Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium

Trichodesmium is a unique cyanobacterium that concurrently performs both oxygen-generating photosynthesis and oxygen-sensitive nitrogen fixation in the same cells during the photoperiod. We have previously shown that nickel availability positively influences growth and nitrogen fixation rates of Tri...

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Main Authors: Irene B. Rodriguez, Ivan Alex P. Lazarte, Tung-Yuan Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1525315/full
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author Irene B. Rodriguez
Ivan Alex P. Lazarte
Tung-Yuan Ho
Tung-Yuan Ho
author_facet Irene B. Rodriguez
Ivan Alex P. Lazarte
Tung-Yuan Ho
Tung-Yuan Ho
author_sort Irene B. Rodriguez
collection DOAJ
description Trichodesmium is a unique cyanobacterium that concurrently performs both oxygen-generating photosynthesis and oxygen-sensitive nitrogen fixation in the same cells during the photoperiod. We have previously shown that nickel availability positively influences growth and nitrogen fixation rates of Trichodesmium under intense light conditions. The activity of the nickel-containing superoxide dismutase (Ni-SOD) is a critical component of the cellular mechanism exploited by Trichodesmium to attain the sensitive balance between photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. Here, we studied the interactive effects of Ni and Fe availability on growth and nitrogen fixation rates of Trichodesmium because these act as metal centers of essential enzymes critical in various biochemical processes. Our results show that Ni availability enhances production of hydrogen by Trichodesmium but intracellular levels may be influenced by activity of a NiFe-uptake hydrogenase. Further, we used immunocytochemistry to demonstrate that Ni-SOD was significantly expressed in Trichodesmium, and that it co-occurred with both the Fe-component of nitrogenase enzyme and the D1 protein of PSII. The concurrence of these enzymes indicates that Ni-SOD aids in maintaining low intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by rapidly converting superoxide released by photosynthetic systems into hydrogen peroxide. Our results showing that Ni-SOD coexists with a photosynthetic protein and the nitrogenase enzyme supports the role of Ni-SOD in the protective mechanism employed by Trichodesmium.
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spelling doaj-art-9ca6980943204700af3df15b7c6ed8db2025-08-20T03:54:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-05-011210.3389/fmars.2025.15253151525315Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in TrichodesmiumIrene B. Rodriguez0Ivan Alex P. Lazarte1Tung-Yuan Ho2Tung-Yuan Ho3Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, PhilippinesResearch Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanResearch Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanInstitute for Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanTrichodesmium is a unique cyanobacterium that concurrently performs both oxygen-generating photosynthesis and oxygen-sensitive nitrogen fixation in the same cells during the photoperiod. We have previously shown that nickel availability positively influences growth and nitrogen fixation rates of Trichodesmium under intense light conditions. The activity of the nickel-containing superoxide dismutase (Ni-SOD) is a critical component of the cellular mechanism exploited by Trichodesmium to attain the sensitive balance between photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. Here, we studied the interactive effects of Ni and Fe availability on growth and nitrogen fixation rates of Trichodesmium because these act as metal centers of essential enzymes critical in various biochemical processes. Our results show that Ni availability enhances production of hydrogen by Trichodesmium but intracellular levels may be influenced by activity of a NiFe-uptake hydrogenase. Further, we used immunocytochemistry to demonstrate that Ni-SOD was significantly expressed in Trichodesmium, and that it co-occurred with both the Fe-component of nitrogenase enzyme and the D1 protein of PSII. The concurrence of these enzymes indicates that Ni-SOD aids in maintaining low intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by rapidly converting superoxide released by photosynthetic systems into hydrogen peroxide. Our results showing that Ni-SOD coexists with a photosynthetic protein and the nitrogenase enzyme supports the role of Ni-SOD in the protective mechanism employed by Trichodesmium.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1525315/fullnitrogen fixationnitrogen cyclingdiazotophnickel availabilitynickel enzymes
spellingShingle Irene B. Rodriguez
Ivan Alex P. Lazarte
Tung-Yuan Ho
Tung-Yuan Ho
Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
Frontiers in Marine Science
nitrogen fixation
nitrogen cycling
diazotoph
nickel availability
nickel enzymes
title Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
title_full Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
title_fullStr Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
title_full_unstemmed Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
title_short Immunocytochemical evidence of Ni-SOD expression in Trichodesmium
title_sort immunocytochemical evidence of ni sod expression in trichodesmium
topic nitrogen fixation
nitrogen cycling
diazotoph
nickel availability
nickel enzymes
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1525315/full
work_keys_str_mv AT irenebrodriguez immunocytochemicalevidenceofnisodexpressionintrichodesmium
AT ivanalexplazarte immunocytochemicalevidenceofnisodexpressionintrichodesmium
AT tungyuanho immunocytochemicalevidenceofnisodexpressionintrichodesmium
AT tungyuanho immunocytochemicalevidenceofnisodexpressionintrichodesmium