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Moore RA, Azua-Bustos A, González-Silva C, Carr CE. Unveiling metabolic pathways involved in the extreme desiccation tolerance of an Atacama cyanobacterium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15767. [PMID: 37737281 PMCID: PMC10516996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41879-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Gloeocapsopsis dulcis strain AAB1 is an extremely xerotolerant cyanobacterium isolated from the Atacama Desert (i.e., the driest and oldest desert on Earth) that holds astrobiological significance due to its ability to biosynthesize compatible solutes at ultra-low water activities. We sequenced and assembled the G. dulcis genome de novo using a combination of long- and short-read sequencing, which resulted in high-quality consensus sequences of the chromosome and two plasmids. We leveraged the G. dulcis genome to generate a genome-scale metabolic model (iGd895) to simulate growth in silico. iGd895 represents, to our knowledge, the first genome-scale metabolic reconstruction developed for an extremely xerotolerant cyanobacterium. The model's predictive capability was assessed by comparing the in silico growth rate with in vitro growth rates of G. dulcis, in addition to the synthesis of trehalose. iGd895 allowed us to explore simulations of key metabolic processes such as essential pathways for water-stress tolerance, and significant alterations to reaction flux distribution and metabolic network reorganization resulting from water limitation. Our study provides insights into the potential metabolic strategies employed by G. dulcis, emphasizing the crucial roles of compatible solutes, metabolic water, energy conservation, and the precise regulation of reaction rates in their adaptation to water stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Moore
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 275 Ferst Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Christopher E Carr
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 275 Ferst Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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2
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Strunecký O, Ivanova AP, Mareš J. An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:12-51. [PMID: 36443823 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial taxonomy is facing a period of rapid changes thanks to the ease of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and established workflows for description of new taxa. Since the last comprehensive review of the cyanobacterial system in 2014 until 2021, at least 273 species in 140 genera were newly described. These taxa were mainly placed into previously defined orders and families although several new families were proposed. However, the classification of most taxa still relied on hierarchical relationships inherited from the classical morphological taxonomy. Similarly, the obviously polyphyletic orders such as Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales were left unchanged. In this study, the rising number of genomic sequences of cyanobacteria and well-described reference strains allowed us to reconstruct a robust phylogenomic tree for taxonomic purposes. A less robust but better sampled 16S rRNA gene phylogeny was mapped to the phylogenomic backbone. Based on both these phylogenies, a polyphasic classification throughout the whole phylum of Cyanobacteria was created, with ten new orders and fifteen new families. The proposed system of cyanobacterial orders and families relied on a phylogenomic tree but still employed phenotypic apomorphies where possible to make it useful for professionals in the field. It was, however, confirmed that morphological convergence of phylogenetically distant taxa was a frequent phenomenon in cyanobacteria. Moreover, the limited phylogenetic informativeness of the 16S rRNA gene, resulting in ambiguous phylogenies above the genus level, emphasized the integration of genomic data as a prerequisite for the conclusive taxonomic placement of a vast number of cyanobacterial genera in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otakar Strunecký
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Na Sádkách 1780, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Pavlovna Ivanova
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Na Sádkách 1780, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mareš
- Biology Centre of the CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 702/7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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3
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Dabravolski SA, Isayenkov SV. Metabolites Facilitating Adaptation of Desert Cyanobacteria to Extremely Arid Environments. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3225. [PMID: 36501264 PMCID: PMC9736550 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Desert is one of the harshest environments on the planet, characterized by exposure to daily fluctuations of extreme conditions (such as high temperature, low nitrogen, low water, high salt, etc.). However, some cyanobacteria are able to live and flourish in such conditions, form communities, and facilitate survival of other organisms. Therefore, to ensure survival, desert cyanobacteria must develop sophisticated and comprehensive adaptation strategies to enhance their tolerance to multiple simultaneous stresses. In this review, we discuss the metabolic pathways used by desert cyanobacteria to adapt to extreme arid conditions. In particular, we focus on the extracellular polysaccharides and compatible solutes biosynthesis pathways and their evolution and special features. We also discuss the role of desert cyanobacteria in the improvement of soil properties and their ecological and environmental impact on soil communities. Finally, we summarize recent achievements in the application of desert cyanobacteria to prevent soil erosion and desertification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siarhei A. Dabravolski
