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Murali R, Yu H, Speth DR, Wu F, Metcalfe KS, Crémière A, Laso-Pèrez R, Malmstrom RR, Goudeau D, Woyke T, Hatzenpichler R, Chadwick GL, Connon SA, Orphan VJ. Physiological potential and evolutionary trajectories of syntrophic sulfate-reducing bacterial partners of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002292. [PMID: 37747940 PMCID: PMC10553843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfate-coupled anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is performed by multicellular consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) in obligate syntrophic partnership with sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Diverse ANME and SRB clades co-associate but the physiological basis for their adaptation and diversification is not well understood. In this work, we used comparative metagenomics and phylogenetics to investigate the metabolic adaptation among the 4 main syntrophic SRB clades (HotSeep-1, Seep-SRB2, Seep-SRB1a, and Seep-SRB1g) and identified features associated with their syntrophic lifestyle that distinguish them from their non-syntrophic evolutionary neighbors in the phylum Desulfobacterota. We show that the protein complexes involved in direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) from ANME to the SRB outer membrane are conserved between the syntrophic lineages. In contrast, the proteins involved in electron transfer within the SRB inner membrane differ between clades, indicative of convergent evolution in the adaptation to a syntrophic lifestyle. Our analysis suggests that in most cases, this adaptation likely occurred after the acquisition of the DIET complexes in an ancestral clade and involve horizontal gene transfers within pathways for electron transfer (CbcBA) and biofilm formation (Pel). We also provide evidence for unique adaptations within syntrophic SRB clades, which vary depending on the archaeal partner. Among the most widespread syntrophic SRB, Seep-SRB1a, subclades that specifically partner ANME-2a are missing the cobalamin synthesis pathway, suggestive of nutritional dependency on its partner, while closely related Seep-SRB1a partners of ANME-2c lack nutritional auxotrophies. Our work provides insight into the features associated with DIET-based syntrophy and the adaptation of SRB towards it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjani Murali
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
| | - Hang Yu
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Unites Stated of America
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Daan R. Speth
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fabai Wu
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kyle S. Metcalfe
- Department of Plant and Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Antoine Crémière
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Unites Stated of America
| | - Rafael Laso-Pèrez
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rex R. Malmstrom
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Department of Energy, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Danielle Goudeau
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Department of Energy, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Tanja Woyke
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Department of Energy, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Roland Hatzenpichler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
| | - Grayson L. Chadwick
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Unites Stated of America
- Department of Plant and Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephanie A. Connon
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Unites Stated of America
| | - Victoria J. Orphan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, Unites Stated of America
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Behera BK, Patra B, Chakraborty HJ, Rout AK, Dixit S, Rai A, Das BK, Mohapatra T. Bacteriophages diversity in India's major river Ganga: a repository to regulate pathogenic bacteria in the aquatic environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:34101-34114. [PMID: 36508095 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24637-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are key viruses that can kill thousands of harmful microbes generally present at polluted sites. Such bacteriophages are abundantly present in the river Ganga, where millions of people in India and abroad drink its water and take baths every day for spiritual reasons. Besides bacteriophages, several pathogenic and zoonotic microbes are present in the river Ganga. It is interesting to study the diversity and abundance of bacteria and their respective phages present in polluted or non-polluted sites. Thus, the metagenomics study was carried out at the most polluted sites of river Ganga near Kanpur and non-polluted sites at Farakka, which harbors several harmful bacteria and their phages. The results revealed a significantly higher percentage of Microviridae phage family, ssDNA viruses, and Mimiviridae virus family near Kanpur than Farakka. In addition, compared to Kanpur, Farakka has a more significant percentage of Myoviridae, an unidentified phage family, and Retroviridae viral families. Despite heavy drainage of untreated and contaminated effluents from the leather industry, pesticide industry, paper mills, metropolitan cities, and other sources, the vast number of said phages kills several harmful pathogenic microbes in polluted sites to maintain the Ganga water's healing power or natural sterility. In a polluted aquatic environment, the varieties of bacteriophages were identified in the Ganga and their interaction with the microbial host. The taxonomic diversity of several bacteriophages found in pathogenic host systems was investigated to get exceptional knowledge of these small viruses in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijay Kumar Behera
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, 700120, West Bengal, India.
| | - Biswanath Patra
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, 700120, West Bengal, India
| | - Hirak Jyoti Chakraborty
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, 700120, West Bengal, India
| | - Ajaya Kumar Rout
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, 700120, West Bengal, India
| | - Sangita Dixit
- Center for Biotechnology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to Be University), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Anil Rai
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Library Avenue, PUSA, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Basanta Kumar Das
- Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, 700120, West Bengal, India
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3
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Orsi WD. Quantitative microbial ecology: Future challenges and opportunities. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:91-96. [PMID: 36163700 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William D Orsi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology & Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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4
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Fungal Contamination in Microalgal Cultivation: Biological and Biotechnological Aspects of Fungi-Microalgae Interaction. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8101099. [PMID: 36294664 PMCID: PMC9605242 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, the increasing interest in microalgae as sources of new biomolecules and environmental remediators stimulated scientists’ investigations and industrial applications. Nowadays, microalgae are exploited in different fields such as cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals and as human and animal food supplements. Microalgae can be grown using various cultivation systems depending on their final application. One of the main problems in microalgae cultivations is the possible presence of biological contaminants. Fungi, among the main contaminants in microalgal cultures, are able to influence the production and quality of biomass significantly. Here, we describe fungal contamination considering both shortcomings and benefits of fungi-microalgae interactions, highlighting the biological aspects of this interaction and the possible biotechnological applications.
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Ray A, Nayak M, Ghosh A. A review on co-culturing of microalgae: A greener strategy towards sustainable biofuels production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 802:149765. [PMID: 34454141 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing global recognition that microalgae-based biofuel are environment-friendly and economically feasible options because they incur several advantages over traditional fossil fuels. Also, the microalgae can be manipulated for extraction of value-added compounds such as lipids (triacylglycerols), carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, pigments, antioxidants, various antimicrobial compounds, etc. Recently, there is an increasing focus on the co-cultivation practices of microalgae with other microorganisms to enhance biomass and lipid productivity. In a co-cultivation strategy, microalgae grow symbiotically with other heterotrophic microbes such as bacteria, yeast, fungi, and other algae/microalgae. They exchange nutrients and metabolites; this helps to increase the productivity, therefore facilitating the commercialization of microalgal-based fuel. Co-cultivation also facilitates biomass harvesting and waste valorization, thereby help to build an algal biorefinery platform for bioenergy production along with multivariate high value bioproducts and simultaneous waste bioremediation. This article comprehensively reviews various microalgae cultivation practices utilizing co-culture approaches with other algae, fungi, bacteria, and yeast. The review mainly focuses on the impact of several binary culture strategies on biomass and lipid yield. The advantages and challenges associated with the procedure along with their respective cultivation modes have also been presented and discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayusmita Ray
- P.K. Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Manoranjan Nayak
- Biorefinery and Bioenergy Research Laboratory, Centre for Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India.
