Article
Microbiology
Yu Gao, Han Zhu, Jun Wang, Zongze Shao, Shiping Wei, Ruicheng Wang, Ruolin Cheng, Lijing Jiang
Summary: In this study, a novel Thiomicrorhabdus strain XGS-01(T) was isolated from coastal sediment, showing sulfur-oxidizing and obligate chemolithoautotrophic characteristics. The strain was able to produce extracellular sulfur during thiosulfate oxidation, and genomic analysis revealed conserved metabolic pathways for carbon fixation among Thiomicrorhabdus species.
Article
Microbiology
Galina Slobodkina, Nataliya Ratnikova, Alexander Merkel, Vadim Kevbrin, Alexandra Kuchierskaya, Alexander Slobodkin
Summary: The discovery of lithoautotrophy in a new isolate expands the ecological role of the globally widespread genus Roseovarius. This study identified and characterized a novel lithoautotrophic bacterium belonging to the genus Roseovarius, which exhibited metabolic features not previously reported for this genus. Comparative genomics analysis of 46 Roseovarius genomes revealed common characteristics and genetic variations within this genus.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Shasha Wang, Lijing Jiang, Shaobin Xie, Karine Alain, Zhaodi Wang, Jun Wang, Delin Liu, Zongze Shao
Summary: The genera Sulfurimonas and Sulfurovum, which belong to the phylum Campylobacterota, are widely distributed in deep-sea hydrothermal systems and are known to be chemolithoautotrophic sulfur oxidizers. In this study, we found that these bacteria can also perform sulfur disproportionation, a previously unknown primary production process in hydrothermal vent ecosystems. Comparative genomic analysis suggests the existence of a novel catabolic pathway for sulfur disproportionation in these bacteria.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leah R. Trutschel, Grayson L. Chadwick, Brittany Kruger, Jennifer G. Blank, William J. Brazelton, Emily R. Dart, Annette R. Rowe
Summary: Ney Springs, a continental serpentinizing spring, exhibits geochemical characteristics similar to marine serpentinizing systems. It has high sulfide concentrations and methane emissions, supporting microbial activity. The microbial community is dominated by fermentative organisms and includes chemolithoheterotrophs capable of oxidizing thiosulfate under high alkaline conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Hisaya Kojima, Jun Mochizuki, Mamoru Kanda, Tomohiro Watanabe, Manabu Fukui
Summary: A novel sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, Thiomicrorhabdus immobilis sp. nov., was isolated from sediment of a brackish lake. The strain has distinct genomic and phenotypic characteristics.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuan Wang, Nan Shen, Yingying Zhi, Xinhou Zhang, Guoxiang Wang, Yun Chen
Summary: This study shows that sulfur oxidation can effectively inhibit endogenous phosphorus release from sediment, making sediment microbial fuel cells a promising approach for minimizing phosphorus release.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Hisaya Kojima, Miho Watanabe, Naoyuki Miyata, Manabu Fukui
Summary: In this study, two strains of autotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were isolated and characterized, and their taxonomic status was determined. The study proposed the creation of two new species and the reclassification of the genus Rugosibacter.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Liam J. Dodd, Cassio Lima, David Costa-Milan, Alex R. Neale, Benedict Saunders, Bowen Zhang, Andrei Sarua, Royston Goodacre, Laurence J. Hardwick, Martin Kuball, Tom Hasell
Summary: Inverse vulcanised polymers have been studied due to their easy and cheap synthesis from elemental sulfur, resulting in a wide range of valuable properties. However, the high sulfur content makes the polymers difficult to analyze. This study presents the use of Raman spectroscopy to better understand the structure and properties of these polymers. It was found that Raman spectroscopy can provide key information about the elemental sulfur content, homogeneity, reactions, and proportions of different sulfur ranks in the polymer.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Xiang Long Huang, Tanveer Hussain, Hanwen Liu, Thanayut Kaewmaraya, Maowen Xu, Hua Kun Liu, Shi Xue Dou, Zhiming Wang
Summary: Carbon nanorods decorated with highly sulfiphilic nanosized cementite are used as an efficient electrocatalyst to overcome the shuttle effect of soluble polysulfides, resulting in improved cyclability and redox kinetics of room-temperature sodium-sulfur batteries.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY FRONTIERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Mina Bizic, Traian Brad, Danny Ionescu, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Luca Zoccarato, Joost W. Aerts, Paul-Emile Contarini, Olivier Gros, Jean-Marie Volland, Radu Popa, Jessica Ody, Daniel Vellone, Jean-Francois Flot, Scott Tighe, Serban M. Sarbu
Summary: Thiovulum spp. are large sulfur bacteria that form veil-like structures in aquatic environments. The study focused on Thiovulum strains found in the sulfidic Movile Cave and other subsurface environments, which were found to be genetically distinct from marine Thiovulum strains. The analysis revealed a new species called Candidatus Thiovulum stygium, and showed that cave Thiovulum can switch between aerobic and anaerobic sulfide oxidation, playing a role in both sulfur and nitrogen cycles. Electron microscopy analysis suggested that the short peritrichous structures of Thiovulum are type IV pili, which may contribute to veil formation and the motility of these bacteria.
