title: The abundant marine bacterium Pelagibacter simultaneously catabolizes dimethylsulfoniopropionate to the gases dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol.
abstract: Marine phytoplankton produce ∼10(9) tonnes of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) per year(1,2), an estimated 10% of which is catabolized by bacteria through the DMSP cleavage pathway to the climatically active gas dimethyl sulfide(3,4). SAR11 Alphaproteobacteria (order Pelagibacterales), the most abundant chemo-organotrophic bacteria in the oceans, have been shown to assimilate DMSP into biomass, thereby supplying this cell's unusual requirement for reduced sulfur(5,6). Here, we report that Pelagibacter HTCC1062 produces the gas methanethiol, and that a second DMSP catabolic pathway, mediated by a cupin-like DMSP lyase, DddK, simultaneously shunts as much as 59% of DMSP uptake to dimethyl sulfide production. We propose a model in which the allocation of DMSP between these pathways is kinetically controlled to release increasing amounts of dimethyl sulfide as the supply of DMSP exceeds cellular sulfur demands for biosynthesis.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Sun
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors: Jonathan D
authors: JD
authors: Todd
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
authors: J Cameron
authors: JC
authors: Thrash
authors: Department of Food Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Yanping
authors: Y
authors: Qian
authors: Department of Food Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Michael C
authors: MC
authors: Qian
authors: Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Temperton
authors: Qingdao Aquarium, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, China.
authors: Jiazhen
authors: J
authors: Guo
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors: Emily K
authors: EK
authors: Fowler
authors: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors: Joshua T
authors: JT
authors: Aldrich
authors: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors: Carrie D
authors: CD
authors: Nicora
authors: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors: Mary S
authors: MS
authors: Lipton
authors: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors: Richard D
authors: RD
authors: Smith
authors: Department of Mathematics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: De Leenheer
authors: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors: Samuel H
authors: SH
authors: Payne
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors: Andrew W B
authors: AW
authors: Johnston
authors: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Cleo L
authors: CL
authors: Davie-Martin
authors: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Kimberly H
authors: KH
authors: Halsey
authors: Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Giovannoni
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005740:Gases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; C005231:methylmercaptan; C068078:dimethylpropiothetin; C004784:dimethyl sulfide