Circadian Clock Gene Expression in the Coral Favia fragum over Diel and Lunar Reproductive Cycles

Natural light cycles synchronize behavioral and physiological cycles over varying time periods in both plants and animals. Many scleractinian corals exhibit diel cycles of polyp expansion and contraction entrained by diel sunlight patterns, and monthly cycles of spawning or planulation that correspond to lunar moonlight cycles. The molecular mechanisms for regulating such cycles are poorly understood. In this study, we identified four molecular clock genes (cry1, cry2, clock and cycle) in the scleractinian coral, Favia fragum, and investigated patterns of gene expression hypothesized to be involved in the corals' diel polyp behavior and lunar reproductive cycles. Using quantitative PCR, we measured fluctuations in expression of these clock genes over both diel and monthly spawning timeframes. Additionally, we assayed gene expression and polyp expansion-contraction behavior in experimental corals in normal light:dark (control) or constant dark treatments. Well-defined and reproducible diel patterns in cry1, cry2, and clock expression were observed in both field-collected and the experimental colonies maintained under control light:dark conditions, but no pattern was observed for cycle. Colonies in the control light:dark treatment also displayed diel rhythms of tentacle expansion and contraction. Experimental colonies in the constant dark treatment lost diel patterns in cry1, cry2, and clock expression and displayed a diminished and less synchronous pattern of tentacle expansion and contraction. We observed no pattern in cry1, cry2, clock, or cycle expression correlated with monthly spawning events suggesting these genes are not involved in the entrainment of reproductive cycles to lunar light cycles in F. fragum. Our results suggest a molecular clock mechanism, potentially similar to that in described in fruit flies, exists within F. fragum

Effects of feeding frequency and symbiosis with zooxanthellae on nitrogen metabolism and respiration of the coral Astrangia danae

Colonies of the temperate coral Astrangia danae occur naturally with and without zooxanthellae. Basal nitrogen excretion rates of nonsymbiotic colonies increased with increasing feeding frequency [average excretion rate was 635 ng-at N (mg-at tissue-N)-1 h-1]. Reduced excretion rates of symbiotic colonies were attributed to N uptake by the zooxanthellae. Nitrogen uptake rates of the zooxanthellae averaged 8 ng-at N (106 cells)-1 h-1 in the dark and 21 ng-at N (106 cells)-1 h-1 at 200 μEin m-2 s-1. At these rates the zooxanthellae could provide 54% of the daily basal N requirement of the coral if all of the recycled N was translocated. Basal respiration rates were 172 nmol O2 cm-2 h-1 for starved colonies and 447 nmol O2 cm-2 h-1 for colonies fed three times per week. There were no significant differences between respiration rates of symbiotic and nonsymbiotic colonies. N excretion and respiration rates of fed (symbiotic and nonsymbiotic) colonies increased greatly soon after feeding. N absorption efficiencies decreased with increasing feeding frequency. A N mass balance, constructed for hypothetical situations of nonsymbiotic and symbiotic (3×106 zooxanthellae cm-2) colonies, starved and fed 15 μg-at N cm-2wk-1, showed that the presence of symbionts could double the N growth rate of feeding colonies, and reduce the turnover-time of starved ones, but could not provide all of the N requirements of starved colonies. Rates of secondary production, estimated from rates of photosynthesis and respiration were similar to those estimated for reef corals. © 1984 Springer-Verlag

Sexual reproduction in three hermaphroditic deep-sea Caryophyllia species (Anthozoa: Scleractinia) from the NE Atlantic Ocean

The reproductive biology and gametogenesis of three species of Caryophyllia were examined using histological techniques. Caryophyllia ambrosia, Alcock 1898, C. cornuformis, Pourtales 1868, and C. sequenzae, Duncan 1873, were collected from the Porcupine Seabight and Rockall Trough in the NE Atlantic Ocean. These three ahermatypic solitary corals inhabit different depth ranges: C. cornuformis – 435–2000 m, C. sequenzae – 960–1900 m, and C. ambrosia – 1100–3000 m. All three species are hermaphroditic. Hermaphroditism in these species was found to be cyclical, with only one sex of gametes viable in any individual at any point in time, although gametes of both sexes were found together within a single mesentery. Once the viable gametes are spawned, the next sex of gametes continues to grow until mature, and so gametogenesis is a continuous cycle. Oocytes and spermacysts in all species increased in density towards the actinopharynx. Maximum fecundity for C. sequenzae was 940 oocytes per polyp, and for C. ambrosia 2900 oocytes per polyp. Fecundity could not be established for C. cornuformis. In all three species, individuals were asynchronous within populations, and production of gametes was quasi-continuous throughout the year. All species are hypothesised to have lecithotrophic larvae owing to their large oocyte sizes (C. cornuformis max – 350 ?m; C. sequenzae max – 430 ?m; C. ambrosia max – 700 ?m). Both the average oocyte size and fecundity increased in species going down the depth gradient of the NE Atlantic