Better together? Lessons on sociality from Trichodesmium
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
10-1-2023
Abstract
The N2-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is an important player in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles. Trichodesmium occurs both as single trichomes and as colonies containing hundreds of trichomes. In this review, we explore the benefits and disadvantages of colony formation, considering physical, chemical, and biological effects from nanometer to kilometer scale. Showing that all major life challenges are affected by colony formation, we claim that Trichodesmium's ecological success is tightly linked to its colonial lifestyle. Microbial interactions in the microbiome, chemical gradients within the colony, interactions with particles, and elevated mobility in the water column shape a highly dynamic microenvironment. We postulate that these dynamics are key to the resilience of Trichodesmium and other colony formers in our changing environment.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Trends in Microbiology
Volume
31
Issue
10
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Eichner, Meri, Keisuke Inomura, Juan J. Pierella Karlusich, and Yeala Shaked. "Better together? Lessons on sociality from Trichodesmium." Trends in Microbiology 31, 10 (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.05.001.