In search for genetic factors controlling the sexualization in diatoms

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18742
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aquatic life science
• Research Institution: Fukui Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: SATO Shinya 福井県立大学, 海洋生物資源学部, 講師 (80709163)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 珪藻 / 生殖 / ゲノム / トランスクリプトーム / 細菌 / オルガネラ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project was undertaken in order to reveal the genetic factors controlling the sexualization and sex determination in diatoms with Pseudostaurosira trainorii whose sex is readily controllable in a laboratory condition. Sequence analyses and comparative transcriptome analyses are currently ongoing for sex-specific region in its genome. Complete genome sequences were also obtained for mitochondrion and chloroplast: the latter was the largest in genome size among the diatom cp genome sequenced so far, and showed an evidence for a contribution of lateral gene transfer for its size expansion. Crossing experiment revealed uniparental inheritance of both organellar genome in this species. This study also suggested a possibility of an involvement of Marinobacter bacteria during a process of sexualization in the diatom - this finding would pave the way to better understand the mechanism of sexualization in diatoms.

Free Research Field

藻類学