The biology of coral metamorphosis: Molecular responses of larvae to inducers of settlement and metamorphosis

dc.contributor.authorGrasso, L.
dc.contributor.authorNegri, A.
dc.contributor.authorForet, S.
dc.contributor.authorSaint, R.
dc.contributor.authorHayward, D.
dc.contributor.authorMiller, D.
dc.contributor.authorBall, E.
dc.contributor.departmentDivision of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research)
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractLike many other cnidarians, corals undergo metamorphosis from a motile planula larva to a sedentary polyp. In some sea anemones such as Nematostella this process is a smooth transition requiring no extrinsic stimuli, but in many corals it is more complex and is cue-driven. To better understand the molecular events underlying coral metamorphosis, competent larvae were treated with either a natural inducer of settlement (crustose coralline algae chips/extract) or LWamide, which bypasses the settlement phase and drives larvae directly into metamorphosis. Microarrays featuring >8000 Acropora unigenes were used to follow gene expression changes during the 12h period after these treatments, and the expression patterns of specific genes, selected on the basis of the array experiments, were investigated by in situ hybridization. Three patterns of expression were common-an aboral pattern restricted to the searching/settlement phase, a second phase of aboral expression corresponding to the beginning of the development of the calicoblastic ectoderm and continuing after metamorphosis, and a later orally-restricted pattern.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityL.C. Grasso, A.P. Negri, S. Fôret, R. Saint, D.C. Hayward, D.J. Miller, E.E. Ball
dc.identifier.citationDevelopmental Biology, 2011; 353(2):411-419
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.02.010
dc.identifier.issn0012-1606
dc.identifier.issn1095-564X
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/83176
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAcademic Press Inc Elsevier Science
dc.rights© 2011 Elsevier Inc.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.02.010
dc.subjectCoral
dc.subjectAcropora
dc.subjectSettlement
dc.subjectMetamorphosis
dc.subjectMicroarray
dc.subjectLWamide
dc.titleThe biology of coral metamorphosis: Molecular responses of larvae to inducers of settlement and metamorphosis
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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