Who can cleave DMSP?

A DMSP lyase from an abundant marine eukaryote differs fundamentally from known bacterial enzymes. [Also see Report by Alcolombri et al. ] Marine organisms play a key role in the global sulfur cycle by producing dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a volatile compound that is emitted into the atmosphere. On page 1466 of this issue, Alcolombri et al. ( 1 ) report how the abundant marine phytoplankton Emiliania huxleyi (see the image) produces DMS from dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Using a series of classical biochemical approaches, augmented by genomic and proteomic analyses, the authors isolated the enzyme and corresponding gene (termed Alma1 ) that cleaves DMSP into acrylate and DMS. They also found a functional Alma1-like enzyme in a dinoflagellate, a very different type of abundant single-cell marine plankton, emphasizing the widespread importance of this newly discovered DMSP lyase.