Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities
The microbial community composition of polar and temperate ocean waters differs substantially, but the potential functional consequences of these differences are largely unexplored. We measured bacterial production, glucose metabolism, and the abilities of microbial communities to hydrolyze a range...
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2013
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:577c5bec23784d34a583c3baafd1e982 2023-05-15T14:55:41+02:00 Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities Carol eArnosti Andrew D. Steen 2013-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 https://doaj.org/article/577c5bec23784d34a583c3baafd1e982 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 https://doaj.org/article/577c5bec23784d34a583c3baafd1e982 Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 4 (2013) Gulf of Mexico Polysaccharides Microbial loop carbon cycling glucose metabolism enzyme activities Microbiology QR1-502 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 2022-12-31T14:33:51Z The microbial community composition of polar and temperate ocean waters differs substantially, but the potential functional consequences of these differences are largely unexplored. We measured bacterial production, glucose metabolism, and the abilities of microbial communities to hydrolyze a range of polysaccharides in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard (Smeerenburgfjord), and thus to initiate remineralization of high-molecular weight organic matter. We compared these data with similar measurements previously carried out in the northern Gulf of Mexico in order to investigate whether differences in the spectrum of enzyme activities measurable in Arctic and temperate environments are reflected in ‘downstream’ aspects of microbial metabolism (metabolism of monomers and biomass production). Only 4 of 6 polysaccharide substrates were hydrolyzed in Smeerenburgfjord; all were hydrolyzed in the upper water column of the Gulf. These patterns are consistent on an interannual basis. Bacterial protein production was comparable at both locations, but the pathways of glucose utilization differed. Glucose incorporation rate constants were comparatively higher in Svalbard, but glucose respiration rate constants were higher in surface waters of the Gulf. As a result, at the time of sampling ca. 75% of the glucose was incorporated into biomass in Svalbard, but in the northern Gulf of Mexico most of the glucose was respired to CO2. A limited range of enzyme activities is therefore not a sign of a dormant community or one unable to further process substrates resulting from extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis. The ultimate fate of carbohydrates in marine waters, however, is strongly dependent upon the specific capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities in these disparate environments. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Smeerenburgfjord* Svalbard Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Svalbard Frontiers in Microbiology 4 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Gulf of Mexico Polysaccharides Microbial loop carbon cycling glucose metabolism enzyme activities Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
Gulf of Mexico Polysaccharides Microbial loop carbon cycling glucose metabolism enzyme activities Microbiology QR1-502 Carol eArnosti Andrew D. Steen Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
topic_facet |
Gulf of Mexico Polysaccharides Microbial loop carbon cycling glucose metabolism enzyme activities Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
The microbial community composition of polar and temperate ocean waters differs substantially, but the potential functional consequences of these differences are largely unexplored. We measured bacterial production, glucose metabolism, and the abilities of microbial communities to hydrolyze a range of polysaccharides in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard (Smeerenburgfjord), and thus to initiate remineralization of high-molecular weight organic matter. We compared these data with similar measurements previously carried out in the northern Gulf of Mexico in order to investigate whether differences in the spectrum of enzyme activities measurable in Arctic and temperate environments are reflected in ‘downstream’ aspects of microbial metabolism (metabolism of monomers and biomass production). Only 4 of 6 polysaccharide substrates were hydrolyzed in Smeerenburgfjord; all were hydrolyzed in the upper water column of the Gulf. These patterns are consistent on an interannual basis. Bacterial protein production was comparable at both locations, but the pathways of glucose utilization differed. Glucose incorporation rate constants were comparatively higher in Svalbard, but glucose respiration rate constants were higher in surface waters of the Gulf. As a result, at the time of sampling ca. 75% of the glucose was incorporated into biomass in Svalbard, but in the northern Gulf of Mexico most of the glucose was respired to CO2. A limited range of enzyme activities is therefore not a sign of a dormant community or one unable to further process substrates resulting from extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis. The ultimate fate of carbohydrates in marine waters, however, is strongly dependent upon the specific capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities in these disparate environments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carol eArnosti Andrew D. Steen |
author_facet |
Carol eArnosti Andrew D. Steen |
author_sort |
Carol eArnosti |
title |
Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
title_short |
Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
title_full |
Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
title_fullStr |
Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an Arctic fjord of Svalbard and in the northern Gulf of Mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
title_sort |
patterns of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial metabolism in an arctic fjord of svalbard and in the northern gulf of mexico: contrasts in carbon processing by pelagic microbial communities |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 https://doaj.org/article/577c5bec23784d34a583c3baafd1e982 |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard |
genre |
Arctic Smeerenburgfjord* Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Arctic Smeerenburgfjord* Svalbard |
op_source |
Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 4 (2013) |
op_relation |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 https://doaj.org/article/577c5bec23784d34a583c3baafd1e982 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00318 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
4 |
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1766327715498033152 |