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Microbial Genomics Sep 2023comprises a diverse group of bacteria with various lifestyles. Although best known for their nodule-based nitrogen-fixation in symbiosis with legumes, a select group of...
comprises a diverse group of bacteria with various lifestyles. Although best known for their nodule-based nitrogen-fixation in symbiosis with legumes, a select group of bradyrhizobia are also capable of photosynthesis. This ability seems to be rare among rhizobia, and its origin and evolution in these bacteria remain a subject of substantial debate. Therefore, our aim here was to investigate the distribution and evolution of photosynthesis in using comparative genomics and representative genomes from closely related taxa in the families and . We identified photosynthesis gene clusters (PGCs) in 25 genomes belonging to three different lineages, notably the so-called Photosynthetic, and supergroups. Also, two different PGC architectures were observed. One of these, PGC1, was present in genomes from the Photosynthetic supergroup and in three genomes from a species in the supergroup. The second cluster, PGC2, was also present in some strains from the supergroup, as well as in those from the supergroup. PGC2 was largely syntenic to the cluster found in and . Bayesian ancestral state reconstruction unambiguously showed that the ancestor of lacked a PGC and that it was acquired horizontally by various lineages. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses of individual photosynthesis genes also suggested multiple acquisitions through horizontal gene transfer, followed by vertical inheritance and gene losses within the different lineages. Overall, our findings add to the existing body of knowledge on ’s evolution and provide a meaningful basis from which to explore how these PGCs and the photosynthesis itself impact the physiology and ecology of these bacteria.
Topics: Bradyrhizobium; Photosynthesis
PubMed: 37676703
DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001105 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Four strains belonging to the family of were isolated from different locations on the International Space Station (ISS) across two consecutive flights. Of these, three...
Four strains belonging to the family of were isolated from different locations on the International Space Station (ISS) across two consecutive flights. Of these, three were identified as Gram-negative, rod-shaped, catalase-positive, oxidase-positive, motile bacteria, designated as IF7SW-B2, IIF1SW-B5, and IIF4SW-B5, whereas the fourth was identified as . The sequence similarity of these three ISS strains, designated as IF7SW-B2, IIF1SW-B5, and IIF4SW-B5, was <99.4% for 16S rRNA genes and <97.3% for gene, with the closest being SE2.11. Furthermore, the multi-locus sequence analysis placed these three ISS strains in the same clade of The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of these three ISS strains were <93% and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were <46.4% with any described species. Based on the ANI and dDDH analyses, these three ISS strains were considered as novel species belonging to the genus The three ISS strains showed 100% ANI similarity and dDDH values with each other, indicating that these three ISS strains, isolated during various flights and from different locations, belong to the same species. These three ISS strains were found to grow optimally at temperatures from 25 to 30°C, pH 6.0 to 8.0, and NaCl 0 to 1%. Phenotypically, these three ISS strains resemble and since they assimilate similar sugars as sole carbon substrate when compared to other species. Fatty acid analysis showed that the major fatty acid produced by the ISS strains are C -ω7 and C -ω6. The predominant quinone was ubiquinone 10, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and an unidentified lipid. Therefore, based on genomic, phylogenetic, biochemical, and fatty acid analyses, strains IF7SW-B2, IIF1SW-B5, and IIF4SW-B5, are assigned to a novel species within the genus , and the name sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IF7SW-B2 (NRRL B-65601 and LMG 32165).
PubMed: 33790880
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.639396 -
Microbes and Environments 2021Nitrogen deficiency affects soybean growth and physiology, such as symbiosis with rhizobia; however, its effects on the bacterial composition of the soybean root...
Nitrogen deficiency affects soybean growth and physiology, such as symbiosis with rhizobia; however, its effects on the bacterial composition of the soybean root microbiota remain unclear. A bacterial community analysis by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed nitrogen deficiency-induced bacterial community shifts in soybean roots with the marked enrichment of Methylobacteriaceae. The abundance of Methylobacteriaceae was low in the roots of field-grown soybean without symptoms of nitrogen deficiency. Although Methylobacteriaceae isolated from soybean roots under nitrogen deficiency did not promote growth or nodulation when inoculated into soybean roots, these results indicate that the enrichment of Methylobacteriaceae in soybean roots is triggered by nitrogen-deficiency stress.
