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Deng Y, Yu R, Grabe V, Sommermann T, Werner M, Vallet M, Zerfaß C, Werz O, Pohnert G. Bacteria modulate microalgal aging physiology through the induction of extracellular vesicle production to remove harmful metabolites. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:2356-2368. [PMID: 39143356 PMCID: PMC11371645 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01746-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
The bloom and bust patterns of microalgae in aquatic systems contribute massively to global biogeochemical cycles. The decline of algal blooms is mainly caused by nutrient limitation resulting in cell death, the arrest of cell division and the aging of surviving cells. Nutrient intake can re-initiate proliferation, but the processes involved are poorly understood. Here we characterize how the bloom-forming diatom Coscinodiscus radiatus recovers from starvation after nutrient influx. Rejuvenation is mediated by extracellular vesicles that shuttle reactive oxygen species, oxylipins and other harmful metabolites out of the old cells, thereby re-enabling their proliferation. By administering nutrient pulses to aged cells and metabolomic monitoring of the response, we show that regulated pathways are centred around the methionine cycle in C. radiatus. Co-incubation experiments show that bacteria mediate aging processes and trigger vesicle production using chemical signalling. This work opens new perspectives on cellular aging and rejuvenation in complex microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Deng
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Balance of the Microverse Cluster of Excellence, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Ruyi Yu
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Veit Grabe
- Imaging Platform, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Sommermann
- Department of Infection Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Werner
- Department for Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Marine Vallet
- Max Planck Fellow Group Plankton Community Interaction, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Zerfaß
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Werz
- Department for Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Georg Pohnert
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- Balance of the Microverse Cluster of Excellence, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- Max Planck Fellow Group Plankton Community Interaction, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
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2
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Hamilton M, Ferrer‐González FX, Moran MA. Heterotrophic bacteria trigger transcriptome remodelling in the photosynthetic picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13285. [PMID: 38778545 PMCID: PMC11112143 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Marine biogeochemical cycles are built on interactions between surface ocean microbes, particularly those connecting phytoplankton primary producers to heterotrophic bacteria. Details of these associations are not well understood, especially in the case of direct influences of bacteria on phytoplankton physiology. Here we catalogue how the presence of three marine bacteria (Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, Stenotrophomonas sp. SKA14 and Polaribacter dokdonensis MED152) individually and uniquely impact gene expression of the picoeukaryotic alga Micromonas commoda RCC 299. We find a dramatic transcriptomic remodelling by M. commoda after 8 h in co-culture, followed by an increase in cell numbers by 56 h compared with the axenic cultures. Some aspects of the algal transcriptomic response are conserved across all three bacterial co-cultures, including an unexpected reduction in relative expression of photosynthesis and carbon fixation pathways. Expression differences restricted to a single bacterium are also observed, with the Flavobacteriia P. dokdonensis uniquely eliciting changes in relative expression of algal genes involved in biotin biosynthesis and the acquisition and assimilation of nitrogen. This study reveals that M. commoda has rapid and extensive responses to heterotrophic bacteria in ways that are generalizable, as well as in a taxon specific manner, with implications for the diversity of phytoplankton-bacteria interactions ongoing in the surface ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Hamilton
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | | | - Mary Ann Moran
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
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3
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Branscombe L, Harrison EL, Choong ZYD, Swink C, Keys M, Widdicombe C, Wilson WH, Cunliffe M, Helliwell K. Cryptic bacterial pathogens of diatoms peak during senescence of a winter diatom bloom. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1292-1307. [PMID: 38037269 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19441] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Diatoms are globally abundant microalgae that form extensive blooms in aquatic ecosystems. Certain bacteria behave antagonistically towards diatoms, killing or inhibiting their growth. Despite their crucial implications to diatom blooms and population health, knowledge of diatom antagonists in the environment is fundamentally lacking. We report systematic characterisation of the diversity and seasonal dynamics of bacterial antagonists of diatoms via plaque assay sampling in the Western English Channel (WEC), where diatoms frequently bloom. Unexpectedly, peaks in detection did not occur during characteristic spring diatom blooms, but coincided with a winter bloom of Coscinodiscus, suggesting that these bacteria likely influence distinct diatom host populations. We isolated multiple bacterial antagonists, spanning 4 classes and 10 bacterial orders. Notably, a diatom attaching Roseobacter Ponticoccus alexandrii was isolated multiple times, indicative of a persistent environmental presence. Moreover, many isolates had no prior reports of antagonistic activity towards diatoms. We verified diatom growth inhibitory effects of eight isolates. In all cases tested, these effects were activated by pre-exposure to diatom organic matter. Discovery of widespread 'cryptic' antagonistic activity indicates that bacterial pathogenicity towards diatoms is more prevalent than previously recognised. Finally, examination of the global biogeography of WEC antagonists revealed co-occurrence patterns with diatom host populations in marine waters globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Branscombe
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Ellen L Harrison
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Zhi Yi Daniel Choong
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Courtney Swink
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Matthew Keys
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
| | | | - William H Wilson
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Michael Cunliffe
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Katherine Helliwell
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
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4
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Di Costanzo F, Di Dato V, Romano G. Diatom-Bacteria Interactions in the Marine Environment: Complexity, Heterogeneity, and Potential for Biotechnological Applications. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2967. [PMID: 38138111 PMCID: PMC10745847 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Diatom-bacteria interactions evolved during more than 200 million years of coexistence in the same environment. In this time frame, they established complex and heterogeneous cohorts and consortia, creating networks of multiple cell-to-cell mutualistic or antagonistic interactions for nutrient exchanges, communication, and defence. The most diffused type of interaction between diatoms and bacteria is based on a win-win relationship in which bacteria benefit from the organic matter and nutrients released by diatoms, while these last rely on bacteria for the supply of nutrients they are not able to produce, such as vitamins and nitrogen. Despite the importance of diatom-bacteria interactions in the evolutionary history of diatoms, especially in structuring the marine food web and controlling algal blooms, the molecular mechanisms underlying them remain poorly studied. This review aims to present a comprehensive report on diatom-bacteria interactions, illustrating the different interplays described until now and the chemical cues involved in the communication and exchange between the two groups of organisms. We also discuss the potential biotechnological applications of molecules and processes involved in those fascinating marine microbial networks and provide information on novel approaches to unveiling the molecular mechanisms underlying diatom-bacteria interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeria Di Dato
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology Department, Via Ammiraglio Ferdinando Acton 55, 80133 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.C.); (G.R.)
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5
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Bakenhus I, Jongsma R, Michler-Kozma D, Hölscher L, Gabel F, Holert J, Philipp B. A domesticated photoautotrophic microbial community as a biofilm model system for analyzing the influence of plastic surfaces on invertebrate grazers in limnic environments. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1238913. [PMID: 38033587 PMCID: PMC10687189 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1238913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The environmental fate of plastic particles in water bodies is influenced by microbial biofilm formation. Invertebrate grazers may be affected when foraging biofilms on plastics compared to biofilms on natural substrata but the mechanistic basis for these effects is unknown. For analyzing these effects in ecotoxicological assays stable and reproducible biofilm communities are required that are related to the environmental site of interest. Here, a defined biofilm community was established and used to perform grazing experiments with a freshwater snail. For this, snippets of different plastic materials were incubated in the photic zone of three different freshwater sites. Amplicon sequencing of biofilms formed on these snippets showed that the site of incubation and not the plastic material dominated the microbial community composition. From these biofilms, individual microbial strains as well as photoautotrophic consortia were isolated; these consortia consisted of heterotrophic bacteria that were apparently nourished by microalga. While biofilms formed by defined dual cultures of a microalga and an Alphaproteobacterium were not accepted by the snail P. fontinalis, a photoautotrophic consortium (Co_3) sustained growth and metabolism of this grazer. Amplicon sequencing revealed that consortium Co_3, which could be stably maintained on solid medium under photoautotrophic conditions, reproducibly formed biofilms of a defined composition on three different plastic materials and on glass surfaces. In conclusion, our study shows that the generation of domesticated photoautotrophic microbial communities is a valid novel approach for establishing laboratory ecotoxicological assays with higher environmental relevance than those based on defined microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insa Bakenhus
- Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Rense Jongsma
- Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Lea Hölscher
- Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Friederike Gabel
- Institute for Landscape Ecology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Johannes Holert
- Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bodo Philipp
- Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Molekulare und Angewandte Ökologie IME, Umweltmikrobiologie, Schmallenberg, Germany
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6
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Beiralas R, Ozer N, Segev E. Abundant Sulfitobacter marine bacteria protect Emiliania huxleyi algae from pathogenic bacteria. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:100. [PMID: 37740057 PMCID: PMC10517135 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00311-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Emiliania huxleyi is a unicellular micro-alga that forms massive oceanic blooms and plays key roles in global biogeochemical cycles. Mounting studies demonstrate various stimulatory and inhibitory influences that bacteria have on the E. huxleyi physiology. To investigate these algal-bacterial interactions, laboratory co-cultures have been established by us and by others. Owing to these co-cultures, various mechanisms of algal-bacterial interactions have been revealed, many involving bacterial pathogenicity towards algae. However, co-cultures represent a significantly simplified system, lacking the complexity of bacterial communities. In order to investigate bacterial pathogenicity within an ecologically relevant context, it becomes imperative to enhance the microbial complexity of co-culture setups. Phaeobacter inhibens bacteria are known pathogens that cause the death of E. huxleyi algae in laboratory co-culture systems. The bacteria depend on algal exudates for growth, but when algae senesce, bacteria switch to a pathogenic state and induce algal death. Here we investigate whether P. inhibens bacteria can induce algal death in the presence of a complex bacterial community. We show that an E. huxleyi-associated bacterial community protects the alga from the pathogen, although the pathogen occurs within the community. To study how the bacterial community regulates pathogenicity, we reduced the complex bacterial community to a five-member synthetic community (syncom). The syncom is comprised of a single algal host and five isolated bacterial species, which represent major bacterial groups that are naturally associated with E. huxleyi. We discovered that a single bacterial species in the reduced community, Sulfitobacter pontiacus, protects the alga from the pathogen. We further found that algal protection from P. inhibens pathogenicity is a shared trait among several Sulfitobacter species. Algal protection by bacteria might be a common phenomenon with ecological significance, which is overlooked in reduced co-culture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni Beiralas
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noy Ozer
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Einat Segev
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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7
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Le Reun N, Bramucci A, Ajani P, Khalil A, Raina JB, Seymour JR. Temporal variability in the growth-enhancing effects of different bacteria within the microbiome of the diatom Actinocyclus sp. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1230349. [PMID: 37608955 PMCID: PMC10440540 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1230349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reciprocal metabolite exchanges between diatoms and bacteria can enhance the growth of both partners and therefore fundamentally influence aquatic ecosystem productivity. Here, we examined the growth-promoting capabilities of 15 different bacterial isolates from the bacterial community associated with the marine diatom Actinocyclus sp. and investigated the magnitude and timing of their effect on the growth of this diatom. In the presence of its microbiome, Actinocyclus sp. growth was significantly enhanced relative to axenic cultures. Co-culture with each of the 15 bacterial isolates examined here (seven Rhodobacteraceae, four Vibrionaceae, two Pseudoalteromonadaceae, one Oceanospirillaceae and one Alteromonadaceae) increased the growth of the diatom host, with four isolates inducing rates of growth that were similar to those delivered by the diatom's full microbiome. However, the timing and duration of this effect differed between the different bacteria tested. Indeed, one Rhodobacteraceae and one Alteromonadaceae enhanced Actinocyclus sp. cell numbers between days 0-6 after co-incubation, five other Rhodobacteraceae promoted diatom cell numbers the most between days 8-12, whilst four Vibrionaceae, one Oceanospirillaceae and one Rhodobacteraceae enhanced Actinocyclus sp. cell abundance between days 14-16. These results are indicative of a succession of the growth-enhancing effects delivered by diverse bacteria throughout the Actinocyclus sp. life cycle, which will likely deliver sustained growth benefits to the diatom when its full microbiome is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nine Le Reun
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anna Bramucci
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Penelope Ajani
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Abeeha Khalil
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin R. Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
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8
