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Cai L, Havird JC, Jansen RK. Recombination and retroprocessing in broomrapes reveal a universal roadmap for mitochondrial evolution in heterotrophic plants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.02.14.637881. [PMID: 39990427 PMCID: PMC11844532 DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.14.637881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2025]
Abstract
The altered life history strategies of heterotrophic organisms often leave a profound genetic footprint on energy metabolism related functions. In parasitic plants, the reliance on host-derived nutrients and loss of photosynthesis in holoparasites have led to highly degraded to absent plastid genomes, but its impact on mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) evolution has remained controversial. By examining mitogenomes from 45 Orobanchaceae species including three independent transitions to holoparasitism and key evolutionary intermediates, we identified measurable and predictable genetic alterations in genomic shuffling, RNA editing, and intracellular (IGT) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) en route to a nonphotosynthetic lifestyle. In-depth comparative analyses revealed DNA recombination and repair processes, especially RNA-mediated retroprocessing, as significant drivers for genome structure evolution. In particular, we identified a novel RNA-mediated IGT and HGT mechanism, which has not been demonstrated in cross-species and inter-organelle transfers. Based on this, we propose a generalized dosage effect mechanism to explain the biased transferability of plastid DNA to mitochondria across green plants, especially in heterotrophic lineages like parasites and mycoheterotrophs. Evolutionary rates scaled with these genomic changes, but the direction and strength of selection varied substantially among genes and clades, resulting in high contingency in mitochondrial genome evolution. Finally, we describe a universal roadmap for mitochondrial evolution in heterotrophic plants where increased recombination and repair activities, rather than relaxed selection alone, lead to differentiated genome structure compared to free-living species.
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Mao Z, Han Y, Xun F, An S, Li B, Wang Y, Chen H, Wu QL, Xing P. Warming effects on pelagic carbon metabolism is related to substrate composition and bacterioplankton community history. WATER RESEARCH 2025; 270:122846. [PMID: 39612817 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 11/14/2024] [Accepted: 11/22/2024] [Indexed: 12/01/2024]
Abstract
Investigating the critical role of carbon cycling feedback to warming is essential for understanding future biosphere development. One of the current challenges is that the warming effect on carbon cycling is inconsistent across various aquatic ecosystems. It was postulated that the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the microbial community influenced the response of carbon metabolism to warming. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a microcosm study in which three key factors were manipulated: initial DOM composition (adjusting the ratio of autochthonous and allochthonous substrates), bacterioplankton community history (characterized by two distinct sources of bacterioplankton community), and temperature (ambient and 4 °C warming). The results demonstrated that the initial composition of DOM exerted a dominant influence on carbon metabolism. In contrast, the history of bacterioplankton community influenced the active taxa and functional traits. The log-response ratio approach revealed that the warming treatment affected bacterial carbon demand (BCD) and bacterial growth efficiency (BGE). A piecewise structural equation model further validated the paths by which warming altered BCD, particularly by changing the consumption of fluorescent DOM, and altered BGE, by affecting the active bacterioplankton. Our study demonstrated that the impact of warming on carbon cycling was context-dependent, with particular relevance to the history and dynamics of bacterioplankton community in this process. Given ongoing changes in lacustrine environments, a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between DOM and microbes is essential for the accurate prediction of future carbon cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendu Mao
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yixuan Han
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Fan Xun
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shilin An
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing (UCASNJ), Nanjing, 211135, China
| | - Biao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yujing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - He Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing (UCASNJ), Nanjing, 211135, China
| | - Qinglong L Wu
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China; The Fuxianhu Station of Plateau Deep Lake Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuxi, 653100, China
| | - Peng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China; Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
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3
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Glick L, Castiglione S, Loewenthal G, Raia P, Pupko T, Mayrose I. Phylogenetic Analysis of 590 Species Reveals Distinct Evolutionary Patterns of Intron-Exon Gene Structures Across Eukaryotic Lineages. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae248. [PMID: 39657604 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2024] [Revised: 11/16/2024] [Accepted: 11/18/2024] [Indexed: 12/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introns are highly prevalent in most eukaryotic genomes. Despite the accumulating evidence for benefits conferred by the possession of introns, their specific roles and functions, as well as the processes shaping their evolution, are still only partially understood. Here, we explore the evolution of the eukaryotic intron-exon gene structure by focusing on several key features such as the intron length, the number of introns, and the intron-to-exon length ratio in protein-coding genes. We utilize whole-genome data from 590 species covering the main eukaryotic taxonomic groups and analyze them within a statistical phylogenetic framework. We found that the basic gene structure differs markedly among the main eukaryotic groups, with animals, and particularly chordates, displaying intron-rich genes, compared with plants and fungi. Reconstruction of gene structure evolution suggests that these differences evolved prior to the divergence of the main phyla and have remained mostly conserved within groups. We revisit the previously reported association between the genome size and the mean intron length and report that this association differs considerably among phyla. Analyzing a large and diverse dataset of species with whole-genome information while applying advanced modeling techniques allowed us to obtain a global evolutionary perspective. Our findings may indicate that introns play different molecular and evolutionary roles in different organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lior Glick
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Silvia Castiglione
- Department of Earth Sciences, Environment and Resources, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gil Loewenthal
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Pasquale Raia
- Department of Earth Sciences, Environment and Resources, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Tal Pupko
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Itay Mayrose
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Fondi M, Pini F, Riccardi C, Gemo P, Brilli M. A new selective force driving metabolic gene clustering. mSystems 2024; 9:e0096024. [PMID: 39465945 PMCID: PMC11629862 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00960-24] [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: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution of operons has puzzled evolutionary biologists since their discovery, and many theories exist to explain their emergence, spreading, and evolutionary conservation. In this work, we suggest that DNA replication introduces a selective force for the clustering of functionally related genes on chromosomes, which we interpret as a preliminary and necessary step in operon formation. Our reasoning starts from the observation that DNA replication produces copy number variations of genomic regions, and we propose that such changes perturb metabolism. The formalization of this effect by exploiting concepts from metabolic control analysis suggests that the minimization of such perturbations during evolution could be achieved through the formation of gene clusters and operons. We support our theoretical derivations with simulations based on a realistic metabolic network, and we confirm that present-day genomes have a degree of compaction of functionally related genes, which is significantly correlated to the proposed perturbations introduced by replication. The formation of clusters of functionally related genes in microbial genomes has puzzled microbiologists since their first discovery. Here, we suggest that replication, and the copy number variations due to the replisome passage, might play a role in the process through a perturbation in metabolite homeostasis. We provide theoretical support to this hypothesis, and we found that both simulations and genomic analysis support our hypothesis. IMPORTANCE The formation of clusters of functionally related genes in microbial genomes has puzzled microbiologists since their discovery. Here, we suggest that replication, and the copy number variations due to the replisome passage, might play a role in the process through a perturbation in metabolite homeostasis. We provide theoretical support to this hypothesis, and we found that both simulations and genomic analysis support our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Fondi
- Department of Biology,
University of Florence,
Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Pini
- Department of
Biosciences, Biotechnology and Environment (DBBA), University of Bari
Aldo Moro, Bari,
Italy
| | | | - Pietro Gemo
- Department of
Biosciences, University of Milan,
Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Brilli
- Department of
Biosciences, University of Milan,
Milan, Italy
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5
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Yancey CE, Hart L, Lad AC, Birbeck JA, Song S, Mohamed OG, Fribley AM, Haller ST, Tripathi A, Kennedy DJ, Westrick JA, Sherman DH, Dick GJ. Synthesis of a Truncated Microcystin Tetrapeptide Molecule from a Partial Mcy Gene Cluster in Microcystis Cultures and Blooms. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:19936-19947. [PMID: 39529579 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00039] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Microcystis spp. threaten freshwater ecosystems through the proliferation of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs) and production of the hepatotoxin, microcystin. While microcystin and its biosynthesis pathway, encoded by the mcy genes, have been well studied for over 50 years, a recent study found that Microcystis populations in western Lake Erie contain a transcriptionally active partial mcy operon, in which the A2 domain of mcyA and mcyB-C are present but the mcyD-J genes are absent. Here, we investigate the potential biosynthetic products and the evolutionary history of this partial operon. Our results reveal two candidate tetrapeptide constructs, with an X variable position, to be produced by strains with the partial operon. The partial operon appears necessary and sufficient for tetrapeptide biosynthesis and likely evolved from a single ancestor hundreds to tens of thousands of years ago. Bioactivity screens using Hep3B cells indicate a mild elevation of some markers of hepatotoxicity and inflammation, suggesting the need to further assess the effects of these novel secondary metabolites on freshwater ecosystems and public health. The need to assess these effects is even more pressing given the detection of tetrapeptides in both culture and western Lake Erie, which is a vital source of fresh water. Results from this study emphasize previous findings in which novel bacterial secondary metabolites may be derived from the molecular evolution of existing biosynthetic machinery under different environmental forcings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen E Yancey
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Lauren Hart
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | | | - Johnna A Birbeck
- Lumigen Instrument Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Siliang Song
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Osama G Mohamed
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Natural Products Discovery Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Andrew M Fribley
- Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Steven T Haller
- Department of Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43614, United States
| | - Ashootosh Tripathi
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Natural Products Discovery Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - David J Kennedy
- Department of Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43614, United States
| | - Judy A Westrick
- Lumigen Instrument Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - David H Sherman
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Gregory J Dick
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
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6
