Synechoccocus and Cyanophage control phytoplankton?

This study focuses on unicellular cyanobacteria of the genus Synechococcus and its contribution to primary productivity in the oceans. The main findings support the hypothesis that a virus infection can play a substantial role in determining success of different Synechococcus genotypes and, in extension, seasonal succession.

The study took place in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, where nutrients levels are low. Here they observed a succession of Synechococcus genotypes over an annual cycle. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of a 4403‐ bp rpoC1 gene fragment showed that there were large changes in genetic diversity. The abundance of co-occurring cyanophage capable of infecting marine Synechococcus was contingent on plaque assays, and their genetic diversity was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of a 118‐bp g20 gene fragment.

The results provide evidence that states both abundance and genetic diversity of cyanophage covaried with that of Synechococcus. Using multivariate statistical analyses, this indicated a significant relationship between cyanophage assemblage structure and that of Synechoccocus. These observations ring true to the ideology that cyanophage infection is a major defining factor in picophytoplankton succession.

This paper was very informative but I found that whilst reading it, I was having to research certain terms or methods used in order to understand. Although it is interesting and coherent, I would have appreciated a bit more explanation and descriptions of methods. Contrastingly, the figures were simple and clear which was useful.

Reference: Muhling, M., Fuller, N., Millard, A., Somerfield, P., Marie, D., Wilson, W., Scanlan, D., Post, A., Joint, I. and Mann, N. (2005). Genetic diversity of marine Synechococcus and co-occurring cyanophage communities: evidence for viral control of phytoplankton. Environmental Microbiology, 7(4), pp.499-508.