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Title: Indirect Interspecies Regulation: Transcriptional and Physiological Responses of a Cyanobacterium to Heterotrophic Partnership

Journal Article · · mSystems
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [4];  [2]; ORCiD logo [5];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); DOE/OSTI
  2. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
  3. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
  4. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab.
  5. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States)

This study elucidates how a cyanobacterial primary producer acclimates to heterotrophic partnership by modulating the expression levels of key metabolic genes. Heterotrophic bacteria can indirectly regulate the physiology of the photoautotrophic primary producers, resulting in physiological changes identified here, such as increased intracellular ROS. Some of the interactions inferred from this model system represent putative principles of metabolic coupling in phototrophic-heterotrophic partnerships. The mechanisms by which microbes interact in communities remain poorly understood. Here, we interrogated specific interactions between photoautotrophic and heterotrophic members of a model consortium to infer mechanisms that mediate metabolic coupling and acclimation to partnership. This binary consortium was composed of a cyanobacterium,Thermosynechococcus elongatusBP-1, which supported growth of an obligate aerobic heterotroph,Meiothermus ruberstrain A, by providing organic carbon, O2, and reduced nitrogen. Species-resolved transcriptomic analyses were used in combination with growth and photosynthesis kinetics to infer interactions and the environmental context under which they occur. We found that the efficiency of biomass production and resistance to stress induced by high levels of dissolved O2 increased, beyond axenic performance, as a result of heterotrophic partnership. Coordinated transcriptional responses transcending both species were observed and used to infer specific interactions resulting from the synthesis and exchange of resources. The cyanobacterium responded to heterotrophic partnership by altering expression of core genes involved with photosynthesis, carbon uptake/fixation, vitamin synthesis, and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). IMPORTANCEThis study elucidates how a cyanobacterial primary producer acclimates to heterotrophic partnership by modulating the expression levels of key metabolic genes. Heterotrophic bacteria can indirectly regulate the physiology of the photoautotrophic primary producers, resulting in physiological changes identified here, such as increased intracellular ROS. Some of the interactions inferred from this model system represent putative principles of metabolic coupling in phototrophic-heterotrophic partnerships.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1626177
Journal Information:
mSystems, Journal Name: mSystems Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 2; ISSN 2379-5077
Publisher:
American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Additional file 1 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 2 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 3 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 4 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 6 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 7 of Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 image January 2020
Additional file 2 of Cross-feeding between cyanobacterium Synechococcus and Escherichia coli in an artificial autotrophic–heterotrophic coculture system revealed by integrated omics analysis image January 2022
Additional file 3 of Cross-feeding between cyanobacterium Synechococcus and Escherichia coli in an artificial autotrophic–heterotrophic coculture system revealed by integrated omics analysis image January 2022
Additional file 4 of Cross-feeding between cyanobacterium Synechococcus and Escherichia coli in an artificial autotrophic–heterotrophic coculture system revealed by integrated omics analysis image January 2022
Additional file 5 of Cross-feeding between cyanobacterium Synechococcus and Escherichia coli in an artificial autotrophic–heterotrophic coculture system revealed by integrated omics analysis image January 2022
Additional file 6 of Cross-feeding between cyanobacterium Synechococcus and Escherichia coli in an artificial autotrophic–heterotrophic coculture system revealed by integrated omics analysis image January 2022
Species-specific transcriptomic network inference of interspecies interactions journal May 2018
Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture journal January 2018
Heterotroph Interactions Alter Prochlorococcus Transcriptome Dynamics during Extended Periods of Darkness journal May 2018
Construction and analysis of an artificial consortium based on the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 to produce the platform chemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO2 journal May 2020
Effect of light wavelength on hot spring microbial mat biodiversity journal January 2018
The Ecology of Subaerial Biofilms in Dry and Inhospitable Terrestrial Environments journal September 2019