Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK; School of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK.
Acta Biomater. 2021 Jan 15;120:4-11. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.07.050. Epub 2020 Aug 4.
Coccolithophores represent a major component of the marine phytoplankton and contribute to the bulk of biogenic calcite formation on Earth. These unicellular protists produce minute calcite scales (coccoliths) within the cell, which are secreted to the cell surface. Individual coccoliths and their arrangements on the cell surface display a wide range of morphological variations. This review explores some of the recent evidence that points to similarities and differences in the mechanisms of calcification, focussing on the transport mechanisms that bring substrates to, and remove products from the site of calcification, together with new findings on factors that regulate coccolith morphology. We argue that better knowledge of these mechanisms and their variations is needed to inform more generally how different species of coccolithophore are likely to respond to changes in ocean chemistry. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Coccolithophores, minute single celled phytoplankton are the major producers of biogenic carbonate on Earth. They also represent an important component of the ocean's biota and contribute significantly to global carbon fluxes. Coccolithophores produce intricate calcite scales (coccoliths) internally that they secrete onto their external surface. This review presents some recent key findings on the mechanisms underlying the production of coccoliths. It also considers the factors that regulate the rate of production as well as the variety of shapes of individual coccoliths and their arrangements at the cell surface. Understanding these processes is needed to allow better predictions of how coccolithophores may respond to changing ocean chemistry associated with climate change.
颗石藻是海洋浮游植物的主要组成部分，是地球上大部分生物成因碳酸钙形成的主要贡献者。这些单细胞原生生物在细胞内产生微小的方解石鳞片（颗石），然后分泌到细胞表面。单个颗石及其在细胞表面的排列方式显示出广泛的形态变化。本综述探讨了一些最近的证据，这些证据表明钙化机制存在相似之处和差异，重点关注将底物带到钙化部位并将产物从钙化部位去除的运输机制，以及关于调节颗石形态的因素的新发现。我们认为，需要更好地了解这些机制及其变化，以便更全面地了解不同种类的颗石藻可能对海洋化学变化的反应。
颗石藻是微小的单细胞浮游植物，是地球上生物成因碳酸盐的主要生产者。它们也是海洋生物群的重要组成部分，对全球碳通量有重大贡献。颗石藻在内部产生复杂的方解石鳞片（颗石），然后将其分泌到外部表面。本综述介绍了一些关于产生颗石的机制的最新关键发现。它还考虑了调节生产速度以及单个颗石形状及其在细胞表面排列的多样性的因素。了解这些过程对于更好地预测颗石藻如何应对与气候变化相关的海洋化学变化是必要的。
