Phagotrophy by the picoeukaryotic green alga Micromonas: implications for Arctic Oceans.

ABSTRACT: Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPE) are recognized as major primary producers and contributors to phytoplankton biomass in oceanic and coastal environments. Molecular surveys indicate a large phylogenetic diversity in the picoeukaryotes, with members of the Prymnesiophyceae and Chrysophyseae tending to be more common in open ocean waters and Prasinophyceae dominating coastal and Arctic waters. In addition to their role as primary producers, PPE have been identified in several studies as mixotrophic and major predators of prokaryotes. Mixotrophy, the combination of photosynthesis and phagotrophy in a single organism, is well established for most photosynthetic lineages. However, green algae, including prasinophytes, were widely considered as a purely photosynthetic group. The prasinophyte M

SUBMITTER: McKie-Krisberg ZM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4184008 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature