Recombinant SpTransformer proteins are functionally diverse for binding and phagocytosis by three subtypes of sea urchin phagocytes.

Introduction: The California purple sea urchin, , relies solely on an innate immune system to combat the many pathogens in the marine environment. One aspect of their molecular defenses is the () gene family that is upregulated in response to immune challenge. The gene sequences are highly variable both within and among animals and likely encode thousands of SpTrf isoforms within the sea urchin population.

Spotting disease disrupts the microbiome of infected purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Background: Spotting disease infects a variety of sea urchin species across many different marine locations. The disease is characterized by discrete lesions on the body surface composed of discolored necrotic tissue that cause the loss of all surface appendages within the lesioned area. A similar, but separate disease of sea urchins called bald sea urchin disease (BSUD) has overlapping symptoms with spotting disease, resulting in confusions in distinguishing the two diseases.

Bald sea urchin disease shifts the surface microbiome on purple sea urchins in an aquarium.

Bald sea urchin disease (BSUD) is most likely a bacterial infection that occurs in a wide range of sea urchin species and causes the loss of surface appendages. The disease has a variety of additional symptoms, which may be the result of the many bacteria that are associated with BSUD. Previous studies have investigated causative agents of BSUD, however, there are few reports on the surface microbiome associated with the infection.