1
|
Zhao Y, Liu Y, Cao S, Hao Q, Liu C, Li Y. Anaerobic oxidation of methane driven by different electron acceptors: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174287. [PMID: 38945238 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174287] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Methane, the most significant reduced form of carbon on Earth, acts as a crucial fuel and greenhouse gas. Globally, microbial methane sinks encompass both aerobic oxidation of methane (AeOM), conducted by oxygen-utilizing methanotrophs, and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), performed by anaerobic methanotrophs employing various alternative electron acceptors. These electron acceptors involved in AOM include sulfate, nitrate/nitrite, humic substances, and diverse metal oxides. The known anaerobic methanotrophic pathways comprise the internal aerobic oxidation pathway found in NC10 bacteria and the reverse methanogenesis pathway utilized by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME). Diverse anaerobic methanotrophs can perform AOM independently or in cooperation with symbiotic partners through several extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways. AOM has been documented in various environments, including seafloor methane seepages, coastal wetlands, freshwater lakes, soils, and even extreme environments like hydrothermal vents. The environmental activities of AOM processes, driven by different electron acceptors, primarily depend on the energy yields, availability of electron acceptors, and environmental adaptability of methanotrophs. It has been suggested that different electron acceptors driving AOM may occur across a wider range of habitats than previously recognized. Additionally, it is proposed that methanotrophs have evolved flexible metabolic strategies to adapt to complex environmental conditions. This review primarily focuses on AOM, driven by different electron acceptors, discussing the associated reaction mechanisms and the habitats where these processes are active. Furthermore, it emphasizes the pivotal role of AOM in mitigating methane emissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
| | - Yaci Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China.
| | - Shengwei Cao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
| | - Qichen Hao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
| | - Chunlei Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
| | - Yasong Li
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Cycling and Eco-Geological Processes, Xiamen 361021, China; Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yang C, Yang Y, Cheng H, Shen L. Role and environmental regulation of iron-driven anaerobic methane oxidation in riverine sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024:119800. [PMID: 39147185 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Iron is an abundant element in the environment and acts as a thermodynamically favorable electron acceptor driving the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Presently, the role and environmental regulation of iron-driven AOM in rivers, an important source of methane emission, are nearly unknown. Here, we provided direct evidence for iron-driven AOM activity in sediment of a mountainous river (Wuxijiang River, China) through 13C-labeled isotopic experiment. The potential rate of iron-driven AOM ranged between 0.40 and 1.84 nmol 13CO2 g (sediment) d-1, which contributed 36% on average to total AOM activity when combined the potential nitrate- and nitrite-driven AOM rates measured previously. There were significant variations in iron-driven AOM rates among different reaches (upper, middle, and lower) and between seasons (summer and winter). Sediment temperature, pH, and nitrate content were closely associated with the dynamic of AOM activity. Our results indicate that iron-driven AOM has great potential for reducing methane emissions from riverine ecosystems, and suggest the necessity of taking both spatial and temporal scales into account to evaluate the quantitative role of this AOM process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenggong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Yuling Yang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Haixiang Cheng
- College of Chemistry and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, China
| | - Lidong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Carbon Source and Sink, China Meteorological Administration (ECSS-CMA), School of Ecology and Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Agee A, Pace G, Yang V, Segalman R, Furst AL. Mixed Conducting Polymers Alter Electron Transfer Thermodynamics to Boost Current Generation from Electroactive Microbes. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:19728-19736. [PMID: 39001879 PMCID: PMC11276794 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c01288] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Electroactive microbes that can release or take up electrons are essential components of nearly every ecological niche and are powerful tools for the development of alternative energy technologies. Small-molecule mediators are critical for this electron transfer but remain difficult to study and engineer because they perform concerted two-electron transfer in native systems but only individual, one-electron transfers in electrochemical studies. Here, we report that electrode modification with ion- and electron-conductive polymers yields biosimilar, concerted two-electron transfer from Shewanella oneidensis via flavin mediators. S. oneidensis biofilms on these polymers show significantly improved per-microbe current generation and morphologies that more closely resemble native systems, setting a new paradigm for the study and optimization of these electron transfer processes. The unprecedented concerted electron transfer was found to be due to altered mediator electron transfer thermodynamics, enabling biologically relevant studies of electroactive biofilms in the lab for the first time. These important findings pave the way for a complete understanding of the ecological role of electroactive microbes and their broad application in sustainable technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alec Agee
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Gordon Pace
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Victoria Yang
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Rachel Segalman
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Ariel L. Furst
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dalcin Martins P, de Monlevad JPC, Echeveste Medrano MJ, Lenstra WK, Wallenius AJ, Hermans M, Slomp CP, Welte CU, Jetten MSM, van Helmond NAGM. Sulfide Toxicity as Key Control on Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane in Eutrophic Coastal Sediments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:11421-11435. [PMID: 38888209 PMCID: PMC11223495 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10418] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Coastal zones account for 75% of marine methane emissions, despite covering only 15% of the ocean surface area. In these ecosystems, the tight balance between methane production and oxidation in sediments prevents most methane from escaping into seawater. However, anthropogenic activities could disrupt this balance, leading to an increased methane escape from coastal sediments. To quantify and unravel potential mechanisms underlying this disruption, we used a suite of biogeochemical and microbiological analyses to investigate the impact of anthropogenically induced redox shifts on methane cycling in sediments from three sites with contrasting bottom water redox conditions (oxic-hypoxic-euxinic) in the eutrophic Stockholm Archipelago. Our results indicate that the methane production potential increased under hypoxia and euxinia, while anaerobic oxidation of methane was disrupted under euxinia. Experimental, genomic, and biogeochemical data suggest that the virtual disappearance of methane-oxidizing archaea at the euxinic site occurred due to sulfide toxicity. This could explain a near 7-fold increase in the extent of escape of benthic methane at the euxinic site relative to the hypoxic one. In conclusion, these insights reveal how the development of euxinia could disrupt the coastal methane biofilter, potentially leading to increased methane emissions from coastal zones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Dalcin Martins
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department
of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of
Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - João P.
