Event Title
Symbiotic Cell Cycle Regulation in Cnidaria and Symbiodinium: A Bioinformatic Exploration
Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2014 10:00 AM
Project Type
Poster- Restricted to Campus Access
Description
With increasing ocean and surface temperatures due to climate change, coral reefs are suffering from rapidly changing environments. Single-celled photosynthetic residents of coral cells, known as zooxanthellae, participate in a symbiotic relationship with the coral, providing energy for coral cells via photosynthesis, but are expelled when the coral becomes too stressed (from changing temperature, pH, and/or other factors). Cell cycle regulation between the zooxanthellae and coral, including cell growth and division of zooxanthellae by environmental cues, however, is not well understood. In this study, we are looking into the specific environmental cues from host coral to zooxanthellae. We have explored the newly sequenced zooxanthellae genome, Symbiodinium, for likely cell cycle genes, such as CDKs and cyclins, and phylogenetically classified these genes with similar genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and humans. With these results, we will be able to test the environmental cues by analyzing expression of specific genes involved in cell cycle regulation in vivo.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Biology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Natural Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
833
Symbiotic Cell Cycle Regulation in Cnidaria and Symbiodinium: A Bioinformatic Exploration
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
With increasing ocean and surface temperatures due to climate change, coral reefs are suffering from rapidly changing environments. Single-celled photosynthetic residents of coral cells, known as zooxanthellae, participate in a symbiotic relationship with the coral, providing energy for coral cells via photosynthesis, but are expelled when the coral becomes too stressed (from changing temperature, pH, and/or other factors). Cell cycle regulation between the zooxanthellae and coral, including cell growth and division of zooxanthellae by environmental cues, however, is not well understood. In this study, we are looking into the specific environmental cues from host coral to zooxanthellae. We have explored the newly sequenced zooxanthellae genome, Symbiodinium, for likely cell cycle genes, such as CDKs and cyclins, and phylogenetically classified these genes with similar genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and humans. With these results, we will be able to test the environmental cues by analyzing expression of specific genes involved in cell cycle regulation in vivo.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/22