RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Metabolic strategies of sharing pioneer bacteria mediating fresh macroalgae breakdown
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.11.29.470388
DO 10.1101/2021.11.29.470388
A1 Maéva Brunet
A1 Nolwen Le Duff
A1 Tristan Barbeyron
A1 François Thomas
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/11/29/2021.11.29.470388.abstract
AB Macroalgae represent huge amounts of biomass worldwide, largely recycled by marine heterotrophic bacteria. We investigated the strategies of “pioneer” bacteria within the flavobacterial genus Zobellia to initiate the degradation of fresh brown macroalgae, which has received little attention compared to the degradation of isolated polysaccharides. Zobellia galactanivorans DsijT could use macroalgae as a sole carbon source and extensively degrade algal tissues without requiring physical contact, via the secretion of extracellular enzymes. This indicated a sharing behaviour, whereby pioneers release public goods that can fuel other bacteria. Comparisons of eight Zobellia strains, and strong transcriptomic shifts in Z. galactanivorans cells using fresh macroalgae vs. isolated polysaccharides, revealed potential overlooked traits of pioneer bacteria. Besides brown algal polysaccharide degradation, they notably include stress resistance proteins, type IX secretion system proteins and novel uncharacterized Polysaccharide Utilization Loci. Overall, this work highlights the relevance of studying fresh macroalga degradation to fully understand the niche, metabolism and evolution of pioneer degraders, as well as their cooperative interactions within microbial communities, as key players in macroalgal biomass turnover.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.