Journal
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
Volume 11, Issue 4, Pages 488-494Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10126-008-9164-z
Keywords
Sinularia flexibilis; Light intensity; Specific growth and budding rates; Zooxanthellae; Flexibilide
Funding
- Iran's government
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The branching zooxanthellate soft coral Sinularia flexibillis releases antimicrobial and toxic compounds with potential pharmaceutical importance. As photosynthesis by the symbiotic algae is vital to the host, the light-dependency of the coral, including its specific growth rate (mu day(-1)) and the physiological response to a range of light intensities (10-1,000 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1)) was studied for 12 weeks. Although a range of irradiances from 100 to 400 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1) was favorable for S. flexibilis, based on chlorophyll content, a light intensity around 100 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1) was found to be optimal. The contents of both zooxanthellae and chlorophyll a were highest at 100 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1). The specific budding rate showed almost the same pattern as the specific growth rate. The concentration of the terpene flexibilide, produced by this species, increased at high light intensities (200-600 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1)).
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