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude Academic College of Engineering, Snunit 51, Karmiel 2161002, Israel
| | - Stanislav V. Isayenkov
- Department of Plant Food Products and Biofortification, Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Osipovskogo Str. 2a, 04123 Kyiv, Ukraine
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4
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Sazanova KV, Vlasov DY, Zelenskaya MS, Panova EG, Rodina OA, Miklashevich EA. Lithobiotic Communities on the Surface of Rock Art Monuments in the Minusinsk Basin (South Siberia): Conditions for Formation and Biomineral Interactions. CONTEMP PROBL ECOL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1995425522030118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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5
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Jung P, Brust K, Schultz M, Büdel B, Donner A, Lakatos M. Opening the Gap: Rare Lichens With Rare Cyanobionts - Unexpected Cyanobiont Diversity in Cyanobacterial Lichens of the Order Lichinales. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:728378. [PMID: 34690969 PMCID: PMC8527099 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.728378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The last decades of research led to a change in understanding of lichens that are now seen as self-sustaining micro-ecosystems, harboring diverse microbial organisms in tight but yet not fully understood relationships. Among the diverse interdependencies, the relationship between the myco- and photobiont is the most crucial, determining the shape, and ecophysiological properties of the symbiotic consortium. Roughly 10% of lichens associate with cyanobacteria as their primary photobiont, termed cyanolichens. Up to now, the diversity of cyanobionts of bipartite lichens resolved by modern phylogenetic approaches is restricted to the filamentous and heterocytous genera of the order Nostocales. Unicellular photobionts were placed in the orders Chroococcales, Pleurocapsales, and Chroococcidiopsidales. However, especially the phylogeny and taxonomy of the Chroococcidiopsidales genera remained rather unclear. Here we present new data on the identity and phylogeny of photobionts from cyanolichens of the genera Gonohymenia, Lichinella, Peccania, and Peltula from a broad geographical range. A polyphasic approach was used, combining morphological and cultivation-depending characteristics (microscopy, staining techniques, life cycle observation, baeocyte motility, and nitrogen fixation test) with phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS gene region. We found an unexpectedly high cyanobiont diversity in the cyanobacterial lichens of the order Lichinales, including two new genera and seven new species, all of which were not previously perceived as lichen symbionts. As a result, we describe the novel unicellular Chroococcidiopsidales genera Pseudocyanosarcina gen. nov. with the species Pseudocyanosarcina phycocyania sp. nov. (from Peltula clavata, Australia) and Compactococcus gen. nov. with the species Compactococcus sarcinoides sp. nov. (from Gonohymenia sp., Australia) and the new Chroococcidiopsidales species Aliterella compacta sp. nov. (from Peltula clavata, Australia), Aliterella gigantea sp. nov. (from Peltula capensis; South Africa), Sinocapsa ellipsoidea sp. nov. (from Peccania cerebriformis, Austria), as well as the two new Nostocales species Komarekiella gloeocapsoidea sp. nov. (from Gonohymenia sp., Czechia) and Komarekiella globosa sp. nov. (from Lichinella cribellifera, Canary Islands, Spain). Our study highlights the role of cyanolichens acting as a key in untangling cyanobacterial taxonomy and diversity. With this study, we hope to stimulate further research on photobionts, especially of rare cyanolichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Katharina Brust
- Ecology Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Matthias Schultz
- Institute for Plant Science and Microbiology, Herbarium Hamburgense, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Antje Donner
- Faculty of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Michael Lakatos
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
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6
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Oren N, Timm S, Frank M, Mantovani O, Murik O, Hagemann M. Red/far-red light signals regulate the activity of the carbon-concentrating mechanism in cyanobacteria. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/34/eabg0435. [PMID: 34407941 PMCID: PMC8373116 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Desiccation-tolerant cyanobacteria can survive frequent hydration/dehydration cycles likely affecting inorganic carbon (Ci) levels. It was recently shown that red/far-red light serves as signal-preparing cells toward dehydration. Here, the effects of desiccation on Ci assimilation by Leptolyngbya ohadii isolated from Israel's Negev desert were investigated. Metabolomic investigations indicated a decline in ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase carboxylation activity, and this was accelerated by far-red light. Far-red light negatively affected the Ci affinity of L. ohadii during desiccation and in liquid cultures. Similar effects were evident in the non-desiccation-tolerant cyanobacterium Synechocystis The Synechocystis Δcph1 mutant lacking the major phytochrome exhibited reduced photosynthetic Ci affinity when exposed to far-red light, whereas the mutant ΔsbtB lacking a Ci uptake inhibitory protein lost the far-red light inhibition. Collectively, these results suggest that red/far-red light perception likely via phytochromes regulates Ci uptake by cyanobacteria and that this mechanism contributes to desiccation tolerance in strains such as L. ohadii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Oren
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany.
