Tolerance to oxidative stress

induced by dessication in
Porphyra columbina
(Bangiales, Rhodophyta)
Loreto Contreras-Porcia, Daniel Thomas,
Veronica Flores and Juan A. Correa
22 October 2010

Rhodophyta (red algae)

are a distinct eukaryotic lineage

characterized by the accessory
photosynthetic pigments phycoerythrin
and phycocyanin . This is a large
assemblage of between 2500 and 6000
species in about 670 largely marine genera
Some red algae are economically important
as providers of food and gels. For this
reason, extensive farming and natural
harvest of red algae occurs in numerous
areas of the world.

Pyropia columbina, such as

others Porphyra and Pyropia
species, is a good model for
unravelling some of the
biological and molecular
responses associated with
desiccation and other
environmental conditions that
may cause oxidative stress.

The study provides for the first time, a set of

candidate genes for further examination of
the physiological responses to other
environmental stressors. This genetic
background will broaden our understanding
on physiological differences may contribute,
or even determine, the ecological features
of macroalgae inhabiting the intertidal rocky
zone.

In rocky shores, desiccation is triggered

by daily
tide changes, and experimental
evidence
suggests that local distribution of algal
species across the intertidal rocky zone
is related to their capacity to tolerate
desiccation.