Turnerbactin,a Novel Triscatecholate Siderophore from the Shipworm Endosymbiont Teredinibacter turnerae T7901

Shipworms are marine bivalve mollusks (Family Teredinidae) that use wood for shelter and food. They harbor a group of closely related, yet phylogenetically distinct, bacterial endosymbionts in bacteriocytes located in the gills. This endosymbiotic community is believed to support the host''s nutrition in multiple ways, through the production of cellulolytic enzymes and the fixation of nitrogen. The genome of the shipworm endosymbiont Teredinibacter turnerae T7901 was recently sequenced and in addition to the potential for cellulolytic enzymes and diazotrophy, the genome also revealed a rich potential for secondary metabolites. With nine distinct biosynthetic gene clusters, nearly 7% of the genome is dedicated to secondary metabolites. Bioinformatic analyses predict that one of the gene clusters is responsible for the production of a catecholate siderophore. Here we describe this gene cluster in detail and present the siderophore product from this cluster. Genes similar to the entCEBA genes of enterobactin biosynthesis involved in the production and activation of dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) are present in this cluster, as well as a two-module non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS). A novel triscatecholate siderophore, turnerbactin, was isolated from the supernatant of iron-limited T. turnerae T7901 cultures. Turnerbactin is a trimer of N-(2,3-DHB)-L-Orn-L-Ser with the three monomeric units linked by Ser ester linkages. A monomer, dimer, dehydrated dimer, and dehydrated trimer of 2,3-DHB-L-Orn-L-Ser were also found in the supernatant. A link between the gene cluster and siderophore product was made by constructing a NRPS mutant, TtAH03. Siderophores could not be detected in cultures of TtAH03 by HPLC analysis and Fe-binding activity of culture supernatant was significantly reduced. Regulation of the pathway by iron is supported by identification of putative Fur box sequences and observation of increased Fe-binding activity under iron restriction. Evidence of a turnerbactin fragment was found in shipworm extracts, suggesting the production of turnerbactin in the symbiosis.     

CelAB, a Multifunctional Cellulase Encoded by Teredinibacter turnerae T7902T, a Culturable Symbiont Isolated from the Wood-Boring Marine Bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus

We characterized a multifunctional cellulase (CelAB) encoded by the endosymbiont Teredinibacter turnerae T7902^T. CelAB contains two catalytic and two carbohydrate-binding domains, each separated by polyserine linker regions. CelAB binds cellulose and chitin, degrades multiple complex polysaccharides, and displays two catalytic activities, cellobiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.91) and β-1,4(3) endoglucanase (EC 3.2.1.4).     

Complete Genome Sequence of the Copiotrophic Marine Bacterium Alteromonas macleodii Strain ATCC 27126T

The genome of Alteromonas macleodii strain ATCC 27126^T has been resequenced and closed into a single contig. We describe here the genome of this important and globally distributed marine bacterium.     

Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Echinostoma hortense (Digenea: Echinostomatidae)

Echinostoma hortense (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) is one of the intestinal flukes with medical importance in humans. However, the mitochondrial (mt) genome of this fluke has not been known yet. The present study has determined the complete mt genome sequences of E. hortense and assessed the phylogenetic relationships with other digenean species for which the complete mt genome sequences are available in GenBank using concatenated amino acid sequences inferred from 12 protein-coding genes. The mt genome of E. hortense contained 12 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 1 non-coding region. The length of the mt genome of E. hortense was 14,994 bp, which was somewhat smaller than those of other trematode species. Phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated nucleotide sequence datasets for all 12 protein-coding genes using maximum parsimony (MP) method showed that E. hortense and Hypoderaeum conoideum gathered together, and they were closer to each other than to Fasciolidae and other echinostomatid trematodes. The availability of the complete mt genome sequences of E. hortense provides important genetic markers for diagnostics, population genetics, and evolutionary studies of digeneans.     

The First Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence in the Genus Aphanius (Teleostei)

Journal of Ichthyology - In the present study, for the first time we isolated and characterized the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the endangered Farsi killifish Aphanius farsicus by...     

