1
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Doloman A, Besteman MS, Sanders MG, Sousa DZ. Methanogenic partner influences cell aggregation and signalling of Syntrophobacterium fumaroxidans. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:127. [PMID: 38229305 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12955-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
For several decades, the formation of microbial self-aggregates, known as granules, has been extensively documented in the context of anaerobic digestion. However, current understanding of the underlying microbial-associated mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon remains limited. This study examined morphological and biochemical changes associated with cell aggregation in model co-cultures of the syntrophic propionate oxidizing bacterium Syntrophobacterium fumaroxidans and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, Methanospirillum hungatei or Methanobacterium formicicum. Formerly, we observed that when syntrophs grow for long periods with methanogens, cultures tend to form aggregates visible to the eye. In this study, we maintained syntrophic co-cultures of S. fumaroxidans with either M. hungatei or M. formicicum for a year in a fed-batch growth mode to stimulate aggregation. Millimeter-scale aggregates were observed in both co-cultures within the first 5 months of cultivation. In addition, we detected quorum sensing molecules, specifically N-acyl homoserine lactones, in co-culture supernatants preceding the formation of macro-aggregates (with diameter of more than 20 μm). Comparative transcriptomics revealed higher expression of genes related to signal transduction, polysaccharide secretion and metal transporters in the late-aggregation state co-cultures, compared to the initial ones. This is the first study to report in detail both biochemical and physiological changes associated with the aggregate formation in syntrophic methanogenic co-cultures. KEYPOINTS: • Syntrophic co-cultures formed mm-scale aggregates within 5 months of fed-batch cultivation. • N-acyl homoserine lactones were detected during the formation of aggregates. • Aggregated co-cultures exhibited upregulated expression of adhesins- and polysaccharide-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Doloman
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Maaike S Besteman
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mark G Sanders
- Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708, WG, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Z Sousa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Living Technologies, Eindhoven-Wageningen-Utrecht Alliance, Princetonlaan 6, 3584, CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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2
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von Kügelgen A, Cassidy CK, van Dorst S, Pagani LL, Batters C, Ford Z, Löwe J, Alva V, Stansfeld PJ, Bharat TAM. Membraneless channels sieve cations in ammonia-oxidizing marine archaea. Nature 2024; 630:230-236. [PMID: 38811725 PMCID: PMC11153153 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Nitrosopumilus maritimus is an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon that is crucial to the global nitrogen cycle1,2. A critical step for nitrogen oxidation is the entrapment of ammonium ions from a dilute marine environment at the cell surface and their subsequent channelling to the cell membrane of N. maritimus. Here we elucidate the structure of the molecular machinery responsible for this process, comprising the surface layer (S-layer), using electron cryotomography and subtomogram averaging from cells. We supplemented our in situ structure of the ammonium-binding S-layer array with a single-particle electron cryomicroscopy structure, revealing detailed features of this immunoglobulin-rich and glycan-decorated S-layer. Biochemical analyses showed strong ammonium binding by the cell surface, which was lost after S-layer disassembly. Sensitive bioinformatic analyses identified similar S-layers in many ammonia-oxidizing archaea, with conserved sequence and structural characteristics. Moreover, molecular simulations and structure determination of ammonium-enriched specimens enabled us to examine the cation-binding properties of the S-layer, revealing how it concentrates ammonium ions on its cell-facing side, effectively acting as a multichannel sieve on the cell membrane. This in situ structural study illuminates the biogeochemically essential process of ammonium binding and channelling, common to many marine microorganisms that are fundamental to the nitrogen cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andriko von Kügelgen
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - C Keith Cassidy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Sofie van Dorst
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lennart L Pagani
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Christopher Batters
- Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Zephyr Ford
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jan Löwe
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vikram Alva
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Phillip J Stansfeld
- School of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Tanmay A M Bharat
- Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
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3
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van den Bedem H. Microbes 'sieve' ions on their surface to start the nitrogen cycle. Nature 2024; 630:43-44. [PMID: 38811777 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-01351-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
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4
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Cyphert EL, Nand S, Franco G, Hajkowski M, Soto L, Lee DM, Ferner M, Zabin C, Blumenthal J, Deck A, Boyer K, Burrus K, Hernandez CJ, Anand A. Combinatorial characterization of bacterial taxa-driven differences in the microbiome of oyster reefs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.15.594453. [PMID: 38798377 PMCID: PMC11118425 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Oyster reefs are invaluable ecosystems that provide a wide array of critical ecosystem services, including water filtration, coastal protection, and habitat provision for various marine species. However, these essential habitats face escalating threats from climate change and anthropogenic stressors. To combat these challenges, numerous oyster restoration initiatives have been undertaken, representing a global effort to preserve and restore these vital ecosystems. A significant, yet poorly understood, component of oyster reefs is the microbial communities. These communities account for a substantial proportion of marine reefs and are pivotal in driving key biogeochemical processes. Particularly, the environmental microbiome plays a crucial role in supporting the health and resilience of oyster populations. In our study, we sought to shed light on the microbiome within oyster reef ecosystems by characterizing the abundance, and diversity of microorganisms in the soil, biofilm, and oysters in 4 sites using a combinatorial approach to identify differentially abundant microbes by sample type and by sampling location. Our investigation revealed distinct microbial taxa in oysters, sediment and biofilm. The maximum Shannon Index indicated a slightly increased diversity in Heron's Head (5.47), followed by Brickyard park (5.35), Dunphy Park (5.17) and Point Pinole (4.85). This is likely to be driven by significantly higher oyster mortality observed at Point Pinole during routine monitoring and restoration efforts. Interestingly Ruminococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Parvimonas, Neisseria, Lactococcus, Haemophilus, Fusobacterium, Dorea, Clostridium, Campylobacter, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia were positively associated with the biofilm. Yet we have limited understanding of their beneficial and/or detrimental implications to oyster growth and survival. By unraveling the intricate relationships in microbial composition across an oyster reef, our study contributes to advancing the knowledge needed to support effective oyster reef conservation and restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Matt Ferner
- San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
| | | | | | - Anna Deck
- San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
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5
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Zhou Y, Yan A, Yang J, He W, Guo S, Li Y, Wu J, Dai Y, Pan X, Cui D, Pereira O, Teng W, Bi R, Chen S, Fan L, Wang P, Liao Y, Qin W, Sui SF, Zhu Y, Zhang C, Liu Z. Ultrastructural insights into cellular organization, energy storage and ribosomal dynamics of an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon from oligotrophic oceans. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1367658. [PMID: 38737410 PMCID: PMC11082331 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1367658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Nitrososphaeria, formerly known as Thaumarchaeota, constitute a diverse and widespread group of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) inhabiting ubiquitously in marine and terrestrial environments, playing a pivotal role in global nitrogen cycling. Despite their importance in Earth's ecosystems, the cellular organization of AOA remains largely unexplored, leading to a significant unanswered question of how the machinery of these organisms underpins metabolic functions. Methods In this study, we combined spherical-chromatic-aberration-corrected cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to unveil the cellular organization and elemental composition of Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, a representative member of marine Nitrososphaeria. Results and Discussion Our tomograms show the native ultrastructural morphology of SCM1 and one to several dense storage granules in the cytoplasm. STEM-EDS analysis identifies two types of storage granules: one type is possibly composed of polyphosphate and the other polyhydroxyalkanoate. With precise measurements using cryo-ET, we observed low quantity and density of ribosomes in SCM1 cells, which are in alignment with the documented slow growth of AOA in laboratory cultures. Collectively, these findings provide visual evidence supporting the resilience of AOA in the vast oligotrophic marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangkai Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - An Yan
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawen Yang
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei He
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuai Guo
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanchao Dai
- Shanghai NanoPort, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Xijiang Pan
- Shanghai NanoPort, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyu Cui
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Olivier Pereira
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Institut AMU-WUT, Aix-Marseille Université and Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenkai Teng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ran Bi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Songze Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Lu Fan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiyi Wang
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Liao
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Wei Qin
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Sen-Fang Sui
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanqing Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory, Shanghai, China
- Advanced Institute for Ocean Research, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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6
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Li J, Yu J, Song Y, Wang S, Mu G, Tuo Y. Exopolysaccharides and Surface-Layer Proteins Expressed by Biofilm-State Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Y42 Play Crucial Role in Preventing Intestinal Barrier and Immunity Dysfunction of Balb/C Mice Infected by Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:8581-8594. [PMID: 38590167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Our previous study showed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Y42 in the biofilm state can produce more exopolysaccharides and surface-layer proteins and showed a stronger promoting effect on intestinal barrier function than that in the planktonic state. In this study, oral administration of the live/pasteurized planktonic or biofilm L. plantarum Y42 and its metabolites (exopolysaccharides and surface-layer proteins) increased the expression of Occludin, Claudin-1, ZO-1, and MUC2 in the gut of the Balb/C mice after exposure to Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which in turn reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 in the serum of the mice. Furthermore, oral administration of the live/pasteurized planktonic or biofilm L. plantarum Y42 and its metabolites increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001) while reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria (e.g., norank_f__Muribaculaceae) in the gut of the mice, in line with the increase of short-chain fatty acids and indole derivatives in the feces of the mice. Notably, biofilm L. plantarum Y42 exerted a better preventing effect on the intestinal barrier dysfunction of the Balb/C mice due to the fact that biofilm L. plantarumY42 expressed more exopolysaccharides and surface-layer proteins than the planktonic state. These results provide data support for the use of exopolysaccharides and surface-layer proteins extracted from biofilm-state L. plantarum Y42 as functional food ingredients in preventing intestinal barrier dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Li
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
| | - Jiang Yu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
| | - Yinglong Song
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
| | - Sihan Wang
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
| | - Guangqing Mu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
- Dalian Probiotics Function Research Key Laboratory, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
| | - Yanfeng Tuo
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
- Dalian Probiotics Function Research Key Laboratory, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, P. R. China
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7
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Qin W, Wei SP, Zheng Y, Choi E, Li X, Johnston J, Wan X, Abrahamson B, Flinkstrom Z, Wang B, Li H, Hou L, Tao Q, Chlouber WW, Sun X, Wells M, Ngo L, Hunt KA, Urakawa H, Tao X, Wang D, Yan X, Wang D, Pan C, Weber PK, Jiang J, Zhou J, Zhang Y, Stahl DA, Ward BB, Mayali X, Martens-Habbena W, Winkler MKH. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea exhibit differential nitrogen source preferences. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:524-536. [PMID: 38297167 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01593-7] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) contribute to one of the largest nitrogen fluxes in the global nitrogen budget. Four distinct lineages of AOM: ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), beta- and gamma-proteobacterial ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (β-AOB and γ-AOB) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox), are thought to compete for ammonia as their primary nitrogen substrate. In addition, many AOM species can utilize urea as an alternative energy and nitrogen source through hydrolysis to ammonia. How the coordination of ammonia and urea metabolism in AOM influences their ecology remains poorly understood. Here we use stable isotope tracing, kinetics and transcriptomics experiments to show that representatives of the AOM lineages employ distinct regulatory strategies for ammonia or urea utilization, thereby minimizing direct substrate competition. The tested AOA and comammox species preferentially used ammonia over urea, while β-AOB favoured urea utilization, repressed ammonia transport in the presence of urea and showed higher affinity for urea than for ammonia. Characterized γ-AOB co-utilized both substrates. These results reveal contrasting niche adaptation and coexistence patterns among the major AOM lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qin
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Stephany P Wei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yue Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Eunkyung Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Xiangpeng Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | - Xianhui Wan
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Britt Abrahamson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zachary Flinkstrom
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Baozhan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hanyan Li
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Lei Hou
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Qing Tao
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Wyatt W Chlouber
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Wells
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Long Ngo
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Kristopher A Hunt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hidetoshi Urakawa
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Xuanyu Tao
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Dongyu Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Xiaoyuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Dazhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Chongle Pan
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Peter K Weber
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Jiandong Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - David A Stahl
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bess B Ward
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Xavier Mayali
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA.
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8
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Martocello DE, Wankel SD. Physiological Influence of Fe and Cu Availability on Nitrogen Isotope Fractionation during Ammonia Oxidation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:421-431. [PMID: 38147309 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Microbially mediated cycling processes play central roles in regulating the speciation and availability of nitrogen, a vital nutrient with wide implications for agriculture, water quality, wastewater treatment, ecosystem health, and climate change. Ammonia oxidation, the first and rate-limiting step of nitrification, is carried out by bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) that require the trace metal micronutrients copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) for growth and metabolic catalysis. While stable isotope analyses for constraining nitrogen cycling are commonly used, it is unclear whether metal availability may modulate expression of stable isotope fractionation during ammonia oxidation, by varying growth or through regulation of metabolic metalloenzymes. We present the first study examining the influence of Fe and Cu availability on the kinetic nitrogen isotope effect in ammonia oxidation (15εAO). We report a general independence of 15εAO from the growth rate in AOB, except at a low temperature (10 °C). With AOA Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, however, 15εAO decreases nonlinearly at lower oxidation rates. We examine assumptions involved in the interpretation of 15εAO values and suggest these dynamics may arise from physiological constraints that push the system toward isotopic equilibrium. These results suggest important links between isotope fractionation and environmental constraints on physiology in these key N cycling microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald E Martocello
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
- Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Scott D Wankel
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, United States
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9
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Wang L, Li A. Ammonia monooxygenase-mediated transformation of 17α-ethinylestradiol: Underlying molecular mechanism. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116930. [PMID: 37604224 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) has received increasing attention as an emerging and difficult-to-remove emerging contaminant in recent years. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been reported to be effective in EE2 removal, and ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) is considered as the primary enzyme for EE2 removal. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the transformation of EE2 by AOB and AMO is still unclear. This study investigated the molecular mechanism of EE2 degradation using a combination of experimental and computational simulation methods. The results revealed that ammonia nitrogen was essential for the co-metabolism of EE2 by AOB, and that NH3 bound with CuC (one active site of AMO) to induce a conformational change in AMO, allowing EE2 to bind with the other active site (CuB), and then EE2 underwent biological transformation. These results provide a theoretical basis and a novel research perspective on the removal of ammonia nitrogen and emerging contaminants (e.g., EE2) in wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Laboratory of Environmental Protection in Water Transport Engineering, Tianjin Research Institute of Water Transport Engineering, Tanggu, Tianjin, 300456, China
| | - Anjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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10
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Wright CL, Lehtovirta-Morley LE. Nitrification and beyond: metabolic versatility of ammonia oxidising archaea. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1358-1368. [PMID: 37452095 PMCID: PMC10432482 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01467-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia oxidising archaea are among the most abundant living organisms on Earth and key microbial players in the global nitrogen cycle. They carry out oxidation of ammonia to nitrite, and their activity is relevant for both food security and climate change. Since their discovery nearly 20 years ago, major insights have been gained into their nitrogen and carbon metabolism, growth preferences and their mechanisms of adaptation to the environment, as well as their diversity, abundance and activity in the environment. Despite significant strides forward through the cultivation of novel organisms and omics-based approaches, there are still many knowledge gaps on their metabolism and the mechanisms which enable them to adapt to the environment. Ammonia oxidising microorganisms are typically considered metabolically streamlined and highly specialised. Here we review the physiology of ammonia oxidising archaea, with focus on aspects of metabolic versatility and regulation, and discuss these traits in the context of nitrifier ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe L Wright
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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11
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Liu Y, Liu Q, Zhang C, Zhao J, Zhang H, Chen W, Zhai Q. Strain-specific effects of Akkermansia muciniphila on the regulation of intestinal barrier. FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN WELLNESS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2023.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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12
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Ni G, Leung PM, Daebeler A, Guo J, Hu S, Cook P, Nicol GW, Daims H, Greening C. Nitrification in acidic and alkaline environments. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:753-768. [PMID: 37449414 PMCID: PMC10427799 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic nitrification is a key process in the global nitrogen cycle mediated by microorganisms. While nitrification has primarily been studied in near-neutral environments, this process occurs at a wide range of pH values, spanning ecosystems from acidic soils to soda lakes. Aerobic nitrification primarily occurs through the activities of ammonia-oxidising bacteria and archaea, nitrite-oxidising bacteria, and complete ammonia-oxidising (comammox) bacteria adapted to these environments. Here, we review the literature and identify knowledge gaps on the metabolic diversity, ecological distribution, and physiological adaptations of nitrifying microorganisms in acidic and alkaline environments. We emphasise that nitrifying microorganisms depend on a suite of physiological adaptations to maintain pH homeostasis, acquire energy and carbon sources, detoxify reactive nitrogen species, and generate a membrane potential at pH extremes. We also recognize the broader implications of their activities primarily in acidic environments, with a focus on agricultural productivity and nitrous oxide emissions, as well as promising applications in treating municipal wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaofeng Ni
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pok Man Leung
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anne Daebeler
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Perran Cook
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Graeme W Nicol
- Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134 Ecully, France
| | - Holger Daims
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- The Comammox Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chris Greening
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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13
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Li J, Mu G, Tuo Y. Phenotypic Traits and Probiotic Functions of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Y42 in Planktonic and Biofilm Forms. Foods 2023; 12:foods12071516. [PMID: 37048337 PMCID: PMC10093976 DOI: 10.3390/foods12071516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in planktonic and biofilm forms exhibit different phenotypic properties. In this study, the phenotypic traits and probiotic functions of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Y42 in planktonic and biofilm forms were assessed. After 36 h of static culture, scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the L. plantarum Y42 bacterial cells contained interconnected adhesive matter on the surface, forming a ~18 μm layer of dense biofilms. The surface properties of L. plantarum Y42 in biofilm form, including autoaggregation ability, hydrophobicity, acid-base charge, and adhesiveness, were all higher than those in the planktonic form. Biofilm L. plantarum Y42 showed a higher tolerance to adverse environmental conditions and a higher survival rate, enzymatic activity, and integrity after vacuum lyophilization. And biofilm L. plantarum Y42 had higher adhesion to human enterocyte HT-29 cell monolayers, inhibited the expressions of proinflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α, and promoted the expressions of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and barrier proteins Claudin-1 and Occludin. In addition, L. plantarum Y42 in biofilm form can inhibit the adhesion and invasion of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 to HT-29 cell monolayers and is more effective in relieving the inflammatory reactions and injuries of HT-29 cells caused by L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. In conclusion, L. plantarum Y42 in biofilm form exhibited better probiotic functions compared to that in planktonic form. This indicated that L. plantarum Y42 can form biofilms to enhance its probiotic functions, which provided a theoretical basis for better development and utilization of L. plantarum Y42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Li
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Guangqing Mu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
- Dalian Probiotics Function Research Key Laboratory, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Yanfeng Tuo
- School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
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14
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Hodgskiss LH, Melcher M, Kerou M, Chen W, Ponce-Toledo RI, Savvides SN, Wienkoop S, Hartl M, Schleper C. Unexpected complexity of the ammonia monooxygenase in archaea. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:588-599. [PMID: 36721060 PMCID: PMC10030591 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01367-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia oxidation, as the first step of nitrification, constitutes a critical process in the global nitrogen cycle. However, fundamental knowledge of its key enzyme, the copper-dependent ammonia monooxygenase, is lacking, in particular for the environmentally abundant ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Here the structure of the enzyme is investigated by blue-native gel electrophoresis and proteomics from native membrane complexes of two AOA. Besides the known AmoABC subunits and the earlier predicted AmoX, two new protein subunits, AmoY and AmoZ, were identified. They are unique to AOA, highly conserved and co-regulated, and their genes are linked to other AMO subunit genes in streamlined AOA genomes. Modeling and in-gel cross-link approaches support an overall protomer structure similar to the distantly related bacterial particulate methane monooxygenase but also reveals clear differences in extracellular domains of the enzyme. These data open avenues for further structure-function studies of this ecologically important nitrification complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan H Hodgskiss
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Melcher
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Melina Kerou
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Max Perutz Labs, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Rafael I Ponce-Toledo
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Savvas N Savvides
- Unit for Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefanie Wienkoop
- Molecular Systems Biology Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Hartl
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Max Perutz Labs, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christa Schleper
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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15
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Kaur H, Ali SA, Yan F. Interactions between the gut microbiota-derived functional factors and intestinal epithelial cells - implication in the microbiota-host mutualism. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1006081. [PMID: 36159834 PMCID: PMC9492984 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1006081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutual interactions between the gut microbiota and the host play essential roles in maintaining human health and providing a nutrient-rich environment for the gut microbial community. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) provide the frontline responses to the gut microbiota for maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Emerging evidence points to commensal bacterium-derived components as functional factors for the action of commensal bacteria, including protecting intestinal integrity and mitigating susceptibility of intestinal inflammation. Furthermore, IECs have been found to communicate with the gut commensal bacteria to shape the composition and function of the microbial community. This review will discuss the current understanding of the beneficial effects of functional factors secreted by commensal bacteria on IECs, with focus on soluble proteins, metabolites, and surface layer components, and highlight the impact of IECs on the commensal microbial profile. This knowledge provides a proof-of-concept model for understanding of mechanisms underlying the microbiota-host mutualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harpreet Kaur
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Syed Azmal Ali
- German Cancer Research Center, Division of Proteomics of Stem Cell and Cancer, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fang Yan
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States,*Correspondence: Fang Yan,
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16
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Rao R, Hu J, Lee PH. Theoretical characterisation of electron tunnelling from granular activated carbon to electron accepting organisms in direct interspecies electron transfer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12426. [PMID: 35858919 PMCID: PMC9300713 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15606-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) has been identified as an efficient metabolism between symbiotically interacting organisms. One method of DIET uses conductive materials (e.g., granular activated carbon (GAC)) as a medium to shuttle electrons from electron donating organisms (eg., Geobacter metallireducens) to electron accepting organisms (e.g., Geobacter sulfurreducens and Methanosarcina barkeri). Conductive materials such as GAC, become negatively charged in DIET processes due to reduction by electron donating organisms. This high excess electron density in GAC leads to quantum tunnelling of electrons being a significant electron transfer mechanism for DIET. Thus, a theoretical model obeying the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation and Fermi–Dirac statistics was developed and simulated. In the model, the electron tunnelling transfer barrier was described by an effective rectangular barrier. The result of our 1D tunnelling simulations indicates that within 29.4 nm of the GAC, tunnelling can sufficiently supply electrons from GAC to G. sulfurreducens and M. barkeri. The phenomenon of tunnelling may also have significance as a stimulant of chemotaxis for G. sulfurreducens and other electron accepting microbes when attempting to adsorb onto GAC. This study sheds light on quantum tunnelling’s significant potential in both bacterium and archaeon DIET-centric processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Rao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK.,Department of Physics, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Jing Hu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Po-Heng Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK.
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17
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Gut health benefit and application of postbiotics in animal production. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:38. [PMID: 35392985 PMCID: PMC8991504 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00688-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut homeostasis is of importance to host health and imbalance of the gut usually leads to disorders or diseases for both human and animal. Postbiotics have been applied in manipulating of gut health, and utilization of postbiotics threads new lights into the host health. Compared with the application of probiotics, the characteristics such as stability and safety of postbiotics make it a potential alternative to probiotics. Studies have reported the beneficial effects of components derived from postbiotics, mainly through the mechanisms including inhibition of pathogens, strengthen gut barrier, and/or regulation of immunity of the host. In this review, we summarized the characteristics of postbiotics, main compounds of postbiotics, potential mechanisms in gut health, and their application in animal production.
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18
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Pabst M, Grouzdev DS, Lawson CE, Kleikamp HBC, de Ram C, Louwen R, Lin YM, Lücker S, van Loosdrecht MCM, Laureni M. A general approach to explore prokaryotic protein glycosylation reveals the unique surface layer modulation of an anammox bacterium. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:346-357. [PMID: 34341504 PMCID: PMC8776859 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01073-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The enormous chemical diversity and strain variability of prokaryotic protein glycosylation makes their large-scale exploration exceptionally challenging. Therefore, despite the universal relevance of protein glycosylation across all domains of life, the understanding of their biological significance and the evolutionary forces shaping oligosaccharide structures remains highly limited. Here, we report on a newly established mass binning glycoproteomics approach that establishes the chemical identity of the carbohydrate components and performs untargeted exploration of prokaryotic oligosaccharides from large-scale proteomics data directly. We demonstrate our approach by exploring an enrichment culture of the globally relevant anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacterium Ca. Kuenenia stuttgartiensis. By doing so we resolve a remarkable array of oligosaccharides, which are produced by two seemingly unrelated biosynthetic routes, and which modify the same surface-layer protein simultaneously. More intriguingly, the investigated strain also accomplished modulation of highly specialized sugars, supposedly in response to its energy metabolism-the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium-which depends on the acquisition of substrates of opposite charges. Ultimately, we provide a systematic approach for the compositional exploration of prokaryotic protein glycosylation, and reveal a remarkable example for the evolution of complex oligosaccharides in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Pabst
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | - Christopher E. Lawson
- grid.184769.50000 0001 2231 4551DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Emeryville, CA USA
| | - Hugo B. C. Kleikamp
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Carol de Ram
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier Louwen
- grid.5645.2000000040459992XDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yue Mei Lin
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Lücker
- grid.5590.90000000122931605Department of Microbiology, IWWR, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Michele Laureni
- grid.5292.c0000 0001 2097 4740Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Delft, The Netherlands
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19
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Clark DR, McKew BA, Binley A, Heppell CM, Whitby C, Trimmer M. Hydrological properties predict the composition of microbial communities cycling methane and nitrogen in rivers. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:5. [PMID: 37938696 PMCID: PMC9723640 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00087-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Sediment microbial communities drive the biogeochemical cycles that make rivers globally important sources and sinks of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). The structure of these communities is strongly determined by the local physico-chemical environment. However, we currently lack an understanding of the factors that determine microbial community structures at the catchment scale. Here, we show that the contribution of groundwater to total river flow (quantified as base flow index; BFI) predicts the structure and diversity of the different microbial functional groups that cycle N and C across nine UK rivers, spanning a geological BFI gradient from 0.23 (clay sediment) to 0.95 (chalk gravel sediment). Furthermore, the GC-content (percentage of guanine-cytosine bases in a DNA sequence) and codon-usage bias of ammonia monooxygenase DNA sequences, and the hydrophobicity and net-charge of the corresponding amino acid sequences, were all strongly correlated with BFI, likely reflecting physiological adaptations to different riverbed sediment structure along the BFI gradient. Our results offer an opportunity to overcome the "paradox of scales" that has seen microbial ecologists focus on small- rather than large-scale environmental variables, enabling us to scale-up our understanding of microbial biogeochemistry to the catchment and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave R Clark
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK.
