis (Blank 1987). Individual cells are coccoid and at times produce flagella to enhance motility (Blank 1987). Zooxanthellae commonly form symbiotic relationships with a variety of marine animals including cnidarians, zoanthids, foraminifers, and jellyfish (Baillie et al. 1999).

Corals

-examples: Hawaiian stony coral Montipora verrucosa (Blank), stony coral Montipora patula Quelch (Baillie et al), genus Acropora (van Oppen), Fungia scutaria (Weis et al 2001)

- form obligate endosymbiotic relationships with dinoflagellates (van Oppen et al)

- horizontal transmission, many corals produce offspring free of symbiont (azooxanthellate) and must choose symbiont based on what is available in the environment such as F. scutaria with mutualism beginning during larval stage; gametes fertilized in water column; specificity occurs during initiation of symbiosis (Weis et al 2001)

Mutualism

-relationships between host and algal genotypes are unclear (van Oppen et al)

- symbiont lives in host gastrodermal cell vacuoles; symbiont provides photosynthetically fixed carbon while host provides inorganic nutrients, high light environment, and protection from herbivory; without symbiont cnidarians have severely reduced growth, survivorship, and fitness; host is infected while a polyp during the feeding process and phagocytosis by gastrodermal cells; homologous infection is more successful than heterologous strains(Weis et al 2001)

Molecular Underpinnings of the Relationship

-available data are still insufficient to describe the molecular systematics of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Baillie et al)

Evolutionary History

- no evidence of coevolution has been found, but there are light related patterns with distribution (van Oppen et al 2001)

Recent Research

Study Microbes * Microbial Biorealm * Viral Biorealm * Microbial Mythology

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Daniel Barich '05

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