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Wang Y, Liu X, Wu M, Guo J. Methane-Driven Perchlorate Reduction by a Microbial Consortium. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39037290 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The phenomenon of methane oxidation linked to perchlorate reduction has been reported in multiple studies; yet, the underlying microbial mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we enriched suspended cultures by performing methane-driven perchlorate reduction under oxygen-limiting conditions in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). Batch test results proved that perchlorate reduction was coupled to methane oxidation, in which acetate was predicted as the potential intermediate and oxygen played an essential role in activating methane. By combining DNA-based stable isotope probing incubation and high-throughput sequencing analyses of 16S rRNA gene and functional genes (pmoA, pcrA, and narG), we found that synergistic interactions between aerobic methanotrophs (Methylococcus and Methylocystis) and perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB; Denitratisoma and Dechloromonas) played active roles in mediating methane-driven perchlorate reduction. This partnership was further demonstrated by coculture experiments in which the aerobic methanotroph could produce acetate to support PRB to complete perchlorate reduction. Our findings advance the understanding of the methane-driven perchlorate reduction process and have implications for similar microbial consortia linking methane and chlorine biogeochemical cycles in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulu Wang
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Acton, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Xiawei Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mengxiong Wu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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2
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Almog G, Rubin-Blum M, Murrell C, Vigderovich H, Eckert W, Larke-Mejía N, Sivan O. Survival strategies of aerobic methanotrophs under hypoxia in methanogenic lake sediments. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:44. [PMID: 38956741 PMCID: PMC11218250 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00586-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial methane oxidation, methanotrophy, plays a crucial role in mitigating the release of the potent greenhouse gas methane from aquatic systems. While aerobic methanotrophy is a well-established process in oxygen-rich environments, emerging evidence suggests their activity in hypoxic conditions. However, the adaptability of these methanotrophs to such environments has remained poorly understood. Here, we explored the genetic adaptability of aerobic methanotrophs to hypoxia in the methanogenic sediments of Lake Kinneret (LK). These LK methanogenic sediments, situated below the oxidic and sulfidic zones, were previously characterized by methane oxidation coupled with iron reduction via the involvement of aerobic methanotrophs. RESULTS In order to explore the adaptation of the methanotrophs to hypoxia, we conducted two experiments using LK sediments as inoculum: (i) an aerobic "classical" methanotrophic enrichment with ambient air employing DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) and (ii) hypoxic methanotrophic enrichment with repeated spiking of 1% oxygen. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed the enrichment of Methylococcales methanotrophs, being up to a third of the enriched community. Methylobacter, Methylogaea, and Methylomonas were prominent in the aerobic experiment, while hypoxic conditions enriched primarily Methylomonas. Using metagenomics sequencing of DNA extracted from these experiments, we curated five Methylococcales metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and evaluated the genetic basis for their survival in hypoxic environments. A comparative analysis with an additional 62 Methylococcales genomes from various environments highlighted several core genetic adaptations to hypoxia found in most examined Methylococcales genomes, including high-affinity cytochrome oxidases, oxygen-binding proteins, fermentation-based methane oxidation, motility, and glycogen use. We also found that some Methylococcales, including LK Methylococcales, may denitrify, while metals and humic substances may also serve as electron acceptors alternative to oxygen. Outer membrane multi-heme cytochromes and riboflavin were identified as potential mediators for the utilization of metals and humic material. These diverse mechanisms suggest the ability of methanotrophs to thrive in ecological niches previously thought inhospitable for their growth. CONCLUSIONS Our study sheds light on the ability of enriched Methylococcales methanotrophs from methanogenic LK sediments to survive under hypoxia. Genomic analysis revealed a spectrum of genetic capabilities, potentially enabling these methanotrophs to function. The identified mechanisms, such as those enabling the use of alternative electron acceptors, expand our understanding of methanotroph resilience in diverse ecological settings. These findings contribute to the broader knowledge of microbial methane oxidation and have implications for understanding and potential contribution methanotrophs may have in mitigating methane emissions in various environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gafni Almog
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Maxim Rubin-Blum
- Israel Limnology and Oceanography Research, Tel Shikmona, Haifa, Israel
| | - Colin Murrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Hanni Vigderovich
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Werner Eckert
- The Yigal Allon Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Migdal, Israel
| | | | - Orit Sivan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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3
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Schorn S, Graf JS, Littmann S, Hach PF, Lavik G, Speth DR, Schubert CJ, Kuypers MMM, Milucka J. Persistent activity of aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria in anoxic lake waters due to metabolic versatility. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5293. [PMID: 38906896 PMCID: PMC11192741 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49602-5] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lacustrine methane emissions are strongly mitigated by aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) that are typically most active at the oxic-anoxic interface. Although oxygen is required by the MOB for the first step of methane oxidation, their occurrence in anoxic lake waters has raised the possibility that they are capable of oxidizing methane further anaerobically. Here, we investigate the activity and growth of MOB in Lake Zug, a permanently stratified freshwater lake. The rates of anaerobic methane oxidation in the anoxic hypolimnion reached up to 0.2 µM d-1. Single-cell nanoSIMS measurements, together with metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses, linked the measured rates to MOB of the order Methylococcales. Interestingly, their methane assimilation activity was similar under hypoxic and anoxic conditions. Our data suggest that these MOB use fermentation-based methanotrophy as well as denitrification under anoxic conditions, thus offering an explanation for their widespread presence in anoxic habitats such as stratified water columns. Thus, the methane sink capacity of anoxic basins may have been underestimated by not accounting for the anaerobic MOB activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Schorn
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Jon S Graf
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sten Littmann
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Philipp F Hach
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gaute Lavik
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Daan R Speth
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carsten J Schubert
- Department of Surface Waters, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Jana Milucka
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
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4
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Nwoba ST, Carere CR, Wigley K, Baronian K, Weaver L, Gostomski PA. Using RNA-Stable isotope probing to investigate methane oxidation metabolites and active microbial communities in methane oxidation coupled to denitrification. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 357:142067. [PMID: 38643845 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The active denitrifying communities performing methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (MOD) were investigated using samples from an aerobic reactor (∼20% O2 and 2% CH4) and a microaerobic reactor (2% O2, 2% CH4) undertaking denitrification. The methane oxidation metabolites excreted in the reactors were acetate, methanol, formate and acetaldehyde. Using anaerobic batch experiments supplemented with exogenously supplied 13C-labelled metabolites, the active denitrifying bacteria were identified using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and RNA-stable isotope probing (RNA-SIP). With the aerobic reactor (AR) samples, the maximum NO3- removal rates were 0.43 mmol g-1 d-1, 0.40 mmol g-1 d-1, 0.33 mmol g-1 d-1 and 0.10 mmol g-1 d-1 for exogenously supplied acetate, formate, acetaldehyde and methanol batch treatments respectively, while with the microaerobic reactor (MR) samples, the maximum NO3- removal rates were 0.41 mmol g-1 d-1, 0.33 mmol g-1 d-1, 0.38 mmol g-1 d-1 and 0.14 mmol g-1 d-1 for exogenously supplied acetate, formate, acetaldehyde and methanol batch treatments respectively. The RNA-SIP experiments with 13C-labelled acetate, formate, and methanol identified Methyloversatilis, and Hyphomicrobium as the active methane-driven denitrifying bacteria in the AR samples, while Pseudoxanthomonas, Hydrogenophaga and Hyphomicrobium were the active MOD bacteria in the MR samples. Collectively, all the data indicate that formate is a key cross-feeding metabolite excreted by methanotrophs and consumed by denitrifiers performing MOD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunday T Nwoba
- Dept. of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - Carlo R Carere
- Dept. of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kathryn Wigley
- Dept. of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kim Baronian
- Dept. of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Louise Weaver
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Peter A Gostomski
- Dept. of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
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5
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Wu H, Nie WB, Tan X, Xie GJ, Qu H, Zhang X, Xian Z, Dai J, Yang C, Chen Y. Different oxygen affinities of methanotrophs and Comammox Nitrospira inform an electrically induced symbiosis for nitrogen loss. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121606. [PMID: 38631236 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121606] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Aerobic methanotrophs establish a symbiotic association with denitrifiers to facilitate the process of aerobic methane oxidation coupled with denitrification (AME-D). However, the symbiosis has been frequently observed in hypoxic conditions continuing to pose an enigma. The present study has firstly characterized an electrically induced symbiosis primarily governed by Methylosarcina and Hyphomicrobium for the AME-D process in a hypoxic niche caused by Comammox Nitrospira. The kinetic analysis revealed that Comammox Nitrospira exhibited a higher apparent oxygen affinity compared to Methylosarcina. While the coexistence of comammox and AME-D resulted in an increase in methane oxidation and nitrogen loss rates, from 0.82 ± 0.10 to 1.72 ± 0.09 mmol CH4 d-1 and from 0.59 ± 0.04 to 1.30 ± 0.15 mmol N2 d-1, respectively. Furthermore, the constructed microbial fuel cells demonstrated a pronounced dependence of the biocurrents on AME-D due to oxygen competition, suggesting the involvement of direct interspecies electron transfer in the AME-D process under hypoxic conditions. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that Methylosarcina efficiently oxidized methane to formaldehyde, subsequently generating abundant NAD(P)H for nitrate reduction by Hyphomicrobium through the dissimilatory RuMP pathway, leading to CO2 production. This study challenges the conventional understanding of survival mechanism employed by AME-D symbionts, thereby contributing to the characterization responsible for limiting methane emissions and promoting nitrogen removal in hypoxic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Wen-Bo Nie
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China.
| | - Xin Tan
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guo-Jun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Han Qu
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Zhihao Xian
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Jingyi Dai
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Chun Yang
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Yi Chen
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China.
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6
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Awala SI, Gwak JH, Kim Y, Jung MY, Dunfield PF, Wagner M, Rhee SK. Nitrous oxide respiration in acidophilic methanotrophs. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4226. [PMID: 38762502 PMCID: PMC11102522 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48161-z] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria are considered strict aerobes but are often highly abundant in hypoxic and even anoxic environments. Despite possessing denitrification genes, it remains to be verified whether denitrification contributes to their growth. Here, we show that acidophilic methanotrophs can respire nitrous oxide (N2O) and grow anaerobically on diverse non-methane substrates, including methanol, C-C substrates, and hydrogen. We study two strains that possess N2O reductase genes: Methylocella tundrae T4 and Methylacidiphilum caldifontis IT6. We show that N2O respiration supports growth of Methylacidiphilum caldifontis at an extremely acidic pH of 2.0, exceeding the known physiological pH limits for microbial N2O consumption. Methylocella tundrae simultaneously consumes N2O and CH4 in suboxic conditions, indicating robustness of its N2O reductase activity in the presence of O2. Furthermore, in O2-limiting conditions, the amount of CH4 oxidized per O2 reduced increases when N2O is added, indicating that Methylocella tundrae can direct more O2 towards methane monooxygenase. Thus, our results demonstrate that some methanotrophs can respire N2O independently or simultaneously with O2, which may facilitate their growth and survival in dynamic environments. Such metabolic capability enables these bacteria to simultaneously reduce the release of the key greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Imisi Awala
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea
- Center for Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-Ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea
| | - Joo-Han Gwak
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongman Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Man-Young Jung
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme in Advance Convergence Technology and Science, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Science Education, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
- Jeju Microbiome Center, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Peter F Dunfield
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Michael Wagner
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Sung-Keun Rhee
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-Gu, Cheongju, 28644, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Corrêa PS, Fernandes MA, Jimenez CR, Mendes LW, Lima PDMT, Abdalla AL, Louvandini H. Interaction between methanotrophy and gastrointestinal nematodes infection on the rumen microbiome of lambs. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae083. [PMID: 38821514 PMCID: PMC11165275 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae083] [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] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex cross-talk occurs between gastrointestinal nematodes and gut symbiotic microbiota, with consequences for animal metabolism. To investigate the connection between methane production and endoparasites, this study evaluated the effect of mixed infection with Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis on methanogenic and methanotrophic community in rumen microbiota of lambs using shotgun metagenomic and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The rumen content was collected from six Santa Inês lambs, (7 months old) before and after 42 days infection by esophageal tube. The metagenomic analysis showed that the infection affected the microbial community structure leading to decreased abundance of methanotrophs bacteria, i.e. α-proteobacteria and β-proteobacteria, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME), protozoa, sulfate-reducing bacteria, syntrophic bacteria with methanogens, geobacter, and genes related to pyruvate, fatty acid, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolisms, ribulose monophosphate cycle, and Entner-Doudoroff Pathway. Additionally, the abundance of methanogenic archaea and the mcrA gene did not change. The co-occurrence networks enabled us to identify the interactions between each taxon in microbial communities and to determine the reshaping of rumen microbiome associations by gastrointestinal nematode infection. Besides, the correlation between ANMEs was lower in the animal's postinfection. Our findings suggest that gastrointestinal parasites potentially lead to decreased methanotrophic metabolism-related microorganisms and genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Spoto Corrêa
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Murilo Antonio Fernandes
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Carolina Rodriguez Jimenez
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Lucas William Mendes
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Paulo de Mello Tavares Lima
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, 1000 East University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, United States
| | - Adibe Luiz Abdalla
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
| | - Helder Louvandini
- Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, 303 Centenario Avenue, Piracicaba, SP 13416-000, Brazil
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8
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Chen KH, Feng J, Bodelier PLE, Yang Z, Huang Q, Delgado-Baquerizo M, Cai P, Tan W, Liu YR. Metabolic coupling between soil aerobic methanotrophs and denitrifiers in rice paddy fields. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3471. [PMID: 38658559 PMCID: PMC11043409 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47827-y] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Paddy fields are hotspots of microbial denitrification, which is typically linked to the oxidation of electron donors such as methane (CH4) under anoxic and hypoxic conditions. While several anaerobic methanotrophs can facilitate denitrification intracellularly, whether and how aerobic CH4 oxidation couples with denitrification in hypoxic paddy fields remains virtually unknown. Here we combine a ~3300 km field study across main rice-producing areas of China and 13CH4-DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) experiments to investigate the role of soil aerobic CH4 oxidation in supporting denitrification. Our results reveal positive relationships between CH4 oxidation and denitrification activities and genes across various climatic regions. Microcosm experiments confirm that CH4 and methanotroph addition promote gene expression involved in denitrification and increase nitrous oxide emissions. Moreover, 13CH4-DNA-SIP analyses identify over 70 phylotypes harboring genes associated with denitrification and assimilating 13C, which are mostly belonged to Rubrivivax, Magnetospirillum, and Bradyrhizobium. Combined analyses of 13C-metagenome-assembled genomes and 13C-metabolomics highlight the importance of intermediates such as acetate, propionate and lactate, released during aerobic CH4 oxidation, for the coupling of CH4 oxidation with denitrification. Our work identifies key microbial taxa and pathways driving coupled aerobic CH4 oxidation and denitrification, with important implications for nitrogen management and greenhouse gas regulation in agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Hua Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jiao Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Paul L E Bodelier
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ziming Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309, USA
| | - Qiaoyun Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, 41012, Spain
| | - Peng Cai
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Wenfeng Tan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yu-Rong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation and Hubei Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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9
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Sabrekov AF, Semenov MV, Terentieva IE, Krasnov GS, Kharitonov SL, Glagolev MV, Litti YV. Anaerobic methane oxidation is quantitatively important in deeper peat layers of boreal peatlands: Evidence from anaerobic incubations, in situ stable isotopes depth profiles, and microbial communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170213. [PMID: 38278226 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170213] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Boreal peatlands store most of their carbon in layers deeper than 0.5 m under anaerobic conditions, where carbon dioxide and methane are produced as terminal products of organic matter degradation. Since the global warming potential of methane is much greater than that of carbon dioxide, the balance between the production rates of these gases is important for future climate predictions. Herein, we aimed to understand whether anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) could explain the high CO2/CH4 anaerobic production ratios that are widely observed for the deeper peat layers of boreal peatlands. Furthermore, we quantified the metabolic pathways of methanogenesis to examine whether hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is a dominant methane production pathway for the presumably recalcitrant deeper peat. To assess the CH4 cycling in deeper peat, we combined laboratory anaerobic incubations with a pathway-specific inhibitor, in situ depth patterns of stable isotopes in CH4, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for three representative boreal peatlands in Western Siberia. We found up to a 69 % reduction in CH4 production due to AMO, which largely explained the high CO2/CH4 anaerobic production ratios and the in situ depth-related patterns of δ13C and δD in methane. The absence of acetate accumulation after inhibiting acetotrophic methanogenesis and the presence of sulfate- and nitrate-reducing anaerobic acetate oxidizers in the deeper peat indicated that these microorganisms use SO42- and NO3- as electron acceptors. Acetotrophic methanogenesis dominated net CH4 production in the deeper peat, accounting for 81 ± 13 %. Overall, anaerobic oxidation is quantitatively important for the methane cycle in the deeper layers of boreal peatlands, affecting both methane and its main precursor concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr F Sabrekov
- UNESCO Department "Environmental Dynamics and Global Climate Changes", Ugra State University, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
| | - Mikhail V Semenov
- Laboratory of Soil Carbon and Microbial Ecology, Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - George S Krasnov
- Laboratory of Postgenomic Research, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Mikhail V Glagolev
- UNESCO Department "Environmental Dynamics and Global Climate Changes", Ugra State University, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia; Faculty of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuriy V Litti
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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10
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Stein LY. Agritech to Tame the Nitrogen Cycle. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041668. [PMID: 37788889 PMCID: PMC10910340 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
While the Haber-Bosch process for N-fixation has enabled a steady food supply for half of humanity, substantial use of synthetic fertilizers has caused a radical unevenness in the global N-cycle. The resulting increases in nitrate production and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have contributed to eutrophication of both ground and surface waters, the growth of oxygen minimum zones in coastal regions, ozone depletion, and rising global temperatures. As stated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, agriculture releases ∼9.3 Gt CO2 equivalents per year, of which methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) account for 5.3 Gt CO2 equivalents. N-pollution and slowing the runaway N-cycle requires a combined effort to replace chemical fertilizers with biological alternatives, which after a 10-yr span of usage could eliminate a minimum of 30% of ag-related GHG emissions (∼1.59 Gt), protect waterways from nitrate pollution, and protect soils from further deterioration. Agritech solutions include bringing biological fertilizers and biological nitrification inhibitors to the marketplace to reduce the microbial conversion of fertilizer nitrogen into GHGs and other toxic intermediates. Worldwide adoption of these plant-derived molecules will substantially elevate nitrogen use efficiency by crops while blocking the dominant source of N2O to the atmosphere and simultaneously protecting the biological CH4 sink. Additional agritech solutions to curtail N-pollution, soil erosion, and deterioration of freshwater supplies include soil-free aquaponics systems that utilize improved microbial inocula to enhance nitrogen use efficiency without GHG production. With adequate and timely investment and scale-up, microbe-based agritech solutions emphasizing N-cycling processes can dramatically reduce GHG emissions on short time lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Y Stein
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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11
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Liu C, Schmitz RA, Pol A, Hogendoorn C, Verhagen D, Peeters SH, van Alen TA, Cremers G, Mesman RA, Op den Camp HJM. Active coexistence of the novel gammaproteobacterial methanotroph 'Ca. Methylocalor cossyra' CH1 and verrucomicrobial methanotrophs in acidic, hot geothermal soil. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16602. [PMID: 38454738 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16602] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Terrestrial geothermal ecosystems are hostile habitats, characterized by large emissions of environmentally relevant gases such as CO2 , CH4 , H2 S and H2 . These conditions provide a niche for chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms. Methanotrophs of the phylum Verrucomicrobia, which inhabit these ecosystems, can utilize these gases and grow at pH levels below 1 and temperatures up to 65°C. In contrast, methanotrophs of the phylum Proteobacteria are primarily found in various moderate environments. Previously, novel verrucomicrobial methanotrophs were detected and isolated from the geothermal soil of the Favara Grande on the island of Pantelleria, Italy. The detection of pmoA genes, specific for verrucomicrobial and proteobacterial methanotrophs in this environment, and the partially overlapping pH and temperature growth ranges of these isolates suggest that these distinct phylogenetic groups could coexist in the environment. In this report, we present the isolation and characterization of a thermophilic and acid-tolerant gammaproteobacterial methanotroph (family Methylococcaceae) from the Favara Grande. This isolate grows at pH values ranging from 3.5 to 7.0 and temperatures from 35°C to 55°C, and diazotrophic growth was demonstrated. Its genome contains genes encoding particulate and soluble methane monooxygenases, XoxF- and MxaFI-type methanol dehydrogenases, and all enzymes of the Calvin cycle. For this novel genus and species, we propose the name 'Candidatus Methylocalor cossyra' CH1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqing Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rob A Schmitz
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Arjan Pol
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Carmen Hogendoorn
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Daniël Verhagen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Stijn H Peeters
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Theo A van Alen
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Geert Cremers
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rob A Mesman
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Huub J M Op den Camp
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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12
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Hirayama H, Takaki Y, Abe M, Miyazaki M, Uematsu K, Matsui Y, Takai K. Methylomarinovum tepidoasis sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic methanotroph of the family Methylothermaceae isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal field. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2024; 74:006288. [PMID: 38478579 PMCID: PMC10950024 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.006288] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
A novel aerobic methanotrophic bacterium, designated as strain IN45T, was isolated from in situ colonisation systems deployed at the Iheya North deep-sea hydrothermal field in the mid-Okinawa Trough. IN45T was a moderately thermophilic obligate methanotroph that grew only on methane or methanol at temperatures between 25 and 56 °C (optimum 45-50 °C). It was an oval-shaped, Gram-reaction-negative, motile bacterium with a single polar flagellum and an intracytoplasmic membrane system. It required 1.5-4.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2-3 %) for growth. The major phospholipid fatty acids were C16 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed 99.1 % sequence identity with Methylomarinovum caldicuralii IT-9T, the only species of the genus Methylomarinovum with a validly published name within the family Methylothermaceae. The complete genome sequence of IN45T consisted of a 2.42-Mbp chromosome (DNA G+C content, 64.1 mol%) and a 20.5-kbp plasmid. The genome encodes genes for particulate methane monooxygenase and two types of methanol dehydrogenase (mxaFI and xoxF). Genes involved in the ribulose monophosphate pathway for carbon assimilation are encoded, but the transaldolase gene was not found. The genome indicated that IN45T performs partial denitrification of nitrate to N2O, and its occurrence was indirectly confirmed by N2O production in cultures grown with nitrate. Genomic relatedness indices between the complete genome sequences of IN45T and M. caldicuralii IT-9T, such as digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (51.2 %), average nucleotide identity (92.94 %) and average amino acid identity (93.21 %), indicated that these two methanotrophs should be separated at the species level. On the basis of these results, strain IN45T represents a novel species, for which we propose the name Methylomarinovum tepidoasis sp. nov. with IN45T (=JCM 35101T =DSM 113422T) as the type strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisako Hirayama
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mariko Abe
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miyazaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Yohei Matsui
- Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC), JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ken Takai
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
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13
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Yuan CY, Yan WJ, Sun FY, Tu HH, Lu JJ, Feng L, Dong WY. Management of biofilm by an innovative layer-structured membrane for membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) to efficient methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (AME-D). WATER RESEARCH 2024; 251:121107. [PMID: 38218075 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121107] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Aerobic methane oxidation coupled with denitrification (AME-D) has garnered significant attention as a promising technology for nitrogen removal from water. Effective biofilm management on the membrane surface is essential to enhance the efficiency of nitrate removal in AME-D systems. In this study, we introduce a novel and scalable layer-structured membrane (LSM) developed using a meticulously designed polyurethane sponge. The application of the LSM in advanced biofilm management for AME-D resulted in a substantial enhancement of denitrification performance. Our experimental results demonstrated remarkable improvements in nitrate-removal flux (92.8 mmol-N m-2 d-1) and methane-oxidation rate (325.6 mmol m-2 d-1) when using an LSM in a membrane biofilm reactor (L-MBfR) compared with a conventional membrane reactor (C-MBfR). The l-MBfR exhibited 12.4-, 6.8- and 3.4-fold increases in nitrate-removal rate, biomass-retention capacity, and methane-oxidation rate, respectively, relative to the control C-MBfR. Notably, the l-MBfR demonstrated a 3.5-fold higher abundance of denitrifying bacteria, including Xanthomonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, and Methylophilaceae. In addition, the denitrification-related enzyme activity was twice as high in the l-MBfR than in the C-MBfR. These findings underscore the LSM's ability to create anoxic/anaerobic microenvironments conducive to biofilm formation and denitrification. Furthermore, the LSM exhibited a unique advantage in shaping microbial community structures and facilitating cross-feeding interactions between denitrifying bacteria and aerobic methanotrophs. The results of this study hold great promise for advancing the application of MBfRs in achieving efficient and reliable nitrate removal through the AME-D pathway, facilitated by effective biofilm management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Wei-Jia Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Fei-Yun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
| | - Hong-Hua Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Jian-Jiang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China; College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, PR China; Institute of Yellow River Delta Earth Surface Processes and Ecological Integrity, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, PR China.