- Institute for Analytics and Data Science, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK.
| | - Boyd A McKew
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Andrew Binley
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Catherine M Heppell
- School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Corinne Whitby
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Mark Trimmer
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
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20
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Farooq MS, Uzair M, Maqbool Z, Fiaz S, Yousuf M, Yang SH, Khan MR. Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Aerobic Rice Based on Insights Into the Ecophysiology of Archaeal and Bacterial Ammonia Oxidizers. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:913204. [PMID: 35769304 PMCID: PMC9234532 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.913204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The abundance and structural composition of nitrogen (N) transformation-related microbial communities under certain environmental conditions provide sufficient information about N cycle under different soil conditions. This study aims to explore the major challenge of low N use efficiency (NUE) and N dynamics in aerobic rice systems and reveal the agronomic-adjustive measures to increase NUE through insights into the ecophysiology of ammonia oxidizers. Water-saving practices, like alternate wetting and drying (AWD), dry direct seeded rice (DDSR), wet direct seeding, and saturated soil culture (SSC), have been evaluated in lowland rice; however, only few studies have been conducted on N dynamics in aerobic rice systems. Biological ammonia oxidation is majorly conducted by two types of microorganisms, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). This review focuses on how diversified are ammonia oxidizers (AOA and AOB), whose factors affect their activities and abundance under different soil conditions. It summarizes findings on pathways of N cycle, rationalize recent research on ammonia oxidizers in N-cycle, and thereby suggests adjustive agronomic measures to reduce N losses. This review also suggests that variations in soil properties significantly impact the structural composition and abundance of ammonia oxidizers. Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) especially nitrapyrin, reduce the nitrification rate and inhibit the abundance of bacterial amoA without impacting archaeal amoA. In contrast, some NIs confine the hydrolysis of synthetic N and, therefore, keep low NH4 +-N concentrations that exhibit no or very slight impact on ammonia oxidizers. Variations in soil properties are more influential in the community structure and abundance of ammonia oxidizers than application of synthetic N fertilizers and NIs. Biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) are natural bioactive compounds released from roots of certain plant species, such as sorghum, and could be commercialized to suppress the capacity of nitrifying soil microbes. Mixed application of synthetic and organic N fertilizers enhances NUE and plant N-uptake by reducing ammonia N losses. High salt concentration promotes community abundance while limiting the diversity of AOB and vice versa for AOA, whereas AOA have lower rate for potential nitrification than AOB, and denitrification accounts for higher N2 production. Archaeal abundance, diversity, and structural composition change along an elevation gradient and mainly depend on various soil factors, such as soil saturation, availability of NH4 +, and organic matter contents. Microbial abundance and structural analyses revealed that the structural composition of AOA was not highly responsive to changes in soil conditions or N amendment. Further studies are suggested to cultivate AOA and AOB in controlled-environment experiments to understand the mechanisms of AOA and AOB under different conditions. Together, this evaluation will better facilitate the projections and interpretations of ammonia oxidizer community structural composition with provision of a strong basis to establish robust testable hypotheses on the competitiveness between AOB and AOA. Moreover, after this evaluation, managing soils agronomically for potential utilization of metabolic functions of ammonia oxidizers would be easier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shahbaz Farooq
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Uzair
- National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Zubaira Maqbool
- Institute of Soil Science, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Fiaz
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | | | - Seung Hwan Yang
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Seung Hwan Yang,
| | - Muhammad Ramzan Khan
- National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Muhammad Ramzan Khan,
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21
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Kim E, Lee HG, Han S, Seo KH, Kim H. Effect of Surface Layer Proteins Derived from Paraprobiotic Kefir Lactic Acid Bacteria on Inflammation and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:15157-15164. [PMID: 34882385 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c05037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The antiobesity action of nonviable probiotic lactic acid bacteria (PLAB) may be attributed to bacterial cellular components recognized by host cells. The anti-inflammation and antiobesity properties of surface layer proteins (SLPs) that are cellular components isolated from kefir PLAB were determined in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and obese mice. Kefir SLPs significantly decreased secretion of IL-6 and production of NF-kB p65 protein by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-response manner. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat (HF) diet with oral administration of either saline (CON) or kefir SLPs for 6 weeks. SLPs significantly improved body weight gain and adipose tissue weight, plasma triglyceride concentrations, and insulin resistance. Profiling of adipocyte gene expression showed that the antiobesity effect was significantly related to the expression of genes associated with adipogenesis, autophagy, and inflammatory/immune response, and fatty acid oxidation. Taken together, SLPs are a novel bioactive component in kefir PLABs to target obesity and obesity-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eseul Kim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Hyeon Gyu Lee
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Sanghoon Han
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Kun-Ho Seo
- Center for One Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea
| | - Hyunsook Kim
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
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22
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Gambelli L, Mesman R, Versantvoort W, Diebolder CA, Engel A, Evers W, Jetten MSM, Pabst M, Daum B, van Niftrik L. The Polygonal Cell Shape and Surface Protein Layer of Anaerobic Methane-Oxidizing Methylomirabilis lanthanidiphila Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:766527. [PMID: 34925275 PMCID: PMC8671808 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.766527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylomirabilis bacteria perform anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to nitrite reduction via an intra-aerobic pathway, producing carbon dioxide and dinitrogen gas. These diderm bacteria possess an unusual polygonal cell shape with sharp ridges that run along the cell body. Previously, a putative surface protein layer (S-layer) was observed as the outermost cell layer of these bacteria. We hypothesized that this S-layer is the determining factor for their polygonal cell shape. Therefore, we enriched the S-layer from M. lanthanidiphila cells and through LC-MS/MS identified a 31 kDa candidate S-layer protein, mela_00855, which had no homology to any other known protein. Antibodies were generated against a synthesized peptide derived from the mela_00855 protein sequence and used in immunogold localization to verify its identity and location. Both on thin sections of M. lanthanidiphila cells and in negative-stained enriched S-layer patches, the immunogold localization identified mela_00855 as the S-layer protein. Using electron cryo-tomography and sub-tomogram averaging of S-layer patches, we observed that the S-layer has a hexagonal symmetry. Cryo-tomography of whole cells showed that the S-layer and the outer membrane, but not the peptidoglycan layer and the cytoplasmic membrane, exhibited the polygonal shape. Moreover, the S-layer consisted of multiple rigid sheets that partially overlapped, most likely giving rise to the unique polygonal cell shape. These characteristics make the S-layer of M. lanthanidiphila a distinctive and intriguing case to study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavinia Gambelli
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Mesman
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Wouter Versantvoort
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Christoph A Diebolder
- Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Andreas Engel
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Wiel Evers
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martin Pabst
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Bertram Daum
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Laura van Niftrik
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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23
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Destan E, Yuksel B, Tolar BB, Ayan E, Deutsch S, Yoshikuni Y, Wakatsuki S, Francis CA, DeMirci H. Structural insights into bifunctional thaumarchaeal crotonyl-CoA hydratase and 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydratase from Nitrosopumilus maritimus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22849. [PMID: 34819551 PMCID: PMC8613188 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02180-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The ammonia-oxidizing thaumarchaeal 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (3HP/4HB) cycle is one of the most energy-efficient CO2 fixation cycles discovered thus far. The protein encoded by Nmar_1308 (from Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1) is a promiscuous enzyme that catalyzes two essential reactions within the thaumarchaeal 3HP/4HB cycle, functioning as both a crotonyl-CoA hydratase (CCAH) and 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA dehydratase (3HPD). In performing both hydratase and dehydratase activities, Nmar_1308 reduces the total number of enzymes necessary for CO2 fixation in Thaumarchaeota, reducing the overall cost for biosynthesis. Here, we present the first high-resolution crystal structure of this bifunctional enzyme with key catalytic residues in the thaumarchaeal 3HP/4HB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebru Destan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Busra Yuksel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bradley B Tolar
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Esra Ayan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sam Deutsch
- Nutcracker Therapeutics, Inc 5858 Horton Street, Suite 540, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Yasuo Yoshikuni
- The US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94305, USA.
