A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Reduction of the Temperature Sensitivity of Halomonas hydrothermalis by Iron Starvation Combined with Microaerobic Conditions
Authors: Harrison JP, Hallsworth JE, Cockell CS
Publisher: AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
Publication year: 2015
Journal name in source: APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
Journal acronym: APPL ENVIRON MICROB
Volume: 81
Issue: 6
First page : 2156
Last page: 2162
Number of pages: 7
ISSN: 0099-2240
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03639-14
Abstract
The limits to biological processes on Earth are determined by physicochemical parameters, such as extremes of temperature and low water availability. Research into microbial extremophiles has enhanced our understanding of the biophysical boundaries which define the biosphere. However, there remains a paucity of information on the degree to which rates of microbial multiplication within extreme environments are determined by the availability of specific chemical elements. Here, we show that iron availability and the composition of the gaseous phase (aerobic versus microaerobic) determine the susceptibility of a marine bacterium, Halomonas hydrothermalis, to suboptimal and elevated temperature and salinity by impacting rates of cell division (but not viability). In particular, iron starvation combined with microaerobic conditions (5% [vol/vol]O-2, 10% [vol/vol]CO2, reduced pH) reduced sensitivity to temperature across the 13 degrees C range tested. These data demonstrate that nutrient limitation interacts with physicochemical parameters to determine biological permissiveness for extreme environments. The interplay between resource availability and stress tolerance, therefore, may shape the distribution and ecology of microorganisms within Earth's biosphere.
The limits to biological processes on Earth are determined by physicochemical parameters, such as extremes of temperature and low water availability. Research into microbial extremophiles has enhanced our understanding of the biophysical boundaries which define the biosphere. However, there remains a paucity of information on the degree to which rates of microbial multiplication within extreme environments are determined by the availability of specific chemical elements. Here, we show that iron availability and the composition of the gaseous phase (aerobic versus microaerobic) determine the susceptibility of a marine bacterium, Halomonas hydrothermalis, to suboptimal and elevated temperature and salinity by impacting rates of cell division (but not viability). In particular, iron starvation combined with microaerobic conditions (5% [vol/vol]O-2, 10% [vol/vol]CO2, reduced pH) reduced sensitivity to temperature across the 13 degrees C range tested. These data demonstrate that nutrient limitation interacts with physicochemical parameters to determine biological permissiveness for extreme environments. The interplay between resource availability and stress tolerance, therefore, may shape the distribution and ecology of microorganisms within Earth's biosphere.
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