Diatoms respire nitrate to survive dark and anoxic conditions

Diatoms survive in dark, anoxic sediment layers for months to decades. Our investigation reveals a correlation between the dark survival potential of marine diatoms and their ability to accumulate NO3- intracellularly. Axenic strains of benthic and pelagic diatoms that stored 11-274 mM NO3- in their cells survived for 6-28 wk. After sudden shifts to dark, anoxic conditions, the benthic diatom Amphora coffeaeformis consumed 84-87% of its intracellular NO3- pool within 1 d. A stable-isotope labeling experiment proved that (NO3-)-N-15 consumption was accompanied by the production and release of (NH4+)-N-15, indicating dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). DNRA is an anaerobic respiration process that is known mainly from prokaryotic organisms, and here shown as dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathway used by a eukaryotic phototroph. Similar to large sulfur bacteria and benthic foraminifera, diatoms may respire intracellular NO3- in sediment layers without O-2 and NO3-. The rapid depletion of the intracellular NO3- storage, however, implies that diatoms use DNRA to enter a resting stage for long-term survival. Assuming that pelagic diatoms are also capable of DNRA, senescing diatoms that sink through oxygen-deficient water layers may be a significant NH4+ source for anammox, the prevalent nitrogen loss pathway of oceanic oxygen minimum zones.