Biochemistry shapes growth kinetics of nitrifiers and defines their activity under specific environmental conditions

Martinez-Rabert, E., Smith, C. J. , Sloan, W. T. and González‐Cabaleiro, R. (2022) Biochemistry shapes growth kinetics of nitrifiers and defines their activity under specific environmental conditions. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 119(5), pp. 1290-1300. (doi: 10.1002/bit.28045) (PMID:35092010)

Abstract

Is it possible to find trends between the parameters that define microbial growth to help us explain the vast microbial diversity? Through an extensive database of kinetic parameters of nitrifiers, we analysed if the dominance of specific populations of nitrifiers could be predicted and explained. We concluded that, in general, higher growth yield (YXS) and ammonia affinity (a0 NH3) and lower growth rate (µmax) are observed for ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) than bacteria (AOB), which would explain their considered dominance in oligotrophic environments. However, comammox (CMX), with the maximum energy harvest per mole of ammonia, and some AOB, have higher a0 NH3 and lower µmax than some AOA. Although we were able to correlate the presence of specific terminal oxidases with observed oxygen affinities (a0 O2) for nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB), that correlation was not observed for AOB. Moreover, the presumed dominance of AOB over NOB in O2-limiting environments is discussed. Additionally, lower statistical variance of a0 O2 values than for ammonia and nitrite affinities was observed, suggesting nitrogen limitation as a stronger selective pressure. Overall, specific growth strategies within nitrifying groups were not identified through the reported kinetic parameters, which might suggest that mostly, fundamental differences in biochemistry are responsible for underlying kinetic parameters.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sloan, Professor William and Smith, Professor Cindy and Martinez, Mr Eloy
• Authors: Martinez-Rabert, E., Smith, C. J., Sloan, W. T., and González‐Cabaleiro, R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
• Journal Name: Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0006-3592
• ISSN (Online): 1097-0290
• Published Online: 28 January 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Biotechnology and Bioengineering 119(5): 1290-1300
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
190641		Synthetic Biology applications to Water Supply and Remediation	Steven Beaumont	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)	EP/K038885/1	Research and Innovation Services
305200		DTP 2018-19 University of Glasgow	Mary Beth Kneafsey	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)	EP/R513222/1	MVLS - Graduate School