scholarly journals Transporter characterisation reveals aminoethylphosphonate mineralisation as a key step in the marine phosphorus redox cycle

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew R. J. Murphy ◽  
David J. Scanlan ◽  
Yin Chen ◽  
Nathan B. P. Adams ◽  
William A. Cadman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Oxidation Process ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Redox Cycle ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Major Oxidation

AbstractThe planktonic synthesis of reduced organophosphorus molecules, such as alkylphosphonates and aminophosphonates, represents one half of a vast global oceanic phosphorus redox cycle. Whilst alkylphosphonates tend to accumulate in recalcitrant dissolved organic matter, aminophosphonates do not. Here, we identify three bacterial 2-aminoethylphosphonate (2AEP) transporters, named AepXVW, AepP and AepSTU, whose synthesis is independent of phosphate concentrations (phosphate-insensitive). AepXVW is found in diverse marine heterotrophs and is ubiquitously distributed in mesopelagic and epipelagic waters. Unlike the archetypal phosphonate binding protein, PhnD, AepX has high affinity and high specificity for 2AEP (Stappia stellulata AepX Kd 23 ± 4 nM; methylphosphonate Kd 3.4 ± 0.3 mM). In the global ocean, aepX is heavily transcribed (~100-fold>phnD) independently of phosphate and nitrogen concentrations. Collectively, our data identifies a mechanism responsible for a major oxidation process in the marine phosphorus redox cycle and suggests 2AEP may be an important source of regenerated phosphate and ammonium, which are required for oceanic primary production.

scholarly journals Aminophosphonate mineralisation is a major step in the global oceanic phosphorus redox cycle

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Murphy ◽  
David Scanlan ◽  
Yin Chen ◽  
Andrew Bottrill ◽  
Gary Bending ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Redox Cycle ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations

Abstract The planktonic synthesis of reduced organophosphorus molecules, such as alkylphosphonates and aminophosphonates, represents one half of a vast global oceanic phosphorus redox cycle. Whilst alkylphosphonates tend to accumulate in recalcitrant dissolved organic matter, aminophosphonates do not. Thus, we hypothesised unknown pathways for the uptake of aminophosphonates must exist in seawater. Here, we identify three novel bacterial 2-aminoethylphosphonate (2AEP) transporters, named AepXVW, AepP and AepSTU, whose expression is independent of phosphate concentrations (phosphate-insensitive). AepXVW, is found in diverse marine heterotrophs and is ubiquitously distributed in mesopelagic and epipelagic waters. Unlike the archetypal phosphate-regulated phosphonate binding protein, PhnD, the newly identified AepX is heavily transcribed (~100-fold>PhnD) in the global ocean independently of phosphate and nitrogen concentrations. Collectively, our data identifies a mechanism responsible for the oxidative step in the marine phosphorus redox cycle and suggests 2AEP may be an important source of regenerated phosphate, which is required for oceanic primary production.

scholarly journals Photomineralization and photomethanification of dissolved organic matter in Saguenay River surface water

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 6823-6836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zhang ◽  
H. Xie
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Dimethyl Sulfide ◽  
Ultraviolet B ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Quantum Yields ◽  
Methyl Radical ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Saguenay River

Abstract. Rates and apparent quantum yields of photomineralization (AQYDOC) and photomethanification (AQYCH4) of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Saguenay River surface water were determined at three widely differing dissolved oxygen concentrations ([O2]) (suboxic, air saturation, and oxygenated) using simulated-solar radiation. Photomineralization increased linearly with CDOM absorbance photobleaching for all three O2 treatments. Whereas the rate of photochemical dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss increased with increasing [O2], the ratio of fractional DOC loss to fractional absorbance loss showed an inverse trend. CDOM photodegradation led to a higher degree of mineralization under suboxic conditions than under oxic conditions. AQYDOC determined under oxygenated, suboxic, and air-saturated conditions increased, decreased, and remained largely constant with photobleaching, respectively; AQYDOC obtained under air saturation with short-term irradiations could thus be applied to longer exposures. AQYDOC decreased successively from ultraviolet B (UVB) to ultraviolet A (UVA) to visible (VIS), which, alongside the solar irradiance spectrum, points to VIS and UVA being the primary drivers for photomineralization in the water column. The photomineralization rate in the Saguenay River was estimated to be 2.31 × 108 mol C yr−1, accounting for only 1 % of the annual DOC input into this system. Photoproduction of CH4 occurred under both suboxic and oxic conditions and increased with decreasing [O2], with the rate under suboxic conditions ~ 7–8 times that under oxic conditions. Photoproduction of CH4 under oxic conditions increased linearly with photomineralization and photobleaching. Under air saturation, 0.00057 % of the photochemical DOC loss was diverted to CH4, giving a photochemical CH4 production rate of 4.36 × 10−6 mol m−2 yr−1 in the Saguenay River and, by extrapolation, of (1.9–8.1) × 108 mol yr−1 in the global ocean. AQYCH4 changed little with photobleaching under air saturation but increased exponentially under suboxic conditions. Spectrally, AQYCH4 decreased sequentially from UVB to UVA to VIS, with UVB being more efficient under suboxic conditions than under oxic conditions. On a depth-integrated basis, VIS prevailed over UVB in controlling CH4 photoproduction under air saturation while the opposite held true under O2-deficiency. An addition of micromolar levels of dissolved dimethyl sulfide (DMS) substantially increased CH4 photoproduction, particularly under O2-deficiency; DMS at nanomolar ambient concentrations in surface oceans is, however, unlikely a significant CH4 precursor. Results from this study suggest that CDOM-based CH4 photoproduction only marginally contributes to the CH4 supersaturation in modern surface oceans and to both the modern and Archean atmospheric CH4 budgets, but that the photochemical term can be comparable to microbial CH4 oxidation in modern oxic oceans. Our results also suggest that anoxic microniches in particulate organic matter and phytoplankton cells containing elevated concentrations of precursors of the methyl radical such as DMS may provide potential hotspots for CH4 photoproduction.