R. C. de Monlevad
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Maider J. Echeveste Medrano
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Wytze Klaas Lenstra
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Utrecht 3584 CB, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Julia Wallenius
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hermans
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Utrecht 3584 CB, The Netherlands
- Baltic
Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm 114 18, Sweden
| | - Caroline P. Slomp
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Utrecht 3584 CB, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia Ulrike Welte
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S. M. Jetten
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Niels A. G. M. van Helmond
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Utrecht 3584 CB, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Baker IR, Girguis PR. Sulfur cycling likely obscures dynamic biologically-driven iron redox cycling in contemporary methane seep environments. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13263. [PMID: 38705733 PMCID: PMC11070330 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Deep-sea methane seeps are amongst the most biologically productive environments on Earth and are often characterised by stable, low oxygen concentrations and microbial communities that couple the anaerobic oxidation of methane to sulfate reduction or iron reduction in the underlying sediment. At these sites, ferrous iron (Fe2+) can be produced by organoclastic iron reduction, methanotrophic-coupled iron reduction, or through the abiotic reduction by sulfide produced by the abundant sulfate-reducing bacteria at these sites. The prevalence of Fe2+in the anoxic sediments, as well as the availability of oxygen in the overlying water, suggests that seeps could also harbour communities of iron-oxidising microbes. However, it is unclear to what extent Fe2+ remains bioavailable and in solution given that the abiotic reaction between sulfide and ferrous iron is often assumed to scavenge all ferrous iron as insoluble iron sulfides and pyrite. Accordingly, we searched the sea floor at methane seeps along the Cascadia Margin for microaerobic, neutrophilic iron-oxidising bacteria, operating under the reasoning that if iron-oxidising bacteria could be isolated from these environments, it could indicate that porewater Fe2+ can persist is long enough for biology to outcompete pyritisation. We found that the presence of sulfate in our enrichment media muted any obvious microbially-driven iron oxidation with most iron being precipitated as iron sulfides. Transfer of enrichment cultures to sulfate-depleted media led to dynamic iron redox cycling relative to abiotic controls and sulfate-containing cultures, and demonstrated the capacity for biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides from a methane seep-derived community. 16S rRNA analyses revealed that removing sulfate drastically reduced the diversity of enrichment cultures and caused a general shift from a Gammaproteobacteria-domainated ecosystem to one dominated by Rhodobacteraceae (Alphaproteobacteria). Our data suggest that, in most cases, sulfur cycling may restrict the biological "ferrous wheel" in contemporary environments through a combination of the sulfur-adapted sediment-dwelling ecosystems and the abiotic reactions they influence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R. Baker
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Peter R. Girguis
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yin X, Zhou G, Cai M, Richter-Heitmann T, Zhu QZ, Maeke M, Kulkarni AC, Nimzyk R, Elvert M, Friedrich MW. Physiological versatility of ANME-1 and Bathyarchaeotoa-8 archaea evidenced by inverse stable isotope labeling. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:68. [PMID: 38570877 PMCID: PMC10988981 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01779-z] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The trophic strategy is one key principle to categorize microbial lifestyles, by broadly classifying microorganisms based on the combination of their preferred carbon sources, electron sources, and electron sinks. Recently, a novel trophic strategy, i.e., chemoorganoautotrophy-the utilization of organic carbon as energy source but inorganic carbon as sole carbon source-has been specifically proposed for anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANME-1) and Bathyarchaeota subgroup 8 (Bathy-8). RESULTS To further explore chemoorganoautotrophy, we employed stable isotope probing (SIP) of nucleic acids (rRNA or DNA) using unlabeled organic carbon and 13C-labeled dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), i.e., inverse stable isotope labeling, in combination with metagenomics. We found that ANME-1 archaea actively incorporated 13C-DIC into RNA in the presence of methane and lepidocrocite when sulfate was absent, but assimilated organic carbon when cellulose was added to incubations without methane additions. Bathy-8 archaea assimilated 13C-DIC when lignin was amended; however, their DNA was derived from both inorganic and organic carbon sources rather than from inorganic carbon alone. Based on SIP results and supported by metagenomics, carbon transfer between catabolic and anabolic branches of metabolism is possible in these archaeal groups, indicating their anabolic versatility. CONCLUSION We provide evidence for the incorporation of the mixed organic and inorganic carbon by ANME-1 and Bathy-8 archaea in the environment. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuran Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Renmin Ave. No.58, Haikou, 570228, China.
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 8, Bremen, D-28359, Germany.
| | - Guowei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Renmin Ave. No.58, Haikou, 570228, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Qing-Zeng Zhu
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 8, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Mara Maeke
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 8, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Ajinkya C Kulkarni
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Rolf Nimzyk
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Marcus Elvert
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 8, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, James-Watt-Strasse 1, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 8, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yin X, Zhou G, Wang H, Han D, Maeke M, Richter-Heitmann T, Wunder LC, Aromokeye DA, Zhu QZ, Nimzyk R, Elvert M, Friedrich MW. Unexpected carbon utilization activity of sulfate-reducing microorganisms in temperate and permanently cold marine sediments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrad014. [PMID: 38365251 PMCID: PMC10811731 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrad014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Significant amounts of organic carbon in marine sediments are degraded, coupled with sulfate reduction. However, the actual carbon and energy sources used in situ have not been assigned to each group of diverse sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) owing to the microbial and environmental complexity in sediments. Here, we probed microbial activity in temperate and permanently cold marine sediments by using potential SRM substrates, organic fermentation products at very low concentrations (15-30 μM), with RNA-based stable isotope probing. Unexpectedly, SRM were involved only to a minor degree in organic fermentation product mineralization, whereas metal-reducing microbes were dominant. Contrastingly, distinct SRM strongly assimilated 13C-DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) with H2 as the electron donor. Our study suggests that canonical SRM prefer autotrophic lifestyle, with hydrogen as the electron donor, while metal-reducing microorganisms are involved in heterotrophic organic matter turnover, and thus regulate carbon fluxes in an unexpected way in marine sediments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuran Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, 58 Renmin Avenue, Haikou 570228, China
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Guowei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, 58 Renmin Avenue, Haikou 570228, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, 111 Jiulong Road, Hefei, Anhui 230601, China
| | - Haihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, 58 Renmin Avenue, Haikou 570228, China
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Dukki Han
- Department of Marine Bioscience, Gangneung-Wonju National University, 7 Jukheon-gil, Gangneung-si 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Mara Maeke
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Lea C Wunder
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - David A Aromokeye
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Qing-Zeng Zhu
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Rolf Nimzyk
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Marcus Elvert
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Strasse 2-4, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 3, Bremen D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse 8, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fenibo EO, Selvarajan R, Wang H, Wang Y, Abia ALK. Untapped talents: insight into the ecological significance of methanotrophs and its prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166145. [PMID: 37579801 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The deep ocean is a rich reservoir of unique organisms with great potential for bioprospecting, ecosystem services, and the discovery of novel materials. These organisms thrive in harsh environments characterized by high hydrostatic pressure, low temperature, and limited nutrients. Hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, prominent features of the deep ocean, provide a habitat for microorganisms involved in the production and filtration of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methanotrophs, comprising archaea and bacteria, play a crucial role in these processes. This review examines the intricate relationship between the roles, responses, and niche specialization of methanotrophs in the deep ocean ecosystem. Our findings reveal that different types of methanotrophs dominate specific zones depending on prevailing conditions. Type I methanotrophs thrive in oxygen-rich zones, while Type II methanotrophs display adaptability to diverse conditions. Verrumicrobiota and NC10 flourish in hypoxic and extreme environments. In addition to their essential role in methane regulation, methanotrophs contribute to various ecosystem functions. They participate in the degradation of foreign compounds and play a crucial role in cycling biogeochemical elements like metals, sulfur, and nitrogen. Methanotrophs also serve as a significant energy source for the oceanic food chain and drive chemosynthesis in the deep ocean. Moreover, their presence offers promising prospects for biotechnological applications, including the production of valuable compounds such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, methanobactin, exopolysaccharides, ecotines, methanol, putrescine, and biofuels. In conclusion, this review highlights the multifaceted roles of methanotrophs in the deep ocean ecosystem, underscoring their ecological significance and their potential for advancements in biotechnology. A comprehensive understanding of their niche specialization and responses will contribute to harnessing their full potential in various domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Oliver Fenibo