黑麂线粒体基因组序列分析

采用PCR产物直接测序方法测定了黑麂线粒体基因组全序列 ,初步分析了其基因组特点并定位了各基因的位置 .结果显示 :黑麂的线粒体基因组全序列长度为 1 6 35 7bp ,可编码 2 2种tRNA、2种rRNA、1 3种蛋白质 ,碱基组成及基因位置与小麂、赤麂和其它哺乳类动物的线粒体基因组相似 ;模拟电子酶切图谱与先前的报道基本一致 ;基于细胞色素b的全基因序列 ,分别以最大简约法、N J法、最大似然数法与其它 1 4种鹿类动物的相应序列进行了聚类分析 ,构建出相似的系统进化树 :初步确定了麂亚科动物在鹿科中处于与鹿亚科、北美鹿亚科并列的进化地位 .在此基础上 ,进一步以黑麂、赤麂、小麂的线粒体编码RNA和编码蛋白质的基因序列构建系统进化树 ,分析了三者的亲缘关系 .结果表明 :黑麂和赤麂亲缘关系较近 ,是较新的物种 ,而小麂是较为原始的物种     

Extensive Variation in Intracellular Symbiont Community Composition among Members of a Single Population of the Wood-Boring Bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae)

Shipworms (wood-boring bivalves of the family Teredinidae) harbor in their gills intracellular bacterial symbionts thought to produce enzymes that enable the host to consume cellulose as its primary carbon source. Recently, it was demonstrated that multiple genetically distinct symbiont populations coexist within one shipworm species, Lyrodus pedicellatus. Here we explore the extent to which symbiont communities vary among individuals of this species by quantitatively examining the diversity, abundance, and pattern of occurrence of symbiont ribotypes (unique 16S rRNA sequence types) among specimens drawn from a single laboratory-reared population. A total of 18 ribotypes were identified in two clone libraries generated from gill tissue of (i) a single specimen and (ii) four pooled specimens. Phylogenetic analysis assigned all of the ribotypes to a unique clade within the γ subgroup of proteobacteria which contained at least five well-supported internal clades (phylotypes). By competitive quantitative PCR and constant denaturant capillary electrophoresis, we estimated the number and abundance of symbiont phylotypes in gill samples of 13 individual shipworm specimens. Phylotype composition varied greatly; however, in all specimens the numerically dominant symbiont belonged to one of two nearly mutually exclusive phylotypes, each of which was detected with similar frequencies among specimens. A third phylotype, containing the culturable symbiont Teredinibacter turnerae, was identified in nearly all specimens, and two additional phylotypes were observed more sporadically. Such extensive variation in ribotype and phylotype composition among host specimens adds to a growing body of evidence that microbial endosymbiont populations may be both complex and dynamic and suggests that such genetic variation should be evaluated with regard to physiological and ecological differentiation.     

Genomic Insights into Methanotrophy: The Complete Genome Sequence of Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

Methanotrophs are ubiquitous bacteria that can use the greenhouse gas methane as a sole carbon and energy source for growth, thus playing major roles in global carbon cycles, and in particular, substantially reducing emissions of biologically generated methane to the atmosphere. Despite their importance, and in contrast to organisms that play roles in other major parts of the carbon cycle such as photosynthesis, no genome-level studies have been published on the biology of methanotrophs. We report the first complete genome sequence to our knowledge from an obligate methanotroph, Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), obtained by the shotgun sequencing approach. Analysis revealed a 3.3-Mb genome highly specialized for a methanotrophic lifestyle, including redundant pathways predicted to be involved in methanotrophy and duplicated genes for essential enzymes such as the methane monooxygenases. We used phylogenomic analysis, gene order information, and comparative analysis with the partially sequenced methylotroph Methylobacterium extorquens to detect genes of unknown function likely to be involved in methanotrophy and methylotrophy. Genome analysis suggests the ability of M. capsulatus to scavenge copper (including a previously unreported nonribosomal peptide synthetase) and to use copper in regulation of methanotrophy, but the exact regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. One of the most surprising outcomes of the project is evidence suggesting the existence of previously unsuspected metabolic flexibility in M. capsulatus, including an ability to grow on sugars, oxidize chemolithotrophic hydrogen and sulfur, and live under reduced oxygen tension, all of which have implications for methanotroph ecology. The availability of the complete genome of M. capsulatus (Bath) deepens our understanding of methanotroph biology and its relationship to global carbon cycles. We have gained evidence for greater metabolic flexibility than was previously known, and for genetic components that may have biotechnological potential.     

