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Petrone ME, Grove J, Mélade J, Mifsud JCO, Parry RH, Marzinelli EM, Holmes EC. A ~40-kb flavi-like virus does not encode a known error-correcting mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403805121. [PMID: 39018195 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403805121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
It is commonly held that there is a fundamental relationship between genome size and error rate, manifest as a notional "error threshold" that sets an upper limit on genome sizes. The genome sizes of RNA viruses, which have intrinsically high mutation rates due to a lack of mechanisms for error correction, must therefore be small to avoid accumulating an excessive number of deleterious mutations that will ultimately lead to population extinction. The proposed exceptions to this evolutionary rule are RNA viruses from the order Nidovirales (such as coronaviruses) that encode error-correcting exonucleases, enabling them to reach genome lengths greater than 40 kb. The recent discovery of large-genome flavi-like viruses (Flaviviridae), which comprise genomes up to 27 kb in length yet seemingly do not encode exonuclease domains, has led to the proposal that a proofreading mechanism is required to facilitate the expansion of nonsegmented RNA virus genomes above 30 kb. Herein, we describe a ~40 kb flavi-like virus identified in a Haliclona sponge metatranscriptome that does not encode a known exonuclease. Structural analysis revealed that this virus may have instead captured cellular domains associated with nucleic acid metabolism that have not been previously found in RNA viruses. Phylogenetic inference placed this virus as a divergent pesti-like lineage, such that we have provisionally termed it "Maximus pesti-like virus." This virus represents an instance of a flavi-like virus achieving a genome size comparable to that of the Nidovirales and demonstrates that RNA viruses have evolved multiple solutions to overcome the error threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Petrone
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Joe Grove
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow G61 1QH, United Kingdom
| | - Julien Mélade
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jonathon C O Mifsud
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Rhys H Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Ezequiel M Marzinelli
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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2
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Steffen K, Proux-Wéra E, Soler L, Churcher A, Sundh J, Cárdenas P. Whole genome sequence of the deep-sea sponge Geodia barretti (Metazoa, Porifera, Demospongiae). G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad192. [PMID: 37619978 PMCID: PMC10542158 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are among the earliest branching extant animals. As such, genetic data from this group are valuable for understanding the evolution of various traits and processes in other animals. However, like many marine organisms, they are notoriously difficult to sequence, and hence, genomic data are scarce. Here, we present the draft genome assembly for the North Atlantic deep-sea high microbial abundance species Geodia barretti Bowerbank 1858, from a single individual collected on the West Coast of Sweden. The nuclear genome assembly has 4,535 scaffolds, an N50 of 48,447 bp and a total length of 144 Mb; the mitochondrial genome is 17,996 bp long. BUSCO completeness was 71.5%. The genome was annotated using a combination of ab initio and evidence-based methods finding 31,884 protein-coding genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Steffen
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 24, Sweden
| | - Estelle Proux-Wéra
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna SE-17121, Sweden
| | - Lucile Soler
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden (NBIS), Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala 752 37, Sweden
| | - Allison Churcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Umeå University, Umeå 901 87, Sweden
| | - John Sundh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna SE-17121, Sweden
| | - Paco Cárdenas
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 24, Sweden
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3
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Ruperti F, Papadopoulos N, Musser JM, Mirdita M, Steinegger M, Arendt D. Cross-phyla protein annotation by structural prediction and alignment. Genome Biol 2023; 24:113. [PMID: 37173746 PMCID: PMC10176882 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02942-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protein annotation is a major goal in molecular biology, yet experimentally determined knowledge is typically limited to a few model organisms. In non-model species, the sequence-based prediction of gene orthology can be used to infer protein identity; however, this approach loses predictive power at longer evolutionary distances. Here we propose a workflow for protein annotation using structural similarity, exploiting the fact that similar protein structures often reflect homology and are more conserved than protein sequences. RESULTS We propose a workflow of openly available tools for the functional annotation of proteins via structural similarity (MorF: MorphologFinder) and use it to annotate the complete proteome of a sponge. Sponges are highly relevant for inferring the early history of animals, yet their proteomes remain sparsely annotated. MorF accurately predicts the functions of proteins with known homology in [Formula: see text] cases and annotates an additional [Formula: see text] of the proteome beyond standard sequence-based methods. We uncover new functions for sponge cell types, including extensive FGF, TGF, and Ephrin signaling in sponge epithelia, and redox metabolism and control in myopeptidocytes. Notably, we also annotate genes specific to the enigmatic sponge mesocytes, proposing they function to digest cell walls. CONCLUSIONS Our work demonstrates that structural similarity is a powerful approach that complements and extends sequence similarity searches to identify homologous proteins over long evolutionary distances. We anticipate this will be a powerful approach that boosts discovery in numerous -omics datasets, especially for non-model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Ruperti
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Collaboration for joint Ph.D. degree between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Papadopoulos
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department for Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jacob M Musser
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Milot Mirdita
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Martin Steinegger
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Artificial Intelligence Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Detlev Arendt
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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4
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Michellod D, Bien T, Birgel D, Violette M, Kleiner M, Fearn S, Zeidler C, Gruber-Vodicka HR, Dubilier N, Liebeke M. De novo phytosterol synthesis in animals. Science 2023; 380:520-526. [PMID: 37141360 PMCID: PMC11139496 DOI: 10.1126/science.add7830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Sterols are vital for nearly all eukaryotes. Their distribution differs in plants and animals, with phytosterols commonly found in plants whereas most animals are dominated by cholesterol. We show that sitosterol, a common sterol of plants, is the most abundant sterol in gutless marine annelids. Using multiomics, metabolite imaging, heterologous gene expression, and enzyme assays, we show that these animals synthesize sitosterol de novo using a noncanonical C-24 sterol methyltransferase (C24-SMT). This enzyme is essential for sitosterol synthesis in plants, but not known from most bilaterian animals. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that C24-SMTs are present in representatives of at least five animal phyla, indicating that the synthesis of sterols common to plants is more widespread in animals than currently known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolma Michellod
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Tanja Bien
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 41, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Birgel
- Institute for Geology, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, Bundesstraße 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlene Violette
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Manuel Kleiner
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sarah Fearn
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Zeidler
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Dubilier
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Manuel Liebeke
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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Amelia TSM, Suaberon FAC, Vad J, Fahmi ADM, Saludes JP, Bhubalan K. Recent Advances of Marine Sponge-Associated Microorganisms as a Source of Commercially Viable Natural Products. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:492-512. [PMID: 35567600 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10130-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many industrially significant compounds have been derived from natural products in the environment. Research efforts so far have contributed to the discovery of beneficial natural products that have improved the quality of life on Earth. As one of the sources of natural products, marine sponges have been progressively recognised as microbial hotspots with reports of the sponges harbouring diverse microbial assemblages, genetic material, and metabolites with multiple industrial applications. Therefore, this paper aims at reviewing the recent literature (primarily published between 2016 and 2022) on the types and functions of natural products synthesised by sponge-associated microorganisms, thereby helping to bridge the gap between research and industrial applications. The metabolites that have been derived from sponge-associated microorganisms, mostly bacteria, fungi, and algae, have shown application prospects especially in medicine, cosmeceutical, environmental protection, and manufacturing industries. Sponge bacteria-derived natural products with medical properties harboured anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral functions. Efforts in re-identifying the origin of known and future sponge-sourced natural products would further clarify the roles and significance of microbes within marine sponges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Suet May Amelia
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Ferr Angelus C Suaberon
- Center for Natural Drug Discovery & Development (CND3), University of San Agustin, 5000, Iloilo City, Philippines
| | - Johanne Vad
- Changing Oceans Research Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Afiq Durrani Mohd Fahmi
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
- Eco-Innovation Research Interest Group, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Jonel P Saludes
- Center for Natural Drug Discovery & Development (CND3), University of San Agustin, 5000, Iloilo City, Philippines
- Department of Chemistry, University of San Agustin, 5000, Iloilo City, Philippines
- Department of Science and Technology, Balik Scientist Program, Philippine Council for Health Research & Development (PCHRD), Bicutan, 1631, Taguig, Philippines
| | - Kesaven Bhubalan
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
- Eco-Innovation Research Interest Group, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
- Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
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6
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Marine Sponge Endosymbionts: Structural and Functional Specificity of the Microbiome within
Euryspongia arenaria
Cells. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0229621. [PMID: 35499324 PMCID: PMC9241883 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02296-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponge microbiomes are typically profiled by analyzing the community DNA of whole tissues, which does not distinguish the taxa residing within sponge cells from extracellular microbes. To uncover the endosymbiotic microbiome, we separated the sponge cells to enrich the intracellular microbes. The intracellular bacterial community of sponge Euryspongia arenaria was initially assessed by amplicon sequencing, which indicated that it hosts three unique phyla not found in the extracellular and bulk tissue microbiomes. These three phyla account for 66% of the taxonomically known genera in the intracellular microbiome. The shotgun metagenomic analysis extended the taxonomic coverage to viruses and eukaryotes, revealing the most abundant signature taxa specific to the intracellular microbiome. Functional KEGG pathway annotation demonstrated that the endosymbiotic microbiome hosted the greatest number of unique gene orthologs. The pathway profiles distinguished the intra- and extracellular microbiomes from the tissue and seawater microbiomes. Carbohydrate-active enzyme analysis further discriminated each microbiome based on their representative and dominant enzyme families. One pathway involved in digestion system and family esterase had a consistently higher level in intracellular microbiome and could statistically differentiate the intracellular microbiome from the others, suggesting that triacylglycerol lipases could be the key functional component peculiar to the endosymbionts. The identified higher abundance of lipase-related eggNOG categories further supported the lipid-hydrolyzing metabolism of endosymbiotic microbiota. Pseudomonas members, reported as lipase-producing bacteria, were only in the endosymbiotic microbiome, meanwhile Pseudomonas also showed a greater abundance intracellularly. Our study aided a comprehensive sponge microbiome that demonstrated the taxonomic and functional specificity of endosymbiotic microbiota. IMPORTANCE Sponges host abundant microbial symbionts that can produce an impressive number of novel bioactive metabolites. However, knowledge on intracellular (endosymbiotic) microbiota is scarce. We characterize the composition and function of the endosymbiotic microbiome by separation of sponge cells and enrichment of intracellular microbes. We uncover a noteworthy number of taxa exclusively in the endosymbiotic microbiome. We unlock the unique pathways and enzymes of endosymbiotic taxa. This study achieves a more comprehensive sponge microbial community profile, which demonstrates the structural and functional specificity of the endosymbiotic microbiome. Our findings not only open the possibility to reveal the low abundant and the likely missed microbiota when directly sequencing the sponge bulk tissues, but also warrant future in-depth exploration within single sponge cells.
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7
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Sun Y, Sun J, Yang Y, Lan Y, Ip JCH, Wong WC, Kwan YH, Zhang Y, Han Z, Qiu JW, Qian PY. Genomic signatures supporting the symbiosis and formation of chitinous tube in the deep-sea tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4116-4134. [PMID: 34255082 PMCID: PMC8476170 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Vestimentiferan tubeworms are iconic animals that present as large habitat-forming chitinized tube bushes in deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. They are gutless and depend entirely on their endosymbiotic sulfide-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria for nutrition. Information on the genomes of several siboglinid endosymbionts has improved our understanding of their nutritional supplies. However, the interactions between tubeworms and their endosymbionts remain largely unclear due to a paucity of host genomes. Here, we report the chromosome-level genome of the vestimentiferan tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica. We found that the genome has been remodeled to facilitate symbiosis through the expansion of gene families related to substrate transfer and innate immunity, suppression of apoptosis, regulation of lysosomal digestion, and protection against oxidative stress. Furthermore, the genome encodes a programmed cell death pathway that potentially controls the endosymbiont population. Our integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses uncovered matrix proteins required for the formation of the chitinous tube and revealed gene family expansion and co-option as evolutionary mechanisms driving the acquisition of this unique supporting structure for deep-sea tubeworms. Overall, our study provides novel insights into the host’s support system that has enabled tubeworms to establish symbiosis, thrive in deep-sea hot vents and cold seeps, and produce the unique chitinous tubes in the deep sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Sun
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Lan
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai Chuen Wong
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yick Hang Kwan
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhuang Han
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
- Corresponding authors: E-mails: ;
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Corresponding authors: E-mails: ;
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8
