Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/ncomms7711
Title (Primary) Marine sequestration of carbon in bacterial metabolites
Author Lechtenfeld, O.J. ORCID logo ; Hertkorn, N.; Shen, Y.; Witt, M.; Benner, R.
Source Titel Nature Communications
Year 2015
Department ANA
Volume 6
Page From art. 6711
Language englisch
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fncomms7711/MediaObjects/41467_2015_BFncomms7711_MOESM40_ESM.pdf
Keywords Earth sciences; Biogeochemistry, Climate science; Oceanography
UFZ wide themes RU2;
Abstract Linking microbial metabolomics and carbon sequestration in the ocean via refractory organic molecules has been hampered by the chemical complexity of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Here, using bioassay experiments and ultra-high resolution metabolic profiling, we demonstrate that marine bacteria rapidly utilize simple organic molecules and produce exometabolites of remarkable molecular and structural diversity. Bacterial DOM is similar in chemical composition and structural complexity to naturally occurring DOM in sea water. An appreciable fraction of bacterial DOM has molecular and structural properties that are consistent with those of refractory molecules in the ocean, indicating a dominant role for bacteria in shaping the refractory nature of marine DOM. The rapid production of chemically complex and persistent molecules from simple biochemicals demonstrates a positive feedback between primary production and refractory DOM formation. It appears that carbon sequestration in diverse and structurally complex dissolved molecules that persist in the environment is largely driven by bacteria.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=16146
Lechtenfeld, O.J., Hertkorn, N., Shen, Y., Witt, M., Benner, R. (2015):
Marine sequestration of carbon in bacterial metabolites
Nat. Commun. 6 , art. 6711 10.1038/ncomms7711