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Pradel N, Bartoli M, Koenen M, Bale N, Neumann-Schaal M, Spröer C, Bunk B, Rohde M, Pester M, Spring S. Description and genome analysis of a novel archaeon isolated from a syntrophic pyrite-forming enrichment culture and reclassification of Methanospirillum hungatei strains GP1 and SK as Methanospirillum purgamenti sp. nov. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308405. [PMID: 39186748 PMCID: PMC11346949 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308405] [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: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The archaeal isolate J.3.6.1-F.2.7.3T was obtained from an anaerobic enrichment culture, where it may play an important role in methane production during pyrite formation. The new isolate formed a species-level clade with Methanospirillum hungatei strains GP1 and SK, which is separate from the type strain JF-1T. Cultivation-independent surveys indicate the occurrence of this phylogenetic group in sediments and anaerobic digesters. The abundance of this clade appears to be negatively affected by high nitrogen loads, indicating a sensitivity to certain nitrogen compounds that is not known in M. hungatei JF-1T. The relatively large core genome of this Methanospirillum clade is indicative of niche specialization and efficient control of horizontal gene transfer. Genes for nitrogenase and F420-dependent secondary alcohol dehydrogenase contribute to the metabolic versatility of this lineage. Characteristics of the new isolate such as the ability to utilize 2-propanol as an electron donor or the requirement for acetate as a carbon source are found also in the strains GP1 and SK, but not in the type strain M. hungatei JF-1T. Based on the genomic differences to related species, a new species within the genus Methanospirillum is proposed with the name M. purgamenti sp. nov. The determined phenotypic characteristics support this proposal and indicate a metabolic adaptation to a separate ecological niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Pradel
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO, UM 110, Aix-Marseille Université, Université du Sud Toulon-Var, Marseille, France
| | - Manon Bartoli
- CNRS/INSU, IRD, MIO, UM 110, Aix-Marseille Université, Université du Sud Toulon-Var, Marseille, France
| | - Michel Koenen
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, Netherlands
| | - Nicole Bale
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, Netherlands
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Research Group Metabolomics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Department Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ–German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Boyke Bunk
- Department Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ–German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microscopy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, HZI, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Pester
- Department Microorganisms, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Spring
- Department Microorganisms, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
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Kaur H, Mir RA, Hussain SJ, Prasad B, Kumar P, Aloo BN, Sharma CM, Dubey RC. Prospects of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms in sustainable agriculture. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:291. [PMID: 39105959 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-04086-9] [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: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P), an essential macronutrient for various plant processes, is generally a limiting soil component for crop growth and yields. Organic and inorganic types of P are copious in soils, but their phyto-availability is limited as it is present largely in insoluble forms. Although phosphate fertilizers are applied in P-deficit soils, their undue use negatively impacts soil quality and the environment. Moreover, many P fertilizers are lost because of adsorption and fixation mechanisms, further reducing fertilizer efficiencies. The application of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) is an environmentally friendly, low-budget, and biologically efficient method for sustainable agriculture without causing environmental hazards. These beneficial microorganisms are widely distributed in the rhizosphere and can hydrolyze inorganic and organic insoluble P substances to soluble P forms which are directly assimilated by plants. The present review summarizes and discusses our existing understanding related to various forms and sources of P in soils, the importance and P utilization by plants and microbes,, the diversification of PSMs along with mixed consortia of diverse PSMs including endophytic PSMs, the mechanism of P solubilization, and lastly constraints being faced in terms of production and adoption of PSMs on large scale have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmanjit Kaur
- Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, 211002, India
| | - Rakeeb Ahmad Mir
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kashmir, 191201, India
| | - Sofi Javed Hussain
- Department of Botany, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kashmir, 191201, India
| | - Bhairav Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh Group of Colleges, SAS Nagar, Landran, Punjab, 140307, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 246174, India.
| | - Becky N Aloo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, P. O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Chandra Mohan Sharma
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, H.N.B. Garhwal University (A Central University), Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 246174, India
| | - Ramesh Chandra Dubey
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, 249404, India
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Guan J, Jakob U. The Protein Scaffolding Functions of Polyphosphate. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168504. [PMID: 38423453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168504] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), one of the first high-energy compound on earth, defies its extreme compositional and structural simplicity with an astoundingly wide array of biological activities across all domains of life. However, the underlying mechanism of such functional pleiotropy remains largely elusive. In this review, we will summarize recent studies demonstrating that this simple polyanion stabilizes protein folding intermediates and scaffolds select native proteins. These functions allow polyP to act as molecular chaperone that protects cells against protein aggregation, as pro-amyloidogenic factor that accelerates both physiological and disease-associated amyloid formation, and as a modulator of liquid-liquid phase separation processes. These activities help to explain polyP's known roles in bacterial stress responses and pathogenicity, provide the mechanistic foundation for its potential role in human neurodegenerative diseases, and open a new direction regarding its influence on gene expression through condensate formation. We will highlight critical unanswered questions and point out potential directions that will help to further understand the pleiotropic functions of this ancient and ubiquitous biopolymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Guan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ursula Jakob
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Biological Chemistry Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Zhou Y, Yan A, Yang J, He W, Guo S, Li Y, Wu J, Dai Y, Pan X, Cui D, Pereira O, Teng W, Bi R, Chen S, Fan L, Wang P, Liao Y, Qin W, Sui SF, Zhu Y, Zhang C, Liu Z. Ultrastructural insights into cellular organization, energy storage and ribosomal dynamics of an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon from oligotrophic oceans. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1367658. [PMID: 38737410 PMCID: PMC11082331 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1367658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Nitrososphaeria, formerly known as Thaumarchaeota, constitute a diverse and widespread group of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) inhabiting ubiquitously in marine and terrestrial environments, playing a pivotal role in global nitrogen cycling. Despite their importance in Earth's ecosystems, the cellular organization of AOA remains largely unexplored, leading to a significant unanswered question of how the machinery of these organisms underpins metabolic functions. Methods In this study, we combined spherical-chromatic-aberration-corrected cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to unveil the cellular organization and elemental composition of Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1, a representative member of marine Nitrososphaeria. Results and Discussion Our tomograms show the native ultrastructural morphology of SCM1 and one to several dense storage granules in the cytoplasm. STEM-EDS analysis identifies two types of storage granules: one type is possibly composed of polyphosphate and the other polyhydroxyalkanoate. With precise measurements using cryo-ET, we observed low quantity and density of ribosomes in SCM1 cells, which are in alignment with the documented slow growth of AOA in laboratory cultures. Collectively, these findings provide visual evidence supporting the resilience of AOA in the vast oligotrophic marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangkai Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - An Yan
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawen Yang
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei He
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuai Guo
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yifan Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanchao Dai
- Shanghai NanoPort, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Xijiang Pan
- Shanghai NanoPort, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyu Cui
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Olivier Pereira
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Institut AMU-WUT, Aix-Marseille Université and Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenkai Teng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ran Bi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Songze Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Lu Fan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiyi Wang
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Liao
- Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Wei Qin
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Sen-Fang Sui
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanqing Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory, Shanghai, China
- Advanced Institute for Ocean Research, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Docampo R. Advances in the cellular biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of acidocalcisomes. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0004223. [PMID: 38099688 PMCID: PMC10966946 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00042-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYAcidocalcisomes are organelles conserved during evolution and closely related to the so-called volutin granules of bacteria and archaea, to the acidocalcisome-like vacuoles of yeasts, and to the lysosome-related organelles of animal species. All these organelles have in common their acidity and high content of polyphosphate and calcium. They are characterized by a variety of functions from storage of phosphorus and calcium to roles in Ca2+ signaling, osmoregulation, blood coagulation, and inflammation. They interact with other organelles through membrane contact sites or by fusion, and have several enzymes, pumps, transporters, and channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Docampo
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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6
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Wang H, Zhang J, Toso D, Liao S, Sedighian F, Gunsalus R, Zhou ZH. Hierarchical organization and assembly of the archaeal cell sheath from an amyloid-like protein. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6720. [PMID: 37872154 PMCID: PMC10593813 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42368-2] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Certain archaeal cells possess external proteinaceous sheath, whose structure and organization are both unknown. By cellular cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET), here we have determined sheath organization of the prototypical archaeon, Methanospirillum hungatei. Fitting of Alphafold-predicted model of the sheath protein (SH) monomer into the 7.9 Å-resolution structure reveals that the sheath cylinder consists of axially stacked β-hoops, each of which is comprised of two to six 400 nm-diameter rings of β-strand arches (β-rings). With both similarities to and differences from amyloid cross-β fibril architecture, each β-ring contains two giant β-sheets contributed by ~ 450 SH monomers that entirely encircle the outer circumference of the cell. Tomograms of immature cells suggest models of sheath biogenesis: oligomerization of SH monomers into β-ring precursors after their membrane-proximal cytoplasmic synthesis, followed by translocation through the unplugged end of a dividing cell, and insertion of nascent β-hoops into the immature sheath cylinder at the junction of two daughter cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jiayan Zhang
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Daniel Toso
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Shiqing Liao
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Farzaneh Sedighian
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Robert Gunsalus
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- The UCLA-DOE Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Z Hong Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- California NanoSystems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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7
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Xie C, Ma X, Zhao Y, Dai T, Song W, Qi Q, Feng J, Cui X, Zhou J, Huang X, Qi F, Zeng Y, Zhou J, Lin G, Yang Y. Nitrogen addition and warming rapidly alter microbial community compositions in the mangrove sediment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157992. [PMID: 35970461 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157992] [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: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mangrove ecosystem is an important CO2 sink with an extraordinarily high primary productivity. However, it is vulnerable to the impact of climate warming and eutrophication. While there has been extensive research on plant growth and greenhouse gas emission in mangrove ecosystems, microbial communities, the primary biogeochemical cycling drivers, are much less understood. Here, we examined whether short-term experimental treatments: (1) eutrophication with a supplement of 185 g N m-2·year-1 (N), (2) 3°C warming (W), and (3) the dual treatment of N and W (NW) were sufficient to alter microbial communities in the sediment. After 4 months of experiments, most environmental factors remained unchanged. However, N had significant, strong effects on bacterial, fungal, and functional community compositions, while the effects of W on microbial communities were weaker. N increased bacterial richness, phylogenetic diversity, and evenness, owing to stronger stochastic processes induced by eutrophication. There were no interactive effects of N and W on bacterial, fungal, and functional community compositions, suggesting that joint effects of N and W were additive. Concomitant with higher N2O efflux induced by N, the relative abundances of most bacterial nitrogen cycling genes were increased or remained changed by N. In contrast, N decreased or did not change those of most bacterial carbon degradation genes, while W increased or did not change the relative abundances of most of bacterial and fungal carbon degradation genes, implying higher carbon degradation potentials. As the most abundant inorganic nitrogenous species in mangrove sediment, ammonium was a key factor in shaping microbial functional communities. Collectively, our findings showed that microbial community compositions in the mangrove sediment were highly sensitive to short-term N and W treatments, giving rise to ecological consequences such as higher N2O efflux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Xie
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xingyu Ma
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Stable Isotope and Gulf Ecology, Institute of Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tianjiao Dai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weimin Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; The Yellow River Delta Ecology Research Station of Coastal Wetland, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Qi Qi
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianxiang Feng
- Key Laboratory of Stable Isotope and Gulf Ecology, Institute of Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xiaowei Cui
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Stable Isotope and Gulf Ecology, Institute of Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Stable Isotope and Gulf Ecology, Institute of Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaofang Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Fei Qi
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Yufei Zeng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Guanghui Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Key Laboratory of Stable Isotope and Gulf Ecology, Institute of Ocean Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Yunfeng Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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The Histone H1-Like Protein AlgP Facilitates Even Spacing of Polyphosphate Granules in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mBio 2022; 13:e0246321. [PMID: 35435704 PMCID: PMC9239181 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02463-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthesis of polyphosphate (polyP) is an ancient and universal stress and starvation response in bacteria. In many bacteria, polyP chains come together to form granular superstructures within cells. Some species appear to regulate polyP granule subcellular organization. Despite the critical role of polyP in starvation fitness, the composition of these structures, mechanism(s) underpinning their organization, and functional significance of such organization are poorly understood. We previously determined that granules become transiently evenly spaced on the cell’s long axis during nitrogen starvation in the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we developed a granule-enrichment protocol to screen for polyP granule-localizing proteins. We identified AlgP as a protein that associates with polyP granules. We further discovered that AlgP is required for the even spacing of polyP granules. AlgP is a DNA-binding protein with a 154 amino acid C-terminal domain enriched in “KPAA” repeats and variants of this repeat, with an overall sequence composition similar to the C-terminal tail of eukaryotic histone H1. Granule size, number, and spacing are significantly perturbed in the absence of AlgP, or when AlgP is truncated to remove the C-terminus. The ΔalgP and algPΔCTD mutants have fewer, larger granules. We speculate that AlgP may contribute to spacing by tethering polyP granules to the chromosome, thereby inhibiting fusion with neighboring granules. Our discovery that AlgP facilitates granule spacing allows us for the first time to directly uncouple granule biogenesis from even spacing, and will inform future efforts to explore the functional significance of granule organization on fitness during starvation.
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Gorlas A, Mariotte T, Morey L, Truong C, Bernard S, Guigner JM, Oberto J, Baudin F, Landrot G, Baya C, Le Pape P, Morin G, Forterre P, Guyot F. Precipitation of greigite and pyrite induced by Thermococcales: an advantage to live in Fe- and S-rich environments? Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:626-642. [PMID: 35102700 PMCID: PMC9306673 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15915] [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: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Thermococcales, a major order of archaea inhabiting the iron- and sulfur-rich anaerobic parts of hydrothermal deep-sea vents, have been shown to rapidly produce abundant quantities of pyrite FeS2 in iron-sulfur-rich fluids at 85°C, suggesting that they may contribute to the formation of 'low temperature' FeS2 in their ecosystem. We show that this process operates in Thermococcus kodakarensis only when zero-valent sulfur is directly available as intracellular sulfur vesicles. Whether in the presence or absence of zero-valent sulfur, significant amounts of Fe3 S4 greigite nanocrystals are formed extracellularly. We also show that mineralization of iron sulfides induces massive cell mortality but that concomitantly with the formation of greigite and/or pyrite, a new generation of cells can grow. This phenomenon is observed for Fe concentrations of 5 mM but not higher suggesting that above a threshold in the iron pulse all cells are lysed. We hypothesize that iron sulfides precipitation on former cell materials might induce the release of nutrients in the mineralization medium further used by a fraction of surviving non-mineralized cells allowing production of new alive cells. This suggests that biologically induced mineralization of iron-sulfides could be part of a survival strategy employed by Thermococcales to cope with mineralizing high-temperature hydrothermal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gorlas
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - T Mariotte
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - L Morey
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - C Truong
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - S Bernard
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - J-M Guigner
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - J Oberto
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - F Baudin
- Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris, UMR 7193 - Sorbonne Université - CNRS, Paris, 75005, France
| | - G Landrot
- Synchrotron SOLEIL - SAMBA beamline, Saint-Aubin, 91190, France
| | - C Baya
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - P Le Pape
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - G Morin
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France
| | - P Forterre
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - F Guyot
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, UMR 7590 - CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, 75252, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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10
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A filamentous archaeal virus is enveloped inside the cell and released through pyramidal portals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105540118. [PMID: 34341107 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105540118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of viruses infecting hyperthermophilic archaea display unique virion architectures and are evolutionarily unrelated to viruses of bacteria and eukaryotes. The lack of relationships to other known viruses suggests that the mechanisms of virus-host interaction in Archaea are also likely to be distinct. To gain insights into archaeal virus-host interactions, we studied the life cycle of the enveloped, ∼2-μm-long Sulfolobus islandicus filamentous virus (SIFV), a member of the family Lipothrixviridae infecting a hyperthermophilic and acidophilic archaeon Saccharolobus islandicus LAL14/1. Using dual-axis electron tomography and convolutional neural network analysis, we characterize the life cycle of SIFV and show that the virions, which are nearly two times longer than the host cell diameter, are assembled in the cell cytoplasm, forming twisted virion bundles organized on a nonperfect hexagonal lattice. Remarkably, our results indicate that envelopment of the helical nucleocapsids takes place inside the cell rather than by budding as in the case of most other known enveloped viruses. The mature virions are released from the cell through large (up to 220 nm in diameter), six-sided pyramidal portals, which are built from multiple copies of a single 89-amino-acid-long viral protein gp43. The overexpression of this protein in Escherichia coli leads to pyramid formation in the bacterial membrane. Collectively, our results provide insights into the assembly and release of enveloped filamentous viruses and illuminate the evolution of virus-host interactions in Archaea.
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11
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The Influence of Soil Fertilization on the Distribution and Diversity of Phosphorus Cycling Genes and Microbes Community of Maize Rhizosphere Using Shotgun Metagenomics. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071022. [PMID: 34209356 PMCID: PMC8306440 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the agro-ecosystem is mediated by soil microbes. These microbes regulate the availability of phosphorus in the soil. Little is known about the response of functional traits of phosphorus cycling microbes in soil fertilized with compost manure (derived from domestic waste and plant materials) or inorganic nitrogen fertilizers at high and low doses. We used a metagenomics investigation study to understand the changes in the abundance and distribution of microbial phosphorus cycling genes in agricultural farmlands receiving inorganic fertilizers (120 kg N/ha, 60 kg N/ha) or compost manure (8 tons/ha, 4 tons/ha), and in comparison with the control. Soil fertilization with high level of compost (Cp8) or low level of inorganic nitrogen (N1) fertilizer have nearly similar effects on the rhizosphere of maize plants in promoting the abundance of genes involved in phosphorus cycle. Genes such as ppk involved in polyphosphate formation and pstSABC (for phosphate transportation) are highly enriched in these treatments. These genes facilitate phosphorus immobilization. At a high dose of inorganic fertilizer application or low compost manure treatment, the phosphorus cycling genes were repressed and the abundance decreased. The bacterial families Bacillaceae and Carnobacteriaceae were very abundant in the high inorganic fertilizer (N2) treated soil, while Pseudonocardiaceae, Clostridiaceae, Cytophagaceae, Micromonosporaceae, Thermomonosporaceae, Nocardiopsaceae, Sphaerobacteraceae, Thermoactinomycetaceae, Planococcaceae, Intrasporangiaceae, Opitutaceae, Acidimicrobiaceae, Frankiaceae were most abundant in Cp8. Pyrenophora, Talaromyces, and Trichophyton fungi were observed to be dominant in Cp8 and Methanosarcina, Methanobrevibacter, Methanoculleus, and Methanosphaera archaea have the highest percentage occurrence in Cp8. Moreover, N2 treatment, Cenarchaeum, Candidatus Nitrososphaera, and Nitrosopumilus were most abundant among fertilized soils. Our findings have brought to light the basis for the manipulation of rhizosphere microbial communities and their genes to improve availability of phosphorus as well as phosphorus cycle regulation in agro-ecosystems.
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12
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Vogt MS, Ngouoko Nguepbeu RR, Mohr MKF, Albers SV, Essen LO, Banerjee A. The archaeal triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme SaTTM defines structural determinants for the diverse activities in the CYTH protein family. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100820. [PMID: 34029589 PMCID: PMC8233210 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
CYTH proteins make up a large superfamily that is conserved in all three domains of life. These enzymes have a triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme (TTM) fold, which typically results in phosphatase functions, e.g., RNA triphosphatase, inorganic polyphosphatase, or thiamine triphosphatase. Some CYTH orthologs cyclize nucleotide triphosphates to 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotides. So far, archaeal CYTH proteins have been annotated as adenylyl cyclases, although experimental evidence to support these annotations is lacking. To address this gap, we characterized a CYTH ortholog, SaTTM, from the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Our in silico studies derived ten major subclasses within the CYTH family implying a close relationship between these archaeal CYTH enzymes and class IV adenylyl cyclases. However, initial biochemical characterization reveals inability of SaTTM to produce any cyclic nucleotides. Instead, our structural and functional analyses show a classical TTM behavior, i.e., triphosphatase activity, where pyrophosphate causes product inhibition. The Ca2+-inhibited Michaelis complex indicates a two-metal-ion reaction mechanism analogous to other TTMs. Cocrystal structures of SaTTM further reveal conformational dynamics in SaTTM that suggest feedback inhibition in TTMs due to tunnel closure in the product state. These structural insights combined with further sequence similarity network–based in silico analyses provide a firm molecular basis for distinguishing CYTH orthologs with phosphatase activities from class IV adenylyl cyclases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian S Vogt
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Michael K F Mohr
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sonja-Verena Albers
- Institute of Biology II, Molecular Biology of Archaea, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lars-Oliver Essen
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Ankan Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Department of Genetics, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
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13
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Did Cyclic Metaphosphates Have a Role in the Origin of Life? ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2021; 51:1-60. [PMID: 33721178 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-021-09604-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
How life began still eludes science life, the initial progenote in the context presented herein, being a chemical aggregate of primordial inorganic and organic molecules capable of self-replication and evolution into ever increasingly complex forms and functions.Presented is a hypothesis that a mineral scaffold generated by geological processes and containing polymerized phosphate units was present in primordial seas that provided the initiating factor responsible for the sequestration and organization of primordial life's constituents. Unlike previous hypotheses proposing phosphates as the essential initiating factor, the key phosphate described here is not a polynucleotide or just any condensed phosphate but a large (in the range of at least 1 kilo-phosphate subunits), water soluble, cyclic metaphosphate, which is a closed loop chain of polymerized inorganic phosphate residues containing only phosphate middle groups. The chain forms an intrinsic 4-phosphate helix analogous to its structure in Na Kurrol's salt, and as with DNA, very large metaphosphates may fold into hairpin structures. Using a Holliday-junction-like scrambling mechanism, also analogous to DNA, rings may be manipulated (increased, decreased, exchanged) easily with little to no need for additional energy, the reaction being essentially an isomerization.A literature review is presented describing findings that support the above hypothesis. Reviewed is condensed phosphate inorganic chemistry including its geological origins, biological occurrence, enzymes and their genetics through eukaryotes, polyphosphate functions, circular polynucleotides and the role of the Holliday junction, previous biogenesis hypotheses, and an Eoarchean Era timeline.
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14
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Abstract
How do organisms deal with free iron? On the one hand, iron is an essential metal that plays crucial structural and functional roles in many organisms. On the other hand, free iron is extremely toxic, particularly under aerobic conditions, where iron rapidly undergoes the Fenton reaction and produces highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. Our study now demonstrates that we have discovered one of the first physiologically relevant nonproteinaceous iron chelators and Fenton inhibitors. We found that polyphosphate, a highly conserved and ubiquitous inorganic polyanion, chelates iron and, through its multivalency, prevents the interaction of iron with peroxide and therefore the formation of hydroxyl radicals. We show that polyP provides a crucial iron reservoir for metalloproteins under nonstress conditions and effectively chelates free iron during iron stress. Importantly, polyP is present in all cells and organisms and hence is likely to take on this crucial function in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Maintaining cellular iron homeostasis is critical for organismal survival. Whereas iron depletion negatively affects the many metabolic pathways that depend on the activity of iron-containing enzymes, any excess of iron can cause the rapid formation of highly toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) through Fenton chemistry. Although several cellular iron chelators have been identified, little is known about if and how organisms can prevent the Fenton reaction. By studying the effects of cisplatin, a commonly used anticancer drug and effective antimicrobial, we discovered that cisplatin elicits severe iron stress and oxidative DNA damage in bacteria. We found that both of these effects are successfully prevented by polyphosphate (polyP), an abundant polymer consisting solely of covalently linked inorganic phosphates. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that polyP provides a crucial iron reservoir under nonstress conditions and effectively complexes free iron and blocks ROS formation during iron stress. These results demonstrate that polyP, a universally conserved biomolecule, plays a hitherto unrecognized role as an iron chelator and an inhibitor of the Fenton reaction.
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15
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Paula FS, Chin JP, Schnürer A, Müller B, Manesiotis P, Waters N, Macintosh KA, Quinn JP, Connolly J, Abram F, McGrath JW, O'Flaherty V. The potential for polyphosphate metabolism in Archaea and anaerobic polyphosphate formation in Methanosarcina mazei. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17101. [PMID: 31745137 PMCID: PMC6864096 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53168-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is ubiquitous across all forms of life, but the study of its metabolism has been mainly confined to bacteria and yeasts. Few reports detail the presence and accumulation of polyP in Archaea, and little information is available on its functions and regulation. Here, we report that homologs of bacterial polyP metabolism proteins are present across the major taxa in the Archaea, suggesting that archaeal populations may have a greater contribution to global phosphorus cycling than has previously been recognised. We also demonstrate that polyP accumulation can be induced under strictly anaerobic conditions, in response to changes in phosphate (Pi) availability, i.e. Pi starvation, followed by incubation in Pi replete media (overplus), in cells of the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina mazei. Pi-starved M. mazei cells increased transcript abundance of the alkaline phosphatase (phoA) gene and of the high-affinity phosphate transport (pstSCAB-phoU) operon: no increase in polyphosphate kinase 1 (ppk1) transcript abundance was observed. Subsequent incubation of Pi-starved M. mazei cells under Pi replete conditions, led to a 237% increase in intracellular polyphosphate content and a > 5.7-fold increase in ppk1 gene transcripts. Ppk1 expression in M. mazei thus appears not to be under classical phosphate starvation control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana S Paula
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jason P Chin
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Anna Schnürer
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bettina Müller
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Panagiotis Manesiotis
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Nicholas Waters
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
- Information and Computational Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK
| | - Katrina A Macintosh
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - John P Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jasmine Connolly
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
| | - Florence Abram
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Vincent O'Flaherty
- Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
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16
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Li Y, Yang G, Li L, Sun Y. Bioaugmentation for overloaded anaerobic digestion recovery with acid-tolerant methanogenic enrichment. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2018; 79:744-751. [PMID: 30343807 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the performance of bioaugmentation with an acid-tolerant methanogenic culture to recover deteriorated anaerobic digestion caused by organic overloading. The function of bioaugmentation was evaluated in terms of substance metabolism, microbial community structure, and gene function. Our findings demonstrate that routine bioaugmentation effectively recovered the failing digester by degrading accumulated volatile fatty acids and increasing pH. In contrast, a non-bioaugmentation reactor (control) did not recover by itself, while abiotic augmentation restored the digestion performance temporarily but the digester failed again at an organic loading rate of 1.5 g L-1 d-1. Using whole genome pyrosequencing analysis, we found that after bioaugmentation, the populations of Methanothrix (acetoclastic methanogens) and Methanolinea (hydrogenotrophic methanogens) increased significantly, which may be the main contributors for the positive effect on methane production. On the genic level, bioaugmentation may enhance the function of genes involved in cell motility, signal transduction mechanisms for methanogens, and energy production and conversion for bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Laboratory of Biomass Bio-chemical Conversion, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Gaixiu Yang
- Laboratory of Biomass Bio-chemical Conversion, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Lianhua Li
- Laboratory of Biomass Bio-chemical Conversion, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
| | - Yongming Sun
- Laboratory of Biomass Bio-chemical Conversion, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New and Renewable Energy Research and Development, Guangzhou 510640, PR China.
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17
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Subgroup Characteristics of Marine Methane-Oxidizing ANME-2 Archaea and Their Syntrophic Partners as Revealed by Integrated Multimodal Analytical Microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.00399-18. [PMID: 29625978 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00399-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetically diverse environmental ANME archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria cooperatively catalyze the anaerobic oxidation of methane oxidation (AOM) in multicelled consortia within methane seep environments. To better understand these cells and their symbiotic associations, we applied a suite of electron microscopy approaches, including correlative fluorescence in situ hybridization-electron microscopy (FISH-EM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM) three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions. FISH-EM of methane seep-derived consortia revealed phylogenetic variability in terms of cell morphology, ultrastructure, and storage granules. Representatives of the ANME-2b clade, but not other ANME-2 groups, contained polyphosphate-like granules, while some bacteria associated with ANME-2a/2c contained two distinct phases of iron mineral chains resembling magnetosomes. 3D segmentation of two ANME-2 consortium types revealed cellular volumes of ANME and their symbiotic partners that were larger than previous estimates based on light microscopy. Polyphosphate-like granule-containing ANME (tentatively termed ANME-2b) were larger than both ANME with no granules and partner bacteria. This cell type was observed with up to 4 granules per cell, and the volume of the cell was larger in proportion to the number of granules inside it, but the percentage of the cell occupied by these granules did not vary with granule number. These results illuminate distinctions between ANME-2 archaeal lineages and partnering bacterial populations that are apparently unified in their ability to perform anaerobic methane oxidation.IMPORTANCE Methane oxidation in anaerobic environments can be accomplished by a number of archaeal groups, some of which live in syntrophic relationships with bacteria in structured consortia. Little is known of the distinguishing characteristics of these groups. Here, we applied imaging approaches to better understand the properties of these cells. We found unexpected morphological, structural, and volume variability of these uncultured groups by correlating fluorescence labeling of cells with electron microscopy observables.
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18
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Poweleit N, Ge P, Nguyen HH, Ogorzalek Loo RR, Gunsalus RP, Zhou ZH. CryoEM structure of the Methanospirillum hungatei archaellum reveals structural features distinct from the bacterial flagellum and type IV pilus. Nat Microbiol 2016; 2:16222. [PMID: 27922015 PMCID: PMC5695567 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Archaea use flagella known as archaella-distinct both in protein composition and structure from bacterial flagella-to drive cell motility, but the structural basis of this function is unknown. Here, we report an atomic model of the archaella, based on the cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) structure of the Methanospirillum hungatei archaellum at 3.4 Å resolution. Each archaellum contains ∼61,500 archaellin subunits organized into a curved helix with a diameter of 10 nm and average length of 10,000 nm. The tadpole-shaped archaellin monomer has two domains, a β-barrel domain and a long, mildly kinked α-helix tail. Our structure reveals multiple post-translational modifications to the archaella, including six O-linked glycans and an unusual N-linked modification. The extensive interactions among neighbouring archaellins explain how the long but thin archaellum maintains the structural integrity required for motility-driving rotation. These extensive inter-subunit interactions and the absence of a central pore in the archaellum distinguish it from both the bacterial flagellum and type IV pili.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Poweleit
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Electron Imaging Center for Nanomachines, California Nano Systems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Peng Ge
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Electron Imaging Center for Nanomachines, California Nano Systems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Hong H. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles 90095, UCLA, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Rachel R. Ogorzalek Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles 90095, UCLA, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Robert P. Gunsalus
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- The UCLA-DOE Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Z. Hong Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Electron Imaging Center for Nanomachines, California Nano Systems Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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19
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Discovery and Characterization of Iron Sulfide and Polyphosphate Bodies Coexisting in Archaeoglobus fulgidus Cells. ARCHAEA-AN INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2016; 2016:4706532. [PMID: 27194953 PMCID: PMC4853940 DOI: 10.1155/2016/4706532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Inorganic storage granules have long been recognized in bacterial and eukaryotic cells but were only recently identified in archaeal cells. Here, we report the cellular organization and chemical compositions of storage granules in the Euryarchaeon, Archaeoglobus fulgidus strain VC16, a hyperthermophilic, anaerobic, and sulfate-reducing microorganism. Dense granules were apparent in A. fulgidus cells imaged by cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) but not so by negative stain electron microscopy. Cryo electron tomography (cryoET) revealed that each cell contains one to several dense granules located near the cell membrane. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) show that, surprisingly, each cell contains not just one but often two types of granules with different elemental compositions. One type, named iron sulfide body (ISB), is composed mainly of the elements iron and sulfur plus copper; and the other one, called polyphosphate body (PPB), is composed of phosphorus and oxygen plus magnesium, calcium, and aluminum. PPBs are likely used for energy storage and/or metal sequestration/detoxification. ISBs could result from the reduction of sulfate to sulfide via anaerobic energy harvesting pathways and may be associated with energy and/or metal storage or detoxification. The exceptional ability of these archaeal cells to sequester different elements may have novel bioengineering applications.
