A sea change in microbial enzymes: Heterogeneous latitudinal and depth-related gradients in bulk water and particle-associated enzymatic activities from 30°S to 59°N in the Pacific Ocean ...
Heterotrophic microbes initiate the degradation of high molecular weight organic matter using extracellular enzymes. Our understanding of differences in microbial enzymatic capabilities, especially among particle-associated taxa and in the deep ocean, is limited by a paucity of hydrolytic enzyme act...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
John Wiley and Sons Inc
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.17615/6zdg-x722 https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/articles/zp38wp48j |
| Summary: | Heterotrophic microbes initiate the degradation of high molecular weight organic matter using extracellular enzymes. Our understanding of differences in microbial enzymatic capabilities, especially among particle-associated taxa and in the deep ocean, is limited by a paucity of hydrolytic enzyme activity measurements. Here, we measured the activities of a broad range of hydrolytic enzymes (glucosidases, peptidases, polysaccharide hydrolases) in epipelagic to bathypelagic bulk water (nonsize-fractionated), and on particles (≥ 3 μm) along a 9800 km latitudinal transect from 30°S in the South Pacific to 59°N in the Bering Sea. Individual enzyme activities showed heterogeneous latitudinal and depth-related patterns, with varying biotic and abiotic correlates. With increasing latitude and decreasing temperature, lower laminarinase activities sharply contrasted with higher leucine aminopeptidase (leu-AMP) and chondroitin sulfate hydrolase activities in bulk water. Endopeptidases (chymotrypsins, trypsins) exhibited ... |
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