1
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Fry M. The discovery of archaea: from observed anomaly to consequential restructuring of the phylogenetic tree. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 46:16. [PMID: 38530473 PMCID: PMC10965645 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-024-00616-8] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Observational and experimental discoveries of new factual entities such as objects, systems, or processes, are major contributors to some advances in the life sciences. Yet, whereas discovery of theories was extensively deliberated by philosophers of science, very little philosophical attention was paid to the discovery of factual entities. This paper examines historical and philosophical aspects of the experimental discovery by Carl Woese of archaea, prokaryotes that comprise one of the three principal domains of the phylogenetic tree. Borrowing Kuhn's terminology, this discovery of a major biological entity was made during a 'normal science' project of building molecular taxonomy for prokaryotes. Unexpectedly, however, an observed anomaly instigated the discovery of archaea. Substantiation of the existence of the new archaeal entity and consequent reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree prompted replacement of a long-held model of a prokarya and eukarya bipartite tree of life by a new model of a tripartite tree comprising of bacteria, archaea, and eukarya. This paper explores the history and philosophical implications of the progression of Woese's project from normal science to anomaly-instigated model-changing discovery. It is also shown that the consequential discoveries of RNA splicing and of ribozymes were similarly prompted by unexpected irregularities during normal science activities. It is thus submitted that some discoveries of factual biological entities are triggered by unforeseen observational or experimental anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fry
- Department of Biochemistry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Efron St., Bat Galim, POB 9649, Haifa, 31096, Israel.
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2
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Siebieszuk A, Sejbuk M, Witkowska AM. Studying the Human Microbiota: Advances in Understanding the Fundamentals, Origin, and Evolution of Biological Timekeeping. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16169. [PMID: 38003359 PMCID: PMC10671191 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The recently observed circadian oscillations of the intestinal microbiota underscore the profound nature of the human-microbiome relationship and its importance for health. Together with the discovery of circadian clocks in non-photosynthetic gut bacteria and circadian rhythms in anucleated cells, these findings have indicated the possibility that virtually all microorganisms may possess functional biological clocks. However, they have also raised many essential questions concerning the fundamentals of biological timekeeping, its evolution, and its origin. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent literature in molecular chronobiology, aiming to bring together the latest evidence on the structure and mechanisms driving microbial biological clocks while pointing to potential applications of this knowledge in medicine. Moreover, it discusses the latest hypotheses regarding the evolution of timing mechanisms and describes the functions of peroxiredoxins in cells and their contribution to the cellular clockwork. The diversity of biological clocks among various human-associated microorganisms and the role of transcriptional and post-translational timekeeping mechanisms are also addressed. Finally, recent evidence on metabolic oscillators and host-microbiome communication is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Siebieszuk
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza 2C, 15-222 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Monika Sejbuk
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
| | - Anna Maria Witkowska
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Bialystok, Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Poland;
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3
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Eme L, Tamarit D, Caceres EF, Stairs CW, De Anda V, Schön ME, Seitz KW, Dombrowski N, Lewis WH, Homa F, Saw JH, Lombard J, Nunoura T, Li WJ, Hua ZS, Chen LX, Banfield JF, John ES, Reysenbach AL, Stott MB, Schramm A, Kjeldsen KU, Teske AP, Baker BJ, Ettema TJG. Inference and reconstruction of the heimdallarchaeial ancestry of eukaryotes. Nature 2023; 618:992-999. [PMID: 37316666 PMCID: PMC10307638 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06186-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the ongoing debates about eukaryogenesis-the series of evolutionary events leading to the emergence of the eukaryotic cell from prokaryotic ancestors-members of the Asgard archaea play a key part as the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes1. However, the nature and phylogenetic identity of the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea and eukaryotes remain unresolved2-4. Here we analyse distinct phylogenetic marker datasets of an expanded genomic sampling of Asgard archaea and evaluate competing evolutionary scenarios using state-of-the-art phylogenomic approaches. We find that eukaryotes are placed, with high confidence, as a well-nested clade within Asgard archaea and as a sister lineage to Hodarchaeales, a newly proposed order within Heimdallarchaeia. Using sophisticated gene tree and species tree reconciliation approaches, we show that analogous to the evolution of eukaryotic genomes, genome evolution in Asgard archaea involved significantly more gene duplication and fewer gene loss events compared with other archaea. Finally, we infer that the last common ancestor of Asgard archaea was probably a thermophilic chemolithotroph and that the lineage from which eukaryotes evolved adapted to mesophilic conditions and acquired the genetic potential to support a heterotrophic lifestyle. Our work provides key insights into the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition and a platform for better understanding the emergence of cellular complexity in eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Eme
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratoire Écologie, Systématique, Évolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Daniel Tamarit
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eva F Caceres
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Courtney W Stairs
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Valerie De Anda
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Max E Schön
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kiley W Seitz
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - William H Lewis
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Felix Homa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jimmy H Saw
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jonathan Lombard
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Wen-Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, PR China
| | - Lin-Xing Chen
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Emily St John
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Matthew B Stott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Andreas Schramm
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kasper U Kjeldsen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andreas P Teske
- Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brett J Baker
- Department of Marine Science, Marine Science Institute, University of Texas Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Thijs J G Ettema
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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4
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Spang A. Is an archaeon the ancestor of eukaryotes? Environ Microbiol 2022; 25:775-779. [PMID: 36562617 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The origin of complex cellular life is a key puzzle in evolutionary research, which has broad implications for various neighbouring scientific disciplines. Naturally, views on this topic vary widely depending on the world view and context from which this topic is approached. In the following, I will share my perspective about our current scientific knowledge on the origin of eukaryotic cells, that is, eukaryogenesis, from a biological point of view focusing on the question as to whether an archaeon was the ancestor of eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Spang
- NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, Utrecht University, 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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Medvedeva S, Sun J, Yutin N, Koonin EV, Nunoura T, Rinke C, Krupovic M. Three families of Asgard archaeal viruses identified in metagenome-assembled genomes. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:962-973. [PMID: 35760839 PMCID: PMC11165672 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Asgardarchaeota harbour many eukaryotic signature proteins and are widely considered to represent the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes. Whether similarities between Asgard archaea and eukaryotes extend to their viromes remains unknown. Here we present 20 metagenome-assembled genomes of Asgardarchaeota from deep-sea sediments of the basin off the Shimokita Peninsula, Japan. By combining a CRISPR spacer search of metagenomic sequences with phylogenomic analysis, we identify three family-level groups of viruses associated with Asgard archaea. The first group, verdandiviruses, includes tailed viruses of the class Caudoviricetes (realm Duplodnaviria); the second, skuldviruses, consists of viruses with predicted icosahedral capsids of the realm Varidnaviria; and the third group, wyrdviruses, is related to spindle-shaped viruses previously identified in other archaea. More than 90% of the proteins encoded by these viruses of Asgard archaea show no sequence similarity to proteins encoded by other known viruses. Nevertheless, all three proposed families consist of viruses typical of prokaryotes, providing no indication of specific evolutionary relationships between viruses infecting Asgard archaea and eukaryotes. Verdandiviruses and skuldviruses are likely to be lytic, whereas wyrdviruses potentially establish chronic infection and are released without host cell lysis. All three groups of viruses are predicted to play important roles in controlling Asgard archaea populations in deep-sea ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Medvedeva
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France
- Center of Life Science, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Evolutionary Biology of the Microbial Cell Unit, Paris, France
| | - Jiarui Sun
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan.
| | - Christian Rinke
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mart Krupovic
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR6047, Archaeal Virology Unit, Paris, France.
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6
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Abstract
Members of candidate Asgardarchaeota superphylum appear to share numerous eukaryotic-like attributes thus being broadly explored for their relevance to eukaryogenesis. On the contrast, the ecological roles of Asgard archaea remains understudied. Asgard archaea have been frequently associated to low-oxygen aquatic sedimentary environments worldwide spanning a broad but not extreme salinity range. To date, the available information on diversity and potential biogeochemical roles of Asgardarchaeota mostly sourced from marine habitats and to a much lesser extend from true saline environments (i.e., > 3% w/v total salinity). Here, we provide an overview on diversity and ecological implications of Asgard archaea distributed across saline environments and briefly explore their metagenome-resolved potential for osmoadaptation. Loki-, Thor- and Heimdallarchaeota are the dominant Asgard clades in saline habitats where they might employ anaerobic/microaerophilic organic matter degradation and autotrophic carbon fixation. Homologs of primary solute uptake ABC transporters seemingly prevail in Thorarchaeota, whereas those putatively involved in trehalose and ectoine biosynthesis were mostly inferred in Lokiarchaeota. We speculate that Asgardarchaeota might adopt compatible solute-accumulating ('salt-out') strategy as response to salt stress. Our current understanding on the distribution, ecology and salt-adaptive strategies of Asgardarchaeota in saline environments are, however, limited by insufficient sampling and incompleteness of the available metagenome-assembled genomes. Extensive sampling combined with 'omics'- and cultivation-based approaches seem, therefore, crucial to gain deeper knowledge on this particularly intriguing archaeal lineage.
