scholarly journals Analysis of a Methanogen and an Actinobacterium Dominating the Thermophilic Microbial Community of an Electromethanogenic Biocathode

Archaea ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Hajime Kobayashi ◽  
Ryohei Toyoda ◽  
Hiroyuki Miyamoto ◽  
Yasuhito Nakasugi ◽  
Yuki Momoi ◽  
...  

Electromethanogenesis refers to the bioelectrochemical synthesis of methane from CO2 by biocathodes. In an electromethanogenic system using thermophilic microorganisms, metagenomic analysis along with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that the biocathode microbiota was dominated by the methanogen Methanothermobacter sp. strain EMTCatA1 and the actinobacterium Coriobacteriaceae sp. strain EMTCatB1. RNA sequencing was used to compare the transcriptome profiles of each strain at the methane-producing biocathodes with those in an open circuit and with the methanogenesis inhibitor 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BrES). For the methanogen, genes related to hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis were highly expressed in a manner similar to those observed under H2-limited conditions. For the actinobacterium, the expression profiles of genes encoding multiheme c-type cytochromes and membrane-bound oxidoreductases suggested that the actinobacterium directly takes up electrons from the electrode. In both strains, various stress-related genes were commonly induced in the open-circuit biocathodes and biocathodes with BrES. This study provides a molecular inventory of the dominant species of an electromethanogenic biocathode with functional insights and therefore represents the first multiomics characterization of an electromethanogenic biocathode.

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12424
Author(s):  
Alexandra Cucaita ◽  
Marianne Piochon ◽  
Richard Villemur

Background Hyphomicrobium nitrativorans strain NL23 and Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1 are the principal bacteria involved in the denitrifying activities of a methanol-fed, fluidized-bed marine denitrification system. Strain NL23 possesses the complete denitrification pathway, but cannot grow under marine conditions in pure cultures. Strain JAM1 is a marine bacterium that lacks genes encoding a dissimilatory nitrite (NO2−) reductase and therefore cannot reduce NO2−. Here, we report the characterization of some of their physiological traits that could influence their co-habitation. We also perform co-cultures to assess the potential synergy between the two strains under marine and denitrifying conditions. Methodology Anoxic planktonic pure cultures of both strains were grown with different concentrations of nitrate (NO3−). Anoxic planktonic co-cultures could only be cultured on low NaCl concentrations for strain NL23 to grow. Biofilm co-cultures were achieved in a 500-mL bioreactor, and operated under denitrifying conditions with increasing concentrations of NaCl. NO3− and NO2− concentrations and the protein content were measured to derive the denitrification rates. The concentrations of both strains in co-cultures were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Ectoine concentration was measured by mass spectrometry in the biofilm co-culture. The biofilm was visualized by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Reverse-transcription-qPCR and RNA-seq approaches were used to assess changes in the expression profiles of genes involved in the nitrogen pathways in the biofilm cultures. Results Planktonic pure cultures of strain JAM1 had a readiness to reduce NO3− with no lag phase for growth in contrast to pure cultures of strain NL23, which had a 2-3 days lag phase before NO3− starts to be consumed and growth to occur. Compared to strain NL23, strain JAM1 has a higher µmax for growth and higher specific NO3− reduction rates. Denitrification rates were twice higher in the planktonic co-cultures than those measured in strain NL23 pure cultures. The biofilm co-cultures showed sustained denitrifying activities and surface colonization by both strains under marine conditions. Increase in ectoine concentrations was observed in the biofilm co-culture with the increase of NaCl concentrations. Changes in the relative transcript levels were observed in the biofilm culture with genes encoding NapA and NapGH in strain NL23. The type of medium had a great impact on the expression of genes involved in the N-assimilation pathways in both strains. Conclusions These results illustrate the capacity of both strains to act together in performing sustainable denitrifying activities under marine conditions. Although strain JAM1 did not contribute in better specific denitrifying activities in the biofilm co-cultures, its presence helped strain NL23 to acclimate to medium with NaCl concentrations >1.0%.


Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 647-656
Author(s):  
William B Eggleston ◽  
Nac R Rim ◽  
Johng K Lim

Abstract The structure of chromosomal inversions mediated by hobo transposable elements in the Uc-1 X chromosome was investigated using cytogenetic and molecular methods. Uc-1 contains a phenotypically silent hobo element inserted in an intron of the Notch locus. Cytological screening identified six independent Notch mutations resulting from chromosomal inversions with one breakpoint at cytological position 3C7, the location of Notch. In situ hybridization to salivary gland polytene chromosomes determined that both ends of each inversion contained hobo and Notch sequences. Southern blot analyses showed that both breakpoints in each inversion had hobo-Notch junction fragments indistinguishable in structure from those present in the Uc-1 X chromosome prior to the rearrangements. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 12 hobo-Notch junction fragments in the six inversions, followed by DNA sequence analysis, determined that each was identical to one of the two hobo-Notch junctions present in Uc-1. These results are consistent with a model in which hobo-mediated inversions result from homologous pairing and recombination between a pair of hobo elements in reverse orientation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 1024-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhagyalakshmi Kalidass ◽  
Muhammad Farhan Ul-Haque ◽  
Bipin S. Baral ◽  
Alan A. DiSpirito ◽  
Jeremy D. Semrau

ABSTRACTIt is well known that copper is a key factor regulating expression of the two forms of methane monooxygenase found in proteobacterial methanotrophs. Of these forms, the cytoplasmic, or soluble, methane monooxygenase (sMMO) is expressed only at low copper concentrations. The membrane-bound, or particulate, methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is constitutively expressed with respect to copper, and such expression increases with increasing copper. Recent findings have shown that copper uptake is mediated by a modified polypeptide, or chalkophore, termed methanobactin. Although methanobactin has high specificity for copper, it can bind other metals, e.g., gold. Here we show that inMethylosinus trichosporiumOB3b, sMMO is expressed and active in the presence of copper if gold is also simultaneously present. Such expression appears to be due to gold binding to methanobactin produced byM. trichosporiumOB3b, thereby limiting copper uptake. Such expression and activity, however, was significantly reduced if methanobactin preloaded with copper was also added. Further, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) of transcripts of genes encoding polypeptides of both forms of MMO and SDS-PAGE results indicate that both sMMO and pMMO can be expressed when copper and gold are present, as gold effectively competes with copper for binding to methanobactin. Such findings suggest that under certain geochemical conditions, both forms of MMO may be expressed and activein situ. Finally, these findings also suggest strategies whereby field sites can be manipulated to enhance sMMO expression, i.e., through the addition of a metal that can compete with copper for binding to methanobactin.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanshan He ◽  
Gaopeng Yuan ◽  
Shuxun Bian ◽  
Xiaolei Han ◽  
Kai Liu ◽  
...  

Major latex proteins (MLPs) play critical roles in plants defense and stress responses. However, the roles of MLPs from apple (Malus × domestica) have not been clearly identified. In this study, we focused on the biological role of MdMLP423, which had been previously characterized as a potential pathogenesis-related gene. Phylogenetic analysis and conserved domain analysis indicated that MdMLP423 is a protein with a ‘Gly-rich loop’ (GXGGXG) domain belonging to the Bet v_1 subfamily. Gene expression profiles showed that MdMLP423 is mainly expressed in flowers. In addition, the expression of MdMLP423 was significantly inhibited by Botryosphaeria berengeriana f. sp. piricola (BB) and Alternaria alternata apple pathotype (AAAP) infections. Apple calli overexpressing MdMLP423 had lower expression of resistance-related genes, and were more sensitive to infection with BB and AAAP compared with non-transgenic calli. RNA-seq analysis of MdMLP423-overexpressing calli and non-transgenic calli indicated that MdMLP423 regulated the expression of a number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and transcription factors, including genes involved in phytohormone signaling pathways, cell wall reinforcement, and genes encoding the defense-related proteins, AP2-EREBP, WRKY, MYB, NAC, Zinc finger protein, and ABI3. Taken together, our results demonstrate that MdMLP423 negatively regulates apple resistance to BB and AAAP infections by inhibiting the expression of defense- and stress-related genes and transcription factors.


