Article
Environmental Sciences
Cong Zhou, Di Zhang, Xiangqi Yi, John Beardall, Kunshan Gao
Summary: Ocean warming has significant effects on the physiology and growth of Emiliania huxleyi, a non-calcifying strain of coccolithophore. Short-term and long-term thermal treatments showed that increasing temperatures enhanced the growth of this species, but did not result in persistent adaptive changes in its growth characteristics and cellular components.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Roberta Johnson, Gerald Langer, Sergio Rossi, Ian Probert, Marta Mammone, Patrizia Ziveri
Summary: This study quantified the effects of pH and temperature on the nutritional condition, growth rate, and morphology of the coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi. Results showed that reduced pH increased lipid production, while lower temperature decreased growth rate. The availability of lipids to consumers increased at 20 degrees C, but decreased under low pH. The nutritional quality of coccolithophores will decline under climate change, and low pH may make coccolithophores easier to digest for consumers.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Flora Vincent, Matti Gralka, Guy Schleyer, Daniella Schatz, Miguel Cabrera-Brufau, Constanze Kuhlisch, Andreas Sichert, Silvia Vidal-Melgosa, Kyle Mayers, Noa Barak-Gavish, J. Michel Flores, Marta Masdeu-Navarro, Jorun Karin Egge, Aud Larsen, Jan-Hendrik Hehemann, Celia Marrase, Rafel Simo, Otto X. Cordero, Assaf Vardi
Summary: Algal blooms are important for marine primary production and play a central role in microbial ecology and global elemental cycling. This study investigates the effect of viral infection on the composition of a bloom-associated microbiome and the fate of carbon, and reveals that high levels of viral infection can result in significant shifts in bacterial and eukaryotic assemblages as well as increased carbon sinking into the deep ocean.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sergey V. Stanichny, Elena A. Kubryakova, Arseny A. Kubryakov
Summary: In September 2005, a quasi-tropical cyclone observed in the Black Sea triggered an exceptionally strong bloom of coccolithophores in autumn. The cyclone caused intense upwelling, leading to a decrease in sea surface temperature and the transport of nutrient-rich Danube plume waters. Subsequently, there was a significant increase in chlorophyll a concentration and a strong bloom of coccolithophores, which spread through the Rim Current over the entire southern part of the Black Sea.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huo Xu, Haijiao Liu, Fengyuan Chen, Xiaodong Zhang, Zhen Zhang, Jie Ma, Ke Pan, Hongbin Liu
Summary: This study investigates the effects of ocean acidification on Emiliania huxleyi, a model coccolithophore, and finds that increased pCO2 decreases intracellular Ca2+ and coccolith area, as well as reduces the modulus and hardness of coccolith. Additionally, ocean acidification increases the organic matter and silicon content on the coccolith surface. These findings suggest that ocean acidification can alter competitive interactions between coccolithophores and other phytoplankton, potentially impacting carbon export to the deep ocean.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ana S. P. Moreira, Joana Goncalves, Francisco Sousa, Ines Maia, Hugo Pereira, Joana Silva, Manuel A. Coimbra, Paula Ferreira, Claudia Nunes
Summary: In this study, coccolithophore microalgae were incorporated as fillers in starch-based films to develop biodegradable and bioactive materials for food packaging. The introduction of microalgae biomass improved the flexibility and hydrophobicity of the films. Additionally, the films exhibited antioxidant activity, which was not observed with commercial fillers.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zuoxi Ruan, Meifang Lu, Hongmin Lin, Shanwen Chen, Ping Li, Weizhou Chen, Huijuan Xu, Dajun Qiu
Summary: Solar radiation is an important environmental factor that influences the vertical distribution pattern of phytoplankton in seawater. The haploid and diploid phases of coccolithophores respond differently to high solar radiation and ultraviolet radiation. The haploid phase is more sensitive to visible light but resistant to UVR-induced inhibition.
