Daily bursts of biogenic cyanogen bromide (BrCN) control biofilm formation around a marine benthic diatom.

ABSTRACT: The spatial organization of biofilms is strongly regulated by chemical cues released by settling organisms. However, the exact nature of these interactions and the repertoire of chemical cues and signals that micro-organisms produce and exude in response to the presence of competitors remain largely unexplored. Biofilms dominated by microalgae often show remarkable, yet unexplained fine-scale patchy variation in species composition. Because this occurs even in absence of abiotic heterogeneity, antagonistic interactions might play a key role. Here we show that a marine benthic diatom produces chemical cues that cause chloroplast bleaching, a reduced photosynthetic efficiency, growth inhibition and massive cell death in naturally co-occurring competing microalgae. Using headspace solid phase

SUBMITTER: Vanelslander B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3289321 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature