Fig. 6: Metabolic integration of algal and animal growth. See text for details. | Nature Communications

Fig. 6: Metabolic integration of algal and animal growth. See text for details.

From: Symbiont population control by host-symbiont metabolic interaction in Symbiodiniaceae-cnidarian associations

Fig. 6: Metabolic integration of algal and animal growth. See text for details.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

Nutrients reach the algae from the host-cell cytoplasm via specific transporters such as those for nitrate (a), ammonium (b and c), urea (e), amino acids (f), sulfate (g), and bicarbonate (h) and assimilation proteins such as nitrate/nitrite reductase (i). The question mark indicates that no gene for a nitrate transporter has been identified in the Aiptasia genome. Photosynthate is released to the host via transporters for glucose (j) and other compounds. Excess free ammonium can be released from the host into the medium through a specific ammonium transporter (d). Induction of the host vacuolar H+-ATPase (k) can lead to acidification of the symbiosome. Availability of fixed C to the host stimulates assimilation of ammonium through the GS/GOGAT system (l and m). AA amino-acids, Cp chloroplast, Glc glucose, Gln glutamine, Glu glutamate, Ī±-KG Ī±-ketoglutarate, mt mitochondria, PA pyruvate, TCA tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Back to article page