Pleodorina starrii explained

Pleodorina starrii is a species of algae that resides in freshwater in Japan.[1] The name starri is in honor of phycologist Richard C. Starr.[2]

Since 2006 it has provided molecular genetic evidence for an evolutionary link between sexes and mating types. It was later confirmed to be the first reportedly trioecious haploid species.

Reproduction

It is trioecious meaning males, females, and hermaphrodites exist in the species.[3]

Reproduction is asexual under normal conditions and creates colonies of clones with the same genotype.[4] [5] Sexual reproduction is induced by low-nitrogen conditions and is anisogamous.

Studies on the species

The species was involved in a 2006 study that provided the first molecular genetic evidence for the evolutionary link between sexes and mating types.[6] [7] A male-specific gene was founded in the species and named "OTOKOGI", meaning manliness or chivalry in Japanese.

The species was previously believed to be heterothallic with males and females, but a 2021 study revealed it also contained hermaphrodites.[8] This study was the first time the sexual system trioecy has been reported in haploid species and it challenged models for the evolution of sexual systems. Although trioecy is viewed as being an evolutionarily unstable transitional state between dioecy and monoecy, a 2023 study revealed this probably not the case in this species. Instead, in this species, trioecy could have evolved due to the reorganization of certain genes.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pleodorina starrii H.Nozaki, F.D.Ott & A.W.Coleman :: AlgaeBase . 30 April 2023 . www.algaebase.org . 30 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230430230820/https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=Rc20f1b6893c45e13 . live .
  2. Web site: Nature . Research Communities by Springer . 2023-05-23 . “Starrii” blessed us twice . 2024-06-03 . Research Communities by Springer Nature . en.
  3. Roy . Scott William . November 2021 . Digest: Three sexes from two loci in one genome: A haploid alga expands the diversity of trioecious species* . Evolution . en . 75 . 11 . 3002–3003 . 10.1111/evo.14345 . 34486115 . 237422083 . 0014-3820. free .
  4. Nozaki . Hisayoshi . Morphology, molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of two new species of Pleodorina (Volvocaceae, Chlorophyceae) . Journal of Phycology . 2006 . 42 . 5 . 1072–1080 . 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00255.x . 2006JPcgy..42.1072N . 84730352 . subscription . 3 June 2024 . 15 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230515142550/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2006.00255.x . live .
  5. Web site: Species of algae with three sexes that all mate in pairs identified in Japanese river . 1 May 2023 . EurekAlert! . en . 1 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501050646/https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/547871 . live .
  6. Nozaki . Hisayoshi . Mori . Toshiyuki . Misumi . Osami . Matsunaga . Sachihiro . Kuroiwa . Tsuneyoshi . 19 December 2006 . Males evolved from the dominant isogametic mating type . Current Biology . 16 . 24 . R1018–1020 . 10.1016/j.cub.2006.11.019 . 0960-9822 . 17174904 . 15748275 . free . 2006CBio...16R1018N .
  7. Book: Sawada . Hitoshi . Sexual Reproduction in Animals and Plants . Inoue . Naokazu . Iwano . Megumi . 7 February 2014 . Springer . 978-4-431-54589-7 . 215–226 . en . 1 May 2023 . 3 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240603114503/https://books.google.com/books?id=Adm6BQAAQBAJ&q=origin+of+male+and+female#v=snippet&q=origin%20of%20male%20and%20female&f=false . live .
  8. Takahashi . Kohei . Kawai-Toyooka . Hiroko . Ootsuki . Ryo . Hamaji . Takashi . Tsuchikane . Yuki . Sekimoto . Hiroyuki . Higashiyama . Tetsuya . Nozaki . Hisayoshi . November 2021 . Three sex phenotypes in a haploid algal species give insights into the evolutionary transition to a self-compatible mating system* . Evolution . en . 75 . 11 . 2984–2993 . 10.1111/evo.14306 . 0014-3820 . 9291101 . 34250602.
  9. Takahashi . Kohei . Suzuki . Shigekatsu . Kawai-Toyooka . Hiroko . Yamamoto . Kayoko . Hamaji . Takashi . Ootsuki . Ryo . Yamaguchi . Haruyo . Kawachi . Masanobu . Higashiyama . Tetsuya . Nozaki . Hisayoshi . 2023-06-09 . Reorganization of the ancestral sex-determining regions during the evolution of trioecy in Pleodorina starrii . Communications Biology . en . 6 . 1 . 1–10 . 10.1038/s42003-023-04949-1 . 2399-3642. 10256686 .

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