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7
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Grau-Bové X, Navarrete C, Chiva C, Pribasnig T, Antó M, Torruella G, Galindo LJ, Lang BF, Moreira D, López-Garcia P, Ruiz-Trillo I, Schleper C, Sabidó E, Sebé-Pedrós A. A phylogenetic and proteomic reconstruction of eukaryotic chromatin evolution. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1007-1023. [PMID: 35680998 PMCID: PMC7613034 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01771-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Histones and associated chromatin proteins have essential functions in eukaryotic genome organization and regulation. Despite this fundamental role in eukaryotic cell biology, we lack a phylogenetically-comprehensive understanding of chromatin evolution. Here, we combine comparative proteomics and genomics analysis of chromatin in eukaryotes and archaea. Proteomics uncovers the existence of histone post-translational modifications in Archaea. However, archaeal histone modifications are scarce, in contrast with the highly conserved and abundant marks we identify across eukaryotes. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that chromatin-associated catalytic functions (e.g., methyltransferases) have pre-eukaryotic origins, whereas histone mark readers and chaperones are eukaryotic innovations. We show that further chromatin evolution is characterized by expansion of readers, including capture by transposable elements and viruses. Overall, our study infers detailed evolutionary history of eukaryotic chromatin: from its archaeal roots, through the emergence of nucleosome-based regulation in the eukaryotic ancestor, to the diversification of chromatin regulators and their hijacking by genomic parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Grau-Bové
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Navarrete
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Thomas Pribasnig
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Meritxell Antó
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guifré Torruella
- Unité d'Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Luis Javier Galindo
- Unité d'Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Bernd Franz Lang
- Robert Cedergren Centre in Bioinformatics and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Moreira
- Unité d'Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Purificación López-Garcia
- Unité d'Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France
| | - Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christa Schleper
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eduard Sabidó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Sebé-Pedrós
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain. .,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
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8
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Talbert PB, Armache KJ, Henikoff S. Viral histones: pickpocket's prize or primordial progenitor? Epigenetics Chromatin 2022; 15:21. [PMID: 35624484 PMCID: PMC9145170 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00454-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The common histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 are the characteristic components of eukaryotic nucleosomes, which function to wrap DNA and compact the genome as well as to regulate access to DNA for transcription and replication in all eukaryotes. In the past two decades, histones have also been found to be encoded in some DNA viruses, where their functions and properties are largely unknown, though recently histones from two related viruses have been shown to form nucleosome-like structures in vitro. Viral histones can be highly similar to eukaryotic histones in primary sequence, suggesting they have been recently picked up from eukaryotic hosts, or they can be radically divergent in primary sequence and may occur as conjoined histone doublets, triplets, or quadruplets, suggesting ancient origins prior to the divergence of modern eukaryotes. Here, we review what is known of viral histones and discuss their possible origins and functions. We consider how the viral life cycle may affect their properties and histories, and reflect on the possible roles of viruses in the origin of the nucleus of modern eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul B Talbert
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Karim-Jean Armache
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Ave, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Steven Henikoff
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
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9
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Delmont TO, Gaia M, Hinsinger DD, Frémont P, Vanni C, Fernandez-Guerra A, Eren AM, Kourlaiev A, d'Agata L, Clayssen Q, Villar E, Labadie K, Cruaud C, Poulain J, Da Silva C, Wessner M, Noel B, Aury JM, de Vargas C, Bowler C, Karsenti E, Pelletier E, Wincker P, Jaillon O, Acinas SG, Bork P, Karsenti E, Bowler C, Sardet C, Stemmann L, de Vargas C, Wincker P, Lescot M, Babin M, Gorsky G, Grimsley N, Guidi L, Hingamp P, Jaillon O, Kandels S, Iudicone D, Ogata H, Pesant S, Sullivan MB, Not F, Lee KB, Boss E, Cochrane G, Follows M, Poulton N, Raes J, Sieracki M, Speich S. Functional repertoire convergence of distantly related eukaryotic plankton lineages abundant in the sunlit ocean. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:100123. [PMID: 36778897 PMCID: PMC9903769 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Marine planktonic eukaryotes play critical roles in global biogeochemical cycles and climate. However, their poor representation in culture collections limits our understanding of the evolutionary history and genomic underpinnings of planktonic ecosystems. Here, we used 280 billion Tara Oceans metagenomic reads from polar, temperate, and tropical sunlit oceans to reconstruct and manually curate more than 700 abundant and widespread eukaryotic environmental genomes ranging from 10 Mbp to 1.3 Gbp. This genomic resource covers a wide range of poorly characterized eukaryotic lineages that complement long-standing contributions from culture collections while better representing plankton in the upper layer of the oceans. We performed the first, to our knowledge, comprehensive genome-wide functional classification of abundant unicellular eukaryotic plankton, revealing four major groups connecting distantly related lineages. Neither trophic modes of plankton nor its vertical evolutionary history could completely explain the functional repertoire convergence of major eukaryotic lineages that coexisted within oceanic currents for millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom O. Delmont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France,Corresponding author
| | - Morgan Gaia
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Damien D. Hinsinger
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Paul Frémont
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Chiara Vanni
- Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Antonio Fernandez-Guerra
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A. Murat Eren
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Artem Kourlaiev
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Leo d'Agata
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Quentin Clayssen
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Emilie Villar
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France
| | - Karine Labadie
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Corinne Cruaud
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Julie Poulain
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Corinne Da Silva
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Marc Wessner
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Noel
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Marc Aury
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Tara Oceans CoordinatorsSunagawaShinichi12AcinasSilvia G.13BorkPeer141516KarsentiEric171819BowlerChris1718SardetChristian1720StemmannLars1720de VargasColomban1721WinckerPatrick1722LescotMagali1723BabinMarcel1724GorskyGabriel1720GrimsleyNigel172526GuidiLionel1720HingampPascal1723JaillonOlivier1722KandelsStefanie1417IudiconeDaniele27OgataHiroyuki28PesantStéphane2930SullivanMatthew B.313233NotFabrice21LeeKarp-Boss34BossEmmanuel34CochraneGuy35FollowsMichael36PoultonNicole37RaesJeroen383940SierackiMike37SpeichSabrina4142Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, EtH Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences–CsiC, Barcelona, SpainStructural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, GermanyMax Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyResearch Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOsee, Paris, FranceInstitut de Biologie de l’ENS, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, FranceDirectors’ Research, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, GermanySorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire D’Océanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche- sur- Mer, FranceSorbonne Université and CNRS, UMR 7144 (AD2M), ECOMAP, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, FranceGénomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut de Biologie Francois Jacob, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique, CNrs, Université Evry, Université Paris- Saclay, Evry, FranceAix Marseille Universit/e, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM 110, Marseille, FranceDépartement de Biologie, Québec Océan and Takuvik Joint International Laboratory (UMI 3376), Université Laval (Canada)–CNRS (France), Université Laval, Quebec, QC, CanadaCNRS UMR 7232, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins, Banyuls- sur- Mer, FranceSorbonne Universités Paris 06, OOB UPMC, Banyuls- sur- Mer, FranceStazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, ItalyInstitute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanPaNGaea, University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyMaruM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyDepartment of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USADepartment of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USACenter for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USASchool of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USAEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Welcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UKDepartment of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USABigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, USADepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumCenter for the Biology of Disease, VIB KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Applied Biological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Geosciences, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, FranceOcean Physics Laboratory, University of Western Brittany, Brest, France
| | - Colomban de Vargas
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France,Sorbonne Université and CNRS, UMR 7144 (AD2M), ECOMAP, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Chris Bowler
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France,Institut de Biologie de l’ENS, Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Eric Karsenti
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France,Sorbonne Université and CNRS, UMR 7144 (AD2M), ECOMAP, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France,Directors’ Research, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eric Pelletier
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Jaillon
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François-Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry, France,Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 75016 Paris, France
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10
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Jüttner M, Ferreira-Cerca S. Looking through the lens of the ribosome biogenesis evolutionary history: possible implications for archaeal phylogeny and eukaryogenesis. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6547259. [PMID: 35275997 PMCID: PMC8997704 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of microbial diversity and its evolutionary relationships has increased substantially over the last decade. Such an understanding has been greatly fueled by culture-independent metagenomics analyses. However, the outcome of some of these studies and their biological and evolutionary implications, such as the origin of the eukaryotic lineage from the recently discovered archaeal Asgard superphylum, is debated. The sequences of the ribosomal constituents are amongst the most used phylogenetic markers. However, the functional consequences underlying the analysed sequence diversity and their putative evolutionary implications are essentially not taken into consideration. Here, we propose to exploit additional functional hallmarks of ribosome biogenesis to help disentangle competing evolutionary hypotheses. Using selected examples, such as the multiple origins of halophily in archaea or the evolutionary relationship between the Asgard archaea and Eukaryotes, we illustrate and discuss how function-aware phylogenetic framework can contribute to refining our understanding of archaeal phylogeny and the origin of eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jüttner
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, Biochemistry III - Institute for Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sébastien Ferreira-Cerca
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, Biochemistry III - Institute for Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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11
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Da Cunha V, Gaïa M, Forterre P. The expanding Asgard archaea and their elusive relationships with Eukarya. MLIFE 2022; 1:3-12. [PMID: 38818326 PMCID: PMC10989751 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The discovery of Asgard archaea and the exploration of their diversity over the last 6 years have deeply impacted the scientific community working on eukaryogenesis, rejuvenating an intense debate on the topology of the universal tree of life (uTol). Here, we discuss how this debate is impacted by two recent publications that expand the number of Asgard lineages and eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs). We discuss some of the main difficulties that can impair the phylogenetic reconstructions of the uTol and suggest that the debate about its topology is not settled. We notably hypothesize the existence of horizontal gene transfers between ancestral Asgards and proto-eukaryotes that could result in the observed abnormal behaviors of some Asgard ESPs and universal marker proteins. This hypothesis is relevant regardless of the scenario considered regarding eukaryogenesis. It implies that the Asgards were already diversified before the last eukaryotic common ancestor and shared the same biotopes with proto-eukaryotes. We suggest that some Asgards might be still living in symbiosis today with modern Eukarya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violette Da Cunha
- CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC)Université Paris‐SaclayGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Morgan Gaïa
- Génomique Métabolique, Génoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRSUniv. Evry, Université Paris‐SaclayEvryFrance
| | - Patrick Forterre
- CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC)Université Paris‐SaclayGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut PasteurParisFrance
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12
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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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13
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Ferreira-Cerca S. The dark side of the ribosome life cycle. RNA Biol 2022; 19:1045-1049. [PMID: 36082947 PMCID: PMC9467602 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2121421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Thanks to genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology many features of the ribosome´s life cycles in models of bacteria, eukaryotes, and some organelles have been revealed to near-atomic details. Collectively, these studies have provided a very detailed understanding of what are now well-established prototypes for ribosome biogenesis and function as viewed from a 'classical' model organisms perspective. However, very important challenges remain ahead to explore the functional and structural diversity of both ribosome biogenesis and function across the biological diversity on earth. Particularly, the 'third domain of life', the archaea, and also many non-model bacterial and eukaryotic organisms have been comparatively neglected. Importantly, characterizing these additional biological systems will not only offer a yet untapped window to enlighten the evolution of ribosome biogenesis and function but will also help to unravel fundamental principles of molecular adaptation of these central cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Ferreira-Cerca
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, Biochemistry III - Institute for Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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14
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Abstract
The rebuttal of the prokaryote-eukaryote dichotomy and the elaboration of the three domains concept by Carl Woese and colleagues has been a breakthrough in biology. With the methodologies available at this time, they have shown that a single molecule, the 16S ribosomal RNA, could reveal the global organization of the living world. Later on, mining archaeal genomes led to major discoveries in archaeal molecular biology, providing a third model for comparative molecular biology. These analyses revealed the strong eukaryal flavor of the basic molecular fabric of Archaea and support rooting the universal tree between Bacteria and Arcarya (the clade grouping Archaea and Eukarya). However, in contradiction with this conclusion, it remains to understand why the archaeal and bacterial mobilomes are so similar and so different from the eukaryal one. These last years, the number of recognized archaea lineages (phyla?) has exploded. The archaeal nomenclature is now in turmoil and debates about the nature of the last universal common ancestor, the last archaeal common ancestor, and the topology of the tree of life are still going on. Interestingly, the expansion of the archaeal eukaryome, especially in the Asgard archaea, has provided new opportunities to study eukaryogenesis. In recent years, the application to Archaea of the new methodologies described in the various chapters of this book have opened exciting avenues to study the molecular biology and the physiology of these fascinating microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Forterre
- Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75015, Paris, France.
- Institute for Integrative biology of the Cell. université Paris-Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France.
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15
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Martinez-Gutierrez CA, Aylward FO. Phylogenetic Signal, Congruence, and Uncertainty across Bacteria and Archaea. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5514-5527. [PMID: 34436605 PMCID: PMC8662615 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reconstruction of the Tree of Life is a central goal in biology. Although numerous novel phyla of bacteria and archaea have recently been discovered, inconsistent phylogenetic relationships are routinely reported, and many inter-phylum and inter-domain evolutionary relationships remain unclear. Here, we benchmark different marker genes often used in constructing multidomain phylogenetic trees of bacteria and archaea and present a set of marker genes that perform best for multidomain trees constructed from concatenated alignments. We use recently-developed Tree Certainty metrics to assess the confidence of our results and to obviate the complications of traditional bootstrap-based metrics. Given the vastly disparate number of genomes available for different phyla of bacteria and archaea, we also assessed the impact of taxon sampling on multidomain tree construction. Our results demonstrate that biases between the representation of different taxonomic groups can dramatically impact the topology of resulting trees. Inspection of our highest-quality tree supports the division of most bacteria into Terrabacteria and Gracilicutes, with Thermatogota and Synergistota branching earlier from these superphyla. This tree also supports the inclusion of the Patescibacteria within the Terrabacteria as a sister group to the Chloroflexota instead of as a basal-branching lineage. For the Archaea, our tree supports three monophyletic lineages (DPANN, Euryarchaeota, and TACK/Asgard), although we note the basal placement of the DPANN may still represent an artifact caused by biased sequence composition. Our findings provide a robust and standardized framework for multidomain phylogenetic reconstruction that can be used to evaluate inter-phylum relationships and assess uncertainty in conflicting topologies of the Tree of Life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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16
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Woo AC, Gaia M, Guglielmini J, Da Cunha V, Forterre P. Phylogeny of the Varidnaviria Morphogenesis Module: Congruence and Incongruence With the Tree of Life and Viral Taxonomy. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:704052. [PMID: 34349745 PMCID: PMC8328091 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.704052] [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: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Double-stranded DNA viruses of the realm Varidnaviria (formerly PRD1-adenovirus lineage) are characterized by homologous major capsid proteins (MCPs) containing one (kingdom: Helvetiavirae) or two β-barrel domains (kingdom: Bamfordvirae) known as the jelly roll folds. Most of them also share homologous packaging ATPases (pATPases). Remarkably, Varidnaviria infect hosts from the three domains of life, suggesting that these viruses could be very ancient and share a common ancestor. Here, we analyzed the evolutionary history of Varidnaviria based on single and concatenated phylogenies of their MCPs and pATPases. We excluded Adenoviridae from our analysis as their MCPs and pATPases are too divergent. Sphaerolipoviridae, the only family in the kingdom Helvetiavirae, exhibit a complex history: their MCPs are very divergent from those of other Varidnaviria, as expected, but their pATPases groups them with Bamfordvirae. In single and concatenated trees, Bamfordvirae infecting archaea were grouped with those infecting bacteria, in contradiction with the cellular tree of life, whereas those infecting eukaryotes were organized into three monophyletic groups: the Nucleocytoviricota phylum, formerly known as the Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses (NCLDVs), Lavidaviridae (virophages) and Polintoviruses. Although our analysis mostly supports the recent classification proposed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), it also raises questions, such as the validity of the Adenoviridae and Helvetiavirae ranking. Based on our phylogeny, we discuss current hypotheses on the origin and evolution of Varidnaviria and suggest new ones to reconcile the viral and cellular trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Woo
- Pôle Analyse de Données UMS 2700 2AD, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.,Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Morgan Gaia
- Génomique Métabolique, Génoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ. Évry, Université Paris-Saclay, Évry, France
| | - Julien Guglielmini
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique - Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Violette Da Cunha
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Patrick Forterre
- Département de Microbiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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17
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Brueckner J, Martin WF. Bacterial Genes Outnumber Archaeal Genes in Eukaryotic Genomes. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 12:282-292. [PMID: 32142116 PMCID: PMC7151554 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotes are typically depicted as descendants of archaea, but their genomes are evolutionary chimeras with genes stemming from archaea and bacteria. Which prokaryotic heritage predominates? Here, we have clustered 19,050,992 protein sequences from 5,443 bacteria and 212 archaea with 3,420,731 protein sequences from 150 eukaryotes spanning six eukaryotic supergroups. By downsampling, we obtain estimates for the bacterial and archaeal proportions. Eukaryotic genomes possess a bacterial majority of genes. On average, the majority of bacterial genes is 56% overall, 53% in eukaryotes that never possessed plastids, and 61% in photosynthetic eukaryotic lineages, where the cyanobacterial ancestor of plastids contributed additional genes to the eukaryotic lineage. Intracellular parasites, which undergo reductive evolution in adaptation to the nutrient rich environment of the cells that they infect, relinquish bacterial genes for metabolic processes. Such adaptive gene loss is most pronounced in the human parasite Encephalitozoon intestinalis with 86% archaeal and 14% bacterial derived genes. The most bacterial eukaryote genome sampled is rice, with 67% bacterial and 33% archaeal genes. The functional dichotomy, initially described for yeast, of archaeal genes being involved in genetic information processing and bacterial genes being involved in metabolic processes is conserved across all eukaryotic supergroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Brueckner
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - William F Martin
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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18
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Ibrahim A, Colson P, Merhej V, Zgheib R, Maatouk M, Naud S, Bittar F, Raoult D. Rhizomal Reclassification of Living Organisms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5643. [PMID: 34073251 PMCID: PMC8199106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms interact with each other during their lifetime, leading to genomes rearrangement and sequences transfer. These well-known phenomena give these organisms mosaic genomes, which challenge their classification. Moreover, many findings occurred between the IXXth and XXIst century, especially the discovery of giant viruses and candidate phyla radiation (CPR). Here, we tried to provide an updated classification, which integrates 216 representative genomes of the current described organisms. The reclassification was expressed through a genetic network based on the total genomic content, not on a single gene to represent the tree of life. This rhizomal exploration represents, more accurately, the evolutionary relationships among the studied species. Our analyses show a separated branch named fifth TRUC (Things Resisting Uncompleted Classifications). This taxon groups CPRs together, independently from Bacteria, Archaea (which regrouped also Nanoarchaeota and Asgard members), Eukarya, and the giant viruses (recognized recently as fourth TRUC). Finally, the broadening of analysis methods will lead to the discovery of new organisms, which justify the importance of updating the classification at every opportunity. In this perspective, our pragmatic representation could be adjusted along with the progress of evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ibrahim
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Colson
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Vicky Merhej
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Rita Zgheib
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, SSA, VITROME, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Mohamad Maatouk
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Sabrina Naud
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Fadi Bittar
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France; (A.I.); (P.C.); (V.M.); (R.Z.); (M.M.); (S.N.)
