A metabolomics exploration of the sexual phase in the marine diatom pseudo-nitzschia multistriata

authored by

Federica Fiorini, Camilla Borgonuovo, Maria Immacolata Ferrante, Mark Brönstrup

Abstract

Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata is a planktonic marine diatom with a diplontic life cycle comprising a short sexual phase, during which gametes are produced following the encounter of two diploid cells of opposite mating type (MT). Gene expression studies have highlighted the presence of substantial changes occurring at the onset of sexual reproduction. Herein, we have hypothesized that the amount and nature of cellular metabolites varies along the mating process. To capture the metabolome of Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata at different harvesting times in an unbiased manner, we undertook an untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Using three different extraction steps, the method revealed pronounced differences in the metabolic profiles between control cells in the vegetative phase (MT+ and MT−) and mixed strains of opposite MTs (cross) undergoing sexual reproduction. Of the 2408 high-quality features obtained, 70 known metabolites could be identified based on in-house libraries and online databases; additional 46 features could be classified by molecular networking of tandem mass spectra. The reduction of phytol detected in the cross can be linked to the general downregulation of photosynthesis during sexual reproduction observed elsewhere. Moreover, the role of highly regulated compounds such as 7-dehydrodesmosterol, whose changes in abundance were the highest in the experiment, oleamide, ectoine, or trigonelline is discussed.

Organisation(s)

Centre of Biomolecular Drug Research (BMWZ)

External Organisation(s)

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

Type

Article

Journal

Marine drugs

Volume

18

ISSN

1660-3397

Publication date

14.06.2020

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Drug Discovery

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14 - Life Below Water

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/md18060313 (Access: Open)