氮磷营养盐添加对二甲基巯基丙酸内盐合成与降解细菌及其功能基因的影响

【目的】二甲基巯基丙酸内盐(dimethylsulfoniopropionate,DMSP)是海洋中主要的有机硫化物之一,是海洋细菌硫的主要来源,海洋细菌将其分解成"冷室气体"二甲基硫(dimethylsulfide,DMS),对调节全球气候变化和驱动地球硫循环有重要作用。本研究通过中国东海水体的现场围隔实验模拟海水富营养化对DMSP、DMS产量以及DMSP合成基因(dsyB和mmtN)和降解基因(dddP和dmdA)及相关功能细菌的影响。【方法】通过流式细胞仪计数92个围隔海水样品中微微型浮游生物的数量,采用Illumina MiSeq测序技术对海水样品中细菌的16S rRNA基因进行高通量测序,利用荧光定量PCR技术定量测定16S rRNA基因、DMSP合成及降解基因的丰度。【结果】研究发现,同时添加硝酸盐(6.00μmol/L)和磷酸盐(0.375μmol/L)能促进叶绿素a、DMSP、DMS的浓度上升。对于DMSP合成基因,只加磷酸盐能促进dsyB及Phaeobacter等相应物种的富集,虽然同时添加硝酸盐和磷酸盐使dsyB富集,但相对只加磷酸盐却不利于dsyB积累;同时添加硝酸盐和磷酸盐也抑制Alteromonas的生长,进而抑制了mmtN的富集。对于DMSP降解基因,同时加入硝酸盐和磷酸盐促进了dddP及Thalassococcus、Thalassobius、Loktanella和Shimia等物种的富集,却抑制了SAR11、Sulfitobacter等的富集,从而导致dmdA无法被富集。【结论】氮限制能更好地促进DMSP合成基因的表达,从而迫使细菌增加DMSP的合成以应对氮营养条件不足的生存环境,并进而提高DMSP脱甲基化的比例为细菌提供更多能量;而在硝酸盐和磷酸盐充足情况下,细菌相对减少DMSP的合成且更倾向于裂解DMSP产生DMS来降低硫同化的比例。本研究结果强调了海水富营养化对细菌合成与降解DMSP过程的影响。

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on the bacterial dimethylsulfoniopropionate production and catabolism

In natural freshwater and low-salinity waters, bloom-forming cyanobacteria often live in the form of cyanobacterial aggregates. Many heterotrophic bacteria colonize in the cyanobacterial aggregates, subsequently they constitute the fundamental unit with unique ecological functions. Compared with single-celled cyanobacteria, cyanobacterial aggregates exhibit many unique characteristics, e.g., rich organic matter, steep redox gradient, and complex inter-specific interactions. These properties enable cyanobacterial aggregates to become the hotspot for elemental biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Meanwhile, the inter-specific interactions within cyanobacterial aggregates are far more intense compared to those between single-celled algae and free-living bacteria. This review introduces current research progress on these aspects, with a focus on the biological, physiological and chemical processes within cyanobacterial aggregates, and discusses the micro-mechanisms of the macro-phenomena. In the future, the omic research of cyanobacterial aggregates and the construction of multi-omic microecological databases may become the key for exploring life processes within cyanobacterial aggregates and for revealing the mechanisms of cyanobacterial bloom outbreak.