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The (d)evolution of methanotrophy in the Beijerinckiaceae--a comparative genomics analysis
Ivica Tamas1, Angela V Smirnova1, Zhiguo He2
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The ISME Journal
|August 30, 2013
Summary
The alphaproteobacterial Beijerinckiaceae family evolved methanotrophy once, with Beijerinckia indica uniquely abandoning this specialized lifestyle to become a generalist organotroph, indicating evolutionary flexibility.
Area of Science:
- Microbial evolution
- Alphaproteobacteria genomics
- Bacterial metabolism
Background:
- Beijerinckiaceae includes generalist organotrophs and specialist methanotrophs.
- Methanotrophy and methylotrophy are key metabolic lifestyles in Alphaproteobacteria.
- Understanding the evolutionary history of these traits is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary trajectory of the Beijerinckiaceae family.
- To compare the genomes of generalist and specialist members.
- To determine the origin and inheritance patterns of methanotrophy genes.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomics of Beijerinckia indica, Methylocella silvestris, and Methylocapsa acidiphila.
- Phylogenetic construction using universally conserved genes.
- Analysis of lateral gene transfer (LGT) events.
- Compositional analysis of methane monooxygenases (MMOs).
Main Results:
- Beijerinckiaceae and Methylocystaceae form a monophyletic cluster.
- Vertical inheritance of methanotrophy/methylotrophy genes observed.
- B. indica shows extensive LGT for carbohydrate metabolism and transport genes.
- MMOs in Alphaproteobacteria appear to be foreign acquisitions via LGT.
- B. indica has lost methanotrophic functions, a unique evolutionary event.
Conclusions:
- Methanotrophy in Alphaproteobacteria likely evolved once via LGT of MMOs.
- B. indica represents a rare case of a bacterium abandoning specialized methanotrophy.
- This study highlights the evolutionary plasticity within Beijerinckiaceae.
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