DSYB catalyses the key step of dimethylsulfoniopropionate biosynthesis in many phytoplankton

Curson, Andrew R. J., Williams, Beth T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8594-1269, Pinchbeck, Benjamin J., Sims, Leanne P., Bermejo Martínez, Ana, Rivera, Peter Paolo L., Kumaresan, Deepak, Mercadé, Elena, Spurgin, Lewis G., Carrión, Ornella, Moxon, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4644-1816, Cattolico, Rose Ann, Kuzhiumparambil, Unnikrishnan, Guagliardo, Paul, Clode, Peta L., Raina, Jean-Baptiste and Todd, Jonathan D. (2018) DSYB catalyses the key step of dimethylsulfoniopropionate biosynthesis in many phytoplankton. Nature Microbiology, 3. 430–439.

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Abstract

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a globally important organosulfur molecule and the major precursor for dimethyl sulfide. These compounds are important info-chemicals, key nutrients for marine microorganisms, and are involved in global sulfur cycling, atmospheric chemistry and cloud formation1,2,3. DMSP production was thought to be confined to eukaryotes, but heterotrophic bacteria can also produce DMSP through the pathway used by most phytoplankton4, and the DsyB enzyme catalysing the key step of this pathway in bacteria was recently identified5. However, eukaryotic phytoplankton probably produce most of Earth’s DMSP, yet no DMSP biosynthesis genes have been identified in any such organisms. Here we identify functional dsyB homologues, termed DSYB, in many phytoplankton and corals. DSYB is a methylthiohydroxybutryate methyltransferase enzyme localized in the chloroplasts and mitochondria of the haptophyte Prymnesium parvum, and stable isotope tracking experiments support these organelles as sites of DMSP synthesis. DSYB transcription levels increased with DMSP concentrations in different phytoplankton and were indicative of intracellular DMSP. Identification of the eukaryotic DSYB sequences, along with bacterial dsyB, provides the first molecular tools to predict the relative contributions of eukaryotes and prokaryotes to global DMSP production. Furthermore, evolutionary analysis suggests that eukaryotic DSYB originated in bacteria and was passed to eukaryotes early in their evolution.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: There is a correction on the 30th of January 2019.Link added above
Uncontrolled Keywords: dmsp,phytoplankton,dmsp synthesis,sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Molecular Microbiology
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 01 Mar 2018 14:30
Last Modified: 12 May 2023 10:31
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/66409
DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0119-5

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