Proposal of the Reverse Flow Model for the Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell Based on Comparative Analyses of Asgard Archaeal Metabolism

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Proposal of the Reverse Flow Model for the Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell Based on Comparative Analyses of Asgard Archaeal Metabolism ARTICLES https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-019-0406-9 Proposal of the reverse flow model for the origin of the eukaryotic cell based on comparative analyses of Asgard archaeal metabolism Anja Spang 1,2*, Courtney W. Stairs 1, Nina Dombrowski2,3, Laura Eme 1, Jonathan Lombard1, Eva F. Caceres1, Chris Greening 4, Brett J. Baker3 and Thijs J. G. Ettema 1,5* The origin of eukaryotes represents an unresolved puzzle in evolutionary biology. Current research suggests that eukary- otes evolved from a merger between a host of archaeal descent and an alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont. The discovery of the Asgard archaea, a proposed archaeal superphylum that includes Lokiarchaeota, Thorarchaeota, Odinarchaeota and Heimdallarchaeota suggested to comprise the closest archaeal relatives of eukaryotes, has helped to elucidate the identity of the putative archaeal host. Whereas Lokiarchaeota are assumed to employ a hydrogen-dependent metabolism, little is known about the metabolic potential of other members of the Asgard superphylum. We infer the central metabolic pathways of Asgard archaea using comparative genomics and phylogenetics to be able to refine current models for the origin of eukaryotes. Our analyses indicate that Thorarchaeota and Lokiarchaeota encode proteins necessary for carbon fixation via the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway and for obtaining reducing equivalents from organic substrates. By contrast, Heimdallarchaeum LC2 and LC3 genomes encode enzymes potentially enabling the oxidation of organic substrates using nitrate or oxygen as electron acceptors. The gene repertoire of Heimdallarchaeum AB125 and Odinarchaeum indicates that these organisms can ferment organic substrates and conserve energy by coupling ferredoxin reoxidation to respiratory proton reduction. Altogether, our genome analyses sug- gest that Asgard representatives are primarily organoheterotrophs with variable capacity for hydrogen consumption and pro- duction. On this basis, we propose the ‘reverse flow model’, an updated symbiogenetic model for the origin of eukaryotes that involves electron or hydrogen flow from an organoheterotrophic archaeal host to a bacterial symbiont. he exploration of microbial life inhabiting anoxic environ- of eukaryotes and about the evolutionary events that led to the ments has changed our perception of microbial diversity, evo- origin of the eukaryotic cell13–16. Even though recent data favour lution and ecology, and unveiled various previously unknown hypotheses that underpin a symbiogenetic origin of eukaryotes T 1 6,8,17,18 branches in the tree of life , including the proposed Asgard archaea from only two domains of life , the timing of the events leading superphylum2–4. The analysis of genomes from uncultivated micro- to eukaryogenesis remains unknown19. organisms has improved our understanding of microbial metabolic Here, we perform a comparative analysis of the metabolic poten- diversity and evolution of life on Earth, including the origin of tial of the