A review of the measurement and modelling of dinoflagellate bioluminescence

Marcinko, Charlotte L.J.; Painter, Stuart C.; Martin, Adrian P.; Allen, John T.

doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2012.10.008

Cited by 41 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 122 publications

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“…Plastid tetrapyrroles and the evolution of bioluminescence. Several species of dinoflagellates are bioluminescent (63). In the photosynthetic species Pyrocystis lunula, the light-emitting compound luciferin has an open tetrapyrrole structure thought to be synthesized from the structurally similar chlorophyll a (64): the organism incorporates radioactively labeled chlorophyll precursors into chlorophyll and luciferin, suggesting that their biosynthesis is linked (65).…”

Section: Cyanobacteria (N=17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the photosynthetic species Pyrocystis lunula, the light-emitting compound luciferin has an open tetrapyrrole structure thought to be synthesized from the structurally similar chlorophyll a (64): the organism incorporates radioactively labeled chlorophyll precursors into chlorophyll and luciferin, suggesting that their biosynthesis is linked (65). However, other bioluminescent dinoflagellates like Noctiluca, Protoperidinium, and certain Polykrikos species are nonphotosynthetic (63) and not known to synthesize chlorophyll. The prediction that they acquire chlorophyll from their prey (66) is inconsistent with prey-independent bioluminescence in at least one of them, Protoperidinium crassipes (67).…”

Section: Cyanobacteria (N=17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Major transitions in dinoflagellate evolution unveiled by phylotranscriptomics

Janouškovec

Gavelis

Burki

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

226

211

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Dinoflagellates are key species in marine environments, but they remain poorly understood in part because of their large, complex genomes, unique molecular biology, and unresolved in-group relationships. We created a taxonomically representative dataset of dinoflagellate transcriptomes and used this to infer a strongly supported phylogeny to map major morphological and molecular transitions in dinoflagellate evolution. Our results show an earlybranching position of Noctiluca, monophyly of thecate (plate-bearing) dinoflagellates, and paraphyly of athecate ones. This represents unambiguous phylogenetic evidence for a single origin of the group's cellulosic theca, which we show coincided with a radiation of cellulases implicated in cell division. By integrating dinoflagellate molecular, fossil, and biogeochemical evidence, we propose a revised model for the evolution of thecal tabulations and suggest that the late acquisition of dinosterol in the group is inconsistent with dinoflagellates being the source of this biomarker in pre-Mesozoic strata. Three distantly related, fundamentally nonphotosynthetic dinoflagellates, Noctiluca, Oxyrrhis, and Dinophysis, contain cryptic plastidial metabolisms and lack alternative cytosolic pathways, suggesting that all free-living dinoflagellates are metabolically dependent on plastids. This finding led us to propose general mechanisms of dependency on plastid organelles in eukaryotes that have lost photosynthesis; it also suggests that the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence in nonphotosynthetic dinoflagellates may be linked to plastidic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis. Finally, we use our phylogenetic framework to show that dinoflagellate nuclei have recruited DNA-binding proteins in three distinct evolutionary waves, which included two independent acquisitions of bacterial histone-like proteins.dinoflagellates | phylogeny | theca | plastids | dinosterol D inoflagellates comprise approximately 2,400 named extant species, of which approximately half are photosynthetic (1). However, this represents a fraction of their estimated diversity: in surface marine waters, dinoflagellates are some of the most abundant and diverse eukaryotes known (2). Dinoflagellates' ecological significance befits their abundance: photosynthetic species are dominant marine primary producers, and phagotrophic species play an important role in the microbial loop through predation and nutrient recycling. Approximately 75-80% of the toxic eukaryotic phytoplankton species are dinoflagellates, and they cause shellfish poisoning and harmful algal blooms of global importance. Symbiotic genera like Symbiodinium participate in interactions with metazoans and are essential for the formation of reef ecosystems, and parasitic forms play a central role in the collapse of harmful algal blooms, including those caused by dinoflagellates themselves (3). Dinoflagellates synthesize important secondary metabolites including sterols, polyketides, toxins, and dimethylsulfide, and several of them have evolved bioluminescence. They ...

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Section: Cyanobacteria (N=17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cyanobacteria (N=17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Major transitions in dinoflagellate evolution unveiled by phylotranscriptomics

Janouškovec

Gavelis

Burki

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

226

211

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Additionally, there exists within single dinoflagellate species both bioluminescent and non-bioluminescent strains (for a comprehensive, updated list, the reader is directed to Marcinko et al 2013). In general, bioluminescence is believed to function as a survival strategy (Hackett et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-cell PCR of the luciferase conserved catalytic domain reveals a unique cluster in the toxic bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense

Cusick¹,

Wilhelm²,

Hargraves³

et al. 2016

Aquat. Biol.

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Pyrodinium bahamense is a toxic, bioluminescent dinoflagellate with a record of intense bloom formation in both the Atlantic-Caribbean and Indo-Pacific regions. To date, limited genetic information exists for P. bahamense in comparison to other closely related harmful algal bloom taxa such as Alexandrium, or other bioluminescent taxa such as Pyrocystis. This study utilized single-cell PCR to explore the molecular diversity of P. bahamense within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, USA, and a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico. Pyrodinium-specific primers targeting a ca.1.2-kb region of the 18S rRNA gene and degenerate primers targeting the conserved catalytic domain of the luciferase gene (lcf ) were applied to single cells isolated from both geographic regions as well as single cells of clonal isolates from the IRL. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that while P. bahamense is more closely related to Alexandrium spp. at the 18S rRNA gene level, its lcf sequences are more closely related to Pyrocystis spp. than Alexandrium spp. Pyrodinium bahamense lcf sequences from the Western Atlantic formed 2 distinct clusters. These clusters were defined by a set of core amino acid substitutions, and the extent of variation was greater than that recorded between the established variants of Pyrocystis lcf. lcf sequences from an Indo-Pacific strain formed a third distinct cluster. Based on these results, the potential of lcf for use in tracking sub-populations of P. bahamense is discussed.

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“…Extensive reviews of marine bioluminescence are provided by Hastings ( 1966 ); Tett and Kelly ( 1973 ); Herring ( 1982Herring ( , 2002; Marcinko et al ( 2013 ); Wilson and Hastings ( 2013 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%