Pili allow dominant marine cyanobacteria to avoid sinking and evade predation

Maria del Mar Aguilo-Ferretjans, Rafael Bosch, Richard J. Puxty, Mira Latva, Vinko Zadjelovic, Audam Chhun, Despoina Sousoni, Marco Polin, David J. Scanlan and Joseph A. Christie-Oleza ()
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Maria del Mar Aguilo-Ferretjans: University of the Balearic Islands
Rafael Bosch: University of the Balearic Islands
Richard J. Puxty: University of Warwick
Mira Latva: University of Warwick
Vinko Zadjelovic: University of Warwick
Audam Chhun: University of Warwick
Despoina Sousoni: University of Warwick
Marco Polin: University of Warwick
David J. Scanlan: University of Warwick
Joseph A. Christie-Oleza: University of the Balearic Islands

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract How oligotrophic marine cyanobacteria position themselves in the water column is currently unknown. The current paradigm is that these organisms avoid sinking due to their reduced size and passive drift within currents. Here, we show that one in four picocyanobacteria encode a type IV pilus which allows these organisms to increase drag and remain suspended at optimal positions in the water column, as well as evade predation by grazers. The evolution of this sophisticated floatation mechanism in these purely planktonic streamlined microorganisms has important implications for our current understanding of microbial distribution in the oceans and predator–prey interactions which ultimately will need incorporating into future models of marine carbon flux dynamics.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-22152-w

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22152-w

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