Lipid (TAG) transcripts from Station ALOHA

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase isoforms, DGAT1 and DGAT2, encode the final step in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis for eukaryotes. TAGs are important storage lipids for cells and are abundant molecules in eukaryotic phytoplankton. To determine the prevalence and diel expression of these two genes in seawater communities, eukaryotic (polyA-selected) transcripts for DGAT1 and DGAT2 were identified in metatranscriptomes collected over the course of 4 day/night cycles in summer 2015 from Station ALOHA surface water (in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre).