The signal-based relationship between marine bacteria and the green seaweed Ulva

绿色的海藻石榴通过产生大量游动的游动孢子进行繁殖。这些游动孢子在承诺进行不可逆转的附着之前，会测试可用表面的适合性。一旦附着，游动孢子就会生长并发育成成熟的植物。石斑藻是一种极具问题的生物污垢藻类，人们对这种藻类如何选择表面进行选择、生长和发育非常感兴趣。令人非常感兴趣的是细菌在石榴石的生命周期中所扮演的角色。我们已经证明，游动孢子利用细菌通讯系统来帮助它们进行表面选择；游动孢子优先停留在细菌生物膜上，产生可扩散的小信号分子。此外，细菌对石榴的生长和形态发育也很重要。细菌被清除的植株不会表现出正常的形态，生长通常会受阻。该项目的目的是研究细菌和Ulva之间的关系，重点是假设在游动孢子定居期间产生信号的细菌是健康生长到成熟植物所需的细菌。我们将识别Ulva用于定居的细菌和细菌衍生的线索，并确定这些是否对生长和发育有任何影响。还将检测细菌及其信号分子对产孢量的影响。

The green seaweed Ulva reproduces by production of vast numbers of motile swimming zoospores. These zoospores test available surfaces for their suitability before committing to an irreversible attachment. Once attached, the zoospores grow and developed into a mature plant. Ulva is an extremely problematic biofouling alga, and there is considerable interest in how the alga chooses surfaces for selection, grows and develops. Of great interest is the role bacteria play in the life cycle of Ulva. We have shown that zoospores tap into bacterial communication systems to aid them in their surface selection; zoospores preferentially settle on bacterial biofilms producing small diffusible signal molecules. In addition, bacteria are known to be important for the growth and morphological development of Ulva. Plantlets where bacteria have been removed do not exhibit normal morphology, and growth is often stunted. The aim of this project is to examine the relationship between bacteria and Ulva, focusing on the hypothesis that the signal-producing bacteria that are targeted during zoospore settlement are those required for healthy growth into a mature plant. We will identify bacteria and bacterially-derived cues used by Ulva for settlement, and establish if these have any effect on growth and development. The effect of bacteria and their signal molecules on sporulation will also be examined.