Asgard superphylum, which revealed considerable meta- eukaryotes5. During the past years, models that posit that eukary- bolic versatility in these archaea. In light of our findings, we update otes evolved from a symbiosis between an alphaproteobacterial previously formulated symbiogenetic hypotheses and present a endosymbiont and an archaeal host cell have gained increasing refined model for the origin of eukaryotes, in which the archaeal support (reviewed in refs. 6–8). In particular, detailed phylogenomic host is suggested to be a fermentative organoheterotroph generating analyses of Asgard archaea, which currently include Lokiarchaeota, reduced compounds that are metabolized by a syntrophic bacterial Thorarchaeota, Odinarchaeota and Heimdallarchaeota, have sug- partner organism. gested that these archaea represent the closest known relatives of eukaryotes2,4. Although this view has been challenged9, additional Results and discussion analyses supported the phylogenetic placement of eukaryotes Genomic analyses of Asgard archaea reveal different meta- within the Asgard archaea and reinforced the suggestion that these bolic repertoires. Our reconstruction of the metabolism of the organisms are key for our understanding of eukaryogenesis10,11. The Asgard archaea, based on comparative genome annotation and genomes of all members of the Asgard archaea are enriched in genes phylogenetic analyses, revealed that the enzymatic repertoire encoding so-called eukaryotic signature proteins2,4,12, indicating differs both within and between the metagenome-assembled that the elusive archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes already contained genomes (MAGs) of representatives of the Lokiarchaeota, several building blocks for the subsequent evolution of eukary- Thorarchaeota, Odinarchaeota and Heimdallarchaeota4, suggest- otic complexity2,4. In turn, genome analyses of Lokiarchaeum have ing that members of these groups are characterized by different reinvigorated discussions about the nature of the archaeal ancestor physiological lifestyles. 1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. 2NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, and Utrecht University, AB Den Burg, The Netherlands. 3Department of Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, TX, USA. 4School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. 5Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. *e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] 1138 NatURE MICROBIOLOGY | VOL 4 | JULY 2019 | 1138–1148 | www.nature.com/naturemicrobiology NATURE MICROBIOLOGY ARTICLES ? e ? ase se nas e + + H + H + H H + H+ H+ H ive dehalogena ATP synthase ATP synthas ADH dehydroge + N H+ ETFQO? Reductive dehalogenHdrD? H ETFQO? Reduct HdrD? MQ MQ MQ MQ MQ MQ ? MQ ? ? (red) ATP (red) ATP (ox) ? ? ? (red) ETF (ox) (red) NAD + ETF ? ox ? Fd(ox) ox (ox) ADP + P (ox) ADP + P i ETF Fd(red) i NADH ETF Fd red FAD H 3c [NiFe]- red (ox) 2 Fd(red) ? – + hydrogenase 3c [NiFe]- (ox) FADH H FAD H2 Archaeal lipid – Archaeal lipid ? + hydrogenase ? HdrABC linked (ox) FADH H biosynthesis (red) biosynthesis HdrABC linked ? (red) Glucose NADPH H+ 3b [NiFe]- Glucose Ribose-5P NADP H hydrogenase Glycerol-1P + Glycerol-1P 2 NADPH H 3b [NiFe]- . RuMP Non-ox. PPP NADP H hydrogenase s 2 i s rev Ribose-5P i s s Glycerone-P e Glycerone-P e - n n CO HCOO CO 2 e 2 e - Fd g NADH HCOO g NADH red P EM Formate o Fd P EM red o Fd F420 ox CO