Death-specific protein in a marine diatom regulates photosynthetic responses to iron and light availability

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1304727110
• Publication Date: 2013-11-26T05:14:48Z
• Authors: Kimberlee Thamatr...; Benjamin Bailleul; Christopher M. Brown; Maxim Y. Gorbunov; Adam B. Kustka; Miguel Frada; Pierre A. Joliot; Paul G. Falkowski; Kay D. Bidle
• Keywords: Thalassiosira pseudonana; Carbon fixation

Significance Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic phytoplankton responsible for nearly one-half of total marine primary productivity. We identified a plastid-targeted protein in the coastal diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (TpDSP1) that enhances growth during iron limitation under low light. Clone lines overexpressing TpDSP1 had lower quantum requirements growth, increased levels photosynthetic and carbon fixation proteins, cyclic electron flow around photosystem I, an energy-producing pathway with heretofore unappreciated role diatoms. At same time, clones growing replete conditions markedly reduced rates high light, suggesting that, although confers competitive advantage limitation, cells walk ecological tightrope through regulation this protein.