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, 13005 Marseille, France
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19
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Lei L, Burton ZF. Early Evolution of Transcription Systems and Divergence of Archaea and Bacteria. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:651134. [PMID: 34026831 PMCID: PMC8131849 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.651134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA template-dependent multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) found in all three domains of life and some viruses are of the two-double-Ψ-β-barrel (DPBB) type. The 2-DPBB protein format is also found in some RNA template-dependent RNAPs and a major replicative DNA template-dependent DNA polymerase (DNAP) from Archaea (PolD). The 2-DPBB family of RNAPs and DNAPs probably evolved prior to the last universal common cellular ancestor (LUCA). Archaeal Transcription Factor B (TFB) and bacterial σ factors include homologous strings of helix-turn-helix units. The consequences of TFB-σ homology are discussed in terms of the evolution of archaeal and bacterial core promoters. Domain-specific DPBB loop inserts functionally connect general transcription factors to the RNAP active site. Archaea appear to be more similar to LUCA than Bacteria. Evolution of bacterial σ factors from TFB appears to have driven divergence of Bacteria from Archaea, splitting the prokaryotic domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Lei
- Department of Biology, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Zachary F Burton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, United States
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20
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Liu Y, Makarova KS, Huang WC, Wolf YI, Nikolskaya AN, Zhang X, Cai M, Zhang CJ, Xu W, Luo Z, Cheng L, Koonin EV, Li M. Expanded diversity of Asgard archaea and their relationships with eukaryotes. Nature 2021; 593:553-557. [PMID: 33911286 PMCID: PMC11165668 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03494-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Asgard is a recently discovered superphylum of archaea that appears to include the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes1-5. Debate continues as to whether the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes belongs within the Asgard superphylum or whether this ancestor is a sister group to all other archaea (that is, a two-domain versus a three-domain tree of life)6-8. Here we present a comparative analysis of 162 complete or nearly complete genomes of Asgard archaea, including 75 metagenome-assembled genomes that-to our knowledge-have not previously been reported. Our results substantially expand the phylogenetic diversity of Asgard and lead us to propose six additional phyla that include a deep branch that we have provisionally named Wukongarchaeota. Our phylogenomic analysis does not resolve unequivocally the evolutionary relationship between eukaryotes and Asgard archaea, but instead-depending on the choice of species and conserved genes used to build the phylogeny-supports either the origin of eukaryotes from within Asgard (as a sister group to the expanded Heimdallarchaeota-Wukongarchaeota branch) or a deeper branch for the eukaryote ancestor within archaea. Our comprehensive protein domain analysis using the 162 Asgard genomes results in a major expansion of the set of eukaryotic signature proteins. The Asgard eukaryotic signature proteins show variable phyletic distributions and domain architectures, which is suggestive of dynamic evolution through horizontal gene transfer, gene loss, gene duplication and domain shuffling. The phylogenomics of the Asgard archaea points to the accumulation of the components of the mobile archaeal 'eukaryome' in the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes (within or outside Asgard) through extensive horizontal gene transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wen-Cong Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anastasia N Nikolskaya
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xinxu Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Cui-Jing Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Zhuhua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
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21
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Knopp M, Stockhorst S, van der Giezen M, Garg SG, Gould SB. The Asgard Archaeal-Unique Contribution to Protein Families of the Eukaryotic Common Ancestor Was 0.3. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6248096. [PMID: 33892498 PMCID: PMC8220308 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab085] [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] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of the asgard archaea has fueled speculations regarding the nature of the archaeal host in eukaryogenesis and its level of complexity prior to endosymbiosis. Here, we analyzed the coding capacity of 150 eukaryotes, 1,000 bacteria, and 226 archaea, including the only cultured member of the asgard archaea. Clustering methods that consistently recover endosymbiotic contributions to eukaryotic genomes recover an asgard archaeal-unique contribution of a mere 0.3% to protein families present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor, while simultaneously suggesting that this group's diversity rivals that of all other archaea combined. The number of homologs shared exclusively between asgard archaea and eukaryotes is only 27 on average. This tiny asgard archaeal-unique contribution to the root of eukaryotic protein families questions claims that archaea evolved complexity prior to eukaryogenesis. Genomic and cellular complexity remains a eukaryote-specific feature and is best understood as the archaeal host's solution to housing an endosymbiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Knopp
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Simon Stockhorst
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Sriram G Garg
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sven B Gould
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany
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22
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Nasir A, Mughal F, Caetano-Anollés G. The tree of life describes a tripartite cellular world. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000343. [PMID: 33837594 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The canonical view of a 3-domain (3D) tree of life was recently challenged by the discovery of Asgardarchaeota encoding eukaryote signature proteins (ESPs), which were treated as missing links of a 2-domain (2D) tree. Here we revisit the debate. We discuss methodological limitations of building trees with alignment-dependent approaches, which often fail to satisfactorily address the problem of ''gaps.'' In addition, most phylogenies are reconstructed unrooted, neglecting the power of direct rooting methods. Alignment-free methodologies lift most difficulties but require employing realistic evolutionary models. We argue that the discoveries of Asgards and ESPs, by themselves, do not rule out the 3D tree, which is strongly supported by comparative and evolutionary genomic analyses and vast genomic and biochemical superkingdom distinctions. Given uncertainties of retrodiction and interpretation difficulties, we conclude that the 3D view has not been falsified but instead has been strengthened by genomic analyses. In turn, the objections to the 2D model have not been lifted. The debate remains open. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/-6TBN0bubI8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshan Nasir
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics (T-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
| | - Fizza Mughal
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Gustavo Caetano-Anollés
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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23
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Russum S, Lam KJK, Wong NA, Iddamsetty V, Hendargo KJ, Wang J, Dubey A, Zhang Y, Medrano-Soto A, Saier MH. Comparative population genomic analyses of transporters within the Asgard archaeal superphylum. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247806. [PMID: 33770091 PMCID: PMC7997004 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon discovery of the first archaeal species in the 1970s, life has been subdivided into three domains: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria. However, the organization of the three-domain tree of life has been challenged following the discovery of archaeal lineages such as the TACK and Asgard superphyla. The Asgard Superphylum has emerged as the closest archaeal ancestor to eukaryotes, potentially improving our understanding of the evolution of life forms. We characterized the transportomes and their substrates within four metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), that is, Odin-, Thor-, Heimdall- and Loki-archaeota as well as the fully sequenced genome of Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum strain MK-D1 that belongs to the Loki phylum. Using the Transporter Classification Database (TCDB) as reference, candidate transporters encoded within the proteomes were identified based on sequence similarity, alignment coverage, compatibility of hydropathy profiles, TMS topologies and shared domains. Identified transport systems were compared within the Asgard superphylum as well as within dissimilar eukaryotic, archaeal and bacterial organisms. From these analyses, we infer that Asgard organisms rely mostly on the transport of substrates driven by the proton motive force (pmf), the proton electrochemical gradient which then can be used for ATP production and to drive the activities of secondary carriers. The results indicate that Asgard archaea depend heavily on the uptake of organic molecules such as lipid precursors, amino acids and their derivatives, and sugars and their derivatives. Overall, the majority of the transporters identified are more similar to prokaryotic transporters than eukaryotic systems although several instances of the reverse were documented. Taken together, the results support the previous suggestions that the Asgard superphylum includes organisms that are largely mixotrophic and anaerobic but more clearly define their metabolic potential while providing evidence regarding their relatedness to eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Russum
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Katie Jing Kay Lam
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Alan Wong
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Vasu Iddamsetty
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Kevin J. Hendargo
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Jianing Wang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Aditi Dubey
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Yichi Zhang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Arturo Medrano-Soto
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MHS); (AMS)
| | - Milton H. Saier
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MHS); (AMS)
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24
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Williams TA, Schrempf D, Szöllősi GJ, Cox CJ, Foster PG, Embley TM. Inferring the deep past from molecular data. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6192802. [PMID: 33772552 PMCID: PMC8175050 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an expectation that analyses of molecular sequences might be able to distinguish between alternative hypotheses for ancient relationships, but the phylogenetic methods used and types of data analyzed are of critical importance in any attempt to recover historical signal. Here, we discuss some common issues that can influence the topology of trees obtained when using overly simple models to analyze molecular data that often display complicated patterns of sequence heterogeneity. To illustrate our discussion, we have used three examples of inferred relationships which have changed radically as models and methods of analysis have improved. In two of these examples, the sister-group relationship between thermophilic Thermus and mesophilic Deinococcus, and the position of long-branch Microsporidia among eukaryotes, we show that recovering what is now generally considered to be the correct tree is critically dependent on the fit between model and data. In the third example, the position of eukaryotes in the tree of life, the hypothesis that is currently supported by the best available methods is fundamentally different from the classical view of relationships between major cellular domains. Since heterogeneity appears to be pervasive and varied among all molecular sequence data, and even the best available models can still struggle to deal with some problems, the issues we discuss are generally relevant to phylogenetic analyses. It remains essential to maintain a critical attitude to all trees as hypotheses of relationship that may change with more data and better methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Dominik Schrempf
- Dept. of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely J Szöllősi
- Dept. of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE "Lendület" Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Cymon J Cox
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Gambelas, 8005-319 Faro, Portugal
| | - Peter G Foster
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - T Martin Embley
- Biosciences Institute, Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
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25
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Ocaña-Pallarès E, Vergara Z, Desvoyes B, Tejada-Jimenez M, Romero-Jurado A, Galván A, Fernández E, Ruiz-Trillo I, Gutierrez C. Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) Evolution Is Influenced by Global Gene Duplication/Loss Patterns in Eukaryotic Genomes. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:3878-3889. [PMID: 31990293 PMCID: PMC7058166 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The conservation of orthologs of most subunits of the origin recognition complex (ORC) has served to propose that the whole complex is common to all eukaryotes. However, various uncertainties have arisen concerning ORC subunit composition in a variety of lineages. Also, it is unclear whether the ancestral diversification of ORC in eukaryotes was accompanied by the neofunctionalization of some subunits, for example, role of ORC1 in centriole homeostasis. We have addressed these questions by reconstructing the distribution and evolutionary history of ORC1-5/CDC6 in a taxon-rich eukaryotic data set. First, we identified ORC subunits previously undetected in divergent lineages, which allowed us to propose a series of parsimonious scenarios for the origin of this multiprotein complex. Contrary to previous expectations, we found a global tendency in eukaryotes to increase or decrease the number of subunits as a consequence of genome duplications or streamlining, respectively. Interestingly, parasites show significantly lower number of subunits than free-living eukaryotes, especially those with the lowest genome size and gene content metrics. We also investigated the evolutionary origin of the ORC1 role in centriole homeostasis mediated by the PACT region in human cells. In particular, we tested the consequences of reducing ORC1 levels in the centriole-containing green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We found that the proportion of centrioles to flagella and nuclei was not dramatically affected. This, together with the PACT region not being significantly more conserved in centriole-bearing eukaryotes, supports the notion that this neofunctionalization of ORC1 would be a recent acquisition rather than an ancestral eukaryotic feature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zaida Vergara
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bénédicte Desvoyes
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Tejada-Jimenez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ainoa Romero-Jurado
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Aurora Galván
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Emilio Fernández
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Crisanto Gutierrez
- Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
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26
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Nasir A, Romero-Severson E, Claverie JM. Investigating the Concept and Origin of Viruses. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:959-967. [PMID: 33158732 PMCID: PMC7609044 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has piqued public interest in the properties, evolution, and emergence of viruses. Here, we discuss how these basic questions have surprisingly remained disputed despite being increasingly within the reach of scientific analysis. We review recent data-driven efforts that shed light into the origin and evolution of viruses and explain factors that resist the widespread acceptance of new views and insights. We propose a new definition of viruses that is not restricted to the presence or absence of any genetic or physical feature, detail a scenario for how viruses likely originated from ancient cells, and explain technical and conceptual biases that limit our understanding of virus evolution. We note that the philosophical aspects of virus evolution also impact the way we might prepare for future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshan Nasir
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics (T-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA.
| | - Ethan Romero-Severson
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics (T-6), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Jean-Michel Claverie
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IGS, Structural and Genomic Information Laboratory (UMR7256), Mediterranean Institute of Microbiology (FR3479), Marseille, France
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27
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Garg SG, Kapust N, Lin W, Knopp M, Tria FDK, Nelson-Sathi S, Gould SB, Fan L, Zhu R, Zhang C, Martin WF. Anomalous Phylogenetic Behavior of Ribosomal Proteins in Metagenome-Assembled Asgard Archaea. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 13:5988511. [PMID: 33462601 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomic studies permit the exploration of microbial diversity in a defined habitat, and binning procedures enable phylogenomic analyses, taxon description, and even phenotypic characterizations in the absence of morphological evidence. Such lineages include asgard archaea, which were initially reported to represent archaea with eukaryotic cell complexity, although the first images of such an archaeon show simple cells with prokaryotic characteristics. However, these metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) might suffer from data quality problems not encountered in sequences from cultured organisms due to two common analytical procedures of bioinformatics: assembly of metagenomic sequences and binning of assembled sequences on the basis of innate sequence properties and abundance across samples. Consequently, genomic sequences of distantly related taxa, or domains, can in principle be assigned to the same MAG and result in chimeric sequences. The impacts of low-quality or chimeric MAGs on phylogenomic and metabolic prediction remain unknown. Debates that asgard archaeal data are contaminated with eukaryotic sequences are overshadowed by the lack of evidence indicating that individual asgard MAGs stem from the same chromosome. Here, we show that universal proteins including ribosomal proteins of asgard archaeal MAGs fail to meet the basic phylogenetic criterion fulfilled by genome sequences of cultured archaea investigated to date: These proteins do not share common evolutionary histories to the same extent as pure culture genomes do, pointing to a chimeric nature of asgard archaeal MAGs. Our analysis suggests that some asgard archaeal MAGs represent unnatural constructs, genome-like patchworks of genes resulting from assembly and/or the binning process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram G Garg
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nils Kapust
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Weili Lin
- Putuo People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael Knopp
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Fernando D K Tria
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Shijulal Nelson-Sathi
- Transdisciplinary Biology, Computational Biology Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Sven B Gould
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lu Fan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,SUSTech Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruixin Zhu
- Putuo People's Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanlun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Archaea Geo-Omics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - William F Martin
- Institute for Molecular Evolution, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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28
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Bell PJ. Evidence supporting a viral origin of the eukaryotic nucleus. Virus Res 2020; 289:198168. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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29
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Brázda V, Luo Y, Bartas M, Kaura P, Porubiaková O, Šťastný J, Pečinka P, Verga D, Da Cunha V, Takahashi TS, Forterre P, Myllykallio H, Fojta M, Mergny JL. G-Quadruplexes in the Archaea Domain. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10091349. [PMID: 32967357 PMCID: PMC7565180 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of unusual DNA structures in the regulation of basic cellular processes is an emerging field of research. Amongst local non-B DNA structures, G-quadruplexes (G4s) have gained in popularity during the last decade, and their presence and functional relevance at the DNA and RNA level has been demonstrated in a number of viral, bacterial, and eukaryotic genomes, including humans. Here, we performed the first systematic search of G4-forming sequences in all archaeal genomes available in the NCBI database. In this article, we investigate the presence and locations of G-quadruplex forming sequences using the G4Hunter algorithm. G-quadruplex-prone sequences were identified in all archaeal species, with highly significant differences in frequency, from 0.037 to 15.31 potential quadruplex sequences per kb. While G4 forming sequences were extremely abundant in Hadesarchaea archeon (strikingly, more than 50% of the Hadesarchaea archaeon isolate WYZ-LMO6 genome is a potential part of a G4-motif), they were very rare in the Parvarchaeota phylum. The presence of G-quadruplex forming sequences does not follow a random distribution with an over-representation in non-coding RNA, suggesting possible roles for ncRNA regulation. These data illustrate the unique and non-random localization of G-quadruplexes in Archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Václav Brázda
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Yu Luo
- Institut Curie, CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Universite Paris Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Martin Bartas
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Patrik Kaura
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Otilia Porubiaková
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 464/118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šťastný
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pečinka
- Department of Biology and Ecology/Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Verga
- Institut Curie, CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Universite Paris Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Violette Da Cunha
