title: Mycosporine-like amino acids in the zooxanthella-ciliate symbiosis Maristentor dinoferus.
abstract: Coral reef organisms living in mutualistic symbioses with phototrophic dinoflagellates are widespread in shallow UV-transparent waters. Maristentor dinoferus is a recently discovered species of marine benthic ciliate that hosts symbiotic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. In this study, we tested this ciliate for the occurrence of mycosporine-like amino acids, a family of secondary metabolites that minimize damage from exposure to solar UV radiation by direct screening. Using high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, five mycosporine-like amino acids (shinorine, palythenic acid, palythine, mycosporine-2-glycine, and porphyra-334) were identified in aqueous methanolic extracts of the symbiosis. This is the first report of mycosporine-like amino acids in a marine ciliate.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Photobiology and Plankton Ecology, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Ruben.Sommaruga@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sommaruga
authors.forename: Kenia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: J Malcolm
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shick
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lobban
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000737:chemistry*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000032:analysis; D003512:Cyclohexanones / Q000032:analysis; D003514:Cyclohexylamines / Q000032:analysis; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D012623:Seawater / Q000469:parasitology*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D003512:Cyclohexanones; D003514:Cyclohexylamines; C463482:mycosporine-2-glycine; C421025:porphyra-334; C494891:shinorine; D005998:Glycine