UC San Diego

The diversity of the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus can be broadly separated into clades, with clade II typically present in warm oligotrophic water, and clades I and IV found in cooler coastal water. We found amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to clade II in the nutrient-replete waters of San Diego Bay (SDB). Using the 16S rRNA gene, 18S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer region sequencing, we analysed multiple locations in SDB monthly for over a year, with additional samples dating back to 2015. Synechococcus community composition differed from the nearby coast into SDB in terms of dominant clade and ASVs. Specific clade II ASVs became relatively more abundant towards the back of the bay and showed seasonality, with higher relative abundance in the warm months. Select ASVs group phylogenetically and show similar seasonal and spatial distribution patterns, indicating these ASVs have adapted to SDB. Isolates matching clade II ASVs from SDB show pigment composition that is better adapted to the green light available in SDB, further supporting our findings. Other microbial taxa also show SDB enrichment, providing evidence that SDB is a chemostat-like environment where circulation, temperature, light and other environmental conditions create a zone for microbial evolution and diversification.