Transcriptionally active heterotrophic diazotrophs are widespread in the upper water column of the Arabian Sea

Clare Bird, Michael Wyman*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Pelagic nitrogen fixation makes an important contribution to the fixed nitrogen budget of the world's oceans. Filamentous and unicellular cyanobacteria are significant players in this process but less is known of the potential activity of heterotrophic diazotrophs, although they are present and can be quite numerous in the nitrogen-deplete surface waters of the tropical and sub-tropical oceans. In this study we focused on the potential activity of several clades of heterotrophic nitrogen-fixers identified by phylogenetic analysis of 44 non-Trichodesmium-related, nifH (encoding the Fe-subunit of nitrogenase) clones from the Arabian Sea. Specific Northern slot blot protocols were developed to quantify nifH mRNAs from each clade and showed that two groups of Gammaproteobacteria, including the previously characterized UMB clade, and a third, novel phylotype affiliated with cluster III anaerobes, were actively expressing nitrogenase in the equatorial waters of this region. Transcripts (nifH mRNAs) from the latter clade were particularly abundant and were also detected in the suboxic waters of the oxygen minimum zone further north. Like the gammaproteobacterial groups, nifH expression by these organisms appeared to be insensitive to combined nitrogen concentrations and was readily detected in the nutrient-replete waters below the upper mixed layer as well as at shallower depths.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)189-200
Number of pages12
JournalFEMS Microbiology Ecology
Volume84
Issue number1
Early online date27 Dec 2012
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2013

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • nifH
  • nitrogenase
  • nitrogen-fixation
  • reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
  • NORTH PACIFIC-OCEAN
  • NITROGEN-FIXING MICROORGANISMS
  • STRAIN ATCC 51142
  • ATLANTIC-OCEAN
  • MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM
  • N-2 FIXATION
  • NIFH GENES
  • CROCOSPHAERA-WATSONII
  • MICROBIAL COMMUNITY
  • DIVERSITY

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Transcriptionally active heterotrophic diazotrophs are widespread in the upper water column of the Arabian Sea'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this