Pigmentation biosynthesis influences the microbiome in sea urchins

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Vol. 289; no. 1981; p. 20221088
• Main Authors: Wessel, Gary M., Kiyomoto, Masato, Reitzel, Adam M., Carrier, Tyler J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 31.08.2022
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria; Development and Physiology; Microbiota; Pigmentation; Polyketide Synthases; Sea Urchins; polyketide pigments; polyketide synthase; microbial communities; echinoderm; host–microbe symbiosis; flavin-dependent monooxygenase
• ISSN: 0962-8452; 1471-2954; 1471-2954
• DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1088

Organisms living on the seafloor are subject to encrustations by a wide variety of animals, plants and microbes. Sea urchins, however, thwart this covering. Despite having a sophisticated immune system, there is no clear molecular mechanism that allows sea urchins to remain free of epibiotic microor...