Evidence for a Clade-Specific Temporal and Spatial Separation in Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase Gene Expression in Phytoplankton Populations off Cape Hatteras and Bermuda

The factors affecting the regulation of photosynthetic carbon fixation in diverse phytoplankton populations are not yet understood. To this end, we have measured the expression of the gene (rbcL) for the major carbon fixation enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, in coastal phytop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Limnology and oceanography 1999-01, Vol.44 (1), p.12-23
Main Authors: Paul, John H., Pichard, Scott L., Kang, Jordan B., Gregory M. F. Watson, Tabita, F. Robert
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacillariophyta
Bacteriology
Biological and medical sciences
Carbon
Chromophyta
Cyanophyta
Diatoms
Enzymes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene expression
Gene expression regulation
Genetics
Messenger RNA
Microbiology
Oceans
Phytoplankton
Sea water
Surface water
Synechococcus
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Summary:The factors affecting the regulation of photosynthetic carbon fixation in diverse phytoplankton populations are not yet understood. To this end, we have measured the expression of the gene (rbcL) for the major carbon fixation enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, in coastal phytoplankton populations off Cape Hatteras and in oligotrophic oceanic picoplankton near Bermuda. Using gene probes specific for the cyanobacterial/chlorophytic clade and the chromophytic clade (diatoms, chrysophytes, prymnesiophytes, and others) of Form I rbcL genes ("cyano" and "chromo" probes, respectively), we have measured rbcL messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in size-fractionated coastal waters, in a decktop diel incubator and a Lagrangian drifter study, and in vertical profiles in stratified, oligotrophic ocean water. In coastal waters influenced by estuarine plumes, an equal distribution of carbon fixation between the picoplankton and the micro/nannoplankton occurred, with cyano rbcL mRNA coinciding with Synechococcus counts in the$
ISSN:0024-3590
1939-5590
DOI:10.4319/lo.1999.44.1.0012