1
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Irianni-Renno M, Rico JL, Key TA, De Long SK. Evaluating Natural Source Zone Depletion and Enhanced Source Zone Depletion in laboratory columns via soil redox continuous sensing and microbiome characterization. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135059. [PMID: 39053064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
To optimally employ Natural Source Zone Depletion (NSZD) and Enhanced Source Zone Depletion (ESZD) at sites impacted by light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL), monitoring strategies are required. Emerging use of subsurface oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) sensors shows promise for tracking redox evolution, which reflects ongoing biogeochemical processes. However, further understanding of how soil redox dynamics relate to subsurface microbial activity and LNAPL degradation pathways is needed. In this work, soil ORP sensors and DNA and RNA sequencing-based microbiome analysis were combined to elucidate NSZD and ESZD (biostimulation via periodic sulfate addition and biosparging) processes in columns containing LNAPL-impacted soils from a former petroleum refinery. Results show expected relationships between continuous soil redox and active microbial communities. Continuous data revealed spatial and temporal detail that informed interpretation of the hydrocarbon biodegradation data. Redox increases were transient for sulfate addition, and sequencing revealed how hydrocarbon concentration and composition impacted microbiome structure and naphthalene degradation. Periodic biosparging did not result in fully aerobic conditions suggesting observed biodegradation improvements could be explained by alternative anaerobic metabolisms (e.g., iron reduction due to air oxidizing reduced iron). Collectively, data suggest combining continuous redox sensing with microbiome analysis provides insights beyond those possible with either monitoring tool alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Irianni-Renno
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Jorge L Rico
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Trent A Key
- ExxonMobil Environmental and Property Solutions Company, 22777 Springwoods Village Pkwy, Spring, TX 77389, USA
| | - Susan K De Long
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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2
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Wallace M, Cummings, Jr. DA, Roberts AG, Puri AW. A widespread methylotroph acyl-homoserine lactone synthase produces a new quorum sensing signal that regulates swarming in Methylobacterium fujisawaense. mBio 2024; 15:e0199923. [PMID: 38085021 PMCID: PMC10790750 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01999-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bacteria known as pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs colonize many diverse environments on earth, play an important role in the carbon cycle, and in some cases promote plant growth. However, little is known about how these organisms interact with each other and their environment. In this work, we identify one of the chemical signals commonly used by these bacteria and discover that this signal controls swarming motility in the pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph Methylobacterium fujisawaense DSM5686. This work provides new molecular details about interactions between these important bacteria and will help scientists predict these interactions and the group behaviors they regulate from genomic sequencing information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Wallace
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Dale A. Cummings, Jr.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Andrew G. Roberts
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Aaron W. Puri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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3
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Arya CK, Maurya S, Ramanathan G. Insight into the metabolic pathways of Paracoccus sp. strain DMF: a non-marine halotolerant methylotroph capable of degrading aliphatic amines/amides. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:125947-125964. [PMID: 38010547 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30858-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Paracoccus sp. strain DMF (P. DMF from henceforth) is a gram-negative heterotroph known to tolerate and utilize high concentrations of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The work presented here elaborates on the metabolic pathways involved in the degradation of C1 compounds, many of which are well-known pollutants and toxic to the environment. Investigations on microbial growth and detection of metabolic intermediates corroborate the outcome of the functional genome analysis. Several classes of C1 compounds, such as methanol, methylated amines, aliphatic amides, and naturally occurring quaternary amines like glycine betaine, were tested as growth substrates. The detailed growth and kinetic parameter analyses reveal that P. DMF can efficiently aerobically degrade trimethylamine (TMA) and grow on quaternary amines such as glycine betaine. The results show that the mechanism for halotolerant adaptation in the presence of glycine betaine is dissimilar from those observed for conventional trehalose-mediated halotolerance in heterotrophic bacteria. In addition, a close genomic survey revealed the presence of a Co(I)-based substrate-specific corrinoid methyltransferase operon, referred to as mtgBC. This demethylation system has been associated with glycine betaine catabolism in anaerobic methanogens and is unknown in denitrifying aerobic heterotrophs. This report on an anoxic-specific demethylation system in an aerobic heterotroph is unique. Our finding exposes the metabolic potential for the degradation of a variety of C1 compounds by P. DMF, making it a novel organism of choice for remediating a wide range of possible environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chetan Kumar Arya
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Shiwangi Maurya
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Gurunath Ramanathan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India.
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4
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Chi Z, Hou L, Li H. Effects of pollution load and salinity shock on nitrogen removal and bacterial community in two-stage vertical flow constructed wetlands. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 342:126031. [PMID: 34582988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
To understand the denitrification performance and microbial community of two-stage vertical flow constructed wetlands (TS-VFCWs) with iron ore/manganese ore and wood chips, COD and nitrogen removal were investigated under pollution load and salinity shock. High removal of COD (87%), NH4+-N (97%), and NO3--N (98%) were achieved with increasing load, but the high pollutant load inhibited the denitrification performance in TS-VFCW with iron ore and wood chips. TS-VFCW with iron ore and wood chips showed good recovery potential with decreasing load. High NH4+-N removal was observed in TS-VFCW with manganese ore and wood chips. Treatment with 3% salinity decreased COD and NH4+-N removal but improved NO3--N removal, maintaining relatively good nitrogen removal. The addition of iron ore and manganese ore enriched nitrifying bacteria Flavobacterium and autotrophic denitrifying bacteria, while wood chips promoted heterotrophic denitrification and organic degradation. In addition, ubiquitous denitrifying bacteria under salinity ensured excellent denitrification performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zifang Chi
- Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Lining Hou
- Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Huai Li
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, PR China.
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5
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Kröber E, Wende S, Kanukollu S, Buchen-Tschiskale C, Besaury L, Keppler F, Vuilleumier S, Kolb S, Bringel F. 13 C-chloromethane incubations provide evidence for novel bacterial chloromethane degraders in a living tree fern. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4450-4465. [PMID: 34121306 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chloromethane (CH3 Cl) is the most abundant halogenated volatile organic compound in the atmosphere and contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. CH3 Cl has mainly natural sources such as emissions from vegetation. In particular, ferns have been recognized as strong emitters. Mitigation of CH3 Cl to the atmosphere by methylotrophic bacteria, a global sink for this compound, is likely underestimated and remains poorly characterized. We identified and characterized CH3 Cl-degrading bacteria associated with intact and living tree fern plants of the species Cyathea australis by stable isotope probing (SIP) with 13 C-labelled CH3 Cl combined with metagenomics. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) related to Methylobacterium and Friedmanniella were identified as being involved in the degradation of CH3 Cl in the phyllosphere, i.e., the aerial parts of the tree fern, while a MAG related to Sorangium was linked to CH3 Cl degradation in the fern rhizosphere. The only known metabolic pathway for CH3 Cl degradation, via a methyltransferase system including the gene cmuA, was not detected in metagenomes or MAGs identified by SIP. Hence, a yet uncharacterized methylotrophic cmuA-independent pathway may drive CH3 Cl degradation in the investigated tree ferns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Kröber
- Microbial Biogeochemistry, RA Landscape Functioning, ZALF Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Wende
- Microbial Biogeochemistry, RA Landscape Functioning, ZALF Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Saranya Kanukollu
- Microbial Biogeochemistry, RA Landscape Functioning, ZALF Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Caroline Buchen-Tschiskale
- Isotope Biogeochemistry and Gas Fluxes, RA Landscape Functioning, ZALF Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Ludovic Besaury
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7156 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Frank Keppler
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stéphane Vuilleumier
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7156 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Steffen Kolb
- Microbial Biogeochemistry, RA Landscape Functioning, ZALF Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Müncheberg, Germany.,Thaer Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Françoise Bringel
- Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique, Microbiologie (GMGM), Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7156 CNRS, Strasbourg, France
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6
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Methane utilizing plant growth-promoting microbial diversity analysis of flooded paddy ecosystem of India. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:56. [PMID: 33619649 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03018-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Methane utilizing bacteria (MUB) are known to inhabit the flooded paddy ecosystem where they play an important role in regulating net methane (CH4) emission. We hypothesize that efficient MUB having plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes can be used for developing novel bio-inoculant for flooded paddy ecosystem which might not only reduce methane emission but also assist in improving the plant growth parameters. Hence, soil and plant samples were collected from the phyllosphere, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere of five rice-growing regions of India at the tillering stage and investigated for efficient methane-oxidizing and PGP bacteria. Based on the monooxygenase activity and percent methane utilization on NMS medium with methane as the sole C source, 123 isolates were identified and grouped phylogenetically into 13 bacteria and 2 yeast genera. Among different regions, a significantly higher number of isolates were obtained from lowland flooded paddy ecosystems of Aduthurai (33.33%) followed by Ernakulum (20.33%) and Brahmaputra valley (19.51%) as compared to upland irrigated regions of Gaya (17.07%) and Varanasi (8.94%). Among sub-samples, a significantly higher number of isolates were found inhabiting the phyllosphere (58.54%) followed by non-rhizosphere (25.20%) and rhizosphere (15.45%). Significantly higher utilization of methane and PGP attributes were observed in 30 isolates belonging to genera Hyphomicrobium, Burkholderia, Methylobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, Rahnella, and Meyerozyma. M. oryzae MNL7 showed significantly better growth with 74.33% of CH4 utilization at the rate of 302.9 ± 5.58 and exhibited half-maximal growth rate, Ks of 1.92 ± 0.092 mg CH4 L-1. Besides the ability to utilize CH4, P. polymyxa MaAL70 possessed PGP attributes such as solubilization of P, K, and Zn, fixation of atmospheric N and production of indole acetic acid (IAA). Both these promising isolates can be explored in the future for developing novel biofertilizers for flooded paddies.
