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Cao F, Shu W, Liu Q, Wan J, Jiang Z, Liu M, Jiang Y. Distinct structure, assembly, and gene expression of microplankton in two Arctic estuaries with varied terrestrial inputs. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 256:119207. [PMID: 38782345 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The Laptev Sea is a major Marginal Sea in the Western Arctic Ocean. The Arctic amplification brought by global warming influences the hydrological properties of rivers passing through the permafrost zone, which would alter the biological community structure at continental margin. In this study, the structure, assembly, and gene expression of planktonic microbial communities in two estuaries (Protoka Ularovskaya River Estuary, PURE; Lena River Estuary, LRE) of Laptev Sea were examined to investigate the environmental effects of polar rivers. PURE and LRE exhibited distinct environmental characteristics: low temperature and high salinity for PURE, and high temperature and low salinity for LRE, influenced by runoff size. Salinity more closely influenced microbial communities in LRE, with freshwater species playing a significant role in community composition. The findings revealed differences between two estuaries in community composition and diversity. Prokaryotes and microeukaryotes had shown different assembly patterns in response to habitat changes caused by terrestrial freshwater input. Furthermore, compared with the PURE, the co-occurrence and inter-domain network of the LRE, which was more affected by terrestrial input, was more complex and stable. Functional gene prediction revealed a higher gene expression of methane metabolism in LRE than in PURE, particularly those related to methane oxidation, and this conclusion could help better explore the impact of global warming on the methane cycle in the Arctic Marginal Seas. This study explored the increased freshwater runoffs under the background of global warming dramatically affect Arctic microplankton communities from community structure, assembly and gene expression aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Cao
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Wangxinze Shu
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jiyuan Wan
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhiyang Jiang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Mingjian Liu
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| | - Yong Jiang
- MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, and Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Key Lab of Polar Oceanography and Global Ocean Change, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
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Yang K, Wang L, Ji H, Xing Z, Jiang J. Experimental study on the methane explosion suppression by ultra-fine water mist containing bacteria under degradation for five times. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:37835-37847. [PMID: 38789706 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33465-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In a semi-closed visualization pipeline, this experiment studied the inhibitory effect of ultra-fine pure water mist, ultra-fine water mist containing inorganic salt and ultra-fine water mist containing bacteria-inorganic salt on 9.8% methane explosion under five different quality of spray volume. Combined with the methane explosion suppression experiment, the ability of methane-oxidizing bacteria to degrade 9.8% of methane was studied in a simulated pipeline. Experiments showed that the addition of inorganic salt and the degradation of methane-oxidizing bacteria could improve the suppression explosion effect of ultra-fine water mist, and the suppression explosion effect was related to the volume of water mist. Under the same ultra-fine water mist condition, with the increase of the volume of water mist, the explosion suppression effect was improved. Compared with pure methane, pure water ultra-fine water mist, and inorganic salt ultra-fine water mist, the maximum explosion overpressure and flame propagation speed under the condition of bacteria-inorganic salt ultra-fine water mist were significantly reduced. Compared with the explosion of pure methane, due to the degradation of methane by methane-oxidizing bacteria, when the degradation time was 10 h, and the volume of ultra-fine water mist containing bacteria-inorganic salt was 12.5 mL, the maximum explosion overpressure dropped significantly from 0.663 to 0.343 MPa, a decrease of 48.27%. The appearance time of the maximum explosion overpressure was delayed from 208.8 to 222.6 ms. The peak flame velocity was 4 m s-1, which was 83.3% lower than that of 9.8% pure methane explosion. This study will contribute to the development of efficient ultrafine water mist synergistic inhibitors for the prevention of methane explosion disasters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yang
- School of Safety Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, People's Republic of China.
| | - Linjuan Wang
- School of Safety Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Ji
- School of Safety Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhixiang Xing
- School of Safety Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, People's Republic of China
| | - Juncheng Jiang
- School of Safety Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, 213164, People's Republic of China
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Zhang R, Xu Q, Song Z, Wu J, Chen H, Bai X, Wang N, Chen Y, Huang D. Manipulating soil microbial community assembly by the cooperation of exogenous bacteria and biochar for establishing an efficient and healthy CH 4 biofiltration system. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141319. [PMID: 38286313 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Manipulating the methanotroph (MOB) composition and microbial diversity is a promising strategy to optimize the methane (CH4) biofiltration efficiency of an engineered landfill cover soil (LCS) system. Inoculating soil with exogenous MOB-rich bacteria and amending soil with biochar show strong manipulating potential, but how the two stimuli interactively shape the microbial community structure and diversity has not been clarified. Therefore, three types of soils with active CH4 activities, including paddy soil, river wetland soil, and LCS were selected for enriching MOB-dominated communities (abbreviated as B_PS, B_RWS, and B_LCS, respectively). They were then inoculated to LCS which was amended with two distinct biochar. Besides the aerobic CH4 oxidation efficiencies, the evolution of the three microbial communities during the MOB enrichment processes and their colonization in two-biochar amended LCS were obtained. During the MOB enriching, a lag phase in CH4 consumption was observed merely for B_LCS. Type II MOB Methylocystis was the primary MOB for both B_PS and B_LCS; while type I MOB dominated for B_RWS and the major species were altered by gas concentrations. Compared to biochar, a more critical role was demonstrated for the bacteria inoculation in determining the community diversity and function of LCS. Instead, biochar modified the community structures by mainly stimulating the dominant MOB but could induce stochastic processes in community assembly, possibly related to its inorganic nutrients. Particularly, combined with biochar advantages, the paddy soil-derived bacteria consortiums with diverse MOB species demonstrated the potent adaption to LCS niches, not only retaining the high CH4-oxidizing capacities but also shaping a community structure with more diverse soil function. The results provided new insights into the optimization of an engineered CH4-mitigation soil system by manipulating the soil microbiomes with the cooperation of exogenous bacteria and biochar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujie Zhang
- Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Qiyong Xu
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zilong Song
- Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Jiang Wu
- Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Huaihai Chen
- Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Xinyue Bai
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yuke Chen
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Eco-efficient Recycled Materials, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, University Town, Xili, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Dandan Huang
- Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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Tucci FJ, Rosenzweig AC. Direct Methane Oxidation by Copper- and Iron-Dependent Methane Monooxygenases. Chem Rev 2024; 124:1288-1320. [PMID: 38305159 PMCID: PMC10923174 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00727] [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] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change and is primarily regulated in Nature by methanotrophic bacteria, which consume methane gas as their source of energy and carbon, first by oxidizing it to methanol. The direct oxidation of methane to methanol is a chemically difficult transformation, accomplished in methanotrophs by complex methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzyme systems. These enzymes use iron or copper metallocofactors and have been the subject of detailed investigation. While the structure, function, and active site architecture of the copper-dependent particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) have been investigated extensively, its putative quaternary interactions, regulation, requisite cofactors, and mechanism remain enigmatic. The iron-dependent soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) has been characterized biochemically, structurally, spectroscopically, and, for the most part, mechanistically. Here, we review the history of MMO research, focusing on recent developments and providing an outlook for future directions of the field. Engineered biological catalysis systems and bioinspired synthetic catalysts may continue to emerge along with a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of biological methane oxidation. Harnessing the power of these enzymes will necessitate combined efforts in biochemistry, structural biology, inorganic chemistry, microbiology, computational biology, and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank J Tucci
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Amy C Rosenzweig
- Departments of Molecular Biosciences and of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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Pazos-Rojas LA, Cuellar-Sánchez A, Romero-Cerón AL, Rivera-Urbalejo A, Van Dillewijn P, Luna-Vital DA, Muñoz-Rojas J, Morales-García YE, Bustillos-Cristales MDR. The Viable but Non-Culturable (VBNC) State, a Poorly Explored Aspect of Beneficial Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 12:39. [PMID: 38257865 PMCID: PMC10818521 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Many bacteria have the ability to survive in challenging environments; however, they cannot all grow on standard culture media, a phenomenon known as the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. Bacteria commonly enter the VBNC state under nutrient-poor environments or under stressful conditions. This review explores the concept of the VBNC state, providing insights into the beneficial bacteria known to employ this strategy. The investigation covers different chemical and physical factors that can induce the latency state, cell features, and gene expression observed in cells in the VBNC state. The review also covers the significance and applications of beneficial bacteria, methods of evaluating bacterial viability, the ability of bacteria to persist in environments associated with higher organisms, and the factors that facilitate the return to the culturable state. Knowledge about beneficial bacteria capable of entering the VBNC state remains limited; however, beneficial bacteria in this state could face adverse environmental conditions and return to a culturable state when the conditions become suitable and continue to exert their beneficial effects. Likewise, this unique feature positions them as potential candidates for healthcare applications, such as the use of probiotic bacteria to enhance human health, applications in industrial microbiology for the production of prebiotics and functional foods, and in the beer and wine industry. Moreover, their use in formulations to increase crop yields and for bacterial bioremediation offers an alternative pathway to harness their beneficial attributes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Abisaí Pazos-Rojas
- Faculty of Stomatology, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico; (L.A.P.-R.); (A.R.-U.)
