Exploring microbiome—environment relationships associated with carrageenan production in Chondracanthus chamissoi as a holobiont

Arbaiza S.; Diaz Y.; Sirvas-Cornejo S.; Villena G.K. · Journal of Applied Phycology (2026) · DOI: 10.1007/s10811-026-03930-9

Resumen

Carrageenan production in macroalgae could be a complex holobiont trait influenced by interactions among the host, its associated microbiome, and the surrounding environment. This study investigated these interactions in the commercially important red alga Chondracanthus chamissoi, examining how carrageenan yield and type could be influenced by environmental factors and microbial assemblages. The reproductive phase was confirmed as the primary determinant of carrageenan type, with carposporophytes producing predominantly κ-carrageenan and tetrasporophytes producing λ-carrageenan. The microbiome appeared to be linked to differences in overall yields. Variance Partitioning Analysis (VPA) indicated that κ-carrageenan yield variability was largely associated with the microbiome (65.6%), whereas λ-carrageenan yield was more strongly associated with environment–microbiome interactions (59.7%). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) suggested a potential mediating role of the microbiome. A multi-model inference approach integrating Lasso, Ridge, and Spearman coefficients identified a diverse set of low relative abundance but high-impact putative driver taxa. Potential positive contributors included Sphingomonadaceae, Maribacter, Roseobacter, and Propionigenium, whereas Sulfitobacter, Thiothrix, Absconditabacteriales, and Pleurocapsa were associated with lower yields. In this context, understanding microbiome–host associations could guide future research on the potential role of microbial communities in complementing conventional strategies for sustainable carrageenan production. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2026.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina