Viral infection of algal blooms leaves a unique metabolic footprint on the dissolved organic matter in the ocean

Constanze Kuhlisch, Guy Schleyer, Nir Shahaf, Flora Vincent, Daniella Schatz, Assaf Vardi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Algal blooms are hotspots of primary production in the ocean, forming the basis of the marine food web and fueling the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool. Viruses are key players in controlling algal demise, thereby diverting biomass from higher trophic levels to the DOM pool, a process termed the "viral shunt." To decode the metabolic footprint of the viral shunt in the environment, we induced a bloom of Emiliania huxleyi and followed its succession using untargeted exometabolomics. We show that bloom succession induces dynamic changes in the exometabolic landscape. We found a set of chlorine-iodine-containing metabolites that were induced by viral infection and released during bloom demise. These metabolites were further detected in virus-infected oceanic E. huxleyi blooms. Therefore, we propose that halogenation with both chlorine and iodine is a distinct hallmark of the virus-induced DOM of E. huxleyi, providing insights into the metabolic consequences of the viral shunt.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereabf4680
Number of pages13
JournalScience Advances
Volume7
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Viral infection of algal blooms leaves a unique metabolic footprint on the dissolved organic matter in the ocean'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this