Topics: Bacteria; DNA, Bacterial; Microbiota; Nitrogen; Plant Roots; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Glycine max
PubMed: 34234044
DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.ME21004 -
The New Phytologist Jan 2021Plant microbiomes are essential to host health and productivity but the ecological processes that govern crop microbiome assembly are not fully known. Here we examined...
Plant microbiomes are essential to host health and productivity but the ecological processes that govern crop microbiome assembly are not fully known. Here we examined bacterial communities across 684 samples from soils (rhizosphere and bulk soil) and multiple compartment niches (rhizoplane, root endosphere, phylloplane, and leaf endosphere) in maize (Zea mays)-wheat (Triticum aestivum)/barley (Hordeum vulgare) rotation system under different fertilization practices at two contrasting sites. Our results demonstrate that microbiome assembly along the soil-plant continuum is shaped predominantly by compartment niche and host species rather than by site or fertilization practice. From soils to epiphytes to endophytes, host selection pressure sequentially increased and bacterial diversity and network complexity consequently reduced, with the strongest host effect in leaf endosphere. Source tracking indicates that crop microbiome is mainly derived from soils and gradually enriched and filtered at different plant compartment niches. Moreover, crop microbiomes were dominated by a few dominant taxa (c. 0.5% of bacterial phylotypes), with bacilli identified as the important biomarker taxa for wheat and barley and Methylobacteriaceae for maize. Our work provides comprehensive empirical evidence on host selection, potential sources and enrichment processes for crop microbiome assembly, and has important implications for future crop management and manipulation of crop microbiome for sustainable agriculture.
Topics: Bacteria; Microbiota; Plant Roots; Rhizosphere; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 32852792
DOI: 10.1111/nph.16890 -
Journal of Microbiology (Seoul, Korea) Feb 2022Four novel Gram-negative, mesophilic, aerobic, motile, and cocci-shaped strains were isolated from tick samples (strains 546 and 573) and respiratory tracts of marmots...
Four novel Gram-negative, mesophilic, aerobic, motile, and cocci-shaped strains were isolated from tick samples (strains 546 and 573) and respiratory tracts of marmots (strains 1318 and 1311). The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that strains 546 and 573 were 97.8% identical to Roseomonas wenyumeiae Z23, whereas strains 1311 and 1318 were 98.3% identical to Roseomonas ludipueritiae DSM 14915. In addition, a 98.0% identity was observed between strains 546 and 1318. Phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses revealed that strains 546 and 573 clustered with R. wenyumeiae Z23, whereas strains 1311 and 1318 grouped with R. ludipueritiae DSM 14915. The average nucleotide identity between our isolates and members of the genus Roseomonas was below 95%. The genomic G+C content of strains 546 and 1318 was 70.9% and 69.3%, respectively. Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were the major polar lipids, with Q-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone. According to all genotypic, phenotypic, phylogenetic, and phylogenomic analyses, the four strains represent two novel species of the genus Roseomonas, for which the names Roseomonas haemaphysalidis sp. nov. and Roseomonas marmotae sp. nov. are proposed, with 546 (= GDMCC 1.1780 = JCM 34187) and 1318 (= GDMCC 1.1781 = JCM 34188) as type strains, respectively.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Base Composition; Cardiolipins; DNA, Bacterial; Marmota; Methylobacteriaceae; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Ticks
PubMed: 34826100
DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1428-1 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2020A mud volcano (MV) is a naturally hydrocarbon-spiked environment, as indicated by the presence of various quantities of PAHs and aromatic isotopic shifts in its...
