Expression of V-nitrogenase and Fe-nitrogenase in Methanosarcina acetivorans is controlled by molybdenum, fixed nitrogen, and the expression of Mo-nitrogenase
[2];
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville , Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; OSTI
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville , Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville , Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Wasit University , Wasit, Iraq
ABSTRACT All nitrogen-fixing bacteria and archaea (diazotrophs) use molybdenum (Mo) nitrogenase to reduce dinitrogen (N2) to ammonia, with some also containing vanadium (V) and iron-only (Fe) nitrogenases that lack Mo. Among diazotrophs, the regulation and usage of the alternative V-nitrogenase and Fe-nitrogenase in methanogens are largely unknown.Methanosarcina acetivoranscontainsnif,vnf, andanfgene clusters encoding putative Mo-nitrogenase, V-nitrogenase, and Fe-nitrogenase, respectively. This study investigated nitrogenase expression and growth byM. acetivoransin response to fixed nitrogen, Mo/V availability, and CRISPRi repression of thenif,vnf, and/oranfgene clusters. The availability of Mo and V significantly affected growth ofM. acetivoranswith N2but not with NH4Cl.M. acetivoransexhibited the fastest growth rate and highest cell yield during growth with N2in medium containing Mo, and the slowest growth in medium lacking Mo and V. qPCR analysis revealed the transcription of thenifoperon is only moderately affected by depletion of fixed nitrogen and Mo, whereasvnfandanftranscription increased significantly when fixed nitrogen and Mo were depleted, with removal of Mo being key. Immunoblot analysis revealed Mo-nitrogenase is detected when fixed nitrogen is depleted regardless of Mo availability, while V-nitrogenase and Fe-nitrogenase are detected only in the absence of fixed nitrogen and Mo. CRISPRi repression studies revealed that V-nitrogenase and/or Fe-nitrogenase are required for Mo-independent diazotrophy, and unexpectedly that the expression of Mo-nitrogenase is also required. These results reveal that alternative nitrogenase production inM. acetivoransis tightly controlled and dependent on Mo-nitrogenase expression. IMPORTANCEMethanogens and closely related methanotrophs are the only archaea known or predicted to possess nitrogenase. Methanogens play critical roles in both the global biological nitrogen and carbon cycles. Moreover, methanogens are an ancient microbial lineage and nitrogenase likely originated in methanogens. An understanding of the usage and properties of nitrogenases in methanogens can provide new insight into the evolution of nitrogen fixation and aid in the development nitrogenase-based biotechnology. This study provides the first evidence that a methanogen can produce all three forms of nitrogenases, including simultaneously. The results reveal components of Mo-nitrogenase regulate or are needed to produce V-nitrogenase and Fe-nitrogenase in methanogens, a result not seen in bacteria. Overall, this study provides a foundation to understand the assembly, regulation, and activity of the alternative nitrogenases in methanogens.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0019226
- OSTI ID:
- 2421050
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 89; ISSN 0099-2240
- Publisher:
- American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A CRISPRi-dCas9 System for Archaea and Its Use To Examine Gene Function during Nitrogen Fixation by Methanosarcina acetivorans
The minimal SUF system is not required for Fe–S cluster biogenesis in the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina acetivorans