ox e Ribose-1,5-2P Fd e 2 ox NMP dehydro- n Formate n F420 F420 red o CO CO ox o NADH genase 2 2 dehydro- CO2 c c F420 F420 u red l u CO red CO genase l 2 2 F420red F420ox G G F420ox F420red - F420 Mevalonate F420red Mevalonate β WLP ox - WLP ETF Acetyl-CoA β F420ox Acetyl-CoA oxidation red pathway ETFred pathway NADH NADH oxidation NADH NADH Fumarate Acetyl-CoA Fumarate Acetyl-CoA Succinate TCA TCA dehydrogenase MQ ADP + Pi MQ ADP + P Succinate H+ Succinate i H+ ATP NADH ATP NADH 2Pi PPi + H2O 2Pi PPi + H2O Acetate Acetate Lokiarchaeota Thorarchaeota e ? xidas se e 2 o er e se H+/Na+ e]-hydrogenase H+/Na+ -hydrogena F e] dehalogenase reductas + + + dehydrogenas [Ni + + ynthase H /Na H 4 H /Na s synthase DH + + ochrome/quinol 4 [NiF + + H /Na O Nitrate Haem-copper-type + + e]-hydrogena H /Na NA Type Mrp-like antoport H /Na ATP iF H+/Na+ ATP ? BCP ype + + cyt [N T Mrp-like antiporter+ + ETFQ Reductive H ? H H /Na MQ MQ MQ H+ MQ ? H + ? (red) - H2O 2 H Fd(red) NO + H O ATP + H 2 2 ATP NAD 2 ? (ox) - Fd + Fd ? ETF + O 2P PP + H O (ox) H (red) H Fd ox NO3 + H 2 i + i 2 2 ADP + P NADH (ox) ADP + P H i ETF + i Fd Fd red MQ H (red) (ox) ? ? (ox) HdrD Archaeal lipid ? (red) Archaeal lipid biosynthesis biosynthesis NADPH H+ 3b [NiFe]- Glucose Fd Glucose (ox) NADP H hydrogenase ox. PPP1 Fd 2 Glycerol-1P Ribose-5P (red) 3c [NiFe]- Glycerol-1P FAD H2 1 – ? + hydrogenase rev. RuMP (ox) FADH H rev. RuMP s s i i Ribose-5P Ribose-5P s CO s ? HdrABC linked Glycerone-P (red) 2 Glycerone-P e e Fe n red n e Fe e NADH/Fd (red) ox g g P EM NADPH o P EM o e e NMP NMP n n F420 o CO CO red o + 2 2 CO c F420 c 2 NADPH H 3b [NiFe]- ox u u l F420 l NADP H hydrogenase red 2 G F420 G ox ADP + Pi ATP WLP Mevalonate Mevalonate pathway Acetyl-CoA Acetate pathway Acetyl-CoA NADH NADH NADH Acetyl-CoA Fumarate ETFred Succinate ADP + P TCA TCA i dehydrogenase - MQ Succinate β H+ ATP oxidation 2P PP + H O NADH i i 2 NADH Acetate Heimdallarchaeota Odinarchaeota Present Partial or potentially present Absent Fig. 1 | Metabolic potential of different Asgard phyla. Each of the arrows represent functions that were assigned to predicted proteins encoded in the respective genomes (Lokiarchaeota (two MAGs), Thorarchaeota (three MAGs), Heimdallarchaeota (three MAGs) and Odinarchaeota (one MAG)). 1The oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (ox. PPP) is encoded by Heimdallarchaeum LC2 and LC3, and the reductive ribulose monophosphate (rev. RuMP) pathway by Heimdallarchaeum AB125. 2The location of the active site of nitrate reductase in Asgard homologues is probably in the cytoplasm (Supplementary Information). The colour code as indicated in the figure key is as follows: the black arrows indicate enzymatic steps encoded by the respective organisms; the solid grey arrows indicate enzymatic steps for which either only putative enzymes could be identified or enzymatic steps that are only encoded in some of the representatives of a given phylum; and the dashed grey arrows reveal enzymatic steps for which no (candidate) enzymes could be found in any of the representatives of a particular phylum. The presence or function of enzyme complexes surrounded by the black dashed lines is tentative. ETF, electron transfer flavoprotein; ETFQO, ETF-ubiquinone oxidoreductase; Fd, ferredoxin; HdrD, heterodisulfide reductase; ox, oxidation; P, phosphate; Pi, inorganic phosphate; PPi, inorganic pyrophosphate; red, redox; TCA; tricarboxylic acid cycle.
