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Ethylene regulation of sexual reproduction in the marine red alga Pyropia yezoensis (Rhodophyta)

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Abstract

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) play a pivotal role in vascular plants, regulating growth, development, and stress responses; however, the role of PGRs in algae remains largely unexplored. Here, the role of ethylene, a simple plant growth regulator, was demonstrated in sexual reproduction of the marine red alga Pyropia yezoensis. Application of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) promoted the formation of spermatia and zygotospores in the gametophytes as well as ethylene production, whereas the growth rate was repressed in comparison to gametophytes not treated with ACC. In addition, gametophytes treated with ACC and mature gametophytes showed enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress. Gene expression profiles revealed upregulation of genes involved in cell division and stress response in gametophytes treated with ACC and in mature gametophytes. These results indicate that ethylene plays an important role in the regulation of gamete formation and protection against stress-induced damage during the sexual reproductive stage. Considered together, these findings demonstrate that ethylene is involved in regulating the switching from a vegetative to a sexual reproductive phase in P. yezoensis.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Dr. Hajime Yasui (Hokkaido University, Japan) for kindly providing microscopes. This study was supported by a grant-in-aid for JSPS Fellows (15 J05434 to T.U.) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, 041-8611, Japan

    Toshiki Uji & Hiroyuki Mizuta

  2. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan

    Ryuya Matsuda, Katsuaki Takechi & Hiroyoshi Takano

  3. Center for Marine Environment Studies, Kumamoto University, Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan

    Susumu Takio

Authors
  1. Toshiki Uji
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  2. Ryuya Matsuda
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  3. Katsuaki Takechi
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  4. Hiroyoshi Takano
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  5. Hiroyuki Mizuta
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  6. Susumu Takio
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Correspondence to Toshiki Uji.

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Uji, T., Matsuda, R., Takechi, K. et al. Ethylene regulation of sexual reproduction in the marine red alga Pyropia yezoensis (Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 28, 3501–3509 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-0904-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-016-0904-6

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