Active reconfiguration of cytoplasmic lipid droplets governs migration of nutrient-limited phytoplankton
Sengupta, A.; Dhar, J.; Danza, F.; Ghoshal, A.; Müller, S.; Kakavand, N. (2022). Active reconfiguration of cytoplasmic lipid droplets governs migration of nutrient-limited phytoplankton. Science Advances 8(44). https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn6005
In: Science Advances. AAAS: New York. ISSN 2375-2548; e-ISSN 2375-2548, meer
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| Auteurs | | Top |
- Sengupta, A.
- Dhar, J.
- Danza, F.
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- Ghoshal, A.
- Müller, S.
- Kakavand, N.
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| Abstract |
Nutrient availability, along with light and temperature, drives marine primary production. The ability to migrate vertically, a critical trait of motile phytoplankton, allows species to optimize nutrient uptake, storage, and growth. However, this traditional view discounts the possibility that migration in nutrient-limited waters may be actively modulated by the emergence of energy-storing organelles. Here, we report that bloom-forming raphidophytes harness energy-storing cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs) to biomechanically regulate vertical migration in nutrient-limited settings. LDs grow and translocate directionally within the cytoplasm, steering strain-specific shifts in the speed, trajectory, and stability of swimming cells. Nutrient reincorporation restores their swimming traits, mediated by an active reconfiguration of LD size and coordinates. A mathematical model of cell mechanics establishes the mechanistic coupling between intracellular changes and emergent migratory behavior. Amenable to the associated photophysiology, LD-governed behavioral shift highlights an exquisite microbial strategy toward niche expansion and resource optimization in nutrient-limited oceans. |
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