A research project published today in the journal Current Biology by Matthew Nicotra et. al has discovered a Cnidarian gene which probably explains how corals and anemones react to one another. Researchers used lab strains of Hydractinia with and without the ‘recognition gene’ and they demonstrated that this specific gene is the regulator of certain cell to cell receptors. The interaction of this gene between corals basically dictates whether corals will fuse together when they meet or whether they will take evasive/aggressive action. We’ve seen corals fight a plenty but occasionally we’ve been puzzled at how similar and very different corals can sometimes reach a stalemate when they meet, now we know why. Once we get our home genetics laboratory kit we’ll get to work on producing our very own line limited edition ‘passive’ coral strains. For more information on this topic see A Hypervariable Invertebrate Allodeterminant.
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