Picocyanobacteria and deep-ocean fluorescent dissolved organic matter share similar optical properties

Zhao Zhao, Michael Gonsior (), Jenna Luek, Stephen Timko, Hope Ianiri, Norbert Hertkorn, Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Xiaoting Fang, Qinglu Zeng, Nianzhi Jiao and Feng Chen
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Zhao Zhao: State Key Laboratory for Marine Environmental Science, Institution of Marine Microbes and Ecosphere, College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University
Michael Gonsior: Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Jenna Luek: Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Stephen Timko: University of California Irvine
Hope Ianiri: Northeastern University
Norbert Hertkorn: Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry
Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin: Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Research Unit Analytical BioGeoChemistry
Xiaoting Fang: Environmental Science Programs, School of Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon
Qinglu Zeng: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Nianzhi Jiao: State Key Laboratory for Marine Environmental Science, Institution of Marine Microbes and Ecosphere, College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University
Feng Chen: Institute of Marine and Science Technology, Shandong University, Joint Lab of Microbial Oceanography at QNLMST

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Marine chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and its related fluorescent components (FDOM), which are widely distributed but highly photobleached in the surface ocean, are critical in regulating light attenuation in the ocean. However, the origins of marine FDOM are still under investigation. Here we show that cultured picocyanobacteria, Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, release FDOM that closely match the typical fluorescent signals found in oceanic environments. Picocyanobacterial FDOM also shows comparable apparent fluorescent quantum yields and undergoes similar photo-degradation behaviour when compared with deep-ocean FDOM, further strengthening the similarity between them. Ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveal abundant nitrogen-containing compounds in Synechococcus DOM, which may originate from degradation products of the fluorescent phycobilin pigments. Given the importance of picocyanobacteria in the global carbon cycle, our results indicate that picocyanobacteria are likely to be important sources of marine autochthonous FDOM, which may accumulate in the deep ocean.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15284

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