The chemical biology of dimethylsulfoniopropionate.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate is a highly abundant sulfur metabolite in marine ecosystems. Its biosynthesis by different organisms including plants, marine algae and dinoflagellates is discussed. Furthermore, the accumulated knowledge about bacterial uptake systems and its climatically relevant degradation by marine bacteria to methanethiol or dimethylsulfide is presented. Finally, uptake and degradation of synthetic DMSP analogs are addressed.