Major transitions in dinoflagellate evolution unveiled by phylotranscriptomics.

Dinoflagellates are key species in marine environments, but they remain poorly understood in part because of their large, complex genomes, unique molecular biology, and unresolved in-group relationships. We created a taxonomically representative dataset of dinoflagellate transcriptomes and used this to infer a strongly supported phylogeny to map major morphological and molecular transitions in dinoflagellate evolution. Our results show an early-branching position of Noctiluca, monophyly of thecate (plate-bearing) dinoflagellates, and paraphyly of athecate ones. This represents unambiguous phylogenetic evidence for a single origin of the group's cellulosic theca, which we show coincided with a radiation of cellulases implicated in cell division. By integrating dinoflagellate molecular, fossil, and biogeochemical evidence, we propose a revised model for the evolution of thecal tabulations and suggest that the late acquisition of dinosterol in the group is inconsistent with dinoflagellates being the source of this biomarker in pre-Mesozoic strata. Three distantly related, fundamentally nonphotosynthetic dinoflagellates, Noctiluca, Oxyrrhis, and Dinophysis, contain cryptic plastidial metabolisms and lack alternative cytosolic pathways, suggesting that all free-living dinoflagellates are metabolically dependent on plastids. This finding led us to propose general mechanisms of dependency on plastid organelles in eukaryotes that have lost photosynthesis; it also suggests that the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence in nonphotosynthetic dinoflagellates may be linked to plastidic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis. Finally, we use our phylogenetic framework to show that dinoflagellate nuclei have recruited DNA-binding proteins in three distinct evolutionary waves, which included two independent acquisitions of bacterial histone-like proteins.

Spatiotemporal variation of sterols in sediment as markers of primary production and ocean sewage dumping in the southwestern East Sea (Japan Sea).

The sedimentation of organic carbon in the Ulleung Basin, in the southwestern East Sea (Japan Sea) was investigated using radiocarbon and sterols. The accumulation rates of organic carbon and the contents of brassicasterol and dinosterol were higher on the slope than in the central basin, reflecting the surface water productivity, whereas cholesterol showed similar or higher contents in the central basin. The coprostanol concentration in surface sediments reflected the dispersion of sewage dumped in this region. The vertical distribution showed that the coprostanol concentration was the highest in the top 5-cm layer near the Korea Strait, close to one of the two dumping sites. A high coprostanol concentration was also found near the coast further north, where the content peaked at ∼10 cm depth. The vertical distribution of coprostanol helped to estimate the sediment accumulation rate at sites where radiocarbon gradient was too small or the values were too variable.

Aislamiento y caracterización estructural de un nuevo triterpeno del octocoral Plexaura Flexuosa Lamoroux. / Isolation and structural caracterization of a new triterpene from the octocoral Plexaura Flexuosa Lamoroux / Isolamento e caracterização estrutural de um novo triterpeno do octocoral Plexaura Flexuosa Lamoroux.

Estudios previos de productos naturales de origen marino han demostrado que los octocorales producen una variedad de metabolitos con diversas estructuras químicas y bioactividades. Con el objetivo de estudiar al octocoral Plexaura flexuosa Lamoroux se analizó el extracto en acetona de un ejemplar colectado en la Bahía de Mochima, estado Sucre, Venezuela. Se evaluaron las propiedades antibacteriana, antifúngica y tóxica del extracto, revelándose una marcada actividad antibacteriana contra las bacterias Gram positiva Staphylococcus aureus y Bacillus cereus, así como una letalidad significativa mediante el bioensayo de Artemia salina. La fracción soluble en hexano de dicho extracto exhibió actividad antifúngica contra Candida albicans y Trichosporum sp. A partir de dicha fracción se aisló un sólido blanquecino, usando sucesivas cromatografías de columna eluidas con mezclas de hexano:AcOEt en diferentes proporciones. El compuesto se cristalizó con AcOEt, obteniéndose cristales blancos en forma de agujas con punto de fusión de 194,8-195,0°C. Para la identificación estructural de este sólido se realizaron análisis espectroscópicos (IR, RMN¹H, RMN13C, HMQC, HMBC y COSY¹H-¹H), los cuales evidenciaron la presencia de un esqueleto triterpenoidal tetracíclico con cadena lateral, ocho metilos, un doble enlace trisustituído y un grupo epóxido exocíclico. El análisis sistemático de los datos espectrales y su posterior comparación con estructuras reportadas permitieron establecer la estructura posible del compuesto como un derivado 3,5-epoxi del dinosterol.

Previous studies of natural products of marine origin have showen that octocorals produce a variety of metabolites with diverse chemical structures and significant bioactivities. The acetone extract of the octocoral Plexaura flexuosa Lamoroux collected at Mochima Bay, Sucre state, Venezuela, was analyzed and evaluated for its antibacterial, antifungal and toxic properties, showing a significant antibacterial activity against the Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, and also a significant lethality in the Artemia salina bioassay. The hexane-soluble fraction of this extract exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichosporum sp. A white solid was isolated from this fraction by successive column chromatography with different proportions of hexane:EtOAc mixtures as eluting solvents. The compound was crystallized with EtOAc, forming needle-shaped white crystals with a melting point of 194.8-195.0°C. Subsequently, spectroscopy analyses were performed for the structural identification of this solid, employing IR, ¹HNMR, 13CNMR, HMQC, HMBC and ¹H-¹HCOSY, which revealed the presence of tetra-cyclical triterpene skeleton with a side chain, eight methyl groups, a trisubstituted double bond and an exocyclical epoxy group. Spectral data analysis and comparison with reported structures permitted the establishment of a of 3.5-epoxy dinosterol derivative as the possible structure of the compound.

Estudos prévios de produtos naturais de origem marinho têm demonstrado que os octocorais produzem uma variedade de metabolitos com diversas estruturas químicas e bioatividades. Com o objetivo de estudar ao octocoral Plexaura flexuosa Lamoroux se analisou o extrato em acetona de um exemplar recolhido na Bahia de Mochima, estado Sucre, Venezuela. Avaliaram-se as propriedades antibacteriana, antifúngica e tóxica do extrato, revelando-se uma marcada atividade antibacteriana contra as bactérias Gram positiva Staphylococcus aureus e Bacillus cereus, assim como uma letalidade significativa mediante o bioensaio de Artêmia salina. A fração solúvel em hexano de dito extrato exibiu atividade antifúngica contra Candida albicans e Trichosporum sp. A partir de dita fração se isolou um sólido branco, usando sucessivas cromatografias de coluna eluídas com misturas de hexano: AcOEt em diferentes proporções. O composto se cristalizou com AcOEt, obtendo-se cristais brancos em forma de agulhas com ponto de fusão de 194,8 - 195,0°C. Para a identificação estrutural de este sólido se realizaram análises espectroscópicas (IR, RMN¹H, RMN13C, HMQC, HMBC e COSY¹H-¹H), as quais evidenciaram a presença de um esqueleto triterpenoide tetracíclico com cadeia lateral, oito metilos, um duplo enlace trisubstituído e um grupo epóxido exocíclico. A análise sistemática dos dados espectrais e sua posterior comparação com estruturas relatadas permitiram estabelecer a estrutura possível do composto como um derivado 3,5-epóxi do dinosterol.