Exploring mutualistic interactions between microalgae and bacteria in the omics age
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Microalgae undertake a wide range of mutualistic interactions with bacteria. Here we consider how transcriptomic, metagenomic and metabolomic approaches have been combined with microbiological and biochemical analyses to expand our understanding of algal-bacterial interactions. Identification of the major bacterial species associated with algae indicates that specific bacterial groups, particularly the alpha-Proteobacteria, are found more frequently, suggesting that these may have the means to initiate and maintain symbiotic relationships. Nutrient exchange is frequently the basis of algal-bacterial mutualism, and as the compounds involved are characterised, evidence is accumulating that these are complex and specific molecules, offering opportunities for signalling processes and regulation rather than merely passive diffusion. At the same time, it is clear that the interactions are not static, but can be initiated and broken in response to environmental and developmental cues.
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One of the main tradeoffs in mutualistic interaction between microalgae and bacteria is exchange of fixed carbon by microalgae and vitamins produced by bacteria, which act as cofactors for enzymes in key metabolic pathways in the microalga.
“One of the main tradeoffs in the mutualistic interaction between microalgae and bacteria is the exchange of fixed carbon by microalgae and vitamins produced by the bacteria, which act as cofactors for enzymes in key metabolic pathways in the microalga [23].”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [23]
Nearly 50% of microalgae are auxotrophs for vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and 22% for vitamin B1 (thiamine).
“Nearly 50% of microalgae are auxotrophs for vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and 22% for vitamin B1 (thiamine).”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [23]
Vitamin B12 is produced only by prokaryotes and is the source of the vitamin for the microalga in exchange for photosynthates.
“As vitamin B12 is produced only by prokaryotes, it is the source of the vitamin for the microalga in exchange for photosynthates [23].”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Cooper, M. B., & Smith, A. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Smith, Alison G
- ORCID
- Smith, Alison G
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Plant Biology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-08
- Volume
- 26
- Pages
- 147-153
- ISSN
- 1369-5266 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1726621249
- Cited by
- 248
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 1.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Plant Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- BBSRC
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Keywords
- microalgae, symbiotic bacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, nutrient exchange, quorum sensing, signaling molecules, transcriptomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, symbiosis regulation
- MeSH terms
- Bacteria, Symbiosis, Microalgae
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