Aminolipids in bacterial membranes and the natural environment.

Our comprehension of membrane function has predominantly advanced through research on glycerophospholipids, also known as phosphoglycerides, which are glycerol phosphate-based lipids found across all three domains of life. However, in bacteria, a perplexing group of lipids distinct from glycerol phosphate-based ones also exists. These are amino acid-containing lipids that form an amide bond between an amino acid and a fatty acid.

Imbalanced intracellular nutrient stoichiometries drive the regional structural variation of microeukaryotic communities in paddy fields.

Periphytons serve as critical microbial nutrient sinks at the soil-water interface, influencing biogeochemical cycles and nutrient migration in paddy fields. Despite their importance, the impact of accumulated intracellular nutrients on the spatial dynamics and community assembly of periphytons, particularly their microeukaryote communities, remains unclear. To address this gap, we examined the nutrient accumulation potential and its effects on microeukaryotes in periphytons from 220 paddy fields spanning up to 3469 km across three temperature zones.

Bacterial catabolism of membrane phospholipids links marine biogeochemical cycles.

In marine systems, the availability of inorganic phosphate can limit primary production leading to bacterial and phytoplankton utilization of the plethora of organic forms available. Among these are phospholipids that form the lipid bilayer of all cells as well as released extracellular vesicles. However, information on phospholipid degradation is almost nonexistent despite their relevance for biogeochemical cycling.

Ubiquitous occurrence of a dimethylsulfoniopropionate ABC transporter in abundant marine bacteria.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a ubiquitous organosulfur compound in marine environments with important functions in both microorganisms and global biogeochemical carbon and sulfur cycling. The SAR11 clade and marine Roseobacter group (MRG) represent two major groups of heterotrophic bacteria in Earth's surface oceans, which can accumulate DMSP to high millimolar intracellular concentrations. However, few studies have investigated how SAR11 and MRG bacteria import DMSP.

Aminolipids elicit functional trade-offs between competitiveness and bacteriophage attachment in Ruegeria pomeroyi.

Lipids play a crucial role in maintaining cell integrity and homeostasis with the surrounding environment. Cosmopolitan marine roseobacter clade (MRC) and SAR11 clade bacteria are unique in that, in addition to glycerophospholipids, they also produce an array of amino acid-containing lipids that are conjugated with beta-hydroxy fatty acids through an amide bond. Two of these aminolipids, the ornithine aminolipid (OL) and the glutamine aminolipid (QL), are synthesized using the O-acetyltransferase OlsA.

A novel class of sulfur-containing aminolipids widespread in marine roseobacters.

Marine roseobacter group bacteria are numerically abundant and ecologically important players in ocean ecosystems. These bacteria are capable of modifying their membrane lipid composition in response to environmental change. Remarkably, a variety of lipids are produced in these bacteria, including phosphorus-containing glycerophospholipids and several amino acid-containing aminolipids such as ornithine lipids and glutamine lipids.

Lipidomic Analysis of Roseobacters of the Pelagic RCA Cluster and Their Response to Phosphorus Limitation.

The marine roseobacter-clade affiliated cluster (RCA) represents one of the most abundant groups of bacterioplankton in the global oceans, particularly in temperate and sub-polar regions. They play a key role in the biogeochemical cycling of various elements and are important players in oceanic climate-active trace gas metabolism. In contrast to copiotrophic roseobacter counterparts such as DSS-3 and sp.

Beyond oil degradation: enzymatic potential of Alcanivorax to degrade natural and synthetic polyesters.

Pristine marine environments are highly oligotrophic ecosystems populated by well-established specialized microbial communities. Nevertheless, during oil spills, low-abundant hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria bloom and rapidly prevail over the marine microbiota. The genus Alcanivorax is one of the most abundant and well-studied organisms for oil degradation.

Elucidation of glutamine lipid biosynthesis in marine bacteria reveals its importance under phosphorus deplete growth in Rhodobacteraceae.

Marine microorganisms employ multiple strategies to cope with transient and persistent nutrient limitation, one of which, for alleviating phosphorus (P) stress, is to substitute membrane glycerophospholipids with non-P containing surrogate lipids. Such a membrane lipid remodelling strategy enables the most abundant marine phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria to adapt successfully to nutrient scarcity in marine surface waters. An important group of non-P lipids, the aminolipids which lack a diacylglycerol backbone, are poorly studied in marine microbes.

Volatile secondary metabolites as aposematic olfactory signals and defensive weapons in aquatic environments.

Olfaction is considered a distance sense; hence, aquatic olfaction is thought to be mediated only by molecules dissolved in water. Here, we challenge this view by showing that shrimp and fish can recognize the presence of hydrophobic olfactory cues by a "tactile" form of chemoreception. We found that odiferous furanosesquiterpenes protect both the Mediterranean octocoral and its specialist predator, the nudibranch gastropod , from potential predators.