Tracking the cycling of organic osmolytes in the ocean

In the ocean, around 50% of fixed carbon is cycled through the microbial food web each day, representing a large flux of energy and matter. A sizable portion of this flux is likely comprised of organic osmolytes, which are small molecules that are either synthesized or transported into cells to maintain osmotic balance across cell membranes. These molecules are small, polar and structurally diverse encompassing a variety of sugars, amino acids and derivatives, and sulfur-containing metabolites. Due to this structural complexity, these molecules have primarily been studied individually or as part of their structural classes rather than as a functional group. We are adapting analytical and metabolomics tools to study this group of molecules in culture and across marine and coastal gradients. Here, we will discuss differences in osmolyte composition in phytoplankton cultures, in a variety of coastal aquatic environments, and the potential implications for biogeochemical processes.

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Winifred Johnson, University of North Carolina Wilmington (johnsonwm@uncw.edu)

Authors:

Jonah Parker, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (jpp3120@uncw.edu)

Harriet Alexander, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution  (halexander@whoi.edu)

Erin McParland, Oregon State University  (erin.mcparland@oregonstate.edu)