| | - Liang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Wen-Yi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, PR China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
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14
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Guo W, He R, Zhao Y, Li D. Imbalanced metabolism induced NH 4+ accumulation and its effect on the central metabolism of Methylomonas sp. ZR1. Int Microbiol 2024; 27:49-66. [PMID: 38038804 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00457-8] [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: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen and carbon are the two most essential nutrient elements, and their metabolism is tightly coupled in single carbon metabolic microorganisms. However, the nitrogen metabolism and the nitrogen/carbon (N/C) metabolic balance in single-carbon metabolism is poorly studied. In this study, the nitrogen metabolism pattern of the fast growing methanotrophs Methylomonas sp. ZR1 grown in methane and methanol was studied. Effect study of different nitrogen sources on the cell growth of ZR1 indicates that nitrate salts are the best nitrogen source supporting the growth of ZR1 using methane and methanol as carbon source. However, its metabolic intermediate ammonium was found to accumulate with high N/C ratio in the medium and consequently inhibit the growth of ZR1. Studies of carbon and nitrogen metabolic kinetic under different N/C ratio conditions indicate that the accumulation of NH4+ is caused by the imbalanced nitrogen and carbon metabolism in ZR1. Feeding carbon skeleton α-ketoglutaric acid could effectively relieve the inhibition effect of NH4+ on the growth of ZR1, which further confirms this assumption. qPCR analysis of the expression level of the central metabolic key enzyme gene indicates that the nitrogen metabolic intermediate ammonium has strong regulation effect on the central nitrogen and carbon metabolism in ZR1. qPCR-combined genomic analysis confirms that a third ammonium assimilation pathway glycine synthesis system is operated in ZR1 to balance the nitrogen and carbon metabolism. Based on the qPCR result, it was also found that ZR1 employs two strategies to relieve ammonium stress in the presence of ammonium: assimilating excess ammonium or cutting off the nitrogen reduction reactions according to the available C1 substrate. Validating the connections between single-carbon and nitrogen metabolism and studying the accumulation and assimilation mechanism of ammonium will contribute to understand how nitrogen regulates cellular growth in single-carbon metabolic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Guo
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science, 32 West 7Th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin, 300308, China.
| | - Ronglin He
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science, 32 West 7Th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Yujie Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science, 32 West 7Th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Demao Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science, 32 West 7Th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin, 300308, China
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15
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Reis PCJ, Tsuji JM, Weiblen C, Schiff SL, Scott M, Stein LY, Neufeld JD. Enigmatic persistence of aerobic methanotrophs in oxygen-limiting freshwater habitats. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae041. [PMID: 38470309 PMCID: PMC11008690 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae041] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Methanotrophic bacteria mitigate emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) from a variety of anthropogenic and natural sources, including freshwater lakes, which are large sources of CH4 on a global scale. Despite a dependence on dioxygen (O2) for CH4 oxidation, abundant populations of putatively aerobic methanotrophs have been detected within microoxic and anoxic waters and sediments of lakes. Experimental work has demonstrated active aerobic methanotrophs under those conditions, but how they are able to persist and oxidize CH4 under O2 deficiency remains enigmatic. In this review, we discuss possible mechanisms that underpin the persistence and activity of aerobic methanotrophs under O2-limiting conditions in freshwater habitats, particularly lakes, summarize experimental evidence for microbial oxidation of CH4 by aerobic bacteria under low or no O2, and suggest future research directions to further explore the ecology and metabolism of aerobic methanotrophs in O2-limiting environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula C J Reis
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jackson M Tsuji
- Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Cerrise Weiblen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Sherry L Schiff
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Matthew Scott
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Lisa Y Stein
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Josh D Neufeld
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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16
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Beals DG, Puri AW. Linking methanotroph phenotypes to genotypes using a simple spatially resolved model ecosystem. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae060. [PMID: 38622932 PMCID: PMC11072679 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae060] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Connecting genes to phenotypic traits in bacteria is often challenging because of a lack of environmental context in laboratory settings. Laboratory-based model ecosystems offer a means to better account for environmental conditions compared with standard planktonic cultures and can help link genotypes and phenotypes. Here, we present a simple, cost-effective, laboratory-based model ecosystem to study aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) within the methane-oxygen counter gradient typically found in the natural environment of these organisms. Culturing the methanotroph Methylomonas sp. strain LW13 in this system resulted in the formation of a distinct horizontal band at the intersection of the counter gradient, which we discovered was not due to increased numbers of bacteria at this location but instead to an increased amount of polysaccharides. We also discovered that different methanotrophic taxa form polysaccharide bands with distinct locations and morphologies when grown in the methane-oxygen counter gradient. By comparing transcriptomic data from LW13 growing within and surrounding this band, we identified genes upregulated within the band and validated their involvement in growth and band formation within the model ecosystem using knockout strains. Notably, deletion of these genes did not negatively affect growth using standard planktonic culturing methods. This work highlights the use of a laboratory-based model ecosystem that more closely mimics the natural environment to uncover bacterial phenotypes missing from standard laboratory conditions, and to link these phenotypes with their genetic determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delaney G Beals
- Department of Chemistry and the Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Aaron W Puri
- Department of Chemistry and the Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
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17
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Wutkowska M, Tláskal V, Bordel S, Stein LY, Nweze JA, Daebeler A. Leveraging genome-scale metabolic models to understand aerobic methanotrophs. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae102. [PMID: 38861460 PMCID: PMC11195481 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae102] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) are valuable tools serving systems biology and metabolic engineering. However, GEMs are still an underestimated tool in informing microbial ecology. Since their first application for aerobic gammaproteobacterial methane oxidizers less than a decade ago, GEMs have substantially increased our understanding of the metabolism of methanotrophs, a microbial guild of high relevance for the natural and biotechnological mitigation of methane efflux to the atmosphere. Particularly, GEMs helped to elucidate critical metabolic and regulatory pathways of several methanotrophic strains, predicted microbial responses to environmental perturbations, and were used to model metabolic interactions in cocultures. Here, we conducted a systematic review of GEMs exploring aerobic methanotrophy, summarizing recent advances, pointing out weaknesses, and drawing out probable future uses of GEMs to improve our understanding of the ecology of methane oxidizers. We also focus on their potential to unravel causes and consequences when studying interactions of methane-oxidizing bacteria with other methanotrophs or members of microbial communities in general. This review aims to bridge the gap between applied sciences and microbial ecology research on methane oxidizers as model organisms and to provide an outlook for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wutkowska
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Tláskal
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sergio Bordel
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Valladolid 47011, Spain
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid 47011, Spain
| | - Lisa Y Stein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Justus Amuche Nweze
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nigeria
| | - Anne Daebeler
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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18
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Deng Y, Liang C, Zhu X, Zhu X, Chen L, Pan H, Xun F, Tao Y, Xing P. Methylomonadaceae was the active and dominant methanotroph in Tibet lake sediments. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae032. [PMID: 38524764 PMCID: PMC10960969 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas, significantly impacts the local and global climate. Our study focused on the composition and activity of methanotrophs residing in the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, a hotspot for climate change research. Based on the field survey, the family Methylomonadaceae had a much higher relative abundance in freshwater lakes than in brackish and saline lakes, accounting for ~92% of total aerobic methanotrophs. Using the microcosm sediment incubation with 13CH4 followed by high throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis, we further demonstrated that the family Methylomonadaceae was actively oxidizing CH4. Moreover, various methylotrophs, such as the genera Methylotenera and Methylophilus, were detected in the 13C-labeled DNAs, which suggested their participation in CH4-carbon sequential assimilation. The presence of CH4 metabolism, such as the tetrahydromethanopterin and the ribulose monophosphate pathways, was identified in the metagenome-assembled genomes of the family Methylomonadaceae. Furthermore, they had the potential to adapt to oxygen-deficient conditions and utilize multiple electron acceptors, such as metal oxides (Fe3+), nitrate, and nitrite, for survival in the Tibet lakes. Our findings highlighted the predominance of Methylomonadaceae and the associated microbes as active CH4 consumers, potentially regulating the CH4 emissions in the Tibet freshwater lakes. These insights contributed to understanding the plateau carbon cycle and emphasized the significance of methanotrophs in mitigating climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongcui Deng
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chulin Liang
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhu
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinshu Zhu
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Chen
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongan Pan
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Xun
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Ye Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
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19
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Hao Z, Wang Q, Wang J, Deng Y, Yan Z, Tian L, Jiang H. Water Level Fluctuations Modulate the Microbiomes Involved in Biogeochemical Cycling in Floodplains. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 87:24. [PMID: 38159125 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02331-6] [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: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Drastic changes in hydrological conditions within floodplain ecosystems create distinct microbial habitats. However, there remains a lack of exploration regarding the variations in microbial function potentials across the flooding and drought seasons. In this study, metagenomics and environmental analyses were employed in floodplains that experience hydrological variations across four seasons. Analysis of functional gene composition, encompassing nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur metabolisms, revealed apparent differences between the flooding and drought seasons. The primary environmental drivers identified were water level, overlying water depth, submergence time, and temperature. Specific modules, e.g., the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glucosidic bond, denitrification, and dissimilatory/assimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, exhibited higher relative abundance in summer compared to winter. It is suggested that cellulose degradation was potentially coupled with nitrate reduction during the flooding season. Phylogenomic analysis of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) unveiled that the Desulfobacterota lineage possessed abundant nitrogen metabolism genes supported by pathway reconstruction. Variation of relative abundance implied its environmental adaptability to both the wet and dry seasons. Furthermore, a novel order was found within Methylomirabilota, containing nitrogen reduction genes in the MAG. Overall, this study highlights the crucial role of hydrological factors in modulating microbial functional diversity and generating genomes with abundant nitrogen metabolism potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Qianhong Wang
- Changjiang Nanjing Waterway Engineering Bureau, Nanjing, 210011, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Ye Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Zaisheng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Linqi Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Helong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China.
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20
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Wang Y, Wu M, Lai CY, Lu X, Guo J. Methane Oxidation Coupled to Selenate Reduction in a Membrane Bioreactor under Oxygen-Limiting Conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21715-21726. [PMID: 38079577 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04958] [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
Microbial methane oxidation coupled to a selenate reduction process has been proposed as a promising solution to treat contaminated water, yet the underlying microbial mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, a novel methane-based membrane bioreactor system integrating hollow fiber membranes for efficient gas delivery and ultrafiltration membranes for biomass retention was established to successfully enrich abundant suspended cultures able to perform methane-dependent selenate reduction under oxygen-limiting conditions. The microbial metabolic mechanisms were then systematically investigated through a combination of short-term batch tests, DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) microcosm incubation, and high-throughput sequencing analyses of 16S rRNA gene and functional genes (pmoA and narG). We confirmed that the methane-supported selenate reduction process was accomplished by a microbial consortia consisting of type-II aerobic methanotrophs and several heterotrophic selenate reducers. The mass balance and validation tests on possible intermediates suggested that methane was partially oxidized into acetate under oxygen-limiting conditions, which was consumed as a carbon source for selenate-reducing bacteria. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, DNA-SIP incubation with 13CH4, and subsequent functional gene (pmoA and narG) sequencing results collectively proved that Methylocystis actively executed partial methane oxidation and Acidovorax and Denitratisoma were dominant selenate-reducing bacteria, thus forming a syntrophic partnership to drive selenate reduction. The findings not only advance our understanding of methane oxidation coupled to selenate reduction under oxygen-limiting conditions but also offer useful information on developing methane-based biotechnology for bioremediation of selenate-contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulu Wang
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Mengxiong Wu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Xuanyu Lu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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21
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Venetz J, Żygadłowska OM, Lenstra WK, van Helmond NAGM, Nuijten GHL, Wallenius AJ, Dalcin Martins P, Slomp CP, Jetten MSM, Veraart AJ. Versatile methanotrophs form an active methane biofilter in the oxycline of a seasonally stratified coastal basin. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2277-2288. [PMID: 37381163 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The potential and drivers of microbial methane removal in the water column of seasonally stratified coastal ecosystems and the importance of the methanotrophic community composition for ecosystem functioning are not well explored. Here, we combined depth profiles of oxygen and methane with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, metagenomics and methane oxidation rates at discrete depths in a stratified coastal marine system (Lake Grevelingen, The Netherlands). Three amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to different genera of aerobic Methylomonadaceae and the corresponding three methanotrophic metagenome-assembled genomes (MOB-MAGs) were retrieved by 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomic analysis, respectively. The abundances of the different methanotrophic ASVs and MOB-MAGs peaked at different depths along the methane oxygen counter-gradient and the MOB-MAGs show a quite diverse genomic potential regarding oxygen metabolism, partial denitrification and sulphur metabolism. Moreover, potential aerobic methane oxidation rates indicated high methanotrophic activity throughout the methane oxygen counter-gradient, even at depths with low in situ methane or oxygen concentration. This suggests that niche-partitioning with high genomic versatility of the present Methylomonadaceae might contribute to the functional resilience of the methanotrophic community and ultimately the efficiency of methane removal in the stratified water column of a marine basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Venetz
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Olga M Żygadłowska
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wytze K Lenstra
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niels A G M van Helmond
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Guylaine H L Nuijten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna J Wallenius
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Dalcin Martins
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline P Slomp
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Annelies J Veraart
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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22
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Yang C, Chen Y, Zhang Q, Qie X, Chen J, Che Y, Lv D, Xu X, Gao Y, Wang Z, Sun J. Mechanism of microbial regulation on methane metabolism in saline-alkali soils based on metagenomics analysis. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 345:118771. [PMID: 37591100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Saline-alkali soils constitute a globally important carbon pool that plays a critical role in soil carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes. However, the relative importance of microorganisms in the regulation of CH4 emissions under elevated salinity remains unclear. Here, we report the composition of CH4 production and oxidation microbial communities under five different salinity levels in the Yellow River Delta, China. This study also obtained the gene number of microbial CH4 metabolism via testing the soil metagenomes, and further investigated the key soil factors to determine the regulation mechanism. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the soil electrical conductivity, salt content, and Na+, and SO42- concentrations showed significantly negative correlations with the CO2 and CH4 emission rates, while the NO2--N concentration and NO2-/NO3- ratio showed significantly positive correlations with the CO2 and CH4 emission rates. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the mcrA gene for CH4 production was highest in low-salinity soils. By contrast, the relative abundances of the fwdA, ftr, mch, and mer genes related to the CO2 pathway increased significantly with rising salinity. Regarding CH4 oxidation processes, the relative abundances of the pmoA, mmoB, and mdh1 genes transferred from CH4 to formaldehyde decreased significantly from the control to the extreme-salinity plot. The greater abundance and rapid increase of methanotrophic bacteria compared with the lower abundance and slow increase in methanogenic archaea communities in saline-alkali soils may have increased CH4 oxidation and reduced CH4 production in this study. Only CO2 emissions positively affected CH4 emissions from low- to medium-salinity soils, while the diversities of CH4 production and oxidation jointly influenced CH4 emissions from medium- to extreme-salinity plots. Hence, future investigations will also explore more metabolic pathways for CH4 emissions from different types of saline-alkali lands and combine the key soil enzymes and regulated biotic or abiotic factors to enrich the CH4 metabolism pathway in saline-alkali soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Yitong Chen
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Xihu Qie
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Jinxia Chen
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Yajuan Che
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Dantong Lv
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Xinyu Xu
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Yuxuan Gao
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Zengyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China
| | - Juan Sun
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Grassland Resources and Ecology in the Yellow River Delta, College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China.
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23
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Bedekar AA, Deewan A, Jagtap SS, Parker DA, Liu P, Mackie RI, Rao CV. Transcriptional and metabolomic responses of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath to nitrogen source and temperature downshift. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1259015. [PMID: 37928661 PMCID: PMC10623323 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1259015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methanotrophs play a significant role in methane oxidation, because they are the only biological methane sink present in nature. The methane monooxygenase enzyme oxidizes methane or ammonia into methanol or hydroxylamine, respectively. While much is known about central carbon metabolism in methanotrophs, far less is known about nitrogen metabolism. In this study, we investigated how Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, a methane-oxidizing bacterium, responds to nitrogen source and temperature. Batch culture experiments were conducted using nitrate or ammonium as nitrogen sources at both 37°C and 42°C. While growth rates with nitrate and ammonium were comparable at 42°C, a significant growth advantage was observed with ammonium at 37°C. Utilization of nitrate was higher at 42°C than at 37°C, especially in the first 24 h. Use of ammonium remained constant between 42°C and 37°C; however, nitrite buildup and conversion to ammonia were found to be temperature-dependent processes. We performed RNA-seq to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, and the results revealed complex transcriptional changes in response to varying conditions. Different gene expression patterns connected to respiration, nitrate and ammonia metabolism, methane oxidation, and amino acid biosynthesis were identified using gene ontology analysis. Notably, key pathways with variable expression profiles included oxidative phosphorylation and methane and methanol oxidation. Additionally, there were transcription levels that varied for genes related to nitrogen metabolism, particularly for ammonia oxidation, nitrate reduction, and transporters. Quantitative PCR was used to validate these transcriptional changes. Analyses of intracellular metabolites revealed changes in fatty acids, amino acids, central carbon intermediates, and nitrogen bases in response to various nitrogen sources and temperatures. Overall, our results offer improved understanding of the intricate interactions between nitrogen availability, temperature, and gene expression in M. capsulatus Bath. This study enhances our understanding of microbial adaptation strategies, offering potential applications in biotechnological and environmental contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwini Ashok Bedekar
- Energy and Biosciences Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Anshu Deewan
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Sujit S. Jagtap
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - David A. Parker
- Energy and Biosciences Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Shell Exploration and Production Inc., Westhollow Technology Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ping Liu
- Energy and Biosciences Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Shell Exploration and Production Inc., Westhollow Technology Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Roderick I. Mackie
- Energy and Biosciences Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Christopher V. Rao
- Energy and Biosciences Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
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24
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Rissanen AJ, Jilbert T, Simojoki A, Mangayil R, Aalto SL, Khanongnuch R, Peura S, Jäntti H. Organic matter lability modifies the vertical structure of methane-related microbial communities in lake sediments. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0195523. [PMID: 37698418 PMCID: PMC10581051 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01955-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Eutrophication increases the input of labile, algae-derived, organic matter (OM) into lake sediments. This potentially increases methane (CH4) emissions from sediment to water through increased methane production rates and decreased methane oxidation efficiency in sediments. However, the effect of OM lability on the structure of methane oxidizing (methanotrophic) and methane producing (methanogenic) microbial communities in lake sediments is still understudied. We studied the vertical profiles of the sediment and porewater geochemistry and the microbial communities (16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing) at five profundal stations of an oligo-mesotrophic, boreal lake (Lake Pääjärvi, Finland), varying in surface sediment OM sources (assessed via sediment C:N ratio). Porewater profiles of methane, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), acetate, iron, and sulfur suggested that sites with more autochthonous OM showed higher overall OM lability, which increased remineralization rates, leading to increased electron acceptor (EA) consumption and methane emissions from sediment to water. When OM lability increased, the abundance of anaerobic nitrite-reducing methanotrophs (Candidatus Methylomirabilis) relative to aerobic methanotrophs (Methylococcales) in the methane oxidation layer of sediment surface decreased, suggesting that Methylococcales were more competitive than Ca. Methylomirabilis under decreasing redox conditions and increasing methane availability due to their more diverse metabolism (fermentation and anaerobic respiration) and lower affinity for methane. Furthermore, when OM lability increased, the abundance of methanotrophic community in the sediment surface layer, especially Ca. Methylomirabilis, relative to the methanogenic community decreased. We conclude that increasing input of labile OM, subsequently affecting the redox zonation of sediments, significantly modifies the methane producing and consuming microbial community of lake sediments. IMPORTANCE Lakes are important natural emitters of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4). It has been shown that eutrophication, via increasing the input of labile organic matter (OM) into lake sediments and subsequently affecting the redox conditions, increases methane emissions from lake sediments through increased sediment methane production rates and decreased methane oxidation efficiency. However, the effect of organic matter lability on the structure of the methane-related microbial communities of lake sediments is not known. In this study, we show that, besides the activity, also the structure of lake sediment methane producing and consuming microbial community is significantly affected by changes in the sediment organic matter lability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti J. Rissanen
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tom Jilbert
- Environmental Geochemistry Group, Department of Geosciences and Geography, Faculty of Science, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Asko Simojoki
- Department of Agricultural Sciences (Environmental Soil Science), Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rahul Mangayil
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sanni L. Aalto
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ramita Khanongnuch
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sari Peura
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Jäntti
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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25
