Reduced nitrogenase efficiency dominates response of the globally important nitrogen fixer Trichodesmium to ocean acidification.

ABSTRACT: The response of the prominent marine dinitrogen (N₂)-fixing cyanobacteria Trichodesmium to ocean acidification (OA) is critical to understanding future oceanic biogeochemical cycles. Recent studies have reported conflicting findings on the effect of OA on growth and N₂ fixation of Trichodesmium. Here, we quantitatively analyzed experimental data on how Trichodesmium reallocated intracellular iron and energy among key cellular processes in response to OA, and integrated the findings to construct an optimality-based cellular model. The model results indicate that Trichodesmium growth rate decreases under OA primarily due to reduced nitrogenase efficiency. The downregulation of the carbon dioxide (CO₂)-concentrating mechanism under OA has little impact on Tric

SUBMITTER: Luo YW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6447586 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature