| Title: | Phylogeny and biogeography of the algal DMS-releasing enzyme in the global ocean |
| Author(s): | Shemi A; Ben-Dor S; Rotkopf R; Dym O; Vardi A; |
| Address: | "Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel. Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel. Structural Proteomics Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel. assaf.vardi@weizmann.ac.il" |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s43705-023-00280-2 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2730-6151 (Electronic) 2730-6151 (Print) 2730-6151 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Phytoplankton produce the volatile dimethyl sulfide (DMS), an important infochemical mediating microbial interactions, which is also emitted to the atmosphere and affecting the global climate. Albeit the enzymatic source for DMS in eukaryotes was elucidated, namely a DMSP lyase (DL) called Alma1, we still lack basic knowledge regarding its taxonomic distribution. We defined unique sequence motifs which enable the identification of DL homologs (DLHs) in model systems and environmental populations. We used these motifs to predict DLHs in diverse algae by analyzing hundreds of genomic and transcriptomic sequences from model systems under stress conditions and from environmental samples. Our findings show that the DL enzyme is more taxonomically widespread than previously thought, as it is encoded by known algal taxa as haptophytes and dinoflagellates, but also by chlorophytes, pelagophytes and diatoms, which were conventionally considered to lack the DL enzyme. By exploring the Tara Oceans database, we showed that DLHs are widespread across the oceans and are predominantly expressed by dinoflagellates. Certain dinoflagellate DLHs were differentially expressed between the euphotic and mesopelagic zones, suggesting a functional specialization and an involvement in the metabolic plasticity of mixotrophic dinoflagellates. In specific regions as the Southern Ocean, DLH expression by haptophytes and diatoms was correlated with environmental drivers such as nutrient availability. The expanded repertoire of putative DL enzymes from diverse microbial origins and geographic niches suggests new potential players in the marine sulfur cycle and provides a foundation to study the cellular function of the DL enzyme in marine microbes" |
| Notes: | "PubMed-not-MEDLINEShemi, Adva Ben-Dor, Shifra Rotkopf, Ron Dym, Orly Vardi, Assaf eng 1972/20/Israel Science Foundation (ISF)/ England 2023/07/15 ISME Commun. 2023 Jul 14; 3(1):72. doi: 10.1038/s43705-023-00280-2" |
