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Liu R, Cai R, Wang M, Zhang J, Zhang H, Li C, Sun C. Metagenomic insights into Heimdallarchaeia clades from the deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:43. [PMID: 38909236 PMCID: PMC11193907 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00585-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Heimdallarchaeia is a class of the Asgardarchaeota, are the most probable candidates for the archaeal protoeukaryote ancestor that have been identified to date. However, little is known about their life habits regardless of their ubiquitous distribution in diverse habitats, which is especially true for Heimdallarchaeia from deep-sea environments. In this study, we obtained 13 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Heimdallarchaeia from the deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent. These MAGs belonged to orders o_Heimdallarchaeales and o_JABLTI01, and most of them (9 MAGs) come from the family f_Heimdallarchaeaceae according to genome taxonomy database (GTDB). These are enriched for common eukaryote-specific signatures. Our results show that these Heimdallarchaeia have the metabolic potential to reduce sulfate (assimilatory) and nitrate (dissimilatory) to sulfide and ammonia, respectively, suggesting a previously unappreciated role in biogeochemical cycling. Furthermore, we find that they could perform both TCA and rTCA pathways coupled with pyruvate metabolism for energy conservation, fix CO2 and generate organic compounds through an atypical Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. In addition, many genes closely associated with bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis, and oxygen-dependent metabolic pathways are identified in these Heimdallarchaeia MAGs, suggesting a potential light-utilization by pigments and microoxic lifestyle. Taken together, our results indicate that Heimdallarchaeia possess a mixotrophic lifestyle, which may give them more flexibility to adapt to the harsh deep-sea conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Liu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruining Cai
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Minxiao Wang
- Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Chaolun Li
- Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
| | - Chaomin Sun
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, China.
- Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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2
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Kleikamp HBC, Palacios PA, Kofoed MVW, Papacharalampos G, Bentien A, Nielsen JL. The Selenoproteome as a Dynamic Response Mechanism to Oxidative Stress in Hydrogenotrophic Methanogenic Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6637-6646. [PMID: 38580315 PMCID: PMC11025550 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07725] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Methanogenesis is a critical process in the carbon cycle that is applied industrially in anaerobic digestion and biogas production. While naturally occurring in diverse environments, methanogenesis requires anaerobic and reduced conditions, although varying degrees of oxygen tolerance have been described. Microaeration is suggested as the next step to increase methane production and improve hydrolysis in digestion processes; therefore, a deeper understanding of the methanogenic response to oxygen stress is needed. To explore the drivers of oxygen tolerance in methanogenesis, two parallel enrichments were performed under the addition of H2/CO2 in an environment without reducing agents and in a redox-buffered environment by adding redox mediator 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonate disodium. The cellular response to oxidative conditions is mapped using proteomic analysis. The resulting community showed remarkable tolerance to high-redox environments and was unperturbed in its methane production. Next to the expression of pathways to mitigate reactive oxygen species, the higher redox potential environment showed an increased presence of selenocysteine and selenium-associated pathways. By including sulfur-to-selenium mass shifts in a proteomic database search, we provide the first evidence of the dynamic and large-scale incorporation of selenocysteine as a response to oxidative stress in hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis and the presence of a dynamic selenoproteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo B. C. Kleikamp
- Department
of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Paola A. Palacios
- Department
of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michael V. W. Kofoed
- Department
of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Georgios Papacharalampos
- Department
of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders Bentien
- Department
of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Åbogade 40, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jeppe L. Nielsen
- Department
of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
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Huang B, Xiao Y, Zhang Y. Asgard archaeal selenoproteome reveals a roadmap for the archaea-to-eukaryote transition of selenocysteine incorporation machinery. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae111. [PMID: 38896033 PMCID: PMC11227280 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae111] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Selenocysteine (Sec) is encoded by the UGA codon that normally functions as a stop signal and is specifically incorporated into selenoproteins via a unique recoding mechanism. The translational recoding of UGA as Sec is directed by an unusual RNA structure, the SECIS element. Although archaea and eukaryotes adopt similar Sec encoding machinery, the SECIS elements have no similarities to each other with regard to sequence and structure. We analyzed >400 Asgard archaeal genomes to examine the occurrence of both Sec encoding system and selenoproteins in this archaeal superphylum, the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. A comprehensive map of Sec utilization trait has been generated, providing the most detailed understanding of the use of this nonstandard amino acid in Asgard archaea so far. By characterizing the selenoproteomes of all organisms, several selenoprotein-rich phyla and species were identified. Most Asgard archaeal selenoprotein genes possess eukaryotic SECIS-like structures with varying degrees of diversity. Moreover, euryarchaeal SECIS elements might originate from Asgard archaeal SECIS elements via lateral gene transfer, indicating a complex and dynamic scenario of the evolution of SECIS element within archaea. Finally, a roadmap for the transition of eukaryotic SECIS elements from archaea was proposed, and selenophosphate synthetase may serve as a potential intermediate for the generation of ancestral eukaryotic SECIS element. Our results offer new insights into a deeper understanding of the evolution of Sec insertion machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biyan Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, Brain Disease and Big Data Research Institute, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, P. R. China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, Brain Disease and Big Data Research Institute, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, Brain Disease and Big Data Research Institute, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, P. R. China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, P. R. China
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Rafiq M, Hassan N, Rehman M, Hayat M, Nadeem G, Hassan F, Iqbal N, Ali H, Zada S, Kang Y, Sajjad W, Jamal M. Challenges and Approaches of Culturing the Unculturable Archaea. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1499. [PMID: 38132325 PMCID: PMC10740628 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Since Carl Woese's discovery of archaea as a third domain of life, numerous archaeal species have been discovered, yet archaeal diversity is poorly characterized. Culturing archaea is complicated, but several queries about archaeal cell biology, evolution, physiology, and diversity need to be solved by culturing and culture-dependent techniques. Increasing interest in demand for innovative culturing methods has led to various technological and methodological advances. The current review explains frequent hurdles hindering uncultured archaea isolation and discusses features for more archaeal cultivation. This review also discusses successful strategies and available media for archaeal culturing, which might be helpful for future culturing practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Rafiq
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta 87100, Pakistan
- FF Institute (Huzhou) Co., Ltd., Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Noor Hassan
- Industrial Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering-College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Maliha Rehman
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta 87100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Hayat
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 266101, China
| | - Gullasht Nadeem
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta 87100, Pakistan
| | - Farwa Hassan
- Industrial Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering-College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Iqbal
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Informatics, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta 87100, Pakistan
- The Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Hazrat Ali
- Industrial Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering-College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Sahib Zada
- Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yingqian Kang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Wasim Sajjad
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Muhsin Jamal
- Department of Microbiology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Garden Campus, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
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Zhang ZF, Liu LR, Pan YP, Pan J, Li M. Long-read assembled metagenomic approaches improve our understanding on metabolic potentials of microbial community in mangrove sediments. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:188. [PMID: 37612768 PMCID: PMC10464287 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01630-x] [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: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mangrove wetlands are coastal ecosystems with important ecological features and provide habitats for diverse microorganisms with key roles in nutrient and biogeochemical cycling. However, the overall metabolic potentials and ecological roles of microbial community in mangrove sediment are remained unanswered. In current study, the microbial and metabolic profiles of prokaryotic and fungal communities in mangrove sediments were investigated using metagenomic analysis based on PacBio single-molecule real time (SMRT) and Illumina sequencing techniques. RESULTS Comparing to Illumina short reads, the incorporation of PacBio long reads significantly contributed to more contiguous assemblies, yielded more than doubled high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), and improved the novelty of the MAGs. Further metabolic reconstruction for recovered MAGs showed that prokaryotes potentially played an essential role in carbon cycling in mangrove sediment, displaying versatile metabolic potential for degrading organic carbons, fermentation, autotrophy, and carbon fixation. Mangrove fungi also functioned as a player in carbon cycling, potentially involved in the degradation of various carbohydrate and peptide substrates. Notably, a new candidate bacterial phylum named as Candidatus Cosmopoliota with a ubiquitous distribution is proposed. Genomic analysis revealed that this new phylum is capable of utilizing various types of organic substrates, anaerobic fermentation, and carbon fixation with the Wood-Ljungdahl (WL) pathway and the reverse tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle. CONCLUSIONS The study not only highlights the advantages of HiSeq-PacBio Hybrid assembly for a more complete profiling of environmental microbiomes but also expands our understanding of the microbial diversity and potential roles of distinct microbial groups in biogeochemical cycling in mangrove sediment. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Feng Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Present Address: Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Li-Rui Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yue-Ping Pan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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6
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Eme L, Tamarit D, Caceres EF, Stairs CW, De Anda V, Schön ME, Seitz KW, Dombrowski N, Lewis WH, Homa F, Saw JH, Lombard J, Nunoura T, Li WJ, Hua ZS, Chen LX, Banfield JF, John ES, Reysenbach AL, Stott MB, Schramm A, Kjeldsen KU, Teske AP, Baker BJ, Ettema TJG. Inference and reconstruction of the heimdallarchaeial ancestry of eukaryotes. Nature 2023; 618:992-999. [PMID: 37316666 PMCID: PMC10307638 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06186-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the ongoing debates about eukaryogenesis-the series of evolutionary events leading to the emergence of the eukaryotic cell from prokaryotic ancestors-members of the Asgard archaea play a key part as the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes1. However, the nature and phylogenetic identity of the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea and eukaryotes remain unresolved2-4. Here we analyse distinct phylogenetic marker datasets of an expanded genomic sampling of Asgard archaea and evaluate competing evolutionary scenarios using state-of-the-art phylogenomic approaches. We find that eukaryotes are placed, with high confidence, as a well-nested clade within Asgard archaea and as a sister lineage to Hodarchaeales, a newly proposed order within Heimdallarchaeia. Using sophisticated gene tree and species tree reconciliation approaches, we show that analogous to the evolution of eukaryotic genomes, genome evolution in Asgard archaea involved significantly more gene duplication and fewer gene loss events compared with other archaea. Finally, we infer that the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea was probably a thermophilic chemolithotroph and that the lineage from which eukaryotes evolved adapted to mesophilic conditions and acquired the genetic potential to support a heterotrophic lifestyle. Our work provides key insights into the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition and a platform for better understanding the emergence of cellular complexity in eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Eme
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratoire Écologie, Systématique, Évolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Daniel Tamarit
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eva F Caceres
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Courtney W Stairs
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Valerie De Anda
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Max E Schön
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiley W Seitz
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - William H Lewis
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Felix Homa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jimmy H Saw
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jonathan Lombard
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - 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, 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, PR China
| | - Lin-Xing Chen
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Emily St John
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Matthew B Stott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Andreas Schramm
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kasper U Kjeldsen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andreas P Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brett J Baker
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Thijs J G Ettema
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Zhang CJ, Liu YR, Cha G, Liu Y, Zhou XQ, Lu Z, Pan J, Cai M, Li M. Potential for mercury methylation by Asgard archaea in mangrove sediments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:478-485. [PMID: 36639538 PMCID: PMC9938162 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01360-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates along food chains. The conversion of MeHg from mercury (Hg) is mediated by a variety of anaerobic microorganisms carrying hgcAB genes. Mangrove sediments are potential hotspots of microbial Hg methylation; however, the microorganisms responsible for Hg methylation are poorly understood. Here, we conducted metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses to investigate the diversity and distribution of putative microbial Hg-methylators in mangrove ecosystems. The highest hgcA abundance and expression occurred in surface sediments in Shenzhen, where the highest MeHg concentration was also observed. We reconstructed 157 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) carrying hgcA and identified several putative novel Hg-methylators, including one Asgard archaea (Lokiarchaeota). Further analysis of MAGs revealed that Deltaproteobacteria, Euryarchaeota, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Lokiarchaeota were the most abundant and active Hg-methylating groups, implying their crucial role in MeHg production. By screening publicly available MAGs, 104 additional Asgard MAGs carrying hgcA genes were identified from a wide range of coast, marine, permafrost, and lake sediments. Protein homology modelling predicts that Lokiarchaeota HgcAB proteins contained the highly conserved amino acid sequences and folding structures required for Hg methylation. Phylogenetic tree revealed that hgcA genes from Asgard clustered with fused hgcAB genes, indicating a transitional stage of Asgard hgcA genes. Our findings thus suggest that Asgard archaea are potential novel Hg-methylating microorganisms and play an important role in hgcA evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Jing Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu-Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China
| | - Guihong Cha
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin-Quan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongyi Lu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Chemical Biology Institute, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China.
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8
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Vosseberg J, Stolker D, von der Dunk SHA, Snel B. Integrating Phylogenetics With Intron Positions Illuminates the Origin of the Complex Spliceosome. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:6985000. [PMID: 36631250 PMCID: PMC9887622 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genes are characterized by the presence of introns that are removed from pre-mRNA by a spliceosome. This ribonucleoprotein complex is comprised of multiple RNA molecules and over a hundred proteins, which makes it one of the most complex molecular machines that originated during the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition. Previous works have established that these introns and the spliceosomal core originated from self-splicing introns in prokaryotes. Yet, how the spliceosomal core expanded by recruiting many additional proteins remains largely elusive. In this study, we use phylogenetic analyses to infer the evolutionary history of 145 proteins that we could trace back to the spliceosome in the last eukaryotic common ancestor. We found that an overabundance of proteins derived from ribosome-related processes was added to the prokaryote-derived core. Extensive duplications of these proteins substantially increased the complexity of the emerging spliceosome. By comparing the intron positions between spliceosomal paralogs, we infer that most spliceosomal complexity postdates the spread of introns through the proto-eukaryotic genome. The reconstruction of early spliceosomal evolution provides insight into the driving forces behind the emergence of complexes with many proteins during eukaryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Vosseberg
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands,Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 EH Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Daan Stolker
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Samuel H A von der Dunk
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
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9
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Karavaeva V, Sousa FL. Modular structure of complex II: An evolutionary perspective. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2023; 1864:148916. [PMID: 36084748 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Succinate dehydrogenases (SDHs) and fumarate reductases (FRDs) catalyse the interconversion of succinate and fumarate, a reaction highly conserved in all domains of life. The current classification of SDH/FRDs is based on the structure of the membrane anchor subunits and their cofactors. It is, however, unknown whether this classification would hold in the context of evolution. In this work, a large-scale comparative genomic analysis of complex II addresses the questions of its taxonomic distribution and phylogeny. Our findings report that for types C, D, and F, structural classification and phylogeny go hand in hand, while for types A, B and E the situation is more complex, highlighting the possibility for their classification into subgroups. Based on these findings, we proposed a revised version of the evolutionary scenario for these enzymes in which a primordial soluble module, corresponding to the cytoplasmatic subunits, would give rise to the current diversity via several independent membrane anchor attachment events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Val Karavaeva
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Wien, Austria
| | - Filipa L Sousa
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Wien, Austria.
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10
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Zhou Z, Liu Y, Anantharaman K, Li M. The expanding Asgard archaea invoke novel insights into Tree of Life and eukaryogenesis. MLIFE 2022; 1:374-381. [PMID: 38818484 PMCID: PMC10989744 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The division of organisms on the Tree of Life into either a three-domain (3D) tree or a two-domain (2D) tree has been disputed for a long time. Ever since the discovery of Archaea by Carl Woese in 1977 using 16S ribosomal RNA sequence as the evolutionary marker, there has been a great advance in our knowledge of not only the growing diversity of Archaea but also the evolutionary relationships between different lineages of living organisms. Here, we present this perspective to summarize the progress of archaeal diversity and changing notion of the Tree of Life. Meanwhile, we provide the latest progress in genomics/physiology-based discovery of Asgard archaeal lineages as the closest relative of Eukaryotes. Furthermore, we propose three major directions for future research on exploring the "next one" closest Eukaryote relative, deciphering the function of archaeal eukaryotic signature proteins and eukaryogenesis from both genomic and physiological aspects, and understanding the roles of horizontal gene transfer, viruses, and mobile elements in eukaryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Zhou
- Department of BacteriologyUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Yang Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | | | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
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11
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Adam PS, Kolyfetis GE, Bornemann TLV, Vorgias CE, Probst AJ. Genomic remnants of ancestral methanogenesis and hydrogenotrophy in Archaea drive anaerobic carbon cycling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm9651. [PMID: 36332026 PMCID: PMC9635834 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic methane metabolism is among the hallmarks of Archaea, originating very early in their evolution. Here, we show that the ancestor of methane metabolizers was an autotrophic CO2-reducing hydrogenotrophic methanogen that possessed the two main complexes, methyl-CoM reductase (Mcr) and tetrahydromethanopterin-CoM methyltransferase (Mtr), the anaplerotic hydrogenases Eha and Ehb, and a set of other genes collectively called "methanogenesis markers" but could not oxidize alkanes. Overturning recent inferences, we demonstrate that methyl-dependent hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis has emerged multiple times independently, either due to a loss of Mtr while Mcr is inherited vertically or from an ancient lateral acquisition of Mcr. Even if Mcr is lost, Mtr, Eha, Ehb, and the markers can persist, resulting in mixotrophic metabolisms centered around the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Through their methanogenesis remnants, Thorarchaeia and two newly reconstructed order-level lineages in Archaeoglobi and Bathyarchaeia act as metabolically versatile players in carbon cycling of anoxic environments across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis S. Adam
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - George E. Kolyfetis
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Till L. V. Bornemann
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Constantinos E. Vorgias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15784 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexander J. Probst
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
- Research Center One Health Ruhr, Research Alliance Ruhr, Environmental Metagenomics, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141 Essen, Germany
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12
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Manta B, Makarova NE, Mariotti M. The selenophosphate synthetase family: A review. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 192:63-76. [PMID: 36122644 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Selenophosphate synthetases use selenium and ATP to synthesize selenophosphate. This is required for biological utilization of selenium, most notably for the synthesis of the non-canonical amino acid selenocysteine (Sec). Therefore, selenophosphate synthetases underlie all functions of selenoproteins, which include redox homeostasis, protein quality control, hormone regulation, metabolism, and many others. This protein family comprises two groups, SelD/SPS2 and SPS1. The SelD/SPS2 group represent true selenophosphate synthetases, enzymes central to selenium metabolism which are present in all Sec-utilizing organisms across the tree of life. Notably, many SelD/SPS2 proteins contain Sec as catalytic residue in their N-terminal flexible selenium-binding loop, while others replace it with cysteine (Cys). The SPS1 group comprises proteins originated through gene duplications of SelD/SPS2 in metazoa in which the Sec/Cys-dependent catalysis was disrupted. SPS1 proteins do not synthesize selenophosphate and are not required for Sec synthesis. They have essential regulatory functions related to redox homeostasis and pyridoxal phosphate, which affect signaling pathways for growth and differentiation. In this review, we summarize the knowledge about the selenophosphate synthetase family acquired through decades of research, encompassing their structure, mechanism, function, and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Manta
- Laboratorio de Genómica Microbiana, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Uruguay, Cátedra de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
| | - Nadezhda E Makarova
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Avinguda Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marco Mariotti
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Avinguda Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Catalonia, Spain.
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13
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Medvedeva S, Sun J, Yutin N, Koonin EV, Nunoura T, Rinke C, Krupovic M. Three families of Asgard archaeal viruses identified in metagenome-assembled genomes. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:962-973. [PMID: 35760839 PMCID: PMC11165672 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Asgardarchaeota harbour many eukaryotic signature proteins and are widely considered to represent the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes. Whether similarities between Asgard archaea and eukaryotes extend to their viromes remains unknown. Here we present 20 metagenome-assembled genomes of Asgardarchaeota from deep-sea sediments of the basin off the Shimokita Peninsula, Japan. By combining a CRISPR spacer search of metagenomic sequences with phylogenomic analysis, we identify three family-level groups of viruses associated with Asgard archaea. The first group, verdandiviruses, includes tailed viruses of the class Caudoviricetes (realm Duplodnaviria); the second, skuldviruses, consists of viruses with predicted icosahedral capsids of the realm Varidnaviria; and the third group, wyrdviruses, is related to spindle-shaped viruses previously identified in other archaea. More than 90% of the proteins encoded by these viruses of Asgard archaea show no sequence similarity to proteins encoded by other known viruses. Nevertheless, all three proposed families consist of viruses typical of prokaryotes, providing no indication of specific evolutionary relationships between viruses infecting Asgard archaea and eukaryotes. Verdandiviruses and skuldviruses are likely to be lytic, whereas wyrdviruses potentially establish chronic infection and are released without host cell lysis. All three groups of viruses are predicted to play important roles in controlling Asgard archaea populations in deep-sea ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Medvedeva
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell Unit, Paris, France
| | - Jiarui Sun
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan.
| | - Christian Rinke
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France.
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14
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Selenium Metabolism and Selenoproteins in Prokaryotes: A Bioinformatics Perspective. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070917. [PMID: 35883471 PMCID: PMC9312934 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is an important trace element that mainly occurs in the form of selenocysteine in selected proteins. In prokaryotes, Se is also required for the synthesis of selenouridine and Se-containing cofactor. A large number of selenoprotein families have been identified in diverse prokaryotic organisms, most of which are thought to be involved in various redox reactions. In the last decade or two, computational prediction of selenoprotein genes and comparative genomics of Se metabolic pathways and selenoproteomes have arisen, providing new insights into the metabolism and function of Se and their evolutionary trends in bacteria and archaea. This review aims to offer an overview of recent advances in bioinformatics analysis of Se utilization in prokaryotes. We describe current computational strategies for the identification of selenoprotein genes and generate the most comprehensive list of prokaryotic selenoproteins reported to date. Furthermore, we highlight the latest research progress in comparative genomics and metagenomics of Se utilization in prokaryotes, which demonstrates the divergent and dynamic evolutionary patterns of different Se metabolic pathways, selenoprotein families, and selenoproteomes in sequenced organisms and environmental samples. Overall, bioinformatics analyses of Se utilization, function, and evolution may contribute to a systematic understanding of how this micronutrient is used in nature.
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15
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Abstract
Members of candidate Asgardarchaeota superphylum appear to share numerous eukaryotic-like attributes thus being broadly explored for their relevance to eukaryogenesis. On the contrast, the ecological roles of Asgard archaea remains understudied. Asgard archaea have been frequently associated to low-oxygen aquatic sedimentary environments worldwide spanning a broad but not extreme salinity range. To date, the available information on diversity and potential biogeochemical roles of Asgardarchaeota mostly sourced from marine habitats and to a much lesser extend from true saline environments (i.e., > 3% w/v total salinity). Here, we provide an overview on diversity and ecological implications of Asgard archaea distributed across saline environments and briefly explore their metagenome-resolved potential for osmoadaptation. Loki-, Thor- and Heimdallarchaeota are the dominant Asgard clades in saline habitats where they might employ anaerobic/microaerophilic organic matter degradation and autotrophic carbon fixation. Homologs of primary solute uptake ABC transporters seemingly prevail in Thorarchaeota, whereas those putatively involved in trehalose and ectoine biosynthesis were mostly inferred in Lokiarchaeota. We speculate that Asgardarchaeota might adopt compatible solute-accumulating ('salt-out') strategy as response to salt stress. Our current understanding on the distribution, ecology and salt-adaptive strategies of Asgardarchaeota in saline environments are, however, limited by insufficient sampling and incompleteness of the available metagenome-assembled genomes. Extensive sampling combined with 'omics'- and cultivation-based approaches seem, therefore, crucial to gain deeper knowledge on this particularly intriguing archaeal lineage.
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16
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Cai M, Duan C, Zhang X, Pan J, Liu Y, Zhang C, Li M. Genomic and transcriptomic dissection of Theionarchaea in marine ecosystem. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1222-1234. [PMID: 34668130 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-1996-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Theionarchaea is a recently described archaeal class within the Euryarchaeota. While it is widely distributed in sediment ecosystems, little is known about its metabolic potential and ecological features. Here, we used metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to characterize 12 theionarchaeal metagenome-assembled genomes, which were further divided into two subgroups, from coastal mangrove sediments of China and seawater columns of the Yap Trench. Genomic analysis revealed that apart from the canonical sulfhydrogenase, Theionarchaea harbor genes encoding heliorhodopsin, group 4 [NiFe]-hydrogenase, and flagellin, in which genes for heliorhodopsin and group 4 [NiFe]-hydrogenase were transcribed in mangrove sediment. Further, the theionarchaeal substrate spectrum may be broader than previously reported as revealed by metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, and the potential carbon substrates include detrital proteins, hemicellulose, ethanol, and CO2. The genes for organic substrate metabolism (mainly detrital protein and amino acid metabolism genes) have relatively higher transcripts in the top sediment layers in mangrove wetlands. In addition, co-occurrence analysis suggested that the degradation of these organic compounds by Theionarchaea might be processed in syntrophy with fermenters (e.g., Chloroflexi) and methanogens. Collectively, these observations expand the current knowledge of the metabolic potential of Theionarchaea, and shed light on the metabolic strategies and roles of these archaea in the marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwei Cai
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Changhai Duan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- SZU-HKUST Joint PhD Program in Marine Environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xinxu Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Cuijing Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
- SZU-HKUST Joint PhD Program in Marine Environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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17
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Liu Y, Li M. The unstable evolutionary position of Korarchaeota and its relationship with other TACK and Asgard archaea. MLIFE 2022; 1:218-222. [PMID: 38817676 PMCID: PMC10989867 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The applications of marker gene concatenation have been advanced to resolve the key questions in the Tree of Life. However, the interphylum evolutionary relationship between Korarchaeota of TACK (Thaumarchaeota, Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Korarchaeota) and Asgard archaea remains uncertain. We applied a marker gene ranking procedure to examine their evolutionary history. Our updated trees showed confident placements of (1) Korarchaeota as the basal branch to other TACK archaea and as a sister group to Asgard archaea; (2) Njordarchaeota at basal branch to Korarchaeota instead of within Asgard archaea. They highlight the importance of evaluating marker genes for phylogeny inference of the Archaea domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced StudyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
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18
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Xie R, Wang Y, Huang D, Hou J, Li L, Hu H, Zhao X, Wang F. Expanding Asgard members in the domain of Archaea sheds new light on the origin of eukaryotes. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:818-829. [PMID: 34378142 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-1969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The hypothesis that eukaryotes originated from within the domain Archaea has been strongly supported by recent phylogenomic analyses placing Heimdallarchaeota-Wukongarchaeota branch from the Asgard superphylum as the closest known archaeal sister-group to eukaryotes. However, our understanding is still limited in terms of the relationship between eukaryotes and archaea, as well as the evolution and ecological functions of the Asgard archaea. Here, we describe three previously unknown phylum-level Asgard archaeal lineages, tentatively named Sigyn-, Freyr- and Njordarchaeota. Additional members in Wukongarchaeota and Baldrarchaeota from distinct environments are also reported here, further expanding their ecological roles and metabolic capacities. Comprehensive phylogenomic analyses further supported the origin of eukaryotes within Asgard archaea and a new lineage Njordarchaeota was supposed as the known closest branch with the eukaryotic nuclear host lineage. Metabolic reconstruction suggests that Njordarchaeota may have a heterotrophic lifestyle with capability of peptides and amino acids utilization, while Sigynarchaeota and Freyrarchaeota also have the potentials to fix inorganic carbon via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and degrade organic matters. Additionally, the Ack/Pta pathway for homoacetogenesis and de novo anaerobic cobalamin biosynthesis pathway were found in Freyrarchaeota and Wukongrarchaeota, respectively. Some previously unidentified eukaryotic signature proteins for intracellular membrane trafficking system, and the homologue of mu/sigma subunit of adaptor protein complex, were identified in Freyrarchaeota. This study expands the Asgard superphylum, sheds new light on the evolution of eukaryotes and improves our understanding of ecological functions of the Asgard archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruize Xie
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Danyue Huang
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Jialin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Liuyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Haining Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Fengping Wang
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519082, China.
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High-Level Diversity of Basal Fungal Lineages and the Control of Fungal Community Assembly by Stochastic Processes in Mangrove Sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0092821. [PMID: 34190611 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00928-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi are key components of microbial communities in mangrove wetlands, with important roles in the transformation of nutrients and energy. However, existing studies typically focus on cultivable fungi and seldom on the structure and driving factors of entire fungal communities. The compositions, community assembly, and interaction patterns of mangrove fungal communities on a large scale remain elusive. Here, biogeography, assembly, and co-occurrence patterns of fungal communities in mangroves across eastern to southern China were systematically analyzed by targeting the entire internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region with high-throughput Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time sequencing. The analysis revealed a high level of fungal diversity, including a number of basal fungal lineages not previously reported in mangroves, such as Rozellomycota and Chytridiomycota. Beta nearest-taxon index analyses suggested a determinant role of dispersal limitation on fungal community in overall and most individual mangroves, with support from the strong distance-decay patterns of community similarity. Further, nonmetric multidimensional scaling analyses revealed similar biogeographies of dominant and rare fungal communities. A minor role of environmental selection on the fungal community was noted, with geographical location and sediment depth as crucial factors driving the distribution of both, the dominant and rare taxa. Finally, network analysis revealed high modularized co-occurrence patterns of fungal community in mangrove sediments, and the keystone taxa might play important roles in microbial interactions and ecological functions. The investigation expands our understanding of biogeography, assembly patterns, driving factors, and co-occurrence relationships of mangrove fungi and will spur the further functional exploration and protection of fungal resources in mangroves. IMPORTANCE As key components of microbial community in mangroves, fungi have important ecological functions. However, the fungal community in mangroves on a large scale is generally elusive, and mangroves are declining rapidly due to climate change and anthropogenic activities. This work provides an overview of fungal community structure and biogeography in mangrove wetlands along a >9,000-km coastline across eastern to southern China. Our study observed a high number of basal fungal lineages, such as Rozellomycota and Chytridiomycota, in mangrove sediments. In addition, our results highlight a crucial role of dispersal limitation and a minor role of environmental selections on fungal communities in mangrove sediments. These novel findings add important knowledge about the structure, assembly processes, and driving factors of fungal communities in mangrove sediments.
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20
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Zhang ZF, Pan J, Pan YP, Li M. Biogeography, Assembly Patterns, Driving Factors, and Interactions of Archaeal Community in Mangrove Sediments. mSystems 2021; 6:e0138120. [PMID: 34128692 PMCID: PMC8269266 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01381-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaea are a major part of Earth's life. They are believed to play important roles in nutrient biogeochemical cycling in the mangrove. However, only a few studies on the archaeal community in mangroves have been reported. In particular, the assembly processes and interaction patterns that impact the archaeal communities in mangroves have not been investigated to date. Here, the biogeography, assembly patterns, and driving factors of archaeal communities in seven representative mangroves across southeastern China were systematically analyzed. The analysis revealed that the archaeal community is more diverse in surface sediments than in subsurface sediments, and more diverse in mangroves at low latitudes than at high latitudes, with Woesearchaeota and Bathyarchaeota as the most diverse and most abundant phyla, respectively. Beta nearest-taxon index analysis suggested a determinant role of homogeneous selection on the overall archaeon community in all mangroves and in each individual mangrove. In addition, the conditionally rare taxon community was strongly shaped by homogeneous selection, while stochastic processes shaped the dominant taxon and always-rare taxon communities. Further, a moderate effect of environmental selection on the archaeal community was noted, with the smallest effect on the always-rare taxon community. Mangrove location, mean annual temperature, and salinity were the major factors that greatly affected the community composition. Finally, network analysis revealed comprehensive cooccurrence relationships in the archaeal community, with a crucial role of Bathyarchaeota. This study expands the understanding of the biogeography, assembly patterns, driving factors, and cooccurrence relationships of the mangrove archaeal community and inspires functional exploration of archaeal resources in mangrove sediments. IMPORTANCE As a key microbial community component with important ecological roles, archaea merit the attention of biologists and ecologists. The mechanisms controlling microbial community diversity, composition, and biogeography are central to microbial ecology but poorly understood. Mangroves are located at the land-ocean interface and are an ideal environment for examining the above questions. We here provided the first-ever overview of archaeal community structure and biogeography in mangroves located along an over-9,000-km coastline of southeastern China. We observed that archaeal diversity in low-latitude mangroves was higher than that in high-latitude mangroves. Furthermore, our data indicated that homogeneous selection strongly controlled the assembly of the overall and conditionally rare taxon communities in mangrove sediments, while the dominant taxon and always-rare taxon communities were mainly controlled by dispersal limitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Feng Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yue-Ping Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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21
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Sun J, Evans PN, Gagen EJ, Woodcroft BJ, Hedlund BP, Woyke T, Hugenholtz P, Rinke C. Recoding of stop codons expands the metabolic potential of two novel Asgardarchaeota lineages. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 1:30. [PMID: 36739331 PMCID: PMC9723677 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-021-00032-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Asgardarchaeota have been proposed as the closest living relatives to eukaryotes, and a total of 72 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing six primary lineages in this archaeal phylum have thus far been described. These organisms are predicted to be fermentative heterotrophs contributing to carbon cycling in sediment ecosystems. Here, we double the genomic catalogue of Asgardarchaeota by obtaining 71 MAGs from a range of habitats around the globe, including the deep subsurface, brackish shallow lakes, and geothermal spring sediments. Phylogenomic inferences followed by taxonomic rank normalisation confirmed previously established Asgardarchaeota classes and revealed four additional lineages, two of which were consistently recovered as monophyletic classes. We therefore propose the names Candidatus Sifarchaeia class nov. and Ca. Jordarchaeia class nov., derived from the gods Sif and Jord in Norse mythology. Metabolic inference suggests that both classes represent hetero-organotrophic acetogens, which also have the ability to utilise methyl groups such as methylated amines, with acetate as the probable end product in remnants of a methanogen-derived core metabolism. This inferred mode of energy conservation is predicted to be enhanced by genetic code expansions, i.e., stop codon recoding, allowing the incorporation of the rare 21st and 22nd amino acids selenocysteine (Sec) and pyrrolysine (Pyl). We found Sec recoding in Jordarchaeia and all other Asgardarchaeota classes, which likely benefit from increased catalytic activities of Sec-containing enzymes. Pyl recoding, on the other hand, is restricted to Sifarchaeia in the Asgardarchaeota, making it the first reported non-methanogenic archaeal lineage with an inferred complete Pyl machinery, likely providing members of this class with an efficient mechanism for methylamine utilisation. Furthermore, we identified enzymes for the biosynthesis of ester-type lipids, characteristic of bacteria and eukaryotes, in both newly described classes, supporting the hypothesis that mixed ether-ester lipids are a shared feature among Asgardarchaeota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Sun
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul N Evans
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Emma J Gagen
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ben J Woodcroft
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences and Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Tanja Woyke
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Christian Rinke
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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22
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Osman JR, Viedma P, Mendoza J, Fernandes G, DuBow MS, Cotoras D. Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of field living and laboratory cultured stromatolites from the hypersaline Laguna Interna, Salar de Atacama (Chile). Extremophiles 2021; 25:327-342. [PMID: 33993356 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-021-01232-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures found principally in seas and saline lakes that contain sheets of sediments and minerals formed by layers of microbial communities, which trap sediments and induce the precipitation of minerals.A living stromatolite from the alkaline Laguna Interna in the Salar de Atacama was collected and one of the fragments was deposited in an experimental aquarium for 18 months. We used Illumina sequencing of PCR-amplified V4 regions of 16S rRNA genes from total extracted DNA to identify the microbial populations. The chemical structure was studied using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and bench chemical methods. We found that members belonging to the Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, Chloroflexi and Bacteroidetes phyla dominated the bacterial communities of the living and aquarium cultured samples. The potential metabolic functionality of the prokaryotic community reveals that sulfur, nitrogen, methane and carbon fixation metabolism functions are present in the samples. This study is the first to provide new insights into the prokaryotic community composition from this unusual aquatic desert site. Further studies will be helpful to obtain a better understanding of the biotic and abiotic mechanisms residing in stromatolites from Laguna Interna, as well as to have better knowledge about the formation of these biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge R Osman
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Biotecnología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santos Dumont #964, Independencia, Santiago, Chile. .,Instituto de Geología Económica Aplicada (GEA), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Pabla Viedma
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Biotecnología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santos Dumont #964, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Química de Suelos, Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Analítica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone 1007, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gustavo Fernandes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Michael S DuBow
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay Campus CNRS, Bâtiment 21, Avenue de la Terasse, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Davor Cotoras
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Biotecnología, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santos Dumont #964, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
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23
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Liu Y, Makarova KS, Huang WC, Wolf YI, Nikolskaya AN, Zhang X, Cai M, Zhang CJ, Xu W, Luo Z, Cheng L, Koonin EV, Li M. Expanded diversity of Asgard archaea and their relationships with eukaryotes. Nature 2021; 593:553-557. [PMID: 33911286 PMCID: PMC11165668 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03494-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Asgard is a recently discovered superphylum of archaea that appears to include the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes1-5. Debate continues as to whether the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes belongs within the Asgard superphylum or whether this ancestor is a sister group to all other archaea (that is, a two-domain versus a three-domain tree of life)6-8. Here we present a comparative analysis of 162 complete or nearly complete genomes of Asgard archaea, including 75 metagenome-assembled genomes that-to our knowledge-have not previously been reported. Our results substantially expand the phylogenetic diversity of Asgard and lead us to propose six additional phyla that include a deep branch that we have provisionally named Wukongarchaeota. Our phylogenomic analysis does not resolve unequivocally the evolutionary relationship between eukaryotes and Asgard archaea, but instead-depending on the choice of species and conserved genes used to build the phylogeny-supports either the origin of eukaryotes from within Asgard (as a sister group to the expanded Heimdallarchaeota-Wukongarchaeota branch) or a deeper branch for the eukaryote ancestor within archaea. Our comprehensive protein domain analysis using the 162 Asgard genomes results in a major expansion of the set of eukaryotic signature proteins. The Asgard eukaryotic signature proteins show variable phyletic distributions and domain architectures, which is suggestive of dynamic evolution through horizontal gene transfer, gene loss, gene duplication and domain shuffling. The phylogenomics of the Asgard archaea points to the accumulation of the components of the mobile archaeal 'eukaryome' in the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes (within or outside Asgard) through extensive horizontal gene transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wen-Cong Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anastasia N Nikolskaya
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xinxu Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Cui-Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Zhuhua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
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24
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Zhang CJ, Chen YL, Sun YH, Pan J, Cai MW, Li M. Diversity, metabolism and cultivation of archaea in mangrove ecosystems. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 3:252-262. [PMID: 37073347 PMCID: PMC10077227 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-020-00081-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves comprise a globally significant intertidal ecosystem that contains a high diversity of microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria and archaea. Archaea is a major domain of life that plays important roles in biogeochemical cycles in these ecosystems. In this review, the potential roles of archaea in mangroves are briefly highlighted. Then, the diversity and metabolism of archaeal community of mangrove ecosystems across the world are summarized and Bathyarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Woesearchaeota, and Lokiarchaeota are confirmed as the most abundant and ubiquitous archaeal groups. The metabolic potential of these archaeal groups indicates their important ecological function in carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycling. Finally, some cultivation strategies that could be applied to uncultivated archaeal lineages from mangrove wetlands are suggested, including refinements to traditional cultivation methods based on genomic and transcriptomic information, and numerous innovative cultivation techniques such as single-cell isolation and high-throughput culturing (HTC). These cultivation strategies provide more opportunities to obtain previously uncultured archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Yu-Lian Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Yi-Hua Sun
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Ming-Wei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
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25
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Wells M, Basu P, Stolz JF. The physiology and evolution of microbial selenium metabolism. Metallomics 2021; 13:6261189. [PMID: 33930157 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Selenium is an essential trace element whose compounds are widely metabolized by organisms from all three domains of life. Moreover, phylogenetic evidence indicates that selenium species, along with iron, molybdenum, tungsten, and nickel, were metabolized by the last universal common ancestor of all cellular lineages, primarily for the synthesis of the 21st amino acid selenocysteine. Thus, selenium metabolism is both environmentally ubiquitous and a physiological adaptation of primordial life. Selenium metabolic reactions comprise reductive transformations both for assimilation into macromolecules and dissimilatory reduction of selenium oxyanions and elemental selenium during anaerobic respiration. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the physiology and evolution of both assimilatory and dissimilatory selenium metabolism in bacteria and archaea, highlighting mechanisms of selenium respiration. This includes a thorough discussion of our current knowledge of the physiology of selenocysteine synthesis and incorporation into proteins in bacteria obtained from structural biology. Additionally, this is the first comprehensive discussion in a review of the incorporation of selenium into the tRNA nucleoside 5-methylaminomethyl-2-selenouridine and as an inorganic cofactor in certain molybdenum hydroxylase enzymes. Throughout, conserved mechanisms and derived features of selenium metabolism in both domains are emphasized and discussed within the context of the global selenium biogeochemical cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wells
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
| | - Partha Basu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - John F Stolz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
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26
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Unraveling the Metabolic Potential of Asgardarchaeota in a Sediment from the Mediterranean Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Water Basin Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy). Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040859. [PMID: 33923677 PMCID: PMC8072921 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040859] [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] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing number of metagenome sequencing studies have proposed a central metabolic role of still understudied Archaeal members in natural and artificial ecosystems. However, their role in hydrocarbon cycling, particularly in the anaerobic biodegradation of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, is still mostly unknown in both marine and terrestrial environments. In this work, we focused our study on the metagenomic characterization of the archaeal community inhabiting the Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy, central Mediterranean) sediments heavily contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Among metagenomic bins reconstructed from Mar Piccolo microbial community, we have identified members of the Asgardarchaeota superphylum that has been recently proposed to play a central role in hydrocarbon cycling in natural ecosystems under anoxic conditions. In particular, we found members affiliated with Thorarchaeota, Heimdallarchaeota, and Lokiarchaeota phyla and analyzed their genomic potential involved in central metabolism and hydrocarbon biodegradation. Metabolic prediction based on metagenomic analysis identified the malonyl-CoA and benzoyl-CoA routes as the pathways involved in aliphatic and aromatic biodegradation in these Asgardarchaeota members. This is the first study to give insight into the archaeal community functionality and connection to hydrocarbon degradation in marine sediment historically contaminated by hydrocarbons.
