High level of intergenera gene exchange shapes the evolution of haloarchaea in an isolated Antarctic lake.

ABSTRACT: Deep Lake in Antarctica is a globally isolated, hypersaline system that remains liquid at temperatures down to -20 °C. By analyzing metagenome data and genomes of four isolates we assessed genome variation and patterns of gene exchange to learn how the lake community evolved. The lake is completely and uniformly dominated by haloarchaea, comprising a hierarchically structured, low-complexity community that differs greatly to temperate and tropical hypersaline environments. The four Deep Lake isolates represent distinct genera (∼85% 16S rRNA gene similarity and ∼73% genome average nucleotide identity) with genomic characteristics indicative of niche adaptation, and collectively account for ∼72% of the cellular community. Network analysis revealed a remarkable level of intergenera gene excha

SUBMITTER: DeMaere MZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3801024 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature