A novel epiphytic chlorophyll d-containing cyanobacterium isolated from a mangrove-associated red alga

Anthony W.D. Larkum, Min Chen, Yaqiong Li, Martin Schliep, Erik Christian Løvbjerg Trampe, John West, Anya Salih, Michael Kühl

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A new habitat and a new chlorophyll (Chl) d-containing cyanobacterium belonging to the genus Acaryochloris are reported in this study. Hyperspectral microscopy showed the presence of Chl d-containing microorganisms in epiphytic biofilms on a red alga (Gelidium caulacantheum) colonizing the pneumato-phores of a temperate mangrove (Avicennia marina). The presence of Chl d was further proven by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based pigment analysis and by confocal imaging of cultured cells. Enrichment of mangrove biofilm samples under near-infrared radiation (NIR) yielded the new Acaryochloris sp. MPGRS1, which was closely related in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequence to an isolate from the hypertrophic Salton Sea, USA. The new isolate used Chl d as its major photopigment; Chl d and Chl a contents were ~98% and 1%-2% of total cellular chlorophyll, respectively. These findings expand the variety of ecological niches known to harbor Chl d-containing cyanobacteria and support our working hypothesis that such oxyphototrophs may be ubiquitous in habitats depleted of visible light, but with sufficient NIR exposure.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Phycology
Volume48
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)1320–1327
Number of pages8
ISSN0022-3646
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2012

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