John T. Wertz

Genomic and Physiological Characterization of the Verrucomicrobia Isolate Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., Reveals Microaerophily and Nitrogen Fixation Genes

ABSTRACT Previously we reported the cultivation of novel verrucomicrobia, including strain TAV2 (93% 16S rRNA gene identity to its nearest cultivated representative, Opitutus terreae PB90-1) from the gut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. To gain better insight into the Verrucomicrobia as a whole and understand the role of verrucomicrobia within the termite gut ecosystem, we analyzed a draft genome and undertook a physiological characterization of TAV2. Strain TAV2 is an autochthonous member of the R. flavipes gut microbiota and groups phylogenetically among diverse Verrucomicrobia from R. flavipes and other termites that are represented by 16S rRNA gene sequences alone. TAV2 is a microaerophile, possessing a high-affinity cbb 3-type terminal oxidase-encoding gene and exhibiting an optimum growth rate between 2 and 8% (vol/vol) oxygen. It has the genetic potential to degrade cellulose, an important function within termite guts, but its in vitro substrate utilization spectrum was limited to starch and a few mono- and disaccharides. Growth occurred on nitrogen-free medium, and genomic screening revealed genes for dinitrogenases, heretofore detected in only a few members of the Verrucomicrobia. This represents the first (i) characterization of a verrucomicrobial species from the termite gut, (ii) report of nif and anf genes in a nonacidophilic verrucomicrobial species, and (iii) description of a microaerophilic genotype and phenotype in this phylum of bacteria. The genetic and physiological distinctiveness of TAV2 supports its recognition as the type strain of a new genus and species, for which the name Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed.

Identification of androgen receptors in rabbit lacrimal gland by immunohistochemsitry.

It has been reported that androgens play an important role in supporting the structure and function of the lacrimal gland. Androgen deficiency may be linked to the progression of lacrimal gland dysfunction and dry eye.1 Sjogren’s syndrome is primarily a female disease, with 90% of Sjogren’s syndrome patients being women. Recently Sullivan et al.2 reported that women with Sjogren’s syndrome are androgen deficient.

Development of an ecophysiological model for Diplosphaera colotermitum TAV2, a termite hindgut Verrucomicrobium

Termite hindguts are populated by a dense and diverse community of microbial symbionts working in concert to transform lignocellulosic plant material and derived residues into acetate, to recycle and fix nitrogen, and to remove oxygen. Although much has been learned about the breadth of microbial diversity in the hindgut, the ecophysiological roles of its members is less understood. In this study, we present new information about the ecophysiology of microorganism Diplosphaera colotermitum strain TAV2, an autochthonous member of the Reticulitermes flavipes gut community. An integrated high-throughput approach was used to determine the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of cells grown under hypoxia (2% O2) or atmospheric (20% O2) concentrations of oxygen. Our results revealed that genes and proteins associated with energy production and utilization, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, nitrogen fixation, and replication and recombination were upregulated under 2% O2. The metabolic map developed for TAV2 indicates that this microorganism may be involved in biological nitrogen fixation, amino-acid production, hemicellulose degradation and consumption of O2 in the termite hindgut. Variation of O2 concentration explained 55.9% of the variance in proteomic profiles, suggesting an adaptive evolution of TAV2 to the hypoxic periphery of the hindgut. Our findings advance the current understanding of microaerophilic microorganisms in the termite gut and expand our understanding of the ecological roles for members of the phylum Verrucomicrobia.

