Phosphorus Limitation Enhances Diazotroph Zinc Quotas.

ABSTRACT: Trichodesmium spp. is a colonial diazotrophic cyanobacterium found in the oligotrophic (sub)tropical oceans, where dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) can be depleted. To cope with low P concentrations, P can be scavenged from the dissolved organic P (DOP) pool. This requires the deployment of multiple enzymes activated by trace metals, potentially enhancing metal requirements under stronger P limitations. To test this, we grew Trichodesmium under trace-metal-controlled conditions, where P was supplied as either DIP or DOP (methylphosphonic acid). Mean steady-state biomass under the DOP treatment was only 40% of that grown under equivalent DIP supply, carbon normalized alkaline phosphorus activity was elevated 4-fold, and the zinc (Zn)-carbon ratio was elevated 3.5-fold. Our

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9069106 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature