Molecular-level evidence of early lipid transformations throughout oceanic depths

Gašparović, Blaženka; Lampitt, Richard S.; Sudasinghe, Nilusha; Schaub, Tanner

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2022.12.021

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 81 publications

(116 reference statements)

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“…This may indicate that P from phospholipids of small/er cells can be recycled in the photic layer and used for the next phytoplankton bloom cycle. But, smaller cells and those growing under stress tend to have lipids with a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids (Vrana et al 2022(Vrana et al , 2023, which can make them less degradable (Gašparovi c et al 2023) and thus more likely to be exported to the deep sea, resulting in P losses for phytoplankton in the sunlit zone.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paradox of relatively more phospholipids in phytoplankton in phosphorus limited sea

Gašparović,

Vrana,

Frka

et al. 2023

Limnology & Oceanography

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Marine life is threatened by global warming and its indirect consequences, which include, among others, increased stratification leading to phosphorus (P) and nitrogen depletion in the upper water column. Phosphorus plays a key role in all biochemical systems; storage of metabolic energy, formation of genetic material, and subcellular compartmentalization. Our multi‐year study of lipid biogeochemistry in the northern Adriatic (Mediterranean), which is becoming warmer and nutrient‐poorer, particularly regarding P, has shown that under conditions of P scarcity, phospholipids are relatively more abundant and smaller plankton cells dominate. Consistent with the field data, experiments with seven phytoplankton monocultures, comprising microplankton, nanoplankton, and picoplankton, confirmed a relatively higher phospholipid content in the smaller phytoplankton species and, in particular, an increase in those grown under stress conditions in general, including, unexpectedly, P‐limitation. We suggest two reasons for the observed “P paradox” of P‐limited phytoplankton: (1) cell geometry: volume of the plasma membrane relative to the volume of the entire cell is greater in smaller cells and, therefore, the proportion of plasma membrane phospholipids to intracellular lipids is greater in smaller cells, (2) higher proportion of densely packed saturated fatty acids found in stressful conditions, including P oligotrophy, additionally increase the proportion of membrane phospholipids relative to intracellular lipids. Our findings contribute to the understanding of P cycling in the sea. In addition, our data suggest that higher phospholipid export to deep waters is possible by smaller plankton.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paradox of relatively more phospholipids in phytoplankton in phosphorus limited sea

Gašparović,

Vrana,

Frka

et al. 2023

Limnology & Oceanography

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“…For decades lipids were the primary biomarkers for assessing POC sources in the mesopelagic zone 14,15 and remain an important tool for understanding perturbations to the biological carbon pump 16 . Many classes of lipids in plankton are highly labile and subject to molecular transformations that rapidly differentiate the lipid composition of sinking particles from that of living planktonic biomass [17][18][19] . However, the mechanisms by which microbial communities degrade and ultimately remineralize lipids, and thereby attenuate the flux of this large component of POC through the mesopelagic zone, is poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial metabolic specificity controls pelagic lipid export efficiency

Behrendt,

Alcolombri,

Hunter

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Lipids comprise more than 20% of sinking organic matter in the ocean and play a crucial role in the carbon cycle. Despite this, our understanding of the processes that control lipid degradation is limited. Here we combined nano-lipidomics and imaging to study the bacterial degradation of diverse algal lipid droplets. Bacteria isolated from natural marine particles exhibited distinct dietary preferences, ranging from selective to promiscuous degraders. Dietary preference was associated with a distinct set of lipid degradation genes rather than with taxonomic origin. The top degrader,Pseudomonas zhaodongensis,rapidly consumed triacylglycerols (TAGs) from lipid extracts while promoting colonization of kin by chemotaxis toward glycerol, the TAG degradation product. Using synthetic communities composed of isolates with distinct dietary preferences, we demonstrated that lipid degradation is modulated by microbial interactions. A particle export model incorporating these dynamics suggests that metabolic specialization and community dynamics influences lipid transport efficiency in the ocean’s mesopelagic zone.

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Molecular-level evidence of early lipid transformations throughout oceanic depths

Cited by 2 publications

References 81 publications

Paradox of relatively more phospholipids in phytoplankton in phosphorus limited sea

Paradox of relatively more phospholipids in phytoplankton in phosphorus limited sea

Microbial metabolic specificity controls pelagic lipid export efficiency

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