Chemotaxis increases metabolic exchanges between marine picophytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria.

Raina, J-B; Giardina, M; Brumley, DR; Clode, PL; Pernice, M; Guagliardo, P; Bougoure, J; Mendis, H; Smriga, S; Sonnenschein, EC; Ullrich, MS; Stocker, R; Seymour, JR

Chemotaxis increases metabolic exchanges between marine picophytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria.

Raina, J-B Giardina, M Brumley, DR Clode, PL Pernice, M

Guagliardo, P Bougoure, J Mendis, H Smriga, S Sonnenschein, EC Ullrich, MS Stocker, R Seymour, JR

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Publisher:: NATURE PORTFOLIO
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nat Microbiol, 2023, 8, (3), pp. 510-521
Issue Date:: 2023-03

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Raina, J-B
dc.contributor.author	Giardina, M
dc.contributor.author	Brumley, DR
dc.contributor.author	Clode, PL
dc.contributor.author	Pernice, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3431-2104
dc.contributor.author	Guagliardo, P
dc.contributor.author	Bougoure, J
dc.contributor.author	Mendis, H
dc.contributor.author	Smriga, S
dc.contributor.author	Sonnenschein, EC
dc.contributor.author	Ullrich, MS
dc.contributor.author	Stocker, R
dc.contributor.author	Seymour, JR
dc.date.accessioned	2024-01-31T05:27:47Z
dc.date.available	2023-01-09
dc.date.available	2024-01-31T05:27:47Z
dc.date.issued	2023-03
dc.identifier.citation	Nat Microbiol, 2023, 8, (3), pp. 510-521
dc.identifier.issn	2058-5276
dc.identifier.issn	2058-5276
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/175138
dc.description.abstract	Behaviours such as chemotaxis can facilitate metabolic exchanges between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria, which ultimately regulate oceanic productivity and biogeochemistry. However, numerically dominant picophytoplankton have been considered too small to be detected by chemotactic bacteria, implying that cell-cell interactions might not be possible between some of the most abundant organisms in the ocean. Here we examined how bacterial behaviour influences metabolic exchanges at the single-cell level between the ubiquitous picophytoplankton Synechococcus and the heterotrophic bacterium Marinobacter adhaerens, using bacterial mutants deficient in motility and chemotaxis. Stable-isotope tracking revealed that chemotaxis increased nitrogen and carbon uptake of both partners by up to 4.4-fold. A mathematical model following thousands of cells confirmed that short periods of exposure to small but nutrient-rich microenvironments surrounding Synechococcus cells provide a considerable competitive advantage to chemotactic bacteria. These findings reveal that transient interactions mediated by chemotaxis can underpin metabolic relationships among the ocean's most abundant microorganisms.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	NATURE PORTFOLIO
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180100838
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT210100100
dc.relation.ispartof	Nat Microbiol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1038/s41564-023-01327-9
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	0605 Microbiology, 1108 Medical Microbiology
dc.subject.classification	3107 Microbiology
dc.subject.mesh	Chemotaxis
dc.subject.mesh	Oceans and Seas
dc.subject.mesh	Heterotrophic Processes
dc.subject.mesh	Synechococcus
dc.subject.mesh	Phytoplankton
dc.subject.mesh	Phytoplankton
dc.subject.mesh	Synechococcus
dc.subject.mesh	Chemotaxis
dc.subject.mesh	Oceans and Seas
dc.subject.mesh	Heterotrophic Processes
dc.subject.mesh	Chemotaxis
dc.subject.mesh	Oceans and Seas
dc.subject.mesh	Heterotrophic Processes
dc.subject.mesh	Synechococcus
dc.subject.mesh	Phytoplankton
dc.title	Chemotaxis increases metabolic exchanges between marine picophytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	8
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	0605 Microbiology
utslib.for	1108 Medical Microbiology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-01-31T05:27:46Z
pubs.issue	3
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	8
utslib.citation.issue	3

Abstract:

Behaviours such as chemotaxis can facilitate metabolic exchanges between phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria, which ultimately regulate oceanic productivity and biogeochemistry. However, numerically dominant picophytoplankton have been considered too small to be detected by chemotactic bacteria, implying that cell-cell interactions might not be possible between some of the most abundant organisms in the ocean. Here we examined how bacterial behaviour influences metabolic exchanges at the single-cell level between the ubiquitous picophytoplankton Synechococcus and the heterotrophic bacterium Marinobacter adhaerens, using bacterial mutants deficient in motility and chemotaxis. Stable-isotope tracking revealed that chemotaxis increased nitrogen and carbon uptake of both partners by up to 4.4-fold. A mathematical model following thousands of cells confirmed that short periods of exposure to small but nutrient-rich microenvironments surrounding Synechococcus cells provide a considerable competitive advantage to chemotactic bacteria. These findings reveal that transient interactions mediated by chemotaxis can underpin metabolic relationships among the ocean's most abundant microorganisms.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/175138