Evolution of a novel symbiosis underlying the deep-sea adaption of invertebrates.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05605
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Evolutionary biology
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: MIYAMOTO Norio 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 海洋生命理工学研究開発センター, 研究員 (20612237)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 共生 / 深海 / 細菌 / ゲノム / トランスクリプトーム / ホネクイハナムシ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bone-eating worms of the genus Osedax (Annelida, Siboglinidae) have adapted to whale fall environments by acquiring a novel characteristic called the root, which branches and penetrates into sunken bones. We compared transcriptomes from different RNA samples of Osedax japonicus. Through targeted gene annotation we found gene family expansions resulting in a remarkably large number of matrix metalloproteinase (mmp) genes in the Osedax compared with other invertebrates. These Osedax mmp genes were expressed in the root epidermal cells.Genes encoding various types of transporters, including amino acid, oligopeptide, bicarbonate, and sulfate/carboxylate transporters, were also expressed in root epidermal cells. In addition, amino acid and other metabolite transporter genes were expressed in bacteriocytes. These protease and transporter genes were first expressed in root tissues at the juvenile stage, when the root starts to develop.

Free Research Field

進化生物学