- World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence, Centre for Oilfield Chemical Research, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt 500272, Nigeria
| | - Ramganesh Selvarajan
- Laboratory of Extraterrestrial Ocean Systems (LEOS), Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Sanya, China; Department of Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida Campus, 1710, South Africa
| | - Huiqi Wang
- Laboratory of Extraterrestrial Ocean Systems (LEOS), Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Sanya, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Laboratory of Extraterrestrial Ocean Systems (LEOS), Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Sanya, China
| | - Akebe Luther King Abia
- Environmental Research Foundation, Westville 3630, South Africa; Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yan Z, Du K, Yan Y, Huang R, Zhu F, Yuan X, Wang S, Ferry JG. Respiration-driven methanotrophic growth of diverse marine methanogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303179120. [PMID: 37729205 PMCID: PMC10523532 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303179120] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaerobic marine environments are the third largest producer of the greenhouse gas methane. The release to the atmosphere is prevented by anaerobic 'methanotrophic archaea (ANME) dependent on a symbiotic association with sulfate-reducing bacteria or direct reduction of metal oxides. Metagenomic analyses of ANME are consistent with a reverse methanogenesis pathway, although no wild-type isolates have been available for validation and biochemical investigation. Herein is reported the characterization of methanotrophic growth for the diverse marine methanogens Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A and Methanococcoides orientis sp. nov. Growth was dependent on reduction of either ferrihydrite or humic acids revealing a respiratory mode of energy conservation. Acetate and/or formate were end products. Reversal of the well-characterized methanogenic pathways is remarkably like the consensus pathways for uncultured ANME based on extensive metagenomic analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
- Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu215123, China
| | - Kaifeng Du
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Yunfeng Yan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Rui Huang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Fanping Zhu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Xianzheng Yuan
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - Shuguang Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao266237, China
| | - James G. Ferry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16801
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lenstra WK, van Helmond NAGM, Martins PD, Wallenius AJ, Jetten MSM, Slomp CP. Gene-Based Modeling of Methane Oxidation in Coastal Sediments: Constraints on the Efficiency of the Microbial Methane Filter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12722-12731. [PMID: 37585543 PMCID: PMC10469488 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is produced in large quantities in marine sediments. Microbially mediated oxidation of methane in sediments, when in balance with methane production, prevents the release of methane to the overlying water. Here, we present a gene-based reactive transport model that includes both microbial and geochemical dynamics and use it to investigate whether the rate of growth of methane oxidizers in sediments impacts the efficiency of the microbial methane filter. We focus on iron- and methane-rich coastal sediments and, with the model, show that at our site, up to 10% of all methane removed is oxidized by iron and manganese oxides, with the remainder accounted for by oxygen and sulfate. We demonstrate that the slow growth rate of anaerobic methane-oxidizing microbes limits their ability to respond to transient perturbations, resulting in periodic benthic release of methane. Eutrophication and deoxygenation decrease the efficiency of the microbial methane filter further, thereby enhancing the role of coastal environments as a source of methane to the atmosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wytze K. Lenstra
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Niels A. G. M. van Helmond
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Dalcin Martins
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna J. Wallenius
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S. M. Jetten
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline P. Slomp
- Department
of Earth Sciences—Geochemistry, Utrecht
University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Composition and Metabolic Potential of Fe(III)-Reducing Enrichment Cultures of Methanotrophic ANME-2a Archaea and Associated Bacteria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11030555. [PMID: 36985129 PMCID: PMC10052568 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The key microbial group involved in anaerobic methane oxidation is anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME). From a terrestrial mud volcano, we enriched a microbial community containing ANME-2a, using methane as an electron donor, Fe(III) oxide (ferrihydrite) as an electron acceptor, and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate as an electron shuttle. Ferrihydrite reduction led to the formation of a black, highly magnetic precipitate. A significant relative abundance of ANME-2a in batch cultures was observed over five subsequent transfers. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that, in addition to ANME-2a, two bacterial taxa belonging to uncultured Desulfobulbaceae and Anaerolineaceae were constantly present in all enrichments. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of ANME-2a contained a complete set of genes for methanogenesis and numerous genes of multiheme c-type cytochromes (MHC), indicating the capability of methanotrophs to transfer electrons to metal oxides or to a bacterial partner. One of the ANME MAGs encoded respiratory arsenate reductase (Arr), suggesting the potential for a direct coupling of methane oxidation with As(V) reduction in the single microorganism. The same MAG also encoded uptake [NiFe] hydrogenase, which is uncommon for ANME-2. The MAG of uncultured Desulfobulbaceae contained genes of dissimilatory sulfate reduction, a Wood–Ljungdahl pathway for autotrophic CO2 fixation, hydrogenases, and 43 MHC. We hypothesize that uncultured Desulfobulbaceae is a bacterial partner of ANME-2a, which mediates extracellular electron transfer to Fe(III) oxide.
Collapse
|
12
|
Liang L, Vigderovich H, Sivan O, Hou J, Niu M, Yorshansky O, Zhang T, Bosco-Santos A, Wang F. Iron (oxyhydr)oxides shift the methanogenic community in deep sea methanic sediment - insights from long-term high-pressure incubations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 848:157590. [PMID: 35901888 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157590] [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: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Intermittent increases of dissolved ferrous iron concentrations have been observed in deep marine methanic sediments which is different from the traditional diagenetic electron acceptor cascade, where iron reduction precedes methanogenesis. Here we aimed to gain insight into the mechanism of iron reduction and the associated microbial processes in deep sea methanic sediment by setting up long-term high-pressure incubation experiments supplemented with ferrihydrite and methane. Continuous iron reduction was observed during the entire incubation period. Intriguingly, ferrihydrite addition shifted the archaeal community from the dominance of hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanogenium) to methylotrophic methanogens (Methanococcoides). The enriched samples were then amended with 13C-labeled methane and different iron (oxyhydr)oxides in batch slurries to test the mechanism of iron reduction. Intensive iron reduction was observed, the highest rates with ferrihydrite, followed by hematite and then magnetite, however, no anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) was observed in any treatment. Further tests on the enriched slurry showed that the addition of molybdate decreased iron reduction, suggesting a link between iron reduction with sulfur cycling. This was accompanied by the enrichment of microbes capable of dissimilatory sulfate reduction and sulfur/thiosulfate oxidation, which indicates the presence of a cryptic sulfur cycle in the incubation system with the addition of iron (oxyhydr)oxides. Our work suggests that under low sulfate conditions, the presence of iron (oxyhydr)oxides would trigger a cascade of microbial reactions, and iron reduction could link with the microbial sulfur cycle, changing the kinetics of the methanogenesis process in methanic sediment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lewen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hanni Vigderovich
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Orit Sivan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Jialin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Mingyang Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Omer Yorshansky
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Taoliang Zhang
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Alice Bosco-Santos
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel; Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Yang J, Zou L, Zheng L, Yuan Z, Huang K, Gustave W, Shi L, Tang X, Liu X, Xu J. Iron-based passivator mitigates the coupling process of anaerobic methane oxidation and arsenate reduction in paddy soils. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 313:120182. [PMID: 36152707 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid that is ubiquitous in paddy soils, where passivation is the most widely used method for remediating As contamination. Recently, anaerobic methane oxidation coupled with arsenate (As(V)) reduction (AOM-AsR) has been shown to act as a critical driver for As release in paddy fields. However, the effect and mechanism of the passivators on the AOM-AsR process remain unclear. In this study, we incubated arsenate-contaminated paddy soils under anaerobic conditions. Using isotopically labelled methane and different passivators, we found that an iron-based passivator containing calcium sulfate and iron oxide (9:1, m/m) named IBP showed a much better performance than the other passivators. Adding IBP decreased the arsenite (As(III)) concentration in the soil solution by 78% and increased the AOM rate by 55%. Furthermore, we employed high-throughput sequencing and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to investigate the ability of IBP to control As release mediated by AOM-AsR in paddy fields, as well as its underlying mechanism. Our results showed that IBP addition significantly increased anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea (ANME-2a-c, ANME-2d, and ANME-3) by 91%, and increased the methane-oxidizing bacterium Methylobacter by 262%. Similarly, IBP addition significantly increased the Fe(III) concentration in soil solution by 39% and increased the absolute abundance of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (Geobacteraceae) by 21 times in soil. Adding IBP may significantly promote AOM coupled with Fe(III) reduction, significantly reducing electron transfer from AOM to As(V) reduction. Hence, IBP may be used as an efficient passivator to remediate As-contaminated soil using an active AOM-AsR process. These results provide a novel insight into controlling soil As release by regulating an active and critical As mobilization pathway in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Yang
