Linking genomic and physiological characteristics of psychrophilic Arthrobacter to metagenomic data to explain global environmental distribution

Microbiome

Yuguang Zhou¹  Qing Liu¹  Ninglian Wang²  Timothy J. Williams³  Ricardo Cavicchioli³  Michelle A. Allen³  Baiqing Xu⁴  Feng Wang⁴  Yongqin Liu⁵  Liang Shen⁶ 

[1] China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC), Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China;College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, 710069, Xian, Australia;School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, China;State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System and Resources Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China;State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System and Resources Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China;Center for the Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China;State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System and Resources Environment, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China;College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, 241000, Wuhu, China;

关键词: Genomics;    Metagenomics;    Psychrophiles;    Polar environment;    Alpine environment;    Microbial adaptation;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40168-021-01084-z

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMicroorganisms drive critical global biogeochemical cycles and dominate the biomass in Earth’s expansive cold biosphere. Determining the genomic traits that enable psychrophiles to grow in cold environments informs about their physiology and adaptive responses. However, defining important genomic traits of psychrophiles has proven difficult, with the ability to extrapolate genomic knowledge to environmental relevance proving even more difficult.ResultsHere we examined the bacterial genus Arthrobacter and, assisted by genome sequences of new Tibetan Plateau isolates, defined a new clade, Group C, that represents isolates from polar and alpine environments. Group C had a superior ability to grow at −1°C and possessed genome G+C content, amino acid composition, predicted protein stability, and functional capacities (e.g., sulfur metabolism and mycothiol biosynthesis) that distinguished it from non-polar or alpine Group A Arthrobacter. Interrogation of nearly 1000 metagenomes identified an over-representation of Group C in Canadian permafrost communities from a simulated spring-thaw experiment, indicative of niche adaptation, and an under-representation of Group A in all polar and alpine samples, indicative of a general response to environmental temperature.ConclusionThe findings illustrate a capacity to define genomic markers of specific taxa that potentially have value for environmental monitoring of cold environments, including environmental change arising from anthropogenic impact. More broadly, the study illustrates the challenges involved in extrapolating from genomic and physiological data to an environmental setting.AikJUfGrEhgWMtLNAXyFSoVideo Abstract

【 授权许可】

CC BY