Recommended publications
  • The Syntrophy Hypothesis for the Origin of Eukaryotes Revisited Purificación López-García, David Moreira
    The Syntrophy hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotes revisited Purificación López-García, David Moreira To cite this version: Purificación López-García, David Moreira. The Syntrophy hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotes revisited. Nature Microbiology, Nature Publishing Group, 2020, 5 (5), pp.655-667. 10.1038/s41564- 020-0710-4. hal-02988531 HAL Id: hal-02988531 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02988531 Submitted on 3 Dec 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 1 2 Perspectives 3 4 5 6 The Syntrophy hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotes revisited 7 8 Purificación López-García1 and David Moreira1 9 10 1 Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, Orsay, France 11 12 13 14 *Correspondence to: [email protected] 15 16 17 18 19 1 20 The discovery of Asgard archaea, phylogenetically closer to eukaryotes than other archaea, together with 21 improved knowledge of microbial ecology impose new constraints on emerging models for the origin of the 22 eukaryotic cell (eukaryogenesis). Long-held views are metamorphosing in favor of symbiogenetic models 23 based on metabolic interactions between archaea and bacteria. These include the classical Searcy’s and 24 hydrogen hypothesis, and the more recent Reverse Flow and Entangle-Engulf-Enslave (E3) models.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity of Understudied Archaeal and Bacterial Populations of Yellowstone National Park: from Genes to Genomes Daniel Colman
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Biology ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 7-1-2015 Diversity of understudied archaeal and bacterial populations of Yellowstone National Park: from genes to genomes Daniel Colman Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds Recommended Citation Colman, Daniel. "Diversity of understudied archaeal and bacterial populations of Yellowstone National Park: from genes to genomes." (2015). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds/18 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Daniel Robert Colman Candidate Biology Department This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Committee: Cristina Takacs-Vesbach , Chairperson Robert Sinsabaugh Laura Crossey Diana Northup i Diversity of understudied archaeal and bacterial populations from Yellowstone National Park: from genes to genomes by Daniel Robert Colman B.S. Biology, University of New Mexico, 2009 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Biology The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico July 2015 ii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my late grandfather, Kenneth Leo Colman, associate professor of Animal Science in the Wool laboratory at Montana State University, who even very near the end of his earthly tenure, thought it pertinent to quiz my knowledge of oxidized nitrogen compounds. He was a man of great curiosity about the natural world, and to whom I owe an acknowledgement for his legacy of intellectual (and actual) wanderlust.
    [Show full text]
  • Marsarchaeota Are an Aerobic Archaeal Lineage Abundant in Geothermal Iron Oxide Microbial Mats
    Marsarchaeota are an aerobic archaeal lineage abundant in geothermal iron oxide microbial mats Authors: Zackary J. Jay, Jacob P. Beam, Mansur Dlakic, Douglas B. Rusch, Mark A. Kozubal, and William P. Inskeep This is a postprint of an article that originally appeared in Nature Microbiology on May 14, 2018. The final version can be found at https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018-0163-1. Jay, Zackary J. , Jacob P. Beam, Mensur Dlakic, Douglas B. Rusch, Mark A. Kozubal, and William P. Inskeep. "Marsarchaeota are an aerobic archaeal lineage abundant in geothermal iron oxide microbial mats." Nature Microbiology 3, no. 6 (May 2018): 732-740. DOI: 10.1038/ s41564-018-0163-1. Made available through Montana State University’s ScholarWorks scholarworks.montana.edu Marsarchaeota are an aerobic archaeal lineage abundant in geothermal iron oxide microbial mats Zackary J. Jay1,4,7, Jacob P. Beam1,5,7, Mensur Dlakić2, Douglas B. Rusch3, Mark A. Kozubal1,6 and William P. Inskeep 1* The discovery of archaeal lineages is critical to our understanding of the universal tree of life and evolutionary history of the Earth. Geochemically diverse thermal environments in Yellowstone National Park provide unprecedented opportunities for studying archaea in habitats that may represent analogues of early Earth. Here, we report the discovery and character- ization of a phylum-level archaeal lineage proposed and herein referred to as the ‘Marsarchaeota’, after the red planet. The Marsarchaeota contains at least two major subgroups prevalent in acidic, microaerobic geothermal Fe(III) oxide microbial mats across a temperature range from ~50–80 °C. Metagenomics, single-cell sequencing, enrichment culturing and in situ transcrip- tional analyses reveal their biogeochemical role as facultative aerobic chemoorganotrophs that may also mediate the reduction of Fe(III).
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenomics Provides Robust Support for a Two-Domains Tree of Life
    ARTICLES https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-1040-x Phylogenomics provides robust support for a two-domains tree of life Tom A. Williams! !1*, Cymon J. Cox! !2, Peter G. Foster3, Gergely J. Szöllősi4,5,6 and T. Martin Embley7* Hypotheses about the origin of eukaryotic cells are classically framed within the context of a universal ‘tree of life’ based on conserved core genes. Vigorous ongoing debate about eukaryote origins is based on assertions that the topology of the tree of life depends on the taxa included and the choice and quality of genomic data analysed. Here we have reanalysed the evidence underpinning those claims and apply more data to the question by using supertree and coalescent methods to interrogate >3,000 gene families in archaea and eukaryotes. We find that eukaryotes consistently originate from within the archaea in a two-domains tree when due consideration is given to the fit between model and data. Our analyses support a close relation- ship between eukaryotes and Asgard archaea and identify the Heimdallarchaeota as the current best candidate for the closest archaeal relatives of the eukaryotic nuclear lineage. urrent hypotheses about eukaryotic origins generally pro- Indeed, it has previously been suggested that it is the 3D tree, rather pose at least two partners in that process: a bacterial endo- than the 2D tree, that is an artefact of long-branch attraction5,9–11, symbiont that became the mitochondrion and a host cell for both because analyses under better-fitting models have recovered C 1–4 that endosymbiosis . The identity of the host has been informed a 2D tree but also because the 3D topology is one in which the two by analyses of conserved genes for the transcription and transla- longest branches in the tree of life—the stems leading to bacteria and tion machinery that are considered essential for cellular life5.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogenetics of Archaeal Lipids Amy Kelly 9/27/2006 Outline
    Phylogenetics of Archaeal Lipids Amy Kelly 9/27/2006 Outline • Phlogenetics of Archaea • Phlogenetics of archaeal lipids • Papers Phyla • Two? main phyla – Euryarchaeota • Methanogens • Extreme halophiles • Extreme thermophiles • Sulfate-reducing – Crenarchaeota • Extreme thermophiles – Korarchaeota? • Hyperthermophiles • indicated only by environmental DNA sequences – Nanoarchaeum? • N. equitans a fast evolving euryarchaeal lineage, not novel, early diverging archaeal phylum – Ancient archael group? • In deepest brances of Crenarchaea? Euryarchaea? Archaeal Lipids • Methanogens – Di- and tetra-ethers of glycerol and isoprenoid alcohols – Core mostly archaeol or caldarchaeol – Core sometimes sn-2- or Images removed due to sn-3-hydroxyarchaeol or copyright considerations. macrocyclic archaeol –PMI • Halophiles – Similar to methanogens – Exclusively synthesize bacterioruberin • Marine Crenarchaea Depositional Archaeal Lipids Biological Origin Environment Crocetane methanotrophs? methane seeps? methanogens, PMI (2,6,10,15,19-pentamethylicosane) methanotrophs hypersaline, anoxic Squalane hypersaline? C31-C40 head-to-head isoprenoids Smit & Mushegian • “Lost” enzymes of MVA pathway must exist – Phosphomevalonate kinase (PMK) – Diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase – Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPPI) Kaneda et al. 2001 Rohdich et al. 2001 Boucher et al. • Isoprenoid biosynthesis of archaea evolved through a combination of processes – Co-option of ancestral enzymes – Modification of enzymatic specificity – Orthologous and non-orthologous gene
    [Show full text]
  • ARCHAEAL EVOLUTION Evolutionary Insights from the Vikings
    RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Nature Reviews Microbiology | Published online 16 Jan 2017; doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2016.198 ARCHAEAL EVOLUTION Evolutionary insights from the Vikings The emergence of the eukaryotic cell ASGARD — after the invisible the closest known homologue of during evolution gave rise to all com- ‘Gods of Asgard’ in Norse mythology. eukaryotic epsilon DNA polymerases primordial plex life forms on Earth, including The superphylum consists of the identified thus far. eukaryotic multicellular organisms such as ani- previously identified Lokiarchaeota Members of the ASGARD super- mals, plants and fungi. However, the and Thorarchaeota phyla, and the phylum were particularly