DOI: 10.5061/dryad.k98sf7md2
title: Phosphorus nutrition strategies in a symbiodiniacean species: Implications in coral-alga symbiosis facing increasing phosphorus deficiency in future warmer oceans

description: Coral reefs thrive in the oligotrophic ocean and rely on symbiotic algae
 to acquire nutrients. Global warming is projected to intensify
 surface ocean nutrient deficiency and anthropogenic discharge of wastes
 with high nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) ratios can exacerbate P nutrient
 limitation. However, our understanding on how symbiotic algae cope with P
 deficiency is limited. Here, we investigated the responses of a coral
 symbiotic species of Symbiodiniaceae, Cladocopium goreaui, to
 P-limitation by examining its physiological performance and transcriptomic
 profile. Under P stress, C. goreaui exhibited decreases in algal
 growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and cellular P content but enhancement
 in carbon fixation, N assimilation, N:P ratio, and energy metabolism, with
 downregulated expression of carbohydrate exporter genes. Besides, C.
 goreaui showed flexible mechanisms of utilizing different dissolved
 organic phosphorus to relieve P deficiency. When provided glycerol
 phosphate, C. goreaui hydrolyzed it extracellularly to produce phosphate
 for uptake. When grown on phytate, in contrast, C. goreaui upregulated the
 endocytosis pathway while no dissolved inorganic phosphorus was released
 into the medium, suggesting that phytate was transported into the cell,
 potentially via the endocytosis pathway. This study sheds light on the
 survival strategies of C. goreaui and potential weakening of its
 role as an organic carbon supplier in P-limited environments, underscoring
 the importance of more systematic investigation on future projections of
 such effects.
description: # Phosphorus nutrition strategies in a symbiodiniacean species:
 implications in coral-alga symbiosis facing increasing phosphorus
 deficiency in future warmer oceans
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7md2](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7md2) Give a brief summary of dataset contents, contextualized in experimental procedures and results. ## Description of the data and file structure The physiological performances of Symbiodiniaceae *Cladocopium goreaui* under phosphorus nutrient (P) limitation and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) utilization. We have four groups: 36 µM DIP added (P+ group), 12 µM phytate added (PA group), 36 µM glycerol 3-phosphate added (G3P group), or no P added (P− group), each in triplicate. The results file contain the measurement results of cell concentration, growth rate, DIP concentration, particulate P, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, photosynthetic efficiency (*F*v/*F*m), pigment contents, cellular carbon and nitrogen contents, and elemental ratio. Abbreviation: P+, P+ group; PA, PA group; G3P, G3P group; P+, P+ group; DIP, dissolved inorganic phosphorus; A<sub>880</sub>, Absorbance at 880nm; BDL: Below detection limit; AP, alkaline phosphatase; Chl *a*, chlorophyll *a*; Chl *c*, chlorophyll *c*; C, carbon; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; POC, particulate organic carbon; PON, particulate organic nitrogen. BDL: Below detection limit. n/a: Not measure.