Physiological mechanism underlying annual and lunar spawning of Acropora tenuis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16189
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: Hiroki Takekata 琉球大学, 戦略的研究プロジェクトセンター, 特命助教 (60814192)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ウスエダミドリイシ / 一斉産卵 / 網羅的遺伝子発現解析 / 季節性 / サンゴ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Synchronous spawning is a striking feature of corals, and its physiological mechanism is still largely unknown. In this study, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis for assessing the transcriptome before and after spawning were performed in the scleractinian coral Acropora tenuis. The Results showed that genes related to gametogenesis and those related to apoptosis were upregulated before and after spawning, respectively. In addition, our samples occasionally included a non-spawning colony. Its results suggested that non-spawning was already decided on May and the physiological condition was already switched from reproduction to growth one-month earlier than spawning colonies.

Free Research Field

動物生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

網羅的遺伝子発現解析の結果、生殖腺発達に関連する遺伝子の発現が産卵前に、アポトーシスに関連する遺伝子の発現が産卵後に、それぞれ上昇することが明らかになった。この成果は今後のサンゴの産卵や生殖ついての研究において、重要な知見となる。また、網羅的遺伝子発現解析では、偶発的にではあるが、産卵をしなかった群体のトランスクリプトーム解析と組織観察を行うことができた。この結果は、サンゴの成長と生殖のトレードオフについての議論における、非常に貴重な事例であるといえる。