DMSP production in Earths highest producers

二甲基磺丙酸酯（DMSP）是地球上最丰富的有机硫化合物之一。它是一种抗应激化合物，在全球营养和硫循环、信号和气候中起着关键作用。在所有生物中，鞭毛藻产生的这种有影响的化合物的细胞浓度最高，但这些浮游植物是如何产生这种影响的还不确定。此前，我们在藻类和细菌中发现了DMSP合成基因，并于2017年、18年和19年在《自然微生物学》杂志上发表了我们的研究结果。本项目旨在描述鲜为人知的甲藻脱羧酶DMSP合成途径，确定所涉及的关键基因，并确定该途径的环境意义。该项目将使用产生高水平DMSP细胞的甲藻模型来研究这一过程。利用东英吉利大学和约翰英纳斯中心（JIC）的分析化学，将建立和表征鞭毛藻DMSP生物合成途径。分子遗传学和生物化学将用于鉴定和验证新的DMSP合成基因。该项目将研究环境条件是否影响DMSP的产生和DMSP合成基因的转录，以潜在地确定DMSP在我们的模型鞭毛藻中的作用。最后，利用分子生态学和生物信息学手段，对自然海洋环境中产生dmsp的鞭毛藻及其合成基因的多样性、丰度、活性和生物地理特征进行了评价。该项目将加强我们评估气候变化对DMSP循环影响的能力，以及鞭毛藻在全球有机硫循环中的重要性。

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is one of the Earth's most abundant organosulfur compounds. It is an antistress compound with key roles in global nutrient and sulfur cycling, signalling and climate. Dinoflagellates produce the highest cellular concentrations of this influential compound of all organisms yet there is uncertainty about how these phytoplankton do so. Previously, we identified DMSP synthesis genes in algae and bacteria publishing our findings in Nature Microbiology in 2017, 18 and 19. This project aims to characterise the little known dinoflagellate decarboxylase DMSP synthesis pathway, identify the key genes involved and determine how environmentally significant this pathway is.The project will use model dinoflagellates that produce high cellular levels of DMSP to investigate the process. Using analytical chemistry at UEA and the John Innes Centre (JIC) the dinoflagellate DMSP biosynthetic pathway/s will be established and characterised. Molecular genetics and biochemistry will be used to identify and validate novel DMSP synthesis genes. The project will study whether environmental conditions affect DMSP production and the transcription of the DMSP synthesis genes to potentially determine the role/s of DMSP in our model dinoflagellates. Finally, using molecular ecology tools and bioinformatics, the diversity, abundance, activity and biogeography of DMSP-producing dinoflagellates and the synthesis genes will be assessed in natural marine environments. The project will strengthen our ability to assess the effects of e.g., climate change on DMSP cycling, and the significance of dinoflagellates in global organosulfur cycling.