1
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Babajanyan SG, Garushyants SK, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Microbial diversity and ecological complexity emerging from environmental variation and horizontal gene transfer in a simple mathematical model. BMC Biol 2024; 22:148. [PMID: 38965531 PMCID: PMC11225191 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01937-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbiomes are generally characterized by high diversity of coexisting microbial species and strains, and microbiome composition typically remains stable across a broad range of conditions. However, under fixed conditions, microbial ecology conforms with the exclusion principle under which two populations competing for the same resource within the same niche cannot coexist because the less fit population inevitably goes extinct. Therefore, the long-term persistence of microbiome diversity calls for an explanation. RESULTS To explore the conditions for stabilization of microbial diversity, we developed a simple mathematical model consisting of two competing populations that could exchange a single gene allele via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We found that, although in a fixed environment, with unbiased HGT, the system obeyed the exclusion principle, in an oscillating environment, within large regions of the phase space bounded by the rates of reproduction and HGT, the two populations coexist. Moreover, depending on the parameter combination, all three major types of symbiosis were obtained, namely, pure competition, host-parasite relationship, and mutualism. In each of these regimes, certain parameter combinations provided for synergy, that is, a greater total abundance of both populations compared to the abundance of the winning population in the fixed environment. CONCLUSIONS The results of this modeling study show that basic phenomena that are universal in microbial communities, namely, environmental variation and HGT, provide for stabilization and persistence of microbial diversity, and emergence of ecological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanasar G Babajanyan
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20894, MD, USA.
| | - Sofya K Garushyants
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20894, MD, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20894, MD, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20894, MD, USA.
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2
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Pi HW, Chiang YR, Li WH. Mapping Geological Events and Nitrogen Fixation Evolution Onto the Timetree of the Evolution of Nitrogen-Fixation Genes. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae023. [PMID: 38319744 PMCID: PMC10881105 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen is essential for all organisms, but biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) occurs only in a small fraction of prokaryotes. Previous studies divided nitrogenase-gene-carrying prokaryotes into Groups I to IV and provided evidence that BNF first evolved in bacteria. This study constructed a timetree of the evolution of nitrogen-fixation genes and estimated that archaea evolved BNF much later than bacteria and that nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria evolved later than 1,900 MYA, considerably younger than the previous estimate of 2,200 MYA. Moreover, Groups III and II/I diverged ∼2,280 MYA, after the Kenorland supercontinent breakup (∼2,500-2,100 MYA) and the Great Oxidation Event (∼2,400-2,100 MYA); Groups III and Vnf/Anf diverged ∼2,086 MYA, after the Yarrabubba impact (∼2,229 MYA); and Groups II and I diverged ∼1,920 MYA, after the Vredefort impact (∼2,023 MYA). In summary, this study provided a timescale of BNF events and discussed the possible effects of geological events on BNF evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Wei Pi
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Ru Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hsiung Li
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115201, Taiwan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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3
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Babajanyan SG, Garushyants SK, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Microbial diversity and ecological complexity emerging from environmental variation and horizontal gene transfer in a simple mathematical model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.17.576128. [PMID: 38313259 PMCID: PMC10836074 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.17.576128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Microbiomes are generally characterized by high diversity of coexisting microbial species and strains that remains stable within a broad range of conditions. However, under fixed conditions, microbial ecology conforms with the exclusion principle under which two populations competing for the same resource within the same niche cannot coexist because the less fit population inevitably goes extinct. To explore the conditions for stabilization of microbial diversity, we developed a simple mathematical model consisting of two competing populations that could exchange a single gene allele via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We found that, although in a fixed environment, with unbiased HGT, the system obeyed the exclusion principle, in an oscillating environment, within large regions of the phase space bounded by the rates of reproduction and HGT, the two populations coexist. Moreover, depending on the parameter combination, all three major types of symbiosis obtained, namely, pure competition, host-parasite relationship and mutualism. In each of these regimes, certain parameter combinations provided for synergy, that is, a greater total abundance of both populations compared to the abundance of the winning population in the fixed environments. These findings show that basic phenomena that are universal in microbial communities, environmental variation and HGT, provide for stabilization of microbial diversity and ecological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanasar G. Babajanyan
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Sofya K. Garushyants
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I. Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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4
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Luo ZH, Li Q, Xie YG, Lv AP, Qi YL, Li MM, Qu YN, Liu ZT, Li YX, Rao YZ, Jiao JY, Liu L, Narsing Rao MP, Hedlund BP, Evans PN, Fang Y, Shu WS, Huang LN, Li WJ, Hua ZS. Temperature, pH, and oxygen availability contributed to the functional differentiation of ancient Nitrososphaeria. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrad031. [PMID: 38365241 PMCID: PMC10833072 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing Nitrososphaeria are among the most abundant archaea on Earth and have profound impacts on the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen. In contrast to these well-studied ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), deep-branching non-AOA within this class remain poorly characterized because of a low number of genome representatives. Here, we reconstructed 128 Nitrososphaeria metagenome-assembled genomes from acid mine drainage and hot spring sediment metagenomes. Comparative genomics revealed that extant non-AOA are functionally diverse, with capacity for carbon fixation, carbon monoxide oxidation, methanogenesis, and respiratory pathways including oxygen, nitrate, sulfur, or sulfate, as potential terminal electron acceptors. Despite their diverse anaerobic pathways, evolutionary history inference suggested that the common ancestor of Nitrososphaeria was likely an aerobic thermophile. We further surmise that the functional differentiation of Nitrososphaeria was primarily shaped by oxygen, pH, and temperature, with the acquisition of pathways for carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism. Our study provides a more holistic and less biased understanding of the diversity, ecology, and deep evolution of the globally abundant Nitrososphaeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Hao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Yuan-Guo Xie
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Ai-Ping Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Yan-Ling Qi
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Meng-Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Yan-Ni Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Ze-Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Yu-Xian Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Yang-Zhi Rao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Jian-Yu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Lan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Manik Prabhu Narsing Rao
- Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Sede Talca, 3460000 Talca, Chile
| | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, United States
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, United States
| | - Paul N Evans
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yuan Fang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Wen-Sheng Shu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Li-Nan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, PR China
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
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5
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Guerra A. Human associated Archaea: a neglected microbiome worth investigating. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:60. [PMID: 38172371 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03842-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The majority of research in the field of human microbiota has predominantly focused on bacterial and fungal communities. Conversely, the human archaeome has received scant attention and remains poorly studied, despite its potential role in human diseases. Archaea have the capability to colonize various human body sites, including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, vagina, breast milk, colostrum, urinary tract, lungs, nasal and oral cavities. This colonization can occur through vertical transmission, facilitated by the transfer of breast milk or colostrum from mother to child, as well as through the consumption of dairy products, organic produce, salty foods, and fermented items. The involvement of these microorganisms in diseases, such as periodontitis, might be attributed to their production of toxic compounds and the detoxification of growth inhibitors for pathogens. However, the precise mechanisms through which these contributions occur remain incompletely understood, necessitating further studies to assess their impact on human health.
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6
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Zhang Y, Liu T, Li MM, Hua ZS, Evans P, Qu Y, Tan S, Zheng M, Lu H, Jiao JY, Lücker S, Daims H, Li WJ, Guo J. Hot spring distribution and survival mechanisms of thermophilic comammox Nitrospira. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01409-w. [PMID: 37069235 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01409-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of Nitrospira species capable of complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) in non-marine natural and engineered ecosystems under mesothermal conditions has changed our understanding of microbial nitrification. However, little is known about the occurrence of comammox bacteria or their ability to survive in moderately thermal and/or hyperthermal habitats. Here, we report the wide distribution of comammox Nitrospira in five terrestrial hot springs at temperatures ranging from 36 to 80°C and provide metagenome-assembled genomes of 11 new comammox strains. Interestingly, the identification of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in thermophilic comammox Nitrospira lineages suggests that they have versatile ecological functions as both sinks and sources of ammonia, in contrast to the described mesophilic comammox lineages, which lack the DNRA pathway. Furthermore, the in situ expression of key genes associated with nitrogen metabolism, thermal adaptation, and oxidative stress confirmed their ability to survive in the studied hot springs and their contribution to nitrification in these environments. Additionally, the smaller genome size and higher GC content, less polar and more charged amino acids in usage profiles, and the expression of a large number of heat shock proteins compared to mesophilic comammox strains presumably confer tolerance to thermal stress. These novel insights into the occurrence, metabolic activity, and adaptation of comammox Nitrospira in thermal habitats further expand our understanding of the global distribution of comammox Nitrospira and have significant implications for how these unique microorganisms have evolved thermal tolerance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Meng-Meng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
| | - Paul Evans
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Yanni Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jian-Yu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sebastian Lücker
- Department of Microbiology, RIBES, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Holger Daims
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- The Comammox Research Platform, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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7
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Tveit AT, Söllinger A, Rainer EM, Didriksen A, Hestnes AG, Motleleng L, Hellinger HJ, Rattei T, Svenning MM. Thermal acclimation of methanotrophs from the genus Methylobacter. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:502-513. [PMID: 36650275 PMCID: PMC10030640 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01363-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Methanotrophs oxidize most of the methane (CH4) produced in natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Often living close to soil surfaces, these microorganisms must frequently adjust to temperature change. While many environmental studies have addressed temperature effects on CH4 oxidation and methanotrophic communities, there is little knowledge about the physiological adjustments that underlie these effects. We have studied thermal acclimation in Methylobacter, a widespread, abundant, and environmentally important methanotrophic genus. Comparisons of growth and CH4 oxidation kinetics at different temperatures in three members of the genus demonstrate that temperature has a strong influence on how much CH4 is consumed to support growth at different CH4 concentrations. However, the temperature effect varies considerably between species, suggesting that how a methanotrophic community is composed influences the temperature effect on CH4 uptake. To understand thermal acclimation mechanisms widely we carried out a transcriptomics experiment with Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96T. We observed, at different temperatures, how varying abundances of transcripts for glycogen and protein biosynthesis relate to cellular glycogen and ribosome concentrations. Our data also demonstrated transcriptional adjustment of CH4 oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, membrane fatty acid saturation, cell wall composition, and exopolysaccharides between temperatures. In addition, we observed differences in M. tundripaludum SV96T cell sizes at different temperatures. We conclude that thermal acclimation in Methylobacter results from transcriptional adjustment of central metabolism, protein biosynthesis, cell walls and storage. Acclimation leads to large shifts in CH4 consumption and growth efficiency, but with major differences between species. Thus, our study demonstrates that physiological adjustments to temperature change can substantially influence environmental CH4 uptake rates and that consideration of methanotroph physiology might be vital for accurate predictions of warming effects on CH4 emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Tveit
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Andrea Söllinger
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Edda Marie Rainer
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Alena Didriksen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anne Grethe Hestnes
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Liabo Motleleng
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Hans-Jörg Hellinger
- University of Vienna, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Rattei
- University of Vienna, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mette M Svenning
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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8
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Mei R, Kaneko M, Imachi H, Nobu MK. The origin and evolution of methanogenesis and Archaea are intertwined. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad023. [PMID: 36874274 PMCID: PMC9982363 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Methanogenesis has been widely accepted as an ancient metabolism, but the precise evolutionary trajectory remains hotly debated. Disparate theories exist regarding its emergence time, ancestral form, and relationship with homologous metabolisms. Here, we report the phylogenies of anabolism-involved proteins responsible for cofactor biosynthesis, providing new evidence for the antiquity of methanogenesis. Revisiting the phylogenies of key catabolism-involved proteins further suggests that the last Archaea common ancestor (LACA) was capable of versatile H2-, CO2-, and methanol-utilizing methanogenesis. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the methyl/alkyl-S-CoM reductase family, we propose that, in contrast to current paradigms, substrate-specific functions emerged through parallel evolution traced back to a nonspecific ancestor, which likely originated from protein-free reactions as predicted from autocatalytic experiments using cofactor F430. After LACA, inheritance/loss/innovation centered around methanogenic lithoautotrophy coincided with ancient lifestyle divergence, which is clearly reflected by genomically predicted physiologies of extant archaea. Thus, methanogenesis is not only a hallmark metabolism of Archaea, but the key to resolve the enigmatic lifestyle that ancestral archaea took and the transition that led to physiologies prominent today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Mei
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Masanori Kaneko
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8567, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Imachi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan
| | - Masaru K Nobu
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan.,Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan
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9
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Zhang J, Li T, Hong Z, Ma C, Fang X, Zheng F, Teng W, Zhang C, Si T. Biosynthesis of Hybrid Neutral Lipids with Archaeal and Eukaryotic Characteristics in Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202214344. [PMID: 36424352 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202214344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Discovery of the Asgard superphylum of archaea provides new evidence supporting the two-domain model of life: eukaryotes originated from an Asgard-related archaeon that engulfed a bacterial endosymbiont. However, how eukaryotes acquired bacterial-like membrane lipids with a sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) backbone instead of the archaeal-like sn-glycerol-1-phosphate (G1P) backbone remains unknown. In this study, we reconstituted archaeal lipid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by expressing unsaturated archaeol-synthesizing enzymes. Using Golden Gate cloning for pathway assembly, modular gene replacement was performed, revealing the potential biosynthesis of both G1P- and G3P-based unsaturated archaeol by uncultured Asgard archaea. Unexpectedly, hybrid neutral lipids containing both archaeal isoprenoids and eukaryotic fatty acids were observed in recombinant S. cerevisiae. The ability of yeast and archaeal diacylglycerol acyltransferases to synthesize such hybrid lipids was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tuo Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhilai Hong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chenfei Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiaoting Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Fengfeng Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wenkai Teng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Tong Si
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 XueYuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Xili, NanShan District, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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10
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Zhang X, Huang Y, Liu Y, Xu W, Pan J, Zheng X, Du H, Zhang C, Lu Z, Zou D, Liu Z, Cai M, Xiong J, Zhu Y, Dong Z, Jiang H, Dong H, Jiang J, Luo Z, Huang L, Li M. An Ancient Respiratory System in the Widespread Sedimentary Archaea Thermoprofundales. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6742362. [PMID: 36181435 PMCID: PMC9585477 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermoprofundales, formerly Marine Benthic Group D (MBG-D), is a ubiquitous archaeal lineage found in sedimentary environments worldwide. However, its taxonomic classification, metabolic pathways, and evolutionary history are largely unexplored because of its uncultivability and limited number of sequenced genomes. In this study, phylogenomic analysis and average amino acid identity values of a collection of 146 Thermoprofundales genomes revealed five Thermoprofundales subgroups (A-E) with distinct habitat preferences. Most of the microorganisms from Subgroups B and D were thermophiles inhabiting hydrothermal vents and hot spring sediments, whereas those from Subgroup E were adapted to surface environments where sunlight is available. H2 production may be featured in Thermoprofundales as evidenced by a gene cluster encoding the ancient membrane-bound hydrogenase (MBH) complex. Interestingly, a unique structure separating the MBH gene cluster into two modular units was observed exclusively in the genomes of Subgroup E, which included a peripheral arm encoding the [NiFe] hydrogenase domain and a membrane arm encoding the Na+/H+ antiporter domain. These two modular structures were confirmed to function independently by detecting the H2-evolving activity in vitro and salt tolerance to 0.2 M NaCl in vivo, respectively. The peripheral arm of Subgroup E resembles the proposed common ancestral respiratory complex of modern respiratory systems, which plays a key role in the early evolution of life. In addition, molecular dating analysis revealed that Thermoprofundales is an early emerging archaeal lineage among the extant MBH-containing microorganisms, indicating new insights into the evolution of this ubiquitous archaea lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxu Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuhan Huang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaowei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Du
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Cuijing Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongyi Lu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Dayu Zou
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zongbao Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinbo Xiong
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yaxin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongchen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hailiang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juquan Jiang
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhuhua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Li Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Li
- Corresponding author: E-mail:
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11
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Aragaw TA, Bogale FM, Gessesse A. Adaptive Response of Thermophiles to Redox Stress and Their Role in the Process of dye Degradation From Textile Industry Wastewater. Front Physiol 2022; 13:908370. [PMID: 35795652 PMCID: PMC9251311 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.908370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Release of dye-containing textile wastewater into the environment causes severe pollution with serious consequences on aquatic life. Bioremediation of dyes using thermophilic microorganisms has recently attracted attention over conventional treatment techniques. Thermophiles have the natural ability to survive under extreme environmental conditions, including high dye concentration, because they possess stress response adaptation and regulation mechanisms. Therefore, dye detoxification by thermophiles could offer enormous opportunities for bioremediation at elevated temperatures. In addition, the processes of degradation generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subject cells to oxidative stress. However, thermophiles exhibit better adaptation to resist the effects of oxidative stress. Some of the major adaptation mechanisms of thermophiles include macromolecule repair system; enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; and non-enzymatic antioxidants like extracellular polymeric substance (EPSs), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), etc. In addition, different bacteria also possess enzymes that are directly involved in dye degradation such as azoreductase, laccase, and peroxidase. Therefore, through these processes, dyes are first degraded into smaller intermediate products finally releasing products that are non-toxic or of low toxicity. In this review, we discuss the sources of oxidative stress in thermophiles, the adaptive response of thermophiles to redox stress and their roles in dye removal, and the regulation and crosstalk between responses to oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadele Assefa Aragaw
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- *Correspondence: Tadele Assefa Aragaw,
| | - Fekadu Mazengiaw Bogale
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Amare Gessesse
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
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12
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Gophna U, Altman-Price N. Horizontal Gene Transfer in Archaea-From Mechanisms to Genome Evolution. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:481-502. [PMID: 35667126 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-040820-124627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Archaea remains the least-studied and least-characterized domain of life despite its significance not just to the ecology of our planet but also to the evolution of eukaryotes. It is therefore unsurprising that research into horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in archaea has lagged behind that of bacteria. Indeed, several archaeal lineages may owe their very existence to large-scale HGT events, and thus understanding both the molecular mechanisms and the evolutionary impact of HGT in archaea is highly important. Furthermore, some mechanisms of gene exchange, such as plasmids that transmit themselves via membrane vesicles and the formation of cytoplasmic bridges that allows transfer of both chromosomal and plasmid DNA, may be archaea specific. This review summarizes what we know about HGT in archaea, and the barriers that restrict it, highlighting exciting recent discoveries and pointing out opportunities for future research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Gophna
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; ,
| | - Neta Altman-Price
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; , .,Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel
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13
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Unique mobile elements and scalable gene flow at the prokaryote-eukaryote boundary revealed by circularized Asgard archaea genomes. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:200-212. [PMID: 35027677 PMCID: PMC8813620 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-01039-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are known to have garnered innovations from both archaeal and bacterial domains but the sequence of events that led to the complex gene repertoire of eukaryotes is largely unresolved. Here, through the enrichment of hydrothermal vent microorganisms, we recovered two circularized genomes of Heimdallarchaeum species that belong to an Asgard archaea clade phylogenetically closest to eukaryotes. These genomes reveal diverse mobile elements, including an integrative viral genome that bidirectionally replicates in a circular form and aloposons, transposons that encode the 5,000 amino acid-sized proteins Otus and Ephialtes. Heimdallaechaeal mobile elements have garnered various genes from bacteria and bacteriophages, likely playing a role in shuffling functions across domains. The number of archaea- and bacteria-related genes follow strikingly different scaling laws in Asgard archaea, exhibiting a genome size-dependent ratio and a functional division resembling the bacteria- and archaea-derived gene repertoire across eukaryotes. Bacterial gene import has thus likely been a continuous process unaltered by eukaryogenesis and scaled up through genome expansion. Our data further highlight the importance of viewing eukaryogenesis in a pan-Asgard context, which led to the proposal of a conceptual framework, that is, the Heimdall nucleation–decentralized innovation–hierarchical import model that accounts for the emergence of eukaryotic complexity. The recovery of two circularized genomes of the Heimdallarchaeum species from hydrothermal vent enrichment cultures reveals that these Asgard archaea carry diverse mobile genetic elements, such as an integrative viral genome and aloposons. These mobile genetic elements contain several bacteria- and phage-derived genes, modulating the shuffling of information between bacteria and archaea, and potentially influencing eukaryogenesis.
