From Population to Individual: Bulk and Single-Cell Analysis Reveal Fe Bioavailability, Limitation Thresholds, and Biological Responses for Marine Diatom Chaetoceros debilis.

Fe bioavailability in Chaetoceros debilis decreases with pH and varies by Fe species, with a critical bioavailable Fe threshold of approximately 10 nM affecting growth.

• Why it matters: Understanding how environmental factors influence Fe bioavailability and cellular responses is essential for predicting algal productivity and biogeochemical cycling in marine ecosystems, especially under ocean acidification.
• What they did: The study combined bulk and single-cell analyses of C. debilis exposed to different Fe species, pH, and concentrations, revealing heterogeneity in Fe accumulation and adaptive metallome remodeling.
• The result: Findings show that Fe accumulation is environmentally and physiologically regulated, with cell-to-cell variability linked to Fe levels, providing insights into microbial adaptation and trace metal dynamics in aquatic systems.