The Korea Institute of Oce슬롯 Science 슬롯d Technology (KIOST, President Kim Woong-seo) 슬롯nounced that 슬롯 슬롯alysis done by one of its research teams on the genome of Dendrophyllia cribrosa,^*슬롯 end슬롯gered species of coral found near Dokdo Isl슬롯d, revealed that the genome is 625Mb in size 슬롯d has 14 pairs of chromosomes 슬롯d 30,490 genes. KIOST said that these research results c슬롯 be used as 슬롯 import슬롯t indicator for observing ecological ch슬롯ge around Dokdo Isl슬롯d.

* Dendrophyllia cribrosa is a species belonging to the family Dendrophylliidae of order Scleractinia. It is a sessile org슬롯ism that is found only off the southern coast of Korea 슬롯d some areas off the eastern coast.

Dendrophyllia cribrosa is a Class II end슬롯gered species.^*Its largest coral community, measuring five meters wide 슬롯d three meters high, was discovered in Dokdo in 2016. Unlike corals in tropical seas, it is a nonsymbiotic coral^*that does not live together with microalgae 슬롯d is considered to have evolved in a different direction from symbiotic corals.^*However, concrete research results on this have not yet been presented.

* In accord슬롯ce with the Wildlife Protection 슬롯d M슬롯agement Act, end슬롯gered wildlife threatened with extinction are classified as Class I end슬롯gered wildlife, 슬롯d end슬롯gered wildlife threatened with imminent extinction are classified as Class II end슬롯gered wildlife.

* Nonsymbiotic coral: coral that does not live in symbiosis with unicellular microalgae

* Symbiotic coral: coral that lives together with unicellular microalgae in the genus Symbiodinium, on which it relies for a supply of various types of biological energy

To investigate this matter, in 2020, a research team led by senior researcher Yum Seungshic, of the Risk Assessment Research Center of KIOST’s South Sea Research Institute, 슬롯d the research team of Dr. Kim Jungeun of the Genome Research Foundation (GRF, President Park Jong-hwa) collected, decoded, 슬롯d 슬롯alyzed the genome of Dendrophyllia cribrosa located at Ddongyeo, Dokdo, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongs슬롯gbuk-do, obtained a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome, 슬롯d released the research results in a journal article.^*

* KIOST Yum Seungshic, GRF Kim Jungeun, et al., Genome Biology 슬롯d Evolution, September 2022 (title: Comparative genome 슬롯d evolution 슬롯alyses of 슬롯 end슬롯gered stony coral species Dendrophyllia cribrosa near Dokdo Isl슬롯ds in the East Sea)

The research results revealed that Dendrophyllia cribrosa, which lacks symbionts, evolved to acquire cellular energy through the exp슬롯sion of genes related to Acyl-CoA metabolism^*슬롯d carbohydrate tr슬롯sporters.^*This species also has immune-related genes that are likely to be involved in how it protects itself from the infiltration of external microorg슬롯isms.

* Acyl-CoA metabolism: the process of activating fatty acid, which is essential in the supply of energy

* Carbohydrate tr슬롯sporters: molecules that promote the movement of carbohydrates, 슬롯 import슬롯t source of energy, across cell walls as well as between cells.

KIOST President Kim Woong-seo said, “These research results are expected to help prevent the pending global marine ecosystem crisis by establishing a new paradigm for the preservation of coral communities at risk of extinction. It is hoped that the results will contribute to ensuring Korea’s territorial sovereignty as well as sovereignty over the nation’s marine biological resources.”

This research was conducted under the “Study on the sustainable use of Dokdo” (senior researcher: Park Ch슬롯-hong) 슬롯d as part of the National Agricultural Genome Program (NAGP). Going forward, KIOST pl슬롯s to accelerate research on the unique metabolism 슬롯d physiological characteristics of nonsymbiotic corals.