• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.249-261
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• 2020

This study details grain-size distributions (GSDs) of carbonate and biogenic opal fractions of the sediments retrieved from the South Korea Plateau in the East Sea and draws paleocanographic implications from them. The opal-fraction GSDs show fine modes of 10.3 ㎛ and coarse modes of 102.5 ㎛ on average. The fine-mode grains of opal fractions mainly consist of small diatoms and radiolarians including their broken frustules, while the coarse-mode grains are mostly comprised of large warm-water diatoms and radiolarians. Significant positive correlation between opal contents and abundances of the coarse-mode GSDs in the total GSDs suggests that the abundances of the coarse-mode GSDs were controlled by the increased surface productivity of warm-water diatoms during interglacial stages. The carbonate-fraction GSDs show fine modes of 2.4 ㎛ and coarse modes of 99.1 ㎛ on average. The fine-mode grains mainly consist of coccolithophores, while the coarse-mode grains are mostly comprised of intact or broken planktonic foraminifera. The abundances of coarse-mode and fine-mode GSDs were not correlated with carbonate contents, suggesting a complex control exerted by both the degree of carbonate dissolution and the productivity of coccolithophores on the carbonate-fraction GSDs.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2018

Emiliania huxleyi (a haptophyte) is the most abundant coccolithophore species that produces delicate calcite scales called coccoliths. In this study, we identified several candidate genes associated with coccolith production by comparing the transcriptomes of the calcifying (CCMP 371) and non-calcifying (CCMP 2090) strains of E. huxleyi. Among the candidates, genes highly expressed in CCMP 371 were identified. To confirm whether these genes are associated with calcification, we modulated coccolith production in CCMP 371 by culturing it at different calcium concentrations. At an ambient (10 mM) concentration of calcium in the growth medium, CCMP 371 sustained its calcifying ability. However, at a low (0.1 mM) concentration or absence of calcium, there was no calcite formation, demonstrating that calcium-limiting conditions negatively affect calcification. We also evaluated the expression patterns of the putative genes in cells grown at different calcium concentrations by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In addition, we showed that the growth rate of cells cultured under calcium-limiting conditions does not differ from that under ambient conditions. Further studies are required to investigate the roles of the putative calcification-associated genes at the molecular level.