Category: Dinoflagellate genomics

Species within the green algal order Cladophorales have an unconventional plastome structure where individual coding regions or small numbers of genes occur as linear single-stranded DNAs folded into hairpin structures. Another group of photosynthetic organisms with an equivalently reduced chloroplast genome are the peridinin dinoflagellates of the Alveolata eukaryotic lineage whose plastomes are mini-circles carrying one or a few genes required for photosynthesis. One unusual aspect of the…

Genomes of the dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis encode tandemly repeated single-exon genes with adaptive functions.
BMC Biol. 2020 May 24;18(1):56
Authors: Stephens TG, González-Pech RA, Cheng Y, Mohamed AR, Burt…

CONCLUSIONS: Our results elucidate how selection acts within the context of a complex genome structure to facilitate local adaptation. Because most dinoflagellate genes are constitutively expressed, Polarella glacialis has enhanced transcriptional responses via unidirectional, tandem duplication of single-exon genes that encode functions critical to survival in cold, low-light polar environments. These genomes provide a foundational reference for future research on dinoflagellate evolution.

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Genomic Blueprint of Glycine Betaine Metabolism in Coral Metaorganisms and Their Contribution to Reef Nitrogen Budgets.
iScience. 2020 Apr 30;23(5):101120
Authors: Ngugi DK, Ziegler M, Duarte CM, Vo…

The osmolyte glycine betaine (GB) ranks among the few widespread biomolecules in all three domains of life. In corals, tissue concentrations of GB are substantially higher than in the ambient seawater. However, the synthetic routes remain unresolved, questioning whether intracellular GB originates from de novo synthesis or heterotrophic input. Here we show that the genomic blueprint of coral metaorganisms encode the biosynthetic and degradation machinery for GB. Member organisms also adopted the…

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Pollen molecular biology: Applications in the forensic palynology and future prospects: A review.
Saudi J Biol Sci. 2020 May;27(5):1185-1190
Authors: Alotaibi SS, Sayed SM, Alosaimi M, Alharthi R, …

Palynology, which is the study of pollen and spores in an archaeological or geological context, has become a well-established research tool leading to many significant scientific developments. The term palynomorph includes pollen of spermatophytes, spores of fungi, ferns, and bryophytes, as well as other organic-walled microfossils, such as dinoflagellates and acritarches. Advances in plant genomics have had a high impact on the field of forensic botany. Forensic palynology has also been used…

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Functional Genomics Differentiate Inherent and Environmentally Influenced Traits in Dinoflagellate and Diatom Communities.
Microorganisms. 2020 Apr 15;8(4):
Authors: Elferink S, John U, Neuhaus S, W…

Dinoflagellates and diatoms are among the most prominent microeukaryotic plankton groups, and they have evolved different functional traits reflecting their roles within ecosystems. However, links between their metabolic processes and functional traits within different environmental contexts warrant further study. The functional biodiversity of dinoflagellates and diatoms was accessed with metatranscriptomics using Pfam protein domains as proxies for functional processes. Despite the overall…

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Knockdown of Dinoflagellate Condensin CcSMC4 Subunit Leads to S-Phase Impediment and Decompaction of Liquid Crystalline Chromosomes.
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Authors: Yan THK, Wu Z, Kwok AC…