[en] Macroalgae are multicellular, aquatic autotrophs that play vital roles in global climate maintenance and have diverse applications in biotechnology and eco-engineering, which are directly linked to their multicellularity phenotypes. However, their genomic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms underlying multicellularity in these organisms remain uncharacterized. In this study, we sequenced 110 macroalgal genomes from diverse climates and phyla, and identified key genomic features that distinguish them from their microalgal relatives. Genes for cell adhesion, extracellular matrix formation, cell polarity, transport, and cell differentiation distinguish macroalgae from microalgae across all three major phyla, constituting conserved and unique gene sets supporting multicellular processes. Adhesome genes show phylum- and climate-specific expansions that may facilitate niche adaptation. Collectively, our study reveals genetic determinants of convergent and divergent evolutionary trajectories that have shaped morphological diversity in macroalgae and provides genome-wide frameworks to understand photosynthetic multicellular evolution in aquatic environments.
Disciplines :
Biotechnology
Author, co-author :
Nelson, David R ; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Electronic address: drn2@nyu.edu
Mystikou, Alexandra; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Biotechnology Research Center, Technology Innovation Institute, PO Box 9639, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Electronic address: alexandra.mystikou@tii.ae
Jaiswal, Ashish; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Rad-Menendez, Cecilia; Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland, UK
Preston, Michael J; National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, USA
De Boever, Frederik; Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland, UK
El Assal, Diana C; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Daakour, Sarah ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Agronomie, Bio-ingénierie et Chimie (AgroBioChem) > Biologie cellulaire et moléculaire ; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Lomas, Michael W; National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, USA
Twizere, Jean-Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Molecular Biology of Diseases - Viral Interactomes Network
Green, David H; Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland, UK
Ratcliff, William C; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Salehi-Ashtiani, Kourosh; Division of Science and Math, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Electronic address: ksa3@nyu.edu