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Title: Genomic Changes Associated with the Evolutionary Transitions of Nostoc to a Plant Symbiont

Journal Article · · Molecular Biology and Evolution
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [5];  [6]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences
  2. UiT–The Arctic Univ. of Norway, Tromso (Norway). Dept. of Arctic and Marine Biology
  3. USDOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Walnut Creek, CA (United States)
  4. UiT–The Arctic Univ. of Norway, Tromso (Norway). Dept. of Chemistry
  5. J. Craig Venter Inst., La Jolla, CA (United States). Dept. of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy
  6. J. Craig Venter Inst., La Jolla, CA (United States). Dept. of Microbial and Environmental Genomics

Cyanobacteria belonging to the genus Nostoc comprise free-living strains and also facultative plant symbionts. Symbiotic strains can enter into symbiosis with taxonomically diverse range of host plants. Little is known about genomic changes associated with evolutionary transition of Nostoc from free-living to plant symbiont. Here, we compared the genomes derived from 11 symbiotic Nostoc strains isolated from different host plants and infer phylogenetic relationships between strains. Phylogenetic reconstructions of 89 Nostocales showed that symbiotic Nostoc strains with a broad host range, entering epiphytic and intracellular or extracellular endophytic interactions, form a monophyletic clade indicating a common evolutionary history. A polyphyletic origin was found for Nostoc strains which enter only extracellular symbioses, and inference of transfer events implied that this trait was likely acquired several times in the evolution of the Nostocales. Symbiotic Nostoc strains showed enriched functions in transport and metabolism of organic sulfur, chemotaxis and motility, as well as the uptake of phosphate, branched-chain amino acids, and ammonium. The genomes of the intracellular clade differ from that of other Nostoc strains, with a gain/enrichment of genes encoding proteins to generate L-methionine from sulfite and pathways for the degradation of the plant metabolites vanillin and vanillate, and of the macromolecule xylan present in plant cell walls. These compounds could function as C-sources for members of the intracellular clade. Molecular clock analysis indicated that the intracellular clade emerged ca. 600 Ma, suggesting that intracellular Nostoc symbioses predate the origin of land plants and the emergence of their extant hosts.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC); Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1434367
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1543986
Journal Information:
Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol. 35, Issue 5; ISSN 0737-4038
Publisher:
Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 28 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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