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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Aquatic Microbiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1437274

Transcriptomic responses to shifts in light and nitrogen in two congeneric diatom species

Provisionally accepted
Xiao Ma Xiao Ma 1Zhen Qin Zhen Qin 1*Kevin B. Johnson Kevin B. Johnson 2Holly Sweat Holly Sweat 3Sheng Dai Sheng Dai 1Gang Li Gang Li 1*Chaolun Li Chaolun Li 1*
  • 1 Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, China
  • 2 Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas, United States
  • 3 Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS), Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Light and nitrogen availability are basic requirements for photosynthesis. Changing in light intensity and nitrogen concentration may require adaptive physiological and life process changes in phytoplankton cells. Our previous study demonstrated that two Thalassiosira species exhibited respectively distinctive physiological responses to light and nitrogen stresses. Transcriptomic analyses were employed to investigate the mechanisms behind the different physiological responses observed in two diatom species of the genus Thalassiosira. The results indicate that the congeneric species are different in their cellular responses to the same shifting light and nitrogen conditions.When conditions changed to high light with low nitrate (HLLN), the large-celled T. punctigera was photodamaged. Thus, the photosynthesis pathway and carbon fixation related genes were significantly down-regulated. In contrast, the small-celled T. pseudonana sacrificed cellular processes, especially amino acid metabolisms, to overcome the photodamage. When changing to high light with high nitrate (HLHN) conditions, the additional nitrogen appeared to compensate for the photodamage in the large-celled T. punctigera, with the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) and carbon fixation significantly boosted. Consequently, the growth rate of T. punctigera increased, which suggest that the larger-celled species is adapted for forming poststorm algal blooms. The impact of high light stress on the small-celled T. pseudonana was not mitigated by elevated nitrate levels, and photodamage persisted.

    Keywords: Transcriptomics, Light, Nitrogen, Cell Size, Thalassiosira

    Received: 23 May 2024; Accepted: 02 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ma, Qin, Johnson, Sweat, Dai, Li and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Zhen Qin, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, China
    Gang Li, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, China
    Chaolun Li, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, China

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