Article
Microbiology
Hisaya Kojima, Yukako Kato, Tomohiro Watanabe, Manabu Fukui
Summary: A novel chemolithoautotrophic bacterium strain H1576(T) was isolated from water of a brackish lake. The bacterium can grow aerobically on inorganic sulfur compounds and does not rely on hydrogen gas for autotrophic growth. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain H1576(T) belongs to the genus Sulfurimonas but is distinct from existing species. Therefore, a new species named Sulfurimonas aquatica sp. nov. is proposed.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Sairah Y. Malkin, Pinky Liau, Carol Kim, Kalev G. Hantsoo, Maya L. Gomes, Bongkeun Song
Summary: This study investigated the distribution and growth constraints of marine cable bacteria and large colorless sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in surface sediments of Chesapeake Bay. The results demonstrated that cable bacteria thrived during winter and spring at a central channel site with summer anoxia, while large sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were more abundant at an adjacent shoal site. Complex interactions between benthic thiotroph populations, bioturbation, and seasonal fluctuations in environmental factors were found to play important roles in shaping their distribution.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ioanna Damikouka, Alexandra Katsiri
Summary: This study focused on the effects of specific ions in the water column and natural attenuation processes on the leaching of metals from marine sediments. Experimental results showed that the leaching of metals was influenced by the concentration of dissolved constituents.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Binting Dai, Yuxi Liu, Hongsen Zhang, Shaobo Wang, Yali Wang, Zhanshuang Jin, Jiudi Zhang, Jianhua Guo, Junjie Li, Bing Han
Summary: Research on new lithium-sulfur batteries has shown that the construction of carbon nanotubes interpenetrating ordered microporous carbon nanospheres using high-temperature calcination can greatly improve the cycling stability and rate performance of sulfur-based cathodes, thereby providing an important reference for the synthesis of various materials.
Article
Biology
Heidi S. Aronson, Christian E. Clark, Douglas E. Larowe, Jan P. Amend, Lubos Polerecky, Jennifer L. Macalady
Summary: The fate of elemental sulfur (S0) generated by microbial sulfide oxidation in the Frasassi Cave system in Italy is largely determined by disproportionation, which contributes to the geochemical cycling of sediments in this sulfur-rich environment.
Article
Microbiology
Annette Rowe, Megan Urbanic, Leah Trutschel, John Shukle, Gregory Druschel, Michael Booth
Summary: This study highlights the significant but variable contribution of methane emissions from aquatic ecosystems to global greenhouse gas emissions. It suggests that the frequency of disturbance can impact methane emissions, with an intermediate disturbance frequency resulting in the highest emissions.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leah R. Trutschel, Grayson L. Chadwick, Brittany Kruger, Jennifer G. Blank, William J. Brazelton, Emily R. Dart, Annette R. Rowe
Summary: Ney Springs, a continental serpentinizing spring, exhibits geochemical characteristics similar to marine serpentinizing systems. It has high sulfide concentrations and methane emissions, supporting microbial activity. The microbial community is dominated by fermentative organisms and includes chemolithoheterotrophs capable of oxidizing thiosulfate under high alkaline conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Joshua D. Sackett, Nitin Kamble, Edmund Leach, Taruna Schuelke, Elizabeth Wilbanks, Annette R. Rowe
Summary: The study investigated the genetic basis of extracellular electron transfer (EET) in the metabolically flexible lithotrophic microorganism Alphaproteobacterium Thioclava electrotropha using genomic analyses and transposon insertion mutagenesis. The results identified potential novel mechanisms for EET that warrant further study.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jorge Vinales, Joshua Sackett, Leah Trutschel, Waleed Amir, Casey Norman, Edmund Leach, Elizabeth Wilbanks, Annette Rowe
Summary: This study characterized the features of two obligately heterotrophic marine microbes that were previously isolated from marine sediment cathode enrichments. The genomic analysis revealed small genome sizes and phylogenetic relationship with the genus Idiomarina. Furthermore, these microbes were found to primarily use amino acids as carbon sources and showed sustained electron uptake in an electrochemical system.
