AIST: Elucidation of “Function of green fluorescent protein” of coral – Recovery of whitened coral
~ Attracting symbiotic partners by fluorescence ~
Natural Science Research Organization Basic Biology Laboratory
Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Coral forms coral reefs and is indispensable for maintaining the southern sea ecosystem.
Many of them emit green fluorescence when receiving ultraviolet rays or blue light (figure).
Coral has green fluorescent protein (Green Fluorescent Protein: GFP) in its body.
It absorbs ultraviolet rays and blue light, so that it shows green fluorescence.
It was known that GFP is “involved in the color of cnidar animals”
Until now, its role has not been well understood.
Basic Biology Laboratory,
Tohoku University,
Australian James Cook University Professor Andrew Baird,
Industrial Technology Research Institute:
Green fluorescence revealed for the first time that “it works to attract commensal algae (brown wild algae) indispensable for coral growth”.
This result is useful for recovery of whitened corals.
This achievement is published in the Bulletin of the American Academy of Sciences issued in the week of January 21, 2019.
Basic Biology Laboratory / Press Release Outline