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Incorporation of zinc into the coccoliths of the microalga Emiliania huxleyi

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Abstract

The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi is covered with elaborated calcite plates, the so-called coccoliths, which are produced inside the cells. We investigated the incorporation of zinc into the coccoliths of E. huxleyi by applying different zinc and calcium amounts via the culture media and subsequently analyzing the zinc content in the cells and the Zn/Ca ratio of the coccoliths. To investigate the Zn/Ca ratio of coccoliths built in the manipulated media, the algae have first to be decalcified, i.e. coccolith free. We used a newly developed decalcification method to obtain ‘naked’ cells for cultivation. E. huxleyi proliferated and produced new coccoliths in all media with manipulated Zn/Ca ratios. The cells and the newly built coccoliths were investigated regarding their zinc content and their Zn/Ca ratio, respectively. High zinc amounts were taken up by the algae. The Zn/Ca ratio of the coccoliths was positively correlated to the Zn/Ca ratio of the applied media. The unique feature of the coccoliths was maintained also at high Zn/Ca ratios. We suggest the following pathway of the zinc ions into the coccoliths: first, the zinc ions are bound to the cell surface, followed by their transportation into the cytoplasm. Obviously, the zinc ions are removed afterwards into the coccolith vesicle, where the zinc is incorporated into the calcite coccoliths which are then extruded. The incorporation of toxic zinc ions into the coccoliths possibly due to a new function of the coccoliths as detoxification sites is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for financial support provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (BI 469/15-1) within the scope of the project “Biologische Erzeugung von Oxidkeramiken” (PAK 410). The authors thank F. Predel (MPI-IS) for SEM measurements, Prof. Dr. P. A. Van Aken (MPI-IS) is thanked for providing the SEM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Giulia Santomauro, Wei-Lin Sun & Joachim Bill

  2. Department of Zoology, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Franz Brümmer

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  1. Giulia Santomauro
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  2. Wei-Lin Sun
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  3. Franz Brümmer
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  4. Joachim Bill
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Correspondence to Giulia Santomauro.

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Santomauro, G., Sun, WL., Brümmer, F. et al. Incorporation of zinc into the coccoliths of the microalga Emiliania huxleyi . Biometals 29, 225–234 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-015-9908-y

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