scholarly journals Photobleaching as a factor controlling spectral characteristics of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in open ocean

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 7207-7217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yamashita ◽  
Y. Nosaka ◽  
K. Suzuki ◽  
H. Ogawa ◽  
K. Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Open Ocean ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Spectral Slope ◽  
Subtropical Region ◽  
Subarctic Region

Abstract. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) ubiquitously occurs in marine environments and plays a significant role in the marine biogeochemical cycles. Basin scale distributions of CDOM have recently been surveyed in the global ocean and indicate that quantity and quality of oceanic CDOM are mainly controlled by in situ production and photobleaching. However, factors controlling the spectral parameters of CDOM in the UV region, i.e., spectral slope of CDOM determined at 275–295 nm (S275–295) and the ratio of two spectral slope parameters (SR); the ratio of S275–295 to S350–400, have not been well documented. To evaluate the factor controlling the spectral characteristics of CDOM in the UV region in the open ocean, we determined the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of CDOM in the subarctic and subtropical surface waters (5–300 m) of the western North Pacific. Absorption coefficients at 320 nm in the subarctic region were higher than those in the subtropical region throughout surface waters, suggesting that magnitudes of photobleaching were different between the two regions. The values of S275–295 and SR were also higher in the subtropical region than the subarctic region. The dark microbial incubation showed biodegradation of DOM little affected S275–295, but slightly decreased SR. On the other hand, increases in S275–295 and relative stableness of SR were observed during photo-irradiation incubations respectively. These experimental results indicated that photobleaching of CDOM mainly induced qualitative differences in CDOM at UV region between the subarctic and subtropical surface waters. The results of this study imply that S275–295 can be used as a tracer of photochemical history of CDOM in the open ocean.

scholarly journals Water mass age and aging driving chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the dark global ocean

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 917-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Catalá ◽  
I. Reche ◽  
M. Álvarez ◽  
S. Khatiwala ◽  
E. F. Guallart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Water Mass ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter

scholarly journals Photomineralization and photomethanification of dissolved organic matter in Saguenay River surface water

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 14303-14341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zhang ◽  
H. Xie
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Dimethyl Sulfide ◽  
Ultraviolet B ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Quantum Yields ◽  
Methyl Radical ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Saguenay River