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Zilber-Rosenberg I, Rosenberg E. Microbial driven genetic variation in holobionts. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6261188. [PMID: 33930136 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in holobionts, (host and microbiome), occurring by changes in both host and microbiome genomes, can be observed from two perspectives: observable variations and the processes that bring about the variation. The observable includes the enormous genetic diversity of prokaryotes, which gave rise to eukaryotic organisms. Holobionts then evolved a rich microbiome with a stable core containing essential genes, less so common taxa, and a more diverse non-core enabling considerable genetic variation. The result being that, the human gut microbiome, for example, contains 1,000 times more unique genes than are present in the human genome. Microbial driven genetic variation processes in holobionts include: (1) Acquisition of novel microbes from the environment, which bring in multiple genes in one step, (2) amplification/reduction of certain microbes in the microbiome, that contribute to holobiont` s adaptation to changing conditions, (3) horizontal gene transfer between microbes and between microbes and host, (4) mutation, which plays an important role in optimizing interactions between different microbiota and between microbiota and host. We suggest that invertebrates and plants, where microbes can live intracellularly, have a greater chance of genetic exchange between microbiota and host, thus a greater chance of vertical transmission and a greater effect of microbiome on evolution of host than vertebrates. However, even in vertebrates the microbiome can aid in environmental fluctuations by amplification/reduction and by acquisition of novel microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
| | - Eugene Rosenberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv Israel
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9
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Matriano DM, Alegado RA, Conaco C. Detection of horizontal gene transfer in the genome of the choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5993. [PMID: 33727612 PMCID: PMC7971027 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the movement of heritable materials between distantly related organisms, is crucial in eukaryotic evolution. However, the scale of HGT in choanoflagellates, the closest unicellular relatives of metazoans, and its possible roles in the evolution of animal multicellularity remains unexplored. We identified at least 175 candidate HGTs in the genome of the colonial choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta using sequence-based tests. The majority of these were orthologous to genes in bacterial and microalgal lineages, yet displayed genomic features consistent with the rest of the S. rosetta genome-evidence of ancient acquisition events. Putative functions include enzymes involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, cell signaling, and the synthesis of extracellular matrix components. Functions of candidate HGTs may have contributed to the ability of choanoflagellates to assimilate novel metabolites, thereby supporting adaptation, survival in diverse ecological niches, and response to external cues that are possibly critical in the evolution of multicellularity in choanoflagellates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Matriano
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Rosanna A Alegado
- Department of Oceanography, Hawai'i Sea Grant, Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, USA
| | - Cecilia Conaco
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
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10
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Feng JM, Jiang CQ, Sun ZY, Hua CJ, Wen JF, Miao W, Xiong J. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing of rumen ciliates provides insight into their molecular adaptations to the anaerobic and carbohydrate-rich rumen microenvironment. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 143:106687. [PMID: 31740334 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Rumen ciliates are a specialized group of ciliates exclusively found in the anaerobic, carbohydrate-rich rumen microenvironment. However, the molecular and mechanistic basis of the physiological and behavioral adaptation of ciliates to the rumen microenvironment is undefined. We used single-cell transcriptome sequencing to explore the adaptive evolution of three rumen ciliates: two entodiniomorphids, Entodinium furca and Diplodinium dentatum; and one vestibuliferid, Isotricha intestinalis. We found that all three species are members of monophyletic orders within the class Litostomatea, with E. furca and D. dentatum in Entodiniomorphida and I. intestinalis in Vestibuliferida. The two entodiniomorphids might use H2-producing mitochondria and the vestibuliferid might use anaerobic mitochondria to survive under strictly anaerobic conditions. Moreover, carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) genes were identified in all three species, including cellulases, hemicellulases, and pectinases. The evidence that all three species have acquired prokaryote-derived genes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to digest plant biomass includes a significant enrichment of gene ontology categories such as cell wall macromolecule catabolic process and carbohydrate catabolic process and the identification of genes in common between CAZyme and HGT groups. These findings suggest that HGT might be an important mechanism in the adaptive evolution of ciliates to the rumen microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Mei Feng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Chuan-Qi Jiang
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518120, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animal Health Assessment, Shenzhen 518120, China; Shenzhen Dapeng New District Science and Technology Innovation Service Center, Shenzhen 518119, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zong-Yi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Cong-Jie Hua
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China
| | - Jian-Fan Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Wei Miao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Wuhan 430072, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming 650223, China.
