Microbial degradation of DMSO in the marine environment
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Department Name: Plymouth Marine Lab
Organisations
Publications
Dixon JL
(2020)
Seasonal Changes in Microbial Dissolved Organic Sulfur Transformations in Coastal Waters.
in Microorganisms
Hopkins F
(2023)
The biogeochemistry of marine dimethylsulfide
in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
Mausz M
(2022)
Microbial uptake dynamics of choline and glycine betaine in coastal seawater
in Limnology and Oceanography
| Description | 1) First results showing that coastal marine microbes utilise carbon from DMSO for both growth and energy (assimilation and dissimilation). However, rates of DMSO dissimilation to CO2 were up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than rates of assimilation. 2) Microbial oxidation of DMSO carbon to CO2 could be a signfiicant loss process for dissolved DMSO in marine waters (new knowledge). 3) Turnover times for dissolved DMSO range between 0.6-1.9 days. |
| Exploitation Route | Adds new knowledge & experimental evidence of marine organic S cycle, specifically pathways and rates of DMSO losses. |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | NERC Discovery Science July 2017 submission round |
| Amount | £647,921 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/R010382/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 05/2021 |
| Title | Application of 14C labelled DMSO |
| Description | The use of 14C labelled DMSO has been trialled and used to determine the amount of carbon from DMSO that marine microbes are utilising as either a source for growth (assimilation) or a source of energy (dissimilation). This methodology has been added to stable tracer methods to determine the sources and sinks of DMSO in seawater during a time series at a coastal long term monitoring station, L4 in the western English Channel. There is a resulting time series for 2014 and 2016. |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Understanding the sinks of DMSO in seawater. A manuscript has been prepared and submitted. |
| Title | WCO L4 surface DNA samples |
| Description | DNA samples were collected throughout 2014 and 2016 for collaborators at Warwick University to; 1) identify DMSO-assimilating microorganisms, 2) identify the functional diversity of DMSO degradation genes and 3) understand seasonal variability at station L4 |
| Type Of Material | Biological samples |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Samples are still being analysed. |
| Title | 14C tracer experiments station L4 |
| Description | 14C2 - DMSO tracer being used to determine loss rates due to a) dissimilation to CO2 for microbial energy generation and b) microbial assimilation for growth |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Annual surveys at station L4 undertaken in 2014 and 2016. Data will be submitted to BODC once it has been quality controlled. DOI will then follow. |
| Title | Seawater concentration of DMSO, DMS, DMSP database for 2014 and 2016 completed. |
| Description | Approximately annual surveys of the changes in concentrations of DMSO, DMS and DMSP have been undertaken in 2014 and 2016 on surface (10m) and deep (50m) water samples. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Data has been provided to collaborators at Warwick University. Data has been sent to BODC. Waiting for DOI. 2014 data doi:10.5285/77294815-9c69-338b-e053-6c86abc070db 2016 data doi:10.5285/77294815-9c6a-338b-e053-6c86abc070db |
| URL | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/77294815-9c6a-338b-e053-6c86abc... |
| Title | Stable tracer experiments for determining DMSO loss processes Station L4 |
| Description | Three stable tracers were used (13C-DMSO, d3- DMS, d6-DMSP) to determine the biological consumption, net and gross production and turnover times of DMS, DMSP and DMSO in surface waters of station L4, WCO. 2014 and 2016 datasets. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Detailed time series in 2016 (with some preliminary data from 2014). Data has been submitted to BODC WCO database. Currently waiting for DOI from BODC. |