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20
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Oikonomou CM, Chang YW, Jensen GJ. A new view into prokaryotic cell biology from electron cryotomography. Nat Rev Microbiol 2016; 14:205-20. [PMID: 26923112 PMCID: PMC5551487 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Electron cryotomography (ECT) enables intact cells to be visualized in 3D in an essentially native state to 'macromolecular' (∼4 nm) resolution, revealing the basic architectures of complete nanomachines and their arrangements in situ. Since its inception, ECT has advanced our understanding of many aspects of prokaryotic cell biology, from morphogenesis to subcellular compartmentalization and from metabolism to complex interspecies interactions. In this Review, we highlight how ECT has provided structural and mechanistic insights into the physiology of bacteria and archaea and discuss prospects for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Oikonomou
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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21
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Keating C, Chin JP, Hughes D, Manesiotis P, Cysneiros D, Mahony T, Smith CJ, McGrath JW, O'Flaherty V. Biological Phosphorus Removal During High-Rate, Low-Temperature, Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:226. [PMID: 26973608 PMCID: PMC4776080 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report, for the first time, extensive biologically mediated phosphate removal from wastewater during high-rate anaerobic digestion (AD). A hybrid sludge bed/fixed-film (packed pumice stone) reactor was employed for low-temperature (12°C) anaerobic treatment of synthetic sewage wastewater. Successful phosphate removal from the wastewater (up to 78% of influent phosphate) was observed, mediated by biofilms in the reactor. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed the accumulation of elemental phosphorus (∼2%) within the sludge bed and fixed-film biofilms. 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining indicated phosphorus accumulation was biological in nature and mediated through the formation of intracellular inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) granules within these biofilms. DAPI staining further indicated that polyP accumulation was rarely associated with free cells. Efficient and consistent chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was recorded, throughout the 732-day trial, at applied organic loading rates between 0.4 and 1.5 kg COD m-3 d-1 and hydraulic retention times of 8–24 h, while phosphate removal efficiency ranged from 28 to 78% on average per phase. Analysis of protein hydrolysis kinetics and the methanogenic activity profiles of the biomass revealed the development, at 12°C, of active hydrolytic and methanogenic populations. Temporal microbial changes were monitored using Illumina MiSeq analysis of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences. The dominant bacterial phyla present in the biomass at the conclusion of the trial were the Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and the dominant archaeal genus was Methanosaeta. Trichococcus and Flavobacterium populations, previously associated with low temperature protein degradation, developed in the reactor biomass. The presence of previously characterized polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) such as Rhodocyclus, Chromatiales, Actinobacter, and Acinetobacter was recorded at low numbers. However, it is unknown as yet if these were responsible for the luxury polyP uptake observed in this system. The possibility of efficient phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater during AD would represent a major advance in the scope for widespread application of anaerobic wastewater treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara Keating
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Jason P Chin
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Dermot Hughes
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Panagiotis Manesiotis
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Denise Cysneiros
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Therese Mahony
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - Cindy J Smith
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
| | - John W McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences and the Institute for Global Food Security, The Queen's University of Belfast Belfast, UK
| | - Vincent O'Flaherty
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway Ireland
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Complete genome sequence of Methanospirillum hungatei type strain JF1. Stand Genomic Sci 2016; 11:2. [PMID: 26744606 PMCID: PMC4704411 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-015-0124-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Methanospirillum hungatei strain JF1 (DSM 864) is a methane-producing archaeon and is the type species of the genus Methanospirillum, which belongs to the family Methanospirillaceae within the order Methanomicrobiales. Its genome was selected for sequencing due to its ability to utilize hydrogen and carbon dioxide and/or formate as a sole source of energy. Ecologically, M. hungatei functions as the hydrogen- and/or formate-using partner with many species of syntrophic bacteria. Its morphology is distinct from other methanogens with the ability to form long chains of cells (up to 100 μm in length), which are enclosed within a sheath-like structure, and terminal cells with polar flagella. The genome of M. hungatei strain JF1 is the first completely sequenced genome of the family Methanospirillaceae, and it has a circular genome of 3,544,738 bp containing 3,239 protein coding and 68 RNA genes. The large genome of M. hungatei JF1 suggests the presence of unrecognized biochemical/physiological properties that likely extend to the other Methanospirillaceae and include the ability to form the unusual sheath-like structure and to successfully interact with syntrophic bacteria.
