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Reyes-Umana V, Ewens SD, Meier DAO, Coates JD. Integration of molecular and computational approaches paints a holistic portrait of obscure metabolisms. mBio 2023; 14:e0043123. [PMID: 37855625 PMCID: PMC10746228 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00431-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are essential drivers of earth's geochemical cycles. However, the significance of elemental redox cycling mediated by microorganisms is often underestimated beyond the most well-studied nutrient cycles. Phosphite, (per)chlorate, and iodate are each considered esoteric substrates metabolized by microorganisms. However, recent investigations have indicated that these metabolisms are widespread and ubiquitous, affirming a need to continue studying the underlying microbiology to understand their biogeochemical effects and their interface with each other and our biosphere. This review focuses on combining canonical techniques of culturing microorganisms with modern omic approaches to further our understanding of obscure metabolic pathways and elucidate their importance in global biogeochemical cycles. Using these approaches, marker genes of interest have already been identified for phosphite, (per)chlorate, and iodate using traditional microbial physiology and genetics. Subsequently, their presence was queried to reveal the distribution of metabolic pathways in the environment using publicly available databases. In conjunction with each other, computational and experimental techniques provide a more comprehensive understanding of the location of these microorganisms, their underlying biochemistry and genetics, and how they tie into our planet's geochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Reyes-Umana
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Sophia D. Ewens
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - David A. O. Meier
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - John D. Coates
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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2
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Liu Q, Niu X, Zhang D, Ye X, Tan P, Shu T, Lin Z. Phototransformation of phosphite induced by zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in aquatic environments. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120571. [PMID: 37683523 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Phosphite, an essential component in the biogeochemical phosphorus cycle, may make significant contributions to the bioavailable phosphorus pool as well as water eutrophication. However, to date, the potential impacts of coexisting photochemically active substances on the environmental fate and transformation of phosphite in aquatic environments have been sparsely elucidated. In the present study, the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), a widely distributed photocatalyst in aquatic environments, on phosphite phototransformation under simulated solar irradiation was systematically investigated. The physicochemical characteristics of the pristine and reacted ZnO NPs were thoroughly characterized. The results showed that the presence of ZnO NPs induced the indirect phototransformation of phosphite to phosphate, and the reaction rate increased with increasing ZnO NPs concentration. Through experiments with quenching and trapping free radicals, it was proved that photogenerated reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide anion (O2•-), and singlet oxygen (1O2), made substantial contributions to phosphite phototransformation. In addition, the influencing factors such as initial phosphite concentration, pH, water matrixes (Cl-, F-, Br-, SO42-, NO3-, NO2-, HCO3-, humic acid (HA) and citric acid (CA)) were investigated. The component of generated precipitates after the phosphite phototransformation induced by ZnO NPs was still dominated by ZnO NPs, while the presence of amorphous Zn3(PO4)2 was identified. This work explored ZnO NPs-mediated phosphite phototransformation processes, indicating that nanophotocatalysts released into aquatic environments such as ZnO NPs may function as photosensitizers to play a beneficial role in the transformation of phosphite to phosphate, thereby potentially mitigating the toxicity of phosphite to aquatic organisms while exacerbating eutrophication. The findings of this study provide a novel insight into the comprehensive assessment of the environmental fate, potential ecological risk, and biogeochemical behaviors of phosphite in natural aquatic environments under the condition of combined pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Niu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, PR China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Dongqing Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, PR China.
| | - Xingyao Ye
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Peibing Tan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, PR China
| | - Ting Shu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, PR China
| | - Zhang Lin
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
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3
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Nicholls JWF, Chin JP, Williams TA, Lenton TM, O’Flaherty V, McGrath JW. On the potential roles of phosphorus in the early evolution of energy metabolism. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1239189. [PMID: 37601379 PMCID: PMC10433651 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1239189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy metabolism in extant life is centered around phosphate and the energy-dense phosphoanhydride bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a deeply conserved and ancient bioenergetic system. Yet, ATP synthesis relies on numerous complex enzymes and has an autocatalytic requirement for ATP itself. This implies the existence of evolutionarily simpler bioenergetic pathways and potentially primordial alternatives to ATP. The centrality of phosphate in modern bioenergetics, coupled with the energetic properties of phosphorylated compounds, may suggest that primordial precursors to ATP also utilized phosphate in compounds such as pyrophosphate, acetyl phosphate and polyphosphate. However, bioavailable phosphate may have been notably scarce on the early Earth, raising doubts about the roles that phosphorylated molecules might have played in the early evolution of life. A largely overlooked phosphorus redox cycle on the ancient Earth might have provided phosphorus and energy, with reduced phosphorus compounds potentially playing a key role in the early evolution of energy metabolism. Here, we speculate on the biological phosphorus compounds that may have acted as primordial energy currencies, sources of environmental energy, or sources of phosphorus for the synthesis of phosphorylated energy currencies. This review encompasses discussions on the evolutionary history of modern bioenergetics, and specifically those pathways with primordial relevance, and the geochemistry of bioavailable phosphorus on the ancient Earth. We highlight the importance of phosphorus, not only in the form of phosphate, to early biology and suggest future directions of study that may improve our understanding of the early evolution of bioenergetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack W. F. Nicholls
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Jason P. Chin
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Tom A. Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy M. Lenton
- Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - John W. McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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4
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Liu W, Zhang Y, Yu M, Xu J, Du H, Zhang R, Wu D, Xie X. Role of phosphite in the environmental phosphorus cycle. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163463. [PMID: 37062315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In modern geochemistry, phosphorus (P) is considered synonymous with phosphate (Pi) because Pi controls the growth of organisms as a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems. The researchers therefore realised that a complete P cycle is essential. Limited by thermodynamic barriers, P was long believed to be incapable of redox reactions, and the role of the redox cycle of reduced P in the global P cycling system was thus not ascertained. Nevertheless, the phosphite (Phi) form of P is widely present in various environments and participates in the global P redox cycle. Herein, global quantitative evidences of Phi are enumerated and the early origin and modern biotic/abiotic sources of Phi are elaborated. Further, the Phi-based redox pathway for P reduction is analysed and global multienvironmental Phi redox cycle processes are proposed on the basis of this pathway. The possible role of Phi in controlling algae in eutrophic lakes and its ecological benefits to plants are proposed. In this manner, the important role of Phi in the P redox cycle and global P cycle is systematically and comprehensively identified and confirmed. This work will provide scientific guidance for the future production and use of Phi products and arouse attention and interest on clarifying the role of Phi in the environmental phosphorus cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Yalan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Mengqin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Jinying Xu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Hu Du
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Ru Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Daishe Wu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China; School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Pingxiang University, Pingxiang 337000, China
| | - Xianchuan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
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Sebesta J, Xiong W, Guarnieri MT, Yu J. Biocontainment of Genetically Engineered Algae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:839446. [PMID: 35310623 PMCID: PMC8924478 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.839446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Algae (including eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria) have been genetically engineered to convert light and carbon dioxide to many industrially and commercially relevant chemicals including biofuels, materials, and nutritional products. At industrial scale, genetically engineered algae may be cultivated outdoors in open ponds or in closed photobioreactors. In either case, industry would need to address a potential risk of the release of the engineered algae into the natural environment, resulting in potential negative impacts to the environment. Genetic biocontainment strategies are therefore under development to reduce the probability that these engineered bacteria can survive outside of the laboratory or industrial setting. These include active strategies that aim to kill the escaped cells by expression of toxic proteins, and passive strategies that use knockouts of native genes to reduce fitness outside of the controlled environment of labs and industrial cultivation systems. Several biocontainment strategies have demonstrated escape frequencies below detection limits. However, they have typically done so in carefully controlled experiments which may fail to capture mechanisms of escape that may arise in the more complex natural environment. The selection of biocontainment strategies that can effectively kill cells outside the lab, while maintaining maximum productivity inside the lab and without the need for relatively expensive chemicals will benefit from further attention.
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Leaching Potential of Phosphite Fertilizer in Sandy Soils of the Southern Coastal Plain, USA. ENVIRONMENTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/environments8110126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Novel biotechnology on transgenic plants capable of metabolizing phosphite (Phi), a reduced form of P, could improve the effectiveness of P fertilizers and reduce the P footprint in agriculture with the benefit of suppressing weed growth. However, potassium Phi (K-Phi) salts used as fertilizer are highly soluble in water. At the same time, sandy soils of the Southern Coastal Plain are vulnerable to leaching losses resulting from long-term Pi fertilizer application. We performed a replicated leaching trial using five soil materials that included three surface and two subsurface layers from cultivated topsoil (Ap horizon) with contrasting Phi and Pi sorption capacities. Each soil received three treatments K-Phi at rates 0 (control), 24, and 49 kg P ha−1 and leached twice with de-ionized water. All K-Phi-treated soils leached Phi except for the controls. A phosphorus saturation ratio (PSR) calculated from P, Al, and Fe in acid extracts indicated increasing environmental risk of Phi leaching in soils with lower Phi and Pi sorption capacities at rising rates of applied K-Phi. Because plants rapidly absorb Phi, further studies on the environmental impact of K-Phi fertilizer use should include the interaction of plants with soil properties and soil microbial activity at optimal Phi application rates for growing transgenic plants able to use Phi as a nutrient source.