- Monterrey Institute of Technology, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (A.C.-S.); (A.L.R.-C.); (D.A.L.-V.)
| | - Alma Cuellar-Sánchez
- Monterrey Institute of Technology, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (A.C.-S.); (A.L.R.-C.); (D.A.L.-V.)
| | - Ana Laura Romero-Cerón
- Monterrey Institute of Technology, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (A.C.-S.); (A.L.R.-C.); (D.A.L.-V.)
| | - América Rivera-Urbalejo
- Faculty of Stomatology, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico; (L.A.P.-R.); (A.R.-U.)
| | - Pieter Van Dillewijn
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 18008 Granada, Spain;
| | - Diego Armando Luna-Vital
- Monterrey Institute of Technology, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (A.C.-S.); (A.L.R.-C.); (D.A.L.-V.)
| | - Jesús Muñoz-Rojas
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group, Laboratory of Microbial Molecular Ecology (LEMM), Center for Research in Microbiological Sciences, Institute of Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico;
| | - Yolanda Elizabeth Morales-García
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group, Laboratory of Microbial Molecular Ecology (LEMM), Center for Research in Microbiological Sciences, Institute of Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico;
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - María del Rocío Bustillos-Cristales
- Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group, Laboratory of Microbial Molecular Ecology (LEMM), Center for Research in Microbiological Sciences, Institute of Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla 72570, Mexico;
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Sims L, Wright C, Crombie AT, Dawson R, Lockwood C, Le Brun NE, Lehtovirta‐Morley L, Murrell JC. Whole-cell studies of substrate and inhibitor specificity of isoprene monooxygenase and related enzymes. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 15:809-819. [PMID: 37935632 PMCID: PMC10667655 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Co-oxidation of a range of alkenes, dienes, and aromatic compounds by whole cells of the isoprene-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus sp. AD45 expressing isoprene monooxygenase was investigated, revealing a relatively broad substrate specificity for this soluble diiron centre monooxygenase. A range of 1-alkynes (C2 -C8 ) were tested as potential inhibitors. Acetylene, a potent inhibitor of the related enzyme soluble methane monooxygenase, had little inhibitory effect, whereas 1-octyne was a potent inhibitor of isoprene monooxygenase, indicating that 1-octyne could potentially be used as a specific inhibitor to differentiate between isoprene consumption by bona fide isoprene degraders and co-oxidation of isoprene by other oxygenase-containing bacteria, such as methanotrophs, in environmental samples. The isoprene oxidation kinetics of a variety of monooxygenase-expressing bacteria were also investigated, revealing that alkene monooxygenase from Xanthobacter and soluble methane monooxygenases from Methylococcus and Methylocella, but not particulate methane monooxygenases from Methylococcus or Methylomicrobium, could co-oxidise isoprene at appreciable rates. Interestingly the ammonia monooxygenase from the nitrifier Nitrosomonas europaea could also co-oxidise isoprene at relatively high rates, suggesting that co-oxidation of isoprene by additional groups of bacteria, under the right conditions, might occur in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne Sims
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Present address:
Quadram Institute BiosciencesNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | - Chloe Wright
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Andrew T. Crombie
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Robin Dawson
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Colin Lockwood
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- School of ChemistryUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | | | | | - J. Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
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Quiton-Tapia S, Balboa S, Omil F, Garrido JM, Suarez S. How efficiently does a metabolically enhanced system with denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidizing microorganisms remove antibiotics? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122033. [PMID: 37348697 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
In this work, the novel N-damo (Nitrite dependent anaerobic methane oxidation) process was investigated at high biomass activities for its potential to remove simultaneously nitrite and methane, as well as selected antibiotics commonly found in sewage in trace amounts. For this purpose, two MBRs were operated at three high nitrite loading rates (NLRs), namely 76 ± 9.9, 161.5 ± 11.4 and 215.2 ± 24.2 mg N-NO⁻2 L-1 d-1, at long-term operation. The MBRs performance achieved a significantly high nitrite removal activity for an N-damo process (specific denitrifying activity of up to 540 mg N-NO⁻2 g-1 VSS d-1), even comparable to heterotrophic denitrification values. In this study, we have implemented a novel operational strategy that sets our work apart from previous studies with similar bioreactors. Specifically, we have introduced Cerium as a trace element in the feeding medium, which serves as a key differentiating factor. It allowed maintaining a stable reactor operation at high NLRs. Microbial community composition evidenced that both MBRs were dominated with N-damo bacteria (67-87% relative abundance in period III and I, respectively). However, a decrease in functional N-damo bacteria (Candidatus Methylomirabilis) abundance was observed during the increase in biomass activity and concentration, concomitantly with an increase of the other minor families (Hypomicrobiaceae and Xanthobacteraceae). Most of the selected antibiotics showed high biotransformation such as sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, cefalexin and azithromycin, whereas others such as roxithromycin and clarithromycin were only partially degraded (20-35%). On the contrary, ciprofloxacin showed almost no removal. Despite the metabolic enhancement, no apparent increase on the antibiotic removal was observed throughout the operation, suggesting that microbiological composition was of greater influence than its primary metabolic activity on the removal of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Quiton-Tapia
- CRETUS Institute. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Sabela Balboa
- CRETUS Institute. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Francisco Omil
- CRETUS Institute. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Juan Manuel Garrido
- CRETUS Institute. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - Sonia Suarez
- CRETUS Institute. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, E-15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Pushpakumara BLDU, Tandon K, Willis A, Verbruggen H. The Bacterial Microbiome of the Coral Skeleton Algal Symbiont Ostreobium Shows Preferential Associations and Signatures of Phylosymbiosis. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:2032-2046. [PMID: 37002423 PMCID: PMC10497448 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02209-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Ostreobium, the major algal symbiont of the coral skeleton, remains understudied despite extensive research on the coral holobiont. The enclosed nature of the coral skeleton might reduce the dispersal and exposure of residing bacteria to the outside environment, allowing stronger associations with the algae. Here, we describe the bacterial communities associated with cultured strains of 5 Ostreobium clades using 16S rRNA sequencing. We shed light on their likely physical associations by comparative analysis of three datasets generated to capture (1) all algae associated bacteria, (2) enriched tightly attached and potential intracellular bacteria, and (3) bacteria in spent media. Our data showed that while some bacteria may be loosely attached, some tend to be tightly attached or potentially intracellular. Although colonised with diverse bacteria, Ostreobium preferentially associated with 34 bacterial taxa revealing a core microbiome. These bacteria include known nitrogen cyclers, polysaccharide degraders, sulphate reducers, antimicrobial compound producers, methylotrophs, and vitamin B12 producers. By analysing co-occurrence networks of 16S rRNA datasets from Porites lutea and Paragoniastrea australensis skeleton samples, we show that the Ostreobium-bacterial associations present in the cultures are likely to also occur in their natural environment. Finally, our data show significant congruence between the Ostreobium phylogeny and the community composition of its tightly associated microbiome, largely due to the phylosymbiotic signal originating from the core bacterial taxa. This study offers insight into the Ostreobium microbiome and reveals preferential associations that warrant further testing from functional and evolutionary perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kshitij Tandon
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Anusuya Willis
- Australian National Algae Culture Collection, CSIRO, Tasmania, 7000, Victoria, Australia
| | - Heroen Verbruggen
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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9
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Houghton KM, Carere CR, Stott MB, McDonald IR. Thermophilic methane oxidation is widespread in Aotearoa-New Zealand geothermal fields. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1253773. [PMID: 37720161 PMCID: PMC10502179 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Geothermal areas represent substantial point sources for greenhouse gas emissions such as methane. While it is known that methanotrophic microorganisms act as a biofilter, decreasing the efflux of methane in most soils to the atmosphere, the diversity and the extent to which methane is consumed by thermophilic microorganisms in geothermal ecosystems has not been widely explored. To determine the extent of biologically mediated methane oxidation at elevated temperatures, we set up 57 microcosms using soils from 14 Aotearoa-New Zealand geothermal fields and show that moderately thermophilic (>40°C) and thermophilic (>60°C) methane oxidation is common across the region. Methane oxidation was detected in 54% (n = 31) of the geothermal soil microcosms tested at temperatures up to 75°C (pH 1.5-8.1), with oxidation rates ranging from 0.5 to 17.4 μmol g-1 d-1 wet weight. The abundance of known aerobic methanotrophs (up to 60.7% Methylacidiphilum and 11.2% Methylothermus) and putative anaerobic methanotrophs (up to 76.7% Bathyarchaeota) provides some explanation for the rapid rates of methane oxidation observed in microcosms. However, not all methane oxidation was attributable to known taxa; in some methane-consuming microcosms we detected methanotroph taxa in conditions outside of their known temperature range for growth, and in other examples, we observed methane oxidation in the absence of known methanotrophs through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Both of these observations suggest unidentified methane oxidizing microorganisms or undescribed methanotrophic syntrophic associations may also be present. Subsequent enrichment cultures from microcosms yielded communities not predicted by the original diversity studies and showed rates inconsistent with microcosms (≤24.5 μmol d-1), highlighting difficulties in culturing representative thermophilic methanotrophs. Finally, to determine the active methane oxidation processes, we attempted to elucidate metabolic pathways from two enrichment cultures actively oxidizing methane using metatranscriptomics. The most highly expressed genes in both enrichments (methane monooxygenases, methanol dehydrogenases and PqqA precursor peptides) were related to methanotrophs from Methylococcaceae, Methylocystaceae and Methylothermaceae. This is the first example of using metatranscriptomics to investigate methanotrophs from geothermal environments and gives insight into the metabolic pathways involved in thermophilic methanotrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M. Houghton
- Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Taupō, New Zealand
- Te Aka Mātuatua | School of Science, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Carlo R. Carere
- Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Taupō, New Zealand
- Te Tari Pūhanga Tukanga Matū | Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Matthew B. Stott
- Te Pū Ao | GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, Taupō, New Zealand
- Te Kura Pūtaiao Koiora | School of Biological Sciences, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Ian R. McDonald
- Te Aka Mātuatua | School of Science, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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10
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Weng C, Peng X, Han Y. From methane to value-added bioproducts: microbial metabolism, enzymes, and metabolic engineering. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2023; 124:119-146. [PMID: 37597946 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Methane is abundant in nature, and excessive emissions will cause the greenhouse effect. Methane is also an ideal carbon and energy feedstock for biosynthesis. In the review, the microorganisms, metabolism, and enzymes for methane utilization, and the advances of conversion to value-added bioproducts were summarized. First, the physiological characteristics, classification, and methane oxidation process of methanotrophs were introduced. The metabolic pathways for methane utilization and key intermediate metabolites of native and synthetic methanotrophs were summarized. Second, the enzymatic properties, crystal structures, and catalytic mechanisms of methane-oxidizing and metabolizing enzymes in methanotrophs were described. Third, challenges and prospects in metabolic pathways and enzymatic catalysis for methane utilization and conversion to value-added bioproducts were discussed. Finally, metabolic engineering of microorganisms for methane biooxidation and bioproducts synthesis based on different pathways were summarized. Understanding the metabolism and challenges of microbial methane utilization will provide insights into possible strategies for efficient methane-based synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihong Weng
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowei Peng
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yejun Han
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.
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11
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Cre/ lox-Mediated CRISPRi Library Reveals Core Genome of a Type I Methanotroph Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0188322. [PMID: 36622175 PMCID: PMC9888281 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01883-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanotrophs play key roles in global methane cycling and are promising platforms for methane bioconversion. However, major gaps existing in fundamental knowledge undermines understanding of these methane-consuming microorganisms. To associate genes with a phenotype at the genome-wide level, we developed a Cre/lox-mediated method for constructing a large-scale CRISPRi library in a model methanotroph Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C. The efficiency of this Cre mediated integration method was up to a level of 105 CFU/μg DNA. Targeting 4,100 predicted protein-coding genes, our CRISPRi pooled screening uncovered 788 core genes for the growth of strain 5GB1C using methane. The core genes are highly consistent with the gene knockout results, indicating the reliability of the CRISPRi screen. Insights from the core genes include that annotated isozymes generally exist in metabolic pathways and many core genes are hypothetical genes. This work not only provides functional genomic data for both fundamental research and metabolic engineering of methanotrophs, but also offers a method for CRISPRi library construction. IMPORTANCE Due to their key role in methane cycling and their industrial potential, methanotrophs have drawn increasing attention. Genome-wide experimental approaches for gene-phenotype mapping accelerate our understanding and engineering of a bacterium. However, these approaches are still unavailable in methanotrophs. This work has two significant implications. First, the core genes identified here provide functional genetic basics for complete reconstruction of the metabolic network and afford more clues for knowledge gaps. Second, the Cre-mediated knock-in method developed in this work enables large-scale DNA library construction in methanotrophs; the CRISPRi library can be used to screen the genes associated with special culture conditions.
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12
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Aoun AE, Rasouli V, Khetib Y. Assessment of Advanced Technologies to Capture Gas Flaring in North Dakota. ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s13369-023-07611-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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13
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Khmelenina VN, But SY, Rozova ON, Oshkin IY, Pimenov NV, Dedysh SN. Genome Editing in Methanotrophic Bacteria: Potential Targets and Available Tools. Microbiology (Reading) 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261722602196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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14
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Liang B, Fu R, Ma Y, Hu L, Fei Q, Xing XH. Turning C1-gases to isobutanol towards great environmental and economic sustainability via innovative biological routes: two birds with one stone. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2022; 15:107. [PMID: 36221148 PMCID: PMC9555204 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-022-02202-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dramatic increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which causes serious global environmental issues and severe climate changes, has become a global problem of concern in recent decades. Currently, native and/or non-native C1-utilizing microbes have been modified to be able to effectively convert C1-gases (biogas, natural gas, and CO2) into isobutanol via biological routes. Even though the current experimental results are satisfactory in lab-scale research, the techno-economic feasibility of C1 gas-derived isobutanol production at the industrial scale still needs to be analyzed and evaluated, which will be essential for the future industrialization of C1-gas bioconversion. Therefore, techno-economic analyses were conducted in this study with comparisons of capital cost (CAPEX), operating cost (OPEX), and minimum isobutanol selling price (MISP) derived from biogas (scenario #1), natural gas (scenario #2), and CO2 (scenario #3) with systematic economic assessment. RESULTS By calculating capital investments and necessary expenses, the highest CAPEX ($317 MM) and OPEX ($67 MM) were projected in scenario #1 and scenario #2, respectively. Because of the lower CAPEX and OPEX from scenario #3, the results revealed that bioconversion of CO2 into isobutanol temporally exhibited the best economic performance with an MISP of $1.38/kg isobutanol. Furthermore, a single sensitivity analysis with nine different parameters was carried out for the production of CO2-derived isobutanol. The annual plant capacity, gas utilization rate, and substrate cost are the three most important economic-driving forces on the MISP of CO2-derived isobutanol. Finally, a multiple-point sensitivity analysis considering all five parameters simultaneously was performed using ideal targets, which presented the lowest MISP of $0.99/kg in a long-term case study. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the bioconversion of C1-gases into isobutanol in terms of the bioprocess design, mass/energy calculation, capital investment, operating expense, sensitivity analysis, and minimum selling price. Compared with isobutanol derived from biogas and natural gas, the CO2-based isobutanol showed better economic feasibility. A market competitive isobutanol derived from CO2 is predicable with lower CO2 cost, better isobutanol titer, and higher annual capacity. This study will help researchers and decision-makers explore innovative and effective approaches to neutralizing GHGs and focus on key economic-driving forces to improve techno-economic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobo Liang
- grid.43169.390000 0001 0599 1243Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Rongzhan Fu
- grid.412262.10000 0004 1761 5538Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069 China
| | - Yingqun Ma
- grid.43169.390000 0001 0599 1243Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Lizhen Hu
- grid.43169.390000 0001 0599 1243Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qiang Fei
- grid.43169.390000 0001 0599 1243Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xin-Hui Xing
- grid.12527.330000 0001 0662 3178MOE Key Lab of Industrial Biocatalysis, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
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15
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An Overview on Methanotrophs and the Role of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b for Biotechnological Applications. BIOTECHNOL BIOPROC E 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12257-022-0046-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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16
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Chetri JK, Reddy KR, Green SJ. Use of methanotrophically activated biochar in novel biogeochemical cover system for carbon sequestration: Microbial characterization. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153429. [PMID: 35101512 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biochar-amended soils have been explored to enhance microbial methane (CH4) oxidation in landfill cover systems. Recently, research priorities have expanded to include the mitigation of other components of landfill gas such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) along with CH4. In this study, column tests were performed to simulate the newly proposed biogeochemical cover systems, which incorporate biochar-amended soil for CH4 oxidation and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag for CO2 and H2S mitigation, to evaluate the effect of cover configuration on microbial CH4 oxidation and community composition. Biogeochemical covers included a biochar-amended soil (10% w/w), and methanotroph-enriched activated biochar amended soil (5% or 10% w/w) as a biocover layer or CH4 oxidation layer. The primary outcome measures of interest were CH4 oxidation rates and the structure and abundance of methane-oxidation bacteria in the covers. All column reactors were active in CH4 oxidation, but columns containing activated biochar-amended soils had higher CH4 oxidation rates (133 to 143 μg CH4 g-1 day-1) than those containing non-activated biochar-amended soil (50 μg CH4 g-1 day-1) and no-biochar soil or control soil (43 μg CH4 g-1 day-1). All treatments showed significant increases in the relative abundance of methanotrophs from an average relative abundance of 5.6% before incubation to a maximum of 45% following incubation. In activated biochar, the abundance of Type II methanotrophs, primarily Methylocystis and Methylosinus, was greater than that of Type I methanotrophs (Methylobacter) due to which activated biochar-amended soils also showed higher abundance of Type II methanotrophs. Overall, biogeochemical cover profiles showed promising potential for CH4 oxidation without any adverse effect on microbial community composition and methane oxidation. Biochar activation led to an alteration of the dominant methanotrophic communities and increased CH4 oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti K Chetri
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering, 842 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Krishna R Reddy
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering, 842 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Stefan J Green
- Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 W. Congress Parkway, Jelke Building, Room 444, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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17
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Wang J, Zhang C, Poursat BAJ, de Ridder D, Smidt H, van der Wal A, Sutton NB. Unravelling the contribution of nitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria to micropollutant co-metabolism in rapid sand filters. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 424:127760. [PMID: 34836694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The presence of organic micropollutant (OMP) in groundwater threatens drinking water quality and public health. Rapid sand filter (RSF) rely on biofilms with nitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria to remove ammonia and methane during drinking water production. Previous research observed the partial removal of OMPs with active nitrification and methane oxidation due to co-metabolic conversion of OMPs. However, the contribution of indigenous nitrifying and methanotrophic communities from RSF has yet to be fully explored. Accordingly, experiments were carried out with biofilm-covered sand collected from field-scale RSF, to assess the removal of nine OMPs by nitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria. Results indicated that stimulating nitrification resulted in significantly more removal of caffeine, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and bentazone. Stimulating methanotrophic conditions enhanced the removal of caffeine, benzotriazole, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and bentazone. Microbial community analysis based on 16 S rRNA gene sequencing revealed Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira are the dominant genus in the community under nitrifying conditions. The three genera Methylobacter, Methylomonas and Methylotenera were enriched under methanotrophic conditions. This study highlights that nitrifying and methanotrophic bacteria play important roles during OMP removal in field RSF. Furthermore, results suggest that bioaugmentation with an enriched nitrifying and methanotrophic culture is a promising approach to improve OMP removal in RSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Wang
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chen Zhang
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 8033, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Baptiste A J Poursat
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - David de Ridder
- Evides Water Company N.V., Schaardijk 150, 3063 NH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hauke Smidt
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 8033, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albert van der Wal
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; Evides Water Company N.V., Schaardijk 150, 3063 NH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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18
