Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41349993›Full record

ArticleHarmful algae2026

The ornithine-arginine cycle supported a toxic, metalimnic Planktothrix rubescens bloom.

Brittany N Zepernick, David J Niknejad, Emily E Chase, Blessing A Abiodun, Meaghan J Adler, Katelyn A Houghton, Jason L Olavesen, Qudus Sarumi, Alexander R Truchon, Jillian L Walton and 10 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Harmful algae, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

20 authors.

Brittany N ZepernickDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address: zepernickb@uncw.edu.
David J NiknejadDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Emily E ChaseDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Blessing A AbiodunDepartment of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Meaghan J AdlerDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Katelyn A HoughtonDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Jason L OlavesenDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
Qudus SarumiDepartment of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Alexander R TruchonDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Jillian L WaltonDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Jack H CheshireGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC, USA.
Keara StanislawczykGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; F.T. Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, Put-in-Bay, OH, USA.
Lauren N HartGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Hans W PaerlGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC, USA.
Justin D ChaffinGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; F.T. Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, Put-in-Bay, OH, USA.
Gregory L BoyerGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Hector F CastroDepartment of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Shawn R CampagnaDepartment of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Biological and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Core, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
George S BullerjahnGreat Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
Steven W WilhelmDepartment of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Great Lakes Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA. Electronic address: wilhelm@utk.edu.

Funding

The synergistic effects of climate and anthropogenic drivers on toxic cyanobacterial bloomsP01ES028939 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Gregory James Dick, David Joseph Kennedy · 2018 to 2026
$3.7M
NIEHS NIH HHS P01 ES028939
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Planktothrix rubescens is distinct from other cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom (cHAB) genera: the crimson-red cHAB thrives in the cold, low-light, nutrient-limited metalimnion. Studies have attributed this ecological success to buoyancy regulation, low-light adaptations, and the uptake of nitrogen-rich amino acids. Yet, it remains to be mechanistically determined how this cHAB maintains physiological nutrient quotas in the metalimnion due to limited in situ molecular studies. We employed metagenomics and metabolomics to generate hypotheses concerning a toxigenic P. rubescens bloom in Mead's Quarry (Knoxville, TN, USA) observed in two separate years. Our results suggest a perennial, metalimnic P. rubescens population may exist, with spring turnover facilitating seasonal migration to the epilimnion. Although P. rubescens dominated the epilimnion and metalimnion, intracellular metabolite pools grouped by depth and suggested depth-discrete partitioning of the arginine deiminase-mediated ornithine-arginine cycle (OAC, i.e., urea cycle) - while further indicating the presence of the arginine catabolic pathway. Though the arginine influx driving the OAC is unclear, we hypothesize this input is provided via the uptake of urea or nitrogen-rich amino acids. Further, we demonstrate arginine deiminase (agrE/argZ) is broadly distributed in Planktothrix genera and known microcystin producers, suggesting agrE/argZ-mediated arginine metabolism and the OAC may influence the fitness of toxigenic cHAB genera which require ample nitrogen to synthesize microcystins. Cumulatively, our results serve as a case study to provide insight on the metabolic pathways driving the ecological success of metalimnic P. rubescens blooms. On a broader scale, this work strengthens the case that alternative nitrogen metabolism - including urea utilization, amino acid catabolism, and the OAC - is a driver of toxigenic cHABs in fresh waters.

Indexed as

ArginineCyanobacteriaHarmful Algal BloomOrnithineMetagenomicsArginineOrnithineArginine deiminaseArginine dihydrolaseMetabolomicsMetagenomicsMicrocystin congenersNitrogen metabolismUrea

Identifiers

PMID41349993
PMCPMC12728736

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.