Microbiology and Ecology of Filamentous Sulfur Formation

Taylor, Craig D.; Wirsen, Carl O.

doi:10.1126/science.277.5331.1483

Cited by 99 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…7) (26). In addition to sox, the strains have both cytoplasmic and periplasmic sulfide-quinone oxidoreductases that catalyze the oxidation of sulfide to elemental sulfur, probably contributing to filamentous sulfur formation by deep-sea ventProteobacteria (27). Furthermore, consistent with our previous enzyme assay (28), strain NBC37-1 has two copies of sulfite: cytochrome c oxidoreductase (Sor).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

Deep-sea vent ε-proteobacterial genomes provide insights into emergence of pathogens

Nakagawa¹,

Takaki

Shimamura

et al. 2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

218

306

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Deep-sea vents are the light-independent, highly productive ecosystems driven primarily by chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms, in particular by -Proteobacteria phylogenetically related to important pathogens. We analyzed genomes of two deep-sea vent -Proteobacteria strains, Sulfurovum sp. NBC37-1 and Nitratiruptor sp. SB155-2, which provide insights not only into their unusual niche on the seafloor, but also into the origins of virulence in their pathogenic relatives, Helicobacter and Campylobacter species. The deep-sea vent -proteobacterial genomes encode for multiple systems for respiration, sensing and responding to environment, and detoxifying heavy metals, reflecting their adaptation to the deep-sea vent environment. Although they are nonpathogenic, both deep-sea vent -Proteobacteria share many virulence genes with pathogenic -Proteobacteria, including genes for virulence factor MviN, hemolysin, invasion antigen CiaB, and the N-linked glycosylation gene cluster. In addition, some virulence determinants (such as the H2-uptake hydrogenase) and genomic plasticity of the pathogenic descendants appear to have roots in deep-sea vent -Proteobacteria. These provide ecological advantages for hydrothermal vent -Proteobacteria who thrive in their deep-sea habitat and are essential for both the efficient colonization and persistent infections of their pathogenic relatives. Our comparative genomic analysis suggests that there are previously unrecognized evolutionary links between important human/animal pathogens and their nonpathogenic, symbiotic, chemolithoautotrophic deepsea relatives.-Proteobacteria ͉ comparative microbial genomics ͉ deep-sea hydrothermal vent ͉ pathogenesis ͉ symbiosis D eep-sea hydrothermal vents are areas on the sea floor of high biological productivity fueled primarily by chemosynthesis. Most of the invertebrates thrive in this hostile environment through their relationship with chemolithoautotrophic proteobacterial symbionts. It has become evident that by far the most prevalent microorganisms at deep-sea vents belong to the -Proteobacteria (1, 2). They often account for Ͼ90% of total rRNA in various hydrothermal habitats as both epi-or endosymbionts of hydrothermal vent invertebrates (3-6) and freeliving organisms associated with actively venting sulfide deposits and in areas where vent fluids and seawater mix [supporting information (SI) Fig. 5] (7-9). Until recently, the metabolic role of these key players in the deep-sea vent ecosystem has remained unknown because of their resistance to cultivation. However, in a recent breakthrough, pure cultures of deep-sea ventProteobacteria provided evidence that the majority of these microbes were mesophilic to thermophilic (capable of growth at 4°C to 70°C) chemolithoautotrophs capable of oxidation of hydrogen and sulfur compounds coupled with the reduction of oxygen, nitrate, and sulfur compounds (9-11). These deep-sea vent -Proteobacteria diverge before their pathogenic relatives in small-subunit rRNA gene trees, and thus comparative genomics can pr...

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

Deep-sea vent ε-proteobacterial genomes provide insights into emergence of pathogens

Nakagawa¹,

Takaki

Shimamura

et al. 2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

218

306

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“…Inspection of fresh collections of floc under a compound microscope revealed no filaments. Laboratory cultures of vibrioid organisms were induced to form similar accumulations of amorphous sulfur by flowing a steady stream of H 2 S into organic-rich soils (Taylor & Wirsen 1997). It is probable that disturbance of the bottom enhances the diffusion of H 2 S from deeper anoxic layers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct pigmentation and trophic modes in Beggiatoa from hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Nikolaus¹,

Ammerman²,

MacDonald³

2003

Aquat. Microb. Ecol.

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Bacterial mats, which are comprised of spatially distinct, pigmented and non-pigmented filamentous Beggiatoa, are abundant at hydrocarbon seeps on the continental slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Samples of both filament types were collected, using the submarine 'Johnson Sea Link', from seeps at water depths of ~550 m. The water-soluble pigment of colored strains was internal to the cells and had an absorbance peak of approximately 390 nm. Sulfur granules in both pigmented and non-pigmented cells indicated that these Beggiatoa had the capability of oxidizing H 2 S. Non-pigmented filaments were capable of significant CO 2 fixation based on incorporation of CO 2 by whole, live cells and ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) assays using cell-free extracts. RuBisCO activities for extracts from non-pigmented cells ranged from 9.92 to 135.35 nmol CO 2 fixed mg protein -1 min -1. Activities varied significantly with temperature and pH. This ability to use CO 2 as the primary carbon source, along with the ability to oxidize H 2 S for energy, suggests that these non-pigmented filaments were chemoautotrophic. Pigmented filaments, in contrast, had little CO 2 incorporation ability. RuBisCO activities from pigmented mats ranged from 0.17 to 0.92 nmol CO 2 fixed mg protein -1 min -1. These results suggest that geochemical processes at hydrocarbon seeps create an environment capable of supporting separate chemoautotrophic and heterotrophic (presumably organo-heterotrophic) Beggiatoa populations.

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“…Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which provide a base for the chemosynthetic food web in these deep sea environments, produce filamentous sulfur (Taylor and Wirsen, 1997). Laboratory Raman studies by Pasteris et al (2001) have identified elemental sulfur in the S 8 configuration in the bacteria Thioploca and Beggiatoa.…”

Section: Elemental Sulfurmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser Raman spectroscopy as a technique for identification of seafloor hydrothermal and cold seep minerals

2009

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Microbiology and Ecology of Filamentous Sulfur Formation

Cited by 99 publications

References 13 publications

Deep-sea vent ε-proteobacterial genomes provide insights into emergence of pathogens

Deep-sea vent ε-proteobacterial genomes provide insights into emergence of pathogens

Distinct pigmentation and trophic modes in Beggiatoa from hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Laser Raman spectroscopy as a technique for identification of seafloor hydrothermal and cold seep minerals

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