Alexandrium tamarense

This article is currently being developed as part of an Eduzendium student project. If you are not involved with this project, please refrain from collaboratively developing it until this notice is removed. Articles that lack this notice, including many Eduzendium ones, welcome your collaboration!

Classification

Higher order taxa

Eukaryota; Alveolata; Dinophyceae; Gonyaulacales; Gonyaulacaceae

Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family [Others may be used. Use Tree of Life link to find]

Species

Alexandrium tamarense

Synonyms: Gonyaulax tamarensis Lebour 1925 , G. excavata (Braarud) Balech 1971 Protogonyaulax tamarensis (Lebour) F. J. R. Taylor 1979

Description and significance

Alexandrium tamarense is a single-celled dinoflagellate found primarily in coastal marine environments and is commonly known as the culprit that causes the algal blooms called red tides. It is considered a photoautotroph and contains brown chloroplasts, is 25-46 micrometers in length,

Like other dinoflagellate species, A. tamarense propels itself through water using two flagella in a whip-like fashion. It is also considered "armored" because it is surrounded by a layer of cellulose that form plates known as thecae.

Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why it is important enough to have its genome sequenced. Describe how and where it was isolated.

Genome structure

Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?

Cell structure and metabolism

Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.

Ecology

Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.

Pathology

How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

Current Research

Enter summaries of the most recent research here--at least three required

References

[http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/modeling/wgulf/wgulf.html Don Anderson WHOI, danderson@whoi.edu Brad Butman USGS, bbutman@usgs.gov Peter Franks SIO, pfranks@ucsd.edu Rocky Geyer WHOI, rgeyer@whoi.edu Ted Loder UNH, ted.loder@unh.edu Rich Signell USGS, rsignell@usgs.gov Bruce Keafer WHOI, bkeafer@whoi.edu Derek Fong WHOI, thewho@fog.whoi.edu "Toxic "Red Tide" Populations in the Western Gulf of Maine: Sources, Transport, and Nutrient Environment]

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

| Citizendium