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Bacterial influence on alkenones in live microalgae
Author(s) -
Segev Einat,
Castañeda Isla S.,
Sikes Elisabeth L.,
Vlamakis Hera,
Kolter Roberto
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/jpy.12370
Subject(s) - emiliania huxleyi , alkenone , biology , axenic , coccolithophore , algae , haptophyte , phytoplankton , axenic culture , botany , oceanography , bacteria , ecology , nutrient , paleontology , geology , holocene
The microalga Emiliania huxleyi produces alkenone lipids that are important proxies for estimating past sea surface temperatures. Field calibrations of this proxy are robust but highly variable results are obtained in culture. Here, we present results suggesting that algal‐bacterial interactions may be responsible for some of this variability. Co‐cultures of E. huxleyi and the bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens resulted in a 2.5‐fold decrease in algal alkenone‐containing lipid bodies. In addition levels of unsaturated alkenones increase in co‐cultures. These changes result in an increase in the reconstructed growth temperature of up to 2°C relative to axenic algal cultures.