Viruses, Carbon cycle and marine life.

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May 11, 2008
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These cells have an impact on the carbon cycle with respect to the sea it seems.

I wonder if pollution could force these cells into their haploid cell state.
Or if pollution would make it easier for the viruses to infect these organisms called Emiliania huxleyi.


These results enable a clearer understanding of the origin of, and reasons for, sexual reproduction in eukaryotes (1).

The researchers studied the impact of marine viruses on Emiliania huxleyi, one of the most abundant unicellular eukaryotes in oceans that significantly influences the carbon cycle and climates. In their diploid form, i.e. when they contain a pair of chromosomes (2N), Emiliania huxleyi produce mineral scales and form gigantic populations that are visible from space. But when attacked by marine viruses, they transform into haploid cells which only contain a single chromosome (N). These new, non-calcifying, highly motile cells are totally invisible to viruses (and undetectable on satellite photos) so that the species can live in peace to await safer times.

These scientists have called this the "Cheshire Cat" strategy, in homage to Lewis Carroll's novel " Alice in Wonderland". In this book, the crafty and philosophical Cheshire Cat escapes being beheaded on the order of the Red Queen by rendering his body transparent. In the same way, by changing their form during the haploid phase, eukaryotes can evade biotic pressure and reinvent themselves within their own species.

Our ancestors, unicellular eukaryotes, appeared in oceans some one billion years ago and "invented" sexuality. These species are characterized by a life cycle where haploid individuals (carrying a single copy of the genome, like gametes(2)) unify to form diploid individuals that will subsequently generate haploid cells once again. During this eukaryote "double life", humans and other multicellular eukaryotes whose haploid gametes remain imprisoned within a diploid body, tend to be the exception. Originally, and in most eukaryotes, haploid cells multiply in their environment to form independent populations. Sexuality has allowed eukaryotes to evade constant attacks by viruses so that they could evolve towards more complex, high-performance organisms, the ecological importance of which is still markedly underestimated.

Notes:

1) Cells where genetic material is preserved within a nucleus

2) Reproductive cells

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081026094351.htm
 

Moonbeam

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It is the virus that causes the switch to occur so it would be unlikely that pollution would trigger it. The switch is an adaptive strategy against the virus. I see no reason to assume the motile form would confer any immunity to pollution.
 
May 11, 2008
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It is the virus that causes the switch to occur so it would be unlikely that pollution would trigger it. The switch is an adaptive strategy against the virus. I see no reason to assume the motile form would confer any immunity to pollution.


I also would not think that the motile form would be to escape pollution. But i do wonder if pollution could trigger this strategy because of interfering with the mechanism the Emiliania huxleyi uses to sense the virus. Making it seem that there are a lot of viruses around and as such trigger the strategy.

My guess is at this moment as good as yours. But i find this interesting.
How is the carbon absorption at this moment in the sea when compared to other known dates ? Probably this data is very scarce or can perhaps be found in sediments ?

I think this could be really interesting.

From data it seems the CO2 levels always increase after an ice age.
This would make sense if organisms like these Emiliania huxleyi have trouble with the temperature of the water. I would really like to know more about this.
 
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