MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans

Abstract Methanogens are a diverse group of Archaea that obligately couple energy conservation to the production of methane. Some methanogens encode alternate pathways for energy conservation, like anaerobic respiration, but the biochemical details of this process are unknown. We show that a multihe...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dinesh Gupta, Keying Chen, Sean J. Elliott, Dipti D. Nayak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47564-2
_version_ 1797199323014889472
author Dinesh Gupta
Keying Chen
Sean J. Elliott
Dipti D. Nayak
author_facet Dinesh Gupta
Keying Chen
Sean J. Elliott
Dipti D. Nayak
author_sort Dinesh Gupta
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Methanogens are a diverse group of Archaea that obligately couple energy conservation to the production of methane. Some methanogens encode alternate pathways for energy conservation, like anaerobic respiration, but the biochemical details of this process are unknown. We show that a multiheme c-type cytochrome called MmcA from Methanosarcina acetivorans is important for intracellular electron transport during methanogenesis and can also reduce extracellular electron acceptors like soluble Fe3+ and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate. Consistent with these observations, MmcA displays reversible redox features ranging from −100 to −450 mV versus SHE. Additionally, mutants lacking mmcA have significantly slower Fe3+ reduction rates. The mmcA locus is prevalent in members of the Order Methanosarcinales and is a part of a distinct clade of multiheme cytochromes that are closely related to octaheme tetrathionate reductases. Taken together, MmcA might act as an electron conduit that can potentially support a variety of energy conservation strategies that extend beyond methanogenesis.
first_indexed 2024-04-24T07:13:55Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3d27037c334d4f579d95d7ace3d4e6e4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2041-1723
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-24T07:13:55Z
publishDate 2024-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj.art-3d27037c334d4f579d95d7ace3d4e6e42024-04-21T11:23:47ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-04-0115111010.1038/s41467-024-47564-2MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivoransDinesh Gupta0Keying Chen1Sean J. Elliott2Dipti D. Nayak3Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of CaliforniaDepartment of Chemistry, Boston UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, Boston UniversityDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of CaliforniaAbstract Methanogens are a diverse group of Archaea that obligately couple energy conservation to the production of methane. Some methanogens encode alternate pathways for energy conservation, like anaerobic respiration, but the biochemical details of this process are unknown. We show that a multiheme c-type cytochrome called MmcA from Methanosarcina acetivorans is important for intracellular electron transport during methanogenesis and can also reduce extracellular electron acceptors like soluble Fe3+ and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate. Consistent with these observations, MmcA displays reversible redox features ranging from −100 to −450 mV versus SHE. Additionally, mutants lacking mmcA have significantly slower Fe3+ reduction rates. The mmcA locus is prevalent in members of the Order Methanosarcinales and is a part of a distinct clade of multiheme cytochromes that are closely related to octaheme tetrathionate reductases. Taken together, MmcA might act as an electron conduit that can potentially support a variety of energy conservation strategies that extend beyond methanogenesis.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47564-2
spellingShingle Dinesh Gupta
Keying Chen
Sean J. Elliott
Dipti D. Nayak
MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
Nature Communications
title MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
title_full MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
title_fullStr MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
title_full_unstemmed MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
title_short MmcA is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in Methanosarcina acetivorans
title_sort mmca is an electron conduit that facilitates both intracellular and extracellular electron transport in methanosarcina acetivorans
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47564-2
work_keys_str_mv AT dineshgupta mmcaisanelectronconduitthatfacilitatesbothintracellularandextracellularelectrontransportinmethanosarcinaacetivorans
AT keyingchen mmcaisanelectronconduitthatfacilitatesbothintracellularandextracellularelectrontransportinmethanosarcinaacetivorans
AT seanjelliott mmcaisanelectronconduitthatfacilitatesbothintracellularandextracellularelectrontransportinmethanosarcinaacetivorans
AT diptidnayak mmcaisanelectronconduitthatfacilitatesbothintracellularandextracellularelectrontransportinmethanosarcinaacetivorans