BIORESOURCES AND BIOPROCESSING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Afiq Mohd Fahmi, Stephen Summers, Martin Jones, Bernard Bowler, Sebastian Hennige, Tony Gutierrez
Summary: Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, living with eukaryotic phytoplankton, play a vital role in the fate of oil spillage in the marine environment. This study investigated the response of E. huxleyi to crude oil under different CO2 concentrations and found that elevated CO2 led to an immediate decline in E. huxleyi and changes in the bacterial community. Although ocean acidification did not affect the microbial degradation of crude oil, the increased mortality of E. huxleyi and shifts in the bacterial community highlight the complexity of microalgal-bacterial interactions and the need to consider them in future ecosystem recovery projections.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Miguel Jose Frada, Sabine Keuter, Gil Koplovitz, Yoav Avrahami
Summary: Research shows that rising ocean temperatures affect the population density and growth of coccolithophores, influencing the global carbon cycle. In recent decades, hot summers have become more common, leading to a significant decline in Gephyrocapsa ericsonii populations, with temperature being a key contributing factor.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariana Camara dos Reis, Sarah Romac, Florence Le Gall, Dominique Marie, Miguel J. Frada, Gil Koplovitz, Thierry Cariou, Nicolas Henry, Colomban de Vargas, Christian Jeanthon
Summary: This study reveals the association between Emiliania huxleyi bloom and specific bacterial communities, indicating deterministic processes in the microbiome composition. The research also highlights the importance of the initial inoculum composition in the long-term stability and temporal dynamics of the microbiome composition.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Sikandar Hayat, Elisavet Skampa, Alexandra Gogou, Spyros Stavrakakis, Constantine Parinos, Maria Triantaphyllou
Summary: This study explores the coccolith flux and its seasonal variability at the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea, showing higher flux in late winter-early spring and lower flux in summer. Emiliania huxleyi is the dominant species, followed by Florisphaera profunda. The higher flux at the deepest site compared to shallower depths may be due to lateral advection, resuspension, and/or the influence of Eastern Mediterranean Deep Waters (EMDWs).
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Joost de Vries, Fanny Monteiro, Glen Wheeler, Alex Poulton, Jelena Godrijan, Federica Cerino, Elisa Malinverno, Gerald Langer, Colin Brownlee
Summary: Coccolithophores are marine calcifying phytoplankton with a haplo-diplontic life cycle. Calcified haploid coccolithophores generally make up a small portion of the total population, but can be significant contributors under certain environmental conditions. The haploid and diploid life cycle phases occupy contrasting niches, allowing coccolithophores to expand their niche by approximately 18.8%.
Article
Geography, Physical
A. Gonzalez-Lanchas, R. E. M. Rickaby, F. J. Sierro, A. S. Rigual-Hernandez, M. Alonso-Garcia, J. -A. Flores
Summary: Evolutionary or adaptative changes in Noelaerhabdaceae coccolithophores, occurring during scenarios of low orbital eccentricity, were found to be parallel to major changes in carbonate export and burial. The calcification of specimens within the Gephyrocapsa complex was enhanced on a global scale during the Mid-Brunhes interval. Increased seawater alkalinity, along with a long residence time, is proposed as the environmental trigger for the highly calcified and prolific Gephyrocapsa taxa. This study highlights the role of orbital forcing in phytoplankton evolution or adaptation and its influence on seawater carbon chemistry.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Constanze Kuhlisch, Guy Schleyer, Nir Shahaf, Flora Vincent, Daniella Schatz, Assaf Vardi
Summary: The study found that bloom succession of Emiliania huxleyi induces dynamic changes in the exometabolic landscape, and viral infection induces the release of metabolites containing chlorine and iodine, which are detected in oceanic E. huxleyi blooms as well.