| | - Stefan Timm
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Marcus Frank
- Medical Biology and Electron Microscopy Centre, Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, Strempelstr. 14, 18057 Rostock, Germany
- Department of Life, Light, and Matter, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 25, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Oliver Mantovani
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Omer Murik
- Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Martin Hagemann
- Plant Physiology Department, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
- Department of Life, Light, and Matter, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 25, 18059 Rostock, Germany
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7
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Jung P, Azua-Bustos A, Gonzalez-Silva C, Mikhailyuk T, Zabicki D, Holzinger A, Lakatos M, Büdel B. Emendation of the Coccoid Cyanobacterial Genus Gloeocapsopsis and Description of the New Species Gloeocapsopsis diffluens sp. nov. and Gloeocapsopsis dulcis sp. nov. Isolated From the Coastal Range of the Atacama Desert (Chile). Front Microbiol 2021; 12:671742. [PMID: 34305839 PMCID: PMC8295473 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.671742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomy of coccoid cyanobacteria, such as Chroococcidiopsis, Pleurocapsa, Chroococcus, Gloeothece, Gloeocapsa, Gloeocapsopsis, and the related recent genera Sinocapsa and Aliterella, can easily be intermixed when solely compared on a morphological basis. There is still little support on the taxonomic position of some of the addressed genera, as genetic information is available only for a fraction of species that have been described solely on morphology. Modern polyphasic approaches that combine classic morphological investigations with DNA-based molecular analyses and the evaluation of ecological properties can disentangle these easily confusable unicellular genera. By using such an approach, we present here the formal description of two novel unicellular cyanobacterial species that inhabit the Coastal Range of the Atacama Desert, Gloeocapsopsis dulcis (first reported as Gloeocapsopsis AAB1) and Gloeocapsopsis diffluens. Both species could be clearly separated from previously reported species by 16S rRNA and 16S–23S ITS gene sequencing, the resulting secondary structures, p-distance analyses of the 16S–23S ITS, and morphology. For avoiding further confusions emendation of the genus Gloeocapsopsis as well as epitypification of the type species Gloeocapsopsis crepidinum based on the strain LEGE06123 were conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Daniel Zabicki
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | | | - Michael Lakatos
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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8
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Jung P, Mikhailyuk T, Emrich D, Baumann K, Dultz S, Büdel B. Shifting Boundaries: Ecological and Geographical Range extension Based on Three New Species in the Cyanobacterial Genera Cyanocohniella, Oculatella, and, Aliterella. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:1216-1231. [PMID: 32422688 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The polyphasic approach has been widely applied in cyanobacterial taxonomy, which frequently led to additions to the species inventory. Increasing our knowledge about species and the habitats they were isolated from enables new insights into the ecology of newly established genera and species allowing speculations about the ecological niche of taxa. Here, we are describing three new species belonging to three genera that broadens the ecological amplitude and the geographical range of each of the three genera. Cyanocohniella crotaloides sp. nov. is described from sandy beach mats of the temperate island Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands, Oculatella crustae-formantes sp. nov. was isolated from biological soil crusts of the Arctic Spitsbergen, Norway, and Aliterella chasmolithica originated from granitic stones of the arid Atacama Desert, Chile. All three species could be separated from related species using molecular sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S ITS gene region, the resulting secondary structures as well as p-distance analyses of the 16S-23S ITS and various microscopic techniques. The novel taxa described in this study contribute to a better understanding of the diversity of the genera Cyanocohniella, Oculatella, and Aliterella in different habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Carl-Schurz-Str. 10-16, 66953, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Tatiana Mikhailyuk
- G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Tereschenkivska Str. 2, Kyiv, 01004, Ukraine
| | - Dina Emrich
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Chair of Applied Vegetation Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Karen Baumann
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Soil Science, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18051, Rostock, Germany
| | - Stefan Dultz
- Institute of Soil Science, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419, Hannover, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Str. 13, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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9
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Gacitua M, Urrejola C, Carrasco J, Vicuña R, Srain BM, Pantoja-Gutiérrez S, Leech D, Antiochia R, Tasca F. Use of a Thermophile Desiccation-Tolerant Cyanobacterial Culture and Os Redox Polymer for the Preparation of Photocurrent Producing Anodes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:900. [PMID: 32974292 PMCID: PMC7471869 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxygenic photosynthesis conducted by cyanobacteria has dramatically transformed the geochemistry of our planet. These organisms have colonized most habitats, including extreme environments such as the driest warm desert on Earth: the Atacama Desert. In particular, cyanobacteria highly tolerant to desiccation are of particular interest for clean energy production. These microorganisms are promising candidates for designing bioelectrodes for photocurrent generation owing to their ability to perform oxygenic photosynthesis and to withstand long periods of desiccation. Here, we present bioelectrochemical assays in which graphite electrodes were modified with the extremophile cyanobacterium Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEXB3054 for photocurrent generation. Optimum working conditions for photocurrent generation were determined by modifying directly graphite electrode with the cyanobacterial culture (direct electron transfer), as well as using an Os polymer redox mediator (mediated electron transfer). Besides showing outstanding photocurrent production for Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEXB3054, both in direct and mediated electron transfer, our results provide new insights into the metabolic basis of photocurrent generation and the potential applications of such an assisted bioelectrochemical system in a worldwide scenario in which clean energies are imperative for sustainable development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Gacitua
- Departamento de Química de los Materiales, Facultad de Quiìmica y Biologiìa, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina Urrejola
- Departamento Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera Carrasco
- Departamento de Química de los Materiales, Facultad de Quiìmica y Biologiìa, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rafael Vicuña
- Departamento Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamín M Srain
- Departamento de Oceanografía and Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Sur-Austral, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Silvio Pantoja-Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Oceanografía and Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Sur-Austral, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Donal Leech
- School of Chemistry and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Riccarda Antiochia
- Department of Chemistry and Drug Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Tasca
- Departamento de Química de los Materiales, Facultad de Quiìmica y Biologiìa, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Urrejola C, von Dassow P, van den Engh G, Salas L, Mullineaux CW, Vicuña R, Sánchez-Baracaldo P. Loss of Filamentous Multicellularity in Cyanobacteria: the Extremophile Gloeocapsopsis sp. Strain UTEX B3054 Retained Multicellular Features at the Genomic and Behavioral Levels. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:e00514-19. [PMID: 32253342 PMCID: PMC7253616 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00514-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellularity in Cyanobacteria played a key role in their habitat expansion, contributing to the Great Oxidation Event around 2.45 billion to 2.32 billion years ago. Evolutionary studies have indicated that some unicellular cyanobacteria emerged from multicellular ancestors, yet little is known about how the emergence of new unicellular morphotypes from multicellular ancestors occurred. Our results give new insights into the evolutionary reversion from which the Gloeocapsopsis lineage emerged. Flow cytometry and microscopy results revealed morphological plasticity involving the patterned formation of multicellular morphotypes sensitive to environmental stimuli. Genomic analyses unveiled the presence of multicellularity-associated genes in its genome. Calcein-fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments confirmed that Gloeocapsopsis sp. strain UTEX B3054 carries out cell-to-cell communication in multicellular morphotypes but at slower time scales than filamentous cyanobacteria. Although traditionally classified as unicellular, our results suggest that Gloeocapsopsis displays facultative multicellularity, a condition that may have conferred ecological advantages for thriving as an extremophile for more than 1.6 billion years.IMPORTANCECyanobacteria are among the few prokaryotes that evolved multicellularity. The early emergence of multicellularity in Cyanobacteria (2.5 billion years ago) entails that some unicellular cyanobacteria reverted from multicellular ancestors. We tested this evolutionary hypothesis by studying the unicellular strain Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEX B3054 using flow cytometry, genomics, and cell-to-cell communication experiments. We demonstrate the existence of a well-defined patterned organization of cells in clusters during growth, which might change triggered by environmental stimuli. Moreover, we found genomic signatures of multicellularity in the Gloeocapsopsis genome, giving new insights into the evolutionary history of a cyanobacterial lineage that has thrived in extreme environments since the early Earth. The potential benefits in terms of resource acquisition and the ecological relevance of this transient behavior are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Urrejola
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Peter von Dassow
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía, Concepción, Chile
- UMI3614 Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS-UPMC Sorbonne Universités, PUCCh, UACH, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | | | - Loreto Salas
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Conrad W Mullineaux
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rafael Vicuña
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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11
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Jung P, Schermer M, Briegel-Williams L, Baumann K, Leinweber P, Karsten U, Lehnert L, Achilles S, Bendix J, Büdel B. Water availability shapes edaphic and lithic cyanobacterial communities in the Atacama Desert. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2019; 55:1306-1318. [PMID: 31378942 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the Atacama Desert, cyanobacteria grow on various substrates such as soils (edaphic) and quartz or granitoid stones (lithic). Both edaphic and lithic cyanobacterial communities have been described but no comparison between both communities of the same locality has yet been undertaken. In the present study, we compared both cyanobacterial communities along a precipitation gradient ranging from the arid National Park Pan de Azúcar (PA), which resembles a large fog oasis in the Atacama Desert extending to the semiarid Santa Gracia Natural Reserve (SG) further south, as well as along a precipitation gradient within PA. Various microscopic techniques, as well as culturing and partial 16S rRNA sequencing, were applied to identify 21 cyanobacterial species; the diversity was found to decline as precipitation levels decreased. Additionally, under increasing xeric stress, lithic community species composition showed higher divergence from the surrounding edaphic community, resulting in indigenous hypolithic and chasmoendolithic cyanobacterial communities. We conclude that rain and fog water, respectively, cause contrasting trends regarding cyanobacterial species richness in the edaphic and lithic microhabitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße 13, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Michael Schermer
- Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße 13, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Laura Briegel-Williams
- Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße 13, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Karen Baumann
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Soil Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18051, Rostock, Germany
| | - Peter Leinweber
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Soil Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18051, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Straße 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Lukas Lehnert
- Faculty of Geography, Philipps-University of Marburg, Deutschhausstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Achilles
- Faculty of Geography, Philipps-University of Marburg, Deutschhausstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Bendix
- Faculty of Geography, Philipps-University of Marburg, Deutschhausstraße 10, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Plant Ecology and Systematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße 13, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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12
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Keshari N, Gugger M, Zhu T, Lu X. Compatible solutes profiling and carbohydrate feedstock from diversified cyanobacteria. ALGAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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13
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Mosca C, Rothschild LJ, Napoli A, Ferré F, Pietrosanto M, Fagliarone C, Baqué M, Rabbow E, Rettberg P, Billi D. Over-Expression of UV-Damage DNA Repair Genes and Ribonucleic Acid Persistence Contribute to the Resilience of Dried Biofilms of the Desert Cyanobacetrium Chroococcidiopsis Exposed to Mars-Like UV Flux and Long-Term Desiccation. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2312. [PMID: 31681194 PMCID: PMC6798154 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival limits of the desert cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis were challenged by rewetting dried biofilms and dried biofilms exposed to 1.5 × 103 kJ/m2 of a Mars-like UV, after 7 years of air-dried storage. PCR-stop assays revealed the presence of DNA lesions in dried biofilms and an increased accumulation in dried-UV-irradiated biofilms. Different types and/or amounts of DNA lesions were highlighted by a different expression of uvrA, uvrB, uvrC, phrA, and uvsE genes in dried-rewetted biofilms and dried-UV-irradiated-rewetted biofilms, after rehydration for 30 and 60 min. The up-regulation in dried-rewetted biofilms of uvsE gene encoding an UV damage endonuclease, suggested that UV-damage DNA repair contributed to the repair of desiccation-induced damage. While the phrA gene encoding a photolyase was up-regulated only in dried-UV-irradiated-rewetted biofilms. Nucleotide excision repair genes were over-expressed in dried-rewetted biofilms and dried-UV-irradiated-rewetted biofilms, with uvrC gene showing the highest increase in dried-UV-irradiated-rewetted biofilms. Dried biofilms preserved intact mRNAs (at least of the investigated genes) and 16S ribosomal RNA that the persistence of the ribosome machinery and mRNAs might have played a key role in the early phase recovery. Results have implications for the search of extra-terrestrial life by contributing to the definition of habitability of astrobiologically relevant targets such as Mars or planets orbiting around other stars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Mosca
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Lynn J Rothschild
- Earth Sciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, United States
| | | | - Fabrizio Ferré
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna Alma Mater, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Mickael Baqué
- Astrobiological Laboratories Research Group, German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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14
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Urrejola C, Alcorta J, Salas L, Vásquez M, Polz MF, Vicuña R, Díez B. Genomic Features for Desiccation Tolerance and Sugar Biosynthesis in the Extremophile Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEX B3054. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:950. [PMID: 31134010 PMCID: PMC6513891 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
For tolerating extreme desiccation, cyanobacteria are known to produce both compatible solutes at intracellular level and a copious amount of exopolysaccharides as a protective coat. However, these molecules make cyanobacterial cells refractory to a broad spectrum of cell disruption methods, hindering genome sequencing, and molecular studies. In fact, few genomes are already available from cyanobacteria from extremely desiccated environments such as deserts. In this work, we report the 5.4 Mbp draft genome (with 100% of completeness in 105 contigs) of Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEX B3054 (subsection I; Order Chroococcales), a cultivable sugar-rich and hardly breakable hypolithic cyanobacterium from the Atacama Desert. Our in silico analyses focused on genomic features related to sugar-biosynthesis and adaptation to dryness. Among other findings, screening of Gloeocapsopsis genome revealed a unique genetic potential related to the biosynthesis and regulation of compatible solutes and polysaccharides. For instance, our findings showed for the first time a novel genomic arrangement exclusive of Chroococcaceae cyanobacteria associated with the recycling of trehalose, a compatible solute involved in desiccation tolerance. Additionally, we performed a comparative genome survey and analyses to entirely predict the highly diverse pool of glycosyltransferases enzymes, key players in polysaccharide biosynthesis and the formation of a protective coat to dryness. We expect that this work will set the fundamental genomic framework for further research on microbial tolerance to desiccation and to a wide range of other extreme environmental conditions. The study of microorganisms like Gloeocapsopsis sp. UTEX B3054 will contribute to expand our limited understanding regarding water optimization and molecular mechanisms allowing extremophiles to thrive in xeric environments such as the Atacama Desert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Urrejola
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime Alcorta
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana de Sistemas Extremos, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loreto Salas
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mónica Vásquez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana y Toxicología Ambiental, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin F Polz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Rafael Vicuña
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Beatriz Díez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana de Sistemas Extremos, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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15
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Oren N, Raanan H, Kedem I, Turjeman A, Bronstein M, Kaplan A, Murik O. Desert cyanobacteria prepare in advance for dehydration and rewetting: The role of light and temperature sensing. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2305-2320. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Oren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Hagai Raanan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
- Environmental Biophysics and Molecular Ecology Program, Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Rutgers University New Brunswick New Jersey
| | - Isaac Kedem
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Adi Turjeman
- The Center for Genomic Technologies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Michal Bronstein
- The Center for Genomic Technologies The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Aaron Kaplan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Omer Murik
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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16
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Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG, González-Silva C, Ascaso C, Carrizo D, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Fernández-Sampedro M, García-Descalzo L, García-Villadangos M, Martin-Redondo MP, Sánchez-García L, Wierzchos J, Parro V. Unprecedented rains decimate surface microbial communities in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16706. [PMID: 30420604 PMCID: PMC6232106 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35051-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert, the driest and oldest desert on Earth, has experienced a number of highly unusual rain events over the past three years, resulting in the formation of previously unrecorded hypersaline lagoons, which have lasted several months. We have systematically analyzed the evolution of the lagoons to provide quantitative field constraints of large-scale impacts of the rains on the local microbial communities. Here we show that the sudden and massive input of water in regions that have remained hyperarid for millions of years is harmful for most of the surface soil microbial species, which are exquisitely adapted to survive with meager amounts of liquid water, and quickly perish from osmotic shock when water becomes suddenly abundant. We found that only a handful of bacteria, remarkably a newly identified species of Halomonas, remain metabolically active and are still able to reproduce in the lagoons, while no archaea or eukaryotes were identified. Our results show that the already low microbial biodiversity of extreme arid regions greatly diminishes when water is supplied quickly and in great volumes. We conclude placing our findings in the context of the astrobiological exploration of Mars, a hyperarid planet that experienced catastrophic floodings in ancient times.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain. .,Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - A G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain. .,Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA.
| | | | - C Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - D Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - J Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - V Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
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17
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Draft Genome Sequence of the Extremely Desiccation-Tolerant Cyanobacterium Gloeocapsopsis sp. Strain AAB1. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 2018; 6:6/17/e00216-18. [PMID: 29700137 PMCID: PMC5920166 DOI: 10.1128/genomea.00216-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Gloeocapsopsis sp. strain AAB1 is an extremely desiccation-tolerant cyanobacterium isolated from translucent quartz stones from the Atacama Desert (Chile). Here, we report its draft genome sequence, which consists of 137 contigs with an ∼5.4-Mb genome size. The annotation revealed 5,641 coding DNA sequences, 38 tRNA genes, and 5 rRNA genes.
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18
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Bull AT, Asenjo JA, Goodfellow M, Gómez-Silva B. The Atacama Desert: Technical Resources and the Growing Importance of Novel Microbial Diversity. Annu Rev Microbiol 2017; 70:215-34. [PMID: 27607552 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-102215-095236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Atacama Desert of northern Chile is the oldest and most arid nonpolar environment on Earth. It is a coastal desert covering approximately 180,000 km(2), and together with the greater Atacama region it comprises a dramatically wide range of ecological niches. Long known and exploited for its mineral resources, the Atacama Desert harbors a rich microbial diversity that has only recently been discovered; the great majority of it has not yet been recovered in culture or even taxonomically identified. This review traces the progress of microbiology research in the Atacama and dispels the popular view that this region is virtually devoid of life. We examine reasons for such research activity and demonstrate that microbial life is the latest recognized and least explored resource in this inspiring biome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan T Bull
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, United Kingdom;
| | - Juan A Asenjo
- Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile;
| | - Michael Goodfellow
- School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom;
| | - Benito Gómez-Silva
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Biomedical Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antofagasta, Chile;
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19
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Paulino-Lima IG, Fujishima K, Navarrete JU, Galante D, Rodrigues F, Azua-Bustos A, Rothschild LJ. Extremely high UV-C radiation resistant microorganisms from desert environments with different manganese concentrations. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2016; 163:327-36. [PMID: 27614243 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2016.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Desiccation resistance and a high intracellular Mn/Fe ratio contribute to ionizing radiation resistance of Deinococcus radiodurans. We hypothesized that this was a general phenomenon and thus developed a strategy to search for highly radiation-resistant organisms based on their natural environment. While desiccation is a typical feature of deserts, the correlation between radiation resistance and the intracellular Mn/Fe ratio of indigenous microorganisms or the Mn/Fe ratio of the environment, has not yet been described. UV-C radiation is highly damaging to biomolecules including DNA. It was used in this study as a selective tool because of its relevance to early life on earth, high altitude aerobiology and the search for life beyond Earth. Surface soil samples were collected from the Sonoran Desert, Arizona (USA), from the Atacama Desert in Chile and from a manganese mine in northern Argentina. Microbial isolates were selected after exposure to UV-C irradiation and growth. The isolates comprised 28 genera grouped within six phyla, which we ranked according to their resistance to UV-C irradiation. Survival curves were performed for the most resistant isolates and correlated with their intracellular Mn/Fe ratio, which was determined by ICP-MS. Five percent of the isolates were highly resistant, including one more resistant than D. radiodurans, a bacterium generally considered the most radiation-resistant organism, thus used as a model for radiation resistance studies. No correlation was observed between the occurrence of resistant microorganisms and the Mn/Fe ratio in the soil samples. However, all resistant isolates showed an intracellular Mn/Fe ratio much higher than the sensitive isolates. Our findings could represent a new front in efforts to harness mechanisms of UV-C radiation resistance from extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kosuke Fujishima
- University Affiliated Research Center, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035-0001, USA
| | - Jesica Urbina Navarrete
- University Affiliated Research Center, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035-0001, USA
| | - Douglas Galante
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, Campinas, 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Fabio Rodrigues
- Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica, UniversidadAutónoma de Chile, Santiago, 8910060, Chile
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20
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Rigonato J, Gama WA, Alvarenga DO, Branco LHZ, Brandini FP, Genuário DB, Fiore MF. Aliterella atlantica gen. nov., sp. nov., and Aliterella antarctica sp. nov., novel members of coccoid Cyanobacteria. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2016; 66:2853-2861. [PMID: 27054834 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Two Cyanobacteria isolated from South Atlantic Ocean continental shelf deep water and from a marine green algae inhabiting the Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica were investigated based on morphological and ultrastructural traits, phylogeny of 16S rRNA gene sequences, secondary structure of the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer regions and phylogenomic analyses. The majority of these evaluations demonstrated that both strains differ from the genera of cyanobacteria with validly published names and, therefore, supported the description of the novel genus as Aliterella gen. nov. The identity and phylogeny of 16S rRNA gene sequences, together with the secondary structure of D1D1' and BoxB intergenic regions, further supported the two strains representing distinct species: Aliterella atlantica gen. nov., sp. nov. (type SP469036, strain CENA595T) and Aliterella antarctica sp. nov. (type SP469035, strain CENA408T). The phylogenomic analysis of A. atlantica sp. nov. CENA595T, based on 21 protein sequences, revealed that this genus belongs to the cyanobacterial order Chroococcidiopsidales. The isolation and cultivation of two geographically distant unicellular members of a novel cyanobacterial genus and the sequenced genome of the type strain bring new insights into the current classification of the coccoid group, and into the reconstruction of their evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina Rigonato
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Watson Arantes Gama
- Institute of Botany, Nucleus of Phycology, Avenida Miguel Estéfano 3687, 04301-012 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Danillo Oliveira Alvarenga
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Henrique Zanini Branco
- São Paulo State University UNESP, Institute of Bioscience, Languages and Exact Sciences, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Diego Bonaldo Genuário
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Marli Fatima Fiore
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
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Azua-Bustos A, Caro-Lara L, Vicuña R. Discovery and microbial content of the driest site of the hyperarid Atacama Desert, Chile. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 7:388-94. [PMID: 25545388 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The Atacama Desert is the driest and oldest desert on Earth. Eleven years ago, the Yungay region was established as the driest site of this hyperarid desert and also close to the dry limit for life on Earth. Since then, much has been published about the extraordinary characteristics of this site and its pertinence as a Mars analogue model. However, as a result of a more systematic search in the Atacama here, we describe a new site, María Elena South (MES), which is much drier than Yungay. The mean atmospheric relative humidity (RH) at MES was 17.3%, with the RH of its soils remaining at a constant 14% at the depth of 1 m, a value that matches the lowest RH measurements taken by the Mars Science Laboratory at Gale Crater. Remarkably, we found a number of viable bacterial species in the soil profile at MES using a combination of molecular dependent and independent methods, unveiling the presence of life in the driest place on the Atacama Desert reported to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Rafael Vicuña
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Makhalanyane TP, Valverde A, Gunnigle E, Frossard A, Ramond JB, Cowan DA. Microbial ecology of hot desert edaphic systems. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2015; 39:203-21. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuu011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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Salt acclimation of cyanobacteria and their application in biotechnology. Life (Basel) 2014; 5:25-49. [PMID: 25551682 PMCID: PMC4390839 DOI: 10.3390/life5010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The long evolutionary history and photo-autotrophic lifestyle of cyanobacteria has allowed them to colonize almost all photic habitats on Earth, including environments with high or fluctuating salinity. Their basal salt acclimation strategy includes two principal reactions, the active export of ions and the accumulation of compatible solutes. Cyanobacterial salt acclimation has been characterized in much detail using selected model cyanobacteria, but their salt sensing and regulatory mechanisms are less well understood. Here, we briefly review recent advances in the identification of salt acclimation processes and the essential genes/proteins involved in acclimation to high salt. This knowledge is of increasing importance because the necessary mass cultivation of cyanobacteria for future use in biotechnology will be performed in sea water. In addition, cyanobacterial salt resistance genes also can be applied to improve the salt tolerance of salt sensitive organisms, such as crop plants.
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Biotechnological applications derived from microorganisms of the Atacama Desert. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:909312. [PMID: 25147824 PMCID: PMC4132489 DOI: 10.1155/2014/909312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Revised: 06/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The Atacama Desert in Chile is well known for being the driest and oldest desert on Earth. For these same reasons, it is also considered a good analog model of the planet Mars. Only a few decades ago, it was thought that this was a sterile place, but in the past years fascinating adaptations have been reported in the members of the three domains of life: low water availability, high UV radiation, high salinity, and other environmental stresses. However, the biotechnological applications derived from the basic understanding and characterization of these species, with the notable exception of copper bioleaching, are still in its infancy, thus offering an immense potential for future development.
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