Syntrophomonas wolfei

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A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Syntrophomonas wolfei

Classification

Higher order taxa

Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family; genus; species

Bacteria; Firmicutes; Clostridia; Clostridiales; Syntrophomonadaceae; Syntrophomonas; Syntrophomonas wolfei([1])

Species

NCBI: Taxonomy

Syntrophomonas wolfei

Description and significance

S.Wolfei is a gram negative, non-spore forming (although some strains have been found to have sporulating-specific genes (5)), syntrophic (with H2-using bacteria like Methanospirillum hungatei), anaerobic, nonphototrophic, bacterial, and methanogenic prokaryote. It can be isolated from anaerobic enviroments like aquatic sediment or sewage sludge. Its syntrophic nature was elucidated by its inability to grow in sterile conditions, and it was separated from its syntrophic counterpart by percoll gradient centrifugation.(10)


It was separated from its syntrophic counterpart by percoll gradient centrifugation, whileIts syntrophic nature was elucidated in its ability to grow in sterile conditions.

The importance of this organism is in its ability to B-oxidize fatty acids (4-8 carbons long)which is utilized in bioremediation. (see Ecology)

Genome structure

S.Wolfei is a prokaryote, containing a circular chromosome, with 2,936,195 nt (ncbi) consisting of 2642 genes, three of which have been discovered to be integral for the syntrophic nature of the organism and related to bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris: DVU2103, DVU2104 and DVU2108. These three genes were believed to have been transferred horizontally from archael methanogens. Their exact functions are unknown. (3) S.Wolfei encodes for 2504 proteins. The entire genome is 82% coding with a 44.9% GC content (the Phylum Firmicutes indicates a high or low GC content). The most rapid generation time when cocultured was 54 h (with Desulfovibrio) and 84 h (with M. hungatei).

Cell structure and metabolism

S. Wolfei is classified under the Phylum Firmicutes, gram-negative bacteria.The existence of the gram negative multi layer was elucidated with growth inhibition by penicillin and increased sensitivity to lysis when treated with lysozyme. The membrane phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) that predominated were the monounsaturated 16:1omega7c and 16:1omega9c and the saturated 16:0 and 14:0. It takes a slightly helical shape with two to eight flagella attached to the concave side of the cell.(9)

S.wolfei is saturated fatty acid-beta-oxidizing anaerobe. It requires syntrophy with H2-using bacteria. It metabolizes isobutyrate through butyrate to acetate and methane(7) to which protons are utilized as the electron sink. Common metabolites like carbohydrates, alcohols, proteinaceous materials, and other organic materials did not support growth. Many compounds are required for comparable growth to a rumen fluid: thiamine, lipoic acid, biotin, cyanocobalamin, and para-aminobenzoic acid, iron, and cobalt.(1) The preferred C4 substrate of S.wolfei was discovered via the high acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity was high in medium with C4 than in medium with either C8 or C16. Also, the high CoA transferase to the non-existent CoA synthetase indicates that this species activates fatty acids by transfer of CoA (from acyl-CoA). The ability for this organism for substrate-level phosphorylation was discovered by the activities of acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase.(4)

Poly-B-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) serves as an energy and carbon source for S.wolfei, but is regulated differently than from known pathways.

Ecology

Methanogen that is syntrophic with H2-using cells. Formate is the mechanism of syntrophy which was discovered because H2 could not diffuse rapidly enough to account for the level of methane synthesis in methanogenic cell cultures. (8)

Contributes to adhesion, which forms biofilms, with other types of cells.(6) Adhesion has also been tested toward aqueous and solid phases. (See CURRENT RESEARCH)



Spore forming (no endospore-forming). Subspecies differ in utilization of substrates (i.e. Syntrophomonas wolfei subsp. methylbutyratica). Contribute to break down of saturated fatty acids 4-8 carbons long.

Utilized for degradation of contaminants for bioremediation.

Pathology

How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

Current Research

The mechanisms of attachment in which anaerobic organisms partition between the aqueous and solid phases in anoxic enviroments is an important step to improving the efficiency of bioremediation. (from source 6)

References

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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 April; 41(4): 1029-1039


Syntrophomonas wolfei gen. nov. sp. nov., an Anaerobic, Syntrophic, Fatty Acid-Oxidizing Bacterium M. J. McInerney1,2,, M. P. Bryant1,2, R. B. Hespell1 and J. W. Costerton3


1. Beaty PS, McInerney MJ, "Nutritional Features of Syntrophomonas wolfei" Applied and Enviromental microbiology. 1990 Oct;56(10):3223-3224.

2. Sousa DZ, Smidt H, Alves MM, Stams AJ, "Syntrophomonas zehnderi sp. nov., an anaerobe that degrades long-chain fatty acids in co-culture with Methanobacterium formicicum". International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 2007 Mar;57(Pt 3):609-15.

3. Scholten, Johannes C. ; Culley, David E. ; Brockman, Fred J. ; Wu, Gang ; Zhang, Weiwen. "Evolution of the syntrophic interaction between Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Methanosarcina barkeri: involvement of an ancient horizontal gene transfer". Journal: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2007 Jan 05. 352(1):48-54.

4. N Q Wofford , P S Beaty , M J McInerney. "Preparation of cell-free extracts and the enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism in Syntrophomonas wolfei". J Bacteriol. 1986 Jul ;167 (1):179-85.

5. Wu C, Liu X, Dong X. "Syntrophomonas cellicola sp. nov., a spore-forming syntrophic bacterium isolated from a distilled-spirit-fermenting cellar, and assignment of Syntrophospora bryantii to Syntrophomonas bryantii comb. nov". Int J Syst Evol Microbiology. 2006 Oct;56(Pt 10):2331-5.

6. Cutter LA, van Schie PM, Fletcher M. "Adhesion of anaerobic microorganisms to solid surfaces and the effect of sequential attachment on adhesion characteristics". Biofouling. 2003 Feb;19(1):9-18.

7. Matthies C, Schink B. "Reciprocal Isomerization of Butyrate and Isobutyrate by the Strictly Anaerobic Bacterium Strain WoG13 and Methanogenic Isobutyrate Degradation by a Defined Triculture". Appl Environ Microbiology. 1992 May;58(5):1435-1439.

8. Boone DR, Johnson RL, Liu Y. "Diffusion of the Interspecies Electron Carriers H(2) and Formate in Methanogenic Ecosystems and Its Implications in the Measurement of K(m) for H(2) or Formate Uptake". Appl Environ Microbiology. 1989 Jul;55(7):1735-1741.

9. Henson JM, McInerney MJ, Beaty PS, Nickels J, White DC. "Phospholipid Fatty Acid Composition of the Syntrophic Anaerobic Bacterium Syntrophomonas wolfei". Appl Environ Microbiology. 1988 Jun;54(6):1570-1574.



[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano