PNNL

Abstract

Summary Methanosarcina barkeri can grow only under strictly anoxic conditions because enzymes in methane formation pathways of are very oxygen sensitive. However, it has been determined that M. barkeri can survive oxidative stress. To obtain further knowledge of cellular changes in M. barkeri in responsive to oxidative and other environmental stress, a first whole-genome M. barkeri oligonucleotide microarray was constructed according to the draft genome sequence that contains 5072 open reading frames (ORFs) and was used to investigate the global transcriptomic response of M. barkeri to oxidative stress and heat shock. The result showed that 552 genes in the M. barkeri genome were responsive to oxidative stress, while 177 genes responsive to heat-shock, respectively using a cut off of 2.5 fold change. Among them, 101 genes were commonly responsive to both environmental stimuli. In addition to various house-keeping genes, large number of functionally unknown genes (38-57% of total responsive genes) was regulated by both stress conditions. The result showed that the Hsp60 (GroEL) system, which was previously thought not present in archaea, was up-regulated and may play important roles in protein biogenesis in responsive to heat shock in M. barkeri. No gene encoding superoxide dismutase, catalase, nonspecific peroxidases or thioredoxin reductase was differentially expressed when subjected to oxidative stress. Instead, significant downregulation of house-keeping genes and up-regulation of genes encoding transposase was found in responsive to oxidative stress, suggesting that M. barkeri may be adopting a passive protective mechanism by slowing down cellular activities to survive the stress rather than activating a means against oxidative stress.