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Photobleaching Enables Super-resolution Imaging of the FtsZ Ring in the Cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus
Published on: November 6, 2018
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Parallel phylogeography of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus.
Alyssa G Kent1, Steven E Baer2, Céline Mouginot3
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
The ISME Journal
|October 5, 2018
Summary
Marine cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus exhibit parallel evolutionary patterns in traits and geographic distribution. This study reveals shared phylogeographic organization despite distinct evolutionary histories.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Evolutionary biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus are globally abundant marine cyanobacteria with shared physiology but different evolutionary paths.
- Understanding their phylogeography is key to marine microbial ecology.
- Microbial traits correlate with phylogenetic depth, offering a framework for reclassification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the phylogeography of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus.
- To reclassify microbial diversity at different phylogenetic levels.
- To investigate parallel niche distributions and microdiversity.
Main Methods:
- Sequencing genetic diversity of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus from 339 samples.
- Utilizing the highly variable phylogenetic marker gene rpoC1.
- Analyzing samples from the tropical Pacific Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean.
Main Results:
- Observed clear parallel niche distributions of ecotypes with distinct shifts at 6°N and 39°N.
- Identified ecotype separation based on temperature and macronutrient content.
- Detected parallel vertical and regional microdiversity (SNP) within clades.
Conclusions:
- Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus share a similar phylogenetic organization of traits and phylogeography.
- Distinct populations are uniquely adapted to specific depths and oceanic regions.
- This study highlights convergent evolution in marine cyanobacteria.
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