title: Aiptasia sp. larvae as a model to reveal mechanisms of symbiont selection in cnidarians.
abstract: Symbiosis, defined as the persistent association between two distinct species, is an evolutionary and ecologically critical phenomenon facilitating survival of both partners in diverse habitats. The biodiversity of coral reef ecosystems depends on a functional symbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the highly diverse genus Symbiodinium, which reside in coral host cells and continuously support their nutrition. The mechanisms underlying symbiont selection to establish a stable endosymbiosis in non-symbiotic juvenile corals are unclear. Here we show for the first time that symbiont selection patterns for larvae of two Acropora coral species and the model anemone Aiptasia are similar under controlled conditions. We find that Aiptasia larvae distinguish between compatible and incompatible symbionts during uptake into the gastric cavity and phagocytosis. Using RNA-Seq, we identify a set of candidate genes potentially involved in symbiosis establishment. Together, our data complement existing molecular resources to mechanistically dissect symbiont phagocytosis in cnidarians under controlled conditions, thereby strengthening the role of Aiptasia larvae as a powerful model for cnidarian endosymbiosis establishment.
authors: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.|Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology (GABBA), University of Porto, Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
authors: Iliona
authors: I
authors: Wolfowicz
authors: Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Baumgarten
authors: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Philipp A
authors: PA
authors: Voss
authors: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Hambleton
authors: Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Christian R
authors: CR
authors: Voolstra
authors: Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan.
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Hatta
authors: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Guse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D007814:Larva; D008954:Models, Biological; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors