Comparative genomics reveals electron transfer and syntrophic mechanisms differentiating methanotrophic and methanogenic archaea

The anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction is a microbially mediated process requiring a syntrophic partnership between anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Based on genome taxonomy, ANME lineages are polyphyletic within the phylum Halobacterota, none of which have been isolated in pure culture. Here, we reconstruct 28 ANME genomes from environmental metagenomes and flow sorted syntrophic consortia. Together with a reanalysis of previously published datasets, these genomes enable a comparative analysis of all marine ANME clades. We review the genomic features that separate ANME from their methanogenic relatives and identify what differentiates ANME clades. Large multiheme cytochromes and bioenergetic complexes predicted to be involved in novel electron bifurcation reactions are well distributed and conserved in the ANME archaea, while significant variations in the anabolic C1 pathways exists between clades. Our analysis raises the possibility that methylotrophic methanogenesis may have evolved from a methanotrophic ancestor.

Effects of CdS NPs on Sulfate Bioreduction and Oxidative Stress to Desulfovibrio Desulfuricans

Sulfate-containing wastewater has a serious threat to the environment and human health. Microbial technology has great potential for the treatment of sulfate-containing wastewater. It was found that nano-photocatalysts could be used as extracellular electron donors to promote the growth and metabolic activity of non-photosynthetic microorganisms. However, nano-photocatalysts could also induce oxidative stress and damage cells. In this paper, the mechanism and regulation strategy of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles（CdS NPs）on the growth of sulfate reducing bacteria and the sulfate reduction process were investigated. The results shows that the sulfate reduction efficiency could be increased by 6.43% through CdS NPs under light conditions. However, the growth of C09 was seriously inhibited by 55.00% due to the oxidative stress induced by CdS NPs on cells. The biomass and sulfate reduction efficiency could be enhanced by 6.84% and 5.85%, respectively, through external addition of humic acid (HA). At the same time, the mechanism of the CdS NPs strengthening the sulfate reduction process by sulfate bacteria was also studied. Which can provide important theoretical guidance and technical support for the development of microbial technology combined with extracellular electron transfer (EET) for the treatment of sulfate-containing wastewater.

Investigating the efficacy of Curcuma longa against Desulfovibrio desulfuricans influenced corrosion in low-carbon steel

The effectiveness of Curcuma longa extract in the control of low-carbon steel corrosion caused by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Baar’s medium was investigated. The SRB taken for the study was Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Specimens in contact with the medium containing SRB exhibited a corrosion rate more than 10 times that of the specimens in contact with the medium without SRB. The weight loss studies showed that the addition of 50 ppm C. longa extracts to the medium containing SRB resulted in an average inhibition efficiency of 91.2% for a four week immersion period. The inhibitor extract altered the reaction rates of both cathodic and anodic reactions which were confirmed from the potentiodynamic polarization (PP) studies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies showed a reduction in the number of sessile bacteria upon inhibitor addition which was confirmed by the microscopy. Severe pitting was observed in the morphological analysis of the specimen in the absence of inhibitor treatment. Apart from adsorption onto the specimen surface to minimize the biocorrosion, the inhibitor extract also served as an anti-film forming and antibacterial agent.