Evidence for Trace Gas Metabolism and Widespread Antibiotic Synthesis in an Abiotically Driven, Antarctic Soil Ecosystem.

ABSTRACT: The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica are a uniquely pristine, low-biodiversity model system for understanding fundamental ecological phenomena, the impact of a warming climate on ecosystem functioning, community structure and composition and the dynamics of adaptation. Despite the scientific value of this system, we still know little about the functional ecology of its biota, especially the bacteria. Here, we analysed the bacterial taxonomic and functional diversity of 18 shotgun metagenomes using the VEBA metagenome processing pipeline. We recovered 701 medium-to-high quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) (≥ 50% completeness and contamination < 10%) and 201 high-quality MAGs (≥ 80% completeness and < 10% contamination), almost 50% more than found in similar sites previously.

SUBMITTER: Thompson AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12688704 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature