Analysis of the interactions between microorganisms and extracellular Fe-S clusters as novel growth factors

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Igarashi Kensuke 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 主任研究員 (90759945)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 難培養微生物 / 環境微生物 / 硫化鉄 / 独立栄養性微生物 / 酢酸生成菌 / 生理活性物質 / 鉄イオウクラスター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to isolate and elucidate the physiology of unknown microorganisms that are difficult to culture and which cannot grow without an extracellular supply of Fe-S clusters.
Cultivation from various natural environments were conducted in the presence of greigite (Fe3S4), which has a similar crystal structure to Fe-S clusters. Microbial communities and isolates such as acetogens and methanogens that showed growth promotion by greigite were successfully obtained. New strains belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobiota (new genus level), which are considered difficult to culture and isolate were also successfully obtained.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、グライガイト存在下で増殖が促進される微生物群集と単離株を複数取得することに成功した。そのような特異的な生理を示す微生物の単離手法を確立できたとともに、細胞外鉄イオウクラスター依存的な微生物の生理解明に繋がる知見を示したと期待される。そして、これまで未培養であり、抗生物質生産などに関わる二次代謝経路をもつ新規性の高い株の取得にも成功した。これらの成果により、微生物代謝の根幹の解明や、CO2の資源化なども含めた微生物の産業利用を促す知見を得られたと期待される。