1
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Tenorio-Salgado S, Villalpando-Aguilar JL, Hernandez-Guerrero R, Poot-Hernández AC, Perez-Rueda E. Exploring the enzymatic repertoires of Bacteria and Archaea and their associations with metabolic maps. Braz J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s42770-024-01462-3. [PMID: 39052173 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01462-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution, survival, and adaptation of microbes are consequences of gene duplication, acquisition, and divergence in response to environmental challenges. In this context, enzymes play a central role in the evolution of organisms, because they are fundamental in cell metabolism. Here, we analyzed the enzymatic repertoire in 6,467 microbial genomes, including their abundances, and their associations with metabolic maps. We found that the enzymes follow a power-law distribution, in relation to the genome sizes. Therefore, we evaluated the total proportion enzymatic classes in relation to the genomes, identifying a descending-order proportion: transferases (EC:2.-), hydrolases (EC:3.-), oxidoreductases (EC:1.-), ligases (EC:6.-), lyases (EC:4.-), isomerases (EC:5.-), and translocases (EC:7-.). In addition, we identified a preferential use of enzymatic classes in metabolism pathways for xenobiotics, cofactors and vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids, glycans, and energy. Therefore, this analysis provides clues about the functional constraints associated with the enzymatic repertoire of functions in Bacteria and Archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Tenorio-Salgado
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica del Estado de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Av. Tecnológico km. 4.5, 97118, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - José Luis Villalpando-Aguilar
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica del Estado de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Facultad Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Vizcaya de las Américas, Prolongación Allende, Campeche, 24035, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Rafael Hernandez-Guerrero
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica del Estado de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Augusto César Poot-Hernández
- Unidad de Bioinformática y Manejo de la Información. Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ernesto Perez-Rueda
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica del Estado de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
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2
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Huang Y, Zhang X, Xin Y, Tian J, Li M. Distinct microbial nitrogen cycling processes in the deepest part of the ocean. mSystems 2024; 9:e0024324. [PMID: 38940525 PMCID: PMC11265455 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00243-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The Mariana Trench (MT) is the deepest part of the ocean on Earth. Previous studies have described the microbial community structures and functional potential in the seawater and surface sediment of MT. Still, the metabolic features and adaptation strategies of the microorganisms involved in nitrogen cycling processes are poorly understood. In this study, comparative metagenomic approaches were used to study microbial nitrogen cycling in three MT habitats, including hadal seawater [9,600-10,500 m below sea level (mbsl)], surface sediments [0-46 cm below seafloor (cmbsf) at a water depth between 7,143 and 8,638 mbsl], and deep sediments (200-306 cmbsf at a water depth of 8,300 mbsl). We identified five new nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) lineages that had adapted to the oligotrophic MT slope sediment, via their CO2 fixation capability through the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) or Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle; an anammox bacterium might perform aerobic respiration and utilize sedimentary carbohydrates for energy generation because it contains genes encoding type A cytochrome c oxidase and complete glycolysis pathway. In seawater, abundant alkane-oxidizing Ketobacter species can fix inert N2 released from other denitrifying and/or anammox bacteria. This study further expands our understanding of microbial life in the largely unexplored deepest part of the ocean. IMPORTANCE The metabolic features and adaptation strategies of the nitrogen cycling microorganisms in the deepest part of the ocean are largely unknown. This study revealed that anammox bacteria might perform aerobic respiration in response to nutrient limitation or O2 fluctuations in the Mariana Trench sediments. Meanwhile, an abundant alkane-oxidizing Ketobacter species could fix N2 in hadal seawater. This study provides new insights into the roles of hadal microorganisms in global nitrogen biogeochemical cycles. It substantially expands our understanding of the microbial life in the largely unexplored deepest part of the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Huang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinxu Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu Xin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Institute for Advanced Ocean Study, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jiwei Tian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography, Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Zhao R, Jørgensen SL, Babbin AR. An abundant bacterial phylum with nitrite-oxidizing potential in oligotrophic marine sediments. Commun Biol 2024; 7:449. [PMID: 38605091 PMCID: PMC11009272 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are important nitrifiers whose activity regulates the availability of nitrite and dictates the magnitude of nitrogen loss in ecosystems. In oxic marine sediments, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and NOB together catalyze the oxidation of ammonium to nitrate, but the abundance ratios of AOA to canonical NOB in some cores are significantly higher than the theoretical ratio range predicted from physiological traits of AOA and NOB characterized under realistic ocean conditions, indicating that some NOBs are yet to be discovered. Here we report a bacterial phylum Candidatus Nitrosediminicolota, members of which are more abundant than canonical NOBs and are widespread across global oligotrophic sediments. Ca. Nitrosediminicolota members have the functional potential to oxidize nitrite, in addition to other accessory functions such as urea hydrolysis and thiosulfate reduction. While one recovered species (Ca. Nitrosediminicola aerophilus) is generally confined within the oxic zone, another (Ca. Nitrosediminicola anaerotolerans) additionally appears in anoxic sediments. Counting Ca. Nitrosediminicolota as a nitrite-oxidizer helps to resolve the apparent abundance imbalance between AOA and NOB in oxic marine sediments, and thus its activity may exert controls on the nitrite budget.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhao
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Steffen L Jørgensen
- Centre for Deep-Sea Research, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andrew R Babbin
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Zhang C, Peng Y, Liu X, Wang J, Dong X. Deep-sea microbial genetic resources: new frontiers for bioprospecting. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:321-324. [PMID: 38290879 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Deep-sea ecosystems are home to a diverse community of microorganisms. These microbes are not only fundamental to ecological processes but also a treasure trove of natural products and enzymes with significant scientific and industrial applications. This forum focuses on the vast diversity of deep-sea microbes and their potential for bioprospecting. It also discusses threats posed by climate change and deep-sea mining to deep-sea microbial genetic resources, and proposes future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Yongyi Peng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China; School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xinyue Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Jieni Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiyang Dong
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China.
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5
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Li C, Liao H, Xu L, Wang C, Yao M, Wang J, Li X. Comparative genomics reveals the adaptation of ammonia-oxidising Thaumarchaeota to arid soils. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16601. [PMID: 38454574 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Thaumarchaeota are predominant in oligotrophic habitats such as deserts and arid soils, but their adaptations to these arid conditions are not well understood. In this study, we assembled 23 Thaumarchaeota genomes from arid and semi-arid soils collected from the Inner Mongolia Steppe and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Using a comparative genomics approach, integrated with 614 Thaumarchaeota genomes from public databases, we identified the traits and evolutionary forces that contribute to their adaptations to aridity. Our results showed that the newly assembled genomes represent an early diverging group within the lineage of ammonia-oxidising Thaumarchaeota. While the genomic functions previously identified in arid soil lineages were conserved across terrestrial, shallow-ocean and deep-ocean lineages, several traits likely contribute to Thaumarchaeota's adaptation to aridity. These include chlorite dismutase, arsenate reductase, V-type ATPase and genes dealing with oxidative stresses. The acquisition and loss of traits at the last common ancestor of arid soil lineages may have facilitated the specialisation of Thaumarchaeota in arid soils. Additionally, the acquisition of unique adaptive traits, such as a urea transporter, Ca2+ :H+ antiporter, mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase and phosphatase, DNA end-binding protein Ku and phage shock protein A, further distinguishes arid soil Thaumarchaeota. This study provides evidence for the adaptations of Thaumarchaeota to arid soil, enhancing our understanding of the nitrogen and carbon cycling driven by Thaumarchaeota in drylands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaonan Li
- Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, China
| | - Haijun Liao
- Engineering Research Center of Chuanxibei RHS Construction at Mianyang Normal University of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, China
| | - Lin Xu
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changting Wang
- Institute of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Minjie Yao
- Engineering Research Center of Soil Remediation of Fujian Province University, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Junming Wang
- Section of Climate Science, Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Xiangzhen Li
- Engineering Research Center of Soil Remediation of Fujian Province University, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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6
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Fu L, Liu Y, Wang M, Lian C, Cao L, Wang W, Sun Y, Wang N, Li C. The diversification and potential function of microbiome in sediment-water interface of methane seeps in South China Sea. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1287147. [PMID: 38380093 PMCID: PMC10878133 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1287147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The sediment-water interfaces of cold seeps play important roles in nutrient transportation between seafloor and deep-water column. Microorganisms are the key actors of biogeochemical processes in this interface. However, the knowledge of the microbiome in this interface are limited. Here we studied the microbial diversity and potential metabolic functions by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing at sediment-water interface of two active cold seeps in the northern slope of South China Sea, Lingshui and Site F cold seeps. The microbial diversity and potential functions in the two cold seeps are obviously different. The microbial diversity of Lingshui interface areas, is found to be relatively low. Microbes associated with methane consumption are enriched, possibly due to the large and continuous eruptions of methane fluids. Methane consumption is mainly mediated by aerobic oxidation and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO). The microbial diversity in Site F is higher than Lingshui. Fluids from seepage of Site F are mitigated by methanotrophic bacteria at the cyclical oxic-hypoxic fluctuating interface where intense redox cycling of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen compounds occurs. The primary modes of microbial methane consumption are aerobic methane oxidation, along with DAMO, sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (SAMO). To sum up, anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) may be underestimated in cold seep interface microenvironments. Our findings highlight the significance of AOM and interdependence between microorganisms and their environments in the interface microenvironments, providing insights into the biogeochemical processes that govern these unique ecological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Fu
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanjun Liu
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Minxiao Wang
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | - Chao Lian
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Lei Cao
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Weicheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
| | - Chaolun Li
- Center of Deep Sea Research and Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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7
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Bei Q, Reitz T, Schädler M, Hodgskiss LH, Peng J, Schnabel B, Buscot F, Eisenhauer N, Schleper C, Heintz-Buschart A. Metabolic potential of Nitrososphaera-associated clades. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae086. [PMID: 38742714 PMCID: PMC11131427 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) play a crucial role in converting ammonia to nitrite, thereby mobilizing reactive nitrogen species into their soluble form, with a significant impact on nitrogen losses from terrestrial soils. Yet, our knowledge regarding their diversity and functions remains limited. In this study, we reconstructed 97 high-quality AOA metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from 180 soil samples collected in Central Germany during 2014-2019 summers. These MAGs were affiliated with the order Nitrososphaerales and clustered into four family-level clades (NS-α/γ/δ/ε). Among these MAGs, 75 belonged to the most abundant but least understood δ-clade. Within the δ-clade, the amoA genes in three MAGs from neutral soils showed a 99.5% similarity to the fosmid clone 54d9, which has served as representative of the δ-clade for the past two decades since even today no cultivated representatives are available. Seventy-two MAGs constituted a distinct δ sub-clade, and their abundance and expression activity were more than twice that of other MAGs in slightly acidic soils. Unlike the less abundant clades (α, γ, and ε), the δ-MAGs possessed multiple highly expressed intracellular and extracellular carbohydrate-active enzymes responsible for carbohydrate binding (CBM32) and degradation (GH5), along with highly expressed genes involved in ammonia oxidation. Together, these results suggest metabolic versatility of uncultured soil AOA and a potential mixotrophic or chemolithoheterotrophic lifestyle among 54d9-like AOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qicheng Bei
- Department of Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Thomas Reitz
- Department of Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Schädler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Logan H Hodgskiss
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jingjing Peng
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Beatrix Schnabel
- Department of Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - François Buscot
- Department of Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christa Schleper
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Heintz-Buschart
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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8
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Zheng Y, Wang B, Gao P, Yang Y, Xu B, Su X, Ning D, Tao Q, Li Q, Zhao F, Wang D, Zhang Y, Li M, Winkler MKH, Ingalls AE, Zhou J, Zhang C, Stahl DA, Jiang J, Martens-Habbena W, Qin W. Novel order-level lineage of ammonia-oxidizing archaea widespread in marine and terrestrial environments. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrad002. [PMID: 38365232 PMCID: PMC10811736 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrad002] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are among the most ubiquitous and abundant archaea on Earth, widely distributed in marine, terrestrial, and geothermal ecosystems. However, the genomic diversity, biogeography, and evolutionary process of AOA populations in subsurface environments are vastly understudied compared to those in marine and soil systems. Here, we report a novel AOA order Candidatus (Ca.) Nitrosomirales which forms a sister lineage to the thermophilic Ca. Nitrosocaldales. Metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene-read mapping demonstrates the abundant presence of Nitrosomirales AOA in various groundwater environments and their widespread distribution across a range of geothermal, terrestrial, and marine habitats. Terrestrial Nitrosomirales AOA show the genetic capacity of using formate as a source of reductant and using nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor. Nitrosomirales AOA appear to have acquired key metabolic genes and operons from other mesophilic populations via horizontal gene transfer, including genes encoding urease, nitrite reductase, and V-type ATPase. The additional metabolic versatility conferred by acquired functions may have facilitated their radiation into a variety of subsurface, marine, and soil environments. We also provide evidence that each of the four AOA orders spans both marine and terrestrial habitats, which suggests a more complex evolutionary history for major AOA lineages than previously proposed. Together, these findings establish a robust phylogenomic framework of AOA and provide new insights into the ecology and adaptation of this globally abundant functional guild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baozhan Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ping Gao
- Department of Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yiyan Yang
- National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, United States
| | - Bu Xu
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory , Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Xiaoquan Su
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Qingdao University , Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Daliang Ning
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States
| | - Qing Tao
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States
| | - Qian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Dazhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Mari-K H Winkler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Anitra E Ingalls
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States
- School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shanghai Sheshan National Geophysical Observatory , Shanghai 201602, China
| | - David A Stahl
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Jiandong Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL 33314, United States
| | - Wei Qin
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, United States
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9
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Zhang RY, Wang YR, Liu RL, Rhee SK, Zhao GP, Quan ZX. Metagenomic characterization of a novel non-ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota from hadal sediment. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:7. [PMID: 38191433 PMCID: PMC10773090 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01728-2] [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: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hadal sediment, found at an ocean depth of more than 6000 m, is geographically isolated and under extremely high hydrostatic pressure, resulting in a unique ecosystem. Thaumarchaeota are ubiquitous marine microorganisms predominantly present in hadal environments. While there have been several studies on Thaumarchaeota there, most of them have primarily focused on ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). However, systematic metagenomic research specifically targeting heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota is lacking. RESULTS In this study, we explored the metagenomes of Challenger Deep hadal sediment, focusing on the Thaumarchaeota. Functional analysis of sequence reads revealed the potential contribution of Thaumarchaeota to recalcitrant dissolved organic matter degradation. Metagenome assembly binned one new group of hadal sediment-specific and ubiquitously distributed non-AOA Thaumarchaeota, named Group-3.unk. Pathway reconstruction of this new type of Thaumarchaeota also supports heterotrophic characteristics of Group-3.unk, along with ABC transporters for the uptake of amino acids and carbohydrates and catabolic utilization of these substrates. This new clade of Thaumarchaeota also contains aerobic oxidation of carbon monoxide-related genes. Complete glyoxylate cycle is a distinctive feature of this clade in supplying intermediates of anabolic pathways. The pan-genomic and metabolic analyses of metagenome-assembled genomes belonging to Group-3.unk Thaumarchaeota have highlighted distinctions, including the dihydroxy phthalate decarboxylase gene associated with the degradation of aromatic compounds and the absence of genes related to the synthesis of some types of vitamins compared to AOA. Notably, Group-3.unk shares a common feature with deep ocean AOA, characterized by their high hydrostatic pressure resistance, potentially associated with the presence of V-type ATP and di-myo-inositol phosphate syntheses-related genes. The enrichment of organic matter in hadal sediments might be attributed to the high recruitment of sequence reads of the Group-3.unk clade of heterotrophic Thaumarchaeota in the trench sediment. Evolutionary and genetic dynamic analyses suggest that Group-3 non-AOA consists of mesophilic Thaumarchaeota organisms. These results indicate a potential role in the transition from non-AOA to AOA Thaumarchaeota and from thermophilic to mesophilic Thaumarchaeota, shedding light on recent evolutionary pathways. CONCLUSIONS One novel clade of heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota was identified through metagenome analysis of sediments from Challenger Deep. Our study provides insight into the ecology and genomic characteristics of the new sub-group of heterotrophic non-AOA Thaumarchaeota, thereby extending the knowledge of the evolution of Thaumarchaeota. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Yi Zhang
- Fudan Microbiome Center, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Ren Wang
- Fudan Microbiome Center, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ru-Long Liu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sung-Keun Rhee
- Department of Microbiology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Guo-Ping Zhao
- Fudan Microbiome Center, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe-Xue Quan
- Fudan Microbiome Center, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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10
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Liu X, Wang X, Zhou F, Xue Y, Liu C. Genomic insights into Penicillium chrysogenum adaptation to subseafloor sedimentary environments. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:4. [PMID: 38166640 PMCID: PMC10759354 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09921-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Penicillium chrysogenum is a filamentous fungal species with diverse habitats, yet little is known about its genetics in adapting to extreme subseafloor sedimental environments. RESULTS Here, we report the discovery of P. chrysogenum strain 28R-6-F01, isolated from deep coal-bearing sediments 2306 m beneath the seafloor. This strain possesses exceptional characteristics, including the ability to thrive in extreme conditions such as high temperature (45 °C), high pressure (35 Mpa), and anaerobic environments, and exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, producing the antibiotic penicillin at a concentration of 358 μg/mL. Genome sequencing and assembly revealed a genome size of 33.19 Mb with a GC content of 48.84%, containing 6959 coding genes. Comparative analysis with eight terrestrial strains identified 88 unique genes primarily associated with penicillin and aflatoxins biosynthesis, carbohydrate degradation, viral resistance, and three secondary metabolism gene clusters. Furthermore, significant expansions in gene families related to DNA repair were observed, likely linked to the strain's adaptation to its environmental niche. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into the genomic and biological characteristics of P. chrysogenum adaptation to extreme anaerobic subseafloor sedimentary environments, such as high temperature and pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xinran Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Fan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yarong Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Changhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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11
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Trouche B, Schauberger C, Bouderka F, Auguet JC, Belser C, Poulain J, Thamdrup B, Wincker P, Arnaud-Haond S, Glud RN, Maignien L. Distribution and genomic variation of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in abyssal and hadal surface sediments. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:133. [PMID: 38135695 PMCID: PMC10746724 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00341-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea of the phylum Thaumarchaeota play a central role in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen in benthic sediments, at the interface between pelagic and subsurface ecosystems. However, our understanding of their niche separation and of the processes controlling their population structure in hadal and abyssal surface sediments is still limited. Here, we reconstructed 47 AOA metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from surface sediments of the Atacama and Kermadec trench systems. They formed deep-sea-specific groups within the family Nitrosopumilaceae and were assigned to six amoA gene-based clades. MAGs from different clades had distinct distribution patterns along oxygen-ammonium counter gradients in surface sediments. At the species level, MAGs thus seemed to form different ecotypes and follow deterministic niche-based distributions. In contrast, intraspecific population structure, defined by patterns of Single Nucleotide Variants (SNV), seemed to reflect more complex contributions of both deterministic and stochastic processes. Firstly, the bathymetric range had a strong effect on population structure, with distinct populations in abyssal plains and hadal trenches. Then, hadal populations were clearly separated by trench system, suggesting a strong isolation-by-topography effect, whereas abyssal populations were rather controlled by sediment depth or geographic distances, depending on the clade considered. Interestingly, genetic variability between samples was lowest in sediment layers where the mean MAG coverage was highest, highlighting the importance of selective pressure linked with each AOA clade's ecological niche. Overall, our results show that deep-sea AOA genome distributions seem to follow both deterministic and stochastic processes, depending on the genomic variability scale considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blandine Trouche
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, UMR6197 Biologie et Ecologie des Ecosystèmes marins Profonds, F-29280, Plouzané, France.
- Hadal & Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Clemens Schauberger
- Hadal & Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Feriel Bouderka
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, UMR6197 Biologie et Ecologie des Ecosystèmes marins Profonds, F-29280, Plouzané, France
| | | | - Caroline Belser
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, University of Évry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Julie Poulain
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, University of Évry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Bo Thamdrup
- Hadal & Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, University of Évry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | | | - Ronnie N Glud
- Hadal & Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Ocean and Environmental Sciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Loïs Maignien
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, UMR6197 Biologie et Ecologie des Ecosystèmes marins Profonds, F-29280, Plouzané, France.
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
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12
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Zou D, Chen J, Zhang C, Kao SJ, Liu H, Li M. Diversity and salinity adaptations of ammonia oxidizing archaea in three estuaries of China. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:6897-6909. [PMID: 37702790 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12761-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are ubiquitously found in diverse habitats and play pivotal roles in the nitrogen and carbon cycle, especially in estuarine and coastal environments. Despite the fact that the diversity and distribution of AOA are thought to be tightly linked to habitats, little is known about the relationship that underpins their genomic traits, adaptive potentials, and ecological niches. Here, we have characterized and compared the AOA community in three estuaries of China using metagenomics. AOA were the dominant ammonia oxidizers in the three estuaries. Through phylogenetic analyses, five major AOA groups were identified, including the Nitrosomarinus-like, Nitrosopumilus-like, Aestuariumsis-like, Nitrosarchaeum-like, and Nitrosopelagicus-like groups. Statistical analyses showed that the aquatic and sedimentary AOA communities were mainly influenced by spatial factors (latitude and water depth) and environmental factors (salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) in estuaries, respectively. Compared to AOA dwelling in terrestrial and marine habitats, estuarine AOA encoded more genes involved in glucose and amino acid metabolism, transport systems, osmotic control, and cell motility. The low proteome isoelectric points (pI), high content of acidic amino acids, and the presence of potassium ion and mechanosensitive channels suggest a "salt-in" strategy for estuarine AOA to counteract high osmolarity in their surroundings. Our findings have indicated potential adaptation strategies and highlighted their importance in the estuarine nitrogen and carbon cycles. KEY POINTS: • Spatial and environmental factors influence water and sediment AOA respectively. • Estuarine AOA share low proteome isoelectric value and high acid amino acids content. • AOA adaptation to estuaries is likely resulted from their unique genomic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayu Zou
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Jianfang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510000, China
| | - Shuh-Ji Kao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science & Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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13
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Zhao J, Huang L, Chakrabarti S, Cooper J, Choi E, Ganan C, Tolchinsky B, Triplett EW, Daroub SH, Martens-Habbena W. Nitrogen and phosphorous acquisition strategies drive coexistence patterns among archaeal lineages in soil. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1839-1850. [PMID: 37596409 PMCID: PMC10579303 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01493-y] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Soil represents the largest reservoir of Archaea on Earth. Present-day archaeal diversity in soils globally is dominated by members of the class Nitrososphaeria. The evolutionary radiation of this class is thought to reflect adaptations to a wide range of temperatures, pH, and other environmental conditions. However, the mechanisms that govern competition and coexistence among Nitrososphaeria lineages in soil remain poorly understood. Here we show that predominant soil Nitrososphaeria lineages compose a patchwork of gene inventory and expression profiles for ammonia, urea, and phosphate utilization. In contrast, carbon fixation, respiration, and ATP synthesis genes are conserved and expressed consistently among predominant phylotypes across 12 major evolutionary lineages commonly found in soil. In situ gene expression profiles closely resemble pure culture reference strains under optimal growth conditions. Together, these results reveal resource-based coexistence patterns among Nitrososphaeria lineages and suggest complementary ecophysiological niches associated with differential nutrient acquisition strategies among globally predominant archaeal lineages in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhao
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Laibin Huang
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Seemanti Chakrabarti
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Jennifer Cooper
- Everglades Research and Education Center, Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL, 33430, USA
| | - EunKyung Choi
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Carolina Ganan
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Bryn Tolchinsky
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Eric W Triplett
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Samira H Daroub
- Everglades Research and Education Center, Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL, 33430, USA
| | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314, USA.
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14
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Abstract
Related groups of microbes are widely distributed across Earth's habitats, implying numerous dispersal and adaptation events over evolutionary time. However, relatively little is known about the characteristics and mechanisms of these habitat transitions, particularly for populations that reside in animal microbiomes. Here, we review the literature concerning habitat transitions among a variety of bacterial and archaeal lineages, considering the frequency of migration events, potential environmental barriers, and mechanisms of adaptation to new physicochemical conditions, including the modification of protein inventories and other genomic characteristics. Cells dependent on microbial hosts, particularly bacteria from the Candidate Phyla Radiation, have undergone repeated habitat transitions from environmental sources into animal microbiomes. We compare their trajectories to those of both free-living cells-including the Melainabacteria, Elusimicrobia, and methanogenic archaea-and cellular endosymbionts and bacteriophages, which have made similar transitions. We conclude by highlighting major related topics that may be worthy of future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L Jaffe
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Cindy J Castelle
- Innovative Genomics Institute and Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA;
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Innovative Genomics Institute and Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA;
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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15
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Peres FV, Paula FS, Bendia AG, Gontijo JB, de Mahiques MM, Pellizari VH. Assessment of prokaryotic communities in Southwestern Atlantic deep-sea sediments reveals prevalent methanol-oxidising Methylomirabilales. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12782. [PMID: 37550336 PMCID: PMC10406867 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39415-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Continental slopes can play a significant contribution to marine productivity and carbon cycling. These regions can harbour distinct geological features, such as salt diapirs and pockmarks, in which their depressions may serve as natural sediment traps where different compounds can accumulate. We investigated the prokaryotic communities in surface (0-2 cm) and subsurface (18-20 or 22-24 cm) sediments from a salt diapir and pockmark field in Santos Basin, Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Metabarcoding of 16 samples revealed that surface sediments were dominated by the archaeal class Nitrososphaeria, while the bacterial class Dehalococcoidia was the most prevalent in subsurface samples. Sediment strata were found to be a significant factor explaining 27% of the variability in community composition. However, no significant difference was observed among geomorphological features. We also performed a metagenomic analysis of three surface samples and analysed the highest quality metagenome-assembled genome retrieved, which belonged to the family CSP1-5, phylum Methylomirabilota. This non-methanotrophic methylotroph contains genes encoding for methanol oxidation and Calvin Cycle pathways, along with diverse functions that may contribute to its adaptation to deep-sea habitats and to oscillating environmental conditions. By integrating metabarcoding and metagenomic approaches, we reported that CSP1-5 is prevalent in the sediment samples from Santos Basin slope, indicating the potential importance of methanol metabolism in this region. Finally, using a phylogenetic approach integrating 16S rRNA sequences assigned to Methylomirabilota in this study with those from a public database, we argued that CSP1-5 public sequences might be misclassified as Methylomirabilaceae (the methanotrophic clade) and, therefore, the role of these organisms and the methanol cycling could also be neglected in other environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francielli V Peres
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Fabiana S Paula
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-120, Brazil.
