Physiological responses of a population of Sargassum vulgare (Phaeophyceae) to high pCO 2 /low pH: implications for its long-term distribution

Porzio, Lucia; Buia, María Cristina; Lorenti, Maurizio; Maio, Anna De; Arena, Carmen

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.096

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Del Monaco et al, 2017;Duarte et al, 2016;Gordillo et al, 2016). Exceptions include observations and in situ experiments at CO 2 vents, as exemplified by Kumar et al (2018) and Porzio et al (2017) who highlight an increase of photochemical activity and a change in primary and secondary metabolites concentrations in Sargassum vulgare growing under natural acidic conditions near Ischia Island in Italy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

et al. 2020

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Macroalgae are critical components of coral reef ecosystems. Yet, they compete for space with corals, and in case of environmental disturbances, they are increasingly involved in phase-shifts from coral-dominated to macroalgae-dominated reefs. As regard to climate change, ocean acidification (OA) has been shown to be detrimental to corals and could favor macroalgal proliferations. However, little is known about the effects of OA on macroalgal phenotypes. Comparative metabolomic studies are particularly relevant to assess phenotypic responses of macroalgae to stress as some seaweed are known to produce a large diversity of specialized metabolites involved in various ecological functions. The main aim of our study was to explore the impact of OA on the metabolome of brown macroalgae using Lobophora rosacea as a model species. This species is widespread in New Caledonian lagoons where it is a key component of coral-algal interactions. Metabolomic changes were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) applied to three different OA scenarii: low and variable pH over a long-term timescale (in situ at Bouraké), low and constant pH over a short-term timescale (ex situ experiment), and current pH (control). Different metabotypes were defined in diverse pH conditions, and a significant decrease in some specialized metabolites concentrations was noticed at low pH including lobophorenols B and C as well as other oxylipin derivatives. We suggest a down-regulation of metabolic pathways involving lobophorenols, in low pH conditions, or their transformation, which is in accordance with the optimal defense theory. In addition, we used Microtox ® bioassays as a proxy for macroalgal toxicity and found no significant differences between low pH and control samples. This study details the first metabolomic-based study on a fleshy macroalgae in response to OA and provides new insights for this important functional group producing a large number of metabolites in response to their close environment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

et al. 2020

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“…In the most acidified area of the vents, the biomass is dominated by fleshy brown algal species, particularly Sargassum vulgare C. Agardh (Porzio et al . , ). S. vulgare with its long and complex thallus is a prevalent habitat‐forming species along the Mediterranean coast.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Volcanic CO 2 vents acidify the seawater causing a pH gradient with three distinct zones with mean pH of 8.1, 7.8 and 6.7, respectively. In the most acidified area of the vents, the biomass is dominated by fleshy brown algal species, particularly Sargassum vulgare C. Agardh (Porzio et al 2011(Porzio et al , 2017. S. vulgare with its long and complex thallus is a prevalent habitat-forming species along the Mediterranean coast.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular response of Sargassum vulgare to acidification at volcanic CO₂ vents: insights from de novo transcriptomic analysis

et al. 2017

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Ocean acidification is an emerging problem that is expected to impact ocean species to varying degrees. Currently, little is known about its effect on molecular mechanisms induced in fleshy macroalgae. To elucidate genome wide responses to acidification, a transcriptome analysis was carried out on Sargassum vulgare populations growing under acidified conditions at volcanic CO vents and compared with populations in a control site. Several transcripts involved in a wide range of cellular and metabolic processes were differentially expressed. No drastic changes were observed in the carbon acquisition processes and RuBisCO level. Moreover, relatively few stress genes, including those for antioxidant enzymes and heat-shock proteins, were affected. Instead, increased expression of transcripts involved in energy metabolism, photosynthetic processes and ion homeostasis suggested that algae increased energy production to maintain ion homeostasis and other cellular processes. Also, an increased allocation of carbon to cell wall and carbon storage was observed. A number of genes encoding proteins involved in cellular signalling, information storage and processing and transposition were differentially expressed between the two conditions. The transcriptional changes of key enzymes were largely confirmed by enzymatic activity measurements. Altogether, the changes induced by acidification indicate an adaptation of growth and development of S. vulgare at the volcanic CO vents, suggesting that this fleshy alga exhibits a high plasticity to low pH and can adopt molecular strategies to grow also in future more acidified waters.

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“…Variation in the occurrence of these vents established three contrasting zones, characterized by pH values of 8.14 ± 0.01, 7.83 ± 0.06, and 6.72 ± 0.06, respectively (Porzio et al, 2011). At the lowest pH site on rocky substrate, from 0.70 to 1.0 m below mean sea level, the algal cover is dominated by the fucoid alga Sargassum vulgare , whose settlement dates back at least three decades (Porzio et al, 2017). Fucoid algae release synchronously gametes in calm sea conditions, they mate in close vicinity and their propagules have a low dispersal rate (Kendrick and Walker, 1991; Pearson and Serrão, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological and Biochemical Analyses Shed Light on the Response of Sargassum vulgare to Ocean Acidification at Different Time Scales

et al. 2017

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Studies regarding macroalgal responses to ocean acidification (OA) are mostly limited to short-term experiments in controlled conditions, which hamper the possibility to scale up the observations to long-term effects in the natural environment. To gain a broader perspective, we utilized volcanic CO2 vents as a “natural laboratory” to study OA effects on Sargassum vulgare at different time scales. We measured photosynthetic rates, oxidative stress levels, antioxidant contents, antioxidant enzyme activities, and activities of oxidative metabolic enzymes in S. vulgare growing at a natural acidified site (pH 6.7) compared to samples from a site with current pH (pH 8.2), used as a control one. These variables were also tested in plants transplanted from the control to the acidified site and vice-versa. After short-term exposure, photosynthetic rates and energy metabolism were increased in S. vulgare together with oxidative damage. However, in natural populations under long-term conditions photosynthetic rates were similar, the activity of oxidative metabolic enzymes was maintained, and no sign of oxidative damages was observed. The differences in the response of the macroalga indicate that the natural population at the acidified site is adapted to live at the lowered pH. The results suggest that this macroalga can adopt biochemical and physiological strategies to grow in future acidified oceans.

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Physiological responses of a population of Sargassum vulgare (Phaeophyceae) to high pCO 2 /low pH: implications for its long-term distribution

Cited by 18 publications

References 52 publications

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

Molecular response of Sargassum vulgare to acidification at volcanic CO₂ vents: insights from de novo transcriptomic analysis

Physiological and Biochemical Analyses Shed Light on the Response of Sargassum vulgare to Ocean Acidification at Different Time Scales

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Physiological responses of a population of Sargassum vulgare (Phaeophyceae) to high pCO 2 /low pH: implications for its long-term distribution

Cited by 18 publications

References 52 publications

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

Impact of ocean acidification on the metabolome of the brown macroalgae Lobophora rosacea from New Caledonia

Molecular response of Sargassum vulgare to acidification at volcanic CO2 vents: insights from de novo transcriptomic analysis

Physiological and Biochemical Analyses Shed Light on the Response of Sargassum vulgare to Ocean Acidification at Different Time Scales

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Molecular response of Sargassum vulgare to acidification at volcanic CO₂ vents: insights from de novo transcriptomic analysis