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Liao W, Xu R, Stone AT. Adsorption of Phosphorus Oxyanions at the FeOOH(goethite)/Water Interface: The Importance of Basicity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:14389-14396. [PMID: 34477376 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PIII-containing H-phosphonate (HPO32-) and its monoethyl ester (fosetyl), essential pesticides for control of oomycete and fungal pathogens, are among the few pesticides transported by both xylem and phloem, making application as folia spray, soil spray, and trunk injection equally effective. To understand bioavailability and efficacy within soils, knowledge of adsorption to soil minerals is important. FeOOH(goethite) is often selected as an archetypal mineral surface. In the present work, H-phosphonate (with pKa values of 1.5 and 6.78) adsorption onto FeOOH is nearly complete below pH 6 and decreases to negligible amounts by pH 11, following an S-shaped curve. Fosetyl (pKa: 0.9), in contrast, does not adsorb to any significant extent, regardless of pH. To place these observations in context, adsorption of six other phosphorus oxyanions was investigated, and fitted using a CD-MUSIC model. Phosphate defines a similar S-shaped curve but adsorbs more strongly than H-phosphonate. Despite moderate differences in basicity, pH dependence and extents of adsorption for the four additional diprotic oxyanions methylphosphonate (pKas: 2.40, 8.00), benzylphosphonate (2.24, 7.93), phenylphosphonate (1.9, 7.47), and phenyl phosphate (1.1, 6.28) are quite similar to those of H-phosphonate. As with fosetyl, the other low pKa monoprotic oxyanion in our study, phenylphosphinate (pKa: 1.75), does not adsorb. Basicity, that is, pKa, is revealed to be the principal determinant of extents of adsorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Liao
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Ruizhe Xu
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Cockrell School of Engineering The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Alan T Stone
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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Fontana M, Guillaume T, Bragazza L, Elfouki S, Santonja M, Buttler A, Gerdol R, Brancaleoni L, Sinaj S. Legacy effect of green manure crops fertilized with calcium phosphite on maize production and soil properties. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 295:113092. [PMID: 34182336 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recycling phosphorus (P) is crucial to meet future P demand for crop production. We investigated the possibility to use calcium phosphite (Ca-Phi) waste, an industrial by-product, as P fertilizer following the oxidation of phosphite (Phi) to phosphate (Pi) during green manure (GM) cropping in order to target P nutrition of subsequent maize crop. In a greenhouse experiment, four GM crops were fertilized (38 kg P ha-1) with Ca-Phi, triple super phosphate (TSP) or without P (Control) in sandy and clay soils. The harvested GM biomass (containing Phi after Ca-Phi fertilization) was incorporated into the soil before maize sowing. Incorporation of GM residues containing Phi slowed down organic carbon mineralization in clay soil and mass loss of GM residues in sandy soil. Microbial enzymatic activities were affected by Ca-Phi and TSP fertilization at the end of maize crop whereas microbial biomass was similarly influenced by TSP and Ca-Phi in both soils. Compared to Control, Ca-Phi and TSP increased similarly the available P (up to 5 mg P kg-1) in sandy soil, whereas in clay soil available P increased only with Ca-Phi (up to 6 mg P kg-1), indicating that Phi oxidation occurred during GM crops. Accordingly, no Phi was found in maize biomass. However, P fertilization did not enhance aboveground maize productivity and P export, likely because soil available P was not limiting. Overall, our results indicate that Ca-Phi might be used as P source for a subsequent crop since Phi undergoes oxidation during the preliminary GM growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Fontana
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Research Division Plant Production Systems, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Guillaume
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Research Division Plant Production Systems, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Luca Bragazza
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Research Division Plant Production Systems, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Saïd Elfouki
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Research Division Plant Production Systems, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Santonja
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Alexandre Buttler
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), Station 2, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Site Lausanne, Station 2, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Renato Gerdol
- University of Ferrara, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Corso Ercole I d'Este 32, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Lisa Brancaleoni
- University of Ferrara, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Corso Ercole I d'Este 32, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Sokrat Sinaj
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Research Division Plant Production Systems, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland.
