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Engel D, Hoffmann M, Kosfeld U, Mann M. Online monitoring of methane transfer rates unveils nitrogen fixation dynamics in Methylococcus capsulatus. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024. [PMID: 39392283 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28855] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
This study explores methane utilization by the methanotrophic microorganism Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) for biomass production, presenting a promising approach to mitigate methane emissions and foster the development sustainable biomaterials. Traditional screening methods for gas cultivations involve either serum flasks without online monitoring or costly, low-throughput fermenters. To address these limitations, the Respiration Activity MOnitoring System was augmented with methane sensors for real-time methane transfer rate (MTR) monitoring in shake flasks. Utilizing online monitoring of the MTR in shake flasks results in enhanced throughput and cost-effectiveness for cultivating M. capsulatus. Simultaneous monitoring of transfer rates for oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide was conducted in up to eight shake flasks, ensuring the success of the cultivation process. Alterations in methane-to-oxygen transfer rate ratios and carbon fixation rates reveal the impact of transfer limitations on microbial growth. Detection of gas transfer limitations, exploration of process parameter influences, and investigations of medium components were enabled by the introduced method. Optimal nitrogen concentrations could be determined to ensure optimal growth. This streamlined approach accelerates the screening process, offering efficient investigations into metabolic effects, limitations, and parameter influences in gas fermentations without the need for elaborate offline sampling, significantly reducing costs and enhanced reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Engel
- AVT-Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Udo Kosfeld
- AVT-Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcel Mann
- AVT-Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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2
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Lee SA, Henard JM, Alba RAC, Benedict CA, Mayes TA, Henard CA. Overexpression of native carbonic anhydrases increases carbon conversion efficiency in the methanotrophic biocatalyst Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. mSphere 2024; 9:e0049624. [PMID: 39191392 PMCID: PMC11423575 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00496-24] [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: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Methanotrophic bacteria play a vital role in the biogeochemical carbon cycle due to their unique ability to use CH4 as a carbon and energy source. Evidence suggests that some methanotrophs, including Methylococcus capsulatus, can also use CO2 as a carbon source, making these bacteria promising candidates for developing biotechnologies targeting greenhouse gas capture and mitigation. However, a deeper understanding of the dual CH4 and CO2 metabolism is needed to guide methanotroph strain improvements and realize their industrial utility. In this study, we show that M. capsulatus expresses five carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms, one α-CA, one γ-CA, and three β-CAs, that play a role in its inorganic carbon metabolism and CO2-dependent growth. The CA isoforms are differentially expressed, and transcription of all isoform genes is induced in response to CO2 limitation. CA null mutant strains exhibited markedly impaired growth compared to an isogenic wild-type control, suggesting that the CA isoforms have independent, non-redundant roles in M. capsulatus metabolism and physiology. Overexpression of some, but not all, CA isoforms improved bacterial growth kinetics and decreased CO2 evolution from CH4-consuming cultures. Notably, we developed an engineered methanotrophic biocatalyst overexpressing the native α-CA and β-CA with a 2.5-fold improvement in the conversion of CH4 to biomass. Given that product yield is a significant cost driver of methanotroph-based bioprocesses, the engineered strain developed here could improve the economics of CH4 biocatalysis, including the production of single-cell protein from natural gas or anaerobic digestion-derived biogas.IMPORTANCEMethanotrophs transform CH4 into CO2 and multi-carbon compounds, so they play a critical role in the global carbon cycle and are of interest for biotechnology applications. Some methanotrophs, including Methylococcus capsulatus, can also use CO2 as a carbon source, but this dual one-carbon metabolism is incompletely understood. In this study, we show that M. capsulatus carbonic anhydrases are critical for this bacterium to optimally utilize CO2. We developed an engineered strain with improved CO2 utilization capacity that increased the overall carbon conversion to cell biomass. The improvements to methanotroph-based product yields observed here are expected to reduce costs associated with CH4 conversion bioprocesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer A Lee
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Jessica M Henard
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Robyn A C Alba
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Chance A Benedict
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Tyler A Mayes
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Calvin A Henard
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
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3
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Pham DN, Mai DHA, Lee EY. Biosynthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate from methane and carbon dioxide using type II methanotrophs. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 405:130931. [PMID: 38838829 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130931] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the dominant greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are increasing at an alarming rate. Methanotrophs have emerged as potential CH4 and CO2 biorefineries. This study demonstrated the synchronous incorporation of CH4 and CO2 into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) for the first time using 13C-labeling experiments in methanotrophs. By supplying substantial amounts of CO2, PHB content was enhanced in all investigated type II methanotrophic strains by 140 %, 146 %, and 162 %. The highest content of PHB from CH4 and CO2 in flask-scale cultivation reached 38 % dry cell weight in Methylocystis sp. MJC1, in which carbon percentage in PHB from CO2 was 45 %. Flux balance analysis predicted the critical roles of crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in CO2 recycling. This study provided proof of the conversion of GHGs into a valuable and practical product using methanotrophic bacteria, contributing to addressing GHG emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diep Ngoc Pham
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Dung Hoang Anh Mai
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea
| | - Eun Yeol Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering (BK21 FOUR Integrated Engineering Program), Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, South Korea.
