Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Red Algae

Red Algae

Red algae, also known as rhodophytes, are primarily found in marine environments, though some species inhabit freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These organisms exist in both unicellular and multicellular forms, with some multicellular varieties reaching macroscopic sizes.As phototrophic organisms, red algae contain chlorophyll a; however, their chloroplasts lack chlorophyll b. Instead, they possess phycobiliproteins, which serve as major light-harvesting pigments, similar to those found in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Meta-Omics Analysis Reveals Global Distribution of Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia and Enhanced Neurotoxin Production Under Climate Warming.

Global change biology·2025

Same author

Exon shuffling potentiates a diverse repertoire of brown algal NB-ARC-TPR candidate immune receptor proteins via alternative splicing.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2023

Same author

Plastic responses lead to increased neurotoxin production in the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia under ocean warming and acidification.

The ISME journal·2023

Same author

The role of zinc in the adaptive evolution of polar phytoplankton.

Nature ecology & evolution·2022

Same author

Integrative analysis of chloroplast DNA methylation in a marine alga-Saccharina japonica.

Plant molecular biology·2021

Same author

Acclimation and adaptation to elevated pCO<sub>2</sub> increase arsenic resilience in marine diatoms.

The ISME journal·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Inducing Polyp Bail-out in Coral Colonies to Obtain Individualized Micropropagates for Laboratory Experimental Use

Inducing Polyp Bail-out in Coral Colonies to Obtain Individualized Micropropagates for Laboratory Experimental Use

Published on: April 28, 2022

Nanoplastics Stimulate Colony Formation and Bloom in Phaeocystis globosa.

Yingxia Li¹, Dong Xu^2,3, Xintong Huang²

¹School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.

Environmental Science & Technology

|June 23, 2025

Summary

Nanoplastics (NPs) significantly boost harmful Phaeocystis blooms by increasing colony formation and cell density. This plastic pollution may worsen algal blooms, posing risks to marine ecosystems.

Keywords:

Phaeocystis globosa bloom colony nanoplastics

More Related Videos

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

Natural Transformation, Protein Expression, and Cryoconservation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Phormidium lacuna

Natural Transformation, Protein Expression, and Cryoconservation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Phormidium lacuna

Published on: February 1, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Inducing Polyp Bail-out in Coral Colonies to Obtain Individualized Micropropagates for Laboratory Experimental Use

Inducing Polyp Bail-out in Coral Colonies to Obtain Individualized Micropropagates for Laboratory Experimental Use

Published on: April 28, 2022

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Cultivation of Green Microalgae in Bubble Column Photobioreactors and an Assay for Neutral Lipids

Published on: January 7, 2019

Natural Transformation, Protein Expression, and Cryoconservation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Phormidium lacuna

Natural Transformation, Protein Expression, and Cryoconservation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Phormidium lacuna

Published on: February 1, 2022

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Environmental Science
Ecotoxicology

Background:

The globally distributed harmful alga *Phaeocystis* impacts marine ecosystems.
Nanoplastics (NPs) are pervasive marine pollutants often found with *Phaeocystis* blooms.
The impact of NPs on *Phaeocystis* colony formation and bloom dynamics is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of nanoplastics on the colony formation and bloom dynamics of *Phaeocystis globosa*.
To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of NP-induced changes in *P. globosa*.

Main Methods:

Indoor and outdoor mesocosm experiments were conducted.
Measurements included cell density, colonial diameter, and colonial density.
Analysis of extracellular polysaccharides, key substrates, and gene expression related to N-glycan synthesis was performed.
Ecological modeling was used to project future bloom scenarios.

Main Results:

NPs significantly increased total cell density, colonial diameter, and colonial density of *P. globosa*.
Enhanced colony formation was linked to elevated extracellular polysaccharides and related synthesis substrates (glucose 1-phosphate, ADP-glucose, UDP-glucose).
Upregulation of ten N-glycan synthesis genes was observed concurrently with polysaccharide accumulation.
Projections suggest a 0.1% degradation of microplastics to NPs could increase *Phaeocystis* colonial cell densities by over 5% globally.

Conclusions:

Nanoplastics promote *Phaeocystis* colony formation and enhance bloom dynamics.
The findings highlight a potential synergistic negative impact between microplastic pollution and harmful algal blooms.
Increased microplastic pollution may exacerbate *Phaeocystis* blooms, posing significant risks to marine ecosystems.