Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.1
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions
share announcement

Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (19 November 2021) | Viewed by 28823

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Katherina Petrou

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Interests: marine microalgal phenotypic plasticity; ecophysiology; photobiology; cell biochemistry; ocean biogeochemical cycling; phytoplankton–bacteria interactions; coral physiology and symbiosis; single-cell methodologies; cell–cell interface dynamics; ecophysiological responses to climate change; adaptation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Whether obligate, facultative, mutualistic or parasitic, phytoplankton–bacteria relationships play an important role in aquatic ecosystems. These ubiquitous inter-domain interactions are often mediated directly by cell-to-cell attachment but can also occur indirectly via the release of chemicals into the surrounding water. Together, phytoplankton and bacteria are principle players in modulating biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling and, by way of their effect on each other’s physiology and metabolism, often define ecosystem productivity. Therefore, examining cell-scale processes that govern phytoplankton–bacteria networks and associations are important if we are to form a deeper understanding of the underpinnings of our major ecosystems.

This Special Issue, focussed on the importance of phytoplankton–bacteria relationships in aquatic environments, will provide in-depth coverage, including new ideas and scientific advances into understanding the intricacies of such interactions. I kindly invite authors to submit a review article, an original research article, or a short communication on topics related to:

  • the evolutionary development of phytoplankton–bacteria associations,
  • the physiological and metabolic responses controlling their interactions,
  • phytoplankton–bacterial modulation of biogeochemistry or nutrient cycling,
  • the ecological or physiological role of bacteria in harmful algae, and
  • the chemistry or chemical signalling of phytoplankton–bacteria associations. Method studies or perspectives on new methodologies and techniques for probing these relationships are also welcome.

As Guest Editor of this Special Issue, I look forward to reviewing your interesting submissions.

Dr. Katherina Petrou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • environmental microbiology
  • microbe interactions
  • phytoplankton ecology
  • biogeochemical cycling
  • microbiome
  • pathogenicity
  • symbioses
  • chemotaxis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (8 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 168 KiB  
Editorial
Phytoplankton–Bacteria Interactions 1.0
by Katherina Petrou
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051188 - 1 May 2023
Viewed by 1291
Abstract
Phytoplankton and bacteria regulate many essential functions in aquatic ecosystems [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