Article
Geography, Physical
Peter J. K. Puleo, Andrew L. Masterson, Andrew S. Medeiros, Grace Schellinger, Regan Steigleder, Sarah Woodroffe, Magdalena R. Osburn, Yarrow Axford
Summary: This study investigates climate changes during the Younger Dryas period in Greenland by examining lake sediment in south Greenland. The results show that climate changes in south Greenland during the Younger Dryas were larger than in central Greenland, indicating a greater sensitivity to changes in North Atlantic Ocean circulation. Additionally, the study finds that the winter warming at the end of the Younger Dryas in south Greenland was stronger compared to the summer warming.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Brian J. Eddie, Lina J. Bird, Claus Pelikan, Marc Mussmann, Clara Martinez-Perez, Princess Pinamang, Anthony P. Malanoski, Sarah M. Glaven
Summary: A well-conserved pathway for extracellular electron uptake is identified in the order Tenderiales, suggesting that electroautotrophy may be pervasive in this group of bacteria. The geographic locations from which metagenome-assembled genomes were recovered offer insights into the natural ecological niche of the Tenderiales.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lina J. Bird, Rebecca L. Mickol, Brian J. Eddie, Meghna Thakur, Matthew D. Yates, Sarah M. Glaven
Summary: The junction of bioelectrochemical systems and synthetic biology opens the door to potentially groundbreaking technologies. Choosing the correct chassis organism is crucial for success, requiring knowledge of the candidate organisms' metabolic potential and the traits required for the application. This review explores the metabolic and electrochemical potential of the genus Marinobacter, discussing its strengths (salt tolerance, biofilm formation, and electrochemical potential) and weaknesses (insufficient strain characterization and less developed genetic manipulation tools) in synthetic electromicrobiology applications, providing a roadmap for choosing a chassis organism for bioelectrochemical systems.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Lina J. Bird, Dagmar H. Leary, Judson Hervey, Jaimee Compton, Daniel Phillips, Leonard M. Tender, Christopher A. Voigt, Sarah M. Glaven
Summary: Engineered electroactive bacteria have potential applications ranging from sensing to biosynthesis. In this study, the researchers demonstrated the functional expression of electron transfer modules in a marine bacterium, M. atlanticus, during biofilm growth in artificial seawater. The addition of menaquinone was necessary for significant current production, and the electron transfer was reversible, indicating controllable electron transfer into M. atlanticus.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Magdalena R. Osburn, Matthew J. Selensky, Patricia A. Beddows, Andrew Jacobson, Karyn Defranco, Gonzalo Merediz-Alonso
Summary: This study explores the spatial distribution and ecological interactions of microorganisms in the Yucatan carbonate aquifer using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results show regionalism and vertical patterns of microbial biogeography in the aquifer, and suggest that members of a core microbiome could modulate different biogeochemical regimes depending on location.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Floyd Nichols, Alexandra Pontefract, Hannah Dion-Kirschner, Andrew L. Masterson, Magdalena R. Osburn
Summary: By studying lakes similar to Mars, it has been found that hypersaline environments rich in MgSO4 and Na2CO3 harbor abundant organic matter and microbial biomarkers, indicating the potential habitability of these environments.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Souvik Chakraborty, Joshua B. Benoit, Annette R. Rowe, Joshua D. Sackett
Summary: Understanding microbe-host interactions is crucial for fighting against disease transmission by mosquitoes. In this study, the genome sequence of Asaia bogorensis strain SC1, isolated from a human-blood-fed Aedes aegypti mosquito crop, was reported. The genome contains metabolic pathway characteristics of aerobic respiration, as well as multiple putative antibiotic resistance mechanisms.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mehdi Alibaglouei, Leah R. Trutschel, Annette R. Rowe, Joshua D. Sackett
Summary: The full genome sequence of Halomonas sp. M1, isolated from a high pH serpentinizing spring in northern California, USA, is reported. The 3.7 Mb genome has a high G + C content of 54.13% and encodes 3,354 protein-coding genes, providing insights into the metabolic potential for sulfur oxidation.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Annelise L. Goldman, Emily M. Fulk, Lily M. Momper, Clinton Heider, John Mulligan, Magdalena Osburn, Caroline A. Masiello, Jonathan J. Silberg
Summary: This study reveals the impact of abiotic and biotic properties on the evolution of microbial sensor systems in deep Earth environments. The abundance of these systems is correlated with variations in dissolved organic carbon and microbial diversity. These results suggest that multiple environmental properties drive the evolution of sensor proteins and emphasize the need for further research to understand the drivers of microbial sensor evolution.
Article
Microbiology
Lily Momper, Caitlin P. Casar, Magdalena R. Osburn
Summary: This study provides insights into the taxonomic and metabolic diversity of microbial communities in the deep terrestrial subsurface. The findings suggest that microbes in this environment have a wide range of functional pathways and dissimilatory energy metabolisms, allowing them to adapt and thrive in isolated fracture fluids.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Isabel R. Baker, Sophie M. Colston, William J. Hervey, Lina J. Bird
Summary: This article reports the genome of a bacterium named Serratia sp. B1, isolated from soil contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The genome was sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology and consists of a 5.14 Mbp chromosome and a 92 kb plasmid.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2023)