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Sadeghi S, Anderson TA, Jackson WA. Determination of phosphite (HPO 3-2) by a new IC/MS/MS method using an 18O-labeled HPO 3-2 internal standard. Talanta 2021; 230:122198. [PMID: 33934758 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A new method has been developed to determine trace amounts of phosphite (HPO3-2) in environmental samples using ion chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ESI/MS/MS). The method includes the production and use of an 18O-labeled HPO3-2 internal standard (IS). This isotopically labeled IS significantly improved sensitivity and could account for matrix suppression. The method detection limit (MDL) was determined as 0.017 and 0.034 μg L-1 of HPO3-2 (6.5 and 13 ng P L-1) using a 500 and 25 μL injection loop, respectively. Precision (1-10%) and accuracy (recoveries = 96-106%) were established for a range of environmental samples using known (spiked) addition. The impact of ionic interferences was investigated by evaluating the response of the internal standard in the presence of common anions with respect to distilled deionized water. The most significant interference was due to nitrate (100 mg-NO3- L-1) with a 99.99% reduction in IS intensity. The method was successfully applied to wastewater effluent, surface water, tap water, and soil samples. Relatively low concentrations <0.25 μg HPO3-2 L-1 were measured in tap water, surface water and wastewater effluent, and ~1.6 μg kg-1 HPO3-2 in soil samples, using both injection loops. Limited suppression was observed for all matrices. The largest IS peak area suppression (~98%) was observed in WW effluent with 500 μL injection loop; however, this method was able to quantify HPO3-2 with good recoveries and precision despite the mentioned suppression, supporting the ability of the proposed method to quantify HPO3-2 in different environmental matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Sadeghi
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Box 41023, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1023, USA.
| | - Todd A Anderson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Box 41163, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1163, USA.
| | - W Andrew Jackson
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Box 41023, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1023, USA.
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Gaylor MO, Miro P, Vlaisavljevich B, Kondage AAS, Barge LM, Omran A, Videau P, Swenson VA, Leinen LJ, Fitch NW, Cole KL, Stone C, Drummond SM, Rageth K, Dewitt LR, González Henao S, Karanauskus V. Plausible Emergence and Self Assembly of a Primitive Phospholipid from Reduced Phosphorus on the Primordial Earth. ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2021; 51:185-213. [PMID: 34279769 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-021-09613-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
How life arose on the primitive Earth is one of the biggest questions in science. Biomolecular emergence scenarios have proliferated in the literature but accounting for the ubiquity of oxidized (+ 5) phosphate (PO43-) in extant biochemistries has been challenging due to the dearth of phosphate and molecular oxygen on the primordial Earth. A compelling body of work suggests that exogenous schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)3P) was delivered to Earth via meteorite impacts during the Heavy Bombardment (ca. 4.1-3.8 Gya) and there converted to reduced P oxyanions (e.g., phosphite (HPO32-) and hypophosphite (H2PO2-)) and phosphonates. Inspired by this idea, we review the relevant literature to deduce a plausible reduced phospholipid analog of modern phosphatidylcholines that could have emerged in a primordial hydrothermal setting. A shallow alkaline lacustrine basin underlain by active hydrothermal fissures and meteoritic schreibersite-, clay-, and metal-enriched sediments is envisioned. The water column is laden with known and putative primordial hydrothermal reagents. Small system dimensions and thermal- and UV-driven evaporation further concentrate chemical precursors. We hypothesize that a reduced phospholipid arises from Fischer-Tropsch-type (FTT) production of a C8 alkanoic acid, which condenses with an organophosphinate (derived from schreibersite corrosion to hypophosphite with subsequent methylation/oxidation), to yield a reduced protophospholipid. This then condenses with an α-amino nitrile (derived from Strecker-type reactions) to form the polar head. Preliminary modeling results indicate that reduced phospholipids do not aggregate rapidly; however, single layer micelles are stable up to aggregates with approximately 100 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael O Gaylor
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA.
