The balance between photosynthesis and respiration explains the niche differentiation between Crocosphaera and Cyanothece
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
1-1-2023
Abstract
Crocosphaera and Cyanothece are both unicellular, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria that prefer different environments. Whereas Crocosphaera mainly lives in nutrient-deplete, open oceans, Cyanothece is more common in coastal, nutrient-rich regions. Despite their physiological similarities, the factors separating their niches remain elusive. Here we performed physiological experiments on clone cultures and expand upon a simple ecological model to show that their different niches can be sufficiently explained by the observed differences in their photosynthetic capacities and rates of carbon (C) consumption. Our experiments revealed that Cyanothece has overall higher photosynthesis and respiration rates than Crocosphaera. A simple growth model of these microorganisms suggests that C storage and consumption are previously under-appreciated factors when evaluating the occupation of niches by different marine nitrogen fixers.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal
Volume
21
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Masuda, Takako, Keisuke Inomura, Meng Gao, Gabrielle Armin, Eva Kotabová, Gábor Bernát, Evelyn Lawrenz-Kendrick, Martin Lukeš, Martina Bečková, Gábor Steinbach, Josef Komenda, and Ondřej Prášil. "The balance between photosynthesis and respiration explains the niche differentiation between Crocosphaera and Cyanothece." Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal 21, (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.11.029.