[NiFe]-hydrogenases are constitutively expressed in an enriched Methanobacterium sp. population during electromethanogenesis

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 11;14(4):e0215029. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215029. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Electromethanogenesis is the bioreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) utilizing an electrode as electron donor. Some studies have reported the active participation of Methanobacterium sp. in electron capturing, although no conclusive results are available. In this study, we aimed at determining short-time changes in the expression levels of [NiFe]-hydrogenases (Eha, Ehb and Mvh), heterodisulfide reductase (Hdr), coenzyme F420-reducing [NiFe]-hydrogenase (Frh), and hydrogenase maturation protein (HypD), according to the electron flow in independently connected carbon cloth cathodes poised at- 800 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE). Amplicon massive sequencing of cathode biofilm confirmed the presence of an enriched Methanobacterium sp. population (>70% of sequence reads), which remained in an active state (78% of cDNA reads), tagging this archaeon as the main methane producer in the system. Quantitative RT-PCR determinations of ehaB, ehbL, mvhA, hdrA, frhA, and hypD genes resulted in only slight (up to 1.5 fold) changes for four out of six genes analyzed when cells were exposed to open (disconnected) or closed (connected) electric circuit events. The presented results suggested that suspected mechanisms for electron capturing were not regulated at the transcriptional level in Methanobacterium sp. for short time exposures of the cells to connected-disconnected circuits. Additional tests are needed in order to confirm proteins that participate in electron capturing in Methanobacterium sp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Archaeal Proteins / genetics
  • Archaeal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bioelectric Energy Sources*
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Electrodes*
  • Hydrogenase / genetics
  • Hydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Methane / metabolism*
  • Methanobacterium / enzymology*
  • Methanobacterium / genetics
  • Methanobacterium / growth & development

Substances

  • Archaeal Proteins
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • nickel-iron hydrogenase
  • Hydrogenase
  • Methane

Grants and funding

The Spanish Government (MINECO http://www.mineco.gob.es/) contributed trough project BioGasApp (CTQ2014-53718-R). Universitat de Girona (https://www.udg.edu) contributed through projects MPCUdG2016/139 to JC and MCPUdG2016/121 to LB. R B-G received a Research Personnel Training (FPI) grant (BES-2015-074229). E P-V is recipient of a PhD grant from University of Girona (https://www.udg.edu). S P is a Serra-Húnter Fellow (UdG-AG-575). Generalitat de Catalunya (http://agaur.gencat.cat/) contributed through grants 2017SGR-1552 to RBG, JC and SP, and 2017SGR-548 to LB. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.