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Challenge to elucidating calcite aragonite problem by using scleractinian corals

Research Project

Project/Area Number 17H05034
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research Field Aquatic life science
Research InstitutionThe University of Tokyo

Principal Investigator

Higuchi Tomihiko  東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 特任研究員 (40570510)

Project Period (FY) 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help
¥24,050,000 (Direct Cost: ¥18,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,550,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥6,110,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,410,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥11,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,700,000)
Keywordsアラゴナイト / カルサイト / 造礁サンゴ / バイオミネラリゼーション
Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although coral skeletons generally comprise aragonite crystals, changes in the molar Mg/Ca ratio (mMg/Ca) in seawater result in the incorporation of calcite crystals. Previous studies suggested that aragonitic scleractinian corals controlled skeletal formation biologically under low mMg/Ca conditions at higher temperature. The mechanism of formation of aragonite and calcite crystals in coral skeletons was therefore investigated by RNA-seq analysis, using early growth stage calcite and aragonite-based corals. As a result, 1287 genes were up-regulated and 748 down-regulated in calcite-based corals. In particular, 68 skeletogenesis-related genes were detected as up-regulated, and 6 genes down-regulated in low-Mg/Ca conditions. It is thought that corals actively cause the skeletal organic matrix to construct an aragonite skeleton in low-Mg/Ca conditions. These results suggest that the composition of these proteins could be a key factor in the selective formation of aragonite or calcite.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、サンゴの骨格中のカルサイトやアラゴナイト形成の遺伝学的制御に関与する物質の候補がリストアップできたことで、様々な生物における炭酸カルシウム骨格形成のメカニズムの解明に貢献しうる成果が得られた。
また、白亜紀におけるサンゴのアラゴナイト形成は、高水温と、生物による積極的な骨格タンパク形成に起因しているということを結論付けることができ、長年の謎であったカルサイトーアラゴナイト問題解決への一助となった。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2019 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2018 Annual Research Report
  • 2017 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (13 results)

All 2020 2019 2018 2017 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (1 results) Journal Article (3 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Open Access: 2 results) Presentation (6 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 5 results) Remarks (3 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] National Research Council/University of Palermo(イタリア)

    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] Differential gene expression in skeletal organic matrix proteins of scleractinian corals associated with mixed aragonite/calcite skeletons under low mMg/Ca conditions2019

    • Author(s)
      Ikuko Yuyama, Tomihiko HIguchi
    • Journal Title

      PeerJ

      Volume: e7241 Pages: 1-13

    • DOI

      10.7717/peerj.7241

    • NAID

      120007133130

    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Studies on Stress Responses of Corals in Japan2018

    • Author(s)
      Higuchi Tomihiko
    • Journal Title

      Coral Reef Studies of Japan

      Volume: - Pages: 29-40

    • DOI

      10.1007/978-981-10-6473-9_3

    • ISBN
      9789811064715, 9789811064739
    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Temperature dependence of aragonite and calcite skeleton formation by a scleractinian coral in low mMg/Ca seawater2017

    • Author(s)
      Higuchi Tomihiko、Shirai Kotaro、Mezaki Takuma、Yuyama Ikuko
    • Journal Title

      Geology

      Volume: 45 Issue: 12 Pages: 1087-1090

    • DOI

      10.1130/g39516.1

    • NAID

      120007127785

    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Presentation] Skeletal formation of scleractinian coral Acropora in response to Mg/Ca fluctuation2020

    • Author(s)
      Tomihiko Higuchi, Ikuko Yuyama, Kotaro Shirai
    • Organizer
      International Coral Reef Symposium 2020
    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Skeletal formation of scleractinian corals in response to Mg/Ca fluctuation2019

    • Author(s)
      Tomihiko Higuchi, Ikuko Yuyama
    • Organizer
      Japan Geoscience Union
    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] NanoSIMSを用いたサンゴ-褐虫藻における硫黄動態の可視化2019

    • Author(s)
      樋口 富彦, 田中 健太郎, 白井 厚太朗, 湯山 育子, 高畑 直人,佐野 有司
    • Organizer
      第22回日本サンゴ礁学会
    • Related Report
      2019 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Skeletal formation of scleractinian corals in response to Mg/Ca fluctuation2019

    • Author(s)
      Tomihiko Higuchi, Ikuko Yuyama
    • Organizer
      JPGU 2019
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Temperature dependence of aragonite and calcite skeleton formation by scleractinian coral in low-Mg/Ca seawater2017

    • Author(s)
      Higuchi T, Shirai K, Mezaki T, Yuyama I
    • Organizer
      14th International Symposium on Biomineralization
    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Identification of genes related to aragonite/calcite crystal growth in modern scleractinian coral.2017

    • Author(s)
      Yuyama I, Higuchi T
    • Organizer
      14th International Symposium on Biomineralization
    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Remarks] 造礁サンゴの骨格が海水温によって変わる ~過去の海水マグネシウム/カルシウム変動を再現~

    • URL

      http://www.aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/research/news/2017/20171020.html

    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report 2017 Annual Research Report
  • [Remarks] 造礁サンゴ骨格の炭酸カルシウム結晶構造は水温によって変化する 白亜紀を模した海洋環境で

    • URL

      https://academist-cf.com/journal/?p=6575

    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Remarks] 造礁サンゴ骨格の炭酸カルシウム結晶構造は水温によって変化する 白亜紀を模した海洋環境で

    • URL

      https://academist-cf.com/journal/?p=6575

    • Related Report
      2017 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2017-04-28   Modified: 2021-02-19  

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