Ruegeria pomeroyi
Ruegeria pomeroyi
Classification
Bacteria; Pseudomonadota; Alphaproteobacteria; Rhodobacterales; Roseobacteraceae; Ruegeria; Ruegeria pomeroyi
Species
|
NCBI: [1] |
Ruegeria Ruegeria pomeroyi
Description and Significance
Ruegeria pomeroyi is a gram negative, rod shaped, aerobe. R. pomeroyi is found in costal oceanic ecosystems. R. pomeroyi is a key player in these ecosystems because of its ability to breakdown dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a sulfur based osmolyte closely associated with algae and seaweed. When breaking down DMSP R. pomeroyi can use the sulfur to make useful sulfur based amino acids. The real importance of R. pomeroyi is that even though degrading DMSP is not specific to this species, R. pomeroyi has been the key to unlocking the genes that are linked to the degradation of DMSP.
Genome Structure
R. pomeroyi's chromosome contains 4,109,437 bp and has a circular chromosome, as well as a 491,611 bp circular megaplasmid. The sequence gives a good insight into how R. pomeroyi's role in the carbon cycle in the ocean.
Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle
Ruegeria pomeroyi is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that exhibits a typical prokaryotic cell structure. Its cellular components are enclosed within a cell envelope composed of an outer membrane, a periplasmic space, and an inner membrane. The inner membrane harbors various metabolic processes and houses essential cellular machinery.
R. pomeroyi uses Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)for its metabolism. This abundant algal osmolyte is a primary carbon source for R. pomeroyi. It can be utilized via two pathways: DMSP cleavage: DMSP is converted to acrylate, which is further metabolized to pyruvate. DMSP demethylation: DMSP is converted to methanethiol and dimethylsulfide, which can then be further utilized.
Ecology
Ruegeria pomeroyi plays an important role in the marine ecosystem by breaking down dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a sulfur-containing compound that is produced by phytoplankton. DMSP is a major source of sulfur in the marine environment, and Ruegeria pomeroyi is the only known bacterium that can completely degrade it.
The breakdown of DMSP by Ruegeria pomeroyi releases a number of important compounds, including dimethylsulfide (DMS) and methanethiol (MeSH). DMS is a volatile compound that contributes to the formation of clouds and aerosols, and it also plays a role in the regulation of climate. MeSH is a reduced form of sulfur that can be used by other marine organisms, such as phytoplankton and bacteria.
References
[Rivers, A. R., Smith, C. B., & Moran, M. A. (2014). An Updated genome annotation for the model marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3. Standards in genomic sciences, 9, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1944-3277-9-11]
[González, J. M.. et al. (2003). Silicibacter pomeroyi sp. nov. and Roseovarius nubinhibens sp. nov., dimethylsulfoniopropionate-demethylating bacteria from marine environments. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 53 (5). https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.02491-0 ]
Author
Page authored by Duncan Wall, student of Prof. Bradley Tolar at UNC Wilmington.
