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Title: Unusual marine cyanobacteria/haptophyte symbiosis relies on N2 fixation even in N-rich environments
Abstract The microbial fixation of N 2 is the largest source of biologically available nitrogen (N) to the oceans. However, it is the most energetically expensive N-acquisition process and is believed inhibited when less energetically expensive forms, like dissolved inorganic N (DIN), are available. Curiously, the cosmopolitan N 2 -fixing UCYN-A/haptophyte symbiosis grows in DIN-replete waters, but the sensitivity of their N 2 fixation to DIN is unknown. We used stable isotope incubations, catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in-situ hybridization (CARD-FISH), and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS), to investigate the N source used by the haptophyte host and sensitivity of UCYN-A N 2 fixation in DIN-replete waters. We demonstrate that under our experimental conditions, the haptophyte hosts of two UCYN-A sublineages do not assimilate nitrate (NO 3 − ) and meet little of their N demands via ammonium (NH 4 + ) uptake. Instead the UCYN-A/haptophyte symbiosis relies on UCYN-A N 2 fixation to supply large portions of the haptophyte’s N requirements, even under DIN-replete conditions. Furthermore, UCYN-A N 2 fixation rates, and haptophyte host carbon fixation rates, were at times stimulated by NO 3 − additions in N-limited waters suggesting a link between the activities of the bulk phytoplankton assemblage and the UCYN-A/haptophyte symbiosis. The results suggest N 2 fixation may be an evolutionarily viable strategy for diazotroph–eukaryote symbioses, even in N-rich coastal or high latitude waters.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1756524
NSF-PAR ID:
10225884
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
The ISME Journal
Volume:
14
Issue:
10
ISSN:
1751-7362
Page Range / eLocation ID:
2395 to 2406
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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