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Protasov E, Reeh H, Liu P, Poehlein A, Platt K, Heimerl T, Hervé V, Daniel R, Brune A. Genome reduction in novel, obligately methyl-reducing Methanosarcinales isolated from arthropod guts (Methanolapillus gen. nov. and Methanimicrococcus). FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae111. [PMID: 39108084 PMCID: PMC11362671 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae111] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent metagenomic studies have identified numerous lineages of hydrogen-dependent, obligately methyl-reducing methanogens. Yet, only a few representatives have been isolated in pure culture. Here, we describe six new species with this capability in the family Methanosarcinaceae (order Methanosarcinales), which makes up a substantial fraction of the methanogenic community in arthropod guts. Phylogenomic analysis placed the isolates from cockroach hindguts into the genus Methanimicrococcus (M. hacksteinii, M. hongohii, and M. stummii) and the isolates from millipede hindguts into a new genus, Methanolapillus (M. africanus, M. millepedarum, and M. ohkumae). Members of this intestinal clade, which includes also uncultured representatives from termites and vertebrates, have substantially smaller genomes (1.6-2.2 Mbp) than other Methanosarcinales. Genome reduction was accompanied by the loss of the upper part of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, several energy-converting membrane complexes (Fpo, Ech, and Rnf), and various biosynthetic pathways. However, genes involved in the protection against reactive oxygen species (catalase and superoxide reductase) were conserved in all genomes, including cytochrome bd (CydAB), a high-affinity terminal oxidase that may confer the capacity for microaerobic respiration. Since host-associated Methanosarcinales are nested within omnivorous lineages, we conclude that the specialization on methyl groups is an adaptation to the intestinal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Protasov
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Microcosm Earth Center, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Reeh
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, China
| | - Anja Poehlein
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katja Platt
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Heimerl
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Vincent Hervé
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech
, UMR SayFood, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Brune
- Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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2
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Yu T, Fu L, Wang Y, Dong Y, Chen Y, Wegener G, Cheng L, Wang F. Thermophilic Hadarchaeota grow on long-chain alkanes in syntrophy with methanogens. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6560. [PMID: 39095478 PMCID: PMC11297162 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50883-z] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation can be carried out by archaea that couple alkane oxidation directly to methanogenesis, or by syntrophic associations of bacteria with methanogenic archaea. However, metagenomic analyses of methanogenic environments have revealed other archaea with potential for alkane degradation but apparent inability to form methane, suggesting the existence of other modes of syntrophic hydrocarbon degradation. Here, we provide experimental evidence supporting the existence of a third mode of methanogenic degradation of hydrocarbons, mediated by syntrophic cooperation between archaeal partners. We collected sediment samples from a hot spring sediment in Tengchong, China, and enriched Hadarchaeota under methanogenic conditions at 60 °C, using hexadecane as substrate. We named the enriched archaeon Candidatus Melinoarchaeum fermentans DL9YTT1. We used 13C-substrate incubations, metagenomic, metatranscriptomic and metabolomic analyses to show that Ca. Melinoarchaeum uses alkyl-coenzyme M reductases (ACRs) to activate hexadecane via alkyl-CoM formation. Ca. Melinoarchaeum likely degrades alkanes to carbon dioxide, hydrogen and acetate, which can be used as substrates by hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens such as Methanothermobacter and Methanothrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Yu
- Key Laboratory of Polar Ecosystem and Climate Change, Ministry of Education; and School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Fu
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yijing Dong
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gunter Wegener
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China.
