Possible Chemoautotrophic Archaeal Nitrifyer in the Archaearich Mesopelagic Zone

1
Possible Chemoautotrophic Archaeal Nitrifyer in
the Archaea-rich Mesopelagic Zone

• Archaeal dominance in the mesopelagic zone of the
  Pacific Ocean1
• and
• Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
  marine archaeon2

• Karner, M. B., DeLong, E. F. Karl, D. M.
  Archaeal dominance in the mesopelagic zone of the
  Pacific Ocean. Nature 409, 507-510 (2001).
• Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
  Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
  marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).

Tyler Hickman 2006
2

NASA, http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e
7/PhylogeneticTree.jpg
3
Prokaryotes

• Includes Bacteria and Archaea
• Usually unicellular
• Lack a nucleus
• Lack membrane-bound organelles
• High metabolic rate

4
Bacteria

• Most .5-5 µm in size
• Peptidoglycan wall
• Ester-linked glycerides in membrane
• Evolved into chloroplasts and mitochondria
• Steptomycin vulnerable

Escherichia coli
http//www3.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/public/images
.htm
5
Archaea
SCM1

• Generally smaller than bacteria (.1-.4 µm)
• Lack peptidoglycan wall
• Ether-linked glycerides in membrane
• Similar transcription and translation to
  Eukaryotes
• Steptomycin-resistant

Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
6
Nitrification
?
?
7
FISH

• Fluorescence in situ hybridization
• Filter or slide preparation
• Fixation
• Permiabilization
• Hybridization
• Wash
• Fluorescence microscopy

8
CARD-FISHcatylized reporter depositionfluorescen
ce in situ hybridization
9
FISH
SCM1 Cells
DAPI
ISH
Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
10
Archaeal dominance in the mesopelagic zone of the
Pacific Ocean1
Karner, M. B., DeLong, E. F. Karl, D. M.
Archaeal dominance in the mesopelagic zone of the
Pacific Ocean. Nature 409, 507-510 (2001).
11
Karner, M. B., DeLong, E. F. Karl, D. M.
Archaeal dominance in the mesopelagic zone of the
Pacific Ocean. Nature 409, 507-510 (2001).
12
Nitrifying Archaeon
SCM1
Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
13
Archaea Cultivation
Streptomycin Protein synthesis inhibitor
http//biology.kenyon.edu/courses/biol09/tetrahyme
na/serial20dilution.jpg
14
Stoichiometric conversionof NH3 to Nitrite
?
Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
15
FISH
Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
16
Phylogeny
Walker, C. B., Waterbury, J. B., Stahl, D. A.
Isolation of an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing
marine archaeon. Nature. 437, 543-546 (2005).
17
Future Studies

• Isolation of more archaeal nitrifyers from
  ammonia-rich niches
• FISH or CARD-FISH detection of SCM1 from
  mesopelagic depths
• Archaea nitrifyer cultivation from mesopelagic
  culture

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Thank You

• Dr. John Waterbury
• Dr. Katrina Edwards
• Dr. Eric Webb
• April Hill