enriched vesicular and origin of eukaryotes and their char- newly identified Odinarchaeota and for eukaryotic signature proteins trafficking acteristic structural complexity has Heimdallarchaeota phyla. Using that are involved in intracellular components remained a mystery. The most recent phylogenomics, they discovered trafficking and secretion. Several are derived insights into eukaryogenesis support a strong phylogenetic association proteins contained domain signatures the endosymbiotic theory, which between ASGARD lineages and of eukaryotic transport protein from our proposes that the first eukaryotic eukaryotes that placed the eukaryote particle (TRAPP) complexes, which archaeal cell arose from archaea through the lineage in close proximity to the are involved in transport from the ancestor acquisition of an alphaproteobacterial ASGARD superphylum. endoplasmic
    [Show full text]
  • Archaeology of Eukaryotic DNA Replication
    Downloaded from http://cshperspectives.cshlp.org/ on September 25, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Archaeology of Eukaryotic DNA Replication Kira S. Makarova and Eugene V. Koonin National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20894 Correspondence: [email protected] Recent advances in the characterization of the archaeal DNA replication system together with comparative genomic analysis have led to the identification of several previously un- characterized archaeal proteins involved in replication and currently reveal a nearly com- plete correspondence between the components of the archaeal and eukaryotic replication machineries. It can be inferred that the archaeal ancestor of eukaryotes and even the last common ancestor of all extant archaea possessed replication machineries that were compa- rable in complexity to the eukaryotic replication system. The eukaryotic replication system encompasses multiple paralogs of ancestral components such that heteromeric complexes in eukaryotes replace archaeal homomeric complexes, apparently along with subfunctionali- zation of the eukaryotic complex subunits. In the archaea, parallel, lineage-specific dupli- cations of many genes encoding replication machinery components are detectable as well; most of these archaeal paralogs remain to be functionally characterized. The archaeal rep- lication system shows remarkable plasticity whereby even some essential components such as DNA polymerase and single-stranded DNA-binding protein are displaced by unrelated proteins with analogous activities in some lineages. ouble-stranded DNA is the molecule that Okazaki fragments (Kornberg and Baker 2005; Dcarries genetic information in all cellular Barry and Bell 2006; Hamdan and Richardson life-forms; thus, replication of this genetic ma- 2009; Hamdan and van Oijen 2010).
    [Show full text]
  • Yu-Chen Ling and John W. Moreau
    Microbial Distribution and Activity in a Coastal Acid Sulfate Soil System Introduction: Bioremediation in Yu-Chen Ling and John W. Moreau coastal acid sulfate soil systems Method A Coastal acid sulfate soil (CASS) systems were School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia formed when people drained the coastal area Microbial distribution controlled by environmental parameters Microbial activity showed two patterns exposing the soil to the air. Drainage makes iron Microbial structures can be grouped into three zones based on the highest similarity between samples (Fig. 4). Abundant populations, such as Deltaproteobacteria, kept constant activity across tidal cycling, whereas rare sulfides oxidize and release acidity to the These three zones were consistent with their geological background (Fig. 5). Zone 1: Organic horizon, had the populations changed activity response to environmental variations. Activity = cDNA/DNA environment, low pH pore water further dissolved lowest pH value. Zone 2: surface tidal zone, was influenced the most by tidal activity. Zone 3: Sulfuric zone, Abundant populations: the heavy metals. The acidity and toxic metals then Method A Deltaproteobacteria Deltaproteobacteria this area got neutralized the most. contaminate coastal and nearby ecosystems and Method B 1.5 cause environmental problems, such as fish kills, 1.5 decreased rice yields, release of greenhouse gases, Chloroflexi and construction damage. In Australia, there is Gammaproteobacteria Gammaproteobacteria about a $10 billion “legacy” from acid sulfate soils, Chloroflexi even though Australia is only occupied by around 1.0 1.0 Cyanobacteria,@ Acidobacteria Acidobacteria Alphaproteobacteria 18% of the global acid sulfate soils. Chloroplast Zetaproteobacteria Rare populations: Alphaproteobacteria Method A log(RNA(%)+1) Zetaproteobacteria log(RNA(%)+1) Method C Method B 0.5 0.5 Cyanobacteria,@ Bacteroidetes Chloroplast Firmicutes Firmicutes Bacteroidetes Planctomycetes Planctomycetes Ac8nobacteria Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Differences in Lateral Gene Transfer in Hypersaline Versus Thermal Environments Matthew E Rhodes1*, John R Spear2, Aharon Oren3 and Christopher H House1
