TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential gene expression in a marine sponge in relation to its symbiotic state
AU - Steindler, Laura
AU - Schuster, Silvia
AU - Ilan, Micha
AU - Avni, Adi
AU - Cerrano, Carlo
AU - Beer, Sven
PY - 2007/10
Y1 - 2007/10
N2 - The molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of sponge photosymbiosis, and in particular the association with cyanobacteria, are unknown. In the present study we analyzed gene expression in a common Mediterranean sponge (Petrosia ficiformis) in relation to its symbiotic (with cyanobacteria) or aposymbiotic status. A screening approach was applied to identify genes expressed differentially in symbiotic specimens growing in the light and aposymbiotic specimens growing in a dark cave at a short distance from the illuminated specimens. Out of the various differentially expressed sequences, we isolated two novel genes (here named PfSym1 and PfSym2) that were up-regulated when cyanobacterial symbionts were harbored inside the sponge cells. The sequence of one of these genes (PfSym2) was found to contain a conserved domain: the scavenger receptor cysteine rich (SRCR) domain. This is the first report on the expression of sponge genes in relation to symbiosis and, according to the presence of an SRCR domain, we suggest possible functions for one of the genes found in the sponge-cyanobacteria symbiosis.
AB - The molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of sponge photosymbiosis, and in particular the association with cyanobacteria, are unknown. In the present study we analyzed gene expression in a common Mediterranean sponge (Petrosia ficiformis) in relation to its symbiotic (with cyanobacteria) or aposymbiotic status. A screening approach was applied to identify genes expressed differentially in symbiotic specimens growing in the light and aposymbiotic specimens growing in a dark cave at a short distance from the illuminated specimens. Out of the various differentially expressed sequences, we isolated two novel genes (here named PfSym1 and PfSym2) that were up-regulated when cyanobacterial symbionts were harbored inside the sponge cells. The sequence of one of these genes (PfSym2) was found to contain a conserved domain: the scavenger receptor cysteine rich (SRCR) domain. This is the first report on the expression of sponge genes in relation to symbiosis and, according to the presence of an SRCR domain, we suggest possible functions for one of the genes found in the sponge-cyanobacteria symbiosis.
KW - Cyanobacteria
KW - Differential gene expression
KW - Sponge
KW - Suppression subtractive hybridization
KW - Symbiosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35348986023&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10126-007-9024-2
DO - 10.1007/s10126-007-9024-2
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C2 - 17624575
AN - SCOPUS:35348986023
SN - 1436-2228
VL - 9
SP - 543
EP - 549
JO - Marine Biotechnology
JF - Marine Biotechnology
IS - 5
ER -