The particularity of corals is to cultivate unicellular algae (dinoflagellate
protists) within their cells. These, by photosynthesis, make them potentially
independent of classical ingestive nutrition. At present we think that this
phenomenon, symbiosis, is at the origin of the formation of cells
which compose our body and that of all superior organisms.
This theory, developed over the last 30 years by Lynn MARGULIS, partly
originated from work done in Monaco at the beginning of the 20th
century by Paul PORTIER, collaborator of H.R.H. Prince Albert
1er and author of "Les Symbiontes", published in 1918.
The study of symbiosis has obvious fundamental aspects, since it can
contribute to a better understanding of evolution processes which have
resulted in the formation of our cells.
Outside these fundamental aspects, the study of symbiosis has several
applications in the fully expanding domains of marine biotechnology
such as in the purification of substances of pharmacological interest,
the setting up of cell cultures, and in application studies on certain
organisms (zooxanthellae, symbiotic bacteria).
One of the actual interests in corals and sea-anemones is the way in which,
to insure photosynthesis of their symbionts, they must be exposed to the
sun's rays and to potentially toxic quantities of oxygen. Their
symbionts protect them from sunburn and oxidative stress by producing
substances of a possible pharmaceutical interest for Man.
An understanding of their protection methods could help us to protect
ourselves from the toxic effects of the sun and from attack by free radicals,
which it is suggested are important contributors to aging.
|
