Proteome Changes Driven by Phosphorus Deficiency and Recovery in the Brown Tide Forming Alga Aureococcus anophagefferens Journal Article


Authors: Wurch, Louie L.; Bertrand, Erin M.; Saito, Mark A.; Van Mooy, Benjamin A. S.; Dyhrman, Sonya T.
Article Title: Proteome Changes Driven by Phosphorus Deficiency and Recovery in the Brown Tide Forming Alga Aureococcus anophagefferens
Abstract: Shotgun mass spectrometry was used to detect proteins in the harmful alga, Aureococcus anophagefferens, and monitor their relative abundance across nutrient replete (control), phosphate-deficient (-P) and -P refed with phosphate (P-refed) conditions. Spectral counting techniques identified differentially abundant proteins and demonstrated that under phosphate deficiency, A. anophagefferens increases proteins involved in both inorganic and organic phosphorus (P) scavenging, including a phosphate transporter, 5'-nucleotidase, and alkaline phosphatase. Additionally, an increase in abundance of a sulfolipid biosynthesis protein was detected in -P and P-refed conditions. Analysis of the polar membrane lipids showed that cellular concentrations of the sulfolipid sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) were nearly two-fold greater in the -P condition versus the control condition, while cellular phospholipids were approximately 8-fold less. Transcript and protein abundances were more tightly coupled for gene products involved in P metabolism compared to those involved in a range of other metabolic functions. Comparison of protein abundances between the -P and P-refed conditions identified differences in the timing of protein degradation and turnover. This suggests that culture studies examining nutrient starvation responses will be valuable in interpreting protein abundance patterns for cellular nutritional status and history in metaproteomic datasets.
Keywords: PHYTOPLANKTON; EMILIANIA-HUXLEYI; organic nitrogen; LIMITATION; NUTRIENT; ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE; GENE-EXPRESSION; MERCENARIA-MERCENARIA; COATED VESICLES; SIGNAL PEPTIDES; DIATOM PHAEODACTYLUM-TRICORNUTUM
Journal Title: PLoS One
Volume: 6
Issue: 12
ISSN: 1932-6203
Publisher: Public Library of Science  
Publication Place: SAN FRANCISCO; 185 BERRY ST, STE 1300, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107 USA
Date Published: 2011
Start Page: e28949
End Page: e28949
DOI/URL:
Notes: PT: J; TC: 0; UT: WOS:000298369100131