Symbiodinium Symbiosis

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Species Overview

Symbiodinium sp.

-Phylogeny: Domain Eukaryota, Kingdom Chromalveolata, Phylum Dinoflagellata, Class Dinophyceae, Order Suessiales, Family Blastodiniaceae, Genus Symbiodinium

-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). Need to describe life stages.

Corals

-Phylogeny: Domain Eukaryota, Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa

-Many coral species form obligate endosymbiotic relationships with dinoflagellates (van Oppen et al. 2001). For example, the Hawaiian stony coral (Montipora verrucosa), corals of the genus Acropora, and Fungia scutaria all rely on zooxanthellae for survival (Blank 1987, van Oppen et al. 2001, and Weis et al 2001). Need to describe life stages.

Mutualism

Zooxanthellae are found in gastrodermal cell vacuoles of the coral they reside in (Weis et al. 2001). Gastrodermal cells are cells that line the gastrovascular cavity, where nutrients are digested and distributed (Wikipedia). Coral are born azooxanthellate, symbiont free, and are infected with the symbiont horizontally while in the polyp stage through either feeding or phagocytosis by gastrodermal cells (Weis et al. 2001). Zooxanthellae provide photosynthetically fixed nitrogen to coral while coral provides inorganic nutrients, a high light environment, and protection from the threat of aquatic herbivores (Weis et al. 2001). Without zooxanthellae coral experience severely reduced growth, survivorship, and fitness (Weis et al. 2001). Coral form highly specific relationships with zooxanthellae, only taking in one zooxanthellae species per colony. The most successful coral-zooxanthellae relationships occur with homologous strains (Weis et al. 2001). Coral infected with zooxanthellae only found in other coral species either form a weak symbiotic relationship or lose the symbiont altogether (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

- relationships between host and algal genotypes unclear; no evidence of coevolution has been found, but there are light related patterns with distribution (van Oppen et al 2001)

References

Blank, R.J. 1987. Cell architecture of the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. inhabiting the Hawaiian stony coral Montipora verrucosa. Marine Biology 94: 143-155)

Carlos, A., Baillie, B., Kawachi, M., and Maruyama, T. 1999. Phylogenetic position of symbiodinium (dinophyceae) isolates from tridacnids (bivalvia), cardiids (bivalvia), a sponge (porifera), a soft coral (anthozoa), and a free-living strain. Journal of Phycology 35: 1054-1062.

van Oppen, M., Palstra, F., Piquet, A., and Miller, D. 2001. Patterns of coral-dinoflagellate associations in Acropora: significance of local availability and physiology of Symbiodinium strains and host-symbiont selectivity. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Biological Sciences 268: 1759-1767.

Weis, V., Reynolds, W., deBoer, M., and Krupp, D. 2001. Host-symbiont specificity during onset of symbiosis between the dinoflagellates Symbiodinium spp. and planula larvae of the scleractinian coral Fungia scutaria. Coral Reefs 20: 301-308.

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