A mud volcano (MV) is a naturally hydrocarbon-spiked environment, as indicated by the presence of various quantities of PAHs and aromatic isotopic shifts in its sediments. Recurrent expulsion of various hydrocarbons consolidates the growth of hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial communities in the areas around MVs. In addition to the widely-known availability of biologically malleable alkanes, MVs can represent hotbeds of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well - an aspect that has not been previously explored. This study measured the availability of highly recalcitrant PAHs and the isotopic signature of MV sediments both by GC-MS and δC analyses. Subsequently, this study highlighted both the occurrence and distribution of putative PAH-degrading bacterial OTUs using a metabarcoding technique. The putative hydrocarbonoclastic taxa incidence are the following: Enterobacteriaceae (31.5%), Methylobacteriaceae (19.9%), Bradyrhizobiaceae (16.9%), Oxalobacteraceae (10.2%), Comamonadaceae (7.6%) and Sphingomonadaceae (5.5%). Cumulatively, the results of this study indicate that MVs represent polyaromatic hydrocarbonoclastic hotbeds, as defined by both natural PAH input and high incidence of putative PAH-degrading bacterial OTUs.
PubMed: 31988316
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58282-2 -
Microbiology Spectrum Aug 2022The genus includes widespread plant-associated bacteria that are abundant in the plant phyllosphere (leaf surfaces), consume plant-secreted methanol, and can produce...
The genus includes widespread plant-associated bacteria that are abundant in the plant phyllosphere (leaf surfaces), consume plant-secreted methanol, and can produce plant growth-promoting metabolites. However, despite the potential to increase agricultural productivity, their impact on host fitness in the natural environment is relatively poorly understood. Here, we conducted field experiments with three traditionally cultivated rice landraces from northeastern India. We inoculated seedlings with native versus nonnative phyllosphere strains and found significant impacts on plant growth and grain yield. However, these effects were variable. Whereas some isolates were beneficial for their host, others had no impact or were no more beneficial than the bacterial growth medium on its own. Host plant benefits were not consistently associated with colonization and did not have altered phyllosphere microbiome composition, changes in the early expression of plant stress response pathways, or bacterial auxin production. We provide the first demonstration of the benefits of phyllosphere for rice yield under field conditions and highlight the need for further analysis to understand the mechanisms underlying these benefits. Given that the host landrace- relationship was not generalizable, future agricultural applications will require careful testing to identify coevolved host-bacterium pairs that may enhance the productivity of high-value rice varieties. Plants are associated with diverse microbes in nature. Do the microbes increase host plant health, and can they be used for agricultural applications? This is an important question that must be answered in the field rather than in the laboratory or greenhouse. We tested the effects of native, leaf-inhabiting bacteria (genus ) on traditionally cultivated rice varieties in a crop field. We found that inoculation with some bacteria increased rice grain production substantially while a nonnative bacterium reduced plant health. Overall, the effect of bacterial inoculation varied across pairs of rice varieties and their native bacteria. Thus, knowledge of evolved associations between specific bacteria hosted by specific rice varieties is necessary to develop ways to increase the yield of traditional rice landraces and preserve these important sources of cultural and genetic diversity.
Topics: Agriculture; Edible Grain; Methylobacterium; Oryza; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 35856668
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00810-22 -
MBio Feb 2022is a prevalent bacterial genus of the phyllosphere. Despite its ubiquity, little is known about the extent to which its diversity reflects neutral processes like...
is a prevalent bacterial genus of the phyllosphere. Despite its ubiquity, little is known about the extent to which its diversity reflects neutral processes like migration and drift, versus environmental filtering of life history strategies and adaptations. In two temperate forests, we investigated how phylogenetic diversity within is structured by biogeography, seasonality, and growth strategies. Using deep, culture-independent barcoded marker gene sequencing coupled with culture-based approaches, we uncovered a considerable diversity of in the phyllosphere. We cultured different subsets of lineages depending upon the temperature of isolation and growth (20°C or 30°C), suggesting long-term adaptation to temperature. To a lesser extent than temperature adaptation, diversity was also structured across large (>100 km; between forests) and small (<1.2 km; within forests) geographical scales, among host tree species, and was dynamic over seasons. By measuring the growth of 79 isolates during different temperature treatments, we observed contrasting growth performances, with strong lineage- and season-dependent variations in growth strategies. Finally, we documented a progressive replacement of lineages with a high-yield growth strategy typical of cooperative, structured communities in favor of those characterized by rapid growth, resulting in convergence and homogenization of community structure at the end of the growing season. Together, our results show how is phylogenetically structured into lineages with distinct growth strategies, which helps explain their differential abundance across regions, host tree species, and time. This work paves the way for further investigation of adaptive strategies and traits within a ubiquitous phyllosphere genus. is a bacterial group tied to plants. Despite the ubiquity of methylobacteria and the importance to their hosts, little is known about the processes driving community dynamics. By combining traditional culture-dependent and -independent (metabarcoding) approaches, we monitored diversity in two temperate forests over a growing season. On the surface of tree leaves, we discovered remarkably diverse and dynamic communities over short temporal (from June to October) and spatial (within 1.2 km) scales. Because we cultured different subsets of diversity depending on the temperature of incubation, we suspected that these dynamics partly reflected climatic adaptation. By culturing strains under laboratory conditions mimicking seasonal variations, we found that diversity and environmental variations were indeed good predictors of growth performances. Our findings suggest that community dynamics at the surface of tree leaves results from the succession of strains with contrasting growth strategies in response to environmental variations.