| | - Amit Ghosh
- P.K. Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India; School of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
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6
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Kapoore RV, Padmaperuma G, Maneein S, Vaidyanathan S. Co-culturing microbial consortia: approaches for applications in biomanufacturing and bioprocessing. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:46-72. [PMID: 33980092 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1921691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The application of microbial co-cultures is now recognized in the fields of biotechnology, ecology, and medicine. Understanding the biological interactions that govern the association of microorganisms would shape the way in which artificial/synthetic co-cultures or consortia are developed. The ability to accurately predict and control cell-to-cell interactions fully would be a significant enabler in synthetic biology. Co-culturing method development holds the key to strategically engineer environments in which the co-cultured microorganism can be monitored. Various approaches have been employed which aim to emulate the natural environment and gain access to the untapped natural resources emerging from cross-talk between partners. Amongst these methods are the use of a communal liquid medium for growth, use of a solid-liquid interface, membrane separation, spatial separation, and use of microfluidics systems. Maximizing the information content of interactions monitored is one of the major challenges that needs to be addressed by these designs. This review critically evaluates the significance and drawbacks of the co-culturing approaches used to this day in biotechnological applications, relevant to biomanufacturing. It is recommended that experimental results for a co-cultured species should be validated with different co-culture approaches due to variations in interactions that could exist as a result of the culturing method selected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Vijay Kapoore
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Gloria Padmaperuma
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Supattra Maneein
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Department of Pharmaceutical, Chemical & Environmental Sciences, The University of Greenwich, Kent, UK
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7
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Engineering Cooperation in an Anaerobic Coculture. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02852-20. [PMID: 33771781 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02852-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past century, microbiologists have studied organisms in pure culture, yet it is becoming increasingly apparent that the majority of biological processes rely on multispecies cooperation and interaction. While little is known about how such interactions permit cooperation, even less is known about how cooperation arises. To study the emergence of cooperation in the laboratory, we constructed both a commensal community and an obligate mutualism using the previously noninteracting bacteria Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens Incorporation of a glycerol utilization plasmid (pGUT2) enabled S. oneidensis to metabolize glycerol and produce acetate as a carbon source for G. sulfurreducens, establishing a cross-feeding, commensal coculture. In the commensal coculture, both species coupled oxidative metabolism to the respiration of fumarate as the terminal electron acceptor. Deletion of the gene encoding fumarate reductase in the S. oneidensis/pGUT2 strain shifted the coculture with G. sulfurreducens to an obligate mutualism where neither species could grow in the absence of the other. A shift in metabolic strategy from glycerol catabolism to malate metabolism was associated with obligate coculture growth. Further targeted deletions in malate uptake and acetate generation pathways in S. oneidensis significantly inhibited coculture growth with G. sulfurreducens The engineered coculture between S. oneidensis and G. sulfurreducens provides a model laboratory system to study the emergence of cooperation in bacterial communities, and the shift in metabolic strategy observed in the obligate coculture highlights the importance of genetic change in shaping microbial interactions in the environment.IMPORTANCE Microbes seldom live alone in the environment, yet this scenario is approximated in the vast majority of pure-culture laboratory experiments. Here, we develop an anaerobic coculture system to begin understanding microbial physiology in a more complex setting but also to determine how anaerobic microbial communities can form. Using synthetic biology, we generated a coculture system where the facultative anaerobe Shewanella oneidensis consumes glycerol and provides acetate to the strict anaerobe Geobacter sulfurreducens In the commensal system, growth of G. sulfurreducens is dependent on the presence of S. oneidensis To generate an obligate coculture, where each organism requires the other, we eliminated the ability of S. oneidensis to respire fumarate. An unexpected shift in metabolic strategy from glycerol catabolism to malate metabolism was observed in the obligate coculture. Our work highlights how metabolic landscapes can be expanded in multispecies communities and provides a system to evaluate the evolution of cooperation under anaerobic conditions.
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Del Valle I, Fulk EM, Kalvapalle P, Silberg JJ, Masiello CA, Stadler LB. Translating New Synthetic Biology Advances for Biosensing Into the Earth and Environmental Sciences. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:618373. [PMID: 33633695 PMCID: PMC7901896 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.618373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid diversification of synthetic biology tools holds promise in making some classically hard-to-solve environmental problems tractable. Here we review longstanding problems in the Earth and environmental sciences that could be addressed using engineered microbes as micron-scale sensors (biosensors). Biosensors can offer new perspectives on open questions, including understanding microbial behaviors in heterogeneous matrices like soils, sediments, and wastewater systems, tracking cryptic element cycling in the Earth system, and establishing the dynamics of microbe-microbe, microbe-plant, and microbe-material interactions. Before these new tools can reach their potential, however, a suite of biological parts and microbial chassis appropriate for environmental conditions must be developed by the synthetic biology community. This includes diversifying sensing modules to obtain information relevant to environmental questions, creating output signals that allow dynamic reporting from hard-to-image environmental materials, and tuning these sensors so that they reliably function long enough to be useful for environmental studies. Finally, ethical questions related to the use of synthetic biosensors in environmental applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenne Del Valle
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Emily M. Fulk
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Prashant Kalvapalle
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jonathan J. Silberg
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Caroline A. Masiello
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren B. Stadler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
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McKinlay JB, Cook GM, Hards K. Microbial energy management-A product of three broad tradeoffs. Adv Microb Physiol 2020; 77:139-185. [PMID: 34756210 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Wherever thermodynamics allows, microbial life has evolved to transform and harness energy. Microbial life thus abounds in the most unexpected places, enabled by profound metabolic diversity. Within this diversity, energy is transformed primarily through variations on a few core mechanisms. Energy is further managed by the physiological processes of cell growth and maintenance that use energy. Some aspects of microbial physiology are streamlined for energetic efficiency while other aspects seem suboptimal or even wasteful. We propose that the energy that a microbe harnesses and devotes to growth and maintenance is a product of three broad tradeoffs: (i) economic, trading enzyme synthesis or operational cost for functional benefit, (ii) environmental, trading optimization for a single environment for adaptability to multiple environments, and (iii) thermodynamic, trading energetic yield for forward metabolic flux. Consideration of these tradeoffs allows one to reconcile features of microbial physiology that seem to opposingly promote either energetic efficiency or waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B McKinlay
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.
| | - Gregory M Cook
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kiel Hards
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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10
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Henning JA, Weston DJ, Pelletier DA, Timm CM, Jawdy SS, Classen AT. Relatively rare root endophytic bacteria drive plant resource allocation patterns and tissue nutrient concentration in unpredictable ways. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:1423-1434. [PMID: 31657872 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Plant endophytic bacterial strains can influence plant traits such as leaf area and root length. Yet, the influence of more complex bacterial communities in regulating overall plant phenotype is less explored. Here, in two complementary experiments, we tested whether we can predict plant phenotype response to changes in microbial community composition. METHODS In the first study, we inoculated a single genotype of Populus deltoides with individual root endophytic bacteria and measured plant phenotype. Next, data from this single inoculation were used to predict phenotypic traits after mixed three-strain community inoculations, which we tested in the second experiment. RESULTS By itself, each bacterial endophyte significantly but weakly altered plant phenotype relative to noninoculated plants. In a mixture, bacterial strain Burkholderia BT03, constituted at least 98% of community relative abundance. Yet, plant resource allocation and tissue nutrient concentrations were disproportionately influenced by Pseudomonas sp. GM17, GM30, and GM41. We found a 10% increase in leaf mass fraction and an 11% decrease in root mass fraction when replacing Pseudomonas GM17 with GM41 in communities containing both Pseudomonas GM30 and Burkholderia BT03. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that interactions among endophytic bacteria may drive plant phenotype over the contribution of each strain individually. Additionally, we have shown that low-abundance strains contribute to plant phenotype challenging the assumption that the dominant strains will drive plant function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremiah A Henning
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - David J Weston
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Dale A Pelletier
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Collin M Timm
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- Biosciences, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, 20723, USA
| | - Sara S Jawdy
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Aimée T Classen
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
- The Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
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11
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FRET-based fluorescent nanoprobe platform for sorting of active microorganisms by functional properties. Biosens Bioelectron 2019; 148:111832. [PMID: 31706173 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.111832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) has rarely been applied to screening of microorganisms because of poor detection resolution, which is compromised by poor stability, toxicity, or interference from background fluorescence of the fluorescence sensors used. Here, a fluorescence-based rapid high-throughput cell sorting method was first developed using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) fluorescent nanoprobe NP-RA, which was constructed by coating a silica nanoparticle with Rhodamine B and methyl-red (an azo dye). Rhodamine B (inner layer) is the FRET donor and methyl-red (outer layer) is the acceptor. This ready-to-use NP-RA is non-fluorescent, but fluoresces once the outer layer is degraded by microorganisms. In our experiment, NP-RA was ultrasensitive to model strain Shewanella decolorationis S12, showing a broad detection range from 8.0 cfu/mL to 8.7 × 108 cfu/mL under confocal laser scanning microscopy, and from 1.1 × 107 to 9.36 × 108 cfu/mL under a fluorometer. In addition, NP-RA bioimaging can clearly identify other azo-respiring cells in the microbial community, including Bosea thiooxidans DSM 9653 and Lysinibacillus pakistanensis NCCP-54. Furthermore, the fluorescent probe NP-RA is compatible with downstream FACS so that azo-respiring cells can be rapidly sorted out directly from an artificial microbial community. To our knowledge, no fluorescent nanoprobe has yet been designed for tracking and sorting azo-respiration functional microorganisms.
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12
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Guermazi-Toumi S, Chouari R, Sghir A. Molecular analysis of methanogen populations and their interactions within anaerobic sludge digesters. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2019; 40:2864-2879. [PMID: 29560816 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2018.1455747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of archaeal population structure, function and interactions is of great interest for a deeper understanding of the anaerobic digestion step in wastewater treatment process, that represents a bottle neck in the optimization of digesters performance. Although culture-independent techniques have enabled the exploration of archaeal population in such systems, their population dynamics and interactions still require further investigation. In the present study, 2646 almost full archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from 22 anaerobic digesters located worldwide were analyzed and classified into 83 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) for Euryarchaeotes and 2 OTUs for Crenarchaeotes. Among the Euryarchaeotes, Methanosarcinales represent the predominant archaeal population (47.5% of total sequences), followed by the ARC I (WSA2) lineage (25.3%), Methanomicrobiales (19.9%) and Methanobacteriales (1.9%). Theses lineages are predominant in nine, five, two and one digesters respectively. However, the remaining 5 digesters show no predominance of any methanogenic group. According to the predominance of theses lineages, 5 digester profiles were distinguished. This study revealed a clear interaction between the 4 methanogenic lineages. A core of 12 OTUs represented by five, four, two and one OTU for Methanosarcinales, Methanomicrobiales, ARC I and Methanobacteriales respectively were quantitatively abundant in at least 50% of the analyzed digesters. 16S rRNA targeted hybridization oligonucleotide probes targeting the predominant OTUs are being developed to follow their population dynamics under various parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonda Guermazi-Toumi
- a Faculté des Sciences de Gafsa, Université de Gafsa , Gafsa , Tunisie
- b Laboratoire de recherche Toxicologie-Microbiologie Environnementale et Santé (LR17ES06), Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax , Sfax , Tunisie
| | - Rakia Chouari
- c Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, UR11ES32 Plant Toxicology and Molecular Biology of Microorganims, Université de Carthage , Bizerte , Tunisie
| | - Abdelghani Sghir
- d Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne , Evry , France
- e CNRS-UMR 8030 , Evry , France
- f CEA, DRF, Institut de biologie François Jacob , Genoscope, Evry , France
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Niehaus L, Boland I, Liu M, Chen K, Fu D, Henckel C, Chaung K, Miranda SE, Dyckman S, Crum M, Dedrick S, Shou W, Momeni B. Microbial coexistence through chemical-mediated interactions. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2052. [PMID: 31053707 PMCID: PMC6499789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10062-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Many microbial functions happen within communities of interacting species. Explaining how species with disparate growth rates can coexist is important for applications such as manipulating host-associated microbiota or engineering industrial communities. Here, we ask how microbes interacting through their chemical environment can achieve coexistence in a continuous growth setup (similar to an industrial bioreactor or gut microbiota) where external resources are being supplied. We formulate and experimentally constrain a model in which mediators of interactions (e.g. metabolites or waste-products) are explicitly incorporated. Our model highlights facilitation and self-restraint as interactions that contribute to coexistence, consistent with our intuition. When interactions are strong, we observe that coexistence is determined primarily by the topology of facilitation and inhibition influences not their strengths. Importantly, we show that consumption or degradation of chemical mediators moderates interaction strengths and promotes coexistence. Our results offer insights into how to build or restructure microbial communities of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Niehaus
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Ian Boland
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Minghao Liu
- Department of Computer Science, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Kevin Chen
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - David Fu
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Catherine Henckel
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Kaitlin Chaung
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | | | - Samantha Dyckman
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Matthew Crum
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Sandra Dedrick
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Wenying Shou
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Babak Momeni
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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Taylor GT. Windows into Microbial Seascapes: Advances in Nanoscale Imaging and Application to Marine Sciences. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2019; 11:465-490. [PMID: 30134123 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-121916-063612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Geochemical cycles of all nonconservative elements are mediated by microorganisms over nanometer spatial scales. The pelagic seascape is known to possess microstructure imposed by heterogeneous distributions of particles, polymeric gels, biologically important chemicals, and microbes. While indispensable, most traditional oceanographic observational approaches overlook this heterogeneity and ignore subtleties, such as activity hot spots, symbioses, niche partitioning, and intrapopulation phenotypic variations, that can provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of planktonic ecosystem function. As part of the movement toward cultivation-independent tools in microbial oceanography, techniques to examine the ecophysiology of individual populations and their role in chemical transformations at spatial scales relevant to microorganisms have been developed. This review presents technologies that enable geochemical and microbiological interrogations at spatial scales ranging from 0.02 to a few hundred micrometers, particularly focusing on atomic force microscopy, nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry, and confocal Raman microspectroscopy and introducing promising approaches for future applications in marine sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon T Taylor
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA;
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15
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Berry D, Loy A. Stable-Isotope Probing of Human and Animal Microbiome Function. Trends Microbiol 2018; 26:999-1007. [PMID: 30001854 PMCID: PMC6249988 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Humans and animals host diverse communities of microorganisms important to their physiology and health. Despite extensive sequencing-based characterization of host-associated microbiomes, there remains a dramatic lack of understanding of microbial functions. Stable-isotope probing (SIP) is a powerful strategy to elucidate the ecophysiology of microorganisms in complex host-associated microbiotas. Here, we suggest that SIP methodologies should be more frequently exploited as part of a holistic functional microbiomics approach. We provide examples of how SIP has been used to study host-associated microbes in vivo and ex vivo. We highlight recent developments in SIP technologies and discuss future directions that will facilitate deeper insights into the function of human and animal microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Berry
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network Chemistry Meets Microbiology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Alexander Loy
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network Chemistry Meets Microbiology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Arora-Williams K, Olesen SW, Scandella BP, Delwiche K, Spencer SJ, Myers EM, Abraham S, Sooklal A, Preheim SP. Dynamics of microbial populations mediating biogeochemical cycling in a freshwater lake. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:165. [PMID: 30227897 PMCID: PMC6145348 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0556-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial processes are intricately linked to the depletion of oxygen in in-land and coastal water bodies, with devastating economic and ecological consequences. Microorganisms deplete oxygen during biomass decomposition, degrading the habitat of many economically important aquatic animals. Microbes then turn to alternative electron acceptors, which alter nutrient cycling and generate potent greenhouse gases. As oxygen depletion is expected to worsen with altered land use and climate change, understanding how chemical and microbial dynamics impact dead zones will aid modeling efforts to guide remediation strategies. More work is needed to understand the complex interplay between microbial genes, populations, and biogeochemistry during oxygen depletion. RESULTS Here, we used 16S rRNA gene surveys, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and a previously developed biogeochemical model to identify genes and microbial populations implicated in major biogeochemical transformations in a model lake ecosystem. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was done for one time point in Aug., 2013, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was done for a 5-month time series (Mar.-Aug., 2013) to capture the spatiotemporal dynamics of genes and microorganisms mediating the modeled processes. Metagenomic binning analysis resulted in many metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that are implicated in the modeled processes through gene content similarity to cultured organism and the presence of key genes involved in these pathways. The MAGs suggested some populations are capable of methane and sulfide oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction. Using the model, we observe that modulating these processes has a substantial impact on overall lake biogeochemistry. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene sequences from the metagenomic and amplicon libraries were linked to processes through the MAGs. We compared the dynamics of microbial populations in the water column to the model predictions. Many microbial populations involved in primary carbon oxidation had dynamics similar to the model, while those associated with secondary oxidation processes deviated substantially. CONCLUSIONS This work demonstrates that the unique capabilities of resident microbial populations will substantially impact the concentration and speciation of chemicals in the water column, unless other microbial processes adjust to compensate for these differences. It further highlights the importance of the biological aspects of biogeochemical processes, such as fluctuations in microbial population dynamics. Integrating gene and population dynamics into biogeochemical models has the potential to improve predictions of the community response under altered scenarios to guide remediation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Arora-Williams
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Scott W. Olesen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Present address: Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Benjamin P. Scandella
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Present address: Oregon Water Resources Department, Salem, OR USA
| | - Kyle Delwiche
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Sarah J. Spencer
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Elise M. Myers
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Present address: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, NY USA
| | - Sonali Abraham
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
- Present address: Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Alyssa Sooklal
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Sarah P. Preheim
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
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17