    Rhodes et al. BMC Evolutionary Biology 2011, 11:199 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/11/199 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Differences in lateral gene transfer in hypersaline versus thermal environments Matthew E Rhodes1*, John R Spear2, Aharon Oren3 and Christopher H House1 Abstract Background: The role of lateral gene transfer (LGT) in the evolution of microorganisms is only beginning to be understood. While most LGT events occur between closely related individuals, inter-phylum and inter-domain LGT events are not uncommon. These distant transfer events offer potentially greater fitness advantages and it is for this reason that these “long distance” LGT events may have significantly impacted the evolution of microbes. One mechanism driving distant LGT events is microbial transformation. Theoretically, transformative events can occur between any two species provided that the DNA of one enters the habitat of the other. Two categories of microorganisms that are well-known for LGT are the thermophiles and halophiles. Results: We identified potential inter-class LGT events into both a thermophilic class of Archaea (Thermoprotei) and a halophilic class of Archaea (Halobacteria). We then categorized these LGT genes as originating in thermophiles and halophiles respectively. While more than 68% of transfer events into Thermoprotei taxa originated in other thermophiles, less than 11% of transfer events into Halobacteria taxa originated in other halophiles. Conclusions: Our results suggest that there is a fundamental difference between LGT in thermophiles and halophiles. We theorize that the difference lies in the different natures of the environments. While DNA degrades rapidly in thermal environments due to temperature-driven denaturization, hypersaline environments are adept at preserving DNA.
    [Show full text]
  • Differential Depth Distribution of Microbial Function and Putative Symbionts Through Sediment-Hosted Aquifers in the Deep Terrestrial Subsurface
    ARTICLES https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-017-0098-y Differential depth distribution of microbial function and putative symbionts through sediment-hosted aquifers in the deep terrestrial subsurface Alexander J. Probst1,5,7, Bethany Ladd2,7, Jessica K. Jarett3, David E. Geller-McGrath1, Christian M. K. Sieber1,3, Joanne B. Emerson1,6, Karthik Anantharaman1, Brian C. Thomas1, Rex R. Malmstrom3, Michaela Stieglmeier4, Andreas Klingl4, Tanja Woyke 3, M. Cathryn Ryan 2* and Jillian F. Banfield 1* An enormous diversity of previously unknown bacteria and archaea has been discovered recently, yet their functional capacities and distributions in the terrestrial subsurface remain uncertain. Here, we continually sampled a CO2-driven geyser (Colorado Plateau, Utah, USA) over its 5-day eruption cycle to test the hypothesis that stratified, sandstone-hosted aquifers sampled over three phases of the eruption cycle have microbial communities that differ both in membership and function. Genome- resolved metagenomics, single-cell genomics and geochemical analyses confirmed this hypothesis and linked microorganisms to groundwater compositions from different depths. Autotrophic Candidatus “Altiarchaeum sp.” and phylogenetically deep- branching nanoarchaea dominate the deepest groundwater. A nanoarchaeon with limited metabolic capacity is inferred to be a potential symbiont of the Ca. “Altiarchaeum”. Candidate Phyla Radiation bacteria are also present in the deepest groundwater and they are relatively abundant in water from intermediate depths. During the recovery phase of the geyser, microaerophilic Fe- and S-oxidizers have high in situ genome replication rates. Autotrophic Sulfurimonas sustained by aerobic sulfide oxidation and with the capacity for N2 fixation dominate the shallow aquifer. Overall, 104 different phylum-level lineages are present in water from these subsurface environments, with uncultivated archaea and bacteria partitioned to the deeper subsurface.