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14
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Maruyama H, Nambu T, Mashimo C, Okinaga T, Takeyasu K. Single-Molecule/Cell Analyses Reveal Principles of Genome-Folding Mechanisms in the Three Domains of Life. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13432. [PMID: 34948225 PMCID: PMC8707338 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative structural/molecular biology by single-molecule analyses combined with single-cell dissection, mass spectroscopy, and biochemical reconstitution have been powerful tools for elucidating the mechanisms underlying genome DNA folding. All genomes in the three domains of life undergo stepwise folding from DNA to 30-40 nm fibers. Major protein players are histone (Eukarya and Archaea), Alba (Archaea), and HU (Bacteria) for fundamental structural units of the genome. In Euryarchaeota, a major archaeal phylum, either histone or HTa (the bacterial HU homolog) were found to wrap DNA. This finding divides archaea into two groups: those that use DNA-wrapping as the fundamental step in genome folding and those that do not. Archaeal transcription factor-like protein TrmBL2 has been suggested to be involved in genome folding and repression of horizontally acquired genes, similar to bacterial H-NS protein. Evolutionarily divergent SMC proteins contribute to the establishment of higher-order structures. Recent results are presented, including the use of Hi-C technology to reveal that archaeal SMC proteins are involved in higher-order genome folding, and the use of single-molecule tracking to reveal the detailed functions of bacterial and eukaryotic SMC proteins. Here, we highlight the similarities and differences in the DNA-folding mechanisms in the three domains of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Maruyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata 573-1121, Japan; (T.N.); (C.M.); (T.O.)
| | - Takayuki Nambu
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata 573-1121, Japan; (T.N.); (C.M.); (T.O.)
| | - Chiho Mashimo
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata 573-1121, Japan; (T.N.); (C.M.); (T.O.)
| | - Toshinori Okinaga
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata 573-1121, Japan; (T.N.); (C.M.); (T.O.)
| | - Kunio Takeyasu
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan;
- Center for Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10672, Taiwan
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15
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Villain P, da Cunha V, Villain E, Forterre P, Oberto J, Catchpole R, Basta T. The hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis is resistant to pervasive negative supercoiling activity of DNA gyrase. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:12332-12347. [PMID: 34755863 PMCID: PMC8643681 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In all cells, DNA topoisomerases dynamically regulate DNA supercoiling allowing essential DNA processes such as transcription and replication to occur. How this complex system emerged in the course of evolution is poorly understood. Intriguingly, a single horizontal gene transfer event led to the successful establishment of bacterial gyrase in Archaea, but its emergent function remains a mystery. To better understand the challenges associated with the establishment of pervasive negative supercoiling activity, we expressed the gyrase of the bacterium Thermotoga maritima in a naïve archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis which naturally has positively supercoiled DNA. We found that the gyrase was catalytically active in T. kodakarensis leading to strong negative supercoiling of plasmid DNA which was stably maintained over at least eighty generations. An increased sensitivity of gyrase-expressing T. kodakarensis to ciprofloxacin suggested that gyrase also modulated chromosomal topology. Accordingly, global transcriptome analyses revealed large scale gene expression deregulation and identified a subset of genes responding to the negative supercoiling activity of gyrase. Surprisingly, the artificially introduced dominant negative supercoiling activity did not have a measurable effect on T. kodakarensis growth rate. Our data suggest that gyrase can become established in Thermococcales archaea without critically interfering with DNA transaction processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Villain
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Violette da Cunha
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Patrick Forterre
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Oberto
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ryan Catchpole
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Tamara Basta
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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16
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Guo H, Wang L, Deng Y, Ye J. Novel perspectives of environmental proteomics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 788:147588. [PMID: 34023612 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The connection among genome expression, proteome alteration, metabolism regulation and phenotype change under environmental stresses is very vague. It is a tough task for the traditional research approaches to reveal the related scientific mechanisms of the above connection at molecular and systematic levels. Proteomics approach is an insightful tool for revealing the biological functions, metabolic networks and functional protein interaction networks of cells and organisms under stresses at the systematic level. The purpose of this review is to provide an insightful guideline on how to set up a proteomic investigation for revealing biomolecule mechanisms, protein biomarkers and metabolism networks related to stress response, pollutant recognition, transport and biodegradation, and providing an insightful high-throughput approach for screening functional enzymes and effective microbes based on bioinformatics and functional verification method. Furthermore, the toxicity evaluation of pollutants and byproducts by proteomics approaches provides a scientific insight for early diagnosis of ecological risk and determination of the effectiveness of pollutant treatment techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health of Guangdong Province, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Institute of Orthopedic Diseases, Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health of Guangdong Province, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ying Deng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health of Guangdong Province, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jinshao Ye
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health of Guangdong Province, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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17
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Li YX, Rao YZ, Qi YL, Qu YN, Chen YT, Jiao JY, Shu WS, Jiang H, Hedlund BP, Hua ZS, Li WJ. Deciphering Symbiotic Interactions of " Candidatus Aenigmarchaeota" with Inferred Horizontal Gene Transfers and Co-occurrence Networks. mSystems 2021; 6:e0060621. [PMID: 34313464 PMCID: PMC8407114 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00606-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
"Candidatus Aenigmarchaeota" ("Ca. Aenigmarchaeota") represents one of the earliest proposed evolutionary branches within the Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Nanohaloarchaeota (DPANN) superphylum. However, their ecological roles and potential host-symbiont interactions are still poorly understood. Here, eight metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were reconstructed from hot spring ecosystems, and further in-depth comparative and evolutionary genomic analyses were conducted on these MAGs and other genomes downloaded from public databases. Although with limited metabolic capacities, we reported that "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" in thermal environments harbor more genes related to carbohydrate metabolism than "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" in nonthermal environments. Evolutionary analyses suggested that members from the Thaumarchaeota, Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, and Korarchaeota (TACK) superphylum and Euryarchaeota contribute substantially to the niche expansion of "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" via horizontal gene transfer (HGT), especially genes related to virus defense and stress responses. Based on co-occurrence network results and recent genetic exchanges among community members, we conjectured that "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" may be symbionts associated with one MAG affiliated with the genus Pyrobaculum, though host specificity might be wide and variable across different "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" organisms. This study provides significant insight into possible DPANN-host interactions and ecological roles of "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota." IMPORTANCE Recent advances in sequencing technology promoted the blowout discovery of super tiny microbes in the Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Nanohaloarchaeota (DPANN) superphylum. However, the unculturable properties of the majority of microbes impeded our investigation of their behavior and symbiotic lifestyle in the corresponding community. By integrating horizontal gene transfer (HGT) detection and co-occurrence network analysis on "Candidatus Aenigmarchaeota" ("Ca. Aenigmarchaeota"), we made one of the first attempts to infer their putative interaction partners and further decipher the potential functional and genetic interactions between the symbionts. We revealed that HGTs contributed by members from the Thaumarchaeota, Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, and Korarchaeota (TACK) superphylum and Euryarchaeota conferred "Ca. Aenigmarchaeota" with the ability to survive under different environmental stresses, such as virus infection, high temperature, and oxidative stress. This study demonstrates that the interaction partners might be inferable by applying informatics analyses on metagenomic sequencing data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang-Zhi Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan-Ling Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan-Ni Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ting Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian-Yu Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen-Sheng Shu
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongchen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Brian P. Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China
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18
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Lecocq M, Groussin M, Gouy M, Brochier-Armanet C. The Molecular Determinants of Thermoadaptation: Methanococcales as a Case Study. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1761-1776. [PMID: 33450027 PMCID: PMC8097290 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous reports have shown that environmental temperature impacts proteome evolution in Bacteria and Archaea. However, it is unknown whether thermoadaptation mainly occurs via the sequential accumulation of substitutions, massive horizontal gene transfers, or both. Measuring the real contribution of amino acid substitution to thermoadaptation is challenging, because of confounding environmental and genetic factors (e.g., pH, salinity, genomic G + C content) that also affect proteome evolution. Here, using Methanococcales, a major archaeal lineage, as a study model, we show that optimal growth temperature is the major factor affecting variations in amino acid frequencies of proteomes. By combining phylogenomic and ancestral sequence reconstruction approaches, we disclose a sequential substitutional scheme in which lysine plays a central role by fine tuning the pool of arginine, serine, threonine, glutamine, and asparagine, whose frequencies are strongly correlated with optimal growth temperature. Finally, we show that colonization to new thermal niches is not associated with high amounts of horizontal gene transfers. Altogether, although the acquisition of a few key proteins through horizontal gene transfer may have favored thermoadaptation in Methanococcales, our findings support sequential amino acid substitutions as the main factor driving thermoadaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Lecocq
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Mathieu Groussin
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Manolo Gouy
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Céline Brochier-Armanet
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5558, Villeurbanne, France
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19
