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Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms, are classified into five major phyla based on genetic and biochemical characteristics: Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota. Among these, the phylum Euryarchaeota is notable for its remarkable diversity in morphology, metabolism, and ecological adaptations.Morphological and Metabolic DiversityMembers of Euryarchaeota exhibit a variety of cellular shapes, including rods and cocci. Their metabolic pathways...
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Archaea, one of the three domains of life, exhibit remarkable diversity and adaptability, thriving in both extreme and moderate environments. Historically, most identified archaea have been classified into two major phyla: Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. However, recent molecular studies have expanded this classification to include three additional phyla: Thaumarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Korarchaeota, each exhibiting unique characteristics and ecological roles.Thaumarchaeota: Mesophiles...
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Asgard archaea: Diversity, function, and evolutionary implications in a range of microbiomes.

Fraser MacLeod1,2, Gareth S Kindler1,2, Hon Lun Wong1,2

  • 1School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

AIMS Microbiology
|August 7, 2019
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Summary

The Asgard superphylum, a group of Archaea, inhabits diverse environments and possesses unique metabolic pathways. Their genomes suggest a crucial role in global nutrient cycling and provide evidence supporting the emergence of eukaryotes from within Archaea.

Keywords:
Asgardarchaeaecologyeocyteeukaryaevolutiongenomemetabolismmicrobiomephylogeny

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Metagenomics and Phylogenetics

Background:

  • The Asgard superphylum, identified through metagenomic data, has revitalized discussions on the tree of life's structure.
  • Understanding Archaea diversity is critical for ecological and evolutionary insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize current knowledge on the ecological and evolutionary significance of the Asgard superphylum.
  • To explore the metabolic capabilities and phylogenetic position of Asgard archaea.

Main Methods:

  • Review of publicly available genomic data and scientific literature.
  • Phylogenetic analysis incorporating eukaryotic signature proteins.
  • Analysis of metabolic pathways encoded in Asgard archaeal genomes.

Main Results:

  • Asgard archaea are found in diverse global microbiomes, particularly sedimentary environments, with potential symbiotic interactions with bacteria.
  • Genomes reveal diverse metabolic functions, including carbon fixation (Wood-Ljungdahl pathway), nucleotide salvage, novel phototrophy, and roles in nitrogen and sulfur cycling.
  • All identified Asgard archaea are obligate anaerobes.

Conclusions:

  • Asgard archaea play significant roles in biogeochemical cycles and possess unique metabolic strategies.
  • Phylogenetic analyses and the presence of eukaryotic signature proteins in Asgard archaea support a two-domain tree of life, with eukaryotes originating within Archaea.
  • Heimdallarchaeota is identified as the closest archaeal relative to eukaryotes.