Throughout different times in freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHAB), the availability of specific nutrients from the environment varies, causing fluctuations in the severity and species composition of a bloom. In addition to nutrient regulation of blooms, the cyanobacteria are subject to regulation by biotic factors, including phage infection. To address the potential role of cyanophages on the dominant species in most cHABs during nutrient-limited periods, we studied a specific host-phage system: Ma- LMM01 (phage) and Microcystis aeruginosa strain NIES298 (host), both of which originate from a eutrophic lake in Japan. The effect of phosphate and nitrogen limitation on phage and host replication was evaluated through modification of M. aeruginosa culture media. Growth of the host cells was monitored by culture light absorbance at 600 nm, while phage (genome) replication was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Under phosphorus-limited conditions, Ma-LMM01 infected cells demonstrated a decrease in growth rate and carrying capacity compared to uninfected and infected nonlimited cultures. This relationship suggests that phage infection decreases M. aeruginosa growth to a greater degree under phosphorous stress than when the nutrient is readily available. In this model, these results indicate cyanophage replication may accelerate cHAB collapse under phosphorus-limiting conditions, and that increased concentrations of phosphorus may decrease the impact of cyanophage infections in the wild.
","abstract_html":"<p>Throughout different times in freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHAB), the availability of specific nutrients from the environment varies, causing fluctuations in the severity and species composition of a bloom. In addition to nutrient regulation of blooms, the cyanobacteria are subject to regulation by biotic factors, including phage infection. To address the potential role of cyanophages on the dominant species in most cHABs during nutrient-limited periods, we studied a specific host-phage system: Ma- LMM01 (phage) and <em>Microcystis aeruginosa</em> strain NIES298 (host), both of which originate from a eutrophic lake in Japan. The effect of phosphate and nitrogen limitation on phage and host replication was evaluated through modification of <em>M. aeruginosa</em> culture media. Growth of the host cells was monitored by culture light absorbance at 600 nm, while phage (genome) replication was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Under phosphorus-limited conditions, Ma-LMM01 infected cells demonstrated a decrease in growth rate and carrying capacity compared to uninfected and infected nonlimited cultures. This relationship suggests that phage infection decreases <em>M. aeruginosa</em> growth to a greater degree under phosphorous stress than when the nutrient is readily available. In this model, these results indicate cyanophage replication may accelerate cHAB collapse under phosphorus-limiting conditions, and that increased concentrations of phosphorus may decrease the impact of cyanophage infections in the wild.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McKindles, Katelyn"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Michael Angell, Ph.D. Chair","Daniel Clemans, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:13Z","subjects":["Cyanophage","HABs","Microcystis aeruginosa","Nitrogen limitation","Phosphorus limitation","Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/741","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Michael Angell, Ph.D. Chair","Daniel Clemans, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McKindles, Katelyn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-01-11T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Cyanophage","HABs","Microcystis aeruginosa","Nitrogen limitation","Phosphorus limitation","Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/741"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Throughout different times in freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHAB), the availability of specific nutrients from the environment varies, causing fluctuations in the severity and species composition of a bloom. In addition to nutrient regulation of blooms, the cyanobacteria are subject to regulation by biotic factors, including phage infection. To address the potential role of cyanophages on the dominant species in most cHABs during nutrient-limited periods, we studied a specific host-phage system: Ma- LMM01 (phage) and Microcystis aeruginosa strain NIES298 (host), both of which originate from a eutrophic lake in Japan. The effect of phosphate and nitrogen limitation on phage and host replication was evaluated through modification of M. aeruginosa culture media. Growth of the host cells was monitored by culture light absorbance at 600 nm, while phage (genome) replication was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Under phosphorus-limited conditions, Ma-LMM01 infected cells demonstrated a decrease in growth rate and carrying capacity compared to uninfected and infected nonlimited cultures. This relationship suggests that phage infection decreases M. aeruginosa growth to a greater degree under phosphorous stress than when the nutrient is readily available. In this model, these results indicate cyanophage replication may accelerate cHAB collapse under phosphorus-limiting conditions, and that increased concentrations of phosphorus may decrease the impact of cyanophage infections in the wild.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The effect of phosphorus and nitrogen limitation on viral infection in microcystis aeruginosa NIES298 using the cyanophage Ma-LMM01"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Michael Angell, Ph.D. Chair","Daniel Clemans, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["McKindles, Katelyn"],"dc:date.available":["2018-01-11T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Throughout different times in freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHAB), the availability of specific nutrients from the environment varies, causing fluctuations in the severity and species composition of a bloom. In addition to nutrient regulation of blooms, the cyanobacteria are subject to regulation by biotic factors, including phage infection. To address the potential role of cyanophages on the dominant species in most cHABs during nutrient-limited periods, we studied a specific host-phage system: Ma- LMM01 (phage) and Microcystis aeruginosa strain NIES298 (host), both of which originate from a eutrophic lake in Japan. The effect of phosphate and nitrogen limitation on phage and host replication was evaluated through modification of M. aeruginosa culture media. Growth of the host cells was monitored by culture light absorbance at 600 nm, while phage (genome) replication was quantified using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Under phosphorus-limited conditions, Ma-LMM01 infected cells demonstrated a decrease in growth rate and carrying capacity compared to uninfected and infected nonlimited cultures. This relationship suggests that phage infection decreases M. aeruginosa growth to a greater degree under phosphorous stress than when the nutrient is readily available. In this model, these results indicate cyanophage replication may accelerate cHAB collapse under phosphorus-limiting conditions, and that increased concentrations of phosphorus may decrease the impact of cyanophage infections in the wild.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/741"],"dc:subject":["Cyanophage","HABs","Microcystis aeruginosa","Nitrogen limitation","Phosphorus limitation","Biology"],"dc:title":["The effect of phosphorus and nitrogen limitation on viral infection in microcystis aeruginosa NIES298 using the cyanophage Ma-LMM01"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:13Z"}