| | - Amanda G Bendia
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Júlia B Gontijo
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Centre for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Michel M de Mahiques
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Geological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vivian H Pellizari
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-120, Brazil
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16
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Lai JL, Li ZG, Wang Y, Xi HL, Luo XG. Tritium and Carbon-14 Contamination Reshaping the Microbial Community Structure, Metabolic Network, and Element Cycle in the Seawater Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5305-5316. [PMID: 36952228 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The potential ecological risks caused by entering radioactive wastewater containing tritium and carbon-14 into the sea require careful evaluation. This study simulated seawater's tritium and carbon-14 pollution and analyzed the effects on the seawater and sediment microenvironments. Tritium and carbon-14 pollution primarily altered nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism in the seawater environment. Analysis by 16S rRNA sequencing showed changes in the relative abundance of microorganisms involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus metabolism and organic matter degradation in response to tritium and carbon-14 exposure. Metabonomics and metagenomic analysis showed that tritium and carbon-14 exposure interfered with gene expression involving nucleotide and amino acid metabolites, in agreement with the results seen for microbial community structure. Tritium and carbon-14 exposure also modulated the abundance of functional genes involved in carbohydrate, phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolic pathways in sediments. Tritium and carbon-14 pollution in seawater adversely affected microbial diversity, metabolic processes, and the abundance of nutrient-cycling genes. These results provide valuable information for further evaluating the risks of tritium and carbon-14 in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Long Lai
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Zhan-Guo Li
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Hai-Ling Xi
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Xue-Gang Luo
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
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17
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Zhao R, Babbin AR, Roerdink DL, Thorseth IH, Jørgensen SL. Nitrite accumulation and anammox bacterial niche partitioning in Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge sediments. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:26. [PMID: 36991114 PMCID: PMC10060263 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
By consuming ammonium and nitrite, anammox bacteria form an important functional guild in nitrogen cycling in many environments, including marine sediments. However, their distribution and impact on the important substrate nitrite has not been well characterized. Here we combined biogeochemical, microbiological, and genomic approaches to study anammox bacteria and other nitrogen cycling groups in two sediment cores retrieved from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR). We observed nitrite accumulation in these cores, a phenomenon also recorded at 28 other marine sediment sites and in analogous aquatic environments. The nitrite maximum coincides with reduced abundance of anammox bacteria. Anammox bacterial abundances were at least one order of magnitude higher than those of nitrite reducers and the anammox abundance maxima were detected in the layers above and below the nitrite maximum. Nitrite accumulation in the two AMOR cores co-occurs with a niche partitioning between two anammox bacterial families (Candidatus Bathyanammoxibiaceae and Candidatus Scalinduaceae), likely dependent on ammonium availability. Through reconstructing and comparing the dominant anammox genomes (Ca. Bathyanammoxibius amoris and Ca. Scalindua sediminis), we revealed that Ca. B. amoris has fewer high-affinity ammonium transporters than Ca. S. sediminis and lacks the capacity to access alternative substrates and/or energy sources such as urea and cyanate. These features may restrict Ca. Bathyanammoxibiaceae to conditions of higher ammonium concentrations. These findings improve our understanding about nitrogen cycling in marine sediments by revealing coincident nitrite accumulation and niche partitioning of anammox bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhao
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Andrew R Babbin
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Desiree L Roerdink
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5007, Norway
| | - Ingunn H Thorseth
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5007, Norway
| | - Steffen L Jørgensen
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5007, Norway.
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18
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Melcher M, Hodgskiss LH, Mardini MA, Schleper C, Rittmann SKMR. Analysis of biomass productivity and physiology of Nitrososphaera viennensis grown in continuous culture. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1076342. [PMID: 36876066 PMCID: PMC9978112 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1076342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial ammonia oxidation is the first and usually rate limiting step in nitrification and is therefore an important step in the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) play an important role in nitrification. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of biomass productivity and the physiological response of Nitrososphaera viennensis to different ammonium and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations aiming to understand the interplay between ammonia oxidation and CO2 fixation of N. viennensis. The experiments were performed in closed batch in serum bottles as well as in batch, fed-batch, and continuous culture in bioreactors. A reduced specific growth rate (μ) of N. viennensis was observed in batch systems in bioreactors. By increasing CO2 gassing μ could be increased to rates comparable to that of closed batch systems. Furthermore, at a high dilution rate (D) in continuous culture (≥ 0.7 of μmax) the biomass to ammonium yield (Y(X/NH3)) increased up to 81.7% compared to batch cultures. In continuous culture, biofilm formation at higher D prevented the determination of D crit. Due to changes in Y(X/NH3) and due to biofilm, nitrite concentration becomes an unreliable proxy for the cell number in continuous cultures at D towards μmax. Furthermore, the obscure nature of the archaeal ammonia oxidation prevents an interpretation in the context of Monod kinetics and thus the determination of K S. Our findings indicate that the physiological response of N. viennensis might be regulated with different enzymatic make-ups, according to the ammonium catalysis rate. We reveal novel insights into the physiology of N. viennensis that are important for biomass production and the biomass yield of AOA. Moreover, our study has implications to the field of archaea biology and microbial ecology by showing that bioprocess technology and quantitative analysis can be applied to decipher environmental factors affecting the physiology and productivity of AOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Melcher
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Logan H Hodgskiss
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mohammad Anas Mardini
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christa Schleper
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon K-M R Rittmann
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Arkeon GmbH, Tulln a.d. Donau, Austria.,Archaea Physiology & Biotechnology Group, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Ribeiro I, Antunes JT, Alexandrino DAM, Tomasino MP, Almeida E, Hilário A, Urbatzka R, Leão PN, Mucha AP, Carvalho MF. Actinobacteria from Arctic and Atlantic deep-sea sediments-Biodiversity and bioactive potential. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1158441. [PMID: 37065153 PMCID: PMC10100589 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1158441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The deep-sea covers over 70% of the Earth's surface and harbors predominantly uncharacterized bacterial communities. Actinobacteria are the major prokaryotic source of bioactive natural products that find their way into drug discovery programs, and the deep-sea is a promising source of biotechnologically relevant actinobacteria. Previous studies on actinobacteria in deep-sea sediments were either regionally restricted or did not combine a community characterization with the analysis of their bioactive potential. Here we characterized the actinobacterial communities of upper layers of deep-sea sediments from the Arctic and the Atlantic (Azores and Madeira) ocean basins, employing 16S rRNA metabarcoding, and studied the biosynthetic potential of cultivable actinobacteria retrieved from those samples. Metabarcoding analysis showed that the actinobacterial composition varied between the sampled regions, with higher abundance in the Arctic samples but higher diversity in the Atlantic ones. Twenty actinobacterial genera were detected using metabarcoding, as a culture-independent method, while culture-dependent methods only allowed the identification of nine genera. Isolation of actinobacteria resulted on the retrieval of 44 isolates, mainly associated with Brachybacterium, Microbacterium, and Brevibacterium genera. Some of these isolates were only identified on a specific sampled region. Chemical extracts of the actinobacterial isolates were subsequently screened for their antimicrobial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Extracts from two Streptomyces strains demonstrated activity against Candida albicans. Additionally, eight extracts (obtained from Brachybacterium, Brevibacterium, Microbacterium, Rhodococcus, and Streptomyces isolates) showed significant activity against at least one of the tested cancer cell lines (HepG2 and T-47D). Furthermore, 15 actinobacterial extracts showed anti-inflammatory potential in the RAW 264.4 cell model assay, with no concomitant cytotoxic response. Dereplication and molecular networking analysis of the bioactive actinobacterial extracts showed the presence of some metabolites associated with known natural products, but one of the analyzed clusters did not show any match with the natural products described as responsible for these bioactivities. Overall, we were able to recover taxonomically diverse actinobacteria with different bioactivities from the studied deep-sea samples. The conjugation of culture-dependent and -independent methods allows a better understanding of the actinobacterial diversity of deep-sea environments, which is important for the optimization of approaches to obtain novel chemically-rich isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Ribeiro
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Inês Ribeiro,
| | - Jorge T. Antunes
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo A. M. Alexandrino
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Paola Tomasino
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Almeida
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, FCUP - Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Hilário
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ralph Urbatzka
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro N. Leão
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana P. Mucha
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, FCUP - Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria F. Carvalho
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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High Abundance of Thaumarchaeota Found in Deep Metamorphic Subsurface in Eastern China. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030542. [PMID: 35336118 PMCID: PMC8950554 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the Thaumarchaeota phylum play a key role in nitrogen cycling and are prevalent in a variety of environments including soil, sediment, and seawater. However, few studies have shown the presence of Thaumarchaeota in the terrestrial deep subsurface. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, this study presents evidence for the high relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota in a biofilm sample collected from the well of Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling at a depth of 2000 m. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship of these thaumarchaeotal sequences with known ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) isolates, suggesting the presence of AOA in the deep metamorphic environment of eastern China which is believed to be oxic. Based on fluid geochemistry and FAProTax functional prediction, a pathway of nitrogen cycling is proposed. Firstly, heterotrophic nitrogen fixation is executed by diazotrophic bacteria coupled with methane oxidation. Then, ammonia is oxidized to nitrite by AOA, and nitrite is further oxidized to nitrate by bacteria within the phylum Nitrospirae. Denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation occur slowly, leading to nitrate accumulation in the subsurface. With respect to biogeochemistry, the reaction between downward diffusing O2 and upward diffusing CH4 potentially fuels the ecosystem with a high relative abundance of Thaumarchaeota.
