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Effects of nutrient enrichment on surface microbial community gene expression in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Sam Wilson

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Abstract

© 2018, International Society for Microbial Ecology. Marine microbial communities are critical for biogeochemical cycles and the productivity of ocean ecosystems. Primary productivity in the surface ocean is constrained by nutrients which are supplied, in part, by mixing with deeper water. Little is known about the time scales, frequency, or impact of mixing on microbial communities. We combined in situ sampling using the Environmental Sample Processor and a small-scale mixing experiment with lower euphotic zone water to determine how individual populations respond to mixing. Transcriptional responses were measured using the MicroTOOLs (Microbiological Targets for Ocean Observing Laboratories) microarray, which targets all three domains of life and viruses. The experiment showed that mixing substantially affects photosynthetic taxa as expected, but surprisingly also showed that populations respond differently to unfiltered deep water which contains particles (organisms and detritus) compared to filtered deep water that only contains nutrients and viruses, pointing to the impact of biological interactions associated with these events. Comparison between experimental and in situ population transcription patterns indicated that manipulated populations can serve as analogs for natural populations, and that natural populations may be frequently or continuously responding to nutrients from deeper waters. Finally, this study also shows that the microarray approach, which is complementary to metatranscriptomic sequencing, is useful for determining the physiological status of in situ microbial communities.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Robidart JC, Magasin JD, Shilova IN, Turk-Kubo KA, Wilson ST, Karl DM, Scholin CA, Zehr JP

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: ISME Journal

Year: 2019

Volume: 13

Issue: 2

Pages: 374-387

Print publication date: 01/02/2019

Online publication date: 25/09/2018

Acceptance date: 26/08/2018

ISSN (print): 1751-7362

ISSN (electronic): 1751-7370

Publisher: Springer Nature

URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-018-0280-0

DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0280-0

PubMed id: 30254320

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