Diversity, Taxonomic Novelty, and Encoded Functions of Salar de Ascotan Microbiota, as Revealed by Metagenome-Assembled Genomes.

ABSTRACT: Salar de Ascotán is a high-altitude arsenic-rich salt flat exposed to high ultraviolet radiation in the Atacama Desert, Chile. It hosts unique endemic flora and fauna and is an essential habitat for migratory birds, making it an important site for conservation and protection. However, there is limited information on the resident microbiota's diversity, genomic features, metabolic potential, and molecular mechanisms that enable it to thrive in this extreme environment. We used long- and short-read metagenomics to investigate the microbial communities in Ascotán's water, sediment, and soil. Bacteria predominated, mainly Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, and Bacteroidota, with a remarkable diversity of archaea in the soil. Following hybrid assembly, we recovered high-quali

SUBMITTER: Veloso M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10673233 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature