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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2004, p. 3383-3391, Vol. 70, No. 6
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.6.3383-3391.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate Metabolism by Pfiesteria-Associated Roseobacter spp.{dagger}

Todd R. Miller and Robert Belas*

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Received 25 August 2003/ Accepted 5 March 2004

The Roseobacter clade of marine bacteria is often found associated with dinoflagellates, one of the major producers of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Roseobacter species have developed a physiological relationship with DMSP-producing dinoflagellates mediated by the metabolism of DMSP. DMSP was measured in Pfiesteria and Pfiesteria-like (Cryptoperidiniopsis) dinoflagellates, and the identities and metabolic potentials of the associated Roseobacter species to degrade DMSP were determined. Both Pfiesteria piscicida and Pfiesteria shumwayae produce DMSP with an average intracellular concentration of 3.8 µM. Cultures of P. piscicida or Cryptoperidiniopsis sp. that included both the dinoflagellates and their associated bacteria rapidly catabolized 200 µM DMSP (within 30 h), and the rate of catabolism was much higher for P. piscicida cultures than for P. shumwayae cultures. The community of bacteria from P. piscicida and Cryptoperidiniopsis cultures degraded DMSP with the production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and acrylate, followed by 3-methylmercaptopropionate (MMPA) and methanethiol (MeSH). Four DMSP-degrading bacteria were isolated from the P. piscicida cultures and found to be taxonomically related to Roseobacter species. All four isolates produced MMPA from DMSP. Two of the strains also produced MeSH and DMS, indicating that they are capable of utilizing both the lyase and demethylation pathways. The diverse metabolism of DMSP by the dinoflagellate-associated Roseobacter spp. offers evidence consistent with a hypothesis that these bacteria benefit from association with DMSP-producing dinoflagellates.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, 701 East Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21202. Phone: (410) 234-8876. Fax: (410) 234-8896. E-mail: belas{at}umbi.umd.edu.

{dagger} This is COMB publication number O4-649 and ECOHAB publication number 121.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2004, p. 3383-3391, Vol. 70, No. 6
0099-2240/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.6.3383-3391.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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