Sexual reproduction remains poorly characterized in dinoflagellates. This is especially the case at the molecular level. Here crossing experiments were performed among strains of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum belonging to two genetically divergent groups. Gene expression was compared between sexually compatible and incompatible crosses at the time of gamete fusion and resting cyst (~zygote) formation. Not a single transcript was identified as differentially expressed between compatible and incompatible crosses at these two crucial time points of the dinoflagellate life cycle. However, several thousands of transcripts displayed constitutive expression differences between strains. This was especially the case between the strains belonging to the genetically divergent groups. A few hundreds of transcripts were also identified as differentially expressed between strains belonging to opposite mating types. Some of these transcripts displayed homology with the SxtA protein, known to be involved in saxitoxin production in cyanobacteria, as well as with proteins potentially involved in mating in fungi.

在鞭毛虫中，有性生殖的特征仍然很差。在分子水平上尤其如此。在这里，交叉实验是在有毒的鞭毛藻亚历山大藻的菌株之间进行的属于两个基因不同的群体。比较了配子融合和静止囊肿（〜合子）形成时性相容和不相容杂交之间的基因表达。在鞭毛虫生命周期的这两个关键时间点，没有一个单一的转录物被鉴定为在相容杂交和不相容杂交之间差异表达。但是，数千个转录本显示菌株之间的组成型表达差异。属于遗传分歧群体的菌株之间尤其如此。还鉴定出数百种转录本，它们在属于相反交配类型的菌株之间差异表达。其中一些成绩单显示与SxtA同源 已知与蓝细菌中的毒素相关的蛋白质，以及可能与真菌交配有关的蛋白质。