Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Toxins (Basel). 2019 Jul 26;11(8):444. doi: 10.3390/toxins11080444.
Cyanophages are abundant in aquatic environments and play a critical role in bloom dynamics, including regulation of cyanobacteria growth and photosynthesis. In this study, cyanophages from western Lake Erie water samples were screened for lytic activities against the host cell (), which was also originated from Lake Erie and identified with real-time sequencing (Nanopore sequencing). was mixed with the cyanophages and their dynamic interactions were examined over two weeks using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), qPCR, phycocyanin and chlorophyll-a production, and optical absorbance measurements. The TEM images revealed a short-tailed virus () in 300 nm size with unique capsid, knob-like proteins. The gene and one knob-like protein gene, , were identified by PCR. The AFM showed a reduction of mechanical stiffness in the host cell membranes over time after infection, before structural damage became visible. Significant inhibition of the host growth and photosynthesis was observed from the measurements of phycocyanin and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The results provide an insight into cyanobacteria-cyanophage interactions in bloom dynamics and a potential application of cyanophages for bloom control in specific situations.
噬藻体在水生环境中大量存在，在水华动态中发挥着关键作用，包括调控蓝藻的生长和光合作用。在这项研究中，从伊利湖西部水样中筛选出了对宿主细胞（）具有裂解活性的噬藻体，该宿主细胞也来自伊利湖，并通过实时测序（纳米孔测序）进行了鉴定。将与噬藻体混合，并使用原子力显微镜（AFM）以及透射电子显微镜（TEM）、qPCR、藻蓝蛋白和叶绿素-a 产量和光吸收测量，在两周内检测它们的动态相互作用。TEM 图像显示了一种 300nm 大小的短尾病毒（），具有独特的衣壳和小球状蛋白。通过 PCR 鉴定了 基因和一个小球状蛋白基因 。AFM 显示，在感染后一段时间内，宿主细胞膜的力学刚度逐渐降低，直到结构损伤变得明显。从藻蓝蛋白和叶绿素-a 浓度的测量结果中观察到对宿主生长和光合作用的显著抑制。该结果深入了解了水华动态中蓝藻-噬藻体的相互作用，以及噬藻体在特定情况下控制水华的潜在应用。