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Zhou Z, Wang C, Cha X, Zhou T, Pang X, Zhao F, Han X, Yang G, Wei G, Ren C. The biogeography of soil microbiome potential growth rates. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9472. [PMID: 39488524 PMCID: PMC11531530 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53753-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 11/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Soil microbial growth, a vital biogeochemical process, governs both the accrual and loss of soil carbon. Here, we investigate the biogeography of soil microbiome potential growth rates and show that microbiomes in resource-rich (high organic matter and nutrients) and acid-neutral soils from cold and humid regions exhibit high potential growth. Conversely, in resource-poor, dry, hot, and hypersaline soils, soil microbiomes display lower potential growth rates, suggesting trade-offs between growth and resource acquisition or stress tolerance. In addition, the potential growth rates of soil microbiomes positively correlates with genome size and the number of ribosomal RNA operons but negatively correlates with optimum temperature, biomass carbon-to-phosphorus and nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios. The spatial variation of microbial potential growth rates aligns with several macroecological theories. These findings not only enhance our understanding of microbial adaptation to diverse environments but also aid in realistically parameterizing microbial physiology in soil carbon cycling models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghu Zhou
- School of Ecology and Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chuankuan Wang
- School of Ecology and Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinyu Cha
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- School of Ecology and Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xuesen Pang
- School of Ecology and Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Fazhu Zhao
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinhui Han
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Gaihe Yang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Gehong Wei
- State key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chengjie Ren
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
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7
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Aravind L, Nicastro GG, Iyer LM, Burroughs AM. The Prokaryotic Roots of Eukaryotic Immune Systems. Annu Rev Genet 2024; 58:365-389. [PMID: 39265037 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-111523-102448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, studies have revealed profound evolutionary connections between prokaryotic and eukaryotic immune systems, challenging the notion of their unrelatedness. Immune systems across the tree of life share an operational framework, shaping their biochemical logic and evolutionary trajectories. The diversification of immune genes in the prokaryotic superkingdoms, followed by lateral transfer to eukaryotes, was central to the emergence of innate immunity in the latter. These include protein domains related to nucleotide second messenger-dependent systems, NAD+/nucleotide degradation, and P-loop NTPase domains of the STAND and GTPase clades playing pivotal roles in eukaryotic immunity and inflammation. Moreover, several domains orchestrating programmed cell death, ultimately of prokaryotic provenance, suggest an intimate link between immunity and the emergence of multicellularity in eukaryotes such as animals. While eukaryotes directly adopted some proteins from bacterial immune systems, they repurposed others for new immune functions from bacterial interorganismal conflict systems. These emerging immune components hold substantial biotechnological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Aravind
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Gianlucca G Nicastro
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Lakshminarayan M Iyer
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - A Maxwell Burroughs
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
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8
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Wolf Y, Schurov I, Makarova K, Katsnelson M, Koonin E. Long range segmentation of prokaryotic genomes by gene age and functionality. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:11045-11059. [PMID: 39193895 PMCID: PMC11472176 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae745] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial and archaeal genomes encompass numerous operons that typically consist of two to five genes. On larger scales, however, gene order is poorly conserved through the evolution of prokaryotes. Nevertheless, non-random localization of different classes of genes on prokaryotic chromosomes could reflect important functional and evolutionary constraints. We explored the patterns of genomic localization of evolutionarily conserved (ancient) and variable (young) genes across the diversity of bacteria and archaea. Nearly all bacterial and archaeal chromosomes were found to encompass large segments of 100-300 kb that were significantly enriched in either ancient or young genes. Similar clustering of genes with lethal knockout phenotype (essential genes) was observed as well. Mathematical modeling of genome evolution suggests that this long-range gene clustering in prokaryotic chromosomes reflects perpetual genome rearrangement driven by a combination of selective and neutral processes rather than evolutionary conservation.
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MESH Headings
- Genome, Archaeal
- Evolution, Molecular
- Genome, Bacterial
- Genes, Archaeal
- Genes, Bacterial
- Genes, Essential
- Chromosomes, Archaeal/genetics
- Chromosomes, Bacterial/genetics
- Multigene Family
- Models, Genetic
- Archaea/genetics
- Genomics/methods
- Genes, Lethal
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Ilya V Schurov
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Mikhail I Katsnelson
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525AJ, The Netherlands
| | - Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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9
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Badonyi M, Marsh JA. Hallmarks and evolutionary drivers of cotranslational protein complex assembly. FEBS J 2024; 291:3557-3567. [PMID: 37202910 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent discoveries have highlighted the prevalence of cotranslational assembly in proteomes, revealing a range of mechanisms that enables the assembly of protein complex subunits on the ribosome. Structural analyses have uncovered emergent properties that may inherently control whether a subunit undergoes cotranslational assembly. However, the evolutionary paths that have yielded such complexes over an extended timescale remain largely unclear. In this review, we reflect on historical experiments that contributed to the field, including breakthroughs that have made possible the proteome-wide detection of cotranslational assembly, and the technical challenges yet to be overcome. We introduce a simple framework that encapsulates the hallmarks of cotranslational assembly and discuss how results from new experiments are shaping our view of the mechanistic, structural and evolutionary factors driving the phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaly Badonyi
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joseph A Marsh
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, UK
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10
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Shah M, Bornemann TLV, Nuy JK, Hahn MW, Probst AJ, Beisser D, Boenigk J. Genome-resolved metagenomics reveals the effect of nutrient availability on bacterial genomic properties across 44 European freshwater lakes. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16634. [PMID: 38881319 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16634] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Understanding intricate microbial interactions in the environment is crucial. This is especially true for the relationships between nutrients and bacteria, as phosphorus, nitrogen and organic carbon availability are known to influence bacterial population dynamics. It has been suggested that low nutrient conditions prompt the evolutionary process of genome streamlining. This process helps conserve scarce nutrients and allows for proliferation. Genome streamlining is associated with genomic properties such as %GC content, genes encoding sigma factors, percent coding regions, gene redundancy, and functional shifts in processes like cell motility and ATP binding cassette transporters, among others. The current study aims to unveil the impact of nutrition on the genome size, %GC content, and functional properties of pelagic freshwater bacteria. We do this at finer taxonomic resolutions for many metagenomically characterized communities. Our study confirms the interplay of trophic level and genomic properties. It also highlights that different nutrient types, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, impact these properties differently. We observed a covariation of functional traits with genome size. Larger genomes exhibit enriched pathways for motility, environmental interaction, and regulatory genes. ABC transporter genes reflect the availability of nutrients in the environment, with small genomes presumably relying more on metabolites from other organisms. We also discuss the distinct strategies different phyla adopt to adapt to oligotrophic environments. The findings contribute to our understanding of genomic adaptations within complex microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manan Shah
- Department of Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Westphalian University of Applied Science, Recklinghausen, Germany
| | - Till L V Bornemann
- Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Julia K Nuy
- Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Martin W Hahn
- Research Department for Limnology, Universität Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Alexander J Probst
- Environmental Metagenomics, Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniela Beisser
- Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Westphalian University of Applied Science, Recklinghausen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jens Boenigk
- Department of Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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11
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Qu K, Chen Y, Liu D, Guo H, Xu T, Jing Q, Ge L, Shu X, Xin X, Xie X, Tong B. Comprehensive analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Lilium tsingtauense reveals a novel multichromosome structure. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:150. [PMID: 38789593 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-024-03232-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Lilium tsingtauense mitogenome comprises 27 independent chromosome molecules, it undergoes frequent genomic recombination, and the rate of recombination and mutation between different repetitive sequences affects the formation of multichromosomal structures. Given the extremely large genome of Lily, which likely harbors additional genetic resources, it serves as an ideal material for studying the phylogenetic evolution of organisms. Although the Lilium chloroplast genome has been documented, the sequence of its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) remains uncharted. Using BGI short reads and Nanopore long reads, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the mitogenome of Lilium tsingtauense. This effort culminated in the characterization of Lilium's first complete mitogenome. Comparative analysis with other angiosperms revealed the unique multichromosomal structure of the L. tsingtauense mitogenome, spanning 1,125,108 bp and comprising 27 independent circular chromosomes. It contains 36 protein-coding genes, 12 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes, with a GC content of 44.90%. Notably, three chromosomes in the L. tsingtauense mitogenome lack identifiable genes, hinting at the potential existence of novel genes and noncoding elements. The high degree of observed genome fragmentation implies frequent reorganization, with recombination and mutation rates among diverse repetitive sequences likely driving the formation of multichromosomal structures. Our comprehensive analysis, covering genome size, coding genes, structure, RNA editing, repetitive sequences, and sequence migration, sheds light on the evolutionary and molecular biology of multichromosomal mitochondria in Lilium. This high-quality mitogenome of L. tsingtauense not only enriches our understanding of multichromosomal mitogenomes but also establishes a solid foundation for future genome breeding and germplasm innovation in Lilium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Qu
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China
- National Engineering Laboratory of Tree Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants of Ministry of Education, The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Forestry Protection and Development Service Center of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250109, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China.
- National Engineering Laboratory of Tree Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants of Ministry of Education, The Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Haili Guo
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China
| | - Qi Jing
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China
| | - Lei Ge
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China
| | - Xiuge Shu
- Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Xiaowei Xin
- Shandong Drug and Food Vocational College, Weihai, 264210, China
| | - Xiaoman Xie
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China.
| | - Boqiang Tong
- Shandong Provincial Center of Forest and Grass Germplasm Resources, Jinan, 250102, China.
