Metabolism of the thermophilic bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oceanithermus profundus</Emphasis>

The metabolism of the novel facultatively anaerobic thermophilic bacterium Oceanithermus profundus was studied during growth on maltose, acetate, pyruvate, and hydrogen. The utilization of carbohydrates was shown to proceed via the glycolytic pathway. Under microaerobic growth conditions, the metabolism of O. profundus grown on maltose depended on the substrate concentration. At an initial maltose concentration of 1.4 mM, O. profundus carried out oxygen respiration, and in the presence of 3.5 mM maltose, facilitated fermentation occurred, with the formation of acetate and ethanol and limited involvement of oxygen. The use of pyruvate and acetate occurred via the TCA cycle. In cells grown on acetate, the activity of glyoxylate pathway enzymes was revealed. Depending on the energy-yielding process providing for growth (oxygen respiration or nitrate reduction), cells contained cytochromes a and c or b, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate the plasticity of the metabolism of O. profundus, which thus appears to be well-adjusted to the rapidly changing conditions in deep-sea hydrothermal vents.     

Complete genome sequence of Oceanithermus profundus type strain (506)

Oceanithermus profundus Miroshnichenko et al. 2003 is the type species of the genus Oceanithermus, which belongs to the family Thermaceae. The genus currently comprises two species whose members are thermophilic and are able to reduce sulfur compounds and nitrite. The organism is adapted to the salinity of sea water, is able to utilize a broad range of carbohydrates, some proteinaceous substrates, organic acids and alcohols. This is the first completed genome sequence of a member of the genus Oceanithermus and the fourth sequence from the family Thermaceae. The 2,439,291 bp long genome with its 2,391 protein-coding and 54 RNA genes consists of one chromosome and a 135,351 bp long plasmid, and is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.     

Characterization of a new thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium

A thermophilic sulfate-reducing vibrio isolated from thermal vent water in Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, USA is described. The gram-negative, curved rod-shaped cells averaged 0.3 m wide and 1.5 m long. They were motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Growth was observed between 40° and 70 °C with optimal growth at 65 °C. Cultures remained viable for one year at 27 °C although spore-formation was not observed. Sulfate, thiosulfate and sulfite were used as electron acceptors. Sulfur, fumarate and nitrate were not reduced. In the presence of sulfate, growth was observed only with lactate, pyruvate, hydrogen plus acetate, or formate plus acetate. Pyruvate was the only compound observed to support fermentative growth. Pyruvate and lactate were oxidized to acetate. Desulfofuscidin and c-type cytochromes were present. The G+C content was 29.5 mol%. The divergence in the 16S ribosomal RNA sequences between the new isolate and Thermodesulfobacterium commune suggests that these two thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria represent different genera. These two bacteria depict a lineage that branches deeply within the Bacteria domain and which is clearly distinct from previously defined phylogenetic lines of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Strain YP87 is described as the type strain of the new genus and species Thermodesulfovibrio yellowstonii. Yellowstone Lake (Wyoming, USA) is located within one of the most tectonically active regions in the world (Klump et al. 1988; Remsen et al. 1990). Hydrothermal springs, hot gas fumaroles and elevated substrata temperatures have been observed within the lake itself (e.g., Remsen et al. 1990). Hydrothermal vent waters were reported to be anoxic, high in dissolved nutrients relative to the lake water and to have temperatures in excess of 80 °C (Klump et al. 1988; Remsen et al. 1990). Sulfate concentrations averaged 380 M in vent waters and 80 M in bulk lake water (Klump et al. 1988; Remsen et al. 1990). On the basis of on these physical and chemical characteristics, and the observation (e.g., Zeikus et al. 1983) that microbial sulfate reduction is prevalent in the thermal aquatic environments of Yellowstone National Park, we hypothesized that hydrothermal vent waters in Yellowstone Lake could support the growth of thermophilic sulfate reducers.Here we describe the general characteristics of a new thermophilic sulfate reducing bacterium, Thermodesulfovibrio yellowstonii, which was isolated from hydrothermal vent water in Sedge Bay of Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, USA. In addition, we report on the phylogenetic relationship of this new isolate with other thermophilic and mesophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria.Dedicated to the memory of Friedhelm Bak     

Biodegradation of polyethylene by the thermophilic bacterium Brevibacillus borstelensis

AIM: To select a polyethylene-degrading micro-organism and to study the factors affecting its biodegrading activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: A thermophilic bacterium Brevibaccillus borstelensis strain 707 (isolated from soil) utilized branched low-density polyethylene as the sole carbon source and degraded it. Incubation of polyethylene with B. borstelensis (30 days, 50 degrees C) reduced its gravimetric and molecular weights by 11 and 30% respectively. Brevibaccillus borstelensis also degraded polyethylene in the presence of mannitol. Biodegradation of u.v. photo-oxidized polyethylene increased with increasing irradiation time. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) analysis of photo-oxidized polyethylene revealed a reduction in carbonyl groups after incubation with the bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that polyethylene--considered to be inert--can be biodegraded if the right microbial strain is isolated. Enrichment culture methods were effective for isolating a thermophilic bacterium capable of utilizing polyethylene as the sole carbon and energy source. Maximal biodegradation was obtained in combination with photo-oxidation, which showed that carbonyl residues formed by photo-oxidation play a role in biodegradation. Brevibaccillus borstelensis also degraded the CH2 backbone of nonirradiated polyethylene. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Biodegradation of polyethylene by a single bacterial strain contributes to our understanding of the process and the factors affecting polyethylene biodegradation.     

Biochemical characterization of thermophilic dextranase from a thermophilic bacterium, Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus

TPDex, a putative dextranase from Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus, was purified as a single 70 kDa band of 7.37 U/mg. Its optimum pH was 5.2 and the enzyme was stable between pH 3.1 and 8.5 at 70 degrees C. A half-life comparison showed that TPDex was stable for 7.4 h at 70 degrees C, whereas Chaetominum dextranase (CEDex), currently used as a dextranase for sugar milling, was stable at 55 degrees C. TPDex showed broad dextranase activity regardless of dextran types, including dextran T2000, 742CB dextran, and alternan. TPDex showed the highest thermostability among the characterized dextranases, and may be a suitable enzyme for use in sugar manufacture without decreased temperature.     

一株油藏嗜热厌氧杆菌的分离鉴定和代谢特征的分析

摘要：【目的】从高温油藏中发掘新的微生物种质资源。【方法】采用 Hungate 厌氧操作技术从大港油田采出水中分离到一株厌氧杆菌 HL-3。通过生理生化特征比较和16S rRNA序列比对,确定HL-3的分类地位。【结果】菌株HL-3为严格厌氧的革兰氏阴性杆菌。生长温度范围 40℃－75℃（最适温度 60℃）;pH 范围 5.0－8.0（最适 pH 6.5）;NaCl 浓度范围 0%－3.2%（最适NaCl浓度0.25%）。能够利用葡萄糖、核糖、甘露糖、木糖、纤维二糖等多种碳水化合物,发酵葡萄糖的产物是乙醇、乙酸、CO2及少量丙酸和丁醇。菌株HL-3的（G+C）mol%含量为 33.9%,与Thermoanaerobacter（嗜热厌氧杆菌属）中模式菌株T.uzonensis DSM18761T (EF530067)的16SrRNA 序列相似性为98.8%,与T.sulfurigignens DSM17917T (AF234164)的相似度次之为98.1％。菌株能够耐受浓度较高的亚硫酸根（0.1 mol/L）离子和浓度极高的硫代硫酸根（0.8 mol/L）。当硫代硫酸根浓度高于0.075 mol/L时,菌体内产生硫单质颗粒;同时,在培养血清瓶顶空中检测到硫化氢气体。菌株 HL-3与T.uzonensis DSM18761T对硫代硫酸根和亚硫酸根的耐受程度有很大不同。菌株HL-3对硫代硫酸根和亚硫酸根耐受程度及对硫代硫酸根的代谢机制与T.sulfurigignens DSM17917T(AF234164)极为相似,但二者代谢葡萄糖的产物却极不相同。【结论】所以菌株HL-3可能是Thermoanaerobacter属中的一个新种,其确切分类地位还有待用DNA分子杂交[1]的技术手段做进一步的鉴定。     