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Wu Y, Wei H, van der Mei HC, de Vries J, Busscher HJ, Ren Y. Inheritance of physico-chemical properties and ROS generation by carbon quantum dots derived from pyrolytically carbonized bacterial sources. Mater Today Bio 2021; 12:100151. [PMID: 34746735 PMCID: PMC8554632 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2021.100151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are frequently used in industrial processes and nutrient supplementation to restore a healthy human microflora, but use of live bacteria is often troublesome. Here, we hypothesize that bacterially-derived carbon-quantum-dots obtained through pyrolytic carbonization inherit physico-chemical properties from probiotic and pathogenic source-bacteria. Carbon-quantum-dots carbonized at reaction-temperatures below 200 °C had negligible quantum-yields, while temperatures above 220 °C yielded poor water-suspendability. Fourier-transform infrared-spectroscopy demonstrated preservation of amide absorption bands in carbon-quantum-dots derived at intermediate temperatures. X-ray photoelectron-spectroscopy indicated that the at%N in carbon-quantum-dots increased with increasing amounts of protein in source-bacterial surfaces. Carbonization transformed hydrocarbon-like bacterial surface compounds into heterocyclic aromatic-carbon structures, evidenced by a broad infrared absorption band (920-900 cm−1) and the presence of carbon in C–C functionalities of carbon-quantum-dots. The chemical composition of bacterially-derived carbon-quantum-dots could be explained by the degradation temperatures of main bacterial cell surface compounds. All carbon-quantum-dots generated reactive-oxygen-species, most notably those derived from probiotic lactobacilli, carrying a high amount of surface protein. Concluding, amide functionalities in carbon-quantum-dots are inherited from surface proteins of source-bacteria, controlling reactive-oxygen-species generation. This paves the way for applications of bacterially-derived carbon-quantum-dots in which reactive-oxygen-species generation is essential, instead of hard-to-use live bacteria, such as in food supplementation or probiotic-assisted antibiotic therapy. Pyrolytic carbonization of bacteria between 200°C and 220°C yields water-suspendable CQDs. Bacterially-derived CQDs inherit amide functionalities from bacterial cell surface proteins. Hydrocarbon-like bacterial surface compounds give heterocyclic aromatic-carbon structures in bacterially-derived CQDs. Bacterially-derived CQDs possess graphitic nitrogen. Zeta potentials of CQDs relate with nitrogen occurrence in CQDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Wu
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center of Groningen, Department of Orthodontics, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - H Wei
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - H C van der Mei
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - J de Vries
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - H J Busscher
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Y Ren
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center of Groningen, Department of Orthodontics, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands
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19
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Salem R, ElDyasti A, Audette GF. Biomedical Applications of Biomolecules Isolated from Methanotrophic Bacteria in Wastewater Treatment Systems. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1217. [PMID: 34439884 PMCID: PMC8392503 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants and other remediation facilities serve important roles, both in public health, but also as dynamic research platforms for acquiring useful resources and biomolecules for various applications. An example of this is methanotrophic bacteria within anaerobic digestion processes in wastewater treatment plants. These bacteria are an important microbial source of many products including ectoine, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and methanobactins, which are invaluable to the fields of biotechnology and biomedicine. Here we provide an overview of the methanotrophs' unique metabolism and the biochemical pathways involved in biomolecule formation. We also discuss the potential biomedical applications of these biomolecules through creation of beneficial biocompatible products including vaccines, prosthetics, electronic devices, drug carriers, and heart stents. We highlight the links between molecular biology, public health, and environmental science in the advancement of biomedical research and industrial applications using methanotrophic bacteria in wastewater treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Salem
- Department of Chemistry, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Ahmed ElDyasti
- Department of Civil Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Gerald F. Audette
- Department of Chemistry, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
- The Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
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20
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Yun J, Crombie AT, Ul Haque MF, Cai Y, Zheng X, Wang J, Jia Z, Murrell JC, Wang Y, Du W. Revealing the community and metabolic potential of active methanotrophs by targeted metagenomics in the Zoige wetland of the Tibetan Plateau. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:6520-6535. [PMID: 34390603 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The Zoige wetland of the Tibetan Plateau is one of the largest alpine wetlands in the world and a major emission source of methane. Methane oxidation by methanotrophs can counteract the global warming effect of methane released in the wetlands. Understanding methanotroph activity, diversity and metabolism at the molecular level can guide the isolation of the uncultured microorganisms and inform strategy-making decisions and policies to counteract global warming in this unique ecosystem. Here we applied DNA stable isotope probing using 13 C-labelled methane to label the genomes of active methanotrophs, examine the methane oxidation potential and recover metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of active methanotrophs. We found that gammaproteobacteria of type I methanotrophs are responsible for methane oxidation in the wetland. We recovered two phylogenetically novel methanotroph MAGs distantly related to extant Methylobacter and Methylovulum. They belong to type I methanotrophs of gammaproteobacteria, contain both mxaF and xoxF types of methanol dehydrogenase coding genes, and participate in methane oxidation via H4 MPT and RuMP pathways. Overall, the community structure of active methanotrophs and their methanotrophic pathways revealed by DNA-SIP metagenomics and retrieved methanotroph MAGs highlight the importance of methanotrophs in suppressing methane emission in the wetland under the scenario of global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanli Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Andrew T Crombie
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | | | - Yuanfeng Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, China
| | - Xiaowei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhongjun Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, China
| | - J Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Yanfen Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10049, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Wenbin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,Savaid Medical School, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10049, China
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21
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Praeg N, Schachner I, Schuster L, Illmer P. Carbon-dependent growth, community structure and methane oxidation performance of a soil-derived methanotrophic mixed culture. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2021; 368:6035239. [PMID: 33320954 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnaa212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil-borne methane-oxidizing microorganisms act as a terrestrial methane (CH4) sink and are potentially useful in decreasing global CH4 emissions. Understanding the ecophysiology of methanotrophs is crucial for a thorough description of global carbon cycling. Here, we report the in situ balance of soils from abandoned landfills, meadows and wetlands, their capacities to produce and oxidize CH4 at laboratory-scale and the isolation of a soil-borne methanotrophic-heterotrophic mixed culture that was used for carbon (C1 and C2) feeding experiments. We showed that even with similar soil properties, the in situ CH4 balance depends on land-use. Different soils had different potentials to adapt to increased CH4 availability, leading to the highest CH4 oxidation capacities for landfill and wetland soils. The most efficient mixed culture isolated from the landfill was dominated by the methanotrophs Methylobacter sp. and Methylosinus sp., which were accompanied by Variovorax sp. and Pseudomonas sp. and remained active in oxidizing CH4 when supplied with additional C-sources. The ratios between type I and type II methanotrophs and between methanotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria changed when C-sources were altered. A significant effect of the application of the mixed culture on the CH4 oxidation of soils was established but the extent varied depending on soil type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Praeg
- Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Technikerstrasse 25d, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Iris Schachner
- Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Technikerstrasse 25d, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Lisa Schuster
- Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Technikerstrasse 25d, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Paul Illmer
- Universität Innsbruck, Department of Microbiology, Technikerstrasse 25d, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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22
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Kumar M, Yadav AN, Saxena R, Rai PK, Paul D, Tomar RS. Novel methanotrophic and methanogenic bacterial communities from diverse ecosystems and their impact on environment. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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23
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Khider MLK, Brautaset T, Irla M. Methane monooxygenases: central enzymes in methanotrophy with promising biotechnological applications. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:72. [PMID: 33765207 PMCID: PMC7994243 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03038-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, the use of methane is limited to generating power, electricity, heating, and for production of chemicals. We believe this valuable gas can be employed more widely. Here we review the possibility of using methane as a feedstock for biotechnological processes based on the application of synthetic methanotrophs. Methane monooxygenase (MMO) enables aerobic methanotrophs to utilize methane as a sole carbon and energy source, in contrast to industrial microorganisms that grow on carbon sources, such as sugar cane, which directly compete with the food market. However, naturally occurring methanotrophs have proven to be difficult to manipulate genetically and their current industrial use is limited to generating animal feed biomass. Shifting the focus from genetic engineering of methanotrophs, towards introducing metabolic pathways for methane utilization in familiar industrial microorganisms, may lead to construction of efficient and economically feasible microbial cell factories. The applications of a technology for MMO production are not limited to methane-based industrial synthesis of fuels and value-added products, but are also of interest in bioremediation where mitigating anthropogenic pollution is an increasingly relevant issue. Published research on successful functional expression of MMO does not exist, but several attempts provide promising future perspectives and a few recent patents indicate that there is an ongoing research in this field. Combining the knowledge on genetics and metabolism of methanotrophy with tools for functional heterologous expression of MMO-encoding genes in non-methanotrophic bacterial species, is a key step for construction of synthetic methanotrophs that holds a great biotechnological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- May L K Khider
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Trygve Brautaset
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marta Irla
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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Detoxification, Active Uptake, and Intracellular Accumulation of Chromium Species by a Methane-Oxidizing Bacterium. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.00947-20. [PMID: 33127813 PMCID: PMC7783347 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00947-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
