Direct exchange of vitamin B12 is demonstrated by modelling the growth dynamics of algal–bacterial cocultures
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The growth dynamics of populations of interacting species in the aquatic environment is of great importance, both for understanding natural ecosystems and in efforts to cultivate these organisms for industrial purposes. Here we consider a simple two-species system wherein the bacterium Mesorhizobium loti supplies vitamin B12 (cobalamin) to the freshwater green alga Lobomonas rostrata, which requires this organic micronutrient for growth. In return, the bacterium receives photosynthate from the alga. Mathematical models are developed that describe minimally the interdependence between the two organisms, and that fit the experimental observations of the consortium. These models enable us to distinguish between different mechanisms of nutrient exchange between the organisms, and provide strong evidence that, rather than undergoing simple lysis and release of nutrients into the medium, M. loti regulates the levels of cobalamin it produces, resulting in a true mutualism with L. rostrata. Over half of all microalgae are dependent on an exogenous source of cobalamin for growth, and this vitamin is synthesised only by bacteria; it is very likely that similar symbiotic interactions underpin algal productivity more generally.
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M. loti regulates production of cobalamin according to the requirements of the microalga rather than simply releasing nutrients to the medium, creating a true mutualistic interaction with L. rostrata.
“Mathematical models that analyze the nutrient exchange between the microorganisms showed that M. loti regulates the production of cobalamin according to the requirements of the microalga rather than simply releasing nutrients to the medium, in this way creating a true mutualistic interaction with L. rostrata [46].”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
M. loti supplies vitamin B12 to L. rostrata, and in return receives fixed carbon from the microalga.
“A model interaction for the exchange of vitamin B12 is the one created between the soil rhizobiaceae Mesorhizobium loti and the freshwater green microalga Lobomonas rostrata, where M. loti supplies vitamin B12, and in return, the bacterium receives fixed carbon from the microalga [45,46,47].”
From Toward the Enhancement of Microalgal Metabolite Production through Microalgae–Bacteria Consortia (2021) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Grant, M. A. A., Kazamia, E., Cicuta, P., & Smith, A. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Smith, Alison G
- Venue
- The ISME Journal
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2014-02-13
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1418-1427
- ISSN
- 1751-7362 (ISSN-L)
- 1751-7370
- PMC
- PMC4069406
- OpenAlex
- W2143296862
- Cited by
- 214
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 7
- FWCI
- 8.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The ISME Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- UK Energy Research Centre
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/J004847/1)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/I013164/1)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NE/C513169/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Keywords
- vitamin B12, Mesorhizobium loti, mutualism, nutrient exchange, photosynthate, symbiosis
- MeSH terms
- Chlorophyta, Fresh Water, Symbiosis, Vitamin B 12, Models, Statistical, Ecosystem, Coculture Techniques, Mesorhizobium
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