Biology subjects

Dong, X.

Publications and source records attributed to Dong, X..

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Diverse quorum sensing systems regulate microbial communication and biogeochemical processes in deep-sea cold seeps

Quorum sensing is a fundamental chemical communication mechanism that enables microorganisms to coordinate behavior and adapt to environmental conditions. In deep-sea cold seep ecosystems, where diverse microbial communities thrive, quorum sensing is likely a key mechanism driving microbial interactions. However, the distribution, mechanisms, and ecological roles of quorum sensing in cold seeps remain poorly understood. To address this, we analyzed 173 metagenomes, 33 metatranscriptomes, and 18 metabolomes from 17 global cold seep sites. We identified 299,355 quorum sensing genes from the seep non-redundant gene catalog, representing 34 gene types across six quorum sensing systems, with distribution patterns influenced by sediment depth and seep type. These quorum sensing genes were present in 3,576 metagenome-assembled genomes from 12 archaeal and 108 bacterial phyla, revealing a complex network of intraspecies and interspecies communication. Microbial groups involved in key metabolic processes, such as sulfate-reducing bacteria, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, diazotrophs and organohalide reducers, were extensively regulated by quorum sensing, influencing biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. Phylogenetic analysis and protein domain identification highlighted the functional roles of key quorum sensing-related proteins (e.g., PDEs, CahR, RpfC/G and LuxR) in modulating microbial behaviors, such as motility and chemotaxis. Heterologous expression and metabolomic profiling further confirmed the activity of representative LuxI-R pairs and identified inhibitors of quorum sensing in cold seep sediments. Overall, these findings highlight complexity and significance of quorum sensing in microbial interactions, ecological adaptation, and biogeochemical cycling within cold seep ecosystems, advancing our understanding of microbial communication in the deep biosphere.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

CircAge: A Comprehensive Resource for Aging-Associated Circular RNAs Across Species and Tissues

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a novel class of RNA molecules characterized by a circular structure and enhanced stability. Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs play pivotal regulatory roles in the aging process. Despite this, there is a lack of a systematic resource that integrates aging-associated circRNA data. Therefore, we developed a comprehensive database named circAge, which encompasses 689 aging-related samples from 7 species and 21 tissue types. We also generated 47 new tissue samples from mice and rhesus monkeys through high-throughput sequencing. Integrating predictions from multiple bioinformatics tools, we identified over 413,378 unique circRNAs. Our data analysis revealed a general increase in circRNA expression levels with age, with approximately 22% of circRNAs demonstrating sequence conservation across species. The circAge database systematically predicts potential interactions between circRNAs and miRNAs, RNA-binding proteins, and assesses the coding potential of circRNAs. This resource lays a foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in aging. As a comprehensive repository of aging-associated circRNAs, circAge will significantly accelerate research in this field, facilitating the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for aging biology and developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for aging and age-related diseases. CircAge is publicly available at https://circage.kiz.ac.cn.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

TLL1 knockdown attenuates prostate cancer progression by enhancing antitumor immunity

Due to the inevitable progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) following treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), it is essential to develop novel treatment approaches for managing CRPC. Here we showed that metalloproteinase TLL1 was positively associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness. Mechanistically, TLL1 promoted prostate cancer cells migration and metastasis through cleaving latent TGF-{beta}1 to activate TGF-{beta} signaling pathway. Moreover, LINC01179 interacted with Miz1 to attenuate TLL1 expression and LINC01179 impaired prostate cancer cell proliferation and migration ability by suppressing TLL1 expression to deactivate TGF-{beta} signaling activity. Meanwhile, we observed that TLL1 increased the expression of PD-L1 by activating TGF-{beta} signaling pathway and TLL1 depletion enhanced the antitumor efficacy by anti-PD-1 antibody via augmenting the infiltration proportions of CD8+ T cells in tumors. In addition, T cell-specific overexpression of TLL1 disrupted T cell development in the thymus. TLL1 overexpression in T cells accelerated RM-1 prostate tumor growth in mice by decreasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumors. Collectively, our results revealed that TLL1 may be a potential therapeutic target to alter prostate cancer progression.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

SARS-CoV-2 infection enhancement by Amphotericin B: Implications for disease management

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who require hospitalisation are at high risk of invasive pulmonary mucormycosis. Amphotericin B (AmB), which is the first line therapy for invasive pulmonary mucormycosis, has been shown to promote or inhibit replication of a spectrum of viruses. In this study, we first predicted that AmB and Nystatin had strong interactions with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins using in silico screening, indicative of drugs with potential therapeutic activity against this virus. Subsequently, we investigated the impact of AmB, Nystatin, Natamycin, Fluconazole and Caspofungin on SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in vitro. Results showed that AmB and Nystatin actually increased SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6, Calu-3 and Huh7 cells. At optimal concentrations, AmB and Nystatin increase SARS-CoV-2 replication by up to 100- and 10-fold in Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells, respectively. The other antifungals tested had no impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. Drug kinetic studies indicate that AmB enhances SARS-CoV-2 infection by promoting viral entry into cells. Additionally, knockdown of genes encoding for interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) proteins 1, 2, and 3 suggests AmB enhances SARS-CoV-2 cell entry by overcoming the antiviral effect of the IFITM3 protein. This study further elucidates the role of IFITM3 in viral entry and highlights the potential dangers of treating COVID-19 patients, with invasive pulmonary mucormycosis, using AmB. ImportanceAmB and Nystatin are common treatments for fungal infections but were predicted to strongly interact with SARS-CoV-2 proteins, indicating their potential modulation or inhibition against the virus. However, our tests revealed that these antifungals, in fact, enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection by facilitating viral entry into cells. The magnitude of enhancement could be up to 10- or 100-fold depending on cell lines used. These findings indicate that AmB and Nystatin have the potential to enhance disease when given to patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and therefore should not be used for treatment of fungal infections in active COVID-19 cases.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

Microbial succession, community assembly and adaptation over five years in a newly discovered deep-sea cold seep

Deep-sea cold seeps, characterized by the release of hydrocarbon-rich fluids such as methane from the seafloor, create unique ecosystems with evolving biological communities. Microorganisms serve as pioneers, initially colonizing early-stage cold seeps and providing essential matter and energy for subsequent colonizers. However, microbial succession, community assembly, and adaptation in these environments remain largely unexplored due to challenges associated with locating early-stage cold seeps. Here, we collected sediment samples from a newly discovered early-stage cold seep site, QDN-W07, in the South China Sea at varying depths over five years. We also sampled two previously reported cold seep sites, QDN-S18 and HM-ROV01, for comparative analysis. Amplicon sequencing revealed a high relative abundance of ANME-3 (up to 99%) and Methylomonadaceae (up to 83%) in surface sediments, and indicated changes in microbial community structures over time. Dispersal limitation dominated community assembly, while the contribution of homogeneous selection decreased over time, accompanied by a declined in the intensity of microbial association. Metagenomic analysis of core microbiome, comprising 172 metagenomic-assembled genomes at QDN-W07, revealed tolerance to low temperatures and oxygen. Core microbiome genomes were enriched with genes related to aerobic methane oxidation, urea metabolism, and the oxidation of sulfur, ammonia and carbon monoxide. These results indicate that core microorganisms obtain energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds, allowing them to thrive in cold, methane-rich and unstable conditions. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of deep biosphere life, biogeochemical cycling, and the ecological management of cold seep environments.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

A spatially-resolved blueprint of the developing human lung reveals a basal cell population regulated by a WNT-driven niche

Organs are composed of diverse cell types that change across space and time during development. To interrogate this diversity, we micro-dissected developing human lungs along the proximal-distal axis during the late pseudoglandular stage and generated an integrated analysis of single-nucleus sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, creating a cellularly-resolved atlas of the lung. These rich datasets revealed positional niches and cellular heterogeneity along the proximal-distal axis, including the identification of a unique population of TP63+ basal cells, the primary stem cell of the airway, marked by expression of LGR5 and LGR6. Analysis of the LGR5+ basal cell niche and functional experiments with primary organoid models suggest a tonic level of WNT pathway activity in LGR5+ basal cells that is potentiated by mesenchyme-derived R-SPONDIN. We found that basal cell self-renewal is enhanced by WNT activity, suggesting that the WNT pathway plays a previously unappreciated but critical role in airway stem cell maintenance during human development. These results enhance our fundamental understanding of the positional and cellular heterogeneity in the developing human lungs and begin to reveal unique niches that maintain homeostasis throughout the lung.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Diverse defense systems synergistically drive the microbe-virus arms race in deep sea cold seeps

Cold seeps host diverse microbes and viruses with numerous unexplored defense and anti-defense systems. Analysis of 3,813 microbial and 13,336 viral genomes from 191 metagenomes across 17 cold seep sites reveals extensive microbial defense repertoires, with over 60% representing candidate systems. Experimental validation confirms that several candidates protect against viral infection. These defense systems frequently co-occur, suggesting potential synergistic interactions, and are broadly distributed across sediments. In response, viruses have evolved diverse anti-defense genes, and the concurrent presence of multiple viral and microbial systems highlights intricate coevolution. Functionally critical lineages, such as anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and diazotrophs, appear to modify their defensive strategies under ecological and environmental pressures; for example, sulfate-reducing bacteria harbor multiple Gabija systems while corresponding viruses carry anti-Gabija genes, illustrating specific coevolutionary adaptations. Overall, these findings underscore the critical role of virus-microbe interactions in shaping microbial metabolic functions and environmental adaptation in deep-sea ecosystems.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

BrainScale: Enabling Scalable Online Learning in Spiking Neural Networks

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) represent a promising paradigm for understanding brain functions [1, 2] and developing neuromorphic intelligence [3, 4]. However, their potential remains largely unrealized due to a fundamental limitation: the lack of a scalable online learning system capable of supporting large-scale training of complex brain dynamics over long timescales. Current approaches are either limited to offline learning [5], impeding long-time task training; constrained by high memory complexity [6, 7], hindering network scaling; or using oversimplified models [8], failing to capture complex brain dynamics. Here, we introduce Brain-Scale, a system that synergizes model universality, computational efficiency, and engineering usability to enable scalable online learning in SNNs. First, BrainScale introduces standard model abstractions to support the training of diverse spiking networks. Second, BrainScale implements an online learning algorithm with linear memory complexity by exploiting intrinsic properties of SNN dynamics. Third, BrainScale provides an online learning compiler that automates the implementation of online learning for any user-defined models. Extensive evaluations across diverse SNN dynamics and computational tasks demonstrate that BrainScale consistently delivers strong training performance while maintaining extremely low memory usage and high computational efficiency. These properties enable the online training of a whole-brain-scale SNN of the Drosophila brain, accurately capturing functional activities across brain regions. These results position BrainScale as a foundational platform for advancing large-scale brain simulation and neuromorphic computing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Dynamical Modulation of Hippocampal Replay Sequences through Firing Rate Adaptation

During periods of immobility and sleep, the hippocampus generates diverse self-sustaining sequences of "replay" activity, exhibiting stationary, diffusive, and super-diffusive dynamical patterns. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this diversity in hippocampal sequential dynamics remain largely unknown. Here, we propose such a mechanism demonstrating that modulation of firing rate adaptation in a continuous attractor model of place cells causes the emergence of different types of replay. Our model makes several key predictions. First, more diffusive replay sequences positively correlate with longer theta sequences across animals (both reflecting stronger adaptation). Second, replay diffusivity varies within an animal across behavioural states that affect adaptation (such as wake and sleep). Third, increases in neural excitability, incorporated with firing rate adaptation, reduce the step size of decoded movements within individual replay sequences. We provide new experimental evidence for all three predictions. These insights suggested that the diverse replay dynamics observed in the hippocampus can be reconciled through a simple yet effective neural mechanism, shedding light on its role in hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions and its relationship to other aspects of hippocampal electrophysiology.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Expansion microscopy of axonemal dyneins in islet primary cilia

