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Prochlorococcus-Alteromonas Helper Coculture

Community ID CommunityMech:000131
Ecological State ENGINEERED
Environment marine environment
ENVO:00002149

A defined marine phototroph-heterotroph coculture in which the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus MIT9312 is paired with the heterotrophic helper bacterium Alteromonas macleodii EZ55. The system models an ocean-surface interaction where Prochlorococcus is vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide because it lacks catalase, while Alteromonas removes reactive oxygen species and thereby expands the conditions under which Prochlorococcus can grow. Elevated carbon dioxide perturbs this interaction by reducing Alteromonas catalase expression and hydrogen peroxide removal.

Taxonomy

Taxon Ontology ID Functional Roles Abundance
Prochlorococcus marinus MIT9312 NCBITaxon:1219
PRIMARY_PRODUCER
N/A
  • doi:10.1038/ismej.2017.189 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)
    "Prochlorococcus is a globally important marine cyanobacterium"
  • PMID:29087377 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)
    "Growth of ecologically relevant concentrations of MIT9312"
Alteromonas macleodii EZ55 NCBITaxon:28108
CROSS_FEEDER
N/A

Ecological Interactions

Ecological interaction network for Prochlorococcus-Alteromonas Helper Coculture Bipartite graph where circle nodes represent taxa and colored rectangles represent ecological interactions (cross-feeding, mutualism, syntrophy, competition, commensalism).
Taxon
Cross-feeding
Mutualism
Syntrophy
Competition
Commensalism
Niche partitioning
Colonization facilitation
Strain competition
Predation

Hydrogen Peroxide Cross-Protection

COMMENSALISM

Source Taxon: Alteromonas macleodii EZ55

Target Taxon: Prochlorococcus marinus MIT9312

Metabolites: hydrogen peroxide (CHEBI:16240)

Biological Processes:

Downstream Effects:
→ Prochlorococcus growth

Evidence

  • PMID:29087377 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)
    "Alteromonas facilitate the growth of Prochlorococcus by scavenging HOOH"
  • doi:10.1038/ismej.2017.189 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)
    "lacks the gene catalase and relies on 'helper' bacteria"

Carbon Dioxide Perturbation of Helper Function

COLONIZATION_FACILITATION

Source Taxon: Alteromonas macleodii EZ55

Target Taxon: Prochlorococcus marinus MIT9312

Metabolites: carbon dioxide (CHEBI:16526), hydrogen peroxide (CHEBI:16240)

Biological Processes:

Evidence

Associated Datasets

Dataset Type Repository Accession
Prochlorococcus MIT9312 and Alteromonas EZ55 clone growth dataset
Growth experiment dataset for Prochlorococcus MIT9312 clones mixed with clonal isolates of Alteromonas EZ55 helper bacteria. 		PHENOTYPE OTHER BCO-DMO:688162

Environmental Factors

Factor Value Unit
Hydrogen peroxide stress Ambient to elevated HOOH treatments N/A
  • PMID:29087377 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)
    "Alteromonas facilitate the growth of Prochlorococcus by scavenging HOOH"
Carbon dioxide 400 ppm and 800 ppm N/A