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PMID: 19000309 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

A genomic analysis of the archaeal system Ignicoccus hospitalis-Nanoarchaeum equitans.

Genome biology ·Vol. 9 ·No. 11 ·2008-00-00 ·Pages R158

Podar M, Anderson I, Makarova KS, Elkins JG, Ivanova N, Wall MA, Lykidis A, Mavromatis K, Sun H, Hudson ME, Chen W, Deciu C, Hutchison D, Eads JR, Anderson A, Fernandes F, Szeto E, Lapidus A, Kyrpides NC, Saier MH, Richardson PM, Rachel R, Huber H, Eisen JA, Koonin EV, Keller M, Stetter KO

Abstract

The relationship between the hyperthermophiles Ignicoccus hospitalis and Nanoarchaeum equitans is the only known example of a specific association between two species of Archaea. Little is known about the mechanisms that enable this relationship. We sequenced the complete genome of I. hospitalis and found it to be the smallest among independent, free-living organisms. A comparative genomic reconstruction suggests that the I. hospitalis lineage has lost most of the genes associated with a heterotrophic metabolism that is characteristic of most of the Crenarchaeota. A streamlined genome is also suggested by a low frequency of paralogs and fragmentation of many operons. However, this process appears to be partially balanced by lateral gene transfer from archaeal and bacterial sources. A combination of genomic and cellular features suggests highly efficient adaptation to the low energy yield of sulfur-hydrogen respiration and efficient inorganic carbon and nitrogen assimilation. Evidence of lateral gene exchange between N. equitans and I. hospitalis indicates that the relationship has impacted both genomes. This association is the simplest symbiotic system known to date and a unique model for studying mechanisms of interspecific relationships at the genomic and metabolic levels.

MeSH Terms
Biological Transport Desulfurococcaceae/genetics,physiology Energy Metabolism Gene Transfer, Horizontal Genome, Archaeal Nanoarchaeota/genetics,physiology Phylogeny Symbiosis
Authors & Affiliations
27 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Podar Mircea
Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA. podarm@ornl.gov
Anderson Iain
Makarova Kira S
Elkins James G
Ivanova Natalia
Wall Mark A
Lykidis Athanasios
Mavromatis Kostantinos
Sun Hui
Hudson Matthew E
Chen Wenqiong
Deciu Cosmin
Hutchison Don
Eads Jonathan R
Anderson Abraham
Fernandes Fillipe
Szeto Ernest
Lapidus Alla
Kyrpides Nikos C
Saier Milton H
Richardson Paul M
Rachel Reinhard
Huber Harald
Eisen Jonathan A
Koonin Eugene V
Keller Martin
Stetter Karl O
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Article Info
Journal
Genome biology
Abbr.
Genome Biol
ISSN
1474-760X
DOI
10.1186/gb-2008-9-11-r158
Email
podarm@ornl.gov
Published
2008-00-00
Epub
2008-00-10
Pages
R158
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
100960660
PMCID
PMC2614490
Subset
IM
Grants
Intramural NIH HHS · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1186/gb-2008-9-11-r158 PMC Full Text View journal details
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