The expression of nitrate transporter genes reveals different nitrogen statuses of dominant diatom groups in the southern East China Sea

Abstract

In this study, the mRNA levels of the Nrt2 nitrate transporter gene were used as a molecular indicator of nitrogen status in two dominant diatom groups, Skeletonema and Chaetoceros, which inhabit the southern East China Sea (ECS). To accurately interpret the abundance of Nrt2 transcripts in situ, maximum and minimum expression levels were determined under conditions of nitrogen deprivation and ammonium addition, respectively. In August 2010, Nrt2 transcript levels in Skeletonema at the inner shelf region exhibited a mean of 111 mmole/(mole EFL); at the mid-shelf region, the mean Nrt2 mRNA levels were 298 mmole/(mole EFL), which was very close to the maximum levels observed under nitrogen starvation. By contrast, the Nrt2 transcript levels in Chaetoceros were low at all of the shelf locations, except at one station in the mid-shelf region. The cross-shelf mean was 2.86 mmole/(mole EFL), which was similar to the expression levels observed in cultured Chaetoceros under conditions of sufficient ammonium. Similar expression patterns were observed in diatoms in the southern ECS in June 2011, but the Nrt2 transcript levels in Skeletonema at the inner shelf region were reduced to a mean of 28.6 mmole/(mole EFL). Regression analysis indicated that cell abundance and Nrt2 expression were closely related to the nutricline depth in the coastward half of the southern ECS for Skeletonema but not for Chaetoceros. These results indicate that the evaluated species differ in nitrogen status, which may reflect their evolutionary strategies to survive in a fluctuating marine environment.

Conserved Transcriptional Responses to Nutrient Stress in Bloom-Forming Algae

“…Consistent with these results, nitrate transporters increased with N stress in a number of diatom genera (Bender et al, 2014; Kang et al, 2015). In the haptophyte, E. huxleyi , a nitrate transporter ( Nrt2 ) was up-regulated 2-fold under N starvation (Song and Ward, 2007), and similar responses were observed in the haptophytes, Isochrysis galbana and Prymnesium parvum (Kang et al, 2007; Liu et al, 2015).…”

Molecular insights into a dinoflagellate bloom

“…Carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, argininosuccinate synthase and argininosuccinate lyase are three (out of five) key enzymes in the urea cycle and were also overrepresented in the bloom sample. Overrepresentation of genes in urea cycle along with those of genes involved in other nitrogen metabolisms infer high N compound cycling by blooming dinoflagellates because of high N demands (Coschigano et al, 1998;Okuhara et al, 1999;Maheswari et al, 2010;Allen et al, 2011;Kang et al, 2015). Genes involved in proline (Pro), glutamate (GOGAT) and spermidine (Spd) were also overrepresented (Figures 3 and 4).…”

Evaluation of the Relationship Between the 18S rRNA/rDNA Ratio and Population Growth in the Marine Diatom Skeletonema tropicum via the Application of an Exogenous Nucleic Acid Standard

“…Skeletonema can form bloom in coastal waters in the southern East China Sea (Kang et al. ). Although they may cause harm to copepods by releasing certain forms of aldehydes (Ianora et al.…”