Resolving Unknown Metabolisms in Archaea: A Multi-Omics
Approach in Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea

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• April 11, 2024
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Presenter: Logan Hodgskiss

Authors: Hodgskiss, Logan, H., University of Vienna; Kerou, Melina, University of Vienna; Schleper, Christa, University of Vienna

Conference: Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology, Gordon Research Conference (GRC)

Abstract Ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) are a critical part of the global nitrogen cycle and so far represent the only known archaeal lineage to spread ubiquitously across mesophilic and thermophilic environments.  Since their discovery, a wealth of genomic and ecological data has shown that AOA are a diverse group that have adapted to their respective environments.  Nevertheless, the core metabolism of AOA, and specifically how they yield energy from nitrification, is still unknown.  While some components of the metabolism have been identified via homologous genes from ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), multiple key proteins have yet to be identified, indicating ecologically relevant and functional differences between these two domains.  While genomics has offered many hints, a look beyond what genomes can offer is needed.  In the absence of a genetic system and sufficient biomass accumulation, a functional omics approach offers an opportunity to address these unknowns. Therefore, transcriptomics and proteomics (shotgun and membrane fractions) of pure culture AOA have been analyzed under various conditions for insights into the missing metabolic steps.  This information, supplemented with comparative genomics, has been compared to other known studies of AOA to bring the field one step closer in resolving AOA metabolism within the nitrogen cycle.  While more work is needed to conclusively resolve this metabolism, this approach has shown key differences in conserved steps of the metabolism between AOA and AOB and further highlights the differences between intermediate steps.