Abundance and characteristics of polysaccharide and proteinaceous particles in Lake Kinneret

Berman, T.; Viner-Mozzini, Yehudit

doi:10.3354/ame024255

Cited by 78 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In three studies CSP have been found either to be more abundant than TEP (Long & Azam, 1996), or similar in abundance (Grossart, 1999) or less abundant (Prieto, Ruiz, Echevarría, García, Gálvez, Bartual et al, 2002). A careful comparison of both particle types in Lake Kinneret revealed that throughout the year there were, on average, fewer CSP than TEP, possibly because the former have faster turnover rates (Berman & Viner-Mozzini, 2001). The properties of mucoid particles differ in several important aspects from those of solid particles, which consist of organisms and detritus (dead organisms or parts thereof).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in aquatic environments

Passow

2002

Progress in Oceanography

955

951

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Since the development of methods to quantify transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) 1993, it has been shown that these gel-particles are not only ubiquitous and abundant, but also play a significant role in the biogeochemical cycling of elements and the structuring of food webs. TEP may be quantified either microscopically or colorimetrically. Although data based on measurements using one or other of these methods are not directly comparable, the results are consistent. TEP abundances in fresh and marine waters are in the same range as those of phytoplankton, with peak values occurring during phytoplankton blooms. TEP are very sticky particles that exhibit the characteristics of gels, and consist predominantly of acidic polysaccharides. In marine systems the majority of TEP are formed abiotically from dissolved precursors, which are released by phytoplankton that are either actively growing or are senescent. TEP are also generated during the sloughing of cell surface mucus and the disintegration of colonial matrices. The impact of exopolymers in the creation of microhabitats and in the cycling of trace compounds varies with the state in which the polymers occur, either as particles or as solute slimes. As particles, TEP provide surfaces for the colonization by bacteria and transfer by adsorption, trace solute substances into the particulate pool. As dissolved polymers they are mixed with the water and can neither be filtered nor aggregated. Because of their high abundances, large size and high stickiness, TEP enhance or even facilitate the aggregation of solid, non-sticky particles. They have been found to form the matrices of all marine aggregates investigated to date. By aggregating solid particles, TEP promote the sedimentation of particles, and, because their carbon content is high, their direct contribution to fluxes of carbon into deep water is significant. The direct sedimentation of TEP may represent a mechanism for the selective sequestration of carbon in deep water, because the C:N ratios of TEP lie well above the Redfield ratio. The turnover time of TEP as a result of bacterial degradation appears to range from hours to months, depending on the chemical composition and age of TEP. TEP may also be utilized not only by filter feeders (some protozoans and appendicularian) but TEP-rich microaggregates, consisting of pico-and nano-plankton are also readily grazed by euphausiids, thus permitting the uptake of particles that would otherwise be too small to be grazed directly by euphausiids. This short-circuits food chains and links the microbial food-web to the classical food-web. It is suggested that this expansion of the concept of food webs, linking the microbial loop with an aggregation web will provide a more complete description of particle dynamics. 

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in aquatic environments

Passow

2002

Progress in Oceanography

955

951

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) merge the two properties of (1) being retained onto 0.4 mm membrane filters and (2) being stainable by Alcian Blue, a specific dye for acidic (-COO À ) or sulphated (-O-SO 3 À ) reactive groups of carbohydrates (Alldredge et al, 1993). Several studies indicate that TEP are natural constituents of the bulk particulate matter in marine (Passow and Alldredge, 1995b;Mari and Kiorboe, 1996;Krembs and Engel, 2001;Garcia et al, 2002;Engel, 2004;Brussaard et al, 2005;Radic et al, 2005;Shackelford and Cowen, 2006;Prieto et al, 2006;Sugimoto et al, 2007) (Logan et al, 1995;Grossart et al, 1997;Berman and Viner-Mozzini, 2001;Arruda-Fatibello et al, 2004) ecosystems. Most of the field sites where TEP have been described so far were dominated by diatoms, dinoflagellates or cyanobacteria.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance and size distribution of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in a coccolithophorid bloom in the northern Bay of Biscay

Harlay

Bodt

Engel

et al. 2009

Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Nano-and microsized porous gels composed of polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids form from organic polymers and colloids in seawater by abiotic processes driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic bonding (4)(5)(6). TEPs can also derive directly from gelatinous envelopes surrounding algal cells, from bacterial mucous, or from degradation processes of marine or lake snow and other detrital material (7). Senescent or nutrientstressed algae and cyanobacteria have also been shown to generate TEPs directly (8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Revised paradigm of aquatic biofilm formation facilitated by microgel transparent exopolymer particles

Bar‐Zeev

Berman‐Frank²,

Girshevitz³

et al. 2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

163

129

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs) are planktonic, organic microgels that are ubiquitous in aqueous environments. Increasing evidence indicates that TEPs play an active role in the process of aquatic biofilm formation. Frequently, TEPs are intensely colonized by bacteria and other microorganisms, thus serving as hot spots of intense microbial activity. We introduce the term "protobiofilm" to refer to TEPs with extensive microbial outgrowth and colonization. Such particles display most of the characteristics of developing biofilm, with the exception of being attached to a surface. In this study, coastal seawater was passed through custom-designed flow cells that enabled direct observation of TEPs and protobiofilm in the feedwater stream by bright-field and epifluorescence microscopy. Additionally, we could follow biofilm development on immersed surfaces inside the flow cells. Within minutes, we observed TEP and protobiofilm patches adhering to these surfaces. By 30 min, confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed numerous patches of Con A and SYTO 9 staining structures covering the surfaces. Atomic force microscopy showed details of a thin, highly sticky, organic conditioning layer between these patches. Bright-field and epifluorescence microscopy and CLSM showed that biofilm development (observed until 24 h) was profoundly inhibited in flow cells with seawater prefiltered to remove most large TEPs and protobiofilm. We propose a revised paradigm for aquatic biofilm development that emphasizes the critical role of microgel particles such as TEPs and protobiofilm in facilitating this process. Recognition of the role of planktonic microgels in aquatic biofilm formation can have applied importance for the water industry.

show abstract

Abundance and characteristics of polysaccharide and proteinaceous particles in Lake Kinneret

Cited by 78 publications

References 27 publications

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in aquatic environments

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in aquatic environments

Abundance and size distribution of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) in a coccolithophorid bloom in the northern Bay of Biscay

Revised paradigm of aquatic biofilm formation facilitated by microgel transparent exopolymer particles

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About