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Raina JB, Eme L, Pollock FJ, Spang A, Archibald JM, Williams TA. Symbiosis in the microbial world: from ecology to genome evolution. Biol Open 2018; 7:7/2/bio032524. [PMID: 29472284 PMCID: PMC5861367 DOI: 10.1242/bio.032524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of symbiosis – defined in 1879 by de Bary as ‘the living together of unlike organisms’ – has a rich and convoluted history in biology. In part, because it questioned the concept of the individual, symbiosis fell largely outside mainstream science and has traditionally received less attention than other research disciplines. This is gradually changing. In nature organisms do not live in isolation but rather interact with, and are impacted by, diverse beings throughout their life histories. Symbiosis is now recognized as a central driver of evolution across the entire tree of life, including, for example, bacterial endosymbionts that provide insects with vital nutrients and the mitochondria that power our own cells. Symbioses between microbes and their multicellular hosts also underpin the ecological success of some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, including hydrothermal vents and coral reefs. In November 2017, scientists working in fields spanning the life sciences came together at a Company of Biologists’ workshop to discuss the origin, maintenance, and long-term implications of symbiosis from the complementary perspectives of cell biology, ecology, evolution and genomics, taking into account both model and non-model organisms. Here, we provide a brief synthesis of the fruitful discussions that transpired. Summary: At a recent Company of Biologists workshop, evolutionary biologists discussed the major outstanding questions in symbiosis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Laura Eme
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-75123, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - F Joseph Pollock
- Eberly College of Science, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
| | - Anja Spang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-75123, Uppsala, Sweden.,NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, NL-1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - John M Archibald
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Ave, Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
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18
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Padmaperuma G, Kapoore RV, Gilmour DJ, Vaidyanathan S. Microbial consortia: a critical look at microalgae co-cultures for enhanced biomanufacturing. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2017; 38:690-703. [PMID: 29233009 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1390728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Monocultures have been the preferred production route in the bio-industry, where contamination has been a major bottleneck. In nature, microorganisms usually exist as part of organized communities and consortia, gaining benefits from co-habitation, keeping invaders at bay. There is increasing interest in the use of co-cultures to tackle contamination issues, and simultaneously increase productivity and product diversity. The feasibility of extending the natural phenomenon of co-habitation to the biomanufacturing industry in the form of co-cultures requires careful and systematic consideration of several aspects. This article will critically examine and review current work on microbial co-cultures, with the intent of examining the concept and proposing a design pipeline that can be developed in a biomanufacturing context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Padmaperuma
- a ChELSI Institute, Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK
| | - Rahul Vijay Kapoore
- a ChELSI Institute, Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK
| | - Daniel James Gilmour
- b Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK
| | - Seetharaman Vaidyanathan
- a ChELSI Institute, Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK
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19
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Weisener CG, Reid T. Combined imaging and molecular techniques for evaluating microbial function and composition: A review. SURF INTERFACE ANAL 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/sia.6317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G. Weisener
- The University of Windsor Ontario-Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research; 401 Sunset Avenue N9B3P4 Windsor ON Canada
| | - Thomas Reid
- The University of Windsor Ontario-Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research; 401 Sunset Avenue N9B3P4 Windsor ON Canada
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20
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Autotrophic and heterotrophic acquisition of carbon and nitrogen by a mixotrophic chrysophyte established through stable isotope analysis. ISME JOURNAL 2017; 11:2022-2034. [PMID: 28524870 PMCID: PMC5563956 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2017.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Collectively, phagotrophic algae (mixotrophs) form a functional continuum of nutritional modes between autotrophy and heterotrophy, but the specific physiological benefits of mixotrophic nutrition differ among taxa. Ochromonas spp. are ubiquitous chrysophytes that exhibit high nutritional flexibility, although most species generally fall towards the heterotrophic end of the mixotrophy spectrum. We assessed the sources of carbon and nitrogen in Ochromonas sp. strain BG-1 growing mixotrophically via short-term stable isotope probing. An axenic culture was grown in the presence of either heat-killed bacteria enriched with 15N and 13C, or unlabeled heat-killed bacteria and labeled inorganic substrates (13C-bicarbonate and 15N-ammonium). The alga exhibited high growth rates (up to 2 divisions per day) only until heat-killed bacteria were depleted. NanoSIMS and bulk IRMS isotope analyses revealed that Ochromonas obtained 84-99% of its carbon and 88-95% of its nitrogen from consumed bacteria. The chrysophyte assimilated inorganic 13C-carbon and 15N-nitrogen when bacterial abundances were very low, but autotrophic (photosynthetic) activity was insufficient to support net population growth of the alga. Our use of nanoSIMS represents its first application towards the study of a mixotrophic alga, enabling a better understanding and quantitative assessment of carbon and nutrient acquisition by this species.
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21
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López-García P, Eme L, Moreira D. Symbiosis in eukaryotic evolution. J Theor Biol 2017; 434:20-33. [PMID: 28254477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Fifty years ago, Lynn Margulis, inspiring in early twentieth-century ideas that put forward a symbiotic origin for some eukaryotic organelles, proposed a unified theory for the origin of the eukaryotic cell based on symbiosis as evolutionary mechanism. Margulis was profoundly aware of the importance of symbiosis in the natural microbial world and anticipated the evolutionary significance that integrated cooperative interactions might have as mechanism to increase cellular complexity. Today, we have started fully appreciating the vast extent of microbial diversity and the importance of syntrophic metabolic cooperation in natural ecosystems, especially in sediments and microbial mats. Also, not only the symbiogenetic origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts has been clearly demonstrated, but improvement in phylogenomic methods combined with recent discoveries of archaeal lineages more closely related to eukaryotes further support the symbiogenetic origin of the eukaryotic cell. Margulis left us in legacy the idea of 'eukaryogenesis by symbiogenesis'. Although this has been largely verified, when, where, and specifically how eukaryotic cells evolved are yet unclear. Here, we shortly review current knowledge about symbiotic interactions in the microbial world and their evolutionary impact, the status of eukaryogenetic models and the current challenges and perspectives ahead to reconstruct the evolutionary path to eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purificación López-García
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, 91400 Orsay, France.
| | - Laura Eme
- Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada NS B3H 4R2
| | - David Moreira
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, 91400 Orsay, France
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22
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Abreu NA, Taga ME. Decoding molecular interactions in microbial communities. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2016; 40:648-63. [PMID: 27417261 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuw019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities govern numerous fundamental processes on earth. Discovering and tracking molecular interactions among microbes is critical for understanding how single species and complex communities impact their associated host or natural environment. While recent technological developments in DNA sequencing and functional imaging have led to new and deeper levels of understanding, we are limited now by our inability to predict and interpret the intricate relationships and interspecies dependencies within these communities. In this review, we highlight the multifaceted approaches investigators have taken within their areas of research to decode interspecies molecular interactions that occur between microbes. Understanding these principles can give us greater insight into ecological interactions in natural environments and within synthetic consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Abreu
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3102, USA
| | - Michiko E Taga
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3102, USA
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23
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Musat N, Musat F, Weber PK, Pett-Ridge J. Tracking microbial interactions with NanoSIMS. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2016; 41:114-121. [PMID: 27419912 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The combination of stable isotope probing (SIP), NanoSIMS imaging and microbe identification via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is often used to link identity to function at the cellular level in microbial communities. Many opportunities remain for nanoSIP to identify metabolic interactions and nutrient fluxes within syntrophic associations and obligate symbioses where exchanges can be extremely rapid. However, additional data, such as genomic potential, gene expression or other imaging modalities are often critical to deciphering the mechanisms underlying specific interactions, and researchers must keep sample preparation artefacts in mind. Here we focus on recent applications of nanoSIP, particularly where used to track exchanges of isotopically labelled molecules between organisms. We highlight metabolic interactions within syntrophic consortia, carbon/nitrogen fluxes between phototrophs and their heterotrophic partners, and symbiont-host nutrient sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niculina Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Florin Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter Kilian Weber
- Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Pett-Ridge
- Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
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24
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Visualizing in situ translational activity for identifying and sorting slow-growing archaeal-bacterial consortia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E4069-78. [PMID: 27357680 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1603757113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the biogeochemical roles of microorganisms in the environment, it is important to determine when and under which conditions they are metabolically active. Bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) can reveal active cells by tracking the incorporation of synthetic amino acids into newly synthesized proteins. The phylogenetic identity of translationally active cells can be determined by combining BONCAT with rRNA-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (BONCAT-FISH). In theory, BONCAT-labeled cells could be isolated with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (BONCAT-FACS) for subsequent genetic analyses. Here, in the first application, to our knowledge, of BONCAT-FISH and BONCAT-FACS within an environmental context, we probe the translational activity of microbial consortia catalyzing the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), a dominant sink of methane in the ocean. These consortia, which typically are composed of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria, have been difficult to study due to their slow in situ growth rates, and fundamental questions remain about their ecology and diversity of interactions occurring between ANME and associated partners. Our activity-correlated analyses of >16,400 microbial aggregates provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, that AOM consortia affiliated with all five major ANME clades are concurrently active under controlled conditions. Surprisingly, sorting of individual BONCAT-labeled consortia followed by whole-genome amplification and 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed previously unrecognized interactions of ANME with members of the poorly understood phylum Verrucomicrobia This finding, together with our observation that ANME-associated Verrucomicrobia are found in a variety of geographically distinct methane seep environments, suggests a broader range of symbiotic relationships within AOM consortia than previously thought.
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25
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Trembath-Reichert E, Case DH, Orphan VJ. Characterization of microbial associations with methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria through statistical comparison of nested Magneto-FISH enrichments. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1913. [PMID: 27114874 PMCID: PMC4841229 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane seep systems along continental margins host diverse and dynamic microbial assemblages, sustained in large part through the microbially mediated process of sulfate-coupled Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane (AOM). This methanotrophic metabolism has been linked to consortia of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). These two groups are the focus of numerous studies; however, less is known about the wide diversity of other seep associated microorganisms. We selected a hierarchical set of FISH probes targeting a range of Deltaproteobacteria diversity. Using the Magneto-FISH enrichment technique, we then magnetically captured CARD-FISH hybridized cells and their physically associated microorganisms from a methane seep sediment incubation. DNA from nested Magneto-FISH experiments was analyzed using Illumina tag 16S rRNA gene sequencing (iTag). Enrichment success and potential bias with iTag was evaluated in the context of full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, CARD-FISH, functional gene clone libraries, and iTag mock communities. We determined commonly used Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) iTAG primers introduced bias in some common methane seep microbial taxa that reduced the ability to directly compare OTU relative abundances within a sample, but comparison of relative abundances between samples (in nearly all cases) and whole community-based analyses were robust. The iTag dataset was subjected to statistical co-occurrence measures of the most abundant OTUs to determine which taxa in this dataset were most correlated across all samples. Many non-canonical microbial partnerships were statistically significant in our co-occurrence network analysis, most of which were not recovered with conventional clone library sequencing, demonstrating the utility of combining Magneto-FISH and iTag sequencing methods for hypothesis generation of associations within complex microbial communities. Network analysis pointed to many co-occurrences containing putatively heterotrophic, candidate phyla such as OD1, Atribacteria, MBG-B, and Hyd24-12 and the potential for complex sulfur cycling involving Epsilon-, Delta-, and Gammaproteobacteria in methane seep ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert
- Department of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA , United States
| | - David H Case
- Department of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA , United States
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- Department of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA , United States
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26
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Guo J, Peng Y, Fan L, Zhang L, Ni BJ, Kartal B, Feng X, Jetten MSM, Yuan Z. Metagenomic analysis of anammox communities in three different microbial aggregates. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:2979-93. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Revised: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Guo
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environmental Recovery Engineering; Engineering Research Center of Beijing; Beijing University of Technology; Beijing 100124 China
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC); The University of Queensland; St Lucia Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Yongzhen Peng
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environmental Recovery Engineering; Engineering Research Center of Beijing; Beijing University of Technology; Beijing 100124 China
| | - Lu Fan
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC); The University of Queensland; St Lucia Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Liang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environmental Recovery Engineering; Engineering Research Center of Beijing; Beijing University of Technology; Beijing 100124 China
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC); The University of Queensland; St Lucia Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Boran Kartal
- Microbiology, IWWR; Faculty of Science; Radboud University Nijmegen; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology; Laboratory of Microbiology; Gent University; Gent 9000 Belgium
| | - Xin Feng
- Research Department of Microbiology; Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI)-Shenzhen; Shenzhen China
| | - Mike S. M. Jetten
- Microbiology, IWWR; Faculty of Science; Radboud University Nijmegen; Heyendaalseweg 135 6525 AJ Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environmental Recovery Engineering; Engineering Research Center of Beijing; Beijing University of Technology; Beijing 100124 China
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC); The University of Queensland; St Lucia Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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27
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Bordron P, Latorre M, Cortés MP, González M, Thiele S, Siegel A, Maass A, Eveillard D. Putative bacterial interactions from metagenomic knowledge with an integrative systems ecology approach. Microbiologyopen 2015; 5:106-17. [PMID: 26677108 PMCID: PMC4767419 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the trend of studies that investigate microbial ecosystems using different metagenomic techniques, we propose a new integrative systems ecology approach that aims to decipher functional roles within a consortium through the integration of genomic and metabolic knowledge at genome scale. For the sake of application, using public genomes of five bacterial strains involved in copper bioleaching: Acidiphilium cryptum, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, we first reconstructed a global metabolic network. Next, using a parsimony assumption, we deciphered sets of genes, called Sets from Genome Segments (SGS), that (1) are close on their respective genomes, (2) take an active part in metabolic pathways and (3) whose associated metabolic reactions are also closely connected within metabolic networks. Overall, this SGS paradigm depicts genomic functional units that emphasize respective roles of bacterial strains to catalyze metabolic pathways and environmental processes. Our analysis suggested that only few functional metabolic genes are horizontally transferred within the consortium and that no single bacterial strain can accomplish by itself the whole copper bioleaching. The use of SGS pinpoints a functional compartmentalization among the investigated species and exhibits putative bacterial interactions necessary for promoting these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Bordron
- Mathomics, Center for Mathematical Modeling, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Genome Regulation (Fondap 15090007), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mauricio Latorre
- Mathomics, Center for Mathematical Modeling, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Genome Regulation (Fondap 15090007), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Bioinformática y Expresión Génica, INTA, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria-Paz Cortés
- Mathomics, Center for Mathematical Modeling, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Genome Regulation (Fondap 15090007), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mauricio González
- Center for Genome Regulation (Fondap 15090007), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Bioinformática y Expresión Génica, INTA, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sven Thiele
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anne Siegel
- IRISA, UMR 6074, CNRS, Rennes, France.,INRIA, Dyliss Team, Centre Rennes-Bretagne-Atlantique, Rennes, France
| | - Alejandro Maass
- Mathomics, Center for Mathematical Modeling, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Genome Regulation (Fondap 15090007), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Department of Mathematical Engineering, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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28
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Open Questions on the Origin of Eukaryotes. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:697-708. [PMID: 26455774 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent progress, the origin of the eukaryotic cell remains enigmatic. It is now known that the last eukaryotic common ancestor was complex and that endosymbiosis played a crucial role in eukaryogenesis at least via the acquisition of the alphaproteobacterial ancestor of mitochondria. However, the nature of the mitochondrial host is controversial, although the recent discovery of an archaeal lineage phylogenetically close to eukaryotes reinforces models proposing archaea-derived hosts. We argue that, in addition to improved phylogenomic analyses with more comprehensive taxon sampling to pinpoint the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes, determining plausible mechanisms and selective forces at the origin of key eukaryotic features, such as the nucleus or the bacterial-like eukaryotic membrane system, is essential to constrain existing models.