- Biosciences Division, SLAC National Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
| | | | - Hasan DeMirci
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koc University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Stanford PULSE Institute, SLAC National Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
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24
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von Kügelgen A, Alva V, Bharat TAM. Complete atomic structure of a native archaeal cell surface. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110052. [PMID: 34818541 PMCID: PMC8640222 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many prokaryotic cells are covered by an ordered, proteinaceous, sheet-like structure called a surface layer (S-layer). S-layer proteins (SLPs) are usually the highest copy number macromolecules in prokaryotes, playing critical roles in cellular physiology such as blocking predators, scaffolding membranes, and facilitating environmental interactions. Using electron cryomicroscopy of two-dimensional sheets, we report the atomic structure of the S-layer from the archaeal model organism Haloferax volcanii. This S-layer consists of a hexagonal array of tightly interacting immunoglobulin-like domains, which are also found in SLPs across several classes of archaea. Cellular tomography reveal that the S-layer is nearly continuous on the cell surface, completed by pentameric defects in the hexagonal lattice. We further report the atomic structure of the SLP pentamer, which shows markedly different relative arrangements of SLP domains needed to complete the S-layer. Our structural data provide a framework for understanding cell surfaces of archaea at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vikram Alva
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Tanmay A M Bharat
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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25
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Ammonia-oxidizing archaea possess a wide range of cellular ammonia affinities. ISME JOURNAL 2021; 16:272-283. [PMID: 34316016 PMCID: PMC8692354 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01064-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate, is an essential process in the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. The first step of nitrification, ammonia oxidation, is performed by three, often co-occurring guilds of chemolithoautotrophs: ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), archaea (AOA), and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox). Substrate kinetics are considered to be a major niche-differentiating factor between these guilds, but few AOA strains have been kinetically characterized. Here, the ammonia oxidation kinetic properties of 12 AOA representing all major cultivated phylogenetic lineages were determined using microrespirometry. Members of the genus Nitrosocosmicus have the lowest affinity for both ammonia and total ammonium of any characterized AOA, and these values are similar to previously determined ammonia and total ammonium affinities of AOB. This contrasts previous assumptions that all AOA possess much higher substrate affinities than their comammox or AOB counterparts. The substrate affinity of ammonia oxidizers correlated with their cell surface area to volume ratios. In addition, kinetic measurements across a range of pH values supports the hypothesis that—like for AOB—ammonia and not ammonium is the substrate for the ammonia monooxygenase enzyme of AOA and comammox. Together, these data will facilitate predictions and interpretation of ammonia oxidizer community structures and provide a robust basis for establishing testable hypotheses on competition between AOB, AOA, and comammox.
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26
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Rodriguez J, Chakrabarti S, Choi E, Shehadeh N, Sierra-Martinez S, Zhao J, Martens-Habbena W. Nutrient-Limited Enrichments of Nitrifiers From Soil Yield Consortia of Nitrosocosmicus-Affiliated AOA and Nitrospira-Affiliated NOB. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:671480. [PMID: 34322099 PMCID: PMC8312096 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.671480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia-oxidizing (comammox) bacteria widespread in terrestrial ecosystems indicates an important role of these organisms in terrestrial nitrification. Recent evidence indicated a higher ammonia affinity of comammox bacteria than of terrestrial AOA and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), suggesting that comammox bacteria could potentially represent the most low-nutrient adapted nitrifiers in terrestrial systems. We hypothesized that a nutrient-limited enrichment strategy could exploit the differences in cellular kinetic properties and yield enrichments dominated by high affinity and high yield comammox bacteria. Using soil with a mixed community of AOA, AOB, and comammox Nitrospira, we compared performance of nutrient-limited chemostat enrichment with or without batch culture pre-enrichment in two different growth media without inhibitors or antibiotics. Monitoring of microbial community composition via 16S rRNA and amoA gene sequencing showed that batch enrichments were dominated by AOB, accompanied by low numbers of AOA and comammox Nitrospira. In contrast, nutrient-limited enrichment directly from soil, and nutrient-limited sub-cultivation of batch enrichments consistently yielded high enrichments of Nitrosocosmicus-affiliated AOA associated with multiple canonical nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira strains, whereas AOB numbers dropped below 0.1% and comammox Nitrospira were lost completely. Our results reveal competitiveness of Nitrosocosmicus sp. under nutrient limitation, and a likely more complex or demanding ecological niche of soil comammox Nitrospira than simulated in our nutrient-limited chemostat experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, United States
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27
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Shafiee RT, Snow JT, Hester S, Zhang Q, Rickaby REM. Proteomic response of the marine ammonia-oxidising archaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus to iron limitation reveals strategies to compensate for nutrient scarcity. Environ Microbiol 2021; 24:835-849. [PMID: 33876540 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dissolved iron (Fe) is vanishingly low in the oceans, with ecological success conferred to microorganisms that can restructure their biochemistry to maintain high growth rates during Fe scarcity. Chemolithoautotrophic ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) are highly abundant in the oceans, constituting ~30% of cells below the photic zone. Here we examine the proteomic response of the AOA isolate Nitrosopumilus maritimus to growth-limiting Fe concentrations. Under Fe limitation, we observed a significant reduction in the intensity of Fe-dense ferredoxins associated with respiratory complex I whilst complex III and IV proteins with more central roles in the electron transport chain remain unchanged. We concomitantly observed an increase in the intensity of Fe-free functional alternatives such as flavodoxin and plastocyanin, thioredoxin and alkyl hydroperoxide which are known to mediate electron transport and reactive oxygen species detoxification, respectively. Under Fe limitation, we found a marked increase in the intensity of the ABC phosphonate transport system (Phn), highlighting an intriguing link between Fe and P cycling in N. maritimus. We hypothesise that an elevated uptake of exogenous phosphonates under Fe limitation may either supplement N. maritimus' endogenous methylphosphonate biosynthesis pathway - which requires Fe - or enhance the production of phosphonate-containing exopolysaccharides known to efficiently bind environmental Fe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana T Shafiee
- Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Joseph T Snow
- Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Svenja Hester
- Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Rosalind E M Rickaby
- Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 3AN, UK
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28
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Shafiee RT, Diver PJ, Snow JT, Zhang Q, Rickaby REM. Marine ammonia-oxidising archaea and bacteria occupy distinct iron and copper niches. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 1:1. [PMID: 37938628 PMCID: PMC9723733 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-021-00001-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia oxidation by archaea and bacteria (AOA and AOB), is the first step of nitrification in the oceans. As AOA have an ammonium affinity 200-fold higher than AOB isolates, the chemical niche allowing AOB to persist in the oligotrophic ocean remains unclear. Here we show that marine isolates, Nitrosopumilus maritimus strain SCM1 (AOA) and Nitrosococcus oceani strain C-107 (AOB) have contrasting physiologies in response to the trace metals iron (Fe) and copper (Cu), holding potential implications for their niche separation in the oceans. A greater affinity for unchelated Fe may allow AOB to inhabit shallower, euphotic waters where ammonium supply is high, but competition for Fe is rife. In contrast to AOB, AOA isolates have a greater affinity and toxicity threshold for unchelated Cu providing additional explanation to the greater success of AOA in the marine environment where Cu availability can be highly variable. Using comparative genomics, we predict that the proteomic and metal transport basis giving rise to contrasting physiologies in isolates is widespread across phylogenetically diverse marine AOA and AOB that are not yet available in pure culture. Our results develop the testable hypothesis that ammonia oxidation may be limited by Cu in large tracts of the open ocean and suggest a relatively earlier emergence of AOB than AOA when considered in the context of evolving trace metal availabilities over geologic time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana T Shafiee
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK.
