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Logares R. Decoding populations in the ocean microbiome. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:67. [PMID: 38561814 PMCID: PMC10983722 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the characteristics and structure of populations is fundamental to comprehending ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. While the study of animal and plant populations has spanned a few centuries, microbial populations have been under scientific scrutiny for a considerably shorter period. In the ocean, analyzing the genetic composition of microbial populations and their adaptations to multiple niches can yield important insights into ecosystem function and the microbiome's response to global change. However, microbial populations have remained elusive to the scientific community due to the challenges associated with isolating microorganisms in the laboratory. Today, advancements in large-scale metagenomics and metatranscriptomics facilitate the investigation of populations from many uncultured microbial species directly from their habitats. The knowledge acquired thus far reveals substantial genetic diversity among various microbial species, showcasing distinct patterns of population differentiation and adaptations, and highlighting the significant role of selection in structuring populations. In the coming years, population genomics is expected to significantly increase our understanding of the architecture and functioning of the ocean microbiome, providing insights into its vulnerability or resilience in the face of ongoing global change. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Logares
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08003, Spain.
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2
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Shilova IN, Magasin JD, Mills MM, Robidart JC, Turk-Kubo KA, Zehr JP. Phytoplankton transcriptomic and physiological responses to fixed nitrogen in the California current system. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231771. [PMID: 32310982 PMCID: PMC7170224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine phytoplankton are responsible for approximately half of photosynthesis on Earth. However, their ability to drive ocean productivity depends on critical nutrients, especially bioavailable nitrogen (N) which is scarce over vast areas of the ocean. Phytoplankton differ in their preferences for N substrates as well as uptake efficiencies and minimal N requirements relative to other critical nutrients, including iron (Fe) and phosphorus. In this study, we used the MicroTOOLs high-resolution environmental microarray to examine transcriptomic responses of phytoplankton communities in the California Current System (CCS) transition zone to added urea, ammonium, nitrate, and also Fe in the late summer when N depletion is common. Transcript level changes of photosynthetic, carbon fixation, and nutrient stress genes indicated relief of N limitation in many strains of Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and eukaryotic phytoplankton. The transcriptomic responses helped explain shifts in physiological and growth responses observed later. All three phytoplankton groups had increased transcript levels of photosynthesis and/or carbon fixation genes in response to all N substrates. However, only Prochlorococcus had decreased transcript levels of N stress genes and grew substantially, specifically after urea and ammonium additions, suggesting that Prochlorococcus outcompeted other community members in these treatments. Diatom transcript levels of carbon fixation genes increased in response to Fe but not to Fe with N which might have favored phytoplankton that were co-limited by N and Fe. Moreover, transcription patterns of closely related strains indicated variability in N utilization, including nitrate utilization by some high-light adapted Prochlorococcus. Finally, up-regulation of urea transporter genes by both Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus in response to filtered deep water suggested a regulatory mechanism other than classic control via the global N regulator NtcA. This study indicated that co-existing phytoplankton strains experience distinct nutrient stresses in the transition zone of the CCS, an understudied region where oligotrophic and coastal communities naturally mix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina N. Shilova
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (INS); (JPZ)
| | - Jonathan D. Magasin
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew M. Mills
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Julie C. Robidart
- Ocean Technology and Engineering, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
| | - Kendra A. Turk-Kubo
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan P. Zehr
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (INS); (JPZ)
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3
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Robidart JC, Magasin JD, Shilova IN, Turk-Kubo KA, Wilson ST, Karl DM, Scholin CA, Zehr JP. Effects of nutrient enrichment on surface microbial community gene expression in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. ISME JOURNAL 2018; 13:374-387. [PMID: 30254320 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0280-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Marine microbial communities are critical for biogeochemical cycles and the productivity of ocean ecosystems. Primary productivity in the surface ocean is constrained by nutrients which are supplied, in part, by mixing with deeper water. Little is known about the time scales, frequency, or impact of mixing on microbial communities. We combined in situ sampling using the Environmental Sample Processor and a small-scale mixing experiment with lower euphotic zone water to determine how individual populations respond to mixing. Transcriptional responses were measured using the MicroTOOLs (Microbiological