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Amaro HM, Salgado EM, Nunes OC, Pires JCM, Esteves AF. Microalgae systems - environmental agents for wastewater treatment and further potential biomass valorisation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 337:117678. [PMID: 36948147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Water is the most valuable resource on the planet. However, massive anthropogenic activities generate threatening levels of biological, organic, and inorganic pollutants that are not efficiently removed in conventional wastewater treatment systems. High levels of conventional pollutants (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus), emerging chemical contaminants such as antibiotics, and pathogens (namely antibiotic-resistant ones and related genes) jeopardize ecosystems and human health. Conventional wastewater treatment systems entail several environmental issues: (i) high energy consumption; (ii) high CO2 emissions; and (iii) the use of chemicals or the generation of harmful by-products. Hence, the use of microalgal systems (entailing one or several microalgae species, and in consortium with bacteria) as environmental agents towards wastewater treatment has been seen as an environmentally friendly solution to remove conventional pollutants, antibiotics, coliforms and antibiotic resistance genes. In recent years, several authors have evaluated the use of microalgal systems for the treatment of different types of wastewater, such as agricultural, municipal, and industrial. Generally, microalgal systems can provide high removal efficiencies of: (i) conventional pollutants, up to 99%, 99%, and 90% of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and/or organic carbon, respectively, through uptake mechanisms, and (ii) antibiotics frequently found in wastewaters, such as sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim and azithromycin at 86%, 65%, 42% and 93%, respectively, through the most desirable microalgal mechanism, biodegradation. Although pathogens removal by microalgal species is complex and very strain-specific, it is also possible to attain total coliform and Escherichia coli removal of 99.4% and 98.6%, respectively. However, microalgal systems' effectiveness strongly relies on biotic and abiotic conditions, thus the selection of operational conditions is critical. While the combination of selected species (microalgae and bacteria), ratios and inoculum concentration allow the efficient removal of conventional pollutants and generation of high amounts of biomass (that can be further converted into valuable products such as biofuels and biofertilisers), abiotic factors such as pH, hydraulic retention time, light intensity and CO2/O2 supply also have a crucial role in conventional pollutants and antibiotics removal, and wastewater disinfection. However, some rationale must be considered according to the purpose. While alkaline pH induces the hydrolysis of some antibiotics and the removal of faecal coliforms, it also decreases phosphates solubility and induces the formation of ammonium from ammonia. Also, while CO2 supply increases the removal of E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as the microalgal growth (and thus the conventional pollutants uptake), it decreases Enterococcus faecalis removal. Therefore, this review aims to provide a critical review of recent studies towards the application of microalgal systems for the efficient removal of conventional pollutants, antibiotics, and pathogens; discussing the feasibility, highlighting the advantages and challenges of the implementation of such process, and presenting current case-studies of different applications of microalgal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena M Amaro
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eva M Salgado
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Olga C Nunes
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - José C M Pires
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana F Esteves
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; LSRE-LCM - Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
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9
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Behrendt F, Deng Y, Pretzel D, Stumpf S, Fritz N, Gottschaldt M, Pohnert G, Schubert US. Dimethylsulfoniopropionate decorated cryogels as synthetic spatially structured habitats of marine bacterial communities. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023. [PMID: 36928054 DOI: 10.1039/d2mh01383e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In microbial consortia bacteria often settle on other organisms that provide nutrients and organic material for their growth. This is true for the plankton where microalgae perform photosynthesis and exude metabolites that feed associated bacteria. The investigation of such processes is difficult since algae provide bacteria with a spatially structured environment with a gradient of released organic material that is hard to mimic. Here we introduce the design and synthesis of a cryogel-based microstructured habitat for bacteria that provides dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) as a carbon and sulfur source for growth. DMSP, a widely distributed metabolite released by algae, is thereby made available for bacteria in a biomimetic manner. Based on a novel DMSP derived building block (DMSP-HEMA), we synthesized cryogels providing structured surfaces for settlement and delivering the organic material fueling bacterial growth. By monitoring bacterial settlement and performance we show that the cryogels represent microbial arenas mimicking the ecological situation in the plankton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Behrendt
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Yun Deng
- Bioorganic Analytics, Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (IAAC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessingstraße 8, 07743, Jena, Germany.
| | - David Pretzel
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics (ACP), Albert-Einstein-Straße 6, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Steffi Stumpf
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicole Fritz
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Gottschaldt
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Georg Pohnert
- Bioorganic Analytics, Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry (IAAC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessingstraße 8, 07743, Jena, Germany.
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics (ACP), Albert-Einstein-Straße 6, 07743, Jena, Germany
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