Protein-based stable isotope probing (Protein-SIP) reveals active species within anoxic mixed cultures

Jehmlich, N; Schmidt, F; von Bergen, M; Richnow, HH; Vogt, C

HERO ID

1941284

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2008

Language

English

PMID

18563188

HERO ID 1941284
In Press No
Year 2008
Title Protein-based stable isotope probing (Protein-SIP) reveals active species within anoxic mixed cultures
Authors Jehmlich, N; Schmidt, F; von Bergen, M; Richnow, HH; Vogt, C
Journal ISME Journal
Volume 2
Issue 11
Page Numbers 1122-1133
Abstract It is still a challenge to link specific metabolic activities to certain species in a microbial community because of methodological limitations. We developed a method to analyze the specific metabolic activity of a single bacterial species within a consortium making use of [(13)C(7)]-toluene for metabolic labelling of proteins. Labelled proteins were subsequently analyzed by 2D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) to characterize their identity as well as their (13)C content as an indicator for function and activity of the host organism. To establish this method, we analyzed the metabolic incorporation of (13)C carbon atoms into proteins of Aromatoleum aromaticum strain EbN1. This strain is capable of metabolizing toluene under nitrate-reducing conditions and was grown in either pure culture or in a mixed consortium with a gluconate-consuming enrichment culture. First, strain EbN1 was grown with non-labelled toluene or labelled [(13)C(7)]-toluene as carbon sources, respectively, and their proteins were subjected to 2-DE. In total, 60 unique proteins were identified by MALDI-MS/MS. From 38 proteins, the levels of (13)C incorporation were determined as 92.3+/-0.8%. Subsequently, we mixed strain EbN1 and the enrichment culture UFZ-1, which does not grow on toluene but on gluconate, and added non-labelled toluene, [(13)C(7)]-toluene and/or non-labelled gluconate as carbon sources. The isotope labelling of proteins was analyzed after 2-DE by MS as a quantitative indicator for metabolic transformation of isotopic-labelled toluene by the active species of the consortium. Incorporation of (13)C was exclusively found in proteins from strain EbN1 at a content of 82.6+/-2.3%, as an average calculated from 19 proteins, demonstrating the suitability of the method used to identify metabolic active species with specific properties within a mixed culture.
Doi 10.1038/ismej.2008.64
Pmid 18563188
Wosid WOS:000261026900004
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword Aromatoleum aromaticum strain EbN1; [C-13(7)]-toluene; metabolic labelling; stable isotope probing (SIP)