18 pages, 3881 KiB  
Article
Diatom Biogeography, Temporal Dynamics, and Links to Bacterioplankton across Seven Oceanographic Time-Series Sites Spanning the Australian Continent
by Nine Le Reun, Anna Bramucci, James O’Brien, Martin Ostrowski, Mark V. Brown, Jodie Van de Kamp, Levente Bodrossy, Jean-Baptiste Raina, Penelope Ajani and Justin Seymour
Microorganisms 2022, 10(2), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10020338 - 1 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3088
Abstract
Diatom communities significantly influence ocean primary productivity and carbon cycling, but their spatial and temporal dynamics are highly heterogeneous and are governed by a complex diverse suite of abiotic and biotic factors. We examined the seasonal and biogeographical dynamics of diatom communities in [...] Read more.
Diatom communities significantly influence ocean primary productivity and carbon cycling, but their spatial and temporal dynamics are highly heterogeneous and are governed by a complex diverse suite of abiotic and biotic factors. We examined the seasonal and biogeographical dynamics of diatom communities in Australian coastal waters using amplicon sequencing data (18S-16S rRNA gene) derived from a network of oceanographic time-series spanning the Australian continent. We demonstrate that diatom community composition in this region displays significant biogeography, with each site harbouring distinct community structures. Temperature and nutrients were identified as the key environmental contributors to differences in diatom communities at all sites, collectively explaining 21% of the variability observed in diatoms assemblages. However, specific groups of bacteria previously implicated in mutualistic ecological interactions with diatoms (Rhodobacteraceae, Flavobacteriaceae and Alteromonadaceae) also explained a further 4% of the spatial dynamics observed in diatom community structure. We also demonstrate that the two most temperate sites (Port Hacking and Maria Island) exhibited strong seasonality in diatom community and that at these sites, winter diatom communities co-occurred with higher proportion of Alteromonadaceae. In addition, we identified significant co-occurrence between specific diatom and bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), with members of the Roseobacter and Flavobacteria clades strongly correlated with some of the most abundant diatom genera (Skeletonema, Thalassiosira, and Cylindrotheca). We propose that some of these co-occurrences might be indicative of ecologically important interactions between diatoms and bacteria. Our analyses reveal that in addition to physico-chemical conditions (i.e., temperature, nutrients), the relative abundance of specific groups of bacteria appear to play an important role in shaping the spatial and temporal dynamics of marine diatom communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3771 KiB  
Article
Cross-Linked Regulation of Coral-Associated Dinoflagellates and Bacteria in Pocillopora sp. during High-Temperature Stress and Recovery
by Jiayuan Liang, Chuanqi Deng, Kefu Yu, Ruiqi Ge, Yongqian Xu, Zhenjun Qin, Biao Chen, Yinghui Wang, Hongfei Su, Xueyong Huang, Wen Huang, Guanghua Wang and Sanqiang Gong
Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1972; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091972 - 16 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2390
Abstract
As the problem of ocean warming worsens, the environmental adaptation potential of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria is directly related to the future and fate of corals. This study aimed to analyse the comprehensive community dynamics and physiology of these two groups of organisms [...] Read more.
As the problem of ocean warming worsens, the environmental adaptation potential of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria is directly related to the future and fate of corals. This study aimed to analyse the comprehensive community dynamics and physiology of these two groups of organisms in the coral Pocillopora sp. through indoor simulations of heat stress (which involved manually adjusting the temperature between both 26 °C and 34 °C). Heat treatment (≥30 °C) significantly reduced the abundance of Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria by more than 70%. After the temperature was returned to 26 °C for one month, the Symbiodiniaceae density was still low, while the absolute number of bacteria quickly recovered to 55% of that of the control. At this time point, the Fv/Fm value rose to 91% of the pretemperature value. The content of chlorophyll b associated with Cyanobacteria increased by 50% compared with that under the control conditions. Moreover, analysis of the Symbiodiniaceae subclade composition suggested that the relative abundance of C1c.C45, C1, and C1ca increased during heat treatment, indicating that they might constitute heat-resistant subgroups. We suggest that the increase in the absolute number of bacteria during the recovery period could be an important indicator of coral holobiont recovery after heat stress. This study provides insight into the cross-linked regulation of key symbiotic microbes in the coral Pocillopora sp. during high-temperature stress and recovery and provides a scientific basis for exploring the mechanism underlying coral adaptation to global warming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 3753 KiB  
Article
Uptake of Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) by Natural Microbial Communities of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia
by Eva Fernandez, Martin Ostrowski, Nachshon Siboni, Justin R. Seymour and Katherina Petrou
Microorganisms 2021, 9(9), 1891; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091891 - 6 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4167
Abstract
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a key organic sulfur compound that is produced by many phytoplankton and macrophytes and is ubiquitous in marine environments. Following its release into the water column, DMSP is primarily metabolised by heterotrophic bacterioplankton, but recent evidence indicates that non-DMSP producing [...] Read more.
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a key organic sulfur compound that is produced by many phytoplankton and macrophytes and is ubiquitous in marine environments. Following its release into the water column, DMSP is primarily metabolised by heterotrophic bacterioplankton, but recent evidence indicates that non-DMSP producing phytoplankton can also assimilate DMSP from the surrounding environment. In this study, we examined the uptake of DMSP by communities of bacteria and phytoplankton within the waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. We incubated natural GBR seawater with DMSP and quantified the uptake of DMSP by different fractions of the microbial community (>8 µm, 3–8 µm, <3 µm). We also evaluated how microbial community composition and the abundances of DMSP degrading genes are influenced by elevated dissolved DMSP levels. Our results showed uptake and accumulation of DMSP in all size fractions of the microbial community, with the largest fraction (>8 µm) forming the dominant sink, increasing in particulate DMSP by 44–115% upon DMSP enrichment. Longer-term incubations showed however, that DMSP retention was short lived (<24 h) and microbial responses to DMSP enrichment differed depending on the community carbon and sulfur demand. The response of the microbial communities from inside the reef indicated a preference towards cleaving DMSP into the climatically active aerosol dimethyl sulfide (DMS), whereas communities from the outer reef were sulfur and carbon limited, resulting in more DMSP being utilised by the cells. Our results show that DMSP uptake is shared across members of the microbial community, highlighting larger phytoplankton taxa as potentially relevant DMSP reservoirs and provide new information on sulfur cycling as a function of community metabolism in deeper, oligotrophic GBR waters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1711 KiB  
