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Widespread but Poorly Understood Bacteria: Candidate Phyla Radiation.
Yanhan Ji1, Ping Zhang1, Sihan Zhou1
1Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210095, China.
Microorganisms
|November 24, 2022
Summary
Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria are tiny microbes with limited capabilities, often living symbiotically. This review explores their lifestyle, distribution, and unique traits, guiding future research on these diverse bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Genomics
Background:
- Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria represent a diverse division with ultra-small cells, streamlined genomes, and limited metabolic functions.
- CPR bacteria are often considered parasitic or symbiotic, yet remain poorly understood despite their wide distribution.
- Recent years have seen increased attention on CPR bacteria, highlighting gaps in current knowledge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the history and current state of research on CPR bacteria.
- To elucidate the parasitic/symbiotic lifestyle, ecological distribution, and unique metabolic features of CPR bacteria.
- To provide a foundation and guidance for future ecological and physiological investigations into CPR bacteria.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research on CPR bacteria.
- Analysis of published data on CPR bacterial cell size, genome characteristics, and metabolic pathways.
- Compilation of studies on the ecological distribution and host interactions of CPR bacteria.
Main Results:
- CPR bacteria are characterized by their small cell size, reduced genomes, and reliance on host-provided nutrients.
- Evidence supports a range of symbiotic and parasitic interactions across diverse CPR phyla.
- Unique metabolic capabilities and ecological niches are being uncovered, revealing significant functional diversity.
Conclusions:
- CPR bacteria are a significant and widespread component of microbial ecosystems, necessitating further study.
- Understanding their unique biology and ecological roles is crucial for advancing microbiology.
- This review provides a comprehensive overview to stimulate and direct future research efforts in CPR bacteria.
Keywords:
candidate phyla radiation (CPR)ecological distributionepisymbiosismetabolic characteristicpatescibacteriaMore Related Videos
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