Abstract. Rates and apparent quantum yields of photomineralization (AQYDOC) and photomethanification (AQYCH4) of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Saguenay River surface water were determined at three widely differing dissolved oxygen concentrations ([O2]) (suboxic, air-saturation, and oxygenated) using simulated-solar radiation. Photomineralization increased linearly with CDOM absorbance photobleaching for all three O2 treatments. Whereas the rate of photochemical dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss increased with increasing [O2], the ratio of fractional DOC loss to fractional absorbance loss showed an inverse trend. CDOM photodegradation led to a nearly complete mineralization under suboxic conditions but to only a partial mineralization under oxic conditions. AQYDOC determined under oxygenated, suboxic, and air-saturated conditions increased, decreased, and remained largely constant with photobleaching, respectively; AQYDOC obtained under air-saturation with short-term irradiations could thus be applied to longer exposures. AQYDOC decreased successively from ultraviolet B (UVB) to ultraviolet A (UVA) to visible (VIS), which, alongside the solar irradiance spectrum, points to VIS and UVA being the primary drivers for photomineralization in the water column. The photomineralization rate in the Saguenay River was estimated to be 2.31 × 108 mol C yr−1, accounting for only 1 % of the annual DOC input into this system. Photoproduction of CH4 occurred under both suboxic and oxic conditions and increased with decreasing [O2], with the rate under suboxic conditions ~ 7–8 times that under oxic conditions. Photoproduction of CH4 under oxic conditions increased linearly with photomineralization and photobleaching. Under air-saturation, 0.00057 % of the photochemical DOC loss was diverted to CH4, giving a photochemical CH4 production rate of 4.36 × 10−6 mol m−2 yr−1 in the Saguenay River and, by extrapolation, of (1.9–8.1) × 108 mol yr−1 in the global ocean. AQYCH4 changed little with photobleaching under air-saturation but increased exponentially under suboxic conditions. Spectrally, AQYCH4 decreased sequentially from UVB to UVA to VIS, with UVB being more efficient under suboxic conditions than under oxic conditions. On a depth-integrated basis, VIS prevailed over UVB in controlling CH4 photoproduction under air-saturation while the opposite held true under O2-deficiency. An addition of micromolar levels of dissolved dimethyl sulfide (DMS) substantially increased CH4 photoproduction, particularly under O2-deficiency; DMS at nanomolar ambient concentrations in surface oceans is, however, unlikely a significant CH4 precursor. Results from this study suggest that CDOM-based CH4 photoproduction only marginally contributes to the CH4 supersaturation in modern surface oceans and to both the modern and Archean atmospheric CH4 budgets, but that the photochemical term can be comparable to microbial CH4 oxidation in modern oxic oceans. Our results also suggest that anoxic microniches in particulate organic matter and phytoplankton cells containing elevated concentrations of precursors of the methyl radical such as DMS may provide potential hotspots for CH4 photoproduction.

scholarly journals Viral lysis alters the optical properties and biological availability of dissolved organic matter derived from picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xilin Xiao ◽  
Weidong Guo ◽  
Xiaolin Li ◽  
Chao Wang ◽  
Xiaowei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Dissolved Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Viral Infection ◽  
Biological Availability ◽  
Absorption Coefficients ◽  
Viral Lysis ◽  
Microbial Utilization

Phytoplankton contribute almost half of the world's total primary production. The exudates and viral lysates of phytoplankton are two important forms of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic environments and fuel heterotrophic prokaryotic metabolism. However, the effect of viral infection on the composition and biological availability of phytoplankton-released DOM is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the optical characteristics and microbial utilization of the exudates and viral lysates of the ecologically important unicellular picophytoplankton Prochlorococcus. Our results showed that Prochlorococcus DOM produced by viral lysis (Pro-vDOM) with phages of three different morphotypes (myovirus P-HM2, siphovirus P-HS2 and podovirus P-SSP7) had higher humic-like fluorescence intensities, lower absorption coefficients and higher spectral slopes compared to DOM exuded by Prochlorococcus (Pro-exudate). The results indicate that viral infection altered the composition of Prochlorococcus-derived DOM and might contribute to the pool of oceanic humic-like DOM. Incubation with Pro-vDOM resulted in a greater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) degradation rate and decreases in the absorption spectral slope and heterotrophic bacterial growth rate compared to incubation with Pro-exudate, suggesting that Pro-vDOM was more bioavailable compared to Pro-exudate. In addition, the stimulated microbial community succession trajectories were significantly different between the Pro-exudate and Pro-vDOM treatments, indicating that viral lysates play an important role in shaping the heterotrophic bacterial community. Our study demonstrated that viral lysis altered the chemical composition and biological availability of DOM derived from Prochlorococcus, which is the numerically dominant phytoplankton in the oligotrophic ocean. Importance The unicellular picocyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is the numerically dominate phytoplankton in the oligotrophic ocean, contributing to the vast majority of marine primary production. Prochlorococcus releases a significant fraction of fixed organic matter into surrounding environment and supports a vital portion of heterotrophic bacterial activity. Viral lysis is an important biomass loss process of Prochlorococcus. Yet little is known about whether and how viral lysis affects Prochlorococcus-released dissolved organic matter (DOM). Our paper shows that viral infection alters the optical properties (such as the absorption coefficients, spectral slopes and fluorescence intensities) of released DOM and might contribute to a humic-like DOM pool and carbon sequestration in the ocean. Meanwhile, viral lysis also releases various intracellular labile DOM including amino acids, protein-like DOM and lower-molecular weight DOM, increases the bioavailability of DOM and shapes the successive trajectory of the heterotrophic bacterial community. Our study highlights the importance of viruses in impacting the DOM quality in the ocean.

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