Algae interact with bacteria in multiple ways, ranging from endosymbiosis, ectobiotic symbiosis (in phycosphere, attached on seaweed surface as epiphytes), and non-physically associated but functionally interactive via metabolites. The underlying genomic mechanisms, i.e. how the two partners express their genomes to establish and maintain the relationships, do not seem to be well studied. Any ideas about which genomes have been analyzed in the context of symbiosis with microbes and what the major findings are would be appreciated.
In the study conducted by Lu et al. in 2023 (DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01559-), a total of 5,527 pure culture bacterial strains were successfully isolated, all of which were associated with diverse macroalgae types, including green (Ulva), brown (Saccharina), and red (Grateloupia, Gelidium) macroalgae. Among this extensive collection, selected strains underwent sequencing for draft genomes, resulting in the identification of approximately 500 potentially novel species. Although this study did not comprehensively explore the functional potential of all these genomes, it made significant strides in enhancing our understanding of the macroalgal phycosphere microbiome.
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