Differential global distribution of marine picocyanobacteria gene clusters reveals distinct niche-related adaptive strategies.

ABSTRACT: The ever-increasing number of available microbial genomes and metagenomes provides new opportunities to investigate the links between niche partitioning and genome evolution in the ocean, especially for the abundant and ubiquitous marine picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. Here, by combining metagenome analyses of the Tara Oceans dataset with comparative genomics, including phyletic patterns and genomic context of individual genes from 256 reference genomes, we show that picocyanobacterial communities thriving in different niches possess distinct gene repertoires. We also identify clusters of adjacent genes that display specific distribution patterns in the field (eCAGs) and are thus potentially involved in the same metabolic pathway and may have a key role in niche adapta

SUBMITTER: Dore H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10119275 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature