1
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Meyer NR, Morono Y, Dekas AE. Single-cell analysis reveals an active and heterotrophic microbiome in the Guaymas Basin deep subsurface with significant inorganic carbon fixation by heterotrophs. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0044624. [PMID: 38709099 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00446-24] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The marine subsurface is a long-term sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide with significant implications for climate on geologic timescales. Subsurface microbial cells can either enhance or reduce carbon sequestration in the subsurface, depending on their metabolic lifestyle. However, the activity of subsurface microbes is rarely measured. Here, we used nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) to quantify anabolic activity in 3,203 individual cells from the thermally altered deep subsurface in the Guaymas Basin, Mexico (3-75 m below the seafloor, 0-14°C). We observed that a large majority of cells were active (83%-100%), although the rates of biomass generation were low, suggesting cellular maintenance rather than doubling. Mean single-cell activity decreased with increasing sediment depth and temperature and was most strongly correlated with porewater sulfate concentrations. Intracommunity heterogeneity in microbial activity decreased with increasing sediment depth and age. Using a dual-isotope labeling approach, we determined that all active cells analyzed were heterotrophic, deriving the majority of their cellular carbon from organic sources. However, we also detected inorganic carbon assimilation in these heterotrophic cells, likely via processes such as anaplerosis, and determined that inorganic carbon contributes at least 5% of the total biomass carbon in heterotrophs in this community. Our results demonstrate that the deep marine biosphere at Guaymas Basin is largely active and contributes to subsurface carbon cycling primarily by not only assimilating organic carbon but also fixing inorganic carbon. Heterotrophic assimilation of inorganic carbon may be a small yet significant and widespread underappreciated source of labile carbon in the global subsurface. IMPORTANCE The global subsurface is the largest reservoir of microbial life on the planet yet remains poorly characterized. The activity of life in this realm has implications for long-term elemental cycling, particularly of carbon, as well as how life survives in extreme environments. Here, we recovered cells from the deep subsurface of the Guaymas Basin and investigated the level and distribution of microbial activity, the physicochemical drivers of activity, and the relative significance of organic versus inorganic carbon to subsurface biomass. Using a sensitive single-cell assay, we found that the majority of cells are active, that activity is likely driven by the availability of energy, and that although heterotrophy is the dominant metabolism, both organic and inorganic carbon are used to generate biomass. Using a new approach, we quantified inorganic carbon assimilation by heterotrophs and highlighted the importance of this often-overlooked mode of carbon assimilation in the subsurface and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette R Meyer
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avantgarde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
| | - Anne E Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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2
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Burr DJ, Drauschke J, Kanevche K, Kümmel S, Stryhanyuk H, Heberle J, Perfumo A, Elsaesser A. Stable Isotope Probing-nanoFTIR for Quantitation of Cellular Metabolism and Observation of Growth-Dependent Spectral Features. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2400289. [PMID: 38708804 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
This study utilizes nanoscale Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (nanoFTIR) to perform stable isotope probing (SIP) on individual bacteria cells cultured in the presence of 13C-labelled glucose. SIP-nanoFTIR simultaneously quantifies single-cell metabolism through infrared spectroscopy and acquires cellular morphological information via atomic force microscopy. The redshift of the amide I peak corresponds to the isotopic enrichment of newly synthesized proteins. These observations of single-cell translational activity are comparable to those of conventional methods, examining bulk cell numbers. Observing cells cultured under conditions of limited carbon, SIP- nanoFTIR is used to identify environmentally-induced changes in metabolic heterogeneity and cellular morphology. Individuals outcompeting their neighboring cells will likely play a disproportionately large role in shaping population dynamics during adverse conditions or environmental fluctuations. Additionally, SIP-nanoFTIR enables the spectroscopic differentiation of specific cellular growth phases. During cellular replication, subcellular isotope distribution becomes more homogenous, which is reflected in the spectroscopic features dependent on the extent of 13C-13C mode coupling or to specific isotopic symmetries within protein secondary structures. As SIP-nanoFTIR captures single-cell metabolism, environmentally-induced cellular processes, and subcellular isotope localization, this technique offers widespread applications across a variety of disciplines including microbial ecology, biophysics, biopharmaceuticals, medicinal science, and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Burr
- Department of Physics, Experimental Biophysics and Space Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janina Drauschke
- Department of Physics, Experimental Biophysics and Space Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katerina Kanevche
- Department of Physics, Experimental Molecular Biophysics, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Steffen Kümmel
- Department of Technical Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hryhoriy Stryhanyuk
- Department of Technical Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Joachim Heberle
- Department of Physics, Experimental Molecular Biophysics, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amedea Perfumo
- Department of Physics, Experimental Molecular Biophysics, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Telegrafenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Andreas Elsaesser
- Department of Physics, Experimental Biophysics and Space Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Schmidt H, Gorka S, Seki D, Schintlmeister A, Woebken D. Gold-FISH enables targeted NanoSIMS analysis of plant-associated bacteria. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:439-451. [PMID: 37381111 PMCID: PMC10962543 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria colonize plant roots and engage in reciprocal interactions with their hosts. However, the contribution of individual taxa or groups of bacteria to plant nutrition and fitness is not well characterized due to a lack of in situ evidence of bacterial activity. To address this knowledge gap, we developed an analytical approach that combines the identification and localization of individual bacteria on root surfaces via gold-based in situ hybridization with correlative NanoSIMS imaging of incorporated stable isotopes, indicative of metabolic activity. We incubated Kosakonia strain DS-1-associated, gnotobiotically grown rice plants with 15 N-N2 gas to detect in situ N2 fixation activity. Bacterial cells along the rhizoplane showed heterogeneous patterns of 15 N enrichment, ranging from the natural isotope abundance levels up to 12.07 at% 15 N (average and median of 3.36 and 2.85 at% 15 N, respectively, n = 697 cells). The presented correlative optical and chemical imaging analysis is applicable to a broad range of studies investigating plant-microbe interactions. For example, it enables verification of the in situ metabolic activity of host-associated commercialized strains or plant growth-promoting bacteria, thereby disentangling their role in plant nutrition. Such data facilitate the design of plant-microbe combinations for improvement of crop management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Schmidt
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
| | - Stefan Gorka
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
- Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
| | - David Seki
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
| | - Arno Schintlmeister
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
- Large‐Instrument Facility for Environmental and Isotope Mass Spectrometry, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
| | - Dagmar Woebken
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems ScienceUniversity of ViennaVienna1030Austria
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4
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Arandia-Gorostidi N, Parada AE, Dekas AE. Single-cell view of deep-sea microbial activity and intracommunity heterogeneity. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:59-69. [PMID: 36202927 PMCID: PMC9750969 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01324-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Microbial activity in the deep sea is cumulatively important for global elemental cycling yet is difficult to quantify and characterize due to low cell density and slow growth. Here, we investigated microbial activity off the California coast, 50-4000 m water depth, using sensitive single-cell measurements of stable-isotope uptake and nucleic acid sequencing. We observed the highest yet reported proportion of active cells in the bathypelagic (up to 78%) and calculated that deep-sea cells (200-4000 m) are responsible for up to 34% of total microbial biomass synthesis in the water column. More cells assimilated nitrogen derived from amino acids than ammonium, and at higher rates. Nitrogen was assimilated preferentially to carbon from amino acids in surface waters, while the reverse was true at depth. We introduce and apply the Gini coefficient, an established equality metric in economics, to quantify intracommunity heterogeneity in microbial anabolic activity. We found that heterogeneity increased with water depth, suggesting a minority of cells contribute disproportionately to total activity in the deep sea. This observation was supported by higher RNA/DNA ratios for low abundance taxa at depth. Intracommunity activity heterogeneity is a fundamental and rarely measured ecosystem parameter and may have implications for community function and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A E Parada
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - A E Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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5
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Co-expression of an isopropanol synthetic operon and eGFP to monitor the robustness of Cupriavidus necator during isopropanol production. Enzyme Microb Technol 2022; 161:110114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2022.110114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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6
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Photophysiological response of Symbiodiniaceae single cells to temperature stress. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:2060-2064. [PMID: 35474114 PMCID: PMC9296599 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01243-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthetic dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae engage in symbiosis with scleractinian corals. As coral ‘bleaching’ is partly governed by the thermal sensitivity of different Symbiodiniaceae lineages, numerous studies have investigated their temperature sensitivity. However, the systematic identification of single-cells with increased temperature resistance among these dinoflagellates has remained inaccessible, mostly due to a lack of technologies operating at the microscale. Here, we employed a unique combination of microfluidics, miniaturized temperature control, and chlorophyll fluorometry to characterize the single-cell heterogeneity among five representative species within the Symbiodiniaceae family under temperature stress. We monitored single-cell maximum quantum yields (Fv/Fm) of photosystem (PS) II under increasing temperature stress (22‒39 °C, + 1 °C every 15 min), and detected a significant Fv/Fm reduction at lineage-specific temperatures ranging from 28 °C to 34 °C alongside a 40- to 180- fold increase in intraspecific heterogeneity under elevated temperatures (>31 °C). We discovered that the initial Fv/Fm of a cell could predict the same cell’s ability to perform PSII photochemistry under moderate temperature stress (<32 °C), suggesting its use as a proxy for measuring the thermal sensitivity among Symbiodiniaceae. In combination, our study highlights the heterogeneous thermal sensitivity among photosynthetic Symbiodiniaceae and adds critical resolution to our understanding of temperature-induced coral bleaching.
