A Genome-Scale Model of Shewanella piezotolerans Simulates Mechanisms of Metabolic Diversity and Energy Conservation

What is it about?

Bacteria are present everywhere and have many different roles such as helping us digest food or recycling nutrients in the ocean. These organisms, invisible to our naked eyes, are also present in the deep sea, which is one of the most exotic places on earth and is characterized by its extreme conditions, e.g. lack of nutrients, low temperature, and high hydrostatic pressure. Our recent research has focused on Shewanella piezotolerans WP3, a bacterial species isolated from the sea floor in the Pacific Ocean and is adapted to low temperature and high pressure conditions. We constructed an in silico model to represent the metabolic activities of WP3 based on information encoded in the organism’s complete genome. Through quantitative simulations of this model, we were able to explore how WP3 utilizes different nutrients to grow and conserve energy. We found that WP3 may have adapted to the deep-sea environment by maintaining flexibilities in energy-generating mechanisms.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This research has produced a first genome-scale in silico model of a deep-sea bacterium. The model gives us a platform to study growth and metabolism in the deep sea and will be used for future investigations into how Shewanella species have adapted to different environments.