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Low densities of epiphytic bacteria from the marine alga ulva australis inhibit settlement of fouling organisms

Low densities of epiphytic bacteria from the marine alga ulva australis inhibit settlement of fouling organisms
Low densities of epiphytic bacteria from the marine alga ulva australis inhibit settlement of fouling organisms
Bacteria that produce inhibitory compounds on the surface of marine algae are thought to contribute to the defense of the host plant against colonization of fouling organisms. However, the number of bacterial cells necessary to defend against fouling on the plant surface is not known. Pseudoalteromonas tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 (formerly Roseobacter gallaeciensis) are marine bacteria often found in association with the alga Ulva australis and produce a range of extracellular inhibitory compounds against common fouling organisms. P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 biofilms with cell densities ranging from 102 to 108 cells cm–2 were established on polystyrene petri dishes. Attachment and settlement assays were performed with marine fungi (uncharacterized isolates from U. australis), marine bacteria (Pseudoalteromonas gracilis, Alteromonas sp., and Cellulophaga fucicola), invertebrate larvae (Bugula neritina), and algal spores (Polysiphonia sp.) and gametes (U. australis). Remarkably low cell densities (102 to 103 cells cm–2) of P. tunicata were effective in preventing settlement of algal spores and marine fungi in petri dishes. P. tunicata also prevented settlement of invertebrate larvae at densities of 104 to 105 cells cm–2. Similarly, low cell densities (103 to 104cells cm–2) of Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 had antilarval and antibacterial activity. Previously, it has been shown that abundance of P. tunicata on marine eukaryotic hosts is low (<1 x 103 cells cm–2) (T. L. Skovhus et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:2373-2382, 2004). Despite such low numbers of P. tunicata on U. australis in situ, our data suggest that P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 are present in sufficient quantities on the plant to inhibit fouling organisms. This strongly supports the hypothesis that P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 can play a role in defense against fouling on U. australis at cell densities that commonly occur in situ
0099-2240
7844-7852
Rao, Dhana
53623cf3-0196-43cb-a592-16479aacb918
Webb, Jeremy S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Holmstrom, Carola
33e36645-05ec-4c0b-af9b-f10257ed1b21
Case, Rebecca
93972266-09a9-4093-8c75-d5199b48a2c0
Low, Adrian
a0d26f16-0e78-4cc0-a4c2-ccaccdb8b3f2
Steinberg, Peter
6b282c81-18fb-43f6-8e29-e4273a1e6eaa
Kjelleberg, Staffan
043b66b5-130c-42f2-99b3-ec3eecf3248e
Rao, Dhana
53623cf3-0196-43cb-a592-16479aacb918
Webb, Jeremy S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Holmstrom, Carola
33e36645-05ec-4c0b-af9b-f10257ed1b21
Case, Rebecca
93972266-09a9-4093-8c75-d5199b48a2c0
Low, Adrian
a0d26f16-0e78-4cc0-a4c2-ccaccdb8b3f2
Steinberg, Peter
6b282c81-18fb-43f6-8e29-e4273a1e6eaa
Kjelleberg, Staffan
043b66b5-130c-42f2-99b3-ec3eecf3248e

Rao, Dhana, Webb, Jeremy S., Holmstrom, Carola, Case, Rebecca, Low, Adrian, Steinberg, Peter and Kjelleberg, Staffan (2007) Low densities of epiphytic bacteria from the marine alga ulva australis inhibit settlement of fouling organisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73 (24), 7844-7852. (doi:10.1128/AEM.01543-07). (PMID:17965210)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Bacteria that produce inhibitory compounds on the surface of marine algae are thought to contribute to the defense of the host plant against colonization of fouling organisms. However, the number of bacterial cells necessary to defend against fouling on the plant surface is not known. Pseudoalteromonas tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 (formerly Roseobacter gallaeciensis) are marine bacteria often found in association with the alga Ulva australis and produce a range of extracellular inhibitory compounds against common fouling organisms. P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 biofilms with cell densities ranging from 102 to 108 cells cm–2 were established on polystyrene petri dishes. Attachment and settlement assays were performed with marine fungi (uncharacterized isolates from U. australis), marine bacteria (Pseudoalteromonas gracilis, Alteromonas sp., and Cellulophaga fucicola), invertebrate larvae (Bugula neritina), and algal spores (Polysiphonia sp.) and gametes (U. australis). Remarkably low cell densities (102 to 103 cells cm–2) of P. tunicata were effective in preventing settlement of algal spores and marine fungi in petri dishes. P. tunicata also prevented settlement of invertebrate larvae at densities of 104 to 105 cells cm–2. Similarly, low cell densities (103 to 104cells cm–2) of Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 had antilarval and antibacterial activity. Previously, it has been shown that abundance of P. tunicata on marine eukaryotic hosts is low (<1 x 103 cells cm–2) (T. L. Skovhus et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:2373-2382, 2004). Despite such low numbers of P. tunicata on U. australis in situ, our data suggest that P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 are present in sufficient quantities on the plant to inhibit fouling organisms. This strongly supports the hypothesis that P. tunicata and Phaeobacter sp. strain 2.10 can play a role in defense against fouling on U. australis at cell densities that commonly occur in situ

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Published date: December 2007

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 186807
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/186807
ISSN: 0099-2240
PURE UUID: 0c4abdb1-a9f7-4295-b28e-b40aba35c63e
ORCID for Jeremy S. Webb: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2068-8589

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Date deposited: 18 May 2011 10:25
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:26

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Contributors

Author: Dhana Rao
Author: Jeremy S. Webb ORCID iD
Author: Carola Holmstrom
Author: Rebecca Case
Author: Adrian Low
Author: Peter Steinberg
Author: Staffan Kjelleberg

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