| | - Jie Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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11
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Liu C, Liu B, Zhang Y, Jiang F, Ren Y, Li S, Wang H, Fan W. Ancient horizontally transferred genes in the genome of California two-spot octopus, Octopus bimaculoides. Gene 2018; 667:34-44. [PMID: 29738840 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), a mechanism that shares genetic material between the host and donor from separated offspring branches, has been described as a means of producing novel and beneficial phenotypes for the host organisms. However, in molluscs, the second most diverse group, the existence of HGT is still controversial. In the present study, 12 HGT genes were identified from California two-spot octopus Octopus bimaculoides based on a similarity search, phylogenetic construction, gene composition analysis and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) validation. Based on the phylogenetic topologies, ten HGT genes were identified to have been transferred into the possible molluscan ancestor, possibly before its radiation. Furthermore, most of the donor organisms were predicted to be familiar bacteria in marine environments. These horizontally transferred genes were under a strong negative selection and could be transcribed in octopus functionally. The predicted biochemical functions of these genes include metabolism, neurotransmission, immune defense and tissue integrity. Seven Zn-metalloproteinases were validated as the main type of HGT genes in octopus with divergent motif composition, intron presence and phylogenetic relationship to the endogenous ones. Furthermore, the functions of Zn-metalloproteinase were predicted to be responsible for immune defense and tissue remolding. Three HGT genes were distributed mainly in the nervous system and were predicted to regulate the neurotransmission through glia-neuronal interactions. The results collectively indicated the existence of HGT in molluscs and its potential contribution to the evolution of octopus with regards to functional innovation and adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conghui Liu
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China.
| | - Bo Liu
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Fan Jiang
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Yuwei Ren
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Shuqu Li
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Hengchao Wang
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China
| | - Wei Fan
- Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518124, China.
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12
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Hernandez AM, Ryan JF. Horizontally transferred genes in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5067. [PMID: 29922518 PMCID: PMC6005172 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has had major impacts on the biology of a wide range of organisms from antibiotic resistance in bacteria to adaptations to herbivory in arthropods. A growing body of literature shows that HGT between non-animals and animals is more commonplace than previously thought. In this study, we present a thorough investigation of HGT in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. We applied tests of phylogenetic incongruence to identify nine genes that were likely transferred horizontally early in ctenophore evolution from bacteria and non-metazoan eukaryotes. All but one of these HGTs (an uncharacterized protein) are homologous to characterized enzymes, supporting previous observations that genes encoding enzymes are more likely to be retained after HGT events. We found that the majority of these nine horizontally transferred genes were expressed during development, suggesting that they are active and play a role in the biology of M. leidyi. This is the first report of HGT in ctenophores, and contributes to an ever-growing literature on the prevalence of genetic information flowing between non-animals and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Hernandez
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, St. Augustine, FL, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joseph F Ryan
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, St. Augustine, FL, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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13
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Recurrent horizontal transfer of arsenite methyltransferase genes facilitated adaptation of life to arsenic. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7741. [PMID: 28798375 PMCID: PMC5552862 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08313-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxic metalloid arsenic has been environmentally ubiquitous since life first arose nearly four billion years ago and presents a challenge for the survival of all living organisms. Its bioavailability has varied dramatically over the history of life on Earth. As life spread, biogeochemical and climate changes cyclically increased and decreased bioavailable arsenic. To elucidate the history of arsenic adaptation across the tree of life, we reconstructed the phylogeny of the arsM gene that encodes the As(III) S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) methyltransferase. Our results suggest that life successfully moved into arsenic-rich environments in the late Archean Eon and Proterozoic Eon, respectively, by the spread of arsM genes. The arsM genes of bacterial origin have been transferred to other kingdoms of life on at least six occasions, and the resulting domesticated arsM genes promoted adaptation to environmental arsenic. These results allow us to peer into the history of arsenic adaptation of life on our planet and imply that dissemination of genes encoding diverse adaptive functions to toxic chemicals permit adaptation to changes in concentrations of environmental toxins over evolutionary history.