Article
Environmental Sciences
H. Oliver, D. J. McGillicuddy Jr, K. M. Krumhardt, M. C. Long, N. R. Bates, B. C. Bowler, D. T. Drapeau, W. M. Balch
Summary: This study reveals the key limiting factors for coccolithophore growth in the Great Calcite Belt (GCB) through in situ measurements and modeling. The findings highlight the significant influence of temperature changes on the increase in PIC.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lu Liu, Carlos Sanchez-Arcos, Georg Pohnert, Dong Wei
Summary: The thermoacidophilic red alga Galdieria sulphuraria has optimized a photosynthetic system for low-light conditions over billions of years, depending heavily on light and substrate supply for growth. Higher cell densities were obtained under high-light conditions, with observed reductions in photosynthetic pigments suggesting the alga may be able to alleviate the effects of photoinhibition. Extensive untargeted metabolomics studies revealed metabolic changes in G. sulphuraria grown under different light intensities, with up-regulation of bilayer lipids and changes in amino acids, amines, and amide metabolism under high-light exposure. Additionally, mixotrophic G. sulphuraria showed higher accumulations of osmoprotectant sugars and sugar alcohols compared to autotrophic algae in response to stress from high concentration of organic carbon sources.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alastair F. Smith, Eleonora Silvano, Orsola Paeuker, Richard Guillonneau, Mussa Quareshy, Andrew Murphy, Michaela A. Mausz, Rachel Stirrup, Branko Rihtman, Maria Aguilo-Ferretjans, Joost Brandsma, Jorn Petersen, David J. Scanlan, Yin Chen
Summary: Marine roseobacter group bacteria are important players in ocean ecosystems, capable of adjusting their membrane lipid composition in response to environmental changes. A novel sulfur-containing aminolipid (SAL) was identified, which plays a key role in biofilm formation in roseobacters. The gene salA encoding a lyso-lipid acyltransferase essential for SAL biosynthesis is widely distributed and actively expressed in Tara Oceans metagenomes and metatranscriptomes.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Marine Vallet, Filip Kaftan, Veit Grabe, Fatemeh Ghaderiardakani, Simona Fenizia, Ales Svatos, Georg Pohnert, Thomas Wichard
Summary: Symbiosis is a dominant form of life in marine ecosystems, such as interactions between macroalgae and bacteria. Mass spectrometry profiling and imaging techniques can reveal symbiotic interactions between bacteria and macroalgae. This study provides a basis for understanding bacterial symbioses in aquatic ecosystems and offers a new tool for microbiome research.
BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thilo Magnus Philipp, Andreas Will, Hannes Richter, Patrick Rainer Winterhalter, Georg Pohnert, Holger Steinbrenner, Lars-Oliver Klotz
Summary: Methanethiol is a gas produced by microbial degradation of methionine, primarily originating from bacteria in the human large intestine. SELENBP1 has been identified as a methanethiol oxidase, converting it to other substances. Using a novel assay, researchers confirmed the loss of MTO function in SELENBP1 variants and found that mature enterocytes are capable of eliminating microbiome-derived methanethiol.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Simona Fenizia, Jerrit Weissflog, Georg Pohnert
Summary: Phytoplankton rely on bioactive zwitterionic and highly polar small metabolites with osmoregulatory properties to compensate changes in the salinity of the surrounding seawater. Cysteinolic acid is identified as an additional widely distributed polar metabolite in phytoplankton, belonging to the marine sulfonates class.
Article
Limnology
Michaela A. Mausz, Ruth L. Airs, Joanna L. Dixon, Claire E. Widdicombe, Glen A. Tarran, Luca Polimene, Sarah Dashfield, Rachael Beale, David J. Scanlan, Yin Chen
Summary: Choline and glycine betaine are important nutrient sources and osmolytes for marine microbes, and their degradation can produce climate active trace gases. Sea surface temperature, salinity, and the presence of phytoplankton species significantly influence the uptake of these substrates by prokaryotes.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Julie Scanlan, Richard Guillonneau, Mark R. Cunningham, Sahanara Najmin, Michaela A. Mausz, Andrew Murphy, Leanne L. Murray, Limei Zhang, Deepak Kumaresan, Yin Chen
Summary: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, and its concentration has continued to increase steadily in recent decades. Methanotrophs, bacteria that help mitigate methane emissions in the natural environment, can modify their membrane in response to phosphorus limitation, which is important for their activity. Genome and metatranscriptome analyses suggest that this adaptation strategy is conserved in all proteobacterial methanotrophs and is used by these bacteria in the natural environment. This study provides new insights into the role of phosphorus in methane oxidation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nils Meyer, Aljoscha Rydzyk, Georg Pohnert
