Masahiro Suzuki

Verified

Masahiro verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

Verified

Masahiro verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

• Research Associate
• Research Associate at Kagoshima University

A molecular-based floristic survey of marine red algal biodiversity was conducted offshore Tanegashima Island, which is located at the northern end of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. This study provides the first comprehensive catalog of red algae comprising the sublittoral marine flora of offshore Tanegashima...

We describe herein a new species of Sheathia from Chiba Prefecture, Japan (previously attributed to S. arcuata) based on morphological studies and molecular analyses of rbcL and COI-5P DNA sequences. We assign the binomial Sheathia yoshizakii sp. nov. to this new entity. The rbcL and COI-5P analyses suggest that S. yoshizakii is distinct from other...

We describe a new species of Fredericqia (Phyllophoraceae, Rhodophyta) from the Choshi Peninsula, Japan (previously listed as ‘Gymnogongrus incurvatus nom. nud.’) based on morphological and molecular analyses. We assign the binomial Fredericqia chiharae sp. nov. to this new entity. Our combined rbcL, cox1, and 28S rDNA analyses suggested that F. ch...

A new flattened species of Gracilariopsis from Mageshima Island, Japan is recognized based on morphological and molecular analyses of rbcL and cox1 DNA sequences. We name this new species Gp. mageshimensis sp. nov. The rbcL and cox1 analyses suggest that Gp. mageshimensis belongs to the Gracilariopsis clade, and that it is distinct from other Graci...

Liagora japonica is a red algal species distributed in temperate regions of Japan. This species has not been collected from its type locality on the Pacific coast of Japan since 1927 and seems to have become extinct in this area. For molecular characterization of L. japonica, we extracted DNA from the topotype material of L. japonica collected in 1...

We assessed the range of morphological variation in Devaleraea mollis from the Northwest Pacific. Genetic analyses based on the 5' end of the genes coding for cytochrome c oxidase I (COI-5'), cytochrome oxidase b (cob) and photosystem I reaction centre apoprotein A1 (psaA), as well as the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 (ITS) fragment of rDNA, revealed that the mor...

Regeneration is a widely observed phenomenon by which the integrity of an organism is recovered after damage. To date, studies on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of regeneration have been limited to a handful of model multicellular organisms. Here, the regeneration ability of marine macroalgae (Rhodophyta, Phaeophyceae, Chlorophyta) was syste...

We collected the deep-water species Rhodymenia prostrata (Rhodymeniaceae, Rhodophyta), for the first time in nearly 50 years, from the type locality off Mageshima Island, Japan. Our combined rbcL, cox1 and 28S rDNA analyses suggested that R. prostrata belongs in the genus Halopeltis but is distinct from all other Halopeltis species. However, the bi...

Regeneration is a widely observed phenomenon by which the integrity of an organism is recovered after damage. So far, studies on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of regeneration have been limited to a handful of model multicellular organisms. Here, we systematically surveyed the regeneration ability of marine macroalgae (Rhodophyta, Phaeophyce...

We report two red algal species, Chondracanthus saundersii C.W. Schneider & C.E. Lane (Gigartinaceae, Gigartinales) and Schottera koreana M.S. Calderon, T.H. Seo & S.M. Boo (Phyllophoraceae, Gigartinales), from Japan for the first time based on molecular and morphological analyses. A C. saundersii specimen was collected at a depth of 35 m offshore...

We investigated species referred to as ‘Ahnfeltiopsis flabelliformis’ from the Far Eastern seas of Russia as well as Besa catenata (Yendo) M.S.Calderon & S.M.Boo from Mie Prefecture (Shima Peninsula, Japan, near to its type locality) morphologically and by analysis of sequences of plastid rbcL and mitochondrial COI-5P genes. Morphological and phylo...

Chorda borealis sp. nov. is newly described from Alaska and northern Canada. Chorda borealis resembles C. filum and C. asiatica in gross morphology, but has a thinner cortical layer than those two taxa and is genetically distinct in the mitochondrial cox1 and cox3, plastid atpB, psbA and rbcL, and nuclear rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region DNA sequences. T...

Plastid genomes are not normally celebrated for being large. But researchers are steadily uncovering algal lineages with big and, in rare cases, enormous plastid DNAs (ptDNAs), such as volvocine green algae. Plastome sequencing of five different volvocine species has revealed some of the largest, most repeat-dense plastomes on record, including tha...

Male and female gametes differing in size—anisogamy—emerged independently from isogamous ancestors in various eukaryotic lineages, although genetic bases of this emergence are still unknown. Volvocine green algae are a model lineage for investigating the transition from isogamy to anisogamy. Here we focus on two closely related volvocine genera tha...

