Studies on the Fibrous Components of the Test of <i>Ciona intestinalis</i> Linnæus. I. Cellulose‐like Polysaccharide

Leo, Giacomo De; Patricolo, Eleonora; Lunetta, G D’Ancona

doi:10.1111/j.1463-6395.1977.tb00248.x

Cited by 46 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…Cellulose is a major surface polymer of C. intestinalis (De Leo et al, 1977) and U. australis (Chapman, 1979), and P. tunicata is frequently isolated from these surfaces. P. tunicata wild-type cells (grown with glucose as the carbon source) demonstrated attachment to microcrystalline cellulose which resulted in a 22?2 % reduction in the final OD 400 of the assay mixture (Fig.…”

Section: Assay For Agglutination Of Red Blood Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA)-like pilus promotes attachment of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata cells to the surface of the green alga Ulva australis

et al. 2006

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This study demonstrates that attachment of the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas tunicata to the cellulose-containing surface of the green alga Ulva australis is mediated by a mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA-like) pilus. We have identified an MSHA pilus biogenesis gene locus in P. tunicata, termed mshI1I2JKLMNEGFBACDOPQ, which shows significant homology, with respect to its genetic characteristics and organization, to the MSHA pilus biogenesis gene locus of Vibrio cholerae. Electron microscopy studies revealed that P. tunicata wild-type cells express flexible pili peritrichously arranged on the cell surface. A P. tunicata mutant (SM5) with a transposon insertion in the mshJ region displayed a non-piliated phenotype. Using SM5, it has been demonstrated that the MSHA pilus promotes attachment of P. tunicata wild-type cells in polystyrene microtitre plates, as well as to microcrystalline cellulose and to the living surface of U. australis. P. tunicata also demonstrated increased pilus production in response to cellulose and its monomer constituent cellobiose. The MSHA pilus thus functions as a determinant of attachment in P. tunicata, and it is proposed that an understanding of surface sensing mechanisms displayed by P. tunicata will provide insight into specific ecological interactions that occur between this bacterium and higher marine organisms. INTRODUCTIONMarine surfaces are colonized by a diversity of microorganisms and sessile marine organisms collectively known as biofouling communities. The biofouling process is initiated by the attachment of bacteria to a surface followed by the settlement and adherence of diatoms, free-swimming algal spores and invertebrate larvae (Bryers & Characklis, 1982). Some sessile higher organisms employ chemical defences against biofouling through the production of secondary metabolites that inhibit the development and formation of a biofouling community (Harrison, 1992;Mary et al., 1993;Maximilien et al., 1995). For example, furanones produced by the red alga Delisea pulchra have been reported to inhibit the settlement of common fouling organisms . For marine organisms without intrinsic defence mechanisms, it has been proposed that protection against fouling is maintained by the secondary metabolites produced by surface-associated bacteria (Egan et al., 2001a, b; Holmström et al., 1992 Holmström et al., , 1996 Holmström et al., , 1998 Holmström & Kjelleberg, 1999;James et al., 1996).Many species of the genus Pseudoalteromonas have been found to produce bioactive compounds against different classes of fouling organisms and are frequently found in association with the surfaces of living marine eukaryotes (Holmström & Kjelleberg, 1999). A well-studied surfaceassociated bacterium is Pseudoalteromonas tunicata. This 3Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7PX, UK.Abbreviations: CLSM, confocal laser scanning microscopy; GFP, green fluorescent protein; MSHA, mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin; RFP, red fluorescent protein; ...

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Section: Assay For Agglutination Of Red Blood Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA)-like pilus promotes attachment of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata cells to the surface of the green alga Ulva australis

et al. 2006

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“…The tunic is an external tissue that covers the epidermis and contains cells called tunic cells (Goodbody 1974;De Leo et al 1977;1981). According to De Leo et al (1981; and Hirose et al (1995), these cells play integral roles in functions related to immunological and secretory processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acetylcholinesterase activity in juvenileCiona intestinalis(Ascidiacea, Urochordata) after exposure to tributyltin

2012

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The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity has been studied in 4-day post-fertilization juveniles of Ciona intestinalis exposed to tributyltin (TBT) at 10 -5 M using the histochemical method of Karnovsky and Roots. Relative to vertebrate tissues and organs, the development of adult form of ascidians is interesting, because the analysis of many nuclear genes indicated that the ascidians are the closest living relatives of the vertebrates. Therefore, toxicity research using different approaches could provide data for comparative studies with vertebrates. AChE is over-expressed under chemical stress and in some diseases of vertebrates. Therefore, AChE is considered a biomarker of environmental contamination. Recently, we showed that eggs and embryos of ascidians over-express AChE activity after TBT exposure. Thus, the aim of the present study is to extend our previous findings by evaluating the effects of TBT on AChE activity in the embryos of this chordate and their suitability as good materials for comparative ecotoxicological studies. Our results demonstrate an increased expression of AChE activity in nervous-, blood progenitors-and tunic cells. The specific AChE inhibitor, BW284C51, inhibited this enzymatic activity. The presence of AChE activity in these cells has no obvious relations to their classical functions and seems to show a behavior similar to that of other chordates under changing stimuli. These preliminary descriptions provide a basis for further studies on cellular and molecular mechanism underlying the development of adult organs and tissues of this chordate, under chemical and physiological stress conditions.

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“…Tunicate cellulose synthase is thought to have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer from a bacterial genome [3,4]. Tunicates contain cellulose in their tunic, the mantle layer surrounding their body [5,6]. A major group of tunicates, ascidians, use the tunic to protect their body from predators during their sessile lifestyle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcriptional regulation of a horizontally transferred gene from bacterium to chordate

et al. 2016

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The horizontal transfer of genes between distantly related organisms is undoubtedly a major factor in the evolution of novel traits. Because genes are functionless without expression, horizontally transferred genes must acquire appropriate transcriptional regulations in their recipient organisms, although the evolutionary mechanism is not known well. The defining characteristic of tunicates is the presence of a cellulose containing tunic covering the adult and larval body surface. Cellulose synthase was acquired by horizontal gene transfer from Actinobacteria. We found that acquisition of the binding site of AP-2 transcription factor was essential for tunicate cellulose synthase to gain epidermal-specific expression. Actinobacteria have very GC-rich genomes, regions of which are capable of inducing specific expression in the tunicate epidermis as the AP-2 binds to a GCrich region. Therefore, the actinobacterial cellulose synthase could have been potentiated to evolve its new function in the ancestor of tunicates with a higher probability than the evolution depending solely on a spontaneous event.

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Studies on the Fibrous Components of the Test of Ciona intestinalis Linnæus. I. Cellulose‐like Polysaccharide

Cited by 46 publications

References 16 publications

A mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA)-like pilus promotes attachment of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata cells to the surface of the green alga Ulva australis

A mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA)-like pilus promotes attachment of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata cells to the surface of the green alga Ulva australis

Acetylcholinesterase activity in juvenileCiona intestinalis(Ascidiacea, Urochordata) after exposure to tributyltin

Transcriptional regulation of a horizontally transferred gene from bacterium to chordate

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