ABSTRACT
Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important precursor of the hydroxyl radical (OH), the atmosphere´s primary oxidant. An unknown strong daytime source of HONO is required to explain measurements in ambient air. Emissions from soils are one of the potential sources. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been identified as possible producers of these HONO soil emissions. However, the mechanisms for production and release of HONO in soils are not fully understood. In this study, we used a dynamic soil-chamber system to provide direct evidence that gaseous emissions from nitrifying pure cultures contain hydroxylamine (NH2OH), which is subsequently converted to HONO in a heterogeneous reaction with water vapor on glass bead surfaces. In addition to different AOB species, we found release of HONO also in ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), suggesting that these globally abundant microbes may also contribute to the formation of atmospheric HONO and consequently OH. Since biogenic NH2OH is formed by diverse organisms, such as AOB, AOA, methane-oxidizing bacteria, heterotrophic nitrifiers, and fungi, we argue that HONO emission from soil is not restricted to the nitrifying bacteria, but is also promoted by nitrifying members of the domains Archaea and Eukarya.
Subject(s)
Bacteria/metabolism , Hydroxylamine/metabolism , Nitrification/physiology , Ammonia/metabolism , Archaea/metabolism , Atmosphere , Gases/metabolism , Hydroxyl Radical/metabolism , Nitrous Acid/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction , Soil , Soil MicrobiologyABSTRACT
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are ubiquitous in marine and terrestrial environments and now thought to be significant contributors to carbon and nitrogen cycling. The isolation of Candidatus "Nitrosopumilus maritimus" strain SCM1 provided the opportunity for linking its chemolithotrophic physiology with a genomic inventory of the globally distributed archaea. Here we report the 1,645,259-bp closed genome of strain SCM1, revealing highly copper-dependent systems for ammonia oxidation and electron transport that are distinctly different from known ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Consistent with in situ isotopic studies of marine archaea, the genome sequence indicates N. maritimus grows autotrophically using a variant of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutryrate pathway for carbon assimilation, while maintaining limited capacity for assimilation of organic carbon. This unique instance of archaeal biosynthesis of the osmoprotectant ectoine and an unprecedented enrichment of multicopper oxidases, thioredoxin-like proteins, and transcriptional regulators points to an organism responsive to environmental cues and adapted to handling reactive copper and nitrogen species that likely derive from its distinctive biochemistry. The conservation of N. maritimus gene content and organization within marine metagenomes indicates that the unique physiology of these specialized oligophiles may play a significant role in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen.
Subject(s)
Autotrophic Processes/genetics , Crenarchaeota/genetics , Genome, Archaeal/genetics , Internationality , Nitrogen/metabolism , Seawater/microbiology , Amino Acids, Diamino/biosynthesis , Ammonia/metabolism , Cell Division/genetics , Crenarchaeota/cytology , Electron Transport/genetics , Energy Metabolism/genetics , Evolution, Molecular , Gene Expression Regulation , Metagenome/genetics , Oxidation-Reduction , Photosynthesis/genetics , Phylogeny , RNA, Untranslated/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Transcription, GeneticABSTRACT
A mesophilic, sulfate-reducing bacterium (strain SaxT) was isolated from marine coastal sediment in the Baltic Sea and originally described as a 'Desulfoarculus' sp. It used a large variety of substrates, ranging from simple organic compounds and fatty acids to aromatic compounds as electron donors. Autotrophic growth was possible with H2, CO2 and formate in the presence of sulfate. Sulfate, thiosulfate and sulfite were used as electron acceptors. Sulfur and nitrate were not reduced. Fermentative growth was obtained with pyruvate, but not with fumarate or malate. Substrate oxidation was usually complete leading to CO2, but at high substrate concentrations acetate accumulated. CO dehydrogenase activity was observed, indicating the operation of the CO dehydrogenase pathway (reverse Wood pathway) for CO2 fixation and complete oxidation of acetyl-CoA. The rod-shaped cells were 0.8-1.0 microm wide and 1.5-2.5 microm long. Spores were not produced and cells stained Gram-negative. The temperature limits for growth were between 10 and 42 degrees C (optimum growth at 28-32 degrees C). Growth was observed at salinities ranging from 5 to 110 g NaCl l(-1), with an optimum at 10-25 g NaCl l(-1). The G+C content of the DNA was 62.4 mol%. Vitamins were required for growth. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain SaxT represents a new genus within the delta-subclass of the Proteobacteria. The name Desulfotignum balticum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. After the 16S rDNA sequences of all members of the genus Desulfobacterium were published (GenBank accession nos. AJ237601-AJ237604, AJ237606, AJ237607), the need to reclassify most members of the genus Desulfobacterium became obvious due to their strong phylogenetic affiliation to other genera. Here, we propose to reclassify Desulfobacterium phenolicum as Desulfobacula phenolica comb. nov. Desulfotignum balticum, Desulfobacterium phenolicum and Desulfobacula toluolica contain cellular fatty acids which have so far only been found in members of the genus Desulfobacter.