一株嗜热聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯降解菌的分离及其降解特性解析北大核心

【目的】大量聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(polyethylene terephthalate,PET)塑料作为废弃物被丢弃,严重危害生态健康。针对嗜热PET降解菌缺乏这一情况,本研究旨在获得能够降解PET的嗜热菌,并阐述其降解机制。【方法】采集云南腾冲热泉中的废弃PET瓶,分析其表面生物膜的微生物群落多样性,从中筛选能够以PET为营养源生长的嗜热菌,并基于16S rRNA基因序列加以鉴定;以菌株的定殖能力与生长曲线为指标,优选出降解能力较强的降解菌,并测定其最适pH、温度和NaCl浓度;降解能力较强的降解菌分别作用于PET及PET中间体双(羟乙基)对苯二甲酸酯[bis(hydroxyethyl)terephthalate,BHET]和对苯二甲酸单(2-羟乙基)酯[mono(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthalate,MHET],测定产物生成量与降解率;通过观察PET膜表面微观结构、活菌数、酯酶活性等探究降解菌与PET的互作过程。【结果】废弃PET瓶表面生物膜中的微生物群落多样性低;从生物膜中筛选出5株能够以PET为营养源生长的嗜热菌;其中,菌株JQ3以PET为唯一碳源生长最佳,作为降解能力较强的降解菌,被鉴定为嗜热淀粉芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thermoamylovorans),其最适生长pH为7.0、最适生长温度为50℃、最适生长NaCl浓度为0.5%;菌株JQ3以0.043 mg PET/d的速率降解PET,对苯二甲酸(terephthalic acid,TPA)产量在第7天达到峰值45.2 mmol/L;菌株JQ3对PET中间体降解效率显著,6 h可降解85.9%的BHET,60 h可降解50.1%的MHET。菌株JQ3能够定殖于PET表面并形成生物膜,侵蚀PET并造成开裂和剥落。【结论】B.thermoamylovorans JQ3作为一株嗜热PET降解菌,能够高温(60℃)降解PET及其中间体,为实现PET的有效降解提供了新策略。     

Growth of the thermophilic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum in continuous culture

Clostridium thermocellum is an anaerobic thermophilic bacterium that produces enthanol from cellulosic substrates. When the organism was grown in continuous culture at dilution rates ranging from 0.04 to 0.25 h^-1, growth yields on cellobiose were higher than on glucose, and even higher yields were observed on cellotetraose. However, differences in bacterial yield were much greater at slow growth rates, and it appeared that glucose-grown cells had a fourfold higher (0.41 g substrate/g protein/h) maintenance energy requirement than cellobiose-grown cultures. Cellobiose and glucose were co-utilized in dual substrate continuous culture, and this was in contrast to batch culture experiments which indicated that the organism preferred the disaccharide. These experiments demonstrate that carbohydrate utilization patterns in continuous culture are different from those in batch culture and that submaximal growth rates affect substrate preference and bioenergetic parameters. The mechanisms regulating carbohydrate use may be different in batch versus continuous culture.Published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station as journal article no. 95-07-064.     

Crude-oil-degrading thermophilic bacterium isolated from an oil field

Thermophilic bacterium strain C2, which has the ability to transform crude oils, was isolated from the reservoir of the Shengli oil field in East China. The Gram-negative, rod-shaped, nonmotile cells were grown at a high temperature, up to 83 degrees C, in the neutral to alkaline pH range. Depending on the culture conditions, the organism occurred as single rods or as filamentous aggregates. Strain C2 was grown chemoorganotrophically and produced metabolites, such as volatile fatty acids, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl)ester, dibutyl phthalate, and di-n-octyl phthalate. It could metabolize different organic substrates (acetate, D-glucose, fructose, glycerol, maltose, pyruvate, starch, sucrose, xylose, hexadecane). The G+C content (68 mol%) and the 16S rRNA sequence of strain C2 indicated that the isolate belonged to the genus Thermus. The strain affected different crude oils and changed their physical and chemical properties. The biochemical interactions between crude oils and strain C2 follow distinct trends characterized by a group of chemical markers (saturates, aromatics, resins, asphaltenes). Those trends show an increase in saturates and a decrease in aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes. The bioconversion of crude oils leads to an enrichment in lighter hydrocarbons and an overall redistribution of these hydrocarbons.     

Isolation and properties of an extremely thermophilic xylanolytic bacterium

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Primary structure of the inorganic pyrophosphatase from thermophilic bacterium PS-3

The complete amino acid sequence of the inorganic pyrophosphatase from thermophilic bacterium PS-3 was determined by automated Edman analysis of the intact protein and of peptides derived from digests obtained with lysylendopeptidase, Staphylococcus aureus strain V8 protease, and arginylendopeptidase. The monomer peptide chain comprises 164 amino acid residues and has a calculated molecular weight of 18,792. The sequence is identical at about 46% of the amino acid positions with that of the Escherichia coli enzymes.     

Characterization of a soluble oxidoreductase from the thermophilic bacterium Carboxydothermus ferrireducens

An NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductase has been purified approximately 40-fold from the soluble protein fraction of the dissimilatory iron-reducing, anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium Carboxydothermus ferrireducens. The enzyme, a flavoprotein, has broad-substrate specificity—reducing Fe³⁺, Cr⁶⁺, and AQDS with rates of 0.31, 0.33, and 3.3 U mg⁻¹ protein and calculated NADH oxidation turnover numbers of 0.25, 0.25, and 2.5 s⁻¹, respectively. Numerous quinones are reduced via a two-electron transfer from NAD(P)H to quinone, thus participating in managing oxidative stress by avoiding the formation of semiquinone radicals.     

Ultrastructure of an extreme thermophilic hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium Calderobacterium hydrogenophilum

Calderobacterium hydrogenophilum is an extreme thermophilic, obligately chemoautotrophic, hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium. The cells were shown to be nonmotile straight rods of average size 0.4x2.5 m. After negative-staining of the whole cells, no flagella were observed. The multilayered cell wall was of type 1 and possessed a crystalline proteinaceous surface layer exhibiting p4 symmetry. The square unit cells had a lattice constant of approximately 11 nm. Cell division occurred by a constriction mechanism. C. hydrogenophilum differred from a similar hydrogen-oxidizing eubacterium, Hydrogenobacter thermophilus, by the absence of intracytoplasmic membrane structures in chemically fixed cells. However, an electron-dense intracytoplasmic hemispherical structure adhering to the inner membrane was frequently observed.     

Studies on alpha-amylase from a thermophilic bacterium. II. Thermal stability of the thermophilic alpha-amylase.

The effect of pH, mental ions, and denaturing reagents on the thermal stability of thermophilic alpha-amylase [EC 3.2.1.1] were examined. The enzyme was most stable at around pH 9.2, which is coincident with the isoelectric point of the enzyme. The stability of the enzyme was increased by the addition of calcium, strontium, and sodium ions. The addition of calcium ions markedly stabilized the enzyme. The protective effects of calcium and sodium ions were additive. At room temperature, no detectable destruction of the helical structure of the enzyme was observed after incubation for 1 hr in the presence of 1% sodium dodecylsulfate, 8 M urea or 6 M guanidine-HC1. The addition of 8 M urea or 6 M guanidine-HC1 lowered the thermal denaturation temperature of the enzyme. The enzyme contained one atom of tightly bound intrinsic calcium per molecule which could not be removed by electrodialysis unless the enzyme was denatured. The rate constants of inactivation and denaturation reactions in the absence and presence of calcium ions were measured and thermodynamic parameters were determined. The presence of calcium ions caused a remarkable decrease in the activation entropy.