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...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Balmonte, J.P., Giebel, H.-A., Arnosti, C., Simon, M.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: John Wiley and Sons Inc 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.17615/6zdg-x722
https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/articles/zp38wp48j
Description
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 ...