Physiological and metabolic responses of freshwater and brackish strains of Microcystis aeruginosa acclimated to a salinity gradient: insight into salt tolerance

Proliferation of microcystin (MC) producing Microcystis aeruginosa in brackish waters has been described in several locations and represents a new concern for public and environmental health. While the impact of a sudden salinity increase on M. aeruginosa physiology has been studied, less is known about the mechanisms involved in salt tolerance after acclimation. This study aims to compare the physiological responses of two strains of M. aeruginosa (PCC 7820 and PCC 7806), isolated from contrasted environments, to increasing salinities. After acclimation, growth, MC production and metabolomic analyses were conducted. For both strains, salinity decreased the biovolume, the growth and MC production rates and induced the accumulation of polyunsaturated lipids identified as monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. The distinct salt tolerance (7.5 and 16.9) obtained between the freshwater (PCC 7820) and the brackish water (PCC 7806) strains suggested different strategies to cope with the osmotic pressure, as revealed by targeted and untargeted metabolomic analyses. Accumulation of trehalose as the main compatible solute was obtained in the freshwater strain while sucrose was mainly accumulated in the brackish one. Moreover, distinct levels of glycine betaine and proline accumulation were noted. Altogether, metabolomic analysis illustrated a strain-specific response to salt tolerance, involving compatible solutes production. Importance Blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa and production of microcystins is one of the major issue in eutrophic freshwater bodies. Recently, an increasing number of proliferations of M. aeruginosa in brackish water has been documented. Occurrence of both M. aeruginosa and microcystins in coastal areas represents a new threat for human and environmental health. In order to better describe the mechanisms involved in Microcystis proliferation in brackish water, this study used two M. aeruginosa strains isolated from fresh and brackish waters. High salinity reduced the growth rate and microcystin production rate of M. aeruginosa. In order to cope with higher salinities, the strains accumulated different cyanobacterial compatible solutes, as well as unsaturated lipids, explaining their distinct salt tolerance.