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4
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Patil SK, Islam T, Tveit A, Hodson A, Øvreås L. Targeting methanotrophs and isolation of a novel psychrophilic Methylobacter species from a terrestrial Arctic alkaline methane seep in Lagoon Pingo, Central Spitsbergen (78° N). Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2024; 117:60. [PMID: 38517574 PMCID: PMC10959801 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-024-01953-1] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The microbial diversity associated with terrestrial groundwater seepage through permafrost soils is tightly coupled to the geochemistry of these fluids. Terrestrial alkaline methane seeps from Lagoon Pingo, Central Spitsbergen (78°N) in Norway, with methane-saturated and oxygen-limited groundwater discharge providing a potential habitat for methanotrophy. Here, we report on the microbial community's comparative analyses and distribution patterns at two sites close to Lagoon Pingo's methane emission source. To target methane-oxidizing bacteria from this system, we analysed the microbial community pattern of replicate samples from two sections near the main methane seepage source. DNA extraction, metabarcoding and subsequent sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed microbial communities where the major prokaryotic phyla were Pseudomonadota (42-47%), Gemmatimonadota (4-14%) and Actinobacteriota (7-11%). Among the Pseudomonadota, members of the genus Methylobacter were present at relative abundances between 1.6 and 4.7%. Enrichment targeting the methane oxidising bacteria was set up using methane seep sediments as inoculum and methane as the sole carbon and energy source, and this resulted in the isolation of a novel psychrophilic methane oxidizer, LS7-T4AT. The optimum growth temperature for the isolate was 13 °C and the pH optimum was 8.0. The morphology of cells was short rods, and TEM analysis revealed intracytoplasmic membranes arranged in stacks, a distinctive feature for Type I methanotrophs in the family Methylomonadaceae of the class Gammaproteobacteria. The strain belongs to the genus Methylobacter based on high 16S rRNA gene similarity to the psychrophilic species of Methylobacter psychrophilus Z-0021T (98.95%), the psychrophilic strain Methylobacter sp. strain S3L5C (99.00%), and the Arctic mesophilic species of Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96T (99.06%). The genome size of LS7-T4AT was 4,338,157 bp with a G + C content of 47.93%. The average nucleotide identities (ANIb) of strain LS7-T4AT to 10 isolated strains of genus Methylobacter were between 75.54 and 85.51%, lower than the species threshold of 95%. The strain LS7-T4AT represents a novel Arctic species, distinct from other members of the genus Methylobacter, for which the name Methylobacter svalbardensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type of strain is LS7-T4AT (DSMZ:114308, JCM:39463).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalaka K Patil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Postboks 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Tajul Islam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Postboks 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Alexander Tveit
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Andrew Hodson
- University Centre in Svalbard, 9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Lise Øvreås
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Postboks 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway
- University Centre in Svalbard, 9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Jahnebakken 5, 5007, Bergen, Norway
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5
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Hudson EP. The Calvin Benson cycle in bacteria: New insights from systems biology. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 155:71-83. [PMID: 37002131 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The Calvin Benson cycle in phototrophic and chemolithoautotrophic bacteria has ecological and biotechnological importance, which has motivated study of its regulation. I review recent advances in our understanding of how the Calvin Benson cycle is regulated in bacteria and the technologies used to elucidate regulation and modify it, and highlight differences between and photoautotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic models. Systems biology studies have shown that in oxygenic phototrophic bacteria, Calvin Benson cycle enzymes are extensively regulated at post-transcriptional and post-translational levels, with multiple enzyme activities connected to cellular redox status through thioredoxin. In chemolithoautotrophic bacteria, regulation is primarily at the transcriptional level, with effector metabolites transducing cell status, though new methods should now allow facile, proteome-wide exploration of biochemical regulation in these models. A biotechnological objective is to enhance CO2 fixation in the cycle and partition that carbon to a product of interest. Flux control of CO2 fixation is distributed over multiple enzymes, and attempts to modulate gene Calvin cycle gene expression show a robust homeostatic regulation of growth rate, though the synthesis rates of products can be significantly increased. Therefore, de-regulation of cycle enzymes through protein engineering may be necessary to increase fluxes. Non-canonical Calvin Benson cycles, if implemented with synthetic biology, could have reduced energy demand and enzyme loading, thus increasing the attractiveness of these bacteria for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elton P Hudson
- Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
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6
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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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7
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Dahlin LR, Meyers AW, Stefani SW, Webb EG, Wachter B, Subramanian V, Guarnieri MT. Heterologous expression of formate dehydrogenase enables photoformatotrophy in the emerging model microalga, Picochlorum renovo. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1162745. [PMID: 37706077 PMCID: PMC10497104 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1162745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rising global greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of resultant climate change necessitate development and deployment of carbon capture and conversion technologies. Amongst the myriad of bio-based conversion approaches under evaluation, a formate bio-economy has recently been proposed, wherein CO2-derived formate serves as a substrate for concurrent carbon and energy delivery to microbial systems. To date, this approach has been explored in chemolithotrophic and heterotrophic organisms via native or engineered formatotrophy. However, utilization of this concept in phototrophic organisms has yet to be reported. Herein, we have taken the first steps to establish formate utilization in Picochlorum renovo, a recently characterized eukaryotic microalga with facile genetic tools and promising applied biotechnology traits. Plastidial heterologous expression of a formate dehydrogenase (FDH) enabled P. renovo growth on formate as a carbon and energy source. Further, FDH expression enhanced cultivation capacity on ambient CO2, underscoring the potential for bypass of conventional CO2 capture and concentration limitations. This work establishes a photoformatotrophic cultivation regime that leverages light energy-driven formate utilization. The resultant photosynthetic formate platform has widespread implications for applied phototrophic cultivation systems and the bio-economy at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas R. Dahlin
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Alex W. Meyers
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Skylar W. Stefani
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Ellsbeth G. Webb
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | - Benton Wachter
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
| | | | - Michael T. Guarnieri
- Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States
- Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
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8
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Egorova SV, Khmelenina VN, Mustakhimov II, But SY. The Role of Serine-Glyoxylate Aminotransferase and Malyl-CoA Lyase in the Metabolism of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:311. [PMID: 37540350 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03426-6] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The genome of aerobic methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath possesses genes of three biochemical pathways of C1-carbon assimilation: the ribulose monophosphate cycle, the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, and the partial serine cycle. Numerous studies have demonstrated that during methanotrophic growth cells of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath express key enzymes of these routes. In this study, the role of the serine cycle key enzymes, serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (Sga) and malyl-CoA lyase (Mcl) in metabolism of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath was investigated by gene inactivation. The Δsga mutant obtained by double homologous recombination showed a prolonged lag phase, and after the lag period, the growth rate became similar to that of the wild type strain. The elevated intracellular levels of glutamate, serine, glycine, alanine, methionine, leucine, and succinate suggested significant metabolic changes in the mutant cells. Deletion of the mcl gene resulted in very poor growth and glycine only partially improved growth of the mutant strain. Cells of Δmcl mutant possess lower content of histidine, but enhanced level of alanine, leucine, and lysine than those of the wild type strain. Our data imply the importance of the serine cycle enzymes in metabolism of the methanotroph as well as relationships of the three C1 assimilation pathways in the gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana V Egorova
- Federal Research Center Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russian Federation
| | - Valentina N Khmelenina
- Federal Research Center Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russian Federation
| | - Ildar I Mustakhimov
- Federal Research Center Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russian Federation
| | - Sergey Y But
- Federal Research Center Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russian Federation.
- Laboratory of Methylotrophy, Federal Research Center Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospect Nauki 5, Pushchino, Russian Federation, 142290.
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9
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Roldán DM, Menes RJ. Characterisation of 'Candidatus Methylobacter titanis' sp. nov., a putative novel species of Methylobacter clade 2 and their distribution in sediments of freshwater lakes in maritime Antarctica. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2023:10.1007/s10482-023-01840-1. [PMID: 37227602 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-023-01840-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Global warming has a strong impact on the polar regions, in particular, the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands. Methane (CH4) is a major factor in climate change and mitigation of CH4 emissions can be accomplished through microbial oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria. Understanding this biological process is crucial given the shortage of research carried out in this geographical area. The aim of this study was to characterise psychrophilic enrichment cultures of aerobic methanotrophs obtained from lake sediments of the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, South Shetland Islands) and revealing the distribution of the genus Methylobacter in different lake sediments of the peninsula. Four stable methanotrophic enrichment cultures were obtained and analysed by metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). The phylogeny of methanotroph MAGs recovered from these enrichment cultures based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that K-2018 MAG008 and D1-2020 MAG004Ts clustered within the Methylobacter clade 2, with high similarity to Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96T (97.88 and 98.56% respectively). However, the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values with M. tundripaludum were < 95% (84.8 and 85.0%, respectively) and < 70% (30.2 and 30.3%, respectively), suggesting that they represent a putative novel species for which the name 'Ca. Methylobacter titanis' is proposed. This is the first species of clade 2 of the genus Methylobacter obtained from Antarctica. The bacterial diversity assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of 21 samples of different lakes (water column and sediments) revealed 54 ASVs associated with methanotrophs and the genus Methylobacter as the most abundant. These results suggest that aerobic methanotrophs belonging to the Methylobacter clade 2 would be the main responsible for CH4 oxidation in these sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M Roldán
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Medioambiental, Microbiología, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Unidad Asociada del Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rodolfo Javier Menes
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Medioambiental, Microbiología, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Unidad Asociada del Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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10
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Chen YY, Ishikawa M, Hori K. A novel inverse membrane bioreactor for efficient bioconversion from methane gas to liquid methanol using a microbial gas-phase reaction. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:16. [PMID: 36732825 PMCID: PMC9893580 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02267-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methane (CH4), as one of the major energy sources, easily escapes from the supply chain into the atmosphere, because it exists in a gaseous state under ambient conditions. Compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), CH4 is 25 times more potent at trapping radiation; thus, the emission of CH4 to the atmosphere causes severe global warming and climate change. To mitigate CH4 emissions and utilize them effectively, the direct biological conversion of CH4 into liquid fuels, such as methanol (CH3OH), using methanotrophs is a promising strategy. However, supplying biocatalysts in an aqueous medium with CH4 involves high energy consumption due to vigorous agitation and/or bubbling, which is a serious concern in methanotrophic processes, because the aqueous phase causes a very large barrier to the delivery of slightly soluble gases. RESULTS An inverse membrane bioreactor (IMBR), which combines the advantages of gas-phase bioreactors and membrane bioreactors, was designed and constructed for the bioconversion of CH4 into CH3OH in this study. In contrast to the conventional membrane bioreactor with bacterial cells that are immersed in an aqueous phase, the filtered cells were placed to face a gas phase in the IMBR to supply CH4 directly from the gas phase to bacterial cells. Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), a representative methanotroph, was used to demonstrate the bioconversion of CH4 to CH3OH in the IMBR. Cyclopropanol was supplied from the aqueous phase as a selective inhibitor of methanol dehydrogenase, preventing further CH3OH oxidation. Sodium formate was added as an electron donor to generate NADH, which is necessary for CH3OH production. After optimizing the inlet concentration of CH4, the mass of cells, the cyclopropanol concentration, and the gas flow rate, continuous CH3OH production can be achieved over 72 h with productivity at 0.88 mmol L-1 h-1 in the IMBR, achieving a longer operation period and higher productivity than those using other types of membrane bioreactors reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS The IMBR can facilitate the development of gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies via microbial processes, allowing highly efficient mass transfer of substrates from the gas phase to microbial cells in the gas phase and having the supplement of soluble chemicals convenient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yu Chen
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Masahito Ishikawa
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
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11
