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Occurrence of glycerol uptake in D unaliella tertiolecta under hyperosmotic stress
Author(s) -
Lin Huixin,
Fang Lei,
Low Chin Seng,
Chow Yvonne,
Lee Yuan Kun
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/febs.12100
Subject(s) - glycerol , osmotic shock , osmotic concentration , intracellular , biochemistry , osmotic pressure , biology , biophysics , chemistry , gene
The unicellular halotolerant green alga species D unaliella are able to proliferate in extremely varied salinities by synthesizing intracellular glycerol and adjusting the cell shape and volume. However, some marine D unaliella species such as D unaliella tertiolecta are not able to regulate cell volume as an immediate response to counter external osmotic shock. Here we report that a rapid shock‐response mechanism is present in D unaliella tertiolecta , involving uptake of exogenous glycerol in response to hyperosmotic shock without changing cell volume, and this glycerol uptake activity is associated with the D unaliella tertiolecta glycerol uptake protein 1 ( Dt GUP 1 ) gene, which belongs to the membrane‐bound O ‐acyltransferase. The mutant Dt GUP 1‐E , in which the Dt GUP 1 gene is silenced, displayed an inability to take up glycerol from the medium and showed cell death under hyperosmotic shock. To our knowledge, this is the first time a gene product has been reported in D unaliella tertiolecta that is involved in glycerol uptake activity under hyperosmotic stress.