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12
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Dewar AE, Hao C, Belcher LJ, Ghoul M, West SA. Bacterial lifestyle shapes pangenomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320170121. [PMID: 38743630 PMCID: PMC11126918 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320170121] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Pangenomes vary across bacteria. Some species have fluid pangenomes, with a high proportion of genes varying between individual genomes. Other species have less fluid pangenomes, with different genomes tending to contain the same genes. Two main hypotheses have been suggested to explain this variation: differences in species' bacterial lifestyle and effective population size. However, previous studies have not been able to test between these hypotheses because the different features of lifestyle and effective population size are highly correlated with each other, and phylogenetically conserved, making it hard to disentangle their relative importance. We used phylogeny-based analyses, across 126 bacterial species, to tease apart the causal role of different factors. We found that pangenome fluidity was lower in i) host-associated compared with free-living species and ii) host-associated species that are obligately dependent on a host, live inside cells, and are more pathogenic and less motile. In contrast, we found no support for the competing hypothesis that larger effective population sizes lead to more fluid pangenomes. Effective population size appears to correlate with pangenome variation because it is also driven by bacterial lifestyle, rather than because of a causal relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E. Dewar
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Chunhui Hao
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Melanie Ghoul
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart A. West
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
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13
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Cisneros AF, Nielly-Thibault L, Mallik S, Levy ED, Landry CR. Mutational biases favor complexity increases in protein interaction networks after gene duplication. Mol Syst Biol 2024; 20:549-572. [PMID: 38499674 PMCID: PMC11066126 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00030-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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological systems can gain complexity over time. While some of these transitions are likely driven by natural selection, the extent to which they occur without providing an adaptive benefit is unknown. At the molecular level, one example is heteromeric complexes replacing homomeric ones following gene duplication. Here, we build a biophysical model and simulate the evolution of homodimers and heterodimers following gene duplication using distributions of mutational effects inferred from available protein structures. We keep the specific activity of each dimer identical, so their concentrations drift neutrally without new functions. We show that for more than 60% of tested dimer structures, the relative concentration of the heteromer increases over time due to mutational biases that favor the heterodimer. However, allowing mutational effects on synthesis rates and differences in the specific activity of homo- and heterodimers can limit or reverse the observed bias toward heterodimers. Our results show that the accumulation of more complex protein quaternary structures is likely under neutral evolution, and that natural selection would be needed to reverse this tendency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel F Cisneros
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche sur les données massives, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lou Nielly-Thibault
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche sur les données massives, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
- Département de biologie, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada
| | - Saurav Mallik
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Emmanuel D Levy
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Christian R Landry
- Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
- PROTEO, Le regroupement québécois de recherche sur la fonction, l'ingénierie et les applications des protéines, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
- Centre de recherche sur les données massives, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
- Département de biologie, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
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14
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Hitomi K, Ishii Y, Ying BW. Experimental evolution for the recovery of growth loss due to genome reduction. eLife 2024; 13:RP93520. [PMID: 38690805 PMCID: PMC11062635 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93520] [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] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
As the genome encodes the information crucial for cell growth, a sizeable genomic deficiency often causes a significant decrease in growth fitness. Whether and how the decreased growth fitness caused by genome reduction could be compensated by evolution was investigated here. Experimental evolution with an Escherichia coli strain carrying a reduced genome was conducted in multiple lineages for approximately 1000 generations. The growth rate, which largely declined due to genome reduction, was considerably recovered, associated with the improved carrying capacity. Genome mutations accumulated during evolution were significantly varied across the evolutionary lineages and were randomly localized on the reduced genome. Transcriptome reorganization showed a common evolutionary direction and conserved the chromosomal periodicity, regardless of highly diversified gene categories, regulons, and pathways enriched in the differentially expressed genes. Genome mutations and transcriptome reorganization caused by evolution, which were found to be dissimilar to those caused by genome reduction, must have followed divergent mechanisms in individual evolutionary lineages. Gene network reconstruction successfully identified three gene modules functionally differentiated, which were responsible for the evolutionary changes of the reduced genome in growth fitness, genome mutation, and gene expression, respectively. The diversity in evolutionary approaches improved the growth fitness associated with the homeostatic transcriptome architecture as if the evolutionary compensation for genome reduction was like all roads leading to Rome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Hitomi
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Yoichiro Ishii
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Bei-Wen Ying
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
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15
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Herrick J. DNA Damage, Genome Stability, and Adaptation: A Question of Chance or Necessity? Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:520. [PMID: 38674454 PMCID: PMC11049855 DOI: 10.3390/genes15040520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA damage causes the mutations that are the principal source of genetic variation. DNA damage detection and repair mechanisms therefore play a determining role in generating the genetic diversity on which natural selection acts. Speciation, it is commonly assumed, occurs at a rate set by the level of standing allelic diversity in a population. The process of speciation is driven by a combination of two evolutionary forces: genetic drift and ecological selection. Genetic drift takes place under the conditions of relaxed selection, and results in a balance between the rates of mutation and the rates of genetic substitution. These two processes, drift and selection, are necessarily mediated by a variety of mechanisms guaranteeing genome stability in any given species. One of the outstanding questions in evolutionary biology concerns the origin of the widely varying phylogenetic distribution of biodiversity across the Tree of Life and how the forces of drift and selection contribute to shaping that distribution. The following examines some of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome stability and the adaptive radiations that are associated with biodiversity and the widely varying species richness and evenness in the different eukaryotic lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Herrick
- Independent Researcher at 3, Rue des Jeûneurs, 75002 Paris, France
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16
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Zhang H, Liu H, Han X. Traits-based approach: leveraging genome size in plant-microbe interactions. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:333-341. [PMID: 37925351 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Trait-based approaches have gained growing interest in studying plant-microbe interactions. However, current traits normally considered (e.g., morphological, physiological, or chemical traits) are biased towards those showing large intraspecific variations, necessitating the identification of fewer plastic traits that differ between species. Here, we propose using genome size (the amount of DNA in the nucleus of a cell) as a suitable trait for studying plant-microbiome interactions due to its relatively stable nature, minimally affected by external environmental variations. Emerging evidence suggests that plant genome size affects the plant-associated microbial community, and tissue-specific environments select microbes based on their genome size. These findings pinpoint environmental selection in genome size as an emerging driver of plant-microbiome interactions, potentially impacting ecosystem functions and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
| | - Hongwei Liu
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Xingguo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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17
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Takeuchi N, Fullmer MS, Maddock DJ, Poole AM. The Constructive Black Queen hypothesis: new functions can evolve under conditions favouring gene loss. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae011. [PMID: 38366199 PMCID: PMC10942775 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae011] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Duplication is a major route for the emergence of new gene functions. However, the emergence of new gene functions via this route may be reduced in prokaryotes, as redundant genes are often rapidly purged. In lineages with compact, streamlined genomes, it thus appears challenging for novel function to emerge via duplication and divergence. A further pressure contributing to gene loss occurs under Black Queen dynamics, as cheaters that lose the capacity to produce a public good can instead acquire it from neighbouring producers. We propose that Black Queen dynamics can favour the emergence of new function because, under an emerging Black Queen dynamic, there is high gene redundancy spread across a community of interacting cells. Using computational modelling, we demonstrate that new gene functions can emerge under Black Queen dynamics. This result holds even if there is deletion bias due to low duplication rates and selection against redundant gene copies resulting from the high cost associated with carrying a locus. However, when the public good production costs are high, Black Queen dynamics impede the fixation of new functions. Our results expand the mechanisms by which new gene functions can emerge in prokaryotic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuto Takeuchi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
- Universal Biology Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Matthew S Fullmer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Danielle J Maddock
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Anthony M Poole
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
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18
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Yu J, Lee JYY, Tang SN, Lee PKH. Niche differentiation in microbial communities with stable genomic traits over time in engineered systems. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae042. [PMID: 38470313 PMCID: PMC10987969 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae042] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Microbial communities in full-scale engineered systems undergo dynamic compositional changes. However, mechanisms governing assembly of such microbes and succession of their functioning and genomic traits under various environmental conditions are unclear. In this study, we used the activated sludge and anaerobic treatment systems of four full-scale industrial wastewater treatment plants as models to investigate the niches of microbes in communities and the temporal succession patterns of community compositions. High-quality representative metagenome-assembled genomes revealed that taxonomic, functional, and trait-based compositions were strongly shaped by environmental selection, with replacement processes primarily driving variations in taxonomic and functional compositions. Plant-specific indicators were associated with system environmental conditions and exhibited strong determinism and trajectory directionality over time. The partitioning of microbes in a co-abundance network according to groups of plant-specific indicators, together with significant between-group differences in genomic traits, indicated the occurrence of niche differentiation. The indicators of the treatment plant with rich nutrient input and high substrate removal efficiency exhibited a faster predicted growth rate, lower guanine-cytosine content, smaller genome size, and higher codon usage bias than the indicators of the other plants. In individual plants, taxonomic composition displayed a more rapid temporal succession than functional and trait-based compositions. The succession of taxonomic, functional, and trait-based compositions was correlated with the kinetics of treatment processes in the activated sludge systems. This study provides insights into ecological niches of microbes in engineered systems and succession patterns of their functions and traits, which will aid microbial community management to improve treatment performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Yu
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Justin Y Y Lee
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Siang Nee Tang
- Facility Management and Environmental Engineering, TAL Group, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Patrick K H Lee
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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19
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Hwang K, Choe H, Kim KM. Complete genome of Polaribacter huanghezhanensis KCTC 32516 T isolated from glaciomarine fjord sediment of Svalbard. Mar Genomics 2023; 72:101068. [PMID: 38008528 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2023.101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Polaribacter huanghezhanensis KCTC 32516T is an aerobic, non-flagellated, Gram-negative, orange-colony-forming bacterium that was isolated from the surficial glaciomarine sediment of inner basin of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. The sampling site is characterized by a sedimentation of organic depleted lithogenous particles from the nearby glaciers, resulting in reduction of organic matter concentration. In order to understand microbial adaptation to the oligotrophic environment, we here sequenced the complete genome of the P. huanghezhanensis KCTC 32516T. The genome consists of 2,587,874 bp (G + C content of 31.5%) with a single chromosome, 2391 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNAs, and 2 rRNA operons. Our comparative analysis revealed that the P. huanghezhanensis possess the smallest genome in fifteen Polaribacter species with genome. The streamlined genome of this species, required less resource in replication, could evolved by the nutrient deficiency in surrounding environment. Simultaneously, the 15 KOs involved in amino acid biosynthesis and anaplerotic carbon fixation is uniquely absent in the P. huanghezhanensis. In addition, although the advantage of small genome, other 15 KOs involved in resource recycling and stress resistance is uniquely present in sequenced genome. This result demonstrates that the sequenced genome serves as a valuable model for further studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms associated with adaptation to oligotrophic habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyuin Hwang
- Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hanna Choe
- Biological Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 181 Ipsin-gil, Jeongeup 56212, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Mo Kim
- Division of Polar Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
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20
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Kim M, Cha IT, Lee KE, Li M, Park SJ. Pangenome analysis provides insights into the genetic diversity, metabolic versatility, and evolution of the genus Flavobacterium. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0100323. [PMID: 37594286 PMCID: PMC10655711 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01003-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Flavobacterium are widely distributed and produce various polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. Many species in the genus have been isolated and characterized. However, few studies have focused on marine isolates or fish pathogens, and in-depth genomic analyses, particularly comparative analyses of isolates from different habitat types, are lacking. Here, we isolated 20 strains of the genus from various environments in South Korea and sequenced their full-length genomes. Combined with published sequence data, we examined genomic traits, evolution, environmental adaptation, and putative metabolic functions in total 187 genomes of isolated species in Flavobacterium categorized as marine, host-associated, and terrestrial including freshwater. A pangenome analysis revealed a correlation between genome size and coding or noncoding density. Flavobacterium spp. had high levels of diversity, allowing for novel gene repertories via recombination events. Defense-related genes only accounted for approximately 3% of predicted genes in all Flavobacterium genomes. While genes involved in metabolic pathways did not differ with respect to isolation source, there was substantial variation in genomic traits; in particular, the abundances of tRNAs and rRNAs were higher in the host-associdated group than in other groups. One genome in the host-associated group contained a Microviridae prophage closely related to an enterobacteria phage. The proteorhodopsin gene was only identified in four terrestrial strains isolated for this study. Furthermore, recombination events clearly influenced genomic diversity and may contribute to the response to environmental stress. These findings shed light on the high genetic variation in Flavobacterium and functional roles in diverse ecosystems as a result of their metabolic versatility. IMPORTANCE The genus Flavobacterium is a diverse group of bacteria that are found in a variety of environments. While most species of this genus are harmless and utilize organic substrates such as proteins and polysaccharides, some members may play a significant role in the cycling for organic substances within their environments. Nevertheless, little is known about the genomic dynamics and/or metabolic capacity of Flavobacterium. Here, we found that Flavobacterium species may have an open pangenome, containing a variety of diverse and novel gene repertoires. Intriguingly, we discovered that one genome (classified into host-associated group) contained a Microviridae prophage closely related to that of enterobacteria. Proteorhodopsin may be expressed under conditions of light or oxygen pressure in some strains isolated for this study. Our findings significantly contribute to the understanding of the members of the genus Flavobacterium diversity exploration and will provide a framework for the way for future ecological characterizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Kim
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju, South Korea
| | - In-Tae Cha
- Microorganism Resources Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Ki-Eun Lee
- Microorganism Resources Division, National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Meng Li
- Archaeal Biology Center, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Soo-Je Park
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju, South Korea
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21
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Moger-Reischer RZ, Glass JI, Wise KS, Sun L, Bittencourt DMC, Lehmkuhl BK, Schoolmaster DR, Lynch M, Lennon JT. Evolution of a minimal cell. Nature 2023; 620:122-127. [PMID: 37407813 PMCID: PMC10396959 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06288-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Possessing only essential genes, a minimal cell can reveal mechanisms and processes that are critical for the persistence and stability of life1,2. Here we report on how an engineered minimal cell3,4 contends with the forces of evolution compared with the Mycoplasma mycoides non-minimal cell from which it was synthetically derived. Mutation rates were the highest among all reported bacteria, but were not affected by genome minimization. Genome streamlining was costly, leading to a decrease in fitness of greater than 50%, but this deficit was regained during 2,000 generations of evolution. Despite selection acting on distinct genetic targets, increases in the maximum growth rate of the synthetic cells were comparable. Moreover, when performance was assessed by relative fitness, the minimal cell evolved 39% faster than the non-minimal cell. The only apparent constraint involved the evolution of cell size. The size of the non-minimal cell increased by 80%, whereas the minimal cell remained the same. This pattern reflected epistatic effects of mutations in ftsZ, which encodes a tubulin-homologue protein that regulates cell division and morphology5,6. Our findings demonstrate that natural selection can rapidly increase the fitness of one of the simplest autonomously growing organisms. Understanding how species with small genomes overcome evolutionary challenges provides critical insights into the persistence of host-associated endosymbionts, the stability of streamlined chassis for biotechnology and the targeted refinement of synthetically engineered cells2,7-9.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J I Glass
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - K S Wise
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - L Sun
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Novartis Gene Therapy, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - D M C Bittencourt
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, National Institute of Science and Technology in Synthetic Biology, Brasília, Brazil
| | - B K Lehmkuhl
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - D R Schoolmaster
- US Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - M Lynch
- Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - J T Lennon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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22
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Rodríguez-Gijón A, Buck M, Andersson AF, Izabel-Shen D, Nascimento FJA, Garcia SL. Linking prokaryotic genome size variation to metabolic potential and environment. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:25. [PMID: 36973336 PMCID: PMC10042847 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00231-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
While theories and models have appeared to explain genome size as a result of evolutionary processes, little work has shown that genome sizes carry ecological signatures. Our work delves into the ecological implications of microbial genome size variation in benthic and pelagic habitats across environmental gradients of the brackish Baltic Sea. While depth is significantly associated with genome size in benthic and pelagic brackish metagenomes, salinity is only correlated to genome size in benthic metagenomes. Overall, we confirm that prokaryotic genome sizes in Baltic sediments (3.47 Mbp) are significantly bigger than in the water column (2.96 Mbp). While benthic genomes have a higher number of functions than pelagic genomes, the smallest genomes coded for a higher number of module steps per Mbp for most of the functions irrespective of their environment. Some examples of this functions are amino acid metabolism and central carbohydrate metabolism. However, we observed that nitrogen metabolism was almost absent in pelagic genomes and was mostly present in benthic genomes. Finally, we also show that Bacteria inhabiting Baltic sediments and water column not only differ in taxonomy, but also in their metabolic potential, such as the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway or the presence of different hydrogenases. Our work shows how microbial genome size is linked to abiotic factors in the environment, metabolic potential and taxonomic identity of Bacteria and Archaea within aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Rodríguez-Gijón
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden.
- Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Moritz Buck
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders F Andersson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Gene Technology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dandan Izabel-Shen
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Francisco J A Nascimento
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sarahi L Garcia
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden.
- Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Ngugi DK, Acinas SG, Sánchez P, Gasol JM, Agusti S, Karl DM, Duarte CM. Abiotic selection of microbial genome size in the global ocean. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1384. [PMID: 36914646 PMCID: PMC10011403 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36988-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Strong purifying selection is considered a major evolutionary force behind small microbial genomes in the resource-poor photic ocean. However, very little is currently known about how the size of prokaryotic genomes evolves in the global ocean and whether patterns reflect shifts in resource availability in the epipelagic and relatively stable deep-sea environmental conditions. Using 364 marine microbial metagenomes, we investigate how the average genome size of uncultured planktonic prokaryotes varies across the tropical and polar oceans to the hadal realm. We find that genome size is highest in the perennially cold polar ocean, reflecting elongation of coding genes and gene dosage effects due to duplications in the interior ocean microbiome. Moreover, the rate of change in genome size due to temperature is 16-fold higher than with depth up to 200 m. Our results demonstrate how environmental factors can influence marine microbial genome size selection and ecological strategies of the microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Ngugi
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Silvia G Acinas
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Gasol
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Agusti
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Center, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - David M Karl
- Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaií at Mãnoa, Honolulu, USA
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Center, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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24
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Exploring the Interspecific Interactions and the Metabolome of the Soil Isolate Hylemonella gracilis. mSystems 2023; 8:e0057422. [PMID: 36537799 PMCID: PMC9948732 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00574-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial community analysis of aquatic environments showed that an important component of its microbial diversity consists of bacteria with cell sizes of ~0.1 μm. Such small bacteria can show genomic reductions and metabolic dependencies with other bacteria. However, so far, no study has investigated if such bacteria exist in terrestrial environments like soil. Here, we isolated soil bacteria that passed through a 0.1-μm filter. The complete genome of one of the isolates was sequenced and the bacterium was identified as Hylemonella gracilis. A set of coculture assays with phylogenetically distant soil bacteria with different cell and genome sizes was performed. The coculture assays revealed that H. gracilis grows better when interacting with other soil bacteria like Paenibacillus sp. AD87 and Serratia plymuthica. Transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that H. gracilis was able to change gene expression, behavior, and biochemistry of the interacting bacteria without direct cell-cell contact. Our study indicates that in soil there are bacteria that can pass through a 0.1-μm filter. These bacteria may have been overlooked in previous research on soil microbial communities. Such small bacteria, exemplified here by H. gracilis, can induce transcriptional and metabolomic changes in other bacteria upon their interactions in soil. In vitro, the studied interspecific interactions allowed utilization of growth substrates that could not be utilized by monocultures, suggesting that biochemical interactions between substantially different sized soil bacteria may contribute to the symbiosis of soil bacterial communities. IMPORTANCE Analysis of aquatic microbial communities revealed that parts of its diversity consist of bacteria with cell sizes of ~0.1 μm. Such bacteria can show genomic reductions and metabolic dependencies with other bacteria. So far, no study investigated if such bacteria exist in terrestrial environments such as soil. Here, we show that such bacteria also exist in soil. The isolated bacteria were identified as Hylemonella gracilis. Coculture assays with phylogenetically different soil bacteria revealed that H. gracilis grows better when cocultured with other soil bacteria. Transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that H. gracilis was able to change gene expression, behavior, and biochemistry of the interacting bacteria without direct contact. Our study revealed that bacteria are present in soil that can pass through 0.1-μm filters. Such bacteria may have been overlooked in previous research on soil microbial communities and may contribute to the symbiosis of soil bacterial communities.
