Search for: All records

Two sulphur-oxidizing, chemolithoautotrophic aerobes were isolated from the chemocline of an anchialine sinkhole located within the Weeki Wachee River of Florida. Gram-stain-negative cells of both strains were motile, chemotactic rods. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and predicted amino acid sequences of ribosomal proteins, average nucleotide identities, and alignment fractions suggest the strains HH1 T and HH3 T represent novel species belonging to the genus Thiomicrorhabdus . The genome G+C fraction of HH1 T is 47.8 mol% with a genome length of 2.61 Mb, whereas HH3 T has a G+C fraction of 52.4 mol% and 2.49 Mb genome length. Major fatty acids of the two strains included C 16 : 1 , C 18 : 1 and C 16 : 0 , with the addition of C 10:0 3-OH in HH1 T and C 12 : 0 in HH3 T . Chemolithoautotrophic growth of both strains was supported by elemental sulphur, sulphide, tetrathionate, and thiosulphate, and HH1 T was also able to use molecular hydrogen. Neither strain was capable of heterotrophic growth or use of nitrate as a terminal electron acceptor. Strain HH1 T grew from pH 6.5 to 8.5, with an optimum of pH 7.4, whereas strain HH3 T grew from pH 6 to 8 with an optimum of pH 7.5. Growth was observed between 15–35 °C with optima of 32.8 °C for HH1 T and 32 °C for HH3 T . HH1 T grew in media with [NaCl] 80–689 mM, with an optimum of 400 mM, while HH3 T grew at 80–517 mM, with an optimum of 80 mM. The name Thiomicrorhabdus heinhorstiae sp. nov. is proposed, and the type strain is HH1 T (=DSM 111584 T =ATCC TSD-240 T ). The name Thiomicrorhabdus cannonii sp. nov is proposed, and the type strain is HH3 T (=DSM 111593 T =ATCC TSD-241 T ). 

In nature, concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; = CO 2 + HCO 3 - + CO 3 2- ) can be low, and autotrophic organisms adapt with a variety of mechanisms to elevate intracellular DIC concentrations to enhance CO 2 fixation. Such mechanisms have been well-studied in Cyanobacteria , but much remains to be learned about their activity in other phyla. Novel multi-subunit membrane-spanning complexes capable of elevating intracellular DIC were recently described in three species of bacteria. Homologs of these complexes are distributed among 17 phyla in Bacteria and Archaea, and are predicted to consist of one, two, or three subunits. To determine whether DIC accumulation is a shared feature of these diverse complexes, seven of them, representative of organisms from four phyla, from a variety of habitats, and with three different subunit configurations were chosen for study. A high-CO 2 requiring, carbonic anhydrase-deficient ( yadF - cynT - ) strain of E. coli Lemo21(DE3), which could be rescued via elevated intracellular DIC concentrations, was created for heterologous expression and characterization of the complexes. Expression of all seven complexes rescued the ability of E. coli Lemo21(DE3) yadF - cynT - to grow under low CO 2 conditions, and six of the seven generated measurably elevated intracellular DIC concentrations when their expression was induced. For complexes consisting of two or three subunits, all subunits were necessary for DIC accumulation. Isotopic disequilibrium experiments clarified that CO 2 was the substrate for these complexes. In addition, the presence of an ionophore prevented the accumulation of intracellular DIC, suggesting that these complexes may couple proton potential to DIC accumulation. IMPORTANCE To facilitate the synthesis of biomass from CO 2 , autotrophic organisms use a variety of mechanisms to increase intracellular DIC concentrations. A novel type of multi-subunit complex has recently been described, which has been shown to generate measurably elevated intracellular DIC concentrations in three species of bacteria, begging the question of whether these complexes share this capability across the 17 phyla of Bacteria and Archaea where they are found. This study shows that DIC accumulation is a trait shared by complexes with varied subunit structures, from organisms with diverse physiologies and taxonomies, suggesting that this trait is universal among them. Successful expression in E. coli suggests the possibility of their expression in engineered organisms synthesizing compounds of industrial importance from CO 2 . 

Abstract Plant colonization of islands may be limited by the availability of symbionts, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which have limited dispersal ability compared to ectomycorrhizal and ericoid (EEM) as well as orchid mycorrhizal (ORC) fungi. We tested for such differential island colonization within contemporary angiosperm floras worldwide. We found evidence that AM plants experience a stronger mycorrhizal filter than other mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal (NM) plant species, with decreased proportions of native AM plant species on islands relative to mainlands. This effect intensified with island isolation, particularly for non-endemic plant species. The proportion of endemic AM plant species increased with island isolation, consistent with diversification filling niches left open by the mycorrhizal filter. We further found evidence of humans overcoming the initial mycorrhizal filter. Naturalized floras showed higher proportions of AM plant species than native floras, a pattern that increased with increasing isolation and land-use intensity. This work provides evidence that mycorrhizal fungal symbionts shape plant colonization of islands and subsequent diversification. 

ABSTRACT Autotrophic microorganisms catalyze the entry of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; = CO2 + HCO3− + CO32−) into the biological component of the global carbon cycle, despite dramatic differences in DIC abundance and composition in their sometimes extreme environments. “Cyanobacteria” are known to have CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to facilitate growth under low CO2 conditions. These CCMs consist of carboxysomes, containing enzymes ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate oxygenase and carbonic anhydrase, partnered to DIC transporters. CCMs and their DIC transporters have been studied in a handful of other prokaryotes, but it was not known how common CCMs were beyond “Cyanobacteria”. Since it had previously been noted that genes encoding potential transporters were found neighboring carboxysome loci, α-carboxysome loci were gathered from bacterial genomes, and potential transporter genes neighboring these loci are described here. Members of transporter families whose members all transport DIC (CHC, MDT and Sbt) were common in these neighborhoods, as were members of the SulP transporter family, many of which transport DIC. 109 of 115 taxa with carboxysome loci have some form of DIC transporter encoded in their genomes, suggesting that CCMs consisting of carboxysomes and DIC transporters are widespread not only among “Cyanobacteria”, but also among members of “Proteobacteria” and “Actinobacteria”.