Composition and cycling of marine organic phosphorus

Kolowith, Lauren Clark; Ingall, Ellery D.; Benner, Ronald

doi:10.4319/lo.2001.46.2.0309

Cited by 313 publications

(283 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Phosphonates have recently been recognized as a potential source of phosphorus in oligotrophic systems (Kolowith et al, 2001). These compounds, which contain a C-P bond, are particularly stable and are thought to mainly originate from eukaryotic lipids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport functions dominate the SAR11 metaproteome at low-nutrient extremes in the Sargasso Sea

et al. 2008

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The northwestern Sargasso Sea undergoes annual cycles of productivity with increased production in spring corresponding to periods of upwelling, and oligotrophy in summer and autumn, when the water column becomes highly stratified. The biological productivity of this region is reduced during stratified periods as a result of low concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in the euphotic zone. To better understand the mechanisms of microbial survival in this oligotrophic environment, we used capillary liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry to detect microbial proteins in surface samples collected in September 2005. A total of 2215 peptides that mapped to 236 SAR11 proteins, 1911 peptides that mapped to 402 Prochlorococcus proteins and 2407 peptides that mapped to 404 Synechococcus proteins were detected. Mass spectra from SAR11 periplasmic substrate-binding proteins accounted for a disproportionately large fraction of the peptides detected, consistent with observations that these extremely small cells devote a large proportion of their volume to periplasm. Abundances were highest for periplasmic substrate-binding proteins for phosphate, amino acids, phosphonate, sugars and spermidine. Proteins implicated in the prevention of oxidative damage and protein refolding were also abundant. Our findings support the view that competition for multiple nutrients in oligotrophic systems is extreme, but nutrient flux is sufficient to sustain microbial community activity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport functions dominate the SAR11 metaproteome at low-nutrient extremes in the Sargasso Sea

et al. 2008

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“…[107] Quantification There are few studies that have quantified phosphonates (as a broad class of compounds) in aquatic samples, and in those studies that have it appears that the relative importance of phosphonates to the total P pool is quite variable. 31 P NMR studies have shown that phosphonates account for between 5 [108] and 25 % [109] of the dissolved organic phosphorus pool Organic P in the aquatic environment in marine samples -with most of the phosphonates associated with the high molecular weight fraction. [109] Phosphonates in marine particulate matter seems more variable.…”

Section: Phosphonatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…31 P NMR studies have shown that phosphonates account for between 5 [108] and 25 % [109] of the dissolved organic phosphorus pool Organic P in the aquatic environment in marine samples -with most of the phosphonates associated with the high molecular weight fraction. [109] Phosphonates in marine particulate matter seems more variable. Benitez-Nielsen et al [110] report that phosphonates account for between 3 and 18 % of the total P in sediment traps deployed in the Cariaco Basin, with the lowest values found in the deepest (1255 m) traps.…”

Section: Phosphonatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic phosphorus in the aquatic environment

Baldwin¹

2013

Environ. Chem.

103

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Environmental context. Organic phosphorus can be one of the major fractions of phosphorus in many aquatic ecosystems. This paper discusses the distribution, cycling and ecological significance of five major classes of organic P in the aquatic environment and discusses several principles to guide organic P research into the future.Abstract. Organic phosphorus can be one of the major fractions of phosphorus in many aquatic ecosystems. Unfortunately, in many studies the 'organic' P fraction is operationally defined. However, there are an increasing number of studies where the organic P species have been structurally characterised -in part because of the adoption of 31 P NMR spectroscopic techniques. There are five classes of organic P species that have been specifically identified in the aquatic environment -nucleic acids, other nucleotides, inositol phosphates, phospholipids and phosphonates. This paper explores the identification, quantification, biogeochemical cycling and ecological significance of these organic P compounds. Based on this analysis, the paper then identifies a number of principles which could guide the research of organic P into the future. There is an ongoing need to develop methods for quickly and accurately identifying and quantifying organic P species in the environment. The types of ecosystems in which organic P dynamics are studied needs to be expanded; flowing waters, floodplains and small wetlands are currently all under-represented in the literature. While enzymatic hydrolysis is an important transformation pathway for the breakdown of organic P, more effort needs to be directed towards studying other potential transformation pathways. Similarly effort should be directed to estimating the rates of transformations, not simply reporting on the concentrations. And finally, further work is needed in elucidating other roles of organic P in the environment other than simply a source of P to aquatic organisms.

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“…For instance, phosphonates (Phns) appear to constitute a significant fraction of dissolved organic P in the oceans. In parts of the Pacific Ocean, Phns can constitute as much as 25% of the dissolved, high-molecularweight organic P (Clark et al, 1998;Kolowith et al, 2001) although the exact source of the Phns is not known. Phns can be components of membrane phosphonolipids, nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharides (Kononova and Nesmeyanova, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

et al. 2010

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Synechococcus sp. represents an ecologically diverse group of cyanobacteria found in numerous environments, including hot-spring microbial mats, where they are spatially distributed along thermal, light and oxygen gradients. These thermophiles engage in photosynthesis and aerobic respiration during the day, but switch to fermentative metabolism and nitrogen fixation at night. The genome of Synechococcus OS-B 0 , isolated from Octopus Spring (Yellowstone National Park) contains a phn gene cluster encoding a phosphonate (Phn) transporter and a C-P lyase. A closely related isolate, Synechococcus OS-A, lacks this cluster, but contains genes encoding putative phosphonatases (Phnases) that appear to be active only in the presence of the Phn substrate. Both isolates grow well on several different Phns as a sole phosphorus (P) source. Interestingly, Synechococcus OS-B 0 can use the organic carbon backbones of Phns for heterotrophic growth in the dark, whereas in the light this strain releases organic carbon from Phn as ethane or methane (depending on the specific Phn available); Synechococcus OS-A has neither of these capabilities. These differences in metabolic strategies for assimilating the P and C of Phn by two closely related Synechococcus spp. are suggestive of niche-specific constraints in the evolution of nutrient assimilation pathways and syntrophic relationships among the microbial populations of the hotspring mats. Thus, it is critical to evaluate levels of various P sources, including Phn, in thermally active habitats and the potential importance of these compounds in the biogeochemical cycling of P and C (some Phn compounds also contain N) in diverse terrestrial environments.

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Composition and cycling of marine organic phosphorus

Cited by 313 publications

References 51 publications

Transport functions dominate the SAR11 metaproteome at low-nutrient extremes in the Sargasso Sea

Transport functions dominate the SAR11 metaproteome at low-nutrient extremes in the Sargasso Sea

Organic phosphorus in the aquatic environment

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

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