Characterizing the "fungal shunt": Parasitic fungi on diatoms affect carbon flow and bacterial communities in aquatic microbial food webs.

ABSTRACT: Microbial interactions in aquatic environments profoundly affect global biogeochemical cycles, but the role of microparasites has been largely overlooked. Using a model pathosystem, we studied hitherto cryptic interactions between microparasitic fungi (chytrid Rhizophydiales), their diatom host Asterionella, and cell-associated and free-living bacteria. We analyzed the effect of fungal infections on microbial abundances, bacterial taxonomy, cell-to-cell carbon transfer, and cell-specific nitrate-based growth using microscopy (e.g., fluorescence in situ hybridization), 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Bacterial abundances were 2 to 4 times higher on individual fungal-infected diatoms compared to healthy diatoms, particularly involving Burkholderiales.

SUBMITTER: Klawonn I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8201943 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature