CORAL FLUORESCENCE

The function of fluorescent proteins on coral reefs has remained a mystery. The Green Fluorescent Protein was first discovered serendipitously in bioluminescent jellyfish in the 1960’s and acts to convert blue bioluminescent light to green.

After it was shown in 1994 that this molecule could be inserted into almost any organism and still fluoresce, the jellyfish protein soon became an important staple for biomedical research—as it provides a beacon (much like a bicycle reflector) that illuminates the inner workings of cells. This fluorescing jellyfish protein has been used in many breakthrough discovers in neuroscience, cancer and disease research.

But, a surprise discovery of a Red Fluorescent Protein in coral in 1999 led the watershed event that these fluorescing proteins are seemingly ubiquitous on coral reefs.

While this finding provided researchers with an addition palate of colors, the question remains: what is the function of fluorescent proteins on coral reefs? Are they acting as sunscreen, protecting the coral from the suns harmful rays? Are they acting to convert the energy of the sunlight into light that can drive photosynthesis? Are they providing a beacon to coral symbionts or other coral-inhabiting microbes that can detect light? These are a just a few of the many theories that have been put forward as to what role fluorescent proteins play on coral reefs.

This project aims to better understand fluorescent protein function and origin on coral reefs. From a select few organisms, molecular biological methods will be employed to clone and sequence the fluorescent proteins and other genes to molecularly characterize the organism.