M. capsulatus Bath is a well-characterized aerobic methane-oxidizing bacterium that has become a model system for biotechnological development of methanotrophs to perform useful reactions for environmental cleanup and for making valuable chemicals and biological products using methane gas. Interest in such technology has increased recently owing to increasing availability of low-cost methane from fossil and biological sources. Here, it is demonstrated that this versatile methanotroph can reduce the toxic contaminating heavy metal chromium(VI) to the less toxic form chromium(III) while accumulating the chromium(III) within the cells. This is expected to diminish the bioavailability of the chromium and make it less likely to be reoxidized to chromium(VI). Thus, M. capsulatus has the capacity to perform methane-driven remediation of chromium-contaminated water and other materials and to accumulate the chromium in the low-toxicity chromium(III) form within the cells. Despite the wide-ranging proscription of hexavalent chromium, chromium(VI) remains among the major polluting heavy metals worldwide. Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria are widespread environmental microorganisms that can perform diverse reactions using methane as the feedstock. The methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, like many other microorganisms, detoxifies chromium(VI) by reduction to chromium(III). Here, the interaction of chromium species with M. capsulatus Bath was examined in detail by using a range of techniques. Cell fractionation and high-performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICP-MS) indicated that externally provided chromium(VI) underwent reduction and was then taken up into the cytoplasmic and membranous fractions of the cells. This was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of intact cultures that indicated negligible chromium on the surfaces of or outside the cells. Distribution of chromium and other elements within intact and sectioned cells, as observed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), was consistent with the cytoplasm/membrane location of the chromium(III), possibly as chromium phosphate. The cells could also take up chromium(III) directly from the medium in a metabolism-dependent fashion and accumulate it. These results indicate a novel pattern of interaction with chromium species distinct from that observed previously with other microorganisms. They also suggest that M. capsulatus and similar methanotrophs may contribute directly to chromium(VI) reduction and accumulation in mixed communities of microorganisms that are able to perform methane-driven remediation of chromium(VI). IMPORTANCEM. capsulatus Bath is a well-characterized aerobic methane-oxidizing bacterium that has become a model system for biotechnological development of methanotrophs to perform useful reactions for environmental cleanup and for making valuable chemicals and biological products using methane gas. Interest in such technology has increased recently owing to increasing availability of low-cost methane from fossil and biological sources. Here, it is demonstrated that this versatile methanotroph can reduce the toxic contaminating heavy metal chromium(VI) to the less toxic form chromium(III) while accumulating the chromium(III) within the cells. This is expected to diminish the bioavailability of the chromium and make it less likely to be reoxidized to chromium(VI). Thus, M. capsulatus has the capacity to perform methane-driven remediation of chromium-contaminated water and other materials and to accumulate the chromium in the low-toxicity chromium(III) form within the cells.
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Jawaharraj K, Shrestha N, Chilkoor G, Dhiman SS, Islam J, Gadhamshetty V. Valorization of methane from environmental engineering applications: A critical review. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 187:116400. [PMID: 32979578 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater and waste management sectors alone account for 18% of the anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions. This study presents a critical overview of methanotrophs ("methane oxidizing microorganisms") for valorizing typically discarded CH4 from environmental engineering applications, focusing on wastewater treatment plants. Methanotrophs can convert CH4 into valuable bioproducts including chemicals, biodiesel, DC electricity, polymers, and S-layers, all under ambient conditions. As discarded CH4 and its oxidation products can also be used as a carbon source in nitrification and annamox processes. Here we discuss modes of CH4 assimilation by methanotrophs in both natural and engineered systems. We also highlight the technical challenges and technological breakthroughs needed to enable targeted CH4 oxidation in wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalimuthu Jawaharraj
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; BuG ReMeDEE consortium, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States
| | - Namita Shrestha
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute 47803, IN, United States
| | - Govinda Chilkoor
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; 2-Dimensional Materials for Biofilm Engineering Science and Technology (2DBEST) Center, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States
| | - Saurabh Sudha Dhiman
- BuG ReMeDEE consortium, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; Biological and Chemical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States
| | - Jamil Islam
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; BuG ReMeDEE consortium, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States
| | - Venkataramana Gadhamshetty
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; BuG ReMeDEE consortium, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States; 2-Dimensional Materials for Biofilm Engineering Science and Technology (2DBEST) Center, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City 57701, SD, United States.
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Hamid H, Li LY, Grace JR. Effect of substrate concentrations on aerobic biotransformation of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) in landfill leachate. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 261:128108. [PMID: 33113640 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biotransformation of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTS) results in the formation of short-chain (C4 - C6) perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) in landfill leachate. Although leachate substrate concentrations (i.e., organic carbon, ammonia) vary widely, their effects on 6:2 FTS biotransformation and PFCAs formation are unknown. This study investigated the effect of organic carbon and ammonia concentration in 6:2 FTS aerobic biotransformation and PFCA formation in leachate. Biotransformation experiments were conducted with sediment collected from a landfill leachate ditch, to which deionized (DI) water and various amounts of leachate were added. Microbial community analysis using 16S rRNA indicated that while phylum Proteobacteria dominated the bacterial composition throughout the 60 days, Actinobacteria increased with time. Many genera from Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria can synthesize a wide array of enzymes, indicating that these phyla are likely to play an important role in 6:2 FTS biotransformation. Higher biotransformation of 6:2 FTS was observed in leachate-added microcosms (∼21%), compared to DI water microcosm (∼14%), likely reflecting the substrate dependency of 6:2 FTS biotransformation. Substrate limiting conditions in DI water microcosm resulted in slightly greater formation of ∑(C4 - C6) PFCAs (∼14 mol%), compared with leachate added microcosms (10-13 mol%). The findings suggest that dilution of landfill leachate, (e.g., during wet seasons), likely results in reduced 6:2 FTS biotransformation and increased PFCAs formation compared to dry conditions. Observed formation of C7 - C8 PFCAs in the live microcosms suggested that landfills act as secondary sources of legacy PFCAs (e.g., perfluorooctanoic acid) in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Hamid
- Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Loretta Y Li
- Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - John R Grace
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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Farhan Ul Haque M, Xu HJ, Murrell JC, Crombie A. Facultative methanotrophs - diversity, genetics, molecular ecology and biotechnological potential: a mini-review. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2020; 166:894-908. [PMID: 33085587 PMCID: PMC7660913 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) play a vital role in reducing atmospheric methane emissions, and hence mitigating their potent global warming effects. A significant proportion of the methane released is thermogenic natural gas, containing associated short-chain alkanes as well as methane. It was one hundred years following the description of methanotrophs that facultative strains were discovered and validly described. These can use some multi-carbon compounds in addition to methane, often small organic acids, such as acetate, or ethanol, although Methylocella strains can also use short-chain alkanes, presumably deriving a competitive advantage from this metabolic versatility. Here, we review the diversity and molecular ecology of facultative methanotrophs. We discuss the genetic potential of the known strains and outline the consequent benefits they may obtain. Finally, we review the biotechnological promise of these fascinating microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui-Juan Xu
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
- Present address: Joint Institute for Environmental Research & Education, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, PR China
| | - J. Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Andrew Crombie
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
- Present address: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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Houghton KM, Stewart LC. Temperature-gradient incubation isolates multiple competitive species from a single environmental sample. Access Microbiol 2020; 2:acmi000081. [PMID: 32974564 PMCID: PMC7470311 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput sequencing has allowed culture-independent investigation into a wide variety of microbiomes, but sequencing studies still require axenic culture experiments to determine ecological roles, confirm functional predictions and identify useful compounds and pathways. We have developed a new method for culturing and isolating multiple microbial species with overlapping ecological niches from a single environmental sample, using temperature-gradient incubation. This method was more effective than standard serial dilution-to-extinction at isolating methanotrophic bacteria. It also highlighted discrepancies between culture-dependent and -independent techniques; 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the same sample did not accurately reflect cultivatable strains using this method. We propose that temperature-gradient incubation could be used to separate out and study previously ‘unculturable’ strains, which co-exist in both natural and artificial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Houghton
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, 114 Karetoto Rd, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
| | - Lucy C Stewart
- GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand
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29
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Economic Perspectives of Biogas Production via Anaerobic Digestion. Bioengineering (Basel) 2020; 7:bioengineering7030074. [PMID: 32674480 PMCID: PMC7552621 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering7030074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As the demand for utilizing environment-friendly and sustainable energy sources is increasing, the adoption of waste-to-energy technologies has started gaining attention. Producing biogas via anaerobic digestion (AD) is promising and well-established; however, this process in many circumstances is unable to be cost competitive with natural gas. In this research, we provide a technical assessment of current process challenges and compare the cost of biogas production via the AD process from the literature, Aspen Plus process modeling, and CapdetWorks software. We also provide insights on critical factors affecting the AD process and recommendations on optimizing the process. We utilize four types of wet wastes, including wastewater sludge, food waste, swine manure, and fat, oil, and grease, to provide a quantitative assessment of theoretical energy yields of biogas production and its economic potential at different plant scales. Our results show that the cost of biogas production from process and economic models are in line with the literature with a potential to go even lower for small-scale plants with technological advancements. This research illuminates potential cost savings for biogas production using different wastes and guide investors to make informed decisions, while achieving waste management goals.
