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<p>Benthic dinoflagellates inhabit complex light environments involving substrate shading, tidal fluctuations, and vertical depth variations, yet the mechanisms underlying their adaptation to these variable light conditions remain poorly understood. Based on preliminary studies of five morphotypes within the <i>Prorocentrum lima</i> complex, this study selected an ultraviolet (UV)-extremely-sensitive strain (DS4G4) and an UV-tolerant strain (SD4) to investigate their cellular behaviors and short- and long-term light adaptation mechanisms. DS4G4 exhibits superior growth rates under low light, possessing significantly lower pigment contents than SD4 (only ∼40%) but a higher ratio of the key accessory pigment peridinin to chlorophyll <i>a</i>, enhancing its light utilization efficiency. However, it lacks two mycosporine-like amino acids palythene and palythine and shows substantially lower total reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity than SD4, rendering it unable to grow under UV exposure. This indicates DS4G4 has evolved into an ecotype adapted to low-light conditions. Its epibenthic cellular behavior—retaining motility to escape high light and forming mucilaginous aggregates for vertical dispersion in the water column—likely facilitates this low-light niche specialization. In contrast, SD4 displays robust repair rate of photosystem II (PSII), high maximum non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) but slow NPQ induction/relaxation rates, and maintains high xanthophyll cycle de-epoxidation even under low light. Its benthic behavior involves cells forming densely adherent clusters attached to substrates, reflecting long-term adaptation to intense light exposure and emerged intertidal conditions. The genotypic differentiation in cellular behaviors and photoadaptation strategies within the <i>P. lima</i> complex revealed in this study provides critical insights into understanding transitions between planktonic and benthic ecological habits.</p>

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Ecotypic differentiation in motility and photoadaptation strategies between epibenthic and benthic Prorocentrum Lima complex

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月11日

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  • Jie Lin,
  • Hua Zhang,
  • Yiyi Cai,
  • Songhui Lu,
  • Heng Chen

摘要

Benthic dinoflagellates inhabit complex light environments involving substrate shading, tidal fluctuations, and vertical depth variations, yet the mechanisms underlying their adaptation to these variable light conditions remain poorly understood. Based on preliminary studies of five morphotypes within the Prorocentrum lima complex, this study selected an ultraviolet (UV)-extremely-sensitive strain (DS4G4) and an UV-tolerant strain (SD4) to investigate their cellular behaviors and short- and long-term light adaptation mechanisms. DS4G4 exhibits superior growth rates under low light, possessing significantly lower pigment contents than SD4 (only ∼40%) but a higher ratio of the key accessory pigment peridinin to chlorophyll a, enhancing its light utilization efficiency. However, it lacks two mycosporine-like amino acids palythene and palythine and shows substantially lower total reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity than SD4, rendering it unable to grow under UV exposure. This indicates DS4G4 has evolved into an ecotype adapted to low-light conditions. Its epibenthic cellular behavior—retaining motility to escape high light and forming mucilaginous aggregates for vertical dispersion in the water column—likely facilitates this low-light niche specialization. In contrast, SD4 displays robust repair rate of photosystem II (PSII), high maximum non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) but slow NPQ induction/relaxation rates, and maintains high xanthophyll cycle de-epoxidation even under low light. Its benthic behavior involves cells forming densely adherent clusters attached to substrates, reflecting long-term adaptation to intense light exposure and emerged intertidal conditions. The genotypic differentiation in cellular behaviors and photoadaptation strategies within the P. lima complex revealed in this study provides critical insights into understanding transitions between planktonic and benthic ecological habits.