Meeting Abstract

P1.38  Thursday, Jan. 3  Coral fluorescent proteins ALIEVA, NA*; KONZEN, KA; MELESHKEVITCH, EA; FIELD, SF; MASLAKOVA, S; VAN OPPEN, MJH; MATZ, MV; University of Texas at Austin; University of Florida; University of Florida; University of Florida; University of Oregon; Australian Institute of Marine Science; University of Texas at Austin naila_alieva@mail.utexas.edu

We present a comprehensive analysis of coral fluorescent proteins of the GFP family covering all suborders of the order Scleractinia, which includes the previously described proteins as well as 40 novel ones. The phylogeny of coral GFP-like proteins is not easily reconcilable with any of the currently discussed versions of the organismal phylogeny due to multiple events of gene duplication accompanied by functional diversification driven by positive selection. The common ancestor of all coral fluorescent proteins has been reconstructed and characterized, putting the color evoluton history into perspective. The idea of participation of the coral fluorescent proteins in the maintenance and/or modulation of symbiosis with zooxanthellae has been investigated by first, analyzing their tissue distribution using confocal microscopy and second, by analyzing the genetic composition of zooxanthellae populations in naturally occuring color morphs. We conclude that although some of the protein color types, in paricular the green ones, may indeed be involved in such interactions, the proteins of otehr colors are not. The functional explanation of their evolution in corals and therefore of the color diversity as a phenomenon most likely lies outside the symbiosis realm.