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Abundance and distribution of diverse membrane‐bound monooxygenase ( C u‐ MMO ) genes within the C osta R ica oxygen minimum zone
Author(s) -
Tavormina Patricia L.,
Ussler William,
Steele Joshua A.,
Con Stephanie A.,
Klotz Martin G.,
Orphan Victoria J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
environmental microbiology reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.229
H-Index - 69
ISSN - 1758-2229
DOI - 10.1111/1758-2229.12025
Subject(s) - methane monooxygenase , ammonia monooxygenase , microorganism , photic zone , biology , lineage (genetic) , monooxygenase , bacteria , oxygen minimum zone , operon , oxygen , chemistry , gene , biochemistry , ecology , escherichia coli , genetics , metabolism , organic chemistry , phytoplankton , cytochrome p450 , nutrient , archaea
Summary Diverse copper‐containing membrane‐bound monooxygenase‐encoding sequences ( C u‐ MMOs ) have recently been described from the marine environment, suggesting widespread potential for oxidation of reduced substrates. Here, we used the well‐defined oxygen and methane gradients associated with the C osta R ican oxygen minimum zone ( OMZ ) to gain insight into the physico‐chemical parameters influencing the distribution and abundance of C u‐ MMO ‐encoding marine microorganisms. Two Methylococcales‐related C u‐ MMO ‐encoding lineages, termed groups OPU1 and OPU3 , demonstrated differences in their relative abundance, with both pmoA and candidate 16S rRNA genes correlating significantly with reduced environmental oxygen concentrations and depth. In contrast, a newly identified C u‐ MMO ‐encoding lineage, G roup C , was primarily associated with the oxygenated euphotic zone. An updated phylogenetic analysis including these sequences, a marine pxmABC gene cluster, ethylene‐utilizing C u‐ MMO ‐encoding lineages and previously reported planktonic C u‐ MMOs ( G roups W , X , Z and O ) demonstrates the breadth of diversity of C u‐ MMO ‐encoding marine microorganisms. G roups C and X affiliated phylogenetically with ethane‐ and ethylene‐oxidizing C u‐ MMOs , G roups W and O affiliated phylogenetically with the recently described C u‐ MMO ‘ pXMO ’, and G roup Z clustered with C u‐ MMOs recovered from soils. Collectively, these data demonstrate widespread genetic potential in ocean waters for the oxidation of small, reduced molecules and advance our understanding of the microorganisms involved in methane cycling in the OMZ environment.