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7
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Alcolombri U, Pioli R, Stocker R, Berry D. Single-cell stable isotope probing in microbial ecology. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:55. [PMID: 37938753 PMCID: PMC9723680 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00142-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Environmental and host-associated microbiomes are typically diverse assemblages of organisms performing myriad activities and engaging in a network of interactions that play out in spatially structured contexts. As the sum of these activities and interactions give rise to overall microbiome function, with important consequences for environmental processes and human health, elucidating specific microbial activities within complex communities is a pressing challenge. Single-cell stable isotope probing (SC-SIP) encompasses multiple techniques that typically utilize Raman microspectroscopy or nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) to enable spatially resolved tracking of isotope tracers in cells, cellular components, and metabolites. SC-SIP techniques are uniquely suited for illuminating single-cell activities in microbial communities and for testing hypotheses about cellular functions generated for example from meta-omics datasets. Here, we illustrate the insights enabled by SC-SIP techniques by reviewing selected applications in microbiology and offer a perspective on their potential for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uria Alcolombri
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roberto Pioli
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roman Stocker
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - David Berry
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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8
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Abstract
High-resolution imaging with secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) has become a standard method in systems biology and environmental biogeochemistry and is broadly used to decipher ecophysiological traits of environmental microorganisms, metabolic processes in plant and animal tissues, and cross-kingdom symbioses. When combined with stable isotope-labeling-an approach we refer to as nanoSIP-nanoSIMS imaging offers a distinctive means to quantify net assimilation rates and stoichiometry of individual cell-sized particles in both low- and high-complexity environments. While the majority of nanoSIP studies in environmental and microbial biology have focused on nitrogen and carbon metabolism (using 15N and 13C tracers), multiple advances have pushed the capabilities of this approach in the past decade. The development of a high-brightness oxygen ion source has enabled high-resolution metal analyses that are easier to perform, allowing quantification of metal distribution in cells and environmental particles. New preparation methods, tools for automated data extraction from large data sets, and analytical approaches that push the limits of sensitivity and spatial resolution have allowed for more robust characterization of populations ranging from marine archaea to fungi and viruses. NanoSIMS studies continue to be enhanced by correlation with orthogonal imaging and 'omics approaches; when linked to molecular visualization methods, such as in situ hybridization and antibody labeling, these techniques enable in situ function to be linked to microbial identity and gene expression. Here we present an updated description of the primary materials, methods, and calculations used for nanoSIP, with an emphasis on recent advances in nanoSIMS applications, key methodological steps, and potential pitfalls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pett-Ridge
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA.
| | - Peter K Weber
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA.
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9
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Semple S, Ferrer-I-Cancho R, Gustison ML. Linguistic laws in biology. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:53-66. [PMID: 34598817 PMCID: PMC8678306 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Linguistic laws, the common statistical patterns of human language, have been investigated by quantitative linguists for nearly a century. Recently, biologists from a range of disciplines have started to explore the prevalence of these laws beyond language, finding patterns consistent with linguistic laws across multiple levels of biological organisation, from molecular (genomes, genes, and proteins) to organismal (animal behaviour) to ecological (populations and ecosystems). We propose a new conceptual framework for the study of linguistic laws in biology, comprising and integrating distinct levels of analysis, from description to prediction to theory building. Adopting this framework will provide critical new insights into the fundamental rules of organisation underpinning natural systems, unifying linguistic laws and core theory in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Semple
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK.