Article
Features of the Opportunistic Behaviour of the Marine Bacterium Marinobacter algicola in the Microalga Ostreococcus tauri Phycosphere
by Jordan Pinto, Raphaël Lami, Marc Krasovec, Régis Grimaud, Laurent Urios, Josselin Lupette, Marie-Line Escande, Frédéric Sanchez, Laurent Intertaglia, Nigel Grimsley, Gwenaël Piganeau and Sophie Sanchez-Brosseau
Microorganisms 2021, 9(8), 1777; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081777 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3052
Abstract
Although interactions between microalgae and bacteria are observed in both natural environment and the laboratory, the modalities of coexistence of bacteria inside microalgae phycospheres in laboratory cultures are mostly unknown. Here, we focused on well-controlled cultures of the model green picoalga Ostreococcus tauri [...] Read more.
Although interactions between microalgae and bacteria are observed in both natural environment and the laboratory, the modalities of coexistence of bacteria inside microalgae phycospheres in laboratory cultures are mostly unknown. Here, we focused on well-controlled cultures of the model green picoalga Ostreococcus tauri and the most abundant member of its phycosphere, Marinobacter algicola. The prevalence of M. algicola in O. tauri cultures raises questions about how this bacterium maintains itself under laboratory conditions in the microalga culture. The results showed that M. algicola did not promote O. tauri growth in the absence of vitamin B12 while M. algicola depended on O. tauri to grow in synthetic medium, most likely to obtain organic carbon sources provided by the microalgae. M. algicola grew on a range of lipids, including triacylglycerols that are known to be produced by O. tauri in culture during abiotic stress. Genomic screening revealed the absence of genes of two particular modes of quorum-sensing in Marinobacter genomes which refutes the idea that these bacterial communication systems operate in this genus. To date, the ‘opportunistic’ behaviour of M. algicola in the laboratory is limited to several phytoplanktonic species including Chlorophyta such as O. tauri. This would indicate a preferential occurrence of M. algicola in association with these specific microalgae under optimum laboratory conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2815 KiB  
Article
Visualization of Gene Reciprocity among Lactic Acid Bacteria in Yogurt by RNase H-Assisted Rolling Circle Amplification-Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization
by Kyohei Horio, Hirokazu Takahashi, Toshiro Kobori, Kenshi Watanabe, Tsunehiro Aki, Yutaka Nakashimada and Yoshiko Okamura
Microorganisms 2021, 9(6), 1208; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9061208 - 3 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3411
Abstract
Recently, we developed an in situ mRNA detection method termed RNase H-assisted rolling circle amplification-fluorescence in situ hybridization (RHa-RCA-FISH), which can detect even short mRNA in a bacterial cell. However, because this FISH method is sensitive to the sample condition, it is necessary [...] Read more.
Recently, we developed an in situ mRNA detection method termed RNase H-assisted rolling circle amplification-fluorescence in situ hybridization (RHa-RCA-FISH), which can detect even short mRNA in a bacterial cell. However, because this FISH method is sensitive to the sample condition, it is necessary to find a suitable cell permeabilization and collection protocol. Here, we demonstrate its further applicability for detecting intrinsic mRNA expression using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as a model consortium. Our results show that this method can visualize functional gene expression in LAB cells and can be used for monitoring the temporal transition of gene expression. In addition, we also confirmed that data obtained from bulk analyses such as RNA-seq or microarray do not always correspond to gene expression in individual cells. RHa-RCA-FISH will be a powerful tool to compensate for insufficient data from metatranscriptome analyses while clarifying the carriers of function in microbial consortia. By extending this technique to capture spatiotemporal microbial gene expression at the single-cell level, it will be able to characterize microbial interactions in phytoplankton–bacteria interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 24447 KiB  
Article
Exopolymeric Substances Control Microbial Community Structure and Function by Contributing to both C and Fe Nutrition in Fe-Limited Southern Ocean Provinces
by Sonia Blanco-Ameijeiras, Damien J. E. Cabanes, Rachel N. Cable, Scarlett Trimborn, Stéphan Jacquet, Sonja Wiegmann, Christian Völkner, Florian Lelchat, Astrid Bracher, Melissa B. Duhaime and Christel S. Hassler
Microorganisms 2020, 8(12), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8121980 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4080
Abstract
Organic ligands such as exopolymeric substances (EPS) are known to form complexes with iron (Fe) and modulate phytoplankton growth. However, the effect of organic ligands on bacterial and viral communities remains largely unknown. Here, we assessed how Fe associated with organic ligands influences [...] Read more.
Organic ligands such as exopolymeric substances (EPS) are known to form complexes with iron (Fe) and modulate phytoplankton growth. However, the effect of organic ligands on bacterial and viral communities remains largely unknown. Here, we assessed how Fe associated with organic ligands influences phytoplankton, microbial, and viral abundances and their diversity in the Southern Ocean. While the particulate organic carbon (POC) was modulated by Fe chemistry and bioavailability in the Drake Passage, the abundance and diversity of microbes and viruses were not governed by Fe bioavailability. Only following amendments with bacterial EPS did bacterial abundances increase, while phenotypic alpha diversity of bacterial and viral communities decreased. The latter was accompanied by significantly enhanced POC, pointing toward the relief of C limitation or other drivers of the microbial loop. Based on the literature and our findings, we propose a conceptual framework by which EPS may affect phytoplankton, bacteria, and viruses. Given the importance of the Southern Ocean for Earth’s climate as well as the prevalence of viruses and their increasingly recognized impact on marine biogeochemistry and C cycling; the role of microbe–virus interactions on primary productivity in the Southern Ocean needs urgent attention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