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Degli Esposti M, Moya-Beltrán A, Quatrini R, Hederstedt L. Respiratory Heme A-Containing Oxidases Originated in the Ancestors of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:664216. [PMID: 34211444 PMCID: PMC8239418 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.664216] [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: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiration is a major trait shaping the biology of many environments. Cytochrome oxidase containing heme A (COX) is a common terminal oxidase in aerobic bacteria and is the only one in mammalian mitochondria. The synthesis of heme A is catalyzed by heme A synthase (CtaA/Cox15), an enzyme that most likely coevolved with COX. The evolutionary origin of COX in bacteria has remained unknown. Using extensive sequence and phylogenetic analysis, we show that the ancestral type of heme A synthases is present in iron-oxidizing Proteobacteria such as Acidithiobacillus spp. These bacteria also contain a deep branching form of the major COX subunit (COX1) and an ancestral variant of CtaG, a protein that is specifically required for COX biogenesis. Our work thus suggests that the ancestors of extant iron-oxidizers were the first to evolve COX. Consistent with this conclusion, acidophilic iron-oxidizing prokaryotes lived on emerged land around the time for which there is the earliest geochemical evidence of aerobic respiration on earth. Hence, ecological niches of iron oxidation have apparently promoted the evolution of aerobic respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Degli Esposti
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Ana Moya-Beltrán
- Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative Program–Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of the Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- ANID–Millennium Science Initiative Program–Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of the Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lars Hederstedt
- The Microbiology Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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20
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Yang Y, Zhang C, Lenton TM, Yan X, Zhu M, Zhou M, Tao J, Phelps TJ, Cao Z. The evolution pathway of ammonia-oxidizing archaea shaped by major geological events. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:3637-3648. [PMID: 33993308 PMCID: PMC8382903 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Primordial nitrification processes have been studied extensively using geochemical approaches, but the biological origination of nitrification remains unclear. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are widely distributed nitrifiers and implement the rate-limiting step in nitrification. They are hypothesized to have been important players in the global nitrogen cycle in Earth’s early history. We performed systematic phylogenomic and marker gene analyses to elucidate the diversification timeline of AOA evolution. Our results suggested that the AOA ancestor experienced terrestrial geothermal environments at ∼1,165 Ma (1,928–880 Ma), and gradually evolved into mesophilic soil at ∼652 Ma (767–554 Ma) before diversifying into marine settings at ∼509 Ma (629–412 Ma) and later into shallow and deep oceans, respectively. Corroborated by geochemical evidence and modeling, the timing of key diversification nodes can be linked to the global magmatism and glaciation associated with the assembly and breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia, and the later oxygenation of the deep ocean. Results of this integrated study shed light on the geological forces that may have shaped the evolutionary pathways of the AOA, which played an important role in the ancient global nitrogen cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyan Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P.R. China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510000, China.,Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Timothy M Lenton
- Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, United Kingdom
| | - Xinmiao Yan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Maoyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy & Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, P.R. China.,College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Mengdi Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jianchang Tao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P.R. China
| | - Tommy J Phelps
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, P.R. China
| | - Zhiwei Cao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
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21
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General method to stabilize mesophilic proteins in hyperthermal water. iScience 2021; 24:102503. [PMID: 34113834 PMCID: PMC8169989 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The stability of protein structures and biological functions at normal temperature is closely linked with the universal aqueous environment of organisms. Preserving bioactivities of proteins in hyperthermia water would expand their functional capabilities beyond those in native environments. However, only a limited number of proteins derived from hyperthermophiles are thermostable at elevated temperatures. Triggered by this, here we describe a general method to stabilize mesophilic proteins in hyperthermia water. The mesophilic proteins, protected by amphiphilic polymers with multiple binding sites, maintain their secondary and tertiary structures after incubation even in boiling water. This approach, outside the conventional environment for bioactivities of mesophilic proteins, provides a general strategy to dramatically increase the Tm (melting temperature) of mesophilic proteins without any changes to amino sequences of the native proteins. Current work offers a new insight with protein stability engineering for potential application, including vaccine storage and enzyme engineering. Preserving bioactivities of proteins in hyperthermia water is promising. Amphiphilic polymers could protect mesophilic proteins even in boiling water. Mesophilic proteins protected by amphiphilic polymers show dramatically increased Tm. The method offers application prospect for vaccine storage and enzyme engineering.
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22
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Suresh A, Shravan Ramgopal D, Panchamoorthy Gopinath K, Arun J, SundarRajan P, Bhatnagar A. Recent advancements in the synthesis of novel thermostable biocatalysts and their applications in commercially important chemoenzymatic conversion processes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 323:124558. [PMID: 33383359 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Thermostable enzymes are a field of growing interest in bioremediation, pharmaceuticals, food industry etc., due to their ability to catalyze bio reactions at high temperatures. This review aims to provide an overview on extremophiles with a special focus on thermophiles and enzymes produced from extremophilic bacteria. Novel thermostable catalysts, used in producing commercially important chemicals, are discussed in this review. Various classes of enzymes produced by microbes, synthesis of thermozymes and comparison with enzymes produced at optimal conditions are critically discussed. A detailed discussion on immobilized enzymes in comparisons with free enzymes, produced by extremozymes, is included. Different parameters which affect enzyme production are also discussed. The current industrial trends along with the future of biocatalysts in the production of chemicals using efficient methods are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravind Suresh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam - 603110, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dhakshin Shravan Ramgopal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam - 603110, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kannappan Panchamoorthy Gopinath
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam - 603110, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jayaseelan Arun
- Centre for Waste Management, International Research Centre, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Jeppiaar Nagar (OMR), Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Panneerselvam SundarRajan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam - 603110, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Amit Bhatnagar
- Department of Separation Science, LUT School of Engineering Science, LUT University, Sammonkatu 12, FI-50130 Mikkeli, Finland.
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23
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Luo ZH, Narsing Rao MP, Chen H, Hua ZS, Li Q, Hedlund BP, Dong ZY, Liu BB, Guo SX, Shu WS, Li WJ. Genomic Insights of " Candidatus Nitrosocaldaceae" Based on Nine New Metagenome-Assembled Genomes, Including " Candidatus Nitrosothermus" Gen Nov. and Two New Species of " Candidatus Nitrosocaldus". Front Microbiol 2021; 11:608832. [PMID: 33488549 PMCID: PMC7819960 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.608832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
“Candidatus Nitrosocaldaceae” are globally distributed in neutral or slightly alkaline hot springs and geothermally heated soils. Despite their essential role in the nitrogen cycle in high-temperature ecosystems, they remain poorly understood because they have never been isolated in pure culture, and very few genomes are available. In the present study, a metagenomics approach was employed to obtain “Ca. Nitrosocaldaceae” metagenomic-assembled genomes (MAGs) from hot spring samples collected from India and China. Phylogenomic analysis placed these MAGs within “Ca. Nitrosocaldaceae.” Average nucleotide identity and average amino acid identity analysis suggested the new MAGs represent two novel species of “Candidatus Nitrosocaldus” and a novel genus, herein proposed as “Candidatus Nitrosothermus.” Key genes responsible for chemolithotrophic ammonia oxidation and a thaumarchaeal 3HP/4HB cycle were detected in all MAGs. Furthermore, genes coding for urea degradation were only present in “Ca. Nitrosocaldus,” while biosynthesis of the vitamins, biotin, cobalamin, and riboflavin were detected in almost all MAGs. Comparison of “Ca. Nitrosocaldales/Nitrosocaldaceae” with other AOA revealed 526 specific orthogroups. This included genes related to thermal adaptation (cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), indicating their importance for life at high temperature. In addition, these MAGs acquired genes from members from archaea (Crenarchaeota) and bacteria (Firmicutes), mainly involved in metabolism and stress responses, which might play a role to allow this group to adapt to thermal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Hao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Manik Prabhu Narsing Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States.,Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Zhou-Yan Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bing-Bing Liu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbial Resources and Fermentation Technology, College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Shu-Xian Guo
- Henan Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbial Resources and Fermentation Technology, College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Wen-Sheng Shu
- School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbial Resources and Fermentation Technology, College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
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24
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Viruses in Extreme Environments, Current Overview, and Biotechnological Potential. Viruses 2021; 13:v13010081. [PMID: 33430116 PMCID: PMC7826561 DOI: 10.3390/v13010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus research has advanced significantly since the discovery of the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the characterization of its infection mechanisms and the factors that determine their pathogenicity. However, most viral research has focused on pathogenic viruses to humans, animals and plants, which represent only a small fraction in the virosphere. As a result, the role of most viral genes, and the mechanisms of coevolution between mutualistic viruses, their host and their environment, beyond pathogenicity, remain poorly understood. This review focuses on general aspects of viruses that interact with extremophile organisms, characteristics and examples of mechanisms of adaptation. Finally, this review provides an overview on how knowledge of extremophile viruses sheds light on the application of new tools of relevant use in modern molecular biology, discussing their value in a biotechnological context.
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25
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Sheridan PO, Raguideau S, Quince C, Holden J, Zhang L, Williams TA, Gubry-Rangin C. Gene duplication drives genome expansion in a major lineage of Thaumarchaeota. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5494. [PMID: 33127895 PMCID: PMC7603488 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidising archaea of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are important organisms in the nitrogen cycle, but the mechanisms driving their radiation into diverse ecosystems remain underexplored. Here, existing thaumarchaeotal genomes are complemented with 12 genomes belonging to the previously under-sampled Nitrososphaerales to investigate the impact of lateral gene transfer (LGT), gene duplication and loss across thaumarchaeotal evolution. We reveal a major role for gene duplication in driving genome expansion subsequent to early LGT. In particular, two large LGT events are identified into Nitrososphaerales and the fate of these gene families is highly lineage-specific, being lost in some descendant lineages, but undergoing extensive duplication in others, suggesting niche-specific roles. Notably, some genes involved in carbohydrate transport or coenzyme metabolism were duplicated, likely facilitating niche specialisation in soils and sediments. Overall, our results suggest that LGT followed by gene duplication drives Nitrososphaerales evolution, highlighting a previously under-appreciated mechanism of genome expansion in archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul O Sheridan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Christopher Quince
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Organisms and Ecosystems, Earlham Institute, Norwich, UK
- Gut Microbes and Health, Quadram Institute, Norwich, UK
| | - Jennifer Holden
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Lihong Zhang
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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26
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Ancestral Reconstructions Decipher Major Adaptations of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea upon Radiation into Moderate Terrestrial and Marine Environments. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02371-20. [PMID: 33051370 PMCID: PMC7554672 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02371-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike all other archaeal lineages, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are widespread and abundant in all moderate and oxic environments on Earth. The evolutionary adaptations that led to such unprecedented ecological success of a microbial clade characterized by highly conserved energy and carbon metabolisms have, however, remained underexplored. Here, we reconstructed the genomic content and growth temperature of the ancestor of all AOA, as well as the ancestors of the marine and soil lineages, based on 39 available complete or nearly complete genomes of AOA. Our evolutionary scenario depicts an extremely thermophilic, autotrophic, aerobic ancestor from which three independent lineages of a marine and two terrestrial groups radiated into moderate environments. Their emergence was paralleled by (i) a continuous acquisition of an extensive collection of stress tolerance genes mostly involved in redox maintenance and oxygen detoxification, (ii) an expansion of regulatory capacities in transcription and central metabolic functions, and (iii) an extended repertoire of cell appendages and modifications related to adherence and interactions with the environment. Our analysis provides insights into the evolutionary transitions and key processes that enabled the conquest of the diverse environments in which contemporary AOA are found.
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27
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Structural basis for carotenoid cleavage by an archaeal carotenoid dioxygenase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:19914-19925. [PMID: 32747548 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2004116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Apocarotenoids are important signaling molecules generated from carotenoids through the action of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs). These enzymes have a remarkable ability to cleave carotenoids at specific alkene bonds while leaving chemically similar sites within the polyene intact. Although several bacterial and eukaryotic CCDs have been characterized, the long-standing goal of experimentally visualizing a CCD-carotenoid complex at high resolution to explain this exquisite regioselectivity remains unfulfilled. CCD genes are also present in some archaeal genomes, but the encoded enzymes remain uninvestigated. Here, we address this knowledge gap through analysis of a metazoan-like archaeal CCD from Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra (NdCCD). NdCCD was active toward β-apocarotenoids but did not cleave bicyclic carotenoids. It exhibited an unusual regiospecificity, cleaving apocarotenoids solely at the C14'-C13' alkene bond to produce β-apo-14'-carotenals. The structure of NdCCD revealed a tapered active site cavity markedly different from the broad active site observed for the retinal-forming Synechocystis apocarotenoid oxygenase (SynACO) but similar to the vertebrate retinoid isomerase RPE65. The structure of NdCCD in complex with its apocarotenoid product demonstrated that the site of cleavage is defined by interactions along the substrate binding cleft as well as selective stabilization of reaction intermediates at the scissile alkene. These data on the molecular basis of CCD catalysis shed light on the origins of the varied catalytic activities found in metazoan CCDs, opening the possibility of modifying their activity through rational chemical or genetic approaches.
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28
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Santana-Molina C, Rivas-Marin E, Rojas AM, Devos DP. Origin and Evolution of Polycyclic Triterpene Synthesis. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:1925-1941. [PMID: 32125435 PMCID: PMC7306690 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycyclic triterpenes are members of the terpene family produced by the cyclization of squalene. The most representative polycyclic triterpenes are hopanoids and sterols, the former are mostly found in bacteria, whereas the latter are largely limited to eukaryotes, albeit with a growing number of bacterial exceptions. Given their important role and omnipresence in most eukaryotes, contrasting with their scant representation in bacteria, sterol biosynthesis was long thought to be a eukaryotic innovation. Thus, their presence in some bacteria was deemed to be the result of lateral gene transfer from eukaryotes. Elucidating the origin and evolution of the polycyclic triterpene synthetic pathways is important to understand the role of these compounds in eukaryogenesis and their geobiological value as biomarkers in fossil records. Here, we have revisited the phylogenies of the main enzymes involved in triterpene synthesis, performing gene neighborhood analysis and phylogenetic profiling. Squalene can be biosynthesized by two different pathways containing the HpnCDE or Sqs proteins. Our results suggest that the HpnCDE enzymes are derived from carotenoid biosynthesis ones and that they assembled in an ancestral squalene pathway in bacteria, while remaining metabolically versatile. Conversely, the Sqs enzyme is prone to be involved in lateral gene transfer, and its emergence is possibly related to the specialization of squalene biosynthesis. The biosynthesis of hopanoids seems to be ancestral in the Bacteria domain. Moreover, no triterpene cyclases are found in Archaea, invoking a potential scenario in which eukaryotic genes for sterol biosynthesis assembled from ancestral bacterial contributions in early eukaryotic lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Santana-Molina
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD)-CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Elena Rivas-Marin
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD)-CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Ana M Rojas
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD)-CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Damien P Devos
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD)-CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
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29
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Maruyama H, Prieto EI, Nambu T, Mashimo C, Kashiwagi K, Okinaga T, Atomi H, Takeyasu K. Different Proteins Mediate Step-Wise Chromosome Architectures in Thermoplasma acidophilum and Pyrobaculum calidifontis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1247. [PMID: 32655523 PMCID: PMC7325993 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaeal species encode a variety of distinct lineage-specific chromosomal proteins. We have previously shown that in Thermococcus kodakarensis, histone, Alba, and TrmBL2 play distinct roles in chromosome organization. Although our understanding of individual archaeal chromosomal proteins has been advancing, how archaeal chromosomes are folded into higher-order structures and how they are regulated are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the primary and higher-order structures of archaeal chromosomes from different archaeal lineages. Atomic force microscopy of chromosome spreads out of Thermoplasma acidophilum and Pyrobaculum calidifontis cells revealed 10-nm fibers and 30–40-nm globular structures, suggesting the occurrence of higher-order chromosomal folding. Our results also indicated that chromosome compaction occurs toward the stationary phase. Micrococcal nuclease digestion indicated that fundamental structural units of the chromosome exist in T. acidophilum and T. kodakarensis but not in P. calidifontis or Sulfolobus solfataricus. In vitro reconstitution showed that, in T. acidophilum, the bacterial HU protein homolog HTa formed a 6-nm fiber by wrapping DNA, and that Alba was responsible for the formation of the 10-nm fiber by binding along the DNA without wrapping. Remarkably, Alba could form different higher-order complexes with histone or HTa on DNA in vitro. Mass spectrometry detected HTa and Rad50 in the T. acidophilum chromosome but not in other species. A putative transcriptional regulator of the AsnC/Lrp family (Pcal_1183) was detected on the P. calidifontis chromosome, but not on that of other species studied. Putative membrane-associated proteins were detected in the chromosomes of the three archaeal species studied, including T. acidophilum, P. calidifontis, and T. kodakarensis. Collectively, our data show that Archaea use different combinations of proteins to achieve chromosomal architecture and functional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Maruyama
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Eloise I Prieto
- National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Takayuki Nambu
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Chiho Mashimo
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Kosuke Kashiwagi
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Toshinori Okinaga
- Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Haruyuki Atomi
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kunio Takeyasu
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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30
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Bateman A. Division of labour in a matrix, rather than phagocytosis or endosymbiosis, as a route for the origin of eukaryotic cells. Biol Direct 2020; 15:8. [PMID: 32345370 PMCID: PMC7187495 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-020-00260-9] [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: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Two apparently irreconcilable models dominate research into the origin of eukaryotes. In one model, amitochondrial proto-eukaryotes emerged autogenously from the last universal common ancestor of all cells. Proto-eukaryotes subsequently acquired mitochondrial progenitors by the phagocytic capture of bacteria. In the second model, two prokaryotes, probably an archaeon and a bacterial cell, engaged in prokaryotic endosymbiosis, with the species resident within the host becoming the mitochondrial progenitor. Both models have limitations. A search was therefore undertaken for alternative routes towards the origin of eukaryotic cells. The question was addressed by considering classes of potential pathways from prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells based on considerations of cellular topology. Among the solutions identified, one, called here the “third-space model”, has not been widely explored. A version is presented in which an extracellular space (the third-space), serves as a proxy cytoplasm for mixed populations of archaea and bacteria to “merge” as a transitionary complex without obligatory endosymbiosis or phagocytosis and to form a precursor cell. Incipient nuclei and mitochondria diverge by division of labour. The third-space model can accommodate the reorganization of prokaryote-like genomes to a more eukaryote-like genome structure. Nuclei with multiple chromosomes and mitosis emerge as a natural feature of the model. The model is compatible with the loss of archaeal lipid biochemistry while retaining archaeal genes and provides a route for the development of membranous organelles such as the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. Advantages, limitations and variations of the “third-space” models are discussed. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Damien Devos, Buzz Baum and Michael Gray.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bateman
