The crown-of-thorns starfish genome as a guide for biocontrol of this coral reef pest
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Description
The crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS, the Acanthaster planci species group) is a highly fecund predator of reef-building corals throughout the Indo-Pacific region. COTS population outbreaks cause substantial loss of coral cover, diminishing the integrity and resilience of reef ecosystems. Here we sequenced genomes of COTS from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and Okinawa, Japan to identify gene products that underlie species-specific communication and could potentially be used in biocontrol strategies. We focused on water-borne chemical plumes released from aggregating COTS, which make the normally sedentary starfish become highly active. Peptide sequences detected in these plumes by mass spectrometry are encoded in the COTS genome and expressed in external tissues. The exoproteome released by aggregating COTS consists largely of signalling factors and hydrolytic enzymes, and includes an expanded and rapidly evolving set of starfish-specific ependymin-related proteins. These secreted proteins may be detected by members of a large family of olfactory-receptor-like G-protein-coupled receptors that are expressed externally, sometimes in a sex-specific manner. This study provides insights into COTS-specific communication that may guide the generation of peptide mimetics for use on reefs with COTS outbreaks.
Impact and interest:
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ID Code: | 248684 | ||
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Item Type: | Contribution to Journal (Journal Article) | ||
Refereed: | Yes | ||
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Measurements or Duration: | 4 pages | ||
DOI: | 10.1038/nature22033 | ||
ISSN: | 0028-0836 | ||
Pure ID: | 169306892 | ||
Funding Information: | This study was supported by funds from the Australian Research Council (B.M.D. and S.M.D.), the Australian Government Department of Environment Reef Rescue Program (M.R.H. and S.F.C.), and internal funds of OIST for Marine Genomics Unit (N.S.). K.M.K. was funded by a NSF International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. | ||
Copyright Owner: | Consult author(s) regarding copyright matters | ||
Copyright Statement: | This work is covered by copyright. Unless the document is being made available under a Creative Commons Licence, you must assume that re-use is limited to personal use and that permission from the copyright owner must be obtained for all other uses. If the document is available under a Creative Commons License (or other specified license) then refer to the Licence for details of permitted re-use. It is a condition of access that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. If you believe that this work infringes copyright please provide details by email to qut.copyright@qut.edu.au | ||
Deposited On: | 24 May 2024 00:35 | ||
Last Modified: | 06 Aug 2024 13:15 |
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