{"id":{"repo_id":"woods-hole","oai_identifier":"oai:darchive.mblwhoilibrary.org:1912/27475"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/woods-hole/oai:darchive.mblwhoilibrary.org:1912/27475","repository":{"repo_id":"woods-hole","name":"Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute","base_url":"https://darchive.mblwhoilibrary.org/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A metabolic lens on phytoplankton physiology","abstract":"Phytoplankton are communities of diverse groups of prokaryotic and eukaryotic single-celled organisms responsible for nearly 50% of global primary production. The relative abundance of individual groups changes dynamically in response to environmental perturbations. Recent studies suggest that such changes are primarily driven by the distinct physiological responses employed by each group towards a particular perturbation. Although knowledge of some of these responses has come to light in recent years, many aspects of their metabolisms remain unknown. We attempt to address this gap by studying the metabolism of several phytoplankton groups using metabolomics. Firstly, we developed a method to enhance the analysis of untargeted metabolomics data. Secondly, we constructed two conceptual models describing how metabolism of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo responds to phosphorus and nitrogen stress. These conceptual models revealed several new stress response mechanisms not previously reported in other phytoplankton. Finally, we compared the metabolic changes of several distinct phytoplankton groups to uncover possible adaptation and acclimations that distinguish them. This analysis revealed several pathways and metabolites that represent the studied groups. The contributions of these pathways and metabolites towards physiology may support the ecological fitness of these organisms.","abstract_html":"Phytoplankton are communities of diverse groups of prokaryotic and eukaryotic single-celled organisms responsible for nearly 50% of global primary production. The relative abundance of individual groups changes dynamically in response to environmental perturbations. Recent studies suggest that such changes are primarily driven by the distinct physiological responses employed by each group towards a particular perturbation. Although knowledge of some of these responses has come to light in recent years, many aspects of their metabolisms remain unknown. We attempt to address this gap by studying the metabolism of several phytoplankton groups using metabolomics. Firstly, we developed a method to enhance the analysis of untargeted metabolomics data. Secondly, we constructed two conceptual models describing how metabolism of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo responds to phosphorus and nitrogen stress. These conceptual models revealed several new stress response mechanisms not previously reported in other phytoplankton. Finally, we compared the metabolic changes of several distinct phytoplankton groups to uncover possible adaptation and acclimations that distinguish them. This analysis revealed several pathways and metabolites that represent the studied groups. The contributions of these pathways and metabolites towards physiology may support the ecological fitness of these organisms.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McLean, Craig"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-09","date_published":"2021-09","updated_at":"2026-07-27T22:05:21Z","subjects":["Phytoplankton","Metabolism","Metbolomics"],"languages":["en_US"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.1575/1912/27475"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.1575/1912/27475","href":"https://doi.org/10.1575/1912/27475","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1912/27475","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McLean, Craig"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2021-08-26T14:25:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-08-26T14:25:06Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2021-09"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Phytoplankton","Metabolism","Metbolomics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_US"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.1575/1912/27475"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1912/27475"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Oceanography at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution September 2021."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Phytoplankton are communities of diverse groups of prokaryotic and eukaryotic single-celled organisms responsible for nearly 50% of global primary production. The relative abundance of individual groups changes dynamically in response to environmental perturbations. Recent studies suggest that such changes are primarily driven by the distinct physiological responses employed by each group towards a particular perturbation. Although knowledge of some of these responses has come to light in recent years, many aspects of their metabolisms remain unknown. We attempt to address this gap by studying the metabolism of several phytoplankton groups using metabolomics. Firstly, we developed a method to enhance the analysis of untargeted metabolomics data. Secondly, we constructed two conceptual models describing how metabolism of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo responds to phosphorus and nitrogen stress. These conceptual models revealed several new stress response mechanisms not previously reported in other phytoplankton. Finally, we compared the metabolic changes of several distinct phytoplankton groups to uncover possible adaptation and acclimations that distinguish them. This analysis revealed several pathways and metabolites that represent the studied groups. The contributions of these pathways and metabolites towards physiology may support the ecological fitness of these organisms."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A metabolic lens on phytoplankton physiology"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["McLean, Craig"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2021-08-26T14:25:06Z"],"dc:date.available":["2021-08-26T14:25:06Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2021-09"],"dc:description":["Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Oceanography at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution September 2021."],"dc:description.abstract":["Phytoplankton are communities of diverse groups of prokaryotic and eukaryotic single-celled organisms responsible for nearly 50% of global primary production. The relative abundance of individual groups changes dynamically in response to environmental perturbations. Recent studies suggest that such changes are primarily driven by the distinct physiological responses employed by each group towards a particular perturbation. Although knowledge of some of these responses has come to light in recent years, many aspects of their metabolisms remain unknown. We attempt to address this gap by studying the metabolism of several phytoplankton groups using metabolomics. Firstly, we developed a method to enhance the analysis of untargeted metabolomics data. Secondly, we constructed two conceptual models describing how metabolism of the raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo responds to phosphorus and nitrogen stress. These conceptual models revealed several new stress response mechanisms not previously reported in other phytoplankton. Finally, we compared the metabolic changes of several distinct phytoplankton groups to uncover possible adaptation and acclimations that distinguish them. This analysis revealed several pathways and metabolites that represent the studied groups. The contributions of these pathways and metabolites towards physiology may support the ecological fitness of these organisms."],"dc:identifier.doi":["10.1575/1912/27475"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1912/27475"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution"],"dc:subject":["Phytoplankton","Metabolism","Metbolomics"],"dc:title":["A metabolic lens on phytoplankton physiology"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T22:05:21Z"}