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Glen Site Pavilion E, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada. .,Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Glen Site Pavilion E, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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31
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López-García P, Moreira D. The Syntrophy hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotes revisited. Nat Microbiol 2020; 5:655-667. [DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0710-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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32
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Papale F, Saget J, Bapteste É. Networks Consolidate the Core Concepts of Evolution by Natural Selection. Trends Microbiol 2019; 28:254-265. [PMID: 31866140 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microbiology has unraveled rich evidence of ongoing reticulate evolutionary processes and complex interactions both within and between cells. These phenomena feature real biological networks, which can logically be analyzed using network-based tools. It is thus not surprising that network sciences, a field independent from evolutionary biology and microbiology, have recently pervasively infused their methods into both fields. Importantly, network tools bring forward observations enhancing the understanding of three core evolutionary concepts: variation, fitness, and heredity. Consequently, our work shows how network sciences can enhance evolutionary theory by explaining the evolution by natural selection of a broad diversity of units of selection, while updating the popular figure of Darwin's tree of life with a comprehensive sketch of the networks of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Papale
- Departement of Philosophy, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada; Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jordane Saget
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Éric Bapteste
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 75005 Paris, France.
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33
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Belilla J, Moreira D, Jardillier L, Reboul G, Benzerara K, López-García JM, Bertolino P, López-Archilla AI, López-García P. Hyperdiverse archaea near life limits at the polyextreme geothermal Dallol area. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:1552-1561. [PMID: 31666740 PMCID: PMC6837875 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-1005-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Microbial life has adapted to various individual extreme conditions; yet, organisms simultaneously adapted to very low pH, high salt and high temperature are unknown. We combined environmental 16S/18S rRNA-gene metabarcoding, cultural approaches, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, scanning electron microscopy and chemical analyses to study samples along such unique polyextreme gradients in the Dallol-Danakil area (Ethiopia). We identify two physicochemical barriers to life in the presence of surface liquid water defined by: i) high chaotropicity-low water activity in Mg2+/Ca2+-dominated brines and ii) hyperacidity-salt combinations (pH~0/NaCl-dominated salt-saturation). When detected, life was dominated by highly diverse ultrasmall archaea widely distributed across phyla with and without previously known halophilic members. We hypothesize that high cytoplasmic K+-level was an original archaeal adaptation to hyperthermophily, subsequently exapted during multiple transitions to extreme halophily. We detect active silica encrustment/fossilization of cells but also abiotic biomorphs of varied chemistry. Our work helps circumscribing habitability and calls for cautionary interpretations of morphological biosignatures on Earth and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie Belilla
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - David Moreira
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Ludwig Jardillier
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Guillaume Reboul
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Karim Benzerara
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | | | - Paola Bertolino
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | | | - Purificación López-García
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France.
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34
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Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) from the phylum Thaumarchaeota are ubiquitous in marine ecosystems and play a prominent role in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Previous studies have suggested that, like all microbes, thaumarchaea are infected by viruses and that viral predation has a profound impact on thaumarchaeal functioning and mortality, thereby regulating global biogeochemical cycles. However, not a single virus capable of infecting thaumarchaea has been reported thus far. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of three Nitrosopumilus spindle-shaped viruses (NSVs) that infect AOA and are distinct from other known marine viruses. Although NSVs have a narrow host range, they efficiently infect autochthonous Nitrosopumilus strains and display high rates of adsorption to their host cells. The NSVs have linear double-stranded DNA genomes of ∼28 kb that do not display appreciable sequence similarity to genomes of other known archaeal or bacterial viruses and could be considered as representatives of a new virus family, the "Thaspiviridae." Upon infection, NSV replication leads to inhibition of AOA growth, accompanied by severe reduction in the rate of ammonia oxidation and nitrite reduction. Nevertheless, unlike in the case of lytic bacteriophages, NSV propagation is not associated with detectable degradation of the host chromosome or a decrease in cell counts. The broad distribution of NSVs in AOA-dominated marine environments suggests that NSV predation might regulate the diversity and dynamics of AOA communities. Collectively, our results shed light on the diversity, evolution, and potential impact of the virosphere associated with ecologically important mesophilic archaea.
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35
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Abstract
The amount and evolutionary impact of horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes remain contentious issues. A new phylogenomic study suggests that gene transfer from prokaryotes has contributed significantly to the adaptation and metabolic evolution of Blastocystis, the most widespread human gut eukaryotic parasite.
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36
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Rodrigues-Oliveira T, Souza AA, Kruger R, Schuster B, Maria de Freitas S, Kyaw CM. Environmental factors influence the Haloferax volcanii S-layer protein structure. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216863. [PMID: 31075115 PMCID: PMC6607943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
S-layers commonly cover archaeal cell envelopes and are composed of proteins that self-assemble into a paracrystalline surface structure. Despite their detection in almost all archaea, there are few reports investigating the structural properties of these proteins, with no reports exploring this topic for halophilic S-layers. The objective of the present study was to investigate the secondary and tertiary organization of the Haloferax volcanii S-layer protein. Such investigations were performed using circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The protein secondary structure is centered on β-sheets and is affected by environmental pH, with higher disorder in more alkaline conditions. The pH can also affect the protein's tertiary structure, with higher tryptophan side-chain exposure to the medium under the same conditions. The concentrations of Na, Mg and Ca ions in the environment also affect the protein structures, with small changes in α-helix and β-sheet content, as well as changes in tryptophan side chain exposure. These changes in turn influence the protein's functional properties, with cell envelope preparations revealing striking differences when in different salt conditions. Thermal denaturation assays revealed that the protein is stable. It has been reported that the S-layer protein N-glycosylation process is affected by external factors and the present study indicates for the first time changes in the protein structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Rodrigues-Oliveira
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University
of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Amanda Araújo Souza
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University
of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Kruger
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University
of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Bernhard Schuster
- Department of NanoBiotechnology, Institute for Synthetic
Bioarchitectures, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna,
Austria
| | - Sonia Maria de Freitas
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University
of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Cynthia Maria Kyaw
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University
of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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37
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Ren M, Feng X, Huang Y, Wang H, Hu Z, Clingenpeel S, Swan BK, Fonseca MM, Posada D, Stepanauskas R, Hollibaugh JT, Foster PG, Woyke T, Luo H. Phylogenomics suggests oxygen availability as a driving force in Thaumarchaeota evolution. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2150-2161. [PMID: 31024152 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0418-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are widespread in marine and terrestrial habitats, playing a major role in the global nitrogen cycle. However, their evolutionary history remains unexplored, which limits our understanding of their adaptation mechanisms. Here, our comprehensive phylogenomic tree of Thaumarchaeota supports three sequential events: origin of AOA from terrestrial non-AOA ancestors, colonization of the shallow ocean, and expansion to the deep ocean. Careful molecular dating suggests that these events coincided with the Great Oxygenation Event around 2300 million years ago (Mya), and oxygenation of the shallow and deep ocean around 800 and 635-560 Mya, respectively. The first transition was likely enabled by the gain of an aerobic pathway for energy production by ammonia oxidation and biosynthetic pathways for cobalamin and biotin that act as cofactors in aerobic metabolism. The first transition was also accompanied by the loss of dissimilatory nitrate and sulfate reduction, loss of oxygen-sensitive pyruvate oxidoreductase, which reduces pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, and loss of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway for anaerobic carbon fixation. The second transition involved gain of a K+ transporter and of the biosynthetic pathway for ectoine, which may function as an osmoprotectant. The third transition was accompanied by the loss of the uvr system for repairing ultraviolet light-induced DNA lesions. We conclude that oxygen availability drove the terrestrial origin of AOA and their expansion to the photic and dark oceans, and that the stressors encountered during these events were partially overcome by gene acquisitions from Euryarchaeota and Bacteria, among other sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglei Ren
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.,Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518000, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Feng
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Yongjie Huang
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.,Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518000, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Biology Department, College of Science, Shantou University, 515063, Shantou, China
| | - Zhong Hu
- Biology Department, College of Science, Shantou University, 515063, Shantou, China
| | | | - Brandon K Swan
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, 04544, USA.,National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Miguel M Fonseca
- CINBIO and Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - David Posada
- CINBIO and Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | | | - James T Hollibaugh
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Peter G Foster
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Tanja Woyke
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA, 94598, USA
| | - Haiwei Luo
- Simon F. S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. .,Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 518000, Shenzhen, China.
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38
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Wang Y, Huang JM, Cui GJ, Nunoura T, Takaki Y, Li WL, Li J, Gao ZM, Takai K, Zhang AQ, Stepanauskas R. Genomics insights into ecotype formation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in the deep ocean. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:716-729. [PMID: 30592124 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Various lineages of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are present in deep waters, but the mechanisms that determine ecotype formation are obscure. We studied 18 high-quality genomes of the marine group I AOA lineages (alpha, gamma and delta) from the Mariana and Ogasawara trenches. The genomes of alpha AOA resembled each other, while those of gamma and delta lineages were more divergent and had even undergone insertion of some phage genes. The instability of the gamma and delta AOA genomes could be partially due to the loss of DNA polymerase B (polB) and methyladenine DNA glycosylase (tag) genes responsible for the repair of point mutations. The alpha AOA genomes harbour genes encoding a thrombospondin-like outer membrane structure that probably serves as a barrier to gene flow. Moreover, the gamma and alpha AOA lineages rely on vitamin B12 -independent MetE and B12 -dependent MetH, respectively, for methionine synthesis. The delta AOA genome contains genes involved in uptake of sugar and peptide perhaps for heterotrophic lifestyle. Our study provides insights into co-occurrence of cladogenesis and anagenesis in the formation of AOA ecotypes that perform differently in nitrogen and carbon cycling in dark oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
| | - Jiao-Mei Huang
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Jie Cui
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research and Development Center for Marine Biosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- Research and Development Center for Marine Biosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan.,Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Wen-Li Li
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China.,University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Li
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
| | - Zhao-Ming Gao
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
| | - Ken Takai
- Department of Subsurface Geobiological Analysis and Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Ai-Qun Zhang
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
| | - Ramunas Stepanauskas
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Drive, East Boothbay, ME, 04544, USA
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39
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Abstract
Archaea are ubiquitous and abundant members of the marine plankton. Once thought of as rare organisms found in exotic extremes of temperature, pressure, or salinity, archaea are now known in nearly every marine environment. Though frequently referred to collectively, the planktonic archaea actually comprise four major phylogenetic groups, each with its own distinct physiology and ecology. Only one group-the marine Thaumarchaeota-has cultivated representatives, making marine archaea an attractive focus point for the latest developments in cultivation-independent molecular methods. Here, we review the ecology, physiology, and biogeochemical impact of the four archaeal groups using recent insights from cultures and large-scale environmental sequencing studies. We highlight key gaps in our knowledge about the ecological roles of marine archaea in carbon flow and food web interactions. We emphasize the incredible uncultivated diversity within each of the four groups, suggesting there is much more to be done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson E Santoro
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA;
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40
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Arneth B. Coevolution of the coagulation and immune systems. Inflamm Res 2019; 68:117-123. [PMID: 30604212 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-018-01210-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher organisms rely on the coagulation and immune systems to fight disease-causing pathogens and other foreign invaders in the body. Coagulation has an important role as a barrier against foreign bodies, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The protective responses associated with the coagulation and immune systems can protect the host organism from a wide range of pathogens, such as viruses, parasites, fungi, and even bacteria. AIM The purpose of this paper was to review available research on the evolution of the coagulation and immune systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study analyzed evidence from studies that have examined the coagulation and immune systems in the context of evolutionary processes. The articles used in the review were identified from the PsycINFO, CIHAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, and CIHAHL databases. RESULTS Studies have shown that both the coagulation system and the early immune system originated from the same initial system in early organisms. Some researchers argue that hemocytes from lower organisms are the common link from which the immune system and coagulation system developed. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Simple organisms have hemocytes that can carry out both immune response and coagulation processes. Evolution led to the separation of these processes in higher organisms. Furthermore, this divergence resulted in the emergence of thrombocytes and plasmatic coagulation subsystems. These observations explain why there is some form of overlap between immunity and hemostasis, even in advanced organisms such as vertebrates. Several phenomena in clinical medicine related to coagulation and immunity can be explained by this overlap and are consistent with the hypothesis of the coevolution of coagulation and the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borros Arneth
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital of the Universities of Marburg and Giessen UKGM, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Feulgenstr. 12, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
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41
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Approaches to understanding the ecology and evolution of understudied terrestrial archaeal ammonia-oxidisers. Emerg Top Life Sci 2018; 2:619-628. [PMID: 33525821 DOI: 10.1042/etls20180018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) form a phylogenetic group within the phylum Thaumarchaeota and are of ecological significance due to their role in nitrification, an important biogeochemical process. Previous research has provided information on their ecosystem role and potential physiological characteristics, for example, through analyses of their environmental distribution, ecological adaptation and evolutionary history. However, most AOA diversity, assessed using several environmental marker genes, is not represented in laboratory cultures, with consequent gaps in knowledge of their physiology and evolution. The present study critically reviews existing and developing approaches for the assessment of AOA function and diversity and their potential to provide a deeper understanding of these ecologically important, but understudied microorganisms.
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42
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Functional shifts in microbial mats recapitulate early Earth metabolic transitions. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1700-1708. [PMID: 30297749 PMCID: PMC6217971 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0683-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Phototrophic microbial mats dominated terrestrial ecosystems for billions of years, largely causing, through cyanobacterial oxygenic photosynthesis, but also undergoing, the Great Oxidation Event approximately 2.5 billion years ago. Taking a space-for-time approach based on the universality of core metabolic pathways expressed at ecosystem level, we studied gene content and co-occurrence networks in high-diversity metagenomes from spatially close microbial mats along a steep redox gradient. The observed functional shifts suggest that anoxygenic photosynthesis was present but not predominant under early Precambrian conditions, being accompanied by other autotrophic processes. Our data also suggest that, in contrast to general assumptions, anoxygenic photosynthesis largely expanded in parallel with the subsequent evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis and aerobic respiration. Finally, our observations might represent space-for-time evidence that the Wood-Ljungdahl carbon fixation pathway dominated phototrophic mats in early ecosystems, whereas the Calvin cycle probably evolved from pre-existing variants before becoming the dominant contemporary form of carbon fixation.
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43
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Abstract
All known life forms trace back to a last universal common ancestor (LUCA) that witnessed the onset of Darwinian evolution. One can ask questions about LUCA in various ways, the most common way being to look for traits that are common to all cells, like ribosomes or the genetic code. With the availability of genomes, we can, however, also ask what genes are ancient by virtue of their phylogeny rather than by virtue of being universal. That approach, undertaken recently, leads to a different view of LUCA than we have had in the past, one that fits well with the harsh geochemical setting of early Earth and resembles the biology of prokaryotes that today inhabit the Earth's crust.
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44
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Méheust R, Watson AK, Lapointe FJ, Papke RT, Lopez P, Bapteste E. Hundreds of novel composite genes and chimeric genes with bacterial origins contributed to haloarchaeal evolution. Genome Biol 2018; 19:75. [PMID: 29880023 PMCID: PMC5992828 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-018-1454-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haloarchaea, a major group of archaea, are able to metabolize sugars and to live in oxygenated salty environments. Their physiology and lifestyle strongly contrast with that of their archaeal ancestors. Amino acid optimizations, which lowered the isoelectric point of haloarchaeal proteins, and abundant lateral gene transfers from bacteria have been invoked to explain this deep evolutionary transition. We use network analyses to show that the evolution of novel genes exclusive to Haloarchaea also contributed to the evolution of this group. RESULTS We report the creation of 320 novel composite genes, both early in the evolution of Haloarchaea during haloarchaeal genesis and later in diverged haloarchaeal groups. One hundred and twenty-six of these novel composite genes derived from genetic material from bacterial genomes. These latter genes, largely involved in metabolic functions but also in oxygenic lifestyle, constitute a different gene pool from the laterally acquired bacterial genes formerly identified. These novel composite genes were likely advantageous for their hosts, since they show significant residence times in haloarchaeal genomes-consistent with a long phylogenetic history involving vertical descent and lateral gene transfer-and encode proteins with optimized isoelectric points. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our work encourages a systematic search for composite genes across all archaeal major groups, in order to better understand the origins of novel prokaryotic genes, and in order to test to what extent archaea might have adjusted their lifestyles by incorporating and recycling laterally acquired bacterial genetic fragments into new archaeal genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Méheust
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7138 Evolution Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Andrew K Watson
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7138 Evolution Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | | | - R Thane Papke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Philippe Lopez
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7138 Evolution Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Eric Bapteste
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7138 Evolution Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France.
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45
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Abstract
The classic Darwinian theory and the Synthetic evolutionary theory and their linear models, while invaluable to study the origins and evolution of species, are not primarily designed to model the evolution of organisations, typically that of ecosystems, nor that of processes. How could evolutionary theory better explain the evolution of biological complexity and diversity? Inclusive network-based analyses of dynamic systems could retrace interactions between (related or unrelated) components. This theoretical shift from a Tree of Life to a Dynamic Interaction Network of Life, which is supported by diverse molecular, cellular, microbiological, organismal, ecological and evolutionary studies, would further unify evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Bapteste
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), F-75005 Paris, France
- CNRS, UMR7138, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Huneman
- Institut d’Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (CNRS / Paris I Sorbonne), F-75006 Paris, France
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46
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Daebeler A, Herbold CW, Vierheilig J, Sedlacek CJ, Pjevac P, Albertsen M, Kirkegaard RH, de la Torre JR, Daims H, Wagner M. Cultivation and Genomic Analysis of " Candidatus Nitrosocaldus islandicus," an Obligately Thermophilic, Ammonia-Oxidizing Thaumarchaeon from a Hot Spring Biofilm in Graendalur Valley, Iceland. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:193. [PMID: 29491853 PMCID: PMC5817080 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) within the phylum Thaumarchaeota are the only known aerobic ammonia oxidizers in geothermal environments. Although molecular data indicate the presence of phylogenetically diverse AOA from the Nitrosocaldus clade, group 1.1b and group 1.1a Thaumarchaeota in terrestrial high-temperature habitats, only one enrichment culture of an AOA thriving above 50°C has been reported and functionally analyzed. In this study, we physiologically and genomically characterized a newly discovered thaumarchaeon from the deep-branching Nitrosocaldaceae family of which we have obtained a high (∼85%) enrichment from biofilm of an Icelandic hot spring (73°C). This AOA, which we provisionally refer to as "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus islandicus," is an obligately thermophilic, aerobic chemolithoautotrophic ammonia oxidizer, which stoichiometrically converts ammonia to nitrite at temperatures between 50 and 70°C. "Ca. N. islandicus" encodes the expected repertoire of enzymes proposed to be required for archaeal ammonia oxidation, but unexpectedly lacks a nirK gene and also possesses no identifiable other enzyme for nitric oxide (NO) generation. Nevertheless, ammonia oxidation by this AOA appears to be NO-dependent as "Ca. N. islandicus" is, like all other tested AOA, inhibited by the addition of an NO scavenger. Furthermore, comparative genomics revealed that "Ca. N. islandicus" has the potential for aromatic amino acid fermentation as its genome encodes an indolepyruvate oxidoreductase (iorAB) as well as a type 3b hydrogenase, which are not present in any other sequenced AOA. A further surprising genomic feature of this thermophilic ammonia oxidizer is the absence of DNA polymerase D genes - one of the predominant replicative DNA polymerases in all other ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota. Collectively, our findings suggest that metabolic versatility and DNA replication might differ substantially between obligately thermophilic and other AOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Daebeler
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Craig W. Herbold
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Vierheilig
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christopher J. Sedlacek
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petra Pjevac
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mads Albertsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Rasmus H. Kirkegaard
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Center for Microbial Communities, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - José R. de la Torre
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Holger Daims
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Wagner
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Research Network “Chemistry meets Microbiology”, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Kumar A, Alam A, Tripathi D, Rani M, Khatoon H, Pandey S, Ehtesham NZ, Hasnain SE. Protein adaptations in extremophiles: An insight into extremophilic connection of mycobacterial proteome. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 84:147-157. [PMID: 29331642 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The biological paradox about how extremophiles persist at extreme ecological conditions throws a fascinating picture of the enormous potential of a single cell to adapt to homeostatic conditions in order to propagate. Unicellular organisms face challenges from both environmental factors and the ecological niche provided by the host tissue. Although the existence of extremophiles and their physiological properties were known for a long time, availability of whole genome sequence has catapulted the study on mechanisms of adaptation and the underlying principles that have enabled these unique organisms to withstand evolutionary and environmental pressures. Comparative genomics has shown that extremophiles possess the unique set of genes and proteins that empower them with biochemical machinery necessary to thrive in extreme environments. The presence of these proteins safeguards the cell against a wide array of extreme conditions such as temperature, pressure, radiations, chemicals, drugs etc. An insight into these adaptive mechanisms in extremophiles may help us to devise strategies to alter the genes and proteins that may have therapeutic potential and commercial value. Here we present an overview of the various adaptations in extremophiles. We also try to explain how mycobacterium channelizes its proteome to survive in stress conditions posed by host immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Kumar
- Molecular Infection and Functional Biology Lab, Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Anwar Alam
- Molecular Infection and Functional Biology Lab, Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Deeksha Tripathi
- Department of Microbiology, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandar Sindri, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Mamta Rani
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Hafeeza Khatoon
- Molecular Infection and Functional Biology Lab, Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Saurabh Pandey
- National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjang Hospital Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Nasreen Z Ehtesham
- National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjang Hospital Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Seyed E Hasnain
- Molecular Infection and Functional Biology Lab, Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India; JH-Institute of Molecular Medicine, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India; Dr Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India.
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Shapiro JA. Living Organisms Author Their Read-Write Genomes in Evolution. BIOLOGY 2017; 6:E42. [PMID: 29211049 PMCID: PMC5745447 DOI: 10.3390/biology6040042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary variations generating phenotypic adaptations and novel taxa resulted from complex cellular activities altering genome content and expression: (i) Symbiogenetic cell mergers producing the mitochondrion-bearing ancestor of eukaryotes and chloroplast-bearing ancestors of photosynthetic eukaryotes; (ii) interspecific hybridizations and genome doublings generating new species and adaptive radiations of higher plants and animals; and, (iii) interspecific horizontal DNA transfer encoding virtually all of the cellular functions between organisms and their viruses in all domains of life. Consequently, assuming that evolutionary processes occur in isolated genomes of individual species has become an unrealistic abstraction. Adaptive variations also involved natural genetic engineering of mobile DNA elements to rewire regulatory networks. In the most highly evolved organisms, biological complexity scales with "non-coding" DNA content more closely than with protein-coding capacity. Coincidentally, we have learned how so-called "non-coding" RNAs that are rich in repetitive mobile DNA sequences are key regulators of complex phenotypes. Both biotic and abiotic ecological challenges serve as triggers for episodes of elevated genome change. The intersections of cell activities, biosphere interactions, horizontal DNA transfers, and non-random Read-Write genome modifications by natural genetic engineering provide a rich molecular and biological foundation for understanding how ecological disruptions can stimulate productive, often abrupt, evolutionary transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago GCIS W123B, 979 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Abstract
All organisms must adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions and accordingly have evolved diverse signal transduction systems. In bacteria, the most abundant networks are built around the two-component signal transduction systems that include histidine kinases and receiver domains. In contrast, eukaryotic signal transduction is dominated by serine/threonine/tyrosine protein kinases. Both of these systems are also found in archaea, but they are not as common and diversified as their bacterial and eukaryotic counterparts, suggesting the possibility that archaea have evolved other, still uncharacterized signal transduction networks. Here we propose a role for KaiC family ATPases, known to be key components of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria, in archaeal signal transduction. The KaiC family is notably expanded in most archaeal genomes, and although most of these ATPases remain poorly characterized, members of the KaiC family have been shown to control archaellum assembly and have been found to be a stable component of the gas vesicle system in Halobacteria Computational analyses described here suggest that KaiC-like ATPases and their homologues with inactivated ATPase domains are involved in many other archaeal signal transduction pathways and comprise major hubs of complex regulatory networks. We predict numerous input and output domains that are linked to KaiC-like proteins, including putative homologues of eukaryotic DEATH domains that could function as adapters in archaeal signaling networks. We further address the relationships of the archaeal family of KaiC homologues to the bona fide KaiC of cyanobacteria and implications for the existence of a KaiC-based circadian clock apparatus in archaea.IMPORTANCE Little is currently known about signal transduction pathways in Archaea Recent studies indicate that KaiC-like ATPases, known as key components of the circadian clock apparatus in cyanobacteria, are involved in the regulation of archaellum assembly and, likely, type IV pili and the gas vesicle system in Archaea We performed comprehensive comparative genomic analyses of the KaiC family. A vast protein interaction network was revealed, with KaiC family proteins as hubs for numerous input and output components, many of which are shared with two-component signal transduction systems. Putative KaiC-based signal transduction systems are predicted to regulate the activities of membrane-associated complexes and individual proteins, such as signal recognition particle and membrane transporters, and also could be important for oxidative stress response regulation. KaiC-centered signal transduction networks are predicted to play major roles in archaeal physiology, and this work is expected to stimulate their experimental characterization.
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A flourishing field: going back to the roots of the Archaea. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017; 15:705. [PMID: 29123229 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2017.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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