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27
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Russum S, Lam KJK, Wong NA, Iddamsetty V, Hendargo KJ, Wang J, Dubey A, Zhang Y, Medrano-Soto A, Saier MH. Comparative population genomic analyses of transporters within the Asgard archaeal superphylum. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247806. [PMID: 33770091 PMCID: PMC7997004 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon discovery of the first archaeal species in the 1970s, life has been subdivided into three domains: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria. However, the organization of the three-domain tree of life has been challenged following the discovery of archaeal lineages such as the TACK and Asgard superphyla. The Asgard Superphylum has emerged as the closest archaeal ancestor to eukaryotes, potentially improving our understanding of the evolution of life forms. We characterized the transportomes and their substrates within four metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), that is, Odin-, Thor-, Heimdall- and Loki-archaeota as well as the fully sequenced genome of Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum strain MK-D1 that belongs to the Loki phylum. Using the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB) as reference, candidate transporters encoded within the proteomes were identified based on sequence similarity, alignment coverage, compatibility of hydropathy profiles, TMS topologies and shared domains. Identified transport systems were compared within the Asgard superphylum as well as within dissimilar eukaryotic, archaeal and bacterial organisms. From these analyses, we infer that Asgard organisms rely mostly on the transport of substrates driven by the proton motive force (pmf), the proton electrochemical gradient which then can be used for ATP production and to drive the activities of secondary carriers. The results indicate that Asgard archaea depend heavily on the uptake of organic molecules such as lipid precursors, amino acids and their derivatives, and sugars and their derivatives. Overall, the majority of the transporters identified are more similar to prokaryotic transporters than eukaryotic systems although several instances of the reverse were documented. Taken together, the results support the previous suggestions that the Asgard superphylum includes organisms that are largely mixotrophic and anaerobic but more clearly define their metabolic potential while providing evidence regarding their relatedness to eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Russum
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Katie Jing Kay Lam
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Alan Wong
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Vasu Iddamsetty
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Kevin J. Hendargo
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Jianing Wang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Aditi Dubey
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Yichi Zhang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Arturo Medrano-Soto
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MHS); (AMS)
| | - Milton H. Saier
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MHS); (AMS)
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28
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Cai M, Richter-Heitmann T, Yin X, Huang WC, Yang Y, Zhang C, Duan C, Pan J, Liu Y, Liu Y, Friedrich MW, Li M. Ecological features and global distribution of Asgard archaea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143581. [PMID: 33223169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Asgard is a newly proposed archaeal superphylum, which has been suggested to hold the key to decipher the origin of Eukaryotes. However, their ecology remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of publicly available Asgard-associated 16S rRNA gene fragments, and found that just three previously proposed clades (Lokiarchaeota, Thorarchaeota, and Asgard clade 4) are widely distributed, whereas the other seven clades (phylum or class level) are restricted to the sediment biosphere. Asgard archaea, especially Loki- and Thorarchaeota, seem to adapt to marine sediments, and water depth (the depth of the sediment below water surface) and salinity might be crucial factors for the proportion of these microorganisms as revealed by multivariate regression analyses. However, the abundance of Asgard archaea exhibited distinct environmental drivers at the clade-level; for instance, the proportion of Asgard clade 4 was higher in less saline environments (salinity <6.35 psu), while higher for Heimdallarchaeota-AAG and Asgard clade 2 in more saline environment (salinity ≥35 psu). Furthermore, co-occurrence analysis allowed us to find a significant non-random association of different Asgard clades with other groups (e.g., Lokiarchaeota with Deltaproteobacteria and Anaerolineae; Odinarchaeota with Bathyarchaeota), suggesting different interaction potentials among these clades. Overall, these findings reveal Asgard archaea as a ubiquitous group worldwide and provide initial insights into their ecological features on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Xiuran Yin
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany; MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Wen-Cong Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuchun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Cuijing Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Changhai Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany; MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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29
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Abstract
Microbes in marine sediments represent a large portion of the biosphere, and resolving their ecology is crucial for understanding global ocean processes. Single-gene diversity surveys have revealed several uncultured lineages that are widespread in ocean sediments and whose ecological roles are unknown, and advancements in the computational analysis of increasingly large genomic data sets have made it possible to reconstruct individual genomes from complex microbial communities. Using these metagenomic approaches to characterize sediments is transforming our view of microbial communities on the ocean floor and the biodiversity of the planet. In recent years, marine sediments have been a prominent source of new lineages in the tree of life. The incorporation of these lineages into existing phylogenies has revealed that many belong to distinct phyla, including archaeal phyla that are advancing our understanding of the origins of cellular complexity and eukaryotes. Detailed comparisons of the metabolic potentials of these new lineages have made it clear that uncultured bacteria and archaea are capable of mediating key previously undescribed steps in carbon and nutrient cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett J Baker
- Department of Marine Science and Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA;
| | - Kathryn E Appler
- Department of Marine Science and Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA;
| | - Xianzhe Gong
- Department of Marine Science and Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA;
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China;
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30
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Hu W, Pan J, Wang B, Guo J, Li M, Xu M. Metagenomic insights into the metabolism and evolution of a new Thermoplasmata order (Candidatus Gimiplasmatales). Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:3695-3709. [PMID: 33295091 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Thermoplasmata is a widely distributed and ecologically important archaeal class in the phylum Euryarchaeota. Because few cultures and genomes are available, uncharacterized Thermoplasmata metabolisms remain unexplored. In this study, we obtained four medium- to high-quality archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from the filamentous fragments of black-odorous aquatic sediments (Foshan, Guangdong, China). Based on their 16S rRNA gene and ribosomal protein phylogenies, the four MAGs belong to the previously unnamed Thermoplasmata UBA10834 clade. We propose that this clade (five reference genomes from the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) and four MAGs from this study) be considered a new order, Candidatus Gimiplasmatales. Metabolic pathway reconstructions indicated that the Ca. Gimiplasmatales MAGs can biosynthesize isoprenoids and nucleotides de novo. Additionally, some taxa have genes for formaldehyde and acetate assimilation, and the Wood-Ljungdahl CO2 -fixation pathway, indicating a mixotrophic lifestyle. Sulfur reduction, hydrogen metabolism, and arsenic detoxification pathways were predicted, indicating sulfur-, hydrogen-, and arsenic-transformation potentials. Comparative genomics indicated that the H4 F Wood-Ljungdahl pathway of both Ca. Gimiplasmatales and Methanomassiliicoccales was likely obtained by the interdomain lateral gene transfer from the Firmicutes. Collectively, this study elucidates the taxonomic and potential metabolic diversity of the new order Ca. Gimiplasmatales and the evolution of this subgroup and its sister lineage Methanomassiliicoccales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Hu
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meiying Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Wells M, Stolz JF. Microbial selenium metabolism: a brief history, biogeochemistry and ecophysiology. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5921172. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACTSelenium is an essential trace element for organisms from all three domains of life. Microorganisms, in particular, mediate reductive transformations of selenium that govern the element's mobility and bioavailability in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Selenium metabolism is not just ubiquitous but an ancient feature of life likely extending back to the universal common ancestor of all cellular lineages. As with the sulfur biogeochemical cycle, reductive transformations of selenium serve two metabolic functions: assimilation into macromolecules and dissimilatory reduction during anaerobic respiration. This review begins with a historical overview of how research in both aspects of selenium metabolism has developed. We then provide an overview of the global selenium biogeochemical cycle, emphasizing the central role of microorganisms in the cycle. This serves as a basis for a robust discussion of current models for the evolution of the selenium biogeochemical cycle over geologic time, and how knowledge of the evolution and ecophysiology of selenium metabolism can enrich and refine these models. We conclude with a discussion of the ecophysiological function of selenium-respiring prokaryotes within the cycle, and the tantalizing possibility of oxidative selenium transformations during chemolithoautotrophic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wells
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
| | - John F Stolz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
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Akıl C, Kitaoku Y, Tran LT, Liebl D, Choe H, Muengsaen D, Suginta W, Schulte A, Robinson RC. Mythical origins of the actin cytoskeleton. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2020; 68:55-63. [PMID: 33049465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2020.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The origin of the eukaryotic cell is one of the greatest mysteries in modern biology. Eukaryotic-wide specific biological processes arose in the lost ancestors of eukaryotes. These distinctive features, such as the actin cytoskeleton, define what it is to be a eukaryote. Recent sequencing, characterization, and isolation of Asgard archaea have opened an intriguing window into the pre-eukaryotic cell. Firstly, sequencing of anaerobic sediments identified a group of uncultured organisms, Asgard archaea, which contain genes with homology to eukaryotic signature genes. Secondly, characterization of the products of these genes at the protein level demonstrated that Asgard archaea have related biological processes to eukaryotes. Finally, the isolation of an Asgard archaeon has produced a model organism in which the morphological consequences of the eukaryotic-like processes can be studied. Here, we consider the consequences for the Asgard actin cytoskeleton and for the evolution of a regulated actin system in the archaea-to-eukaryotic transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caner Akıl
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Biopolis, 138673, Singapore; Tokyo Institute of Technology, Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Yoshihito Kitaoku
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Linh T Tran
- Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - David Liebl
- A∗STAR Microscopy Platform, Research Support Center, A∗STAR, Biopolis 138673, Singapore
| | - Han Choe
- Department of Physiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Duangkamon Muengsaen
- School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand
| | - Wipa Suginta
- School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand
| | - Albert Schulte
- School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand
| | - Robert C Robinson
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A∗STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Biopolis, 138673, Singapore; Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (RIIS), Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan; School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Rayong 21210, Thailand.
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Wong HL, MacLeod FI, White RA, Visscher PT, Burns BP. Microbial dark matter filling the niche in hypersaline microbial mats. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:135. [PMID: 32938503 PMCID: PMC7495880 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shark Bay, Australia, harbours one of the most extensive and diverse systems of living microbial mats that are proposed to be analogs of some of the earliest ecosystems on Earth. These ecosystems have been shown to possess a substantial abundance of uncultivable microorganisms. These enigmatic microbes, jointly coined as 'microbial dark matter' (MDM), are hypothesised to play key roles in modern microbial mats. RESULTS We reconstructed 115 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated to MDM, spanning 42 phyla. This study reports for the first time novel microorganisms (Zixibacterial order GN15) putatively taking part in dissimilatory sulfate reduction in surface hypersaline settings, as well as novel eukaryote signature proteins in the Asgard archaea. Despite possessing reduced-size genomes, the MDM MAGs are capable of fermenting and degrading organic carbon, suggesting a role in recycling organic carbon. Several forms of RuBisCo were identified, allowing putative CO2 incorporation into nucleotide salvaging pathways, which may act as an alternative carbon and phosphorus source. High capacity of hydrogen production was found among Shark Bay MDM. Putative schizorhodopsins were also identified in Parcubacteria, Asgard archaea, DPANN archaea, and Bathyarchaeota, allowing these members to potentially capture light energy. Diversity-generating retroelements were prominent in DPANN archaea that likely facilitate the adaptation to a dynamic, host-dependent lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to reconstruct and describe in detail metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) affiliated with microbial dark matter in hypersaline microbial mats. Our data suggests that these microbial groups are major players in these systems. In light of our findings, we propose H2, ribose and CO/CO2 as the main energy currencies of the MDM community in these mat systems. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hon Lun Wong
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fraser I MacLeod
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Richard Allen White
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- RAW Molecular Systems LLC, Spokane, WA, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, The University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Pieter T Visscher
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, USA
- Biogeosciences, the Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Brendan P Burns
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia.
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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Santesmasses D, Mariotti M, Gladyshev VN. Bioinformatics of Selenoproteins. Antioxid Redox Signal 2020; 33:525-536. [PMID: 32031018 PMCID: PMC7409585 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2020.8044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Bioinformatics has brought important insights into the field of selenium research. The progress made in the development of computational tools in the last two decades, coordinated with growing genome resources, provided new opportunities to study selenoproteins. The present review discusses existing tools for selenoprotein gene finding and other bioinformatic approaches to study the biology of selenium. Recent Advances: The availability of complete selenoproteomes allowed assessing a global distribution of the use of selenocysteine (Sec) across the tree of life, as well as studying the evolution of selenoproteins and their biosynthetic pathway. Beyond gene identification and characterization, human genetic variants in selenoprotein genes were used to examine adaptations to selenium levels in diverse human populations and to estimate selective constraints against gene loss. Critical Issues: The synthesis of selenoproteins is essential for development in mice. In humans, several mutations in selenoprotein genes have been linked to rare congenital disorders. And yet, the mechanism of Sec insertion and the regulation of selenoprotein synthesis in mammalian cells are not completely understood. Future Directions: Omics technologies offer new possibilities to study selenoproteins and mechanisms of Sec incorporation in cells, tissues, and organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didac Santesmasses
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marco Mariotti
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Vadim N. Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Zou D, Liu H, Li M. Community, Distribution, and Ecological Roles of Estuarine Archaea. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2060. [PMID: 32983044 PMCID: PMC7484942 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaea are diverse and ubiquitous prokaryotes present in both extreme and moderate environments. Estuaries, serving as links between the land and ocean, harbor numerous microbes that are relatively highly active because of massive terrigenous input of nutrients. Archaea account for a considerable portion of the estuarine microbial community. They are diverse and play key roles in the estuarine biogeochemical cycles. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are an abundant aquatic archaeal group in estuaries, greatly contributing estuarine ammonia oxidation. Bathyarchaeota are abundant in sediments, and they may involve in sedimentary organic matter degradation, acetogenesis, and, potentially, methane metabolism, based on genomics. Other archaeal groups are also commonly detected in estuaries worldwide. They include Euryarchaeota, and members of the DPANN and Asgard archaea. Based on biodiversity surveys of the 16S rRNA gene and some functional genes, the distribution and abundance of estuarine archaea are driven by physicochemical factors, such as salinity and oxygen concentration. Currently, increasing amount of genomic information for estuarine archaea is becoming available because of the advances in sequencing technologies, especially for AOA and Bathyarchaeota, leading to a better understanding of their functions and environmental adaptations. Here, we summarized the current knowledge on the community composition and major archaeal groups in estuaries, focusing on AOA and Bathyarchaeota. We also highlighted the unique genomic features and potential adaptation strategies of estuarine archaea, pointing out major unknowns in the field and scope for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayu Zou
- SZU-HKUST Joint Ph.D. Program in Marine Environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science & Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Meng Li
- SZU-HKUST Joint Ph.D. Program in Marine Environmental Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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Insights into the evolution of regulated actin dynamics via characterization of primitive gelsolin/cofilin proteins from Asgard archaea. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:19904-19913. [PMID: 32747565 PMCID: PMC7444086 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009167117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic gelsolin superfamily proteins generally comprise three or more related domains. Here we characterize single- and double-domain gelsolins from Thorarchaeota (Thor). Similar domain architectures are present in Heimdall-, Loki-, and Odinarchaeota. Thor gelsolins are functional in regulating rabbit actin in in vitro assays, showing a range of activities including actin filament severing and bundling. These gelsolins bind to the eukaryotic gelsolin/cofilin-binding site on actin. Two-domain, but not one-domain, gelsolins are calcium regulated. Thor gelsolins appear to have the characteristics and structure consistent with primitive gelsolins/cofilins, suggesting that these single- and double-domain gelsolins are a record of a nascent preeukaryotic actin-regulation machinery. Asgard archaea genomes contain potential eukaryotic-like genes that provide intriguing insight for the evolution of eukaryotes. The eukaryotic actin polymerization/depolymerization cycle is critical for providing force and structure in many processes, including membrane remodeling. In general, Asgard genomes encode two classes of actin-regulating proteins from sequence analysis, profilins and gelsolins. Asgard profilins were demonstrated to regulate actin filament nucleation. Here, we identify actin filament severing, capping, annealing and bundling, and monomer sequestration activities by gelsolin proteins from Thorarchaeota (Thor), which complete a eukaryotic-like actin depolymerization cycle, and indicate complex actin cytoskeleton regulation in Asgard organisms. Thor gelsolins have homologs in other Asgard archaea and comprise one or two copies of the prototypical gelsolin domain. This appears to be a record of an initial preeukaryotic gene duplication event, since eukaryotic gelsolins are generally comprise three to six domains. X-ray structures of these proteins in complex with mammalian actin revealed similar interactions to the first domain of human gelsolin or cofilin with actin. Asgard two-domain, but not one-domain, gelsolins contain calcium-binding sites, which is manifested in calcium-controlled activities. Expression of two-domain gelsolins in mammalian cells enhanced actin filament disassembly on ionomycin-triggered calcium release. This functional demonstration, at the cellular level, provides evidence for a calcium-controlled Asgard actin cytoskeleton, indicating that the calcium-regulated actin cytoskeleton predates eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, dynamic bundled actin filaments are responsible for shaping filopodia and microvilli. By correlation, we hypothesize that the formation of the protrusions observed from Lokiarchaeota cell bodies may involve the gelsolin-regulated actin structures.
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Visualization of Lokiarchaeia and Heimdallarchaeia (Asgardarchaeota) by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Catalyzed Reporter Deposition (CARD-FISH). mSphere 2020; 5:5/4/e00686-20. [PMID: 32727863 PMCID: PMC7392546 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00686-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Asgardarchaeota are considered to be the closest relatives to modern eukaryotes. These enigmatic microbes have been mainly studied using metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Only very recently, a first member of Lokiarchaeia was isolated and characterized in detail; it featured a striking morphology with long, branching protrusions. In order to visualize additional members of the phylum Asgardarchaeota, we applied a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages. We provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia that are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by an apparently centralized DNA localization. Further, we provide new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative and with multiple morphologies, ranging from small ovoid cells to long filaments. This diversity in observed cell shapes is likely owing to the large phylogenetic diversity within Asgardarchaeota, the vast majority of which remain uncultured. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Asgardarchaeota have been recovered from a variety of habitats, broadening their environmental distribution and providing access to the genetic makeup of this archaeal lineage. The recent success in cultivating the first representative of Lokiarchaeia was a breakthrough in science at large and gave rise to new hypotheses about the evolution of eukaryotes. Despite their singular phylogenetic position at the base of the eukaryotic tree of life, the morphology of these bewildering organisms remains a mystery, except for the report of an unusual morphology with long, branching protrusions of the cultivated Lokiarchaeion strain “Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum” MK-D1. In order to visualize this elusive group, we applied a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization and catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD-FISH) and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed CARD-FISH probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages, and provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia and new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative. Here, we show that while Heimdallarchaeia are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by a centralized DNA localization, Lokiarchaeia display a plethora of shapes and sizes that likely reflect their broad phylogenetic diversity and ecological distribution. IMPORTANCE Asgardarchaeota are considered to be the closest relatives to modern eukaryotes. These enigmatic microbes have been mainly studied using metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Only very recently, a first member of Lokiarchaeia was isolated and characterized in detail; it featured a striking morphology with long, branching protrusions. In order to visualize additional members of the phylum Asgardarchaeota, we applied a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages. We provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia that are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by an apparently centralized DNA localization. Further, we provide new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative and with multiple morphologies, ranging from small ovoid cells to long filaments. This diversity in observed cell shapes is likely owing to the large phylogenetic diversity within Asgardarchaeota, the vast majority of which remain uncultured.
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Zhang CJ, Pan J, Liu Y, Duan CH, Li M. Genomic and transcriptomic insights into methanogenesis potential of novel methanogens from mangrove sediments. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:94. [PMID: 32552798 PMCID: PMC7302380 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00876-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methanogens are crucial to global methane budget and carbon cycling. Methanogens from the phylum Euryarchaeota are currently classified into one class and seven orders, including two novel methanogen taxa, Methanofastidiosa and Methanomassiliicoccales. The relative importance of the novel methanogens to methane production in the natural environment is poorly understood. RESULTS Here, we used a combined metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approach to investigate the metabolic activity of methanogens in mangrove sediments in Futian Nature Reserve, Shenzhen. We obtained 13 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) representing one class (Methanofastidiosa) and five orders (Methanomassiliicoccales, Methanomicrobiales, Methanobacteriales, Methanocellales, and Methanosarcinales) of methanogens, including the two novel methanogens. Comprehensive annotation indicated the presence of an H2-dependent methylotrophic methanogenesis pathway in Methanofastidiosa and Methanomassiliicoccales. Based on the functional gene analysis, hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic methanogenesis are the dominant pathways in mangrove sediments. MAG mapping revealed that hydrogenotrophic Methanomicrobiales were the most abundant methanogens and that methylotrophic Methanomassiliicoccales were the most active methanogens in the analyzed sediment profile, suggesting their important roles in methane production. CONCLUSIONS Partial or near-complete genomes of two novel methanogen taxa, Methanofastidiosa and Methanomassiliicoccales, in natural environments were recovered and analyzed here for the first time. The presented findings highlight the ecological importance of the two novel methanogens and complement knowledge of how methane is produced in mangrove ecosystem. This study implies that two novel methanogens play a vital role in carbon cycle. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chang-Hai Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Methanogenesis in the Lake Elton saline aquatic system. Extremophiles 2020; 24:657-672. [PMID: 32533307 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-020-01185-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cultivation and molecular approaches were used to study methanogenesis in saline aquatic system of the Lake Elton (southern Russia), the largest hypersaline lake in Europe. The potential rates of hydrogenotrophic, acetoclastic, methylotrophic and methyl-reducing methanogenesis and diversity of the growth-enriched for by adding electron donors methanogenic communities were studied in the sediment slurry incubations at salinity range from 7 to 275 g/L. The most active pathway detected at all salinities was methylotrophic with a dominance of Methanohalobium and Methanohalophilus genera, at salt saturation and moderately halophilic Methanolobus and Methanococcoides at lower salinity. The absence of methane production from acetate, formate and H2/CO2 under hypersaline conditions was most probably associated with the energy constraints. The contribution of hydrogenotrophic, acetoclastic, and methyl-reducing methanogens to the community increases with a decrease in salinity. Temperature might play an important regulatory function in hypersaline habitats; i.e. methylotrophic methanogens and hydrogenotrophic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) outcompeting methyl-reducing methanogens under mesophilic conditions, and vice versa under thermophilic conditions. An active methane production together with negligible methane oxidation makes hypersaline environments a potential source of methane emission.
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Liu J, Zhu S, Liu X, Yao P, Ge T, Zhang XH. Spatiotemporal dynamics of the archaeal community in coastal sediments: assembly process and co-occurrence relationship. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:1463-1478. [PMID: 32132664 PMCID: PMC7242467 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0621-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies of marine benthic archaeal communities are updating our view of their taxonomic composition and metabolic versatility. However, large knowledge gaps remain with regard to community assembly processes and inter taxa associations. Here, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and qPCR, we investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics, assembly processes, and co-occurrence relationships of the archaeal community in 58 surface sediment samples collected in both summer and winter from across ~1500 km of the eastern Chinese marginal seas. Clear patterns in spatiotemporal dynamics in the archaeal community structure were observed, with a more pronounced spatial rather than seasonal variation. Accompanying the geographic variation was a significant distance-decay pattern with varying contributions from different archaeal clades, determined by their relative abundance. In both seasons, dispersal limitation was the most important process, explaining ~40% of the community variation, followed by homogeneous selection and ecological drift, that made an approximately equal contribution (~30%). This meant that stochasticity rather than determinism had a greater impact on the archaeal community assembly. Furthermore, we observed seasonality in archaeal co-occurrence patterns: closer inter-taxa connections in winter than in summer, and unmatched geographic patterns between community composition and co-occurrence relationship. These results demonstrate that the benthic archaeal community was assembled under a seasonal-consistent mechanism but the co-occurrence relationships changed over the seasons, indicating complex archaeal dynamic patterns in coastal sediments of the eastern Chinese marginal seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwen Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Shangqing Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xiaoyue Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Peng Yao
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education/Institute for Advanced Ocean Studies, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Tiantian Ge
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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Abstract
The emergence of the endomembrane system is a key step in the evolution of cellular complexity during eukaryogenesis. The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery is essential and required for the endomembrane system functions in eukaryotic cells. Recently, genes encoding eukaryote-like ESCRT protein components have been identified in the genomes of Asgard archaea, a newly proposed archaeal superphylum that is thought to include the closest extant prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. However, structural and functional features of Asgard ESCRT remain uncharacterized. Here, we show that Vps4, Vps2/24/46, and Vps20/32/60, the core functional components of the Asgard ESCRT, coevolved eukaryote-like structural and functional features. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Asgard Vps4, Vps2/24/46, and Vps20/32/60 are closely related to their eukaryotic counterparts. Molecular dynamics simulation and biochemical assays indicate that Asgard Vps4 contains a eukaryote-like microtubule-interacting and transport (MIT) domain that binds the distinct type 1 MIT-interacting motif and type 2 MIT-interacting motif in Vps2/24/46 and Vps20/32/60, respectively. The Asgard Vps4 partly, but much more efficiently than homologs from other archaea, complements the vps4 null mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, further supporting the functional similarity between the membrane remodeling machineries of Asgard archaea and eukaryotes. Thus, this work provides evidence that the ESCRT complexes from Asgard archaea and eukaryotes are evolutionarily related and functionally similar. Thus, despite the apparent absence of endomembranes in Asgard archaea, the eukaryotic ESCRT seems to have been directly inherited from an Asgard ancestor, to become a key component of the emerging endomembrane system.IMPORTANCE The discovery of Asgard archaea has changed the existing ideas on the origins of eukaryotes. Researchers propose that eukaryotic cells evolved from Asgard archaea. This hypothesis partly stems from the presence of multiple eukaryotic signature proteins in Asgard archaea, including homologs of ESCRT proteins that are essential components of the endomembrane system in eukaryotes. However, structural and functional features of Asgard ESCRT remain unknown. Our study provides evidence that Asgard ESCRT is functionally comparable to the eukaryotic counterparts, suggesting that despite the apparent absence of endomembranes in archaea, eukaryotic ESCRT was inherited from an Asgard archaeal ancestor, alongside the emergence of endomembrane system during eukaryogenesis.
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Sun Y, Liu Y, Pan J, Wang F, Li M. Perspectives on Cultivation Strategies of Archaea. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 79:770-784. [PMID: 31432245 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01422-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Archaea have been recognized as a major domain of life since the 1970s and occupy a key position in the tree of life. Recent advances in culture-independent approaches have greatly accelerated the research son Archaea. However, many hypotheses concerning the diversity, physiology, and evolution of archaea are waiting to be confirmed by culture-base experiments. Consequently, archaeal isolates are in great demand. On the other hand, traditional approaches of archaeal cultivation are rarely successful and require urgent improvement. Here, we review the current practices and applicable microbial cultivation techniques, to inform on potential strategies that could improve archaeal cultivation in the future. We first summarize the current knowledge on archaeal diversity, with an emphasis on cultivated and uncultivated lineages pertinent to future research. Possible causes for the low success rate of the current cultivation practices are then discussed to propose future improvements. Finally, innovative insights for archaeal cultivation are described, including (1) medium refinement for selective cultivation based on the genetic and transcriptional information; (2) consideration of the up-to-date archaeal culturing skills; and (3) application of multiple cultivation techniques, such as co-culture, direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), single-cell isolation, high-throughput culturing (HTC), and simulation of the natural habitat. Improved cultivation efforts should allow successful isolation of as yet uncultured archaea, contributing to the much-needed physiological investigation of archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihua Sun
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Pan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Li
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Cai M, Liu Y, Yin X, Zhou Z, Friedrich MW, Richter-Heitmann T, Nimzyk R, Kulkarni A, Wang X, Li W, Pan J, Yang Y, Gu JD, Li M. Diverse Asgard archaea including the novel phylum Gerdarchaeota participate in organic matter degradation. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:886-897. [PMID: 32201928 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1679-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Asgard is an archaeal superphylum that might hold the key to understand the origin of eukaryotes, but its diversity and ecological roles remain poorly understood. Here, we reconstructed 15 metagenomic-assembled genomes from coastal sediments covering most known Asgard archaea and a novel group, which is proposed as a new Asgard phylum named as the "Gerdarchaeota". Genomic analyses predict that Gerdarchaeota are facultative anaerobes in utilizing both organic and inorganic carbon. Unlike their closest relatives Heimdallarchaeota, Gerdarchaeota have genes encoding for cellulase and enzymes involved in the tetrahydromethanopterin-based Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Transcriptomics showed that most of our identified Asgard archaea are capable of degrading organic matter, including peptides, amino acids and fatty acids, occupying ecological niches in different depths of layers of the sediments. Overall, this study broadens the diversity of the mysterious Asgard archaea and provides evidence for their ecological roles in coastal sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xiuran Yin
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Zhichao Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Rolf Nimzyk
- Department of Microbe-Plant Interactions, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Ajinkya Kulkarni
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Xiaowen Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yuchun Yang
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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Zhang RY, Zou B, Yan YW, Jeon CO, Li M, Cai M, Quan ZX. Design of targeted primers based on 16S rRNA sequences in meta-transcriptomic datasets and identification of a novel taxonomic group in the Asgard archaea. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:25. [PMID: 32013868 PMCID: PMC6998087 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-1707-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amplification of small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes with universal primers is a common method used to assess microbial populations in various environmental samples. However, owing to limitations in coverage of these universal primers, some microorganisms remain unidentified. The present study aimed to establish a method for amplifying nearly full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences of previously unidentified prokaryotes, using newly designed targeted primers via primer evaluation in meta-transcriptomic datasets. METHODS Primer binding regions of universal primer 8F/Arch21F for bacteria or archaea were used for primer evaluation of SSU rRNA sequences in meta-transcriptomic datasets. Furthermore, targeted forward primers were designed based on SSU rRNA reads from unclassified groups unmatched with the universal primer 8F/Arch21F, and these primers were used to amplify nearly full-length special SSU rRNA gene sequences along with universal reverse primer 1492R. Similarity and phylogenetic analysis were used to confirm their novel status. RESULTS Using this method, we identified unclassified SSU rRNA sequences that were not matched with universal primer 8F and Arch21F. A new group within the Asgard superphylum was amplified by the newly designed specific primer based on these unclassified SSU rRNA sequences by using mudflat samples. CONCLUSION We showed that using specific primers designed based on universal primer evaluation from meta-transcriptomic datasets, identification of novel taxonomic groups from a specific environment is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Yi Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Wei Yan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Maricultural Organism Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Che Ok Jeon
- School of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhe-Xue Quan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Ammonia- and Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria: The Abundance, Niches and Compositional Differences for Diverse Soil Layers in Three Flooded Paddy Fields. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12030953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), Ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) play cogent roles in oxidation and nitrification processes, and hence have important ecological functions in several ecosystems. However, their distribution and compositional differences in different long-term flooded paddy fields (FPFs) management at different soil depths remains under-investigated. Using qPCR and phylogenetic analysis, this study investigated the abundance, niches, and compositional differences of AOA, AOB, and MOB along with their potential nitrification and oxidation rate in three soil layers from three FPFs (ShaPingBa (SPB), HeChuan (HC), and JiDi (JD)) in Chongqing, China. In all the FPFs, CH4 oxidation occurred mainly in the surface (0–3 cm) and subsurface layers (3–5 cm). A significant difference in potential methane oxidation and nitrification rates was observed among the three FPFs, in which SPB had the highest. The higher amoA genes are the marker for abundance of AOA compared to AOB while pmoA genes, which is the marker for MOB abundance and diversity, indicated their significant role in the nitrification process across the three FPFs. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that AOA were mainly composed of Nitrososphaera, Nitrosospumilus, and Nitrosotalea, while the genus Nitrosomonas accounted for the greatest proportion of AOB in the three soil layers. MOB were mainly composed of Methylocaldum and Methylocystis genera. Overall, this finding pointed to niche differences as well as suitability of the surface and subsurface soil environments for the co-occurrence of ammonia oxidation and methane oxidation in FPFs.
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Imachi H, Nobu MK, Nakahara N, Morono Y, Ogawara M, Takaki Y, Takano Y, Uematsu K, Ikuta T, Ito M, Matsui Y, Miyazaki M, Murata K, Saito Y, Sakai S, Song C, Tasumi E, Yamanaka Y, Yamaguchi T, Kamagata Y, Tamaki H, Takai K. Isolation of an archaeon at the prokaryote-eukaryote interface. Nature 2020; 577:519-525. [PMID: 31942073 PMCID: PMC7015854 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1916-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 334] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The origin of eukaryotes remains unclear1-4. Current data suggest that eukaryotes may have emerged from an archaeal lineage known as 'Asgard' archaea5,6. Despite the eukaryote-like genomic features that are found in these archaea, the evolutionary transition from archaea to eukaryotes remains unclear, owing to the lack of cultured representatives and corresponding physiological insights. Here we report the decade-long isolation of an Asgard archaeon related to Lokiarchaeota from deep marine sediment. The archaeon-'Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum' strain MK-D1-is an anaerobic, extremely slow-growing, small coccus (around 550 nm in diameter) that degrades amino acids through syntrophy. Although eukaryote-like intracellular complexes have been proposed for Asgard archaea6, the isolate has no visible organelle-like structure. Instead, Ca. P. syntrophicum is morphologically complex and has unique protrusions that are long and often branching. On the basis of the available data obtained from cultivation and genomics, and reasoned interpretations of the existing literature, we propose a hypothetical model for eukaryogenesis, termed the entangle-engulf-endogenize (also known as E3) model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Imachi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan.
| | - Masaru K Nobu
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Nozomi Nakahara
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Japan
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, X-star, JAMSTEC, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Miyuki Ogawara
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Takano
- Biogeochemistry Program, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Uematsu
- Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, Marine Work Japan, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Ikuta
- Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Motoo Ito
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, X-star, JAMSTEC, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Yohei Matsui
- Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miyazaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | | | - Yumi Saito
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Sanae Sakai
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Chihong Song
- National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Eiji Tasumi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yuko Yamanaka
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamaguchi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Japan
| | - Yoichi Kamagata
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Tamaki
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ken Takai
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- Section for Exploration of Life in Extreme Environments, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
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Metagenomes from Coastal Marine Sediments Give Insights into the Ecological Role and Cellular Features of Loki- and Thorarchaeota. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02039-19. [PMID: 31506313 PMCID: PMC6737245 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02039-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of Asgard Archaea, a novel archaeal proposed superphylum, share an enriched repertoire of eukaryotic signature genes and thus promise to provide insights into early eukaryote evolution. However, the distribution, metabolisms, cellular structures, and ecology of the members within this superphylum are not well understood. Here we provide a meta-analysis of the environmental distribution of the Asgard archaea, based on available 16S rRNA gene sequences. Metagenome sequencing of samples from a salt-crusted lagoon on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico allowed the assembly of a new Thorarchaeota and three Lokiarchaeota genomes. Comparative analyses of all known Lokiarchaeota and Thorarchaeota genomes revealed overlapping genome content, including central carbon metabolism. Members of both groups contained putative reductive dehalogenase genes, suggesting that these organisms might be able to metabolize halogenated organic compounds. Unlike the first report on Lokiarchaeota, we identified genes encoding glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase in all Loki- and Thorarchaeota genomes, suggesting that these organisms are able to synthesize bona fide archaeal lipids with their characteristic glycerol stereochemistry.IMPORTANCE Microorganisms of the superphylum Asgard Archaea are considered to be the closest living prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes (including plants and animals) and thus promise to give insights into the early evolution of more complex life forms. However, very little is known about their biology as none of the organisms has yet been cultivated in the laboratory. Here we report on the ecological distribution of Asgard Archaea and on four newly sequenced genomes of the Lokiarchaeota and Thorarchaeota lineages that give insight into possible metabolic features that might eventually help to identify these enigmatic groups of archaea in the environment and to culture them.
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Prokaryotic Diversity in Mangrove Sediments across Southeastern China Fundamentally Differs from That in Other Biomes. mSystems 2019; 4:4/5/e00442-19. [PMID: 31506265 PMCID: PMC6739103 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00442-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the underlying mechanisms of microbial community assembly patterns is a vital issue in microbial ecology. Mangroves, as an important and special ecosystem, provide a unique environment for examining the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes. We made the first global-scale comparison and found that microbial diversity was significantly different in mangrove sediments compared to that of other biomes. Furthermore, our results suggest that a deterministic process is more important in shaping microbial community assembly in mangroves. Mangroves, as a blue carbon reservoir, provide an environment for a variety of microorganisms. Mangroves lie in special locations connecting coastal and estuarine areas and experience fluctuating conditions, which are expected to intensify with climate change, creating a need to better understand the relative roles of stochastic and deterministic processes in shaping microbial community assembly. Here, a study of microbial communities inhabiting mangrove sediments across southeastern China, spanning mangroves in six nature reserves, was conducted. We performed high-throughput DNA sequencing of these samples and compared them with data of 1,370 sediment samples collected from the Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) to compare the microbial diversity of mangroves with that of other biomes. Our results showed that prokaryotic alpha diversity in mangroves was significantly higher than that in other biomes and that microbial beta diversity generally clustered according to biome types. The core operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in mangroves were mostly assigned to Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Euryarchaeota. The majority of beta nearest-taxon index values were higher than 2, indicating that community assembly in mangroves was better explained through a deterministic process than through a stochastic process. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and total organic carbon (TOC) were main deterministic factors explaining variation in the microbial community. This study fills a gap in addressing the unique microbial diversity of mangrove ecosystems and their microbial community assembly mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Understanding the underlying mechanisms of microbial community assembly patterns is a vital issue in microbial ecology. Mangroves, as an important and special ecosystem, provide a unique environment for examining the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes. We made the first global-scale comparison and found that microbial diversity was significantly different in mangrove sediments compared to that of other biomes. Furthermore, our results suggest that a deterministic process is more important in shaping microbial community assembly in mangroves.
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New Microbial Lineages Capable of Carbon Fixation and Nutrient Cycling in Deep-Sea Sediments of the Northern South China Sea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.00523-19. [PMID: 31126943 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00523-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics of marine sediments has uncovered a broad diversity of new uncultured taxa and provided insights into their metabolic capabilities. Here, we detected microbial lineages from a sediment core near the Jiulong methane reef of the northern South China Sea (at 1,100-m depth). Assembly and binning of the metagenomes resulted in 11 genomes (>85% complete) that represented nine distinct phyla, including candidate phyla TA06 and LCP-89, Lokiarchaeota, Heimdallarchaeota, and a newly described globally distributed phylum (B38). The genome of LCP-89 has pathways for nitrate, selenate, and sulfate reduction, suggesting that they may be involved in mediating these important processes. B38 are able to participate in the cycling of hydrogen and selenocompounds. Many of these uncultured microbes may also be capable of autotrophic CO2 fixation, as exemplified by identification of the Wood-Ljungdahl (W-L) pathway. Genes encoding carbohydrate degradation, W-L pathway, Rnf-dependent energy conservation, and Ni/Fe hydrogenases were detected in the transcriptomes of these novel members. Characterization of these new lineages provides insight to the undescribed branches in the tree of life.IMPORTANCE Sedimentary microorganisms in the South China Sea (SCS) remain largely unknown due to the complexity of sediment communities impacted by continent rifting and extension. Distinct geochemical environments may breed special microbial communities including microbes that are still enigmatic. Functional inference of their metabolisms and transcriptional activity provides insight in the ecological roles and substrate-based interactivity of these uncultured Archaea and Bacteria These microorganisms play different roles in utilizing inorganic carbon and scavenging diverse organic compounds involved in the deep-sea carbon cycle. The genomes recovered here contributed undescribed species to the tree of life and laid the foundation for future study on these novel phyla persisting in marginal sediments of the SCS.
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Bulzu PA, Andrei AŞ, Salcher MM, Mehrshad M, Inoue K, Kandori H, Beja O, Ghai R, Banciu HL. Casting light on Asgardarchaeota metabolism in a sunlit microoxic niche. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:1129-1137. [DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0404-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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