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Bustos-Diaz ED, Cruz-Perez A, Garfias-Gallegos D, D'Agostino PM, Gehringer MM, Cibrian-Jaramillo A, Barona-Gomez F. Phylometagenomics of cycad coralloid roots reveals shared symbiotic signals. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001207. [PMID: 38451250 PMCID: PMC10999742 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001207] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Cycads are known to host symbiotic cyanobacteria, including Nostocales species, as well as other sympatric bacterial taxa within their specialized coralloid roots. Yet, it is unknown if these bacteria share a phylogenetic origin and/or common genomic functions that allow them to engage in facultative symbiosis with cycad roots. To address this, we obtained metagenomic sequences from 39 coralloid roots sampled from diverse cycad species and origins in Australia and Mexico. Culture-independent shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to validate sub-community co-cultures as an efficient approach for functional and taxonomic analysis. Our metanalysis shows a host-independent microbiome core consisting of seven bacterial orders with high species diversity within the identified taxa. Moreover, we recovered 43 cyanobacterial metagenome-assembled genomes, and in addition to Nostoc spp., symbiotic cyanobacteria of the genus Aulosira were identified for the first time. Using this robust dataset, we used phylometagenomic analysis to reveal three monophyletic cyanobiont clades, two host-generalist and one cycad-specific that includes Aulosira spp. Although the symbiotic clades have independently arisen, they are enriched in certain functional genes, such as those related to secondary metabolism. Furthermore, the taxonomic composition of associated sympatric bacterial taxa remained constant. Our research quadruples the number of cycad cyanobiont genomes and provides a robust framework to decipher cyanobacterial symbioses, with the potential of improving our understanding of symbiotic communities. This study lays a solid foundation to harness cyanobionts for agriculture and bioprospection, and assist in conservation of critically endangered cycads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edder D. Bustos-Diaz
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Netherlands, 2333 BE, Leiden
| | - Arely Cruz-Perez
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Diego Garfias-Gallegos
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Paul M. D'Agostino
- Chair of Technical Biochemistry, Technical University of Dresden, Bergstraße 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Michelle M. Gehringer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU), 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Angelica Cibrian-Jaramillo
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden 2333 CR, Netherlands
| | - Francisco Barona-Gomez
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Cinvestav, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Netherlands, 2333 BE, Leiden
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2
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Jung P, Briegel-Williams L, Büdel B, Schultz M, Nürnberg DJ, Grube M, D’Agostino PM, Kaštovský J, Mareš J, Lorenz M, González MLG, Forno MD, Westberg M, Chrismas N, Pietrasiak N, Whelan P, Dvořák P, Košuthová A, Gkelis S, Bauersachs T, Schiefelbein U, Giao VTP, Lakatos M. The underestimated fraction: diversity, challenges and novel insights into unicellular cyanobionts of lichens. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae069. [PMID: 38966402 PMCID: PMC11222712 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Lichens are remarkable and classic examples of symbiotic organisms that have fascinated scientists for centuries. Yet, it has only been for a couple of decades that significant advances have focused on the diversity of their green algal and/or cyanobacterial photobionts. Cyanolichens, which contain cyanobacteria as their photosynthetic partner, include up to 10% of all known lichens and, as such, studies on their cyanobionts are much rarer compared to their green algal counterparts. For the unicellular cyanobionts, i.e. cyanobacteria that do not form filaments, these studies are even scarcer. Nonetheless, these currently include at least 10 different genera in the cosmopolitan lichen order Lichinales. An international consortium (International Network of CyanoBionts; INCb) will tackle this lack of knowledge. In this article, we discuss the status of current unicellular cyanobiont research, compare the taxonomic resolution of photobionts from cyanolichens with those of green algal lichens (chlorolichens), and give a roadmap of research on how to recondition the underestimated fraction of symbiotic unicellular cyanobacteria in lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jung
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Laura Briegel-Williams
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University Kaiserslautern Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Matthias Schultz
- Herbarium Hamburgense, Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dennis J Nürnberg
- Institute for Experimental Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Germany
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Paul M D’Agostino
- Technical University Dresden, Chair of Technical Biochemistry, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Kaštovský
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mareš
- Institute of Microbiology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Maike Lorenz
- University of Goettingen, SAG Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Petr Dvořák
- Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Spyros Gkelis
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Thorsten Bauersachs
- Institute of Organic Biogeochemistry in Geo-Systems, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael Lakatos
- Integrative Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, Germany
| | - INCb
- International Network for research on unicellular CyanoBionts from lichens
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3
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D'Agostino PM. Highlights of biosynthetic enzymes and natural products from symbiotic cyanobacteria. Nat Prod Rep 2023; 40:1701-1717. [PMID: 37233731 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00011g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2023Cyanobacteria have long been known for their intriguing repertoire of natural product scaffolds, which are often distinct from other phyla. Cyanobacteria are ecologically significant organisms that form a myriad of different symbioses including with sponges and ascidians in the marine environment or with plants and fungi, in the form of lichens, in terrestrial environments. Whilst there have been several high-profile discoveries of symbiotic cyanobacterial natural products, genomic data is scarce and discovery efforts have remained limited. However, the rise of (meta-)genomic sequencing has improved these efforts, emphasized by a steep increase in publications in recent years. This highlight focuses on selected examples of symbiotic cyanobacterial-derived natural products and their biosyntheses to link chemistry with corresponding biosynthetic logic. Further highlighted are remaining gaps in knowledge for the formation of characteristic structural motifs. It is anticipated that the continued rise of (meta-)genomic next-generation sequencing of symbiontic cyanobacterial systems will lead to many exciting discoveries in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M D'Agostino
- Technical University of Dresden, Chair of Technical Biochemistry, Bergstraβe 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
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4
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Álvarez C, Jiménez-Ríos L, Iniesta-Pallarés M, Jurado-Flores A, Molina-Heredia FP, Ng CKY, Mariscal V. Symbiosis between cyanobacteria and plants: from molecular studies to agronomic applications. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:6145-6157. [PMID: 37422707 PMCID: PMC10575698 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria from the order Nostocales are able to establish symbiotic relationships with diverse plant species. They are promiscuous symbionts, as the same strain of cyanobacterium is able to form symbiotic biological nitrogen-fixing relationships with different plants species. This review will focus on the different types of cyanobacterial-plant associations, both endophytic and epiphytic, and provide insights from a structural viewpoint, as well as our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the symbiotic crosstalk. In all these symbioses, the benefit for the plant is clear; it obtains from the cyanobacterium fixed nitrogen and other bioactive compounds, such as phytohormones, polysaccharides, siderophores, or vitamins, leading to enhanced plant growth and productivity. Additionally, there is increasing use of different cyanobacterial species as bio-inoculants for biological nitrogen fixation to improve soil fertility and crop production, thus providing an eco-friendly, alternative, and sustainable approach to reduce the over-reliance on synthetic chemical fertilizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consolación Álvarez
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lucía Jiménez-Ríos
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Macarena Iniesta-Pallarés
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ana Jurado-Flores
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Fernando P Molina-Heredia
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carl K Y Ng
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Centre for Plant Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Vicente Mariscal
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad de Sevilla, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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5
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Pardo-De la Hoz CJ, Magain N, Piatkowski B, Cornet L, Dal Forno M, Carbone I, Miadlikowska J, Lutzoni F. Ancient Rapid Radiation Explains Most Conflicts Among Gene Trees and Well-Supported Phylogenomic Trees of Nostocalean Cyanobacteria. Syst Biol 2023; 72:694-712. [PMID: 36827095 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic genomes are often considered to be mosaics of genes that do not necessarily share the same evolutionary history due to widespread horizontal gene transfers (HGTs). Consequently, representing evolutionary relationships of prokaryotes as bifurcating trees has long been controversial. However, studies reporting conflicts among gene trees derived from phylogenomic data sets have shown that these conflicts can be the result of artifacts or evolutionary processes other than HGT, such as incomplete lineage sorting, low phylogenetic signal, and systematic errors due to substitution model misspecification. Here, we present the results of an extensive exploration of phylogenetic conflicts in the cyanobacterial order Nostocales, for which previous studies have inferred strongly supported conflicting relationships when using different concatenated phylogenomic data sets. We found that most of these conflicts are concentrated in deep clusters of short internodes of the Nostocales phylogeny, where the great majority of individual genes have low resolving power. We then inferred phylogenetic networks to detect HGT events while also accounting for incomplete lineage sorting. Our results indicate that most conflicts among gene trees are likely due to incomplete lineage sorting linked to an ancient rapid radiation, rather than to HGTs. Moreover, the short internodes of this radiation fit the expectations of the anomaly zone, i.e., a region of the tree parameter space where a species tree is discordant with its most likely gene tree. We demonstrated that concatenation of different sets of loci can recover up to 17 distinct and well-supported relationships within the putative anomaly zone of Nostocales, corresponding to the observed conflicts among well-supported trees based on concatenated data sets from previous studies. Our findings highlight the important role of rapid radiations as a potential cause of strongly conflicting phylogenetic relationships when using phylogenomic data sets of bacteria. We propose that polytomies may be the most appropriate phylogenetic representation of these rapid radiations that are part of anomaly zones, especially when all possible genomic markers have been considered to infer these phylogenies. [Anomaly zone; bacteria; horizontal gene transfer; incomplete lineage sorting; Nostocales; phylogenomic conflict; rapid radiation; Rhizonema.].
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Magain
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS Research Center, Université de Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Bryan Piatkowski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Luc Cornet
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS Research Center, Université de Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium
- BCCM/IHEM, Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Ignazio Carbone
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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6
