title: A novel fluorescent protein from the deep-sea anemone Cribrinopsis japonica (Anthozoa: Actiniaria).
abstract: A fluorescent protein was identified and cloned from the deep-sea anemone Cribrinopsis japonica. Bioluminescence and fluorescence expression were examined by direct observations of live specimens and RNA-Seq analysis. Both approaches revealed a novel green fluorescent protein in the tentacles of the anemone, but bioluminescence was not observed. Behavioural observations revealed that a blue light excited the fluorescence in the tentacles, and initiated a behavioural response whereby the fluorescent tentacles became fully exposed to the blue light. The excitation and emission peaks of C. japonica's fluorescent protein were at 500 and 510 nm, respectively, which were greener than those reported in homologs. Furthermore, this protein was highly tolerant of increased temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw treatments. The current study presents an example of fluorescence in a deep-sea cnidarian, demonstrating that fluorescent proteins could have important roles, regardless of the presence or absence of strong sunlight. It also demonstrates that this deep-sea fluorescent protein has unique characteristics, including high stability, perhaps as an adaptation to the extreme environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental System Science, Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.|Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuruwaka
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005453:Fluorescence; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055550:Protein Stability; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000378:metabolism*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins