Heterotrophic feeding as a newly identified survival strategy of the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium
Authors
Hae Jin Jeong, Yeong Du Yoo, Nam Seon Kang, An Suk Lim, Kyeong Ah Seong, Sung Yeon Lee, Moo Joon Lee, Kyung Ha Lee, Hyung Seop Kim, Woongghi Shin, Seung Won Nam, Wonho Yih, and Kitack Lee
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
Abstract
Survival of free-living and symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) in coral reefs is critical to the maintenance of a healthy coral community. Most coral reefs exist in oligotrophic waters, and their survival strategy in such nutrient-depleted waters remains largely unknown. Cultured free-living Symbiodinium spp. displayed no autotrophic growth under nitrogen- depleted conditions, but grew when provided with prey. Our results indicate that Symbiodinium spp.¡¯s mixotrophic activity greatly increases their chance of survival and their population growth under nitrogen-depleted conditions, which tend to prevail in coral habitats.