Comparative Transcriptomics Sheds Light on Remodeling of Gene Expression during Diazotrophy in the Thermophilic Methanogen Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus.

ABSTRACT: Some marine thermophilic methanogens are able to perform energy-consuming nitrogen fixation despite deriving only little energy from hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. We studied this process in Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus DSM 2095, a methanogenic archaeon of the order Methanococcales that contributes to the nitrogen pool in some marine environments. We successfully grew this archaeon under diazotrophic conditions in both batch and fermenter cultures, reaching the highest cell density reported so far. Diazotrophic growth depended strictly on molybdenum and, in contrast to other diazotrophs, was not inhibited by tungstate or vanadium. This suggests an elaborate control of metal uptake and a specific metal recognition system for the insertion into the nitrogenase cofactor.

SUBMITTER: Maslac N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9765008 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature