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Unraveling the genomic mosaic of a ubiquitous genus of marine cyanobacteria
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Dufresne, Alexis, Ostrowski, Martin, Scanlan, David J. , Garczarek, Laurence, Mazard, Sophie, Palenik, Brian P., Paulsen, Ian T., Tandeau de Marsac, Nicole, Johnson, Justin, Post, Anton F., Hess, Wolfgang R. and Partensky, Frédéric (2008) Unraveling the genomic mosaic of a ubiquitous genus of marine cyanobacteria. Genome Biology, Vol.9 (No.R90). Article no.R90. doi:10.1186/gb-2008-9-5-r90 ISSN 1474-7596.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/gb-2008-9-5-r90
Abstract
Background: The picocyanobacterial genus Synechococcus occurs over wide oceanic expanses, having colonized most
available niches in the photic zone. Large scale distribution patterns of the different Synechococcus clades (based on 16S rRNA gene markers) suggest the occurrence of two major lifestyles ('opportunists'/'specialists'), corresponding to two distinct broad habitats ('coastal'/'open ocean'). Yet, the genetic basis of niche partitioning is still poorly understood in this
ecologically important group.
Results: Here, we compare the genomes of 11 marine Synechococcus isolates, representing 10 distinct lineages.
Phylogenies inferred from the core genome allowed us to refine the taxonomic relationships between clades by revealing a clear dichotomy within the main subcluster, reminiscent of the two aforementioned lifestyles. Genome size is strongly correlated with the cumulative lengths of hypervariable regions (or 'islands'). One of these, encompassing most genes encoding the light-harvesting phycobilisome rod complexes, is involved in adaptation to changes in light quality and has clearly been transferred between members of different Synechococcus lineages. Furthermore, we observed that two strains (RS9917 and WH5701) that have similar pigmentation and physiology have an unusually high number of genes in common, given their phylogenetic distance.
Conclusion: We propose that while members of a given marine Synechococcus lineage may have the same broad geographical distribution, local niche occupancy is facilitated by lateral gene transfers, a process in which genomic islands
play a key role as a repository for transferred genes. Our work also highlights the need for developing picocyanobacterial systematics based on genome-derived parameters combined with ecological and physiological data.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QK Botany | ||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) > Biological Sciences ( -2010) | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Cyanobacterial blooms, Gene mapping | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Genome Biology | ||||
Publisher: | BioMed Central Ltd. | ||||
ISSN: | 1474-7596 | ||||
Official Date: | 28 May 2008 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.9 | ||||
Number: | No.R90 | ||||
Page Range: | Article no.R90 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1186/gb-2008-9-5-r90 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | ||||
Funder: | Natural Environment Research Council (Great Britain) (NERC), European Commission (EC), France. Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR), Consortium National de Recherche en Génomique, Israel Science Foundation (ISF), Gruss-Lipper Fund, Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass.), National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF), Germany. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) | ||||
Grant number: | ANR-05-BLAN-0122-01 (ANR), NE/ C000536/1 and NE/D003385/1 (NERC), 135/05 (ISF) , EF0333162 and MCB0731771 (NSF), |
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