Production of Dimethyl Sulfide from Unicellular Algae

Marine microbial production of dimethylsulfide from dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate

“…The early work of Haas (71) and Challenger (32,35) on DMS and its sulfonium precursor, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), investigated the origin of DMS in mare macroalgae, and subsequent reports on the production of DMS and DMSP by marine macro-and microalgae accumulated steadily (1,6,30,41,69,118,140,153). At least four studies have documented the production of DMS from DMSP by crude algal enzyme preparations or axenic cultures of marine phytoplankton (6,30,77,81). These have lent credence to the idea that in the ocean DMS is enzymatically generated, by algae, from a precursor within algae.…”

“…The pathway of DMSP biosynthesis in unicellular algae has been characterized much less thoroughly. Ishida (77) demonstrated that the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Gyrodinium cohnii, in which DMSP may constitute up to 55% of the cell's sulfur, can incorporate the methyl carbon of acetate into the methyl(s) of DMSP; the carboxyl carbon is respired. He also showed that this organism, although capable of uptake of a number of dissolved organic compounds, is not able to take up DMSP.…”

“…carterae, a prymnesiophyte, and Ulva lactuca, a macrophyte member of the Chlorophyceae (69,140), and from Gyrodinium cohnii, a heterotrophic dinoflagellate (77). A large number of marine unicellular phytoplankton, including representatives of the Dinophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Prasinophyceae and Prymnesiophyceae (1,40,41) as well as numerous macrophyte representatives of the red and green algae (Rhodophyceae, Chlorophyceae) have also been found to contain DMSP (118).…”

Marine sulphur emissions

“…The breakdown of DMSP can also be base catalysed, but at the pH and temperature of seawater the inorganic reaction is too slow to be of significance (Dacey & Blough 1987). DMSP is widely made by both macroand micro-algae in seawater for the purposes of osmoregulation (Vairavamurthy et al 1985 ;Dickson & Kirst 1987 ;Kirst 1996), cryoprotection (Karsten et al 1990 ;Kirst et al 1991 ;Karsten et al 1996), and as a methyl donor in a variety of biochemical processes (Cantoni & Anderson 1956 ;Ishida 1968). There is a suggestion that the acrylic acid formed in the above reaction can also act as a bactericide (Sieburth 1961).…”

Identification of a Heat-Stable Precursor of Dimethyl Sulfide inSake

“…Ishida and Kadota 6 ) have identified dimethyl-fJpropiothetin as a DMS precursor in marine algae. When sake brewed from new rice is pasteurized or stored, the unfavorable smell, "komaishu" does not occur.…”