Depth variation of bacterial extracellular enzyme activity and population diversity in the northeastern North Atlantic Ocean

Distinct profiles of extracellular proteolytic enzyme activity were observed in the water column of the North Atlantic, with maximum potential proteolytic activity occurring in the top 35 m. The proteolytic enzyme Vmax values varied significantly and decreased from 1.46 nM min−1 in surface waters to 0.365 nM min−1 at 100 m. In contrast, Km values increased with depth from about 70 to 360 μM. Cell-associated enzymes accounted for the majority of the observed proteolytic activity. Dissolved enzymes comprised only 30–40% of the total extracellular enzyme activity and exhibited a low substrate affinity (Km=∼1000 μM). These observations indicate clear stratification of bacterial associated extracellular enzyme activity, with the maximum activity in surface waters. This is consistent with some environmental changes in the water column, especially algal biomass and nitrate concentration. Bacterial mediated nitrogen remineralization in surface waters was approximately three times the total nitrogen demand of phytoplankton and bacteria. We determined bacterial population diversity using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and found evidence for stratification, with a higher representation of the Cytophaga/Flexibacter/Bacteriodes group at 5 m compared to 100 m. No similar stratification was observed among the α-proteobacterial SAR11 cluster, which were especially prevalent in the PRIME eddy. However, sequences phylogenetically related to another marine cluster, SAR122, were only observed at 100 m. We suggest that stratification of proteolytic activity within the water column may be explained at least in part, by differences in the composition of the bacterial community.