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29
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Kell D, Potgieter M, Pretorius E. Individuality, phenotypic differentiation, dormancy and 'persistence' in culturable bacterial systems: commonalities shared by environmental, laboratory, and clinical microbiology. F1000Res 2015; 4:179. [PMID: 26629334 PMCID: PMC4642849 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6709.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For bacteria, replication mainly involves growth by binary fission. However, in a very great many natural environments there are examples of phenotypically dormant, non-growing cells that do not replicate immediately and that are phenotypically 'nonculturable' on media that normally admit their growth. They thereby evade detection by conventional culture-based methods. Such dormant cells may also be observed in laboratory cultures and in clinical microbiology. They are usually more tolerant to stresses such as antibiotics, and in clinical microbiology they are typically referred to as 'persisters'. Bacterial cultures necessarily share a great deal of relatedness, and inclusive fitness theory implies that there are conceptual evolutionary advantages in trading a variation in growth rate against its mean, equivalent to hedging one's bets. There is much evidence that bacteria exploit this strategy widely. We here bring together data that show the commonality of these phenomena across environmental, laboratory and clinical microbiology. Considerable evidence, using methods similar to those common in environmental microbiology, now suggests that many supposedly non-communicable, chronic and inflammatory diseases are exacerbated (if not indeed largely caused) by the presence of dormant or persistent bacteria (the ability of whose components to cause inflammation is well known). This dormancy (and resuscitation therefrom) often reflects the extent of the availability of free iron. Together, these phenomena can provide a ready explanation for the continuing inflammation common to such chronic diseases and its correlation with iron dysregulation. This implies that measures designed to assess and to inhibit or remove such organisms (or their access to iron) might be of much therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Kell
- School of Chemistry and The Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Marnie Potgieter
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
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30
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Kell D, Potgieter M, Pretorius E. Individuality, phenotypic differentiation, dormancy and 'persistence' in culturable bacterial systems: commonalities shared by environmental, laboratory, and clinical microbiology. F1000Res 2015; 4:179. [PMID: 26629334 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6709.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
For bacteria, replication mainly involves growth by binary fission. However, in a very great many natural environments there are examples of phenotypically dormant, non-growing cells that do not replicate immediately and that are phenotypically 'nonculturable' on media that normally admit their growth. They thereby evade detection by conventional culture-based methods. Such dormant cells may also be observed in laboratory cultures and in clinical microbiology. They are usually more tolerant to stresses such as antibiotics, and in clinical microbiology they are typically referred to as 'persisters'. Bacterial cultures necessarily share a great deal of relatedness, and inclusive fitness theory implies that there are conceptual evolutionary advantages in trading a variation in growth rate against its mean, equivalent to hedging one's bets. There is much evidence that bacteria exploit this strategy widely. We here bring together data that show the commonality of these phenomena across environmental, laboratory and clinical microbiology. Considerable evidence, using methods similar to those common in environmental microbiology, now suggests that many supposedly non-communicable, chronic and inflammatory diseases are exacerbated (if not indeed largely caused) by the presence of dormant or persistent bacteria (the ability of whose components to cause inflammation is well known). This dormancy (and resuscitation therefrom) often reflects the extent of the availability of free iron. Together, these phenomena can provide a ready explanation for the continuing inflammation common to such chronic diseases and its correlation with iron dysregulation. This implies that measures designed to assess and to inhibit or remove such organisms (or their access to iron) might be of much therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Kell
- School of Chemistry and The Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, Lancashire, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Marnie Potgieter
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
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31
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Zhou C, Liu Z, Pataranutaporn P, Vannela R, Hayes KF, Rittmann BE. Biogenic nano-particulate iron-sulfide produced through sulfate and Fe(iii)-(hydr)oxide reductions was enhanced by pyruvate as the electron donor. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra20556e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In nature, the formation of iron sulfide solids is mainly attributed to reductions of sulfate and ferric minerals by microorganisms such asDesulfovibrio vulgaris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhou
- Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology
- Biodesign Institute
- Arizona State University
- Tempe
- USA
| | - Zhuolin Liu
- Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology
- Biodesign Institute
- Arizona State University
- Tempe
- USA
| | - Pat Pataranutaporn
- Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology
- Biodesign Institute
- Arizona State University
- Tempe
- USA
| | - Raveender Vannela
- Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology
- Biodesign Institute
- Arizona State University
- Tempe
- USA
| | - Kim F. Hayes
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- University of Michigan
- USA
| | - Bruce E. Rittmann
- Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology
- Biodesign Institute
- Arizona State University
- Tempe
- USA
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32
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Jagmann N, Philipp B. Reprint of Design of synthetic microbial communities for biotechnological production processes. J Biotechnol 2014; 192 Pt B:293-301. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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33
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A previously uncharacterized, nonphotosynthetic member of the Chromatiaceae is the primary CO2-fixing constituent in a self-regenerating biocathode. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 81:699-712. [PMID: 25398855 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02947-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocathode extracellular electron transfer (EET) may be exploited for biotechnology applications, including microbially mediated O2 reduction in microbial fuel cells and microbial electrosynthesis. However, biocathode mechanistic studies needed to improve or engineer functionality have been limited to a few select species that form sparse, homogeneous biofilms characterized by little or no growth. Attempts to cultivate isolates from biocathode environmental enrichments often fail due to a lack of some advantage provided by life in a consortium, highlighting the need to study and understand biocathode consortia in situ. Here, we present metagenomic and metaproteomic characterization of a previously described biocathode biofilm (+310 mV versus a standard hydrogen electrode [SHE]) enriched from seawater, reducing O2, and presumably fixing CO2 for biomass generation. Metagenomics identified 16 distinct cluster genomes, 15 of which could be assigned at the family or genus level and whose abundance was roughly divided between Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria. A total of 644 proteins were identified from shotgun metaproteomics and have been deposited in the the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001045. Cluster genomes were used to assign the taxonomic identities of 599 proteins, with Marinobacter, Chromatiaceae, and Labrenzia the most represented. RubisCO and phosphoribulokinase, along with 9 other Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle proteins, were identified from Chromatiaceae. In addition, proteins similar to those predicted for iron oxidation pathways of known iron-oxidizing bacteria were observed for Chromatiaceae. These findings represent the first description of putative EET and CO2 fixation mechanisms for a self-regenerating, self-sustaining multispecies biocathode, providing potential targets for functional engineering, as well as new insights into biocathode EET pathways using proteomics.
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34
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Wilbanks EG, Jaekel U, Salman V, Humphrey PT, Eisen JA, Facciotti MT, Buckley DH, Zinder SH, Druschel GK, Fike DA, Orphan VJ. Microscale sulfur cycling in the phototrophic pink berry consortia of the Sippewissett Salt Marsh. Environ Microbiol 2014; 16:3398-415. [PMID: 24428801 PMCID: PMC4262008 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Revised: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Microbial metabolism is the engine that drives global biogeochemical cycles, yet many key transformations are carried out by microbial consortia over short spatiotemporal scales that elude detection by traditional analytical approaches. We investigate syntrophic sulfur cycling in the 'pink berry' consortia of the Sippewissett Salt Marsh through an integrative study at the microbial scale. The pink berries are macroscopic, photosynthetic microbial aggregates composed primarily of two closely associated species: sulfide-oxidizing purple sulfur bacteria (PB-PSB1) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (PB-SRB1). Using metagenomic sequencing and (34) S-enriched sulfate stable isotope probing coupled with nanoSIMS, we demonstrate interspecies transfer of reduced sulfur metabolites from PB-SRB1 to PB-PSB1. The pink berries catalyse net sulfide oxidation and maintain internal sulfide concentrations of 0-500 μm. Sulfide within the berries, captured on silver wires and analysed using secondary ion mass spectrometer, increased in abundance towards the berry interior, while δ(34) S-sulfide decreased from 6‰ to -31‰ from the exterior to interior of the berry. These values correspond to sulfate-sulfide isotopic fractionations (15-53‰) consistent with either sulfate reduction or a mixture of reductive and oxidative metabolisms. Together this combined metagenomic and high-resolution isotopic analysis demonstrates active sulfur cycling at the microscale within well-structured macroscopic consortia consisting of sulfide-oxidizing anoxygenic phototrophs and sulfate-reducing bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Wilbanks
- Department of Department of Microbiology Graduate Group, University of CaliforniaDavis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ulrike Jaekel
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of CaliforniaDavis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of CaliforniaDavis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Verena Salman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of CaliforniaDavis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Parris T Humphrey
- UC Davis Genome Center, University of CaliforniaDavis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jonathan A Eisen
- Arctic Technology, Shell Technology NorwayOslo, N-0277, Norway
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Marc T Facciotti
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of ArizonaTucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Daniel H Buckley
- Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Stephen H Zinder
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gregory K Druschel
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue UniversityIndianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - David A Fike
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington UniversitySt. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA, 91125, USA
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35
