Scientists have discovered a species of deep-sea bacteria with a unique metabolism.
Scientists in Germany, who have studied a bacteria known as Acetobacterium woodii, argue that this species, which also lives in the intestines of termites, can create and use hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce energy on its own, even without the need for oxygen.
The ability to survive on both organic and inorganic substances without oxygen makes this bacterium completely unique among microorganisms, and although scientists have long suspected that something like this exists, it has never been clearly described among acetogenic bacteria that produce oxygen-free methane. .
“There have already been suggestions that many ancient life forms have the same metabolism that we described in A. woodii,” explains microbiologist Volker Müller from Goethe University in Frankfurt.
'It is assumed that, for example, this refers to the archaea of Asgard, which were discovered several years ago on the seabed. Our research provides the first evidence that such metabolic options actually exist. '
Hydrothermal vents were only discovered in the late 70s, and since then we've realized that these strange habitats are home to complex and dynamic life forms, including bacteria that feed on inorganic compounds like hydrogen and sulfide.
In fact, it may be one of the largest reservoirs of a variety of hydrogen-converting microorganisms in the world, and as a result, it is believed that some of these creatures may have metabolic systems that are different from anything we have seen before.
The point is that excess hydrogen inhibits fermentation, and even the weakest hydrothermal vents easily exceed the levels required to contain fermenting bacteria. So how do such microbes exist here?
Apparently the answer lies in sticking together. If one bacterium that produces hydrogen combines with another microorganism that oxidizes hydrogen, such as archaea, which produces methane, then the latter can maintain good environmental conditions for the former to live and reproduce.
The new analysis basically claims to have found a microorganism capable of playing both roles in only one bacterial cell.
On the contrary, A. woodii combines the metabolic characteristics of two partners in one bacterial cell, the authors of the analysis conclude.
'Depending on the environmental conditions, A. woodii can act as a fermentation partner … or a hydrogen consuming partner.'
The study was published in the journal ISME.