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Vigderovich H, Eckert W, Elvert M, Gafni A, Rubin-Blum M, Bergman O, Sivan O. Aerobic methanotrophy increases the net iron reduction in methanogenic lake sediments. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1206414. [PMID: 37577416 PMCID: PMC10415106 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1206414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In methane (CH4) generating sediments, methane oxidation coupled with iron reduction was suggested to be catalyzed by archaea and bacterial methanotrophs of the order Methylococcales. However, the co-existence of these aerobic and anaerobic microbes, the link between the processes, and the oxygen requirement for the bacterial methanotrophs have remained unclear. Here, we show how stimulation of aerobic methane oxidation at an energetically low experimental environment influences net iron reduction, accompanied by distinct microbial community changes and lipid biomarker patterns. We performed incubation experiments (between 30 and 120 days long) with methane generating lake sediments amended with 13C-labeled methane, following the additions of hematite and different oxygen levels in nitrogen headspace, and monitored methane turnover by 13C-DIC measurements. Increasing oxygen exposure (up to 1%) promoted aerobic methanotrophy, considerable net iron reduction, and the increase of microbes, such as Methylomonas, Geobacter, and Desulfuromonas, with the latter two being likely candidates for iron recycling. Amendments of 13C-labeled methanol as a potential substrate for the methanotrophs under hypoxia instead of methane indicate that this substrate primarily fuels methylotrophic methanogenesis, identified by high methane concentrations, strongly positive δ13CDIC values, and archaeal lipid stable isotope data. In contrast, the inhibition of methanogenesis by 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES) led to increased methanol turnover, as suggested by similar 13C enrichment in DIC and high amounts of newly produced bacterial fatty acids, probably derived from heterotrophic bacteria. Our experiments show a complex link between aerobic methanotrophy and iron reduction, which indicates iron recycling as a survival mechanism for microbes under hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanni Vigderovich
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Werner Eckert
- The Yigal Allon Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Migdal, Israel
| | - Marcus Elvert
- MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Almog Gafni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Maxim Rubin-Blum
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
| | - Oded Bergman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- The Yigal Allon Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Migdal, Israel
| | - Orit Sivan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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26
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Vega MAP, Scholes RC, Brady AR, Daly RA, Narrowe AB, Vanzin GF, Wrighton KC, Sedlak DL, Sharp JO. Methane-Oxidizing Activity Enhances Sulfamethoxazole Biotransformation in a Benthic Constructed Wetland Biomat. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7240-7253. [PMID: 37099683 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia monooxygenase and analogous oxygenase enzymes contribute to pharmaceutical biotransformation in activated sludge. In this study, we hypothesized that methane monooxygenase can enhance pharmaceutical biotransformation within the benthic, diffuse periphytic sediments (i.e., "biomat") of a shallow, open-water constructed wetland. To test this hypothesis, we combined field-scale metatranscriptomics, porewater geochemistry, and methane gas fluxes to inform microcosms targeting methane monooxygenase activity and its potential role in pharmaceutical biotransformation. In the field, sulfamethoxazole concentrations decreased within surficial biomat layers where genes encoding for the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) were transcribed by a novel methanotroph classified as Methylotetracoccus. Inhibition microcosms provided independent confirmation that methane oxidation was mediated by the pMMO. In these same incubations, sulfamethoxazole biotransformation was stimulated proportional to aerobic methane-oxidizing activity and exhibited negligible removal in the absence of methane, in the presence of methane and pMMO inhibitors, and under anoxia. Nitrate reduction was similarly enhanced under aerobic methane-oxidizing conditions with rates several times faster than for canonical denitrification. Collectively, our results provide convergent in situ and laboratory evidence that methane-oxidizing activity can enhance sulfamethoxazole biotransformation, with possible implications for the combined removal of nitrogen and trace organic contaminants in wetland sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A P Vega
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Rachel C Scholes
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Adam R Brady
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Rebecca A Daly
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Adrienne B Narrowe
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Gary F Vanzin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Kelly C Wrighton
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - David L Sedlak
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jonathan O Sharp
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt), Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
- Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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27
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Li B, Tao Y, Mao Z, Gu Q, Han Y, Hu B, Wang H, Lai A, Xing P, Wu QL. Iron oxides act as an alternative electron acceptor for aerobic methanotrophs in anoxic lake sediments. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 234:119833. [PMID: 36889095 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Conventional aerobic CH4-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) are frequently detected in anoxic environments, but their survival strategy and ecological contribution are still enigmatic. Here we explore the role of MOB in enrichment cultures under O2 gradients and an iron-rich lake sediment in situ by combining microbiological and geochemical techniques. We found that enriched MOB consortium used ferric oxides as alternative electron acceptors for oxidizing CH4 with the help of riboflavin when O2 was unavailable. Within the MOB consortium, MOB transformed CH4 to low molecular weight organic matter such as acetate for consortium bacteria as a carbon source, while the latter secrete riboflavin to facilitate extracellular electron transfer (EET). Iron reduction coupled to CH4 oxidation mediated by the MOB consortium was also demonstrated in situ, reducing 40.3% of the CH4 emission in the studied lake sediment. Our study indicates how MOBs survive under anoxia and expands the knowledge of this previously overlooked CH4 sink in iron-rich sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Ye Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Zhendu Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Qiujin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yixuan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Baolan Hu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Anxing Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Peng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Qinglong L Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China; Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
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Rafalska A, Walkiewicz A, Osborne B, Klumpp K, Bieganowski A. Variation in methane uptake by grassland soils in the context of climate change - A review of effects and mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162127. [PMID: 36764535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Grassland soils are climate-dependent ecosystems that have a significant greenhouse gas mitigating function through their ability to store large amounts of carbon (C). However, what is often not recognized is that they can also exhibit a high methane (CH4) uptake capacity that could be influenced by future increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and variations in temperature and water availability. While there is a wealth of information on C sequestration in grasslands there is less consensus on how climate change impacts on CH4 uptake or the underlying mechanisms involved. To address this, we assessed existing knowledge on the impact of climate change components on CH4 uptake by grassland soils. Increases in precipitation associated with soils with a high background soil moisture content generally resulted in a reduction in CH4 uptake or even net emissions, while the effect was opposite in soils with a relatively low background moisture content. Initially wet grasslands subject to the combined effects of warming and water deficits may absorb more CH4, mainly due to increased gas diffusivity. However, in the longer-term heat and drought stress may reduce the activity of methanotrophs when the mean soil moisture content is below the optimum for their survival. Enhanced plant productivity and growth under elevated CO2, increased soil moisture and changed nutrient concentrations, can differentially affect methanotrophic activity, which is often reduced by increasing N deposition. Our estimations showed that CH4 uptake in grassland soils can change from -57.7 % to +6.1 % by increased precipitation, from -37.3 % to +85.3 % by elevated temperatures, from +0.87 % to +92.4 % by decreased precipitation, and from -66.7 % to +27.3 % by elevated CO2. In conclusion, the analysis suggests that grasslands under the influence of warming and drought may absorb even more CH4, mainly because of reduced soil water contents and increased gas diffusivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna Rafalska
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Walkiewicz
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Bruce Osborne
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science and UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katja Klumpp
- INRAE, University of Clermont Auvergne, VetAgro Sup, UREP Unité de Recherche sur l'Ecosystème Prairial, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Andrzej Bieganowski
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
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Methylomonas rapida sp. nov., a novel species of fast-growing, carotenoid-producing obligate methanotrophs with high biotechnological potential. Syst Appl Microbiol 2023; 46:126398. [PMID: 36724672 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2023.126398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The genus Methylomonas accommodates strictly aerobic, obligate methanotrophs, with their sole carbon and energy sources restricted to methane and methanol. These bacteria inhabit oxic-anoxic interfaces of various freshwater habitats and have attracted considerable attention as potential producers of a single-cell protein. Here, we characterize two fast-growing representatives of this genus, strains 12 and MP1T, which are phylogenetically distinct from the currently described Methylomonas species (94.0-97.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Strains 12 and MP1T were isolated from freshwater sediments collected in Moscow and Krasnodar regions, respectively. Cells of these strains are Gram-negative, red-pigmented, highly motile thick rods that contain a type I intracytoplasmic membrane system and possess a particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) enzyme. These bacteria grow between 8 and 45 °C (optimum 35 °C) in a relatively narrow pH range of 5.5-7.3 (optimum pH 6.6-7.2). Major carotenoids synthesized by these methanotrophs are 4,4'-diaplycopene-4,4'-dioic acid, 1,1'-dihydroxy-3,4-didehydrolycopene and 4,4'-diaplycopenoic acid. High biomass yield, of up to 3.26 g CDW/l, is obtained during continuous cultivation of MP1T on natural gas in a bioreactor at a dilution rate of 0.22 h-1. The complete genome sequence of strain MP1T is 4.59 Mb in size; the DNA G + C content is 52.8 mol%. The genome encodes four rRNA operons, one pMMO operon and 4,216 proteins. The genome sequence displays 82-85 % average nucleotide identity to those of earlier described Methylomonas species. We propose to classify these bacteria as representing a novel species of the genus Methylomonas, M. rapida sp. nov., with the type strain MP1T (=KCTC 92586T = VKM B-3663T).
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Su G, Lehmann MF, Tischer J, Weber Y, Lepori F, Walser JC, Niemann H, Zopfi J. Water column dynamics control nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation by Candidatus "Methylomirabilis" in stratified lake basins. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:693-702. [PMID: 36806832 PMCID: PMC10119105 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01382-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
We investigated microbial methane oxidation in the water column of two connected but hydrodynamically contrasting basins of Lake Lugano, Switzerland. Both basins accumulate large amounts of methane in the water column below their chemoclines, but methane oxidation efficiently prevents methane from reaching surface waters. Here we show that in the meromictic North Basin water column, a substantial fraction of methane was eliminated through anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) coupled to nitrite reduction by Candidatus Methylomirabilis. Incubations with 14CH4 and concentrated biomass from this basin showed enhanced AOM rates with nitrate (+62%) and nitrite (+43%). In the more dynamic South Basin, however, aerobic methanotrophs prevailed, Ca. Methylomirabilis was absent in the anoxic water column, and no evidence was found for nitrite-dependent AOM. Here, the duration of seasonal stratification and anoxia seems to be too short, relative to the slow growth rate of Ca. Methylomirabilis, to allow for the establishment of anaerobic methanotrophs, in spite of favorable hydrochemical conditions. Using 16 S rRNA gene sequence data covering nearly ten years of community dynamics, we show that Ca. Methylomirabilis was a permanent element of the pelagic methane filter in the North Basin, which proliferated during periods of stable water column conditions and became the dominant methanotroph in the system. Conversely, more dynamic water column conditions led to a decline of Ca. Methylomirabilis and induced blooms of the faster-growing aerobic methanotrophs Methylobacter and Crenothrix. Our data highlight that physical (mixing) processes and ecosystem stability are key drivers controlling the community composition of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyi Su
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. .,State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
| | - Moritz F Lehmann
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jana Tischer
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yuki Weber
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Lepori
- Department for Environment, Constructions and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), Mendrisio, Switzerland
| | | | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Jakob Zopfi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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31
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Chen F, Niu Y, An Z, Wu L, Zhou J, Qi L, Yin G, Dong H, Li X, Gao D, Liu M, Zheng Y, Hou L. Effects of periodic drying-wetting on microbial dynamics and activity of nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizers in intertidal wetland sediments. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119436. [PMID: 36459897 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) plays an important role in methane (CH4) consumption in intertidal wetlands. However, little is known about the responses of n-DAMO in intertidal wetlands to periodic drying-wetting caused by tidal cycling. Here, comparative experiments (waterlogged, desiccated, reflooded) with the Yangtze estuarine intertidal sediments were performed to examine the effects of periodic tidal changes on n-DAMO microbial communities, abundances, and potential activities. Functional gene sequencing indicated the coexistence of n-DAMO bacteria and archaea in the tide-fluctuating environments and generally higher biodiversity under reflooded conditions than consecutive inundation or emersion. The n-DAMO microbial abundance and associated activity varied significantly during alternative exposure and inundation, with higher abundance and activity under the waterlogged than desiccated conditions. Reflooding of intertidal wetlands might intensify n-DAMO activities, indicating the resilience of n-DAMO microbial metabolisms to the wetting-drying events. Structural equation modeling and correlation analysis showed that n-DAMO activity was highly related to n-DAMO microbial abundance and substrate availability under inundation, whereas salt accumulation in sediment was the primary factor restraining n-DAMO activity under the desiccation. Overall, this study reveals tidal-induced shifts of n-DAMO activity and associated contribution to mitigating CH4, which may help accurately project CH4 emission from intertidal wetlands under different tidal scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yuhui Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zhirui An