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Lina Zou
- Zhejiang Xiaoshan Institute of Cotton & Bast Fiber Crops, Zhejiang Institute of Landscape Plants and Flowers, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 311251, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Jinhua Meixi Watershed Management Center, Jinhua, 321000, China
| | - Zhaofeng Yuan
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ketan Huang
- Jinhua Meixi Watershed Management Center, Jinhua, 321000, China
| | - Williamson Gustave
- School of Chemistry, Environmental & Life Sciences, University of The Bahamas, New Providence, Nassau, Bahamas
| | - Lanxia Shi
- Jinhua Meixi Watershed Management Center, Jinhua, 321000, China
| | - Xianjin Tang
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Xingmei Liu
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jianming Xu
- Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Yu L, He D, Yang L, Rensing C, Zeng RJ, Zhou S. Anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to ferrihydrite reduction by Methanosarcina barkeri. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 844:157235. [PMID: 35817105 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fe(III) has been recognized as a potential electron sink for the anaerobic oxidation of methane (Fe-AOM) in diverse environments. However, most of previous Fe-AOM processes are limited to ANME archaea and the Fe-AOM mechanism remains unclear. Here we investigate, for the first time, the Fe-AOM performance and mechanisms by a single methanogen Methanosarcina barkeri. The results showed that M. barkeri was capable of oxidizing methane to CO2 and reducing ferrihydrite to siderite simultaneously. The presence of methane enhanced both the abundances of redox-active species (such as cytochromes) and electrochemical activity of M. barkeri. The proteomic analyses revealed that M. barkeri up-regulated the expressions of a number of methanogenic enzymes during Fe-AOM, and significantly enriched metabolic pathways of amino acid synthesis and nitrogen fixation. Metabolic inhibition experiments indicated that membrane-bound redox-active components (cytochromes, methanophenazine and F420H2:quinone oxidoreductase) were probably involved in extracellular electron transfer (EET) from cells to ferrihydrite. Overall, these results provide a deep insight into the single‑carbon metabolism and survival strategy for methanogens and suggest that methanogens may play an important role in linking methane and iron cycling in the substrate-limited environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linpeng Yu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dan He
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Raymond J Zeng
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Meyer NR, Parada AE, Kapili BJ, Fortney JL, Dekas AE. Rates and physicochemical drivers of microbial anabolic activity in deep‐sea sediments and implications for deep time. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5188-5201. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alma E. Parada
- Department of Earth System Science Stanford University Stanford CA
| | | | | | - Anne E. Dekas
- Department of Earth System Science Stanford University Stanford CA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wegener G, Laso-Pérez R, Orphan VJ, Boetius A. Anaerobic Degradation of Alkanes by Marine Archaea. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:553-577. [PMID: 35917471 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-111021-045911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alkanes are saturated apolar hydrocarbons that range from its simplest form, methane, to high-molecular-weight compounds. Although alkanes were once considered biologically recalcitrant under anaerobic conditions, microbiological investigations have now identified several microbial taxa that can anaerobically degrade alkanes. Here we review recent discoveries in the anaerobic oxidation of alkanes with a specific focus on archaea that use specific methyl coenzyme M reductases to activate their substrates. Our understanding of the diversity of uncultured alkane-oxidizing archaea has expanded through the use of environmental metagenomics and enrichment cultures of syntrophic methane-, ethane-, propane-, and butane-oxidizing marine archaea with sulfate-reducing bacteria. A recently cultured group of archaea directly couples long-chain alkane degradation with methane formation, expanding the range of substrates used for methanogenesis. This article summarizes the rapidly growing knowledge of the diversity, physiology, and habitat distribution of alkane-degrading archaea. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gunter Wegener
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Rafael Laso-Pérez
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.,Current affiliation: Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA;
| | - Antje Boetius
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; , .,Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.,Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yan L, Li S, Sivan O, Kasten S. Editorial: Advances in Microbial Iron Cycling. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:931648. [PMID: 35801098 PMCID: PMC9253818 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.931648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yan
- Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Recycling of Argo-Waste in Cold Region, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Yan ; orcid.org/0000-0003-2596-6840
| | - Sujun Li
- Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Orit Sivan
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beersheba, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Sabine Kasten
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)Bremerhaven, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chen Y, Xu C, Wu N, Sun Z, Liu C, Zhen Y, Xin Y, Zhang X, Geng W, Cao H, Zhai B, Li J, Qin S, Zhou Y. Diversity of Anaerobic Methane Oxidizers in the Cold Seep Sediments of the Okinawa Trough. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:819187. [PMID: 35495656 PMCID: PMC9048799 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.819187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Active cold seeps in the Okinawa Trough (OT) have been widely identified, but the sediment microbial communities associated with these sites are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the distribution and biomass of the microbial communities, particularly those associated with the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), in sediments from an active cold seep in the mid-Okinawa Trough. Methane-oxidizing archaea, including ANME-1a, ANME-1b, ANME-2a/b, ANME-2c, and ANME-3, were detected in the OT cold seep sediments. Vertical stratification of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) communities was observed in the following order: ANME-3, ANME-1a, and ANME-1b. In addition, the abundance of methyl coenzyme M reductase A (mcrA) genes corresponded to high levels of dissolved iron, suggesting that methane-metabolizing archaea might participate in iron reduction coupled to methane oxidation (Fe-AOM) in the OT cold seep. Furthermore, the relative abundance of ANME-1a was strongly related to the concentration of dissolved iron, indicating that ANME-1a is a key microbial player for Fe-AOM in the OT cold seep sediments. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that methane-metabolizing microbial communities were mainly associated with heterotrophic microorganisms, such as JS1, Bathy-1, and Bathy-15.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Chen
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Cuiling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Nengyou Wu
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- *Correspondence: Nengyou Wu,
| | - Zhilei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Zhilei Sun,
| | - Changling Liu
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu Zhen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Youzhi Xin
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xilin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Geng
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Bin Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Shuangshuang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yucheng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Gas Hydrate, Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Glodowska M, Welte CU, Kurth JM. Metabolic potential of anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea for a broad spectrum of electron acceptors. Adv Microb Physiol 2022; 80:157-201. [PMID: 35489791 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas significantly contributing to the climate warming we are currently facing. Microorganisms play an important role in the global CH4 cycle that is controlled by the balance between anaerobic production via methanogenesis and CH4 removal via methanotrophic oxidation. Research in recent decades advanced our understanding of CH4 oxidation, which until 1976 was believed to be a strictly aerobic process. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction is now known to be an important sink of CH4 in marine ecosystems. Furthermore, in 2006 it was discovered that anaerobic CH4 oxidation can also be coupled to nitrate reduction (N-DAMO), demonstrating that AOM may be much more versatile than previously thought and linked to other electron acceptors. In consequence, an increasing number of studies in recent years showed or suggested that alternative electron acceptors can be used in the AOM process including FeIII, MnIV, AsV, CrVI, SeVI, SbV, VV, and BrV. In addition, humic substances as well as biochar and perchlorate (ClO4-) were suggested to mediate AOM. Anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, the so-called ANME archaea, are key players in the AOM process, yet we are still lacking deeper understanding of their metabolism, electron acceptor preferences and their interaction with other microbial community members. It is still not clear whether ANME archaea can oxidize CH4 and reduce metallic electron acceptors independently or via electron transfer to syntrophic partners, interspecies electron transfer, nanowires or conductive pili. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the current state of knowledge about ANME archaea, focusing on their physiology, metabolic flexibility and potential to use various electron acceptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Glodowska
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Julia M Kurth
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Gadol HJ, Elsherbini J, Kocar BD. Methanogen Productivity and Microbial Community Composition Varies With Iron Oxide Mineralogy. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:705501. [PMID: 35250895 PMCID: PMC8894893 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.705501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the flux of methane from terrestrial environments remains challenging, owing to considerable spatial and temporal variability in emissions. Amongst a myriad of factors, variation in the composition of electron acceptors, including metal (oxyhydr)oxides, may impart controls on methane emission. The purpose of this research is to understand how iron (oxyhydr)oxide minerals with varied physicochemical properties influence microbial methane production and subsequent microbial community development. Incubation experiments, using lake sediment as an inoculum and acetate as a carbon source, were used to understand the influence of one poorly crystalline iron oxide mineral, ferrihydrite, and two well-crystalline minerals, hematite and goethite, on methane production. Iron speciation, headspace methane, and 16S-rRNA sequencing microbial community data were measured over time. Substantial iron reduction only occurred in the presence of ferrihydrite while hematite and goethite had little effect on methane production throughout the incubations. In ferrihydrite experiments the time taken to reach the maximum methane production rate was slower than under other conditions, but methane production, eventually occurred in the presence of ferrihydrite. We suggest that this is due to ferrihydrite transformation into more stable minerals like magnetite and goethite or surface passivation by Fe(II). While all experimental conditions enriched for Methanosarcina, only the presence of ferrihydrite enriched for iron reducing bacteria Geobacter. Additionally, the presence of ferrihydrite continued to influence microbial community development after the onset of methanogenesis, with the dissimilarity between communities growing in ferrihydrite compared to no-Fe-added controls increasing over time. This work improves our understanding of how the presence of different iron oxides influences microbial community composition and methane production in soils and sediments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J. Gadol
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hayley J. Gadol,
| | - Joseph Elsherbini
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Benjamin D. Kocar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS, United States
- Benjamin D. Kocar,
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Wunder LC, Aromokeye DA, Yin X, Richter-Heitmann T, Willis-Poratti G, Schnakenberg A, Otersen C, Dohrmann I, Römer M, Bohrmann G, Kasten S, Friedrich MW. Iron and sulfate reduction structure microbial communities in (sub-)Antarctic sediments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3587-3604. [PMID: 34155335 PMCID: PMC8630232 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01014-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Permanently cold marine sediments are heavily influenced by increased input of iron as a result of accelerated glacial melt, weathering, and erosion. The impact of such environmental changes on microbial communities in coastal sediments is poorly understood. We investigated geochemical parameters that shape microbial community compositions in anoxic surface sediments of four geochemically differing sites (Annenkov Trough, Church Trough, Cumberland Bay, Drygalski Trough) around South Georgia, Southern Ocean. Sulfate reduction prevails in Church Trough and iron reduction at the other sites, correlating with differing local microbial communities. Within the order Desulfuromonadales, the family Sva1033, not previously recognized for being capable of dissimilatory iron reduction, was detected at rather high relative abundances (up to 5%) while other members of Desulfuromonadales were less abundant (<0.6%). We propose that Sva1033 is capable of performing dissimilatory iron reduction in sediment incubations based on RNA stable isotope probing. Sulfate reducers, who maintain a high relative abundance of up to 30% of bacterial 16S rRNA genes at the iron reduction sites, were also active during iron reduction in the incubations. Thus, concurrent sulfate reduction is possibly masked by cryptic sulfur cycling, i.e., reoxidation or precipitation of produced sulfide at a small or undetectable pool size. Our results show the importance of iron and sulfate reduction, indicated by ferrous iron and sulfide, as processes that shape microbial communities and provide evidence for one of Sva1033's metabolic capabilities in permanently cold marine sediments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea C Wunder
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - David A Aromokeye
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Xiuran Yin
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Graciana Willis-Poratti
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Annika Schnakenberg
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Carolin Otersen
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ingrid Dohrmann
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Miriam Römer
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gerhard Bohrmann
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sabine Kasten
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zhang X, Yuan Z, Hu S. Anaerobic oxidation of methane mediated by microbial extracellular respiration. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:790-804. [PMID: 34523810 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) can be microbially mediated by the reduction of different terminal electron acceptors. AOM coupled to reduction of sulfate, manganese/iron oxides, humic substances, selenate, arsenic and other artificial extracellular electron acceptors are recognized as processes associated with microbial extracellular respiration. In these processes, methane-oxidizing archaea transfer electrons to external electron acceptors or to interdependent microbial species, which are mechanistically dependent on versatile extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways. This review compiles recent progress in the research of electromicrobiology of AOM based on the catalogue of different electron acceptors. Naturally distributed and artificially constructed EET-mediated AOM is summarized, with the discussion of their environmental importance and application potentials. The diversity of responsible microorganisms involved in EET-mediated AOM is discussed with both methane-oxidizing archaea and their putative bacterial partners. More importantly, the review highlights progress and deficiencies in our understanding of EET pathways in EET-mediated AOM, raising open research questions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Zhang
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Garber AI, Cohen AB, Nealson KH, Ramírez GA, Barco RA, Enzingmüller-Bleyl TC, Gehringer MM, Merino N. Metagenomic Insights Into the Microbial Iron Cycle of Subseafloor Habitats. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:667944. [PMID: 34539592 PMCID: PMC8446621 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.667944] [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: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial iron cycling influences the flux of major nutrients in the environment (e.g., through the adsorptive capacity of iron oxides) and includes biotically induced iron oxidation and reduction processes. The ecological extent of microbial iron cycling is not well understood, even with increased sequencing efforts, in part due to limitations in gene annotation pipelines and limitations in experimental studies linking phenotype to genotype. This is particularly true for the marine subseafloor, which remains undersampled, but represents the largest contiguous habitat on Earth. To address this limitation, we used FeGenie, a database and bioinformatics tool that identifies microbial iron cycling genes and enables the development of testable hypotheses on the biogeochemical cycling of iron. Herein, we survey the microbial iron cycle in diverse subseafloor habitats, including sediment-buried crustal aquifers, as well as surficial and deep sediments. We inferred the genetic potential for iron redox cycling in 32 of the 46 metagenomes included in our analysis, demonstrating the prevalence of these activities across underexplored subseafloor ecosystems. We show that while some processes (e.g., iron uptake and storage, siderophore transport potential, and iron gene regulation) are near-universal, others (e.g., iron reduction/oxidation, siderophore synthesis, and magnetosome formation) are dependent on local redox and nutrient status. Additionally, we detected niche-specific differences in strategies used for dissimilatory iron reduction, suggesting that geochemical constraints likely play an important role in dictating the dominant mechanisms for iron cycling. Overall, our survey advances the known distribution, magnitude, and potential ecological impact of microbe-mediated iron cycling and utilization in sub-benthic ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arkadiy I Garber
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Ashley B Cohen
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Kenneth H Nealson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Gustavo A Ramírez
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Roman A Barco
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | | | - Michelle M Gehringer
- Department of Microbiology, Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Nancy Merino
- Biosciences & Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhang K, Wu X, Chen J, Wang W, Luo H, Chen W, Ma D, An X, Wei Z. The role and related microbial processes of Mn-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation in reducing methane emissions from constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 294:112935. [PMID: 34119986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) plays an important role in global carbon cycle and greenhouse gas emission reduction. In this study, an effective green technology to reduce methane emissions was proposed by introducing Mn-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (Mn-AOM) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology into constructed wetland (CW). The results indicate that the combination of biological methods and bioelectrochemical methods can more effectively control the methane emission from CW than the reported methods. The role of dissimilated metal reduction in methane control in CW and the biochemical process associated with Mn-AOM were also investigated. The results demonstrated that using Mn ore as the matrix and operating MFC effectively reduced methane emissions from CW, and higher COD removal rate was obtained in CW-MFC (Mn) during the 200 days of operation. Methane emission from CW-MFC (Mn) (53.76 mg/m2/h) was 55.61% lower than that of CW (121.12 mg/m2/h). The highest COD removal rate (99.85%) in CW-MFC (Mn) was obtained. As the dissimilative metal-reducing microorganisms, Geobacter (5.10%) was found enriched in CW-MFC (Mn). The results also showed that the presence of Mn ore was beneficial to the biodiversity of CW-MFCs and the growth of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) including Proteobacteria (35.32%), Actinobacteria (2.38%) and Acidobacteria (2.06%), while the growth of hydrogenotrophic methanogens Methanobacterium was effectively inhibited. This study proposed an effective way to reduce methane from CW. It also provided reference for low carbon technology of wastewater treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhang
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China; School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, Heilongjiang, PR China.