| | - Poppy J Diver
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Joseph T Snow
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
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29
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Nardi P, Laanbroek HJ, Nicol GW, Renella G, Cardinale M, Pietramellara G, Weckwerth W, Trinchera A, Ghatak A, Nannipieri P. Biological nitrification inhibition in the rhizosphere: determining interactions and impact on microbially mediated processes and potential applications. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 44:874-908. [PMID: 32785584 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrification is the microbial conversion of reduced forms of nitrogen (N) to nitrate (NO3-), and in fertilized soils it can lead to substantial N losses via NO3- leaching or nitrous oxide (N2O) production. To limit such problems, synthetic nitrification inhibitors have been applied but their performance differs between soils. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the occurrence of biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), a natural phenomenon according to which certain plants can inhibit nitrification through the release of active compounds in root exudates. Here, we synthesize the current state of research but also unravel knowledge gaps in the field. The nitrification process is discussed considering recent discoveries in genomics, biochemistry and ecology of nitrifiers. Secondly, we focus on the 'where' and 'how' of BNI. The N transformations and their interconnections as they occur in, and are affected by, the rhizosphere, are also discussed. The NH4+ and NO3- retention pathways alternative to BNI are reviewed as well. We also provide hypotheses on how plant compounds with putative BNI ability can reach their targets inside the cell and inhibit ammonia oxidation. Finally, we discuss a set of techniques that can be successfully applied to solve unresearched questions in BNI studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierfrancesco Nardi
- Consiglio per la ricerca e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via della Navicella 2-4, Rome 00184, Italy
| | - Hendrikus J Laanbroek
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands; Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Graeme W Nicol
- Laboratoire Ampère, École Centrale de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Ecully, 69134, France
| | - Giancarlo Renella
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padua, Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Cardinale
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies - DiSTeBA, University of Salento, Centro Ecotekne - via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni, I-73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giacomo Pietramellara
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 28, Firenze 50144, Italy
| | - Wolfram Weckwerth
- Molecular Systems Biology (MOSYS), Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria; Vienna Metabolomics Center (VIME), University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Alessandra Trinchera
- Consiglio per la ricerca e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Via della Navicella 2-4, Rome 00184, Italy
| | - Arindam Ghatak
- Molecular Systems Biology (MOSYS), Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Paolo Nannipieri
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Firenze, P.le delle Cascine 28, Firenze 50144, Italy
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30
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Mauerhofer LM, Zwirtmayr S, Pappenreiter P, Bernacchi S, Seifert AH, Reischl B, Schmider T, Taubner RS, Paulik C, Rittmann SKMR. Hyperthermophilic methanogenic archaea act as high-pressure CH 4 cell factories. Commun Biol 2021; 4:289. [PMID: 33674723 PMCID: PMC7935968 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01828-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioprocesses converting carbon dioxide with molecular hydrogen to methane (CH4) are currently being developed to enable a transition to a renewable energy production system. In this study, we present a comprehensive physiological and biotechnological examination of 80 methanogenic archaea (methanogens) quantifying growth and CH4 production kinetics at hyperbaric pressures up to 50 bar with regard to media, macro-, and micro-nutrient supply, specific genomic features, and cell envelope architecture. Our analysis aimed to systematically prioritize high-pressure and high-performance methanogens. We found that the hyperthermophilic methanococci Methanotorris igneus and Methanocaldococcoccus jannaschii are high-pressure CH4 cell factories. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that high-performance methanogens are covered with an S-layer, and that they harbour the amino acid motif Tyrα444 Glyα445 Tyrα446 in the alpha subunit of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase. Thus, high-pressure biological CH4 production in pure culture could provide a purposeful route for the transition to a carbon-neutral bioenergy sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Maria Mauerhofer
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria
| | - Sara Zwirtmayr
- grid.9970.70000 0001 1941 5140Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Patricia Pappenreiter
- grid.9970.70000 0001 1941 5140Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Linz, Austria
| | | | | | - Barbara Reischl
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria ,Krajete GmbH, Linz, Austria
| | - Tilman Schmider
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria
| | - Ruth-Sophie Taubner
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria ,grid.9970.70000 0001 1941 5140Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Christian Paulik
- grid.9970.70000 0001 1941 5140Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Simon K.-M. R. Rittmann
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria
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31
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Yang Y, Herbold CW, Jung MY, Qin W, Cai M, Du H, Lin JG, Li X, Li M, Gu JD. Survival strategies of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in a full-scale WWTP treating mixed landfill leachate containing copper ions and operating at low-intensity of aeration. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 191:116798. [PMID: 33444853 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) may play an important role in nitrogen removal by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, our knowledge of the mechanisms employed by AOA for growth and survival in full-scale WWTPs is still limited. Here, metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses combined with a laboratory cultivation experiment revealed that three active AOAs (WS9, WS192, and WS208) belonging to family Nitrososphaeraceae were active in the deep oxidation ditch (DOD) of a full-scale WWTP treating landfill leachate, which is configured with three continuous aerobic-anoxic (OA) modules with low-intensity aeration (≤ 1.5 mg/L). AOA coexisted with AOB and complete ammonia oxidizers (Comammox), while the ammonia-oxidizing microbial (AOM) community was unexpectedly dominated by the novel AOA strain WS9. The low aeration, long retention time, and relatively high inputs of ammonium and copper might be responsible for the survival of AOA over AOB and Comammox, while the dominance of WS9, specifically may be enhanced by substrate preference and uniquely encoded retention strategies. The urease-negative WS9 is specifically adapted for ammonia acquisition as evidenced by the high expression of an ammonium transporter, whereas two metabolically versatile urease-positive AOA strains (WS192 and WS208) can likely supplement ammonia needs with urea. This study provides important information for the survival and application of the eutrophic Nitrososphaeraceae AOA and advances our understanding of archaea-dominated ammonia oxidation in a full-scale wastewater treatment system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Craig W Herbold
- University of Vienna, Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial Ecology, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Man-Young Jung
- Division of Biology Education, Department of Science Education, Jeju National University, 102 Jejudaehak-ro, Jeju 63243, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme in Advance Convergence Technology and Science, Faculty of Science Education, Jeju National University, Jeju 6324, South Korea
| | - Wei Qin
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States; Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Huan Du
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jih-Gaw Lin
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Environmental Engineering, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 241 Daxue Road, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, China; Southern Laboratory of Ocean Science and Engineering, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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32
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Bharat TAM, von Kügelgen A, Alva V. Molecular Logic of Prokaryotic Surface Layer Structures. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:405-415. [PMID: 33121898 PMCID: PMC8559796 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most prokaryotic cells are encased in a surface layer (S-layer) consisting of a paracrystalline array of repeating lattice-forming proteins. S-layer proteins populate a vast and diverse sequence space, performing disparate functions in prokaryotic cells, including cellular defense, cell-shape maintenance, and regulation of import and export of materials. This article highlights recent advances in the understanding of S-layer structure and assembly, made possible by rapidly evolving structural and cell biology methods. We underscore shared assembly principles revealed by recent work and discuss a common molecular framework that may be used to understand the structural organization of S-layer proteins across bacteria and archaea. Despite enormous sequence diversity in surface (S)-layer proteins, structural diversity is much lower than previously thought. S-layer proteins have a bipartite arrangement with a lattice-forming and an anchoring segment. Novel structural biology methods are revealing the architectures of S-layers in situ. S-layer assembly across prokaryotes is tightly coupled to the cell cycle, including the cell division machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay A M Bharat
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; Central Oxford Structural Microscopy and Imaging Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
| | - Andriko von Kügelgen
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK; Central Oxford Structural Microscopy and Imaging Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Vikram Alva
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
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33
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Mooshammer M, Alves RJE, Bayer B, Melcher M, Stieglmeier M, Jochum L, Rittmann SKMR, Watzka M, Schleper C, Herndl GJ, Wanek W. Nitrogen Isotope Fractionation During Archaeal Ammonia Oxidation: Coupled Estimates From Measurements of Residual Ammonium and Accumulated Nitrite. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1710. [PMID: 32849360 PMCID: PMC7399158 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The naturally occurring nitrogen (N) isotopes, 15N and 14N, exhibit different reaction rates during many microbial N transformation processes, which results in N isotope fractionation. Such isotope effects are critical parameters for interpreting natural stable isotope abundances as proxies for biological process rates in the environment across scales. The kinetic isotope effect of ammonia oxidation (AO) to nitrite (NO2 -), performed by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), is generally ascribed to the enzyme ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), which catalyzes the first step in this process. However, the kinetic isotope effect of AMO, or ε A M O , has been typically determined based on isotope kinetics during product formation (cumulative product, NO2 -) alone, which may have overestimated ε A M O due to possible accumulation of chemical intermediates and alternative sinks of ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4 +). Here, we analyzed 15N isotope fractionation during archaeal ammonia oxidation based on both isotopic changes in residual substrate (RS, NH4 +) and cumulative product (CP, NO2 -) pools in pure cultures of the soil strain Nitrososphaera viennensis EN76 and in highly enriched cultures of the marine strain Nitrosopumilus adriaticus NF5, under non-limiting substrate conditions. We obtained ε A M O values of 31.9-33.1‰ for both strains based on RS (δ15NH4 +) and showed that estimates based on CP (δ15NO2 -) give larger isotope fractionation factors by 6-8‰. Complementary analyses showed that, at the end of the growth period, microbial biomass was 15N-enriched (10.1‰), whereas nitrous oxide (N2O) was highly 15N depleted (-38.1‰) relative to the initial substrate. Although we did not determine the isotope effect of NH4 + assimilation (biomass formation) and N2O production by AOA, our results nevertheless show that the discrepancy between ε A M O estimates based on RS and CP might have derived from the incorporation of 15N-enriched residual NH4 + after AMO reaction into microbial biomass and that N2O production did not affect isotope fractionation estimates significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Mooshammer
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ricardo J. E. Alves
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Bayer
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Melcher
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michaela Stieglmeier
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lara Jochum
- LMU – Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Margarete Watzka
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christa Schleper
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard J. Herndl
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Wolfgang Wanek
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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34
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Qin W, Zheng Y, Zhao F, Wang Y, Urakawa H, Martens-Habbena W, Liu H, Huang X, Zhang X, Nakagawa T, Mende DR, Bollmann A, Wang B, Zhang Y, Amin SA, Nielsen JL, Mori K, Takahashi R, Virginia Armbrust E, Winkler MKH, DeLong EF, Li M, Lee PH, Zhou J, Zhang C, Zhang T, Stahl DA, Ingalls AE. Alternative strategies of nutrient acquisition and energy conservation map to the biogeography of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea. ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2595-2609. [PMID: 32636492 PMCID: PMC7490402 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0710-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are among the most abundant and ubiquitous microorganisms in the ocean, exerting primary control on nitrification and nitrogen oxides emission. Although united by a common physiology of chemoautotrophic growth on ammonia, a corresponding high genomic and habitat variability suggests tremendous adaptive capacity. Here, we compared 44 diverse AOA genomes, 37 from species cultivated from samples collected across diverse geographic locations and seven assembled from metagenomic sequences from the mesopelagic to hadopelagic zones of the deep ocean. Comparative analysis identified seven major marine AOA genotypic groups having gene content correlated with their distinctive biogeographies. Phosphorus and ammonia availabilities as well as hydrostatic pressure were identified as selective forces driving marine AOA genotypic and gene content variability in different oceanic regions. Notably, AOA methylphosphonate biosynthetic genes span diverse oceanic provinces, reinforcing their importance for methane production in the ocean. Together, our combined comparative physiological, genomic, and metagenomic analyses provide a comprehensive view of the biogeography of globally abundant AOA and their adaptive radiation into a vast range of marine and terrestrial habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qin
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Yue Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yulin Wang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hidetoshi Urakawa
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Haodong Liu
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaowu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xinxu Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tatsunori Nakagawa
- College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Daniel R Mende
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - Baozhan Wang
- Key Lab of Microbiology for Agricultural Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Sciences and College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shady A Amin
- Department of Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Jeppe L Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Koji Mori
- NITE Biological Resource Center (NBRC), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan
| | - Reiji Takahashi
- College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Mari-K H Winkler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Edward F DeLong
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Po-Heng Lee
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, and School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.,Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.,School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - David A Stahl
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anitra E Ingalls
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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35
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Accumulation of ambient phosphate into the periplasm of marine bacteria is proton motive force dependent. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2642. [PMID: 32457313 PMCID: PMC7250820 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16428-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria acquire phosphate (Pi) by maintaining a periplasmic concentration below environmental levels. We recently described an extracellular Pi buffer which appears to counteract the gradient required for Pi diffusion. Here, we demonstrate that various treatments to outer membrane (OM) constituents do not affect the buffered Pi because bacteria accumulate Pi in the periplasm, from which it can be removed hypo-osmotically. The periplasmic Pi can be gradually imported into the cytoplasm by ATP-powered transport, however, the proton motive force (PMF) is not required to keep Pi in the periplasm. In contrast, the accumulation of Pi into the periplasm across the OM is PMF-dependent and can be enhanced by light energy. Because the conventional mechanism of Pi-specific transport cannot explain Pi accumulation in the periplasm we propose that periplasmic Pi anions pair with chemiosmotic cations of the PMF and millions of accumulated Pi pairs could influence the periplasmic osmolarity of marine bacteria. The ubiquitous oceanic bacteria harbour an external phosphate buffer for modulating phosphate (Pi) uptake. Here, using both oceanic SAR11, Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus strains as a model, the authors show that the Pi buffer accumulation in the periplasm is proton motive force-dependent and can be enhanced by light energy.