15 pages, 895 KiB  
Review
How Do Quorum-Sensing Signals Mediate Algae–Bacteria Interactions?
by Lachlan Dow
Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9071391 - 27 Jun 2021
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 6112
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) describes a process by which bacteria can sense the local cell density of their own species, thus enabling them to coordinate gene expression and physiological processes on a community-wide scale. Small molecules called autoinducers or QS signals, which act as [...] Read more.
Quorum sensing (QS) describes a process by which bacteria can sense the local cell density of their own species, thus enabling them to coordinate gene expression and physiological processes on a community-wide scale. Small molecules called autoinducers or QS signals, which act as intraspecies signals, mediate quorum sensing. As our knowledge of QS has progressed, so too has our understanding of the structural diversity of QS signals, along with the diversity of bacteria conducting QS and the range of ecosystems in which QS takes place. It is now also clear that QS signals are more than just intraspecies signals. QS signals mediate interactions between species of prokaryotes, and between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In recent years, our understanding of QS signals as mediators of algae–bacteria interactions has advanced such that we are beginning to develop a mechanistic understanding of their effects. This review will summarize the recent efforts to understand how different classes of QS signals contribute to the interactions between planktonic microalgae and bacteria in our oceans, primarily N-acyl-homoserine lactones, their degradation products of tetramic acids, and 2-alkyl-4-quinolones. In particular, this review will discuss the ways in which QS signals alter microalgae growth and metabolism, namely as direct effectors of photosynthesis, regulators of the cell cycle, and as modulators of other algicidal mechanisms. Furthermore, the contribution of QS signals to nutrient acquisition is discussed, and finally, how microalgae can modulate these small molecules to dampen their effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-8
Back to TopTop