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Perras AK, Wanner G, Klingl A, Mora M, Auerbach AK, Heinz V, Probst AJ, Huber H, Rachel R, Meck S, Moissl-Eichinger C. Grappling archaea: ultrastructural analyses of an uncultivated, cold-loving archaeon, and its biofilm. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:397. [PMID: 25140167 PMCID: PMC4122167 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Similarly to Bacteria, Archaea are microorganisms that interact with their surrounding environment in a versatile manner. To date, interactions based on cellular structure and surface appendages have mainly been documented using model systems of cultivable archaea under laboratory conditions. Here, we report on the microbial interactions and ultrastructural features of the uncultivated SM1 Euryarchaeon, which is highly dominant in its biotope. Therefore, biofilm samples taken from the Sippenauer Moor, Germany, were investigated via transmission electron microscopy (TEM; negative staining, thin-sectioning) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to elucidate the fine structures of the microbial cells and the biofilm itself. The biofilm consisted of small archaeal cocci (0.6 μm diameter), arranged in a regular pattern (1.0-2.0 μm distance from cell to cell), whereas each archaeon was connected to 6 other archaea on average. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were limited to the close vicinity of the archaeal cells, and specific cell surface appendages (hami, Moissl et al., 2005) protruded beyond the EPS matrix enabling microbial interaction by cell-cell contacts among the archaea and between archaea and bacteria. All analyzed hami revealed their previously described architecture of nano-grappling hooks and barb-wire basal structures. Considering the archaeal cell walls, the SM1 Euryarchaea exhibited a double-membrane, which has rarely been reported for members of this phylogenetic domain. Based on these findings, the current generalized picture on archaeal cell walls needs to be revisited, as archaeal cell structures are more complex and sophisticated than previously assumed, particularly when looking into the uncultivated majority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra K Perras
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Wanner
- Department of Biology I, Biozentrum Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Andreas Klingl
- Department of Biology I, Biozentrum Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Planegg-Martinsried, Germany ; Zellbiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg Marburg, Germany ; LOEWE Research Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (Synmikro) Marbug, Germany
| | - Maximilian Mora
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anna K Auerbach
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Veronika Heinz
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Alexander J Probst
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Harald Huber
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Rachel
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Meck
- Department of Microbiology and Archaea Center, University of Regensburg Regensburg, Germany
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36
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Elisabeth NH, Caro A, Césaire T, Mansot JL, Escalas A, Sylvestre MN, Jean-Louis P, Gros O. Comparative modifications in bacterial gill-endosymbiotic populations of the two bivalves Codakia orbiculata and Lucina pensylvanica during bacterial loss and reacquisition. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2014; 89:646-58. [PMID: 24939560 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6941.12366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Until now, the culture of sulphur-oxidizing bacterial symbionts associated with marine invertebrates remains impossible. Therefore, few studies focused on symbiont's physiology under stress conditions. In this study, we carried out a comparative experiment based on two different species of lucinid bivalves (Codakia orbiculata and Lucina pensylvanica) under comparable stress factors. The bivalves were starved for 6 months in sulphide-free filtered seawater. For C. orbiculata only, starved individuals were then put back to the field, in natural sediment. We used in situ hybridization, flow cytometry and X-ray fluorescence to characterize the symbiont population hosted in the gills of both species. In L. pensylvanica, no decrease in symbiont abundance was observed throughout the starvation experiment, whereas elemental sulphur slowly decreased to zero after 3 months of starvation. Conversely, in C. orbiculata, symbiont abundance within bacteriocytes decreased rapidly and sulphur from symbionts disappeared during the first weeks of the experiment. The modifications of the cellular characteristics (SSC--relative cell size and FL1--genomic content) of the symbiotic populations along starvation were not comparable between species. Return to the sediment of starved C. orbiculata individuals led to a rapid (2-4 weeks) recovery of symbiotic cellular characteristics, comparable with unstressed symbionts. These results suggest that endosymbiotic population regulation is host-species-dependent in lucinids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie H Elisabeth
- UMR 7138 UPMC-CNRS, Equipe "Biologie de la Mangrove", Département de Biologie, UFR des Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Pointe-à-Pitre Cedex, Guadeloupe, France
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37
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Giannone RJ, Wurch LL, Heimerl T, Martin S, Yang Z, Huber H, Rachel R, Hettich RL, Podar M. Life on the edge: functional genomic response of Ignicoccus hospitalis to the presence of Nanoarchaeum equitans. ISME JOURNAL 2014; 9:101-14. [PMID: 25012904 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The marine hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Ignicoccus hospitalis supports the propagation on its surface of Nanoarchaeum equitans, an evolutionarily enigmatic archaeon that resembles highly derived parasitic and symbiotic bacteria. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that enable this interarchaea relationship and the intimate physiologic consequences to I. hospitalis are unknown. Here, we used concerted proteomic and transcriptomic analyses to probe into the functional genomic response of I. hospitalis as N. equitans multiplies on its surface. The expression of over 97% of the genes was detected at mRNA level and over 80% of the predicted proteins were identified and their relative abundance measured by proteomics. These indicate that little, if any, of the host genomic information is silenced during growth in the laboratory. The primary response to N. equitans was at the membrane level, with increases in relative abundance of most protein complexes involved in energy generation as well as that of several transporters and proteins involved in cellular membrane stabilization. Similar upregulation was observed for genes and proteins involved in key metabolic steps controlling nitrogen and carbon metabolism, although the overall biosynthetic pathways were marginally impacted. Proliferation of N. equitans resulted, however, in selective downregulation of genes coding for transcription factors and replication and cell cycle control proteins as I. hospitalis shifted its physiology from its own cellular growth to that of its ectosymbiont/parasite. The combination of these multiomic approaches provided an unprecedented level of detail regarding the dynamics of this interspecies interaction, which is especially pertinent as these organisms are not genetically tractable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louie L Wurch
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Thomas Heimerl
- Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie und Archaeenzentrum, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stanton Martin
- 1] Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA [2] SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA
| | - Zamin Yang
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Harald Huber
- Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie und Archaeenzentrum, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Rachel
- Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie und Archaeenzentrum, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Mircea Podar
- 1] Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA [2] Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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38
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Jagmann N, Philipp B. Design of synthetic microbial communities for biotechnological production processes. J Biotechnol 2014; 184:209-18. [PMID: 24943116 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In their natural habitats microorganisms live in multi-species communities, in which the community members exhibit complex metabolic interactions. In contrast, biotechnological production processes catalyzed by microorganisms are usually carried out with single strains in pure cultures. A number of production processes, however, may be more efficiently catalyzed by the concerted action of microbial communities. This review will give an overview of organismic interactions between microbial cells and of biotechnological applications of microbial communities. It focuses on synthetic microbial communities that consist of microorganisms that have been genetically engineered. Design principles for such synthetic communities will be exemplified based on plausible scenarios for biotechnological production processes. These design principles comprise interspecific metabolic interactions via cross-feeding, regulation by interspecific signaling processes via metabolites and autoinducing signal molecules, and spatial structuring of synthetic microbial communities. In particular, the implementation of metabolic interdependencies, of positive feedback regulation and of inducible cell aggregation and biofilm formation will be outlined. Synthetic microbial communities constitute a viable extension of the biotechnological application of metabolically engineered single strains and enlarge the scope of microbial production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Jagmann
- Universität Münster, Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Corrensstr. 3, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Bodo Philipp
- Universität Münster, Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Corrensstr. 3, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
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40
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Baum MM, Gunawardana M, Webster P. Experimental approaches to investigating the vaginal biofilm microbiome. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1147:85-103. [PMID: 24664828 PMCID: PMC8801157 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0467-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Unraveling the complex ecology of the vaginal biofilm microbiome relies on a number of complementary techniques. Here, we describe the experimental approaches for studying vaginal microbial biofilm samples with a focus on specimen preparation for subsequent analysis. The techniques include fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Isolation of microbial DNA and RNA from these samples is covered along with a brief discussion of chemical analysis methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc M Baum
- Department of Chemistry, Oak Crest Institute of Science, 2275 E Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91107, USA,
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41
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Pande S, Merker H, Bohl K, Reichelt M, Schuster S, de Figueiredo LF, Kaleta C, Kost C. Fitness and stability of obligate cross-feeding interactions that emerge upon gene loss in bacteria. ISME JOURNAL 2013; 8:953-62. [PMID: 24285359 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2013.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Revised: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cross-feeding interactions, in which bacterial cells exchange costly metabolites to the benefit of both interacting partners, are very common in the microbial world. However, it generally remains unclear what maintains this type of interaction in the presence of non-cooperating types. We investigate this problem using synthetic cross-feeding interactions: by simply deleting two metabolic genes from the genome of Escherichia coli, we generated genotypes that require amino acids to grow and release other amino acids into the environment. Surprisingly, in a vast majority of cases, cocultures of two cross-feeding strains showed an increased Darwinian fitness (that is, rate of growth) relative to prototrophic wild type cells--even in direct competition. This unexpected growth advantage was due to a division of metabolic labour: the fitness cost of overproducing amino acids was less than the benefit of not having to produce others when they were provided by their partner. Moreover, frequency-dependent selection maintained cross-feeding consortia and limited exploitation by non-cooperating competitors. Together, our synthetic study approach reveals ecological principles that can help explain the widespread occurrence of obligate metabolic cross-feeding interactions in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samay Pande
- Experimental Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Holger Merker
- Experimental Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Katrin Bohl
- 1] Experimental Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany [2] Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany [3] Research Group Theoretical Systems Biology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Reichelt
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Schuster
- Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Luís F de Figueiredo
- 1] Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany [2] Cheminformatics and Metabolism-team, The EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), Welcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christoph Kaleta
- Research Group Theoretical Systems Biology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Kost
