Neurotransmitters in hermatypic coral, Acropora spp., and its contribution to synchronous spawning during reproductive event

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14661
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Conservation of biological resources
• Research Institution: Okinawa National College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Junsei Taira 沖縄工業高等専門学校, 生物資源工学科, 教授 (20462153)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 井口 亮 沖縄工業高等専門学校, 生物資源工学科, 助教 (50547502)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 神経伝達物質 / ミドリイシサンゴ / アドレナリン / ドーパミン / ノルアドレナリン / サンゴの産卵 / LC/MS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Synchronous spawning as mass reproduction is well known to occur in many hermatypic corals, which is one of the mysterious life birth events. First, the determination method of the neurotransmitters in coral was established by LC/MS in the selective ion mode together with a solid phase extraction method. As a result, the similar contents of the neurotransmitters for dopamine (DA), adrenaline (AD) and noradrenaline (NR) were detected in both the hermatypic corals of A. intermedia and A. digitifera. These neurotransmitters increased through the reproductive event during the synchronous spawning of A. intermedia, particularly, remarkable changes in the NR and DA were observed. In addition, hydrogen peroxide is known as the spawning stimulant, which was exposed to A. digitifera, then the neurotransmitters increased as well as those of the synchronization of spawning. All of the results suggested that the neurotransmitters contribute to the synchronous spawning in the hermatypic corals.

Free Research Field

生物有機化学