Summary: This study reveals that diatoms are capable of taking up organic resources from lysates of competing algae, and these resources are partially maintained or undergo metabolic transformation within the cells. This suggests that diatoms have the potential to compete with heterotrophs and may have a significant impact on organic material fluxes in the oceans.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Runqing Yang, Dong Wei, Georg Pohnert
Summary: This study reveals that a combination of tryptone and urea as organic nitrogen sources can enhance fucoxanthin production in mixotrophic cultivation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Among the amino acids present in the medium, arginine has the highest nitrogen utilization rate and promotes cell growth the most. The optimal combination of arginine and urea as nitrogen sources leads to the highest biomass concentration, fucoxanthin content, and productivity. This study provides new insights into the promotion of fucoxanthin biosynthesis and suggests a promising strategy for efficient enhancement of fucoxanthin production.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vera Nikitashina, Daniel Stettin, Georg Pohnert
Summary: Microalgae respond to salinity stress with common adaptations in the metabolome, such as up-regulation of amino acids and production of saccharides and inositols. However, there are also species-specific dysregulations of metabolites. Several metabolites not previously connected to osmotic stress reactions were identified. This study expands our knowledge about osmoadaptation and highlights the need for further functional characterization of metabolites and pathways in algal stress physiology.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ruth L. Airs, Rachael Beale, Luca Polimene, Yin Chen, Michaela A. Mausz, David J. Scanlan, Claire E. Widdicombe, Glen A. Tarran, E. Malcolm S. Woodward, Carolyn Harris, Andrea McEvoy
Summary: Glycine betaine (GBT) is a nitrogenous osmolyte found throughout the marine environment. This study presents a seasonal dataset of GBT concentrations in marine suspended particulate material, showing peaks in summer and autumn. The GBT concentrations are associated with specific phytoplankton groups or species, suggesting different environmental drivers for different periods of the GBT seasonality.
Article
Ecology
Chun-Yang Li, Michaela A. Mausz, Andrew Murphy, Nan Zhang, Xiu-Lan Chen, Shu-Yan Wang, Chao Gao, Maria M. Aguilo-Ferretjans, Eleonora Silvano, Ian D. E. A. Lidbury, Hui-Hui Fu, Jonathan D. Todd, Yin Chen, Yu-Zhong Zhang
Summary: Through genomics analyses and biochemical analyses, a DMSP-specific transporter, DmpXWV, was identified in the marine bacteria Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3. The substrate binding protein of DmpXWV, DmpX, showed high specificity and affinity towards DMSP. DmpX proteins are prevalent in cosmopolitan marine bacteria, and dmpX transcription is consistently high in the global ocean. This study provides new insights into DMSP transport and the environmental adaptation of marine bacteria.
Article
Ecology
Rachel Stirrup, Michaela A. Mausz, Eleonora Silvano, Andrew Murphy, Richard Guillonneau, Mussa Quareshy, Branko Rihtman, Maria Aguilo Ferretjans, Ruo He, Jonathan D. Todd, Feng Chen, David J. Scanlan, Yin Chen
Summary: Lipids play a crucial role in maintaining cell integrity and homeostasis. The cosmopolitan marine roseobacter clade (MRC) and SAR11 clade bacteria produce a variety of amino acid-containing lipids. The study reveals that these lipids are present in both the inner and outer membranes of MRC bacteria. The inability to produce these lipids impacts membrane proteome, nutrient transport, competitiveness, and phage attachment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Franziska A. Klapper, Christine Kiel, Peter Bellstedt, Wim Vyverman, Georg Pohnert
Summary: Diatoms, abundant unicellular microalgae, play a crucial role in global photosynthetic CO2 fixation. However, their sexual reproduction remains poorly understood. In this study, the structure of a sex-inducing pheromone in the diatom Seminavis robusta was elucidated, revealing its mechanism of action and providing important insights into the reproductive process of diatoms.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kristy S. Syhapanha, David A. Russo, Yun Deng, Nils Meyer, Remington X. Poulin, Georg Pohnert
Summary: The discovery of an algicidal bacterium and its key protease gene provides insights into the regulation of harmful algal blooms. Transciptomics-guided approach identified a serine protease gene as a critical element in the algicidal activity. This finding opens the possibility of real-time monitoring of the ecological impact of algicidal bacteria in natural phytoplankton blooms.
