Partitioning of Respiration in an Animal-Algal Symbiosis: Implications for Different Aerobic Capacity between Symbiodinium spp.

Author(s)Hawkins,Thomas D.
Author(s)Hagemeyer,Julia C. G.
Author(s)Hoadley,Kenneth D.
Author(s)Marsh,Adam G.
Author(s)Warner,Mark E.
Ordered AuthorThomas D. Hawkins, Julia C.G. Hagemeyer, Kenneth D. Hoadley, Adam G. Marshand Mark E.Warner
UD AuthorWarner, Mark E
Date Accessioned2017-07-24T18:41:02Z
Date Available2017-07-24T18:41:02Z
Copyright Date2016 Hawkins, Hagemeyer, Hoadley, Marsh and Warner
Publication Date4/18/16
DescriptionPublisher's PDF
AbstractCnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses are ecologically important and the subject of much investigation. However, our understanding of critical aspects of symbiosis physiology, such as the partitioning of total respiration between the host and symbiont, remains incomplete. Specifically, we know little about how the relationship between host and symbiont respiration varies between different holobionts (host-symbiont combinations). We applied molecular and biochemical techniques to investigate aerobic respiratory capacity in naturally symbiotic Exaiptasia pallida sea anemones, alongside animals infected with either homologous ITS2-type A4 Symbiodinium or a heterologous isolate of Symbiodinium minutum (ITS2-type B1). In naturally symbiotic anemones, host, symbiont, and total holobiont mitochondrial citrate synthase (CS) enzyme activity, but not host mitochondrial copy number, were reliable predictors of holobiont respiration. There was a positive association between symbiont density and host CS specific activity (mg protein(-1)), and a negative correlation between host- and symbiont CS specific activities. Notably, partitioning of total CS activity between host and symbiont in this natural E. pallida population was significantly different to the host/symbiont biomass ratio. In re-infected anemones, we found significant between-holobiont differences in the CS specific activity of the algal symbionts. Furthermore, the relationship between the partitioning of total CS activity and the host/symbiont biomass ratio differed between holobionts. These data have broad implications for our understanding of cnidarian-algal symbiosis. Specifically, the long-held assumption of equivalency between symbiont/host biomass and respiration ratios can result in significant overestimation of symbiont respiration and potentially erroneous conclusions regarding the percentage of carbon translocated to the host. The interspecific variability in symbiont aerobic capacity provides further evidence for distinct physiological differences that should be accounted for when studying diverse host-symbiont combinations.
DepartmentUniversity of Delaware, School of Marine Science and Policy, College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
CitationHawkins, T. D., Hagemeyer, J. C. G., Hoadley, K. D., Marsh, A. G., & Warner, M. E. (2016). Partitioning of respiration in an animal-algal symbiosis: Implications for different aerobic capacity between symbiodinium spp. Frontiers in Physiology, 7, 128. doi:10.3389/fphys.2016.00128
DOI10.3389/fphys.2016.00128
ISSN1664-042X
URLhttp://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/21583
LanguageEnglish
PublisherFrontiers Media SA
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0
dc.sourceFrontiers in Physiology
dc.source.urihttp://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/physiology
TitlePartitioning of Respiration in an Animal-Algal Symbiosis: Implications for Different Aerobic Capacity between Symbiodinium spp.
TypeArticle
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