| | - Xiangling Wu
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Jia Chen
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Hongbing Luo
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Dandan Ma
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Xiaochan An
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| | - Zhaolan Wei
- College of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan, 611830, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Dalcin Martins P, de Jong A, Lenstra WK, van Helmond NAGM, Slomp CP, Jetten MSM, Welte CU, Rasigraf O. Enrichment of novel Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Krumholzibacteria in an oxygen-limited methane- and iron-fed bioreactor inoculated with Bothnian Sea sediments. Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1175. [PMID: 33650794 PMCID: PMC7914226 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1175] [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: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial methane oxidation is a major biofilter preventing larger emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas from marine coastal areas into the atmosphere. In these zones, various electron acceptors such as sulfate, metal oxides, nitrate, or oxygen can be used. However, the key microbial players and mechanisms of methane oxidation are poorly understood. In this study, we inoculated a bioreactor with methane‐ and iron‐rich sediments from the Bothnian Sea to investigate microbial methane and iron cycling under low oxygen concentrations. Using metagenomics, we investigated shifts in microbial community composition after approximately 2.5 years of bioreactor operation. Marker genes for methane and iron cycling, as well as respiratory and fermentative metabolism, were identified and used to infer putative microbial metabolism. Metagenome‐assembled genomes representing novel Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Krumholzibacteria were recovered and revealed a potential for methane oxidation, organic matter degradation, and iron cycling, respectively. This work brings new hypotheses on the identity and metabolic versatility of microorganisms that may be members of such functional guilds in coastal marine sediments and highlights that microorganisms potentially composing the methane biofilter in these sediments may be more diverse than previously appreciated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Dalcin Martins
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Soehngen Institute of Anaerobic Microbiology (SIAM), Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anniek de Jong
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wytze K Lenstra
- Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niels A G M van Helmond
- Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline P Slomp
- Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Soehngen Institute of Anaerobic Microbiology (SIAM), Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Soehngen Institute of Anaerobic Microbiology (SIAM), Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Olivia Rasigraf
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Earth System Science Centre (NESSC), Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Geomicrobiology, German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Potsdam, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Glodowska M, Schneider M, Eiche E, Kontny A, Neumann T, Straub D, Berg M, Prommer H, Bostick BC, Nghiem AA, Kleindienst S, Kappler A. Fermentation, methanotrophy and methanogenesis influence sedimentary Fe and As dynamics in As-affected aquifers in Vietnam. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 779:146501. [PMID: 34030262 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
High arsenic (As) concentrations in groundwater are a worldwide problem threatening the health of millions of people. Microbial processes are central in the (trans)formation of the As-bearing ferric and ferrous minerals, and thus regulate dissolved As levels in many aquifers. Mineralogy, microbiology and dissolved As levels can vary sharply within aquifers, making high-resolution measurements particularly valuable in understanding the linkages between them. We conducted a high spatial resolution geomicrobiological study in combination with analysis of sediment chemistry and mineralogy in an alluvial aquifer system affected by geogenic As in the Red River delta in Vietnam. Microbial community analysis revealed a dominance of fermenters, methanogens and methanotrophs whereas sediment mineralogy along a 46 m deep core showed a diversity of Fe minerals including poorly crystalline Fe (II/III) and Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides such as goethite, hematite, and magnetite, but also the presence of Fe(II)-bearing carbonates and sulfides which likely formed as a result of microbially driven organic carbon (OC) degradation. A potential important role of methane (CH4) as electron donor for reductive Fe mineral (trans)formation was supported by the high abundance of Candidatus Methanoperedens, a known Fe(III)-reducing methanotroph. Overall, these results imply that OC turnover including fermentation, methanogenesis and CH4 oxidation are important mechanisms leading to Fe mineral (trans)formation, dissolution and precipitation, and thus indirectly affecting As mobility by changing the Fe-mineral inventory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Glodowska
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Microbiology, IWWR, Radboud University, the Netherlands.
| | - Magnus Schneider
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Eiche
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Germany
| | - Agnes Kontny
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Germany
| | - Thomas Neumann
- Technical University of Berlin, Institute for Applied Geosciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Straub
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Berg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Henning Prommer
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; CSIRO Land and Water, Floreat, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Sara Kleindienst
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Glodowska M, Schneider M, Eiche E, Kontny A, Neumann T, Straub D, Kleindienst S, Kappler A. Microbial transformation of biogenic and abiogenic Fe minerals followed by in-situ incubations in an As-contaminated vs. non-contaminated aquifer. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 281:117012. [PMID: 33813189 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fe(III) minerals play a crucial role for arsenic (As) mobility in aquifers as they usually represent the main As-bearing phases. Microbial reductive dissolution of As-bearing Fe(III) minerals is responsible for the release of As and the resulting groundwater contamination in many sites worldwide. So far, in most studies mainly abiogenic iron minerals have been considered. Yet, biogenic minerals that possess different properties to their abiogenic counterparts are also present in the environment. In some environments they dominate the iron mineral inventory but so far, it is unclear what this means for the As mobility. We, therefore, performed an in-situ aquifer Fe(III) minerals exposure experiment i) to evaluate how different biogenic and abiogenic Fe(III) minerals are transformed in a strongly reducing, As-contaminated aquifer (25 m) compared to As-free moderately reducing aquifer (32 m) and ii) to assess which microbial taxa are involved in these Fe(III) minerals transformations. We found that higher numbers of bacteria and archaea were associated with the minerals incubated in the As-contaminated compared to the non-contaminated aquifer and that all Fe(III) minerals were mainly colonized by Fe(III)-reducing bacteria, with Geobacter being the most abundant taxon. Additionally, fermenting microorganisms were abundant on minerals incubated in the As-contaminated aquifer, while methanotrophs were identified on the minerals incubated in the As-free moderately reducing aquifer, implying involvement of these microorganisms in Fe(III) reduction. We observed that biogenic Fe(III) minerals generally tend to become more reduced and when incubated in the As-contaminated aquifer sorbed more As than the abiogenic ones. Most of abiogenic and biogenic Fe(III) minerals were transformed into magnetite while biogenic more crystalline mixed phases were not subjected to visible transformation. This in-situ Fe(III) minerals incubation approach shows that biogenic minerals are more prone to be colonized by (Fe(III)-reducing) microorganisms and bind more As, although ultimately produce similar minerals during Fe(III) reduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Glodowska
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Microbiology, IWWR, Radboud University, the Netherlands.