Primary cilia are vital sensory organelles whose structures are challenging to study due to their solitary nature and intricate cytoskeleton. Current imaging modalities are limited in their ability to visualize structural details that are important for understanding primary cilia function. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) is a recent superresolution imaging technique that physically expands biological specimens using a swellable hydrogel, allowing structural interrogation of small cellular components such as cilia. In this study, we apply U-ExM to mouse and human pancreatic islets to visualize the axonemal cytoskeleton and associated proteins in primary cilia. Our study reveals the expression of axonemal dynein in islet primary cilia and centrioles, with DNAI1 being a principal subunit which we validate using targeted shRNA knockdown. We conclude that U-ExM is suitable for localizing protein expression in pancreatic islet cilia which contain axonemal dynein.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Single-cell analysis of the somatic mutational landscape in human chondrocytes during aging and in osteoarthritis

Somatic mutation is now recognized as a cause of multiple human diseases other than cancer. Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent age-related disease, has been associated with increased chromosomal abnormalities in articular cartilage of OA patients. Thus far no systematic attempt has been made to characterize the somatic mutational landscape of chondrocytes during normal aging and in affected cartilage of OA patients. Here we used single-cell whole genome sequencing to quantitatively analyze single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small insertions and deletions (InDels) in 100 single chondrocytes isolated from the cartilage of hip femoral heads of 17 subjects aged from 26 to 90 years, including 9 OA patients and 8 non-OA donors. Both SNVs and InDels were found to accumulate with age in chondrocytes with a clock-like mutational signature. Surprisingly, the age-related accumulation rate of these mutations was found to be lower in OA chondrocytes compared with chondrocytes from non-OA control subjects.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2024

Experimental and Computational Methods for Allelic Imbalance Analysis from Single-Nucleus RNA-seq Data

Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) is emerging as a powerful tool for understanding gene function across diverse cells. Recently, this has included the use of allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis to better understand how variation in the human genome affects RNA expression at the single-cell level. We reasoned that because intronic reads are more prevalent in single-nucleus RNA-Seq (snRNA-Seq), and introns are under lower purifying selection and thus enriched for genetic variants, that snRNA-seq should facilitate single-cell analysis of ASE. Here we demonstrate how experimental and computational choices can improve the results of allelic imbalance analysis. We explore how experimental choices, such as RNA source, read length, sequencing depth, genotyping, etc., impact the power of ASE-based methods. We developed a new suite of computational tools to process and analyze scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq for ASE. As hypothesized, we extracted more ASE information from reads in intronic regions than those in exonic regions and show how read length can be set to increase power. Additionally, hybrid selection improved our power to detect allelic imbalance in genes of interest. We also explored methods to recover allele-specific isoform expression levels from both long- and short-read snRNA-seq. To further investigate ASE in the context of human disease, we applied our methods to a Parkinsons disease cohort of 94 individuals and show that ASE analysis had more power than eQTL analysis to identify significant SNP/gene pairs in our direct comparison of the two methods. Overall, we provide an end-to-end experimental and computational approach for future studies.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2024

AAB-seq: An antigen-specific and affinity-readable high-throughput BCR sequencing method

B-cell receptor (BCR) sequencing is a powerful antibody discovery tool but current methodology is often inefficient, and lead generation often requires the production and testing of numerous antibody candidates, and it is difficult to provide affinity information for their antibodies at the same time. Here, we introduce AAB-seq (antigen affinity-readable High-throughput BCR sequencing), an efficient antibody screening tool to identify antigen binding affinity of thousands of paired BCRs. It employs fluorophore and DNA barcode-labeled antigen and secondary antibody targeting Ig light chain to label B cells and uses high throughput single cell BCR sequencing and surface protein profiling to obtain the ratio of surface bound antigen to surface BCR in thousands of B-cells. Using AAB-seq, we accurately identified valuable candidate antibodies 1743-3 and 1743-13 from SARS-CoV-2 RBD immunized mouse, providing a basis for further development of SARS-CoV-2 antibody drugs. Thus, AAB-seq allows high throughput identification of antibody sequences paired with antigen affinity, which improves the screening efficiency of functional antibodies and provides an effective solution for the rapid discovery and development of new therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

Human Vascularized Macrophage-Islet Organoids to Model Immune-Mediated Pancreatic β cell Pyroptosis upon Viral Infection

There is a paucity of human models to study immune-mediated host damage. Here, we utilized the GeoMx spatial multi-omics platform to analyze immune cell changes in COVID-19 pancreatic autopsy samples, revealing an accumulation of proinflammatory macrophages. Single cell RNA-seq analysis of human islets exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) viruses identified activation of proinflammatory macrophages and {beta} cell pyroptosis. To distinguish viral versus proinflammatory macrophage-mediated {beta} cell pyroptosis, we developed human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived vascularized macrophage-islet (VMI) organoids. VMI organoids exhibited enhanced marker expression and function in both {beta} cells and endothelial cells compared to separately cultured cells. Notably, proinflammatory macrophages within VMI organoids induced {beta} cell pyroptosis. Mechanistic investigations highlighted TNFSF12-TNFRSF12A involvement in proinflammatory macrophage-mediated {beta} cell pyroptosis. This study established hPSC- derived VMI organoids as a valuable tool for studying immune cell-mediated host damage and uncovered mechanism of {beta} cell damage during viral exposure.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

PCL-seq: enhanced high-resolution transcriptomic profiling of region of interest in fresh frozen and FFPE tissues

The spatial heterogeneity of gene expression has propelled the development of multiple spatial transcriptomics technologies. Here, we present photocleavage and ligation sequencing (PCL-seq), an method for spatial indexing using a light-controlled DNA labeling strategy on tissue section. PCL-seq uses photocleavable oligonucleotides and ligation adapters to construct transcription profiles of region of interest (ROI), selected by microscopically controlled photo illumination apparatus in tissue sections. Applied to mouse embryos, PCL-seq obtains gene expression matrices that align with spatial locations and competitive data quality, featuring around 1.7x105 UMIs and 8,600 genes (irradiation diameter=100{micro}m). PCL-seq can also apply to formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) mouse embryo sections, whereas obtained competitive data output and recovered thousands of differentially enriched transcripts from limb and skeleton. Additionally, PCL-seq can achieve subcellular resolution, which was demonstrated for differential expression between nuclear and cytoplasmic. Thus, PCL-seq provides an accessible workflow for spatial transcriptomic analysis in frozen and FFPE tissue at subcellular resolution.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2024

Salidroside Mitigates Malignant Arrhythmias by Restoring Sodium Channel Function During Ultra-Acute Myocardial Infarction

BackgroundThe ultra-acute phase (Phase 1a) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is marked by a high incidence of malignant arrhythmias, often occurring during the prehospital period. Currently, there are no effective treatment options available for managing these arrhythmias at this early stage. Methods and ResultsUsing dual-channel optical mapping, we simultaneously recorded membrane potentials and calcium transients during acute myocardial infarction. Calcium transient duration maps accurately localized the infarcted region, and action potential activation time maps revealed conduction heterogeneity in the infarcted zone. Patch-clamp recordings showed that Salidroside (Sal) (1 {micro}g/mL) significantly increased sodium current density from -59.27 {+/-} 2.15 pA/pF to -83.46 {+/-} 3.19 pA/pF (P<0.01) and shifted the Nav1.5 activation curve leftward (V1/2 from -37.27 {+/-} 0.5 mV to -44.55 {+/-} 0.7 mV, P<0.01). In rat and rabbit AMI models, Sal pre-treatment reduced conduction heterogeneity and arrhythmia incidence compared to controls. Optical mapping showed improved conduction velocity and uniformity in the Sal group. ConclusionsSal restores electrophysiological function in damaged myocardium by modulating sodium currents, reducing conduction heterogeneity, and decreasing malignant arrhythmia incidence during the ultra-acute phase of AMI. These findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for AMI, addressing a critical unmet need in antiarrhythmic therapy. What is New?O_LIThis study identifies Salidroside (Sal) as a novel agent that enhances sodium channel currents (Nav1.5), distinguishing it from traditional antiarrhythmic drugs which primarily target potassium channels or {beta}-adrenergic receptors. Sal improves conduction uniformity in the infarcted myocardium by restoring the electrophysiological function of damaged cardiac cells, eliminating slow conduction pathways, and reducing conduction heterogeneity. C_LIO_LIThis research introduces Sal as a promising candidate for preventing and treating arrhythmias during the critical early stages of MI, potentially improving patient outcomes. Sal administration during the ultra-acute phase (phase 1a) of myocardial infarction (MI) significantly reduces the incidence of malignant arrhythmias, a critical period characterized by high extracellular potassium and increased arrhythmia risk. C_LIO_LIUtilizing calcium transient imaging and optical mapping, this study provides precise localization of ischemic regions and detailed electrophysiological characterization, offering a robust methodology for assessing therapeutic efficacy. C_LI

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2024

Genetic diversity analysis of main agronomic traits and ISSR markers in 35 ornamental rape germplasm resources

Rape (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil crop in our country, valued for its oil and ornamental uses. This study analyzed 35 ornamental rape germplasm resources from different origins to examine differences in agronomic traits and molecular markers. Nine agronomic traits were assessed in the field for variability, correlation, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. Genetic diversity was analyzed using microsatellite (ISSR) markers and the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). Our findings revealed a notable average coefficient of variation of 22.59% across the nine agronomic traits, with flower color exhibiting the highest variability and corolla width the least. The observed range of variation spanned from 9.24% to 83.38%, the correlation among these traits was generally low, with a mere 13.9% demonstrating significant correlations. The four principal components accounted for an impressive 84.62% of the cumulative contribution rate, while the genetic similarity, as gauged by eight ISSR primers, varied from 0.675 to 0.980. Most strikingly, we observed that plants from the same geographical region displayed molecular-level differences, underscoring the rich genetic diversity inherent in the 35 ornamental rape resources under study. Employing UPGMA cluster analysis on the primary agronomic traits and ISSR molecular markers, the 35 ornamental rape resources were categorized into seven and four distinct groups, respectively. Although the clustering outcomes from these two methodologies did not align perfectly, they served to complement each other. Collectively, these insights offer a theoretical framework for the innovation of ornamental rape germplasm resources and the cultivation of novel varieties.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

Aerobic methane production by methylotrophic Methylotenera in groundwater

Methylotenera are signature denitrifiers and methylotrophs commonly found together with methanotrophic bacteria in lakes and freshwater sediments. Here we show that three distinct Methylotenera ecotypes were abundant in methane-rich, Pleistocene-aged groundwaters. Just like in surface water biomes, groundwater Methylotenera often co-occurred with methane-oxidizing bacteria, even though they were generally unable to denitrify. One abundant Methylotenera ecotype expressed a pathway for aerobic methane production from methylphosphonate. This phosphate-acquisition strategy was recently found to contribute to methane production in the oligotrophic, oxic upper ocean. Gene organization, phylogeny and 3D protein structure of the key enzyme, C-P lyase subunit PhnJ were consistent with a role in phosphate uptake. We conclude that phosphate may be a limiting nutrient in productive, methane rich aquifers and that methylphosphonate degradation can contribute to groundwater methane production.

microbiology↗