Developing model systems for dinoflagellates in the post-genomic era

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing model systems for dinoflagellates in the post-genomic era

AU - Ishida, Hisatake

AU - John, Uwe

AU - Murray, Shauna A.

AU - Bhattacharya, Debashish

AU - Chan, Cheong Xin

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Phycology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Phycological Society of America.

PY - 2023/10

Y1 - 2023/10

N2 - Dinoflagellates are a diverse group of eukaryotic microbes that are ubiquitous in aquatic environments. Largely photosynthetic, they encompass symbiotic, parasitic, and free-living lineages with a broad spectrum of trophism. Many free-living taxa can produce bioactive secondary metabolites such as biotoxins, some of which cause harmful algal blooms. In contrast, most symbiotic species are crucial for sustaining coral reef health. The year 2023 marked a decade since the first genome data of dinoflagellates became available. The growing genome-scale resources for these taxa are highlighting their remarkable evolutionary and genomic complexities. Here, we discuss the prospect of developing dinoflagellate models using the criteria of accessibility, tractability, resources, research support, and promise. Moving forward in the post-genomic era, we argue for the development of fit-to-purpose models that tailor to specific biological contexts, and that a one-size-fits-all model is inadequate for encapsulating the complex biology, ecology, and evolutionary history of dinoflagellates.

AB - Dinoflagellates are a diverse group of eukaryotic microbes that are ubiquitous in aquatic environments. Largely photosynthetic, they encompass symbiotic, parasitic, and free-living lineages with a broad spectrum of trophism. Many free-living taxa can produce bioactive secondary metabolites such as biotoxins, some of which cause harmful algal blooms. In contrast, most symbiotic species are crucial for sustaining coral reef health. The year 2023 marked a decade since the first genome data of dinoflagellates became available. The growing genome-scale resources for these taxa are highlighting their remarkable evolutionary and genomic complexities. Here, we discuss the prospect of developing dinoflagellate models using the criteria of accessibility, tractability, resources, research support, and promise. Moving forward in the post-genomic era, we argue for the development of fit-to-purpose models that tailor to specific biological contexts, and that a one-size-fits-all model is inadequate for encapsulating the complex biology, ecology, and evolutionary history of dinoflagellates.

KW - dinoflagellate

KW - model

KW - phytoplankton

KW - symbiosis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169454876&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85169454876&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/jpy.13386

DO - 10.1111/jpy.13386

M3 - Article

SN - 0022-3646

VL - 59

SP - 799

EP - 808

JO - Journal of Phycology

JF - Journal of Phycology

IS - 5

ER -