Fig. 6: Metabolic reprogramming and ecosystem impact of protist- and/or phage-treated Synechococcus.

A Uninfected cyanobacterium. B Cyanobacteria with protist. The presence of the protist alters the abundance of some exometabolites. C Cyanovirocells only. Cyanophages reprogram P-acquisition, photosynthesis, energy pathways, and nucleotide metabolism toward building new phages. D Cyanovirocells with protist. The energy (e.g., ATP) and resource (e.g., reducing power, phosphate, nucleotides, and amino acids) demand of phage infection is highest for the cyanovirocells co-cultured with a protist. Cyanovirocells have the largest changes in the exometabolites as seen from the release of nutrients, either via diffusion or active transport across the membrane (C, D). This nutrient pool is available for the ecosystem, including uptake by protists (D).