Resting cell formation in the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 243; no. 4; pp. 1347 - 1360
• Main Authors: Wang, Guangning, Huang, Lu, Zhuang, Shanshan, Han, Fang, Huang, Qianqian, Hao, Mengyuan, Lin, Guifang, Chen, Longnan, Shen, Biying, Li, Feng, Li, Xuesong, Chen, Changping, Gao, Yahui, Mock, Thomas, Liang, Junrong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Bacillariophyceae; Catabolism; Chloroplasts; cold; Cytoplasm; Cytosol; diatom; Diatoms; energy; Genetics; Growth conditions; Histology; intracellular acidification; Marine microorganisms; metabolic reprogramming; Oceans; Photosynthesis; Plankton; resting cell formation; stress resistance; temperature; Temperature requirements; Thalassiosira pseudonana; Ultrastructure; viscous cytosol and chloroplasts; Water circulation; Water column; stress resistance; intracellular acidification; diatom; viscous cytosol and chloroplasts; metabolic reprogramming; resting cell formation
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/nph.19646

Summary Resting cells represent a survival strategy employed by diatoms to endure prolonged periods of unfavourable conditions. In the oceans, many diatoms sink at the end of their blooming season and therefore need to endure cold and dark conditions in the deeper layers of the water column. How they survive these conditions is largely unknown. We conducted an integrative analysis encompassing methods from histology, physiology, biochemistry, and genetics to reveal the biological mechanism of resting‐cell formation in the model diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana. Resting‐cell formation was triggered by a decrease in light and temperature with subsequent catabolism of storage compounds. Resting cells were characterised by an acidic and viscous cytoplasm and altered morphology of the chloroplast ultrastructure. The formation of resting cells in T. pseudonana is an energy demanding process required for a biophysical alteration of the cytosol and chloroplasts to endure the unfavourable conditions of the deeper ocean as photosynthetic organisms. However, most resting cells (> 90%) germinate upon return to favorable growth conditions. See also the Commentary on this article by von Dassow, 243: 1284–1286.