Unexpected metabolic versatility among type II methanotrophs in the Alphaproteobacteria

AbstractAerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria, or methanotrophs, play a crucial role in the global methane cycle. Their methane oxidation activity in various environmental settings has a great mitigation effect on global climate change. Alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs were among the first to be taxonomically characterized, nowadays unified in the Methylocystaceae and Beijerinckiaceae families. Originally thought to have an obligate growth requirement for methane and related one-carbon compounds as a source of carbon and energy, it was later shown that various alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs are facultative, able to grow on multi-carbon compounds such as acetate. Most recently, we expanded our knowledge of the metabolic versatility of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs. We showed that Methylocystis sp. strain SC2 has the capacity for mixotrophic growth on H2 and CH4. This mini-review will summarize the change in perception from the long-held paradigm of obligate methanotrophy to today’s recognition of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs as having both facultative and mixotrophic capabilities.

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Facultative methanotrophs – diversity, genetics, molecular ecology and biotechnological potential: a mini-review

Microbiology ◽

10.1099/mic.0.000977 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 166 (10) ◽

pp. 894-908

Author(s):

Muhammad Farhan Ul Haque ◽

Hui-Juan Xu ◽

J. Colin Murrell ◽

Andrew Crombie

Keyword(s):

Molecular Ecology ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Vital Role ◽

Short Chain ◽

Atmospheric Methane ◽

Biotechnological Potential ◽

Content Type ◽

Methane Oxidizing Bacteria ◽

Metabolic Versatility ◽

Carbon Compounds

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) play a vital role in reducing atmospheric methane emissions, and hence mitigating their potent global warming effects. A significant proportion of the methane released is thermogenic natural gas, containing associated short-chain alkanes as well as methane. It was one hundred years following the description of methanotrophs that facultative strains were discovered and validly described. These can use some multi-carbon compounds in addition to methane, often small organic acids, such as acetate, or ethanol, although Methylocella strains can also use short-chain alkanes, presumably deriving a competitive advantage from this metabolic versatility. Here, we review the diversity and molecular ecology of facultative methanotrophs. We discuss the genetic potential of the known strains and outline the consequent benefits they may obtain. Finally, we review the biotechnological promise of these fascinating microbes.

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Abundance, Activity, and Community Structure of Pelagic Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria in Temperate Lakes

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.71.11.6746-6752.2005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 71 (11) ◽

pp. 6746-6752 ◽

Cited By ~ 87

Author(s):

Ingvar Sundh ◽

David Bastviken ◽

Lars J. Tranvik

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Bacterial Biomass ◽

Transformation Method ◽

Substantial Contribution ◽

Type I ◽

Type Ii ◽

Temperate Lakes ◽

Oxidation Activity ◽

Methane Oxidizing Bacteria ◽

Specific Oxidation

ABSTRACT The abundance and activity of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in the water column were investigated in three lakes with different contents of nutrients and humic substances. The abundance of MOB was determined by analysis of group-specific phospholipid fatty acids from type I and type II MOB, and in situ activity was measured with a 14CH4 transformation method. The fatty acid analyses indicated that type I MOB most similar to species of Methylomonas, Methylomicrobium, and Methylosarcina made a substantial contribution (up to 41%) to the total bacterial biomass, whereas fatty acids from type II MOB generally had very low concentrations. The MOB biomass and oxidation activity were positively correlated and were highest in the hypo- and metalimnion during summer stratification, whereas under ice during winter, maxima occurred close to the sediments. The methanotroph biomass-specific oxidation rate (V) ranged from 0.001 to 2.77 mg CH4-C mg−1 C day−1 and was positively correlated with methane concentration, suggesting that methane supply largely determined the activity and biomass distribution of MOB. Our results demonstrate that type I MOB often are a large component of pelagic bacterial communities in temperate lakes. They represent a potentially important pathway for reentry of carbon and energy into pelagic food webs that would otherwise be lost as evasion of CH4.

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Comparative surface and ultrastructural views of methylotrophic bacteria by TEM, STEM, SE, and freeze-etch electron microscopy.

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100128274 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 792-793

Author(s):

T.A. Fassel ◽

M.J. Schaller ◽

M.E. Lidstrom ◽

C.C. Remsen

Keyword(s):

Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽

Structural Features ◽

Methylotrophic Bacteria ◽

Type I ◽

Type Ii ◽

Membrane Complex ◽

Oxidation Of Methane ◽

Methane Oxidizing Bacteria ◽

Wall Structures ◽

Methylomonas Albus

Methylotrophic bacteria play an Important role in the environment in the oxidation of methane and methanol. Extensive intracytoplasmic membranes (ICM) have been associated with the oxidation processes in methylotrophs and chemolithotrophic bacteria. Classification on the basis of ICM arrangement distinguishes 2 types of methylotrophs. Bundles or vesicular stacks of ICM located away from the cytoplasmic membrane and extending into the cytoplasm are present in Type I methylotrophs. In Type II methylotrophs, the ICM form pairs of peripheral membranes located parallel to the cytoplasmic membrane. Complex cell wall structures of tightly packed cup-shaped subunits have been described in strains of marine and freshwater phototrophic sulfur bacteria and several strains of methane oxidizing bacteria. We examined the ultrastructure of the methylotrophs with particular view of the ICM and surface structural features, between representatives of the Type I Methylomonas albus (BG8), and Type II Methylosinus trichosporium (OB-36).

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