湾鳄(Crocodylus porosus)线粒体基因组全序列结构分析与鳄类系统发生

该文测序了湾鳄的线粒体基因组全序列,全长为16,917bp。湾鳄mtDNA结构与其他脊椎动物相似,由22个tRNA,2个rRNA和13个蛋白质编码基因及1个非编码的控制区(D-loop)所组成。除NADH6和tRNAGln、tRNAAla、tRNAAsn、tRNACys、tRNATyr、tRNASer(UCN)、tRNAGlu、tRNAPro在L-链上编码之外,其余基因均在H-链编码。基因排列顺序与已测序的鳄类一致,这显示了鳄类线粒体基因排列顺序上的保守性。但鳄类线粒体基因排列顺序与脊椎动物的典型排列方式相比,有较大的差异,尤其是tRNAPhe基因的重排、tRNASer-tRNAHis-tRNALeu基因族的排列方式等。湾鳄mtDNA和已测序的鳄类一样,缺失轻链复制起始点(OLR)。基于17种鳄mtDNA控制区保守区,采用PAUP4.0最大简约法(Maximumparsimony,MP)构建MP树,邻接法(Neighbor-joiningmethod,NJ)构建NJ树,结果显示:食鱼鳄(Gavialisgangeticus)和假食鱼鳄(Tomistomaschlegelii)聚为一支后再与鳄科(Crocodylidae)的其他物种形成姐妹群,这与基于食鱼鳄和假食鱼鳄的线粒体全序列的分析结果一致,支持将食鱼鳄并入鳄科的观点。结果还支持非洲窄吻鳄(Crocodyluscataphractus)与鳄属(Crocodylus)构成姐妹群,可以单独划分为属的观点。     

The Mitochondrial Genome of the Honeybee Apis Mellifera: Complete Sequence and Genome Organization

The complete sequence of honeybee (Apis mellifera) mitochondrial DNA is reported being 16,343 bp long in the strain sequenced. Relative to their positions in the Drosophila map, 11 of the tRNA genes are in altered positions, but the other genes and regions are in the same relative positions. Comparisons of the predicted protein sequences indicate that the honeybee mitochondrial genetic code is the same as that for Drosophila; but the anticodons of two tRNAs differ between these two insects. The base composition shows extreme bias, being 84.9% AT (cf. 78.6% in Drosophila yakuba). In protein-encoding genes, the AT bias is strongest at the third codon positions (which in some cases lack guanines altogether), and least in second codon positions. Multiple stepwise regression analysis of the predicted products of the protein-encoding genes shows a significant association between the numbers of occurrences of amino acids and %T in codon family, but not with the number of codons per codon family or other parameters associated with codon family base composition. Differences in amino acid abundances are apparent between the predicted Apis and Drosophila proteins, with a relative abundance in the Apis proteins of lysine and a relative deficiency of alanine. Drosophila alanine residues are as often replaced by serine as conserved in Apis. The differences in abundances between Drosophila and Apis are associated with %AT in the codon families, and the degree of divergence in amino acid composition between proteins correlates with the divergence in %AT at the second codon positions. Overall, transversions are about twice as abundant as transitions when comparing Drosophila and Apis protein-encoding genes, but this ratio varies between codon positions. Marked excesses of transitions over chance expectation are seen for the third positions of protein-coding genes and for the gene for the small subunit of ribosomal RNA. For the third codon positions the excess of transitions is adequately explained as due to the restriction of observable substitutions to transitions for conserved amino acids with two-codon families; the excess of transitions over expectation for the small ribosomal subunit suggests that the conservation of nucleotide size is favored by selection.     

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Banana (Musa acuminata,Zingiberales): Insight into Plastid Monocotyledon Evolution

Background

Banana (genus Musa) is a crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is a monocotyledonous member of the Zingiberales, a sister group of the widely studied Poales. Most cultivated bananas are natural Musa inter-(sub-)specific triploid hybrids. A Musa acuminata reference nuclear genome sequence was recently produced based on sequencing of genomic DNA enriched in nucleus.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The Musa acuminata chloroplast genome was assembled with chloroplast reads extracted from whole-genome-shotgun sequence data. The Musa chloroplast genome is a circular molecule of 169,972 bp with a quadripartite structure containing two single copy regions, a Large Single Copy region (LSC, 88,338 bp) and a Small Single Copy region (SSC, 10,768 bp) separated by Inverted Repeat regions (IRs, 35,433 bp). Two forms of the chloroplast genome relative to the orientation of SSC versus LSC were found. The Musa chloroplast genome shows an extreme IR expansion at the IR/SSC boundary relative to the most common structures found in angiosperms. This expansion consists of the integration of three additional complete genes (rps15, ndhH and ycf1) and part of the ndhA gene. No such expansion has been observed in monocots so far. Simple Sequence Repeats were identified in the Musa chloroplast genome and a new set of Musa chloroplastic markers was designed.

Conclusion

The complete sequence of M. acuminata ssp malaccensis chloroplast we reported here is the first one for the Zingiberales order. As such it provides new insight in the evolution of the chloroplast of monocotyledons. In particular, it reinforces that IR/SSC expansion has occurred independently several times within monocotyledons. The discovery of new polymorphic markers within Musa chloroplast opens new perspectives to better understand the origin of cultivated triploid bananas.     

Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Eruca sativa Mill. (Garden Rocket)

Eruca sativa (Cruciferae family) is an ancient crop of great economic and agronomic importance. Here, the complete mitochondrial genome of Eruca sativa was sequenced and annotated. The circular molecule is 247 696 bp long, with a G+C content of 45.07%, containing 33 protein-coding genes, three rRNA genes, and 18 tRNA genes. The Eruca sativa mitochondrial genome may be divided into six master circles and four subgenomic molecules via three pairwise large repeats, resulting in a more dynamic structure of the Eruca sativa mtDNA compared with other cruciferous mitotypes. Comparison with the Brassica napus MtDNA revealed that most of the genes with known function are conserved between these two mitotypes except for the ccmFN2 and rrn18 genes, and 27 point mutations were scattered in the 14 protein-coding genes. Evolutionary relationships analysis suggested that Eruca sativa is more closely related to the Brassica species and to Raphanus sativus than to Arabidopsis thaliana.     

Complete Chloroplast Genome of the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis): Structure and Evolution

The Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) is a rare Southern conifer with striking morphological similarity to fossil pines. A small population of W. nobilis was discovered in 1994 in a remote canyon system in the Wollemi National Park (near Sydney, Australia). This population contains fewer than 100 individuals and is critically endangered. Previous genetic studies of the Wollemi pine have investigated its evolutionary relationship with other pines in the family Araucariaceae, and have suggested that the Wollemi pine genome contains little or no variation. However, these studies were performed prior to the widespread use of genome sequencing, and their conclusions were based on a limited fraction of the Wollemi pine genome. In this study, we address this problem by determining the entire sequence of the W. nobilis chloroplast genome. A detailed analysis of the structure of the genome is presented, and the evolution of the genome is inferred by comparison with the chloroplast sequences of other members of the Araucariaceae and the related family Podocarpaceae. Pairwise alignments of whole genome sequences, and the presence of unique pseudogenes, gene duplications and insertions in W. nobilis and Araucariaceae, indicate that the W. nobilis chloroplast genome is most similar to that of its sister taxon Agathis. However, the W. nobilis genome contains an unusually high number of repetitive sequences, and these could be used in future studies to investigate and conserve any remnant genetic diversity in the Wollemi pine.     

The First Symbiont-Free Genome Sequence of Marine Red Alga,Susabi-nori (Pyropia yezoensis)

Nori, a marine red alga, is one of the most profitable mariculture crops in the world. However, the biological properties of this macroalga are poorly understood at the molecular level. In this study, we determined the draft genome sequence of susabi-nori (Pyropia yezoensis) using next-generation sequencing platforms. For sequencing, thalli of P. yezoensis were washed to remove bacteria attached on the cell surface and enzymatically prepared as purified protoplasts. The assembled contig size of the P. yezoensis nuclear genome was approximately 43 megabases (Mb), which is an order of magnitude smaller than the previously estimated genome size. A total of 10,327 gene models were predicted and about 60% of the genes validated lack introns and the other genes have shorter introns compared to large-genome algae, which is consistent with the compact size of the P. yezoensis genome. A sequence homology search showed that 3,611 genes (35%) are functionally unknown and only 2,069 gene groups are in common with those of the unicellular red alga, Cyanidioschyzon merolae. As color trait determinants of red algae, light-harvesting genes involved in the phycobilisome were predicted from the P. yezoensis nuclear genome. In particular, we found a second homolog of phycobilisome-degradation gene, which is usually chloroplast-encoded, possibly providing a novel target for color fading of susabi-nori in aquaculture. These findings shed light on unexplained features of macroalgal genes and genomes, and suggest that the genome of P. yezoensis is a promising model genome of marine red algae.     

一种石磺科贝类线粒体基因组全序列分析

石磺线粒体基因组全序列对研究石磺科分子系统进化具有重要意义。利用LA-PCR技术对一种石磺Platevin-dexmortoni线粒体基因组全序列进行了测定和分析。结果表明,线粒体基因组序列全长13 991 bp,碱基组成分别为27.27%A、16.78%C、20.23%G、35.72%T;由22个tRNA、2个rRNA、13个蛋白编码基因和25个长度为2-118 bp的非编码区组成。4个蛋白质编码基因和5个tRNA基因从L链编码,其余基因均从H链编码。蛋白质基因的起始密码子,除ND2为GTG以外,均为典型的起始密码子ATN。ND2和Cytb基因使用了不完全终止密码子T,其余基因均使用典型的TAA或TAG。预测了22个tRNA基因的二级结构,发现tRNASer和TrnaAsn缺少DHU臂,tRNASer和tRNAThr的反密码子环上有9个碱基,而不是通常的7个碱基。最长的非编码区含有两个类似于的tRNAGln和tRNAPhy的二级结构。     

The High-Quality Complete Genome Sequence of the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Candida vulturna CBS 14366T

Mycopathologia - Candida vulturna is a new member of the Candida haemulonii species complex that recently received much attention as it includes the emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen Candida...