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García-Breijo FJ, Molins A, Reig-Armiñana J, Barreno E. The Tripartite Lichen Ricasolia virens: Involvement of Cyanobacteria and Bacteria in Its Morphogenesis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1517. [PMID: 37375019 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061517] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ricasolia virens is an epiphytic lichen-forming fungus mainly distributed in Western Europe and Macaronesia in well-structured forests with ecological continuity that lack eutrophication. It is considered to be threatened or extinct in many territories in Europe (IUCN). Despite its biological and ecological relevance, studies on this taxon are scarce. The thalli are tripartite, and the mycobiont has a simultaneous symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria and green microalgae, which represent interesting models to analyse the strategies and adaptations resulting from the interactions of lichen symbionts. The present study was designed to contribute to a better understanding of this taxon, which has shown a clear decline over the last century. The symbionts were identified by molecular analysis. The phycobiont is Symbiochloris reticulata, and the cyanobionts (Nostoc) are embedded in internal cephalodia. Light, transmission electron and low-temperature scanning microscopy techniques were used to investigate the thallus anatomy, ultrastructure of microalgae and ontogeny of pycnidia and cephalodia. The thalli are very similar to its closest relative, Ricasolia quercizans. The cellular ultrastructure of S. reticulata by TEM is provided. Non-photosynthetic bacteria located outside the upper cortex are introduced through migratory channels into the subcortical zone by the splitting of fungal hyphae. Cephalodia were very abundant, but never as external photosymbiodemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J García-Breijo
- Departamento de Ecosistemas Agroforestales, ETSIAMN, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 València, Spain
| | - Arantzazu Molins
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Agroambientales y de Economía del Agua (INAGEA), Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Ctra. Valldemossa Km.7., 07122 Palma de Malllorca, Spain
| | - José Reig-Armiñana
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Eva Barreno
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
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7
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Gunawardana D, Wanigatunge RP, Wewalwela JJ, Vithanage M, Wijeyaratne C. Sulfur is in the Air: Cyanolichen Marriages and Pollution. Acta Biotheor 2023; 71:14. [PMID: 37148405 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-023-09465-7] [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: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Cyanolichens are symbiotic organisms involving cyanobacteria and fungi (bipartite) or with the addition of an algal partner (tripartite). Cyanolichens are known for their heightened susceptibility to environmental pollution. We focus here on the impacts on cyanolichens due to rising air pollution; we are especially interested in the role of sulfur dioxide on cyanolichen biology. Cyanolichens due to air pollution including sulfur dioxide exposure, show symptomatic changes including degradation of chlorophyll, lipid membrane peroxidation, decrease in ATP production, changes in respiration rate, and alteration of endogenous auxins and ethylene production, although symptoms are known to vary with species and genotype. Sulfur dioxide has been shown to be damaging to photosynthesis but is relatively benign on nitrogen fixation which proposes as a hypothesis that the algal partner may be more in harm's way than the cyanobiont. In fact, the Nostoc cyanobiont of sulfur dioxide-susceptible Lobaria pulmonaria carries a magnified set of sulfur (alkane sulfonate) metabolism genes capable of alkane sulfonate transport and assimilation, which were only unraveled by genome sequencing, a technology unavailable in the 1950-2000 epoch, where most physiology- based studies were performed. There is worldwide a growing corpus of evidence that sulfur has an important role to play in biological symbioses including rhizobia-legumes, mycorrhizae-roots and cyanobacteria-host plants. Furthermore, the fungal and algal partners of L. pulmonaria appear not to have the sulfonate transporter genes again providing the roles of ambient-sulfur (alkanesulfonate metabolism etc.) mediated functions primarily to the cyanobacterial partner. In conclusion, we have addressed here the role of the atmospheric pollutant sulfur dioxide to tripartite cyanolichen viability and suggest that the weaker link is likely to be the photosynthetic algal (chlorophyte) partner and not the nitrogen-fixing cyanobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilantha Gunawardana
- Research Council, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, 10250, Sri Lanka.
| | - Rasika P Wanigatunge
- Department of Plant and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Jayani J Wewalwela
- Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Center, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - Chandrani Wijeyaratne
- Department of Botany, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, 10250, Sri Lanka
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8
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Belykh OI, Sorokovikova EG, Tomberg IV, Fedorova GA, Kuzmin AV, Krasnopeev AY, Suslova MY, Potapov SA, Belykh TI, Norovsuren J, Galachyants AD, Tikhonova IV. Water Quality, Toxicity and Diversity of Planktonic and Benthic Cyanobacteria in Pristine Ancient Lake Khubsugul (Hövsgöl), Mongolia. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15030213. [PMID: 36977104 PMCID: PMC10053237 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15030213] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
For the first time, microcystin-producing cyanobacteria have been detected in Khubsugul, which is ancient, pristine and one of the world’s largest lakes. The microcystin synthetase genes belonged to the genera Nostoc, Microcystis and possibly Snowella spp. No microcystins were found in the water of the lake. Using the HPLC-HRMS/TOF, five microcystin congeners were identified in biofilms from stony substrates sampled in the coastal zone. The concentration of microcystins in biofilms was low: 41.95 µg g−1 d. wt. by ELISA and 55.8 µg g−1 d. wt. using HPLC. The taxonomic composition of planktonic and benthic cyanobacterial communities was determined by means of microscopy and high-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA amplicons. Nostocales cyanobacteria dominated benthos of Lake Khubsugul and Synechococcales—plankton. The abundance of cyanobacteria was low both in plankton and benthos; there was no mass development of cyanobacteria. Hydrochemical and microbiological analyses showed that the water in the lake was clean; the number of faecal microorganisms was significantly below the acceptable guideline values. Hydrochemical and hydrophysical parameters, and the concentration of chlorophyll a, were low and within the range of values recorded in the 1970s to 1990s, and corresponded to the oligotrophic state of the lake. There were no signs of anthropogenic eutrophication of the lake and no conditions for the cyanobacterial blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga I. Belykh
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
- Correspondence: (O.I.B.); (E.G.S.)
| | - Ekaterina G. Sorokovikova
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
- Correspondence: (O.I.B.); (E.G.S.)
| | - Irina V. Tomberg
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Galina A. Fedorova
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Anton V. Kuzmin
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Andrey Yu. Krasnopeev
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Maria Yu. Suslova
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Sergey A. Potapov
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Tatiana I. Belykh
- Institute for Culture, Social Communication and Information Technology, Baikal State University, 11 Lenin Str., Irkutsk 664003, Russia
| | - Jadambaa Norovsuren
- Institute of Biology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 54B Peace Avenue, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 13330, Mongolia
| | - Agnia D. Galachyants
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Irina V. Tikhonova
- Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya Str., Irkutsk 664033, Russia
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9
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Almer J, Resl P, Gudmundsson H, Warshan D, Andrésson ÓS, Werth S. Symbiont-specific responses to environmental cues in a threesome lichen symbiosis. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1045-1061. [PMID: 36478478 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Photosymbiodemes are a special case of lichen symbiosis where one lichenized fungus engages in symbiosis with two different photosynthetic partners, a cyanobacterium and a green alga, to develop two distinctly looking photomorphs. We compared gene expression of thallus sectors of the photosymbiodeme-forming lichen Peltigera britannica containing cyanobacterial photobionts with thallus sectors with both green algal and cyanobacterial photobionts and investigated differential gene expression at different temperatures representing mild and putatively stressful conditions. First, we quantified photobiont-mediated differences in fungal gene expression. Second, because of known ecological differences between photomorphs, we investigated symbiont-specific responses in gene expression to temperature increases. Photobiont-mediated differences in fungal gene expression could be identified, with upregulation of distinct biological processes in the different morphs, showing that interaction with specific symbiosis partners profoundly impacts fungal gene expression. Furthermore, high temperatures expectedly led to an upregulation of genes involved in heat shock responses in all organisms in whole transcriptome data and to an increased expression of genes involved in photosynthesis in both photobiont types at 15 and 25°C. The fungus and the cyanobacteria exhibited thermal stress responses already at 15°C, the green algae mainly at 25°C, demonstrating symbiont-specific responses to environmental cues and symbiont-specific ecological optima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Almer
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp Resl
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Hörður Gudmundsson
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Denis Warshan
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Ólafur S Andrésson
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Silke Werth
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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10
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Pushkareva E, Elster J, Holzinger A, Niedzwiedz S, Becker B. Biocrusts from Iceland and Svalbard: Does microbial community composition differ substantially? Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1048522. [PMID: 36590427 PMCID: PMC9800606 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1048522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide range of microorganisms inhabit biocrusts of arctic and sub-arctic regions. These taxa live and thrive under extreme conditions and, moreover, play important roles in biogeochemical cycling. Nevertheless, their diversity and abundance remain ambiguous. Here, we studied microbial community composition in biocrusts from Svalbard and Iceland using amplicon sequencing and epifluorescence microscopy. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene revealed the dominance of Chloroflexi in the biocrusts from Iceland and Longyearbyen, and Acidobacteria in the biocrusts from Ny-Ålesund and South Svalbard. Within the 18S rRNA gene sequencing dataset, Chloroplastida prevailed in all the samples with dominance of Trebouxiophyceae in the biocrusts from Ny-Ålesund and Embryophyta in the biocrusts from the other localities. Furthermore, cyanobacterial number of cells and biovolume exceeded the microalgal in the biocrusts. Community compositions in the studied sites were correlated to the measured chemical parameters such as conductivity, pH, soil organic matter and mineral nitrogen contents. In addition, co-occurrence analysis showed the dominance of positive potential interactions and, bacterial and eukaryotic taxa co-occurred more frequently together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Pushkareva
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany,*Correspondence: Ekaterina Pushkareva,
| | - Josef Elster
- Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Trebon, Czechia,Centre for Polar Ecology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Andreas Holzinger
- Functional Plant Biology, Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sarina Niedzwiedz
- Marine Botany, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry & MARUM, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Burkhard Becker
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Effendi DB, Sakamoto T, Ohtani S, Awai K, Kanesaki Y. Possible involvement of extracellular polymeric substrates of Antarctic cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain SO-36 in adaptation to harsh environments. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2022; 135:771-784. [PMID: 36107269 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-022-01411-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are some of the primary producers in extremely cold biospheres such as the Arctic, Antarctic, and vast ice sheets. Many genera of cyanobacteria are identified from these harsh environments, but their specific mechanisms for cold adaptation are not fully understood. Nostoc sp. strain SO-36 is a cyanobacterium isolated in Antarctica more than 30 years ago and regarded as a psychrotolelant species. To determine whether the strain is psychrotolelant or psychrophilic, it was first grown at 30 °C and 10 °C. The cells grew exponentially at 30 °C, but their growth stopped at 10 °C, indicating that the strain is only psychrotolerant. Microscopic analysis revealed that the morphology of the cells grown at 30 °C was filamentous and differentiated heterocysts, which are specialized cells for gaseous nitrogen fixation under nitrogen-deprived conditions, indicating that the strain can grow diazotrophically. The cells grown at 10 °C have a smaller size, shortened filament length and decreased chlorophyll content per cell. At 10 °C, the cells are aggregated with extracellular polymeric substrates (EPSs), which is a common mechanism to protect cells from ultraviolet light. These results imply that segmentation into short filaments was induced by photodamage at low temperatures. To fully understand the adaptation mechanisms of Nostoc sp. strain SO-36 for low-temperature conditions, next-generation sequencing analyses were conducted. Complete genome sequence of the strain revealed that it has one main chromosome of approximately 6.8 Mbp with 4 plasmids, including 6855 coding sequences, 48 tRNA genes, 4 copies of rRNA operons, and 5 CRISPR regions. Putative genes for EPS biosynthesis were found to be conserved in Nostocaceae regardless of their habitat. These results provide basic information to understand the adaptation mechanisms at low temperatures, and the strain can be a model organism to analyze adaptation to extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devi B Effendi
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Toshio Sakamoto
- School of Biological Science and Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Shuji Ohtani
- Faculty of Education, Shimane University, Matsue, Shimane, 690-8504, Japan
| | - Koichiro Awai
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
- Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, Johoku-ku, Hamamatsu, 432-8561, Japan
| | - Yu Kanesaki
- Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan.
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12
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Chen M, Teng W, Zhao L, Han B, Song L, Shu W. Phylogenomics uncovers evolutionary trajectory of nitrogen fixation in Cyanobacteria. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6659242. [PMID: 35946347 PMCID: PMC9435057 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac171] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by cyanobacteria is of significant importance for the Earth’s biogeochemical nitrogen cycle but is restricted to a few genera that do not form monophyletic group. To explore the evolutionary trajectory of BNF and investigate the driving forces of its evolution, we analyze 650 cyanobacterial genomes and compile the database of diazotrophic cyanobacteria based on the presence of nitrogen fixation gene clusters (NFGCs). We report that 266 of 650 examined genomes are NFGC-carrying members, and these potentially diazotrophic cyanobacteria are unevenly distributed across the phylogeny of Cyanobacteria, that multiple independent losses shaped the scattered distribution. Among the diazotrophic cyanobacteria, two types of NFGC exist, with one being ancestral and abundant, which have descended from diazotrophic ancestors, and the other being anaerobe-like and sparse, possibly being acquired from anaerobic microbes through horizontal gene transfer. Interestingly, we illustrate that the origin of BNF in Cyanobacteria coincide with two major evolutionary events. One is the origin of multicellularity of cyanobacteria, and the other is concurrent genetic innovations with massive gene gains and expansions, implicating their key roles in triggering the evolutionary transition from nondiazotrophic to diazotrophic cyanobacteria. Additionally, we reveal that genes involved in accelerating respiratory electron transport (coxABC), anoxygenic photosynthetic electron transport (sqr), as well as anaerobic metabolisms (pfor, hemN, nrdG, adhE) are enriched in diazotrophic cyanobacteria, representing adaptive genetic signatures that underpin the diazotrophic lifestyle. Collectively, our study suggests that multicellularity, together with concurrent genetic adaptations contribute to the evolution of diazotrophic cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyun Chen
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Wenkai Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
| | - Boping Han
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
| | - Lirong Song
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Science, Hubei 430072, PR China
| | - Wensheng Shu
- Institute of Ecological Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, PR China
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13
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Khani-Juyabad F, Mohammadi P, Zarrabi M. Insights from cyanobacterial genomic and transcriptomic analyses into adaptation strategies in terrestrial environments. Genomics 2022; 114:110438. [PMID: 35902068 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110438] [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: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenomic analysis of Nostoc sp. MG11, a terrestrial cyanobacterium, and some terrestrial and freshwater Nostoc strains showed that the terrestrial strains grouped together in a distinctive clade, which reveals the effect of habitat on shaping Nostoc genomes. Terrestrial strains showed larger genomes and had higher predicted CDS contents than freshwater strains. Comparative genomic analysis demonstrated that genome expansion in the terrestrial Nostoc is supported by an increase in copy number of the core genes and acquisition of shared genes. Transcriptomic profiling analysis under desiccation stress revealed that Nostoc sp. MG11 protected its cell by induction of catalase, proteases, sucrose synthase, trehalose biosynthesis and maltodextrin utilization genes and maintained its normal metabolism during this condition by up-regulation of genes related to phycobilisomes and light reactions of photosynthesis, CO2 fixation and protein metabolism. These results provide insights into the strategies related to survival and adaptation of Nostoc strains to terrestrial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Khani-Juyabad
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Parisa Mohammadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mahbubeh Zarrabi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
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Muster C, Leiva D, Morales C, Grafe M, Schloter M, Carú M, Orlando J. Peltigera frigida Lichens and Their Substrates Reduce the Influence of Forest Cover Change on Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:843490. [PMID: 35836424 PMCID: PMC9275751 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.843490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is one of the most critical macronutrients in forest ecosystems. More than 70 years ago, some Chilean Patagonian temperate forests suffered wildfires and the subsequent afforestation with foreign tree species such as pines. Since soil P turnover is interlinked with the tree cover, this could influence soil P content and bioavailability. Next to soil microorganisms, which are key players in P transformation processes, a vital component of Patagonian temperate forest are lichens, which represent microbial hotspots for bacterial diversity. In the present study, we explored the impact of forest cover on the abundance of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) from three microenvironments of the forest floor: Peltigera frigida lichen thallus, their underlying substrates, and the forest soil without lichen cover. We expected that the abundance of PSB in the forest soil would be strongly affected by the tree cover composition since the aboveground vegetation influences the edaphic properties; but, as P. frigida has a specific bacterial community, lichens would mitigate this impact. Our study includes five sites representing a gradient in tree cover types, from a mature forest dominated by the native species Nothofagus pumilio, to native second-growth forests with a gradual increase in the presence of Pinus contorta in the last sites. In each site, we measured edaphic parameters, P fractions, and the bacterial potential to solubilize phosphate by quantifying five specific marker genes by qPCR. The results show higher soluble P, labile mineral P, and organic matter in the soils of the sites with a higher abundance of P. contorta, while most of the molecular markers were less abundant in the soils of these sites. Contrarily, the abundance of the molecular markers in lichens and substrates was less affected by the tree cover type. Therefore, the bacterial potential to solubilize phosphate is more affected by the edaphic factors and tree cover type in soils than in substrates and thalli of P. frigida lichens. Altogether, these results indicate that the microenvironments of lichens and their substrates could act as an environmental buffer reducing the influence of forest cover composition on bacteria involved in P turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Muster
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Leiva
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Camila Morales
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin Grafe
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Margarita Carú
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julieta Orlando
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Julieta Orlando,
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15
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Kaari M, Manikkam R, Baskaran A. Exploring Newer Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Marine Microbial Prospecting. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:448-467. [PMID: 35394575 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10118-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Marine microbes genetically evolved to survive varying salinity, temperature, pH, and other stress factors by producing different bioactive metabolites. These microbial secondary metabolites (SMs) are novel, have high potential, and could be used as lead molecule. Genome sequencing of microbes revealed that they have the capability to produce numerous novel bioactive metabolites than observed under standard in vitro culture conditions. Microbial genome has specific regions responsible for SM assembly, termed biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), possessing all the necessary genes to encode different enzymes required to generate SM. In order to augment the microbial chemo diversity and to activate these gene clusters, various tools and techniques are developed. Metagenomics with functional gene expression studies aids in classifying novel peptides and enzymes and also in understanding the biosynthetic pathways. Genome shuffling is a high-throughput screening approach to improve the development of SMs by incorporating genomic recombination. Transcriptionally silent or lower level BGCs can be triggered by artificially knocking promoter of target BGC. Additionally, bioinformatic tools like antiSMASH, ClustScan, NAPDOS, and ClusterFinder are effective in identifying BGCs of existing class for annotation in genomes. This review summarizes the significance of BGCs and the different approaches for detecting and elucidating BGCs from marine microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manigundan Kaari
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Development, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600 119, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Radhakrishnan Manikkam
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Development, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600 119, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Abirami Baskaran
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Development, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600 119, Tamil Nadu, India
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16
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New Deoxyenhygrolides from Plesiocystis pacifica Provide Insights into Butenolide Core Biosynthesis. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20010072. [PMID: 35049927 PMCID: PMC8777810 DOI: 10.3390/md20010072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine myxobacteria present a virtually unexploited reservoir for the discovery of natural products with diverse biological functions and novel chemical scaffolds. We report here the isolation and structure elucidation of eight new deoxyenhygrolides (1–8) from the marine myxobacterium Plesiocystis pacifica DSM 14875T. The herein described deoxyenhygrolides C–J (1–8) feature a butenolide core with an ethyl residue at C-3 of the γ-lactone in contrast to the previously described derivatives, deoxyenhygrolides A and B, which feature an isobutyl residue at this position. The butenolide core is 2,4-substituted with a benzyl (1, 2 and 7), benzoyl (3 and 4) or benzyl alcohol (5, 6 and 8) moiety in the 2-position and a benzylidene (1–6) or benzylic hemiketal (7 and 8) in the 4-position. The description of these new deoxyenhygrolide derivatives, alongside genomic in silico investigation regarding putative biosynthetic genes, provides some new puzzle pieces on how this natural product class might be formed by marine myxobacteria.
