Biology of the Chlorophyll D-Containing Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris Marina

Kühl, Michael; Chen, Min; Larkum, Anthony W. D.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6112-7_6

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This biofilm is highly diverse, with cyanobacteria as the predominant oxyphototrophs, especially A. marina that thrives in this ecological niche deprived of visible wavelengths but with abundant NIR supporting its Chl d -based oxygenic photosynthesis (Kühl et al, 2005; Behrendt et al, 2012a; Larkum et al, 2012). The present results thus confirm our previous studies (Kühl et al, 2005, 2007a) showing active photosynthesis in this biofilm albeit with a more moderate dynamics in both O 2 and pH as compared to Prochloron . Actually, both the O 2 and pH imaging data represent the very first in vivo measurements of these parameters in the natural habitat of A. marina , but a detailed discussion of the implications of these observations for our knowledge on the in situ biology of Chl d -containing cyanobacteria is beyond the scope of this study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…NIR-utilizing bacteria associated with ascidians are a prime example of such a highly specialized niche-partitioning: the Chl d -containing cyanobacterium A. marina was found to survive below didemnid ascidians in a light environment relatively enriched in NIR and depleted in VIS due to the overlying layer of Chl a / b -containing Prochloron cells (Kühl et al, 2005, 2007a; Behrendt et al, 2012a). Such microenvironmental patterns can even be extrapolated to larger biological frameworks: the sampling of L. patella associated biofilms along a depth gradient thus revealed a negative correlation between the abundance of NIR-utilizing phototrophs ( A. marina, Rhodospirillaceae , Rhodobacteraceae , Chloracidobacteria ) and water depth indicating that their abundance was strongly influenced by the availability of NIR, which is readily attenuated by seawater (Behrendt et al, 2012a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most notably, this includes the prochlorophytes and the Chl d -containing cyanobacteria in the genus Acaryochloris that exhibit fundamental differences in terms of pigmentation, structure, and properties of their photosynthetic apparatus (Partensky and Garczarek, 2003; Larkum and Kühl, 2005; Kühl et al, 2007a). More recently, findings of the new chlorophyll f in cyanobacterial enrichments from stromatolites (Chen et al, 2010), and a widespread but yet uncultivated diazotrophic cyanobacterium without a functional PSII (Bothe et al, 2010) add on to the concept of cyanobacteria being a genetic melting pot and origin for a wide variety of photosynthetic adaptations (Larsson et al, 2011; Schliep et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microenvironmental Ecology of the Chlorophyll b-Containing Symbiotic Cyanobacterium Prochloron in the Didemnid Ascidian Lissoclinum patella

et al. 2012

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The discovery of the cyanobacterium Prochloron was the first finding of a bacterial oxyphototroph with chlorophyll (Chl) b, in addition to Chl a. It was first described as Prochloron didemni but a number of clades have since been described. Prochloron is a conspicuously large (7–25 μm) unicellular cyanobacterium living in a symbiotic relationship, primarily with (sub-) tropical didemnid ascidians; it has resisted numerous cultivation attempts and appears truly obligatory symbiotic. Recently, a Prochloron draft genome was published, revealing no lack of metabolic genes that could explain the apparent inability to reproduce and sustain photosynthesis in a free-living stage. Possibly, the unsuccessful cultivation is partly due to a lack of knowledge about the microenvironmental conditions and ecophysiology of Prochloron in its natural habitat. We used microsensors, variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and imaging of O2 and pH to obtain a detailed insight to the microenvironmental ecology and photobiology of Prochloron in hospite in the didemnid ascidian Lissoclinum patella. The microenvironment within ascidians is characterized by steep gradients of light and chemical parameters that change rapidly with varying irradiances. The interior zone of the ascidians harboring Prochloron thus became anoxic and acidic within a few minutes of darkness, while the same zone exhibited O2 super-saturation and strongly alkaline pH after a few minutes of illumination. Photosynthesis showed lack of photoinhibition even at high irradiances equivalent to full sunlight, and photosynthesis recovered rapidly after periods of anoxia. We discuss these new insights on the ecological niche of Prochloron and possible interactions with its host and other microbes in light of its recently published genome and a recent study of the overall microbial diversity and metagenome of L. patella.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microenvironmental Ecology of the Chlorophyll b-Containing Symbiotic Cyanobacterium Prochloron in the Didemnid Ascidian Lissoclinum patella

et al. 2012

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“…Chlorophyll d (Chl d) is only found in the cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina, where it has replaced Chl a as the dominant pigment in the antennae and in the reaction centers extending the range of photosynthetic active radiation into the near infrared (NIR) light region (700-740 nm; Miyashita et al, 1996;Kü hl et al, 2007). Only four A. marina strains have so far been isolated (Table 1), and they have been subject to detailed biochemical and genomic analysis (for example, Miller et al, 2005;Swingley et al, 2008).…”

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Endolithic chlorophyll d-containing phototrophs

et al. 2010

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Cyanobacteria in the genus Acaryochloris are the only known oxyphototrophs that have exchanged chlorophyll a (Chl a) with Chl d as their primary photopigment, facilitating oxygenic photosynthesis with near infrared (NIR) light. Yet their ecology and natural habitats are largely unknown. We used hyperspectral and variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, scanning electron microscopy, photopigment analysis and DNA sequencing to show that Acaryochloris-like cyanobacteria thrive underneath crustose coralline algae in a widespread endolithic habitat on coral reefs. This finding suggests an important role of Chl d-containing cyanobacteria in a range of hitherto unexplored endolithic habitats, where NIR light-driven oxygenic photosynthesis may be significant.

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“…Acaryochloris now forms its own genus with seven described strains (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). The large amount of Chl d within these oxygenic phototrophs (Ͼ95% of cellular Chl) indicates a profound involvement in light harvesting and ecological niche occupation, and A. marina has indeed exchanged almost all of its Chl a (the usually predominant photopigment in oxyphototrophs) with Chl d (10,11). Surprisingly, this exchange includes both of its reaction centers in photosystem I (PSI) and probably almost all of PSII (12,13).…”

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confidence: 99%

Rapid TaqMan-Based Quantification of Chlorophyll d -Containing Cyanobacteria in the Genus Acaryochloris

Behrendt

Nielsen

Sørensen

et al. 2014

Appl Environ Microbiol

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f Reports of the chlorophyll (Chl) d-containing cyanobacterium Acaryochloris have accumulated since its initial discovery in 1996. The majority of this evidence is based on amplification of the gene coding for the 16S rRNA, and due to the wide geographical distribution of these sequences, a global distribution of Acaryochloris species was suggested. Here, we present a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective TaqMan-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that was developed for the specific detection of Acaryochloris species in complex environmental samples. The TaqMan probe showed detection limits of ϳ10 16S rRNA gene copy numbers based on standard curves consisting of plasmid inserts. DNA from five Acaryochloris strains, i.e., MBIC11017, CCMEE5410, HICR111A, CRS, and Awaji-1, exhibited amplification efficiencies of >94% when tested in the TaqMan assay. When used on complex natural communities, the TaqMan assay detected the presence of Acaryochloris species in four out of eight samples of crustose coralline algae (CCA), collected from temperate and tropical regions. In three out of these TaqMan-positive samples, the presence of Chl d was confirmed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and corresponding cell estimates of Acaryochloris species amounted to 7.6 ؋ 10 1 to 3.0 ؋ 10 3 per mg of CCA. These numbers indicate a substantial contribution of Chl d-containing cyanobacteria to primary productivity in endolithic niches. The new TaqMan assay allows quick and easy screening of environmental samples for the presence of Acaryochloris species and is an important tool to further resolve the global distribution and significance of this unique oxyphototroph.

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Biology of the Chlorophyll D-Containing Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris Marina

Cited by 13 publications

References 49 publications

Microenvironmental Ecology of the Chlorophyll b-Containing Symbiotic Cyanobacterium Prochloron in the Didemnid Ascidian Lissoclinum patella

Microenvironmental Ecology of the Chlorophyll b-Containing Symbiotic Cyanobacterium Prochloron in the Didemnid Ascidian Lissoclinum patella

Endolithic chlorophyll d-containing phototrophs

Rapid TaqMan-Based Quantification of Chlorophyll d -Containing Cyanobacteria in the Genus Acaryochloris

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