| | - Ramon Ferrer-I-Cancho
- Complexity and Quantitative Linguistics Laboratory, Laboratory for Relational Algorithmics, Complexity, and Learning Research Group, Departament de Ciències de la Computació, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Morgan L Gustison
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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10
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Polerecky L, Eichner M, Masuda T, Zavřel T, Rabouille S, Campbell DA, Halsey K. Calculation and Interpretation of Substrate Assimilation Rates in Microbial Cells Based on Isotopic Composition Data Obtained by nanoSIMS. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:621634. [PMID: 34917040 PMCID: PMC8670600 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.621634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable isotope probing (SIP) combined with nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) is a powerful approach to quantify assimilation rates of elements such as C and N into individual microbial cells. Here, we use mathematical modeling to investigate how the derived rate estimates depend on the model used to describe substrate assimilation by a cell during a SIP incubation. We show that the most commonly used model, which is based on the simplifying assumptions of linearly increasing biomass of individual cells over time and no cell division, can yield underestimated assimilation rates when compared to rates derived from a model that accounts for cell division. This difference occurs because the isotopic labeling of a dividing cell increases more rapidly over time compared to a non-dividing cell and becomes more pronounced as the labeling increases above a threshold value that depends on the cell cycle stage of the measured cell. Based on the modeling results, we present formulae for estimating assimilation rates in cells and discuss their underlying assumptions, conditions of applicability, and implications for the interpretation of intercellular variability in assimilation rates derived from nanoSIMS data, including the impacts of storage inclusion metabolism. We offer the formulae as a Matlab script to facilitate rapid data evaluation by nanoSIMS users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubos Polerecky
- Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Meri Eichner
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre Algatech, Třeboň, Czechia
| | - Takako Masuda
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre Algatech, Třeboň, Czechia
| | - Tomáš Zavřel
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia
| | - Sophie Rabouille
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, LOV, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.,Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, LOMIC, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
| | | | - Kimberly Halsey
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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11
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Calabrese F, Stryhanyuk H, Moraru C, Schlömann M, Wick LY, Richnow HH, Musat F, Musat N. Metabolic history and metabolic fitness as drivers of anabolic heterogeneity in isogenic microbial populations. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:6764-6776. [PMID: 34472201 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Microbial populations often display different degrees of heterogeneity in their substrate assimilation, that is, anabolic heterogeneity. It has been shown that nutrient limitations are a relevant trigger for this behaviour. Here we explore the dynamics of anabolic heterogeneity under nutrient replete conditions. We applied time-resolved stable isotope probing and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry to quantify substrate assimilation by individual cells of Pseudomonas putida, P. stutzeri and Thauera aromatica. Acetate and benzoate at different concentrations were used as substrates. Anabolic heterogeneity was quantified by the cumulative differentiation tendency index. We observed two major, opposing trends of anabolic heterogeneity over time. Most often, microbial populations started as highly heterogeneous, with heterogeneity decreasing by various degrees over time. The second, less frequently observed trend, saw microbial populations starting at low or very low heterogeneity, and remaining largely stable over time. We explain these trends as an interplay of metabolic history (e.g. former growth substrate or other nutrient limitations) and metabolic fitness (i.e. the fine-tuning of metabolic pathways to process a defined growth substrate). Our results offer a new viewpoint on the intra-population functional diversification often encountered in the environment, and suggests that some microbial populations may be intrinsically heterogeneous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Calabrese
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hryhoriy Stryhanyuk
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cristina Moraru
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schlömann
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU-Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Y Wick
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans H Richnow
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Florin Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Niculina Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Menden-Deuer S, Rowlett J, Nursultanov M, Collins S, Rynearson T. Biodiversity of marine microbes is safeguarded by phenotypic heterogeneity in ecological traits. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254799. [PMID: 34347817 PMCID: PMC8336841 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Why, contrary to theoretical predictions, do marine microbe communities harbor tremendous phenotypic heterogeneity? How can so many marine microbe species competing in the same niche coexist? We discovered a unifying explanation for both phenomena by investigating a non-cooperative game that interpolates between individual-level competitions and species-level outcomes. We identified all equilibrium strategies of the game. These strategies represent the probability distribution of competitive abilities (e.g. traits) and are characterized by maximal phenotypic heterogeneity. They are also neutral towards each other in the sense that an unlimited number of species can co-exist while competing according to the equilibrium strategies. Whereas prior theory predicts that natural selection would minimize trait variation around an optimum value, here we obtained a mathematical proof that species with maximally variable traits are those that endure. This discrepancy may reflect a disparity between predictions from models developed for larger organisms in contrast to our microbe-centric model. Rigorous mathematics proves that phenotypic heterogeneity is itself a mechanistic underpinning of microbial diversity. This discovery has fundamental ramifications for microbial ecology and may represent an adaptive reservoir sheltering biodiversity in changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Menden-Deuer
