CellBioNewsFeb 8, 2025

Scientists elucidate #molecular mechanisms behind #dinoflagellate #cyst #dormancy.

#cDNA #DinoSL #genomics #metatranscriptome #hormones #ABA #GA #metabolomics

https://phys.org/news/2025-02-scientists-elucidate-molecular-mechanisms-dinoflagellate.html

Scientists elucidate molecular mechanisms behind dinoflagellate cyst dormancy

Dinoflagellates play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems, particularly as major contributors to harmful algal blooms. They can enter a dormant stage, known as the resting cyst stage, that allows them to survive for extended periods—up to 150 years—in marine sediments. This dormancy is essential for their annual population dynamics, blooming cycles, and geographic expansion.

Phys.org
Warren Currie 🦠🦐Nov 30, 2024
Weekend #Plankton #Factoid 🦠🦐
While some #algae cause Harmful Algal Blooms (#HABs), killing fishes, birds or mammals, a few create aerosolized compounds sufficient to be toxic several km inland. One of these species is the #dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, the #Florida Red Tide algae. These neurotoxic shellfish poisoning brevetoxins can cause severe respiratory and #asthma reactions needing public health advisories requiring a Red Tide Respiratory Forecast tool. #science
https://www.acep.org/toxicology/newsroom/oct2021/red-tides-the-phenomenon-that-will-take-your-breath-away
Red Tides: The Phenomenon That Will Take Your Breath Away

Red tides are harmful algal blooms (HABs) that occur along coastal regions. They result from large accumulation of aquatic microorganisms, such as protozoans and unicellular algae.

Lukas VFN 🇪🇺Apr 20, 2024

#Mixotrophs: Neither Plants nor Animals, These Ocean Organisms Protect Their Ecosystems against Heat Waves https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/neither-plants-nor-animals-these-ocean-organisms-protect-their-ecosystems/

Widespread #ciliate and #dinoflagellate #mixotrophy may contribute to ecosystem resilience in a #subarctic sea https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ame/v90/p1-21/ by Suzanne Strom et al.

"these adaptable mixotrophs can be vital to the entire Gulf of Alaska ecosystem in #HeatWaves because they help to mediate a major consequence of marine #warming: increased stratification"

Neither Plants nor Animals, These Ocean Organisms Protect Their Ecosystems against Heat Waves

Mixotrophs, which have characteristics of both animals and plants, could help blunt the effects of marine heat waves on ocean ecosystems

Scientific American
CellBioNewsOct 21, 2023

Soft, living materials made with #algae glow under stress.

#biomaterial #biosensors #bioluminescence #dinoflagellate

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-soft-materials-algae-stress.html

Soft, living materials made with algae glow under stress

A team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego has developed soft yet durable materials that glow in response to mechanical stress, such as compression, stretching or twisting. The materials derive their luminescence from single-celled algae known as dinoflagellates.

Phys.org
Lukas VFN 🇪🇺Aug 29, 2023

Historic #RedTide event of 2020 was fueled by #plankton super swimmers
https://phys.org/news/2023-08-historic-red-tide-event-fueled.html #algae #protists

#Dinoflagellate vertical #migration fuels an intense red tide https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2304590120

"The idea that vertical swimming gives #dinoflagellates a competitive advantage actually goes back more than half a century, but only now do we have the technology to conclusively prove it in the field"

Study shows how historic red tide event of 2020 was fueled by plankton super swimmers

A major red tide event occurred in waters off Southern California in the spring of 2020, resulting in dazzling displays of bioluminescence along the coast. The spectacle was caused by exceedingly high densities of Lingulodinium polyedra (L. polyedra), a plankton species renowned for its ability to emit a neon blue glow. While the red tide captured the public's attention and made global headlines, the event was also a harmful algal bloom.

Phys.org
Warren Currie 🦠🦐May 28, 2023

Sunday #Plankton #Factoid 🦐🦠

#Noctiluca scintillans has been in the news lately. Called sea-sparkle for its bioluminescence. It's a heterotrophic (no photosynthesis) athecate (no shell) #dinoflagellate that feeds by phagotrophy (engulfing). Quite large for a single-celled organism, up to 2 mm in diameter. Though not algae it can form colorful orange harmful blooms by releasing ammonium toxic to invertebrate and fish gills. #HABs
Also available as a giant microbe plush.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.king5.com/amp/article/tech/science/environment/water-orange-noctiluca-bloom-west-seattle/281-a137d138-cce3-4537-a8d5-8da0e1a04014

Mya BreitbartMay 8, 2023
On the first day of their summer internships, undergrads Aly and Nina are heading out on the R/V Weatherbird II for the #GoMeTS cruise studying harmful algal blooms #USFCMS #Florida #ocean #oceanography #research #dinoflagellate #Karenia #HAB
elizabethbestonFeb 14, 2023

I’m still on that steep dinoflagellate cysts learning curve ! Here are some spikey fellas from my latest sample.

#marinebiology #marinebiologyuk #northnorfolkcoast #northsea #sea #ocean #biology #phytoplankton #plankton #marinetaxonomy #wildlife #nature #microscopy #microorganism #dinoflagellates #dinoflagellate

Ivan KwanNov 23, 2022

Blue glow returns to S’pore waters, but frequent appearance a concern, says scientist

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/blue-glow-returns-to-s-pore-waters-but-frequent-appearance-a-concern-says-scientist

By Gena Soh for The Straits Times

#Singapore #marine #biodiversity #marinelife #plankton #planktonbloom #dinoflagellate

Blue glow returns to S’pore waters, but frequent appearance a concern, says scientist

This is the third time this year that the plankton bloom is spotted, a sign that Singapore waters may be changing, said a researcher. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Straits Times
Daniel Vaulot 🇪🇺🇺🇦Nov 8, 2022

A new species of #dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum cryophilum, has been described from a strain isolated from Antarctic waters and available from the Roscoff Culture Collection #rcc RCC6872.
The paper is co-authored by Priscillia Gourvil from the RCC who isolated this new species.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpy.13298