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEDEX, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Tomio S Takahashi
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEDEX, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Patrick Forterre
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEDEX, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hannu Myllykallio
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Palaiseau, France
| | - Miroslav Fojta
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Palaiseau, France
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30
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Mughal F, Nasir A, Caetano-Anollés G. The origin and evolution of viruses inferred from fold family structure. Arch Virol 2020; 165:2177-2191. [PMID: 32748179 PMCID: PMC7398281 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-020-04724-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The canonical frameworks of viral evolution describe viruses as cellular predecessors, reduced forms of cells, or entities that escaped cellular control. The discovery of giant viruses has changed these standard paradigms. Their genetic, proteomic and structural complexities resemble those of cells, prompting a redefinition and reclassification of viruses. In a previous genome-wide analysis of the evolution of structural domains in proteomes, with domains defined at the fold superfamily level, we found the origins of viruses intertwined with those of ancient cells. Here, we extend these data-driven analyses to the study of fold families confirming the co-evolution of viruses and ancient cells and the genetic ability of viruses to foster molecular innovation. The results support our suggestion that viruses arose by genomic reduction from ancient cells and validate a co-evolutionary ‘symbiogenic’ model of viral origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fizza Mughal
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Illinois Informatics Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Arshan Nasir
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Gustavo Caetano-Anollés
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Illinois Informatics Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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Insights into the evolution of regulated actin dynamics via characterization of primitive gelsolin/cofilin proteins from Asgard archaea. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:19904-19913. [PMID: 32747565 PMCID: PMC7444086 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009167117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic gelsolin superfamily proteins generally comprise three or more related domains. Here we characterize single- and double-domain gelsolins from Thorarchaeota (Thor). Similar domain architectures are present in Heimdall-, Loki-, and Odinarchaeota. Thor gelsolins are functional in regulating rabbit actin in in vitro assays, showing a range of activities including actin filament severing and bundling. These gelsolins bind to the eukaryotic gelsolin/cofilin-binding site on actin. Two-domain, but not one-domain, gelsolins are calcium regulated. Thor gelsolins appear to have the characteristics and structure consistent with primitive gelsolins/cofilins, suggesting that these single- and double-domain gelsolins are a record of a nascent preeukaryotic actin-regulation machinery. Asgard archaea genomes contain potential eukaryotic-like genes that provide intriguing insight for the evolution of eukaryotes. The eukaryotic actin polymerization/depolymerization cycle is critical for providing force and structure in many processes, including membrane remodeling. In general, Asgard genomes encode two classes of actin-regulating proteins from sequence analysis, profilins and gelsolins. Asgard profilins were demonstrated to regulate actin filament nucleation. Here, we identify actin filament severing, capping, annealing and bundling, and monomer sequestration activities by gelsolin proteins from Thorarchaeota (Thor), which complete a eukaryotic-like actin depolymerization cycle, and indicate complex actin cytoskeleton regulation in Asgard organisms. Thor gelsolins have homologs in other Asgard archaea and comprise one or two copies of the prototypical gelsolin domain. This appears to be a record of an initial preeukaryotic gene duplication event, since eukaryotic gelsolins are generally comprise three to six domains. X-ray structures of these proteins in complex with mammalian actin revealed similar interactions to the first domain of human gelsolin or cofilin with actin. Asgard two-domain, but not one-domain, gelsolins contain calcium-binding sites, which is manifested in calcium-controlled activities. Expression of two-domain gelsolins in mammalian cells enhanced actin filament disassembly on ionomycin-triggered calcium release. This functional demonstration, at the cellular level, provides evidence for a calcium-controlled Asgard actin cytoskeleton, indicating that the calcium-regulated actin cytoskeleton predates eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, dynamic bundled actin filaments are responsible for shaping filopodia and microvilli. By correlation, we hypothesize that the formation of the protrusions observed from Lokiarchaeota cell bodies may involve the gelsolin-regulated actin structures.
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Visualization of Lokiarchaeia and Heimdallarchaeia (Asgardarchaeota) by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Catalyzed Reporter Deposition (CARD-FISH). mSphere 2020; 5:5/4/e00686-20. [PMID: 32727863 PMCID: PMC7392546 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00686-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Asgardarchaeota are considered to be the closest relatives to modern eukaryotes. These enigmatic microbes have been mainly studied using metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Only very recently, a first member of Lokiarchaeia was isolated and characterized in detail; it featured a striking morphology with long, branching protrusions. In order to visualize additional members of the phylum Asgardarchaeota, we applied a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages. We provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia that are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by an apparently centralized DNA localization. Further, we provide new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative and with multiple morphologies, ranging from small ovoid cells to long filaments. This diversity in observed cell shapes is likely owing to the large phylogenetic diversity within Asgardarchaeota, the vast majority of which remain uncultured. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of Asgardarchaeota have been recovered from a variety of habitats, broadening their environmental distribution and providing access to the genetic makeup of this archaeal lineage. The recent success in cultivating the first representative of Lokiarchaeia was a breakthrough in science at large and gave rise to new hypotheses about the evolution of eukaryotes. Despite their singular phylogenetic position at the base of the eukaryotic tree of life, the morphology of these bewildering organisms remains a mystery, except for the report of an unusual morphology with long, branching protrusions of the cultivated Lokiarchaeion strain “Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum” MK-D1. In order to visualize this elusive group, we applied a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization and catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD-FISH) and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed CARD-FISH probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages, and provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia and new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative. Here, we show that while Heimdallarchaeia are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by a centralized DNA localization, Lokiarchaeia display a plethora of shapes and sizes that likely reflect their broad phylogenetic diversity and ecological distribution. IMPORTANCE Asgardarchaeota are considered to be the closest relatives to modern eukaryotes. These enigmatic microbes have been mainly studied using metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Only very recently, a first member of Lokiarchaeia was isolated and characterized in detail; it featured a striking morphology with long, branching protrusions. In order to visualize additional members of the phylum Asgardarchaeota, we applied a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique and epifluorescence microscopy on coastal hypersaline sediment samples, using specifically designed probes for Heimdallarchaeia and Lokiarchaeia lineages. We provide the first visual evidence for Heimdallarchaeia that are characterized by a uniform cellular morphology typified by an apparently centralized DNA localization. Further, we provide new images of a lineage of Lokiarchaeia that is different from the cultured representative and with multiple morphologies, ranging from small ovoid cells to long filaments. This diversity in observed cell shapes is likely owing to the large phylogenetic diversity within Asgardarchaeota, the vast majority of which remain uncultured.
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Abstract
The emergence of the endomembrane system is a key step in the evolution of cellular complexity during eukaryogenesis. The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery is essential and required for the endomembrane system functions in eukaryotic cells. Recently, genes encoding eukaryote-like ESCRT protein components have been identified in the genomes of Asgard archaea, a newly proposed archaeal superphylum that is thought to include the closest extant prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. However, structural and functional features of Asgard ESCRT remain uncharacterized. Here, we show that Vps4, Vps2/24/46, and Vps20/32/60, the core functional components of the Asgard ESCRT, coevolved eukaryote-like structural and functional features. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Asgard Vps4, Vps2/24/46, and Vps20/32/60 are closely related to their eukaryotic counterparts. Molecular dynamics simulation and biochemical assays indicate that Asgard Vps4 contains a eukaryote-like microtubule-interacting and transport (MIT) domain that binds the distinct type 1 MIT-interacting motif and type 2 MIT-interacting motif in Vps2/24/46 and Vps20/32/60, respectively. The Asgard Vps4 partly, but much more efficiently than homologs from other archaea, complements the vps4 null mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, further supporting the functional similarity between the membrane remodeling machineries of Asgard archaea and eukaryotes. Thus, this work provides evidence that the ESCRT complexes from Asgard archaea and eukaryotes are evolutionarily related and functionally similar. Thus, despite the apparent absence of endomembranes in Asgard archaea, the eukaryotic ESCRT seems to have been directly inherited from an Asgard ancestor, to become a key component of the emerging endomembrane system.IMPORTANCE The discovery of Asgard archaea has changed the existing ideas on the origins of eukaryotes. Researchers propose that eukaryotic cells evolved from Asgard archaea. This hypothesis partly stems from the presence of multiple eukaryotic signature proteins in Asgard archaea, including homologs of ESCRT proteins that are essential components of the endomembrane system in eukaryotes. However, structural and functional features of Asgard ESCRT remain unknown. Our study provides evidence that Asgard ESCRT is functionally comparable to the eukaryotic counterparts, suggesting that despite the apparent absence of endomembranes in archaea, eukaryotic ESCRT was inherited from an Asgard archaeal ancestor, alongside the emergence of endomembrane system during eukaryogenesis.