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25
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Noh S, Capodanno BJ, Xu S, Hamilton MC, Strassmann JE, Queller DC. Reduced and Nonreduced Genomes in Paraburkholderia Symbionts of Social Amoebas. mSystems 2022; 7:e0056222. [PMID: 36098425 PMCID: PMC9601139 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00562-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a predatory soil protist frequently used for studying host-pathogen interactions. A subset of D. discoideum strains isolated from soil persistently carry symbiotic Paraburkholderia, recently formally described as P. agricolaris, P. bonniea, and P. hayleyella. The three facultative symbiont species of D. discoideum present a unique opportunity to study a naturally occurring symbiosis in a laboratory model protist. There is a large difference in genome size between P. agricolaris (8.7 million base pairs [Mbp]) versus P. hayleyella and P. bonniea (4.1 Mbp). We took a comparative genomics approach and compared the three genomes of D. discoideum symbionts to 12 additional Paraburkholderia genomes to test for genome evolution patterns that frequently accompany host adaptation. Overall, P. agricolaris is difficult to distinguish from other Paraburkholderia based on its genome size and content, but the reduced genomes of P. bonniea and P. hayleyella display characteristics indicative of genome streamlining rather than deterioration during adaptation to their protist hosts. In addition, D. discoideum-symbiont genomes have increased secretion system and motility genes that may mediate interactions with their host. Specifically, adjacent BurBor-like type 3 and T6SS-5-like type 6 secretion system operons shared among all three D. discoideum-symbiont genomes may be important for host interaction. Horizontal transfer of these secretion system operons within the amoeba host environment may have contributed to the unique ability of these symbionts to establish and maintain a symbiotic relationship with D. discoideum. IMPORTANCE Protists are a diverse group of typically single cell eukaryotes. Bacteria and archaea that form long-term symbiotic relationships with protists may evolve in additional ways than those in relationships with multicellular eukaryotes such as plants, animals, or fungi. Social amoebas are a predatory soil protist sometimes found with symbiotic bacteria living inside their cells. They present a unique opportunity to explore a naturally occurring symbiosis in a protist frequently used for studying host-pathogen interactions. We show that one amoeba-symbiont species is similar to other related bacteria in genome size and content, while the two reduced-genome-symbiont species show characteristics of genome streamlining rather than deterioration during adaptation to their host. We also identify sets of genes present in all three amoeba-symbiont genomes that are potentially used for host-symbiont interactions. Because the amoeba symbionts are distantly related, the amoeba host environment may be where these genes were shared among symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suegene Noh
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Capodanno
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Songtao Xu
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA
| | - Marisa C. Hamilton
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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LeBlanc N, Charles TC. Bacterial genome reductions: Tools, applications, and challenges. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:957289. [PMID: 36120530 PMCID: PMC9473318 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.957289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cells are widely used to produce value-added products due to their versatility, ease of manipulation, and the abundance of genome engineering tools. However, the efficiency of producing these desired biomolecules is often hindered by the cells’ own metabolism, genetic instability, and the toxicity of the product. To overcome these challenges, genome reductions have been performed, making strains with the potential of serving as chassis for downstream applications. Here we review the current technologies that enable the design and construction of such reduced-genome bacteria as well as the challenges that limit their assembly and applicability. While genomic reductions have shown improvement of many cellular characteristics, a major challenge still exists in constructing these cells efficiently and rapidly. Computational tools have been created in attempts at minimizing the time needed to design these organisms, but gaps still exist in modelling these reductions in silico. Genomic reductions are a promising avenue for improving the production of value-added products, constructing chassis cells, and for uncovering cellular function but are currently limited by their time-consuming construction methods. With improvements to and the creation of novel genome editing tools and in silico models, these approaches could be combined to expedite this process and create more streamlined and efficient cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole LeBlanc
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Nicole LeBlanc,
| | - Trevor C. Charles
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc., Waterloo, ON, Canada
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27
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Genomic Analysis Reveals Adaptation of Vibrio campbellii to the Hadal Ocean. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0057522. [PMID: 35916502 PMCID: PMC9397096 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00575-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Vibrio is characterized by high metabolic flexibility and genome plasticity and is widely distributed in the ocean from euphotic layers to deep-sea environments. The relationship between genome features and environmental adaptation strategies of Vibrio has been extensively investigated in coastal environments, yet very little is known about their survival strategies in oligotrophic deep-sea. In this study, we compared genomes of five Vibrio campbellii strains isolated from the Mariana and Yap Trenches at different water depths, including two epipelagic strains and three hadopelagic strains, to identify genomic characteristics that facilitate survival in the deep sea. Genome streamlining is found in pelagic strains, such as smaller genome sizes, lower G+C contents, and higher gene densities, which might be caused by long-term residence in an oligotrophic environment. Phylogenetic results showed that these five Vibrio strains are clustered into two clades according to their collection depth. Indeed, hadopelagic isolates harbor more genes involved in amino acid metabolism and transport, cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, and inorganic ion transport and metabolism through comparative genomics analysis. Specific macrolide export gene and more tellurite resistance genes present in hadopelagic strains by the annotation of antibiotic and metal resistance genes. In addition, several genes related to substrate degradation are enriched in hadopelagic strains, such as chitinase genes, neopullulanase genes, and biopolymer transporter genes. In contrast, epipelagic strains are unique in their capacity for assimilatory nitrate reduction. The genomic characteristics investigated here provide insights into how Vibrio adapts to the deep-sea environment through genomic evolution. IMPORTANCE With the development of deep-sea sampling technology, an increasing number of deep-sea Vibrio strains have been isolated, but the adaptation mechanism of these eutrophic Vibrio strains to the deep-sea environment is unclear. Here, our results show that the genome of pelagic Vibrio is streamlined to adapt to a long-term oligotrophic environment. Through a phylogenomic analysis, we find that genomic changes in marine Vibrio campbellii strains are related to water depth. Our data suggest that an increase in genes related to antibiotic resistance, degradation of macromolecular and refractory substrates, and utilization of rare ions is related to the adaptation of V. campbellii strains to adapt to hadal environments, and most of the increased genes were acquired by horizontal gene transfer. These findings may deepen our understanding of adaptation strategies of marine bacteria to the extreme environment in hadal zones.
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28
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Unprecedented frequency of mitochondrial introns in colonial bilaterians. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10889. [PMID: 35764672 PMCID: PMC9240083 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14477-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal mitogenomes are typically devoid of introns. Here, we report the largest number of mitochondrial introns ever recorded from bilaterian animals. Mitochondrial introns were identified for the first time from the phylum Bryozoa. They were found in four species from three families (Order Cheilostomatida). A total of eight introns were found in the complete mitogenome of Exechonella vieirai, and five, 17 and 18 introns were found in the partial mitogenomes of Parantropora penelope, Discoporella cookae and Cupuladria biporosa, respectively. Intron-encoded protein domains reverse transcriptase and intron maturase (RVT-IM) were identified in all species. Introns in E. vieirai and P. penelope had conserved Group II intron ribozyme domains V and VI. Conserved domains were lacking from introns in D. cookae and C. biporosa, preventing their further categorization. Putative origins of metazoan introns were explored in a phylogenetic context, using an up-to-date alignment of mitochondrial RVT-IM domains. Results confirmed previous findings of multiple origins of annelid, placozoan and sponge RVT-IM domains and provided evidence for common intron donor sources across metazoan phyla. Our results corroborate growing evidence that some metazoans with regenerative abilities (i.e. placozoans, sponges, annelids and bryozoans) are susceptible to intron integration, most likely via horizontal gene transfer.
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29
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Booth TJ, Bozhüyük KAJ, Liston JD, Batey SFD, Lacey E, Wilkinson B. Bifurcation drives the evolution of assembly-line biosynthesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3498. [PMID: 35715397 PMCID: PMC9205934 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30950-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming biosynthetic assembly-lines is a topic of intense interest. This is unsurprising as the scaffolds of most antibiotics in current clinical use are produced by such pathways. The modular nature of assembly-lines provides a direct relationship between the sequence of enzymatic domains and the chemical structure of the product, but rational reprogramming efforts have been met with limited success. To gain greater insight into the design process, we wanted to examine how Nature creates assembly-lines and searched for biosynthetic pathways that might represent evolutionary transitions. By examining the biosynthesis of the anti-tubercular wollamides, we uncover how whole gene duplication and neofunctionalization can result in pathway bifurcation. We show that, in the case of the wollamide biosynthesis, neofunctionalization is initiated by intragenomic recombination. This pathway bifurcation leads to redundancy, providing the genetic robustness required to enable large structural changes during the evolution of antibiotic structures. Should the new product be non-functional, gene loss can restore the original genotype. However, if the new product confers an advantage, depreciation and eventual loss of the original gene creates a new linear pathway. This provides the blind watchmaker equivalent to the design, build, test cycle of synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Booth
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Kenan A J Bozhüyük
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
- Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jonathon D Liston
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Sibyl F D Batey
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Ernest Lacey
- Microbial Screening Technologies, Smithfield, NSW, 2164, Australia
| | - Barrie Wilkinson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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Martinez-Gutierrez CA, Aylward FO. Genome size distributions in bacteria and archaea are strongly linked to evolutionary history at broad phylogenetic scales. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010220. [PMID: 35605022 PMCID: PMC9166353 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary forces that determine genome size in bacteria and archaea have been the subject of intense debate over the last few decades. Although the preferential loss of genes observed in prokaryotes is explained through the deletional bias, factors promoting and preventing the fixation of such gene losses often remain unclear. Importantly, statistical analyses on this topic typically do not consider the potential bias introduced by the shared ancestry of many lineages, which is critical when using species as data points because of the potential dependence on residuals. In this study, we investigated the genome size distributions across a broad diversity of bacteria and archaea to evaluate if this trait is phylogenetically conserved at broad phylogenetic scales. After model fit, Pagel's lambda indicated a strong phylogenetic signal in genome size data, suggesting that the diversification of this trait is influenced by shared evolutionary histories. We used a phylogenetic generalized least-squares analysis (PGLS) to test whether phylogeny influences the predictability of genome size from dN/dS ratios and 16S copy number, two variables that have been previously linked to genome size. These results confirm that failure to account for evolutionary history can lead to biased interpretations of genome size predictors. Overall, our results indicate that although bacteria and archaea can rapidly gain and lose genetic material through gene transfers and deletions, respectively, phylogenetic signal for genome size distributions can still be recovered at broad phylogenetic scales that should be taken into account when inferring the drivers of genome size evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank O. Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is arguably the most conspicuous feature of bacterial evolution. Evidence for HGT is found in most bacterial genomes. Although HGT can considerably alter bacterial genomes, not all transfer events may be biologically significant and may instead represent the outcome of an incessant evolutionary process that only occasionally has a beneficial purpose. When adaptive transfers occur, HGT and positive selection may result in specific, detectable signatures in genomes, such as gene-specific sweeps or increased transfer rates for genes that are ecologically relevant. In this Review, we first discuss the various mechanisms whereby HGT occurs, how the genetic signatures shape patterns of genomic variation and the distinct bioinformatic algorithms developed to detect these patterns. We then discuss the evolutionary theory behind HGT and positive selection in bacteria, and discuss the approaches developed over the past decade to detect transferred DNA that may be involved in adaptation to new environments.