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7
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Kim J, Chhetri G, Kim I, Lee B, Jang W, Kim MK, Seo T. Methylobacterium terricola sp. nov., a gamma radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from gamma ray-irradiated soil. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:2449-2456. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A gamma radiation-resistant and pink-pigmented bacterial strain, designated as 17Sr1-39T, was isolated from a gamma ray-irradiated soil sample collected in the Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, flagellated, asporogenous, rod-shaped and methylotrophic. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 17Sr1-39T was phylogenetically related to
Methylobacterium currus
PR1016AT (97.3 %),
Methylobacterium aquaticum
DSM 16371T (97.2 %),
Methylobacterium platani
PMB02T (97.0 %),
Methylobacterium frigidaeris
IER25-16T (96.6 %), Methylobacterium terrae 17Sr1-28T (96.6 %) and
Methylobacterium organophilum
JCM 2833T (93.4 %). The G+C content calculated based on the genome sequence was 70.4 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain 17Sr1-39T and
M. currus
,
M. aquaticum
,
M. platani
,
M. frigidaeris
, M. terrae and
M. organophilum
were 77.3–89.9 and 22–38.2 %, respectively. The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The predominant quinone was ubiquinone 10 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on the data from phenotypic tests and genotypic differences between strain 17Sr1-39T and its close phylogenetic relatives, strain 17Sr1-39T represented a new species belonging to the genus
Methylobacterium
, for which the name Methylobacterium terricola sp. nov. (=KACC 52905T=NBRC 112874T) is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoun Kim
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Geeta Chhetri
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Inhyup Kim
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungjo Lee
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonhee Jang
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Kyum Kim
- Department of Bio & Environmental Technology, Seoul Women’s University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea
| | - Taegun Seo
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
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8
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Doronina NV, Shmareva MN, Kaparullina EN, Vasilenko OV, Tarlachkov SV, Trotsenko YA. Reclassification of Methylarcula marina Doronina et al. 2000 as Paracoccus methylarcula nom. nov. Microbiology (Reading) 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261720020034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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9
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Kim J, Chhetri G, Kim I, Kim MK, Seo T. Methylobacterium durans sp. nov., a radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from gamma ray-irradiated soil. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2019; 113:211-220. [DOI: 10.1007/s10482-019-01331-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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10
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Kim J, Chhetri G, Kim I, Kim H, Kim MK, Seo T. Methylobacterium terrae sp. nov., a radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from gamma ray-irradiated soil. J Microbiol 2019; 57:959-966. [PMID: 31463788 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-019-9007-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
A Gram-stain-negative, asporogenous, aerobic rods, motile by means of a single polar flagellum, catalase- and oxidase-positive, methylotrophic bacterium, designated 17Sr1-28T, was isolated from gamma ray-irradiated soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 17Sr1-28T was phylogenetically related to Methylobacterium currus PR1016AT (96.8%), Methylobacterium platani PMB02T (96.2%), Methylobacterium aquaticum DSM 16371T (96.3%), Methylobacterium tarhaniae N4211T (96.4%), Methylobacterium frigidaeris IER25-16T (95.8%), and Methylobacterium organophilum JCM 2833T (92.7%). The G+C content calculated based on genome sequence was 71.6%. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 17Sr1- 28T and M. currus, M. platani, M. aquaticum, M. tarhaniae, M. frigidaeris, and M. organophilum were 77.7-90.4% and 22-39.6%, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain 17Sr1-28T were summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c), and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c). The predominant quinone was ubiquinone 10 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol. On the basis of the data from phenotypic tests and genotypic differences between strain 17Sr1-28T and its close phylogenetic relatives, strain 17Sr1-28T represents a new species belonging to the genus Methylobacterium, for which the name Methylobacterium terrae sp. nov. (= KCTC 52904T = NBRC 112873T) is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoun Kim
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Geeta Chhetri
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Inhyup Kim
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungdong Kim
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Kyum Kim
- Department of Bio & Environmental Technology, College of Natural Science, Seoul Women's University, Seoul, 01797, Republic of Korea
| | - Taegun Seo
- Department of Life Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, 10326, Republic of Korea.
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Chemosynthetic symbiont with a drastically reduced genome serves as primary energy storage in the marine flatworm Paracatenula. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:8505-8514. [PMID: 30962361 PMCID: PMC6486704 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1818995116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals typically store their primary energy reserves in specialized cells. Here, we show that in the small marine flatworm Paracatenula, this function is performed by its bacterial chemosynthetic symbiont. The intracellular symbiont occupies half of the biomass in the symbiosis and has a highly reduced genome but efficiently stocks up and maintains carbon and energy, particularly sugars. The host rarely digests the symbiont cells to access these stocks. Instead, the symbionts appear to provide the bulk nutrition by secreting outer-membrane vesicles. This is in contrast to all other described chemosynthetic symbioses, where the hosts continuously digest full cells of a small and ideally growing symbiont population that cannot provide a long-term buffering capacity during nutrient limitation. Hosts of chemoautotrophic bacteria typically have much higher biomass than their symbionts and consume symbiont cells for nutrition. In contrast to this, chemoautotrophic Candidatus Riegeria symbionts in mouthless Paracatenula flatworms comprise up to half of the biomass of the consortium. Each species of Paracatenula harbors a specific Ca. Riegeria, and the endosymbionts have been vertically transmitted for at least 500 million years. Such prolonged strict vertical transmission leads to streamlining of symbiont genomes, and the retained physiological capacities reveal the functions the symbionts provide to their hosts. Here, we studied a species of Paracatenula from Sant’Andrea, Elba, Italy, using genomics, gene expression, imaging analyses, as well as targeted and untargeted MS. We show that its symbiont, Ca. R. santandreae has a drastically smaller genome (1.34 Mb) than the symbiont´s free-living relatives (4.29–4.97 Mb) but retains a versatile and energy-efficient metabolism. It encodes and expresses a complete intermediary carbon metabolism and enhanced carbon fixation through anaplerosis and accumulates massive intracellular inclusions such as sulfur, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and carbohydrates. Compared with symbiotic and free-living chemoautotrophs, Ca. R. santandreae’s versatility in energy storage is unparalleled in chemoautotrophs with such compact genomes. Transmission EM as well as host and symbiont expression data suggest that Ca. R. santandreae largely provisions its host via outer-membrane vesicle secretion. With its high share of biomass in the symbiosis and large standing stocks of carbon and energy reserves, it has a unique role for bacterial symbionts—serving as the primary energy storage for its animal host.
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12
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Rare earth element alcohol dehydrogenases widely occur among globally distributed, numerically abundant and environmentally important microbes. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2005-2017. [PMID: 30952993 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0414-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Lanthanides (Ln3+), known as rare earth elements, have recently emerged as enzyme cofactors, contrary to prior assumption of their biological inertia. Several bacterial alcohol dehydrogenases have been characterized so far that depend on Ln3+ for activity and expression, belonging to the methanol dehydrogenase clade XoxF and the ethanol dehydrogenase clade ExaF/PedH. Here we compile an inventory of genes potentially encoding Ln3+-dependent enzymes, closely related to the previously characterized XoxF and ExaF/PedH enzymes. We demonstrate their wide distribution among some of the most numerically abundant and environmentally important taxa, such as the phylogenetically disparate rhizobial species and metabolically versatile bacteria inhabiting world's oceans, suggesting that reliance on Ln3+-mediated biochemistry is much more widespread in the microbial world than previously assumed. Through protein expression and analysis, we here more than double the extant collection of the biochemically characterized Ln3+-dependent enzymes, demonstrating a range of catalytic properties and substrate and cofactor specificities. Many of these enzymes reveal propensity for oxidation of methanol. This observation, in combination with genome-based reconstruction of methylotrophy pathways for select species suggests a much wider occurrence of this metabolic capability among bacterial species, and thus further suggests the importance of methylated compounds as parts of the global carbon cycling.
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13
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Interspecies Chemical Signaling in a Methane-Oxidizing Bacterial Community. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.02702-18. [PMID: 30709826 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02702-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple species of bacteria oxidize methane in the environment after it is produced by anaerobic ecosystems. These organisms provide reduced carbon substrates for species that cannot oxidize methane themselves, thereby serving a key role in these niches while also sequestering this potent greenhouse gas before it enters the atmosphere. Deciphering the molecular details of how methane-oxidizing bacteria interact in the environment enables us to understand an important aspect that shapes the structures and functions of these communities. Here we show that many members of the Methylomonas genus possess a LuxR-type acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) receptor/transcription factor that is highly homologous to MbaR from the quorum-sensing (QS) system of Methylobacter tundripaludum, another methane oxidizer that has been isolated from the same environment. We reconstitute this detection system in Escherichia coli and use mutant and transcriptomic analysis to show that the receptor/transcription factor from Methylomonas sp. strain LW13 is active and alters LW13 gene expression in response to the acyl-HSL produced by M. tundripaludum These findings provide a molecular mechanism for how two species of bacteria that may compete for resources in the environment can interact in a specific manner through a chemical signal.IMPORTANCE Methanotrophs are bacteria that sequester methane, a significant greenhouse gas, and thereby perform an important ecosystem function. Understanding the mechanisms by which these organisms interact in the environment may ultimately allow us to manipulate and to optimize this activity. Here we show that members of a genus of methane-oxidizing bacteria can be influenced by a chemical signal produced by a possibly competing species. This provides insight into how gene expression can be controlled in these bacterial communities via an exogenous chemical signal.
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14
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Green PN, Ardley JK. Review of the genus Methylobacterium and closely related organisms: a proposal that some Methylobacterium species be reclassified into a new genus, Methylorubrum gen. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2018; 68:2727-2748. [PMID: 30024371 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Methylobacterium, when first proposed by Patt et al. in 1976, was a monospecific genus created to accommodate a single pink pigmented facultatively methylotrophic bacterium. The genus now has over 50 validly published species, however, the percentage 16S rRNA sequence divergence within Methylobacterium questions whether or not they can still be accommodated within one genus. Additionally, several strains are described as belonging to Methylobacterium, but nodulate legumes and in some cases are unable to utilize methanol as a sole carbon source. This study reviews and discusses the current taxonomic status of Methylobacterium. Based on 16S rRNA gene, multi-locus sequence analysis, genomic and phenotypic data, the 52 Methylobacterium species can no longer be retained in one genus. Consequently, a new genus, Methylorubrum gen. nov., is proposed to accommodate 11 species previously held in Methylobacterium. The reclassified species names are proposed as: Methylorubrum aminovorans comb. nov. (type strain TH-15T=NCIMB 13343T=DSM 8832T), Methylorubrum extorquens comb. nov. (type strain NCIMB 9399T=DSM 1337T), Methylorubrum podarium comb. nov. (type strain FM4T=NCIMB 14856T=DSM 15083T), Methylorubrum populi comb. nov. (type strain BJ001T=NCIMB 13946T=ATCC BAA-705T), Methylorubrum pseudosasae comb. nov. (type strain BL44T=ICMP 17622T=NBRC 105205T), Methylorubrum rhodesianum comb. nov. (type strain NCIMB 12249T=DSM 5687T), Methylorubrum rhodinum comb. nov. (type strain NCIMB 9421T=DSM 2163T), Methylorubrum salsuginis comb. nov. (type strain MRT=NCIMB 14847T=NCCB 100140T), Methylorubrum suomiense comb. nov. (type strain F20T=NCIMB 13778T=DSM 14458T), Methylorubrum thiocyanatum comb. nov. (type strain ALL/SCN-PT=NCIMB 13651T=DSM 11490T) and Methylorubrum zatmanii comb. nov. (type strain NCIMB 12243T=DSM 5688T). The taxonomic position of several remaining species is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter N Green
- 1NCIMB, Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, UK
| | - Julie K Ardley
- 2School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia
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15
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Zheng Y, Huang J, Zhao F, Chistoserdova L. Physiological Effect of XoxG(4) on Lanthanide-Dependent Methanotrophy. mBio 2018; 9:e02430-17. [PMID: 29588409 PMCID: PMC5874918 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02430-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent surprising discovery of the activity of rare earth metals (lanthanides) as enzyme cofactors as well as transcriptional regulators has overturned the traditional assumption of biological inertia of these metals. However, so far, examples of such activities have been limited to alcohol dehydrogenases. Here we describe the physiological effects of a mutation in xoxG, a gene encoding a novel cytochrome, XoxG(4), and compare these to the effects of mutation in XoxF, a lanthanide-dependent methanol dehydrogenase, at the enzyme activity level and also at the community function level, using Methylomonas sp. strain LW13 as a model organism. Through comparative phenotypic characterization, we establish XoxG as the second protein directly involved in lanthanide-dependent metabolism, likely as a dedicated electron acceptor from XoxF. However, mutation in XoxG caused a phenotype that was dramatically different from the phenotype of the mutant in XoxF, suggesting a secondary function for this cytochrome, in metabolism of methane. We also purify XoxG(4) and demonstrate that this protein is a true cytochrome c, based on the typical absorption spectra, and we demonstrate that XoxG can be directly reduced by a purified XoxF, supporting one of its proposed physiological functions. Overall, our data continue to suggest the complex nature of the interplay between the calcium-dependent and lanthanide-dependent alcohol oxidation systems, while they also suggest that addressing the roles of these alternative systems is essential at the enzyme and community function level, in addition to the gene transcription level.IMPORTANCE The lanthanide-dependent biochemistry of living organisms remains a barely tapped area of knowledge. So far, only a handful of lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases have been described, and their regulation by lanthanides has been demonstrated at the transcription level. Little information is available regarding the concentrations of lanthanides that could support sufficient enzymatic activities to support specific metabolisms, and so far, no other redox proteins involved in lanthanide-dependent methanotrophy have been demonstrated. The research presented here provides enzyme activity-level data on lanthanide-dependent methanotrophy in a model methanotroph. Additionally, we identify a second protein important for lanthanide-dependent metabolism in this organism, XoxG(4), a novel cytochrome. XoxG(4) appears to have multiple functions in methanotrophy, one function as an electron acceptor from XoxF and another function remaining unknown. On the basis of the dramatic phenotype of the XoxG(4) mutant, this function must be crucial for methanotrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- 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
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Feng Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China
| | - Ludmila Chistoserdova
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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16
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Chistoserdova L, Kalyuzhnaya MG. Current Trends in Methylotrophy. Trends Microbiol 2018; 26:703-714. [PMID: 29471983 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2018.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Methylotrophy is a field of study dealing with microorganisms capable of utilization of compounds devoid of carbon-carbon bonds (C1 compounds). In this review, we highlight several emerging trends in methylotrophy. First, we discuss the significance of the recent discovery of lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases for understanding both the occurrence and the distribution of methylotrophy functions among bacteria, and then we discuss the newly appreciated role of lanthanides in biology. Next, we describe the detection of other methylotrophy pathways across novel bacterial taxa and insights into the evolution of methylotrophy. Further, data are presented on the occurrence and activity of aerobic methylotrophs in hypoxic and anoxic environments, questioning the prior assumptions on niche separation of aerobic and anaerobic methylotrophy. The concept of communal function in aerobic methane oxidation is also briefly discussed. Finally, we review recent research in engineering methylotrophs for biotechnological applications as well as recent progress in engineering synthetic methylotrophy.
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17
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Yu Z, Beck DAC, Chistoserdova L. Natural Selection in Synthetic Communities Highlights the Roles of Methylococcaceae and Methylophilaceae and Suggests Differential Roles for Alternative Methanol Dehydrogenases in Methane Consumption. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2392. [PMID: 29259591 PMCID: PMC5723320 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe experiments that follow species dynamics and gene expression patterns in synthetic bacterial communities including species that compete for the single carbon substrate supplied, methane, and species unable to consume methane, which could only succeed through cooperative interactions. We demonstrate that these communities mostly select for two functional guilds, methanotrophs of the family Methylococcaceae and non-methanotrophic methylotrophs of the family Methylophilaceae, these taxonomic guilds outcompeting all other species included in the synthetic mix. The metatranscriptomics analysis uncovered that in both Methylococcaceae and Methylophilaceae, some of the most highly transcribed genes were the ones encoding methanol dehydrogenases (MDH). Remarkably, expression of alternative MDH genes (mxaFI versus xoxF), previously shown to be subjects to the rare Earth element switch, was found to depend on environmental conditions such as nitrogen source and methane and O2 partial pressures, and also to be species-specific. Along with the xoxF genes, genes encoding divergent cytochromes were highly expressed in both Methylophilaceae and Methylococcaceae, suggesting their function in methanol metabolism, likely encoding proteins serving as electron acceptors from XoxF enzymes. The research presented tested a synthetic community model that is much simplified compared to natural communities consuming methane, but more complex than the previously utilized two-species model. The performance of this model identifies prominent species for future synthetic ecology experiments and highlights both advantages of this approach and the challenges that it presents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - David A C Beck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ludmila Chistoserdova
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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18
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Czarnecki J, Dziewit L, Puzyna M, Prochwicz E, Tudek A, Wibberg D, Schlüter A, Pühler A, Bartosik D. Lifestyle-determining extrachromosomal replicon pAMV1 and its contribution to the carbon metabolism of the methylotrophic bacterium Paracoccus aminovorans JCM 7685. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:4536-4550. [PMID: 28856785 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Plasmids play an important role in the adaptation of bacteria to changeable environmental conditions. As the main vectors of horizontal gene transfer, they can spread genetic information among bacteria, sometimes even across taxonomic boundaries. Some plasmids carry genes involved in the utilization of particular carbon compounds, which can provide a competitive advantage to their hosts in particular ecological niches. Analysis of the multireplicon genome of the soil bacterium P. aminovorans JCM 7685 revealed the presence of an extrachromosomal replicon pAMV1 (185 kb) with a unique structure and properties. This lifestyle-determining plasmid carries genes facilitating the metabolism of many different carbon compounds including sugars, short-chain organic acids and C1 compounds. Plasmid pAMV1 contains a large methylotrophy island (MEI) that is essential not only for the utilization of particular C1 compounds but also for the central methylotrophic metabolism required for the assimilation of C1 units (serine cycle). We demonstrate that the expression of the main serine cycle genes is induced in the presence of C1 compounds by the transcriptional regulator ScyR. The extrachromosomal localization of the MEI and the distribution of related genes in Paracoccus spp. indicate that it could have been acquired by HGT by an ancestor of P. aminovorans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Czarnecki
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
| | - Lukasz Dziewit
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
| | - Maria Puzyna
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
| | - Emilia Prochwicz
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Tudek
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Senior Research Group: Genome Research of Industrial Microorganisms, Universitätsstrasse 27, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlüter
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Senior Research Group: Genome Research of Industrial Microorganisms, Universitätsstrasse 27, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alfred Pühler
- Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Senior Research Group: Genome Research of Industrial Microorganisms, Universitätsstrasse 27, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Dariusz Bartosik
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, Warsaw 02-096, Poland
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19
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Del Rocío Bustillos-Cristales M, Corona-Gutierrez I, Castañeda-Lucio M, Águila-Zempoaltécatl C, Seynos-García E, Hernández-Lucas I, Muñoz-Rojas J, Medina-Aparicio L, Fuentes-Ramírez LE. Culturable Facultative Methylotrophic Bacteria from the Cactus Neobuxbaumia macrocephala Possess the Locus xoxF and Consume Methanol in the Presence of Ce 3+ and Ca 2. Microbes Environ 2017; 32:244-251. [PMID: 28855445 PMCID: PMC5606694 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me17070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Methanol-consuming culturable bacteria were isolated from the plant surface, rhizosphere, and inside the stem of Neobuxbaumia macrocephala. All 38 isolates were facultative methylotrophic microorganisms. Their classification included the Classes Actinobacteria, Sphingobacteriia, Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria. The deduced amino acid sequences of methanol dehydrogenase obtained by PCR belonging to Actinobacteria, Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria showed high similarity to rare-earth element (REE)-dependent XoxF methanol dehydrogenases, particularly the group XoxF5. The sequences included Asp301, the REE-coordinating amino acid, present in all known XoxF dehydrogenases and absent in MxaF methanol dehydrogenases. The quantity of the isolates showed positive hybridization with a xoxF probe, but not with a mxaF probe. Isolates of all taxonomic groups showed methylotrophic growth in the presence of Ce3+ or Ca2+. The presence of xoxF-like sequences in methylotrophic bacteria from N. macrocephala and its potential relationship with their adaptability to xerophytic plants are discussed.
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20
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Morawe M, Hoeke H, Wissenbach DK, Lentendu G, Wubet T, Kröber E, Kolb S. Acidotolerant Bacteria and Fungi as a Sink of Methanol-Derived Carbon in a Deciduous Forest Soil. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1361. [PMID: 28790984 PMCID: PMC5523551 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanol is an abundant atmospheric volatile organic compound that is released from both living and decaying plant material. In forest and other aerated soils, methanol can be consumed by methanol-utilizing microorganisms that constitute a known terrestrial sink. However, the environmental factors that drive the biodiversity of such methanol-utilizers have been hardly resolved. Soil-derived isolates of methanol-utilizers can also often assimilate multicarbon compounds as alternative substrates. Here, we conducted a comparative DNA stable isotope probing experiment under methylotrophic (only [13C1]-methanol was supplemented) and combined substrate conditions ([12C1]-methanol and alternative multi-carbon [13Cu]-substrates were simultaneously supplemented) to (i) identify methanol-utilizing microorganisms of a deciduous forest soil (European beech dominated temperate forest in Germany), (ii) assess their substrate range in the soil environment, and (iii) evaluate their trophic links to other soil microorganisms. The applied multi-carbon substrates represented typical intermediates of organic matter degradation, such as acetate, plant-derived sugars (xylose and glucose), and a lignin-derived aromatic compound (vanillic acid). An experimentally induced pH shift was associated with substantial changes of the diversity of active methanol-utilizers suggesting that soil pH was a niche-defining factor of these microorganisms. The main bacterial methanol-utilizers were members of the Beijerinckiaceae (Bacteria) that played a central role in a detected methanol-based food web. A clear preference for methanol or multi-carbon substrates as carbon source of different Beijerinckiaceae-affiliated phylotypes was observed suggesting a restricted substrate range of the methylotrophic representatives. Apart from Bacteria, we also identified the yeasts Cryptococcus and Trichosporon as methanol-derived carbon-utilizing fungi suggesting that further research is needed to exclude or prove methylotrophy of these fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareen Morawe
- Department of Ecological Microbiology, University of BayreuthBayreuth, Germany
| | - Henrike Hoeke
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchLeipzig, Germany.,Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of LeipzigLeipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk K Wissenbach
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital JenaJena, Germany
| | - Guillaume Lentendu
- Department of Ecology, University of KaiserslauternKaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Department of Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchLeipzig, Germany
| | - Eileen Kröber
- Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Centre for Landscape ResearchMüncheberg, Germany
| | - Steffen Kolb
- Department of Ecological Microbiology, University of BayreuthBayreuth, Germany.,Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Centre for Landscape ResearchMüncheberg, Germany
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21
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Chistoserdova L. Lanthanides: New life metals? World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 32:138. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-016-2088-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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Yu Z, Krause SMB, Beck DAC, Chistoserdova L. A Synthetic Ecology Perspective: How Well Does Behavior of Model Organisms in the Laboratory Predict Microbial Activities in Natural Habitats? Front Microbiol 2016; 7:946. [PMID: 27379075 PMCID: PMC4908856 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this perspective article, we question how well model organisms, the ones that are easy to cultivate in the laboratory and that show robust growth and biomass accumulation, reflect the dynamics and interactions of microbial communities observed in nature. Today's -omics toolbox allows assessing the genomic potential of microbes in natural environments in a high-throughput fashion and at a strain-level resolution. However, understanding of the details of microbial activities and of the mechanistic bases of community function still requires experimental validation in simplified and fully controlled systems such as synthetic communities. We have studied methane utilization in Lake Washington sediment for a few decades and have identified a number of species genetically equipped for this activity. We have also identified co-occurring satellite species that appear to form functional communities together with the methanotrophs. Here, we compare experimental findings from manipulation of natural communities involved in metabolism of methane in this niche with findings from manipulation of synthetic communities assembled in the laboratory of species originating from the same study site, from very simple (two-species) to rather complex (50-species) synthetic communities. We observe some common trends in community dynamics between the two types of communities, toward representation of specific functional guilds. However, we also identify strong discrepancies between the dominant methane oxidizers in synthetic communities compared to natural communities, under similar incubation conditions. These findings highlight the challenges that exist in using the synthetic community approach to modeling dynamics and species interactions in natural communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, SeattleWA, USA
| | | | - David A. C. Beck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, SeattleWA, USA
