DINOPHYSIS CAUDATA (DINOPHYCEAE) SEQUESTERS AND RETAINS PLASTIDS FROM THE MIXOTROPHIC CILIATE PREY MESODINIUM RUBRUM1 |
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Authors: | Miran Kim Seung Won Nam Woongghi Shin D. Wayne Coats Myung Gil Park |
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Affiliation: | 1. LOHABE, Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500‐757, Korea;2. Department of Biological Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 306‐764, Korea;3. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, P.O. Box 28, 647 Contees Wharf Rd., Edgewater, MD 21037, USA |
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Abstract: | “Phototrophic”Dinophysis Ehrenberg species are well known to have chloroplasts of a cryptophyte origin, more specifically of the cryptophyte genus complex Teleaulax/Geminigera. Nonetheless, whether chloroplasts of “phototrophic”Dinophysis are permanent plastids or periodically derived kleptoplastids (stolen chloroplasts) has not been confirmed. Indeed, molecular sequence data and ultrastructural data lead to contradictory interpretations about the status of Dinophysis plastids. Here, we used established cultures of D. caudata strain DC‐LOHABE01 and M. rubrum strain MR‐MAL01 to address the status of Dinophysis plastids. Our approach was to experimentally generate D. caudata with “green” plastids and then follow the ingestion and fate of “reddish‐brown” prey plastids using light microscopy, time‐lapse videography, and single‐cell TEM. Our results for D. caudata resolve the apparent discrepancy between morphological and molecular data by showing that plastids acquired when feeding on M. rubrum are structurally modified and retained as stellate compound chloroplasts characteristic of Dinophysis species. |
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Keywords: | Dinophysis caudata Mesodinium rubrum kleptoplastid plastid single‐cell TEM ultrastructure |
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