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36
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Liu Q, Yu Z, Tian F, Zhao J, Zhang H, Zhai Q, Chen W. Surface components and metabolites of probiotics for regulation of intestinal epithelial barrier. Microb Cell Fact 2020; 19:23. [PMID: 32024520 PMCID: PMC7003451 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-020-1289-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota can significantly affect the function of the intestinal barrier. Some intestinal probiotics (such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, a few Escherichia coli strains, and a new generation of probiotics including Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Akkermansia muciniphila) can maintain intestinal epithelial homeostasis and promote health. This review first summarizes probiotics' regulation of the intestinal epithelium via their surface compounds. Surface layer proteins, flagella, pili and capsular polysaccharides constitute microbial-associated molecular patterns and specifically bind to pattern recognition receptors, which can regulate signaling pathways to produce cytokines or inhibit apoptosis, thereby attenuating inflammation and enhancing the function of the gut epithelium. The review also explains the effects of metabolites (such as secreted proteins, organic acids, indole, extracellular vesicles and bacteriocins) of probiotics on host receptors and the mechanisms by which these metabolites regulate gut epithelial barrier function. Previous reviews summarized the role of the surface macromolecules or metabolites of gut microbes (including both probiotics and pathogens) in human health. However, these reviews were mostly focused on the interactions between these substances and the intestinal mucosal immune system. In the current review, we only focused on probiotics and discussed the molecular interaction between these bacteria and the gut epithelial barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiming Yu
- Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengwei Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianxin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- (Yangzhou) Institute of Food Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Yangzhou, 225004, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Probiotics at Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qixiao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China.
- Wuxi Translational Medicine Research Center and Jiangsu Translational Medicine Research Institute Wuxi Branch, Wuxi, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China
- Beijing Innovation Centre of Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing, 100048, People's Republic of China
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37
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A bacterial surface layer protein exploits multistep crystallization for rapid self-assembly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 117:388-394. [PMID: 31848245 PMCID: PMC6955313 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1909798116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Many microbes assemble a crystalline protein layer on their outer surface as an additional barrier and communication platform between the cell and its environment. Surface layer proteins efficiently crystallize to continuously coat the cell, and this trait has been utilized to design functional macromolecular nanomaterials. Here, we report that rapid crystallization of a bacterial surface layer protein occurs through a multistep pathway involving a crystalline intermediate. Upon calcium binding, sequential changes occur in the structure and arrangement of the protein, which are captured by time-resolved small angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron cryo-microscopy. We demonstrate that a specific domain is responsible for enhancing the rate of self-assembly, unveiling possible evolutionary mechanisms to enhance the kinetics of 2D protein crystallization. Surface layers (S-layers) are crystalline protein coats surrounding microbial cells. S-layer proteins (SLPs) regulate their extracellular self-assembly by crystallizing when exposed to an environmental trigger. However, molecular mechanisms governing rapid protein crystallization in vivo or in vitro are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the Caulobacter crescentus SLP readily crystallizes into sheets in vitro via a calcium-triggered multistep assembly pathway. This pathway involves 2 domains serving distinct functions in assembly. The C-terminal crystallization domain forms the physiological 2-dimensional (2D) crystal lattice, but full-length protein crystallizes multiple orders of magnitude faster due to the N-terminal nucleation domain. Observing crystallization using a time course of electron cryo-microscopy (Cryo-EM) imaging reveals a crystalline intermediate wherein N-terminal nucleation domains exhibit motional dynamics with respect to rigid lattice-forming crystallization domains. Dynamic flexibility between the 2 domains rationalizes efficient S-layer crystal nucleation on the curved cellular surface. Rate enhancement of protein crystallization by a discrete nucleation domain may enable engineering of kinetically controllable self-assembling 2D macromolecular nanomaterials.
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38
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Li PN, Herrmann J, Wakatsuki S, van den Bedem H. Transport Properties of Nanoporous, Chemically Forced Biological Lattices. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:10331-10342. [PMID: 31721579 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b05882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Permselective nanochannels are ubiquitous in biological systems, controlling ion transport and maintaining a potential difference across a cell surface. Surface layers (S-layers) are proteinaceous, generally charged lattices punctuated with nanoscale pores that form the outermost cell envelope component of virtually all archaea and many bacteria. Ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) obtain their energy exclusively from oxidizing ammonia directly below the S-layer lattice, but how the charged surfaces and nanochannels affect availability of NH4+ at the reaction site is unknown. Here, we examine the electrochemical properties of negatively charged S-layers for asymmetrically forced ion transport governed by Michaelis-Menten kinetics at ultralow concentrations. Our 3-dimensional electrodiffusion reaction simulations revealed that a negatively charged S-layer can invert the potential across the nanochannel to favor chemically forced NH4+ transport, analogous to polarity switching in nanofluidic field-effect transistors. Polarity switching was not observed when only the interior of the nanochannels was charged. We found that S-layer charge, nanochannel geometry, and enzymatic turnover rate are finely tuned to elevate NH4+ concentration at the active site, potentially enabling AOA to occupy nutrient-poor ecological niches. Strikingly, and in contrast to voltage-biased systems, magnitudes of the co- and counterion currents in the charged nanochannels were nearly equal and amplified disproportionally to the NH4+ current. Our simulations suggest that engineered arrays of crystalline proteinaceous membranes could find unique applications in industrial energy conversion or separation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Nan Li
- Department of Electrical Engineering , Stanford University , 318 Campus Drive , Stanford , California 94305 , United States.,Biosciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Stanford University , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States
| | - Jonathan Herrmann
- Department of Structural Biology , Stanford University , 318 Campus Drive , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
| | - Soichi Wakatsuki
- Biosciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Stanford University , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States.,Department of Structural Biology , Stanford University , 318 Campus Drive , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Biosciences Division, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , Stanford University , 2575 Sand Hill Road , Menlo Park , California 94025 , United States.,Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences , University of California San Francisco , 1700 Fourth Street , San Francisco , California 94158 , United States
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39
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Zink IA, Pfeifer K, Wimmer E, Sleytr UB, Schuster B, Schleper C. CRISPR-mediated gene silencing reveals involvement of the archaeal S-layer in cell division and virus infection. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4797. [PMID: 31641111 PMCID: PMC6805947 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12745-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The S-layer is a proteinaceous surface lattice found in the cell envelope of bacteria and archaea. In most archaea, a glycosylated S-layer constitutes the sole cell wall and there is evidence that it contributes to cell shape maintenance and stress resilience. Here we use a gene-knockdown technology based on an endogenous CRISPR type III complex to gradually silence slaB, which encodes the S-layer membrane anchor in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. Silenced cells exhibit a reduced or peeled-off S-layer lattice, cell shape alterations and decreased surface glycosylation. These cells barely propagate but increase in diameter and DNA content, indicating impaired cell division; their phenotypes can be rescued through genetic complementation. Furthermore, S-layer depleted cells are less susceptible to infection with the virus SSV1. Our study highlights the usefulness of the CRISPR type III system for gene silencing in archaea, and supports that an intact S-layer is important for cell division and virus susceptibility. The S-layer is a proteinaceous envelope often found in bacterial and archaeal cells. Here, the authors use CRISPR-based technology to silence slaB, encoding the S-layer membrane anchor, to show that an intact S-layer is important for cell division and virus susceptibility in the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Anna Zink
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Althanstraße 14, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kevin Pfeifer
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Althanstraße 14, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Synthetic Bioarchitectures, Muthgasse 11/II, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, A-1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erika Wimmer
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Althanstraße 14, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Uwe B Sleytr
- Institute of Biophysics, Muthgasse 11/II, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, A-1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schuster
- Institute for Synthetic Bioarchitectures, Muthgasse 11/II, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, A-1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christa Schleper
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Althanstraße 14, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
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40
