Acquisition of the arginine deiminase system benefits epiparasitic Saccharibacteria and their host bacteria in a mammalian niche environment.

ABSTRACT: Saccharibacteria are a group of widespread and genetically diverse ultrasmall bacteria with highly reduced genomes that belong to the Candidate Phyla Radiation. Comparative genomic analyses suggest convergent evolution of key functions enabling the adaptation of environmental Saccharibacteria to mammalian microbiomes. Currently, our understanding of this environment-to-mammal niche transition within Saccharibacteria and their obligate episymbiotic association with host bacteria is limited. Here, we identified a complete arginine deiminase system (ADS), found in further genome streamlined mammal-associated Saccharibacteria but missing in their environmental counterparts, suggesting acquisition during environment-to-mammal niche transition. Using TM7x, the first cultured Saccharibacteria str

SUBMITTER: Tian J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8764695 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature