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Mitchell JH, Freedman AH, Delaney JA, Girguis PR. Co-expression analysis reveals distinct alliances around two carbon fixation pathways in hydrothermal vent symbionts. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:1526-1539. [PMID: 38839975 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01704-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Most autotrophic organisms possess a single carbon fixation pathway. The chemoautotrophic symbionts of the hydrothermal vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila, however, possess two functional pathways: the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) and the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycles. How these two pathways are coordinated is unknown. Here we measured net carbon fixation rates, transcriptional/metabolic responses and transcriptional co-expression patterns of Riftia pachyptila endosymbionts by incubating tubeworms collected from the East Pacific Rise at environmental pressures, temperature and geochemistry. Results showed that rTCA and CBB transcriptional patterns varied in response to different geochemical regimes and that each pathway is allied to specific metabolic processes; the rTCA is allied to hydrogenases and dissimilatory nitrate reduction, whereas the CBB is allied to sulfide oxidation and assimilatory nitrate reduction, suggesting distinctive yet complementary roles in metabolic function. Furthermore, our network analysis implicates the rTCA and a group 1e hydrogenase as key players in the physiological response to limitation of sulfide and oxygen. Net carbon fixation rates were also exemplary, and accordingly, we propose that co-activity of CBB and rTCA may be an adaptation for maintaining high carbon fixation rates, conferring a fitness advantage in dynamic vent environments.
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de Oliveira AL, Mitchell J, Girguis P, Bright M. Novel insights on obligate symbiont lifestyle and adaptation to chemosynthetic environment as revealed by the giant tubeworm genome. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 39:6454105. [PMID: 34893862 PMCID: PMC8789280 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mutualism between the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila and its endosymbiont Candidatus Endoriftia persephone has been extensively researched over the past 40 years. However, the lack of the host whole genome information has impeded the full comprehension of the genotype/phenotype interface in Riftia. Here we described the high-quality draft genome of Riftia, its complete mitogenome, and tissue-specific transcriptomic data. The Riftia genome presents signs of reductive evolution, with gene family contractions exceeding expansions. Expanded gene families are related to sulphur metabolism, detoxification, anti-oxidative stress, oxygen transport, immune system, and lysosomal digestion, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to the vent environment and endosymbiosis. Despite the derived body plan, the developmental gene repertoire in the gutless tubeworm is extremely conserved with the presence of a near intact and complete Hox cluster. Gene expression analyses establishes that the trophosome is a multi-functional organ marked by intracellular digestion of endosymbionts, storage of excretory products and haematopoietic functions. Overall, the plume and gonad tissues both in contact to the environment harbour highly expressed genes involved with cell cycle, programmed cell death, and immunity indicating a high cell turnover and defence mechanisms against pathogens. We posit that the innate immune system plays a more prominent role into the establishment of the symbiosis during the infection in the larval stage, rather than maintaining the symbiostasis in the trophosome. This genome bridges four decades of physiological research in Riftia, whilst simultaneously provides new insights into the development, whole organism functions and evolution in the giant tubeworm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica Mitchell
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Peter Girguis
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Monika Bright
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Austria
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Hinzke T, Kleiner M, Meister M, Schlüter R, Hentschker C, Pané-Farré J, Hildebrandt P, Felbeck H, Sievert SM, Bonn F, Völker U, Becher D, Schweder T, Markert S. Bacterial symbiont subpopulations have different roles in a deep-sea symbiosis. eLife 2021; 10:58371. [PMID: 33404502 PMCID: PMC7787665 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrothermal vent tubeworm Riftia pachyptila hosts a single 16S rRNA phylotype of intracellular sulfur-oxidizing symbionts, which vary considerably in cell morphology and exhibit a remarkable degree of physiological diversity and redundancy, even in the same host. To elucidate whether multiple metabolic routes are employed in the same cells or rather in distinct symbiont subpopulations, we enriched symbionts according to cell size by density gradient centrifugation. Metaproteomic analysis, microscopy, and flow cytometry strongly suggest that Riftia symbiont cells of different sizes represent metabolically dissimilar stages of a physiological differentiation process: While small symbionts actively divide and may establish cellular symbiont-host interaction, large symbionts apparently do not divide, but still replicate DNA, leading to DNA endoreduplication. Moreover, in large symbionts, carbon fixation and biomass production seem to be metabolic priorities. We propose that this division of labor between smaller and larger symbionts benefits the productivity of the symbiosis as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjorven Hinzke
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Greifswald, Germany.,Energy Bioengineering Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Manuel Kleiner
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, United States
| | - Mareike Meister
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rabea Schlüter
- Imaging Center of the Department of Biology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Hentschker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jan Pané-Farré
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Petra Hildebrandt
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Horst Felbeck
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Stefan M Sievert
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, United States
| | - Florian Bonn
- Institute of Biochemistry, University Hospital, Goethe University School of Medicine Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dörte Becher
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas Schweder
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stephanie Markert
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Greifswald, Germany
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Markert S, Gardebrecht A, Felbeck H, Sievert SM, Klose J, Becher D, Albrecht D, Thürmer A, Daniel R, Kleiner M, Hecker M, Schweder T. Status quo in physiological proteomics of the uncultured Riftia pachyptila endosymbiont. Proteomics 2011; 11:3106-17. [PMID: 21710568 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201100059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2011] [Revised: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Riftia pachyptila, the giant deep-sea tube worm, inhabits hydrothermal vents in the Eastern Pacific ocean. The worms are nourished by a dense population of chemoautotrophic bacterial endosymbionts. Using the energy derived from sulfide oxidation, the symbionts fix CO(2) and produce organic carbon, which provides the nutrition of the host. Although the endosymbionts have never been cultured, cultivation-independent techniques based on density gradient centrifugation and the sequencing of their (meta-) genome enabled a detailed physiological examination on the proteomic level. In this study, the Riftia symbionts' soluble proteome map was extended to a total of 493 identified proteins, which allowed for an explicit description of vital metabolic processes such as the energy-generating sulfide oxidation pathway or the Calvin cycle, which seems to involve a reversible pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofructokinase. Furthermore, the proteomic view supports the hypothesis that the symbiont uses nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor. Finally, the membrane-associated proteome of the Riftia symbiont was selectively enriched and analyzed. As a result, 275 additional proteins were identified, most of which have putative functions in electron transfer, transport processes, secretion, signal transduction and other cell surface-related functions. Integrating this information into complex pathway models a comprehensive survey of the symbiotic physiology was established.
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Petersen JM, Dubilier N. Methanotrophic symbioses in marine invertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2009; 1:319-335. [PMID: 23765884 DOI: 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2009.00081.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Symbioses between marine animals and aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria are found at hydrothermal vents and cold seeps in the deep sea where reduced, methane-rich fluids mix with the surrounding oxidized seawater. These habitats are 'oases' in the otherwise nutrient-poor deep sea, where entire ecosystems are fueled by microbial chemosynthesis. By associating with bacteria that gain energy from the oxidation of CH4 with O2 , the animal host is indirectly able to gain nutrition from methane, an energy source that is otherwise only available to methanotrophic microorganisms. The host, in turn, provides its symbionts with continuous access to both electron acceptors and donors that are only available at a narrow oxic - anoxic interface for free-living methanotrophs. Symbiotic methane oxidizers have resisted all attempts at cultivation, so that all evidence for these symbiotic associations comes from ultrastructural, enzymatic, physiological, stable isotope and molecular biological studies of the symbiotic host tissues. In this review, we present an overview of the habitats and invertebrate hosts in which symbiotic methane oxidizers have been found, and the methods used to investigate these symbioses, focusing on the symbioses of bathymodiolin mussels that have received the most attention among methanotrophic associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M Petersen
- Symbiosis Group, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstr. 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany
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