Published in:
J Bacteriol (Dec 15 2014)
Author(s):
DOI:
10.1128/JB.02370-14
Abstract:
Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans is able to grow by organohalide respiration using 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl acetate (Cl-OHPA) as an electron acceptor. We used a combination of genome sequencing, biochemical analysis of redox active components and shotgun proteomics to study elements of the organohalide respiratory electron transport chain. The genome of Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans JW/IU-DC1T consists of a single circular chromosome of 4321753 bp with a GC content of 44.97%. The genome encodes 4252 genes including six rRNA operons and six predicted reductive dehalogenases. One of the reductive dehalogenases, CprA, is encoded by a well characterised cprTKZEBACD gene cluster. Redox active components were identified in concentrated suspensions of cells grown on formate and Cl-OHPA or formate and fumarate, using electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR), visible spectroscopy, and high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC) analysis of membrane extracts. In cell suspensions, these components were reduced upon addition of formate and oxidized after addition of Cl-OHPA indicating involvement in organohalide respiration. Genome analysis revealed genes that likely encode the identified components of the electron transport chain from formate to fumarate or Cl-OHPA. Data presented here suggest that the first part of the electron transport chain from formate to fumarate or Cl-OHPA is shared. Electrons are channelled from an outward facing formate dehydrogenase via menaquinones to a fumarate reductase located at the cytoplasmic face of the membrane. When Cl-OHPA is the terminal electron acceptor, electrons are transferred from menaquinones to outward facing CprA, via an yet unidentified membrane complex, and potentially an extracellular flavoprotein acting as an electron shuttle between the quinol dehydrogenase membrane complex and CprA.