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Sensing and Signalling in Diatom Responses to Abiotic Cues

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The Molecular Life of Diatoms

Abstract

Diatoms are prominent microalgae that proliferate in a wide range of aquatic environments. Still, fundamental questions regarding their biology, such as how diatoms sense and respond to environmental variations, remain largely unanswered. In recent years, advances in the molecular and cell biology of diatoms and the increasing availability of genomic data have made it possible to explore sensing and signalling pathways in these algae. Pivotal studies of photosensory perception have highlighted the great capacity of diatoms to accurately detect environmental variations by sensing differential light signals and adjust their physiology accordingly. The characterization of photoreceptors and light-dependent processes described in this review, such as plastid signalling and diel regulation, is unveiling sensing systems which are unique to these algae, reflecting their complex evolutionary history and adaptation to aquatic life. Here, we also describe putative sensing components involved in the responses to nutrient, osmotic changes, and fluid motions. Continued elucidation of the molecular systems processing endogenous and environmental cues and their interactions with other biotic and abiotic stress signalling pathways is expected to greatly increase our understanding of the mechanisms controlling the abundance and distribution of the highly diverse diatom communities in marine ecosystems.

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Abbreviations

AUREO:

aureochrome

bHLH:

basic helix–loop–helix domain

BV:

biliverdin

CA:

carbonic anhydrase

CCREs:

CO2/cAMP-responsive elements

CPD:

cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer

CPF:

cryptochrome/photolyase family

CRY:

cryptochrome

DCMU:

3-(3′, 4′-dichlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethylurea

DPH:

diatom phytochrome

FAD:

flavin adenine dinucleotide

FMN:

flavin-mononucleotide

FR:

far-red light

MTHF:

5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolic acid

N:

nitrogen

NAGK:

N-acetyl-L-glutamate kinase

NAT :

natural antisense transcript

ncRNA:

non coding RNA

NPF:

nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family

P:

phosphorus

PAS:

Per-Arnt-Sim domain (from “period”, “aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear transporter” and “single-minded” proteins)

PCM:

photosensory core module

PHR:

photolyase-related domain

PHY:

phytochrome

PL:

photolyase

R:

red light

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

Ser/Thr:

serine/threonine

snRNA:

small nuclear RNA

sRNA:

small RNA

TE:

transposable element

TF:

transcription factor

TOR:

target of rapamycin

UV:

ultra-violet

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Acknowledgments

We thank Alessandro Manzotti for support for graphic design. Research was supported by funding from the Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller (Coups d’élan pour la recherche française-2018 to A.F.), the grant “DYNAMO” (ANR-11-LABX-0011-01- to A.F.), and the ANR grant CLIMA-CLOCK (ANR-20-CE20-0024 TO A.F.), the Betty Moore Foundation Marine Microbial Initiative (grant GBMF4981.01 to M.J.), a DFG grant (KR1661/19-1) to P.G.K. and the international ANR-DFG Grant “DiaRhythm” to A.F and P.G.K. (KR1661/20-1)

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Correspondence to Marianne Jaubert or Angela Falciatore .

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Jaubert, M., Duchêne, C., Kroth, P.G., Rogato, A., Bouly, JP., Falciatore, A. (2022). Sensing and Signalling in Diatom Responses to Abiotic Cues. In: Falciatore, A., Mock, T. (eds) The Molecular Life of Diatoms. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92499-7_21

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