Different strategies of energy storage in cultured and freshly isolated Symbiodinium sp.

The endosymbiotic relationship between cnidarians and Symbiodinium is critical for the survival of coral reefs. In this study, we developed a protocol to rapidly and freshly separate Symbiodinium from corals and sea anemones. Furthermore, we compared these freshly-isolated Symbiodinium with cultured Symbiodinium to investigate host and Symbiodinium interaction. Clade B Symbiodinium had higher starch content and lower lipid content than those of clades C and D in both freshly isolated and cultured forms. Clade C had the highest lipid content, particularly when associated with corals. Moreover, the coral-associated Symbiodinium had higher protein content than did cultured and sea anemone-associated Symbiodinium. Regarding fatty acid composition, cultured Symbiodinium and clades B, C, and D shared similar patterns, whereas sea anemone-associated Symbiodinium had a distinct pattern compared coral-associated Symbiodinium. Specifically, the levels of monounsaturated fatty acids were lower than those of the saturated fatty acids, and the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were the highest in all examined Symbiodinium. Furthermore, PUFAs levels were higher in coral-associated Symbiodinium than in cultured Symbiodinium. These results altogether indicated that different Symbiodinium clades used different energy storage strategies, which might be modified by hosts.