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

绿色海藻石莼通过产生大量游动游动孢子进行繁殖。这些游动孢子在进行不可逆附着之前测试可用表面的适用性。一旦附着，游动孢子生长并发育成成熟的植物。石莼是一种非常有问题的生物污损藻类，人们对藻类如何选择表面进行选择、生长和发育非常感兴趣。最有趣的是细菌在石莼生命周期中的作用。我们已经表明，游动孢子进入细菌通讯系统，以帮助他们在其表面选择;游动孢子优先解决细菌生物膜产生小的可扩散的信号分子。此外，已知细菌对于石莼的生长和形态发育是重要的。除去细菌的小植株不表现出正常的形态，生长通常受到阻碍。该项目的目的是研究细菌和石莼之间的关系，重点是假设游动孢子定居期间的目标信号产生细菌是健康生长成成熟植物所需的细菌。我们将鉴定石莼用于定居的细菌和细菌来源的线索，并确定这些是否对生长和发育有任何影响。细菌及其信号分子对孢子形成的影响也将被检查。

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.