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21
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Genome-Resolved Metagenomic Insights into Massive Seasonal Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea Blooms in San Francisco Bay. mSystems 2022; 7:e0127021. [PMID: 35076275 PMCID: PMC8788347 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01270-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are key for the transformation of ammonia to oxidized forms of nitrogen in aquatic environments around the globe, including nutrient-rich coastal and estuarine waters such as San Francisco Bay (SFB). Using metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries, we found that AOA are more abundant than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), except in the freshwater stations in SFB. In South SFB, we observed recurrent AOA blooms of “Candidatus Nitrosomarinus catalina” SPOT01-like organisms, which account for over 20% of 16S rRNA gene amplicons in both surface and bottom waters and co-occur with weeks of high nitrite concentrations (>10 μM) in the oxic water column. We observed pronounced nitrite peaks occurring in the autumn for 7 of the last 9 years (2012 to 2020), suggesting that seasonal AOA blooms are common in South SFB. We recovered two high-quality AOA metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), including a Nitrosomarinus-like genome from the South SFB bloom and another Nitrosopumilus genome originating from Suisun Bay in North SFB. Both MAGs cluster with genomes from other estuarine/coastal sites. Analysis of Nitrosomarinus-like genomes show that they are streamlined, with low GC content and high coding density, and harbor urease genes. Our findings support the unique niche of Nitrosomarinus-like organisms which dominate coastal/estuarine waters and provide insights into recurring AOA blooms in SFB. IMPORTANCE Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) carry out key transformations of ammonia in estuarine systems such as San Francisco Bay (SFB)—the largest estuary on the west coast of North America—and play a significant role in both local and global nitrogen cycling. Using metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries, we document a massive, recurrent AOA bloom in South SFB that co-occurs with months of high nitrite concentrations in the oxic water column. Our study is the first to generate metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from SFB, and through this process we recovered two high-quality AOA MAGs, one of which originated from bloom samples. These AOA MAGs yield new insight into the Nitrosopumilus and Nitrosomarinus-like lineages and their potential niches in coastal and estuarine systems. Nitrosomarinus-like AOA are abundant in coastal regions around the globe, and we highlight the common occurrence of urease genes, low GC content, and range of salinity tolerances within this lineage.
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Rodriguez J, Chakrabarti S, Choi E, Shehadeh N, Sierra-Martinez S, Zhao J, Martens-Habbena W. Nutrient-Limited Enrichments of Nitrifiers From Soil Yield Consortia of Nitrosocosmicus-Affiliated AOA and Nitrospira-Affiliated NOB. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:671480. [PMID: 34322099 PMCID: PMC8312096 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.671480] [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: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia-oxidizing (comammox) bacteria widespread in terrestrial ecosystems indicates an important role of these organisms in terrestrial nitrification. Recent evidence indicated a higher ammonia affinity of comammox bacteria than of terrestrial AOA and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), suggesting that comammox bacteria could potentially represent the most low-nutrient adapted nitrifiers in terrestrial systems. We hypothesized that a nutrient-limited enrichment strategy could exploit the differences in cellular kinetic properties and yield enrichments dominated by high affinity and high yield comammox bacteria. Using soil with a mixed community of AOA, AOB, and comammox Nitrospira, we compared performance of nutrient-limited chemostat enrichment with or without batch culture pre-enrichment in two different growth media without inhibitors or antibiotics. Monitoring of microbial community composition via 16S rRNA and amoA gene sequencing showed that batch enrichments were dominated by AOB, accompanied by low numbers of AOA and comammox Nitrospira. In contrast, nutrient-limited enrichment directly from soil, and nutrient-limited sub-cultivation of batch enrichments consistently yielded high enrichments of Nitrosocosmicus-affiliated AOA associated with multiple canonical nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira strains, whereas AOB numbers dropped below 0.1% and comammox Nitrospira were lost completely. Our results reveal competitiveness of Nitrosocosmicus sp. under nutrient limitation, and a likely more complex or demanding ecological niche of soil comammox Nitrospira than simulated in our nutrient-limited chemostat experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Willm Martens-Habbena
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Davie, FL, United States
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Ammonia-oxidizing archaea have similar power requirements in diverse marine oxic sediments. ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3657-3667. [PMID: 34158628 PMCID: PMC8630020 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01041-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Energy/power availability is regarded as one of the ultimate controlling factors of microbial abundance in the deep biosphere, where fewer cells are found in habitats of lower energy availability. A critical assumption driving the proportional relationship between total cell abundance and power availability is that the cell-specific power requirement keeps constant or varies over smaller ranges than other variables, which has yet to be validated. Here we present a quantitative framework to determine the cell-specific power requirement of the omnipresent ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in eight sediment cores with 3-4 orders of magnitude variations of organic matter flux and oxygen penetration depth. Our results show that despite the six orders of magnitude variations in the rates and power supply of nitrification and AOA abundances across these eight cores, the cell-specific power requirement of AOA from different cores and depths overlaps within the narrow range of 10-19-10-17 W cell-1, where the lower end may represent the basal power requirement of microorganisms persisting in subseafloor sediments. In individual cores, AOA also exhibit similar cell-specific power requirements, regardless of the AOA population size or sediment depth/age. Such quantitative insights establish a relationship between the power supply and the total abundance of AOA, and therefore lay a foundation for a first-order estimate of the standing stock of AOA in global marine oxic sediments.
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