Chlamydomonadalean green algae are no stranger to linear mitochondrial genomes, particularly members of the Reinhardtinia clade. At least nine different Reinhardtinia species are known to have linear mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs), including the model species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Thus, it is no surprise that some have suggested that the most rec...

The genus Reinboldiella essentially consists of tiny, membranous blades, epiphytic on benthic red algae, with a wide distribution in the north-western Pacific Ocean (Taiwan, Korea and Japan). In this study, we re-examined the generitype R. schmitziana from Taiwan and neighbouring islands. Two new species of Reinboldiella, R. orientalis sp. nov. and...

Figure A. Geographical distribution of Liagora japonica based on the herbarium specimen deposited in SAP and TNS. Detail of collection data is shown in Tables A and B in S2 File. Figure B. Bayesian tree based on psaA gene sequences. Numbers on the branches indicate the corresponding posterior probabilities (PP, left) from Bayesian analysis and boot...

Table A. Collection and herbarium information for specimens of Liagora japonica used in the morphological analyses that have no molecular data. Table B. Collection locations and details, and GenBank accession numbers of samples used in the psaA, psaB, psbA, rbcL, COI, 18S rRNA, and 28S rRNA genes analyses. Table C. GenBank accession numbers of spec...

The DNA extraction and sequencing procedures for modern specimens. (DOCX)

The transition to multicellularity has occurred numerous times in all domains of life, yet its initial steps are poorly understood. The volvocine green algae are a tractable system for understanding the genetic basis of multicellularity including the initial formation of cooperative cell groups. Here we report the genome sequence of the undifferent...

Matrix metalloprotease genes in Chlamydomonas, Gonium and Volvox.

Significantly over (1) and under (-1) represented Pfam domains in multicellular algae (Gonium and Volvox) compared to unicellular green algae.

Pherophorin genes in Chlamydomonas, Gonium and Volvox.

Proteins involved in processes associated with developmental complexity in Chlamydomonas, Gonium, and Volvox.

Supplementary Figures 1-29, Supplementary Tables 1-14, Supplementary Methods and Supplementary References

Potential suitability of coenocytic green algae (CGAs) such as Valonia spp. and Caulerpa spp as indicator species of the coastal environment in the Kuroshio Current region was examined by means of biological and socio/economical approaches. The investigations included the following: 1) field surveys in the five study areas in the Philippines, Taiw...

Halarachnion is a newly reported genus for the Gulf of Mexico where it is represented by an undescribed species growing attached to rhodoliths at 52–73 m depth offshore Louisiana in the northwestern Gulf, USA. Aspects of the vegetative and female reproductive morphology of the Gulf species are documented, and compared to of Halarachnion latissimun...

Male and female, generally defined based on differences in gamete size and motility, likely have multiple independent origins, appearing to have evolved from isogamous organisms in various eukaryotic lineages. Recent studies of the gamete fusogen GCS1/HAP2 indicate that this protein is deeply conserved across eukaryotes, and its exclusive and/or fu...

Morphological studies and molecular analyses based on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) gene sequences were the bases of our proposal to recognize Champia lubrica sp. nov. from Japan. The new species was similar to C. puertoricensis, and it was provisionally identified C. parvula in Puerto Rico (both previously as...

Volvocalean green algae have among the most diverse mitochondrial and plastid DNAs (mtDNAs and ptDNAs) from the eukaryotic domain. However, nearly all of the organelle genome data from this group are restricted to unicellular species, like , and presently only one multicellular species, the ∼4,000-celled , has had its organelle DNAs sequenced. The...

Simplified diagram for phylogenetic relationships of selected taxa of the unicellular, colonial and multicellular vovlocaleans. (TIF)

Venn diagram comparing the gene repertoires of three volvocalean chloroplast genomes (AP012494, GU084820 and FJ423446). 102 genes (single asterisk) shared by the three genomes include 12 genes distributed in IRA and IRB and trnI (cau), which was previously annotated as one of the triplicated trnM in C. reinhardtii and V. carteri. Double asterisks r...

Diagrams of possible isoforms of ptDNA of Gonium pectorale. A. Two isoforms as found in other ptDNAs with a typical inverted repeat. B. Two additional isoforms that were not rejected based on assembling of our sequence data. (TIF)

Southern blot analysis of Gonium pectorale mtDNA with four restriction enzymes that cut the genome once (SacI and StuI) or twice (SacII and EcoRI). Genome map coordinates are based on the G. pectorale mtDNA DDBJ accession (AP012493). SacI and StuI digestions each gave single genome-sized bands (∼16 kb), and the SacII and EcoRI reactions each gave t...

Phylogeny of Gonium pactorale psaB group I intronic ORF. The tree was constructed under the RAxML (with WAG+4G model) method using 13 additional, related amino acid sequences selected based on the topology of the distance tree provided by blastp research of NCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Numbers on the left, middle and right at branches repre...

Amino acid alignment and origin of the data used for Figure S7. (DOC)

Secondary structures of group I introns within the Gonium pectorale organelle DNAs. A. Mitochondrial nad5 group ID intron. B. Chloroplast psaB group IA intron. (TIF)

Phylogeny of Gonium pactorale nad5 group I intronic ORF. The tree was constructed under the RAxML (with WAG+4G model) method using 8 additional, related amino acid sequences selected based on the topology of the distance tree provided by blastp research of NCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). Numbers on the left, middle and right at branches repres...

Dotplot similarity matrix of the Gonium pectorale plastid genome. The X- and Y-axes each represent the G. pectorale plastid genome (222.6 kb). Dots in the nucleotide similarity matrix represent regions of sequence similarity. The matrix was generated using JDotter, with a sliding-window size of 50. The inverted repeats are highlighted in red in the...

Distribution of short (13 nt) palindromic repeats (including seven [red arrows] in five coding regions [blues arrows]) with the motif: 5′- TCCCCNNNGGGGA-3′ in ptDNA of Gonium pectorale. The repeats were examined by using Serial Cloner 2.5 (http://serialbasics.free.fr/Serial_Cloner.html). (JPG)

Amino acid alignment and origin of the data used for Figure 2. (DOC)

Amino acid alignment and origin of the data used for Figure S4. (DOC)

Morphological studies were undertaken on Gastroclonium pacificum (E.Y. Dawson) C.F. Chang et B.M. Xia (Champiaceae, Rhodymeniales) from Japan. We describe the details of male reproductive structures, the procarp and early post-fertilization stages. This species has a solid axis, with both tetrasporangia and polysporangia, spermatangia are cut off f...

Detailed morphological studies and molecular analyses based on nuclear-encoded large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) gene sequences were undertaken on Gloiocladia leptophylla, a poorly known species from Japan. Both newly collected samples and the holotype were examined. Herein we describe for the first time the structure of tetrasporangial nemath...

Gametes were induced separately in cultures of each mating type of the heterothallic, isogamous colonial volvocalean Gonium pectorale O. F. Müll. to examine the tubular mating structure (TMS) of both mating types plus and minus (plus and minus), referred to as “bilateral mating papillae.” Addition of dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (DcAMP...

This report describes Sargassum alternato-pinnatum Yamada as a newly recorded species in Taiwan. The specimens for this study were collected from a shallow tidepool in Lan-yu, Taiwan. This species is characterized by the following features: (1) small discoid holdfast, (2) terete primary branches, (3) sharp spines arising from surface of branches, (...

Leptofauchea rhodymenioides Taylor (Faucheaceae, Rhodymeniales) is reported from Japan for the first time, based on detailed morphological studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses of nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and plastid-encoded rbcL gene sequences. This is the first report of male gametophytes and detailed carpospor...

Schizymenia dubyi (Chauvin ex Duby) J. Agardh is a red alga of the order Nemastomatales that is native to Europe, Asia and Oceania. The first specimen of this seaweed from the Argentinian coast was collected in the Chapadmalal intertidal wave-cut platform (38°12′S, 57°40′W) in September 2008. Taxonomic identification of the species was made on the...

The SSU rRNA gene has been the most sequenced mo­ lecule from various eukaryotes and the SSU rRNA phy­ logeny is still a useful tool for tracing the evolutionary history of eukaryotes and for elucidating phylogenetic positions of newly discovered organisms and environ­ mental sequences. However, SSU rRNA tree with com­ prehensive taxon­sampling fro...

Detailed morphological studies have been carried out on Lomentaria pinnata Segawa. This is the first report of male gametophytes and carposporophyte development for the species. The hollow thallus, spermatangia which are produced terminally on the mother cells, three-celled carpogonial branch, cystocarp protrudes on the thallus, tetrahedrally divid...

Detailed morphological studies have been carried out on the vegetative thallus and reproductive organs of Lomentaria lubrica collected from Sai, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. This is the first report of male gametophytes and carposporophyte formation in the species. The thallus structure is multiaxial, hollow, and is composed of a one-layered cortex an...