Populations of Symbiodinium muscatinei show strong biogeographic structuring in the intertidal anemone Anthopleura elegantissima.

Biogeography of two species of Symbiodinium (Freudenthal) inhabiting the intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt).

We have analyzed the genetic profiles of dinoflagellate populations obtained from the Pacific coast sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt) at collection sites from Washington to California. Genetic differences within the symbiont populations of California anemones have been uncovered by restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) ri...

Symbiotic state influences life-history strategy of a clonal cnidarian.

Along the North American Pacific coast, the common intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima engages in facultative, flexible symbioses with Symbiodinium muscatinei (a dinoflagellate) and Elliptochloris marina (a chlorophyte). Determining how symbiotic state affects host fitness is essential to understanding the ecological significance of engaging in such flexible relationships with dive...

Prolonged exposure to elevated CO2 promotes growth of the algal symbiont Symbiodinium muscatinei in the intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima

Some photosynthetic organisms benefit from elevated levels of carbon dioxide, but studies on the effects of elevated PCO(2) on the algal symbionts of animals are very few. This study investigated the impact of hypercapnia on a photosynthetic symbiosis between the anemone Anthopleura elegantissima and its zooxanthella Symbiodinium muscatinei. Anemones were maintained in the laboratory for 1 week...

Covering behavior in two intertidal anemones, Anthopleura elegantissima and Anthopleura xanthogrammica: Is it inducible in the lab?

Localization of a symbiosis-related protein, Sym32, in the Anthopleura elegantissima-Symbiodinium muscatinei Association.

Cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses are widespread in the marine environment. Growing concern over the health of coral reef ecosystems has revealed a fundamental lack of knowledge of how cnidarian-algal associations are regulated at the cellular and molecular level. We are interested in identifying genes that mediate interactions between the partners, and we are using the temperate sea anemone A...