Project description:N retention in soils can be stimulated by microorganisms carrying out dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonia (DNRA), a respiratory activity that converts nitrate and/or nitrite to ammonia. Geobacter lovleyi has recently being recognized as a key driver of DNRA, providing a model to investigate the environmental signals that promote nitrate ammonification. Here we show that low nitrate concentrations (5mM) induce DNRA in G. lovleyi independently of the concentration of the electron donor, thus challenging the prevailing view that high carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio triggers this process. The nitrate transcriptome revealed a complex metabolic network of periplasmic (Nap) and cytoplasmic (Nar) nitrate reductase systems for the reduction of nitrate to nitrite. The transcriptome also included a canonical (NrfA-1), two Geobacter-specific nitrite reductases (NrfA-2 and NrfA-3) and a membrane-bound NrfH cytochrome, which electronically connects NrfA to the menaquinone pool. Flagellar motility and chemotaxis proteins were also among the most upregulated genes in the nitrate cultures, consistent with an adaptive response that allows Geobacter cells to sense and access the limited supply of nitrate in anaerobic zones of the soils and sediments. This is the first demonstration of the ability of the bacteria to use DNRA pathway under nitrate limiting conditions independently of the C/N ratio. G. lovleyi provides a model for study DNRA process and it is a good candidate that could contribute in the retention of nitrogen in soils leading to efficient use of nitrogen containing fertilizers and preventing nitrate leaching.
Project description:A bacterial isolate, designated strain SZ, was obtained from noncontaminated creek sediment microcosms based on its ability to derive energy from acetate oxidation coupled to tetrachloroethene (PCE)-to-cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) dechlorination (i.e., chlororespiration). Hydrogen and pyruvate served as alternate electron donors for strain SZ, and the range of electron acceptors included (reduced products are given in brackets) PCE and trichloroethene [cis-DCE], nitrate [ammonium], fumarate [succinate], Fe(III) [Fe(II)], malate [succinate], Mn(IV) [Mn(II)], U(VI) [U(IV)], and elemental sulfur [sulfide]. PCE and soluble Fe(III) (as ferric citrate) were reduced at rates of 56.5 and 164 nmol min(-1) mg of protein(-1), respectively, with acetate as the electron donor. Alternate electron acceptors, such as U(VI) and nitrate, did not inhibit PCE dechlorination and were consumed concomitantly. With PCE, Fe(III) (as ferric citrate), and nitrate as electron acceptors, H(2) was consumed to threshold concentrations of 0.08 +/- 0.03 nM, 0.16 +/- 0.07 nM, and 0.5 +/- 0.06 nM, respectively, and acetate was consumed to 3.0 +/- 2.1 nM, 1.2 +/- 0.5 nM, and 3.6 +/- 0.25 nM, respectively. Apparently, electron acceptor-specific acetate consumption threshold concentrations exist, suggesting that similar to the hydrogen threshold model, the measurement of acetate threshold concentrations offers an additional diagnostic tool to delineate terminal electron-accepting processes in anaerobic subsurface environments. Genetic and phenotypic analyses classify strain SZ as the type strain of the new species, Geobacter lovleyi sp. nov., with Geobacter (formerly Trichlorobacter) thiogenes as the closest relative. Furthermore, the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences recovered from PCE-dechlorinating consortia and chloroethene-contaminated subsurface environments suggests that Geobacter lovleyi belongs to a distinct, dechlorinating clade within the metal-reducing Geobacter group. Substrate versatility, consumption of electron donors to low threshold concentrations, and simultaneous reduction of electron acceptors suggest that strain SZ-type organisms have desirable characteristics for bioremediation applications.
Project description:Leishmania donovani WHO reference strain MHOM/IN/80/DD8 and Leptomonas seymouri isolates Ld 2001 and Ld39 were used for proteome analysis which were originally isolated from clinical cases of kala azar patients with different inherent antimonial sensitivities. Ld 2001 was Sb-S and Ld 39 was Sb-R. The genome sequencing of these isolates had confirmed co-infection with Leptomonas.