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WOLF SHARONGRAYER, REZ PETER, ELBAUM MICHAEL. Phosphorus detection in vitrified bacteria by cryo-STEM annular dark-field analysis. J Microsc 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- SHARON GRAYER WOLF
- Department of Chemical Research Support; Weizmann Institute of Science; Rehovot Israel
| | - PETER REZ
- Department of Physics; Arizona State University; Tempe Arizona U.S.A
| | - MICHAEL ELBAUM
- Department of Materials and Interfaces; Weizmann Institute of Science; Rehovot Israel
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Briegel A, Ortega DR, Huang A, Oikonomou CM, Gunsalus RP, Jensen GJ. Structural conservation of chemotaxis machinery across Archaea and Bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 7:414-9. [PMID: 25581459 PMCID: PMC4782749 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Chemotaxis allows cells to sense and respond to their environment. In Bacteria, stimuli are detected by arrays of chemoreceptors that relay the signal to a two-component regulatory system. These arrays take the form of highly stereotyped super-lattices comprising hexagonally packed trimers-of-receptor-dimers networked by rings of histidine kinase and coupling proteins. This structure is conserved across chemotactic Bacteria, and between membrane-bound and cytoplasmic arrays, and gives rise to the highly cooperative, dynamic nature of the signalling system. The chemotaxis system, absent in eukaryotes, is also found in Archaea, where its structural details remain uncharacterized. Here we provide evidence that the chemotaxis machinery was not present in the last archaeal common ancestor, but rather was introduced in one of the waves of lateral gene transfer that occurred after the branching of Eukaryota but before the diversification of Euryarchaeota. Unlike in Bacteria, the chemotaxis system then evolved largely vertically in Archaea, with very few subsequent successful lateral gene transfer events. By electron cryotomography, we find that the structure of both membrane-bound and cytoplasmic chemoreceptor arrays is conserved between Bacteria and Archaea, suggesting the fundamental importance of this signalling architecture across diverse prokaryotic lifestyles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Briegel
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Davi R. Ortega
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Audrey Huang
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
| | | | - Robert P. Gunsalus
- University of California Los Angeles, 609 Charles E. Young Dr. S., Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Grant J. Jensen
- California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125
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Delgado L, Martínez G, López-Iglesias C, Mercadé E. Cryo-electron tomography of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections to analyze the recently described bacterial cytoplasmic structure, the Stack. J Struct Biol 2015; 189:220-9. [PMID: 25617813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cryo-electron tomography (CET) of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections (CETOVIS) were used to revise and expand the structural knowledge of the "Stack", a recently described cytoplasmic structure in the Antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas deceptionensis M1(T). The advantages of both techniques can be complementarily combined to obtain more reliable insights into cells and their components with three-dimensional imaging at different resolutions. Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and CET of frozen-hydrated P. deceptionensis M1(T) cells confirmed that Stacks are found at different locations within the cell cytoplasm, in variable number, separately or grouped together, very close to the plasma membrane (PM) and oriented at different angles (from 35° to 90°) to the PM, thus establishing that they were not artifacts of the previous sample preparation methods. CET of plunge-frozen whole bacteria and vitreous sections verified that each Stack consisted of a pile of oval disc-like subunits, each disc being surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane and separated from each other by a constant distance with a mean value of 5.2±1.3nm. FM4-64 staining and confocal microscopy corroborated the lipid nature of the membrane of the Stacked discs. Stacks did not appear to be invaginations of the PM because no continuity between both membranes was visible when whole bacteria were analyzed. We are still far from deciphering the function of these new structures, but a first experimental attempt links the Stacks with a given phase of the cell replication process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Delgado
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gema Martínez
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen López-Iglesias
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Elena Mercadé
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Polyphosphate storage during sporulation in the gram-negative bacterium Acetonema longum. J Bacteriol 2013; 195:3940-6. [PMID: 23813732 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00712-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Using electron cryotomography, we show that the Gram-negative sporulating bacterium Acetonema longum synthesizes high-density storage granules at the leading edges of engulfing membranes. The granules appear in the prespore and increase in size and number as engulfment proceeds. Typically, a cluster of 8 to 12 storage granules closely associates with the inner spore membrane and ultimately accounts for ∼7% of the total volume in mature spores. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses show that the granules contain high levels of phosphorus, oxygen, and magnesium and therefore are likely composed of polyphosphate (poly-P). Unlike the Gram-positive Bacilli and Clostridia, A. longum spores retain their outer spore membrane upon germination. To explore the possibility that the granules in A. longum may be involved in this unique process, we imaged purified Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus subtilis, and Clostridium sporogenes spores. Even though B. cereus and B. thuringiensis contain the ppk and ppx genes, none of the spores from Gram-positive bacteria had granules. We speculate that poly-P in A. longum may provide either the energy or phosphate metabolites needed for outgrowth while retaining an outer membrane.
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Inorganic polyphosphates in extremophiles and their possible functions. Extremophiles 2012; 16:573-83. [PMID: 22585316 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-012-0457-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Many extremophilic microorganisms are polyextremophiles, being confronted with more than one stress condition. For instance, some thermoacidophilic microorganisms are in addition capable to resist very high metal concentrations. Most likely, they have developed special adaptations to thrive in their living environments. Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is a molecule considered to be primitive in its origin and ubiquitous in nature. It has many roles besides being a reservoir for inorganic phosphate and energy. Of special interest are those functions related to survival under stressing conditions in all kinds of cells. PolyP may therefore have a fundamental part in extremophilic microorganism's endurance. Evidence for a role of polyP in the continued existence under acidic conditions, high concentrations of toxic heavy metals and elevated salt concentrations are reviewed in the present work. Actual evidence suggests that polyP may provide mechanistic alternatives in tuning microbial fitness for the adaptation under stressful environmental situations and may be of crucial relevance amongst extremophiles. The enzymes involved in polyP metabolism show structure conservation amongst bacteria and archaea. However, the lack of a canonical polyP synthase in Crenarchaea, which greatly accumulate polyP, strongly suggests that in this phylum a different enzyme may be in charge of its synthesis.
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