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Bacterial chemolithoautotrophy via manganese oxidation
Hang Yu1, Jared R Leadbetter2,3
1Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
Nature
|July 17, 2020
Summary
Researchers discovered microbes that use manganese oxidation for growth, completing a key biogeochemical cycle. This finding expands our understanding of microbial energy metabolism and Earth
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Geochemistry
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Manganese oxidation was theorized to support microbial growth but lacked experimental demonstration.
- Chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms utilize inorganic compounds for energy and carbon fixation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate and characterize microbial growth fueled by manganese (Mn(II)) oxidation.
- To identify the microorganisms involved and their metabolic pathways.
Main Methods:
- Refinement of enrichment cultures to isolate a Mn(II)-oxidizing co-culture.
- Stable-isotope probing with 13CO2 to track carbon fixation.
- Transcriptomic analysis to elucidate metabolic pathways.
Main Results:
- A co-culture of two bacteria, 'Candidatus Manganitrophus noduliformans' and Ramlibacter lithotrophicus, demonstrated exponential growth dependent on Mn(II) oxidation.
- Mn(II) oxidation produced manganese oxide nodules associated with the bacterial cells.
- Stable-isotope probing confirmed 13CO2 fixation into biomass linked to Mn(II) oxidation.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first experimental evidence for microbial growth fueled by manganese oxidation.
- The findings expand the known diversity of inorganic metabolisms and complete the manganese biogeochemical cycle.
- The identified microbial pathways link extracellular manganese oxidation to aerobic energy conservation and autotrophic CO2 fixation.
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