Abstract
Dinoflagellates undergo a typical eukaryotic cell cycle consisting of G1, S, G2, and M phases and some of the typical cell cycle related genes have been computationally identified. However, very few of these genes have been experimentally linked to the cell cycle phases. Besides, although thecate dinoflagellates are known to possess theca composed of cellulose, information on cellulose synthesis and degradation associated with the cell cycle is also limited. In this study, we isolated G1/S cyclin, cellulose synthase and cellulase encoding genes in dinoflagellate Prorocentrum donghaiense. Further, using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), we characterized the expression profiles of the three genes throughout the cell cycle. All three showed clear expression dynamics throughout the cell cycle, with fold changes of 26, 2.4 and 9.3 for G1/S cyclin, cellulose synthase and cellulase gene, respectively. The transcript abundance of G1/S cyclin increased in late G1 phase and dropped in early S phase, indicating that this protein is involved in the G1/S transition. Throughout the cell cycle, the average transcript level of cellulose synthase was 4.5-fold higher than that of cellulase. Cellulose synthase and cellulase gene expressions showed peak transcript abundances at middle G1 phase and G2M phase, respectively, indicating the respective roles of these enzymes in the growth of newly divided cells and in cytokinesis. Our results suggest that G1/S cyclin, cellulase, and cellulose synthase genes associated with G1/S transition, G2M, and G1 phases of the cell cycle and are candidates of biomarkers for assessing growth status of P. donghaiense.
Highlights
Harmful algae blooms (HABs) are usually associated with high biomass accumulation of microalgae at the sea surface or in the water column (Anderson et al, 2012)
A cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) is activated by binding to its partner cyclin that triggers a cycle of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at specific serine/threonine residues in the CDK (Serrano et al, 1993)
The sequence and expression profile of this type cyclin has not been investigated in dinoflagellates, which are the dominant contributors of HABs in the global coastal ocean
Summary
Harmful algae blooms (HABs) are usually associated with high biomass accumulation of microalgae at the sea surface or in the water column (Anderson et al, 2012). Cyclin and Cellulose Regulation in Prorocentrum only when the genetic material (DNA) has been completely duplicated and cellular condition is ready, the progression of the cell cycle stages is controlled by two major checkpoints, the G1/S checkpoint and the G2/M checkpoint (Johnson and Walker, 1999) These checkpoints are associated with the transitions from G1 to S and from G2 to M, respectively, and are regulated by specific cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). The sequence and expression profile of this type cyclin has not been investigated in dinoflagellates, which are the dominant contributors of HABs in the global coastal ocean Another type of potential molecular markers are genes associated with cellulose synthesis and degradation in the case of thecate dinoflagellates that contain cellulosic amphiesmal vesicles underneath cell membrane (Lau et al, 2007). Our results suggest that these genes are promising candidates of cell cycle biomarkers for assessing growth status of P. donghaiense
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