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Abstract
Over the past decade, advances in methodologies for the determination of chromosome conformation have provided remarkable insight into the local and higher-order organization of bacterial and eukaryotic chromosomes. Locally folded domains are found in both bacterial and eukaryotic genomes, although they vary in size. Importantly, genomes of metazoans also possess higher-order organization into A- and B-type compartments, regions of transcriptionally active and inactive chromatin, respectively. Until recently, nothing was known about the organization of genomes of organisms in the third domain of life - the archaea. However, despite archaea possessing simple circular genomes that are morphologically reminiscent of those seen in many bacteria, a recent study of archaea of the genus Sulfolobus has revealed that it organizes its genome into large-scale domains. These domains further interact to form defined A- and B-type compartments. The interplay of transcription and localization of a novel structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) superfamily protein, termed coalescin, defines compartment identity. In this Review, we discuss the mechanistic and evolutionary implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomichi Takemata
- Biology Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
| | - Stephen D Bell
- Biology Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA .,Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
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Bateman A. Division of labour in a matrix, rather than phagocytosis or endosymbiosis, as a route for the origin of eukaryotic cells. Biol Direct 2020; 15:8. [PMID: 32345370 PMCID: PMC7187495 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-020-00260-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Two apparently irreconcilable models dominate research into the origin of eukaryotes. In one model, amitochondrial proto-eukaryotes emerged autogenously from the last universal common ancestor of all cells. Proto-eukaryotes subsequently acquired mitochondrial progenitors by the phagocytic capture of bacteria. In the second model, two prokaryotes, probably an archaeon and a bacterial cell, engaged in prokaryotic endosymbiosis, with the species resident within the host becoming the mitochondrial progenitor. Both models have limitations. A search was therefore undertaken for alternative routes towards the origin of eukaryotic cells. The question was addressed by considering classes of potential pathways from prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells based on considerations of cellular topology. Among the solutions identified, one, called here the “third-space model”, has not been widely explored. A version is presented in which an extracellular space (the third-space), serves as a proxy cytoplasm for mixed populations of archaea and bacteria to “merge” as a transitionary complex without obligatory endosymbiosis or phagocytosis and to form a precursor cell. Incipient nuclei and mitochondria diverge by division of labour. The third-space model can accommodate the reorganization of prokaryote-like genomes to a more eukaryote-like genome structure. Nuclei with multiple chromosomes and mitosis emerge as a natural feature of the model. The model is compatible with the loss of archaeal lipid biochemistry while retaining archaeal genes and provides a route for the development of membranous organelles such as the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. Advantages, limitations and variations of the “third-space” models are discussed. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Damien Devos, Buzz Baum and Michael Gray.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Bateman
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Glen Site Pavilion E, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada. .,Centre for Translational Biology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Glen Site Pavilion E, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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Sun Y, Liu Y, Pan J, Wang F, Li M. Perspectives on Cultivation Strategies of Archaea. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 79:770-784. [PMID: 31432245 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01422-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Archaea have been recognized as a major domain of life since the 1970s and occupy a key position in the tree of life. Recent advances in culture-independent approaches have greatly accelerated the research son Archaea. However, many hypotheses concerning the diversity, physiology, and evolution of archaea are waiting to be confirmed by culture-base experiments. Consequently, archaeal isolates are in great demand. On the other hand, traditional approaches of archaeal cultivation are rarely successful and require urgent improvement. Here, we review the current practices and applicable microbial cultivation techniques, to inform on potential strategies that could improve archaeal cultivation in the future. We first summarize the current knowledge on archaeal diversity, with an emphasis on cultivated and uncultivated lineages pertinent to future research. Possible causes for the low success rate of the current cultivation practices are then discussed to propose future improvements. Finally, innovative insights for archaeal cultivation are described, including (1) medium refinement for selective cultivation based on the genetic and transcriptional information; (2) consideration of the up-to-date archaeal culturing skills; and (3) application of multiple cultivation techniques, such as co-culture, direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), single-cell isolation, high-throughput culturing (HTC), and simulation of the natural habitat. Improved cultivation efforts should allow successful isolation of as yet uncultured archaea, contributing to the much-needed physiological investigation of archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihua Sun
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Pan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Li
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Cai M, Liu Y, Yin X, Zhou Z, Friedrich MW, Richter-Heitmann T, Nimzyk R, Kulkarni A, Wang X, Li W, Pan J, Yang Y, Gu JD, Li M. Diverse Asgard archaea including the novel phylum Gerdarchaeota participate in organic matter degradation. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:886-897. [PMID: 32201928 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1679-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Asgard is an archaeal superphylum that might hold the key to understand the origin of eukaryotes, but its diversity and ecological roles remain poorly understood. Here, we reconstructed 15 metagenomic-assembled genomes from coastal sediments covering most known Asgard archaea and a novel group, which is proposed as a new Asgard phylum named as the "Gerdarchaeota". Genomic analyses predict that Gerdarchaeota are facultative anaerobes in utilizing both organic and inorganic carbon. Unlike their closest relatives Heimdallarchaeota, Gerdarchaeota have genes encoding for cellulase and enzymes involved in the tetrahydromethanopterin-based Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Transcriptomics showed that most of our identified Asgard archaea are capable of degrading organic matter, including peptides, amino acids and fatty acids, occupying ecological niches in different depths of layers of the sediments. Overall, this study broadens the diversity of the mysterious Asgard archaea and provides evidence for their ecological roles in coastal sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xiuran Yin
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Zhichao Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Michael W Friedrich
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Tim Richter-Heitmann
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Rolf Nimzyk
- Department of Microbe-Plant Interactions, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Ajinkya Kulkarni
- Microbial Ecophysiology Group, Faculty of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, D-28359, Germany
| | - Xiaowen Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yuchun Yang
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Ji-Dong Gu
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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Bokhari RH, Amirjan N, Jeong H, Kim KM, Caetano-Anollés G, Nasir A. Bacterial Origin and Reductive Evolution of the CPR Group. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 12:103-121. [PMID: 32031619 PMCID: PMC7093835 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The candidate phyla radiation (CPR) is a proposed subdivision within the bacterial domain comprising several candidate phyla. CPR organisms are united by small genome and physical sizes, lack several metabolic enzymes, and populate deep branches within the bacterial subtree of life. These features raise intriguing questions regarding their origin and mode of evolution. In this study, we performed a comparative and phylogenomic analysis to investigate CPR origin and evolution. Unlike previous gene/protein sequence-based reports of CPR evolution, we used protein domain superfamilies classified by protein structure databases to resolve the evolutionary relationships of CPR with non-CPR bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya, and viruses. Across all supergroups, CPR shared maximum superfamilies with non-CPR bacteria and were placed as deep branching bacteria in most phylogenomic trees. CPR contributed 1.22% of new superfamilies to bacteria including the ribosomal protein L19e and encoded four core superfamilies that are likely involved in cell-to-cell interaction and establishing episymbiotic lifestyles. Although CPR and non-CPR bacterial proteomes gained common superfamilies over the course of evolution, CPR and Archaea had more common losses. These losses mostly involved metabolic superfamilies. In fact, phylogenies built from only metabolic protein superfamilies separated CPR and non-CPR bacteria. These findings indicate that CPR are bacterial organisms that have probably evolved in an Archaea-like manner via the early loss of metabolic functions. We also discovered that phylogenies built from metabolic and informational superfamilies gave contrasting views of the groupings among Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya, which add to the current debate on the evolutionary relationships among superkingdoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nooreen Amirjan
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hyeonsoo Jeong
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kyung Mo Kim
- Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Gustavo Caetano-Anollés
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana
| | - Arshan Nasir
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan
- Theoretical Biology & Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
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Abstract
Replicative DNA helicases are essential cellular enzymes that unwind duplex DNA in front of the replication fork during chromosomal DNA replication. Replicative helicases were discovered, beginning in the 1970s, in bacteria, bacteriophages, viruses, and eukarya, and, in the mid-1990s, in archaea. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first report on the archaeal replicative helicase, the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) protein. This minireview summarizes 2 decades of work on the archaeal MCM.
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40
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Reply to Ku and Sun: Ancestors of modern giant and large eukaryotic dsDNA viruses infected proto-eukaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:2749-2750. [PMID: 31992645 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920855117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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41
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Bozorgmehr JH. The origin of chromosomal histones in a 30S ribosomal protein. Gene 2020; 726:144155. [PMID: 31629821 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.144155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Histones are genes that regulate chromatin structure. They are present in both eukaryotes and archaea, and form nucleosomes with DNA, but their exact evolutionary origins have hitherto remained a mystery. A longstanding hypothesis is that they have precursors in ribosomal proteins with whom they share much in common in terms of size and chemistry. By examining the proteome of the Asgard archaeon, Lokiarchaeum, the most conserved of all the histones, H4, is found to plausibly be homologous with one of its 30S ribosomal proteins, RPS6. This is based on both sequence identity and statistical analysis. The N-terminal tail, containing key sites involved in post-translational modifications, is notably present in the precursor gene. Although other archaeal groups possess similar homologs, these are not as close to H4 as the one found in Lokiarchaeum. The other core histones, H2A, H2B and H3, appear to have also evolved from the same ribosomal protein. Parts of H4 are also similar to another ribosomal protein, namely RPS15, suggesting that the ancestral precursor could have resembled both. Eukaryotic histones, in addition, appear to have an independent origin to that of their archaeal counterparts that evolved from similar, but still different, 30S subunit proteins, some of which are much more like histones in terms of their physical structure. The nucleosome may, therefore, be not only of archaeal but also of ribosomal origin.
