DMSP production by coral-associated bacteria

Kuek, Felicity W. I., Motti, Cherie A., Zhang, Jia, Cooke, Ira R., Todd, Jonathan D., Miller, David J., Bourne, David G. and Raina, Jean-Baptiste (2022) DMSP production by coral-associated bacteria. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9. ISSN 2296-7745

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Abstract

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an important molecule in the marine sulfur cycle, produced in large amounts by corals and their dinoflagellate endosymbionts, Symbiodiniaceae. Although corals are known to harbour bacteria that can catabolise DMSP, the recent discovery of bacteria capable of producing DMSP in coastal and deep-sea environments raises the possibility of a bacterial contribution to the DMSP output of corals. Here, 157 bacteria associated with four common coral species were isolated and screened for their ability to produce DMSP by targeting dsyB, a key gene involved in DMSP biosynthesis. Approximately 9% (14 out of 157) of the bacterial isolates harboured dsyB, all being members of the Alphaproteobacteria. The ability of these isolates to produce DMSP was confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. A dsyB-harbouring strain, Shimia aestuarii AMM-P-2, was selected for genome sequencing. This strain harbours the complete genetic machinery to (i) assimilate sulfate and synthesise the DMSP precursors, cysteine and methionine; (ii) demethylate DMSP and generate methanethiol; (iii) cleave DMSP, generating dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and acrylate; and (iv) utilise or detoxify acrylate. The impacts of varied environmental factors (temperature, salinity, light and UV radiation) on S. aestuarii AMM-P-2 DMSP biosynthesis were characterised. DMSP levels in S. aestuarii AMM-P-2 increased almost two-fold under both hypersaline conditions (40 PSU) and high UV exposure. DMSP catabolism through the cleavage pathway also increased under these conditions, producing the antioxidants DMS and acrylate, a potential response to the oxidative stress generated. Overall, our results reveal that coral-associated bacteria can synthesize DMSP and may therefore contribute to DMSP production by the coral holobiont.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding: FWIK was supported through scholarships and funding from the AIMS@JCU Division of Research & Innovation and the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences at James Cook University. This research was funded in part by the Pilot Research Awards from AIMS@JCU.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	acrylate,coral-associated bacteria,dmsp,holobiont,sulfur cycle,water science and technology,environmental science (miscellaneous),ocean engineering,aquatic science,oceanography,global and planetary change,sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2312
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Molecular Microbiology
Related URLs:	http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	25 May 2022 10:30
Last Modified:	23 Oct 2022 03:46
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/85154
DOI:	10.3389/fmars.2022.869574

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