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32
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Cortez D, Neira G, González C, Vergara E, Holmes DS. A Large-Scale Genome-Based Survey of Acidophilic Bacteria Suggests That Genome Streamlining Is an Adaption for Life at Low pH. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:803241. [PMID: 35387071 PMCID: PMC8978632 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.803241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The genome streamlining theory suggests that reduction of microbial genome size optimizes energy utilization in stressful environments. Although this hypothesis has been explored in several cases of low-nutrient (oligotrophic) and high-temperature environments, little work has been carried out on microorganisms from low-pH environments, and what has been reported is inconclusive. In this study, we performed a large-scale comparative genomics investigation of more than 260 bacterial high-quality genome sequences of acidophiles, together with genomes of their closest phylogenetic relatives that live at circum-neutral pH. A statistically supported correlation is reported between reduction of genome size and decreasing pH that we demonstrate is due to gene loss and reduced gene sizes. This trend is independent from other genome size constraints such as temperature and G + C content. Genome streamlining in the evolution of acidophilic bacteria is thus supported by our results. The analyses of predicted Clusters of Orthologous Genes (COG) categories and subcellular location predictions indicate that acidophiles have a lower representation of genes encoding extracellular proteins, signal transduction mechanisms, and proteins with unknown function but are enriched in inner membrane proteins, chaperones, basic metabolism, and core cellular functions. Contrary to other reports for genome streamlining, there was no significant change in paralog frequencies across pH. However, a detailed analysis of COG categories revealed a higher proportion of genes in acidophiles in the following categories: "replication and repair," "amino acid transport," and "intracellular trafficking". This study brings increasing clarity regarding the genomic adaptations of acidophiles to life at low pH while putting elements, such as the reduction of average gene size, under the spotlight of streamlining theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Cortez
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Neira
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina González
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eva Vergara
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - David S. Holmes
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genome Biology, Centro Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago, Chile
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33
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Palazzo AF, Kejiou NS. Non-Darwinian Molecular Biology. Front Genet 2022; 13:831068. [PMID: 35251134 PMCID: PMC8888898 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA, a shift occurred in how biologists investigated questions surrounding cellular processes, such as protein synthesis. Instead of viewing biological activity through the lens of chemical reactions, this new field used biological information to gain a new profound view of how biological systems work. Molecular biologists asked new types of questions that would have been inconceivable to the older generation of researchers, such as how cellular machineries convert inherited biological information into functional molecules like proteins. This new focus on biological information also gave molecular biologists a way to link their findings to concepts developed by genetics and the modern synthesis. However, by the late 1960s this all changed. Elevated rates of mutation, unsustainable genetic loads, and high levels of variation in populations, challenged Darwinian evolution, a central tenant of the modern synthesis, where adaptation was the main driver of evolutionary change. Building on these findings, Motoo Kimura advanced the neutral theory of molecular evolution, which advocates that selection in multicellular eukaryotes is weak and that most genomic changes are neutral and due to random drift. This was further elaborated by Jack King and Thomas Jukes, in their paper “Non-Darwinian Evolution”, where they pointed out that the observed changes seen in proteins and the types of polymorphisms observed in populations only become understandable when we take into account biochemistry and Kimura’s new theory. Fifty years later, most molecular biologists remain unaware of these fundamental advances. Their adaptionist viewpoint fails to explain data collected from new powerful technologies which can detect exceedingly rare biochemical events. For example, high throughput sequencing routinely detects RNA transcripts being produced from almost the entire genome yet are present less than one copy per thousand cells and appear to lack any function. Molecular biologists must now reincorporate ideas from classical biochemistry and absorb modern concepts from molecular evolution, to craft a new lens through which they can evaluate the functionality of transcriptional units, and make sense of our messy, intricate, and complicated genome.
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34
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Abstract
We apply the theory of learning to physically renormalizable systems in an attempt to outline a theory of biological evolution, including the origin of life, as multilevel learning. We formulate seven fundamental principles of evolution that appear to be necessary and sufficient to render a universe observable and show that they entail the major features of biological evolution, including replication and natural selection. It is shown that these cornerstone phenomena of biology emerge from the fundamental features of learning dynamics such as the existence of a loss function, which is minimized during learning. We then sketch the theory of evolution using the mathematical framework of neural networks, which provides for detailed analysis of evolutionary phenomena. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed theoretical framework, we derive a generalized version of the Central Dogma of molecular biology by analyzing the flow of information during learning (back propagation) and predicting (forward propagation) the environment by evolving organisms. The more complex evolutionary phenomena, such as major transitions in evolution (in particular, the origin of life), have to be analyzed in the thermodynamic limit, which is described in detail in the paper by Vanchurin et al. [V. Vanchurin, Y. I. Wolf, E. V. Koonin, M. I. Katsnelson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 119, 10.1073/pnas.2120042119 (2022)].
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35
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Genomic structure predicts metabolite dynamics in microbial communities. Cell 2022; 185:530-546.e25. [PMID: 35085485 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The metabolic activities of microbial communities play a defining role in the evolution and persistence of life on Earth, driving redox reactions that give rise to global biogeochemical cycles. Community metabolism emerges from a hierarchy of processes, including gene expression, ecological interactions, and environmental factors. In wild communities, gene content is correlated with environmental context, but predicting metabolite dynamics from genomes remains elusive. Here, we show, for the process of denitrification, that metabolite dynamics of a community are predictable from the genes each member of the community possesses. A simple linear regression reveals a sparse and generalizable mapping from gene content to metabolite dynamics for genomically diverse bacteria. A consumer-resource model correctly predicts community metabolite dynamics from single-strain phenotypes. Our results demonstrate that the conserved impacts of metabolic genes can predict community metabolite dynamics, enabling the prediction of metabolite dynamics from metagenomes, designing denitrifying communities, and discovering how genome evolution impacts metabolism.
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Environmental stress leads to genome streamlining in a widely distributed species of soil bacteria. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:423-434. [PMID: 34408268 PMCID: PMC8776746 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01082-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria have highly flexible pangenomes, which are thought to facilitate evolutionary responses to environmental change, but the impacts of environmental stress on pangenome evolution remain unclear. Using a landscape pangenomics approach, I demonstrate that environmental stress leads to consistent, continuous reduction in genome content along four environmental stress gradients (acidity, aridity, heat, salinity) in naturally occurring populations of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens (widespread soil-dwelling plant mutualists). Using gene-level network and duplication functional traits to predict accessory gene distributions across environments, genes predicted to be superfluous are more likely lost in high stress, while genes with multi-functional roles are more likely retained. Genes with higher probabilities of being lost with stress contain significantly higher proportions of codons under strong purifying and positive selection. Gene loss is widespread across the entire genome, with high gene-retention hotspots in close spatial proximity to core genes, suggesting Bradyrhizobium has evolved to cluster essential-function genes (accessory genes with multifunctional roles and core genes) in discrete genomic regions, which may stabilise viability during genomic decay. In conclusion, pangenome evolution through genome streamlining are important evolutionary responses to environmental change. This raises questions about impacts of genome streamlining on the adaptive capacity of bacterial populations facing rapid environmental change.