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, SeattleWA, USA
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23
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Genomic features of uncultured methylotrophs in activated-sludge microbiomes grown under different enrichment procedures. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26650. [PMID: 27221669 PMCID: PMC4879533 DOI: 10.1038/srep26650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylotrophs are organisms that are able to grow on C1 compounds as carbon and energy sources. They play important roles in the global carbon cycle and contribute largely to industrial wastewater treatment. To identify and characterize methylotrophs that are involved in methanol degradation in wastewater-treatment plants, methanol-fed activated-sludge (MAS) microbiomes were subjected to phylogenetic and metagenomic analyses, and genomic features of dominant methylotrophs in MAS were compared with those preferentially grown in laboratory enrichment cultures (LECs). These analyses consistently indicate that Hyphomicrobium plays important roles in MAS, while Methylophilus occurred predominantly in LECs. Comparative analyses of bin genomes reconstructed for the Hyphomicrobium and Methylophilus methylotrophs suggest that they have different C1-assimilation pathways. In addition, function-module analyses suggest that their cell-surface structures are different. Comparison of the MAS bin genome with genomes of closely related Hyphomicrobium isolates suggests that genes unnecessary in MAS (for instance, genes for anaerobic respiration) have been lost from the genome of the dominant methylotroph. We suggest that genomic features and coded functions in the MAS bin genome provide us with insights into how this methylotroph adapts to activated-sludge ecosystems.
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24
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Dziewit L, Czarnecki J, Prochwicz E, Wibberg D, Schlüter A, Pühler A, Bartosik D. Genome-guided insight into the methylotrophy of Paracoccus aminophilus JCM 7686. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:852. [PMID: 26347732 PMCID: PMC4543880 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Paracoccus aminophilus JCM 7686 (Alphaproteobacteria) is a facultative, heterotrophic methylotroph capable of utilizing a wide range of C1 compounds as sole carbon and energy sources. Analysis of the JCM 7686 genome revealed the presence of genes involved in the oxidation of methanol, methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine, N,N-dimethylformamide, and formamide, as well as the serine cycle, which appears to be the only C1 assimilatory pathway in this strain. Many of these genes are located in different extrachromosomal replicons and are not present in the genomes of most members of the genus Paracoccus, which strongly suggests that they have been horizontally acquired. When compared with Paracoccus denitrificans Pd1222 (type strain of the genus Paracoccus), P. aminophilus JCM 7686 has many additional methylotrophic capabilities (oxidation of dimethylamine, trimethylamine, N,N-dimethylformamide, the serine cycle), which are determined by the presence of three separate gene clusters. Interestingly, related clusters form compact methylotrophy islands within the genomes of Paracoccus sp. N5 and many marine bacteria of the Roseobacter clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Dziewit
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Czarnecki
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw, Poland
| | - Emilia Prochwicz
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw, Poland
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlüter
- Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alfred Pühler
- Institute for Genome Research and Systems Biology, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Dariusz Bartosik
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw, Poland
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25
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Grob C, Taubert M, Howat AM, Burns OJ, Dixon JL, Richnow HH, Jehmlich N, von Bergen M, Chen Y, Murrell JC. Combining metagenomics with metaproteomics and stable isotope probing reveals metabolic pathways used by a naturally occurring marine methylotroph. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:4007-18. [PMID: 26033676 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A variety of culture-independent techniques have been developed that can be used in conjunction with culture-dependent physiological and metabolic studies of key microbial organisms in order to better understand how the activity of natural populations influences and regulates all major biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we combined deoxyribonucleic acid-stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) with metagenomics and metaproteomics to characterize an uncultivated marine methylotroph that actively incorporated carbon from (13) C-labeled methanol into biomass. By metagenomic sequencing of the heavy DNA, we retrieved virtually the whole genome of this bacterium and determined its metabolic potential. Through protein-stable isotope probing, the RuMP cycle was established as the main carbon assimilation pathway, and the classical methanol dehydrogenase-encoding gene mxaF, as well as three out of four identified xoxF homologues were found to be expressed. This proof-of-concept study is the first in which the culture-independent techniques of DNA-SIP and protein-SIP have been used to characterize the metabolism of a naturally occurring Methylophaga-like bacterium in the marine environment (i.e. Methylophaga thiooxydans L4) and thus provides a powerful approach to access the genome and proteome of uncultivated microbes involved in key processes in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Grob
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Martin Taubert
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Alexandra M Howat
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Oliver J Burns
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Joanna L Dixon
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3DH, UK
| | - Hans H Richnow
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Jehmlich
- Department of Proteomics, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin von Bergen
- Department of Proteomics, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Metabolomics, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, University of Aalborg, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, 9220, Denmark
| | - Yin Chen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - J Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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26
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Methylotrophs in natural habitats: current insights through metagenomics. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:5763-79. [PMID: 26051673 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6713-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The focus of this review is on the recent data from the omics approaches, measuring the presence of methylotrophs in natural environments. Both Bacteria and Archaea are considered. The data are discussed in the context of the current knowledge on the biochemistry of methylotrophy and the physiology of cultivated methylotrophs. One major issue discussed is the recent metagenomic data pointing toward the activity of "aerobic" methanotrophs, such as Methylobacter, in microoxic or hypoxic conditions. A related issue of the metabolic distinction between aerobic and "anaerobic" methylotrophy is addressed in the light of the genomic and metagenomic data for respective organisms. The role of communities, as opposed to single-organism activities in environmental cycling of single-carbon compounds, such as methane, is also discussed. In addition, the emerging issue of the role of non-traditional methylotrophs in global metabolism of single-carbon compounds and the role of methylotrophy pathways in non-methylotrophs is briefly mentioned.
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Good NM, Lamb A, Beck DAC, Martinez-Gomez NC, Kalyuzhnaya MG. C₁-Pathways in Methyloversatilis universalis FAM5: Genome Wide Gene Expression and Mutagenesis Studies. Microorganisms 2015; 3:175-97. [PMID: 27682085 PMCID: PMC5023235 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyloversatilis universalis FAM5 utilizes single carbon compounds such as methanol or methylamine as a sole source of carbon and energy. Expression profiling reveals distinct sets of genes altered during growth on methylamine vs methanol. As expected, all genes for the N-methylglutamate pathway were induced during growth on methylamine. Among other functions responding to the aminated source of C1-carbon, are a heme-containing amine dehydrogenase (Qhp), a distant homologue of formaldehyde activating enzyme (Fae3), molybdenum-containing formate dehydrogenase, ferredoxin reductase, a set of homologues to urea/ammonium transporters and amino-acid permeases. Mutants lacking one of the functional subunits of the amine dehydrogenase (ΔqhpA) or Δfae3 showed no growth defect on C1-compounds. M. universalis FAM5 strains with a lesion in the H4-folate pathway were not able to use any C1-compound, methanol or methylamine. Genes essential for C1-assimilation (the serine cycle and glyoxylate shunt) and H4MTP-pathway for formaldehyde oxidation showed similar levels of expression on both C1-carbon sources. M. universalis FAM5 possesses three homologs of the formaldehyde activating enzyme, a key enzyme of the H4MTP-pathway. Strains lacking the canonical Fae (fae1) lost the ability to grow on both C1-compounds. However, upon incubation on methylamine the fae1-mutant produced revertants (Δfae1R), which regained the ability to grow on methylamine. Double and triple mutants (Δfae1RΔfae3, or Δfae1RΔfae2 or Δfae1RΔfae2Δfae3) constructed in the revertant strain background showed growth similar to the Δfae1R phenotype. The metabolic pathways for utilization of methanol and methylamine in Methyloversatilis universalis FAM5 are reconstructed based on these gene expression and phenotypic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M. Good
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700, USA; E-Mails: (N.M.G.); (A.L.)
| | - Andrew Lamb
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700, USA; E-Mails: (N.M.G.); (A.L.)
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7735, USA; E-Mails: (D.A.C.B.); (N.C.M.G.)
| | - David A. C. Beck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7735, USA; E-Mails: (D.A.C.B.); (N.C.M.G.)
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1570, USA
| | - N. Cecilia Martinez-Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7735, USA; E-Mails: (D.A.C.B.); (N.C.M.G.)
| | - Marina G. Kalyuzhnaya
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700, USA; E-Mails: (N.M.G.); (A.L.)
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, North Life Science Room 401, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, USA
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-619-594-5626
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Genomics of Methylotrophy in Gram-Positive Methylamine-Utilizing Bacteria. Microorganisms 2015; 3:94-112. [PMID: 27682081 PMCID: PMC5023230 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3010094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-positive methylotrophic bacteria have been known for a long period of time, some serving as model organisms for characterizing the specific details of methylotrophy pathways/enzymes within this group. However, genome-based knowledge of methylotrophy within this group has been so far limited to a single species, Bacillus methanolicus (Firmicutes). The paucity of whole-genome data for Gram-positive methylotrophs limits our global understanding of methylotrophy within this group, including their roles in specific biogeochemical cycles, as well as their biotechnological potential. Here, we describe the isolation of seven novel strains of Gram-positive methylotrophs that include two strains of Bacillus and five representatives of Actinobacteria classified within two genera, Arthrobacter and Mycobacterium. We report whole-genome sequences for these isolates and present comparative analysis of the methylotrophy functional modules within these genomes. The genomic sequences of these seven novel organisms, all capable of growth on methylated amines, present an important reference dataset for understanding the genomic basis of methylotrophy in Gram-positive methylotrophic bacteria. This study is a major contribution to the field of methylotrophy, aimed at closing the gap in the genomic knowledge of methylotrophy within this diverse group of bacteria.
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