Publication Details |
Category | Text Publication |
Reference Category | Journals |
DOI | 10.1126/science.1222700 |
Title (Primary) | Unicellular cyanobacterium symbiotic with a single-celled eukaryotic alga |
Author | Thompson, A.W.; Foster, R.A.; Krupke, A.; Carter, B.J.; Musat, N.; Vaulot, D.; Kuypers, M.M.M.; Zehr, J.P. |
Source Titel | Science |
Year | 2012 |
Department | ISOBIO |
Volume | 337 |
Issue | 6101 |
Page From | 1546 |
Page To | 1550 |
Language | englisch |
Abstract | Symbioses between nitrogen (N)2–fixing prokaryotes and photosynthetic eukaryotes are important for nitrogen acquisition in N-limited environments. Recently, a widely distributed planktonic uncultured nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium (UCYN-A) was found to have unprecedented genome reduction, including the lack of oxygen-evolving photosystem II and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, which suggested partnership in a symbiosis. We showed that UCYN-A has a symbiotic association with a unicellular prymnesiophyte, closely related to calcifying taxa present in the fossil record. The partnership is mutualistic, because the prymnesiophyte receives fixed N in exchange for transferring fixed carbon to UCYN-A. This unusual partnership between a cyanobacterium and a unicellular alga is a model for symbiosis and is analogous to plastid and organismal evolution, and if calcifying, may have important implications for past and present oceanic N2 fixation. |
Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13039 |
Thompson, A.W., Foster, R.A., Krupke, A., Carter, B.J., Musat, N., Vaulot, D., Kuypers, M.M.M., Zehr, J.P. (2012): Unicellular cyanobacterium symbiotic with a single-celled eukaryotic alga Science 337 (6101), 1546 - 1550 10.1126/science.1222700 |