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Ghadermazi P, Chan SHJ. Microbial interactions from a new perspective: reinforcement learning reveals new insights into microbiome evolution. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae003. [PMID: 38212999 PMCID: PMC10799744 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae003] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Microbes are essential part of all ecosystems, influencing material flow and shaping their surroundings. Metabolic modeling has been a useful tool and provided tremendous insights into microbial community metabolism. However, current methods based on flux balance analysis (FBA) usually fail to predict metabolic and regulatory strategies that lead to long-term survival and stability especially in heterogenous communities. RESULTS Here, we introduce a novel reinforcement learning algorithm, Self-Playing Microbes in Dynamic FBA, which treats microbial metabolism as a decision-making process, allowing individual microbial agents to evolve by learning and adapting metabolic strategies for enhanced long-term fitness. This algorithm predicts what microbial flux regulation policies will stabilize in the dynamic ecosystem of interest in the presence of other microbes with minimal reliance on predefined strategies. Throughout this article, we present several scenarios wherein our algorithm outperforms existing methods in reproducing outcomes, and we explore the biological significance of these predictions. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The source code for this article is available at: https://github.com/chan-csu/SPAM-DFBA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parsa Ghadermazi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States
| | - Siu Hung Joshua Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States
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Liu J, Wu F, Xiang T, Ma W, He D, Zhang Q, Wang W, Duan Y, Tian T, Feng H. Differences of airborne and mural microorganisms in a 1,500-year-old Xu Xianxiu's Tomb, Taiyuan, China. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1253461. [PMID: 37954248 PMCID: PMC10635417 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253461] [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] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Microbial colonization represents one of the main threats to the conservation of subterranean cultural heritage sites. Recently, the microbial colonization on murals in tombs has gradually attracted attention. Methods In this study, a total of 33 samples, including 27 aerosol samples and 6 mural painting samples, were collected from different sites of Xu Xianxiu's Tomb and analyzed using culture-dependent methods. We compared the diversities of culturable bacteria and fungi isolated from the air and murals and explored the potential impacts of microorganisms on the biodeterioration of the murals. Results Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the culturable bacteria belonged to Bacillus, Microbacterium, Lysobacter and Arthrobacter. And the most of fungal belonged to the Penicillium, Cladosporium and Aspergillus genera. The composition and structure of airborne bacteria and fungi outside the tomb were both significantly different from that inside the tomb. The variation trends of airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations at different sampling sites were remarkably similar. Bacillus frigoritolerans, Bacillus halotolerans, Bacillus safensis, Exiguobacterium mexicanum, Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum, and Micrococcus yunnanensis were bacterial species commonly isolated from both the mural and air environments. Fungal species commonly isolated from aerosol samples and mural painting samples were Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Penicillium brevicompactum, and Peyronellaea glomerata. The prediction of the ecological functions of the bacteria revealed that chemoheterotrophy or aerobic_chemoheterotrophy accounted for substantial relative proportions in all sample types. Conclusion These results suggest that the aerosol circulation between the inside and outside environments of the tomb was weak and that the outside environment had yet to have an impact on the air microbial community inside the tomb. Selective colonization of microorganisms, which is mediated by interaction between microorganisms and special microenvironmental factors, is an important reason for the biodeterioration of murals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangyun Liu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Fasi Wu
- National Research Center for Conservation of Ancient Wall Paintings and Earthen Sites, Department of Conservation Research, Dunhuang Academy, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
- Gansu Provincial Research Center for Conservation of Dunhuang Cultural Heritage, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
| | - Ting Xiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Centre for Grassland Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Wenxia Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Centre for Grassland Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Dongpeng He
- National Research Center for Conservation of Ancient Wall Paintings and Earthen Sites, Department of Conservation Research, Dunhuang Academy, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
- Gansu Provincial Research Center for Conservation of Dunhuang Cultural Heritage, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Centre for Grassland Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Wanfu Wang
