Molecular mechanisms underlying Grateloupia imbricata (Rhodophyta) carposporogenesis induced by methyl jasmonate.

Abstract

When applied invitro, methyl jasmonate is sensed by the red seaweed Grateloupia imbricate, substantially and visually affecting its carposporogenesis. However, although there is some understanding of the morphological changes induced by methyl jasmonate invitro, little is known about the genes that are involved in red seaweed carposporogenesis and how their protein products act. For the work reported herein, the expression of genes in red seaweed that encode enzymes involved in the synthesis of methyl jasmonate (jasmonic acid carboxyl methyl transferase and a putative methyl transferase) was monitored. Additionally the genes involved in oxidation (cytochrome P450 and WD40), jasmonate synthesis, signal transduction, and regulation of reactive oxygen species (MYB), and reproduction (ornithine decarboxylase) were monitored. To determine when or if the aforementioned genes were expressed during cystocarp development, fertilized and fertile thalli were exposed to methyl jasmonate and gene expression was measured after 24 and 48h. The results showed that methyl jasmonate promoted differential gene expression in fertilized thalli by 24h and upregulated expression of the ornithine decarboxylase gene only by 48h in fertile thalli (0.75±003 copies·μL-1 at 24h vs. 1.11±0.04 copies·μL-1 at 48h). We conclude that Ornithine decarboxylase expression involves methyl jasmonate signaling as well as development and maturation of cystocarps.