| | - Fengping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polar Ecosystem and Climate Change, Ministry of Education; and School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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3
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Zhang CJ, Zhou Z, Cha G, Li L, Fu L, Liu LY, Yang L, Wegener G, Cheng L, Li M. Anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation by alkylotrophic methanogens in deep oil reservoirs. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae152. [PMID: 39083033 PMCID: PMC11376074 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae152] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
In subsurface biodegraded oil reservoirs, methanogenic biodegradation of crude oil is a common process. This process was previously assigned to the syntrophy of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and methanogenic archaea. Recent studies showed that archaea of the Candidatus Methanoliparum named as alkylotrophic methanogens couple hydrocarbon degradation and methane production in a single archaeon. To assess the geochemical role of Ca. Methanoliparum, we analyzed the chemical and microbial composition and metabolites of 209 samples from 15 subsurface oil reservoirs across China. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that 92% of the tested samples were substantially degraded. Molecular analysis showed that 85% of the tested samples contained Ca. Methanoliparum, and 52% of the tested samples harbored multiple alkyl-coenzyme M derivatives, the intercellular metabolites of alkylotrophic archaea. According to metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses, Ca. Methanoliparum dominates hydrocarbon degradation in biodegraded samples from the Changqing, Jiangsu, and Shengli (SL) oilfields, and it is persistently present as shown in a 15-year-long sampling effort at the Shengli oilfield. Together, these findings demonstrate that Ca. Methanoliparum is a widely distributed oil degrader in reservoirs of China, suggesting that alkylotrophic methanogenesis by archaea plays a key role in the alteration of oil reservoirs, thereby expanding our understanding of biogeochemical process in the deep biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Jing Zhang
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Key laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhuo Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Guihong Cha
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Li
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Fu
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Lai-Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Gunter Wegener
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Key laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
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Abstract
Methanogenic archaea are the only organisms that produce CH4 as part of their energy-generating metabolism. They are ubiquitous in oxidant-depleted, anoxic environments such as aquatic sediments, anaerobic digesters, inundated agricultural fields, the rumen of cattle, and the hindgut of termites, where they catalyze the terminal reactions in the degradation of organic matter. Methanogenesis is the only metabolism that is restricted to members of the domain Archaea. Here, we discuss the importance of model organisms in the history of methanogen research, including their role in the discovery of the archaea and in the biochemical and genetic characterization of methanogenesis. We also discuss outstanding questions in the field and newly emerging model systems that will expand our understanding of this uniquely archaeal metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle C. Costa
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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5
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Hou J, Wang Y, Zhu P, Yang N, Liang L, Yu T, Niu M, Konhauser K, Woodcroft BJ, Wang F. Taxonomic and carbon metabolic diversification of Bathyarchaeia during its coevolution history with early Earth surface environment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf5069. [PMID: 37406125 PMCID: PMC10321748 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf5069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Bathyarchaeia, as one of the most abundant microorganisms on Earth, play vital roles in the global carbon cycle. However, our understanding of their origin, evolution, and ecological functions remains poorly constrained. Here, we present the largest dataset of Bathyarchaeia metagenome assembled genome to date and reclassify Bathyarchaeia into eight order-level units corresponding to the former subgroup system. Highly diversified and versatile carbon metabolisms were found among different orders, particularly atypical C1 metabolic pathways, indicating that Bathyarchaeia represent overlooked important methylotrophs. Molecular dating results indicate that Bathyarchaeia diverged at ~3.3 billion years, followed by three major diversifications at ~3.0, ~2.5, and ~1.8 to 1.7 billion years, likely driven by continental emergence, growth, and intensive submarine volcanism, respectively. The lignin-degrading Bathyarchaeia clade emerged at ~300 million years perhaps contributed to the sharply decreased carbon sequestration rate during the Late Carboniferous period. The evolutionary history of Bathyarchaeia potentially has been shaped by geological forces, which, in turn, affected Earth's surface environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengfei Zhu
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Yang
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lewen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tiantian Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyang Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kurt Konhauser
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ben J. Woodcroft
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
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6
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Zhao F, Yang L, Zhang T, Zhuang D, Wu Q, Yu J, Tian C, Zhang Z. Gut microbiome signatures of extreme environment adaption in Tibetan pig. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:27. [PMID: 37225687 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00395-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tibetan pigs (TPs) can adapt to the extreme environments in the Tibetan plateau implicated by their self-genome signals, but little is known about roles of the gut microbiota in the host adaption. Here, we reconstructed 8210 metagenome-assembled genomes from TPs (n = 65) living in high-altitude and low-altitude captive pigs (87 from China-CPs and 200 from Europe-EPs) that were clustered into 1050 species-level genome bins (SGBs) at the threshold of 95% average nucleotide identity. 73.47% of SGBs represented new species. The gut microbial community structure analysis based on 1,048 SGBs showed that TPs was significantly different from low-altitude captive pigs. TP-associated SGBs enabled to digest multiple complex polysaccharides, including cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin and pectin. Especially, we found TPs showed the most common enrichment of phyla Fibrobacterota and Elusimicrobia, which were involved in the productions of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (acetic acid, butanoate and propanoate; octanomic, decanoic and dodecanoic acids), as well as in the biosynthesis of lactate, 20 essential amino acids, multiple B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B7 and B9) and cofactors. Unexpectedly, Fibrobacterota solely showed powerful metabolic capacity, including the synthesis of acetic acid, alanine, histidine, arginine, tryptophan, serine, threonine, valine, B2, B5, B9, heme and tetrahydrofolate. These metabolites might contribute to host adaptation to high-altitude, such as energy harvesting and resistance against hypoxia and ultraviolet radiation. This study provides insights into understanding the role of gut microbiome played in mammalian high-altitude adaptation and discovers some potential microbes as probiotics for improving animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730070, China
| | - Lili Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary & Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
| | - Daohua Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
| | - Qunfu Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary & Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China
| | - Jiangkun Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
| | - Chen Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Laboratory of Evolutionary & Functional Genomics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650201, China.