- National Research Center for Conservation of Ancient Wall Paintings and Earthen Sites, Department of Conservation Research, Dunhuang Academy, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
- Gansu Provincial Research Center for Conservation of Dunhuang Cultural Heritage, Dunhuang, Gansu, China
| | - Yulong Duan
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Tian Tian
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Huyuan Feng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Centre for Grassland Microbiome, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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Amundson KK, Roux S, Shelton JL, Wilkins MJ. Long-term CRISPR locus dynamics and stable host-virus co-existence in subsurface fractured shales. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3125-3135.e4. [PMID: 37402375 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.033] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are the most ubiquitous biological entities on Earth. Even so, elucidating the impact of viruses on microbial communities and associated ecosystem processes often requires identification of unambiguous host-virus linkages-an undeniable challenge in many ecosystems. Subsurface fractured shales present a unique opportunity to first make these strong linkages via spacers in CRISPR-Cas arrays and subsequently reveal complex long-term host-virus dynamics. Here, we sampled two replicated sets of fractured shale wells for nearly 800 days, resulting in 78 metagenomes from temporal sampling of six wells in the Denver-Julesburg Basin (Colorado, USA). At the community level, there was strong evidence for CRISPR-Cas defense systems being used through time and likely in response to viral interactions. Within our host genomes, represented by 202 unique MAGs, we also saw that CRISPR-Cas systems were widely encoded. Together, spacers from host CRISPR loci facilitated 2,110 CRISPR-based viral linkages across 90 host MAGs spanning 25 phyla. We observed less redundancy in host-viral linkages and fewer spacers associated with hosts from the older, more established wells, possibly reflecting enrichment of more beneficial spacers through time. Leveraging temporal patterns of host-virus linkages across differing well ages, we report how host-virus co-existence dynamics develop and converge through time, possibly reflecting selection for viruses that can evade host CRISPR-Cas systems. Together, our findings shed light on the complexities of host-virus interactions as well as long-term dynamics of CRISPR-Cas defense among diverse microbial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaela K Amundson
- Colorado State University, Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, 301 University Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
| | - Simon Roux
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jenna L Shelton
- United States Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., Reston, VA 20192, USA
| | - Michael J Wilkins
- Colorado State University, Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, 301 University Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Cheng Z, Wen S, Wu Y, Shang L, Wu L, Lyu D, Yu H, Wang J, Jian H. Comparatively Evolution and Expression Analysis of GRF Transcription Factor Genes in Seven Plant Species. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2790. [PMID: 37570944 PMCID: PMC10421444 DOI: 10.3390/plants12152790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Growth regulatory factors (GRF) are plant-specific transcription factors that play pivotal roles in growth and various abiotic stresses regulation. However, adaptive evolution of GRF gene family in land plants are still being elucidated. Here, we performed the evolutionary and expression analysis of GRF gene family from seven representative species. Extensive phylogenetic analyses and gene structure analysis revealed that the number of genes, QLQ domain and WRC domain identified in higher plants was significantly greater than those identified in lower plants. Besides, dispersed duplication and WGD/segmental duplication effectively promoted expansion of the GRF gene family. The expression patterns of GRF gene family and target genes were found in multiple floral organs and abundant in actively growing tissues. They were also found to be particularly expressed in response to various abiotic stresses, with stress-related elements in promoters, implying potential roles in floral development and abiotic stress. Our analysis in GRF gene family interaction network indicated the similar results that GRFs resist to abiotic stresses with the cooperation of other transcription factors like GIFs. This study provides insights into evolution in the GRF gene family, together with expression patterns valuable for future functional researches of plant abiotic stress biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihan Cheng
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shiqi Wen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuke Wu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Lina Shang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Breeding for Tuber and Root Crops, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Dianqiu Lyu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Breeding for Tuber and Root Crops, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongtao Yu
- Suihua Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Suihua 152052, China;
| | - Jichun Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongju Jian
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Y.W.); (L.S.); (L.W.); (D.L.); (J.W.)
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- State Cultivation Base of Crop Stress Biology for Southern Mountainous Land of Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Breeding for Tuber and Root Crops, Chongqing 400715, China
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Hernandez-Becerra N, Cliffe L, Xiu W, Boothman C, Lloyd JR, Nixon SL. New microbiological insights from the Bowland shale highlight heterogeneity of the hydraulically fractured shale microbiome. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:14. [PMID: 36855215 PMCID: PMC9972762 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00465-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydraulically fractured shales offer a window into the deep biosphere, where hydraulic fracturing creates new microbial ecosystems kilometers beneath the surface of the Earth. Studying the microbial communities from flowback fluids that are assumed to inhabit these environments provides insights into their ecophysiology, and in particular their ability to survive in these extreme environments as well as their influence on site operation e.g. via problematic biofouling processes and/or biocorrosion. Over the past decade, research on fractured shale microbiology has focused on wells in North America, with a few additional reported studies conducted in China. To extend the knowledge in this area, we characterized the geochemistry and microbial ecology of two exploratory shale gas wells in the Bowland Shale, UK. We then employed a meta-analysis approach to compare geochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequencing data from our study site with previously published research from geographically distinct formations spanning China, Canada and the USA. RESULTS Our findings revealed that fluids recovered from exploratory wells in the Bowland are characterized by moderate salinity and high microbial diversity. The microbial community was dominated by lineages known to degrade hydrocarbons, including members of Shewanellaceae, Marinobacteraceae, Halomonadaceae and Pseudomonadaceae. Moreover, UK fractured shale communities lacked the usually dominant Halanaerobium lineages. From our meta-analysis, we infer that chloride concentrations play a dominant role in controlling microbial community composition. Spatio-temporal trends were also apparent, with different shale formations giving rise to communities of distinct diversity and composition. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight an unexpected level of compositional heterogeneity across fractured shale formations, which is not only relevant to inform management practices but also provides insight into the ability of diverse microbial consortia to tolerate the extreme conditions characteristic of the engineered deep subsurface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natali Hernandez-Becerra
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Lisa Cliffe
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Wei Xiu
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Christopher Boothman
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jonathan R Lloyd
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sophie L Nixon
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Roux S, Fischer MG, Hackl T, Katz LA, Schulz F, Yutin N. Updated Virophage Taxonomy and Distinction from Polinton-like Viruses. Biomolecules 2023; 13:204. [PMID: 36830574 PMCID: PMC9952930 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Virophages are small dsDNA viruses that hijack the machinery of giant viruses during the co-infection of a protist (i.e., microeukaryotic) host and represent an exceptional case of "hyperparasitism" in the viral world. While only a handful of virophages have been isolated, a vast diversity of virophage-like sequences have been uncovered from diverse metagenomes. Their wide ecological distribution, idiosyncratic infection and replication strategy, ability to integrate into protist and giant virus genomes and potential role in antiviral defense have made virophages a topic of broad interest. However, one limitation for further studies is the lack of clarity regarding the nomenclature and taxonomy of this group of viruses. Specifically, virophages have been linked in the literature to other "virophage-like" mobile genetic elements and viruses, including polinton-like viruses (PLVs), but there are no formal demarcation criteria and proper nomenclature for either group, i.e., virophage or PLVs. Here, as part of the ICTV Virophage Study Group, we leverage a large set of genomes gathered from published datasets as well as newly generated protist genomes to propose delineation criteria and classification methods at multiple taxonomic ranks for virophages 'sensu stricto', i.e., genomes related to the prototype isolates Sputnik and mavirus. Based on a combination of comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses, we show that this group of virophages forms a cohesive taxon that we propose to establish at the class level and suggest a subdivision into four orders and seven families with distinctive ecogenomic features. Finally, to illustrate how the proposed delineation criteria and classification method would be used, we apply these to two recently published datasets, which we show include both virophages and other virophage-related elements. Overall, we see this proposed classification as a necessary first step to provide a robust taxonomic framework in this area of the virosphere, which will need to be expanded in the future to cover other virophage-related viruses such as PLVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Roux
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Matthias G. Fischer
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Hackl
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 AB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura A. Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, USA
| | - Frederik Schulz
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Natalya Yutin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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Amundson KK, Borton MA, Daly RA, Hoyt DW, Wong A, Eder E, Moore J, Wunch K, Wrighton KC, Wilkins MJ. Correction to: Microbial colonization and persistence in deep fractured shales is guided by metabolic exchanges and viral predation. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:30. [PMID: 35148809 PMCID: PMC8840777 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01239-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaela K Amundson
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Mikayla A Borton
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Rebecca A Daly
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - David W Hoyt
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Allison Wong
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Eder
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Kelly C Wrighton
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael J Wilkins
- Department of Soil & Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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