Busseni Greta, Rocha Jimenez Vieira Fabio, Amato Alberto, Pelletier Eric, Pierella Karlusich Juan J, Ferrante Maria I, Wincker Patrick, Rogato Alessandra, Bowler Chris, Sanges Remo, Maiorano Luigi, Chiurazzi Maurizio, Ribera d'Alcalà Maurizio, Caputi Luigi, Iudicone Daniele
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.
Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, Paris, France.
Mol Biol Evol. 2019 Nov 1;36(11):2522-2535. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msz157.
Diatoms (Bacillariophyta), one of the most abundant and diverse groups of marine phytoplankton, respond rapidly to the supply of new nutrients, often out-competing other phytoplankton. Herein, we integrated analyses of the evolution, distribution, and expression modulation of two gene families involved in diatom nitrogen uptake (DiAMT1 and DiNRT2), in order to infer the main drivers of divergence in a key functional trait of phytoplankton. Our results suggest that major steps in the evolution of the two gene families reflected key events triggering diatom radiation and diversification. Their expression is modulated in the contemporary ocean by seawater temperature, nitrate, and iron concentrations. Moreover, the differences in diversity and expression of these gene families throughout the water column hint at a possible link with bacterial activity. This study represents a proof-of-concept of how a holistic approach may shed light on the functional biology of organisms in their natural environment.
硅藻（硅藻门）是海洋浮游植物中数量最多、种类最丰富的类群之一，对新养分的供应反应迅速，常常在与其他浮游植物的竞争中胜出。在此，我们整合了对参与硅藻氮吸收的两个基因家族（DiAMT1和DiNRT2）的进化、分布和表达调控的分析，以推断浮游植物关键功能性状差异的主要驱动因素。我们的结果表明，这两个基因家族进化的主要步骤反映了引发硅藻辐射和多样化的关键事件。它们的表达在当代海洋中受到海水温度、硝酸盐和铁浓度的调节。此外，这些基因家族在整个水柱中的多样性和表达差异暗示了与细菌活动的可能联系。这项研究证明了一种整体方法如何能够揭示生物体在其自然环境中的功能生物学。
