A sex-inducing pheromone triggers cell cycle arrest and mate attraction in the diatom Seminavis robusta
Moeys, Sara; Frenkel, Johannes; Lembke, Christian; Gillard, Jeroen; Devos, Valerie; Van den Berge, Koen; Bouillon, Barbara; Huysman, Marie JJ; De Decker, Sam; Scharf, Julia; Bones, Atle M.; Brembu, Tore; Winge, Per; Sabbe, Koen; Vuylsteke, Martin; Clement, Lieven; De Veylder, Lieven; Pohnert, Georg; Vyverman, Wim
Journal article, Peer reviewed
Published version
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Åpne
Permanent lenke
http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2617494Utgivelsesdato
2016Metadata
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- Institutt for biologi [2596]
- Publikasjoner fra CRIStin - NTNU [38294]
Originalversjon
10.1038/srep19252Sammendrag
Although sexual reproduction is believed to play a major role in the high diversification rates and species richness of diatoms, a mechanistic understanding of diatom life cycle control is virtually lacking. Diatom sexual signalling is controlled by a complex, yet largely unknown, pheromone system. Here, a sex-inducing pheromone (SIP(+)) of the benthic pennate diatom Seminavis robusta was identified by comparative metabolomics, subsequently purified, and physicochemically characterized. Transcriptome analysis revealed that SIP(+) triggers the switch from mitosis-to-meiosis in the opposing mating type, coupled with the transcriptional induction of proline biosynthesis genes, and the release of the proline-derived attraction pheromone. The induction of cell cycle arrest by a pheromone, chemically distinct from the one used to attract the opposite mating type, highlights the existence of a sophisticated mechanism to increase chances of mate finding, while keeping the metabolic losses associated with the release of an attraction pheromone to a minimum.