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17
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Huo D, Li H, Cai F, Guo X, Qiao Z, Wang W, Yu G, Li R. Genome Evolution of Filamentous Cyanobacterium Nostoc Species: From Facultative Symbiosis to Free Living. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102015. [PMID: 34683336 PMCID: PMC8539589 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to obligate bacteria, facultative symbiotic bacteria are mainly characterized by genome enlargement. However, the underlying relationship of this feature with adaptations to various habitats remains unclear. In this study, we used the global genome data of Nostoc strains, including 10 novel genomes sequenced in this study and 26 genomes available from public databases, and analyzed their evolutionary history. The evolutionary boundary of the real clade of Nostoc species was identified and was found to be consistent with the results of polyphasic taxonomy. The initial ancestral species of Nostoc was demonstrated to be consistent with a facultative symbiotic population. Further analyses revealed that Nostoc strains tended to shift from facultative symbiosis to a free-living one, along with an increase in genome sizes during the dispersal of each exterior branch. Intracellular symbiosis was proved to be essentially related to Nostoc evolution, and the adaptation of its members to free-living environments was coupled with a large preference for gene acquisition involved in gene repair and recombination. These findings provided unique evidence of genomic mechanisms by which homologous microbes adapt to distinct life manners and external environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Huo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (D.H.); (H.L.); (F.C.); (X.G.)
| | - Hua Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (D.H.); (H.L.); (F.C.); (X.G.)
- Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Fangfang Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (D.H.); (H.L.); (F.C.); (X.G.)
- School of Animal Science and Nutritional Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China
| | - Xiaoyu Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (D.H.); (H.L.); (F.C.); (X.G.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiyi Qiao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aqua-Ecology and Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300384, China;
| | - Weibo Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Gongliang Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (D.H.); (H.L.); (F.C.); (X.G.)
- Correspondence: (G.Y.); (R.L.); Tel.: +86-027-68780067 (G.Y.); +86-027-68780080 (R.L.); Fax: +86-027-68780123 (G.Y.)
| | - Renhui Li
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325000, China
- Correspondence: (G.Y.); (R.L.); Tel.: +86-027-68780067 (G.Y.); +86-027-68780080 (R.L.); Fax: +86-027-68780123 (G.Y.)
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18
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Abstract
Species of the floating, freshwater fern Azolla form a well-characterized symbiotic association with the non-culturable cyanobacterium Nostoc azollae, which fixes nitrogen for the plant. However, several cyanobacterial strains have over the years been isolated and cultured from Azolla from all over the world. The genomes of 10 of these strains were sequenced and compared with each other, with other symbiotic cyanobacterial strains, and with similar strains that were not isolated from a symbiotic association. The 10 strains fell into three distinct groups: six strains were nearly identical to the non-symbiotic strain, Nostoc (Anabaena) variabilis ATCC 29413; three were similar to the symbiotic strain, Nostoc punctiforme, and one, Nostoc sp. 2RC, was most similar to non-symbiotic strains of Nostoc linckia. However, Nostoc sp. 2RC was unusual because it has three sets of nitrogenase genes; it has complete gene clusters for two distinct Mo-nitrogenases and an alternative V-nitrogenase. Genes for Mo-nitrogenase, sugar transport, chemotaxis and pili characterized all the symbiotic strains. Several of the strains infected the liverwort Blasia, including N. variabilis ATCC 29413, which did not originate from Azolla but rather from a sewage pond. However, only Nostoc sp. 2RC, which produced highly motile hormogonia, was capable of high-frequency infection of Blasia. Thus, some of these strains, which grow readily in the laboratory, may be useful in establishing novel symbiotic associations with other plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda S. Pratte
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri–St. Louis, One University Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Teresa Thiel
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri–St. Louis, One University Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
- *Correspondence: Teresa Thiel,
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Delbaje E, Andreote APD, Pellegrinetti TA, Cruz RB, Branco LHZ, Fiore MF. Phylogenomic analysis of Anabaenopsis elenkinii (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021; 71. [PMID: 33476257 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The saline-alkaline lakes (soda lakes) are the habitat of the haloalkaliphilic cyanobacterium Anabaenopsis elenkinii, the type species of this genus. To obtain robust phylogeny of this type species, we have generated whole-genome sequencing of the bloom-forming Anabaenopsis elenkinii strain CCIBt3563 isolated from a Brazilian soda lake. This strain presents the typical morphology of A. elenkinii with short and curved trichomes with apical heterocytes established after separation of paired intercalary heterocytes and also regarding to cell dimensions. Its genome size is 4 495 068 bp, with a G+C content of 41.98 %, a total of 3932 potential protein coding genes and four 16S rRNA genes. Phylogenomic tree inferred by RAxML based on the alignment of 120 conserved proteins using GTDB-Tk grouped A. elenkinii CCIBt3563 together with other genera of the family Aphanizomenonaceae. However, the only previous available genome of Anabaenopsis circularis NIES-21 was distantly positioned within a clade of Desikacharya strains, a genus from the family Nostocaceae. Furthermore, average nucleotide identity values from 86-98 % were obtained among NIES-21 and Desikacharya genomes, while this value was 76.04 % between NIES-21 and the CCIBt3563 genome. These findings were also corroborated by the phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences, which also showed a strongly supported subcluster of A. elenkinii strains from Brazilian, Mexican and Kenyan soda lakes. This study presents the phylogenomics and genome-scale analyses of an Anabaenopsis elenkinii strain, improving molecular basis for demarcation of this species and framework for the classification of cyanobacteria based on the polyphasic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endrews Delbaje
