Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), a key precursor for the synthesis of chlorophyll and heme, is fundamental to photosynthetic eukaryotic cells and participates in light absorption, energy transduction, and numerous other cellular metabolic activities. Along with the application of genetic and biochemical techniques over the past few years, our understanding of the formation of PPIX has been largely advanced, especially regarding possible metabolic pathways. However, the ecological role and function of PPIX in natural ecosystems remains unclear. We have previously established a method for quantifying PPIX in marine ecosystems. Here, our results provide evidence that PPIX is not only subtly linked to nutrient uptake but also triggers phytoplankton productivity. PPIX and its derivatives are dynamic spatiotemporally in direct response to increased nutrient availability. Using 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, PPIX was revealed to interact strongly with many microorganisms, indicating that PPIX serves as a critical metabolite in maintaining microbial metabolism and community development. In summary, we observed that PPIX is linearly related to nutrient availability and microbial diversity. The levels of microbial PPIX reflect ecological health, and the availability of PPIX and nutrients jointly affect microbial community composition.

原卟啉 IX (PPIX) 是合成叶绿素和血红素的关键前体，是真核细胞光合作用的基础，参与光吸收、能量转导和许多其他细胞代谢活动。随着过去几年遗传和生化技术的应用，我们对 PPIX 形成的理解有了很大的进步，特别是在可能的代谢途径方面。然而，PPIX 在自然生态系统中的生态作用和功能仍不清楚。我们之前已经建立了一种量化海洋生态系统中 PPIX 的方法。在这里，我们的结果提供了证据，表明 PPIX 不仅与营养吸收有微妙的联系，而且还能触发浮游植物的生产力。 PPIX 及其衍生物在时空上是动态的，直接响应养分可用性的增加。使用 16 S rRNA 基因扩增子测序，发现 PPIX 与许多微生物有强烈的相互作用，表明 PPIX 作为维持微生物代谢和群落发展的关键代谢物。总之，我们观察到 PPIX 与营养物质可用性和微生物多样性呈线性相关。微生物PPIX的水平反映了生态健康状况，PPIX的有效性和营养物质共同影响微生物群落的组成。