Pelagibacterales (SAR11)

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Classification

Domain: Bacteria

FIGURE 1. Scanning electron microscope image of SAR11 (1).

Phylum: Proteobacteria

Class: Alphaproteobacteria

Subclass: Rickettsidae

Order: Pelagibacterales


Description and Significance

Pelagibacterales (SAR11) is an order in the Alphaproteobacteria composed of free-living planktonic oligotrophic facultative photochemotroph bacteria. (4)(5) They are most abundant group of planktonic cells in marine systems and possibly the most numerous bacterium in the world. Typically accounting for ~25% of prokaryotic cells in seawater worldwide.(3) The order was originally named SAR11 following its discovery in the Sargasso Sea in 1990 by Professor Stephen Giovannoni and colleagues, from Oregon State University.(2)(5) It was first placed in the order of Rickettsiales, but after rRNA gene-based phyogenetic analysis, in 2013 it was raised to the rank of order, and then placed as sister order to the Rickettsiales in the subclass Rickettsidae.(5)

These gram negative, rod shaped bacteria are one of the smallest free cell living organisms, with a cell volume less than 1/500th the volume of E.coli. They have a high surface to volume ratio to better absorb nutrients from its oligotrophic environment. Unsurprisingly, it is also known to have one of the smallest genomes of free living cells.(7) Pelagibacterales have the complete biosynthetic pathway for all 20 amino acids and all but a few cofactors. There are also no pseudogenes, introns, transposons, or extrachromosomal elements yet observed for any cell. (7)

Subgroups

Currently the (unofficial) family is divided into five subgroups:[12]

Subgroup Ia, open ocean, crown group — includes Pelagibacter unique HTCC1062 Subgroup Ib, open ocean, sister clade to Ia Subgroup II, coastal, basal to Ia + Ib Subgroup III, brackish, basal to I + II along with its sister clade IV Subgroup IV, also known as LD12 clade, freshwater[13] Subgroup V, which includes alphaproteobacterium HIMB59, basal to the remainder

FIGURE 3.

Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle

Oenococcus oeni is a facultative anaerobe. It is able to use oxygen for cellular respiration but can also gain energy through fermentation. It characteristically grows well in the environments of wine, being able to survive in acidic conditions below pH 3.0 and tolerant of ethanol levels above 10% (2). Optimal growth occurs on sugar and protein rich media, like grape or tomato juice. The cocci are ellipsoidal to spherical in shape, usually grow in chains or pairs, and are typically non-sporulating. Lactic acid bacteria, like Oenococcus oeni, perform malolactic fermentation (also known as malolatic conversion). It occurs after (or sometimes during) primary fermentation. The main function of malolatic fermentation is converting glucose and malic acid to lactic acid. This is occurs by the uptake of malate, decarboxylation of malate to L-lactic acid and carbon dioxide, and the export of end products. O. oeni is heterofermentative, meaning it can create multiple end products from fermenting the sugars. In O. oeni’s case, it produces carbon dioxide, ethanol, and acetate, as well as characteristic flavor molecules like diacetyl. Strain variation of Oenoccocus oeni cellular processes can have significant effects on the community dynamics, fermentation, and overall quality of wine. Strain variation exists in sugar utilization pathways, phosphototransferase enzyme II systems, bacteriophage integration, and cell wall exopolysaccharides (3).


Ecology

Oenococcus oeni stabilizes wine communities by consuming available nutrients and lowering potential growth of other microbes, but its malolactic fermentation can be beneficial or detrimental to the production of wine depending on grapes, climate, and style of wine. Variations between strains and fermentation conditions have the potential to impact general quality and production of wine. Industrial winemakers use a standardized strain of O. oeni, but the many external and environmental variables will dictate the success of the wine. O. oeni is not the only lactic acid bacteria that can perform secondary fermentation. There are a variety of lactic acid bacteria that can dominate bacterial community in response to temperature, nutrients, sulfur dioxide content, pH, ethanol levels, and inoculation densities. O. oeni commonly dominates secondary fermentation from its extreme tolerance to pH and ethanol levels. The molecule diacetyl is produced as a byproduct of lactic acid bacteria in secondary fermentation. In wine, the levels of diacetyl create buttery and caramel flavor notes. It is generated when there is little or no malic acid to be consumed so citric acid is used. This byproduct is sought out by some winemakers while it is avoided by others. Rarely do the diacetyl levels reach a point of spoiling the wine (10).

Because of its heterofermentive properties, Oenoccocus may be viewed as an ecosystem engineer. O. oeni plays a major role in establishing the environment for which other microbes will interact. Its end products and life strategies positively feedback into creating a more harsh environment for other microbes like yeasts and fungi while making the conditions more ideal for other lactic acid bacteria (5).


References

(1) "Rebounding bacteria". 2013

(2) “SAR11 bacteria thrive — despite viruses”.“Nature”

(3) "Why Sequence SAR11 Genome Evolution?". "Joint Genome Institute" Stephen Giovannoni, Oregon State University and Michael Rappé, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology

(4) Grote J, et al. 2012. Streamlining and core genome conservation among highly divergent members of the SAR11 clade. mBio 3(5):e00252-12. doi:10.1128/mBio.00252-12.

(5) Ferla MP, Thrash JC, Giovannoni SJ, Patrick WM (2013) New rRNA gene-based phylogenies of the Alphaproteobacteria provide perspective on major groups, mitochondrial ancestry and phylogenetic instability. PLoS ONE 8: e83383 doi:

(6) A war without end - with Earth’s carbon cycle held in the balance

(7) Kakarova, K., et al. “Genome Streamlining in a Cosmopolitan Oceanic Bacterium. Stephen J. Giovannoni1,*, H. James Tripp1, Scott Givan2, Mircea Podar3, Kevin L. Vergin1, Damon Baptista3, Lisa Bibbs3, Jonathan Eads3, Toby H. Richardson3, Michiel Noordewier3, Michael S. Rappé4, Jay M. Short3, James C. Carrington2, Eric J. Mathur3. Science 19 August 2005: Vol. 309 no. 5738 pp. 1242-1245 DOI: 10.1126/science.1114057


(8) Mills, D. A., Rawsthorne, H., Parker, C., Tamir, D., Makarova, K. “Genomic analysis of Oenococcus oeni PSU-1 and its relevance to winemaking”. “FEMS Microbiology Reviews”. 2005. Volume 29. P. 465-475

(9) phys.org “Raise your glass to Oenococcus oeni, a real wine bug”. “Science X Network”. 2014.

(10) “Gibson, G., Farkas, M. “Flaws and Faults in wine”. ”British Columbia Amateur Winemakers Association”. Accessed 28 April 2014

Author

Page authored by Digvinder Singh Mavi student of Prof. Katherine Mcmahon at University of Wisconsin-Madison.