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Title: Methane utilization in Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR: a systems approach

Journal Article · · Scientific Reports
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4]; ORCiD logo [4];  [2]
  1. San Diego State Univ., San Diego, CA (United States); Institute of Cytology and Genetics and Novosibirsk State Univ., Novosibirsk (Russia)
  2. San Diego State Univ., San Diego, CA (United States)
  3. Metabolon, Inc., Durham, NC (United States)
  4. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Biological methane utilization, one of the main sinks of the greenhouse gas in nature, represents an attractive platform for production of fuels and value-added chemicals. Despite the progress made in our understanding of the individual parts of methane utilization, our knowledge of how the whole-cell metabolic network is organized and coordinated is limited. Attractive growth and methane-conversion rates, a complete and expert-annotated genome sequence, as well as large enzymatic, 13C-labeling, and transcriptomic datasets make Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR an exceptional model system for investigating methane utilization networks. Here we present a comprehensive metabolic framework of methane and methanol utilization in M. alcaliphilum 20ZR. A set of novel metabolic reactions governing carbon distribution across central pathways in methanotrophic bacteria was predicted by in-silico simulations and confirmed by global non-targeted metabolomics and enzymatic evidences. Our data highlight the importance of substitution of ATP-linked steps with PPi-dependent reactions and support the presence of a carbon shunt from acetyl-CoA to the pentose-phosphate pathway and highly branched TCA cycle. The diverged TCA reactions promote balance between anabolic reactions and redox demands. As a result, the computational framework of C1-metabolism in methanotrophic bacteria can represent an efficient tool for metabolic engineering or ecosystem modeling.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1422031
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5100-70511
Journal Information:
Scientific Reports, Vol. 8, Issue 1; ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 62 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (9)

A comparative transcriptome analysis of the novel obligate methanotroph Methylomonas sp. DH-1 reveals key differences in transcriptional responses in C1 and secondary metabolite pathways during growth on methane and methanol journal February 2019
Metabolic role of pyrophosphate-linked phosphofructokinase pfk for C1 assimilation in Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z journal June 2020
Rare Earth Elements Alter Redox Balance in Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR journal November 2018
Native top-down mass spectrometry provides insights into the copper centers of membrane-bound methane monooxygenase journal June 2019
Reconstruction of a Genome Scale Metabolic Model of the polyhydroxybutyrate producing methanotroph Methylocystis parvus OBBP journal June 2019
Muconic acid production from methane using rationally-engineered methanotrophic biocatalysts journal January 2019
Bioproduction of Isoprenoids and Other Secondary Metabolites Using Methanotrophic Bacteria as an Alternative Microbial Cell Factory Option: Current Stage and Future Aspects journal October 2019
Biogas Biocatalysis: Methanotrophic Bacterial Cultivation, Metabolite Profiling, and Bioconversion to Lactic Acid journal October 2018
Biological conversion of methane to putrescine using genome-scale model-guided metabolic engineering of a methanotrophic bacterium Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z journal June 2019