Topics: Methylobacterium; Phylogeny; Forests; Plants; Host Specificity; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 35073752
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03175-21 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs have long been studied for their ability to grow on reduced single-carbon (C) compounds. The C groups that support...
Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs have long been studied for their ability to grow on reduced single-carbon (C) compounds. The C groups that support methylotrophic growth may come from a variety of sources. Here, we describe a group of strains that can engage in methoxydotrophy: they can metabolize the methoxy groups from several aromatic compounds that are commonly the product of lignin depolymerization. Furthermore, these organisms can utilize the full aromatic ring as a growth substrate, a phenotype that has rarely been described in . We demonstrated growth on -hydroxybenzoate, protocatechuate, vanillate, and ferulate in laboratory culture conditions. We also used comparative genomics to explore the evolutionary history of this trait, finding that the capacity for aromatic catabolism is likely ancestral to two clades of , but has also been acquired horizontally by closely related organisms. In addition, we surveyed the published metagenome data to find that the most abundant group of aromatic-degrading in the environment is likely the group related to , and they are especially common in soil and root environments. The demethoxylation of lignin-derived aromatic monomers in aerobic environments releases formaldehyde, a metabolite that is a potent cellular toxin but that is also a growth substrate for methylotrophs. We found that, whereas some known lignin-degrading organisms excrete formaldehyde as a byproduct during growth on vanillate, do not. This observation is especially relevant to our understanding of the ecology and the bioengineering of lignin degradation.
PubMed: 35359736
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.849573 -
PloS One 2021Compared with root-associated habitats, little is known about the role of microbiota inside other rice organs, especially the rhizome of perennial wild rice, and this...
Compared with root-associated habitats, little is known about the role of microbiota inside other rice organs, especially the rhizome of perennial wild rice, and this information may be of importance for agriculture. Oryza longistaminata is perennial wild rice with various agronomically valuable traits, including large biomass on poor soils, high nitrogen use efficiency, and resistance to insect pests and disease. Here, we compared the endophytic bacterial and archaeal communities and network structures of the rhizome to other compartments of O. longistaminata using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Diverse microbiota and significant variation in community structure were identified among different compartments of O. longistaminata. The rhizome microbial community showed low taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity as well as the lowest network complexity among four compartments. Rhizomes exhibited less phylogenetic clustering than roots and leaves, but similar phylogenetic clustering with stems. Streptococcus, Bacillus, and Methylobacteriaceae were the major genera in the rhizome. ASVs belonging to the Enhydrobacter, YS2, and Roseburia are specifically present in the rhizome. The relative abundance of Methylobacteriaceae in the rhizome and stem was significantly higher than that in leaf and root. Noteworthy type II methanotrophs were observed across all compartments, including the dominant Methylobacteriaceae, which potentially benefits the host by facilitating CH4-dependent N2 fixation under nitrogen nutrient-poor conditions. Our data offers a robust knowledge of host and microbiome interactions across various compartments and lends guidelines to the investigation of adaptation mechanisms of O. longistaminata in nutrient-poor environments for biofertilizer development in agriculture.
Topics: Archaea; Bacteria; Gene Expression Profiling; Microbiota; Oryza; Phylogeny; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Rhizome
PubMed: 33556120
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246687