Dataset Information

Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Chromophytic Phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal Revealed by RuBisCO Genes (rbcL).

ABSTRACT: Phytoplankton are the basis of primary production and play important roles in regulating energy export in marine ecosystems. Compared to other regions, chromophytic phytoplankton are considerably understudied in the Bay of Bengal (BOB). Here, we investigated community structure and spatial distribution of chromophytic phytoplankton in the BOB by using RuBisCO genes (Form ID rbcL). High throughput sequencing of rbcL genes revealed that diatoms, cyanobacteria (Cyanophyceae), Pelagophyceae, Haptophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Eustigamatophyceae, Xanthophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Dictyochophyceae, and Pinguiophyceae were the most abundant groups recovered in the BOB. Abundances and distribution of diatoms and Pelagophyceae were further verified using quantitative PCR analyses which showed the dominance of these groups near the Equator region (p < 0.01) where upwelling was likely the source of nutrients. Further, redundancy analysis demonstrated that temperature was an important environmental driver in structuring distributions of Cyanophyceae and dominant chromophytic phytoplankton. Morphological identification and quantification confirmed the dominance of diatoms, and also detected other cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates that were missing in our molecular characterizations. Pearson's correlations of these morphologically identified phytoplankton with environmental gradients also indicated that nutrients and temperature were key variables shaping community structure. Combination of molecular characterization and morphological identification provided a comprehensive overview of chromophytic phytoplankton. This is the first molecular study of chromophytic phytoplankton accomplished in the BOB, and our results highlight a combination of molecular analysis targeting rbcL genes and microscopic detection in examining phytoplankton composition and diversity.

SUBMITTER: Pujari L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6624743 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Chromophytic Phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal Revealed by RuBisCO Genes (rbcL).

Pujari Laxman L Wu Chao C Kan Jinjun J Li Nan N Wang Xingzhou X Zhang Guicheng G Shang Xiaomei X Wang Min M Zhou Chun C Sun Jun J

Frontiers in microbiology 20190705

Phytoplankton are the basis of primary production and play important roles in regulating energy export in marine ecosystems. Compared to other regions, chromophytic phytoplankton are considerably understudied in the Bay of Bengal (BOB). Here, we investigated community structure and spatial distribution of chromophytic phytoplankton in the BOB by using RuBisCO genes (Form ID rbcL). High throughput sequencing of rbcL genes revealed that diatoms, cyanobacteria (Cyanophyceae), Pelagoph ...[more]

PMID: 31333613

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Project description:Although sunlight is an abundant source of energy in surface environments, less than 0.5% of the available photons are captured by (bacterio)chlorophyll-dependent photosynthesis in plants and bacteria. Metagenomic data indicate that 30 to 60% of the bacterial genomes in some environments encode rhodopsins, retinal-based photosystems found in heterotrophs, suggesting that sunlight may provide energy for more life than previously suspected. However, quantitative data on the number of cells that produce rhodopsins in environmental systems are limited. Here, we use total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to show that the number of free-living microbes that produce rhodopsins increases along the salinity gradient in the Chesapeake Bay. We correlate this functional data with environmental data to show that rhodopsin abundance is positively correlated with salinity and with indicators of active heterotrophy during the day. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data suggest that the microbial rhodopsins in the low-salinity samples are primarily found in Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, while those in the high-salinity samples are associated with SAR-11 type AlphaproteobacteriaIMPORTANCE Microbial rhodopsins are common light-activated ion pumps in heterotrophs, and previous work has proposed that heterotrophic microbes use them to conserve energy when organic carbon is limiting. If this hypothesis is correct, rhodopsin-producing cells should be most abundant where nutrients are most limited. Our results indicate that in the Chesapeake Bay, rhodopsin gene abundance is correlated with salinity, and functional rhodopsin production is correlated with nitrate, bacterial production, and chlorophyll a We propose that in this environment, where carbon and nitrogen are likely not limiting, heterotrophs do not need to use rhodopsins to supplement ATP synthesis. Rather, the light-generated proton motive force in nutrient-rich environments could be used to power energy-dependent membrane-associated processes, such as active transport of organic carbon and cofactors, enabling these organisms to more efficiently utilize exudates from primary producers.

Dataset Information

Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Chromophytic Phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal Revealed by RuBisCO Genes (rbcL).

Publications

Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Chromophytic Phytoplankton in the Bay of Bengal Revealed by RuBisCO Genes (<i>rbc</i>L).

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