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Kwak Y. An Update on Trichoderma Mitogenomes: Complete De Novo Mitochondrial Genome of the Fungal Biocontrol Agent Trichoderma harzianum (Hypocreales, Sordariomycetes), an Ex-Neotype Strain CBS 226.95, and Tracing the Evolutionary Divergences of Mitogenomes in Trichoderma. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1564. [PMID: 34442643 PMCID: PMC8401334 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Trichoderma (Hypocreales), widely used as biofungicides, biofertilizers, and as model fungi for the industrial production of CAZymes, have actively been studied for the applications of their biological functions. Recently, the study of the nuclear genomes of Trichoderma has expanded in the directions of adaptation and evolution to gain a better understanding of their ecological traits. However, Trichoderma's mitochondria have received much less attention despite mitochondria being the most necessary element for sustaining cell life. In this study, a mitogenome of the fungus Trichoderma harzianum CBS 226.95 was assembled de novo. A 27,632 bp circular DNA molecule was revealed with specific features, such as the intronless of all core PCGs, one homing endonuclease, and a putative overlapping tRNA, on a closer phylogenetic relationship with T. reesei among hypocrealean fungi. Interestingly, the mitogenome of T. harzianum CBS 226.95 was predicted to have evolved earlier than those of other Trichoderma species and also assumed with a selection pressure in the cox3. Considering the bioavailability, both for the ex-neotype strain of the T. harzianum species complex and the most globally representative commercial fungal biocontrol agent, our results on the T. harzianum CBS 226.95 mitogenome provide crucial information which will be helpful criteria in future studies on Trichoderma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyoung Kwak
- Écologie, Systématique et Évolution, CNRS, Université Paris Sud (Paris XI), Université Paris Saclay, AgroParisTech, 91400 Orsay, France;
- School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Institute for Quality and Safety Assessment of Agricultural Products, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
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Banerjee R, Chaudhari NM, Lahiri A, Gautam A, Bhowmik D, Dutta C, Chattopadhyay S, Huson DH, Paul S. Interplay of Various Evolutionary Modes in Genome Diversification and Adaptive Evolution of the Family Sulfolobaceae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:639995. [PMID: 34248865 PMCID: PMC8267890 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.639995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfolobaceae family, comprising diverse thermoacidophilic and aerobic sulfur-metabolizing Archaea from various geographical locations, offers an ideal opportunity to infer the evolutionary dynamics across the members of this family. Comparative pan-genomics coupled with evolutionary analyses has revealed asymmetric genome evolution within the Sulfolobaceae family. The trend of genome streamlining followed by periods of differential gene gains resulted in an overall genome expansion in some species of this family, whereas there was reduction in others. Among the core genes, both Sulfolobus islandicus and Saccharolobus solfataricus showed a considerable fraction of positively selected genes and also higher frequencies of gene acquisition. In contrast, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius genomes experienced substantial amount of gene loss and strong purifying selection as manifested by relatively lower genome size and higher genome conservation. Central carbohydrate metabolism and sulfur metabolism coevolved with the genome diversification pattern of this archaeal family. The autotrophic CO2 fixation with three significant positively selected enzymes from S. islandicus and S. solfataricus was found to be more imperative than heterotrophic CO2 fixation for Sulfolobaceae. Overall, our analysis provides an insight into the interplay of various genomic adaptation strategies including gene gain-loss, mutation, and selection influencing genome diversification of Sulfolobaceae at various taxonomic levels and geographical locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachana Banerjee
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Narendrakumar M. Chaudhari
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Abhishake Lahiri
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad- 201002, India
| | - Anupam Gautam
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Debaleena Bhowmik
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad- 201002, India
| | - Chitra Dutta
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Sujay Chattopadhyay
- JIS Institute of Advanced Studies and Research, JIS University, Kolkata, India
| | - Daniel H. Huson
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence: Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sandip Paul
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad- 201002, India
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Werbin ZR, Hackos B, Lopez-Nava J, Dietze MC, Bhatnagar JM. The National Ecological Observatory Network's soil metagenomes: assembly and basic analysis. F1000Res 2021; 10:299. [PMID: 35707452 PMCID: PMC9178279 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.51494.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) annually performs shotgun metagenomic sequencing to sample genes within soils at 47 sites across the United States. NEON serves as a valuable educational resource, thanks to its open data policies and programming tutorials, but there is currently no introductory tutorial for performing analyses with the soil shotgun metagenomic dataset. Here, we describe a workflow for processing raw soil metagenome sequencing reads using the Sunbeam bioinformatics pipeline. The workflow includes cleaning and processing raw reads, taxonomic classification, assembly into contigs, annotation of predicted genes using custom protein databases, and exporting assemblies to the KBase platform for downstream analysis. This workflow is designed to be robust to annual data releases from NEON, and the underlying Snakemake framework can manage complex software dependencies. The workflow presented here aims to increase the accessibility of NEON's shotgun metagenome data, which can provide important clues about soil microbial communities and their ecological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoey R. Werbin
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Briana Hackos
- Department of Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jorge Lopez-Nava
- Department of Mathematics, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Michael C. Dietze
- Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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40
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Werbin ZR, Hackos B, Lopez-Nava J, Dietze MC, Bhatnagar JM. The National Ecological Observatory Network's soil metagenomes: assembly and basic analysis. F1000Res 2021; 10:299. [PMID: 35707452 PMCID: PMC9178279 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.51494.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The largest dataset of soil metagenomes has recently been released by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), which performs annual shotgun sequencing of soils at 47 sites across the United States. NEON serves as a valuable educational resource, thanks to its open data and programming tutorials, but there is currently no introductory tutorial for accessing and analyzing the soil shotgun metagenomic dataset. Here, we describe methods for processing raw soil metagenome sequencing reads using a bioinformatics pipeline tailored to the high complexity and diversity of the soil microbiome. We describe the rationale, necessary resources, and implementation of steps such as cleaning raw reads, taxonomic classification, assembly into contigs or genomes, annotation of predicted genes using custom protein databases, and exporting data for downstream analysis. The workflow presented here aims to increase the accessibility of NEON's shotgun metagenome data, which can provide important clues about soil microbial communities and their ecological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoey R. Werbin
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Briana Hackos
- Department of Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jorge Lopez-Nava
- Department of Mathematics, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Michael C. Dietze
- Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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Abstract
In recent years, the tree of life has expanded substantially. Despite this, many abundant yet uncultivated microbial groups remain to be explored. Sumerlaeota is a mysterious, putative phylum-level lineage distributed globally but rarely reported. As such, their physiology, ecology, and evolutionary history remain unknown. The 16S rRNA gene survey reveals that Sumerlaeota is frequently detected in diverse environments globally, especially cold arid desert soils and deep-sea basin surface sediments, where it is one dominant microbial group. Here, we retrieved four Sumerlaeota metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from two hot springs and one saline lake. Including another 12 publicly available MAGs, they represent six of the nine putative Sumerlaeota subgroups/orders, as indicated by 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny. These elusive organisms likely obtain carbon mainly through utilization of refractory organics (e.g., chitin and cellulose) and proteinaceous compounds, suggesting that Sumerlaeota act as scavengers in nature. The presence of key bidirectional enzymes involved in acetate and hydrogen metabolisms in these MAGs suggests that they are acetogenic bacteria capable of both the production and consumption of hydrogen. The capabilities of dissimilatory nitrate and sulfate reduction, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and organic phosphorus mineralization may confer these heterotrophs great advantages to thrive under diverse harsh conditions. Ancestral state reconstruction indicated that Sumerlaeota originated from chemotrophic and facultatively anaerobic ancestors, and their smaller and variably sized genomes evolved along dynamic pathways from a sizeable common ancestor (2,342 genes), leading to their physiological divergence. Notably, large gene gain and larger loss events occurred at the branch to the last common ancestor of the order subgroup 1, likely due to niche expansion and population size effects.
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Ionescu D, Zoccarato L, Zaduryan A, Schorn S, Bizic M, Pinnow S, Cypionka H, Grossart HP. Heterozygous, Polyploid, Giant Bacterium, Achromatium, Possesses an Identical Functional Inventory Worldwide across Drastically Different Ecosystems. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1040-1059. [PMID: 33169788 PMCID: PMC7947748 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Achromatium is large, hyperpolyploid and the only known heterozygous bacterium. Single cells contain approximately 300 different chromosomes with allelic diversity far exceeding that typically harbored by single bacteria genera. Surveying all publicly available sediment sequence archives, we show that Achromatium is common worldwide, spanning temperature, salinity, pH, and depth ranges normally resulting in bacterial speciation. Although saline and freshwater Achromatium spp. appear phylogenetically separated, the genus Achromatium contains a globally identical, complete functional inventory regardless of habitat. Achromatium spp. cells from differing ecosystems (e.g., from freshwater to saline) are, unexpectedly, equally functionally equipped but differ in gene expression patterns by transcribing only relevant genes. We suggest that environmental adaptation occurs by increasing the copy number of relevant genes across the cell's hundreds of chromosomes, without losing irrelevant ones, thus maintaining the ability to survive in any ecosystem type. The functional versatility of Achromatium and its genomic features reveal alternative genetic and evolutionary mechanisms, expanding our understanding of the role and evolution of polyploidy in bacteria while challenging the bacterial species concept and drivers of bacterial speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Ionescu
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Neuglobsow, Germany
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luca Zoccarato
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Neuglobsow, Germany
| | - Artur Zaduryan
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sina Schorn
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mina Bizic
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Neuglobsow, Germany
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
| | - Solvig Pinnow
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Neuglobsow, Germany
| | - Heribert Cypionka
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Grossart
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Neuglobsow, Germany
- Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Biodiversity, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Potsdam, Germany
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43
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Gerth M, Martinez-Montoya H, Ramirez P, Masson F, Griffin JS, Aramayo R, Siozios S, Lemaitre B, Mateos M, Hurst GDD. Rapid molecular evolution of Spiroplasma symbionts of Drosophila. Microb Genom 2021; 7:000503. [PMID: 33591248 PMCID: PMC8208695 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Spiroplasma is a genus of Mollicutes whose members include plant pathogens, insect pathogens and endosymbionts of animals. Spiroplasma phenotypes have been repeatedly observed to be spontaneously lost in Drosophila cultures, and several studies have documented a high genomic turnover in Spiroplasma symbionts and plant pathogens. These observations suggest that Spiroplasma evolves quickly in comparison to other insect symbionts. Here, we systematically assess evolutionary rates and patterns of Spiroplasma poulsonii, a natural symbiont of Drosophila. We analysed genomic evolution of sHy within flies, and sMel within in vitro culture over several years. We observed that S. poulsonii substitution rates are among the highest reported for any bacteria, and around two orders of magnitude higher compared with other inherited arthropod endosymbionts. The absence of mismatch repair loci mutS and mutL is conserved across Spiroplasma, and likely contributes to elevated substitution rates. Further, the closely related strains sMel and sHy (>99.5 % sequence identity in shared loci) show extensive structural genomic differences, which potentially indicates a higher degree of host adaptation in sHy, a protective symbiont of Drosophila hydei. Finally, comparison across diverse Spiroplasma lineages confirms previous reports of dynamic evolution of toxins, and identifies loci similar to the male-killing toxin Spaid in several Spiroplasma lineages and other endosymbionts. Overall, our results highlight the peculiar nature of Spiroplasma genome evolution, which may explain unusual features of its evolutionary ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gerth
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Present address: Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Humberto Martinez-Montoya
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Comparativa, Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Reynosa Aztlán, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Reynosa, Mexico
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Florent Masson
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joanne S. Griffin
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Rodolfo Aramayo
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Stefanos Siozios
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bruno Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mariana Mateos
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Gregory D. D. Hurst
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Koonin EV, Makarova KS, Wolf YI. Evolution of Microbial Genomics: Conceptual Shifts over a Quarter Century. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:582-592. [PMID: 33541841 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Prokaryote genomics started in earnest in 1995, with the complete sequences of two small bacterial genomes, those of Haemophilus influenzae and Mycoplasma genitalium. During the next quarter century, the prokaryote genome database has been growing exponentially, with no saturation in sight. For most of these 25 years, genome sequencing remained limited to cultivable microbes. Together with next-generation sequencing methods, advances in metagenomics and single-cell genomics have lifted this limitation, providing for an increasingly unbiased characterization of the global prokaryote diversity. Advances in computational genomics followed the progress of genome sequencing, even if occasionally lagging behind. Several major new branches of bacteria and archaea were discovered, including Asgard archaea, the apparent closest relatives of eukaryotes and expansive groups of bacteria and archaea with small genomes thought to be symbionts of other prokaryotes. Comparative analysis of numerous prokaryote genomes spanning a wide range of evolutionary distances changed the conceptual foundations of microbiology, supplanting the notion of species genomes with fixed gene sets with that of dynamic pangenomes and the notion of a single Tree of Life (ToL) with a statistical tree-like trend among individual gene trees. Strides were also made towards a theory and quantitative laws of prokaryote genome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene V Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA.
