Density-dependent mechanisms regulate spore formation in the diatom Chaetoceros socialis

Resting stages are reported for several unicellular eukaryotes including diatoms that can produce spores or resting cells. These stages represent a repository of diversity in sediments but the factors that induce their formation are elusive. We investigated spore formation in the marine diatom Chaetoceros socialis. Our results confirm that nitrogen starvation is an effective experimental trigger for spore formation. However, we observed that spores are also produced when the external pool of nutrients is not limiting, and by using a semicontinuous setup, we could show that they appear only when cell density is high. The presence of a chemical cue mediating spore formation was supported by experiments carried out incubating cells with culture media conditioned by both healthy and lysed cells. These findings shed new light on the mechanisms that regulate the transition between life cycle stages and represent an experimental baseline for the identification of the signaling molecules.