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Wang J, Curson ARJ, Zhou S, Carrión O, Liu J, Vieira AR, Walsham KS, Monaco S, Li CY, Dong QY, Wang Y, Rivera PPL, Wang XD, Zhang M, Hanwell L, Wallace M, Zhu XY, Leão PN, Lea-Smith DJ, Zhang YZ, Zhang XH, Todd JD. Alternative dimethylsulfoniopropionate biosynthesis enzymes in diverse and abundant microorganisms. Nat Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41564-024-01715-9. [PMID: 38862603 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01715-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an abundant marine organosulfur compound with roles in stress protection, chemotaxis, nutrient and sulfur cycling and climate regulation. Here we report the discovery of a bifunctional DMSP biosynthesis enzyme, DsyGD, in the transamination pathway of the rhizobacterium Gynuella sunshinyii and some filamentous cyanobacteria not previously known to produce DMSP. DsyGD produces DMSP through its N-terminal DsyG methylthiohydroxybutyrate S-methyltransferase and C-terminal DsyD dimethylsulfoniohydroxybutyrate decarboxylase domains. Phylogenetically distinct DsyG-like proteins, termed DSYE, with methylthiohydroxybutyrate S-methyltransferase activity were found in diverse and environmentally abundant algae, comprising a mix of low, high and previously unknown DMSP producers. Algae containing DSYE, particularly bloom-forming Pelagophyceae species, were globally more abundant DMSP producers than those with previously described DMSP synthesis genes. This work greatly increases the number and diversity of predicted DMSP-producing organisms and highlights the importance of Pelagophyceae and other DSYE-containing algae in global DMSP production and sulfur cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyan Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Andrew R J Curson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Shun Zhou
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Ornella Carrión
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Ji Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ana R Vieira
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Keanu S Walsham
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Serena Monaco
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Chun-Yang Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Qing-Yu Dong
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Peter Paolo L Rivera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Xiao-Di Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Libby Hanwell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Matthew Wallace
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Pedro N Leão
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - David J Lea-Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Yu-Zhong Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- State Key Lab of Microbial Technology, Marine Biotechnology Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China.
| | - Jonathan D Todd
- Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
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Carrión O, Zhu XY, Williams BT, Wang J, Zhang XH, Todd JD. Molecular discoveries in microbial DMSP synthesis. Adv Microb Physiol 2023; 83:59-116. [PMID: 37507162 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is one of the Earth's most abundant organosulfur compounds because many marine algae, bacteria, corals and some plants produce it to high mM intracellular concentrations. In these organisms, DMSP acts an anti-stress molecule with purported roles to protect against salinity, temperature, oxidative stress and hydrostatic pressure, amongst many other reported functions. However, DMSP is best known for being a major precursor of the climate-active gases and signalling molecules dimethylsulfide (DMS), methanethiol (MeSH) and, potentially, methane, through microbial DMSP catabolism. DMSP catabolism has been extensively studied and the microbes, pathways and enzymes involved have largely been elucidated through the application of molecular research over the last 17 years. In contrast, the molecular biology of DMSP synthesis is a much newer field, with the first DMSP synthesis enzymes only being identified in the last 5 years. In this review, we discuss how the elucidation of key DMSP synthesis enzymes has greatly expanded our knowledge of the diversity of DMSP-producing organisms, the pathways used, and what environmental factors regulate production, as well as to inform on the physiological roles of DMSP. Importantly, the identification of key DMSP synthesis enzymes in the major groups of DMSP producers has allowed scientists to study the distribution and predict the importance of different DMSP-producing organisms to global DMSP production in diverse marine and sediment environments. Finally, we highlight key challenges for future molecular research into DMSP synthesis that need addressing to better understand the cycling of this important marine organosulfur compound, and its magnitude in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ornella Carrión
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom.
| | - Xiao-Yu Zhu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Beth T Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jinyan Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jonathan D Todd
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, United Kingdom.
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Fernandez E, Seymour JR, Petrou K. Phytoplankton Sources and Sinks of Dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) in Temperate Coastal Waters of Australia. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081539. [PMID: 36013957 PMCID: PMC9414068 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ecologically important organic sulfur compound, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), is ubiquitous in marine environments. Produced by some species of phytoplankton and bacteria, it plays a key role in cellular responses to environmental change. Recently, uptake of DMSP by non-DMSP-producing phytoplankton species has been demonstrated, highlighting knowledge gaps concerning DMSP distribution through the marine microbial food web. In this study, we traced the uptake and distribution of DMSP through a natural marine microbial community collected from off the eastern coastline Australia. We found a diverse phytoplankton community representing six major taxonomic groups and conducted DMSP-enrichment experiments both on the whole community, and the community separated into large (≥8.0 µm), medium (3.0−8.0 µm), and small (0.2−3.0 µm) size fractions. Our results revealed active uptake of DMSP in all three size fractions of the community, with the largest fraction (>8 µm) forming the major DMSP sink, where enrichment resulted in an increase of DMSPp by 144%. We observed evidence for DMSP catabolism in all size fractions with DMSP enrichment, highlighting loss from the system via MeSH or DMS production. Based on taxonomic diversity, we postulate the sources of DMSP were the dinoflagellates, Phaeocystis sp., and Trichodesmium sp., which were present in a relatively high abundance, and the sinks for DMSP were the diatoms and picoeucaryotes in this temperate community. These findings corroborate the role of hitherto disregarded phytoplankton taxa as potentially important players in the cycling of DMSP in coastal waters of Australia and emphasize the need to better understand the fate of accumulated DMSP and its significance in cellular metabolism of non-DMSP producers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Fernandez
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Justin R. Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Katherina Petrou
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia;
- Correspondence:
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