Genomic Insights into Marine Biodiversity and Reproductive Resilience

A Special Issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312) belonging to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2026) | Viewed by 529

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy
Interests: genomic/transcriptomic; molecular ecology; metabolites in microalgae; aquaculture; marine biology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The accelerating development of genomic and bioinformatic technologies has opened up remarkable new avenues for understanding the complexity of life beneath the ocean surface. By uncovering the genetic foundations of adaptation, reproduction, and resilience, marine genomics now provides powerful tools for addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing marine ecosystems. With this Special Issue, we aim to bring together a diverse set of studies that explore the genomic underpinnings of biodiversity across a wide array of marine organisms. The papers highlight innovative approaches that link genomic variation to ecological function, reproductive success, and environmental change. Collectively, they illustrate how integrative genomic research can illuminate hidden dimensions of marine evolution and inform strategies for conservation and sustainable resource management. This Special Issue aims to offer a collection of high-quality research articles focused on the following topics:

  • Genomic Perspectives on Marine Biodiversity: Comparative genomics of marine taxa, from microbes to megafauna; phylogenomics and evolutionary relationships in marine lineages, population genomics, and genetic connectivity across seascapes; and environmental DNA (eDNA) and metagenomics for biodiversity monitoring.
  • Adaptive and Evolutionary Genomics: Genomic signatures of adaptation to thermal, salinity, and oxygen stress; molecular evolution and selection in extreme marine environments; and epigenomic regulation of stress responses and developmental plasticity.
  • Reproductive Genomics and Resilience: Genomic control of gametogenesis, fertilization, and early development; sex determination and differentiation mechanisms in marine species; and reproductive plasticity and transgenerational adaptation under climate stress.
  • Integrative Approaches and Emerging Tools: Multi-omics integration; bioinformatics pipelines; and big data approaches for marine genomics.
  • Applications for Conservation and Management: Genomic tools for assessing population health and genetic diversity; policy and ethical dimensions of genomic data use in marine conservation.

We hope that this Special Issue will inspire continued interdisciplinary collaboration and foster new perspectives on how genomic science can contribute to the preservation of ocean life and the resilience of marine populations in a rapidly changing world.

Dr. Maria Costantini
Dr. Valerio Zupo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • marine genomics
  • biodiversity
  • reproductive resilience
  • population genomics
  • adaptation and evolution
  • environmental stress response
  • eDNA and metagenomics
  • conservation genomics
  • functional genomics
  • climate change impacts

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

29 pages, 24481 KB  
Article
Transcriptomic Analysis of Somatic In Situ Regeneration in Green Macroalga Ulva prolifera (Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyta)
by Aiqi Lin, Qingyun Hou, Jin Zhao and Peng Jiang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(18), 1705; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14181705 - 14 Sep 2026
Abstract
Somatic in situ regeneration (SISR) is a unique reproductive mode of the green-tide-forming alga Ulva prolifera. Based on reproductive and developmental characteristics, a previous study has speculated that SISR represents an early evolutionary form of somatic embryogenesis (SE) in land plants, but [...] Read more.
Somatic in situ regeneration (SISR) is a unique reproductive mode of the green-tide-forming alga Ulva prolifera. Based on reproductive and developmental characteristics, a previous study has speculated that SISR represents an early evolutionary form of somatic embryogenesis (SE) in land plants, but molecular evidence was lacking. In this study, time-series RNA-Seq was conducted during SISR, focusing on key regulatory modules in SE, including phytohormones, stress responses, epigenetic modifications, and transcription factors (TFs). Additionally, transcriptome data were subjected to homology analysis with 13 phylogenetically representative plant genomes. Results indicated that overall transcriptional dynamics during SISR were highly similar to those in SE, suggesting that the initiation of SISR likewise requires rapid auxin accumulation and transport, as well as the involvement of numerous stress-responsive genes. Epigenetic modifications displayed a sequential trend of dedifferentiation followed by redifferentiation. Notably, most key SE-related TFs were detectable among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and exhibited conserved regulatory relationships as in SE. Combined with the revealed homology of module-related genes between SISR and SE, these findings suggested that SISR and SE might share deep homology in terms of conserved molecular modules and utilize a similar core hierarchical regulatory network. This raised the possibility that the underlying molecular modules of SE could have evolved prior to plant terrestrialization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genomic Insights into Marine Biodiversity and Reproductive Resilience)
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