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Pigmentation biosynthesis influences the microbiome in sea urchins
Gary M Wessel1, Masato Kiyomoto2, Adam M Reitzel3
1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|August 17, 2022
Summary
Sea urchin spines remain free of microbes, but the mechanism is unclear. Pigmentation biosynthesis genes, like polyketide synthase, influence which bacteria colonize sea urchin spines.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Microbiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Seafloor organisms face microbial encrustation.
- Sea urchins resist epibiosis, but the molecular basis is unknown.
- Sophisticated immune systems do not fully explain this resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if pigmentation biosynthesis in sea urchin spines affects microbial interactions.
- To test the hypothesis that pigment production influences the sea urchin microbiome.
Main Methods:
- Utilized CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in sea urchins.
- Analyzed sea urchin spine microbiomes across different color morphs.
- Examined the impact of deleting pigmentation genes (polyketide synthase, flavin-dependent monooxygenase) on bacterial colonization.
Main Results:
- Sea urchin spine microbiomes are species-specific and diminish in captivity.
- Different color morphs host similar bacterial communities in composition, diversity, and evenness.
- Deleting pigmentation biosynthesis genes altered the bacterial taxa colonizing sea urchin spines.
Conclusions:
- Host pigmentation biosynthesis can influence the sea urchin spine microbiome.
- The findings support the hypothesis that pigment production plays a role in microbial interactions on sea urchin spines.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms involved.
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