| | - Pere Miro
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Bess Vlaisavljevich
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | | | - Laura M Barge
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
| | - Arthur Omran
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Patrick Videau
- Department of Biology, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, 97520, USA.,Bayer Crop Science, Chesterfield, MO, 63017, USA
| | - Vaille A Swenson
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Lucas J Leinen
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
| | - Nathaniel W Fitch
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
| | - Krista L Cole
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
| | - Chris Stone
- Department of Biology, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, 97520, USA
| | - Samuel M Drummond
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
| | - Kayli Rageth
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
| | - Lillian R Dewitt
- Department of Chemistry, Dakota State University, Madison, SD, 57042, USA
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11
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Fontana M, Bragazza L, Guillaume T, Santonja M, Buttler A, Elfouki S, Sinaj S. Valorization of calcium phosphite waste as phosphorus fertilizer: Effects on green manure productivity and soil properties. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 285:112061. [PMID: 33582477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The potential to use calcium phosphite (Ca-Phi) as phosphorus (P) fertilizer may represent an effective recycling of P-containing by-products. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Ca-Phi (38 kg P ha-1) on soil properties and the growth parameters of four green manure species in clay and sandy soils using Ca-Phi, TSP (triple superphosphate) and control (no fertilization) as treatments. Eight weeks after sowing, we measured aboveground biomass yield, phosphite (Phi) concentration in plant biomass, different soil P pools as well as microbial biomass nutrients. Compared to control, the addition of Ca-Phi did not negatively affect green manure yield, except for lupine (Lupinus albus L.) in clay soil. The Phi concentration in plant biomass varied across species and soil type with a maximum concentration of about 400 mg Phi kg-1 for mustard (Brassica juncea L.) in clay soil. Compared to control, TSP and Ca-Phi fertilization had a similar effect on different P pools and microbial biomass nutrients (C, N and P) although the response was soil-type dependent. In the sandy soil, after Ca-Phi addition the amount of available P (PNHCO3) increased to the same extent as in the TSP treatment (i.e. around 6 mg P kg-1) suggesting that Ca-Phi was, at least partly, oxidized. In the clay soil with high P fixing capacity, Ca-Phi promoted higher PNaHCO3 than TSP likely due to different solubility of chemical P forms. Additional studies are however required to better understand soil microbial responses and to quantify the P agronomical efficiency for the following crop under Ca-Phi fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Fontana
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Luca Bragazza
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Guillaume
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Santonja
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Alexandre Buttler
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), Station 2, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Site Lausanne, Station 2, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Saïd Elfouki
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland
| | - Sokrat Sinaj
- Agroscope, Field-Crop Systems and Plant Nutrition, Route de Duillier 50, P.O. Box 1012, CH-1260, Nyon, Switzerland.
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Sousa-Silva C, Seager S, Ranjan S, Petkowski JJ, Zhan Z, Hu R, Bains W. Phosphine as a Biosignature Gas in Exoplanet Atmospheres. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:235-268. [PMID: 31755740 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A long-term goal of exoplanet studies is the identification and detection of biosignature gases. Beyond the most discussed biosignature gas O2, only a handful of gases have been considered in detail. In this study, we evaluate phosphine (PH3). On Earth, PH3 is associated with anaerobic ecosystems, and as such, it is a potential biosignature gas in anoxic exoplanets. We simulate the atmospheres of habitable terrestrial planets with CO2- and H2-dominated atmospheres and find that PH3 can accumulate to detectable concentrations on planets with surface production fluxes of 1010 to 1014 cm-2 s-1 (corresponding to surface concentrations of 10s of ppb to 100s of ppm), depending on atmospheric composition and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. While high, the surface flux values are comparable to the global terrestrial production rate of methane or CH4 (1011 cm-2 s-1) and below the maximum local terrestrial PH3 production rate (1014 cm-2 s-1). As with other gases, PH3 can more readily accumulate on low-UV planets, for example, planets orbiting quiet M dwarfs or with a photochemically generated UV shield. PH3 has three strong spectral features such that in any atmosphere scenario one of the three will be unique compared with other dominant spectroscopic molecules. Phosphine's weakness as a biosignature gas is its high reactivity, requiring high outgassing rates for detectability. We calculate that tens of hours of JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) time are required for a potential detection of PH3. Yet, because PH3 is spectrally active in the same wavelength regions as other atmospherically important molecules (such as H2O and CH4), searches for PH3 can be carried out at no additional observational cost to searches for other molecular species relevant to characterizing exoplanet habitability. Phosphine is a promising biosignature gas, as it has no known abiotic false positives on terrestrial planets from any source that could generate the high fluxes required for detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Sousa-Silva
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Physics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Physics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- SCOL Postdoctoral Fellow
| | - Janusz Jurand Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Zhuchang Zhan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Renyu Hu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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13
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Bains W, Petkowski JJ, Sousa-Silva C, Seager S. New environmental model for thermodynamic ecology of biological phosphine production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 658:521-536. [PMID: 30579209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We present a new model for the biological production of phosphine (PH3). Phosphine is found globally, in trace amounts, in the Earth's atmosphere. It has been suggested as a key molecule in the phosphorus cycle, linking atmospheric, lithospheric and biological phosphorus chemistry. Phosphine's production is strongly associated with marshes, swamps and other sites of anaerobic biology. However the mechanism of phosphine's biological production has remained controversial, because it has been believed that reduction of phosphate to phosphine is endergonic. In this paper we show through thermodynamic calculations that, in specific environments, the combined action of phosphate reducing and phosphite disproportionating bacteria can produce phosphine. Phosphate-reducing bacteria can capture energy from the reduction of phosphate to phosphite through coupling phosphate reduction to NADH oxidation. Our hypothesis describes how the phosphate chemistry in an environmental niche is coupled to phosphite generation in ground water, which in turn is coupled to the phosphine production in water and atmosphere, driven by a specific microbial ecology. Our hypothesis provides clear predictions on specific complex environments where biological phosphine production could be widespread. We propose tests of our hypothesis in fieldwork.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bains
- Rufus Scientific, 37 The Moor, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6ED, UK.
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Clara Sousa-Silva
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sara Seager
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Dept. of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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14
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Pasek M. A role for phosphorus redox in emerging and modern biochemistry. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 49:53-58. [PMID: 30316126 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Phosphorus is a major biogeochemical element controlling growth in many ecosystems. It has presumably been an important element since the onset of life. In most chemical and biochemical considerations, phosphorus is synonymous with phosphates, a pentavalent oxidation state that includes the phosphate backbone of DNA and RNA, as well as major metabolites such as ATP. However, redox processing of phosphates to phosphites and phosphonates, and to even lower oxidation states provides a work-around to many of the problems of prebiotic chemistry, including phosphorus's low solubility and poor reactivity. In addition, modern phosphorus cycling has increasingly identified reduced P compounds as playing a role, sometimes significant, in biogeochemical processes. This suggests that phosphorus is not redox-insensitive and reduced P compounds should be considered as part of the phosphorus biogeochemical cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Pasek
- University of South Florida, School of Geosciences, 4202 E Fowler Ave, NES 204, Tampa, FL, 3360, USA.
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15
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The molecular basis of phosphite and hypophosphite recognition by ABC-transporters. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1746. [PMID: 29170493 PMCID: PMC5700983 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01226-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic phosphate is the major bioavailable form of the essential nutrient phosphorus. However, the concentration of phosphate in most natural habitats is low enough to limit microbial growth. Under phosphate-depleted conditions some bacteria utilise phosphite and hypophosphite as alternative sources of phosphorus, but the molecular basis of reduced phosphorus acquisition from the environment is not fully understood. Here, we present crystal structures and ligand binding affinities of periplasmic binding proteins from bacterial phosphite and hypophosphite ATP-binding cassette transporters. We reveal that phosphite and hypophosphite specificity results from a combination of steric selection and the presence of a P-H…π interaction between the ligand and a conserved aromatic residue in the ligand-binding pocket. The characterisation of high affinity and specific transporters has implications for the marine phosphorus redox cycle, and might aid the use of phosphite as an alternative phosphorus source in biotechnological, industrial and agricultural applications. Some bacteria can use inorganic phosphite and hypophosphite as sources of inorganic phosphorus. Here, the authors report crystal structures of the periplasmic proteins that bind these reduced phosphorus species and show that a P-H…π interaction between the ligand and binding site determines their specificity.
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16
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Qiu H, Geng J, Ren H, Ding L, Xu K, Zhang Y. Aquatic transformation of phosphite under natural sunlight and simulated irradiation. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 109:69-76. [PMID: 27866104 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2016.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The phototransformation of phosphite (HPO32-, H2PO3-, +3) from Lake Taihu water (THW) under natural sunlight was evaluated. No direct phosphite photoreaction was observed under sunlight. Suspended solids were shown to play important roles in the indirect photoreaction of phosphite in lake water. The phototransformation of phosphite followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics and the kinetics constants (k, d-1) decreased as: 0.0324 (original THW), 0.0236 (sterilized THW), 0.0109 (filtered THW) and 0.0102 (sterilized filtered THW). Original THW with 1 mmol L-1 NO3- added was used to simulate the phosphite removal in lakes with serious N pollution. The results showed that the phototransformation was accelerated (with k increased to 0.0386-0.0463 d-1), and sterilization or filtration shown little effect to the transformation, as the half-lives of phosphite drew closer. Under simulated irradiation in NO3- system, increasing NO3- concentration or decreasing pH value promoted phototransformation. The addition of Fe3+ or Fe2+ accelerated photooxidation, while the addition of Mn2+ or Cd2+ inhibited phototransformation. Br-, NO2- and HCO3- in environmental concentrations decreased phototransformation, and HCO3- showed the strongest inhibition. Suwannee River humic acid or Suwannee River fulvic acid strongly inhibited the photooxidation process, and the inhibiting effects varied with their structure. Phosphite photooxidation was strongly inhibited by adding isopropanol or sodium azide as reactive oxygen species (ROS) quenchers. Electron spin resonance analysis indicated that OH was a main oxidant produced in this system. The increased amount of phosphate coincided with the decreased amount of phosphite, which indicated that the transformation product of phosphite was phosphate. Phosphite is a considerable component of the P redox cycle in Lake Taihu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jinju Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Hongqiang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lili Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ke Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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17
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Figueroa IA, Coates JD. Microbial Phosphite Oxidation and Its Potential Role in the Global Phosphorus and Carbon Cycles. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2016; 98:93-117. [PMID: 28189156 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Phosphite [Formula: see text] is a highly soluble, reduced phosphorus compound that is often overlooked in biogeochemical analyses. Although the oxidation of phosphite to phosphate is a highly exergonic process (Eo'=-650mV), phosphite is kinetically stable and can account for 10-30% of the total dissolved P in various environments. There is also evidence that phosphite was more prevalent under the reducing conditions of the Archean period and may have been involved in the development of early life. Its role as a phosphorus source for a variety of extant microorganisms has been known since the 1950s, and the pathways involved in assimilatory phosphite oxidation have been well characterized. More recently, it was demonstrated that phosphite could also act as an electron donor for energy metabolism in a process known as dissimilatory phosphite oxidation (DPO). The bacterium described in this study, Desulfotignum phosphitoxidans strain FiPS-3, was isolated from brackish sediments and is capable of growing by coupling phosphite oxidation to the reduction of either sulfate or carbon dioxide. FiPS-3 remains the only isolated organism capable of DPO, and the prevalence of this metabolism in the environment is still unclear. Nonetheless, given the widespread presence of phosphite in the environment and the thermodynamic favorability of its oxidation, microbial phosphite oxidation may play an important and hitherto unrecognized role in the global phosphorus and carbon cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- I A Figueroa
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - J D Coates
- University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
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18
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Chin JP, McGrath JW, Quinn JP. Microbial transformations in phosphonate biosynthesis and catabolism, and their importance in nutrient cycling. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2016; 31:50-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Qiu H, Geng J, Ren H, Xu Z. Phosphite flux at the sediment-water interface in northern Lake Taihu. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 543:67-74. [PMID: 26580728 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.10.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Revised: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Phosphite (H2PO3(-), HPO3(2-), +3 valence), a reduced form of phosphorus (P), has been widely detected in water environments. The role of phosphite in the P biogeochemical cycle has not been investigated systematically and quantitative results on phosphite fluxes are lacking. In this study, intact sediment core simulation was employed to measure the flux of phosphite at the sediment-water interface in northern Lake Taihu. Phosphite fluxes (μmol m(-2) d(-1)) ranged from -38.21±1.14 to 7.10±2.18, with an annual average of -4.72±10.40. On the whole, phosphite migrated from water into sediment and the sediment was primarily a sink. The highest seasonal negative phosphite fluxes (μmol m(-2) d(-1)) occurred in winter (-10.44±18.63), followed by summer (-8.04±5.61) and spring (-2.61±4.17). In autumn, phosphite flux was 2.20±4.07. Higher annual average negative fluxes of phosphite (μmol m(-2) d(-1)) appeared in site ZSB (-12.70±17.96), which contained the highest content of total soluble P. The average yearly migration of phosphite in Lake Taihu from water to sediment was estimated to be (4.04±8.88)×10(6) mol y(-1). The transfer of phosphite from water into sediment usually occurs in winter may due to the season's natural tendency to create more favorable conditions for phosphite biogeochemical reactions. Phosphite fluxes showed significant negative correlations with the original phosphite concentration in water (r=-0.840, p<0.01), as well as organic matter (r=-0.720, p<0.01) and phosphate bound to Ca (Ca-Ps) (r=-0.632, p<0.05) in sediment. These results indicate that microbiological processes and P species bound to Ca may play an important role in the P redox cycle. No significant correlations between phosphite fluxes and dissolved oxygen or oxidation-reduction potential were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, China
| | - Jinju Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, China.
| | - Hongqiang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, China
| | - Zhaoyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, China
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20
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Polyviou D, Hitchcock A, Baylay AJ, Moore CM, Bibby TS. Phosphite utilization by the globally important marine diazotroph Trichodesmium. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 7:824-30. [PMID: 26081517 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Species belonging to the filamentous cyanobacterial genus Trichodesmium are responsible for a significant fraction of oceanic nitrogen fixation. The availability of phosphorus (P) likely constrains the growth of Trichodesmium in certain regions of the ocean. Moreover, Trichodesmium species have recently been shown to play a role in an emerging oceanic phosphorus redox cycle, further highlighting the key role these microbes play in many biogeochemical processes in the contemporary ocean. Here, we show that Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS101 can grow on the reduced inorganic compound phosphite as its sole source of P. The components responsible for phosphite utilization are identified through heterologous expression of the T. erythraeum IMS101 Tery_0365-0368 genes, encoding a putative adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette transporter and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent dehydrogenase, in the model cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. We demonstrate that only combined expression of both the transporter and the dehydrogenase enables Synechocystis to utilize phosphite, confirming the function of Tery_0365-0367 as a phosphite uptake system (PtxABC) and Tery_0368 as a phosphite dehydrogenase (PtxD). Our findings suggest that reported uptake of phosphite by Trichodesmium consortia in the field likely reflects an active biological process by Trichodesmium. These results highlight the diversity of phosphorus sources available to Trichodesmium in a resource-limited ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despo Polyviou
- Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Andrew Hitchcock
- Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Alison J Baylay
- Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - C Mark Moore
- Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Thomas S Bibby
- Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
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Steenbergh AK, Bodelier PLE, Hoogveld HL, Slomp CP, Laanbroek HJ. Phylogenetic Characterization of Phosphatase-Expressing Bacterial Communities in Baltic Sea Sediments. Microbes Environ 2015; 30:192-5. [PMID: 25817584 PMCID: PMC4462931 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphate release from sediments hampers the remediation of aquatic systems from a eutrophic state. Microbial phosphatases in sediments release phosphorus during organic matter degradation. Despite the important role of phosphatase-expressing bacteria, the identity of these bacteria in sediments is largely unknown. We herein presented a culture-independent method to phylogenetically characterize phosphatase-expressing bacteria in sediments. We labeled whole-cell extracts of Baltic Sea sediments with an artificial phosphatase substrate and sorted phosphatase-expressing cells with a flow cytometer. Their phylogenetic affiliation was determined by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis. The phosphatase-expressing bacterial community coarsely reflected the whole-cell bacterial community, with a similar dominance of Alphaproteobacteria.
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Pasek MA, Sampson JM, Atlas Z. Redox chemistry in the phosphorus biogeochemical cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:15468-73. [PMID: 25313061 PMCID: PMC4217446 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1408134111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The element phosphorus (P) controls growth in many ecosystems as the limiting nutrient, where it is broadly considered to reside as pentavalent P in phosphate minerals and organic esters. Exceptions to pentavalent P include phosphine--PH3--a trace atmospheric gas, and phosphite and hypophosphite, P anions that have been detected recently in lightning strikes, eutrophic lakes, geothermal springs, and termite hindguts. Reduced oxidation state P compounds include the phosphonates, characterized by C-P bonds, which bear up to 25% of total organic dissolved phosphorus. Reduced P compounds have been considered to be rare; however, the microbial ability to use reduced P compounds as sole P sources is ubiquitous. Here we show that between 10% and 20% of dissolved P bears a redox state of less than +5 in water samples from central Florida, on average, with some samples bearing almost as much reduced P as phosphate. If the quantity of reduced P observed in the water samples from Florida studied here is broadly characteristic of similar environments on the global scale, it accounts well for the concentration of atmospheric phosphine and provides a rationale for the ubiquity of phosphite utilization genes in nature. Phosphine is generated at a quantity consistent with thermodynamic equilibrium established by the disproportionation reaction of reduced P species. Comprising 10-20% of the total dissolved P inventory in Florida environments, reduced P compounds could hence be a critical part of the phosphorus biogeochemical cycle, and in turn may impact global carbon cycling and methanogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Pasek
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33620
| | | | - Zachary Atlas
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33620
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