Plant Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany.
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Gatersleben, Germany.
Genes (Basel). 2021 Jul 9;12(7):1055. doi: 10.3390/genes12071055.
Red algae (Rhodophyta) belong to the superphylum Archaeplastida, and are a species-rich group exhibiting diverse morphologies. Theory has it that the unicellular red algal ancestor went through a phase of genome contraction caused by adaptation to extreme environments. More recently, the classes Porphyridiophyceae, Bangiophyceae, and Florideophyceae experienced genome expansions, coinciding with an increase in morphological complexity. Transcription-associated proteins (TAPs) regulate transcription, show lineage-specific patterns, and are related to organismal complexity. To better understand red algal TAP complexity and evolution, we investigated the TAP family complement of uni- and multi-cellular red algae. We found that the TAP family complement correlates with gain of morphological complexity in the multicellular Bangiophyceae and Florideophyceae, and that abundance of the C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor family may be associated with the acquisition of morphological complexity. An expansion of heat shock transcription factors (HSF) occurred within the unicellular Cyanidiales, potentially as an adaption to extreme environmental conditions.
红藻（Rhodophyta）属于原生生物超界，是一个形态多样、物种丰富的群体。理论上认为，单细胞红藻祖先经历了因适应极端环境而导致的基因组收缩阶段。最近，多甲藻纲、红藻纲和杉藻纲经历了基因组扩张，与形态复杂性的增加相吻合。转录相关蛋白（TAP）调节转录，表现出谱系特异性模式，与生物复杂性有关。为了更好地了解红藻 TAP 的复杂性和进化，我们研究了单细胞和多细胞红藻的 TAP 家族组成。我们发现 TAP 家族组成与多细胞红藻纲和杉藻纲形态复杂性的获得相关，C2H2 锌指转录因子家族的丰度可能与形态复杂性的获得有关。热休克转录因子（HSF）在单细胞的蓝藻目中发生扩张，可能是对极端环境条件的适应。