Targets for Ocean Observing Laboratories) microarray, which targets all three domains of life and viruses. The experiment showed that mixing substantially affects photosynthetic taxa as expected, but surprisingly also showed that populations respond differently to unfiltered deep water which contains particles (organisms and detritus) compared to filtered deep water that only contains nutrients and viruses, pointing to the impact of biological interactions associated with these events. Comparison between experimental and in situ population transcription patterns indicated that manipulated populations can serve as analogs for natural populations, and that natural populations may be frequently or continuously responding to nutrients from deeper waters. Finally, this study also shows that the microarray approach, which is complementary to metatranscriptomic sequencing, is useful for determining the physiological status of in situ microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Robidart
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
| | - J D Magasin
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - I N Shilova
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Second Genome, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - K A Turk-Kubo
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - S T Wilson
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.,Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - D M Karl
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.,Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - C A Scholin
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - J P Zehr
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Venuleo M, Raven JA, Giordano M. Intraspecific chemical communication in microalgae. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 215:516-530. [PMID: 28328079 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contents 516 I. 516 II. 518 III. 518 IV. 521 V. 523 VI. 523 VII. 526 526 References 526 SUMMARY: The relevance of infochemicals in the relationships between organisms is emerging as a fundamental aspect of aquatic ecology. Exchanges of chemical cues are likely to occur not only between organisms of different species, but also between conspecific individuals. Especially intriguing is the investigation of chemical communication in microalgae, because of the relevance of these organisms for global primary production and their key role in trophic webs. Intraspecific communication between algae has been investigated mostly in relation to sexuality and mating. The literature also contains information on other types of intraspecific chemical communication that have not always been explicitly tagged as ways to communicate to conspecifics. However, the proposed role of certain compounds as intraspecific infochemicals appears questionable. In this article, we make use of this plethora of information to describe the various instances of intraspecific chemical communication between conspecific microalgae and to identify the common traits and ecological significance of intraspecific communication. We also discuss the evolutionary implications of intraspecific chemical communication and the mechanisms by which it can be inherited. A special focus is the genetic diversity among conspecific algae, including the possibility that genetic diversity is an absolute requirement for intraspecific chemical communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Venuleo
- Laboratory of Algal and Plant Physiology, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - John A Raven
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee at The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, Invergowrie, DD2 5DA, UK
- Functional Plant Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Mario Giordano
- Laboratory of Algal and Plant Physiology, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Algatech, 379 81, Trebon, Czech Republic
- National Research Council, Institute of Marine Science, 30122, Venice, Italy
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Pitt FD, Millard A, Ostrowski M, Dervish S, Mazard S, Paulsen IT, Zubkov MV, Scanlan DJ. A Sample-to-Sequence Protocol for Genus Targeted Transcriptomic Profiling: Application to Marine Synechococcus. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1592. [PMID: 27790194 PMCID: PMC5063861 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies using whole community metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches are revealing important new insights into the functional potential and activity of natural marine microbial communities. Here, we complement these approaches by describing a complete ocean sample-to-sequence protocol, specifically designed to target a single bacterial genus for purposes of both DNA and RNA profiling using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). The importance of defining and understanding the effects of a sampling protocol are critical if we are to gain meaningful data from environmental surveys. Rigorous pipeline trials with a cultured isolate, Synechococcus sp. BL107 demonstrate that water filtration has a well-defined but limited impact on the transcriptomic profile of this organism, whilst sample storage and multiple rounds of cell sorting have almost no effect on the resulting RNA sequence profile. Attractively, the means to replicate the sampling strategy is within the budget and expertise of most researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances D Pitt
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick Coventry, UK
| | - Andrew Millard
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick Coventry, UK
| | - Martin Ostrowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Suat Dervish
- Sydney Cytometry, Centenary Institute, University of Sydney Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sophie Mazard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney, NSW, Australia
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