- 1] Experimental Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany [2] Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Vanwonterghem I, Jensen PD, Ho DP, Batstone DJ, Tyson GW. Linking microbial community structure, interactions and function in anaerobic digesters using new molecular techniques. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2013; 27:55-64. [PMID: 24863897 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Revised: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade there has been a rapid development in culture-independent techniques for exploring microbial communities, which have led to new insights into their structure and function in both natural environments and engineered systems. This review focuses on some of the most important recent advances and their applications to the diverse microbial communities associated with anaerobic digestion. The use of these approaches in combination with complementary imaging techniques, chemical isotope analyses and detailed reactor performance measurements provides a new opportunity to develop a fundamental understanding of how microbial community dynamics, interactions and functionality influence digester efficiency and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Vanwonterghem
- Advanced Water Management Center (AWMC), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Australian Center for Ecogenomics (ACE), School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Paul D Jensen
- Advanced Water Management Center (AWMC), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dang P Ho
- Advanced Water Management Center (AWMC), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Damien J Batstone
- Advanced Water Management Center (AWMC), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Gene W Tyson
- Advanced Water Management Center (AWMC), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Australian Center for Ecogenomics (ACE), School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Bakker MG, Schlatter DC, Otto-Hanson L, Kinkel LL. Diffuse symbioses: roles of plant-plant, plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions in structuring the soil microbiome. Mol Ecol 2013; 23:1571-1583. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Revised: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G. Bakker
- Center for Rhizosphere Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523-1173 USA
| | - Daniel C. Schlatter
- Department of Plant Pathology; University of Minnesota; Saint Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Lindsey Otto-Hanson
- Department of Plant Pathology; University of Minnesota; Saint Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Linda L. Kinkel
- Department of Plant Pathology; University of Minnesota; Saint Paul MN 55108 USA
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Morris BEL, Henneberger R, Huber H, Moissl-Eichinger C. Microbial syntrophy: interaction for the common good. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2013; 37:384-406. [PMID: 23480449 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6976.12019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 446] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2012] [Revised: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical definitions of syntrophy focus on a process, performed through metabolic interaction between dependent microbial partners, such as the degradation of complex organic compounds under anoxic conditions. However, examples from past and current scientific discoveries suggest that a new, simple but wider definition is necessary to cover all aspects of microbial syntrophy. We suggest the term 'obligately mutualistic metabolism', which still focuses on microbial metabolic cooperation but also includes an ecological aspect: the benefit for both partners. By the combined metabolic activity of microorganisms, endergonic reactions can become exergonic through the efficient removal of products and therefore enable a microbial community to survive with minimal energy resources. Here, we explain the principles of classical and non-classical syntrophy and illustrate the concepts with various examples. We present biochemical fundamentals that allow microorganism to survive under a range of environmental conditions and to drive important biogeochemical processes. Novel technologies have contributed to the understanding of syntrophic relationships in cultured and uncultured systems. Recent research highlights that obligately mutualistic metabolism is not limited to certain metabolic pathways nor to certain environments or microorganisms. This beneficial microbial interaction is not restricted to the transfer of reducing agents such as hydrogen or formate, but can also involve the exchange of organic, sulfurous- and nitrogenous compounds or the removal of toxic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon E L Morris
- Microbiology, Institute for Biology II, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Stecher B, Berry D, Loy A. Colonization resistance and microbial ecophysiology: using gnotobiotic mouse models and single-cell technology to explore the intestinal jungle. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2013; 37:793-829. [PMID: 23662775 DOI: 10.1111/1574-6976.12024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly diverse intestinal microbiota forms a structured community engaged in constant communication with itself and its host and is characterized by extensive ecological interactions. A key benefit that the microbiota affords its host is its ability to protect against infections in a process termed colonization resistance (CR), which remains insufficiently understood. In this review, we connect basic concepts of CR with new insights from recent years and highlight key technological advances in the field of microbial ecology. We present a selection of statistical and bioinformatics tools used to generate hypotheses about synergistic and antagonistic interactions in microbial ecosystems from metagenomic datasets. We emphasize the importance of experimentally testing these hypotheses and discuss the value of gnotobiotic mouse models for investigating specific aspects related to microbiota-host-pathogen interactions in a well-defined experimental system. We further introduce new developments in the area of single-cell analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization in combination with metabolic stable isotope labeling technologies for studying the in vivo activities of complex community members. These approaches promise to yield novel insights into the mechanisms of CR and intestinal ecophysiology in general, and give researchers the means to experimentally test hypotheses in vivo at varying levels of biological and ecological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bärbel Stecher
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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McGenity TJ, Folwell BD, McKew BA, Sanni GO. Marine crude-oil biodegradation: a central role for interspecies interactions. AQUATIC BIOSYSTEMS 2012; 8:10. [PMID: 22591596 PMCID: PMC3465203 DOI: 10.1186/2046-9063-8-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The marine environment is highly susceptible to pollution by petroleum, and so it is important to understand how microorganisms degrade hydrocarbons, and thereby mitigate ecosystem damage. Our understanding about the ecology, physiology, biochemistry and genetics of oil-degrading bacteria and fungi has increased greatly in recent decades; however, individual populations of microbes do not function alone in nature. The diverse array of hydrocarbons present in crude oil requires resource partitioning by microbial populations, and microbial modification of oil components and the surrounding environment will lead to temporal succession. But even when just one type of hydrocarbon is present, a network of direct and indirect interactions within and between species is observed. In this review we consider competition for resources, but focus on some of the key cooperative interactions: consumption of metabolites, biosurfactant production, provision of oxygen and fixed nitrogen. The emphasis is largely on aerobic processes, and especially interactions between bacteria, fungi and microalgae. The self-construction of a functioning community is central to microbial success, and learning how such "microbial modules" interact will be pivotal to enhancing biotechnological processes, including the bioremediation of hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry J McGenity
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Benjamin D Folwell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Boyd A McKew
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Gbemisola O Sanni
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
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A programmable droplet-based microfluidic device applied to multiparameter analysis of single microbes and microbial communities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:7665-70. [PMID: 22547789 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1106752109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a programmable droplet-based microfluidic device that combines the reconfigurable flow-routing capabilities of integrated microvalve technology with the sample compartmentalization and dispersion-free transport that is inherent to droplets. The device allows for the execution of user-defined multistep reaction protocols in 95 individually addressable nanoliter-volume storage chambers by consecutively merging programmable sequences of picoliter-volume droplets containing reagents or cells. This functionality is enabled by "flow-controlled wetting," a droplet docking and merging mechanism that exploits the physics of droplet flow through a channel to control the precise location of droplet wetting. The device also allows for automated cross-contamination-free recovery of reaction products from individual chambers into standard microfuge tubes for downstream analysis. The combined features of programmability, addressability, and selective recovery provide a general hardware platform that can be reprogrammed for multiple applications. We demonstrate this versatility by implementing multiple single-cell experiment types with this device: bacterial cell sorting and cultivation, taxonomic gene identification, and high-throughput single-cell whole genome amplification and sequencing using common laboratory strains. Finally, we apply the device to genome analysis of single cells and microbial consortia from diverse environmental samples including a marine enrichment culture, deep-sea sediments, and the human oral cavity. The resulting datasets capture genotypic properties of individual cells and illuminate known and potentially unique partnerships between microbial community members.
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Key players and team play: anaerobic microbial communities in hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 94:851-73. [PMID: 22476263 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-4025-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2012] [Revised: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradation of anthropogenic pollutants in shallow aquifers is an important microbial ecosystem service which is mainly brought about by indigenous anaerobic microorganisms. For the management of contaminated sites, risk assessment and control of natural attenuation, the assessment of in situ biodegradation and the underlying microbial processes is essential. The development of novel molecular methods, "omics" approaches, and high-throughput techniques has revealed new insight into complex microbial communities and their functions in anoxic environmental systems. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of molecular methods to study anaerobic microbial communities in contaminated terrestrial subsurface ecosystems. We focus on current approaches to analyze composition, dynamics, and functional diversity of subsurface communities, to link identity to activity and metabolic function, and to identify the ecophysiological role of not yet cultured microbes and syntrophic consortia. We discuss recent molecular surveys of contaminated sites from an ecological viewpoint regarding degrader ecotypes, abiotic factors shaping anaerobic communities, and biotic interactions underpinning the importance of microbial cooperation for microbial ecosystem services such as contaminant degradation.
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Lebeau T. Bioaugmentation for In Situ Soil Remediation: How to Ensure the Success of Such a Process. SOIL BIOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-19769-7_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Abstract
Isolated, clonal populations of cells are rarely found in nature. The emergent properties of microbial consortia present a challenge for the systems approach to biology, as chances for competition, communication, or collaboration multiply with the number of interacting agents. This review focuses on recent work on intercourse within biofilms, among quorum-sensing populations, and between cross-feeding metabolic cooperators. New tools from synthetic biology allow microbial interactions to be designed and tightly controlled, creating valuable model systems. We address both natural and synthetic partnerships, with an emphasis on how system behaviors derive from the properties of their components. Essential features of microbial biology arose in the context of a very mixed culture and cannot be understood without unscrambling it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin H Wintermute
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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