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula D Andreote
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Thierry A Pellegrinetti
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata B Cruz
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis H Z Branco
- São Paulo State University, Institute of Bioscience, Languages and Exact Sciences, 15054-000 São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Marli F Fiore
- University of São Paulo, Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Avenida Centenário 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
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20
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Ice-Binding Proteins Associated with an Antarctic Cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. HG1. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02499-20. [PMID: 33158891 PMCID: PMC7783341 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02499-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) have been identified in numerous polar algae and bacteria, but so far not in any cyanobacteria, despite the abundance of cyanobacteria in polar regions. We previously reported strong IBP activity associated with an Antarctic Nostoc species. In this study, to identify the proteins responsible, as well as elucidate their origin, we sequenced the DNA of an environmental sample of this species, designated Nostoc sp. HG1, and its bacterial community and attempted to identify IBPs by looking for known IBPs in the metagenome and by looking for novel IBPs by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) proteomics analyses of ice affinity-purified proteins. The metagenome contained over 116 DUF3494-type IBP genes, the most common type of IBP identified so far. One of the IBPs could be confidently assigned to Nostoc, while the others could be attributed to diverse bacteria, which, surprisingly, accounted for the great majority of the metagenome. Recombinant Nostoc IBPs (nIBPs) had strong ice-structuring activities, and their circular dichroism spectra were consistent with the secondary structure of a DUF3494-type IBP. nIBP is unusual in that it is the only IBP identified so far to have a PEP (amino acid motif) C-terminal signal, a signal that has been associated with anchoring to the outer cell membrane. These results suggest that the observed IBP activity of Nostoc sp. HG1 was due to a combination of endogenous and exogenous IBPs. Amino acid and nucleotide sequence analyses of nIBP raise the possibility that it was acquired from a planctomycete.IMPORTANCE The horizontal transfer of genes encoding ice-binding proteins (IBPs), proteins that confer freeze-thaw tolerance, has allowed many microorganisms to expand their ranges into polar regions. One group of microorganisms for which nothing is known about its IBPs is cyanobacteria. In this study, we identified a cyanobacterial IBP and showed that it was likely acquired from another bacterium, probably a planctomycete. We also showed that a consortium of IBP-producing bacteria living with the Nostoc contribute to its IBP activity.
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Ullah J, Khanum Z, Khan IA, Khalid AN, Musharraf SG, Ali A. Metaproteomics reveals the structural and functional diversity of Dermatocarpon miniatum (L.) W. Mann. Microbiota. Fungal Biol 2020; 125:32-38. [PMID: 33317774 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Metaproteomics is a strategy to understand the taxonomy, functionality and metabolic pathways of the microbial communities. The relationship among the symbiotic microbiota in the entire lichen thallus, Dermatocarpon miniatum, was evaluated using the metaproteomic approach. Proteomic profiling using one-dimensional SDS-PAGE followed by LC-MS/MS analysis resulted in a total of 138 identified proteins via Mascot search against UniRef100 and Swiss-Prot databases. In addition to the fungal and algal partners, D. miniatum proteome encompasses proteins from prokaryotes, which is a multifarious community mainly dominated by cyanobacteria and proteobacteria. While proteins assigned to fungus were the most abundant (55 %), followed by protists (16 %), bacterial (13 %), plant (11 %), and viral (1 %) origin, whereas 4 % remained undefined. Various proteins were assigned to the different lichen symbionts by using Gene Ontology (GO) terms, e.g. fungal proteins involved in the oxidation-reduction process, protein folding and glycolytic process, while protists and bacterial proteins were involved in photosynthetic electron transport in photosystem II (PS II), ATP synthesis coupled proton transport, and carbon fixation. The presence of bacterial communities extended the traditional concept of fungal-algal lichen symbiotic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaid Ullah
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Zainab Khanum
- Jamil Ur Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan
- Jamil Ur Rahman Center for Genome Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | | | - Syed Ghulam Musharraf
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan; Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Arslan Ali
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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22
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Molybdenum threshold for ecosystem scale alternative vanadium nitrogenase activity in boreal forests. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:24682-24688. [PMID: 31727845 PMCID: PMC6900544 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913314116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is responsible for large new N inputs to terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in pristine, high-latitude areas undergoing rapid global change. The most common form of nitrogenase requires molybdenum (Mo) and Mo limitation of BNF is ubiquitous. Mo-free alternative forms of nitrogenase exist, but their roles in environmental BNF have remained uncertain. This study on N2-fixing cyanolichens provides extensive field evidence, at an ecosystem scale, that vanadium (V)-based nitrogenase greatly contributes to BNF when Mo availability is limited. Mo exposure data in circumboreal forests further suggest that V-based BNF is widespread. The results showcase the resilience of BNF to micronutrient limitation and reveal strong links between the biogeochemical cycle of macronutrients and micronutrients in terrestrial ecosystems. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by microorganisms associated with cryptogamic covers, such as cyanolichens and bryophytes, is a primary source of fixed nitrogen in pristine, high-latitude ecosystems. On land, low molybdenum (Mo) availability has been shown to limit BNF by the most common form of nitrogenase (Nase), which requires Mo in its active site. Vanadium (V) and iron-only Nases have been suggested as viable alternatives to countering Mo limitation of BNF; however, field data supporting this long-standing hypothesis have been lacking. Here, we elucidate the contribution of vanadium nitrogenase (V-Nase) to BNF by cyanolichens across a 600-km latitudinal transect in eastern boreal forests of North America. Widespread V-Nase activity was detected (∼15–50% of total BNF rates), with most of the activity found in the northern part of the transect. We observed a 3-fold increase of V-Nase contribution during the 20-wk growing season. By including the contribution of V-Nase to BNF, estimates of new N input by cyanolichens increase by up to 30%. We find that variability in V-based BNF is strongly related to Mo availability, and we identify a Mo threshold of ∼250 ng·glichen−1 for the onset of V-based BNF. Our results provide compelling ecosystem-scale evidence for the use of the V-Nase as a surrogate enzyme that contributes to BNF when Mo is limiting. Given widespread findings of terrestrial Mo limitation, including the carbon-rich circumboreal belt where global change is most rapid, additional consideration of V-based BNF is required in experimental and modeling studies of terrestrial biogeochemistry.
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23
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Nelson JM, Hauser DA, Gudiño JA, Guadalupe YA, Meeks JC, Salazar Allen N, Villarreal JC, Li FW. Complete Genomes of Symbiotic Cyanobacteria Clarify the Evolution of Vanadium-Nitrogenase. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:1959-1964. [PMID: 31243438 PMCID: PMC6645180 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant endosymbiosis with nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria has independently evolved in diverse plant lineages, offering a unique window to study the evolution and genetics of plant-microbe interaction. However, very few complete genomes exist for plant cyanobionts, and therefore little is known about their genomic and functional diversity. Here, we present four complete genomes of cyanobacteria isolated from bryophytes. Nanopore long-read sequencing allowed us to obtain circular contigs for all the main chromosomes and most of the plasmids. We found that despite having a low 16S rRNA sequence divergence, the four isolates exhibit considerable genome reorganizations and variation in gene content. Furthermore, three of the four isolates possess genes encoding vanadium (V)-nitrogenase (vnf), which is uncommon among diazotrophs and has not been previously reported in plant cyanobionts. In two cases, the vnf genes were found on plasmids, implying possible plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfers. Comparative genomic analysis of vnf-containing cyanobacteria further identified a conserved gene cluster. Many genes in this cluster have not been functionally characterized and would be promising candidates for future studies to elucidate V-nitrogenase function and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Nelson
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Duncan A Hauser
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - José A Gudiño
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | | | - John C Meeks
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, California
| | | | - Juan Carlos Villarreal
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Biology, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fay-Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York
- Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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24
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Gutiérrez-García K, Bustos-Díaz ED, Corona-Gómez JA, Ramos-Aboites HE, Sélem-Mojica N, Cruz-Morales P, Pérez-Farrera MA, Barona-Gómez F, Cibrián-Jaramillo A. Cycad Coralloid Roots Contain Bacterial Communities Including Cyanobacteria and Caulobacter spp. That Encode Niche-Specific Biosynthetic Gene Clusters. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:319-334. [PMID: 30534962 PMCID: PMC6350856 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cycads are the only early seed plants that have evolved a specialized root to host endophytic bacteria that fix nitrogen. To provide evolutionary and functional insights into this million-year old symbiosis, we investigate endophytic bacterial sub-communities isolated from coralloid roots of species from Dioon (Zamiaceae) sampled from their natural habitats. We employed a sub-community co-culture experimental strategy to reveal both predominant and rare bacteria, which were characterized using phylogenomics and detailed metabolic annotation. Diazotrophic plant endophytes, including Bradyrhizobium, Burkholderia, Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, and Nostoc species, dominated the epiphyte-free sub-communities. Draft genomes of six cyanobacteria species were obtained after shotgun metagenomics of selected sub-communities. These data were used for whole-genome inferences that suggest two Dioon-specific monophyletic groups, and a level of specialization characteristic of co-evolved symbiotic relationships. Furthermore, the genomes of these cyanobacteria were found to encode unique biosynthetic gene clusters, predicted to direct the synthesis of specialized metabolites, mainly involving peptides. After combining genome mining with detection of pigment emissions using multiphoton excitation fluorescence microscopy, we also show that Caulobacter species co-exist with cyanobacteria, and may interact with them by means of a novel indigoidine-like specialized metabolite. We provide an unprecedented view of the composition of the cycad coralloid root, including phylogenetic and functional patterns mediated by specialized metabolites that may be important for the evolution of ancient symbiotic adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Gutiérrez-García
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Edder D Bustos-Díaz
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - José Antonio Corona-Gómez
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Hilda E Ramos-Aboites
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Nelly Sélem-Mojica
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Pablo Cruz-Morales
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Miguel A Pérez-Farrera
- Herbario Eizi Matuda, Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes del Estado de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
| | - Francisco Barona-Gómez
- Evolution of Metabolic Diversity Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Acanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
| | - Angélica Cibrián-Jaramillo
- Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Irapuato, Guanajuato, México
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