| | - Kira S Makarova
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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Mas A, Lagadeuc Y, Vandenkoornhuyse P. Reflections on the Predictability of Evolution: Toward a Conceptual Framework. iScience 2020; 23:101736. [PMID: 33225244 PMCID: PMC7666346 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolution is generally considered to be unpredictable because genetic variations are known to occur randomly. However, remarkable patterns of repeated convergent evolution are observed, for instance, loss of pigments by organisms living in caves. Analogous phenotypes appear in similar environments, sometimes in response to similar constraints. Alongside randomness, a certain evolutionary determinism also exists, for instance, the selection of particular phenotypes subjected to particular environmental constraints in the “evolutionary funnel.” We pursue the idea that eco-evolutionary specialization is in some way determinist. The conceptual framework of phenotypic changes entailing specialization presented in this essay explains how evolution can be predicted. We also discuss how the predictability of evolution could be tested using the case of metabolic specialization through gene losses. We also put forward that microorganisms could be key models to test and possibly make headway evolutionary predictions and knowledge about evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix Mas
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Campus Beaulieu, Avenue Leclerc, Rennes Cedex 35042, France
| | - Yvan Lagadeuc
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Campus Beaulieu, Avenue Leclerc, Rennes Cedex 35042, France
| | - Philippe Vandenkoornhuyse
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Campus Beaulieu, Avenue Leclerc, Rennes Cedex 35042, France
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Suárez-Esquivel M, Chaves-Olarte E, Moreno E, Guzmán-Verri C. Brucella Genomics: Macro and Micro Evolution. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7749. [PMID: 33092044 PMCID: PMC7589603 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucella organisms are responsible for one of the most widespread bacterial zoonoses, named brucellosis. The disease affects several species of animals, including humans. One of the most intriguing aspects of the brucellae is that the various species show a ~97% similarity at the genome level. Still, the distinct Brucella species display different host preferences, zoonotic risk, and virulence. After 133 years of research, there are many aspects of the Brucella biology that remain poorly understood, such as host adaptation and virulence mechanisms. A strategy to understand these characteristics focuses on the relationship between the genomic diversity and host preference of the various Brucella species. Pseudogenization, genome reduction, single nucleotide polymorphism variation, number of tandem repeats, and mobile genetic elements are unveiled markers for host adaptation and virulence. Understanding the mechanisms of genome variability in the Brucella genus is relevant to comprehend the emergence of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Suárez-Esquivel
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
| | - Esteban Chaves-Olarte
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 1180, Costa Rica;
| | - Edgardo Moreno
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
| | - Caterina Guzmán-Verri
- Programa de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica; (M.S.-E.); (E.M.)
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 1180, Costa Rica;
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Flores-Bautista E, Hernandez-Guerrero R, Huerta-Saquero A, Tenorio-Salgado S, Rivera-Gomez N, Romero A, Ibarra JA, Perez-Rueda E. Deciphering the functional diversity of DNA-binding transcription factors in Bacteria and Archaea organisms. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237135. [PMID: 32822422 PMCID: PMC7446807 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA-binding Transcription Factors (TFs) play a central role in regulation of gene expression in prokaryotic organisms, and similarities at the sequence level have been reported. These proteins are predicted with different abundances as a consequence of genome size, where small organisms contain a low proportion of TFs and large genomes contain a high proportion of TFs. In this work, we analyzed a collection of 668 experimentally validated TFs across 30 different species from diverse taxonomical classes, including Escherichia coli K-12, Bacillus subtilis 168, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and Streptomyces coelicolor, among others. This collection of TFs, together with 111 hidden Markov model profiles associated with DNA-binding TFs collected from diverse databases such as PFAM and DBD, was used to identify the repertoire of proteins putatively devoted to gene regulation in 1321 representative genomes of Archaea and Bacteria. The predicted regulatory proteins were posteriorly analyzed in terms of their genomic context, allowing the prediction of functions for TFs and their neighbor genes, such as genes involved in virulence, enzymatic functions, phosphorylation mechanisms, and antibiotic resistance. The functional analysis associated with PFAM groups showed diverse functional categories were significantly enriched in the collection of TFs and the proteins encoded by the neighbor genes, in particular, small-molecule binding and amino acid transmembrane transporter activities associated with the LysR family and proteins devoted to cellular aromatic compound metabolic processes or responses to drugs, stress, or abiotic stimuli in the MarR family. We consider that with the increasing data derived from new technologies, novel TFs can be identified and help improve the predictions for this class of proteins in complete genomes. The complete collection of experimentally characterized and predicted TFs is available at http://web.pcyt.unam.mx/EntrafDB/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Flores-Bautista
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Rafael Hernandez-Guerrero
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Alejandro Huerta-Saquero
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ensenada, Baja California, México
| | - Silvia Tenorio-Salgado
- Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | | | - Alba Romero
- Microbiota Host Interactions and Clostridia Research Group, Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Jose Antonio Ibarra
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ernesto Perez-Rueda
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail:
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48
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Pausch P, Al-Shayeb B, Bisom-Rapp E, Tsuchida CA, Li Z, Cress BF, Knott GJ, Jacobsen SE, Banfield JF, Doudna JA. CRISPR-CasΦ from huge phages is a hypercompact genome editor. Science 2020; 369:333-337. [PMID: 32675376 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb1400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 351] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems are found widely in prokaryotes, where they provide adaptive immunity against virus infection and plasmid transformation. We describe a minimal functional CRISPR-Cas system, comprising a single ~70-kilodalton protein, CasΦ, and a CRISPR array, encoded exclusively in the genomes of huge bacteriophages. CasΦ uses a single active site for both CRISPR RNA (crRNA) processing and crRNA-guided DNA cutting to target foreign nucleic acids. This hypercompact system is active in vitro and in human and plant cells with expanded target recognition capabilities relative to other CRISPR-Cas proteins. Useful for genome editing and DNA detection but with a molecular weight half that of Cas9 and Cas12a genome-editing enzymes, CasΦ offers advantages for cellular delivery that expand the genome editing toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Pausch
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Basem Al-Shayeb
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ezra Bisom-Rapp
- College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Connor A Tsuchida
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,University of California, Berkeley-University of California, San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brady F Cress
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Gavin J Knott
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven E Jacobsen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jillian F Banfield
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
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49
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Abstract
The genomes of bacteria contain fewer genes and substantially less noncoding DNA than those of eukaryotes, and as a result, they have much less raw material to invent new traits. Yet, bacteria are vastly more taxonomically diverse, numerically abundant, and globally successful in colonizing new habitats compared to eukaryotes. Although bacterial genomes are generally considered to be optimized for efficient growth and rapid adaptation, nonadaptive processes have played a major role in shaping the size, contents, and compact organization of bacterial genomes and have allowed the establishment of deleterious traits that serve as the raw materials for genetic innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C Kirchberger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712, USA; ; ;
| | - Marian L Schmidt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712, USA; ; ;
| | - Howard Ochman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712, USA; ; ;
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50
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Liu C, Shi X, Wu F, Ren M, Gao G, Wu Q. Genome analyses provide insights into the evolution and adaptation of the eukaryotic Picophytoplankton Mychonastes homosphaera. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:477. [PMID: 32652928 PMCID: PMC7354681 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06891-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Picophytoplankton are abundant and can contribute greatly to primary production in eutrophic lakes. Mychonastes species are among the common eukaryotic picophytoplankton in eutrophic lakes. We used third-generation sequencing technology to sequence the whole genome of Mychonastes homosphaera isolated from Lake Chaohu, a eutrophic freshwater lake in China. Result The 24.23 Mbp nuclear genome of M.homosphaera, harboring 6649 protein-coding genes, is more compact than the genomes of the closely related Sphaeropleales species. This genome streamlining may be caused by a reduction in gene family number, intergenic size and introns. The genome sequence of M.homosphaera reveals the strategies adopted by this organism for environmental adaptation in the eutrophic lake. Analysis of cultures and the protein complement highlight the metabolic flexibility of M.homosphaera, the genome of which encodes genes involved in light harvesting, carbohydrate metabolism, and nitrogen and microelement metabolism, many of which form functional gene clusters. Reconstruction of the bioenergetic metabolic pathways of M.homosphaera, such as the lipid, starch and isoprenoid pathways, reveals characteristics that make this species suitable for biofuel production. Conclusion The analysis of the whole genome of M. homosphaera provides insights into the genome streamlining, the high lipid yield, the environmental adaptation and phytoplankton evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoli Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Fan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mingdong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Qinglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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