Characterization of a nitrogen-regulated protein identified by cell surface biotinylation of a marine phytoplankton

The biotinylating reagent succinimidyl 6-(biotinamido)hexanoate was used to label the cell surfaces of the cosmopolitan, marine, eukaryotic microorganism Emiliania huxleyi under different growth conditions. Proteins characteristic of different nutrient conditions could be identified. In particular, a nitrogen-regulated protein, nrp1, has an 82-kDa subunit that is present under nitrogen limitation and during growth on urea. It is absent under phosphate limitation or during exponential growth on nitrate or ammonia. nrp1 is the major membrane or wall protein in nitrogen-limited cells and is found in several strains of E. huxleyi. It may be a useful biomarker for examining the physiological state of E. huxleyi cells in their environment.