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14
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Palmgren M, Engström K, Hallström BM, Wahlberg K, Søndergaard DA, Säll T, Vahter M, Broberg K. AS3MT-mediated tolerance to arsenic evolved by multiple independent horizontal gene transfers from bacteria to eukaryotes. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175422. [PMID: 28426741 PMCID: PMC5398495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms have evolved the ability to tolerate toxic substances in their environments, often by producing metabolic enzymes that efficiently detoxify the toxicant. Inorganic arsenic is one of the most toxic and carcinogenic substances in the environment, but many organisms, including humans, metabolise inorganic arsenic to less toxic metabolites. This multistep process produces mono-, di-, and trimethylated arsenic metabolites, which the organism excretes. In humans, arsenite methyltransferase (AS3MT) appears to be the main metabolic enzyme that methylates arsenic. In this study, we examined the evolutionary origin of AS3MT and assessed the ability of different genotypes to produce methylated arsenic metabolites. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that multiple, independent horizontal gene transfers between different bacteria, and from bacteria to eukaryotes, increased tolerance to environmental arsenic during evolution. These findings are supported by the observation that genetic variation in AS3MT correlates with the capacity to methylate arsenic. Adaptation to arsenic thus serves as a model for how organisms evolve to survive under toxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Palmgren
- Unit of Metals & Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Membrane Pumps in Cells and Disease—PUMPKIN, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Karin Engström
- Unit of Metals & Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn M. Hallström
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH—Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Wahlberg
- Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Torbjörn Säll
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marie Vahter
- Unit of Metals & Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Broberg
- Unit of Metals & Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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15
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Díez-Vives C, Moitinho-Silva L, Nielsen S, Reynolds D, Thomas T. Expression of eukaryotic-like protein in the microbiome of sponges. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:1432-1451. [PMID: 28036141 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic-like proteins (ELPs) are classes of proteins that are found in prokaryotes, but have a likely evolutionary origin in eukaryotes. ELPs have been postulated to mediate host-microbiome interactions. Recent work has discovered that prokaryotic symbionts of sponges contain abundant and diverse genes for ELPs, which could modulate interactions with their filter-feeding and phagocytic host. However, the extent to which these ELP genes are actually used and expressed by the symbionts is poorly understood. Here, we use metatranscriptomics to investigate ELP expression in the microbiomes of three different sponges (Cymbastella concentrica, Scopalina sp. and Tedania anhelens). We developed a workflow with optimized rRNA removal and in silico subtraction of host sequences to obtain a reliable symbiont metatranscriptome. This showed that between 1.3% and 2.3% of all symbiont transcripts contain genes for ELPs. Two classes of ELPs (cadherin and tetratricopeptide repeats) were abundantly expressed in the C. concentrica and Scopalina sp. microbiomes, while ankyrin repeat ELPs were predominant in the T. anhelens metatranscriptome. Comparison with transcripts that do not encode ELPs indicated a constitutive expression of ELPs across a range of bacterial and archaeal symbionts. Expressed ELPs also contained domains involved in protein secretion and/or were co-expressed with proteins involved in extracellular transport. This suggests these ELPs are likely exported, which could allow for direct interaction with the sponge. Our study shows that ELP genes in sponge symbionts represent actively expressed functions that could mediate molecular interaction between symbiosis partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Díez-Vives
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - L Moitinho-Silva
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - S Nielsen
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - D Reynolds
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - T Thomas
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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