Exploring novel alkane-degradation pathways in uncultured bacteria from the North Atlantic Ocean

Vázquez Rosas Landa, Mirna; De Anda, Valerie; Rohwer, Robin R.; Angelova, Angelina; Waldram, Georgia; Gutierrez, Tony; Baker, Brett J.

doi:10.1128/msystems.00619-23

Exploring novel alkane-degradation pathways in uncultured bacteria from the North Atlantic Ocean

Journal Article · Wed Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · mSystems

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.00619-23· OSTI ID:2422834

^[1]; ^[2]; Rohwer, Robin R. ^[3]; Angelova, Angelina ^[4]; Waldram, Georgia ^[4]; ^[4]; ^[2]

University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX (United States); National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City (Mexico)
University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX (United States); Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Heriot-Watt Univ., Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

Microbes play a significant role in the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the oceans, yet little is known about the native bacteria that metabolize hydrocarbons before an oil spill. The Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC) is a deepwater subarctic region of the North Atlantic with prominent oil production and a diverse microbial community associated with the degradation of petroleum. Here, we combine DNA-based stable-isotope probing (DNA-SIP) with metagenomics to elucidate the metabolic underpinnings of native alkane-degrading bacteria from the FSC. From two 13C n-hexadecane SIP experiments using seawater from 5 and 700 m depths in the FSC, we obtained 42 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) belonging to 19 genera, including two previously overlooked hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, Lentibacter (Alphaproteobacteria) and Dokdonia (Bacteroidetes). Diversity surveys indicated Lentibacter were dominant members of the FSC, constituting up to 17% of these communities. Many of the SIP-enriched MAGs (20/42) encoded a complete alkane oxidation pathway, including alkane monooxygenase (AlkB), rubredoxin reductase (AlkT), and rubredoxin-2 (AlkG). Fourteen Aphaproteobacteria MAGs lacked AlkG for electron transfer. Instead, they encoded novel disulfide isomerases with iron-binding cysteine motifs conserved across rubredoxins. Dokdonia lacked AlkT and AlkG, however, their central alkane-degradation catabolic pathways were complete. We describe previously unrecognized bacteria capable of hydrocarbon degradation, including the dominant genera Lentibacter, which may continuously purge hydrocarbons released from oil exploration activities in the FSC. This advances the understanding of the diversity and physiologies of alkane degradation in the North Atlantic and provides evidence of new mechanisms used to metabolize alkanes.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Simons Foundation; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 2422834

Journal Information:: mSystems, Journal Name: mSystems Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 8; ISSN 2379-5077

Publisher:: American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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