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Exploring mutualistic interactions between microalgae and bacteria in the omics age.


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Authors

Cooper, Matthew B 
Smith, Alison G 

Abstract

Microalgae undertake a wide range of mutualistic interactions with bacteria. Here we consider how transcriptomic, metagenomic and metabolomic approaches have been combined with microbiological and biochemical analyses to expand our understanding of algal-bacterial interactions. Identification of the major bacterial species associated with algae indicates that specific bacterial groups, particularly the alpha-Proteobacteria, are found more frequently, suggesting that these may have the means to initiate and maintain symbiotic relationships. Nutrient exchange is frequently the basis of algal-bacterial mutualism, and as the compounds involved are characterised, evidence is accumulating that these are complex and specific molecules, offering opportunities for signalling processes and regulation rather than merely passive diffusion. At the same time, it is clear that the interactions are not static, but can be initiated and broken in response to environmental and developmental cues.

Description

Keywords

Bacteria, Microalgae, Symbiosis

Journal Title

Curr Opin Plant Biol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1369-5266
1879-0356

Volume Title

26

Publisher

Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/I013164/1)
We thank the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the UK, and PML Applications Ltd., Plymouth UK, for the CASE studentship for MBC.