| | - Magnus Schneider
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, KIT, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Eiche
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, KIT, Germany
| | - Agnes Kontny
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, KIT, Germany
| | - Thomas Neumann
- Technical University of Berlin, Institute for Applied Geosciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Straub
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Kleindienst
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Guerrero-Cruz S, Vaksmaa A, Horn MA, Niemann H, Pijuan M, Ho A. Methanotrophs: Discoveries, Environmental Relevance, and a Perspective on Current and Future Applications. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:678057. [PMID: 34054786 PMCID: PMC8163242 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.678057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane is the final product of the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. The conversion of organic matter to methane (methanogenesis) as a mechanism for energy conservation is exclusively attributed to the archaeal domain. Methane is oxidized by methanotrophic microorganisms using oxygen or alternative terminal electron acceptors. Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria belong to the phyla Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, while anaerobic methane oxidation is also mediated by more recently discovered anaerobic methanotrophs with representatives in both the bacteria and the archaea domains. The anaerobic oxidation of methane is coupled to the reduction of nitrate, nitrite, iron, manganese, sulfate, and organic electron acceptors (e.g., humic substances) as terminal electron acceptors. This review highlights the relevance of methanotrophy in natural and anthropogenically influenced ecosystems, emphasizing the environmental conditions, distribution, function, co-existence, interactions, and the availability of electron acceptors that likely play a key role in regulating their function. A systematic overview of key aspects of ecology, physiology, metabolism, and genomics is crucial to understand the contribution of methanotrophs in the mitigation of methane efflux to the atmosphere. We give significance to the processes under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions for both aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidizers. In the context of anthropogenically influenced ecosystems, we emphasize the current and potential future applications of methanotrophs from two different angles, namely methane mitigation in wastewater treatment through the application of anaerobic methanotrophs, and the biotechnological applications of aerobic methanotrophs in resource recovery from methane waste streams. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that may lead to opportunities to harness further the biotechnological benefits of methanotrophs in methane mitigation and for the production of valuable bioproducts enabling a bio-based and circular economy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Guerrero-Cruz
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
- Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Annika Vaksmaa
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, ’t Horntje, Netherlands
| | - Marcus A. Horn
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, ’t Horntje, Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Maite Pijuan
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain
- Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Adrian Ho
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Schnakenberg A, Aromokeye DA, Kulkarni A, Maier L, Wunder LC, Richter-Heitmann T, Pape T, Ristova PP, Bühring SI, Dohrmann I, Bohrmann G, Kasten S, Friedrich MW. Electron Acceptor Availability Shapes Anaerobically Methane Oxidizing Archaea (ANME) Communities in South Georgia Sediments. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:617280. [PMID: 33935987 PMCID: PMC8081031 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.617280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANME) mediate anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in marine sediments and are therefore important for controlling atmospheric methane concentrations in the water column and ultimately the atmosphere. Numerous previous studies have revealed that AOM is coupled to the reduction of different electron acceptors such as sulfate, nitrate/nitrite or Fe(III)/Mn(IV). However, the influence of electron acceptor availability on the in situ ANME community composition in sediments remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the electron acceptor availability and compared the microbial in situ communities of three methane-rich locations offshore the sub-Antarctic island South Georgia, by Illumina sequencing and qPCR of mcrA genes. The methanic zone (MZ) sediments of Royal Trough and Church Trough comprised high sulfide concentrations of up to 4 and 19 mM, respectively. In contrast, those of the Cumberland Bay fjord accounted for relatively high concentrations of dissolved iron (up to 186 μM). Whereas the ANME community in the sulfidic sites Church Trough and Royal Trough mainly comprised members of the ANME-1 clade, the order-level clade “ANME-1-related” (Lever and Teske, 2015) was most abundant in the iron-rich site in Cumberland Bay fjord, indicating that the availability of electron acceptors has a strong selective effect on the ANME community. This study shows that potential electron acceptors for methane oxidation may serve as environmental filters to select for the ANME community composition and adds to a better understanding of the global importance of AOM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Schnakenberg
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School of Marine Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - David A Aromokeye
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ajinkya Kulkarni
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School of Marine Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Lisa Maier
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Lea C Wunder
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School of Marine Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Thomas Pape
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Petra Pop Ristova
- Hydrothermal Geomicrobiology Group, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Solveig I Bühring
- Hydrothermal Geomicrobiology Group, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ingrid Dohrmann
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Gerhard Bohrmann
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sabine Kasten
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Glodowska M, Stopelli E, Straub D, Vu Thi D, Trang PTK, Viet PH, Berg M, Kappler A, Kleindienst S. Arsenic behavior in groundwater in Hanoi (Vietnam) influenced by a complex biogeochemical network of iron, methane, and sulfur cycling. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 407:124398. [PMID: 33213979 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The fate of arsenic (As) in groundwater is determined by multiple interrelated microbial and abiotic processes that contribute to As (im)mobilization. Most studies to date have investigated individual processes related to As (im)mobilization rather than the complex networks present in situ. In this study, we used RNA-based microbial community analysis in combination with groundwater hydrogeochemical measurements to elucidate the behavior of As along a 2 km transect near Hanoi, Vietnam. The transect stretches from the riverbank across a strongly reducing and As-contaminated Holocene aquifer, followed by a redox transition zone (RTZ) and a Pleistocene aquifer, at which As concentrations are low. Our analyses revealed fermentation and methanogenesis as important processes providing electron donors, fueling the microbially mediated reductive dissolution of As-bearing Fe(III) minerals and ultimately promoting As mobilization. As a consequence of high CH4 concentrations, methanotrophs thrive across the Holocene aquifer and the redox transition zone. Finally, our results underline the role of SO42--reducing and putative Fe(II)-/As(III)-oxidizing bacteria as a sink for As, particularly at the RTZ. Overall, our results suggest that a complex network of microbial and biogeochemical processes has to be considered to better understand the biogeochemical behavior of As in groundwater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Glodowska
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Emiliano Stopelli
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Straub
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC), University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Duyen Vu Thi
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Pham T K Trang
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Pham H Viet
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Michael Berg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland; UNESCO Chair on Groundwater Arsenic within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, University of Southern Queensland, Australia
| | - Andreas Kappler
- Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Kleindienst
