Searching for a mate: pheromone-directed movement of the benthic diatom Seminavis robusta
Bondoc, K.G.V.; Lembke, C.; Vyverman, W.; Pohnert, G. (2016). Searching for a mate: pheromone-directed movement of the benthic diatom Seminavis robusta. Microb. Ecol. 72(2): 287-294. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00248-016-0796-7
In: Microbial Ecology. Springer: New York,. ISSN 0095-3628; e-ISSN 1432-184X
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| Keywords |
Seminavis robusta D.B.Danielidis & D.G.Mann, 2002 [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Diatoms; Chemoattraction; Pheromone; Chemokinesis; Chemotaxis; Matingsuccess; Modeling |
| Authors | | Top |
- Bondoc, K.G.V.
- Lembke, C.
- Vyverman, W., more
- Pohnert, G.
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| Abstract |
Diatoms are species-rich microalgae that often have a unique life cycle with vegetative cell size reduction followed by size restoration through sexual reproduction of two mating types (MT+ and MT−). In the marine benthic diatom Seminavis robusta, mate-finding is mediated by an l-proline-derived diketopiperazine, a pheromone produced by the attracting mating type (MT−). Here, we investigate the movement patterns of cells of the opposite mating type (MT+) exposed to a pheromone gradient, using video monitoring and statistical modeling. We report that cells of the migrating mating type (MT+) respond to pheromone gradients by simultaneous chemotaxis and chemokinesis. Changes in movement behavior enable MT+ cells to locate the direction of the pheromone source and to maximize their encounter rate towards it. |
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