Document Type
Technical Report
Date of this Version
3-5-2013
Publication Source
Scientific Reports
Volume
3
DOI
10.1038/srep01379
Abstract
Corals are an ecologically and evolutionarily significant group, providing the framework for coral reef biodiversity while representing one of the most basal of metazoan phyla. However, little is known about fundamental signaling pathways in corals. Here we investigate the dynamics of cAMP, a conserved signaling molecule that can regulate virtually every physiological process. Bioinformatics revealed corals have both transmembrane and soluble adenylyl cyclases (AC). Endogenous cAMP levels in live corals followed a potential diel cycle, as they were higher during the day compared to the middle of the night. Coral homogenates exhibited some of the highest cAMP production rates ever to be recorded in any organism; this activity was inhibited by calcium ions and stimulated by bicarbonate. In contrast, zooxanthellae or mucus had >1000-fold lower AC activity. These results suggest that cAMP is an important regulator of coral physiology, especially in response to light, acid/base disturbances and inorganic carbon levels.
Copyright/Permission Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
Recommended Citation
Barott, K., Helman, Y., Haramaty, L., Barron, M. E., Hess, K. C., Buck, J., Levin, L. R., & Tresguerres, M. (2013). High Adenylyl Cyclase Activity and In Vivo cAMP Fluctuations in Corals Suggest Central Physiological Role. Scientific Reports, 3 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep01379
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Date Posted: 04 October 2017
This document has been peer reviewed.
Comments
At the time of this publication Dr. Barott was affiliated with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, but she is now a faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania.