scholarly journals Diverse, abundant and novel viruses infecting “unculturable” but abundant marine bacteria

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zefeng Zhang ◽  
Feng Chen ◽  
Xiao Chu ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Haiwei Luo ◽  
...  

AbstractMany major marine bacterial lineages such as SAR11, Prochlorococcus, SAR116, and several Roseobacter lineages have members that are abundant, relatively slow-growing, and genome-streamlined. The isolation of phages that infect SAR11 and SAR116 have demonstrated the dominance of these phages in the marine virosphere. However, no phages have been isolated from bacteria in the Roseobacter RCA lineage, another abundant group of bacteria in the ocean. In this study, seven RCA phages that infect three different RCA strains were isolated and characterized. All seven RCA phages belong to the Podoviridae family and have genome sizes ranging from 39.6 to 58.1 kb. Interestingly, three RCA phages (CRP-1, CRP-2 and CRP-3) show a similar genomic content and architecture with SAR116 phage HMO-2011, which represents one of the most abundant known viral groups in the ocean. The high degree of homology between CRP-1, CRP-2, CRP-3 and HMO-2011 resulted in contribution of the RCA phages to the dominance of HMO-2011-type phage in the ocean. CRP-4 and CRP-5 are similar to the Siovirus roseophages in terms of gene content and organization. The remaining two RCA phages, CRP-6 and CRP-7, show limited genomic similarity with known phages and appear to form two new phage genera. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analyses reveal that these RCA phage groups are much more abundant in the ocean compared to most existing marine roseophage groups. The characterization of these RCA phages has greatly expanded our understanding of the genomic diversity and evolution of marine roseophages. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analyses suggest the critical need for isolating phages from the abundant but “unculturable” bacteria in the marine ecosystem.

mSystems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zefeng Zhang ◽  
Feng Chen ◽  
Xiao Chu ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Haiwei Luo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Many major marine bacterial lineages such as SAR11, Prochlorococcus, SAR116, and several Roseobacter lineages have members that are abundant, relatively slow-growing, and genome streamlined. The isolation of phages that infect SAR11 and SAR116 have demonstrated the dominance of these phages in the marine virosphere. However, no phages have been isolated from bacteria in the Roseobacter RCA lineage, another abundant group of marine bacteria. In this study, seven RCA phages that infect three different RCA strains were isolated and characterized. All seven RCA phages belong to the Podoviridae family and have genome sizes ranging from 39.6 to 58.1 kb. Interestingly, three RCA phages (CRP-1, CRP-2, and CRP-3) show similar genomic content and architecture as SAR116 phage HMO-2011, which represents one of the most abundant known viral groups in the ocean. The high degree of homology among CRP-1, CRP-2, CRP-3, and HMO-2011 resulted in the contribution of RCA phages to the dominance of the HMO-2011-type group. CRP-4 and CRP-5 are similar to the Cobavirus group roseophages in terms of gene content and organization. The remaining two RCA phages, CRP-6 and CRP-7, show limited genomic similarity with known phages and represent two new phage groups. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analyses reveal that these RCA phage groups are much more abundant in the ocean than most existing marine roseophage groups. The characterization of these RCA phages has greatly expanded our understanding of the genomic diversity and evolution of marine roseophages and suggests the critical need for isolating phages from the abundant but “unculturable” bacteria. IMPORTANCE The RCA lineage of the marine Roseobacter group represents one of the slow-growing but dominant components of marine microbial communities. Although dozens of roseophages have been characterized, no phages infecting RCA strains have been reported. In this study, we reported on the first RCA phage genomes and investigated their distribution pattern and relative abundance in comparison with other important marine phage groups. Two of the four RCA phage groups were found closely related to previously reported SAR116 phage HMO-2011 and Cobavirus group roseophages, respectively. The remaining two groups are novel in the genome contents. Our study also revealed that RCA phages are widely distributed and exhibit high abundance in marine viromic data sets. Altogether, our findings have greatly broadened our understanding of RCA phages and emphasize the ecological and evolutionary importance of RCA phages in the marine virosphere.


2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (16) ◽  
pp. 5681-5689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig T. Parker ◽  
Michel Gilbert ◽  
Nobuhiro Yuki ◽  
Hubert P. Endtz ◽  
Robert E. Mandrell

ABSTRACT The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis region is one of the more variable genomic regions between strains of Campylobacter jejuni. Indeed, eight classes of LOS biosynthesis loci have been established previously based on gene content and organization. In this study, we characterize additional classes of LOS biosynthesis loci and analyze various mechanisms that result in changes to LOS structures. To gain further insights into the genomic diversity of C. jejuni LOS biosynthesis region, we sequenced the LOS biosynthesis loci of 15 strains that possessed gene content that was distinct from the eight classes. This analysis identified 11 new classes of LOS loci that exhibited examples of deletions and insertions of genes and cassettes of genes found in other LOS classes or capsular biosynthesis loci leading to mosaic LOS loci. The sequence analysis also revealed both missense mutations leading to “allelic” glycosyltransferases and phase-variable and non-phase-variable gene inactivation by the deletion or insertion of bases. Specifically, we demonstrated that gene inactivation is an important mechanism for altering the LOS structures of strains possessing the same class of LOS biosynthesis locus. Together, these observations suggest that LOS biosynthesis region is a hotspot for genetic exchange and variability, often leading to changes in the LOS produced.


Author(s):  
Kemining W. Yeh ◽  
Richard S. Muller ◽  
Wei-Kuo Wu ◽  
Jack Washburn

Considerable and continuing interest has been shown in the thin film transducer fabrication for surface acoustic waves (SAW) in the past few years. Due to the high degree of miniaturization, compatibility with silicon integrated circuit technology, simplicity and ease of design, this new technology has played an important role in the design of new devices for communications and signal processing. Among the commonly used piezoelectric thin films, ZnO generally yields superior electromechanical properties and is expected to play a leading role in the development of SAW devices.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2289
Author(s):  
Mateja Janeš ◽  
Minja Zorc ◽  
Maja Ferenčaković ◽  
Ino Curik ◽  
Peter Dovč ◽  
...  

Balkan Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD) were bred to help protect sheep flocks in sparsely populated, remote mountainous areas in the Balkans. The aim of this study was genomic characterization (107,403 autosomal SNPs) of the three LGD breeds from the Balkans (Karst Shepherd, Sharplanina Dog, and Tornjak). Our analyses were performed on 44 dogs representing three Balkan LGD breeds, as well as on 79 publicly available genotypes representing eight other LGD breeds, 70 individuals representing seven popular breeds, and 18 gray wolves. The results of multivariate, phylogenetic, clustering (STRUCTURE), and FST differentiation analyses showed that the three Balkan LGD breeds are genetically distinct populations. While the Sharplanina Dog and Tornjak are closely related to other LGD breeds, the Karst Shepherd is a slightly genetically distinct population with estimated influence from German Shepard (Treemix analysis). Estimated genomic diversity was high with low inbreeding in Sharplanina Dog (Ho = 0.315, He = 0.315, and FROH>2Mb = 0.020) and Tornjak (Ho = 0.301, He = 0.301, and FROH>2Mb = 0.033) breeds. Low diversity and high inbreeding were estimated in Karst Shepherds (Ho = 0.241, He = 0.222, and FROH>2Mb = 0.087), indicating the need for proper diversity management. The obtained results will help in the conservation management of Balkan LGD dogs as an essential part of the specific grazing biocultural system and its sustainable maintenance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 659
Author(s):  
Elias Asimakis ◽  
Panagiota Stathopoulou ◽  
Apostolis Sapounas ◽  
Kanjana Khaeso ◽  
Costas Batargias ◽  
...  

Various factors, including the insect host, diet, and surrounding ecosystem can shape the structure of the bacterial communities of insects. We have employed next generation, high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA to characterize the bacteriome of wild Zeugodacus (Bactrocera) cucurbitae (Coquillett) flies from three regions of Bangladesh. The tested populations developed distinct bacterial communities with differences in bacterial composition, suggesting that geography has an impact on the fly bacteriome. The dominant bacteria belonged to the families Enterobacteriaceae, Dysgomonadaceae and Orbaceae, with the genera Dysgonomonas, Orbus and Citrobacter showing the highest relative abundance across populations. Network analysis indicated variable interactions between operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with cases of mutual exclusion and copresence. Certain bacterial genera with high relative abundance were also characterized by a high degree of interactions. Interestingly, genera with a low relative abundance like Shimwellia, Gilliamella, and Chishuiella were among those that showed abundant interactions, suggesting that they are also important components of the bacterial community. Such knowledge could help us identify ideal wild populations for domestication in the context of the sterile insect technique or similar biotechnological methods. Further characterization of this bacterial diversity with transcriptomic and metabolic approaches, could also reveal their specific role in Z. cucurbitae physiology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4707
Author(s):  
Mariana Lopes ◽  
Sandra Louzada ◽  
Margarida Gama-Carvalho ◽  
Raquel Chaves

(Peri)centromeric repetitive sequences and, more specifically, satellite DNA (satDNA) sequences, constitute a major human genomic component. SatDNA sequences can vary on a large number of features, including nucleotide composition, complexity, and abundance. Several satDNA families have been identified and characterized in the human genome through time, albeit at different speeds. Human satDNA families present a high degree of sub-variability, leading to the definition of various subfamilies with different organization and clustered localization. Evolution of satDNA analysis has enabled the progressive characterization of satDNA features. Despite recent advances in the sequencing of centromeric arrays, comprehensive genomic studies to assess their variability are still required to provide accurate and proportional representation of satDNA (peri)centromeric/acrocentric short arm sequences. Approaches combining multiple techniques have been successfully applied and seem to be the path to follow for generating integrated knowledge in the promising field of human satDNA biology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (17) ◽  
pp. E3969-E3977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasikumar Rajoo ◽  
Pascal Vallotton ◽  
Evgeny Onischenko ◽  
Karsten Weis

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is an eightfold symmetrical channel providing selective transport of biomolecules across the nuclear envelope. Each NPC consists of ∼30 different nuclear pore proteins (Nups) all present in multiple copies per NPC. Significant progress has recently been made in the characterization of the vertebrate NPC structure. However, because of the estimated size differences between the vertebrate and yeast NPC, it has been unclear whether the NPC architecture is conserved between species. Here, we have developed a quantitative image analysis pipeline, termed nuclear rim intensity measurement (NuRIM), to precisely determine copy numbers for almost all Nups within native NPCs of budding yeast cells. Our analysis demonstrates that the majority of yeast Nups are present at most in 16 copies per NPC. This reveals a dramatic difference to the stoichiometry determined for the human NPC, suggesting that despite a high degree of individual Nup conservation, the yeast and human NPC architecture is significantly different. Furthermore, using NuRIM, we examined the effects of mutations on NPC stoichiometry. We demonstrate for two paralog pairs of key scaffold Nups, Nup170/Nup157 and Nup192/Nup188, that their altered expression leads to significant changes in the NPC stoichiometry inducing either voids in the NPC structure or substitution of one paralog by the other. Thus, our results not only provide accurate stoichiometry information for the intact yeast NPC but also reveal an intriguing compositional plasticity of the NPC architecture, which may explain how differences in NPC composition could arise in the course of evolution.


Author(s):  
Khalid Mashay Alanazi ◽  
Mohammad Ajmal Ali ◽  
Soo-Yong Kim ◽  
M. Oliur Rahman ◽  
Mohammad Abul Farah ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1612
Author(s):  
Werner Ruppitsch ◽  
Andjela Nisic ◽  
Patrick Hyden ◽  
Adriana Cabal ◽  
Jasmin Sucher ◽  
...  

In many dairy products, Leuconostoc spp. is a natural part of non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) accounting for flavor development. However, data on the genomic diversity of Leuconostoc spp. isolates obtained from cheese are still scarce. The focus of this study was the genomic characterization of Leuconostoc spp. obtained from different traditional Montenegrin brine cheeses with the aim to explore their diversity and provide genetic information as a basis for the selection of strains for future cheese production. In 2019, sixteen Leuconostoc spp. isolates were obtained from white brine cheeses from nine different producers located in three municipalities in the northern region of Montenegro. All isolates were identified as Ln. mesenteroides. Classical multilocus sequence tying (MLST) and core genome (cg) MLST revealed a high diversity of the Montenegrin Ln. mesenteroides cheese isolates. All isolates carried genes of the bacteriocin biosynthetic gene clusters, eight out of 16 strains carried the citCDEFG operon, 14 carried butA, and all 16 isolates carried alsS and ilv, genes involved in forming important aromas and flavor compounds. Safety evaluation indicated that isolates carried no pathogenic factors and no virulence factors. In conclusion, Ln. mesenteroides isolates from Montenegrin traditional cheeses displayed a high genetic diversity and were unrelated to strains deposited in GenBank.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2433-2443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wai Lo ◽  
R. Stevens ◽  
R. Doyle ◽  
A.M. Campbell ◽  
W.Y. Liang

High textured (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox ceramics have been fabricated by aligning deflocculated flakes of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox suspended in an organic medium by means of a high de magnetic field (6 T) at room temperature followed by cold isostatic pressing. The proportion of the (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox phase in the precursor powder was carefully controlled, and the characteristics of the powder, such as size distribution and morphology, were determined. A high degree of grain alignment was found in the specimens after the magnetic alignment, although the bulk density of the materials was low. Cold isostatic pressing substantially increased the density of the magnetically prealigned specimens which also resulted in a slight decrease in the degree of grain alignment. This minor realignment was found to be due to the various kinds of processing defects that appeared in the specimens during compaction due to the grinding and cracking of the grains and their interlocking. The microstructural and superconducting properties of the sintered ceramic have been studied using texture goniometry, high resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ac magnetic susceptometry, and critical current measurements.


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