Title | Novel integrative elements and genomic plasticity in ocean ecosystems. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2023 |
Authors | Hackl, T, Laurenceau, R, Ankenbrand, MJ, Bliem, C, Cariani, Z, Thomas, E, Dooley, KD, Arellano, AA, Hogle, SL, Berube, P, Leventhal, GE, Luo, E, Eppley, JM, Zayed, AA, Beaulaurier, J, Stepanauskas, R, Sullivan, MB, Delong, EF, Biller, SJ, Chisholm, SW |
Journal | Cell |
Volume | 186 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 47-62.e16 |
Date Published | 2023 Jan 05 |
ISSN | 1097-4172 |
Keywords | Ecosystem, Genome, Bacterial, Genomics, Oceans and Seas, Phylogeny |
Abstract | Horizontal gene transfer accelerates microbial evolution. The marine picocyanobacterium Prochlorococcus exhibits high genomic plasticity, yet the underlying mechanisms are elusive. Here, we report a novel family of DNA transposons-"tycheposons"-some of which are viral satellites while others carry cargo, such as nutrient-acquisition genes, which shape the genetic variability in this globally abundant genus. Tycheposons share distinctive mobile-lifecycle-linked hallmark genes, including a deep-branching site-specific tyrosine recombinase. Their excision and integration at tRNA genes appear to drive the remodeling of genomic islands-key reservoirs for flexible genes in bacteria. In a selection experiment, tycheposons harboring a nitrate assimilation cassette were dynamically gained and lost, thereby promoting chromosomal rearrangements and host adaptation. Vesicles and phage particles harvested from seawater are enriched in tycheposons, providing a means for their dispersal in the wild. Similar elements are found in microbes co-occurring with Prochlorococcus, suggesting a common mechanism for microbial diversification in the vast oligotrophic oceans. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.006 |
Alternate Journal | Cell |
PubMed ID | 36608657 |