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7
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Mei R, Kaneko M, Imachi H, Nobu MK. The origin and evolution of methanogenesis and Archaea are intertwined. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad023. [PMID: 36874274 PMCID: PMC9982363 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Methanogenesis has been widely accepted as an ancient metabolism, but the precise evolutionary trajectory remains hotly debated. Disparate theories exist regarding its emergence time, ancestral form, and relationship with homologous metabolisms. Here, we report the phylogenies of anabolism-involved proteins responsible for cofactor biosynthesis, providing new evidence for the antiquity of methanogenesis. Revisiting the phylogenies of key catabolism-involved proteins further suggests that the last Archaea common ancestor (LACA) was capable of versatile H2-, CO2-, and methanol-utilizing methanogenesis. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the methyl/alkyl-S-CoM reductase family, we propose that, in contrast to current paradigms, substrate-specific functions emerged through parallel evolution traced back to a nonspecific ancestor, which likely originated from protein-free reactions as predicted from autocatalytic experiments using cofactor F430. After LACA, inheritance/loss/innovation centered around methanogenic lithoautotrophy coincided with ancient lifestyle divergence, which is clearly reflected by genomically predicted physiologies of extant archaea. Thus, methanogenesis is not only a hallmark metabolism of Archaea, but the key to resolve the enigmatic lifestyle that ancestral archaea took and the transition that led to physiologies prominent today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Mei
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Masanori Kaneko
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8567, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Imachi
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan
| | - Masaru K Nobu
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan.,Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan
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8
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Zhao W, Zhong B, Zheng L, Tan P, Wang Y, Leng H, de Souza N, Liu Z, Hong L, Xiao X. Proteome-wide 3D structure prediction provides insights into the ancestral metabolism of ancient archaea and bacteria. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7861. [PMID: 36543797 PMCID: PMC9772386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35523-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancestral metabolism has remained controversial due to a lack of evidence beyond sequence-based reconstructions. Although prebiotic chemists have provided hints that metabolism might originate from non-enzymatic protometabolic pathways, gaps between ancestral reconstruction and prebiotic processes mean there is much that is still unknown. Here, we apply proteome-wide 3D structure predictions and comparisons to investigate ancestorial metabolism of ancient bacteria and archaea, to provide information beyond sequence as a bridge to the prebiotic processes. We compare representative bacterial and archaeal strains, which reveal surprisingly similar physiological and metabolic characteristics via microbiological and biophysical experiments. Pairwise comparison of protein structures identify the conserved metabolic modules in bacteria and archaea, despite interference from overly variable sequences. The conserved modules (for example, middle of glycolysis, partial TCA, proton/sulfur respiration, building block biosynthesis) constitute the basic functions that possibly existed in the archaeal-bacterial common ancestor, which are remarkably consistent with the experimentally confirmed protometabolic pathways. These structure-based findings provide a new perspective to reconstructing the ancestral metabolism and understanding its origin, which suggests high-throughput protein 3D structure prediction is a promising approach, deserving broader application in future ancestral exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weishu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Bozitao Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Lirong Zheng
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Pan Tan
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Leng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Nicolas de Souza
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology (ANSTO), Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, Sydney, NSW, 2232, Australia
| | - Zhuo Liu
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, 200232, Shanghai, China
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Hong
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai National Center for Applied Mathematics (SJTU Center) and MOE-LSC, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, 200232, Shanghai, China.