2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (12) ◽  
pp. 3033-3042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel T. J. van der Meer ◽  
Christian G. Klatt ◽  
Jason Wood ◽  
Donald A. Bryant ◽  
Mary M. Bateson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Roseiflexus sp. strains were cultivated from a microbial mat of an alkaline siliceous hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. These strains are closely related to predominant filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs found in the mat, as judged by the similarity of small-subunit rRNA, lipid distributions, and genomic and metagenomic sequences. Like a Japanese isolate, R. castenholzii, the Yellowstone isolates contain bacteriochlorophyll a, but not bacteriochlorophyll c or chlorosomes, and grow photoheterotrophically or chemoheterotrophically under dark aerobic conditions. The genome of one isolate, Roseiflexus sp. strain RS1, contains genes necessary to support these metabolisms. This genome also contains genes encoding the 3-hydroxypropionate pathway for CO2 fixation and a hydrogenase, which might enable photoautotrophic metabolism, even though neither isolate could be grown photoautotrophically with H2 or H2S as a possible electron donor. The isolates exhibit temperature, pH, and sulfide preferences typical of their habitat. Lipids produced by these isolates matched much better with mat lipids than do lipids produced by R. castenholzii or Chloroflexus isolates.


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (8) ◽  
pp. 2719-2721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Hosokawa ◽  
Yumiko Maeda ◽  
Ryo Ichinohasama ◽  
Ikuo Miura ◽  
Masafumi Taniwaki ◽  
...  

The BCL6 gene, isolated from the breakpoints of 3q27-associated chromosomal translocations, has been implicated in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBL). Here we describe the molecular characterization of novel t(3;7)(q27;p12) translocations in 2 patients with DLBL. Molecular genetic analysis of the breakpoint area involving BCL6 revealed the presence of the Ikaros gene, a central regulator of lymphoid differentiation that had been mapped to human chromosome 7 band p13-p11.1. As a molecular consequence of the translocation, the 5′ regulatory region of the BCL6 gene was replaced by the putative 5′ regulatory region of theIkaros gene, probably leading to deregulated expression of theBCL6 gene throughout B-cell differentiation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses of a patient sample established that the t(3;7)(q27;p12) results in fusion of the Ikaros andBCL6 genes. This study provides the first evidence that the Ikaros gene is rearranged in human hematopoietic malignant disorders.


Blood ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 2684-2692
Author(s):  
KJ Faucette ◽  
LA Fitzgerald ◽  
L Liu ◽  
CJ Parker ◽  
GM Rodgers

Normal human plasma contains procoagulant albumin (PC-Al), an anionic form of albumin that induces tissue factor (TF) activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and monocytes. In this study, we investigated both the interactions between HUVEC and PC-Al and the mechanism by which PC-Al induces TF activity. Binding of PC-Al to HUVEC was specific and reversible. Further studies indicated that membrane- bound PC-Al was not internalized by HUVEC. A potential receptor on HUVEC was suggested by studies in which the capacity of a variety of reagents to inhibit the activity of PC-Al was quantitated. Induction of TF activity by PC-Al was antagonized by dextran sulfate, heparin, fucoidan, and concanavalin A but not by ovalbumin, polyglutamic acid, or polyvinyl sulfate. This competition profile bears similarities to those reported for scavenger receptors that have been identified on both HUVEC and monocytes. Involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in the PC-Al-induced enhancement of TF activity was suggested by experiments in which staurosporine, an inhibitor of PKC, suppressed the activity of PC-Al. The induction of TF activity by PC-Al was further characterized by using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Increased TF mRNA was first seen after 1 hour of incubation with PC-Al. Maximal observed expression occurred at 2 hours, but at 5 hours, expression had significantly decreased. Monocytes could also be induced to express TF mRNA after a 2-hour incubation with PC-Al. These results suggest that the functionally relevant binding of PC-Al to HUVEC may be mediated through interactions with a membrane constituent that has some of the properties of a scavenger receptor and that this interaction augments TF activity by enhancing transcription of TF mRNA, at least in part, by a mechanism that is dependent on activation of PKC.


2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 1313-1318
Author(s):  
John R. Shutter ◽  
Sheila Scully ◽  
Wei Fan ◽  
William G. Richards ◽  
Jan Kitajewski ◽  
...  

We report the cloning and characterization of a new member of the Delta family of Notch ligands, which we have named Dll4. Like other Delta genes, Dll4 is predicted to encode a membrane-bound ligand, characterized by an extracellular region containing several EGF-like domains and a DSL domain required for receptor binding. In situ analysis reveals a highly selective expression pattern of Dll4 within the vascular endothelium. The activity and expression of Dll4 and the known actions of other members of this family suggest a role for Dll4 in the control of endothelial cell biology.


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