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13:51
Analyzing Gene Expression from Marine Microbial Communities using Environmental Transcriptomics
Published on: February 18, 2009
Functioning in situ: gene expression in Methylotenera mobilis in its native environment as assessed through
Marina G Kalyuzhnaya1, David A C Beck, Dominic Suciu
1Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
The ISME Journal
|November 20, 2009
Summary
This study reveals that Methyotenera mobilis utilizes different metabolic pathways and motility strategies in its natural lake sediment environment compared to laboratory cultures. These findings challenge the understanding of methylotrophic bacteria
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Metagenomics
Background:
- Methylotrophs are microbes that utilize simple carbon compounds for energy and carbon.
- Current understanding of methylotroph metabolism relies heavily on laboratory culture experiments.
- The in situ metabolic activity and lifestyle of methylotrophs in their natural habitats remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in situ metabolic activity and gene expression of the methylotroph Methyotenera mobilis in its natural lake sediment environment.
- To compare the in situ gene expression patterns with those obtained from laboratory cultures.
- To elucidate the nutrient preferences and lifestyle of M. mobilis under natural conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transcriptomics to analyze gene expression patterns of M. mobilis.
- Incubated cells in natural lake sediment with and without methylamine supplementation.
- Compared in situ gene expression with cells grown in defined laboratory media supplemented with methylamine.
Main Results:
- Observed increased expression of genes for the linear formaldehyde oxidation pathway linked to tetrahydromethanopterin in situ, contrasting with the cyclic ribulose monophosphate pathway in lab cultures.
- Identified the methylcitric acid cycle as important in situ, suggesting multicarbon compounds as natural substrates for M. mobilis.
- Detected a switch in motility gene expression from flagellar motility in defined medium to pili-mediated twitching motility in situ.
Conclusions:
- M. mobilis exhibits distinct metabolic and motility behaviors in its native environment compared to laboratory settings.
- The study challenges the concept of an obligately methylotrophic lifestyle, indicating potential utilization of multicarbon compounds.
- Transcriptomics of microbes in situ provides novel insights into microbial ecology and function in natural environments.
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