The growth and survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis is enhanced by co-metabolism of atmospheric H2.

ABSTRACT: The soil bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis is able to scavenge the trace concentrations of H2 present in the atmosphere, but the physiological function and importance of this activity is not understood. We have shown that atmospheric H2 oxidation in this organism depends on two phylogenetically and kinetically distinct high-affinity hydrogenases, Hyd1 (MSMEG_2262-2263) and Hyd2 (MSMEG_2720-2719). In this study, we explored the effect of deleting Hyd2 on cellular physiology by comparing the viability, energetics, transcriptomes, and metabolomes of wild-type vs. Δhyd2 cells. The long-term survival of the Δhyd2 mutant was significantly reduced compared to the wild-type. The mutant additionally grew less efficiently in a range of conditions, most notably during metabolism of short-chain fatty

SUBMITTER: Greening C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4109961 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature