Proteogenomic monitoring of Geobacter physiology during stimulated uranium bioremediation.

TitleProteogenomic monitoring of Geobacter physiology during stimulated uranium bioremediation.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsWilkins MJ, VerBerkmoes NC, Williams KH, Callister SJ, Mouser PJ, Elifantz H, N'guessan LA, Thomas BC, Nicora CD, Shah MB, Abraham P, Lipton MS, Lovley DR, Hettich RL, Long PE, Banfield JF
JournalAppl Environ Microbiol
Volume75
Issue20
Pagination6591-9
Date Published2009 Oct
ISSN1098-5336
KeywordsAmino Acid Sequence, Bacterial Proteins, Biodegradation, Environmental, Genomics, Geobacter, Molecular Sequence Data, Oxidation-Reduction, Peptide Mapping, Plankton, Proteomics, Uranium, Water Microbiology, Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Abstract

Implementation of uranium bioremediation requires methods for monitoring the membership and activities of the subsurface microbial communities that are responsible for reduction of soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV). Here, we report a proteomics-based approach for simultaneously documenting the strain membership and microbial physiology of the dominant Geobacter community members during in situ acetate amendment of the U-contaminated Rifle, CO, aquifer. Three planktonic Geobacter-dominated samples were obtained from two wells down-gradient of acetate addition. Over 2,500 proteins from each of these samples were identified by matching liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry spectra to peptides predicted from seven isolate Geobacter genomes. Genome-specific peptides indicate early proliferation of multiple M21 and Geobacter bemidjiensis-like strains and later possible emergence of M21 and G. bemidjiensis-like strains more closely related to Geobacter lovleyi. Throughout biostimulation, the proteome is dominated by enzymes that convert acetate to acetyl-coenzyme A and pyruvate for central metabolism, while abundant peptides matching tricarboxylic acid cycle proteins and ATP synthase subunits were also detected, indicating the importance of energy generation during the period of rapid growth following the start of biostimulation. Evolving Geobacter strain composition may be linked to changes in protein abundance over the course of biostimulation and may reflect changes in metabolic functioning. Thus, metagenomics-independent community proteogenomics can be used to diagnose the status of the subsurface consortia upon which remediation biotechnology relies.

DOI10.1128/AEM.01064-09
Alternate JournalAppl. Environ. Microbiol.
PubMed ID19717633