Linking ultrastructure and function in four genera of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria: cell plan, glycogen storage, and localization of cytochrome C proteins.
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an ecologically and industrially important process and is performed by a clade of deeply branching Planctomycetes. Anammox bacteria possess an intracytoplasmic membrane-bounded organelle, the anammoxosome. In the present study, the ultrastructures of four different genera of anammox bacteria were compared with transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography. The four anammox genera shared a common cell plan and contained glycogen granules. Differences between the four genera included cell size (from 800 to 1,100 nm in diameter), presence or absence of cytoplasmic particles, and presence or absence of pilus-like appendages. Furthermore, cytochrome c proteins were detected exclusively inside the anammoxosome. This detection provides further support for the hypothesis that this organelle is the locus of anammox catabolism.
van Niftrik
Laura
L
Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Geerts
Willie J C
WJ
van Donselaar
Elly G
EG
Humbel
Bruno M
BM
Webb
Richard I
RI
Fuerst
John A
JA
Verkleij
Arie J
AJ
Jetten
Mike S M
MS
Strous
Marc
M
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000032:analysis*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006003:Glycogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D006003:Glycogen; D045304:Cytochromes c