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Challa S, Smith TJ. Isolation of a methane-oxidizing bacterium that bioremediates hexavalent chromium from a formerly industrialized Suburban River. Lett Appl Microbiol 2020; 71:287-293. [PMID: 32470995 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Sediment samples were taken from sediment adjacent to a suburban river in Sheffield in Northern England that had suffered heavy metal pollution due to previous activity of the steel industry (between the 17th and 19th centuries). The most abundant heavy metals found in the samples were lead, chromium, nickel, arsenic and cobalt, with maximum concentrations of 412·80, 25·232, 25·196, 8·123 and 7·66 mg kg-1 , respectively. Enrichment cultures were set up using methane as carbon and energy source, as a result of which a strain of methanotroph was isolated that was shown via 16S rRNA gene sequencing to be a strain Methylomonas koyamae and given the designation SHU1. M. koyamae SHU1 removed hexavalent chromium from an initial concentration of 10 ppm, which was inhibited by the metabolic inhibitor sodium azide or the methane monooxygenase inhibitor phenylacetylene. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first description of a strain of the widely environmentally distributed genus Methylomonas that is capable of remediating hexavalent chromium. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria are known for bioremediation of an increasing range of organic and inorganic pollutants, using methane as carbon and energy source. Previously, one laboratory methanotroph strain, Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, was known to bioremediate toxic chromium (VI) by reducing it to chromium (III). Here, a newly isolated methanotroph strain, Methylomonas koyamae SHU1, has been shown able to remediate chromium (VI). This indicates that chromium (VI) bioremediation is not unique to M. capsulatus and moreover adds weight to the suggestion that methanotrophs may contribute directly to chromium (VI) detoxification in nature and in polymicrobial bioremediation fed with methane.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Challa
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, College of Heath, Wellbeing and Life Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - T J Smith
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, College of Heath, Wellbeing and Life Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
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Fei Q, Liang B, Tao L, Tan EC, Gonzalez R, Henard CA, Guarnieri MT. Biological valorization of natural gas for the production of lactic acid: Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment. Biochem Eng J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2020.107500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Hu W, Liang J, Ju F, Wang Q, Liu R, Bai Y, Liu H, Qu J. Metagenomics Unravels Differential Microbiome Composition and Metabolic Potential in Rapid Sand Filters Purifying Surface Water Versus Groundwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5197-5206. [PMID: 32207614 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Designed for retaining suspended particles, rapid sand filters (RSFs) are widely used in drinking water treatment. There is increasing evidence that microbial processes within RSFs contribute to the transformation and removal of organic carbon, nitrogen, and metal pollutants. Here, we linked microbial composition and functional profiles with the treatment performance of 12 different RSFs that significantly removed influent ammonium and manganese (Mn). Metagenomic analyses showed that chemoautotrophic or methanotrophic bacteria were prevalent in the groundwater filters, and chemoheterotrophic bacteria encoding more carbohydrate- and xenobiotic-metabolizing genes were more abundant in the surface water filters. Approximately 92% of ammonium was transformed into nitrate, with a critical contribution from comammox Nitrospira. The composition of comammox amoA differed between groundwater and surface water filters, with clade A dominating groundwater filters (78.0 ± 12.0%) and clade B dominating surface water filters (91.9 ± 8.9%). Further, we identified six bacterial genera encoding known Mn(II)-oxidizing genes in the RSFs, with Pseudomonas accounting for 71.1%. These Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria might promote Mn(II) oxidation and thus increase the removal of influent Mn. Overall, our study gave a comprehensive investigation of microbiome in RSFs and highlighted the roles of comammox and Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria in water purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanchao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Liang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Feng Ju
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
- Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Qiaojuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruiping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yaohui Bai
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Chen S, Wang P, Liu H, Xie W, Wan XS, Kao SJ, Phelps TJ, Zhang C. Population dynamics of methanogens and methanotrophs along the salinity gradient in Pearl River Estuary: implications for methane metabolism. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 104:1331-1346. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10221-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Singh R, Ryu J, Kim SW. Microbial consortia including methanotrophs: some benefits of living together. J Microbiol 2019; 57:939-952. [PMID: 31659683 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-019-9328-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
With the progress of biotechnological research and improvements made in bioprocessing with pure cultures, microbial consortia have gained recognition for accomplishing biological processes with improved effectiveness. Microbes are indispensable tool in developing bioprocesses for the production of bioenergy and biochemicals while utilizing renewable resources due to technical, economic and environmental advantages. They communicate with specific cohorts in close proximity to promote metabolic cooperation. Use of positive microbial associations has been recognized widely, especially in food industries and bioremediation of toxic compounds and waste materials. Role of microbial associations in developing sustainable energy sources and substitutes for conventional fuels is highly promising with many commercial prospects. Detoxification of chemical contaminants sourced from domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes has also been achieved through microbial catalysis in pure and co-culture systems. Methanotrophs, the sole biological sink of greenhouse gas methane, catalyze the methane monooxygenasemediated oxidation of methane to methanol, a high energy density liquid and key platform chemical to produce commodity chemical compounds and their derivatives. Constructed microbial consortia have positive effects, such as improved biomass, biocatalytic potential, stability etc. In a methanotroph-heterotroph consortium, non-methanotrophs provide key nutrient factors and alleviate the toxicity from the culture. Non-methanotrophic organisms biologically stimulate the growth and activity of methanotrophs via production of growth stimulators. However, methanotrophs in association with co-cultured microorganisms are in need of further exploration and thorough investigation to study their interaction mode and application with improved effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Singh
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaewon Ryu
- Department of Energy Convergence, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea
| | - Si Wouk Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Energy Convergence, Chosun University, Gwangju, 61452, Republic of Korea.
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35
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Whiddon KT, Gudneppanavar R, Hammer TJ, West DA, Konopka MC. Fluorescence-based analysis of the intracytoplasmic membranes of type I methanotrophs. Microb Biotechnol 2019; 12:1024-1033. [PMID: 31264365 PMCID: PMC6680624 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Most methanotrophic bacteria maintain intracytoplasmic membranes which house the methane-oxidizing enzyme, particulate methane monooxygenase. Previous studies have primarily used transmission electron microscopy or cryo-electron microscopy to look at the structure of these membranes or lipid extraction methods to determine the per cent of cell dry weight composed of lipids. We show an alternative approach using lipophilic membrane probes and other fluorescent dyes to assess the extent of intracytoplasmic membrane formation in living cells. This fluorescence method is sensitive enough to show not only the characteristic shift in intracytoplasmic membrane formation that is present when methanotrophs are grown with or without copper, but also differences in intracytoplasmic membrane levels at intermediate copper concentrations. This technique can also be employed to monitor dynamic intracytoplasmic membrane changes in the same cell in real time under changing growth conditions. We anticipate that this approach will be of use to researchers wishing to visualize intracytoplasmic membranes who may not have access to electron microscopes. It will also have the capability to relate membrane changes in individual living cells to other measurements by fluorescence labelling or other single-cell analysis methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Theodore J. Hammer
- Department of ChemistryThe University of AkronAkronOHUSA
- Department of Polymer ScienceThe University of AkronAkronOHUSA
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36
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Houghton KM, Carere CR, Stott MB, McDonald IR. Thermophilic methanotrophs: in hot pursuit. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 95:5543213. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTMethane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for 20–30% of global climate change effects. The global methane budget is ∼500–600 Tg y−1, with the majority of methane produced via microbial processes, including anthropogenic-mediated sources such as ruminant animals, rice fields, sewage treatment facilities and landfills. It is estimated that microbially mediated methane oxidation (methanotrophy) consumes >50% of global methane flux each year. Methanotrophy research has primarily focused on mesophilic methanotrophic representatives and cooler environments such as freshwater, wetlands or marine habitats from which they are sourced. Nevertheless, geothermal emissions of geological methane, produced from magma and lithosphere degassing micro-seepages, mud volcanoes and other geological sources, contribute an estimated 33–75 Tg y−1 to the global methane budget. The aim of this review is to summarise current literature pertaining to the activity of thermophilic and thermotolerant methanotrophs, both proteobacterial (Methylocaldum, Methylococcus, Methylothermus) and verrucomicrobial (Methylacidiphilum). We assert, on the basis of recently reported molecular and geochemical data, that geothermal ecosystems host hitherto unidentified species capable of methane oxidation at higher temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Houghton
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, 114 Karetoto Rd, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Knighton Rd, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Carlo R Carere
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, 114 Karetoto Rd, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, 20 Kirkwood Ave, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Matthew B Stott
- GNS Science, Wairakei Research Centre, 114 Karetoto Rd, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, 20 Kirkwood Ave, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Ian R McDonald
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Knighton Rd, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
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37
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Kuźniar A, Furtak K, Włodarczyk K, Stępniewska Z, Wolińska A. Methanotrophic Bacterial Biomass as Potential Mineral Feed Ingredients for Animals. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16152674. [PMID: 31357395 PMCID: PMC6696423 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16152674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms play an important role in animal nutrition, as they can be used as a source of food or feed. The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional elements and fatty acids contained in the biomass of methanotrophic bacteria. Four bacterial consortia composed of Methylocystis and Methylosinus originating from Sphagnum flexuosum (Sp1), S. magellanicum (Sp2), S. fallax II (Sp3), S. magellanicum IV (Sp4), and one composed of Methylocaldum, Methylosinus, and Methylocystis that originated from coalbed rock (Sk108) were studied. Nutritional elements were determined using the flame atomic absorption spectroscopy technique after a biomass mineralization stage, whereas the fatty acid content was analyzed with the GC technique. Additionally, the growth of biomass and dynamics of methane consumption were monitored. It was found that the methanotrophic biomass contained high concentrations of K, Mg, and Fe, i.e., approx. 9.6–19.1, 2.2–7.6, and 2.4–6.6 g kg−1, respectively. Consequently, the biomass can be viewed as an appropriate feed and/or feed additive for supplementation with macroelements and certain microelements. Moreover, all consortia demonstrated higher content of unsaturated acids than saturated ones. Thus, methanotrophic bacteria seem to be a good solution, in natural supplementation of animal diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kuźniar
- Department of Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów St. 1 I, 20-708 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Karolina Furtak
- Department of Agriculture Microbiology, Institute of Soil Sciences and Plant Cultivation State Research Institute, Czartoryskich St. 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
| | - Kinga Włodarczyk
- Department of Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów St. 1 I, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Zofia Stępniewska
- Department of Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów St. 1 I, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Wolińska
- Department of Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów St. 1 I, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
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Osborne CD, Haritos VS. Beneath the surface: Evolution of methane activity in the bacterial multicomponent monooxygenases. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 139:106527. [PMID: 31173882 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial multicomponent monooxygenase (BMM) family has evolved to oxidise a wide array of hydrocarbon substrates of importance to environmental emissions and biotechnology: foremost amongst these is methane, which requires among the most powerful oxidant in biology to activate. To understand how the BMM evolved methane oxidation activity, we investigated the changes in the enzyme family at different levels: operonic, phylogenetic analysis of the catalytic hydroxylase, subunit or folding factor presence, and sequence-function analysis across the entirety of the BMM phylogeny. Our results show that the BMM evolution of new activities was enabled by incremental increases in oxidative power of the active site, and these occur in multiple branches of the hydroxylase phylogenetic tree. While the hydroxylase primary sequence changes that resulted in increased oxidative power of the enzyme appear to be minor, the principle evolutionary advances enabling methane activity occurred in the other components of the BMM complex and in the recruitment of stability proteins. We propose that enzyme assembly and stabilization factors have independently-evolved multiple times in the BMM family to support enzymes that oxidise increasingly difficult substrates. Herein, we show an important example of evolution of catalytic function where modifications to the active site and substrate accessibility, which are the usual focus of enzyme evolution, are overshadowed by broader scale changes to structural stabilization and non-catalytic unit development. Retracing macroscale changes during enzyme evolution, as demonstrated here, should find ready application to other enzyme systems and in protein design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig D Osborne
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton 3800, Australia
| | - Victoria S Haritos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton 3800, Australia.
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39
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Yu L, Wu F, Chen G. Next‐Generation Industrial Biotechnology‐Transforming the Current Industrial Biotechnology into Competitive Processes. Biotechnol J 2019; 14:e1800437. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lin‐Ping Yu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bioinformatics, School of Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Tsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
| | - Fu‐Qing Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bioinformatics, School of Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Tsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
| | - Guo‐Qiang Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bioinformatics, School of Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Tsinghua‐Peking Center for Life SciencesTsinghua University New Biology Building 100084 Beijing China
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Centre for Synthetic BiologyThe University of Manchester 131 Princess Street Manchester M1 7DN UK
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40
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Lew S, Glińska-Lewczuk K. Environmental controls on the abundance of methanotrophs and methanogens in peat bog lakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 645:1201-1211. [PMID: 30248845 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to identify the factors that influence the composition of methanogens and methanotrophs in the background prokaryotic community in peat bog lakes. We hypothesized that the microbial composition is a function of the physicochemical conditions of the water and a function of depth-dependent oxygen (DO) concentrations. To address this aim, we collected water samples from subsurface and near-bottom layers, representing oxic and anoxic conditions in 4 peat bog lakes in NE Poland. The structure of methanogenic Archaea and methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) was determined with double labeled-fluorescence in situ hybridization (DOPE-FISH). The results showed significant differences in Procaryota communities between the oxic (subsurface) and suboxic/anoxic (near-bottom) layers in peat bog lakes (t-test, p < 0.05). The methanogens from the Archaea domain were observed in anoxic periods, while methanotrophs were present regardless of water depth and season. The abundance of methanogens was inversely correlated with DO and CO2. Methanotrophs adapted better to the changing habitat conditions. The nonmetrical multidimensional scaling (NMS) and partial least square regression (PLS-R) models showed that the methanotrophs in subsurface layers are positively associated with temperature, DOC, and TON while negatively associated with pH. The DO availability is not a prerequisite condition for the presence of methanothrophs. The most important factors for MOB at the bottom were CO2 and TON. Due to a significant role of methanotrophs in the control of the methane emission flux rates, there is a need for further research on factors responsible for methanotroph development in peat bog lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Lew
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Department of Microbiology and Mycology, Oczapowskiego str. 1a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Glińska-Lewczuk
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Department of Water Resources, Climatology and Environmental Management, Plac Łódzki 2, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
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41
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Dennison C. The Coordination Chemistry of Copper Uptake and Storage for Methane Oxidation. Chemistry 2018; 25:74-86. [PMID: 30281847 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201803444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Methanotrophs are remarkable bacteria that utilise large quantities of copper (Cu) to oxidize the potent greenhouse gas methane. To assist in providing the Cu they require for this process some methanotrophs can secrete the Cu-sequestering modified peptide methanobactin. These small molecules bind CuI with very high affinity and crystal structures have given insight into why this is the case, and also how the metal ion may be released within the cell. A much greater proportion of methanotrophs, genomes of which have been sequenced, possess a member of a newly discovered bacterial family of copper storage proteins (the Csps). These are tetramers of four-helix bundles whose cores are lined with Cys residues enabling the binding of large numbers of CuI ions. In methanotrophs, a Csp exported from the cytosol stores CuI for the active site of the ubiquitous enzyme that catalyses the oxidation of methane. The presence of cytosolic Csps, not only in methanotrophs but in a wide range of bacteria, challenges the dogma that these organisms have no requirement for Cu in this location. The properties of the Csps, with an emphasis on CuI binding and the structures of the sites formed, are the primary focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dennison
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
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42
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Lieven C, Petersen LAH, Jørgensen SB, Gernaey KV, Herrgard MJ, Sonnenschein N. A Genome-Scale Metabolic Model for Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) Suggests Reduced Efficiency Electron Transfer to the Particulate Methane Monooxygenase. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2947. [PMID: 30564208 PMCID: PMC6288188 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Genome-scale metabolic models allow researchers to calculate yields, to predict consumption and production rates, and to study the effect of genetic modifications in silico, without running resource-intensive experiments. While these models have become an invaluable tool for optimizing industrial production hosts like Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae, few such models exist for one-carbon (C1) metabolizers. Results: Here, we present a genome-scale metabolic model for Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), a well-studied obligate methanotroph, which has been used as a production strain of single cell protein (SCP). The model was manually curated, and spans a total of 879 metabolites connected via 913 reactions. The inclusion of 730 genes and comprehensive annotations, make this model not only a useful tool for modeling metabolic physiology, but also a centralized knowledge base for M. capsulatus (Bath). With it, we determined that oxidation of methane by the particulate methane monooxygenase could be driven both through direct coupling or uphill electron transfer, both operating at reduced efficiency, as either scenario matches well with experimental data and observations from literature. Conclusion: The metabolic model will serve the ongoing fundamental research of C1 metabolism, and pave the way for rational strain design strategies toward improved SCP production processes in M. capsulatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Lieven
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Leander A H Petersen
- Unibio A/S, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.,Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sten Bay Jørgensen
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Krist V Gernaey
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Markus J Herrgard
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nikolaus Sonnenschein
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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43
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Methanotrophic contribution to biodegradation of phenoxy acids in cultures enriched from a groundwater-fed rapid sand filter. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 103:1007-1019. [PMID: 30474728 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9501-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Drinking water supply is in many parts of the world based on groundwater. Groundwater often contains methane, which can be oxidized by methanotrophs upon aeration. Sand from rapid sand filters fed with methane-rich groundwater can remove some pesticides (Hedegaard and Albrechtsen in Water Res 48:71-81, 2014). We enriched methanotrophs from filter sand and investigated whether they could drive the degradation of various pesticides. To enrich for methanotrophs, we designed and operated four laboratory-scale, continuously methane-fed column reactors, inoculated with filter sand and one control column fed with tap water. When enrichments were obtained, methane was continuously supplied to three reactors, while the fourth was starved for methane for 1 week, and the reactors were spiked with ten pesticides at groundwater-relevant concentrations (2.1-6.6 μg/L). Removal for most pesticides was not detected at the investigated contact time (1.37 min). However, the degradation of phenoxy acids was observed in the methanotrophic column reactor starved for methane, while it was not detected in the control column indicating the importance of methanotrophs. Phenoxy acid removal, using dichlorprop as a model compound, was further investigated in batch experiments with methanotrophic biomass collected from the enrichment reactors. Phenoxy acid removal (expressed per gram of matrix sand) was substantially improved in the methanotrophic enrichment compared to parent filter sand. The presence of methane did not clearly impact dichlorprop removal but did impact mineralization. We suggest that other heterotrophs are responsible for the first step in dichlorprop degradation, while the subsequent steps including ring-hydroxylation are driven by methanotrophs.
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44
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Kwon M, Ho A, Yoon S. Novel approaches and reasons to isolate methanotrophic bacteria with biotechnological potentials: recent achievements and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 103:1-8. [PMID: 30315351 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9435-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The recent drop in the price of natural gas has rekindled the interests in methanotrophs, the organisms capable of utilizing methane as the sole electron donor and carbon source, as biocatalysts for various industrial applications. As heterologous expression of the methane monooxygenases in more amenable hosts has been proven to be nearly impossible, future success in methanotroph biotechnology largely depends on securing phylogenetically and phenotypically diverse methanotrophs with relatively high growth rates. For long, isolation of methanotrophs have relied on repeated single colony picking after initial batch enrichment with methane, which is a very rigorous and time-consuming process. In this review, three unconventional isolation methods devised for facilitation of the isolation process, diversification of targeted methanotrophs, and/or screening of rapid growers are summarized. The soil substrate membrane method allowed for isolation of previously elusive methanotrophs and application of high-throughput extinction plating technique facilitated the isolation procedure. Use of a chemostat with gradually increased dilution rates proved effective in screening for the fastest-growing methanotrophs from environmental samples. Development of new isolation technologies incorporating microfluidics and single-cell techniques may lead to discovery of previously unculturable methanotrophs with unexpected metabolic potentials and thus, certainly warrant future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miye Kwon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea
| | - Adrian Ho
- Institute for Microbiology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sukhwan Yoon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea.
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45
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McCarl V, Somerville MV, Ly MA, Henry R, Liew EF, Wilson NL, Holmes AJ, Coleman NV. Heterologous Expression of Mycobacterium Alkene Monooxygenases in Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacterial Hosts. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:e00397-18. [PMID: 29802186 PMCID: PMC6052275 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00397-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alkene monooxygenases (MOs) are soluble di-iron-containing enzymes found in bacteria that grow on alkenes. Here, we report improved heterologous expression systems for the propene MO (PmoABCD) and ethene MO (EtnABCD) from Mycobacterium chubuense strain NBB4. Strong functional expression of PmoABCD and EtnABCD was achieved in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155, yielding epoxidation activities (62 and 27 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively) higher than any reported to date for heterologous expression of a di-iron MO system. Both PmoABCD and EtnABCD were specialized for the oxidation of gaseous alkenes (C2 to C4), and their activity was much lower on liquid alkenes (C5 to C8). Despite intensive efforts to express the complete EtnABCD enzyme in Escherichia coli, this was not achieved, although recombinant EtnB and EtnD proteins could be purified individually in soluble form. The biochemical function of EtnD as an oxidoreductase was confirmed (1.36 μmol cytochrome c reduced/min/mg protein). Cloning the EtnABCD gene cluster into Pseudomonas putida KT2440 yielded detectable epoxidation of ethene (0.5 nmol/min/mg protein), and this could be stimulated (up to 1.1 nmol/min/mg protein) by the coexpression of cpn60 chaperonins from either Mycobacterium spp. or E. coli Successful expression of the ethene MO in a Gram-negative host was validated by both whole-cell activity assays and peptide mass spectrometry of induced proteins seen on SDS-PAGE gels.IMPORTANCE Alkene MOs are of interest for their potential roles in industrial biocatalysis, most notably for the stereoselective synthesis of epoxides. Wild-type bacteria that grow on alkenes have high activities for alkene oxidation but are problematic for biocatalysis, since they tend to consume the epoxide products. Using recombinant biocatalysts is the obvious alternative, but a major bottleneck is the low activities of recombinant alkene MOs. Here, we provide new high-activity recombinant biocatalysts for alkene oxidation, and we provide insights into how to further improve these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria McCarl
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark V Somerville
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mai-Anh Ly
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rebecca Henry
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elissa F Liew
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil L Wilson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew J Holmes
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas V Coleman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
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46
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He R, Su Y, Ma RC, Zhuang S. Characterization of toluene metabolism by methanotroph and its effect on methane oxidation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:16816-16824. [PMID: 29616477 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-1863-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Methanotrophs not only oxidize CH4, but also can oxidize a relatively broad range of other substrates, including trichloroethylene, alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic compounds. In this study, Methylosinus sporium was used as a model organism to characterize toluene metabolism by methanotrophs. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis showed that toluene enhanced the mmoX expression of M. sporium. When the toluene concentration was below 2000 mg m-3, the kinetics of toluene metabolism by M. sporium conformed to the Michaelis-Menten equation (Vmax = 0.238 g gdry weight-1 h-1, K m = 545.2 mg m-3). The use of a solid-phase extraction technique followed by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and molecular docking calculation showed that toluene was likely to primarily bind the di-iron center structural region of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) hydroxylase and then be oxidized to o-cresol. Although M. sporium oxidized toluene, it did not incorporate toluene into its biomass. The coexistence of toluene and CH4 could influence CH4 oxidation, the growth of methanotrophs, and the distribution of CH4-derived carbon, which were related to the ratio of the toluene concentration to biomass. These results would be helpful to understand the metabolism of CH4 and non-methane volatile organic compounds in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo He
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yao Su
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Environment, Resource, Soil and Fertilizer, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Ruo-Chan Ma
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shulin Zhuang
- Institute of Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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47
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Ro SY, Ross MO, Deng YW, Batelu S, Lawton TJ, Hurley JD, Stemmler TL, Hoffman BM, Rosenzweig AC. From micelles to bicelles: Effect of the membrane on particulate methane monooxygenase activity. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:10457-10465. [PMID: 29739854 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is a copper-dependent integral membrane metalloenzyme that converts methane to methanol in methanotrophic bacteria. Studies of isolated pMMO have been hindered by loss of enzymatic activity upon its removal from the native membrane. To characterize pMMO in a membrane-like environment, we reconstituted pMMOs from Methylococcus (Mcc.) capsulatus (Bath) and Methylomicrobium (Mm.) alcaliphilum 20Z into bicelles. Reconstitution into bicelles recovers methane oxidation activity lost upon detergent solubilization and purification without substantial alterations to copper content or copper electronic structure, as observed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. These findings suggest that loss of pMMO activity upon isolation is due to removal from the membranes rather than caused by loss of the catalytic copper ions. A 2.7 Å resolution crystal structure of pMMO from Mm. alcaliphilum 20Z reveals a mononuclear copper center in the PmoB subunit and indicates that the transmembrane PmoC subunit may be conformationally flexible. Finally, results from extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of pMMO from Mm. alcaliphilum 20Z were consistent with the observed monocopper center in the PmoB subunit. These results underscore the importance of studying membrane proteins in a membrane-like environment and provide valuable insight into pMMO function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Y Ro
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Matthew O Ross
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Yue Wen Deng
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Sharon Batelu
- the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201
| | - Thomas J Lawton
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Joseph D Hurley
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Timothy L Stemmler
- the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201
| | - Brian M Hoffman
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
| | - Amy C Rosenzweig
- From the Departments of Molecular Biosciences and Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 and
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48
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Next generation industrial biotechnology based on extremophilic bacteria. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2018; 50:94-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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49
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Baslé A, El Ghazouani A, Lee J, Dennison C. Insight into Metal Removal from Peptides that Sequester Copper for Methane Oxidation. Chemistry 2018; 24:4515-4518. [PMID: 29365216 PMCID: PMC5947558 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201706035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Methanobactins (Mbns) are modified peptides that sequester copper (Cu) methanotrophs use to oxidize methane. Limited structural information is available for this class of natural products, as is an understanding of how cells are able to utilize Mbn-bound Cu. The crystal structure of Methylosinus sporium NR3K CuI -Mbn provides further information about the structural diversity of Mbns and the first insight into their Cu-release mechanism. Nitrogen ligands from oxazolone and pyrazinediol rings chelate CuI along with adjacent coordinating sulfurs from thioamides. In vitro solution data are consistent with a CuI -Mbn monomer as found for previously characterized Mbns. In the crystal structure, the N-terminal region has undergone a conformational change allowing the formation of a CuI2 -Mbn2 dimer with CuI sites bound by chelating units from adjacent chains. Such a structural alteration will facilitate CuI release from Mbns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Baslé
- Institute for Cell and Molecular BiosciencesMedical SchoolNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneNE2 4HHUK
| | - Abdelnasser El Ghazouani
- Institute for Cell and Molecular BiosciencesMedical SchoolNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneNE2 4HHUK
| | - Jaeick Lee
- Institute for Cell and Molecular BiosciencesMedical SchoolNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneNE2 4HHUK
| | - Christopher Dennison
- Institute for Cell and Molecular BiosciencesMedical SchoolNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneNE2 4HHUK
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50
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Abstract
Copper is essential for most organisms as a cofactor for key enzymes involved in fundamental processes such as respiration and photosynthesis. However, copper also has toxic effects in cells, which is why eukaryotes and prokaryotes have evolved mechanisms for safe copper handling. A new family of bacterial proteins uses a Cys-rich four-helix bundle to safely store large quantities of Cu(I). The work leading to the discovery of these proteins, their properties and physiological functions, and how their presence potentially impacts the current views of bacterial copper handling and use are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dennison
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.
| | - Sholto David
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
| | - Jaeick Lee
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom
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