Identification of key steps in the evolution of anaerobic methanotrophy in <i>Candidatus</i> Methanovorans (ANME-3) archaea.

ABSTRACT: Despite their large environmental impact and multiple independent emergences, the processes leading to the evolution of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) remain unclear. This work uses comparative metagenomics of a recently evolved but understudied ANME group, "Candidatus Methanovorans" (ANME-3), to identify evolutionary processes and innovations at work in ANME, which may be obscured in earlier evolved lineages. We identified horizontal transfer of hdrA homologs and convergent evolution in carbon and energy metabolic genes as potential early steps in Methanovorans evolution. We also identified the erosion of genes required for methylotrophic methanogenesis along with horizontal acquisition of multiheme cytochromes and other loci uniquely associated with ANME. Th

SUBMITTER: Woods PH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12180501 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature