Filter Mini-Metagenomics: Discovering and Characterizing Soil Teeny Tiny Patescibacteria

Presenter

Isabel Kristina Rojas

Group Members

Maria Beaulieu, John Tsai Silva

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Jeffrey Blanchard, Department of Biology, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A66, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 4 (A61-A80) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Candidate phyla radiation (CPR), otherwise known as Patescibacteria, are a broad group of bacteria characterized by their reduced genomes and streamlined metabolisms. Most are suspected anaerobes with incomplete TCA cycles and missing amino acid and fatty acid biosynthetic pathways. Patescibacteria remained uncultured until recent advances isolated one subgroup within the CPR. Furthermore, evidence of Patescibacteria has been found in bodies of water worldwide as well as in deep sea sediments. Detection of environmental Patescibacteria relies on metagenomic sequencing and reconstruction of the genetic potential through metagenomic and metatranscriptomic annotation. Our study was interested in characterizing Patescibacteria in soil to expand current understanding of the group in terrestrial ecosystems. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to annotate Patescibacteria metagenomes derived strictly from soil samples.

Soil samples were collected from Barre Woods in Petersham, MA, and filtering methods were used to select microbes between 0.2 and 1.2 micrometers. Sequencing, genome assembly, and classification of these microbes produced 352 genomes under 2 Mb. Of the high-quality genomes, forty-seven belong to Patescibacteria. After metagenomic construction and annotation, our results identified the class Microgenomatia as unique with respect to the wider phylum. Specifically,  this class exhibited the capability to produce cellulases and chitinases. We also performed a horizontal gene transfer analysis on the CPR as a whole in respect to other bacterial groups. The data show Patescibacteria MAGs are more likely to preserve HGTs (horizontal gene transfer) with genes concerning membrane biogenesis, defense mechanisms, and coenzyme metabolism.

Keywords

Microbial Ecosystems , Soil Ecology , Microbes

Research Area

Biological Organisms

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