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Van Etten J, Cho CH, Yoon HS, Bhattacharya D. Extremophilic red algae as models for understanding adaptation to hostile environments and the evolution of eukaryotic life on the early earth. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 134:4-13. [PMID: 35339358 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Extremophiles have always garnered great interest because of their exotic lifestyles and ability to thrive at the physical limits of life. In hot springs environments, the Cyanidiophyceae red algae are the only photosynthetic eukaryotes able to live under extremely low pH (0-5) and relatively high temperature (35ºC to 63ºC). These extremophiles live as biofilms in the springs, inhabit acid soils near the hot springs, and form endolithic populations in the surrounding rocks. Cyanidiophyceae represent a remarkable source of knowledge about the evolution of extremophilic lifestyles and their genomes encode specialized enzymes that have applied uses. Here we review the evolutionary origin, taxonomy, genome biology, industrial applications, and use of Cyanidiophyceae as genetic models. Currently, Cyanidiophyceae comprise a single order (Cyanidiales), three families, four genera, and nine species, including the well-known Cyanidioschyzon merolae and Galdieria sulphuraria. These algae have small, gene-rich genomes that are analogous to those of prokaryotes they live and compete with. There are few spliceosomal introns and evidence exists for horizontal gene transfer as a driver of local adaptation to gain access to external fixed carbon and to extrude toxic metals. Cyanidiophyceae offer a variety of commercial opportunities such as phytoremediation to detoxify contaminated soils or waters and exploitation of their mixotrophic lifestyles to support the efficient production of bioproducts such as phycocyanin and floridosides. In terms of exobiology, Cyanidiophyceae are an ideal model system for understanding the evolutionary effects of foreign gene acquisition and the interactions between different organisms inhabiting the same harsh environment on the early Earth. Finally, we describe ongoing research with C. merolae genetics and summarize the unique insights they offer to the understanding of algal biology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Van Etten
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Chung Hyun Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
| | - Hwan Su Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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Patwary ZP, Paul NA, Nishitsuji K, Campbell AH, Shoguchi E, Zhao M, Cummins SF. Application of omics research in seaweeds with a focus on red seaweeds. Brief Funct Genomics 2021; 20:148-161. [PMID: 33907795 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted 'omics' research for seaweeds, utilizing various computational and informatics frameworks, has the potential to rapidly develop our understanding of biological processes at the molecular level and contribute to solutions for the most pressing environmental and social issues of our time. Here, a systematic review into the current status of seaweed omics research was undertaken to evaluate the biological diversity of seaweed species investigated (red, green and brown phyla), the levels to which the work was undertaken (from full genome to transcripts, proteins or metabolites) and the field of research to which it has contributed. We report that from 1994 to 2021 the majority of seaweed omics research has been performed on the red seaweeds (45% of total studies), with more than half of these studies based upon two genera Pyropia and Gracilaria. A smaller number of studies examined brown seaweed (key genera Saccharina and Sargassum) and green seaweed (primarily Ulva). Overall, seaweed omics research is most highly associated with the field of evolution (46% of total studies), followed by the fields of ecology, natural products and their biosynthesis, omics methodology and seaweed-microbe interactions. Synthesis and specific outcomes derived from omics studies in the red seaweeds are provided. Together, these studies have provided a broad-scale interrogation of seaweeds, facilitating our ability to answer fundamental queries and develop applied outcomes. Crucial to the next steps will be establishing analytical tools and databases that can be more broadly utilized by practitioners and researchers across the globe because of their shared interest in the key seaweed genera.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Koki Nishitsuji
- marine genomics unit in the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
| | | | - Eiichi Shoguchi
- marine genomics unit in the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
| | - Min Zhao
- University of the Sunshine Coast
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Chen J, Zhang J, Lin M, Dong W, Guo X, Dong Y, Wang Z, Zhang L, Chen F. MGH: a genome hub for the medicinal plant maca (Lepidium meyenii). Database (Oxford) 2018; 2018:5136497. [PMID: 30339215 PMCID: PMC6195103 DOI: 10.1093/database/bay113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Maca (Lepidium meyenii), a Brassicaceae herb plant originated from Andean mountains, has attracted wide interests due to its unique health benefits in reproduction and fertility. Because of its adaptation to the 4000 m high-altitude harsh environment, maca is attracting more and more attention from both crop breeders and basic biologists. After our previous release of the maca genome sequence, there's a growing need to store, query, analyze and integrate various maca resources efficiently. Here, we created Maca Genome Hub (MGH), a genomics and genetics database of maca. Currently, the MGH V1.0 harbors the genome sequence, predicted coding sequences and protein sequences, various annotations, markers and expression data. For the maca research community, we also provided the publications, researchers and related news. MGH is designed to enable users' easy access to analyze, retrieve and visualize the genomic or genetic information through a series of online tools, including the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, the JBrowse, the query system, the synteny tool and the data downloads. These integrated heterogeneous data, tools and interfaces in MGH allow efficient mining of the latest genomics and genetics data. We hope that MGH will accelerate the research and development in maca.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meigui Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wei Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yang Dong
- Biological Big Data College, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center on Germplasm Utilization & Innovation of Chinese Medicinal Materials in Southwestern China, Kunming, China
| | - Zhengjia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangsheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Fei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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