Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39820819›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Light-dependent variations in fatty acid profiles and gene expression in Antarctic microalgal cultures.

Jacqui Stuart, Kirsty F Smith, Matt Miller, John K Pearman, Natalie Robinson, Lesley Rhodes, Lucy Thompson, Sarah Challenger, Nicole Parnell, Ken G Ryan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jacqui StuartVictoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-7971-0886
Kirsty F SmithCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Matt MillerCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
John K PearmanCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Natalie RobinsonNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand.
Lesley RhodesCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Lucy ThompsonCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Sarah ChallengerCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Nicole ParnellLincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand.
Ken G RyanVictoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Photosynthetic eukaryotic microalgae are key primary producers in the Antarctic sea ice environment. Anticipated changes in sea ice thickness and snow load due to climate change may cause substantial shifts in available light to these ice-associated organisms. This study used a laboratory-based experiment to investigate how light levels, simulating different sea ice and snow thicknesses, affect fatty acid (FA) composition in two ice associated microalgae species, the pennate diatom Nitzschia cf. biundulata and the dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis. FA profiling and transcriptomic analyses were used to compare the impact of three light levels: High (baseline culturing conditions 90 ± 1 μmol photons m-2 s-1), mid (10 ± 1 μmol photons m-2 s-1); and low (1.5 ± 1 μmol photons m-2 s-1) on each isolate. Both microalgal isolates had altered growth rates and shifts in FA composition under different light conditions. Nitzschia cf. biundulata exhibited significant changes in specific saturated and monounsaturated FAs, with a notable increase in energy storage-related FAs under conditions emulating thinner ice or reduced snow cover. Polarella glacialis significantly increased production of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) in mid light conditions, particularly octadecapentaenoic acid (C18:5N-3), indicating enhanced membrane fluidity and synthesis of longer-chain PUFAs. Notably, C18:5N-3 has been identified as an ichthyotoxic molecule, with fish mortalities associated with other high producing marine taxa. High light levels caused down regulation of photosynthetic genes in N. cf. biundulata isolates and up-regulation in P. glacialis isolates. This and the FA composition changes show the variability of acclimation strategies for different taxonomic groups, providing insights into the responses of microalgae to light stress. This variability could impact polar food webs under climate change, particularly through changes in macronutrient availability to higher trophic levels due to species specific acclimation responses. Further research on the broader microalgal community is needed to clarify the extent of these effects.

Indexed as

DiatomsDinoflagellidaFatty AcidsLightMicroalgaeAntarctic RegionsIce CoverTranscriptomeFatty Acids

Identifiers

PMID39820819
PMCPMC11737666

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.