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Khmelenina VN, But SY, Rozova ON, Oshkin IY, Pimenov NV, Dedysh SN. Genome Editing in Methanotrophic Bacteria: Potential Targets and Available Tools. Microbiology (Reading) 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261722602196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Kumar N, Kar S, Shukla P. Role of regulatory pathways and multi-omics approaches for carbon capture and mitigation in cyanobacteria. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 366:128104. [PMID: 36257524 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are known for their metabolic potential and carbon capture and sequestration capabilities. These cyanobacteria are not only an effective source for carbon minimization and resource mobilization into value-added products for biotechnological gains. The present review focuses on the detailed description of carbon capture mechanisms exerted by the various cyanobacterial strains, the role of important regulatory pathways, and their subsequent genes responsible for such mechanisms. Moreover, this review will also describe effectual mechanisms of central carbon metabolism like isoprene synthesis, ethylene production, MEP pathway, and the role of Glyoxylate shunt in the carbon sequestration mechanisms. This review also describes some interesting facets of using carbon assimilation mechanisms for valuable bio-products. The role of regulatory pathways and multi-omics approaches in cyanobacteria will not only be crucial towards improving carbon utilization but also will give new insights into utilizing cyanobacterial bioresource for carbon neutrality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niwas Kumar
- Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions, Navrangapura, Ahmedabad 380009, India
| | - Srabani Kar
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Hoyt KO, Woolston BM. Adapting isotopic tracer and metabolic flux analysis approaches to study C1 metabolism. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 75:102695. [PMID: 35182834 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Single-carbon (C1, or one-carbon) substrates are promising feedstocks for sustainable biofuel and biochemical production. Crucial to the goal of engineering C1-utilizing strains for improved production is a quantitative understanding of the organization, regulation and rates of the reactions that underpin C1 metabolism. 13C Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is a well-established platform for interrogating these questions with multi-carbon substrates, and uses the differential labeling of metabolites that results from feeding a substrate with position-specific incorporation of 13C in order to infer quantitative fluxes and pathway topology. Adapting isotopic tracer approaches to C1 metabolism, where position-specific substrate labeling is impossible, requires additional experimental considerations. Here we review recent studies that have developed isotopic tracer approaches to overcome the challenge of uniform metabolite labeling and provide quantitative insight into C1 metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn O Hoyt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, 201 Cullinane, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-5000, USA
| | - Benjamin M Woolston
- Department of Chemical Engineering, 201 Cullinane, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-5000, USA.
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Oshkin IY, Danilova OV, But SY, Miroshnikov KK, Suleimanov RZ, Belova SE, Tikhonova EN, Kuznetsov NN, Khmelenina VN, Pimenov NV, Dedysh SN. Expanding Characterized Diversity and the Pool of Complete Genome Sequences of Methylococcus Species, the Bacteria of High Environmental and Biotechnological Relevance. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:756830. [PMID: 34691008 PMCID: PMC8527097 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.756830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial genus Methylococcus, which comprises aerobic thermotolerant methanotrophic cocci, was described half-a-century ago. Over the years, a member of this genus, Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, has become a major model organism to study genomic and metabolic basis of obligate methanotrophy. High biotechnological potential of fast-growing Methylococcus species, mainly as a promising source of feed protein, has also been recognized. Despite this big research attention, the currently cultured Methylococcus diversity is represented by members of the two species, M. capsulatus and M. geothermalis, while finished genome sequences are available only for two strains of these methanotrophs. This study extends the pool of phenotypically characterized Methylococcus strains with good-quality genome sequences by contributing four novel isolates of these bacteria from activated sludge, landfill cover soil, and freshwater sediments. The determined genome sizes of novel isolates varied between 3.2 and 4.0Mb. As revealed by the phylogenomic analysis, strains IO1, BH, and KN2 affiliate with M. capsulatus, while strain Mc7 may potentially represent a novel species. Highest temperature optima (45-50°C) and highest growth rates in bioreactor cultures (up to 0.3h-1) were recorded for strains obtained from activated sludge. The comparative analysis of all complete genomes of Methylococcus species revealed 4,485 gene clusters. Of these, pan-genome core comprised 2,331 genes (on average 51.9% of each genome), with the accessory genome containing 846 and 1,308 genes in the shell and the cloud, respectively. Independently of the isolation source, all strains of M. capsulatus displayed surprisingly high genome synteny and a striking similarity in gene content. Strain Mc7 from a landfill cover soil differed from other isolates by the high content of mobile genetic elements in the genome and a number of genome-encoded features missing in M. capsulatus, such as sucrose biosynthesis and the ability to scavenge phosphorus and sulfur from the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Y. Oshkin
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga V. Danilova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey Y. But
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- G. K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Kirill K. Miroshnikov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ruslan Z. Suleimanov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana E. Belova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina N. Tikhonova
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolai N. Kuznetsov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Valentina N. Khmelenina
- G. K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Nikolai V. Pimenov
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana N. Dedysh
- Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Center of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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