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI, United States of America
| | - Julie Rowlett
- Mathematical Sciences, Chalmers University and the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Medet Nursultanov
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Sinead Collins
- Biological Sciences, Ashworth Laboratories, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tatiana Rynearson
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI, United States of America
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13
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Chen SC, Budhraja R, Adrian L, Calabrese F, Stryhanyuk H, Musat N, Richnow HH, Duan GL, Zhu YG, Musat F. Novel clades of soil biphenyl degraders revealed by integrating isotope probing, multi-omics, and single-cell analyses. ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3508-3521. [PMID: 34117322 PMCID: PMC8630052 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01022-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Most microorganisms in the biosphere remain uncultured and poorly characterized. Although the surge in genome sequences has enabled insights into the genetic and metabolic properties of uncultured microorganisms, their physiology and ecological roles cannot be determined without direct probing of their activities in natural habitats. Here we employed an experimental framework coupling genome reconstruction and activity assays to characterize the largely uncultured microorganisms responsible for aerobic biodegradation of biphenyl as a proxy for a large class of environmental pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls. We used 13C-labeled biphenyl in contaminated soils and traced the flow of pollutant-derived carbon into active cells using single-cell analyses and protein–stable isotope probing. The detection of 13C-enriched proteins linked biphenyl biodegradation to the uncultured Alphaproteobacteria clade UBA11222, which we found to host a distinctive biphenyl dioxygenase gene widely retrieved from contaminated environments. The same approach indicated the capacity of Azoarcus species to oxidize biphenyl and suggested similar metabolic abilities for species of Rugosibacter. Biphenyl oxidation would thus represent formerly unrecognized ecological functions of both genera. The quantitative role of these microorganisms in pollutant degradation was resolved using single-cell-based uptake measurements. Our strategy advances our understanding of microbially mediated biodegradation processes and has general application potential for elucidating the ecological roles of uncultured microorganisms in their natural habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song-Can Chen
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rohit Budhraja
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lorenz Adrian
- Department Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.,Chair of Geobiotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, 13355, Berlin, Germany
| | - Federica Calabrese
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hryhoriy Stryhanyuk
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Niculina Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans-Hermann Richnow
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gui-Lan Duan
- State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, Beijing, China. .,Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021, Xiamen, China.
| | - Florin Musat
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
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Norris V, Ripoll C. Generation of Bacterial Diversity by Segregation of DNA Strands. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:550856. [PMID: 33828535 PMCID: PMC8019907 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.550856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The generation in a bacterial population of a diversity that is coherent with present and future environments is a fundamental problem. Here, we use modeling to investigate growth rate diversity. We show that the combination of (1) association of extended assemblies of macromolecules with the DNA strands and (2) the segregation of DNA strands during cell division allows cells to generate different patterns of growth rate diversity with little effect on the overall growth rate of the population and thereby constitutes an example of “order for free” on which evolution can act.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vic Norris
- Laboratory of Microbiology Signals and Microenvironment, Faculty of Science, University of Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France
| | - Camille Ripoll
- Faculty of Science, University of Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France
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15
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Meyer NR, Fortney JL, Dekas AE. NanoSIMS sample preparation decreases isotope enrichment: magnitude, variability and implications for single-cell rates of microbial activity. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:81-98. [PMID: 33000528 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The activity of individual microorganisms can be measured within environmental samples by detecting uptake of isotope-labelled substrates using nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS). Recent studies have demonstrated that sample preparation can decrease 13 C and 15 N enrichment in bacterial cells, resulting in underestimates of activity. Here, we explore this effect with a variety of preparation types, microbial lineages and isotope labels to determine its consistency and therefore potential for correction. Specifically, we investigated the impact of different protocols for fixation, nucleic acid staining and catalysed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) on >14 500 archaeal and bacterial cells (Methanosarcina acetivorans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Pseudomonas putida) enriched in 13 C, 15 N, 18 O, 2 H and/or 34 S. We found these methods decrease isotope enrichments by up to 80% - much more than previously reported - and that the effect varies by taxa, growth phase, isotope label and applied protocol. We make recommendations for how to account for this effect experimentally and analytically. We also re-evaluate published nanoSIMS datasets and revise estimated microbial turnover times in the marine subsurface and nitrogen fixation rates in pelagic unicellular cyanobacteria. When sample preparation is accounted for, cell-specific rates increase and are more consistent with modelled and bulk rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette R Meyer
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Julian L Fortney
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Anne E Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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