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Lineage dynamics of the endosymbiotic cell type in the soft coral Xenia

Author

Listed:
  • Minjie Hu

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

  • Xiaobin Zheng

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

  • Chen-Ming Fan

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

  • Yixian Zheng

    (Carnegie Institution for Science)

Abstract

Many corals harbour symbiotic dinoflagellate algae. The algae live inside coral cells in a specialized membrane compartment known as the symbiosome, which shares the photosynthetically fixed carbon with coral host cells while host cells provide inorganic carbon to the algae for photosynthesis1. This endosymbiosis—which is critical for the maintenance of coral reef ecosystems—is increasingly threatened by environmental stressors that lead to coral bleaching (that is, the disruption of endosymbiosis), which in turn leads to coral death and the degradation of marine ecosystems2. The molecular pathways that orchestrate the recognition, uptake and maintenance of algae in coral cells remain poorly understood. Here we report the chromosome-level genome assembly of a Xenia species of fast-growing soft coral3, and use this species as a model to investigate coral–alga endosymbiosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified 16 cell clusters, including gastrodermal cells and cnidocytes, in Xenia sp. We identified the endosymbiotic cell type, which expresses a distinct set of genes that are implicated in the recognition, phagocytosis and/or endocytosis, and maintenance of algae, as well as in the immune modulation of host coral cells. By coupling Xenia sp. regeneration and single-cell RNA sequencing, we observed a dynamic lineage progression of the endosymbiotic cells. The conserved genes associated with endosymbiosis that are reported here may help to reveal common principles by which different corals take up or lose their endosymbionts.

Suggested Citation

  • Minjie Hu & Xiaobin Zheng & Chen-Ming Fan & Yixian Zheng, 2020. "Lineage dynamics of the endosymbiotic cell type in the soft coral Xenia," Nature, Nature, vol. 582(7813), pages 534-538, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:582:y:2020:i:7813:d:10.1038_s41586-020-2385-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2385-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Paula Miramón-Puértolas & Eudald Pascual-Carreras & Patrick R. H. Steinmetz, 2024. "A population of Vasa2 and Piwi1 expressing cells generates germ cells and neurons in a sea anemone," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Bob Zimmermann & Juan D. Montenegro & Sofia M. C. Robb & Whitney J. Fropf & Lukas Weilguny & Shuonan He & Shiyuan Chen & Jessica Lovegrove-Walsh & Eric M. Hill & Cheng-Yi Chen & Katerina Ragkousi & Da, 2023. "Topological structures and syntenic conservation in sea anemone genomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Zhijun Dong & Fanghan Wang & Yali Liu & Yongxue Li & Haiyan Yu & Saijun Peng & Tingting Sun & Meng Qu & Ke Sun & Lei Wang & Yuanqing Ma & Kai Chen & Jianmin Zhao & Qiang Lin, 2024. "Genomic and single-cell analyses reveal genetic signatures of swimming pattern and diapause strategy in jellyfish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.

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