- Microbial Ecology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Aromokeye DA, Oni OE, Tebben J, Yin X, Richter-Heitmann T, Wendt J, Nimzyk R, Littmann S, Tienken D, Kulkarni AC, Henkel S, Hinrichs KU, Elvert M, Harder T, Kasten S, Friedrich MW. Crystalline iron oxides stimulate methanogenic benzoate degradation in marine sediment-derived enrichment cultures. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:965-980. [PMID: 33154547 PMCID: PMC8115662 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00824-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Elevated dissolved iron concentrations in the methanic zone are typical geochemical signatures of rapidly accumulating marine sediments. These sediments are often characterized by co-burial of iron oxides with recalcitrant aromatic organic matter of terrigenous origin. Thus far, iron oxides are predicted to either impede organic matter degradation, aiding its preservation, or identified to enhance organic carbon oxidation via direct electron transfer. Here, we investigated the effect of various iron oxide phases with differing crystallinity (magnetite, hematite, and lepidocrocite) during microbial degradation of the aromatic model compound benzoate in methanic sediments. In slurry incubations with magnetite or hematite, concurrent iron reduction, and methanogenesis were stimulated during accelerated benzoate degradation with methanogenesis as the dominant electron sink. In contrast, with lepidocrocite, benzoate degradation, and methanogenesis were inhibited. These observations were reproducible in sediment-free enrichments, even after five successive transfers. Genes involved in the complete degradation of benzoate were identified in multiple metagenome assembled genomes. Four previously unknown benzoate degraders of the genera Thermincola (Peptococcaceae, Firmicutes), Dethiobacter (Syntrophomonadaceae, Firmicutes), Deltaproteobacteria bacteria SG8_13 (Desulfosarcinaceae, Deltaproteobacteria), and Melioribacter (Melioribacteraceae, Chlorobi) were identified from the marine sediment-derived enrichments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) images showed the ability of microorganisms to colonize and concurrently reduce magnetite likely stimulated by the observed methanogenic benzoate degradation. These findings explain the possible contribution of organoclastic reduction of iron oxides to the elevated dissolved Fe2+ pool typically observed in methanic zones of rapidly accumulating coastal and continental margin sediments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A. Aromokeye
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Oluwatobi E. Oni
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Jan Tebben
- grid.10894.340000 0001 1033 7684Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Xiuran Yin
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Jenny Wendt
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Rolf Nimzyk
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sten Littmann
- grid.419529.20000 0004 0491 3210Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Daniela Tienken
- grid.419529.20000 0004 0491 3210Department of Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ajinkya C. Kulkarni
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Susann Henkel
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.10894.340000 0001 1033 7684Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Marcus Elvert
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tilmann Harder
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.10894.340000 0001 1033 7684Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Sabine Kasten
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.10894.340000 0001 1033 7684Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael W. Friedrich
- grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany ,grid.7704.40000 0001 2297 4381MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Evidence for Horizontal and Vertical Transmission of Mtr-Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer among the Bacteria. mBio 2021; 13:e0290421. [PMID: 35100867 PMCID: PMC8805035 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02904-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Some bacteria and archaea have evolved the means to use extracellular electron donors and acceptors for energy metabolism, a phenomenon broadly known as extracellular electron transfer (EET). One such EET mechanism is the transmembrane electron conduit MtrCAB, which has been shown to transfer electrons derived from metabolic substrates to electron acceptors, like Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides, outside the cell. Although most studies of MtrCAB-mediated EET have been conducted in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, recent investigations in Vibrio and Aeromonas species have revealed that the electron-donating proteins that support MtrCAB in Shewanella are not as representative as previously thought. This begs the question of how widespread the capacity for MtrCAB-mediated EET is, the changes it has accrued in different lineages, and where these lineages persist today. Here, we employed a phylogenetic and comparative genomics approach to identify the MtrCAB system across all domains of life. We found mtrCAB in the genomes of numerous diverse Bacteria from a wide range of environments, and the patterns therein strongly suggest that mtrCAB was distributed through both horizontal and subsequent vertical transmission, and with some cases indicating downstream modular diversification of both its core and accessory components. Our data point to an emerging evolutionary story about metal-oxidizing and -reducing metabolism, demonstrates that this capacity for EET has broad relevance to a diversity of taxa and the biogeochemical cycles they drive, and lays the foundation for further studies to shed light on how this mechanism may have coevolved with Earth's redox landscape. IMPORTANCE While many metabolisms make use of soluble, cell-permeable substrates like oxygen or hydrogen, there are other substrates, like iron or manganese, that cannot be brought into the cell. Some bacteria and archaea have evolved the means to directly "plug in" to such environmental electron reservoirs in a process known as extracellular electron transfer (EET), making them powerful agents of biogeochemical change and promising vehicles for bioremediation and alternative energy. Yet the diversity, distribution, and evolution of EET mechanisms are poorly constrained. Here, we present findings showing that the genes encoding one such EET system (mtrCAB) are present in a broad diversity of bacteria found in a wide range of environments, emphasizing the ubiquity and potential impact of EET in our biosphere. Our results suggest that these genes have been disseminated largely through horizontal transfer, and the changes they have accrued in these lineages potentially reflect adaptations to changing environments.
Collapse
|
33
|
Wallenius AJ, Dalcin Martins P, Slomp CP, Jetten MSM. Anthropogenic and Environmental Constraints on the Microbial Methane Cycle in Coastal Sediments. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:631621. [PMID: 33679659 PMCID: PMC7935538 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.631621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, are produced in anoxic sediments by methanogenic archaea. Nonetheless, over 90% of the produced methane is oxidized via sulfate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (S-AOM) in the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) by consortia of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Coastal systems account for the majority of total marine methane emissions and typically have lower sulfate concentrations, hence S-AOM is less significant. However, alternative electron acceptors such as metal oxides or nitrate could be used for AOM instead of sulfate. The availability of electron acceptors is determined by the redox zonation in the sediment, which may vary due to changes in oxygen availability and the type and rate of organic matter inputs. Additionally, eutrophication and climate change can affect the microbiome, biogeochemical zonation, and methane cycling in coastal sediments. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the processes and microorganisms involved in methane cycling in coastal sediments and the factors influencing methane emissions from these systems. In eutrophic coastal areas, organic matter inputs are a key driver of bottom water hypoxia. Global warming can reduce the solubility of oxygen in surface waters, enhancing water column stratification, increasing primary production, and favoring methanogenesis. ANME are notoriously slow growers and may not be able to effectively oxidize methane upon rapid sedimentation and shoaling of the SMTZ. In such settings, ANME-2d (Methanoperedenaceae) and ANME-2a may couple iron- and/or manganese reduction to AOM, while ANME-2d and NC10 bacteria (Methylomirabilota) could couple AOM to nitrate or nitrite reduction. Ultimately, methane may be oxidized by aerobic methanotrophs in the upper millimeters of the sediment or in the water column. The role of these processes in mitigating methane emissions from eutrophic coastal sediments, including the exact pathways and microorganisms involved, are still underexplored, and factors controlling these processes are unclear. Further studies are needed in order to understand the factors driving methane-cycling pathways and to identify the responsible microorganisms. Integration of the knowledge on microbial pathways and geochemical processes is expected to lead to more accurate predictions of methane emissions from coastal zones in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna J. Wallenius
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Paula Dalcin Martins
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Caroline P. Slomp
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Mike S. M. Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Ferry JG. Methanosarcina acetivorans: A Model for Mechanistic Understanding of Aceticlastic and Reverse Methanogenesis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1806. [PMID: 32849414 PMCID: PMC7399021 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetate-utilizing methanogens are responsible for approximately two-thirds of the one billion metric tons of methane produced annually in Earth's anaerobic environments. Methanosarcina acetivorans has emerged as a model organism for the mechanistic understanding of aceticlastic methanogenesis and reverse methanogenesis applicable to understanding the methane and carbon cycles in nature. It has the largest genome in the Archaea, supporting a metabolic complexity that enables a remarkable ability for adapting to environmental opportunities and challenges. Biochemical investigations have revealed an aceticlastic pathway capable of fermentative and respiratory energy conservation that explains how Ms. acetivorans is able to grow and compete in the environment. The mechanism of respiratory energy conservation also plays a role in overcoming endothermic reactions that are key to reversing methanogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James G Ferry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|