Persistence of the dominant soil phylum Acidobacteria by trace gas scavenging
Abstract
The mechanisms that the "dormant microbial majority" use to remain energized in nutrient-starved soil ecosystems have long remained elusive. In this work, we used an isolate of the highly abundant but poorly understood soil phylum Acidobacteria as a model for understanding microbial persistence mechanisms. When the bacterium entered a persistent state due to nutrient-exhaustion, we showed it could scavenge the trace concentrations of molecular hydrogen gas (H2) found in ambient air using a specialized high-affinity enzyme. These findings demonstrate that Acidobacteria can consume H2 and contribute to global hydrogen cycling. We propose that consumption of trace gases such as H2 provides a dependable general mechanism for dominant soil phyla to generate the maintenance energy required for long-term survival.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- August 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1508385112
- Bibcode:
- 2015PNAS..11210497G