Abstract
Undaria pinnatifida is an annual brown kelp growing naturally in coastal areas as a major primary producer in temperate regions and is cultivated on an industrial scale. Kelps have a heteromorphic life cycle characterized by a macroscopic sporophyte and microscopic sexual gametophytes. The sex-dependent effects of different environmental factors on the growth and maturation characteristics of the gametophyte stage were investigated using response surface methodology. Gametophytes were taken from three sites in Japan: Iwate Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, and Kagoshima Prefecture in order to confirm the sexual differences in three independent lines. Optimum temperature and light intensity were higher for males (20.7–20.9 °C and 28.6–33.7 µmol m−2 s−1, respectively) than females (16.5–19.8 °C and 26.9–32.5 µmol m−2 s−1), and maturity progressed more quickly in males than females. Optimum wavelengths of light for growth and maturation of the gametophytes were observed for both blue (400–500 nm, λmax 453 nm) and green (500–600 nm; λmax 525 nm) lights and were sex-independent. These characteristics were consistent among the three regional lines. Slower growth optima and progress of maturation could be important for female gametophytes to restrict fertilization and sporophyte germination to the lower water temperatures of autumn and winter, and suggest that the female gametophyte may be more sensitive to temperature than the male. The sexual differences in sensitivity to environmental factors improved the synchronicity of sporeling production.
Highlights
Sexual dimorphism in which males and females differ physiologically or morphologically is common among eukaryotes
Three regional lines with different morphological features at the sporophyte stage were used to investigate the sexual difference of gametophytes of U. pinnatifida
U. pinnatifida gametophytes: optimum temperature and light intensity were both higher for males than male versusMoreover, female U. maturity pinnatifidaprogressed gametophytes: temperature light intensity were both for females
Summary
Sexual dimorphism in which males and females differ physiologically or morphologically is common among eukaryotes. Genes 2020, 11, 944 review [2,3]) Sex in these algae is determined by the UV system in which sexuality is displayed at the haploid stage of their life cycle. Because both the U and V chromosomes are directly exposed to purifying selection during a longer gametophyte period than that present in XY or ZW systems, sexual dimorphisms in physiological characteristics may have evolved in the algae. It may be considered that males and females respond differently to biotic factors, this is not supported by the limited data currently available. To confirm whether such effects exist requires further accumulation of data concerning sexual differences in the response to biotic factors
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