112
accumulated in recent years, we still lack understanding of how the emission rates
affect physiological events. Specifically, we underscore the importance of volatiles
in reproductive responses. Though there is encouraging evidence on the extent to
which volatiles affect carposporogenesis and tetrasporogenesis in several red seaweeds, how the volatile signal is perceived and transmitted remains unclear.
Recent transcriptomic analysis of the red alga Grateloupia imbricata has managed to isolate the biosynthetic genes involved in volatile synthesis. A putative
model of the ethylene receptor has been hypothesised, and a candidate gene for
reproduction, such as the ODC gene, has been proposed. ODC expression has been
altered by different volatile compounds, namely, ethylene and methyl jasmonate,
which act as elicitors of carposporogenesis. Though non-functional roles have been
assigned, transcription factors on the 5′ upstream region of ODC, related to these
elicitors, have been also identified. We are aware that more information and research
are needed, but amazing perspectives have been opened up.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Olegario Brito-Romano for his skilful technical assistance. This work has been carried out at the Biology Department of the Facultad de
Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
References
Abrahamsson K, Ekdahl A, Collén J, Pedersén M (1995) Marine algae. A source of trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. Limnol Oceanogr 40(7):1321–1326
Andreae MO, Elbert W, de Mora SJ (1995) Biogenic sulfur emissions and aerosols over the tropical South Atlantic: 3. Atmospheric dimethylsulfide, aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei.
J Geophys Res 100:11335–11356
Arnold TM, Targett NM, Tanner CE, Hatch WI, Ferrari KE (2001) Evidence for metil jasmonateinduced phlorotannin production in Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyceae). J Phycol 37:1025–1029
Baldwin IT, Halitschke R, Paschold A, von Dahl CC, Preston CA (2006) Volatile signaling in
plant–plant interactions: ‘talking trees’ in the genomics era. Science 311:812–815
Bankova V, Stepanov K, Dimitrova-Konaklieva ST, Keremedchieva G, Frette X, Nikolova C,
Kujimgiev A, Popov S (2001) Secondary metabolites and lipids in Chara globularis Thuill.
Hydrobiologia 457:199–203
Barbier G, Oesterhelt C, Larson MD, Halgren RG, Wilkerson C, Garavito RM, Benning C, Weber
APM (2005) Comparative genomics of two closely related unicellular thermo-acidophilic red
algae, Galdieria sulphuraria and Cyanidioschyzon merolae, reveals the molecular basis of
the metabolic flexibility of Galdieria sulphuraria and significant differences in carbohydrate
metabolism of both algae. Plant Physiol 137:460–474
Baweja P, Sahoo D, Garcia-Jimenez P, Robaina RR (2009) Seaweed tissue culture as applied to
biotechnology: problems, achievements and prospects. Phycol Res 57:45–58
Bitton R, Ben-Yehuda M, Davidovich M, Balazs Y, Potin P, Delage L, Colin C, Bianco-Peled H
(2006) Structure of algal-born phenolic polymeric adhesives. Macromol Biosci 7:1280–1289
Bitton R, Berglin M, Elwing H, Colin C, Delage L, Potin P, Bianco-Peled H (2007) The influence
of halide-mediated oxidation on algae-born adhesives. Macromol Biosci 7:1280–1289
Bleecker AB (2000) ETHYLENE: a gaseous signal molecule in plants. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol
16:1–18
P. Garcia-Jimenez and R.R. Robaina
accumulated in recent years, we still lack understanding of how the emission rates
affect physiological events. Specifically, we underscore the importance of volatiles
in reproductive responses. Though there is encouraging evidence on the extent to
which volatiles affect carposporogenesis and tetrasporogenesis in several red seaweeds, how the volatile signal is perceived and transmitted remains unclear.
Recent transcriptomic analysis of the red alga Grateloupia imbricata has managed to isolate the biosynthetic genes involved in volatile synthesis. A putative
model of the ethylene receptor has been hypothesised, and a candidate gene for
reproduction, such as the ODC gene, has been proposed. ODC expression has been
altered by different volatile compounds, namely, ethylene and methyl jasmonate,
which act as elicitors of carposporogenesis. Though non-functional roles have been
assigned, transcription factors on the 5′ upstream region of ODC, related to these
elicitors, have been also identified. We are aware that more information and research
are needed, but amazing perspectives have been opened up.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Olegario Brito-Romano for his skilful technical assistance. This work has been carried out at the Biology Department of the Facultad de
Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
References
Abrahamsson K, Ekdahl A, Collén J, Pedersén M (1995) Marine algae. A source of trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. Limnol Oceanogr 40(7):1321–1326
Andreae MO, Elbert W, de Mora SJ (1995) Biogenic sulfur emissions and aerosols over the tropical South Atlantic: 3. Atmospheric dimethylsulfide, aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei.
J Geophys Res 100:11335–11356
Arnold TM, Targett NM, Tanner CE, Hatch WI, Ferrari KE (2001) Evidence for metil jasmonateinduced phlorotannin production in Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyceae). J Phycol 37:1025–1029
Baldwin IT, Halitschke R, Paschold A, von Dahl CC, Preston CA (2006) Volatile signaling in
plant–plant interactions: ‘talking trees’ in the genomics era. Science 311:812–815
Bankova V, Stepanov K, Dimitrova-Konaklieva ST, Keremedchieva G, Frette X, Nikolova C,
Kujimgiev A, Popov S (2001) Secondary metabolites and lipids in Chara globularis Thuill.
Hydrobiologia 457:199–203
Barbier G, Oesterhelt C, Larson MD, Halgren RG, Wilkerson C, Garavito RM, Benning C, Weber
APM (2005) Comparative genomics of two closely related unicellular thermo-acidophilic red
algae, Galdieria sulphuraria and Cyanidioschyzon merolae, reveals the molecular basis of
the metabolic flexibility of Galdieria sulphuraria and significant differences in carbohydrate
metabolism of both algae. Plant Physiol 137:460–474
Baweja P, Sahoo D, Garcia-Jimenez P, Robaina RR (2009) Seaweed tissue culture as applied to
biotechnology: problems, achievements and prospects. Phycol Res 57:45–58
Bitton R, Ben-Yehuda M, Davidovich M, Balazs Y, Potin P, Delage L, Colin C, Bianco-Peled H
(2006) Structure of algal-born phenolic polymeric adhesives. Macromol Biosci 7:1280–1289
Bitton R, Berglin M, Elwing H, Colin C, Delage L, Potin P, Bianco-Peled H (2007) The influence
of halide-mediated oxidation on algae-born adhesives. Macromol Biosci 7:1280–1289
Bleecker AB (2000) ETHYLENE: a gaseous signal molecule in plants. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol
16:1–18
P. Garcia-Jimenez and R.R. Robaina