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Intra-Colonial Functional Differentiation-Related Modulation of the Cellular Membrane in a Pocilloporid Coral Seriatopora caliendrum

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Abstract

Scleractinian corals have displayed phenotypic gradients of polyps within a single genotypic colony, and this has profound implications for their biology. The intrinsic polymorphism of membrane lipids and the molecular interactions involved allow cells to dynamically organize their membranes to have physicochemical properties appropriate for their physiological requirements. To gain insight into the accommodation of the cellular membrane during ontogenetic shifts, intra-colony differences in the glycerophosphocholine profiling of a pocilloporid coral, Seriatopora caliendrum, were characterized using a previously validated method. Specifically, several major polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines showed higher levels in the distal tissue of coral branches. In contrast, the corresponding molecules with 1–2-degree less unsaturation and plasmanylcholines were expressed more highly in the proximal tissue. The lipid profiles of these two colonial positions also contrasted sharply with regard to the saturated, monounsaturated, and lyso-glycerophosphocholine ratios. Based on the biochemical and biophysical properties of these lipids, the associated modulation of cellular membrane properties could be related to the physiological requirements, including coral growth and aging, of the functionally differentiated polyps. In this study, the metabolic regulation of membrane lipids involved in the functional differentiation of polyps within a S. caliendrum colony was identified.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST 104-2221-E-291-001), National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium and National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, 2 Houwan Rd., Checheng, Pingtung, 944, Taiwan

    Chuan-Ho Tang, Te-Hao Chen & Wei-Hsien Wang

  2. Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, 944, Taiwan

    Chuan-Ho Tang & Te-Hao Chen

  3. Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources and Asia-Pacific Ocean Research Center, National Sun Yat-Sen University, 70 Lien-hai Rd, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan

    Ping-Chang Ku & Wei-Hsien Wang

  4. Institute of Environmental Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, 100, Taiwan

    Ching-Yu Lin

  5. Department of Emergency Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 824, Taiwan

    Kuo-Hsin Lee

  6. Central of General Education, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung, 811, Taiwan

    Shu-Hui Lee

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  1. Chuan-Ho Tang
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Correspondence to Chuan-Ho Tang or Wei-Hsien Wang.

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Ping-Chang Ku contributed to this work as one of the first authors.

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Tang, CH., Ku, PC., Lin, CY. et al. Intra-Colonial Functional Differentiation-Related Modulation of the Cellular Membrane in a Pocilloporid Coral Seriatopora caliendrum . Mar Biotechnol 17, 633–643 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-015-9645-9

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