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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9
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Suzuki Y, Trembath-Reichert E, Drake H. Editorial: The rocky biosphere: New insights from microbiomes at rock-water interfaces and their interactions with minerals. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1102710. [PMID: 36569045 PMCID: PMC9780072 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1102710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yohey Suzuki
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Henrik Drake
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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10
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Cha G, Liu Y, Yang Q, Bai L, Cheng L, Fan W. Comparative Genomic Insights into Chemoreceptor Diversity and Habitat Adaptation of Archaea. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0157422. [PMID: 36314867 PMCID: PMC9680633 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01574-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse archaea, including many unknown species and phylogenetically deeply rooted taxa, survive in extreme environments. They play crucial roles in the global carbon cycle and element fluxes in many terrestrial, marine, saline, host-associated, hot-spring, and oilfield environments. There is little knowledge of the diversity of chemoreceptors that are presumably involved in their habitat adaptation. Thus, we have explored this diversity through phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses of complete archaeal genomes. The results show that chemoreceptors are significantly richer in archaea of mild environments than in those of extreme environments, that specific ligand-binding domains of the chemoreceptors are strongly associated with specific habitats, and that the number of chemoreceptors correlates with genome size. The results indicate that the successful adaptation of archaea to specific habitats has been associated with the acquisition and maintenance of chemoreceptors, which may be crucial for their survival in these environments. IMPORTANCE Archaea are capable of sensing and responding to environmental changes by several signal transduction systems with different mechanisms. Much attention is paid to model organisms with complex signaling networks to understand their composition and function, but general principles regarding how an archaeal species organizes its chemoreceptor diversity and habitat adaptation are poorly understood. Here, we have explored this diversity through phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses of complete archaeal genomes. Signaling sensing and adaptation processes are tightly related to the ligand-binding domain, and it is clear that evolution and natural selection in specialized niches under constant conditions have selected for smaller genome sizes. Taken together, our results extend the understanding of archaeal adaptations to different environments and emphasize the importance of ecological constraints in shaping their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guihong Cha
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Yugeng Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Liping Bai
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Fan
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Drake H, Reiners PW. Thermochronologic perspectives on the deep-time evolution of the deep biosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2109609118. [PMID: 34725158 PMCID: PMC8609299 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109609118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Earth's deep biosphere hosts some of its most ancient chemolithotrophic lineages. The history of habitation in this environment is thus of interest for understanding the origin and evolution of life. The oldest rocks on Earth, formed about 4 billion years ago, are in continental cratons that have experienced complex histories due to burial and exhumation. Isolated fracture-hosted fluids in these cratons may have residence times older than a billion years, but understanding the history of their microbial communities requires assessing the evolution of habitable conditions. Here, we present a thermochronological perspective on the habitability of Precambrian cratons through time. We show that rocks now in the upper few kilometers of cratons have been uninhabitable (>∼122 °C) for most of their lifetime or have experienced high-temperature episodes, such that the longest record of habitability does not stretch much beyond a billion years. In several cratons, habitable conditions date back only 50 to 300 million years, in agreement with dated biosignatures. The thermochronologic approach outlined here provides context for prospecting and interpreting the little-explored geologic record of the deep biosphere of Earth's cratons, when and where microbial communities may have thrived, and candidate areas for the oldest records of chemolithotrophic microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Drake
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnæus University, Kalmar 391 82, Sweden;
| | - Peter W Reiners
- Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
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Wang Y, Wegener G, Williams TA, Xie R, Hou J, Wang F, Xiao X. Retraction of the Research Article: "A methylotrophic origin of methanogenesis and early divergence of anaerobic multicarbon alkane metabolism". SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/8/eabh1051. [PMID: 33597252 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh1051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Gunter Wegener
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany
- MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TH Bristol, UK
| | - Ruize Xie
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jialin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Fengping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Shilatifard A, Yeagle P. Editorial expression of concern. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:sciadv.abh0587. [PMID: 33593726 PMCID: PMC7888920 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh0587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
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