Publications

4994

ABSTRACT SAR11 bacteria are small, heterotrophic, marine alphaproteobacteria found throughout the oceans. They thrive at the low nutrient concentrations typical of open ocean conditions, although the adaptations required for life under those conditions are not well understood. To illuminate this issue, we used cryo-electron tomography to study “ Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique” strain HTCC1062, a member of the SAR11 clade. Our results revealed its cellular dimensions and details of its intracellular organization. Frozen-hydrated cells, which were preserved in a life-like state, had an average cell volume (enclosed by the outer membrane) of 0.037 ± 0.011 μm 3 . Strikingly, the periplasmic space occupied ∼20% to 50% of the total cell volume in log-phase cells and ∼50% to 70% in stationary-phase cells. The nucleoid occupied the convex side of the crescent-shaped cells and the ribosomes predominantly occupied the concave side, at a relatively high concentration of 10,000 to 12,000 ribosomes/μm 3 . Outer membrane pore complexes, likely composed of PilQ, were frequently observed in both log-phase and stationary-phase cells. Long filaments, most likely type IV pili, were found on dividing cells. The physical dimensions, intracellular organization, and morphological changes throughout the life cycle of “ Ca. Pelagibacter ubique” provide structural insights into the functional adaptions of these oligotrophic ultramicrobacteria to their habitat. IMPORTANCE Bacterioplankton of the SAR11 clade ( Pelagibacterales ) are of interest because of their global biogeochemical significance and because they appear to have been molded by unusual evolutionary circumstances that favor simplicity and efficiency. They have adapted to an ecosystem in which nutrient concentrations are near the extreme limits at which transport systems can function adequately, and they have evolved streamlined genomes to execute only functions essential for life. However, little is known about the actual size limitations and cellular features of living oligotrophic ultramicrobacteria. In this study, we have used cryo-electron tomography to obtain accurate physical information about the cellular architecture of “ Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique,” the first cultivated member of the SAR11 clade. These results provide foundational information for answering questions about the cell architecture and functions of these ultrasmall oligotrophic bacteria.

Summary As in many deep underground environments, the microbial communities in subsurface high‐CO 2 ecosystems remain relatively unexplored. Recent investigations based on single‐gene assays revealed a remarkable variety of organisms from little studied phyla in Crystal Geyser (Utah, USA), a site where deeply sourced CO 2 ‐saturated fluids are erupted at the surface. To provide genomic resolution of the metabolisms of these organisms, we used a novel metagenomic approach to recover 227 high‐quality genomes from 150 microbial species affiliated with 46 different phylum‐level lineages. Bacteria from two novel phylum‐level lineages have the capacity for CO 2 fixation. Analyses of carbon fixation pathways in all studied organisms revealed that the Wood‐Ljungdahl pathway and the Calvin‐Benson‐Bassham Cycle occurred with the highest frequency, whereas the reverse TCA cycle was little used. We infer that this, and selection for form II RuBisCOs, are adaptions to high CO 2 ‐concentrations. However, many autotrophs can also grow mixotrophically, a strategy that confers metabolic versatility. The assignment of 156 hydrogenases to 90 different organisms suggests that H 2 is an important inter‐species energy currency even under gaseous CO 2 ‐saturation. Overall, metabolic analyses at the organism level provided insight into the biochemical cycles that support subsurface life under the extreme condition of CO 2 saturation.