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Li Wu
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Lin Qi
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Guoyu Yin
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Spatial-temporal Big Data Analysis and Application of Natural Resources in Megacities, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Hongpo Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xiaofei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Dengzhou Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Min Liu
- School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Spatial-temporal Big Data Analysis and Application of Natural Resources in Megacities, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yanling Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Key Laboratory of Spatial-temporal Big Data Analysis and Application of Natural Resources in Megacities, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Lijun Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Yangtze Delta Estuarine Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education & Shanghai, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
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32
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Xie T, Liu X, Xu Y, Bryson S, Zhao L, Huang K, Huang S, Li X, Yang Q, Dong H, Winkler MKH. Coupling methanotrophic denitrification to anammox in a moving bed biofilm reactor for nitrogen removal under hypoxic conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:158795. [PMID: 36115405 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Simultaneous removal of ammonium and nitrate was achieved in a methane-fed moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). In the reactor, methanotrophic microorganisms oxidized methane under hypoxic conditions likely to methanol, hence providing an electron donor to denitrifiers to reduce nitrate to nitrite that then allowed anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (Anammox) to remove excess ammonium as N2. The ammonium and nitrate removal rates reached 72.09 ± 5.81 mgNH4+-N/L/d and 62.61 ± 4.17 mgNO3--N/L/d when the MBBR was operated in continuous mode. Nitrate removal by the methane-fed mixed consortia was confirmed in a batch test revealing a CH4/NO3- molar removal ratio of 1.15. The functional populations were unveiled by FISH analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which showed that the biofilm was dominated by Anammox bacteria (Candidatus Kuenenia) and diverse taxa associated with the capacity for denitrification: aerobic methanotrophs (Methylobacter, Methylomonas, and unclassified Methylococcaceae), methylotrophic denitrifiers (Opitutaceae and Methylophilaceae), and other heterotrophic denitrifiers (Ignavibacteriaceae, Anaerolineaceae, Comamonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae and Thauera). Neither DAMO archaea nor DAMO bacteria were found in the sequencing analysis, indicating that more unknown community members possess the metabolic capacity of methanotrophic denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xie
- School of Materials and Environment, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Environmental-friendly Materials and New Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China; Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- School of Materials and Environment, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Environmental-friendly Materials and New Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
| | - Yiming Xu
- School of Materials and Environment, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Environmental-friendly Materials and New Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
| | - Samuel Bryson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98105, USA
| | - Lu Zhao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98105, USA
| | - Kai Huang
- School of Materials and Environment, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Environmental-friendly Materials and New Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
| | - Shiqi Huang
- School of Materials and Environment, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Environmental-friendly Materials and New Technology for Carbon Neutralization, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Huiyu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Lu JJ, Zhang H, Li W, Yi JB, Sun FY, Zhao YW, Feng L, Li Z, Dong WY. Biofilm stratification in counter-diffused membrane biofilm bioreactors (MBfRs) for aerobic methane oxidation coupled to aerobic/anoxic denitrification: Effect of oxygen pressure. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 226:119243. [PMID: 36270147 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic methane oxidation coupled with denitrification (AME-D) executed in membrane biofilm bioreactors (MBfRs) provides a high promise for simultaneously mitigating methane (CH4) emissions and removing nitrate in wastewater. However, systematically experimental investigation on how oxygen partial pressure affects the development and characteristics of counter-diffusional biofilm, as well as its spatial stratification profiles, and the cooperative interaction of the biofilm microbes, is still absent. In this study, we combined Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) to in-situ characterize the development of counter-diffusion biofilm in the MBfR for the first time. It was revealed that oxygen partial pressure onto the MBfR was capable of manipulating biofilm thickness and spatial stratification, and then managing the distribution of functional microbes. With the optimized oxygen partial pressure of 5.5 psig (25% oxygen content), the manipulated counter-diffusional biofilm in the AME-D process obtained the highest denitrification efficiency, due mainly to that this biofilm had the proper dynamic balance between the aerobic-layer and anoxic-layer where suitable O2 gradient and sufficient aerobic methanotrophs were achieved in aerobic-layer to favor methane oxidation, and complete O2 depletion and accessible organic sources were kept to avoid constraining denitrification activity in anoxic-layer. By using metagenome analysis and Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) staining, the spatial distribution of the functional microbes within counter-diffused biofilm was successfully evidenced, and Rhodocyclaceae, one typical aerobic denitrifier, was found to survive and gradually enriched in the aerobic layer and played a key role in denitrification aerobically. This in-situ biofilm visualization and characterization evidenced directly for the first time the cooperative path of denitrification for AME-D in the counter-diffused biofilm, which involved aerobic methanotrophs, heterotrophic aerobic denitrifiers, and heterotrophic anoxic denitrifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Jiang Lu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Weiyi Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jun-Bo Yi
- Instrumental Analysis Center of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen University (Xili Campus), Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Fei-Yun Sun
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Yi-Wei Zhao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liang Feng
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhuo Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wen-Yi Dong
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Water Resource Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Methylocystis sp. Strain SC2 Acclimatizes to Increasing NH 4+ Levels by a Precise Rebalancing of Enzymes and Osmolyte Composition. mSystems 2022; 7:e0040322. [PMID: 36154142 PMCID: PMC9600857 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00403-22] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A high NH4+ load is known to inhibit bacterial methane oxidation. This is due to a competition between CH4 and NH3 for the active site of particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO), which converts CH4 to CH3OH. Here, we combined global proteomics with amino acid profiling and nitrogen oxides measurements to elucidate the cellular acclimatization response of Methylocystis sp. strain SC2 to high NH4+ levels. Relative to 1 mM NH4+, a high (50 mM and 75 mM) NH4+ load under CH4-replete conditions significantly increased the lag phase duration required for proteome adjustment. The number of differentially regulated proteins was highly significantly correlated with an increasing NH4+ load. The cellular responses to increasing ionic and osmotic stress involved a significant upregulation of stress-responsive proteins, the K+ "salt-in" strategy, the synthesis of compatible solutes (glutamate and proline), and the induction of the glutathione metabolism pathway. A significant increase in the apparent Km value for CH4 oxidation during the growth phase was indicative of increased pMMO-based oxidation of NH3 to toxic hydroxylamine. The detoxifying activity of hydroxlyamine oxidoreductase (HAO) led to a significant accumulation of NO2- and, upon decreasing O2 tension, N2O. Nitric oxide reductase and hybrid cluster proteins (Hcps) were the candidate enzymes for the production of N2O. In summary, strain SC2 has the capacity to precisely rebalance enzymes and osmolyte composition in response to increasing NH4+ exposure, but the need to simultaneously combat both ionic-osmotic stress and the toxic effects of hydroxylamine may be the reason why its acclimatization capacity is limited to 75 mM NH4+. IMPORTANCE In addition to reducing CH4 emissions from wetlands and landfills, the activity of alphaproteobacterial methane oxidizers of the genus Methylocystis contributes to the sink capacity of forest and grassland soils for atmospheric methane. The methane-oxidizing activity of Methylocystis spp. is, however, sensitive to high NH4+ concentrations. This is due to the competition of CH4 and NH3 for the active site of particulate methane monooxygenase, thereby resulting in the production of toxic hydroxylamine with an increasing NH4+ load. An understanding of the physiological and molecular response mechanisms of Methylocystis spp. is therefore of great importance. Here, we combined global proteomics with amino acid profiling and NOx measurements to disentangle the cellular mechanisms underlying the acclimatization of Methylocystis sp. strain SC2 to an increasing NH4+ load.
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Yu L, He D, Yang L, Rensing C, Zeng RJ, Zhou S. Anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to ferrihydrite reduction by Methanosarcina barkeri. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 844:157235. [PMID: 35817105 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fe(III) has been recognized as a potential electron sink for the anaerobic oxidation of methane (Fe-AOM) in diverse environments. However, most of previous Fe-AOM processes are limited to ANME archaea and the Fe-AOM mechanism remains unclear. Here we investigate, for the first time, the Fe-AOM performance and mechanisms by a single methanogen Methanosarcina barkeri. The results showed that M. barkeri was capable of oxidizing methane to CO2 and reducing ferrihydrite to siderite simultaneously. The presence of methane enhanced both the abundances of redox-active species (such as cytochromes) and electrochemical activity of M. barkeri. The proteomic analyses revealed that M. barkeri up-regulated the expressions of a number of methanogenic enzymes during Fe-AOM, and significantly enriched metabolic pathways of amino acid synthesis and nitrogen fixation. Metabolic inhibition experiments indicated that membrane-bound redox-active components (cytochromes, methanophenazine and F420H2:quinone oxidoreductase) were probably involved in extracellular electron transfer (EET) from cells to ferrihydrite. Overall, these results provide a deep insight into the single‑carbon metabolism and survival strategy for methanogens and suggest that methanogens may play an important role in linking methane and iron cycling in the substrate-limited environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linpeng Yu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dan He
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Raymond J Zeng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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36
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Contreras JA, Valenzuela EI, Quijano G. Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (N-AOM) as a technology platform for greenhouse gas abatement in wastewater treatment plants: State-of-the-art and challenges. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115671. [PMID: 35816965 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (N-AOM) is a metabolic process recently discovered and partially characterized in terms of the microorganisms and pathways involved. The N-AOM process can be a powerful tool for mitigating the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants by coupling the reduction of nitrate or nitrite with the oxidation of residual dissolved methane. Besides specific anaerobic methanotrophs such as bacteria members of the phylum NC10 and archaea belonging to the lineage ANME-2d, recent reports suggested that other methane-oxidizing bacteria in syntrophy with denitrifiers can also perform the N-AOM process, which facilitates the application of this metabolic process for the oxidation of residual methane under realistic scenarios. This work constitutes a state-of-art review that includes the fundamentals of the N-AOM process, new information on process microbiology, bioreactor configurations, and operating conditions for process implementation in WWTP. Potential advantages of the N-AOM process over aerobic methanotrophic biotechnologies are presented, including the potential interrelation of the N-AOM with other nitrogen removal processes within the WWTP, such as the anaerobic ammonium oxidation. This work also addressed the challenges of this biotechnology towards its application at full scale, identifying and discussing critical research niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Contreras
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Edgardo I Valenzuela
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Quijano
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico.
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Khanongnuch R, Mangayil R, Svenning MM, Rissanen AJ. Characterization and genome analysis of a psychrophilic methanotroph representing a ubiquitous Methylobacter spp. cluster in boreal lake ecosystems. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:85. [PMID: 37938755 PMCID: PMC9723741 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00172-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Lakes and ponds are considered as a major natural source of CH4 emissions, particularly during the ice-free period in boreal ecosystems. Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB), which utilize CH4 using oxygen as an electron acceptor, are one of the dominant microorganisms in the CH4-rich water columns. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) have revealed the genetic potential of MOB from boreal aquatic ecosystems for various microaerobic/anaerobic metabolic functions. However, experimental proof of these functions, i.e., organic acid production via fermentation, by lake MOB is lacking. In addition, psychrophilic (i.e., cold-loving) MOB and their CH4-oxidizing process have rarely been investigated. In this study, we isolated, provided a taxonomic description, and analyzed the genome of Methylobacter sp. S3L5C, a psychrophilic MOB, from a boreal lake in Finland. Based on phylogenomic comparisons to MAGs, Methylobacter sp. S3L5C represented a ubiquitous cluster of Methylobacter spp. in boreal aquatic ecosystems. At optimal temperatures (3-12 °C) and pH (6.8-8.3), the specific growth rates (µ) and CH4 utilization rate were in the range of 0.018-0.022 h-1 and 0.66-1.52 mmol l-1 d-1, respectively. In batch cultivation, the isolate could produce organic acids, and the concentrations were elevated after replenishing CH4 and air into the headspace. Up to 4.1 mM acetate, 0.02 mM malate, and 0.07 mM propionate were observed at the end of the test under optimal operational conditions. The results herein highlight the key role of Methylobacter spp. in regulating CH4 emissions and their potential to provide CH4-derived organic carbon compounds to surrounding heterotrophic microorganisms in cold ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramita Khanongnuch
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Rahul Mangayil
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mette Marianne Svenning
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Antti Juhani Rissanen
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, 33014, Tampere, Finland.
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
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38
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Shi LD, Zhou YJ, Tang XJ, Kappler A, Chistoserdova L, Zhu LZ, Zhao HP. Coupled Aerobic Methane Oxidation and Arsenate Reduction Contributes to Soil-Arsenic Mobilization in Agricultural Fields. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11845-11856. [PMID: 35920083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microbial oxidation of organic compounds can promote arsenic release by reducing soil-associated arsenate to the more mobile form arsenite. While anaerobic oxidation of methane has been demonstrated to reduce arsenate, it remains elusive whether and to what extent aerobic methane oxidation (aeMO) can contribute to reductive arsenic mobilization. To fill this knowledge gap, we performed incubations of both microbial laboratory cultures and soil samples from arsenic-contaminated agricultural fields in China. Incubations with laboratory cultures showed that aeMO could couple to arsenate reduction, wherein the former bioprocess was carried out by aerobic methanotrophs and the latter by a non-methanotrophic bacterium belonging to a novel and uncultivated representative of Burkholderiaceae. Metagenomic analyses combined with metabolite measurements suggested that formate served as the interspecies electron carrier linking aeMO to arsenate reduction. Such coupled bioprocesses also take place in the real world, supported by a similar stoichiometry and gene activity in the incubations with natural paddy soils, and contribute up to 76.2% of soil-arsenic mobilization into pore waters in the top layer of the soils where oxygen was present. Overall, this study reveals a previously overlooked yet significant contribution of aeMO to reductive arsenic mobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Dong Shi
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yu-Jie Zhou
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xian-Jin Tang
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72074, Germany
| | - Ludmila Chistoserdova
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-0005, United States
| | - Li-Zhong Zhu
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Cheng C, He Q, Zhang J, Chen B, Pavlostathis SG. Is the role of aerobic methanotrophs underestimated in methane oxidation under hypoxic conditions? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155244. [PMID: 35427622 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial methane oxidation is the major biological methane (CH4) sink in the carbon cycle. Methanotrophs can use various electron acceptors in addition to oxygen; understanding the role and contribution of methanotrophs is thus an important topic. However, anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) mediated by methanotrophs is poorly explored and understood. This article summarizes the role aerobic methanotrophic bacteria play in AOM. Though AOM was originally considered to be mediated by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, intra-aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera) appear to be involved in nitrite-dependent AOM. In addition, aerobic methanotrophs of the Methylomonadaceae and Methylocystaceae, are more versatile than previously assumed and can also be involved in nitrate/nitrite- or mineral oxide-dependent AOM under oxygen-limitation. Furthermore, the simultaneous reduction of nitrous oxide and oxidation of CH4 may be another new metabolic trait of aerobic methanotrophs. We discuss the potential metabolic pathways of CH4 oxidation under hypoxic conditions. It is of great ecological importance not only for the quantification of CH4 oxidation and emissions, but also for the definition of a new function of aerobic methanotrophs in anaerobic/hypoxic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Cheng
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, PR China.
| | - Qiang He
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, PR China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, PR China
| | - Bowen Chen
- College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, PR China
| | - Spyros G Pavlostathis
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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40
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Steinsdóttir HGR, Schauberger C, Mhatre S, Thamdrup B, Bristow LA. Aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation in a seasonally anoxic basin. LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY 2022; 67:1257-1273. [PMID: 36248250 PMCID: PMC9540798 DOI: 10.1002/lno.12074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Shallow coastal waters are dynamic environments that dominate global marine methane emissions. Particularly high methane concentrations are found in seasonally anoxic waters, which are spreading in eutrophic coastal systems, potentially leading to increased methane emissions to the atmosphere. Here we explore how the seasonal development of anoxia influenced methane concentrations, rates of methane oxidation, and the community composition of methanotrophs in the shallow eutrophic water column of Mariager Fjord, Denmark. Our results show the development of steep concentration gradients toward the oxic-anoxic interface as methane accumulated to 1.4 μM in anoxic bottom waters. Yet, the fjord possessed an efficient microbial methane filter near the oxic-anoxic interface that responded to the increasing methane flux. In experimental incubations, methane oxidation near the oxic-anoxic interface proceeded both aerobically and anaerobically with nearly equal efficiency reaching turnover rates as high as 0.6 and 0.8 d-1, respectively, and was seemingly mediated by members of the Methylococcales belonging to the Deep Sea-1 clade. Throughout the period, both aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation rates were high enough to consume the estimated methane flux. Thus, our results indicate that seasonal anoxia did not increase methane emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Snehit Mhatre
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Bo Thamdrup
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Laura A. Bristow
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
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41
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Dang C, Wu Z, Zhang M, Li X, Sun Y, Wu R, Zheng Y, Xia Y. Microorganisms as bio-filters to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from high-altitude permafrost revealed by nanopore-based metagenomics. IMETA 2022; 1:e24. [PMID: 38868568 PMCID: PMC10989947 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The distinct climatic and geographical conditions make high-altitude permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau suffer more severe degradation than polar permafrost. However, the microbial responses associated with greenhouse gas production in thawing permafrost remain obscured. Here we applied nanopore-based long-read metagenomics and high-throughput RNA-seq to explore microbial functional activities within the freeze-thaw cycle in the active layers of permafrost at the Qilian Mountain. A bioinformatic framework was established to facilitate phylogenetic and functional annotation of the unassembled nanopore metagenome. By deploying this strategy, 42% more genera could be detected and 58% more genes were annotated to nitrogen and methane cycle. With the aid of such enlarged resolution, we observed vigorous aerobic methane oxidation by Methylomonas, which could serve as a bio-filter to mitigate CH4 emissions from permafrost. Such filtering effect could be further consolidated by both on-site gas phase measurement and incubation experiment that CO2 was the major form of carbon released from permafrost. Despite the increased transcriptional activities of aceticlastic methanogenesis pathways in the thawed permafrost active layer, CH4 generated during the thawing process could be effectively consumed by the microbiome. Additionally, the nitrogen metabolism in permafrost tends to be a closed cycle and active N2O consumption by the topsoil community was detected in the near-surface gas phase. Our findings reveal that although the increased thawed state facilitated the heterotrophic nitrogen and methane metabolism, effective microbial methane oxidation in the active layer could serve as a bio-filter to relieve the overall warming potentials of greenhouse gas emitted from thawed permafrost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyuan Dang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
- Laboratory of High‐Resolution Mass Spectrometry Technologies, Dalian Institute of Chemical PhysicsChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)DalianChina
| | - Ziqi Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Miao Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo‐Omics, Department of Ocean Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Yuqin Sun
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo‐Omics, Department of Ocean Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water‐Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Ren'an Wu
- Laboratory of High‐Resolution Mass Spectrometry Technologies, Dalian Institute of Chemical PhysicsChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)DalianChina
| | - Yan Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo‐Omics, Department of Ocean Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water‐Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Yu Xia
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo‐Omics, Department of Ocean Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
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42
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Su G, Zopfi J, Niemann H, Lehmann MF. Multiple Groups of Methanotrophic Bacteria Mediate Methane Oxidation in Anoxic Lake Sediments. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864630. [PMID: 35615497 PMCID: PMC9125203 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Freshwater lakes represent an important source of the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. Methane emissions are regulated to large parts by aerobic (MOx) and anaerobic (AOM) oxidation of methane, which are important CH4 sinks in lakes. In contrast to marine benthic environments, our knowledge about the modes of AOM and the related methanotrophic microorganisms in anoxic lake sediments is still rudimentary. Here, we demonstrate the occurrence of AOM in the anoxic sediments of Lake Sempach (Switzerland), with maximum in situ AOM rates observed within the surface sediment layers in presence of multiple groups of methanotrophic bacteria and various oxidants known to support AOM. However, substrate-amended incubations (with NO2 -, NO3 -, SO4 2-, Fe-, and Mn-oxides) revealed that none of the electron acceptors previously reported to support AOM enhanced methane turnover in Lake Sempach sediments under anoxic conditions. In contrast, the addition of oxygen to the anoxic sediments resulted in an approximately 10-fold increase in methane oxidation relative to the anoxic incubations. Phylogenetic and isotopic evidence indicate that both Type I and Type II aerobic methanotrophs were growing on methane under both oxic and anoxic conditions, although methane assimilation rates were an order of magnitude higher under oxic conditions. While the anaerobic electron acceptor responsible for AOM could not be identified, these findings expand our understanding of the metabolic versatility of canonically aerobic methanotrophs under anoxic conditions, with important implications for future investigations to identify methane oxidation processes. Bacterial AOM by facultative aerobic methane oxidizers might be of much larger environmental significance in reducing methane emissions than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyi Su
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Zopfi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Institute for Sea Research, Texel, Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Moritz F. Lehmann
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Steinsdóttir HGR, Gómez Ramírez E, Mhatre S, Schauberger C, Bertagnolli AD, Pratte ZA, Stewart FJ, Thamdrup B, Bristow LA. Anaerobic methane oxidation in a coastal oxygen minimum zone: spatial and temporal dynamics. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2361-2379. [PMID: 35415879 PMCID: PMC9323439 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Coastal waters are a major source of marine methane to the atmosphere. Particularly high concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas are found in anoxic waters, but it remains unclear if and to what extent anaerobic methanotrophs mitigate the methane flux. Here we investigate the long-term dynamics in methanotrophic activity and the methanotroph community in the coastal oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, combining biogeochemical analyses, experimental incubations, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing over three consecutive years. Our results demonstrate a stable redox zonation across the years with high concentrations of methane (up to 1.7 μmol L-1 ) in anoxic bottom waters. However, we also measured high activities of anaerobic methane oxidation in the OMZ core (rate constant, k, averaging 30 yr-1 in 2018 and 8 yr-1 in 2019-2020). The OPU3 and Deep Sea-1 clades of the Methylococcales were implicated as conveyors of the activity, peaking in relative abundance 5-25 m below the oxic-anoxic interface and in the deep anoxic water, respectively. Although their genetic capacity for anaerobic methane oxidation remains unexplored, their sustained high relative abundance indicates an adaptation of these clades to the anoxic, methane-rich OMZ environment, allowing them to play major roles in mitigating methane fluxes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eddy Gómez Ramírez
- CIMAR, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
| | - Snehit Mhatre
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Anthony D Bertagnolli
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Zoe A Pratte
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Frank J Stewart
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.,School of Biological Sciences, Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Bo Thamdrup
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Laura A Bristow
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Cerbin S, Pérez G, Rybak M, Wejnerowski Ł, Konowalczyk A, Helmsing N, Naus-Wiezer S, Meima-Franke M, Pytlak Ł, Raaijmakers C, Nowak W, Bodelier PLE. Methane-Derived Carbon as a Driver for Cyanobacterial Growth. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:837198. [PMID: 35432228 PMCID: PMC9010870 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.837198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas produced in freshwater ecosystems, can be used by methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and can therefore subsidize the pelagic food web with energy and carbon. Consortia of MOB and photoautotrophs have been described in aquatic ecosystems and MOB can benefit from photoautotrophs which produce oxygen, thereby enhancing CH4 oxidation. Methane oxidation can account for accumulation of inorganic carbon (i.e., CO2) and the release of exometabolites that may both be important factors influencing the structure of phytoplankton communities. The consortium of MOB and phototroph has been mainly studied for methane-removing biotechnologies, but there is still little information on the role of these interactions in freshwater ecosystems especially in the context of cyanobacterial growth and bloom development. We hypothesized that MOB could be an alternative C source to support cyanobacterial growth in freshwater systems. We detected low δ13C values in cyanobacterial blooms (the lowest detected value −59.97‰ for Planktothrix rubescens) what could be the result of the use of methane-derived carbon by cyanobacteria and/or MOB attached to their cells. We further proved the presence of metabolically active MOB on cyanobacterial filaments using the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) based activity assay. The PCR results also proved the presence of the pmoA gene in several non-axenic cultures of cyanobacteria. Finally, experiments comprising the co-culture of the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon gracile with the methanotroph Methylosinus sporium proved that cyanobacterial growth was significantly improved in the presence of MOB, presumably through utilizing CO2 released by MOB. On the other hand, 13C-CH4 labeled incubations showed the uptake and assimilation of MOB-derived metabolites by the cyanobacterium. We also observed a higher growth of MOB in the presence of cyanobacteria under a higher irradiance regime, then when grown alone, underpinning the bidirectional influence with as of yet unknown environmental consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slawek Cerbin