    [Show full text]
  • Establishment and Analysis of Microbial Communities Capable of Producing Methane from Grass Waste at Extremely High C/N Ratio
    International Journal of New Technology and Research (IJNTR) ISSN:2454-4116, Volume-2, Issue-9, September 2016 Pages 81-86 Establishment and Analysis of Microbial Communities Capable of Producing Methane from Grass Waste at Extremely High C/N Ratio S. Matsuda, T. Ohtsuki* Anaerobic digestion is a conventional method for biomass Abstract— Acclimation of microbial communities, aiming to utilization [8]. Despite the fact that a great deal of research methane production from grass as a sole substrate at extremely for methane production from grass has been conducted high carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, was conducted. In a series especially in recent years, almost processes need supply of of experiments with various sizes of added grass, two microbial communities showing high methane production were obtained abundant sludge source such as sewage and manure [9, 10]. with powdered grass. In the two microbial communities Many studies indicated that the optimal carbon-to-nitrogen designated NR and RP, Bacteroidia including genera (C/N) ratio in methane fermentation were 25-30, and the C/N Bacteroides, Dysgonomonas, Proteiniphilum, and Alistipes were ratio higher than 40 are not generally suitable [11]. The C/N detected as dominant members in eubacteria. It was also shown ration of raw grass shows a wide range; wild grassy weed is at that Methanomicrobia and Methanobacteria including genera relatively high (>59) while lawn grass is at low (<29) [12]. Methanomassiliicoccus and Methanobacterium were found as dominant members in methanogen. It is noteworthy that Therefore, it is difficult to conduct methane fermentation nitrogen fixation were observed both in NR and RP, suggesting with wild grass-only, also being due to less degradability of that insufficiency of nitrogen sources would be complemented lignocellulose [13].
    [Show full text]
  • Representatives of a Novel Archaeal Phylum Or a Fast-Evolving
    Open Access Research2005BrochieretVolume al. 6, Issue 5, Article R42 Nanoarchaea: representatives of a novel archaeal phylum or a comment fast-evolving euryarchaeal lineage related to Thermococcales? Celine Brochier*, Simonetta Gribaldo†, Yvan Zivanovic‡, Fabrice Confalonieri‡ and Patrick Forterre†‡ Addresses: *EA EGEE (Evolution, Génomique, Environnement) Université Aix-Marseille I, Centre Saint-Charles, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille, Cedex 3, France. †Unite Biologie Moléculaire du Gène chez les Extremophiles, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex ‡ 15, France. Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, UMR CNRS 8621, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France. reviews Correspondence: Celine Brochier. E-mail: [email protected]. Simonetta Gribaldo. E-mail: [email protected] Published: 14 April 2005 Received: 3 December 2004 Revised: 10 February 2005 Genome Biology 2005, 6:R42 (doi:10.1186/gb-2005-6-5-r42) Accepted: 9 March 2005 The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at http://genomebiology.com/2005/6/5/R42 reports © 2005 Brochier et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Placement<p>Anteins from analysis 25of Nanoarcheumarchaeal of the positiongenomes equitans of suggests Nanoarcheum in the that archaeal N. equitans phylogeny inis likethe lyarchaeal to be the phylogeny representative using aof large a fast-evolving dataset of concatenatedeuryarchaeal ribosomalineage.</p>l pro- deposited research Abstract Background: Cultivable archaeal species are assigned to two phyla - the Crenarchaeota and the Euryarchaeota - by a number of important genetic differences, and this ancient split is strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis.
    [Show full text]