Plankton Viruses Glycosphingolipids Interactions Coccolithophores Unicellular Most abundant

Plankton, Viruses, Glycosphingolipids: Interactions

Coccolithophores • Unicellular • Most abundant species = Emiliana huxleyi • Found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans • Important part of the planktonic base of marine food webs • Forms extensive blooms

What patterns do you see in this satellite image of coccolithophores (teal green)?

Phytoplankton and Viruses • Phytoplankton abundance = regulated by interactions of: – abiotic factors (e. g. , nutrients and light availability) – biotic factors (e. g. , grazers and viruses). • E. huxleyi form massive annual spring blooms that are routinely terminated by coccolithoviruses.

Glycosphingolipids (GSL) • A type of lipid that has a carbohydrate attached. • Found on outer surface of cell membranes for all organisms…aka both phytoplankton and viruses have them. • Act as markers for cell recognition. • Virus GSLs trigger a cellsignaling pathway that results in the Programmed Cell Death of the host cell.

Brainstorm How can scientists use the information about: – the presence of GSLs in both phytoplankton and virus cells – the fact that viruses often terminate a bloom of phytoplankton to investigate the infection success of viruses in a phytoplankton bloom?

Abundance Data Challenge = 1. What patterns do you notice in the abundance of the two groups? 2. What hypothesis can you draw as to why the groups demonstrate this pattern?

Abundance Data Challenge = 1. What patterns do you notice in the abundance of the two groups? 2. What hypothesis can you draw as to why the groups demonstrate this pattern? 3. Draw on your data visualization the pattern in abundance of the other dataset based upon the patterns in your dataset? Datasets: (1) Phytoplankton & Virus (2) Host GSL & Virus GSL

Phytoplankton and Virus Abundances Phytoplankton Abundance Virus Time (days)

Host GSL and Virus GSL Abundances Abundance Host GSL Virus GSL Time (days)

Phytoplankton, Virus, and GSL Abundances Phytoplankton Virus Abundance Host GSL Virus GSL Time (days)

Phytoplankton, Virus, and GSL Abundances Phytoplankton Virus Abundance Host GSL Virus GSL How does the abundance of phytoplankton and viruses compare over time? Time (days)

Phytoplankton, Virus, and GSL Abundances Phytoplankton Virus Abundance Host GSL Virus GSL How do scientists use the presence and absence of GSLs to understand the interaction between phytoplankton and viruses? Time (days)