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- *Correspondence: Slawek Cerbin,
| | - Germán Pérez
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Michał Rybak
- Department of Water Protection, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Łukasz Wejnerowski
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Adam Konowalczyk
- Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Nico Helmsing
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Naus-Wiezer
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Marion Meima-Franke
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Łukasz Pytlak
- Montanuniversität Leoben, Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Leoben, Austria
| | - Ciska Raaijmakers
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Witold Nowak
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Paul L. E. Bodelier
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
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Santos VHJMD, Engelmann PDM, Marconatto L, Borge LGDA, Palhano PDL, Augustin AH, Rodrigues LF, Ketzer JMM, Giongo A. Exploratory analysis of the microbial community profile of the municipal solid waste leachate treatment system: A case study. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 141:125-135. [PMID: 35114563 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Studies on the degradation dynamics of landfill leachate indicate that the microbial community profile is a valuable and sensitive tool for landfill monitoring programs. Although knowledge about the microbial community can improve the efficiency of leachate treatment systems, little is known about the microbial profile changes that occur throughout the leachate attenuation process. In the present work, an exploratory analysis of the microbial community profile of the MSW leachate treatment system in the municipality of Osório (Brazil) was conducted. In this way, a comprehensive analysis of chemical parameters, isotopic signature and microbial profile data were applied to monitor the changes in the structure of the microbial community throughout the leachate attenuation process and to describe the relationship between the microbial community structure and the attenuation of chemical and isotopic parameters. From data analysis, it was possible to assess the microbial community structure and relate it to the attenuation of chemical and isotopic parameters. Based on massive parallel 16S rRNA gene sequencing, it was possible to observe that each leachate treatment unit has a specific microbial consortium, reflecting the adaptation of different microorganisms to changes in leachate characteristics throughout treatment. From our results, we concluded that the structure of the microbial community is sensitive to the leachate composition and can be applied to study the municipal solid waste management system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Hugo Jacks Mendes Dos Santos
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Materials Engineering and Technology Graduate Program, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, Building 32, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Pâmela de Medeiros Engelmann
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Materials Engineering and Technology Graduate Program, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, Building 32, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Letícia Marconatto
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gustavo Dos Anjos Borge
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Pâmela de Lara Palhano
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Adolpho Herbert Augustin
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiz Frederico Rodrigues
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - João Marcelo Medina Ketzer
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil; Linnaeus University, Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Adriana Giongo
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Institute of Petroleum and Natural Resources, 6681 Ipiranga Avenue, TECNOPUC, Building 96J, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, Brazil; Regional University of Blumenau, Environmental Engineering Graduate Program, Blumenau, Brazil.
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Stimulated Organic Carbon Cycling and Microbial Community Shift Driven by a Simulated Cold-Seep Eruption. mBio 2022; 13:e0008722. [PMID: 35229641 PMCID: PMC8941925 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00087-22] [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] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold seeps are a major methane source in marine systems, and microbe-mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) serves as an effective barrier for preventing methane emissions from sediment to water. However, how the periodic eruption of cold seeps drives the microbial community shift and further affects carbon cycling has been largely neglected, mainly due to the technical challenge of analyzing the in situ communities undergoing such geological events. Using a continuously running high-pressure bioreactor to simulate these events, we found that under the condition of simulated eruptions, the abundance of AOM-related species decreased, and some methane was oxidized to methyl compounds to feed heterotrophs. The methanogenic archaeon Methanolobus replaced ANME-2a as the dominant archaeal group; moreover, the levels of methylotrophic bacteria, such as Pseudomonas, Halomonas, and Methylobacter, quickly increased, while those of sulfate-reducing bacteria decreased. According to the genomic analysis, Methylobacter played an important role in incomplete methane oxidation during eruptions; this process was catalyzed by the genes pmoABC under anaerobic conditions when the methane pressure was high, possibly generating organic carbon. Additionally, the findings showed that methyl compounds can also be released to the environment during methanogenesis and AOM under eruption conditions when the methane pressure is high.
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Metabolic flexibility of aerobic methanotrophs under anoxic conditions in Arctic lake sediments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:78-90. [PMID: 34244610 PMCID: PMC8692461 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01049-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) emissions from Arctic lakes are a large and growing source of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere with critical implications for global climate. Because Arctic lakes are ice covered for much of the year, understanding the metabolic flexibility of methanotrophs under anoxic conditions would aid in characterizing the mechanisms responsible for limiting CH4 emissions from high-latitude regions. Using sediments from an active CH4 seep in Lake Qalluuraq, Alaska, we conducted DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) in anoxic mesocosms and found that aerobic Gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs dominated in assimilating CH4. Aerobic methanotrophs were also detected down to 70 cm deep in sediments at the seep site, where anoxic conditions persist. Metagenomic analyses of the heavy DNA from 13CH4-SIP incubations showed that these aerobic methanotrophs had the capacity to generate intermediates such as methanol, formaldehyde, and formate from CH4 oxidation and to oxidize formaldehyde in the tetrahydromethanopterin (H4MPT)-dependent pathway under anoxic conditions. The high levels of Fe present in sediments, combined with Fe and CH4 profiles in the persistent CH4 seep site, suggested that oxidation of CH4, or, more specifically, its intermediates such as methanol and formaldehyde might be coupled to iron reduction. Aerobic methanotrophs also possessed genes associated with nitrogen and hydrogen metabolism, which might provide potentially alternative energy conservation options under anoxic conditions. These results expand the known metabolic spectrum of aerobic methanotrophs under anoxic conditions and necessitate the re-assessment of the mechanisms underlying CH4 oxidation in the Arctic, especially under lakes that experience extended O2 limitations during ice cover.
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Torres-Beltrán M, Vargas-Gastélum L, Magdaleno-Moncayo D, Riquelme M, Herguera-García JC, Prieto-Davó A, Lago-Lestón A. The metabolic core of the prokaryotic community from deep-sea sediments of the southern Gulf of Mexico shows different functional signatures between the continental slope and abyssal plain. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12474. [PMID: 34993013 PMCID: PMC8679910 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12474] [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: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine sediments harbor an outstanding level of microbial diversity supporting diverse metabolic activities. Sediments in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) are subjected to anthropic stressors including oil pollution with potential effects on microbial community structure and function that impact biogeochemical cycling. We used metagenomic analyses to provide significant insight into the potential metabolic capacity of the microbial community in Southern GoM deep sediments. We identified genes for hydrocarbon, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism mostly affiliated with Alpha and Betaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes, in relation to the use of alternative carbon and energy sources to thrive under limiting growth conditions, and metabolic strategies to cope with environmental stressors. In addition, results show amino acids metabolism could be associated with sulfur metabolism carried out by Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes, and may play a crucial role as a central carbon source to favor bacterial growth. We identified the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and aspartate, glutamate, glyoxylate and leucine degradation pathways, as part of the core carbon metabolism across samples. Further, microbial communities from the continental slope and abyssal plain show differential metabolic capacities to cope with environmental stressors such as oxidative stress and carbon limiting growth conditions, respectively. This research combined taxonomic and functional information of the microbial community from Southern GoM sediments to provide fundamental knowledge that links the prokaryotic structure to its potential function and which can be used as a baseline for future studies to model microbial community responses to environmental perturbations, as well as to develop more accurate mitigation and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Torres-Beltrán
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Lluvia Vargas-Gastélum
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Dante Magdaleno-Moncayo
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Meritxell Riquelme
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos Herguera-García
- Departamento de Ecología Marina, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Prieto-Davó
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Asunción Lago-Lestón
- Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
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49
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Shi LD, Lv PL, McIlroy SJ, Wang Z, Dong XL, Kouris A, Lai CY, Tyson GW, Strous M, Zhao HP. Methane-dependent selenate reduction by a bacterial consortium. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3683-3692. [PMID: 34183781 PMCID: PMC8630058 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01044-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Methanotrophic microorganisms play a critical role in controlling the flux of methane from natural sediments into the atmosphere. Methanotrophs have been shown to couple the oxidation of methane to the reduction of diverse electron acceptors (e.g., oxygen, sulfate, nitrate, and metal oxides), either independently or in consortia with other microbial partners. Although several studies have reported the phenomenon of methane oxidation linked to selenate reduction, neither the microorganisms involved nor the underlying trophic interaction has been clearly identified. Here, we provide the first detailed evidence for interspecies electron transfer between bacterial populations in a bioreactor community where the reduction of selenate is linked to methane oxidation. Metagenomic and metaproteomic analyses of the community revealed a novel species of Methylocystis as the most abundant methanotroph, which actively expressed proteins for oxygen-dependent methane oxidation and fermentation pathways, but lacked the genetic potential for selenate reduction. Pseudoxanthomonas, Piscinibacter, and Rhodocyclaceae populations appeared to be responsible for the observed selenate reduction using proteins initially annotated as periplasmic nitrate reductases, with fermentation by-products released by the methanotrophs as electron donors. The ability for the annotated nitrate reductases to reduce selenate was confirmed by gene knockout studies in an isolate of Pseudoxanthomonas. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the metabolic flexibility of the aerobic methanotrophs that likely allows them to thrive across natural oxygen gradients, and highlights the potential role for similar microbial consortia in linking methane and other biogeochemical cycles in environments where oxygen is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Dong Shi
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XMOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pan-Long Lv
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XMOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Simon J. McIlroy
- grid.489335.00000000406180938Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Zhen Wang
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XMOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Li Dong
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Angela Kouris
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XMOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Gene W. Tyson
- grid.489335.00000000406180938Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD Australia
| | - Marc Strous
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XMOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Genomic Insights into Denitrifying Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria Gemmobacter fulva sp. Nov., Isolated from an Anabaena Culture. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122423. [PMID: 34946025 PMCID: PMC8709402 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Gemmobacter grows phototrophically, aerobically, or anaerobically, and utilizes methylated amine. Here, we present two high-quality complete genomes of the strains con4 and con5T isolated from a culture of Anabaena. The strains possess sMMO (soluble methane monooxygenase)-oxidizing alkanes to carbon dioxide. Functional genes for methane-oxidation (prmAC, mimBD, adh, gfa, fdh) were identified. The genome of strain con5T contains nirB, nirK, nirQ, norB, norC, and norG genes involved in dissimilatory nitrate reduction. The presence of nitrite reductase gene (nirK) and the nitric-oxide reductase gene (norB) indicates that it could potentially use nitrite as an electron acceptor in anoxic environments. Taxonomic investigations were also performed on two strains through polyphasic methods, proposing two isolates as a novel species of the genus Gemmobacter. The findings obtained through the whole genome analyses provide genome-based evidence of complete oxidation of methane to carbon dioxide. This study provides a genetic blueprint of Gemmobacter fulva con5T and its biochemical characteristics, which help us to understand the evolutionary biology of the genus Gemmobacter.
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