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Moeller FU, Webster NS, Herbold CW, Behnam F, Domman D, Albertsen M, Mooshammer M, Markert S, Turaev D, Becher D, Rattei T, Schweder T, Richter A, Watzka M, Nielsen PH, Wagner M. Characterization of a thaumarchaeal symbiont that drives incomplete nitrification in the tropical sponge Ianthella basta. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:3831-3854. [PMID: 31271506 PMCID: PMC6790972 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Marine sponges represent one of the few eukaryotic groups that frequently harbour symbiotic members of the Thaumarchaeota, which are important chemoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizers in many environments. However, in most studies, direct demonstration of ammonia-oxidation by these archaea within sponges is lacking, and little is known about sponge-specific adaptations of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Here, we characterized the thaumarchaeal symbiont of the marine sponge Ianthella basta using metaproteogenomics, fluorescence in situ hybridization, qPCR and isotope-based functional assays. 'Candidatus Nitrosospongia ianthellae' is only distantly related to cultured AOA. It is an abundant symbiont that is solely responsible for nitrite formation from ammonia in I. basta that surprisingly does not harbour nitrite-oxidizing microbes. Furthermore, this AOA is equipped with an expanded set of extracellular subtilisin-like proteases, a metalloprotease unique among archaea, as well as a putative branched-chain amino acid ABC transporter. This repertoire is strongly indicative of a mixotrophic lifestyle and is (with slight variations) also found in other sponge-associated, but not in free-living AOA. We predict that this feature as well as an expanded and unique set of secreted serpins (protease inhibitors), a unique array of eukaryotic-like proteins, and a DNA-phosporothioation system, represent important adaptations of AOA to life within these ancient filter-feeding animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian U. Moeller
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Nicole S. Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Craig W. Herbold
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Faris Behnam
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Daryl Domman
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Mads Albertsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and BioscienceAalborg University9220AalborgDenmark
| | - Maria Mooshammer
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Stephanie Markert
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.VGreifswaldGermany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical BiotechnologyUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Dmitrij Turaev
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Computational Systems BiologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Dörte Becher
- Institute of Microbiology, Microbial ProteomicsUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Computational Systems BiologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Thomas Schweder
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.VGreifswaldGermany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical BiotechnologyUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Andreas Richter
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem ResearchUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Margarete Watzka
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem ResearchUniversity of ViennaAustria
| | - Per Halkjaer Nielsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and BioscienceAalborg University9220AalborgDenmark
| | - Michael Wagner
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyUniversity of ViennaAustria
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and BioscienceAalborg University9220AalborgDenmark
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41
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Topologically-guided continuous protein crystallization controls bacterial surface layer self-assembly. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2731. [PMID: 31227690 PMCID: PMC6588578 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10650-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many bacteria and most archaea possess a crystalline protein surface layer (S-layer), which surrounds their growing and topologically complicated outer surface. Constructing a macromolecular structure of this scale generally requires localized enzymatic machinery, but a regulatory framework for S-layer assembly has not been identified. By labeling, superresolution imaging, and tracking the S-layer protein (SLP) from C. crescentus, we show that 2D protein self-assembly is sufficient to build and maintain the S-layer in living cells by efficient protein crystal nucleation and growth. We propose a model supported by single-molecule tracking whereby randomly secreted SLP monomers diffuse on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) outer membrane until incorporated at the edges of growing 2D S-layer crystals. Surface topology creates crystal defects and boundaries, thereby guiding S-layer assembly. Unsupervised assembly poses challenges for therapeutics targeting S-layers. However, protein crystallization as an evolutionary driver rationalizes S-layer diversity and raises the potential for biologically inspired self-assembling macromolecular nanomaterials. Bacteria assemble the surface layer (S-layer), a crystalline protein coat surrounding the curved surface, using protein self-assembly. Here authors image native and purified RsaA, the S-layer protein from C. crescentus, and show that protein crystallization alone is sufficient to assemble and maintain the S-layer in vivo.
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42
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Affinity informs environmental cooperation between ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing (Anammox) bacteria. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:1997-2004. [PMID: 30936420 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0408-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing (Anammox) bacteria (AnAOB) rely on nitrite supplied by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA). Affinities for ammonia and oxygen play a crucial role in AOA/AOB competition and their association with AnAOB. In this work we measured the affinity constants for ammonia and oxygen (half-saturation; km) of two freshwater AOA enrichments, an AOA soil isolate (N. viennensis), and a freshwater AnAOB enrichment. The AOA enrichments had similar kinetics (μmax ≈ 0.36 d-1, km,NH4 ≈ 0.78 µM, and km,O2 ≈ 2.9 µM), whereas N. viennensis had similar km values but lower μmax (0.23 d-1). In agreement with the current paradigm, these AOA strains showed a higher affinity for ammonia (lower km,NH4; 0.34-1.27 µM) than published AOB measurements (>20 µM). The slower growing AnAOB (μmax ≈ 0.16 d-1) had much higher km values (km,NH4 ≈ 132 µM, km,NO2 ≈ 48 µM) and were inhibited by oxygen at low levels (half-oxygen inhibition; ki,O2 ≈ 0.092 µM). The higher affinity of AOA for ammonia relative to AnAOB, suggests AOA/AnAOB cooperation is only possible where AOA do not outcompete AnAOB for ammonia. Using a biofilm model, we show that environments of ammonia/oxygen counter diffusion, such as stratified lakes, favors this cooperation.
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43
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Approaches to understanding the ecology and evolution of understudied terrestrial archaeal ammonia-oxidisers. Emerg Top Life Sci 2018; 2:619-628. [PMID: 33525821 DOI: 10.1042/etls20180018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) form a phylogenetic group within the phylum Thaumarchaeota and are of ecological significance due to their role in nitrification, an important biogeochemical process. Previous research has provided information on their ecosystem role and potential physiological characteristics, for example, through analyses of their environmental distribution, ecological adaptation and evolutionary history. However, most AOA diversity, assessed using several environmental marker genes, is not represented in laboratory cultures, with consequent gaps in knowledge of their physiology and evolution. The present study critically reviews existing and developing approaches for the assessment of AOA function and diversity and their potential to provide a deeper understanding of these ecologically important, but understudied microorganisms.
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44
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"Candidatus Nitrosotenuis aquarius," an Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaeon from a Freshwater Aquarium Biofilter. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.01430-18. [PMID: 29959256 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01430-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ammonia is a metabolic waste product excreted by aquatic organisms that causes toxicity when it accumulates. Aquaria and aquaculture systems therefore use biological filters that promote the growth of nitrifiers to convert ammonia to nitrate. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been isolated from aquarium biofilters and are available as commercial supplements, but recent evidence suggests that ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are abundant in aquarium biofilters. In this study, we report the cultivation and closed genome sequence of the novel AOA representative "Candidatus Nitrosotenuis aquarius," which was enriched from a freshwater aquarium biofilter. "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius" oxidizes ammonia stoichiometrically to nitrite with a concomitant increase in thaumarchaeotal cells and a generation time of 34.9 h. "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius" has an optimal growth temperature of 33°C, tolerates up to 3 mM NH4Cl, and grows optimally at 0.05% salinity. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius" cells are rod shaped, with a diameter of ∼0.4 μm and length ranging from 0.6 to 3.6 μm. In addition, these cells possess surface layers (S-layers) and multiple proteinaceous appendages. Phylogenetically, "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius" belongs to the group I.1a Thaumarchaeota, clustering with environmental sequences from freshwater aquarium biofilters, aquaculture systems, and wastewater treatment plants. The complete 1.70-Mbp genome contains genes involved in ammonia oxidation, bicarbonate assimilation, flagellum synthesis, chemotaxis, S-layer production, defense, and protein glycosylation. Incubations with differential inhibitors indicate that "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius"-like AOA contribute to ammonia oxidation within the aquarium biofilter from which it originated.IMPORTANCE Nitrification is a critical process for preventing ammonia toxicity in engineered biofilter environments. This work describes the cultivation and complete genome sequence of a novel AOA representative enriched from a freshwater aquarium biofilter. In addition, despite the common belief in the aquarium industry that AOB mediate ammonia oxidation, the present study suggests an in situ role for "Ca Nitrosotenuis aquarius"-like AOA in freshwater aquarium biofilters.
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