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Expressed Gene Arrays in Three Marine Dinoflagellates with Contrasting Trophic Modes Analyzed Via a Small‐Scale Est Sequencing
Author(s) -
Zhang H.,
Lin S.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.2003.03906002_184.x
Subject(s) - biology , dinoflagellate , mixotroph , gene , trophic level , ribosomal protein , cdna library , complementary dna , heterotroph , ribosomal rna , protist , botany , genetics , ecology , bacteria , ribosome , rna
In an attempt to determine the common and unique the genes functioning for different trophic modes in dinoflagellates, cDNA libraries were constructed for Prorocentrum minimum (photoautotrophic), Karlodinium micrum (mixotrophic), and Pfiesteria piscicida (kleptoplastic heterotrophic). Randomly selected 100–350 clones were sequenced for each species. Results revealed a small number of genes transcribed in all three species (basic nuclear proteins, ribosomal proteins). There appeared to be a suite of unique genes in each species. In P. piscicida that was fed Rhodomonas sp., the array of expressed genes differed clearly among different growth conditions. The cDNA library prepared for samples collected 12 h after feeding contained more photosynthetic genes (light harvesting complex proteins) and ribosomal proteins, while growth‐related genes were expressed more abundantly at 24 hours after feeding. At 48 hours when growth rate was decreased dramatically, the most abundant gene transcripts found were those involved in metabolism (mt cob, cox1 and cox3). In addition, several genes (ras, rac, chaperonin) appeared to be identical at amino acid level among the two heterotrophic or mixotrophic dinoflagellates ( P. piscicida and K. micrum ) and a prey alga (Rhodomonas sp.), although the likelihood of contamination was small. These results suggest that some of the dinoflagellate genes may be originated through horizontal transfer from historical prey species and RT‐PCR measurements indicate that these genes maybe highly expressed in dinoflagellates.