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Related Experiment Videos

Environments shape the nucleotide composition of genomes.

Konrad U Foerstner1, Christian von Mering, Sean D Hooper

  • 1European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.

EMBO Reports
|October 4, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Environmental conditions significantly shape microbial genome evolution by influencing nucleotide composition, specifically guanine and cytosine (GC) content. This genomic adaptation occurs rapidly and impacts protein structure across diverse habitats.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbial genomics
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Environmental science

Background:

  • Genome evolution is influenced by various factors, including environmental pressures.
  • Nucleotide composition, such as guanine and cytosine (GC) content, is a fundamental characteristic of genomes.
  • Understanding environmental impacts on genomic features is crucial for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of distinct environmental conditions on the GC content of microbial genomes.
  • To determine if environmental factors actively shape nucleotide composition in microbial communities.
  • To explore the rate of genomic GC content change and its correlation with protein composition.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of relative abundance of guanine and cytosine (GC content).

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  • Sequencing and analysis of large numbers of genomic sequences from four diverse environments: ocean surface water, farm soil, acidophilic mine drainage biofilm, and deep-sea whale carcasses.
  • Comparison of observed GC content with predictions based on phylogenetic origins.

    • Main Results:

    • Significant global and active influence of the environment on the GC content of complex microbial communities was observed.
    • The observed nucleotide compositions were not easily explained by the distinct phylogenetic origins of species within these environments.
    • Genomic GC content appears to change more rapidly than previously assumed.
    • A correlation was found between genomic GC content and amino-acid composition of proteins in these habitats.

    Conclusions:

    • Environmental factors play a substantial role in driving genome evolution, particularly in shaping GC content.
    • Microbial genomes exhibit a dynamic capacity for adaptation, with GC content evolving faster than previously thought.
    • Environmental influences on GC content have downstream effects on the proteomic landscape of microbial communities.