Biology subjects

Nweze, J. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Nweze, J. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Soil trace gas oxidizers divergently respond to short- and long-term warming

The upland soil microbiome is dominated by aerobic bacteria that oxidize atmospheric trace gases, including CO, H2, and CH4. As a result, soils are the largest biological sink for these climate-active gases. Whether global warming will enhance or suppress these processes remains unclear. Here, we studied the warming responses of soil trace gas oxidizers by profiling natural geothermal gradients in a subarctic grassland with over 60 years of field warming at +6{degrees}C. We integrate field flux measurements, ex situ biogeochemical assays, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics to determine ecosystem and cellular-level responses. Our results show that the oxidation of atmospheric CO and H2, but not CH4, increased with long-term warming due to higher cell numbers. However, at the cellular level, trace gas oxidizers, especially methanotrophs, tended to reduce gas consumption and transcription of gas-metabolizing enzymes in response to long-term warming. Our findings suggest that soils may remain a robust sink for trace gases despite lower per-cell activity. This work establishes a framework for interpreting the relationships between temperature and microbial trace gas oxidation on timescales relevant to Earths climate system.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Uncovering hidden phylo- and ecogenomic diversity of the widespread methanotrophic genus Methylobacter

The globally distributed genus Methylobacter plays a crucial role in mitigating methane emissions from diverse ecosystems, including freshwater and marine habitats, wetlands, soils, sediments, groundwater, and landfills. Despite their frequent presence and abundance in these systems, we still know little about the genomic adaptations that they exhibit. Here, we used a collection of 97 genomes and metagenome-assembled genomes to ecogenomically characterise the genus. Our analyses suggest that the genus Methylobacter may contain more species than previously thought, with >30 putative species clusters. Some species clusters shared >98.65% sequence identity of the full-length 16S rRNA gene, demonstrating the need for genome-resolved species delineation. The ecogenomic differences between Methylobacter spp. include various combinations of methane monooxygenases, multigene loci for alternative dissimilatory metabolisms related to hydrogen, sulphur cycling, and denitrification, as well as other lifestyle-associated functions. Additionally, we describe and tentatively name the two new Methylobacter species, which we recently cultured from sediment of a temperate eutrophic fishpond, as Methylobacter methanoversatilis, sp. nov. and Methylobacter spei, sp. nov. Overall, our study highlights previously unrecognised species diversity within the Methylobacter genus, their diverse metabolic potential, versatility, as well as the presence of distinct genomic adaptations for thriving in various environments.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2025

Genomic and physiological characterization of 'Candidatus Methylocystis sumavensis', a novel acid-tolerant methanotroph from peatland

Methanotrophic bacteria in peatlands mitigate emissions of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, yet the mechanisms enabling them to remain active under the acidic conditions typical of many peatlands remain poorly understood. Using enrichment cultivation and single-cell sorting, we isolated a novel peatland methanotroph from Czech soil, Methylocystis sumavensis. This species is moderately acidotolerant and active across broad pH and temperature ranges, with growth optima at pH 6.8 and 24-37 {degrees}C. The genome of M. sumavensis encodes two particulate methane monooxygenase isozymes, a clade I nitrous oxide reductase, multiple terminal oxidases, and two [NiFe]-hydrogenases, including a complete complex of the previously uncharacterised membrane-bound hydrogenase group 4f, indicating substantial metabolic versatility. To link genomic potential with physiological function, we compared transcriptomes under acidic (pH 5.0) and alkaline (pH 9.0) conditions relative to the optimum pH (6.8). Under both stresses, M. sumavensis increased transcription of genes involved in membrane remodelling, ion transport across both membranes, and stress response and repair, while reducing transcription of genes associated with methane oxidation and cell division. Alkaline stress additionally suppressed growth through reduced transcription of the carbon-assimilating Serine cycle. In contrast, acidic stress triggered a coordinated response requiring greater energetic investment. Among the most strongly upregulated genes were those encoding two formate dehydrogenases, the branched-chain alpha-keto-acid dehydrogenase complex, and all seven group 4f [NiFe]-hydrogenase-related genes, suggesting enhanced respiratory redox balancing under elevated external proton concentrations. These results reveal key mechanisms of pH-stress adaptation and highlight metabolic plasticity as a major determinant of methanotroph resilience in ecosystems.

microbiology↗