Surface colonization allows diatoms, a dominant group of phytoplankton in oceans, to adapt to harsh marine environments while mediating biofoulings to human-made underwater facilities. The regulatory pathways underlying diatom surface colonization, which involves morphotype switching in some species, remain mostly unknown. Here, we describe the identification of 61 signaling genes, including G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and protein kinases, which are differentially regulated during surface colonization in the model diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum. We show that the transformation of P. tricornutum with constructs expressing individual GPCR genes induces cells to adopt the surface colonization morphology. P. tricornutum cells transformed to express GPCR1A display 30% more resistance to UV light exposure than their non-biofouling wild-type counterparts, consistent with increased silicification of cell walls associated with the oval biofouling morphotype. Our results provide a mechanistic definition of morphological shifts during surface colonization and identify candidate target proteins for the screening of eco-friendly, anti-biofouling molecules.

表面定殖使硅藻（海洋中浮游植物的主要组成部分）能够适应恶劣的海洋环境，同时将生物污染介导到人造水下设施中。硅藻表面定殖的潜在调控途径（在某些物种中涉及形态型转换）仍然未知。在这里，我们描述了61种信号基因的鉴定，包括G蛋白偶联受体（GPCR）和蛋白激酶，它们在模型硅藻物种Phaeodactylum tricornutum中的表面定殖过程中受到差异调节。我们证明了P的变换。藻用表达构建体个体GPCR基因诱导细胞采取表面定植形态。P。藻细胞转化以表达GPCR1A显示于UV光曝光30％以上的电阻比非生物结垢的野生型对应，具有增加的与椭圆形生物结垢形态型相关联的细胞壁的硅化一致。我们的结果提供了表面定殖过程中形态变化的机制定义，并确定了用于筛选生态友好型，抗生物结垢分子的候选目标蛋白。