Oceanic Gardens
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I have found that, in general, there are two types of hobbyists. One group - the majority, in my opinion, wants an easy answer to how to maintain color, and doesn't particularly care about the 'why'. On the other hand, a few have an insatiable appetite for every morsel of minutiae. Hence, I get comments about a particular article I've written ranging from 'too technical' to 'not enough details'. If you're in the former group, skip to the 'In Closing' section at the end of this article (although I would hope that you would at least scroll through the bullet points and should certainly be familiar with the Glossary contained within Step One, below). If you're of the latter group, the details contained below will fall into place, and you'll have a good understanding as to 'why' and 'how'.
The Fluorescent Protein
Our understanding of coral coloration begins with the basic unit - the fluorescent protein. Originally isolated from the jellyfish (Aequoria victoria), the group of Green Fluorescent Proteins (GFPs) has expanded and now includes a number of taxa, many of them Anthozoans. However, the basic structure of the protein remains remarkably similar (see Figure 1, above). Bands (called staves) of proteins form a protective barrel around a fluorescent nucleus (called a fluorophore, shown as a green internal structure in the drawing). If the protein is not fluorescent (or very weakly so), this nucleus is called a chromophore. The individual amino acids forming these proteins usually number around 250. Some of these amino acids are charged, and these very weak 'magnets' tend to hold the structure intact. However, various factors (pH, light, ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, metal ions, etc.) can alter the relationship between the charge of amino acids and the fluorophore/chromophore, thus causing it to twist (called a 'hula twist'). In some cases, this causes an irreversible color change (perhaps from green to red), make the chromophore become a fluorescent fluorophore, cause fluorescence to vanish completely (in at least one case), and so on. The concept that the protein structure can be altered by external stimuli is an important one.
Our journey through the jungle of details begins.
check out the full article its a good one
The Fluorescent Protein
Our understanding of coral coloration begins with the basic unit - the fluorescent protein. Originally isolated from the jellyfish (Aequoria victoria), the group of Green Fluorescent Proteins (GFPs) has expanded and now includes a number of taxa, many of them Anthozoans. However, the basic structure of the protein remains remarkably similar (see Figure 1, above). Bands (called staves) of proteins form a protective barrel around a fluorescent nucleus (called a fluorophore, shown as a green internal structure in the drawing). If the protein is not fluorescent (or very weakly so), this nucleus is called a chromophore. The individual amino acids forming these proteins usually number around 250. Some of these amino acids are charged, and these very weak 'magnets' tend to hold the structure intact. However, various factors (pH, light, ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, metal ions, etc.) can alter the relationship between the charge of amino acids and the fluorophore/chromophore, thus causing it to twist (called a 'hula twist'). In some cases, this causes an irreversible color change (perhaps from green to red), make the chromophore become a fluorescent fluorophore, cause fluorescence to vanish completely (in at least one case), and so on. The concept that the protein structure can be altered by external stimuli is an important one.
Our journey through the jungle of details begins.
check out the full article its a good one
