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Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1
Published on: October 17, 2018
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Multicellular magnetotactic bacterial consortia are metabolically differentiated and not clonal
George A Schaible1,2, Zackary J Jay1,2,3, John Cliff4
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|December 11, 2023
Summary
Multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) consortia are not clonal and exhibit metabolic differentiation. These findings reveal greater complexity in MMB physiology and their unique multicellular lifestyle.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) are unique as they lack a unicellular stage, making their study challenging due to cultivation difficulties.
- Previous research on MMB was primarily limited to microscopic observations, hindering a deeper understanding of their complex biology.
Approach:
- Employed multiple culture-independent methods to analyze MMB consortia genomics and physiology at single-cell resolution.
- Sequenced metagenomes of 22 MMB consortia, identifying eight new species and assessing intra-consortium genetic diversity.
- Validated genomic predictions using stable isotope probing (SIP) and FISH-NanoSIMS, coupled with FISH-BONCAT for in situ activity and protein synthesis analysis.
Key Points:
- MMB consortia are genetically diverse, with non-clonal cells within individual consortia, challenging previous assumptions.
- Reconstructed species-specific metabolic potential revealed MMB consortia are mixotrophic sulfate reducers.
- Demonstrated metabolic differentiation among individual cells within MMB consortia, indicating a higher level of complexity.
Conclusions:
- This study significantly expands knowledge of MMB diversity, ecology, genomics, and physiology.
- Findings provide insights into the mechanisms driving the multicellular nature and unique lifestyle of MMB.
- Highlights the complexity of MMB consortia, suggesting a more sophisticated biological organization than previously recognized.
