Temperature and Geographic Location Impact the Distribution and Diversity of Photoautotrophic Gene Variants in Alkaline Yellowstone Hot Springs.

ABSTRACT: Alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) provide a framework to study the relationship between photoautotrophs and temperature. Previous work has focused on studying how cyanobacteria (oxygenic phototrophs) vary with temperature, sulfide, and pH, but many questions remain regarding the ecophysiology of anoxygenic photosynthesis due to the taxonomic and metabolic diversity of these taxa. To this end, we examined the distribution of genes involved in phototrophy, carbon fixation, and nitrogen fixation in eight alkaline (pH 7.3-9.4) hot spring sites near the upper temperature limit of photosynthesis (71ºC) in YNP using metagenome sequencing. Based on genes encoding key reaction center proteins, geographic isolation plays a larger role than temperature in selecting for distinct

SUBMITTER: Bennett AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9241655 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature