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Title: Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics

Abstract

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) cause significant economic and ecological damage worldwide. Despite considerable efforts, a comprehensive understanding of the factors that promote these blooms has been lacking, because the biochemical pathways that facilitate their dominance relative to other phytoplankton within specific environments have not been identified. Here, biogeochemical measurements showed that the harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens outcompeted co-occurring phytoplankton in estuaries with elevated levels of dissolved organic matter and turbidity and low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. We subsequently sequenced the genome of A. anophagefferens and compared its gene complement with those of six competing phytoplankton species identified through metaproteomics. Using an ecogenomic approach, we specifically focused on gene sets that may facilitate dominance within the environmental conditions present during blooms. A. anophagefferens possesses a larger genome (56 Mbp) and has more genes involved in light harvesting, organic carbon and nitrogen use, and encoding selenium- and metal-requiring enzymes than competing phytoplankton. Genes for the synthesis of microbial deterrents likely permit the proliferation of this species, with reduced mortality losses during blooms. Collectively, these findings suggest that anthropogenic activities resulting in elevated levels of turbidity, organic matter, and metals have opened a niche within coastal ecosystems that ideally suits the uniquemore » genetic capacity of A. anophagefferens and thus, has facilitated the proliferation of this and potentially other HABs.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [1];  [2];  [6];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. Stony Brook University (SUNY)
  2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Woods Hole, MA
  3. ORNL
  4. U.S. Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute
  5. Brigham and Women's Hospital
  6. Rutgers University
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1081805
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 108; Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 0027--8424
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Gobler, Christopher J., Berry, Dianna L., Dyhrman, Sonya T., Wilhelm, Steven W, Salamov, Asaf, Lobanov, Alexei V., Zhang, Yan, Collier, Jackie L., Wurch, Louie L., Kustka, Adam B., Dill, Brian, Shah, Manesh B, and Verberkmoes, Nathan C. Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1073/pnas.1016106108.
Gobler, Christopher J., Berry, Dianna L., Dyhrman, Sonya T., Wilhelm, Steven W, Salamov, Asaf, Lobanov, Alexei V., Zhang, Yan, Collier, Jackie L., Wurch, Louie L., Kustka, Adam B., Dill, Brian, Shah, Manesh B, & Verberkmoes, Nathan C. Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics. United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1016106108
Gobler, Christopher J., Berry, Dianna L., Dyhrman, Sonya T., Wilhelm, Steven W, Salamov, Asaf, Lobanov, Alexei V., Zhang, Yan, Collier, Jackie L., Wurch, Louie L., Kustka, Adam B., Dill, Brian, Shah, Manesh B, and Verberkmoes, Nathan C. 2011. "Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics". United States. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1016106108.
@article{osti_1081805,
title = {Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics},
author = {Gobler, Christopher J. and Berry, Dianna L. and Dyhrman, Sonya T. and Wilhelm, Steven W and Salamov, Asaf and Lobanov, Alexei V. and Zhang, Yan and Collier, Jackie L. and Wurch, Louie L. and Kustka, Adam B. and Dill, Brian and Shah, Manesh B and Verberkmoes, Nathan C},
abstractNote = {Harmful algal blooms (HABs) cause significant economic and ecological damage worldwide. Despite considerable efforts, a comprehensive understanding of the factors that promote these blooms has been lacking, because the biochemical pathways that facilitate their dominance relative to other phytoplankton within specific environments have not been identified. Here, biogeochemical measurements showed that the harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens outcompeted co-occurring phytoplankton in estuaries with elevated levels of dissolved organic matter and turbidity and low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. We subsequently sequenced the genome of A. anophagefferens and compared its gene complement with those of six competing phytoplankton species identified through metaproteomics. Using an ecogenomic approach, we specifically focused on gene sets that may facilitate dominance within the environmental conditions present during blooms. A. anophagefferens possesses a larger genome (56 Mbp) and has more genes involved in light harvesting, organic carbon and nitrogen use, and encoding selenium- and metal-requiring enzymes than competing phytoplankton. Genes for the synthesis of microbial deterrents likely permit the proliferation of this species, with reduced mortality losses during blooms. Collectively, these findings suggest that anthropogenic activities resulting in elevated levels of turbidity, organic matter, and metals have opened a niche within coastal ecosystems that ideally suits the unique genetic capacity of A. anophagefferens and thus, has facilitated the proliferation of this and potentially other HABs.},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1016106108},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1081805}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
issn = {0027--8424},
number = 11,
volume = 108,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}