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Zhang RY, Zou B, Yan YW, Jeon CO, Li M, Cai M, Quan ZX. Design of targeted primers based on 16S rRNA sequences in meta-transcriptomic datasets and identification of a novel taxonomic group in the Asgard archaea. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:25. [PMID: 32013868 PMCID: PMC6998087 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-1707-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amplification of small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes with universal primers is a common method used to assess microbial populations in various environmental samples. However, owing to limitations in coverage of these universal primers, some microorganisms remain unidentified. The present study aimed to establish a method for amplifying nearly full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences of previously unidentified prokaryotes, using newly designed targeted primers via primer evaluation in meta-transcriptomic datasets. METHODS Primer binding regions of universal primer 8F/Arch21F for bacteria or archaea were used for primer evaluation of SSU rRNA sequences in meta-transcriptomic datasets. Furthermore, targeted forward primers were designed based on SSU rRNA reads from unclassified groups unmatched with the universal primer 8F/Arch21F, and these primers were used to amplify nearly full-length special SSU rRNA gene sequences along with universal reverse primer 1492R. Similarity and phylogenetic analysis were used to confirm their novel status. RESULTS Using this method, we identified unclassified SSU rRNA sequences that were not matched with universal primer 8F and Arch21F. A new group within the Asgard superphylum was amplified by the newly designed specific primer based on these unclassified SSU rRNA sequences by using mudflat samples. CONCLUSION We showed that using specific primers designed based on universal primer evaluation from meta-transcriptomic datasets, identification of novel taxonomic groups from a specific environment is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Yi Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Wei Yan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Maricultural Organism Disease Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Che Ok Jeon
- School of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Meng Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingwei Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhe-Xue Quan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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Imachi H, Nobu MK, Nakahara N, Morono Y, Ogawara M, Takaki Y, Takano Y, Uematsu K, Ikuta T, Ito M, Matsui Y, Miyazaki M, Murata K, Saito Y, Sakai S, Song C, Tasumi E, Yamanaka Y, Yamaguchi T, Kamagata Y, Tamaki H, Takai K. Isolation of an archaeon at the prokaryote-eukaryote interface. Nature 2020; 577:519-525. [PMID: 31942073 PMCID: PMC7015854 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1916-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 334] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The origin of eukaryotes remains unclear1-4. Current data suggest that eukaryotes may have emerged from an archaeal lineage known as 'Asgard' archaea5,6. Despite the eukaryote-like genomic features that are found in these archaea, the evolutionary transition from archaea to eukaryotes remains unclear, owing to the lack of cultured representatives and corresponding physiological insights. Here we report the decade-long isolation of an Asgard archaeon related to Lokiarchaeota from deep marine sediment. The archaeon-'Candidatus Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum' strain MK-D1-is an anaerobic, extremely slow-growing, small coccus (around 550 nm in diameter) that degrades amino acids through syntrophy. Although eukaryote-like intracellular complexes have been proposed for Asgard archaea6, the isolate has no visible organelle-like structure. Instead, Ca. P. syntrophicum is morphologically complex and has unique protrusions that are long and often branching. On the basis of the available data obtained from cultivation and genomics, and reasoned interpretations of the existing literature, we propose a hypothetical model for eukaryogenesis, termed the entangle-engulf-endogenize (also known as E3) model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Imachi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan.
| | - Masaru K Nobu
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Nozomi Nakahara
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Japan
| | - Yuki Morono
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, X-star, JAMSTEC, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Miyuki Ogawara
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Takano
- Biogeochemistry Program, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Uematsu
- Department of Marine and Earth Sciences, Marine Work Japan, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Ikuta
- Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Motoo Ito
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, X-star, JAMSTEC, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Yohei Matsui
- Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, JAMSTEC, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miyazaki
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | | | - Yumi Saito
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Sanae Sakai
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Chihong Song
- National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Eiji Tasumi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Yuko Yamanaka
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamaguchi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Japan
| | - Yoichi Kamagata
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Tamaki
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ken Takai
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
- Section for Exploration of Life in Extreme Environments, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
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Bloomfield G. The molecular foundations of zygosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:323-330. [PMID: 31203379 PMCID: PMC11105095 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03187-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Zygosis is the generation of new biological individuals by the sexual fusion of gamete cells. Our current understanding of eukaryotic phylogeny indicates that sex is ancestral to all extant eukaryotes. Although sexual development is extremely diverse, common molecular elements have been retained. HAP2-GCS1, a protein that promotes the fusion of gamete cell membranes that is related in structure to certain viral fusogens, is conserved in many eukaryotic lineages, even though gametes vary considerably in form and behaviour between species. Similarly, although zygotes have dramatically different forms and fates in different organisms, diverse eukaryotes share a common developmental programme in which homeodomain-containing transcription factors play a central role. These common mechanistic elements suggest possible common evolutionary histories that, if correct, would have profound implications for our understanding of eukaryogenesis.
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Williams TA, Cox CJ, Foster PG, Szöllősi GJ, Embley TM. Phylogenomics provides robust support for a two-domains tree of life. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:138-147. [PMID: 31819234 PMCID: PMC6942926 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-1040-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Hypotheses about the origin of eukaryotic cells are classically framed within the context of a universal 'tree of life' based on conserved core genes. Vigorous ongoing debate about eukaryote origins is based on assertions that the topology of the tree of life depends on the taxa included and the choice and quality of genomic data analysed. Here we have reanalysed the evidence underpinning those claims and apply more data to the question by using supertree and coalescent methods to interrogate >3,000 gene families in archaea and eukaryotes. We find that eukaryotes consistently originate from within the archaea in a two-domains tree when due consideration is given to the fit between model and data. Our analyses support a close relationship between eukaryotes and Asgard archaea and identify the Heimdallarchaeota as the current best candidate for the closest archaeal relatives of the eukaryotic nuclear lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Cymon J Cox
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Peter G Foster
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Gergely J Szöllősi
- MTA-ELTE "Lendület" Evolutionary Genomics Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Evolutionary Systems Research Group, Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Tihany, Hungary
| | - T Martin Embley
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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Gribaldo S, Brochier-Armanet C. Evolutionary relationships between Archaea and eukaryotes. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 4:20-21. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-1073-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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47
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Subirana JA, Messeguer X. Satellites in the prokaryote world. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:181. [PMID: 31533616 PMCID: PMC6749651 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1504-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Satellites or tandem repeats are very abundant in many eukaryotic genomes. Occasionally they have been reported to be present in some prokaryotes, but to our knowledge there is no general comparative study on their occurrence. For this reason we present here an overview of the distribution and properties of satellites in a set of representative species. Our results provide novel insights into the evolutionary relationship between eukaryotes, Archaea and Bacteria. Results We have searched all possible satellites present in the NCBI reference group of genomes in Archaea (142 species) and in Bacteria (119 species), detecting 2735 satellites in Archaea and 1067 in Bacteria. We have found that the distribution of satellites is very variable in different organisms. The archaeal Methanosarcina class stands out for the large amount of satellites in their genomes. Satellites from a few species have similar characteristics to those in eukaryotes, but most species have very few satellites: only 21 species in Archaea and 18 in Bacteria have more than 4 satellites/Mb. The distribution of satellites in these species is reminiscent of what is found in eukaryotes, but we find two significant differences: most satellites have a short length and many of them correspond to segments of genes coding for amino acid repeats. Transposition of non-coding satellites throughout the genome occurs rarely: only in the bacteria Leptospira interrogans and the archaea Methanocella conradii we have detected satellite families of transposed satellites with long repeats. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the presence of satellites in the genome is not an exclusive feature of eukaryotes. We have described a few prokaryotes which do contain satellites. We present a discussion on their eventual evolutionary significance. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-019-1504-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Subirana
- Department of Computer Science, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Xavier Messeguer
- Department of Computer Science, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
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48
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Diversification of giant and large eukaryotic dsDNA viruses predated the origin of modern eukaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19585-19592. [PMID: 31506349 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912006116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Giant and large eukaryotic double-stranded DNA viruses from the Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large DNA Virus (NCLDV) assemblage represent a remarkably diverse and potentially ancient component of the eukaryotic virome. However, their origin(s), evolution, and potential roles in the emergence of modern eukaryotes remain subjects of intense debate. Here we present robust phylogenetic trees of NCLDVs, based on the 8 most conserved proteins responsible for virion morphogenesis and informational processes. Our results uncover the evolutionary relationships between different NCLDV families and support the existence of 2 superclades of NCLDVs, each encompassing several families. We present evidence strongly suggesting that the NCLDV core genes, which are involved in both informational processes and virion formation, were acquired vertically from a common ancestor. Among them, the largest subunits of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase were transferred between 2 clades of NCLDVs and proto-eukaryotes, giving rise to 2 of the 3 eukaryotic DNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Our results strongly suggest that these transfers and the diversification of NCLDVs predated the emergence of modern eukaryotes, emphasizing the major role of viruses in the evolution of cellular domains.
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49
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Talbert PB, Meers MP, Henikoff S. Old cogs, new tricks: the evolution of gene expression in a chromatin context. Nat Rev Genet 2019; 20:283-297. [PMID: 30886348 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-019-0105-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Sophisticated gene-regulatory mechanisms probably evolved in prokaryotes billions of years before the emergence of modern eukaryotes, which inherited the same basic enzymatic machineries. However, the epigenomic landscapes of eukaryotes are dominated by nucleosomes, which have acquired roles in genome packaging, mitotic condensation and silencing parasitic genomic elements. Although the molecular mechanisms by which nucleosomes are displaced and modified have been described, just how transcription factors, histone variants and modifications and chromatin regulators act on nucleosomes to regulate transcription is the subject of considerable ongoing study. We explore the extent to which these transcriptional regulatory components function in the context of the evolutionarily ancient role of chromatin as a barrier to processes acting on DNA and how chromatin proteins have diversified to carry out evolutionarily recent functions that accompanied the emergence of differentiation and development in multicellular eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul B Talbert
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michael P Meers
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Steven Henikoff
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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50
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Field
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom;
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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