Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of the H2 threshold for Methanobacterium bryantii M.o.H

H₂ thresholds, concentrations below which H₂ consumption by a microbial group stops, have been associated with microbial respiratory processes such as dechlorination, denitrification, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. Researchers have proposed that observed H₂ thresholds occur when the available Gibbs free energy is minimal (ΔG ≈ 0) for a specific respiratory reaction. Others suggest that microbial kinetics also may play a role in controlling the thresholds. Here, we comprehensively evaluate H₂ thresholds in light of microbial thermodynamic and kinetic principles. We show that a thermodynamic H₂ threshold for Methanobacterium bryantii M.o.H. is not controlled by ΔG for methane production from H₂ + HCO₃⁻. We repeatedly attain a H₂ threshold near 0.4 nM, with a range of 0.2–1 nM, and ΔG for methanogenesis from H₂ + HCO₃⁻ is positive, +5 to +7 kJ/mol-H_2, at the threshold in most cases. We postulate that the H₂ threshold is controlled by a separate reaction other than methane production. The electrons from H₂ oxidation are transferred to an electron sink that is a solid-phase component of the cells. We also show that a kinetic threshold (S _min) occurs at a theoretically computed H₂ concentration of about 2400 nM at which biomass growth shifts from positive to negative.     

Hydrogenases and formate dehydrogenases of Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans

The syntrophic propionate-oxidizing bacterium Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans possesses two distinct formate dehydrogenases and at least three distinct hydrogenases. All of these reductases are either loosely membrane-associated or soluble proteins and at least one of the hydrogenases is located in the periplasm. These enzymes were expressed on all growth substrates tested, though the levels of each enzyme showed large variations. These findings suggest that both H₂ and formate are involved in the central metabolism of the organism, and that both these compounds may serve as interspecies electron carriers during syntrophic growth on propionate. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Overexpression of formate dehydrogenase inArabidopsis thaliana resulted in plants tolerant to high concentrations of formate

The potential role played by formate dehydrogenase (FDH) in formate metabolism has been examined by the overexpression of FDH in Arabidopsis thaliana. Three independent transgenic lines were selected and shown to produce elevated amounts of FDH protein with a corresponding elevated FDH activity (2.5-5 fold) over wild-type (WT) plants. Under normal growth conditions, no altered phenotype was observed in these transgenic plants; in growth media supplied with formate, however, significant differences in shoot and root growth, compared to that of WT plants, were observed. WT plants were severely injured if grown in the presence of 16 mmol/L formate, while the transgenic plants were able to grow well. Formate delayed germination of both WT and transgenic seeds at concentrations above 4 mmol/L, but both types of seeds were eventually able to complete more than 95 % germination even at 32 mmol/L formate. Formate markedly inhibited primary root elongation, and its inhibitory action on WT was much stronger than on transgenic plants. Different formate salts affected root elongation similarly, indicating that the formate ion was the major factor inhibiting root growth. Sodium acetate (NaAc), an analogue of formate, also inhibited root elongation, but its action on WT and transgenic plants was the same, indicating that tolerance of transgenic plants to formate toxicity was specific. Transgenic plants showed no significant tolerance to the toxicity of two other one-carbon metabolites, methanol and formaldehyde. A role for FDH in detoxifying formate is proposed.     

Energy transformation coupled to formate oxidation during anaerobic fermentation

A correlation between the rate of ATP synthesis by F₀F₁ ATP synthase and formate oxidation by formate hydrogen lyase (FHL) has been found in inside-out membrane vesicles of the Escherichia coli mutant JW 136 (Δhya/Δhyb) with double deletions of hydrogenases 1 and 2, grown anaerobically on glucose in the absence of external electron acceptors at pH 6.5. ATP synthesis was suppressed by the H⁺-ATPase inhibitors N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, sodium azide, and the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Copper ions inhibited formate-dependent hydrogenase and ATP-synthase activities but did not affect the ATPase activity of the vesicles. The maximal rate of ATP synthesis (0.83 μmol/min per mg protein) was determined at simultaneous application of sodium formate, ADP, and inorganic phosphate, and was stimulated by K⁺ ions. The results confirm the assumption of a dual role of hydrogenase 3, the formate hydrogen lyase subunit that can couple the reduction of protons to H₂ and their translocation through membrane with chemiosmotic synthesis of ATP.     

Treponema bryantii sp. nov., a rumen spirochete that interacts with cellulolytic bacteria

A saccharolytic spirochete that associated and interacted with cellulolytic bacteria was isolated from bovine rumen fluid. Isolation was accomplished by means of a procedure involving serial dilution of a sample of rumen fluid into a cellulose-containing agar medium. Clear zones appeared within the medium as a result of cellulose hydrolysis by rumen bacteria. The saccharolytic spirochete and a cellulolytic bacterium later identified as a strain of Bacteroides succinogenes were isolated from the clear zones. The spirochete did not utilize cellulose, but grew in coculture with the cellulolytic bacterium in cellulose-containing media. When cocultured in these media the spirochete used, as fermentable substrates, soluble sugars released from cellulose by the cellulolytic bacterium. In cellulosecontaining agar medium the spirochete enhanced cellulose breakdown by the B. succinogenes strain. Electron microscopy showed that the helical spirochete cells possessed an outer sheath, a protoplasmic cylinder, and two periplasmic fibrils. Under a CO₂ atmosphere, in a reduced medium containing inorganic salts, rumen fluid, glucose, and NaHCO₃, the spirochete grew to a final density of 1.9×10⁹ cells/ml. Succinate, acetate, and formate were products of the fermentation of glucose by growing cells. CO₂ (HCO₃ ^-), branched short-chain fatty acids, folic acid, biotin, niacinamide, thiamine, pyridoxal, and a carbohydrate were required for growth of the spirochete. The results of this study indicated that the rumen spirochete represents a new species of Treponema. It is proposed that the new species be named Treponema bryantii.Abbreviations cpm counts per minute - GC guanine plus cytosine - T_m melting temperature - PC protoplasmic cylinder - PF pertplasmic fibrils (axial fibrils) - OS outer sheath - ID insertion disk     

Effect of carbon source on enzymes involved in glycerol metabolism inNeurospora crassa

Specific activities of eight enzymes involved in glycerol metabolism were determined in crude extracts of three strains ofNeurospora crassa after growth on six different carbon sources. One of the strains was wild type, which grew poorly on glycerol as sole carbon source; the other two were mutant strains which were efficient glycerol utilizers. A possible basis for this greater effeciency of glycerol utilization was catabolite repression of glyceraldehyde kinase by glycerol in wild type, and two-fold higher glycerate kinase activity in the mutant strains after growth on glycerol, thus apparently allowing two routes for glyceraldehyde to enter the glycolytic pathway in the mutant strains but only one in wild type. The preferential entry of glyceraldehyde to the glycolytic pathway through glycerate was suggested by the lack of glyceraldehyde kinase in all three strains after growth on one or more of the carbon sources and the generally higher levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase and of glycerate kinase than of glyceraldehyde kinase.     

Improved purification of Candida boidinii formate dehydrogenase

Formate dehydrogenase (FDH, EC 1.2.1.2) from Candida boidinii was purified to homogeneity. The two step procedure comprised anion exchange chromatography (2.9-fold purification, 85% step yield, elution with 35 mM KCl), followed by dye-ligand affinity chromatography on immobilized Cibacron Blue 3GA (1.4-fold purification, 75% step yield, elution with 0.15 mM NAD⁺/2 mM Na₂SO₃). The procedure afforded FDH at 63.8% overall yield and a specific activity of 7.2 units/mg. The purity of the final FDH preparation was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), high performance gel filtration liquid chromatography (gfHPLC) and N-terminal amino acid sequencing. The analytical techniques showed the presence of a single polypeptide chain that corresponds to the molecular weight of 41 kDa (as determined by SDS-PAGE) and 81 kDa (as determined by gfHPLC).     

The anaerobic fungusPiromyces sp. strain E2: nitrogen requirement and enzymes involved in primary nitrogen metabolism

The anaerobic fungusPiromyces sp. strain E2 appeared restricted in nitrogen utilization. Growth was only supported by ammonium as source of nitrogen. Glutamine also resulted in growth, but this was due to release of ammonia rather than to uptake and utilization of the amino acid. The fungus was not able to grow on other amino acids, albumin, urea, allantoin, or nitrate. Assimilation of ammonium is very likely to be mediated by NADP-linked glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH) and glutamine synthetase (GS). One transaminating activity, glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), was demonstrated. Glutamate synthase (GOGAT), NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH), and the transaminating activity glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were not detected in cell-free extracts ofPiromyces sp. strain E2. Specific enzyme activities of both NADP-GDH and GS increased four-to sixfold under nitrogen-limiting conditions.Abbreviations GDH Glutamate dehydrogenase - GOGAT Glutamate synthase - GOT Glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase - GPT Glutamate-pyruvate transaminase - GS Glutamine synthetase     

Role of formate and hydrogen in the degradation of propionate and butyrate by defined suspended cocultures of acetogenic and methanogenic bacteria

The butyrate-degradingSyntrophospora bryantii degrades butyrate and a propionate-degrading strain (MPOB) degrades propionate in coculture with the hydrogen- and formate-utilizingMethanospirillum hungatii orMethanobacterium formicicum. However, the substrates are not degraded in constructed cocultures with twoMethanobrevibacter arboriphilus strains which are only able to consume hydrogen. Pure cultures of the acetogenic bacteria form both hydrogen and formate during butyrate oxidation with pentenoate as electron acceptor and during propionate oxidation with fumarate as electron acceptor. Using the highest hydrogen and formate levels which can be reached by the acetogens and the lowest hydrogen and formate levels which can be maintained by the methanogens it appeared that the calculated formate diffusion rates are about 100 times higher than the calculated hydrogen diffusion rates.     

Evaluation of the enzymes involved in primary nitrogen metabolism in Tilia platyphyllos-Tuber borchii ectomycorrhizae

No information is available about Tuber borchii Vittad. ammonium metabolism during its life cycle, which involves the succession of three distinct phases. In this direction, the levels of glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2), glutamate synthase (GOGAT; EC 1.4.1.13-14) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2-4) were evaluated in Tilia platyphyllos Scop.-Tuber borchii Vittad. ectomycorrhizae, free living mycelium and non-inoculated roots. In the plant roots, GS shows high specific activity and only NADH-GDH (EC 1.4.1.2) is detectable; on the other hand, in free living mycelium GS and NADPH-GDH (EC 1.4.1.4) can be detected. Ectomycorrhizal metabolism was found to be deeply influenced by the two symbiotic partners. In fact, GS and both forms of GDH are present and their specific activities are higher than those found in the plant root and in the mycelial cells.     

Energetics and regulations of formate and hydrogen metabolism by Methanobacterium formicicum

Accumulation of formate to millimolar levels was observed during the growth of Methanobacterium formicicum species on H₂–CO₂. Hydrogen was also produced during formate metabolism by M. formicicum. The amount of formate accumulated in the medium or the amount H₂ released in gas phase was influenced by the bicarbonate concentration. The formate hydrogenlyase system was constitutive but regulated by formate. When methanogenesis was inhibited by addition of 2-bromoethane sulfonate, M. formicicum synthesized formate from H₂ plus HCO _inf3 ^sup- or produced H₂ from formate to a steady-state level at which point the Gibbs free energy (G) available for formate synthesis or H₂ production was approximately -2 to -3 kJ/reaction. Formate conversion to methane was inhibited in the presence of high H₂ pressure. The relative rates of conversion of formate and H₂ were apparently controlled by the G available for formate synthesis, hydrogen production, methane production from formate and methane production from H₂. Results from ¹⁴C-tracer tests indicated that a rapid isotopic exchange between HCOO^- and HCO _inf3 ^sup- occurred during the growth of M. formicicum on H₂–CO₂. Data from metabolism of ¹⁴C-labelled formate to methane suggested that formate was initially split to H₂ and HCO _inf3 ^sup- and then subsequently converted to methane. When molybdate was replaced with tungstate in the growth media, the growth of M. formicicum strain MF on H₂–CO₂ was inhibited although production of methane was not Formate synthesis from H₂ was also inhibited.     

Degradation and utilization of xylans by the rumen anaerobe Prevotella bryantii (formerly P. ruminicola subsp. brevis) B(1)4

Freshly harvested whole cells from cultures of P. bryantii B(1)4 grown with oat spelt xylan (OSX) as an energy source showed less than 25% of the enzyme activity against OSX, and less than 15% of the activity against birchwood xylan (BWX) and carboxymethylcellulose, that was detectable in sonicated cell preparations. This indicates that much of this hydrolytic activity is either periplasmic, membrane-associated or intracellular and may be concerned with the processing of transported oligosaccharides.P. bryantii B(1)4 cultures were able to utilise up to 45% and 51% of the total pentose present in OSX and BWX, respectively, after 24 h, but could utilize 84% of a water-soluble fraction of BWX. Analysis of the xylan left undegraded after incubation with P. bryantii showed that while xylose and arabinose were removed to a similar extent, uronic acids were utilized to a greater extent than xylose. Predigestion of xylans with two cloned xylanases from the cellulolytic rumen anaerobe Ruminococcus flavefaciens gave little increase in overall pentose utilization suggesting that external P. bryantii xylanases are as effective as the cloned R. flavefaciens enzymes in releasing products that can be utilised by P. bryantii cells. The xylanase system of P. bryantiiis able to efficiently utilise not only xylo-oligosaccharides but also larger water-soluble xylan fragments.     

The role of formate metabolism in nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium Spp.

Formate metabolism supported nitrogen-fixation activity in free-living cultures of Rhizobium japonicum. However, formate0dependent nitrogense activity was observed only in the presence of carbon sources such as glutamate, ribose or aspartate which by themselves were unable to support nitrogenase activity. Formate-dependent nitrogenase activity was not detected in the presence of carbon sources such as malate, gluconate or glycerol which by themselves supported nitrogenase activity. A mutant strain of R. japonicum was isolated that was unable to utilise formate and was shown to lack formate dehydrogenase activity. This mutant strain exhibited no formate-dependent nitrogenase activity. Both the wild-type and mutant strains nodulated soybean plants effectively and there were no significant differences in the plant dry weight or total nitrogen content of the respective plants. Furthermore pea bacteroids lacked formate dehydrogenase activity and exogenously added formate had no stimulatory effect on the endogenous oxygen uptake rate. The role of formate metabolism in symbiotic nitrogen fixation is discussed.Abbreviation FDH formate dehydrogenase     

Eubacterium acidaminophilum sp. nov., a versatile amino acid-degrading anaerobe producing or utilizing H2 or formate

An obligately anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated on alanine in co-culture with H₂-scavenging Desulfovibrio and obtained in pure culture with glycine as sole fermentation substrate. The isolated strain, al-2, was motile by a polar to subpolar flagellum and stained Gram-positive. The guanine plus cytosine content of the DNA was 44.0 mol%. Strain al-2 grew in defined, reduced glycine media supplemented with biotin. The pure culture fermented 4 mol glycine to 3 mol acetate, 4 mol ammonia and 2 mol CO₂. Under optimum conditions (34°C, pH 7.3), the doubling time on glycine was 60 min and the molar growth yield 7.6 g cell dry mass. Serine was fermented to acetate, ethanol, CO₂, H₂ and ammonia. In addition, betaine, sarcosine or creatine served as substrates for growth and acetate production if H₂, formate or e.g. valine were added as H-donors. In pure culture on alanine under N₂, strain al-2 grew very poorly and produced H₂ up to a partial pressure of 3.6 kPa (0.035 atm). Desulfovibrio species, Methanospirillum hungatei and Acetobacterium woodii served as H₂-scavengers that allowed good syntrophic growth on alanine. The co-cultures also grew on aspartate, leucine, valine or malate. Alanine and aspartate were stoichiometrically degraded to acetate and ammonia, whereas the reducing equivalents were recovered as H₂S, CH₄ or newly synthetized acetate, respectively. Growth of strain al-2 in co-culture with the hydrogenase-negative, formate-utilizing Desulfovibrio baarsii indicated that a syntrophy was also possible by interspecies formate transfer. Growth on glycine, or on betaine, sarcosine or creatine (plus H-donors) depended strictly on the addition of selenite (0.1 M); selenite was not required for fermentation of serine, or for degradation of alanine, aspartate or valine by the co-cultures. Cell-free extracts of glycine-grown cells contained active glycine reductase, glycine decarboxylase and reversible methyl viologen-dependent formate dehydrogenase in addition to the other enzymes necessary for an oxidation to CO₂. In all reactions NADP was the preferred H-carrier. Both formate and glycine could be synthesized from bicarbonate. Serine-grown cells did not contain serine hydroxymethyl transferase but serine dehydratase and other enzymes commonly involved in pyruvate metabolism to acetate, CO₂ and H₂. The enzymes involved in glycine metabolism were repressed during growth on serine. By its morphology and physiology, strain al-2 did not resemble described amino acid-degrading species. Therefore, the new isolate is proposed as type strain of a new species, Eubacterium acidaminophilum.     

Structural and Functional Features of Formate Hydrogen Lyase, an Enzyme of Mixed-Acid Fermentation from Escherichia coli

Formate hydrogen lyase from Escherichia coli is a membrane-bound complex that oxidizes formic acid to carbon dioxide and molecular hydrogen. Under anaerobic growth conditions and fermentation of sugars (glucose), it exists in two forms. One form is constituted by formate dehydrogenase H and hydrogenase 3, and the other one is the same formate dehydrogenase and hydrogenase 4; the presence of small protein subunits, carriers of electrons, is also probable. Other proteins may also be involved in formation of the enzyme complex, which requires the presence of metal (nickel-cobalt). Its formation also depends on the external pH and the presence of formate. Activity of both forms requires F(0)F(1)-ATPase; this explains dependence of the complex functioning on proton-motive force. It is also possible that the formate hydrogen lyase complex will exhibit its own proton-translocating function.     

Methanol metabolism in yeasts: Regulation of the synthesis of catabolic enzymes

The regulation of the synthesis of four dissimilatory enzymes involved in methanol metabolism, namely alcohol oxidase, formaldehyde dehydrogenase, formate dehydrogenase and catalase was investigated in the yeasts Hansenula polymorpha and Kloeckera sp. 2201. Enzyme profiles in cell-free extracts of the two organisms grown under glucose limitation at various dilution rates, suggested that the synthesis of these enzymes is controlled by derepression — represion rather than by induction — repression. Except for alcohol oxidase, the extent to which catabolite repression of the catabolic enzymes was relieved at low dilution rates was similar in both organisms. In Hansenula polymorpha the level of alcohol oxidase in the cells gradually increased with decreasing dilution rate, whilst in Kloeckera sp. 2201 derepression of alcohol oxidase synthesis was only observed at dilution rates below 0.10 h^–1 and occurred to a much smaller extent than in Hansenula polymorpha.Derepression of alcohol oxidase and catalase in cells of Hansenula polymorpha was accompanied by synthesis of peroxisomes. Moreover, peroxisomes were degraded with a concurrent loss of alcohol oxidase and catalase activities when excess glucose was introduced into the culture. This process of catabolite inactivation of peroxisomal enzymes did not affect cytoplasmic formaldehyde dehydrogenase.     

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase and other enzymes involved in methanogenesis from CO2 and H2 in the extreme thermophile Methanopyrus kandleri

Methanopyrus kandleri belongs to a novel group of abyssal methanogenic archaebacteria that can grow at 110°C on H₂ and CO₂ and that shows no close phylogenetic relationship to any methanogen known so far. Methyl-coenzyme M reductase, the enzyme catalyzing the methane forming step in the energy metabolism of methanogens, was purified from this hyperthermophile. The yellow protein with an absorption maximum at 425 nm was found to be similar to the methyl-coenzyme M reductase from other methanogenic bacteria in that it was composed each of two -, - and -subunits and that it contained the nickel porphinoid coenzyme F₄₃₀ as prosthetic group. The purified reductase was inactive. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the -subunit was determined. A comparison with the N-terminal sequences of the -subunit of methyl-coenzyme M reductases from other methanogenic bacteria revealed a high degree of similarity.Besides methyl-coenzyme M reductase cell extracts of M. kandleri were shown to contain the following enzyme activities involved in methanogenesis from CO₂ (apparent V_max at 65°C): formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, 0.3 U/mg protein; formyl-methanofuran: tetrahydromethanopterin formyltransferase, 13 U/mg; N ⁵,N¹⁰-methenyltetrahydromethanopterin cyclohydrolase, 14 U/mg; N ⁵,N¹⁰-methylenetetrahydromethanopterin dehydrogenase (H₂-forming), 33 U/mg; N ⁵,N¹⁰-methylenetetrahydromethanopterin reductase (coenzyme F₄₂₀ dependent), 4 U/mg; heterodisulfide reductase, 2 U/mg; coenzyme F₄₂₀-reducing hydrogenase, 0.01 U/mg; and methylviologen-reducing hydrogenase, 2.5 U/mg. Apparent K_m values for these enzymes and the effect of salts on their activities were determined.The coenzyme F₄₂₀ present in M. kandleri was identified as coenzyme F₄₂₀-2 with 2 -glutamyl residues.Abbreviations H–S-CoM coenzyme M - CH₃–S-CoM methylcoenzyme M - H–S-HTP 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate - MFR methanofuran - CHO-MFR formyl-MFR - H₄MPT tetrahydromethanopterin - CHO–H₄MPT N ⁵-formyl-H₄MPT - CH=H₄MPT⁺ N ⁵,N¹⁰-methenyl-H₄MPT - CH₂=H₄MPT N ⁵,N¹⁰-methylene-H₄MPT - CH₃–H₄MPT N ⁵-methyl-H₄MPT - F₄₂₀ coenzyme F₄₂₀ - 1 U= 1 mol/min     

The effect of mixtures of glucose and formate on the yield and respiration of a chemostat culture of Beneckea natriegens

Beneckea natriegens oxidizes sodium formate constitutively when grown on glucose or glycerol in chemostat culture, but cannot utilize formate as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth. However, when grown on a mixture of glucose and formate (D=0.37 h^-1, pH 7.6) the yield is higher than on glucose alone.The yield, expressed in terms of g bacterial dry weight g^-1 glucose plus formate carbon utilized, gave a linear relationship when plotted against the total heat of combustion of glucose plus formate utilized. Extrapolation of the plot cut the abscissa at a value equivalent to the heat of combustion of formate, which suggests that formate is not utilised as a source of carbon but only energy.In cultures with nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen the yield from glucose was lower than that observed with ammonia but the addition of formate to the culture utilizing nitrate resulted in an increase in the yield from glucose to a value similar to that observed with ammonia.At a culture pH value of 7.65 unused formate (<0.15–227 mM) in the culture supernatant had no effect on respiration spiration or yield, but at a culture pH of 6.7 excess formate caused a marked increase in respiration rate and a large decrease in the yield from glucose; further decrease in the pH value caused washout of the culture. This may be explained by undissociated formic acid causing uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.