The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution
Abstract Background The ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L is the main contributor to primary productivity in Antarctic sea ice ecosystems and is well adapted to the extremely harsh environment. However, the adaptive mechanism of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L to sea-ice environment remains unclear. To study...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Plant Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12870-018-1273-x |
| _version_ | 1818672762595573760 |
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| author | Zhenhua Zhang Meiling An Jinlai Miao Zhiqiang Gu Chang Liu Bojian Zhong |
| author_facet | Zhenhua Zhang Meiling An Jinlai Miao Zhiqiang Gu Chang Liu Bojian Zhong |
| author_sort | Zhenhua Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L is the main contributor to primary productivity in Antarctic sea ice ecosystems and is well adapted to the extremely harsh environment. However, the adaptive mechanism of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L to sea-ice environment remains unclear. To study the adaptive strategies in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L, we investigated the molecular evolution of chloroplast photosynthetic genes that are essential for the accumulation of carbohydrate and energy living in Antarctic sea ice. Results The 60 chloroplast protein-coding genes of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L were obtained, and the branch-site test detected significant signatures of positive selection on atpB, psaB, and rbcL genes in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L associated with the photosynthetic machinery. These positively selected genes were further identified as being under convergent evolution between Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L and the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that the phototrophic component of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L exhibits adaptive evolution under extreme environment. The positive Darwinian selection operates on the chloroplast protein-coding genes of Antarctic ice algae adapted to extreme environment following functional-specific and lineages-specific patterns. In addition, three positively selected genes with convergent substitutions in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L were identified, and the adaptive modifications in these genes were in functionally important regions of the proteins. Our study provides a foundation for future experiments on the biochemical and physiological impacts of photosynthetic genes in green algae. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T07:45:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6bb4eea3390f4cf091c54b9eee7293af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2229 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T07:45:03Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6bb4eea3390f4cf091c54b9eee7293af2022-12-21T21:58:01ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292018-04-0118111210.1186/s12870-018-1273-xThe Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolutionZhenhua Zhang0Meiling An1Jinlai Miao2Zhiqiang Gu3Chang Liu4Bojian Zhong5Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal UniversityMedical College, Qingdao UniversityMedical College, Qingdao UniversityJiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal UniversityState Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical UniversityJiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal UniversityAbstract Background The ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L is the main contributor to primary productivity in Antarctic sea ice ecosystems and is well adapted to the extremely harsh environment. However, the adaptive mechanism of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L to sea-ice environment remains unclear. To study the adaptive strategies in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L, we investigated the molecular evolution of chloroplast photosynthetic genes that are essential for the accumulation of carbohydrate and energy living in Antarctic sea ice. Results The 60 chloroplast protein-coding genes of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L were obtained, and the branch-site test detected significant signatures of positive selection on atpB, psaB, and rbcL genes in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L associated with the photosynthetic machinery. These positively selected genes were further identified as being under convergent evolution between Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L and the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that the phototrophic component of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L exhibits adaptive evolution under extreme environment. The positive Darwinian selection operates on the chloroplast protein-coding genes of Antarctic ice algae adapted to extreme environment following functional-specific and lineages-specific patterns. In addition, three positively selected genes with convergent substitutions in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L were identified, and the adaptive modifications in these genes were in functionally important regions of the proteins. Our study provides a foundation for future experiments on the biochemical and physiological impacts of photosynthetic genes in green algae.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12870-018-1273-xAntarctic ice algaePositive selectionPhotosynthesisConvergent evolution |
| spellingShingle | Zhenhua Zhang Meiling An Jinlai Miao Zhiqiang Gu Chang Liu Bojian Zhong The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution BMC Plant Biology Antarctic ice algae Positive selection Photosynthesis Convergent evolution |
| title | The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| title_full | The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| title_fullStr | The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| title_short | The Antarctic sea ice alga Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| title_sort | antarctic sea ice alga chlamydomonas sp ice l provides insights into adaptive patterns of chloroplast evolution |
| topic | Antarctic ice algae Positive selection Photosynthesis Convergent evolution |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12870-018-1273-x |
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