Syntrophy
In
Microbial syntrophy
Syntrophy is often used synonymously for mutualistic symbiosis especially between at least two different bacterial species. Syntrophy differs from symbiosis in a way that syntrophic relationship is primarily based on closely linked metabolic interactions to maintain thermodynamically favorable lifestyle in a given environment.[10][11][12] Syntrophy plays an important role in a large number of microbial processes especially in oxygen limited environments, methanogenic environments and anaerobic systems.[13][14] In anoxic or methanogenic environments such as wetlands, swamps, paddy fields, landfills, digestive tract of ruminants, and anerobic digesters syntrophy is employed to overcome the energy constraints as the reactions in these environments proceed close to thermodynamic equilibrium.[9][14][15]
Mechanism of microbial syntrophy
The main mechanism of syntrophy is removing the metabolic end products of one species so as to create an energetically favorable environment for another species.
The metabolic reactions and the energy involved for syntrophic degradation with H2 consumption:[18]
A classical syntrophic relationship can be illustrated by the activity of ‘Methanobacillus omelianskii’. It was isolated several times from anaerobic sediments and sewage sludge and was regarded as a pure culture of an anaerobe converting ethanol to acetate and methane. In fact, however, the culture turned out to consist of a methanogenic archaeon "organism M.o.H" and a Gram-negative Bacterium "Organism S" which involves the oxidization of
Organism S: 2 Ethanol + 2 H2O → 2 Acetate− + 2 H+ + 4 H2 (ΔG°' = +9.6 kJ per reaction)
Strain M.o.H.: 4 H2 + CO2 → Methane + 2 H2O (ΔG°' = -131 kJ per reaction)
Co-culture:2 Ethanol + CO2 → 2 Acetate− + 2 H+ + Methane (ΔG°' = -113 kJ per reaction)
The oxidization of ethanol by organism S is made possible thanks to the methanogen M.o.H, which consumes the hydrogen produced by organism S, by turning the positive Gibbs free energy into negative Gibbs free energy. This situation favors growth of organism S and also provides energy for methanogens by consuming hydrogen. Down the line, acetate accumulation is also prevented by similar syntrophic relationship.[18] Syntrophic degradation of substrates like butyrate and benzoate can also happen without hydrogen consumption.[15]
An example of propionate and butyrate degradation with interspecies formate transfer carried out by the mutual system of Syntrophomonas wolfei and Methanobacterium formicicum:[16]
Propionate+2H2O+2CO2 → Acetate- +3Formate- +3H+ (ΔG°'=+65.3 kJ/mol)
Butyrate+2H2O+2CO2 → 2Acetate- +3Formate- +3H+ ΔG°'=+38.5 kJ/mol)
Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) which involves electron transfer without any electron carrier such as H2 or formate was reported in the co-culture system of Geobacter mettalireducens and Methanosaeto or Methanosarcina[16][21]
Examples
In ruminants
The defining feature of
Some fermentation products, such as
Biodegradation of pollutants
Syntrophic microbial
Syntrophic microbial communities are key players in the breakdown of
Degradation of amino acids
Studies have shown that bacterial degradation of
Anaerobic digestion
Effective syntrophic cooperation between propionate oxidizing bacteria, acetate oxidizing bacteria and H2/acetate consuming methanogens is necessary to successfully carryout anaerobic digestion to produce biomethane[4][18]
Examples of syntrophic organisms
- Syntrophomonas wolfei[31]
- Syntrophobacter funaroxidans[3]
- Pelotomaculum thermopropinicium[3]
- Syntrophus aciditrophicus[15]
- Syntrophus buswellii[14]
- Syntrophus gentianae[32]
References
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- ^ "Syntrophism Definition & Meaning | Merriam-Webster Medical". 2022-08-19. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
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