Phosphate limitation intensifies negative effects of ocean acidification on globally important nitrogen fixing cyanobacterium.

ABSTRACT: Growth of the prominent nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is often limited by phosphorus availability in the ocean. How nitrogen fixation by phosphorus-limited Trichodesmium may respond to ocean acidification remains poorly understood. Here, we use phosphate-limited chemostat experiments to show that acidification enhanced phosphorus demands and decreased phosphorus-specific nitrogen fixation rates in Trichodesmium. The increased phosphorus requirements were attributed primarily to elevated cellular polyphosphate contents, likely for maintaining cytosolic pH homeostasis in response to acidification. Alongside the accumulation of polyphosphate, decreased NADP(H):NAD(H) ratios and impaired chlorophyll synthesis and energy production were observed under acidified conditions. Conseq

SUBMITTER: Zhang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9640675 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature