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Feng Y, Arsenault D, Louyakis AS, Altman-Price N, Gophna U, Papke RT, Gogarten JP. Using the pan-genomic framework for the discovery of genomic islands in the haloarchaeon Halorubrum ezzemoulense. mBio 2024; 15:e0040824. [PMID: 38619241 PMCID: PMC11078007 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00408-24] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we use pan-genomics to characterize the genomic variability of the widely dispersed halophilic archaeal species Halorubrum ezzemoulense (Hez). We include a multi-regional sampling of newly sequenced, high-quality draft genomes. The pan-genome graph of the species reveals 50 genomic islands that represent rare accessory genetic capabilities available to members. Most notably, we observe rearrangements that have led to the insertion/recombination/replacement of mutually exclusive genomic islands in equivalent genome positions ("homeocassettes"). These conflicting islands encode for similar functions, but homologs from islands located between the same core genes exhibit high divergence on the amino acid level, while the neighboring core genes are nearly identical. Both islands of a homeocassette often coexist in the same geographic location, suggesting that either island may be beyond the reach of selective sweeps and that these loci of divergence between Hez members are maintained and persist long term. This implies that subsections of the population have different niche preferences and rare metabolic capabilities. After an evaluation of the gene content in the homeocassettes, we speculate that these islands may play a role in the speciation, niche adaptability, and group selection dynamics in Hez. Though homeocassettes are first described in this study, similar replacements and divergence of genes on genomic islands have been previously reported in other Haloarchaea and distantly related Archaea, suggesting that homeocassettes may be a feature in a wide range of organisms outside of Hez.IMPORTANCEThis study catalogs the rare genes discovered in strains of the species Halorubrum ezzemoulense (Hez), an obligate halophilic archaeon, through the perspective of its pan-genome. These rare genes are often found to be arranged on islands that confer metabolic and transport functions and contain genes that have eluded previous studies. The discovery of divergent, but homologous islands occupying equivalent genome positions ("homeocassettes") in different genomes, reveals significant new information on genome evolution in Hez. Homeocassette pairs encode for similar functions, but their dissimilarity and distribution imply high rates of recombination, different specializations, and niche preferences in Hez. The coexistence of both islands of a homeocassette pair in multiple environments demonstrates that both islands are beyond the reach of selective sweeps and that these genome content differences between strains persist long term. The switch between islands through recombination under different environmental conditions may lead to a greater range of niche adaptability in Hez.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutian Feng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Danielle Arsenault
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Artemis S. Louyakis
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Neta Altman-Price
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Avinoam Adam Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel
| | - Uri Gophna
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - R. Thane Papke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Johann Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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2
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Baker BA, Gutiérrez-Preciado A, Rodríguez Del Río Á, McCarthy CGP, López-García P, Huerta-Cepas J, Susko E, Roger AJ, Eme L, Moreira D. Expanded phylogeny of extremely halophilic archaea shows multiple independent adaptations to hypersaline environments. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:964-975. [PMID: 38519541 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01647-4] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Extremely halophilic archaea (Haloarchaea, Nanohaloarchaeota, Methanonatronarchaeia and Halarchaeoplasmatales) thrive in saturating salt concentrations where they must maintain osmotic equilibrium with their environment. The evolutionary history of adaptations enabling salt tolerance remains poorly understood, in particular because the phylogeny of several lineages is conflicting. Here we present a resolved phylogeny of extremely halophilic archaea obtained using improved taxon sampling and state-of-the-art phylogenetic approaches designed to cope with the strong compositional biases of their proteomes. We describe two uncultured lineages, Afararchaeaceae and Asbonarchaeaceae, which break the long branches at the base of Haloarchaea and Nanohaloarchaeota, respectively. We obtained 13 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of these archaea from metagenomes of hypersaline aquatic systems of the Danakil Depression (Ethiopia). Our phylogenomic analyses including these taxa show that at least four independent adaptations to extreme halophily occurred during archaeal evolution. Gene-tree/species-tree reconciliation suggests that gene duplication and horizontal gene transfer played an important role in this process, for example, by spreading key genes (such as those encoding potassium transporters) across extremely halophilic lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Baker
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ana Gutiérrez-Preciado
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Álvaro Rodríguez Del Río
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Charley G P McCarthy
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Purificación López-García
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jaime Huerta-Cepas
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Edward Susko
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Andrew J Roger
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Laura Eme
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - David Moreira
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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3
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Zhao D, Zhang S, Chen J, Zhao J, An P, Xiang H. Members of the class Candidatus Ordosarchaeia imply an alternative evolutionary scenario from methanogens to haloarchaea. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrad033. [PMID: 38366248 PMCID: PMC10873845 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrad033] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The origin of methanogenesis can be traced to the common ancestor of non-DPANN archaea, whereas haloarchaea (or Halobacteria) are believed to have evolved from a methanogenic ancestor through multiple evolutionary events. However, due to the accelerated evolution and compositional bias of proteins adapting to hypersaline habitats, Halobacteria exhibit substantial evolutionary divergence from methanogens, and the identification of the closest methanogen (either Methanonatronarchaeia or other taxa) to Halobacteria remains a subject of debate. Here, we obtained five metagenome-assembled genomes with high completeness from soda-saline lakes on the Ordos Plateau in Inner Mongolia, China, and we proposed the name Candidatus Ordosarchaeia for this novel class. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Ca. Ordosarchaeia is firmly positioned near the median position between the Methanonatronarchaeia and Halobacteria-Hikarchaeia lineages. Functional predictions supported the transitional status of Ca. Ordosarchaeia with the metabolic potential of nonmethanogenic and aerobic chemoheterotrophy, as did remnants of the gene sequences of methylamine/dimethylamine/trimethylamine metabolism and coenzyme M biosynthesis. Based on the similarity of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase genes mcrBGADC in Methanonatronarchaeia with the phylogenetically distant methanogens, an alternative evolutionary scenario is proposed, in which Methanonatronarchaeia, Ca. Ordosarchaeia, Ca. Hikarchaeia, and Halobacteria share a common ancestor that initially lost mcr genes. However, certain members of Methanonatronarchaeia subsequently acquired mcr genes through horizontal gene transfer from distantly related methanogens. This hypothesis is supported by amalgamated likelihood estimation, phylogenetic analysis, and gene arrangement patterns. Altogether, Ca. Ordosarchaeia genomes clarify the sisterhood of Methanonatronarchaeia with Halobacteria and provide new insights into the evolution from methanogens to haloarchaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahe Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shengjie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Junyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Peng An
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Sichuan 610068, China
| | - Hua Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
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Mahendrarajah TA, Moody ERR, Schrempf D, Szánthó LL, Dombrowski N, Davín AA, Pisani D, Donoghue PCJ, Szöllősi GJ, Williams TA, Spang A. ATP synthase evolution on a cross-braced dated tree of life. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7456. [PMID: 37978174 PMCID: PMC10656485 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42924-w] [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: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The timing of early cellular evolution, from the divergence of Archaea and Bacteria to the origin of eukaryotes, is poorly constrained. The ATP synthase complex is thought to have originated prior to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) and analyses of ATP synthase genes, together with ribosomes, have played a key role in inferring and rooting the tree of life. We reconstruct the evolutionary history of ATP synthases using an expanded taxon sampling set and develop a phylogenetic cross-bracing approach, constraining equivalent speciation nodes to be contemporaneous, based on the phylogenetic imprint of endosymbioses and ancient gene duplications. This approach results in a highly resolved, dated species tree and establishes an absolute timeline for ATP synthase evolution. Our analyses show that the divergence of ATP synthase into F- and A/V-type lineages was a very early event in cellular evolution dating back to more than 4 Ga, potentially predating the diversification of Archaea and Bacteria. Our cross-braced, dated tree of life also provides insight into more recent evolutionary transitions including eukaryogenesis, showing that the eukaryotic nuclear and mitochondrial lineages diverged from their closest archaeal (2.67-2.19 Ga) and bacterial (2.58-2.12 Ga) relatives at approximately the same time, with a slightly longer nuclear stem-lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara A Mahendrarajah
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Edmund R R Moody
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK
| | - Dominik Schrempf
- Department Biological Physics, Eötvös University, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE "Lendulet" Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lénárd L Szánthó
- Department Biological Physics, Eötvös University, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE "Lendulet" Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina ut 29, H-1113, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Adrián A Davín
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Davide Pisani
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK
| | - Philip C J Donoghue
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK
| | - Gergely J Szöllősi
- Department Biological Physics, Eötvös University, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE "Lendulet" Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Pázmány P. stny. 1A., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary
- Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Tom A Williams
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK.
| | - Anja Spang
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands.
- Department of Evolutionary & Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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5
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La Cono V, Messina E, Reva O, Smedile F, La Spada G, Crisafi F, Marturano L, Miguez N, Ferrer M, Selivanova EA, Golyshina OV, Golyshin PN, Rohde M, Krupovic M, Merkel AY, Sorokin DY, Hallsworth JE, Yakimov MM. Nanohaloarchaea as beneficiaries of xylan degradation by haloarchaea. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1803-1822. [PMID: 37317055 PMCID: PMC10443357 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14272] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change, desertification, salinisation of soils and the changing hydrology of the Earth are creating or modifying microbial habitats at all scales including the oceans, saline groundwaters and brine lakes. In environments that are saline or hypersaline, the biodegradation of recalcitrant plant and animal polysaccharides can be inhibited by salt-induced microbial stress and/or by limitation of the metabolic capabilities of halophilic microbes. We recently demonstrated that the chitinolytic haloarchaeon Halomicrobium can serve as the host for an ectosymbiont, nanohaloarchaeon 'Candidatus Nanohalobium constans'. Here, we consider whether nanohaloarchaea can benefit from the haloarchaea-mediated degradation of xylan, a major hemicellulose component of wood. Using samples of natural evaporitic brines and anthropogenic solar salterns, we describe genome-inferred trophic relations in two extremely halophilic xylan-degrading three-member consortia. We succeeded in genome assembly and closure for all members of both xylan-degrading cultures and elucidated the respective food chains within these consortia. We provide evidence that ectosymbiontic nanohaloarchaea is an active ecophysiological component of extremely halophilic xylan-degrading communities (although by proxy) in hypersaline environments. In each consortium, nanohaloarchaea occur as ectosymbionts of Haloferax, which in turn act as scavenger of oligosaccharides produced by xylan-hydrolysing Halorhabdus. We further obtained and characterised the nanohaloarchaea-host associations using microscopy, multi-omics and cultivation approaches. The current study also doubled culturable nanohaloarchaeal symbionts and demonstrated that these enigmatic nano-sized archaea can be readily isolated in binary co-cultures using an appropriate enrichment strategy. We discuss the implications of xylan degradation by halophiles in biotechnology and for the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Oleg Reva
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational BiologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | | | | | | | | | - Noa Miguez
- Instituto de Catalisis y Petroleoquimica (ICP), CSICMadridSpain
| | - Manuel Ferrer
- Instituto de Catalisis y Petroleoquimica (ICP), CSICMadridSpain
| | - Elena A. Selivanova
- Institute for Cellular and Intracellular SymbiosisUral Branch, Russian Academy of SciencesOrenburgRussia
| | | | | | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for MicrobiologyHelmholtz Centre for Infection ResearchBraunschweigGermany
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut PasteurUniversité Paris Cité, Archaeal Virology UnitParisFrance
| | - Alexander Y. Merkel
- Winogradsky Institute of MicrobiologyResearch Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | - Dimitry Y. Sorokin
- Winogradsky Institute of MicrobiologyResearch Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Department of BiotechnologyDelft University of TechnologyDelftThe Netherlands
| | - John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological SciencesQueen's University BelfastNorthern IrelandUK
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Hallsworth JE, Udaondo Z, Pedrós‐Alió C, Höfer J, Benison KC, Lloyd KG, Cordero RJB, de Campos CBL, Yakimov MM, Amils R. Scientific novelty beyond the experiment. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1131-1173. [PMID: 36786388 PMCID: PMC10221578 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Practical experiments drive important scientific discoveries in biology, but theory-based research studies also contribute novel-sometimes paradigm-changing-findings. Here, we appraise the roles of theory-based approaches focusing on the experiment-dominated wet-biology research areas of microbial growth and survival, cell physiology, host-pathogen interactions, and competitive or symbiotic interactions. Additional examples relate to analyses of genome-sequence data, climate change and planetary health, habitability, and astrobiology. We assess the importance of thought at each step of the research process; the roles of natural philosophy, and inconsistencies in logic and language, as drivers of scientific progress; the value of thought experiments; the use and limitations of artificial intelligence technologies, including their potential for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research; and other instances when theory is the most-direct and most-scientifically robust route to scientific novelty including the development of techniques for practical experimentation or fieldwork. We highlight the intrinsic need for human engagement in scientific innovation, an issue pertinent to the ongoing controversy over papers authored using/authored by artificial intelligence (such as the large language model/chatbot ChatGPT). Other issues discussed are the way in which aspects of language can bias thinking towards the spatial rather than the temporal (and how this biased thinking can lead to skewed scientific terminology); receptivity to research that is non-mainstream; and the importance of theory-based science in education and epistemology. Whereas we briefly highlight classic works (those by Oakes Ames, Francis H.C. Crick and James D. Watson, Charles R. Darwin, Albert Einstein, James E. Lovelock, Lynn Margulis, Gilbert Ryle, Erwin R.J.A. Schrödinger, Alan M. Turing, and others), the focus is on microbiology studies that are more-recent, discussing these in the context of the scientific process and the types of scientific novelty that they represent. These include several studies carried out during the 2020 to 2022 lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic when access to research laboratories was disallowed (or limited). We interviewed the authors of some of the featured microbiology-related papers and-although we ourselves are involved in laboratory experiments and practical fieldwork-also drew from our own research experiences showing that such studies can not only produce new scientific findings but can also transcend barriers between disciplines, act counter to scientific reductionism, integrate biological data across different timescales and levels of complexity, and circumvent constraints imposed by practical techniques. In relation to urgent research needs, we believe that climate change and other global challenges may require approaches beyond the experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological SciencesQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Zulema Udaondo
- Department of Biomedical InformaticsUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA
| | - Carlos Pedrós‐Alió
- Department of Systems BiologyCentro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Juan Höfer
- Escuela de Ciencias del MarPontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoValparaísoChile
| | - Kathleen C. Benison
- Department of Geology and GeographyWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownWest VirginiaUSA
| | - Karen G. Lloyd
- Microbiology DepartmentUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Radamés J. B. Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and ImmunologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Claudia B. L. de Campos
- Institute of Science and TechnologyUniversidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP)São José dos CamposSPBrazil
| | | | - Ricardo Amils
- Department of Molecular Biology, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC‐UAM)Nicolás Cabrera n° 1, Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
- Department of Planetology and HabitabilityCentro de Astrobiología (INTA‐CSIC)Torrejón de ArdozSpain
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7
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Reva O, Messina E, La Cono V, Crisafi F, Smedile F, La Spada G, Marturano L, Selivanova EA, Rohde M, Krupovic M, Yakimov MM. Functional diversity of nanohaloarchaea within xylan-degrading consortia. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1182464. [PMID: 37323909 PMCID: PMC10266531 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1182464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Extremely halophilic representatives of the phylum Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeota (members of the DPANN superphyla) are obligately associated with extremely halophilic archaea of the phylum Halobacteriota (according to the GTDB taxonomy). Using culture-independent molecular techniques, their presence in various hypersaline ecosystems around the world has been confirmed over the past decade. However, the vast majority of nanohaloarchaea remain uncultivated, and thus their metabolic capabilities and ecophysiology are currently poorly understood. Using the (meta)genomic, transcriptomic, and DNA methylome platforms, the metabolism and functional prediction of the ecophysiology of two novel extremely halophilic symbiotic nanohaloarchaea (Ca. Nanohalococcus occultus and Ca. Nanohalovita haloferacivicina) stably cultivated in the laboratory as members of a xylose-degrading binary culture with a haloarchaeal host, Haloferax lucentense, was determined. Like all known DPANN superphylum nanoorganisms, these new sugar-fermenting nanohaloarchaea lack many fundamental biosynthetic repertoires, making them exclusively dependent on their respective host for survival. In addition, given the cultivability of the new nanohaloarchaea, we managed to discover many unique features in these new organisms that have never been observed in nano-sized archaea both within the phylum Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota and the entire superphylum DPANN. This includes the analysis of the expression of organism-specific non-coding regulatory (nc)RNAs (with an elucidation of their 2D-secondary structures) as well as profiling of DNA methylation. While some ncRNA molecules have been predicted with high confidence as RNAs of an archaeal signal recognition particle involved in delaying protein translation, others resemble the structure of ribosome-associated ncRNAs, although none belong to any known family. Moreover, the new nanohaloarchaea have very complex cellular defense mechanisms. In addition to the defense mechanism provided by the type II restriction-modification system, consisting of Dcm-like DNA methyltransferase and Mrr restriction endonuclease, Ca. Nanohalococcus encodes an active type I-D CRISPR/Cas system, containing 77 spacers divided into two loci. Despite their diminutive genomes and as part of their host interaction mechanism, the genomes of new nanohaloarchaea do encode giant surface proteins, and one of them (9,409 amino acids long) is the largest protein of any sequenced nanohaloarchaea and the largest protein ever discovered in cultivated archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg Reva
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Violetta La Cono
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
| | - Francesca Crisafi
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Smedile
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
| | - Gina La Spada
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
| | - Laura Marturano
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
| | - Elena A. Selivanova
- Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Orenburg, Russia
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Archaeal Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Michail M. Yakimov
- Extreme Microbiology, Biotechnology and Astrobiology Group, Institute of Polar Research, ISP-CNR, Messina, Italy
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8
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Najjari A, Boussetta A, Youssef N, Linares-Pastén JA, Mahjoubi M, Belloum R, Sghaier H, Cherif A, Ouzari HI. Physiological and genomic insights into abiotic stress of halophilic archaeon Natrinema altunense 4.1R isolated from a saline ecosystem of Tunisian desert. Genetica 2023; 151:133-152. [PMID: 36795306 PMCID: PMC9995536 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-023-00182-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Halophilic archaea are polyextremophiles with the ability to withstand fluctuations in salinity, high levels of ultraviolet radiation, and oxidative stress, allowing them to survive in a wide range of environments and making them an excellent model for astrobiological research. Natrinema altunense 4.1R is a halophilic archaeon isolated from the endorheic saline lake systems, Sebkhas, located in arid and semi-arid regions of Tunisia. It is an ecosystem characterized by periodic flooding from subsurface groundwater and fluctuating salinities. Here, we assess the physiological responses and genomic characterization of N. altunense 4.1R to UV-C radiation, as well as osmotic and oxidative stresses. Results showed that the 4.1R strain is able to survive up to 36% of salinity, up to 180 J/m2 to UV-C radiation, and at 50 mM of H2O2, a resistance profile similar to Halobacterium salinarum, a strain often used as UV-C resistant model. In order to understand the genetic determinants of N. altunense 4.1R survival strategy, we sequenced and analyzed its genome. Results showed multiple gene copies of osmotic stress, oxidative stress, and DNA repair response mechanisms supporting its survivability at extreme salinities and radiations. Indeed, the 3D molecular structures of seven proteins related to responses to UV-C radiation (excinucleases UvrA, UvrB, and UvrC, and photolyase), saline stress (trehalose-6-phosphate synthase OtsA and trehalose-phosphatase OtsB), and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase SOD) were constructed by homology modeling. This study extends the abiotic stress range for the species N. altunense and adds to the repertoire of UV and oxidative stress resistance genes generally known from haloarchaeon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afef Najjari
- Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, LR03ES03 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biomolécules Actives, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Ayoub Boussetta
- Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, LR03ES03 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biomolécules Actives, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Noha Youssef
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Javier A Linares-Pastén
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Lunds Tekniska Högskola (LTH), Lund University, P. O. Box 124, 22100, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Mouna Mahjoubi
- University of Manouba, ISBST, LR11-ES31 BVBGR, Biotechpole Sidi Thabet, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Rahma Belloum
- Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, LR03ES03 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biomolécules Actives, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Haitham Sghaier
- Laboratory "Energy and Matter for Development of Nuclear Sciences" (LR16CNSTN02), National Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technology (CNSTN), Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Ameur Cherif
- University of Manouba, ISBST, LR11-ES31 BVBGR, Biotechpole Sidi Thabet, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Hadda Imene Ouzari
- Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, LR03ES03 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biomolécules Actives, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisie
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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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Comparative Genomic Insights into the Evolution of Halobacteria-Associated " Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeota". mSystems 2022; 7:e0066922. [PMID: 36259734 PMCID: PMC9765267 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00669-22] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the phylum "Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeota," a representative lineage within the DPANN superphylum, are characterized by their nanosized cells and symbiotic lifestyle with Halobacteria. However, the development of the symbiosis remains unclear. Here, we propose two novel families, "Candidatus Nanoanaerosalinaceae" and "Candidatus Nanohalalkaliarchaeaceae" in "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota," represented by five dereplicated metagenome-assembled genomes obtained from hypersaline sediments or related enrichment cultures of soda-saline lakes. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the two novel families are placed at the root of the family "Candidatus Nanosalinaceae," including the cultivated taxa. The two novel families prefer hypersaline sediments, and the acid shift of predicted proteomes indicates a "salt-in" strategy for hypersaline adaptation. They contain a lower proportion of putative horizontal gene transfers from Halobacteria than "Ca. Nanosalinaceae," suggesting a weaker association with Halobacteria. Functional prediction and historical events reconstruction disclose that they exhibit divergent potentials in carbohydrate and organic acid metabolism and environmental responses. Globally, comparative genomic analyses based on the new families enrich the taxonomic and functional diversity of "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota" and provide insights into the evolutionary process of "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota" and their symbiotic relationship with Halobacteria. IMPORTANCE The DPANN superphylum is a group of archaea widely distributed in various habitats. They generally have small cells and have a symbiotic lifestyle with other archaea. The archaeal symbiotic interaction is vital to understanding microbial communities. However, the formation and evolution of the symbiosis between the DPANN lineages and other diverse archaea remain unclear. Based on phylogeny, habitat distribution, hypersaline adaptation, host prediction, functional potentials, and historical events of "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota," a representative phylum within the DPANN superphylum, we report two novel families representing intermediate stages, and we infer the evolutionary process of "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota" and their Halobacteria-associated symbiosis. Altogether, this research helps in understanding the evolution of symbiosis in "Ca. Nanohaloarchaeota" and provides a model for the evolution of other DPANN lineages.
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11
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McGrath C. Highlight: Unraveling the Origins of LUCA and LECA on the Tree of Life. Genome Biol Evol 2022. [PMCID: PMC9168435 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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12
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Wang Y, Bao G. Diversity of prokaryotic microorganisms in alkaline saline soil of the Qarhan Salt Lake area in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3365. [PMID: 35233041 PMCID: PMC8888737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07311-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition of microbial communities varies considerably across ecological environments, particularly in extreme environments, where unique microorganisms are typically used as the indicators of environmental conditions. However, the ecological reasons for the differences in microbial communities remain largely unknown. Herein, we analyzed taxonomic and functional community profiles via high-throughput sequencing to determine the alkaline saline soil bacterial and archaeal communities in the Qarhan Salt Lake area in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The results showed that Betaproteobacteria (Proteobacteria) and Halobacteria (Euryarchaeota) were the most abundant in the soils of this area, which are common in high salinity environments. Accordingly, microbes that can adapt to local extremes typically have unique metabolic pathways and functions, such as chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, nitrogen fixation, ureolysis, nitrate reduction, fermentation, dark hydrogen oxidation, and methanogenesis. Methanogenesis pathways include hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, CO2 reduction with H2, and formate methanogenesis. Thus, prokaryotic microorganisms in high salinity environments are indispensable in nitrogen and carbon cycling via particular metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Wang
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Qinghai Minzu University, Bayi Road, Xining, 810007, Qinghai, China. .,Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of High-Value Utilization of Characteristic Economic Plants, Xining, 810007, China. .,Qinghai Provincial Biotechnology and Analytical Test Key Laboratory, Tibetan Plateau Juema Research Centre, Xining, 810007, China.
| | - Guoyuan Bao
- School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Qinghai Minzu University, Bayi Road, Xining, 810007, Qinghai, China
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13
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Spang A, Mahendrarajah TA, Offre P, Stairs CW. Evolving perspective on the origin and diversification of cellular life and the virosphere. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6537539. [PMID: 35218347 PMCID: PMC9169541 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The tree of life (TOL) is a powerful framework to depict the evolutionary history of cellular organisms through time, from our microbial origins to the diversification of multicellular eukaryotes that shape the visible biosphere today. During the past decades, our perception of the TOL has fundamentally changed, in part, due to profound methodological advances, which allowed a more objective approach to studying organismal and viral diversity and led to the discovery of major new branches in the TOL as well as viral lineages. Phylogenetic and comparative genomics analyses of these data have, among others, revolutionized our understanding of the deep roots and diversity of microbial life, the origin of the eukaryotic cell, eukaryotic diversity, as well as the origin, and diversification of viruses. In this review, we provide an overview of some of the recent discoveries on the evolutionary history of cellular organisms and their viruses and discuss a variety of complementary techniques that we consider crucial for making further progress in our understanding of the TOL and its interconnection with the virosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Spang
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg.,Department of Cell- and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden SE-75123, Uppsala
| | - Tara A Mahendrarajah
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg
| | - Pierre Offre
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, The Netherlands and 1790 AB Den Burg
| | - Courtney W Stairs
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund
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14
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Moody ERR, Mahendrarajah TA, Dombrowski N, Clark JW, Petitjean C, Offre P, Szöllősi GJ, Spang A, Williams TA. An estimate of the deepest branches of the tree of life from ancient vertically-evolving genes. eLife 2022; 11:66695. [PMID: 35190025 PMCID: PMC8890751 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Core gene phylogenies provide a window into early evolution, but different gene sets and analytical methods have yielded substantially different views of the tree of life. Trees inferred from a small set of universal core genes have typically supported a long branch separating the archaeal and bacterial domains. By contrast, recent analyses of a broader set of non-ribosomal genes have suggested that Archaea may be less divergent from Bacteria, and that estimates of inter-domain distance are inflated due to accelerated evolution of ribosomal proteins along the inter-domain branch. Resolving this debate is key to determining the diversity of the archaeal and bacterial domains, the shape of the tree of life, and our understanding of the early course of cellular evolution. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of the marker genes key to the debate. We show that estimates of a reduced Archaea-Bacteria (AB) branch length result from inter-domain gene transfers and hidden paralogy in the expanded marker gene set. By contrast, analysis of a broad range of manually curated marker gene datasets from an evenly sampled set of 700 Archaea and Bacteria reveals that current methods likely underestimate the AB branch length due to substitutional saturation and poor model fit; that the best-performing phylogenetic markers tend to support longer inter-domain branch lengths; and that the AB branch lengths of ribosomal and non-ribosomal marker genes are statistically indistinguishable. Furthermore, our phylogeny inferred from the 27 highest-ranked marker genes recovers a clade of DPANN at the base of the Archaea and places the bacterial Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) within Bacteria as the sister group to the Chloroflexota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund R R Moody
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Tara A Mahendrarajah
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Netherlands
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Netherlands
| | - James W Clark
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Celine Petitjean
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Offre
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Netherlands
| | - Gergely J Szöllősi
- Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anja Spang
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Netherlands
| | - Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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15
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Gosselin S, Fullmer MS, Feng Y, Gogarten JP. Improving Phylogenies Based on Average Nucleotide Identity, Incorporating Saturation Correction and Nonparametric Bootstrap Support. Syst Biol 2022; 71:396-409. [PMID: 34289044 PMCID: PMC8830074 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syab060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome comparisons based on average nucleotide identities (ANI) and the genome-to-genome distance calculator have risen to prominence in rapidly classifying prokaryotic taxa using whole-genome sequences. Some implementations have even been proposed as a new standard in species classification and have become a common technique for papers describing newly sequenced genomes. However, attempts to apply whole-genome divergence data to the delineation of higher taxonomic units and to phylogenetic inference have had difficulty matching those produced by more complex phylogenetic methods. We present a novel method for generating statistically supported phylogenies of archaeal and bacterial groups using a combined ANI and alignment fraction-based metric. For the test cases to which we applied the developed approach, we obtained results comparable with other methodologies up to at least the family level. The developed method uses nonparametric bootstrapping to gauge support for inferred groups. This method offers the opportunity to make use of whole-genome comparison data, that is already being generated, to quickly produce phylogenies including support for inferred groups. Additionally, the developed ANI methodology can assist the classification of higher taxonomic groups.[Average nucleotide identity (ANI); genome evolution; prokaryotic species delineation; taxonomy.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Gosselin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA
| | - Matthew S Fullmer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA.,Bioinformatics Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Yutian Feng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA
| | - Johann Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-3125, USA
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