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A Fateful Meeting of Two Phytoplankton Species—Chemical vs. Cell-Cell-Interactions in Co-Cultures of the Green Algae Oocystis marsonii and the Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

  • Microbiology of Aquatic Systems
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Abstract

Massive growth of single species of cyanobacteria is a common phenomenon in many eutrophicated waters worldwide. Allelopathic growth control of phytoplankton species is one suggested mechanism, but still controversially discussed. The fact that the synthesis of biological active compounds requires high energy costs and carbon investment for a single cell in contrast to high dilution rates in natural systems questions the universal validity of allelopathic mechanisms, even more as high concentrations of allelopathic substances are often needed in several experiments to cause biological effects. In this study, it was tested, if growth inhibition is induced by chemical signaling alone or via direct cell–cell interaction. As a test system, we used a co-culture of the green algae Oocystis marsonii (Trebouxiophyceae) with the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa which is known to strongly reduce the growth of the green algal competitor. In this study, direct co-culturing as well as membrane-separated growth chambers were used to test for chemical and contact-mediated interactions. In the membrane-separated chambers, both species can be co-cultivated and a membrane allows the exchange of metabolites. Growth of O. marsonii was only affected in the direct co-cultivation situation, where direct cell-to-cell contact was possible. During direct co-cultivation, deviating cellular traits, namely cell cycle pattern and large cell-aggregate formation of both species, could be detected. These data strongly support the hypothesis of a direct cell-cell-contact necessary for allelopathic growth control in this model system. Such direct contact would allow targeting allelopathic metabolites directly towards the competitor and thereby minimizing dilution effects.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks goes to David Förster for performing the growth assays with culture supernatants during his bachelor thesis. We also thank all four reviewers for their constructive improvement of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Susanne Dunker

  2. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research - iDiv, Deutscher Platz 5a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Susanne Dunker, Georg Pohnert & Christian Wilhelm

  3. Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry/Bioorganic Analytics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany

    Julia Althammer & Georg Pohnert

  4. Department of Plant Physiology, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Christian Wilhelm

Authors
  1. Susanne Dunker
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  2. Julia Althammer
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  3. Georg Pohnert
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  4. Christian Wilhelm
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanne Dunker.

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Highlights

- Growth and cellular development of the green algae O. marsonii was only impaired in direct mixture with M. aeruginosa and not in membrane-separated chambers of both species.

- Effects on cell cycle of O. marsonii and detection of cell-cell aggregates of both species in direct mixed culture suggest that growth control is based on cell-cell-contacts in this study.

- Excretion of allelopathic compounds means high dilution rates for allelopathic substances in contrast to high metabolic costs for the producing organism.

- This cell–cell contact would be a valuable explanation for the application of a targeted and effective dose of allelopathic substances, without dilution effects.

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Dunker, S., Althammer, J., Pohnert, G. et al. A Fateful Meeting of Two Phytoplankton Species—Chemical vs. Cell-Cell-Interactions in Co-Cultures of the Green Algae Oocystis marsonii and the Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa . Microb Ecol 74, 22–32 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-016-0927-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-016-0927-1

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