Tissue-like multicellular development triggered by mechanical compression in archaea

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 388(6742), P. 109 - 115

Published: April 4, 2025

The advent of clonal multicellularity is a critical evolutionary milestone, seen often in eukaryotes, rarely bacteria, and only once archaea. We show that uniaxial compression induces haloarchaea, forming tissue-like structures. These archaeal tissues are mechanically molecularly distinct from their unicellular lifestyle, mimicking several eukaryotic features. Archaeal undergo multinucleate stage followed by tubulin-independent cellularization, orchestrated active membrane tension at cell size. After tissue junction elasticity becomes akin to animal tissues, giving rise two types—peripheral (Per) central scutoid (Scu) cells—with actin protein glycosylation polarity patterns. Our findings highlight the potential convergent evolution biophysical mechanism emergence multicellular systems across domains life.

Language: Английский

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Substrate Affinity as a Key Adaptive Mechanism in Ammonia Oxidation under Acidification

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 27, 2025

Ammonia oxidation, mediated primarily by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB), is a cornerstone of the nitrogen cycle aquatic ecosystems. However, impact increasing acidification on this process remains unresolved, with field observations across diverse environments yielding contradictory results. Here, we present comprehensive investigation combining pH manipulation experiments multiple ecosystems—including freshwater reservoir, estuaries, oligotrophic open ocean—and controlled laboratory using AOA isolate Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1. Our results reveal an unexpected adaptive response: both AOB enhance their substrate affinity under acidified conditions, counteracting anticipated reduction in ammonia availability. This respense defies to traditional paradigm that predicts diminished oxidation conditions highlights as key regulator microbial activity. Notably, AOA-dominated environments, adaptation sustains rates despite acidification-induced scarcity. These reconcile previously inconsistent establish mechanistic framework for predicting oxidizer dynamics acidifying systems. By incorporating into predictive models cycling, study offers critical insights resilience biogeochemical processes future scenarios.

Language: Английский

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Distinct Patterns of Antibiotic Sensitivities in Ammonia‐Oxidising Archaea

Environmental Microbiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 27(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Ammonia‐oxidising archaea (AOA) are important microorganisms contributing towards the nitrogen flux in environment. Unlike from other major phyla, genetic tools yet to be developed for AOA, and identification of antibiotic resistance markers selecting mutants is required a system. The aim this study was test effects selected antibiotics (hygromycin B, neomycin, apramycin, puromycin, novobiocin) on pure cultures three well studied AOA strains, ‘ Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus franklandianus C13’, Nitrososphaera viennensis EN76 Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1. Puromycin, hygromycin B neomycin inhibited some but not all tested archaeal strains. All strains were resistant apramycin by novobiocin various degrees. As N. relatively more antibiotics, wider range concentrations compounds (chloramphenicol, trimethoprim, statins) against strain. chloramphenicol, growth recovered within days presence simvastatin, suggesting either degradation of, or spontaneous against, compound. This highlights physiological differences between different genera has identified new candidate selective enrichment development selectable systems AOA.

Language: Английский

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Mapping the ultrastructural topology of the corynebacterial cell surface

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(4), P. e3003130 - e3003130

Published: April 15, 2025

Corynebacterium glutamicum is a diderm bacterium extensively used in the industrial-scale production of amino acids. Corynebacteria belong to bacterial family Mycobacteriaceae , which characterized by highly unusual cell envelope with an outer membrane consisting mycolic acids, called mycomembrane. The mycomembrane further coated surface (S-)layer array C. making this distinctive. Despite biotechnological significance and biomedical mycomembrane-containing pathogens, ultrastructural molecular details its distinctive remain poorly characterized. To address this, we investigated using electron cryotomography cryomicroscopy focused ion beam-milled single dividing cells. Our cellular imaging allowed us map different components onto tomographic density. data reveal that has variable envelope, S-layer decorating patchy manner. We isolated resolved structure at 3.1 Å-resolution particle cryomicroscopy. shows composed hexagonal PS2 protein, interacts directly via anchoring segment containing coiled-coil motif. Bioinformatic analyses revealed sparsely yet exclusively present within genus absent other genera family, suggesting distinct evolutionary pathways development their envelopes. structural collectively provide topography surface, features are shared many pathogenic microbiome-associated bacteria, as well several industrially significant species.

Language: Английский

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Cryo-EM structure and polar assembly of the PS2 S-layer of Corynebacterium glutamicum

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 5, 2024

Abstract The polar-growing Corynebacteriales have a complex cell envelope architecture characterized by the presence of specialized outer membrane composed mycolic acids. In some Corynebacteriales, this mycomembrane is further supported proteinaceous surface layer or ‘S-layer’, whose function, structure and mode assembly remain largely enigmatic. Here, we isolated ex vivo PS2 S-layers from industrially important Corynebacterium glutamicum determined its atomic 3D cryoEM reconstruction. monomers consist six-helix bundle ‘core’, three-helix ‘arm’, C-terminal transmembrane (TM) helix. core oligomerizes into hexameric units anchored in channel-like coiled-coil TM helices. arms mediate trimeric lattice contacts, crystallizing an intricate semipermeable lattice. Using pulse-chase live imaging, show that incorporated at poles, coincident with actinobacterial elongasome. Finally, phylogenetic analysis shows paraphyletic distribution dispersed chromosomal location as result multiple recombination events losses. These findings expand our understanding S-layer biology enable applications membrane-supported self-assembling bioengineered materials.

Language: Английский

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Genetically Encoded FerriTag as a Specific Label for Cryo-Electron Tomography

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 10, 2024

Abstract Cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) is an important imaging technique that can provide 3D datasets of organelles and proteins at nanometer sub-nanometer resolution. Recently, combining cryoET with subtomogram averaging has pushed the resolution to 3-4 Å. However, one main challenge for locating target in live cells. Conventional methods such as fluorescent protein tagging immunogold labeling are not entirely suitable label small structures cells molecular vitrified samples. If large proteins, which be visually identified cryoET, directly linked protein, tag may alter structure, localization function. To address this challenge, we used rapamycin-induced oligomer formation system, involves two tags (FKBP FRB) bind together within rapamycin. In our FKBP FRB a create marker. We chose ferritin marker because it complex (10–12 nm) iron strong contrast cryoET. After adding rapamycin cell medium, iron-loaded accurately indicates location protein. in-situ been rapidly developing. still challenging locate cells, method provides much-needed solution.

Language: Английский

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SymProFold: Structural prediction of symmetrical biological assemblies

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Sept. 18, 2024

Language: Английский

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Adaptive traits of Nitrosocosmicus clade ammonia-oxidizing archaea

mBio, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 3, 2024

ABSTRACT Nitrification is a core process in the global nitrogen (N) cycle mediated by ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, including archaea (AOA) as key player. Although much known about AOA abundance and diversity across environments, genetic drivers of ecophysiological adaptations are often less clearly defined. This especially true for within genus Nitrosocosmicus , which have several unique physiological traits (e.g., high substrate tolerance, low affinity, large cell size). To better understand what separates physiology AOA, we performed comparative genomics with genomes from 39 cultured five AOA. The absence canonical high-affinity type ammonium transporter typical S-layer structural genes was found to be conserved all In agreement, cryo-electron tomography confirmed visible outermost structure, has been observed other contrast highlighted possibility that may possess glycoprotein or glycolipid-based glycocalyx covering outer layer. Together, genomic, physiological, metabolic properties revealed this study provide insight into niche adaptation mechanisms overall ecophysiology members clade various terrestrial ecosystems. IMPORTANCE vital biogeochemical but plays significant role eutrophication aquatic ecosystems production greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N 2 O) industrial agriculture While types microorganisms play critical N cycle, most abundant nitrifiers natural environments. Members one prevalent groups detected undisturbed previously reported range characteristics set their apart species. provides progress understanding these drivers. Our results highlight how studies based on genomics-driven hypotheses can contribute

Language: Английский

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Nature should be the model for microbial sciences

Journal of Bacteriology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 206(9)

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

ABSTRACT Until recently, microbiologists have relied on cultures to understand the microbial world. As a result, model organisms been focus of research into understanding Bacteria and Archaea at molecular level. Diversity surveys metagenomic sequencing revealed that these species are often present in low abundance environment; instead, there taxa cosmopolitan nature. Due numerical dominance microorganisms size their habitats, lineages comprise mind-boggling population sizes upward 10 28 cells planet. Many dominant groups cultured representatives shown be involved mediating key processes Given importance increasing need changes due climate change, we propose members Nitrosophaerota ( Nitrosopumilus maritimus ), SAR11 Pelagibacter ubique Hadesarchaeia, Bathyarchaeia, others become models future. Abundance should not only measure good system; other well suited advance our ecology evolution. For example, most well-studied symbiotic bacteria, like Buchnera , Aliivibrio Rhizobium for host-associations. Also, hold new insights major transitions evolution life planet Asgard (Heimdallarchaeia). Innovations variety situ techniques enabled us circumvent culturing when studying everything from genetics physiology. Our deepest microbiology its impact will come microbes Laboratory-based studies must grounded nature, way around.

Language: Английский

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Microbes ‘sieve’ ions on their surface to start the nitrogen cycle

Nature, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 630(8015), P. 43 - 44

Published: May 29, 2024

Language: Английский

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