Light-stimulated growth of proteorhodopsin-bearing sea-ice psychrophile Psychroflexus torquis is salinity dependent

• DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.97
• Publication Date: 2013-06-20T15:12:09Z
• Authors: Shi Feng; Shane M Powell; Richard Wilson; John P Bowman
• Keywords: Psychrophile; Extremophile; Temperature salinity diagrams

Proteorhodopsins (PRs) are commonly found in marine prokaryotes and allow microbes to use light as an energy source. In recent studies, it was reported that PR stimulates growth survival under nutrient-limited conditions. this study, we tested the effect of nutrient salinity stress on extremely psychrophilic sea-ice bacterial species Psychroflexus torquis, which possesses PR. We demonstrated for first time light-stimulated occurs conditions rather than limitation elevated is related increased yields, levels associated proton-pumping activity. abundance P. torquis also post-transcriptionally regulated by both thus could represent adaptation its habitat. Our findings extend existing paradigm provides source other limitation.