Identification of a Metacaspase Gene in the Bloom-Forming Dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and its Putative Function Involved in Programmed Cell Death

Programmed cell death (PCD) in dinoflagellates has been introduced as a new concept that facilitates the demise of harmful algal blooms. Metacaspases (MCAs) play a role in PCD, but their function in dinoflagellates is unclear. Here, we cloned a novel MCA gene ( PmMCA ) from the harmful dinoflagellat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current microbiology 2021-09, Vol.78 (9), p.3577-3585
Main Authors: Wang, Hui, Ki, Jang-Seu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algal blooms
Amino acids
Apoptosis
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biotechnology
Cell death
Copper
Dinoflagellata
Dinoflagellates
Eutrophication
Gene expression
Genomes
Introns
Life Sciences
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Mortality
Phylogeny
Prorocentrum minimum
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Summary:Programmed cell death (PCD) in dinoflagellates has been introduced as a new concept that facilitates the demise of harmful algal blooms. Metacaspases (MCAs) play a role in PCD, but their function in dinoflagellates is unclear. Here, we cloned a novel MCA gene ( PmMCA ) from the harmful dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and examined its molecular characteristics and gene expression during cell death. The gene was encoded in the nuclear genome with two introns. The putative protein contained 288 amino acids and three conserved MCA signature motifs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PmMCA may have the same ancestor as other dinoflagellates. PmMCA expression and cell apoptosis were significantly induced under copper exposure, considerably affecting cell growth. These results suggest that PmMCA could be involved in PCD triggered by copper stress.
ISSN:0343-8651
1432-0991
DOI:10.1007/s00284-021-02617-3