Genomic Characterization of Methanomicrobiales Reveals Three Classes of Methanogens

BACKGROUND:Methanomicrobiales is the least studied order of methanogens. While these organisms appear to be more closely related to the Methanosarcinales in ribosomal-based phylogenetic analyses, they are metabolically more similar to Class I methanogens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In order to improve our understanding of this lineage, we have completely sequenced the genomes of two members of this order, Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z and Methanoculleus marisnigri JR1, and compared them with the genome of a third, Methanospirillum hungatei JF-1. Similar to Class I methanogens, Methanomicrobiales use a partial reductive citric acid cycle for 2-oxoglutarate biosynthesis, and they have the Eha energy-converting hydrogenase. In common with Methanosarcinales, Methanomicrobiales possess the Ech hydrogenase and at least some of them may couple formylmethanofuran formation and heterodisulfide reduction to transmembrane ion gradients. Uniquely, M. labreanum and M. hungatei contain hydrogenases similar to the Pyrococcus furiosus Mbh hydrogenase, and all three Methanomicrobiales have anti-sigma factor and anti-anti-sigma factor regulatory proteins not found in other methanogens. Phylogenetic analysis based on seven core proteins of methanogenesis and cofactor biosynthesis places the Methanomicrobiales equidistant from Class I methanogens and Methanosarcinales. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Our results indicate that Methanomicrobiales, rather than being similar to Class I methanogens or Methanomicrobiales, share some features of both and have some unique properties. We find that there are three distinct classes of methanogens: the Class I methanogens, the Methanomicrobiales (Class II), and the Methanosarcinales (Class III)

A Flexible System for Cultivation of Methanococcus

Many hydrogenotrophic methanogens use either H2 or formate as the major electron donor to reduce CO2 for methane production. The conventional cultivation of these organisms uses H2 and CO2 as the substrate with frequent replenishment of gas during growth. H2 is explosive and requires an expensive gassing system to handle safely. Formate is as an ideal alternative substrate from the standpoints of both economy and safety but leads to large changes in the culture pH during growth. Here, we report that glycylglycine is an inexpensive and nontoxic buffer suitable for growth of Methanococcus maripaludis and Methanothermococcus okinawensis. This cultivation system is suitable for growth on liquid as well as solid medium in serum bottles. Moreover, it allows cultivation of liter scale cultures without expensive fermentation equipment. This formate cultivation system provides an inexpensive and flexible alternative for the growth of formate-utilizing, hydrogenotrophic methanogens

Distribution of genes encoding the microbial non-oxidative reversible hydroxyarylic acid decarboxylases/phenol carboxylases

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Degradation of Human Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 by Staphylococcus aureus-Derived Proteinases

Cathelicidin LL-37 is one of the few human bactericidal peptides with potent antistaphylococcal activity. In this study we examined the susceptibility of LL-37 to proteolytic degradation by two major proteinases produced by Staphylococcus aureus, a metalloproteinase (aureolysin) and a glutamylendopeptidase (V8 protease). We found that aureolysin cleaved and inactivated LL-37 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of the generated fragments by mass spectroscopy revealed that the initial cleavage of LL-37 by aureolysin occurred between the Arg19-Ile20, Arg23-Ile24, and Leu31-Val32 peptide bonds, instantly annihilating the antibacterial activity of LL-37. In contrast, the V8 proteinase hydrolyzed efficiently only the Glu16-Phe17 peptide bond, rendering the C-terminal fragment refractory to further degradation. This fragment (termed LL-17-37) displayed antibacterial activity against S. aureus at a molar level similar to that of the full-length LL-37 peptide, indicating that the antibacterial activity of LL-37 resides in the C-terminal region. In keeping with LL-37 degradation by aureolysin, S. aureus strains that produce significant amounts of this metalloprotease were found to be less susceptible to LL-17-37 than strains expressing no aureolysin activity. Taken together, these data suggest that aureolysin production by S. aureus contributes to the resistance of this pathogen to the innate immune system of humans mediated by LL-37