An S-methyltransferase that produces the climate-active gas dimethylsulfide is widespread across diverse marine bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), methanethiol (MeSH) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) are abundant sulfur gases with roles in biogeochemical cycling, chemotaxis and/or climate regulation. Catabolism of the marine osmolyte dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a major source of DMS and MeSH, but both also result from S-methylation of H₂S via MddA, an H₂S and MeSH S-methyltransferase whose gene is abundant in soil but scarce in marine environments. Here we identify the S-adenosine methionine (SAM)-dependent MeSH and H₂S S-methyltransferase 'MddH', which is widespread in diverse marine bacteria and some freshwater and soil bacteria. mddH is predicted in up to ~5% and ~15% of seawater and coastal sediment bacteria, respectively, which is considerably higher than mddA

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11445057 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature