CENTER for DARK ENERGY BIOSPHERE INVESTIGATIONS
Menu
  • About
    • Introduction
    • People
    • Spotlight
    • Ethics Policy
    • Data Access & Policy
    • Executive Documents
    • C-DEBI Branded Resources
    • Support C-DEBI
    • Contact Us
  • Research
    • Overview
    • Research Themes
    • Field Sites
    • Facilities, Equipment & Technology
    • Research Support
      • Research Grants
      • Graduate Fellowships
      • Postdoctoral Fellowships
      • Research Exchanges
      • Community Workshops
      • Funded Projects
  • Education
    • Overview
    • For Teachers
    • For High School Students
    • For Undergraduates
      • Overview
      • GEM Summer Course
      • C4 Research Experience
      • CC-RISE Research Internship
      • GGURE Research Experience
      • Partnering Organizations
    • For Graduates & Postdocs
    • For Everyone
    • Education Grants
  • Resources
    • Peer-Reviewed Publications
    • Project Data
    • Protocols
    • Subseafloor Cultures Database
    • Videos
    • Mailing List & Newsletter
    • Meetings & Workshops
    • Networked Speaker Series
    • Professional Development Webinars
    • How to Get Deep Biosphere Samples

Person: Cindy J. Castelle

Order
Date Desc
Date Asc
Title Asc
Title Desc
Publications > Journal Article
Published: April 3, 2017
Nature Microbiology
Retroelement-guided protein diversification abounds in vast lineages of Bacteria and Archaea
Authors: Blair Paul, David Burstein, Cindy J. Castelle, Sumit Handa, Diego Arambula, Elizabeth Czornyj, Brian C. Thomas, Partho Ghosh, Jeff F. Miller, Jillian F. Banfield, David Valentine
C-DEBI Contribution Number: 361
Publications > Journal Article
Nature Microbiology
Retroelement-guided protein diversification abounds in vast lineages of Bacteria and Archaea
Authors: Blair Paul, David Burstein, Cindy J. Castelle, Sumit Handa, Diego Arambula, Elizabeth Czornyj, Brian C. Thomas, Partho Ghosh, Jeff F. Miller, Jillian F. Banfield, David Valentine
Published: April 3, 2017
C-DEBI Contribution Number: 361

Abstract

Major radiations of enigmatic Bacteria and Archaea with large inventories of uncharacterized proteins are a striking feature of the Tree of Life The processes that led to functional diversity in these lineages, which may contribute to a host-dependent lifestyle, are poorly understood. Here, we show that diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs), which guide site-specific protein hypervariability, are prominent features of genomically reduced organisms from the bacterial candidate phyla radiation (CPR) and as yet uncultivated phyla belonging to the DPANN (Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota and Nanohaloarchaea) archaeal superphylum. From reconstructed genomes we have defined monophyletic bacterial and archaeal DGR lineages that expand the known DGR range by 120% and reveal a history of horizontal retroelement transfer. Retroelement-guided diversification is further shown to be active in current CPR and DPANN populations, with an assortment of protein targets potentially involved in attachment, defence and regulation. Based on observations of DGR abundance, function and evolutionary history, we find that targeted protein diversification is a pronounced trait of CPR and DPANN phyla compared to other bacterial and archaeal phyla. This diversification mechanism may provide CPR and DPANN organisms with a versatile tool that could be used for adaptation to a dynamic, host-dependent existence.
Source: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.45

Related Items

Awards
Awards > Postdoctoral Fellowships
Award Dates: April 1, 2016 — June 30, 2018
Using a targeted metagenomic approach to examine adaptive protein diversification by microorganisms and their viruses in subseafloor sediments
Awardee: Blair Paul (University of California Santa Barbara)
Degree: Ph.D. Marine Science, University of California Santa Barbara (2013)
Advisor: David Valentine (University of California Santa Barbara)

About C-DEBI  |  Our Research  |  Education & Outreach  |  Resources  |
Contact Us  |  Join Our Mailing List  |  Find Us On Facebook  |  Follow us on Twitter
© 2009-2019 Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI)

SUPPORT C-DEBI TODAY |  National Science Foundation