Research article
Transcriptional response of the model planctomycete Rhodopirellula baltica SH1T to changing environmental conditions
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* Corresponding author: Frank O Glöckner fog@mpi-bremen.de
1 Microbial Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Microbial Genomics Group, Celsiusstr. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
2 Department of Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Microbiology, Celsiusstr. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
3 Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Campusring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
BMC Genomics 2009, 10:410 doi:10.1186/1471-2164-10-410
Published: 2 September 2009Abstract
Background
The marine model organism Rhodopirellula baltica SH1T was the first Planctomycete to have its genome completely sequenced. The genome analysis predicted a complex lifestyle and a variety of genetic opportunities to adapt to the marine environment. Its adaptation to environmental stressors was studied by transcriptional profiling using a whole genome microarray.
Results
Stress responses to salinity and temperature shifts were monitored in time series experiments. Chemostat cultures grown in mineral medium at 28°C were compared to cultures that were shifted to either elevated (37°C) or reduced (6°C) temperatures as well as high salinity (59.5‰) and observed over 300 min. Heat shock showed the induction of several known chaperone genes. Cold shock altered the expression of genes in lipid metabolism and stress proteins. High salinity resulted in the modulation of genes coding for compatible solutes, ion transporters and morphology. In summary, over 3000 of the 7325 genes were affected by temperature and/or salinity changes.
Conclusion
Transcriptional profiling confirmed that R. baltica is highly responsive to its environment. The distinct responses identified here have provided new insights into the complex adaptation machinery of this environmentally relevant marine bacterium. Our transcriptome study and previous proteome data suggest a set of genes of unknown functions that are most probably involved in the global stress response. This work lays the foundation for further bioinformatic and genetic studies which will lead to a comprehensive understanding of the biology of a marine Planctomycete.