Methanosarcina barkeri (DSM 800) is a metabolically versatile methanogen and shows distinct metabolic status under different substrate regimes. However, the mechanisms underlying distinct transcriptional profiles under different substrate regimes remain elusive. In this study, based on transcriptional analysis, the growth performances and gene expressions of M. barkeri fed on acetate, H2 + CO2, and methanol, respectively, were investigated. M. barkeri showed higher growth performances under methanol, followed by H2 + CO2 and acetate, which corresponded well with the variations of gene expressions. The α diversity (evenness) of gene expressions was highest under the acetate regime, followed by H2 + CO2 and methanol, and significantly and negatively correlated with growth performances. The gene co-expression analysis showed that "Energy production and conversion," "Coenzyme transport and metabolism," and "Translation, ribosomal structure, and biogenesis" showed deterministic cooperation patterns of intra- and inter-functional classes. However, "Posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones" showed exclusion with other functional classes. The gene expressions and especially the relationships among them potentially drove the shifts of metabolic status under different substrate regimes. Consequently, this study revealed the diversity-related ecological strategies that a high α diversity probably provided more fitness and tolerance under natural environments and oppositely a low α diversity strengthened some specific physiological functions, as well as the co-responses of gene expressions to different substrate regimes.

Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation College of Resources and Environment Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou 350002 China

Institute of Microbiology University of Hannover Herrenhäuserstr 2 30140 Hannover Germany

Institute of Soil Biology Czech Academy of Sciences Na Sádkách 7 CZ37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture Chengdu 610041 China

Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology CAS; Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Chengdu Institute of Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Chengdu 610041 China

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