title: Linking ultrastructure and function in four genera of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria: cell plan, glycogen storage, and localization of cytochrome C proteins.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Niftrik
authors.forename: Willie J C
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Elly G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: van Donselaar
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Humbel
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fuerst
authors.forename: Arie J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Verkleij
authors.forename: Mike S M
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jetten
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strous
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D006003:Glycogen; D045304:Cytochromes c