Algal Predators,

Pests and Pathogens

By Bianca Brahamsha
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California, San Diego

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Predators: primary producers are consumed by
herbivores
Insects Grazers

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Pathogens: terrestrial primary producers are
susceptible to a variety of pathogens
• Fungi

• Bacteria

• Viruses

• Nematodes

In 2017, USDA spent $194 million for research on crop protection (or 17% of its Research and Education Budget) 3
Predators of microalgae (cyanobacteria and
eukaryotes) Protozoa
Amoebae Ciliates

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RegP_Lr_i94

Heterotrophic dinoflagellates and nanoflagellates

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Predators of microalgae (cyanobacteria and
eukaryotes) Zooplankton
Crustaceans Rotifers

Copepods Cladocerans

Various grazers of algal mats

Larval stages 5
Pathogens of microalgae
(cyanobacteria and eukaryotes)
• Fungi and fungal-like
Organisms
• Chytrids
• Oomycetes

• Viruses
• Bacteria

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 Microalgal defenses against predators
and pathogens
• Morphological Synechocystis sp. Without
• Size (single cells→colonies, (left
and with(right) a ciliate
clumps)
grazer
• Sheaths, spines, surface
proteins
• Thicker cell walls (to resist
digestion)

• Chemical
• Toxins (Microcystins?, DMS),
repellents
• Life history effects on predator Dr. Claudio Sili, ISE-CNR, Italy

(hatching success, etc) Phormidium sp. Scenedesmus sp.

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Certain microalgal defenses are inducible

Hessen and Van Donk, 1993

Harke, M. J. et. al. 2017. Transcriptomic responses in the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis induced during exposure to zooplankton. Appl
Environ Microbiol 83:e02832-16. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02832-16.
Genes for extracellular polysaccharide synthesis (colony formation) and gas vesicles (floating) 8
Microalgal defensive traits can be selected for
through natural selection and selective “breeding”
After a year of co-culture with the
ciliate Cyclidium sp. a clumping
mutant
of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis
sp. arose

Before After

Mutations in certain genes of the

lipopolysaccharide layer of the
cell envelope of the cyanobacterium
Synechococcus sp. PCC7942
make it resistant to grazing by an amoeba

Wild type lawn Mutant lawn 9

Selective “breeding” of microalgae
• Model systems of predator/prey or pathogen/alga that can be
studied in the laboratory

• Genetic tools to investigate and modify traits

• Funding! In 2017, the USDA spent $194 million for research on

crop protection (or 17% of its Research and Education Budget).
There is nothing comparable for microalgae (yet!)

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Learn more

Carney, L.T., T. Lane. 2014. Parasites in algae mass cultures. Front. Microbiol.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00278

Gachon, C.M.M., T. Sime-Ngando, M. Strittmatter, A. Chambouvet, G. H. Kim. 2010.

Algal diseases: spotlight on a black box. Trends in Plant Science.
doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2010.08.005

Simkovsky, R., E. F. Daniels, K. Tang, S.C. Huynh, S. Golden, B. Brahamsha. 2012. Impairment of O-antigen
production confers resistance to grazing in a model amoeba-cyanobacterium predator-prey system.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 109:16678-16683.

Van Donk, E., A. Ianora, M. Vos. 2011. Induced defences in marine and freshwater
phytoplankton: a review. Hydrobiologia. 668:3-19.

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