Identifying proteins that can form tyrosine-cysteine crosslinks

Protein cofactors represent a unique class of redox active posttranslational protein modifications formed in or by metalloproteins. Once formed, protein cofactors provide a one-electron oxidant, which is tethered to the protein backbone. Twenty-five proteins are known to contain protein cofactors, but this number is likely limited by the use of crystallography as the identification technique. In order to address this limitation, a search of all reported protein structures for chemical environments conducive to forming a protein cofactor through tyrosine and cysteine side chain crosslinking yielded three hundred candidate proteins. Using hydrogen bonding and metal center proximity, the three hundred proteins were narrowed to four highly viable candidates. An orphan metalloprotein (BF4112) was examined to validate this methodology, which identifies proteins capable of crosslinking tyrosine and cysteine sidechains. A tyrosine-cysteine crosslink was formed in BF4112 using copper-dioxygen chemistry, as in galactose oxidase. Liquid chromatography-MALDI mass spectrometry and optical spectroscopy confirmed tyrosine-cysteine crosslink formation in BF4112. This finding demonstrates the efficacy of these predictive methods and the minimal constraints, provided by the BF4112 protein structure, in tyrosine-cysteine crosslink formation. This search method, when coupled with physiological evidence for crosslink formation and function as a cofactor, could identify additional protein-derived cofactors.

Herbivorous turtle ants obtain essential nutrients from a conserved nitrogen-recycling gut microbiome

Nitrogen acquisition is a major challenge for herbivorous animals, and the repeated origins of herbivory across the ants have raised expectations that nutritional symbionts have shaped their diversification. Direct evidence for N provisioning by internally housed symbionts is rare in animals; among the ants, it has been documented for just one lineage. In this study we dissect functional contributions by bacteria from a conserved, multi-partite gut symbiosis in herbivorous Cephalotes ants through in vivo experiments, metagenomics, and in vitro assays. Gut bacteria recycle urea, and likely uric acid, using recycled N to synthesize essential amino acids that are acquired by hosts in substantial quantities. Specialized core symbionts of 17 studied Cephalotes species encode the pathways directing these activities, and several recycle N in vitro. These findings point to a highly efficient N economy, and a nutritional mutualism preserved for millions of years through the derived behaviors and gut anatomy of Cephalotes ants.Gut bacteria are prevalent across insects including ants, but their precise roles are often unclear. Here, Hu et al. show that microbes aid ants by recycling nitrogen into bio-available amino acids. This function is conserved across the turtle ants, suggesting an ancient nutritional mutualism.

Complete Genome Sequences of 38 Gordonia sp. Bacteriophages

ABSTRACT We report here the genome sequences of 38 newly isolated bacteriophages using Gordonia terrae 3612 (ATCC 25594) and Gordonia neofelifaecis NRRL59395 as bacterial hosts. All of the phages are double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) tail phages with siphoviral morphologies, with genome sizes ranging from 17,118 bp to 93,843 bp and spanning considerable nucleotide sequence diversity.

Second Correction for Wertz et al., “Genomic and Physiological Characterization of the Verrucomicrobia Isolate Geminisphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., Reveals Microaerophily and Nitrogen Fixation Genes”

Volume 78, no. 5, p. 1544–1555, 2012, [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.06466-11][1], and volume 83, no. 13, e00987-17, 2017, [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00987-17][2]. The name Diplosphaera, the proposed genus name for Verrucomicrobia strain TAV2, was previously used for a microalga. Subsequently, we

Nitrogen conservation, conserved: 46 million years of N-recycling by the core symbionts of turtle ants

Nitrogen acquisition is a major challenge for herbivorous animals, and the repeated origins of herbivory across the ants have raised expectations that nutritional symbionts have shaped their diversification. Direct evidence for N-provisioning by internally housed symbionts is rare in animals; among the ants, it has been documented for just one lineage. In this study we dissect functional contributions by bacteria from a conserved, multi-partite gut symbiosis in herbivorous Cephalotes ants through in vivo experiments, (meta)genomics, and in vitro assays. Gut bacteria recycle urea, and likely uric acid, using recycled N to synthesize essential amino acids that are acquired by hosts in substantial quantities. Specialized core symbionts of 17 studied Cephalotes species encode the pathways directing these activities, and several recycle N in vitro. These findings point to a highly efficient N-economy, and a nutritional mutualism preserved for millions of years through the derived behaviors and gut anatomy of Cephalotes ants. Category Biological Sciences-Evolution